That Tongue.......

I am reduced to a sticky mess.....

Happy 1995🍻🍻

Life gets in the way ...

..... Of having fun.

I am going to have to step away from the writing for a bit. Life has thrown some massive curve balls at me and nailed me. I am ok. But I am finding it hard to concentrate on the writings. They have been fun and I hope y'all liked them! I will post photos from time to time.

Until the potholes in my life's road get filled, I wish all of you nothing but good!

~H4H

Snow Way to Escape

I originally posted this a while ago, but I think I screwed it up. So, here's a re-write that has become the prologue to several other fics that are in the wings. I hope you enjoy it!!

Warnings:  Angst, Sex Suggested

Why did I ever fall for this man?!  Is he talented?  Yes.  Is he good looking?  Damn yes.  Is he great in bed?  Fuck yes.  Is he being a dick?  All holy hells yes.  Has been since he got home from the road.  Am I regretting moving to his place in Colorado?  Right now.  Yes.  His last dig at me has me packing my carry on and putting my computer into my backpack while wiping away the tears I swore I wouldn’t shed.  I can walk away from everything I can’t fit into these two bags.  I looked over at the smart home device for the time.  It’s 3pm.  The notification bar was flashing yellow.  “Computer, what’s the notification?”  The robotic voice responds, “For the Vail Colorado area, the National Weather Service has issued the following weather warning.  A severe winter storm is forecast to begin snowing heavily at 2pm local time with heavy snow levels accumulating to 3 to 4 feet, drifting 6 to 8 feet.”  The rest of the warning went unheard as I grabbed my two bags, the note I’d written, and ran to the front door.  I dropped the bags on the floor, still clutching the note, as I saw my plans end.  Opening the front door I slowly walk outside into the dark, the snow had already been falling.  Big fat fluffy flakes so thick I could barely see the light at the end of the driveway.  Looking over to the garage door, “No, no no no, no!”  The drift was already a good 2 feet tall.  For a split second I thought about taking his damned truck.  It would easily clear that drift.

“What the hell are you doing?” James yelled from the open front door, looking between me and the bags on the floor.

Taking one last glance at the pile of snow blocking the garage door, I turn back to the house, “Well, I was going to leave you.”  I slapped my note into his chest.  Pushing past him, I collected my bags and slowly made my way back to the room that I had claimed as my own a week before.

“What the fuck!?” James yelled just before slamming the front door closed.

I kept walking dejectedly.  Making it back to the room, I tossed the backpack onto the bed and just stood there clutching the carry on.  I could hear James come storming down the stairs.  “What the fuck?  You are leaving me?”  I turned.  His usually glacier blue eyes now a threatening dark blue filled with rage.

“Well, mother nature said no” as I motioned to the now very dark window.  “Not tonight anyway.”

I heard the paper flutter to the floor.  “Why?”  The pain in his voice was natural, not forced.  It pinched my heart.

I turned to him but couldn’t look him in the eye.  “What was the one thing I asked of you when we started dating?”  He just stood there.  Then I did look at his face.  He was obviously thinking.  “I asked you to not compare me to the exes.”  He nodded slowly.  “I am not them and the exes are not me” I raged at him.  The rage fading from his eyes.  “But ever since you got home from the tour, you have been … well …”

“A dick” he finished my sentence.

“Yes” I snapped.  I put the carryon I was still holding on the bed.  “You have done nothing but compare me to them for months.”  I turned back to him, “The final straw was when you started counting your cash.”  His eyebrows knitted together.  “Every night before you go to bed, you count the cash in your pocket, put it in your wallet which you put on your nightstand.  Then in the morning after you shower and get dressed, you count it again.”  His fingers twitched as he processed what I said.  “I don’t need your money.”  He just looked at me.  “I have my own career and my own bank account.”  He continued to stare at me.  “I could have taken your damned $90 thousand dollar truck and left you the Shelby that I paid $125 thousand for.”  He cocked his head but didn’t ask.  I answered anyway.  “Taking your truck I would have gotten pulled over by your state trooper friends in a heartbeat.  That would be a felony.  And you would have no say if I got arrested or not.”  I turned away from him shaking slightly.  “Right now, you are not worth a felony on my record.”  I moved to the desk and sank into the chair.

He looked around the room.  The realization hit him, “When did your stuff get down here?”

I huffed a smile, “James, I moved down here a week ago.”  He looked at me.  “You didn’t notice that I wasn’t sleeping in your bed?”

His hands kinda flapped uselessly, “I thought you were coming to bed after me and getting up before…”

“Thanks for noticing” I said sorta like Eeyore.

His eyebrows knitted together again, “But the sheets got changed.”

“Yes they did” I just looked up at him.

“And the kitchen … the dishes … the laundry …”

“The grocery shopping, collecting the mail, dusting” I looked down at my hands. 

“Why?”

“Who else was gonna do it?” I dug back at him.  “It’s not like you’d do any of those things.”  He huffed a moment but didn’t say anything.  “I wanted to hire a cleaning team, but you went almost mental on me about that.”

“I don’t want someone just rummaging through my shit” he flared.

“I understand that” I tried to stay calm.  “But there are teams that specialize in people of your status.  Plus” I pointed to the monitors on the desk, “I have a job!  One that I enjoy!” my temper trying to flare.  I leaned my elbows on the desk rubbing my eyes. 

He was quiet for a minute.  “Look, this storm is going to blow for a couple of days” he said trying to stay calm.  “Let’s get some sleep.”  I just nodded.  He stepped backwards out of the room collecting the note from the floor, “We can talk in the morning.”  He softly closed the door.

I looked at the closed door.  His cologne lingered.  More than just his cologne.  Him.  The tears started to fall.  I let them.  Sniffling, I decided to take a soak in the tub.  Starting the water, I dumped in some salts from the cupboard, then sank into the hot water.  I mulled over the past 8 months.  The good, the bad.  More tears.  When the water turned cool, I got out, drained the tub and climbed into the bed.  The heat from the soak worked a charm and I was asleep in minutes.

I woke up still wrapped in the towel from the tub soak.  I slipped out of the bed, pulling on jammies and a robe.  I opened the bedroom door.  I could hear that James was in his studio.  It was a super crunchy riff floating through the house.  Smiling to myself, I went into the kitchen.  Pulling out what I needed to make a breakfast sandwich, I looked at the items on the counter.  It’s just as easy to make three as just one.  I left two on a plate in the fridge covered with a paper towel, with “Zap for 30 seconds” written on it.  I left another note on the counter, “Breakfast in fridge.”  Collecting my sandwich, a granola bar and a couple cans of Severed Lime from the fridge, I returned to my room.  Pulling my computer out of my backpack, I logged into work.

My chat window opened:

Boss:  You make the flight?

Me: No.  Got snowed in.

Boss:  You ok?

Me:  Meh

Boss:  Wanna talk?

Me:  Not right now.

Me:  I’m going Marinas Trench.  I need to get the last three chapters done.  They’re late.

Boss:  Understood.  Don’t worry about being late.  I’ll put in a good word for ya!

Me:  Thanks.

I clicked on the Out of Office option.  Then opened the files I needed from the New York servers and ate my sandwich waiting for the computers to synch.  Once done, I launched into where I’d left off.

I had no idea how long I’d been working until there was a soft knock on the door.  “Hey?” came James’ voice.

I turned to the door, “Yeah?”

“May I come in?”

Stretching, “Yeah.”

James came in and leaned against the wall.  “You sleep ok?”

Uncurling my legs from the chair, “Yes, thank you.”  Looking over at him.  “You?”

“Yeah, ok” he said.  He looked like shit.

I cocked a smile at him, “Liar.”

He huffed a laugh, “I don’t think I slept at all.”  He scrubbed his fingers through his silvered hair.  “Thanks for the breakfast sandwiches.”

I nodded, “You’re welcome.”  He kept trying to look at my computer monitors.  “What are you doing?”

“I guess I don’t know exactly what your job is.”

Patting the end of the bed, “Sit” I said.  He sat and leaned forward.  “I’m an editor.”  I rotated back to face the monitors.  “This screen is the book I’m working on” pointing to the monitor on the right.  “This screen” motioning to the one on my left, “are my notes.  The laptop in the middle just keeps me awake.”  I paused the cheesy disaster movie.

“Why the notes?” his curiosity was genuine.

“Well .. here” I pointed to a block of text highlighted on the right screen.  “The author has brought in a new character that has no backstory.  If this character was just in this paragraph it wouldn’t matter, but it shows up several more times.”  Pointing to the text on the left monitor with matching highlighting, “These are my notes back to the author asking about a backstory for this character.” 

James shifted to my left so see the screen.  “And how many notes does this author have from you?”

“On this book” I looked to the page count in the lower left corner of the window, “92.”

“Really?” he seemed shocked.

Stretching out my back, “Yeah, this guy tends to get lost in his own words.  So, I have to try to get him back out of the woods.”  I turned back towards James.  “You have never asked about my job before.  Why now?”

He sat back and looked at me.  “Because your note is correct.”  He rubbed his hands nervously on his thighs, “I haven’t taken any interest in you … outside of the bedroom.”

I heaved a sigh, “I probably should have edited my own writing.”

“No” his eyes popped up to my face.  “No.  You were right.  You were probably pissed as hell when you wrote that note.”  He ran his hands through his hair – which he did when he was nervous.  “But every word was true.  I have treated you like a whore.  I have compared you to the exes.  I have not discovered you … about you.”  His shoulders slumped some.  “I am sorry.”

That hit my heart.  Hard.  I rested my fingers on his knees.  “James.  I can accept your apology.”  His glacier blue eyes found mine.  “I can see that you mean it.”  Those gloriously blue pools now filled with doubt.  “But you will have to work on the forgiveness.”  I withdrew my fingers from his knees slowly.

Nodding, “I completely understand.”  His smile slightly lopsided.  “Will you please give me the chance to earn that forgiveness?”

I watched him a moment.  Then, smiling back at him, “Yes” I said softly.  His eyes brightened along with his smile as he stood.  “By the way” I looked up at him – damn but he’s tall.  “I really liked that crunch you had going this morning.  It sounded amazing!”

Incredibly, his eyes lit up even more, “You really liked that?”

“Yes” I smiled up at him.

“Thanks.”  He fidgeted.  “Uhmm, what would you like for dinner?”

“What time is it?” I asked looking at my computer screen.

“It’s like 3pm.  But since you made breakfast, I thought I’d make dinner.”

Nodding at him, “I will leave that to the chef.”

Nodding as he moved towards the door, “You like your steak …?”

Smiling at him, “Medium Rare.”  He closed the door with a grin.  My head was laughing Of course it would be steak!  My laptop pinged.

Boss:  Surface to Marianas Trench…. (I love my boss!)

Me:  evening.

Boss:  How’s it going?

Me:  Half way through last chapter.

Boss:  And the other thing…..?

Me:  Perhaps there is a chance here.

Boss:  ????

Me:  He just invited me to dinner.

Boss:  I thought it was snowing there still.

I took a picture out the window of the thickly falling snow and attached it to the chat.

Boss:  So?

Me:  He’s making me a steak.

Boss:  Ahh.  Well, then you need to go get ready!

Me:  Right after I finish this chapter.  Then I’m all caught up on this book.

Boss:  Fine. 

Boss:  Hope it goes well!

Me:  Thanks!

I finished the last chapter fairly quickly since it was not a complete chapter.  Saving both files to the servers and sending the links to the author – with the boss cc’d on that email – I closed down my computer.  Standing up and stretching, I moved to the bathroom.  I decided to take a shower and wash my hair.  If James was going to put in the effort to change, so could I.  No more being a slob.  I sat on the bed drying my hair when there was a tap on the door.  I popped up and grabbed the robe.  “Yes?”  No answer.  I opened the door.  There hanging on the light fixture in the hallway was a garment bag.  A postit note stuck to it.  Dinner at 6pm.   Smiling, I collected the bag and closed the door.  Laying the bag on the bed I opened it.  I only got about 6 inches open when I gasped.  Inside was a dark green velvet gown with beaded trim around the scoop neckline.  It was the dress I’d told him about.  I’d even made him watch the movie.  James had had it made.  He’d threatened to have it made for me to wear to the next awards show.  But I never thought he’d do it.  That was just a month or so after we’d started dating.  I looked at the clock.  5pm.  I had time.  I went back into the bathroom and did some tidying up.  Did my makeup and pinned up the hair.  I knew that he loved my long hair, but this gown … the hair had to be up.  Going back to the bed, I pulled the gown from the bag.  I slipped into it.  With the plunging back to just above my ass, I was completely commando beneath it.  I went to move the garment bag and it felt heavy.  Patting it down, I discovered a pair of heels.  They glittered with the same rhinestones as the trim.  Just as I slipped them on, there was a single tap at the door.  I opened the door.  The hallway was empty.  But there was a pink post it note on the floor.  Squatting down – if I’d bent over the gown would have slipped off me – I picked it up.  There was a doodle on it.  I couldn’t figure it out.  But looking up the hallway was another post it.  Another doodle.  As I walked to the stairs, there were more postit notes.  Each with a doodle.  I climbed the stairs and turned into the living room.  There stood James.  In his Brioni tux.  The sight took my breath.  Damn!  He looked good!  And he was holding another postit note, a crooked smile on his face.  He held it out to me.  The doodle on this one was a rose.

“Oh!”  I held out the ones I’d collected, “These are rose petals!”

Blushing, “Yeah, I couldn’t go get a real rose, so I improvised.”

