True Seeing

by Leigh Wyndfield

  He moved away for a second, then grabbed her hips, turning her toward him. He pushed her up against the back of the shower, lifting and pinning her to the wall in one motion. His arms slipped between her legs to widen her and she wrapped them around his waist to anchor herself. He slid into her smoothly, opening her, and for a second Susan was distracted with the thought that he had soaped himself to make his entry easier and then she was lost in feeling. One of his hands stayed supporting her, the other slid between them to slip one finger onto her clitoris. He didn't move it, just left it holding her down.

  Susan closed her eyes so tightly, stars burst behind her lids. She was a mass of pulsing nerve endings, feeling him moving in and out of her. Her head fell back onto the wall as she climaxed. With one more stroke, she felt him come with her, the force of it rocking her soul.

  For a moment, she laid her forehead against his chest, unable to move. Jake's body lay against hers like a blanket. Aftershocks were still zinging through her. “We're losing the hot water, Susan. You'd better rinse all the soap off quick,” he whispered to her, his voice deeper than usual, tight from their lovemaking. He moved away as if he was reluctant to do so, switching their places to help her get clean. He reached around and shut off the spray right as the water went completely cold, causing her to jump back into him. He closed his arms around her and kissed her neck. She felt so right.

  * * * *

  It was the headache that woke her up, although the sun would have done it sooner or later. Yellow beams streamed through the window. She had forgotten to pull the shades down last night. She moved her head gingerly to look at the man beside her. She'd known who was in bed before she'd opened her eyes, just from the smell of him. For a second, she looked at him greedily. He was tangled in the sheets, one arm flung above his head, the other under her neck. Somehow, the sheet had fallen across his lap but otherwise he was as naked as a jaybird. Susan felt pure lust move through her.

  Susan felt so turned on that she lifted her hand to wake him. At that instant, reality crashed down and she realized they hadn't used protection last night. You wine-guzzling moron! Forcing herself not to panic, Susan looked at her ceiling and started counting days. She relaxed a bit when she figured out that she was in the clear. Probably.

  Thirty years old and she made a slip up most high school students knew better than to make.

  As if he read her mind, Jake spoke from beside her. “I'm thinking you should go on birth control.” He grinned at her boyishly when her head whipped in his direction.

  Susan was furious at herself and him. “What if I'm pregnant, you grinning ape?” She got up from the bed, dragging the sheet with her. She only got one step before she pulled up short. His body was still on one end of the sheet and he wasn't moving.

  “Then we'll have to get married, Susan love.” His reasonable tone pushed her further over the edge. He reclined lazily across her bed, showing her his body. She felt a zing of desire, but refused to be distracted.

  “Get married? Get married? What is this, the nineteenth century?” Susan tugged at the end of the sheet with fury. “I'm not marrying you!"

  Jake sat up, his face telling her that he was getting angry too. “The hell you wouldn't! You're not running around with my baby not married to me."

  Susan's mouth dropped open. “Who are you, Conan the Barbarian? Get into the twenty-first century, Matherly! People don't get married because one of the parties happens to be pregnant."

  “They do if they're carrying my child!"

  “Are you nuts? I wouldn't marry you. I don't even know you. You're just some guy I've slept with.” Instantly, Susan knew she'd made a tactical error. The anger on Jake's face turned into rage and he was up from the bed standing naked before her.

  “Really, Susan. Just some guy you've slept with.” Susan began to back up when he advanced toward her, tripping on the sheet. “And how many other men have you slept with, Susan?"

  Something in his face made her answer honestly. “Two,” she whispered, feeling her back come against the wall. She had never seen him in this mood before. His voice was too reasonable for the fury in his face.

  “Two. So a total of three—one for each 10 years of your life.” Jake put his hands on either side of her to cage her in. “Sounds like you ho around a bunch, Susan. Sounds to me you take sex casually."

  “No! I..."

  “You what, Susan? I'll tell you what. You're full of it! That's what! I am not just some guy you are sleeping with.” His nose pressed to hers, his gaze snapping.

