by Rhian Cahill
The man plowed roads, built houses, did dishes and vacuumed floors. Her only experience living with a man other than her stepfather was Anthony and he’d been one of those men who firmly believed in women’s work and men’s work and never the twain shall meet. Steve was turning all she’d known and expected on its head but she wasn’t upset. In fact she was thrilled to discover he thought of them as equals, both of them pitching in no matter what needed to be done.
“What are you smiling at?”
She hadn’t realized he’d stopped the machine. Pushing off the wall, Gordie walked over and threw her arms around his neck. His height meant she had to stand on her toes but she planted her mouth on his for a quick kiss.
“Thank you,” she said as she settled back on her feet.
“You’re welcome but I’m not sure what I’m being thanked for.” He smiled down at her.
“For being here. For standing beside me. For being you.”
“All that huh?” His smile turned into a grin. “I guess you should be pretty thankful. Although, that kiss doesn’t seem like enough payment for me being such a stand-up guy.”
“Oh no you don’t. You’ve had plenty of payment in the last twenty-four hours.”
“I thought that was an even split of income. Seemed to me as though you were getting paid just as much.”
Gordie’s stomach fluttered and her pussy clenched, moisture dampened her panties. “We need to clean the house.”
“We’ve been cleaning. I think we need to both get paid before we clean any more.” He picked her up and stepped over the vacuum.
“Steve.” Even to her own ears the protest held no strength.
“Gordie.”
“We shouldn’t.”
Steve grinned down at her. “Yeah we should.”
He lowered his head and kissed her. His tongue tangled with hers as they each sought to claim the other. They bumped their way into her parents’ room and Steve put her down and started removing their clothes. Her shirt went, then his. He pulled the drawstring on her pants and pushed them down. She tugged his sweats over his hips. Each of them toed off their shoes and by the time they hit the mattress only their socks remained.
They hadn’t bothered to pull the bedding back but neither of them noticed the wedding ring quilt beneath them. Engrossed in touching and tasting, they both took and gave with equal measure. Steve drove her to the peak quickly. Her orgasm broke over her in a tumble of sensation and need. But he wasn’t done. With care he pushed her back up. This time slow and sensual led the way to the top. And when he finally came inside her they took the last steps together. He continued to thrust inside her until her release ebbed away. Spent but satisfied, she curled into his side and drifted off to sleep.
* * * * *
Steve let Doc sleep while he cleaned the rest of Kat’s room. Too restless to sleep, he knew he’d be tempted to wake her up and have her again if he stayed in bed. Besides, he didn’t want to be in the room when she worked out they’d broken the not in my parents’ bed rule. The thought of how they’d smashed her rule made him smile as he hauled the last bag of garbage down the stairs.
The snow had stopped a few minutes ago but already the temperature was dropping inside the house. He walked around looking for the thermostat controls to check it was switched on. It wasn’t until he’d walked the entire downstairs that he found the control box on the wall inside the little mudroom off the kitchen. Someone had the temp set too low so he turned the dial and waited for the furnace to kick in.
He waited several minutes but nothing happened and he was about to head down into the basement to check the heating system when Doc came into the kitchen.
“You finished off Kat’s room.”
“There wasn’t much left to do and unlike you, I was awake.”
“You should have woken me.” She walked over to him. “What’s wrong?”
“I was going to check the furnace. I turned up the heat but I haven’t heard the unit start up yet.” Steve pulled the door to the basement open.
“Hang on, the globe down there blew the other day, I’ll grab a flashlight.” She stepped into the mudroom and returned with a large flashlight.
“That looks more like a weapon than a light.”
She grinned. “It’s a two-for-one deal.”
“A what?”
“Two-for-one. Two tools in one piece of equipment.” Doc lifted the black stick above her head. “Anyone bothers me I can smash them over the head with it. Or I can switch it on and blind them before they get close enough to be any trouble.”
“Wow.” He ducked his head. “Remind me not to sneak up on you in a dark alley.”
“I’m not about to find myself in a dark alley and I’d be concerned if I found you in one.” She switched on the light and aimed it on the stairs. “I’ll lead the way, I know where I’m going and I’d hate for you to fall down the stairs or trip over one of the million boxes Mom has stored down here.”
They reached the furnace to find the pilot light had gone out. He was familiar with the unit so it only took a few minutes to ignite and have heat pumping through the venting pipes. As they turned to go back upstairs the flashlight hit on something to their right that made him reach out and grab Doc’s hand to redirect the beam back to what he’d glimpsed.
Doc gasped and her hand trembled under his, the spotlight dancing over the plastic dry-cleaners bags. Steve plucked the flashlight from her grasp and quickly scanned the room. Nothing else looked out of place and other than the bags everything had a layer of dust to show how long they’d been down here. He entwined his fingers with Doc’s and led the way back to the kitchen.
Once out of the dark he switched off the light and placed it on the kitchen table on his way to the back door. He checked for signs of forced entry knowing full well that Dale had done that earlier but Steve had to see for himself. Next he checked windows, from one room to the next until he found himself at the front door. Doc followed behind, her hand still in his.
“What are we doing?” she asked.
