by R. E. Laurel
“You never saw this movie I take it.”
“Can say I’ve been lucky enough not to.”
“It a classic and narrated. You really need to watch it from the beginning and guess what? It’s on this channel twenty-four-seven until Christmas so you’re in luck.”
“Only if I get to watch it with you then perhaps I’ll get it completely watched.”
Maren leaned against the back of the couch, turning sideways to look at Victor who was making a stack of the meat, cheese, and crackers and pop into his mouth.
“Tell me more about you. Your family.”
“Not a whole lot to tell. Like I said I’m from the Hampton’s. Mom and dad do a lot of traveling. They always have.”
“What kind of traveling? Business?”
“And vacations but rarely together. The housekeeper helped raise me and my sister Cassie. We hardly talk.” He reached for his drink, taking a few gulps.
“What are you going to do now that you’re unemployed?”
She gave a careless shrug of a shoulder, “Probably help daddy in the business. It isn’t what I want to do though but it’ll help me until I get something else. I still can’t believe that Victor Neal the Sixth gave me such a severance pay. Twenty thousand dollars! Stan refuses to take it back.”
Victor bit his lip hearing the sneer in her voice when she spoke his name. “He probably had to let you go under duress or something.”
Maren released an un-ladylike scoff. Loving her many attitudes he reached for her hand to ease her nearer to him. With a sigh he savored how she moved, molding her body to his, trustingly resting her head on his chest as his arm draped behind her neck to rest on her shoulder. On the television poor little, Ralphie was getting in trouble for saying the dreaded F-word. And Maren laughed at the poor kid.
“You must have a mean streak laughing at him like that.”
“More like I know how he feels. I had that happen to me a few times.”
“A few?”
“I was a slow learner.” A smile curled her lips at the loud rumble beneath her ears at his laughter. “You mean your parents never corrected you? I know you had to have sworn in front of them.”
“Me? Never.”
“Ha! I’m finding that one hard to believe.”
“But I do enjoy doing the deed.”
She sat up to look into his amused face. “With anyone?”
He knew he better be careful with his next words. He saw that look of annoyance in her eyes. “Well, it depended on the situation at the time.”
“Oh, such as?”
“The mood is a huge factor but then it was boys learning the ways of, to put it bluntly as you so like to do, sex.”
The disgusted snort was long ending with an equally long sigh.
“What’s your excuse.”
“For what?”
“Not being interested?”
“Sex is nothing to take lightly. I want to have the romance, the feelings of respect, love. Of being the one. Not just being hit and then left alone. I love the thought of monogamy, of having the commitment.”
“That’s asking a lot if the relationship is new, don’t you think?”
She shrugged. “If you meet the right one and just know it then, giving yourself to them early in the relationship could happen,” she muttered.
“How early,” he teased, gaining a smile from her.
Maren squealed when she suddenly felt his arm shifting on her shoulder and found herself being turned and pulled onto his lap. In one smooth move, his arms wrapped around her waist, holding her against him. Her legs stretched out on the couch, her hands resting on top of his shoulders. With wide eyes, she looked at his handsome, serious face.
“It’s hard for me to believe we’ve only known each other two weeks.” His voice was sincere as he looked directly into her eyes.
“I’ve thought the same. It’s already hard for me to imagine my life before you walked in.” She confessed.
“And spending practically every hour with you for the past few days have really meant a lot to me.”
“I’ve enjoyed you with me too.”
“You’re so damn adorable,” he muttered before easing her face towards his to cover her lips with a slow kiss.
Maren returned his kiss with such fervor that she knew she surprised him as he eased slightly away. His hand slid through her hair, splaying his fingers at the back of her head to hold her closer. His mouth covered hers again with a heated response. Slanting over her delicious mouth forcing her mouth opened, his tongue slid entry refusing to release the contact, needing more of her, getting drunk on her kiss on her presence. The touch of her gentle fingers at his chin set his heart racing, aching for more.