I gently collected the one he held, “It’s lovely.”  I looked up into his eyes, “Thank you.”

James held out his hand to me – which I took – and he slowly spun me.  “I should have given this to you ages ago.”  He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it.  “You look stunning.”  I just blushed.  James tucked my hand into his elbow and gently led me down the hallway away from the kitchen and into the formal dining room.  He’d set the table.  There were candles on it and two place settings.  He pulled out the chair for me and scooched it in when I sat.  “The staff seems to have not reported to work this evening, so I will have to substitute” he said in a really bad French accent.  I giggled.  His eyes lit up.  “I shall return madam.”  I giggled even more.  James disappeared into the kitchen.  I put the pile of post it note petals on the table.  He returned with two plates.  Each bore a steak, a pile of green beans and a large slice of bread smothered in butter.  I smiled.  He was trying.  I cut into the steak and took a bite.

“How is it?” James asked.

Swallowing, “Perfection” I said.  He dug into his own.  I took a bite of the green beans.  A couple were still pretty frosty.  I didn’t say a word, but just smiled.  The bread was a garlic sourdough that I loved.  The butter was a bit much, but again, I wasn’t going to complain.  James had obviously put some thought into making dinner and I wasn’t going to ruin it.  I’d had worse meals. 

“The weather is forecasting that this snow will last another 48 hours or so” James said.

The weather.  A safe place to start.  “I haven’t listened to the weather or news today.”

“Did you get your book done?” James leaned towards me.

“I did.”

“How many do you edit?” his blue eyes clear and piercing.

“Uhm.  I have about 20 items in the wings to work on.”  I took a sip of the Squeezed to Death Orange in my glass.  He’d used champagne flutes for the sparkling water.

“Why so many?” James looked at me with raised eyebrows.

“Some are just articles.”  I put my fork down, “It all depends on release dates.  The one I worked on today is supposed to release after the New Year.  The others have release dates after that one.”

“It has nothing to do with whom the author is?”

Pushing my plate away and leaning on the table, “Sometimes.  All depends on the author and release dates.”  I looked at him.  He was genuinely interested.  “If it’s big wig author and the release date is close, then that file gets bumped to the top of the pile.”

“Who is the biggest author you have edited?”  His smile was slightly crooked.

“I don’t get the Mitchell’s or the King’s”  I grinned.

“Why not?”

“My boss says that I’m too brutal with my notes” I slow blinked him.

James sat up.  “Yeah, you can be.”  He used his napkin on his lips.  “But perhaps they need those brutal notes.”  He smiled at me.  “As a recipient, I can attest that it kicked my ass into changing how I think.”  He held out a hand to me.  I laid my fingers into it.  “And I thank you.”  I didn’t know what to say.  He simply laid his other hand over my fingers and smiled at me.  Then he popped up, “Dessert” he said collecting our plates.  I squirmed in my seat.  My thoughts ranging all over the place.  He had totally messed me up.  Again.  Just like he had when we’d met.  He returned with two small plates.  Piled creatively on each were four sandwich cookies held in place with cake frosting and topped with whipped cream.  He set them down with great flourish, “Tah dah!”

Trying my best to not snort out a laugh, “I’m sure that the patisserie chef labored all day to create these delicacies.”  James did snort out a laugh.  Which made me burst out in laughter.  I picked up one of the cookies and happily munched it.  James retook his seat and tucked into his plate.  “Seriously, these turned out pretty good” I said licking whipped cream from my fingers.

“The frosting isn’t too much?” James asked seriously.

“No.  It’s just the right amount” I said scooping the last bit up on my finger.

James grabbed my hand and gently sucked the frosting from my finger.  I didn’t retract my hand but did go a little stiff.  He kissed the back of my hand before pushing it back tenderly towards my body, smiling at me.  “I’m sorry” he said kindly.  “Just a little too soon.”

Looking down at my now empty dessert plate, “Maybe not” I said softly.  I knew he couldn’t see it, but my thighs squeezed together tightly.

“Perhaps I should escort the lady back to her room” he said looking down at his plate, “before I make a compete fool of myself.  Again.”  He smiled at me as he stood, offering me his hand.

I took his offered hand, collected the postit notes and stood.  He tenderly tucked my hand into his elbow and walked me back to the room I’d claimed as mine.  I turned at the door, “That was lovely James.”  I again slow blinked him, “Thank you.”  I wiggled his bow tie, then let my hand rest on his chest, “You look very handsome in this suit.”

He gently cupped my face and kissed my forehead.  “Thank you” he said softly.  His hands gently ran down my shoulders then arms to my hands, “I can’t wait to see you in this gown again.”  He lifted both my hands to his lips and kissed them.  “Good night.”  He took several steps backwards before turning.  I turned and opened the bedroom door.  I put the post it rose petals on the desk.  I kicked off the heels and then shrugged and let the gown slip off.  I stood there naked.  My desires wanted to race up to his room and let him have his way with me.  My integrity said no.  My curiosity wanted to know what James would do next.  Hanging the gown up, I decided another soak was in order.  I unpacked my waterproof vibrator on the way into the bathroom.

I was sound asleep.  I felt his hand on my shoulder, “Kira” he said softly.  He shook me slightly, “Kira, wake up.”  I opened my eyes to find James standing by the bed holding my robe.  “There’s something I want to show you.”  I fumbled out of the bed.  James helped me into the robe and then tucked me into his side, his left arm draping from my right shoulder down to my waist on the left side.  Wearing a huge coat and scarf, he guided me to the big sliding doors to the upper patio.  “Here, put these on.”  He guided my feet into a pair of fuzzy boots, then put on his own mukluks.  He opened the door and led me outside.  It was bitterly cold, trying to suck the air from my lungs.  James lifted the collar of the robe to cover my mouth, “Here this will help.”  It did make breathing easier.  I looked up and he had the scarf wrapped around his own mouth.  He opened his coat and his arms gently held my back close to his chest.  Then he pointed.  I followed his finger.

The clouds had parted and the sky was filled with stars.  The landscape was a blanket of white snow as far as I could see. The bitterly cold temperatures had crystalized the top of the snow.  The moon was rising.  It was reflecting on the frozen crystals making them glitter.  It looked like diamonds had been scattered over the ground.  “Here it comes!” he whispered excitedly into my ear, his breath warming my ear and neck.  I shivered.  My nipples hardened painfully.  Then the Aurora flared into life.  An undulating ribbon of greens, blues and purples danced into the sky.  I gasped.  The frozen snow below reflected the colors of the Aurora.  James wrapped his arms around me, one around my shoulders the other around my waist.  I leaned back into his warmth watching the magic of nature unfold in front of me.  I have no idea how long we stood there speechless at the beauty.  As quickly as it started, it ended.  “Wow” was all James said.

I leaned back into him, looking up at his chin, “Thank you for waking me.”  He hugged me tighter.  “That was stunning.”

His hands patted my body, “I am glad I shared it with you.”  He nodded towards the distant pass “And here comes the next round of snow.”  The clouds looked black and nasty in the now darkened sky since the Aurora had faded.

James kissed the top of my head.  “Now, you are shivering.  Let’s get back inside.”  He rotated us, his arms still wrapped around me.  We walked – a little awkwardly – back into the house, closing the big glass door behind him.  We both kicked off our boots.  He backed us into the sofa, pulling me down into his lap.  He reached over and pulled up a blanket.  He wrapped it around us.  I curled up into his arms shivering, my head resting on his chest.  His fingers gently stroked my hair.  Sleep reached up and grabbed me.

I woke up on the sofa with the blankets tucked in around me still wrapped up in my robe.  I could hear James in the kitchen.  I sat up.  “Morning sleepy head!” he chimed cheerily.  “Coffee?”  All I could do was nod.  He brought over my favorite mug filled with coffee.  I took a sip.  It was super sweet.  “Too much sugar?”  I nodded.  He went to pull the mug from my hands but I wouldn’t let it go. 

Instead I took a couple of huge slugs from it, “Now, just put more coffee into it and it will be fine.”  James went to the kitchen and grabbed the coffee pot bringing it back to me.  He filled my mug.  I swirled the mug and took a drink.  Smiling, “Yum” I beamed.  I looked out the window.  More snow had fallen over night.  The sky was still filled with grey snow clouds, but not snowing.  At the moment.

James collected his mug and sank into the sofa with me.  He flipped on the TV and tuned in the local news.  There were the stories about roofs collapsing under the weight of the snow, power lines down, cars sliding off the roads – one accident ending in a death.  “I’m glad you were smart enough to not drive that night” James whispered to me.

“Me too.”

I looked into his eyes.  The passion I saw there made my knees weak.  I reached up and wrapped my fingers around his head, pulling him to me.  I kissed him gently.  His eyes widened.  He cupped my head and kissed me back just as tenderly.  “So how are we going to spend the next day or so?” I asked teasingly.

James tightened his arm around my waist pinning me to his body, “I can think of a way” he rubbed his hands on my hips, “or two.”  He gently pushed me back, “Only if you want to.” 

I could tell that although his voice was joking, his eyes said that he’d changed.  I was no longer just a fuck buddy.  I was a woman that he wanted to spend time with.  In more ways than one.

“I’d like that” I purred.  “Just remember, you are still working on my forgiveness.”

He showered kisses all over my face, slowly pulling me towards his bedroom, “I know a way to start working on that” he growls softly at me. 

I just smiled and willingly let him lead me.

Those eyes could make me a mewling mess anytime!!!

Snow Way to Escape

First time writing. Hope it doesn't suck!

Hetfield fluff - Angst - Sex Suggested

Why did I ever fall for this man?!  Is he talented?  Yes.  Is he good looking?  Damn yes.  Is he great in bed?  Fuck yes.  Is he being a dick?  All holy hell yes.  Has been since he got home from the road.  Am I regretting moving to his place in Colorado?  Right now.  Yes.  His last dig at me has me packing my carry on and putting my computer into my backpack while wiping away the tears I swore I wouldn’t shed.  I can walk away from anything I can’t fit into these two bags.  I looked over at the smart home device for the time.  The notification bar was flashing yellow.  “Computer, what’s the notification?”  The robotic voice answered, “For the Vail Colorado area, the National Weather Service has issued the following weather warning.  A severe winter storm is forecast to begin snowing heavily at 2pm local time with heavy snow levels accumulating to 3 to 4 feet, drifting 6 to 8 feet.”  The rest of the warning went unheard as I grabbed my two bags, the note I’d written, and ran to the front door.  I dropped the bags on the floor, still clutching the note, as I saw my plans end.  Opening the front door I slowly walked outside, the snow had already been falling.  Big fat fluffy flakes so thick I couldn’t see the end of the driveway.  Looking over to the garage door, “No, no no no, no!”  The drift was already a good 2 feet tall.  For split second I thought about taking his damned truck.  It would easily clear that drift.

“What the hell are you doing?” James yelled from the front door, looking between me and the bags on the floor.

Taking one last glance at the pile of snow blocking the garage door, I turned back to the house, “Well, I was going to leave you.”  I slapped my note into his chest.  Pushing past him, I collected my bags and slowly made my way back to the room that I had claimed as my own three weeks before.

“What the fuck!?” James yelled just before slamming the front door.

I kept walking dejectedly.  Making it back to the room, I tossed the backpack onto the bed and just stood there clutching the carry on.  I could hear James come storming down the stairs.  “What the fuck?  You are leaving me?”  I turned.  His usually glacier blue eyes now a threatening dark blue filled with rage.

“Well, mother nature said no” as I motioned to the now dark window.  “Not tonight anyway.”

I heard the paper flutter to the floor.  “Why?”  The pain in his voice was natural, not forced.  It pinched my heart.

I turned to him but couldn’t look him in the eye.  “What was the one thing I asked of you when we started dating?”  He just stood there.  Then I did look at his face.  He was obviously thinking.  “I asked you to not compare me to the exes.”  He nodded slowly.  “I am not them and the exes are not me” I raged at him.  The rage fading from his eyes.  “But ever since you got home from the tour, you have been … well …”

“A dick” he finished my sentence.

“Yes” I snapped.  I put the carryon I was still holding on the bed.  “You have done nothing but compare me to them for months.”  I turned back to him, “The final straw was when you started counting your cash.”  His eyebrows knitted together.  “Every night before you go to bed, you count the cash in your pocket, put it in your wallet which you put on your nightstand.  Then in the morning after you shower and get dressed, you count it again.”  His fingers twitched as he processed what I said.  “I don’t need your money.”  He looked at me, shocked.  “I have my own career and my own bank account.”  He continued to stare at me.  “I could have taken your damned $90 thousand dollar truck and left you the car that I paid $125 thousand for.”  He cocked his head but didn’t ask.  I answered anyway.  “Taking your truck I would have gotten pulled over by your state trooper friends in a heart beat.  That would be a felony.  And you would have no say if I got arrested or not.”  I turned away from him.  “Right now, you are not worth a felony on my record.”  I moved to the desk and sank into the chair.

He looked around the room.  The realization hit him, “When did your stuff get down here?”

I huffed a smile, “James, I moved down here three weeks ago.”  He turned to me.  “You didn’t notice that I wasn’t sleeping in your bed?”

His hands kinda flapped uselessly, “I thought you were coming to bed after me and getting up before…”

“Thanks for noticing” I said sorta like Eeyore.

His eyebrows knitted together again, “But the sheets got changed.”

“Yes they did” I just looked up at him.

“And the kitchen … the dishes … the laundry …”

“The grocery shopping, collecting the mail, dusting” I looked down at my hands. 