“Checking for how the fucking bastard got inside.”
“But Dale checked already.”
“I know.” He turned to look at her. “I need to see for myself.”
“Okay.”
They made their way upstairs and one by one he checked all the windows. There were no balconies so no outside doors and Steve was just about to concede defeat when he happened to glance up the hallway. At the far end from where they stood was a manhole in the ceiling and the square removable section appeared crooked.
“What type of roofing do you have?” he asked as he headed for the other end of the house.
“Type? Oh, you mean shingles or tin sheeting? Shingles, why?” She was right on his heels.
He stared up at the recently moved manhole and said, “Because I think I just worked out how he got into your house.”
Steve pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed the sheriff.
“Dale Turner.”
“I know how he got in.”
“How? I searched that house from top to bottom.”
“I know. Also, we found dry-cleaning bags in the basement.”
“Shit. Didn’t the deputies look down there?”
“Yeah, but to be honest I doubt they would have realized what they were. I only recognized them because I picked up my suit last week and I knew where the dresses had gone missing from.”
“Right. I’m still going to ream them a new one. Now tell me how you think Marcus is getting in that house.”
“Through the roof.”
“The roof?”
“Yep. I’m staring at the manhole in the upstairs hall. It’s been moved recently and it hasn’t been put back in the grooves properly so it’s sitting lopsided.”
“Give me five minutes to finish up here and I’ll be over.”
“Okay. See you in a few.” Steve hung up and put the phone in his pocket.
“Do you really think he got in that
way?” Doc asked.
He turned to look at her. “Yeah, it looks that way to me.”
“So Dale’s coming back?”
“Yep.” He gripped her elbow and steered her toward the stairs. “Why don’t we put a pot of coffee on and wait for him in the kitchen?”
“I’ll make a pot but I’m boiling the kettle for some tea. I’ve had enough coffee for today.”
Steve let Doc fuss over the tea and coffee making but it didn’t escape his notice that her hands trembled. Maybe they shouldn’t stay here tonight. She might feel safer back at his place or they could crash at Kat’s.
“We’re staying here.” Her voice held a trace of anger. “I know what you’re thinking and we’re not letting him drive us out of here.”
He glanced at the clock on the oven. “Well, it’s too late to head up the mountain to my place and I guess Kat doesn’t have room in that apartment of hers.”
“No, she doesn’t. We’re staying put.”
“Okay.” Steve stood when the knock came on the front door. “I’ll get it.”
Steve opened the door and let Dale in. “Thanks for coming so quickly. Again.”
“Anytime. Now where’s the manhole?”
“Upstairs, end of the hall in front of the senior Monroe’s bedroom.”
“Okay, I’ll go up and take a look. I’ll give you a yell if I want to get up in the roof.”
“Doc’s making coffee so come on down for a cup when you’ve had a look and then we’ll get up in the roof together. I’m not leaving it. I want to take a look up there to make sure none of the shingles have been moved.”
“Will do.” Dale turned and headed up the stairs two at a time.
Steve went back to the kitchen. Doc had poured a tea and sat at the table with a slice of what looked like chocolate cake.
“Is that what I think it is?” He pointed to her plate.
“If you think its Kat’s special recipe, double-choc chocolate cake, then yes it is.” She grinned and forked a piece of cake into her mouth. “Mmm…”
“Where is it?” He opened the fridge and peered inside. “I can’t see it.”
“Here.”
Steve turned to find her placing a second plate with a slice of cake on the table. “That’s not a very big bit,” he complained.
“I know, but she only sent a small section of the cake, not the whole thing. I’m saving some for dessert.”
He took the chair in front of the cake. “Quick, let’s eat it before Dale gets down and wants some. I’m not sharing this with him if we don’t have a whole cake.”
“Don’t worry, Kat packed some chocolate chip cookies so Dale can have those with his coffee.”
“What?” Steve’s fork paused halfway to his mouth. “Cookies? Damn, I’m gonna get fat at this rate.”
Doc laughed. “Probably. I can’t cook so I usually pick up dinner at the café before I head home every night.”
Steve groaned. “Oh yeah, I’m gonna get fatter than Santa.”
“Well as long as you have his cheery disposition we’ll get along just fine.”
“Having you sit on my lap and tell me your most secret desire is guaranteed to keep me in a cheery mood.”
“Is that coffee I smell?” Dale asked as he entered the room. “No, don’t get up, I’ll pour my own.”
Steve scraped up the last piece of cake and shoved it in his mouth. “There’s cookies too.”
Doc stood and went to the counter. “Here, let me get that for you, Dale.”
“I’m fine, Gordie, sit back down so we can talk.”
“You think I’m right?” Steve asked.
“Yeah.” Dale brought his mug and plate to the table. “It looks like he came in through the roof to me too.”
“Are you sure?” Doc asked.
“No, but we will be after we’ve had our coffee and gone up to look inside that manhole.” Dale took a bite of cookie and closed his eyes.
“You’re going up there?”
“Yes. We need to make sure all the shingles are in place or you’ll get snow and water in the cavity and be in all sorts of trouble,” Steve said.