Risking the temptation, he slid his hand to her breast, pausing for her to ease away but her groan of desire filled his ears. Her tempting sinuous moves were a silent beg to be touched deeper than just a caress. Daring to pursue further, he trailed kisses down her neck towards the mounds beneath her shirt. He felt her body lean back, arching towards his touch. His mouth eagerly covered where his hand just vacated, feeling the hardened peak beneath the material. His teeth gently tugged on her shirt. Her gasp of pleasure filled the room gaining a fiery response through his veins.
Oh Gawd, she was more than just a woman. She was someone he wanted to stay with. That revelation brought an instant stop to the preliminary lovemaking.
“What the?” She gasped.
He sat back to gaze into chocolate brown eyes filled with passion and desire and confusion.
“I need to go. Yea, I just remembered some business matters that I really need to attend to. And, I have a few errands I need to run before any stores close,” he explained.
“But...”
“Let me put it to you like this. If I don’t leave now, this could very well end with us making love and you don’t deserve that to happen like this.”
Her brows furrowed. “But...” she repeated. He held her by the upper arms and stood so fast then released her that her torso bounced back onto the cushions. She raised herself up on her elbows, watching as he hurried around the couch making a hasty exit toward the doorway. “For the record, I’m beginning to think that you never had sex yet,” Maren brazenly stated at his retreating back.
Victor’s eyes widened. Turning around he cautiously returned to the parlor where he saw her still laying on the couch. He quipped, “I’m beginning to think I’ve never had sex with anyone like you.”
Maren grasped the back of the couch to pull herself up to gaze over the back at him. “I’m beginning to think you’re never going to. Not with the way you take off whenever things begin to heat up.”
“Not yet.”
Her gaze shifted to his very serious face. Squinting, she thought she would see a mischievous grin with dimples to die for she saw nothing but sincerity.
“You’re starting to doubt yourself now, aren’t you,” he added with the grin.
There it is, she thought.
“What time tomorrow do you want me to pick you up?”
“Ten is good.”
“Okay, nine. See you then.”
Confused, she fell back, remaining on the couch listening as he put his shoes and coat on and then the sound of the back door clicking closed. Grasping one of the throw pillows, she wrapped her arms around it, imagining it was Victor. Her lower lip protruded wanting him more than anything.
“Well, that was surely interesting,” she said as Mr. Whiskers jumped onto the back of the couch giving her a long meow.
***
Victor drove to his home away from home, the bed and breakfast. After running a few errands, he returned to the cozy, empty room. Releasing a long sigh, he removed his shoes, coat, and shirts and plopped onto the bed. He quietly lay in a quiet room, listening to the howling of the lake winds hitting the windows, promising more snow. The glow of a larger parlor lamp decorated with pink and red roses sat on a wall table, dimly lit the room.
At the
sound of his phone vibrating, he cursed. He swore he received over a thousand calls and texts today. He should just shut the damn thing off when he was with Maren. Reaching his arm out, he plucked the thing from the top of the oak nightstand and found he was close to his assumption of incoming he had. Well, only three hundred but it sure felt like a thousand. Releasing a sigh, he began to read them and got a disgusting taste in his mouth. The women were begging him to come to the Bahamas, they missed him. A few even got into detail what they wanted to do with him.
Irritation at their forwardness made him quit reading. Instead, he began to just delete them. His phone shaking stopped him. Pushing the button to accept, he spoke.
“Hey, Stan. How are things going?”
“Marvelous, fantastic, eye-opening,” Stan suggested.
Victor gave the phone a weird look at the last description.
“Eye-opening? I don’t want to know what happened to get that description. What do you want?” Victor asked.
“The darlings are pestering me about when you’re showing up. They’re bitching because you won’t answer their calls or texts. I told them you’re on another adventure but they’re remaining persistent wanting you. So, are you coming?”