“Why?”

“Who else was gonna do it?” I dug back at him.  “It’s not like you’d do any of those things.”  He huffed a moment but didn’t say anything.  “I wanted to hire a cleaning team, but you went almost mental on me about that.”

“I don’t want someone just rummaging through my shit” he flared.

“I understand that” I tried to stay calm.  “But there are teams that specialize in people of your status.  Plus” I pointed to the monitors on the desk, “I have a job!  One that I enjoy!” my temper trying to flare.  I leaned my elbow on the desk rubbing my eyes. 

He was quiet for a minute.  “Look, this storm is going to blow for a couple of days” he said.  “Let’s get some sleep.”  I just nodded.  He stepped backwards out of the room, “We can talk in the morning.”  He softly closed the door.

I looked at the closed door.  His cologne lingered.  More than just his cologne.  Him.  The tears started to fall.  I let them.  Sniffling, I decided to take a soak in the tub.  Starting the water, I dumped in some salts from the cupboard, then sank into the hot water.  I mulled over the past 8 months.  The good, the bad.  More tears.  When the water turned cool, I got out, drained the tub and climbed into the bed.  The heat from the soak worked a charm and I was asleep in minutes.

I woke up still wrapped in the towel from the tub soak.  I slipped out of the bed, pulling on a robe.  I opened the room door.  I could hear that James was in his studio.  It was a super crunchy riff floating through the house.  Smiling to myself, I went into the kitchen.  Pulling out what I needed to make a breakfast sandwich, I looked at the items on the counter.  It’s just as easy to make three as just one.  I left two on a plate in the fridge covered with a paper towel, with “Zap for 30 seconds” written on it.  I left another note on the counter, “Breakfast in fridge.”  Collecting my sandwich, a granola bar and a couple of Severed Lime cans from the fridge, I returned to my room.  Pulling my computer out of my backpack, I logged into work.

My chat window opened:

Boss:  You make the flight?

Me: No.  Got snowed in.

Boss:  You ok?

Me:  Meh

Boss:  Wanna talk?

Me:  Not right now.

Me:  I’m going Marinas Trench.  I need to get the last three chapters done.  They’re late.

Boss:  Understood.  Don’t worry about being late.  I’ll put in a good word for ya!

Me:  Thanks.

I clicked on the Out of Office option.  Then opened the files I needed from the New York servers and ate my sandwich waiting for the computers to synch.  Once done, I launched into where I’d left off.

I had no idea how long I’d been working until there was a soft knock on the door.  “Hey?” came James’ voice.

I turned to the door, “Yeah?”

“May I come in?”

Stretching, “Yeah.”

James came in and leaned against the wall.  “You sleep ok?”

Uncurling my legs from the chair, “Yes, thank you.”  Looking over at him.  “You?”

“Yeah, ok” he said.  He looked like shit.

I cocked a smile at him, “Liar.”

He huffed a laugh, “I don’t think I slept at all.”  He scrubbed his fingers through his silvered hair.  “Thanks for the breakfast sandwiches.”

I nodded, “You’re welcome.”  He kept trying to look at my computer monitors.  “What are you doing?”

“I guess I don’t know exactly what your job is.”

Patting the end of the bed, “Sit” I said.  He sat and leaned forward.  “I’m an editor.”  I rotated back to face the monitors.  “This screen is the book I’m working on” pointing to the monitor on the right.  “This screen” motioning to the one on my left, “are my notes.  The laptop in the middle just keeps me awake.”

“Why the notes?” his curiosity was genuine.

“Well .. here” I pointed to a block of text highlighted on the right screen.  “The author has brought in a new character that has no backstory.  If this character was just in this paragraph it wouldn’t matter, but it shows up several more times.”  Pointing to the text on the left monitor with matching highlighting, “These are my notes back to the author asking about a backstory for this character.” 

James shifted to lean to my left so see the screen.  “And how many notes does this author have from you?”

“On this book” I looked to the page count in the lower left corner of the window, “92.”

“Really?” he seemed shocked.

Stretching out my back, “Yeah, this guy tends to get lost in his own words.  So, I have to try to get him back out of the woods.”  I turned back towards James.  “You have never asked about my job before.  Why now?”

He sat back and looked at me.  “Because your note is correct.”  He rubbed his hands nervously on his thighs, “I haven’t taken any interest in you … outside of the bedroom.”

I heaved a sigh, “I probably should have edited my own writing.”

“No” his eyes popped up to my face.  “No.  You were right.  You were probably pissed as hell when you wrote that note.”  He ran his hands through his hair – which he did when he was nervous.  “But every word was true.  I have treated you like a whore.  I have compared you to the exes.  I have not discovered you … about you.”  His shoulders slumped some.  “I am sorry.”

That hit my heart.  Hard.  I rested my fingers on his knees.  “James.  I can accept your apology.”  His glacier blue eyes found mine.  “I can see that you mean it.”  Those gloriously blue pools now filled with doubt.  “But you will have to work on the forgiveness.”  I withdrew my fingers from his knees slowly.

Nodding, “I completely understand.”  His smile slightly lopsided.  “Will you please give me the chance to earn that forgiveness?”

I watched him a moment.  Then, smiling back at him, “Yes” I said softly.  His eyes brightened along with his smile as he stood.  “By the way” I looked up at him.  “I really liked that crunch you had going this morning.  It sounded amazing!”

Incredibly, his eyes lit up even more, “You really liked that?”

“Yes” I smiled up at him.

“Thanks.”  He fidgeted.  “Uhmm, what would you like for dinner?”

“What time is it?” I asked looking at my computer screen.

“It’s like 3pm.  But since you made breakfast, I thought I’d make dinner.”

Nodding at him, “I will leave that to the chef.”

Nodding as he moved towards the door, “You like your steak …?”

Smiling at him, “Medium Rare.”  He closed the door with a grin.  My head was laughing Of course it would be steak!  My laptop pinged.

Boss:  Surface to Marianas Trench…. (I love my boss!)

Me:  evening.

Boss:  How’s it going?

Me:  half way through last chapter.

Boss:  And the other thing…..?

Me:  Perhaps there is a chance there.

Boss:  ????

Me:  He just invited me to dinner.

Boss:  I thought it was snowing there still.

I took a picture out the window and attached it to the chat.

Boss:  So?

Me:  He’s making me a steak.

Boss:  Ahh.  Well, then you need to go get ready!

Me:  Right after I finish this chapter.  Then I’m all caught up on this book.

Boss:  Fine. 

Boss:  Hope it goes well!

Me:  Thanks!

It took me about 90 minutes to finish the last chapter since it was not a complete chapter.  Saving both files to the servers and sending the links to the author – with the boss cc’d on that email – I closed down my computer.  Standing up and stretching, I moved to the bathroom.  I decided to take a shower and wash my hair.  If James was going to put in the effort to change, so could I.  No more being a slob.  I sat on the bed drying my hair when there was a tap on the door.  I popped up and grabbed the robe.  “Yes?”  No answer.  I opened the door.  There hanging on the light fixture in the hallway was a garment bag.  A postit note stuck to it.  Dinner at 6pm.   Smiling, I collected the bag and closed the door.  Laying the bag on the bed I opened it.  I only got about 6 inches open when I gasped.  Inside was a dark green velvet gown with beaded trim around the scoop neckline.  It was the dress I’d told him about.  I’d even made him watch the movie.  James had it made.  He’d threatened to have it made for me to wear to the next awards show.  But I’d never thought he’d do it.  That was just a month or so after we’d started dating.  I looked at the clock.  5pm.  I had time.  I went back into the bathroom and did some tidying up.  Did my makeup and pinned up the hair.  I knew that he loved my long hair, but this gown … The hair had to be up.  Going back to the bed, I pulled the gown from the bag.  I slipped into it.  With the plunging back to just above my ass, I was commando beneath it.  I went to move the garment bag and it felt heavy.  Patting it down, I discovered a pair of heels.  They glittered with the same rhinestones as the trim.  Just as I slipped them on, there was a single tap at the door.  I opened the door.  The hallway empty.  But there was a pink post it note on the floor.  Squatting down – if I’d bent over the gown would have slipped off me – I picked it up.  There was a doodle on it.  I couldn’t figure it out.  But looking up the hallway was another post it.  Another doodle.  As I walked to the stairs, there were more postit notes.  Each with a doodle.  I climbed the stairs and turned into the living room.  There stood James.  In his Brioni tux.  The sight took my breath.  Damn!  He looked good!  And he was holding another postit note.  He held it out to me.  The doodle on this one was a rose.

“Oh!”  I held out the ones I’d collected, “These are rose petals!”

Blushing, “Yeah, I couldn’t go get a real rose, so I improvised.”

I gently collected the one he held, “It’s lovely.”  I looked up into his eyes, “Thank you.”

James held out his hand to me – which I took – and he slowly spun me.  “I should have given this to you ages ago.”  He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it.  “You look stunning.”  I just blushed.  James tucked my hand into his elbow and gently led me down the hallway away from the kitchen and into the formal dining room.  He’d set the table.  There were candles on it and two place settings.  He pulled out the chair for me and scooched it in when I sat.  “The staff seems to have not reported to work this evening, so I will have to substitute” he said in a really bad French accent.  I giggled.  His eyes lit up.  “I shall return madam.”  I giggled even more.  James disappeared into the kitchen.  I put the pile of post it notes on the table.  He returned with two plates.  Each bore a steak, a pile of green beans and a large slice of bread smothered in butter.  I smiled.  He was trying.  I cut into the steak and took a bite.

“How is it?” James asked.

Swallowing, “Perfection” I said.  He dug into his own.  I took a bite of the green beans.  A couple were still pretty frosty.  I didn’t say a word, but just smiled.  The bread was a garlic sourdough that I loved.  The butter was a bit much, but again, I wasn’t going to complain.  James had obviously put some thought into making dinner and I wasn’t going to ruin it.  I’d had worse meals. 

“The weather is forecasting that this snow will last another 36 hours or so” James said.

The weather.  A safe place to start.  “I haven’t listened to the weather or news today.”

“Did you get your book done?” James leaned towards me.

“I did.”

“How many do you edit?” his blue eyes clear and piercing.

“Uhm.  I have about 20 in the wings to work on.”  I took a sip of the Squashed Orange in my glass.  He’d used champagne flutes for the bubbly water.

“Why so many?” James looked at me with raised eyebrows.

“Some are just articles.”  I put my fork down,  “It all depends on release dates.  The one I worked on today is supposed to release right after the New Year.  The others have release dates after that one.”

“It has nothing to do with whom the author is?”

Pushing my plate away and leaning on the table, “Sometimes.  All depends on the author and release dates.”  I looked at him.  He was genuinely interested.  “If it’s big wig author and the release date is close, then that file gets bumped to the top of the pile.”

“Who is the biggest author you have edited?”  His smile was slightly crooked.

“I don’t get the Mitchell’s or the King’s”  I grinned.

“Why not?”

“My boss says that I’m too brutal with my notes” I slow blinked him.

James sat up.  “Yeah, you can be.”  He used his napkin on his lips.  “But perhaps they need those brutal notes.”  He smiled at me.  “As a recipient, I can attest that it kicked my ass into changing how I think.”  He held out a hand to me.  I laid my fingers into it.  “And I thank you.”  I didn’t know what to say.  He simply laid his other hand over my fingers and smiled at me.  Then he popped up, “Dessert” he said collecting our plates.  I squirmed in my seat.  My thoughts ranging all over the place.  He had totally messed me up.  Again.  Just like he had when we’d met.  He returned with two small plates.  Piled creatively on each were four sandwich cookies held in place with cake frosting and topped with whipped cream.  He set them down with great flourish, “Tah dah!”

Trying my best to not snort out a laugh, “I’m sure that the patisserie chef labored all day to create these delicacies.”  James did snort out a laugh.  Which made me burst out in laughter.  I picked up one of the cookies and happily munched it.  James retook his seat and tucked into his plate.  “Seriously, these turned out pretty good” I said licking whipped cream from my fingers.

“The frosting isn’t too much?” James asked seriously.

“No.  It’s just the right amount” I said scooping the last bit up on my finger.

James grabbed my hand and gently sucked the frosting from my finger.  I didn’t retract my hand but did go a little stiff.  He kissed the back of my hand before pushing it back towards my body, smiling at me.  “I’m sorry” he said kindly.  “Just a little too soon.”

Looking down at my now empty dessert plate, “Maybe not” I said softly.  I knew he couldn’t see it, but my thighs squeezed together tightly.

“Perhaps I should escort the lady back to her room” he said looking down at his plate, “before I make a compete fool of myself.  Again.”  He smiled at me as he stood, offering me his hand.

I took his offered hand, collected the postit notes and stood.  He tenderly tucked my hand into his elbow and walked me back to the room I’d claimed as mine.  I turned at the door, “That was lovely James.”  I again slow blinked him, “Thank you.”

He gently cupped my face and kissed my forehead.  “Thank you” he said softly.  His hands gently ran down my shoulders and arms to my hands, “I can’t wait to see you in this gown again.”  He lifted both my hands to his lips and kissed them.  “Good Night.”  He took several steps backwards before turning.  I turned and opened the bedroom door.  I kicked off the heels and then let the gown slip off.  I stood there naked.  My desires wanted to race up to his room and let him have his way with me.  My integrity said no.  My curiosity wanted to know what James would do next.  Hanging the gown up, I decided another soak was in order.  I unpacked my water proof vibrator on the way into the bathroom.