  Susan panicked. “I'm not getting married Jake. And I'm not having any children."

  “You should have thought about that before you dragged me into bed last night, shouldn't you?"

  “That's not fair.” Susan felt like crying but stamped it down. She wasn't a crier—she hadn't even cried the day her own mother declared that she was a freak. She would work through this as she did everything else in her life.

  Jake's tension drained from him all at once and he dropped his forehead to hers. “You're right, it isn't. I'm as much to blame as you are.” Susan stood still, wondering at his mood change. He looked back up at her. “Why aren't you planning on having kids?"

  Susan blinked for a second, trying to catch her thoughts. “I have a hereditary condition I can pass on.” She lifted her head in a gesture of righteousness. “I wouldn't put anyone through what I've had to live with so I'm not going to have any children. And why get married if you aren't going to have kids?"

  Jake's eyes narrowed. “What kind of condition?"

  “Don't worry. I can't give it to you.” Susan's tone was clipped. She was already regretting that she'd said anything.

  “I want to know what it is."

  Susan leaned her face into his. “None. Of. Your. Business.” Jake towered over her at his full height but Susan wasn't buying it. “Nice intimidation tactics but they won't work, big guy."

  Jake grinned at her. “Fine. But you'll tell me, Susan love. Eventually. I give you my word you will."

  “I doubt it,” Susan said with spunk that she didn't feel. She grasped at straws, trying to come up with something to change the subject. “And another thing—don't try to make me feel guilty by telling me you guys are out of leads again Jake. Georgia said you hardly asked her any questions. She told me she had to force one of you to listen to her about Robb Connors."

  Jake's gaze sharpened, became more like the cop mask he sometimes wore. “What about Robb Connors?"

  “She had an incident with him Sunday afternoon where he wouldn't leave her apartment. It really shook up her brother ."

  “Her brother was in her apartment on Sunday?” Jake's body was still, complete concentration on his face as if he mentally flipped through his notes.

  “I told you he had moved in with her when you and Gordon questioned me about the basement.” Susan felt her worry rise up. “I'm starting to think Robb might be dangerous, Jake. I'm getting concerned about him."

  Jake nodded slowly. “Gordon and I are going to have a talk with him today. I'll need to go into the office later on tonight and check on some things.” He looked at his watch. “But I wouldn't mind spending the morning with you if you have time for me."

  Susan knew things weren't resolved between them and she knew Jake wouldn't let up until he knew her secret. She was beginning to see that he tended to circle back to things relentlessly. It must be some sort of cop tactic. For now, he was distracted, obviously thinking about other things. But at least they had both calmed down.

  Right now, she would take the tack that what would happen would happen in the pregnancy department. She couldn't do anything except worry, which wouldn't help the situation one bit. This is what happens when you think with your libido. She had a flash of pity for the males of the species, since they thought with the guy in their pants most of the time. For once, she understood how they could let it happen.

  * * * *

  The phone rang right as Susan got out of the shower.
She'd had a little chat with herself as she washed her hair, realizing again how much danger she was in with Jake. Danger she hadn't faced since her boyfriend in college. Except this time was worse. She was old enough to know this wasn't a passing fancy. And Jake had proved earlier in her bedroom that he wasn't interested in casual sex. He would marry her if she were pregnant. That spoke volumes about his commitment level.

  But Susan wasn't sure she wanted a relationship. She didn't want to hide who she was from a person she was in love with. One of the best ways she knew to get rid of someone was to tell them her secret. Her own mother couldn't handle her ability to True See. Maybe she should tell him and watch him run. That would take care of everything.

  God, she already didn't want to lose him. She would take today and enjoy it, she promised herself. Just for one day, she would be normal. She hadn't had any visions with him since the first one. Maybe that was a sign—a sign that she should get one day with him to act like a normal couple would.

  “Susan,” Jake called from the other room. “Are you going to get the phone?"

  “Oh,” Susan said, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. “Yes, I've got it.” She picked up the phone. “Hello?"