Victor half listened, his wandering thoughts pre-occupied with the dark eyed, dark haired creature in a house two blocks away. He wondered what she was doing now? Taking a bath? Watching television? Reading? Christ, what sort of spell is she doing on me? He blinked, not realizing that he was staring at the long crystal chandelier hanging from the middle of the ceiling.
“Sorry man. I wasn’t paying attention. What did you say?”
Stan heaved an irritating breath before repeating, “The darlings are pestering me...”
“Yea, I heard you, “he lied. “I’m not coming down. There is no way.”
“No way? Yea with a storm coming in I’m sure the airports are closed by now.”
“Storm? We haven’t had time to listen to the weather.”
“I take it things are going your way? You son of a bitch. Got another one.”
“No, I didn’t get another one,” he snapped. More like she caught me, he thought.
CHAPTER 12
Maren pampered herself with a long soaking bath, she stepped from the cast iron claw foot tub onto a thick navy blue bath rug. Grabbing a dark blue towel from the nearby rack she rubbed her hair drier then dried her body. Draping the towel over the edge of the tub she proceeded into her bedroom, patting Mr. Whiskers on the head as she walked past. As much as she loved to keep the old homes original, making the nearest bedroom into a combo master bath and the walk-in closet was a perfect solution.
She stood in the middle of her closet wearing only white lace bra and matching bikinis. She wanted to dress to perfection today but nothing caught her eye. For the tenth time, she sorted through the multitude of outfits. A dress? Dress pants and a shirt? Casual wear? Frustration fell over her quickly as she repeatedly rummaged through her racks of clothes trying in vain for the flawless outfit. She released a squeal of frustration. Desperate for help, she rushed to her bedroom and grabbed her cell phone where she proceeded to punch Belinda’s number.
“Hello?” Belinda finally answered.
“I need help. Talk to me!” Maren’s hysterically demanded.
“Okay, calm down. What do you need help with?”
“Victor is coming soon to take me to mom and dads. I don’t know what to wear!” Her voice sounded an octave higher with her desperation.
“Is that all,” Belinda scoffed.
“Is that all! What do you mean is that all! I’m frantic! I don’t know what to wear. I want to look nice. Oh shit.”
“You always look nice. Just wear what you normally wear to a family get together. Isn’t that the most logical?”
“Yes but Victor will be there,” she groaned, sitting on the edge of her bed before helplessly plopping back onto the mattress staring at the cream painted ceiling.
“Oh for the love of...be yourself. That’s what he’s into you know.” Belinda suggested. She paused to wait for any noise from the other end of the phone. “Maren? You still there?”
“Yes. I needed to hear your voice of logic and as always you’re right.”
“Jeans and a sweater, oh but make it a form-fitting sweater. That will get his attention.”
“Oh smart one, what if I already have his attention?”
“Then that will keep it all day. I can’t believe it’s your third date!” Belinda squealed.
Maren rolled her eyes. “Me neither,” she muttered. “Bye, he’ll be here soon.”
“Have a good day.”
Maren ended the call and dropped the phone on the bed next to her. “Oh, Mr. Whiskers. What if he becomes a no-show?” She worried, giving his head a quick scratch
***
Victor stood beneath the showerhead. His eyes were closed against the hot water as it ran down his face, chest, stomach to his feet. He released an extra loud yawn as he tried in vain to wake up. He was feeling the lack of sleep.
He spent the night tossing and turning, then getting up to walk around the room. He even ventured into the cold night to stroll into town where he noticed many tiny shops and a lot of empty storefronts. The black cast iron street lights cast their golden lights onto the freshly fallen snow helping to add to the peacefulness of the night. In some areas, the bared trees sent eerie branch shadows reaching on the sidewalks and street.
The winds picked up swirling the snow into mini-twisters. His body shuddered against the wind. Shoving his gloved hands deeper into his coat pockets he turned to go back to the bed and breakfast. Hopefully, he would be able to catch some sleep. He couldn’t come to grips with these feelings for her.