I was sound asleep.  I felt his hand on my shoulder, “Y/N” he said softly.  He shook me slightly, “Y/N, wake up.”  I opened my eyes to find James standing by the bed holding my robe.  “There’s something I want to show you.”  I fumbled out of the bed.  James helped me into the robe and then tucked me into his side, his left arm draping from my right shoulder down to my waist on the left side.  He guided me to the big sliding doors to the upper patio.  “Here, put these on.”  He guided my feet into a pair of fuzzy boots, then put on his own mukluks.  He opened the door and led me outside.  It was bitterly cold, trying to suck the air from my lungs.  James lifted the collar of the robe to cover my mouth, “Here this will help.”  It did make breathing easier.  I looked up and he had a scarf wrapped around his own mouth.  Then he pointed.  I followed his finger. 

The clouds had parted and the sky was filled with stars.  The landscape was a blanket of white snow as far as I could see. The bitterly cold temperatures had crystalized the top of the snow.  The moon was rising.  It was reflecting on the frozen crystals making them glitter.  It looked like diamonds had been scattered over the ground.  “Here it comes!” he whispered excitedly into my ear, his breath warming my ear and neck.  I shivered.  My nipples hardened painfully.  Then the Aurora flared into life.  An undulating ribbon of greens, blues and purples rose into the sky.  I gasped.  The frozen snow below reflected the colors of the Aurora.  James wrapped his arms around me, one around my shoulders the other around my waist.  I leaned back into him watching the magic of nature unfold in front of me.  I have no idea how long we stood there speechless at the beauty.  As quickly as it started, it ended.  “Wow” was all James said.

I leaned back into him, looking up at his chin, “Thank you for waking me.”  He hugged me tighter.  “That was stunning.”

His hands patted my body, “I am glad I shared it with you.”  He nodded towards the distant pass “And here comes the next round of snow.”  The clouds looked black and nasty in the now darkened sky since the Aurora had faded.

James kissed the top of my head.  “Now, you are shivering.  Let’s get back inside.”  He rotated us, his arms still wrapped around me.  We walked – a little awkwardly – back into the house closing the big glass door behind him.  We both kicked off the boots.  He backed us into the sofa, pulling me down into his lap.  He reached over and pulled up another blanket.  He wrapped it around us.  I curled up into his arms, my head resting on his chest.  His fingers gently stroked my hair.  Sleep reached up and grabbed me.

I woke up on the sofa with the blankets tucked in around me still wrapped up in my robe.  I could hear James in the kitchen.  I sat up.  “Morning sleepy head!” he chimed cheerily.  “Coffee?”  All I could do was nod.  He brought over my favorite mug filled with coffee.  I took a sip.  I was super sweet.  “Too much sugar?”  I nodded.  He went to pull the mug from my hands but I wouldn’t let it go. 

Instead I took a couple of huge slugs from it, “Now, just put more coffee into it and it will be fine.”  James went to the kitchen and grabbed the coffee pot bringing it back to me.  He filled my mug.  I swirled the mug and took a drink.  Smiling, “Yum” I beamed.  I looked out the window.  More snow had fallen over night.  The sky was still filled with clouds, but not snowing.  At the moment.

James collected his mug and sank into the sofa with me.  He flipped on the TV and tuned in the local news.  There were the stories about roofs collapsing under the weight of the snow, power lines down, cars sliding off the roads – one accident ending in a death.  “I’m glad you were smart enough to not drive that night” James whispered to me.

“Me too.”

I looked into his eyes.  The passion I saw there made my knees weak.  I reached up and wrapped my fingers around his head, pulling him to me.  I kissed him gently.  His eyes widened.  He cupped my head and kissed me back just as tenderly.  “So how are we going to spend the next week or so?” I asked teasingly.

James tightened his arm around my waist pinning me to his body, “I can think of a way” he rubbed his hips into mine, “or two.”  He gently pushed me back, “Only if you want to.” 

I could tell he that although his voice was joking, his eyes said that he’d changed.  I was no longer just a fuck buddy.  I was a woman that he wanted to spend time with.  In more ways than one.

“I’d like that” I purred.  “Just remember, you are still working on my forgiveness.”

He showered kisses all over my face, slowly pulling me towards his bedroom, “I know a way to start working on that” he growled at me.

I just smiled and willingly let him lead me.

What are you hiding there James, hmmmm????

Ohhhh myyyyy!!!!!

Rockies Christmas - Day 9

Warnings:  Happy Birthday Lars!, Snowmobile use, Severe accident (no one dies), Severe Angst

There’s a buzzing noise in the room.  I feel James shift, his hand slapping around on his nightstand.  The buzzing stops, but his phone is powered on.  The light from the screen seems exceedingly bright in the dark room.  Then it’s on speaker mode and ringing.

“Jah?”

James in full voice sings Happy Birthday to Lars.

“Thanks, you inconsiderate bastard!”

“Hey, I’m not the one who decided to be born the day after Christmas in Denmark!”

I love to hear these two rib each other lovingly.

I can also hear that James is not really awake.  He ends the call without telling Lars about the biggest news of the day.  He sets his phone down on his bedside table, snakes his arms around me and we are both back to sleep.

The smell of coffee wakes us.  I untangle myself from James, kissing his forehead in the process, and head to the bathroom.  He’s still face down in the pillows when I come out.  Grabbing a clean pair of leggings and a t-shirt, I get dressed.  Grabbing a clean sweater, I smack the covers over James’ legs.  “C’mon Grandpa!  Wake up!”

James rolls over, “Oh yeah!”  He slides from the bed, uses the bathroom and gets dressed while I make up the bed and toss the dirties into the hamper.

Getting into the kitchen, the three girls are cooking.  “Dad, we used some of the roast to make breakfast tacos.”

“That’s fine and smells great!” James smiles. 

Looking out the window, it has stopped snowing, and the sun is trying to shine through the clouds scudding across the sky.

CBF comes from the living room with the tree pitcher, “Where does this go?”  Both Cali and Marcella point to the end of the counter.

James makes our coffees, and we take them to the kitchen table.  A few minutes later, we are served breakfast tacos.  Basically, breakfast burritos just in smaller tortillas.  And a little messier.  But they are really good.  The three boys start grabbing plates.  “They cooked, we clean up” CBF says.

“Hey Dad, can we take out the snowmobiles?” Castor asks.

“They haven’t been used in a couple of years.  They’ll need some work first.”

MBF speaks up, “I’ve worked on engines before.  I’ll be happy to help.”

Nodding, James stands up, “Then let’s get out to the shed.”  The four men leave through the garage.  I hear, “Damn!  Nice Shelby!” as the door closes.  I can only giggle and imagine the looks on the boys’ faces when James tells them it’s mine.

The kitchen is clean and tidy.  “I hate to do this” as I pull out the big mixer.  “But I’m going to make another mess.”

I put together the batter for something Grandmother called Date Nut Bread.  I get it into the oven.  I may have over done again as I doubled the recipe.  The girls all sit at the counter watching.  We talk about a lot of things from fashion to hit songs on the radio to hairstyles.

I can hear the snowmobile engines being turned on and off in the background.

“How did you meet Dad?” Marcella asks.

“It was a blind date.”  I get looks from his daughters.  “Derek, one of the editors I work with knows someone on your Dad’s crew.  Derek wanted me to go to a car show, but it was a charity event and I would need a date.  Derek was taking his own girlfriend.  Sooo, I needed a plus one.”  Checking the timer, “Derek reached out to Martin and called in a favor.”

“I think I remember a Martin.  Short guy?”  I nod.  “Bald?”  I nod again.  “He’s a nice guy.”

CGF asks, “You like cars?”

“And football.”

“Jets or Giants?” Cali asks.

“Seattle Seahawks.”  That got me some looks.  “Blame my college roommate.  She’s from Seattle.”

The garage door opens and James walks in carrying a red helmet wearing a heavy snowsuit.  “Whose going?” 

Both Marcella and CGF speak up. 

“Marcella, can you please show CGF where the big snow suits are?”

“Sure!  C’mon!”  The two women leave.

James looks at Cali.  “How you doing this morning?”

“Better” she smiles at her Dad.  “The rolls that Kira made don’t make me want to puke every ten minutes.”

“That’s good news!  I’m glad you both are feeling better!”  He wraps an arm around me, “Wanna go?”  He’s got the huge cheshire cat grin smeared on his face.

“No, I’ll stay here.  I have Date Nut Bread in the oven.”  I smile up at James, “Go have fun!”

He kisses me, “We’ll be back before sunset.”  He smacks my ass as he walks towards the garage.

“How much longer on this date bread nut stuff?”

I huff out a laugh, “Date Nut Bread.  It’s almost done.”

“It smells really good!  Thanks again for showing me about the baking soda.”

“You’re welcome.”  The timer dings and I test, then pull out the pans.   The snowmobiles roar down the driveway.

We talk about how she met her boyfriend.  How she and her siblings got along as kids.  How it was tough being the oldest daughter of a megarocksuperstargod.  I slice a piece of the bread for Cali.  She nibbles.  “Dis ish wrewwy good!”

“I hope you both like it!” I grin. "It's better with cream cheese on it."

My ears pick up an engine.  A single engine.  I look at Cali then I run to the front door.  There’s CGF.  Alone.  Her machine stops just before the front steps and she yanks off her helmet.  “Castor gave me this” as she pulls his phone from her snowsuit.  She puts in the passcode.  There on the screen:  Use house phone.  Jacobs 439-555-2122  Coordinates:  yadda yadda..  Dad’s unconscious.

I wrap my arm around her and pull her into the house, “How long did it take you to get here?” I calmly ask.

“Twenty minutes, I think.”

Grabbing the phone in the kitchen, I dial the number.

It’s answered, “Hi James!”

“This is Kira.”

“Who?”

“The new girlfriend.  James is down.  I have coordinates.”

“Give them to me.  What happened.”

I give him the coordinates and hand the house phone over to CGF, “Just tell him exactly what you saw.”

“We’d been in a field.  James said that he was going to check out the sides of the field.  He wasn’t going really fast.  The next thing … his snowmobile rears up and over and James is under it.”

Cali’s grabbing my arm.  Tightly.  CGF hands the phone back to me.  “Ok.  They are out there.  I’ll get the chopper in the air right now.  The others will have to ride their machines back.  I can’t take them with me.”

“I understand.  Where will you take him?”

“Denver, Swedish.  I’ll call this number when I have him onboard.”

“Thanks.”  The call ends.  I dig out my phone and call the bands travel agent, “Jordan?”

“Hey!”

“James is hurt.  He’s being airlifted to Denver.  I’m going to need a chopper for seven soon.”

“What happened?”

“All I know right now is that he’s unconscious.  There’s a medivac chopper headed out to collect him.”

“Hold the line.”

The three of us girls look at each other as a helicopter zooms over the house.

“Ok.  The Eagle county airport.  Call the number I just texted" my phone vibrates "to you when you leave the house.”

“It’s gonna take about 30 minutes for the kids to get back to the house.”

“Kira, just call that number.  There’s a chopper on standby for you.  Do you want me to call anyone?”

I heave a sigh, “I guess Lars.”

“Will do.”

“This is a fuck of a present.”

“Oh shit.  It is his birthday.”

“Maybe Pete first?”

“Good idea.  You have my number if you need anything.” 

“Thanks.”

That call ends.  I look at the two young women in front of me.  “We need to get some things pulled together.  As soon as the others get back, we’re leaving.  CGF, go get out of those wet clothes.  Toss some dry clothes into a backpack for Castor.  Cali, can you put together some clothes for the others?”

“On it.”  She turns, then stops, “How are you so calm?”

I smile at her, “You can’t hear my heartbeat.”  Nodding, “Let’s go ladies.”  I dash into our bedroom and pull on jeans, a bra and a thermal shirt.  I grab another pair of sweats and shirt and stuf them into the bag.  A run through the bathroom, I grab a hairbrush.  Returning to the kitchen, I grab a handful of granola bars and toss those into the big purple bag.  I pull my wallet from my purse on the counter, along with both our phones and add those to the purple bag.  “Shoes” I mumble to myself.  Going to the garage door, I pull on my mukluks.  I also grab our coats.  Just as I return to the kitchen, the house phone rings.

“Yes?” My voice much louder than I wanted.

“I’m airborne.  The others are on the way back.  He’s still out.”

“Thanks.  Fly safe.”

“Thanks.”  The call ends.

Cali and CGF are standing there.  “The others are on the way back.  James is still unconscious.”  I look at both of them, “This will be the hardest part.  Waiting for the others to return.”  I grab CGF’s arm, “Ya did good.”  She starts to cry.  I just pull her into a hug.  Cali joins in.  “Hey.  Seriously, ya did good.”  We stand there together for a time.  I double check that the oven is off and put the loaves into storage bags.  I heave a sigh, “Let’s get the bags into the truck.”

“Dad’s truck?” Cali sounds slightly aghast.

“We can’t all fit into my Shelby.”

“The Shelby is your car?” CGF’s voice is a little squeaky.

“Yup.”  I grab the key fob for the truck and my purple bag.

The girls grab the backpacks they’d packed, “Seriously, you are going to drive Dad’s truck.”

“Cali” I turn and smile smally at the young woman, “yes, I am going to drive that damn behemoth.”  As I open the garage door, “It’s the only option.”  I hit the button for the garage overhead door and plop my purple bag on the console between the front seats.  “I’m going to back it out.  CGF, go get your machine.  We’ll just park them all in here for now.”  As she runs, “Please don’t hit my Shelby” I give her a smile.

