What else has he learned from my escapades with Mark?
"Besides, I fully intend to taunt him with how quickly you dropped everything to welcome me into your home. And how wonderful it felt to wake up in bed next to you."
"You haven't actually woken up in bed next to me yet," I point out.
Raising my foot, Heath kisses a path across my arch, before dropping my foot and reaching forward to grasp the backs of my knees, pulling me toward him.
"I know. I can't wait."
My head leaves the arm rest, dropping to the seat cushion, before rising abruptly as I'm pulled to straddle Heath's lap. His hands grasp my shoulders to pull me toward him as he whispers in my ear, "Now, about that lotus position."
* * *
An unfamiliar sound startles me awake. At first, I'm certain it's Daisy, but if so, she's developed an unexpected timbre to her purr that's never been there before, although I recognize her gentle buzz as well.
Feeling disoriented, I realize the view is wrong. Normally, I would be facing the bathroom door. Instead, I'm facing the windows, which means I'm on the wrong side of the bed
The heaviness on my chest isn't Daisy's familiar weight, and her purr is coming from somewhere above my head. Peering through the faded light of pre-dawn, I recognize the weight on my chest as a hairy, yet heavy, arm attached to one very naked man.
Turning my body into the heavy warmth, I'm met with the comical and unexpected site of Daisy curled up on top of Heath's pillow, like a fur trapper's cap covering his bald head. The light rumble of his snore mixes with Daisy's mellow purr to create a lullaby that's as disturbing as it is charming.
Feeling my lips twitch into a faint smile, I burrow closer against Heath's chest, acknowledging that he has indeed passed the Daisy test.
* * *
My eyes blink open again, this time to the bright light of the late morning sun drifting across the bedroom. The strong smell of coffee tickles my nose, and I wonder when Daisy finally learned to turn on the coffeemaker.
Trying to wipe the blurriness from my eyes, I find Daisy's unblinking stare trained on me from across the room where a hairy calf leads to a muscular thigh. The shin bone's connected to the leg bone, an old children's song drifts through my mind as my eyes continue north to an aqua towel with a distinct center bulge, draped casually around very masculine hips.
Focused on the bulging towel, I initially miss the hand extended toward me.
"Josie, are you ready for coffee, or are you going back to sleep?"
"Coffee?" I rasp, my eyes finally traveling upward past the bulge to Heath's amused smile and my favorite 'grounds goddess' coffee mug steaming before my eyes.
My eager hands grab for the mug, although my eyes warily register the increasing bulge beneath the towel, wondering if I should set it free or allow it to languish in captivity.
Finally, the spell is broken with three of the sweetest words I've ever heard.
"I made waffles."
There's really no way to explain how significantly the right three words can change your world, inspiring you to offer your own.
"Is there bacon?"
"Need you ask?"
"You're a god."
"Sounds about right." Turning away, the aqua towel bulge makes its way to the kitchen as Daisy and I communicate through our unblinking stares.
"He's a keeper," I whisper.
From the way she collapses onto her back, arching to show me her belly, I'm pretty sure she agrees.
* * *
Finally sated, I push my plate away, licking the syrup off my fingers.
"I'm going to need a nap after that."
"That can be arranged." A quick turn of the wrist ruins everything. "Unfortunately, I need to pick Tracey up in an hour, so you're going to have to nap alone."
"It's ok, I really should finish writing that chapter I started last night." I pout.
The plate quickly disappears from the table to join the others in the sink. There's something about watching a man up to his elbows in bubbles as he washes dishes that warms the heart. Of course, the view of his ass isn't bad either.
Too bad he changed out of the aqua towel for pants. Watching the flesh of his bare shoulders stretch and flex his tattoo, I wonder about what makes his soul tick. We must really be bending his moral compass by asking him to share.
"Heath, are you really ok with all of this?" I bite my lip, hesitant to ask but knowing it's an important question.
"With what?" He turns in surprise. "Being here with you? Of course."
"No. Being here with me, knowing I'm also with Mark. I feel like the dial of your compass must be all kinds of confused. I don't want to be the one making it spin out of control. That's not fair to ask of anyone."
"What's the alternative?" Leaning against the counter with his arms crossed, he seems comfortable. Am I ruining this with my own insecurities? "It wouldn't be my first choice, but you're worth it, Josie. I guess it was easier to swallow since we were still so close to the beginning of our relationship. It's not like you lied about it the way Lori did. For now, I can view it as if you had been dating multiple guys before I came along. At some point, we're going to have to make some decisions, but for now…" He shrugs as if he doesn't know what else to say.
"What kind of decisions?"
"The kind that decides if this is sustainable long-term. The kind that determines how you tell your family and your daughter that the woman you're seeing is also seeing someone else."
Flinching, I realize that Tracey is a complication that Heath alone has to bear. Mark and I can be vague with our families and hope that no one examines things too closely or insists on answers we aren't prepared to give.
"I never did ask you how she dealt with the idea of her mom and Shana. She's old enough that she must understand what that means to a certain extent."