He left abruptly from Maren’s home at the realization that that nymph of a lady was working on his mind. Just the time they spent together has become eye-opening experiences. How she spoke and what she showed him sparked different side. A caring side as he wanted to make her happy; to hear her laughter. With that uppermost, he left needing to run errands. He smiled at the memory of her shocked face and he believed he noticed disappointment.
After the brief conversation, he and Stan had he opted to leave the confinement of his room, stopping first to get rid of his rental car and buy himself a new Range Rover. Then he went off to visit a few other shops to see what else he could find. He went into a grocery store, bought a cart heaping full of food including ten frozen turkeys and after he checked out he told the clerk to donate it to a local food bank. And he felt fantastic knowing he would help to make a family happy tomorrow. Her reaction was enough for him to give her an extra hundred for helping him. He wanted to get Maren something extra special. Though he didn’t know what it was yet, he knew once he laid eyes on it, he would know.
Here it is now Thanksgiving and he was pulling onto her drive to the back of her home. He had to admit that he missed seeing her. Anxious, he climbed from his SUV and walked to the familiar back door where he turned the chime and waited.
Maren paced the length of the corridor from the front door to the rear door and back. Her steps kept time with the swinging pendulum of the nearby grandfather clock. Her fingers clasped and unclasped to repeat the gesture. Sighing, every time she walked past the clock she kept glancing at the face, fearing he wasn’t going to show up.
“Mr. Whiskers, it’s one minute after nine. He isn’t going to come. I just know it,” she snapped at her feline companion who purred in response.
The ringing of the chimes sounded louder than usual causing her to jump. With a huge smile, she hurried to the rear door. She slowed down, her chest rising and falling with the deep cleansing breath before she opened the door and was greeted with a huge bouquet of fall flowers being gripped in his hand.
“Is that really you standing behind there?” she laughed.
He moved his hand to the side so he could see her. “It sure is. And this is for you, my lady.” He stepped inside, closing the door behind h
im then handed the flowers to her.
“Oh my,” she muttered, wrapping her arms around them. Leaning closer she closed her eyes to inhale their fragrance. Opening her eyes her gaze fell onto his face filled with happiness. The corners of his eyes crinkled from his huge smile. “I love them,” she added, standing on tiptoe to brush a kiss on his lips. His hand gripped her neck, gently holding her to him, refusing to stop. Finally, he released her to ease away. Maren fought to control her breathing.
“Um, I need to put these in water. Can you reach that vase for me?” She asked as she turned to enter the kitchen, inhaling another breath to smell them.
“Where is it?” Victor asked, following her, memorizing her face at the moment she saw those flowers.
She pointed to a pantry door. “In there on a top shelf. Get the crystal one, please.”
He returned with three vases, just in case it wasn’t the one she wanted. “Here you go.” He placed them on the nearby countertop where she was already trimming the stem bottoms.
“Run water in that one. It should sit well since it’s such a big heavy one.” As he did what she asked, she continued, “Why aren’t you with your family?”
Victor scoffed, “No thank you. I did speak with mother yesterday. She told me where she was going to be should I decide to join her.”
“Where is that?”
“I think Jamaica.”
Maren stopped her task to turn and look up at him. She heard the uncaring tone in his voice. “Why aren’t you going? It sounds to me like she wants you there.”
“Maren, gorgeous. The less said on that subject the happier I will be.”
“But...”
His one eyebrow shot upward as if to warn her to stop speaking. Hardly, she thought.
“What about your father?” She gave him an extra sweet smile.
“You’re definitely persistent. He’s probably somewhere else, Los Cabos.”
“I take it they’re divorced?”
“Hell no. They take separate vacations. As long as I can remember that’s how life has been at my home.”
She turned back to the flowers, believing she caught the tiniest tinge of remorse. “That’s just sad,” she muttered.