“There’s a step ladder in the mudroom. You can use that to reach the ceiling.” Doc got up and disappeared into the small outer room. She came back carrying a five-rung, steel ladder. “The flashlight is on the counter. If you two don’t mind I think I’ll get started on cleaning my room.”
“I’ll be up in a second,” Steve called after her. “Is it possible he got into the clinic the same way?” he asked Dale when he was sure she was out of earshot.
“Definitely. We’ll take a look at that tomorrow, it’s too late now.”
“Okay. I’ll take the ladder up. Finish your coffee and cookies, there’s no rush unless you’ve got somewhere to be.”
Dale looked startled for a moment but quickly masked the look with his usual, bland sheriff face. “Nope. Nowhere to be.”
Chapter Seven
Gordie sat beside Tatum at the counter of The Den Café. Steve had dropped her here an hour ago to hang out with Kat before they headed up to his place for the rest of the week. Tatum had already been here and Doc’s sister was busy bustling back and forth from the kitchen making all the meals that people would be picking up for the Christmas feast tomorrow. She’d explained to Kat about not spending the meal together and surprisingly Kat hadn’t argued.
They’d spent the morning at the clinic with the sheriff. He’d insisted she walk through each of the rooms looking for anything that Marcus may have left behind. Unfortunately there was nothing new to discover and it seemed pointless to fingerprint when there must be hundreds of different prints throughout the building, but Dale did anyway. There was nothing in the roof space to suggest Marcus had been there either. After they’d finished Steve had wanted to go back to her parents house and check the roof in daylight to be sure there were no broken shingles or clues that may lead to Marcus’ whereabouts. Rather than go with him she’d opted to stay here.
Kat came through the swinging timber half doors from the kitchen and placed two steaming bowls of soup in front of them. She walked down the counter and pulled two fresh bread rolls from a basket and brought them back to Gordie and Tatum.
“Eat. It’ll warm you up and fill your bellies.” Kat eyed Tatum’s nonexistent waist. “Not that your belly needs any more filling.”
Tatum laughed. “You’re right, but I expect to be filled out more before this pregnancy is over.”
“How are you feeling? No cramping or sickness?” Gordie asked as she spooned up a mouthful of soup.
“No. Although, if you don’t mind, can I pick up a blood pressure kit from the clinic before you leave town? My feet are a little swollen, but I think that’s normal. And the usual backache but again, that’s the same as it’s been the whole pregnancy.” Tatum dipped her roll into the bowl and took a bit. “Mmm…” She spoke around the mouthful. “This is delicious. Can I get some to take home with me?”
“Sure, I’ll make you up a Christmas feast pack for three.” Kat grinned and headed back to the kitchen again.
“God, your sister can cook.”
“I know. She got all the domestic skills in the family.”
“You can’t cook?”
“I won’t poison anyone but I can’t make heaven the way Kat can.”
“Damn. That sucks.”
“Not really. I just stop by here every night I’m in the mood for something delicious.”
“I think I’m going to be doing that. I can cook, not as well as this but I do all right. It’s just lately I can’t find the energy to walk, never mind stand around and cook. I fall asleep at the drop of a hat.”
“That’s to be expected, you are carrying twins.”
“Yes, but I can’t believe how easily I tire. Take the other night at Steve’s. I’d walked from my car and by the time I reached the driveway I was exhausted. I could have literally slid to the ground asleep if I’d let myself. As it was, I knew I couldn�
��t go any farther. Lucky Dale and Steve found me when they did. That never would have happened before I got pregnant.” Tatum rubbed her belly. “I’m starting to get tired now so I’ll need to head home soon. I’ll finish this yummy soup first though, not passing this up for sleep, that’s for sure.”
“We’ll walk over and grab that kit before you go.”
“Thanks.”
They finished their soup without another word spoken. Gordie let Kat know where they were going and what they were doing.
“Don’t you want to wait for Steve to come back?” her sister asked.
“I don’t know how much longer he’ll be and Tatum needs to get home soon so she can rest. It’s just across the road. Kat, and Steve and Dale went over the place this morning so I know there’s no one lurking around. Besides, we’ll only be a couple of minutes at the most.”
“Okay, but if you’re not back in ten minutes I’m coming after you.” Kat came around the counter to walk them to the door.
Gordie helped Tatum into her coat before pulling on her own. Kat handed them their gloves and hats.
“Watch the sidewalk. It’s bound to be icy.”
Taking each step with care, Gordie held onto Tatum’s arm as they traversed the slippery footpath. There was no traffic on the road so they crossed over at a leisurely stroll to be sure they didn’t trip. Gordie led them around the rear of the building.
“We have to go in the back way. The front door has two slide bolts on the inside that you can’t open from the street.” Gordie pulled her keys from her pocket as they walked up the back lane. “Careful, there are a couple of potholes beneath the snow near that fence.”
“I’m watching. Believe me, after the first few times of finding myself flat on my ass I take every step with care. I was never clumsy before I got pregnant.”
“I won’t ask because it’s none of my business but you have to know everyone in town is going to be curious about the father. You ought to think about what you’re going to tell everyone before the questions start.”