I had to spend a moment or so adjusting the driver seat from the settings for James’ 6 foot 1 body to my 5 foot 2 one.  I finally get it set and back his damned truck out pointing it down the driveway.  Just as CGF gets her machine in the garage, I hear the others coming.  Cali tosses the bags she’d packed into the bed and climbs in the back seat.  CGF helps point the other machines into the garage.  Castor jumps into the passenger seat dropping something to the floor between his feet.  Pointing to the item, “What’s that?”

He picks it up, “What’s left of Dad’s helmet” he says softly.  It’s split almost in two.  He puts it between his feet again.  His hands are shaking.  I rest my hand on his arm.  He pats my hand.

I heave out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.  Then I lean out the window, “Marcella, please check that I locked the front door.”  MBF joins Cali in the back seat. 

Marcella climbs in, “Yes it’s locked.”  CGF squeezes in the back too.

“Sorry for the tight fit back there.” I hit the button on the remote and watch the garage door roll all the way down.  “It’s only till we get to the airport.”  Leaving the driveway, my phone syncs up.  I hit the message app and call the number that Jordan had given me.

“Eagle Airport Choppers.”

“My name is Kira.”

“Are you on your way?”

“Yes, we are.”

“What are you driving?”

“A big ass truck.”  I can hear the huffed laugh on the other end.

“We’ll have the chopper ready for you when you get here.  You can park the big ass truck in the hanger.”

I actually laugh “Thank you!”

“See you in about 40 minutes?”

“Highway patrol can mail James the ticket.  Thirty.”

“See you then.”  The call ends.

I hit the freeway and punch the gas.  Fortunately, the road is clear, there is no snow falling, very little traffic and the gas tank is full.  I don’t even look at the speedometer.  I keep my eyes on the road.  “There’s some granola bars in this bag” I elbow it to Castor, “if you’re hungry.”

Castor pulls the bag into his lap, “Thanks.  Anyone else?”  There were a couple of takers.

“Hey, I have dry clothes for you guys in the back” Cali speaks up.

“Let’s not forget those bags at the airport” Marcella adds.

Twenty-eight minutes later, I’m parking the truck in the hanger.  I hand the fob over to the chopper pilot, “Please don’t ding his truck.”

“No ma’am, I won’t” he smiles at me.  He puts me in the co-pilot’s seat, the kids all get the back seats with the bags on the floor between their feet.  “This will take about 40 minutes with today’s weather.  I have gotten permission to land at the hospital.”  He taps my arm pointing at my feet, “Ma’am, I do ask that you keep your feet off the controllers there.”  I nod and tuck my feet under the seat.  Moments later we are airborne.  I try to keep from shaking.  The panic is trying to set in.  The what if’s are beginning to run amuck.  What if he’s paralyzed.  What if he never wakes.  What if he’s suffered brain trauma.  I feel a hand grab my right arm from behind.  I recognize the nails.  It’s Cali.  I just put my hand over hers and squeeze.  That’s when I realize that I’ve been twisting the ring on my finger and it’s sore.  Denver begins to loom up out of the snow.  I make sure that I’m not hitting any of the flight controllers as the pilot brings the chopper in to land.  He powers down and the blades slowly come to a stop.  He rests his hand on my arm, “We all hope that James is fine."

I nod nervously, “Thank you.  I will keep you informed.”

“Please do.  I’ll be happy to make the return flight with one more onboard.”

“Thank you.”  I climb out of the chopper and collect my purple bag. 

A nurse greets us on the helipad.  “I was told to expect you.  I’m Nancy.  This way.”  She leads us into a waiting area.  “Please have a seat, the doctor will be right in.” 

My heart is racing.  This is either really good news.  Or super bad.  Cali sits next to me, holding her stomach.  “Upset?”

“Yeah, and I didn’t grab the baking soda.”

“We’re in a hospital.  I’m sure they’ll have something” I pat her arm.  She grins.

A middle-aged doctor comes in, “Kira Mooreland?”

“That’s me.”

“Would you come with me please?”

“Doc, these are his children.  Whatever you’re going to tell me, you might as well say it right here cause I’m just going to tell them.  It’s better coming directly from the doctor’s mouth.”

Nodding, he pulls up the magazine strewn table and sits.  “Then let me be blunt.  He’s damned lucky.”  He leans elbows on his knees.  “James does have a severe concussion and some major bruising.   Other than that, he’s fine.”  I hear all the kids heave a sigh.

“What about his neck?” I ask.

“He’s had a full CT scan.  The herniated disc is actually fine.”  I heave a sigh.  “I’m going to keep him under tonight.  You can see him tomorrow morning.”  He stands, “But not before 7am, please.”

“Thank you doctor.”  I stand and shake his hand.  “By the way, you might have to secure his wrists to the bed frame.  He’s known for pulling out his IV ports.”

The doctor cocks a grin, “Yeah, we already discovered that.”  The kids laugh.

“Doctor, he’s also a recovering alcoholic.  Please keep the pain meds to the minimum and non-narcotic.”

“I will see what I can do.  I appreciate the information.  I will also add it to his permanent records.”

“Thank you again.  We’ll see you tomorrow morning.”  I sit as the doctor leaves and heave a sigh.  Now.  To house six kids.  I call Jordan.

“Kira.”

“He’s fine.  Severe concussion and bruising, but fine.”  I hear a breath of relief on the other end.  “They are keeping him at least tonight.”

“I’ll get you rooms.”

“Can you please get me a suite?  I don’t think any of us want to be separated tonight.”  I see all the kids nodding.

“Let me see what I can book.  One night or two?”

“Do two, can always cancel the second.”

“Two it is.  You’ll need car service too.”

“Yes please.”

“Ok, van.  We do have a couple of people in the area that I can call on to be runners.  Do you need anything?”

“Hang on.”  I look to the kids, “Do y’all need anything?”  Nodding at Cali, “Besides baking soda?” I smile.  I pass along the two requests – a box of baking soda and a bottle of melatonin.  “Hey Jordan, can we please get some catering?  Pasta maybe.”  Again, all the kids nod.

“Sure.”  I hear clicking on a keyboard.  “Ooookaaaayy, the car service van will be at the hospital main entrance in about 5 minutes.  I didn’t want to send it to the ER door.”

“Understood.”

“Runner tells me that he’ll have your asks at the hotel about the same time you guys get there.”

“Jordan?”

“Yes?”

“You deserve a raise.”

“You get them to agree to that and I won’t say no!”  I just laugh.  “Kira, call me if you need anything.”

“I will.  Thank you again for everything.”  I end the call.  “Ok, car service will be at the main entrance in five.”

The seven of us collect bags and coats and wander to the main doors, getting lost once in the halls.  It was a minute before the van showed up.  We climb into the black vehicle.  The driver was smooth and courteous.  Once at the hotel, I go to the front desk.  “Checking in.”

“Last name please?”

“Mooreland.”  I put my driver’s license on the counter.  I can see his eyes widen as he starts clicking on the keyboard.

“Thank you.  How many key cards would you like, Ms Mooreland?”

“Seven please.  And I prefer Miss” I say kindly.

“My apologies, Miss Mooreland.  The key cards will take just a moment.”

“Castor?” a voice behind me calls out.

“Timothy!” Castor moves to shake the man’s hand.  He has several bags with him.

“Miss Mooreland?”  I turn back to the desk.  “Your key cards.  The elevator is just there.  You will need to use a key card on the pad for the Penthouse.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Please do let us know if you need anything during your stay.”  I just nod at him.

Collecting my purple gym bag, I nod to the kids.  They follow, as does Timothy – who is carrying a very large bag – probably dinner, into the elevator.  I tap a key card on the pad and hit the P button.  The doors open on the biggest hotel room I’ve ever seen.  It was like walking into someone’s super fancy living room.  There was even a grand piano.  Like roaches in the light, the kids scatter to claim a room.  Timothy sets the bag on the dining table.  He rests his hand on my shoulder.  “Jordan told me.”  I can only nod.  “Here’s my number.  If you need anything.”  He hands me a business card.

“Thank you.”

Timothy pats my shoulder and yells bye to Castor.  Then he’s on the elevator. 

Sighing, I drop my purple bag on the sofa and start pulling dinner out of the bags.  Two large containers of pasta, two kinds of sauce, breadsticks, tossed salad, cheese packets, plates, utensils and napkins.  Lots of napkins.  Cali comes over and grabbing some breadsticks, helps me get things sorted.  “Hey dorks!” she yells.  “Dinner.”  Giving me a nod, she just smiles.

Grabbing my bag, I go into the big room and sit on the bed.  It looks so huge knowing that I’ll be the only one in it.  I shudder.

“You ok?” Marcella asks quietly.

I heave a sigh, “I haven’t slept alone since September.”

Marcella sits on the bed.  “I can see why Dad likes you.”  She looks at me, “Thank you.”  I look at her.  “We’d have been a mess today without you.”

“One of you would have stepped up.”

She looks at her fingers, “Maybe.”  She looks at me – with her dad’s blue eyes.  “Still, I’m glad you are here.”

“Thanks.”

“Hey Kira”

“yeah”

“Why don’t you have kids?”

A smile spreads over my face, “I didn’t find the right man until I was too old.”

She gives me a look, “You’re forty.  You can still have kids.”

I chuckle, “Marcella.  I’m two years older than your Dad.”

“Naw.”

“I can never call him Papa Het” I chuckle softly.

Marcella just starts laughing.  Castor comes to the door, “What’s so funny?”

Marcella points to me, “She’s older than Dad!”

“Naw.”

I just nod smiling.

“Wow!” Castor smiles.  “You don’t look it.”

“Thank you, Castor.”

“Ok, y’all.  The old lady” Cali winks at me “needs some alone time.  She’s taken care of us all day.”

I get hugs from all of them, Cali making sure to set the melatonin on the dresser and then closing the door.  I close the drapes in the room, take a melatonin and head into the bathroom.  I deposit my clothes on the counter and start the shower.  The room fills with steam.  I walk in and let the water pound on my back.  He’s going to be fine.  He’s not paralyzed.  There’s no apparent brain damage.  His neck is ok.  All those nasty what if’s float away.  But the terror that I’d buried for the sake of the kids bubbles up.  I slide down the wall of the shower stall to the floor sobbing quietly curling into a ball. Body shaking sobs.  I push away the images my mind had created during the day:  James in a wheelchair.  James never being able to play guitar again.  James having to exist in the terror of his own song.  I finally get to the hiccupping stage and stand up.  I do a quick body scrub and rinse.  Then turning off the water, dry off and wrap up my hair.  My sobbing had put my head in the stream from the shower head.  Pulling the sweats out of my bag, dress and climb into the massive bed.  Alone.

The stress of the day, the hot shower and the melatonin have me under in short order.

Inverted image.

Flipped image. It's RIFF on his right fingers, not FFIR.

Everybody Loves a Parade - Part 6

Saturday – Part 6

Warnings: Pancakes, Fluff, shameless product placement

Again, his side of the bed is empty when I wake with music coming from the living room.  I wonder what it will take to make one of the other two bedrooms a music room for him.  I peek out the drapes.  It’s finally stopped snowing.  Whatever James is working on is going to be amazing.  I can hear him humming as he figures out where the words are going to fill in.  Maybe.  He did help write two amazing instrumentals.  His bandmates do call him the Riff Master.  I stretch out in the bed.  These sheets really do need to get changed.  I climb out of bed and tug the dirties off.  It took a moment because I was stumbling over the pile of dirty sheets, but I got the sheets changed.  I was piling them up in front of the bathroom when I see James standing there.

“I didn’t interrupt you, did I?” my voice a little high.

“No.  No.  I hit a wall.”  He scrubs his eyes, “That’s when I put it aside.  Why didn’t you wait?  I would have helped.”  Concern spreads across his face.

“You were a little busy and I wasn’t going to potentially ruin a gold record.”  I wrap my arms around his waist. 

The concern seeps from his face making his eyes brighten, “You really liked it?”

“Yes I did” I squeeze his waist looking up into his face.

He cups my face and kisses me.  “Well, I can at least take these to the washer.”

I give his waist another squeeze, “Thank you.”  I help him by collecting all the pillowcases and follow him out of the bedroom.  I grab the towels from the dryer and take them to the bedroom.  I can fold those later.  I hear James start the washer.

Returning into the kitchen, “What do you want for breakfast?”

James turns to me, “I kinda wanna go out.  Is there a place close by?

“Yeah.  It’s a real small place.  It’s about a 5 minute walk.”  I pull him into me, “They have pancakes….”

Pulling me into a kiss, “Let’s go!” he laughs.

Ten minutes later, we’re dressed.  As I head out the door, I grab the hot plate and towels for Fannie and leave it with Carl.  I call Fannie to tell her, but I know that Carl will just carry it over to her.  Fifteen minutes later we are seated in a booth at the diner, pancakes ordered.  James rests his hand over mine, “What’s on your mind.”

“What would you think if I give that second bedroom to make it into a music room for you.”  I look him in the face.

His eyes open wide, “You’d do that?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Why not.  I don’t use that second bedroom.”  I think a moment.  “Ever.”  I play with his fingers, “What would it take?”

Using his other hand, he rubs at the scruff on his face, “It wouldn’t have be a full blown studio.”  He looks at me again, “Seriously.  You’d do that for me.”