"She does. Kids are a lot smarter about accepting non-traditional relationships than we probably were at their age. That doesn't mean that I want what you and I and Mark have to necessarily be the example that she grows up to emulate. Having to accept that Uncle Mark is also playing house with Dad's girlfriend is probably more than she needs to deal with right now."
"'Playing house’? Really? Is that what we're all doing?"
"Well, Jane, it seemed impolite to say that Uncle Mark is banging Daddy's girlfriend, but have it your way."
"Playing house, it is," I accept with an eye roll. "We are going to talk about this if we hit a difficult patch, right? Because I like this," gesturing around the kitchen, I encapsulate what feels like our private bubble, "and I'd hate to lose what we have. You're growing on me." At his faint smile I continue, "Regardless of what you really think about my motives and are afraid to voice, I want you to know that I'm touched by your willingness to bend your principles. That alone would make me fight to keep what we're building."
Trailing him down the hallway to the bedroom, I watch as Heath tosses his razor and deodorant into his overnight bag before shrugging into a new t-shirt.
"That's why I'm here, Josie. You think I don't realize that you're struggling with your own sense of right and wrong? That's why I agreed to this with you, because I know you didn't make the decision lightly. It also helps that I know Mark is a good guy. For those reasons, I'm not asking you to fight, just make good choices."
"What choices are those?"
Grabbing his bag, he heads for the bedroom door.
"You'll know when the time comes."
"Wait. You forgot your toothbrush," I call, grabbing it to hand off as he turns back with a smile.
"No, I didn't. I'm sure I'll need it again soon."
Pulling me in tightly for a kiss, he swats me on the ass before grabbing his bag and opening the door.
"I'll text you later. Bye, Daisy," he calls as he heads out the door.
It's a good thing he's a doctor, because my heart may have just melted a little bit.
Chapter 30
What's New Pussy Cat?
A random song about lemons and a knife fight begins playing as I look up from my laptop in confusion. The screen of my phone is lit up with Mark's face, and I salute Emma's taste in music once again.
"Hey, stranger, I've been wondering where you've been. Are you still in New York?"
"Nah, I came home Saturday night. I would have called then, but I knew Heath was with you and I didn't want to interrupt. Besides, we've been slammed at the restaurant. Then I meant to call yesterday, but I just haven't had a minute."
"It wasn't meant to be an inquisition, Mark. I missed you, that's all. Are we still on for tomorrow night?"
"Yeah, wouldn't miss it. Are you coming to my place, or am I still trying to pass the Daisy test?"
"Up to you. Do you have a preference? If we're cooking, we should probably meet at your place. I can tell you my kitchen doesn't measure up."
"Cliff didn't seem to mind. I gather he tried to impress you with his cooking. Tell me he's not better than I am."
"Of course not," I laugh. "Although, I'm surprised he even admitted to you that he tried. When did you talk to him?"
"Oh, I dropped by his place with Simon to watch the game last night. He mentioned it then. Also, good to know you're ticklish. I'd hate to accidentally on purpose catch you off guard," he teases.
"Oh my God, please tell me you two weren't talking about me again," I beg, mortified.
"Of course we were. We're guys, we always talk about our toys. Cliff said you seemed surprised by that. How else are we supposed to compare notes?"
"You're not supposed to compare notes at all! This is a relationship. I'm not some cheap toy that you share with all your friends."
"Of course you are. Although, I'd never consider you cheap."
"Mark!"
"I'm joking, settle down. Although, you are my favorite toy. Don't ever take that for granted. I'm very particular and protective of my toys."
"That really doesn't comfort me in any way, shape, or form."
"Well, it should. And I am well aware that this is a relationship, and a complicated one. I'm trying to make it not so complicated by sharing what I've learned. You know, a meeting of the minds. The 'Cliff, Josie really hates it when you forget to bring condoms' variety of helpful information. It speeds things along and keeps anyone from popping a foul."
"First, I hate baseball so there will be no fouling, and second, please tell me you weren't having what are completely mortifying conversations in front of Simon."
"Hmm." Mark's voice is suddenly sheepish. "Well, I guess we were having it in front of Simon, but he didn't mind. If anything, he seemed amused…and curious, now that I think about it. He asked a few questions about what you like and don't like."
"Seriously? You guys are so lucky you are not in this room with me right now or I would slap you both upside the head."
Squeezing my eyes shut, I imagine Simon with a notepad and pen, taking notes about where I like to be touched and how floppy my breasts look when my hands are tied above my head with a belt.
"You realize I'll never be able to look him in the eyes again, right? I thought we weren't talking about our collective status to total strangers."
"He's a friend. We hang out, watch football, have a beer now and then. You dragged him to Cliff's for dinner. Why are you acting like I'm telling tales to a stranger?"
"No, Heath invited him to dinner. I'm still not sure why, and I didn't start discussing our sex life over dessert. It makes me sound like a harlot."
"A harlot?" Mark's laugh grates on my last nerve as I clench my teeth. "Josie, you are as far from a harlot as anyone could get. Besides, Simon is comfortable with guys sharing girls. He was telling us stories about being on tour. Apparently, they had a couple girls who travelled with the band regularly for entertainment."