  “Susan,” said a breathy voice on the other end. “It's Briles. I need you to come get me."

  “Where are you?” Susan thought Briles sounded like she was in trouble. That meant she was in deep. Briles didn't panic until the cops or VD were involved.

  “I'm down in the Bottom at Millie's Diner. Come get me as fast as you can, okay?” She hung up the phone with a click.

  “Damn,” Susan said, throwing the phone onto the base and running for her dresser. Jake lounged in the doorway looking curious but she ignored him, throwing off her robe to put on underwear, jeans and a shirt as fast as she could, disregarding the twist of self-consciousness she felt at being naked in front of him.

  “Are we going somewhere, Susan love?” he asked.

  “Briles is in trouble. I've got to go pick her up.” Susan fumbled through a drawer for her socks. Did she only have pairs that didn't match?

  “I'll get my shoes.” He turned to go back into the living room.

  “Jake, I'm not sure you should come.” Jake turned back to her, calm in her storm.

  “Do you know what's wrong?"

  “No, but knowing Briles, it's probably guy-related."

  “If you don't know what's wrong, Susan, I'm coming.” He turned back into the living room. “You never know when you might need a cop with you."

  Susan didn't have time to fight him. She stepped into her tennis shoes without bothering to untie them and ran into the kitchen to get her keys.

  “I'll drive,” Jake said, standing with the door already open. They both jogged to the car and then got in. “Where to?"

  “Millie's in the Bottom.” Jake pulled the car out of the parking lot.

  “That's kind of a strange place to have an emergency, don't you think? Did she have too many Bloody Marys with brunch?” Millie's was one of the trendiest places to eat brunch in that part of town.

  “I'm trying not to think what trouble she's in. I'll deal with it when I get there.” Susan watched the monuments Richmond was famous for as they passed them. Author Ashe, then some guy she hadn't even heard of before she'd moved here, then Stonewall, facing North to keep an eye on the Yankees.

  “No. We'll both deal with it when we get there.” They rode the rest of the way in complete silence. When Jake pulled into the parking lot, Susan jumped out of the car before he'd had a chance to turn off the engine. Briles came out of Millie's as she got to the front door.

  “Get me into the car,” Briles whispered, grabbing Susan's arm and hauling her back to Jake's car. Briles jumped in and slammed the door, leaving Susan staring across the hood at Jake, who had followed her out. He raised an eyebrow at her.

  “Same clothes as she had on last night,” he said. Susan had guessed that much herself. Briles’ hair wasn't styled and perfect, either. She'd obviously run her fingers through it to comb it out. She still wore the remains of her going-out makeup. Susan didn't get it. Briles always carried a brush and makeup in her purse. Why hadn't she fixed herself? Because she's lost her purse. Could it be that simple?

  “Let's see what the problem is,” she said, shaking her head. She'd known bringing him would be bad news. If this was guy trouble, Jake was about to get an ear full. Briles was acting too bizarre to have only lost her purse and had no keys to drive home.

  Closing her door at the same time Jake closed his, Susan turned to her friend, who sat holding her head in her hands. “What's wrong, Briles? What happened?"

  “I keep making the same mistakes over and over again, Susan. I don't know why I do it."

  “Where's your purse, Briles?"

  “At Benny's place.” Briles dropped her hands and turned her worried gaze to Susan's. “I left it when I woke up this morning with him."

  “What happened?"

  “I can't get him out of my life, Susan. Every time I see him, it's like my IQ drops forty points and if I've been drinking, that's it. I'm toast."

  “Don't beat yourself up about this.” Susan reached her hand over the seat back and took her friend's cold fingers in her own. “We all make mistakes."

  “Yeah, well, I've been making this mistake for two years now. That's beyond a simple boo-boo.” Susan felt Jake shift on the seat beside her, but ignored him. He'd insisted on being here so he could lump it.

  “At least you know he's a mistake, Briles. That's a start."

  “Oh great,” her friend rolled her eyes up to try to prevent the gathering tears from slipping free. “I've known he was a mistake for a year. I'm a complete loser, Susan."