I smile at him, “Yes, James.  I will do that for you.”  I sigh deeply, “Besides, it’s time I clear out both those rooms.”  I look back at him, “You get to pick the room.”

He pulls me around the bench of our corner booth to his side and plants a deep kiss on me.  I wrap my hands around his head.  Our waitress clears her throat.  Still clinging to the other, we look at her.

“Pancakes go?” she says holding our meal grinning.

James loses it, laughing into my shoulder.  I just shake my head, “Thank you.”  She sets our plates down as James slowly pulls himself together.  “Are you ok?”

“It just caught me off guard.  I’m fine!” James laughs.

We tuck into our meals.  “That was an excellent idea” I look at James as I push my empty plate away.

Nodding, “Thanks.”

The waitress brings our bill.  She’s obviously a fan.  I just nod at her.  “Can I ask you for your autograph, please?” her voice shaking slightly.

Smiling broadly, James signs the order slip and thanks her for being a fan.  I go to the register and pay our bill.  I make sure to add a good-sized tip and we walk with arms around each other back to the apartment.

Once inside, James looks at me, I nod, then he goes and looks at the spare bedroom.  He opens the room that had been Grandmothers room.  He comes back to me, “What’s over these two rooms?”

“There’s a mechanical crawl space between this floor and the one above and below.  It’s the side walls that have neighbors.”

He rests his hands on my shoulders, “Is that why you scream into the mattress?” his eyes gleaming.

“uh huh.”  I bite my lower lip.

He plants a kiss on me.  “You are amazing.”  I just smile up at him.  He looks into both rooms again.  He returns to me.  “You’re sure.”

Nodding, “Positive.”

He claps his hands, “Ok.”  Pulling me to him, “Do you want to go gear shopping with me?”

“How about you go gear shopping and I clear out the room you want.”

He plants another toe-curling kiss on me, “Ok.”  He looks back to both rooms again.  “That one.”  He points to the spare room.  “No neighbors on those walls, right?”  I nod.  “That one.”  He pulls out his phone.  “Don’t you even think of moving that bed.  I got a guy” he points a finger at me.  “Hey Pete!  Need a favor.”  James wanders into what will become his music room.

I remember that I’d done a floor plan, well, of the whole apartment.  I needed one for the kitchen remodel and just kinda did all the rooms.  Going into my office, turning on my computer, I pull up the diagram and hit print.  Pulling the paper from the printer, I return to the kitchen to grab a glass of water.  I can still hear James talking in the other room.  His studio, I remind myself.  He comes out with the biggest cheesiest grin on his face.  “What?”

He wraps me into a hug, “One of our engineers is going to pick me up and take me to the warehouse to get gear.”  He looks at me, “What?”

“You look like the kid that was just handed the key to the toy shop.”

Cupping my head, he kisses me deeply, “I was!”  He kisses me again.  His pocket buzzes right beside my crotch.

“Uuh!” my eyes cross.

“Sorry!” 

I kinda grind into him, “Don’t be!”  My voice a little higher than normal.

He pulls out his phone, “Yeah.”  He eases his hold me, making sure that I’m stable on my feet.  Sitting down at the dining table, he starts talking numbers.  I’m sure it’s equipment, but I have no clue.  Going into Grandmother’s room, I pull up the shades.  I start shifting things.  Most of what’s in this room is holiday decorations.  So, I start shifting all those boxes together by the closet.  Against the wall is what I’m looking for.  Empty boxes.  Grabbing a couple, I take them into James’ room and set them down.  Going into the office, I pull out the packing tape.  Going back to the room, I put together one box and start plowing through the built in drawers.  After realizing that most of what’s in them can donate, I go grab a couple of large trash bags from the kitchen.  These I fill with the donations and drop them in the living room.  James grabs me after I drop another bag.  “Damn you can be fast!”

“I have been accused of being a bit of a pit bull when I get an idea.”

“I can see that” he smiles.

“You are grinning like the Cheshire cat.  What’s up?”

“Ahh.  Big Mick happens to be in town and he’s gonna come over and look the room over and then we’ll go gear shopping."  He kisses me.  “Might be able to just pull a bunch of stuff from storage rather than having to buy anything."

"That’s cool!”  I lean into him.  “Oh!”  I pull away, “You might find this helpful.”  I give him the room diagram.

He scans it, “Damn!”  He looks around and I give him a pencil.  He kisses me.  He starts noodling on the sheet.  His eyes pop up to mine, “I can write this, right?”

I just smile at him, “yes.”  I go back into the room to continue cleaning out my shit.  Twenty minutes later the doorbell rings.  I hear James answer it.  I’m elbow deep into a box from the closet, ass to the door, when James walks in and smacks my butt. Hard.

I pop up, “OW!”

“Well, don’t leave him a target.”  The man speaking with a heavy English accent is a rock and roll version of Santa.  Long white hair and beard with blue eyes as piercing as James’.  All his clothes black.

“Kira, this is Mick” James says.  He has me tucked into his side, gently rubbing my tender ass.

I shake his hand, “Nice to meet you.”

Mick scans the room.  “Not bad for a New York apartment.”  He starts looking around for power plugs.

“Oh!  Hang on!”  James lets go of me and quickly returns with the room diagram.

Mick takes a look at it.  “Who did this?”

“I did.”

He’s nodding, “This is very good.”  He points to something on the diagram, and finds it in the room, nodding.  “Do you have your own circuit box?”

“Yeah, it’s in here.”  I led him into the office.  Tucked into a small closet is the circuit box.

“This has been upgraded” he says in approval.

“I redid the kitchen a few years ago.”

“Upping the circuit box was a good idea.”

“Thanks.”

Mick takes a snap of the circuit box with its meticulous labeling.  Then he and James sit down at the dining table and start going over what is needed and where it should go.

I go back into the room and pull out several more bags of donation stuff.  I move a couple boxes into Grandmother’s room.  As I come out of that room, James snags me in a hug, “We’re going to the warehouse.  Shouldn’t be too long.”  He kisses me.

“You might think about putting down a rug in that room” I suggest.

“Excellent idea!  I think there are a couple in the warehouse” Mick chimes in.

James runs his hands over my head smoothing my hair, “You going to be ok?”

I look up into those fucking gorgeous eyes, “Yes.”

He leans his forehead against mine, “No bed moving.”

I look at him, “No bed moving.”

“Ok.”  He kisses me, “We’ll be back.”

“See you soon!”  I kinda follow them to the front hallway.  I listen as the front door clicks closed.  Knowing that’s secure, I return to the task at hand.  Clearing out his music room.  Stripping that bed, I forward my bed sheets and start the others.  Most of what was in the built-in drawers in that room I decide is donatable.  There are a few things that I add to my closet.  A few things that I just shudder at and throw out.  I check under that bed.  A few dust bunnies.  I pull out the vacuum and am working on the built in drawers in the closet when I hear, “Honey!  I’m Home!”  I turn off the vacuum and stretch my back.  James comes up behind me wrapping his arms around me, “Damn!  You can be tenacious!”

I lean back into him, “mmmhmmm.”

He kisses my neck, “We brought back lunch.”

The smell of burgers wafts in the room at that moment and my stomach rumbles.  “It has been a while since breakfast."

"It has!"  He takes my hand and pulls me from his music room.

There are about 12 people in my apartment.  Most sitting on the floor eating burgers.  I give James a look. 

“They are going to help shift the furniture.”  He whispers into my ear, “They are all our roadies.  I trust them.”

I nod ok.  James parks me at the table and hands me a burger.  There is a communal pile of fries in the middle.  James hands me a Severed Lime, puts his on the table and sits next to me.  Mick is on the other side of the table.  Someone asks where the trash is and James directs him to the can under the kitchen sink.  About twenty minutes later, the bed is shifted into Grandmother’s room, as are the nightstands.  A couple of the guys help me re-org that room so that I could get into the holiday boxes easily and they are neatly stacked by holiday.

I go to take a look in James’ music room.  There’s a huge paisley carpet on the floor.  A desk has been setup so that it looks out that window – tho it doesn’t really have a view.  A big tempered glass mat covers the carpet and a rolly desk chair sits on that mat.  There are a couple of guys behind the desk, at least one under it with both Mick and James sitting on the front side of the desk working on a piece of gear and cables are sliding all over the place.  There’s a standing mic stand.  There’s one clamped to the desk.  There’s all kinds of music boards sitting on the top of the desk that cables are being plugged in to.  A rolling road case filled with guitars now sits in the closet.  But it’s at a wonky angle because of the doors.

“James?”

“Yeah?” he turns, his eyes bright.

“Just have them take the closet doors off.  They can store them in Grandmother’s room against the wall.”

“What about the building super?” one guy asks.

“I’m the super.  I own this apartment.”

Nodding approval, “Page six and an apartment owner.  James, you dog!” Mick grins.

I just blush, spin and leave the room laughing softly.  Checking on the laundry, I fold the one set of sheets and forward the other.  Taking the clean sheets to my closet, I put them away.  Then fold and put away the towels I’d dumped on my bed earlier.  Crossing back into the living room, I realize that all the trash from lunch has been neatly put into a garbage bag left by the end of the kitchen counter.  There’s nothing left on the floor in my living room except the donation bags.  I sit on the sofa, a little bit in shock.  A couple of guys come in the front door carrying foam that they have obviously custom cut.  I follow them.  They neatly tuck the foam into one of the built in drawers and close it.  They measure the next one down and leave.  The first drawer is reopened, and another guy starts setting microphones into the foam.  James sees me watching and he pulls me onto his thigh.

“You look a little shell shocked” his lips right by my ear.

“They are so neat and tidy!”

“They better be for what they get paid” Mick says.  “I don’t pay them to be slobs.”

“I’m impressed.”  I see a couple of them smile. 

“We’re almost done” James leans into my ear kissing it.

“James, unless you can play with Kira on your knees, I’m sorry love, but you’ll need to move so I can test the setup.”

“Of course” I stand and move back.  One of the guys taps my shoulder.  He indicates a shorter road case.  I raise my eyebrows and he just nods.  I perch on the case.  James puts on a set of headphones and starts playing.  I can only hear the strings twanging.  The same guy plugs in another set of headsets and hands them to me.  I put them on.  I smile.  That screaming guitar riff that James plays so well sounds in my ears. 

James turns to me.   “What should I play?”  My eyes fly open wide. I can hear him.  “Mics in the headsets” he smiles and points at the headsets covering his ears.

“Roam” I ask.

He smiles and he starts the song.  I can hear the tweakings that Mick is making on the sound board.  James is getting into the rhythm.  I can tell that he wants to sing but is holding back.

“James, run the bridge again” Mick asks.

Effortlessly, James replays the bridge.

Four of the roadies come in the room.  They are carrying some kind of drapery concoction.  They hang a 1x2 along the top of the walls and make a large x on the ceiling.  They staple gun the top of the fabric to the 1x2.  As it unfolds, it’s been covered in the foam waffle sound proofing squares.  They repeat this for all four walls and the ceiling.  The one over the closet space has plastic tubing in the fabric to make an opening to get into the closet.  They’ve done the same idea with the window.  Once those are hung, James lets go with the vocals.  I just smile.

“That’s got it James.  You’re good.”  Mick stands and stretches his back. 

I take the headsets off and set them on the road case.  Another one of the guys taps my shoulder.  “Yes?”

“I probably should have asked, but I tapped into the light switch line.  That way James doesn’t have to turn each piece on or off individually.  It’s kinda like a master switch now.”

“That’s fine.”  I smile at James. “And actually a really great idea.”

“You think so?” my downpicking barbarian god grins.

“Yes, that way when we go back to Colorado, we know that this room is powered down.”

“Excellent job Trevor” James says.

Trevor’s shoulders square up a touch, “Thanks!”

“You guys get everything done?” Mick asks the room.

They all answer in the affirmative. 

I quickly leave and move into the living room.  Trevor approaches me, “Are these trash?” as he points at the donations bags.

“No.  Those are to donate.”

“Ah.”

“Do you know someone that could use some women’s clothing?”

“My sister works with a shelter…”

“Take them” I cut Trevor off.  “Please.”

“Thank you.”  Trevor and a couple of others remove all the donations bags.  Sinking into the sofa, I hear them chatting as they leave the apartment, “Damn!  James scored a winner this time!”

I smile like a Cheshire cat. 

Mick and James come out of the studio.  James makes a point to stop and flick the switch off grinning.  “Mick, thanks for giving up your Saturday.”

“Just remember this at the next acceptance speech!”  Mick squeezes James’ shoulder.  The Brit looks to me, “Nice to meet you Kira.”

“Nice to meet you too!”

James walks him to the front door.  It clicks closed.  I suddenly realize that it’s quiet in my apartment.  James comes to me, leans on the back of the sofa over me and kisses me.  “Thank you.”

I cup his face, “You’re welcome.”

His eyes pop open, “Ribs.”  He stands and quickly goes into the kitchen.  “Need to get these babies marinating!”

“Anything I can do to help?”  I ask from the sofa.

“Nope.”  He’s pulling spices from the drawer.  “Maybe order a pizza?”

“That I can do.”  I retrieve my phone from its charging stand in the office.  Calling my favorite pizza place, I order two for delivery.  With a salad.  Then I let Monty know.

“It is nice having a doorman” James smiles at me.

“Yeah it is.”

Twenty minutes later the door bell rings.  I go collect the pizzas and James tucks the ribs back into the fridge.  He grabs a couple of plates and forks.  “What do you want to drink?” as he pulls open the fridge.