"Are you comparing me to a groupie?" I squeak.
"No! Jesus, what the fuck are we even talking about here? Josie, take a breath. No one is judging anybody. It's you and me. And Heath. We're making sure you're satisfied and that we don't cross our wires. We're happy. If anything, we're comparing notes to make sure we're making you happy. No one wants this to fail. Forget Simon heard anything. It's not like we gave him a play-by-play."
Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly, counting to ten. Maybe I'm overreacting. I should be happy they're keeping the lines of communication open. I need to stop finding fault because I feel exposed. It's not like I don't discuss them with Emma.
"Ok, I'm sorry. I don't know why that felt so weird all of a sudden. I guess I'm still a bit uncomfortable with other people knowing what we're up to. It's not like I've come out and told anyone. Have you figured out how that's going to sound when your show hits? I'm sure there will be plenty of interviews where you're asked about your love life."
"Let's not worry about that for now, although I promise to think about it before signing a contract. I'm trying to make sure that I'm making the right decisions there. I don't need to complicate things any further."
"Ok, I'm sorry for my mini freak out. I know it's not all about me. Tell me what's happening. How is the show development going? Are you getting a full pilot? Do you know yet?"
"It's pretty much a done deal, I just have to iron out a few sticking points in the contract. We should be able to reach an agreement by next month. Keep your fingers crossed."
"You deserve it, and I'm so proud of you. I bet Tracey will be excited, although you better teach her how to make pasta before you get too busy. She did nothing but sing your praises the night I was at Heath's."
"Well, she's a sweet kid, and he and Lori did a good job there, even if they fucked up the rest."
"Hey, did you get a call from Scott in our advertising department? He said he left you a few messages."
I wait a beat for him to answer, wondering if I've lost him.
"Mark?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry, I got them. Like I said, I've been slammed. I'll call him tomorrow."
"Ok, I know he's looking for a photo for the advertising more than anything. They need a headshot and a brief bio so they can start pushing the media right after Halloween. I hear they added radio spots which is pretty damn impressive because we rarely get drive time ads in this market. It's really going to be great!"
"Uh huh. Tell them to give me a week. The network is having some new publicity shots taken, and I'm getting new head shots as part of the package. How's the book coming? Are you getting excited about Quill?"
"Ugh. The book is limping along, although I got a few really good chapters in the other day. I feel like I'm finally getting some flow with this story. It's moving, I'm just not quite certain where it ends. I can't see it yet."
"What do you mean? You started a story without knowing what would happen?"
"Kind of. I always have a general idea of what the story looks like, what the characters will do, what problems they'll face to get where they're going. Usually, I have a definitive ending in my head as to where the characters will be left in their happily ever after. This one has taken a bit of a turn. I know where Lady Sydney and Cedric land. I think. For whatever reason, their path to get there has gotten a bit convoluted, and some side characters are not leaving the way they should."
"Well, good luck with that. I hope their path includes lots of lotus along the way."
"It wasn't supposed to, but there might have been an illicit affair a few chapters back." I laugh.
"Sounds like my kind of story. Why don't you come by the restaurant for dinner tomorrow night so I can watch the line while we eat? I'm training a new chef de cuisine, since I've been spending so much time away. I trust my crew, but it's dangerous to leave them alone too much without a real leader. And bring your friend if you'd like. We can go back to my place afterwards, and you can read me a few chapters of your bedtime story."
"You're too old for bedtime stories, but I'm sure Emma would be thrilled to join us for dinner. I'll give her a buzz and see you tomorrow. Eight o'clock?"
"That works. Maybe I'l
l tell you one of my favorite bedtime stories instead. Once upon a time, there was a lonely, starving pussy—"
"Mark!"
"Cat, begging for someone to pet it and give it some love. Geez, Josie, get your mind out of the gutter."
"Asshole."
"What's new, pussy cat?"
* * *
"Will you calm down, you're practically vibrating," I tell Emma as we head to the front door of Lulu's. "Please don't embarrass me."
"What am I, your mother?" she asks drolly. "For God's sake, Josie, would I ever embarrass you?" Laughing at my baleful look, she admits, "Well, ok, but never intentionally, and you know tequila brings out the worst in me."
"Hey, Josie. How are you tonight?" Shana's voice is friendlier than it's ever been, and I smile uncertainly in surprise.
"Umm, great, how are you?"
"Good. Tracey said you all had fun at dinner. In fact, she was telling us all about your deep understanding of the suffragettes. Seems like you made quite an impression."
"Oh, well she's really sweet. It would be hard not to like her, although she's got a lot of energy."
"Except when she's in sullen, emo mode. I forgot what preteen girls were like. Hopefully, you won't see that side for a while." Shana grimaces slightly. "Or rather, maybe we'll let you take a stab the next time she's in a funk."
At her now hopeful look, my lips stretch in a fake smile even while I think not a chance.
"Gee, thanks, Shana. I'll remember that."
"You know where to go. Mark's waiting for you."
"Thanks. Tell Tracey I said hi."
Corsets and Quartets Page 27