  “Saying stuff like that won't help anything."

  “Shit,” Briles said, wiping tears away. “It's just that the sex is so damn good and he always says the right thing when I see him. When I'm away from him, I'm fine. But the minute I see him, all my good intentions go to hell.” She wiped at more tears and met Susan's gaze. “This morning, he told me that I always was a good lay. I flipped when he said it and ran out without my purse. I had to borrow the quarter I used to call you with.” She flopped her head back against the seat. “Now I'll have to cancel all my credit cards. Damn it!” she said, slamming her fist against Jake's back seat.

  Jake spoke for the first time. “Tell me where he lives and I'll go get your purse for you."

  Briles opened her eyes and stared at him. “Would you?"

  “Yes."

  She nodded slowly. “Okay. He lives in that house down the street.” She pointed to the one. Jake put the car in gear and drove over to it.

  “The yellow one?” He asked, as he parked and opened his car door.

  Briles nodded.

  “You two stay here,” he said, giving Susan a warning look.

  Susan watched Jake walk up to the house. All at once, she realized that she trusted him to take care of this. She hadn't once thought about telling him it was too dangerous or that she would handle it. Jake could take care of himself. It was a weird feeling to trust someone else to take care of something she would normally be stuck doing.

  Susan gave Briles’ hand a squeeze. Her friend broke down and began to sob. She leaned over the seat to hold her.

  * * * *

  Jake banged on Benny's door with his cop knock. “I'm coming, I'm coming,” someone yelled back grumpily. Jake got out his badge and held it up in case Benny decided to check who was at his door through the peephole. He was betting Benny wasn't a cautious type of guy. The door swung open without a pause.

  “Are you Benny?” Jake asked, looking at the hulking man standing before him. Benny hadn't dressed this morning, preferring, Jake supposed, that lounge-in-your-boxers-on-a-Saturday look. The man before him had the feel of a mechanic or someone who did a lot of work with his upper body. Weights wouldn't give the general bulk Jake saw standing in the doorway without a shirt. Tattoos and a face only his mother could love co
mpleted the picture. Jake wondered, not for the first time, what caused good-looking women to fall for these kinds of guys.

  “Yeah, that's me. What's this about officer?"

  “I'm here to collect property left behind by,” Shit, Jake thought, I don't know her last name, “Briles. She claims she left her purse here?” He made it a question.

  “Yeah, the bitch left her purse here. Are you telling me she called the cops to come get it from me? Why the hell didn't she come get it herself?"

  “You tell me, Benny. Why do you think she's scared of you?” Benny truly looked perplexed. Jesus, this guy doesn't even know what a dick he was. He has no idea what his impact is on her.

  “I have no clue.” Benny scratched his chest, looking like he really didn't have any idea.

  “How about we leave it a mystery and you get her purse for me."

  “Okay.” Benny turned and lumbered off inside the house. Jake stood on the doorstep. “You know,” he said when he returned, looking ridiculous with the small black clutch in his hand. “I always wanted to be a cop."

  Jake took the purse. “Yeah,” he said, noncommittally. Just what we need, another asshole in uniform. “Thanks for cooperating."

  He turned and started down the steps to his car. He felt Benny move behind him and instinctually grabbed the big man by the arm as he went by. He used Benny's momentum to swing him around and put him on the ground face down. “Benny,” Jake said in a calm, reasonable tone. “Don't make this bad for yourself. Right now it's no big deal."

  “I want to ask her why she called the cops!” Benny growled, but at least he wasn't fighting Jake.

  “Pick up the phone and call her, Benny. Right now, you're going to get up and go back into your house and shut the door. You do not want to end up in jail."

  “Fine. Okay, you're right. Let me up.” Jake cautiously released his hand and watched him as he stood up and walked up his front steps. He wouldn't have been surprised if old Benny was stupid enough to take a swing at him and he thought he'd better watch for it since the other man could pack a punch with all that bulk behind him. Benny surprised him by shutting his door without another word and Jake got into his car.