“Grave Fruit please.”  I sort the pies and pull out the salad, giving that container a good shake.

He grabs a Severed Lime for himself and brings my tallboy along with the plates and forks.  We plate up and go sink into the sofa.  I turn on the TV just as the National News ends.  We watch the local news until the weather.  Skies are supposed to clear overnight, which will drop temperatures as the clouds move north.  Again, we watch Jeopardy.  James collects another slice of his meaty pizza.  I set my plate down, leaning back into the sofa, patting a full tummy.  “Gawd, you and Kirk with pineapple on the pizza” he laughs.  I just look up at him.  “What?”

“I love to see you happy.”

He swallows his bite, “You make me happy.”  He kisses me, “Today makes me very happy.”

“That makes me happy.”  Holding up a finger, “Although, I would keep the singing to between 8 and 5.  Don’t want Mrs. Friedman and Floofy making a house call.”

James snorts in laughter.  “No!  We don’t want that!”  I kickstart my eyelids.  He gently pulls me down to lie on the sofa, my head in his lap.  I wrap an arm over his knees stretching my legs out on the sofa.  He starts to gently play with my hair with his right hand, his left gently rubbing my back.  My eyes start to close.  I squirm a little to get comfy.  “Shhh.  You’ve done a lot today.”  Both his hands work my shoulders.  I groan lightly.  “That’s my girl.   Shhh.”  Both his hands run down my back to my hips.  He works his thumbs into my lower back gently.  I sigh as his hands work my back softly.  I feel his lips kiss between my shoulder blades.  The next thing I know he’s tucking my naked body into bed, pulling my back into his chest, wrapping his arm around my ribs.  His other arm is my pillow and I curl up around it.  His nose buries into my hair and the back of my neck, “Sleep.  Shh” he coos at me. 

And I’m out.

Tricks or Sweets

I am having so much fun writing these!  Here is the October offering.

The one for November is in the wings!

Link to the September post:

Warnings: The end is NSFW. Strip Joints mentioned.

Damn this man can be frustrating.  I suppose any man can be frustrating.  I’ve had relationships before.  But none of them worked out.  The last serious one that I’d had ended a couple of years ago and it broke my heart.  Ok.  Shredded it.  This one came damned close to doing it again.  Although the last month, we have both been working on it.  Together.  We’ve had some heated discussions.  No yelling.  Some discussions have ended with the agreement to disagree.  Some he’s changed my mind.  Some I’ve changed his.  But here it is, close to Halloween and I’m sick.  I have kept him at a distance because I don’t want him getting sick.  Hell, Lars would skin me alive if I get the mighty James Hetfield sick when they are working on new songs.  James and I had closed up his Colorado house to stay in his NorCal place so he could go into HQ with the rest of the band.

James is a little hurt that I’m pushing him away.  Even after explaining to him that I don’t want him to get sick.  He still curls up with me in bed.  He’s been keeping his kisses to any part of my body except my mouth.  I’m not going to complain.  He’s excellent at kissing body parts.  I also think he’s hoping that I’ll get better in time to go to Kirk’s big shindig on Halloween.

“James, I really don’t like to be scared.” I mumble, then cough.  It feels like I’m hacking up a lung. 

Patting my back, “But Kirk’s parties are really good.”  He’s almost whining.  “Will you at least consider going?”

I know that this party is a big deal, “I will consider.”  More coughing, “If I get over this.”  I blow my nose, which is sore and red.  I untwist the Hawaiian print dress I’m wearing.

He pulls me into his side, cupping my head, “I’m sorry you don’ feel good.”  His fingers feel cool on my forehead.  He grabs the digital thermometer and presses it to my forehead.  It double beeps.  “100.2.  Do you want more tea?”

I can only nod as I cough some more.  I watch from the sofa as he sets the kettle to boil.  I had moved to the living room sofa – for a change of scenery from our bedroom.  I slowly sink back into the sofa.  My eyes flutter open as I feel his fingers on my forehead.  My mug is sitting on the table.  I sit up and he hands it to me.  It’s the perfect temperature, which means that I’ve been asleep.  I chug most of it.  It feels good on my throat.  It hits my stomach like a ton of bricks.  It’s the only thing I have consumed all day.  I curl into a ball against him as he takes my mug.  He gently urges my head into his lap, tucking the blanket in around me.  I close my eyes as he plays with my hair. 

It's dark when I wake up.  Still on the sofa.  I cough hard.  Grabbing some tissues I spit out what I’ve hacked up.  At least it’s beginning to break up.  I hope.  I sit up slowly.  I can hear James in his studio.  He’s putting lyrics to a new tune.  I just sit and listen.  Damn!  It’s going to be a hit!  Standing up slowly, I make it to the bathroom.  Washing up after, I splash some water on my face.  It feels so good that I lean on the counter.  I feel his hand on my lower back.  “You good?”

“Yeah.”  I slowly stand up and lean into him.  “Just had to pee.” 

He presses his hand to my forehead.  Before I can protest, he’s scooped me up and carries me back to our bedroom.  Grabbing the thermometer, he presses it to my forehead.  “101.3.  If this gets any higher, I’m taking you in.”

I can’t argue.  I sink back into the pillows.  I feel him get off the bed.  My eyes close.  Then I feel the mattress sink as he sits on it.  A cool cloth is pressed to my forehead.  Another he presses to the back of my neck.  I whimper softly.  “Shhh.  Just sleep.”  I drift away again.

I hear voices.  Speaking softly.  I feel James’ hand cupping my head. 

“Doc, she’s been down for at least a whole day.”

“Temp?”

“101 to 102 consistently.”  I can hear the concern in his voice.

“Is she drinking or eating anything?”

“It’s been awhile.  I got some tea in her yesterday afternoon.”

I hear a deep sigh.  “She needs some electrolytes.  Let me set up an IV for her.”

I try to squirm.  “Shhh.”  His fingers cup my face.  “I got you.”  I manage to pull his fingers to my neck, leaning into the coolness.  The bed sinks on my left side.  I wince as the band is tightened around my arm.  “Hang on Kira.  It’s only for a moment.”  Then there’s a stinging in my left arm.  I manage to kick out with a leg.  “Almost done.”  His lips press cooly to my forehead, his fingers play with my hair.  The sting eases and there’s a cool sensation running up my arm.  The band is removed.

“Ok.  I have this one wide open.  Keep an eye on this arm.  It’ll need to stay pretty straight for this bag to get in her.”

“Got it, Doc.”

“I’ll leave a couple of bags in your fridge.  Pull the next bag back to about half.”

“Doc, thanks a million.”  The bed shakes gently.  I can only guess that they are shaking hands.  I whimper and try to curl around him.  “Shhh.  You’ll feel better soon.”  His hand caresses my hair.

“Call me if anything looks wonky.  I’m only doing this cause I know you can handle the IV port.  You’ve had enough in your life.”

“Thanks again.”

“I’ll see myself out, James.”  I hear footsteps.  “I’ll check in with you later.”

“Thanks.”  James rolls me to his side, draping my left arm over his chest.  His fingers make gentle lazy patterns on my arm and shoulder.  The darkness reaches up and pulls me under.

It’s pitch black outside when I float awake.  I’m flat on my back.  James is on my right side, his arm and leg keeping me pinned.  I struggle a little to move.  “Hey.  What’s wrong?”

“Gotta pee” I cough out.

I have never seen him move this fast, he’s standing on my side of the bed, one hand holding my left hand, the other under my right arm pulling me gently to my feet.  “Hang on a sec.”  He reaches behind me.  The IV bag hits my back.

“That’s cold” I flinch slightly.

“Sorry.  It’s still attached to you” he gives me a small smile. 

I wobble to the bathroom.  He stands holding the IV bag while I use the toilet.  He did have to help me stand after I cleaned up.  He squirts some hand sanitizer on my right hand and works it in.  “Faster than washing just the one hand.”  I snorfel a smile.  He almost carries me back to bed.  Tucking me back into the sheets, he rehangs the IV bag.  I look up.  He’s jerry rigged a mic stand to hold the bag.  I laugh softly.  “What?”

Pointing with my right hand, “Very creative.”

“I didn’t want to put a hole in the wall” he smiles at me.  I wiggle to get comfy.  He checks the bag.  “I’ll be right back” he kisses my forehead.  “Don’t go anywhere.”  He pats my stomach as he leaves.  I blink and he’s back, a new IV bag in his hands.  “Let’s go ahead and change this one out.”  Like a trained nurse, he quickly gets the bags changed.  He adjusts the flow on the line.  I just look at him.  “You don’t want to know how many IV ports I’ve yanked out of my own arms.”  My fingers gently rub his arm as he sits.  “A night nurse in Montreal took pity on me and showed me what to do.”

“That had to be horrid.” 

“Honestly, I was terrified.”  He gently stretches out next to me.  “I still double check the setlist and where I am on stage.”  I can see the memories in his eyes.

“You were very lucky that those flames didn’t sear your lungs.”

Nodding, “That would have ended me.”  I gently caress his cheek.  “The year it took to be able to pick up a guitar again was torture.”

“I’m sure it was.”  My fingers linger on his face, “I heard what you were creating earlier.  It sounds great!”

He smiles at me, “That was two days ago.  But thanks!”  He kisses my forehead.

“Two days?”

“Yeah, you’ve been a little out of it” his fingers caress my face.  He grabs the digital thermometer.  “Look at that!  99.8!”

I smile softly.  “I do feel better.”  A coughing fit hits me.  He just rubs my back. 

“Actually, you did cough in your sleep.”  He brushes stray hairs from my forehead.

“Have you slept at all?”

“Some.  But I’m good.  Let’s get you out of the weeds first.”  He pulls me to him, making sure that the IV tube isn’t being crushed, and curls an arm around my head.  “I’m not going anywhere.  Sleep.”  I wrap my right arm around his and let sleep pull me back under.

My eyes squint open to a room filled with bright sunlight.  The IV port is still in my arm, but the tubing has been removed.  I sit up and cough hard.  I hear the toilet flush, then water in the bathroom.

“It lives!” James smiles at me.  He’s wearing just a pair of boxers.  And damn he looks good.  Another coughing fit hits me.  James slides onto the bed, patting my back.  “Doc stopped by this morning.  He gave you a shot of B12.  That should give you the boost you need to get over the cough.”

“That explains why my ass hurts.”

Nodding, “Yeah, that’s one of those shots that can’t go thru an IV.”  He kisses my shoulder, “I want to leave the port in for a bit.  I can take them out, but can’t put them in.”

“I understand that.”  I squirm to the side of the bed, “I gotta pee again.”

He helps me from the bed to the toilet and then the sink.  “Let’s shift you to the family room.”  He snakes an arm around me, “Change of scenery.”

“A change of sheets please?”

He snickers a laugh, “You read my mind.”  He helps me sit back into the sofa in the family room and covers me with a big fuzzy blanket.  “Need anything?” as he hands me the TV remote.

“A Severed Lime please?”

He kisses my forehead.  “Be right back.”

I power up the TV and start looking through the guide.  His hand comes over my shoulder, “Here.  Careful it’s open.”  His voice soft.

“Thank you.”  I look into his blue eyes, “For taking care of me.”  Another coughing fit.  This one hurts my chest.  His hands gently hold my shoulders and rub my back.  I pull his hand from my shoulder to my chest, “It hurts here.”  He rubs my chest gently.  His hand warm on my skin.  And deeper.  I cough again.  James uses the heel of his other hand to pound on my back.  I grab some tissues and spit out the phlegm.  It’s green.

“That’s not good.”

“Better out than in” I manage, spitting out more.

“I’ll call Doc again.  Get his opinion.”  He kisses my hair, “In the mean time, I’ll go change the sheets.”

“Please spray the pillows and mattress with Lysol.”

He kisses my hair again, “Good idea.”  He takes my left hand, “I think we’re done with this.”  He deftly pulls out the IV port from my arm.  Then he holds the spot for a minute waiting for my blood to congeal.  “There.  All better.”  I cough hard.  “Well, getting there” he chuffs at me. 

I find a movie and start it as another fit hits me.  More phlegm comes up.  I drop the messy tissues to the floor with the other ones.  I curl into the corner of the sofa, tugging the blanket tighter.  I blink awake as the movie is ending.  Music floats from James’ studio.  I cough again, bringing up more phlegm.  I chug some of the Severed Lime.  The bubbles actually feel good on my sore throat.  I start another movie and I recurl into the blanket.  It’s dark when I sit up, coughing again.

“Hey,” his hands on my shoulders again.  He reaches out and grabs the Severed Lime can, “Here, sip.”  I take a couple of sips.  “Doc stopped by while you were sleeping.  He looked at what you’ve coughed up.  He didn’t want to give you an antibiotic shot without knowing if you have any medical allergies.”

Shaking my head, “None that I know of.”  I cough again.  I take another drink.

“He left the shot, if you’ll let me.”  I look into his big blue eyes.  He’s concerned.  Very concerned.  And torn.  Being brought up Christian Scientist, medicines were frowned on.  But modern medicine saved him when he was so badly burned.  I nod at him, holding tissues to my mouth as another cough hits me.  Once he knows I’m ok, he goes to the fridge and pulls out the syringe.  He picks up the alcohol wipe packet from the counter as he returns.  “Doc said the best place for me to jab you is in the ass.”  He sits on the sofa.  I slowly roll to him, draping myself over his lap.  “If you felt better, this would be interesting!”  He opens the wipe packet, pulls up the Hawaiian dress I’m wearing and rubs my ass with the wipe, then his fingers grab that cheek and the other stabs.  I wince.  He pulls the dress back down and rubs the spot, “All done.”  I just hang there.  “You better shift off my lap, or I might just let my evil thoughts take over” he growls gently into my ear. 

“Maybe later” I grin up at him as I push myself back into the corner, another cough hits me.

“My poor little Kira.”  He tucks me in, kissing my forehead.  He goes into the kitchen.  I hear him puttering around in it.  I’m still a little too far gone to pay attention.  He comes back carrying a bowl, “Here, sip this.”  It’s miso.

“That tastes so good.”  I drink more.  “Thank you.”

He returns to the kitchen and comes back with his own bowl.  A much bigger bowl.  He puts my feet into his lap and I start another movie.

I don’t remember falling asleep.  My feet are still in his lap.  Our soup bowls on the coffee table.  He’s curled up on his side, several pillows under his head.  I gently extract my feet.  “You ok?”

“I gotta pee.”

He stands up and helps me stand, “Well you do have about three IV bags of fluids in you.”

As we move toward the bathroom, “I do feel better.”  I cough again.

“Yeah.  Uh huh.”  He gives me a look.

“I do” I protest while using the toilet.  He stands behind me while I wash up.  I take a good look at my reflection.  I grimace.

"What?"

“I need a shower.”

“Not at 2am.  C'mon.  Back to the sofa with you.”

He sinks into the sofa with me.  “You go to bed.”  I cough again.  “I’ll be fine.”

Pulling my feet back into his lap, “Yes, you will be fine.”  He reaches up and tucks the blanket back around me.  He takes the remote and starts another movie.  He gently rubs my ankles and calves.  I slide back into sleep.

The morning sun shines in on my face.  I struggle to shift.  My feet are still trapped in James’ lap and hands.  His warmth feels good on my feet.  I watch him sleep.  His eyelashes curl against his cheeks hiding his bluer than blue eyes.  His lips slightly open under his graying mustache.  Oh, the joys that mouth has given me.  His fingers curled around my ankles that make such magic on his guitar.  The magic they work on me.  Inside me.  I whimper slightly.  And cough.  Hard.  His hands tighten around my ankles.  “I’m ok.”  I drop the tissue.  “Not as green.”

His eyebrows rise, “That’s good.”  I cough again.  “Better out than in.”  He grins at me, shifting my feet out of his lap.  “How about some breakfast?”

“Yes, please.”  I look up into his eyes as he stands.  “I’m sorry I’ve been such a pain.”

“I’m glad I was able to take care of you.”  He kisses the top of my head.  “Then maybe a shower.”

“That bad?”

“I have smelled better after a show.”

“Yikes.”  I kick out of the blanket.  I change the channel to local news.  The weather is on.  Nothing new.  Clouds, fog, spotty rain.

“Ahh.  San Fran in late fall” James sighs as he hands me a plate.  He sinks into the sofa next to me.

His scrambled eggs are smothered in cheese.  There’s sliced tomato and avocado on my plate.  “mmmm.”

“Good?”

“Yeth” I say around a mouthful.

He takes the remote and finds the NFL Network.  We finish eating while getting the latest updates on the teams.  Well, he finishes our breakfast.  I could only eat about half of what he’d put on my plate.  Once the updates are done, James collects the plates and dumps them in the sink.  He comes back, turns off the tv, pulls me to my feet, pulls the blanket off the sofa and unloads about half a can of Lysol where I’ve been sleeping.  Then he leads me to our bathroom.  Pulling off my dress and dropping his boxers, he pulls me into the shower.  I lean against the back wall as he washes my hair, my back, my body - being very tender between my legs.  I know he’s horny as hell, but I’m so not horny.  It pinches my heart that I can’t be sexy for him right now.  The steam from the hot water puts me into a serious coughing fit.  James wraps an arm around my waist and holds my head with his other hand.  I hack out the biggest chunk of phlegm ever.  It’s yellow, green and brown all at once.  Using a spray wand, James washes it down the drain.  I slowly stand up.  “Well, there’s that” I whisper.

“Maybe that’s the core and you’ll get better now” James cups my head and pulls me into his body.  He releases me gently, rinses us both off and after turning off the water, wraps me up in a towel.  I waddle to the bed and sit.  That last hack hurt.  James sits behind me and using a towel, dries my hair.  I almost fall asleep sitting there.  He tugs the clean sheets and blankets down, “In you go.”  He pulls the towel from my body and tucks me into bed.  I’m asleep before the covers are tucked around me.

The next couple of days, I slowly recover.  Still hacking a cough, but not as bad.  I start putzing around the house taking care of little things.  I still crash out almost every time I sit down.

Knowing that I’m out of the weeds – as he put it - he’s been working a lot lately at HQ.  He didn’t get home until about 11pm a few days ago.  It’s 10:12pm.  I cough again.  I had tried his phone but it went directly to voice mail.  I figure that he’s doing vocal work.  I decided to call the HQ main line.  I almost hung up. 

“Hello.”

“Hi, this is Kira.”

“Hey!  It’s Avi.  How you feeling?  James told us that you were super sick.”

My eyebrows are in my hairline, “I’m doing ok, thanks for asking.  Uhmmm, this is kinda embarrassing, but would you please give James a note to pick up some cough drops?”

“Uhm, sure.  But he and Jacob left for the club.  I probably won’t see him before you do.”

The club?  THE club.  “Oh.  Ok.  Thanks.”

“Do you want me to run some up to you?”

“That’s very kind Avi, but I think I have enough to get through tonight.”

“Well, feel better!”

“Thanks!”  I end the call. 

Curling up tighter in bed as I cough, a million thoughts are going through my head.  There’s only one place that men refer to as The Club.  He went to a strip joint.  I’m surprisingly not mad at him that he went to a club.  I’m more upset that he didn’t let me know.  My eyes close.

His warm body is spooned up behind me.  My clock shows 3am.  Just that he’s back safely is all I care about.  I press up against his warmth and drift back to sleep.

“Hey sleepy head.”  His voice rumbles in my ear.  His big warm hand is slowly rubbing between my shoulder blades.

“That feels really good” I murmur into the pillow.

His lips press against the back of my neck.  “You feeling any better?”

“Let me wake up first, then I’ll let you know” I smirk at him.  I turn my head looking up at him, “How was the club?”  All the color drains from his face.  His hands freeze on my body.  I pull myself up and sit cross legged in bed.  “James, why wouldn’t you tell me?”  I’m not shouting.  I’m not accusing.  It’s more statement than question.

He rolls to his back, his left arm rests on his forehead, his right hand resting against my calf.  “I thought you’d get mad.”

I cock a smile at him, “Let me surprise you.”  He looks at me.  “I really don’t care if you go to strip clubs.”  He blinks.  “I really don’t.  Some of those women are gorgeous.”  He blinks again.  “Hell, I’d fuk some of those women.”  That got his attention.  “All I ask is that you let me know.  And bring this” I run my hand over his boxers where his erection is growing, “home to me.  I’ll be more than happy to take care of it.  I just want to know when to expect you home.”  I can tell he’s gobsmacked.  “What?” I smile at him.  “Have I rendered the great wordsmith silent?”

“Kinda.”  He sits up, holding my hand with his on his crotch.  “You’re serious.”

“Very.”  I feel him get harder.  “James, there’s nothing wrong with watching them dance.  For some, that’s how they are putting themselves through school.  Or taking care of sick kids or parents.  But this” I gently squeeze him, “comes home to me.”  He bowls into me laying me out flat on the bed, his lips kissing my face and neck.  I try to push him back, “If I get you sick, Lars is going to kill me!”

With both hands planted on either side of me, he rises up, “Lars is sick.  Probably got it when he went to Jessica’s shoot on the beach last week.”  He almost drops on to me, planting a toe curling kiss on me.  I wrap my arms around his neck.  Parting the kiss, “I’ve missed this.”  His blue eyes sparkling at me.  “I am sorry that I didn’t tell you.  It won’t happen again.”

“What won’t happen again?” I ask cheekily.

“I will tell you from now on where I’m going.  You’re right.  You should know when to expect me home.”

I caress his head from forehead to the nape of his neck, “Thank you.”  I twist my head into the nearest pillow and cough.

“Well, that is sounding better.”  He grabs the thermometer and presses it to my forehead.  It beeps.  “Hey look at that!  Normal.”

“yay!”  I play with his hair, “I could really use a shower.”  I sniff his chest, “So could you.”

“What?”

“You smell like cigarettes.”  We both sit up, “I don’t mind your cigars, but cigarettes just stink.”

“Noted.  I will shower after coming home.”

I grab his boxers, “Maybe I can help you” as I slid off the bed pulling him with me.

I was still a little anxious over the next couple of days about going to Kirk’s Halloween party.  I really do hate spooky stuff.  Spiders top of the list.  Halloween and being scared next.  I’m standing in the kitchen unloading the dishwasher when my phone rings.  By the ring tone, it’s James.  “Hi!”

“Hey.  I’ll be home a little early tonight.”

“What’s going on?”

I can hear him snicker, “Kirk is sick.”

“Well damn.”

“Yeah, he’s bummed that he’s gotta cancel the party.  Sooo, I’ll be home early tonight.”

“I’ll be waiting.”

I hear him chuckle as he ends the call.  Well, this is a curve ball.  A wicked idea comes to me.  I set up the stereo and put the remote on the landing.  I dash upstairs and dig through my things in the closet.  There.  The little plaid skirt.  Don’t know why I’ve kept it.  Don’t know why I packed it, but here it is.  I find a pair of scissors and cut about 6 inches off the hem.  It now barely hides my pussy and my ass cheeks peek out beneath it.  I almost run into the bathroom.  Fifteen minutes later, I’m hairless.  And wet.  I pull on a pair of black knee high socks.  My clunky white sneakers will have to do.  Then the skirt.  My heavy duty pushup bra is next.  My tits are almost hitting my chin.  I take a white t-shirt of his and sacrifice it.  I cut the neckline super low.  Then I twist the hem up and knot it right below my bra showing off my stomach.  Running back into the bathroom, I pull my hair up into a super messy bun.  I’m putting on bright red lipgloss when I hear the garage door open.  My heart is pounding and I’m a sopping wet mess between my legs.  I grab a towel and give a wipe as I hear him come in the house.

“I’m home.”

“Hi!  Sit on the sofa.  I’ll be down in a moment.”  I watch him from behind a corner.  I grin happily as he sits in the middle of the sofa.  I get to the landing and hit play on the stereo remote.  His own song – Devil’s Dance - blares to life.  He spins and sees me.  I chew on my lower lip as I try to move down the stairs in a sultry manner.  Hard to do in bulky sneakers.  But the look on his face is worth it.  He’s almost drooling at the sight of me.  When his song gets to the line “I’ve got what you need,” I squat, and quickly spread my knees flashing him with my cleaned and sopping wet core, then snap my knees together.  He actually grunts.  I slink around the living room trying to dance like a stripper – which I’ve never done before in my life.  I finally crawl across the wooden coffee table.  I can feel the strip of fabric I called a skirt slide up my rump – which I wiggle slowly as I crawl.  Putting my hands on his thighs – which are shaking – I get a couple of inches from his face and in the dirtiest voice I could, sing his own words to him, “Let’s dance.”

He doesn’t just grab me.  He tackles me.  His mouth crashing into mine.  His arms wrap around me as we crash to the floor between the sofa and the coffee table.  He shoves the table aside.  He’s grabbing at the shirt I’ve tied up and my bra.  I’m undoing and tugging off his belt.  His hands grab his jeans and about pops off the metal buttons on his 501’s.  I help him yank down both his jeans and boxers.  He grabs my hips and lifts while I point his dripping cock at my sopping cunt.  With one thrust he roars into me balls deep.  I cry out.  Not in pain.  I was so wet the Titanic could have slid into me.  The pleasure of his girth filling me made me cry out.  He grabs my left wrist and pins it to the ground by my shoulder as he starts thrusting.  Hard.  The look in his eyes, on his face.  Hunger.  Wild.  Feral.  I moan loudly.  My legs wrap around his waist, the heels of my sneakers dig into his hips forcing him deeper still into me.  Again, my voice cries out in sheer pleasure.  He lets go of my wrist to grab my hip again.  He’s slamming into me.  My hands grabbing his arms pulling him closer to me.  His balls slapping my taint.  His fingers dig deep into my hips keeping me from moving away.  We are both reduced to primal grunts and growls.  I feel his strokes getting sloppy.  His thumb finds my clit.  We both scream in release.  Not your normal orgasm vocalization.   It was an If the neighbors were any closer, the cops would have been called scream.  We are both panting, he slowly lowers his weight onto my body, his hands cupping my head.  I kiss his arms, neck, chin, chest. 

Then I cough.  Hard.  We both start laughing.  He gently withdraws from me.  I reach around to find the ruined t-shirt and shove it between my legs, which makes him give me a look.  “I’m leaking on the carpet!” I manage to squeak out.  Still laughing, he tucks the fabric under me.  He rests his head between my well lifted boobs as he never did get the bra off.

“I’ll never be able to play that song live again!” he pants out.  My laughter just redoubles.  “I’ll never be able to explain to Lars why not!” he laughs into my chest.  My fingers just play in his hair.

We lay there a tangle of arms, legs and clothes for a bit recovering.  I push the hair from his sweat covered brow, “Now tell me, wasn’t this better than a spooky Halloween party?”

His face still buried in my boobs, “It’s pretty close!”