Eddie, My Love

by Patricia Green

"Mr. Grayson had some personal payments that were rather large," he admitted. "They went to friends and acquaintances. I still don't understand why he continues to make these payments, as I don't believe they are loan payments or other common debts." His eyelids drooped a little and his voice was getting slurred as he drank deeply of his fifth cocktail.

  "That does sound unusual. Who was he paying?" Eddie asked.

  Sammers seemed to catch himself, looked at Eddie as though he'd forgotten the big man was there. June made a small noise in her throat and brought the CFO's attention back to her, so she could smile her encouragement.

  "His assistant, Manny Mendez, got rather more than his position would suggest was appropriate." He said Mendez's name with a sneer. "And… I can't say."

  "Nicolas?"

  He shook his head broadly, drunk as could be. "No. I have my wife and family to think about."

  June reached across the table and took his hand. "Please?"

  "I can't, Miss Tarryton. It would cost me my job. It has the potential to cost me my life."

  "Who's threatening you, Sammers?" Eddie said firmly.

  Sammers' eyes got a little misty, but he took a deep breath before answering. "Manny Mendez. He came by my office a short time ago and told me in no uncertain terms that I was to keep my nose clean and keep doing things the way Mr. Grayson wanted. No making waves or bringing up possible problems."

  "That must have been upsetting for you, Nicolas," June said sympathetically. "He threatened your family?"

  The older man nodded. "Do we have to talk about this? Just telling you… Please don't put my family in danger."

  June wondered if she had the right to reassure him. She couldn't predict what Mendez would do. It was clear now that he was Grayson's bully-boy. He was the likely killer. Grayson wouldn't do his own dirty work when he could get Mendez to do it. But who else was being paid off and why?

  Sammers put his napkin on the table and got some bills out of his wallet. The interrogation was clearly over and June withdrew her fingers. Eddie wasn't going to let it go too easily, however.

  "Come on, Sammers. If you know something, spill it. Who else was getting paid off?"

  "No. I need to get home." He tried to rise and had to make two attempts before he could make it. Fumbling in his coat pocket for his valet ticket, he also threw some paper money on the table. "That should cover me," he said. "I didn't say anything to you. You understand?"

  "Sure," Eddie said, signaling the waiter as Sammers swayed near the table. When the server walked up, Eddie asked that a cab be called for Mr. Sammers. With a nod and a "very good, sir," the waiter went off to the maître d' to make the request.

  "Good night, Mr. Sammers," June said, wishing they'd gotten more information. Payments to Manny Mendez could mean a lot of different things. Knowing who else Grayson was paying had great potential, but it appeared they'd have to go about it in a different way.

  A few minutes later, Eddie added some bills to the ones on the table and they left. June turned on the radio as they rolled down the highway toward her place. A women's crooning group sang about dreaming dreams about a man. June thought about her own dreams about Eddie, once again wishing things were different. She'd pretty well run out of ideas of how to connect with him after the RAVE. Giving away their true identities was a big violation of the terms of service and would cancel the RAVE immediately. Her only hope was that he had a better set of clues than she did.

  June invited Eddie up to her apartment. Their last encounter, with the slipper, had left her wanting. She needed to feel close to Eddie, both physically and emotionally. She wanted him in her arms, not only at her fingertips.

  He seemed hesitant to come in, but she coaxed him and gave him a little tug on his big hand. Once inside, he took off his hat and sat down on the couch.

  "Drink?" June offered.

  "I've had enough, thanks."

  "Excuse me a minute, please?"

  "Of course."

  June went into the bedroom and rifled through the drawers in her chest.

  * * * * *

  "Eddie."

  Eddie looked over at the bedroom doorway, and into the darkened room. There was only a little light coming from there, light from the bedroom window. Moonlight streamed in on ethereal threads.

  "Yeah, June?"

  "Come in here, please?"

  He rose, half knowing what he was going to find, hoping but dreading all the same. It was emotional suicide to continue his intimate involvement with June since it would stop abruptly when the RAVE was over, but he couldn't seem to help himself. He unbuttoned his jacket and went into the room.

  The sight that greeted him stole his breath away. June stood in the moonlight wearing nearly nothing. She had a long, diaphanous gown on, translucent enough so that her tight nipples were dark circles under the pale blue fabric, and her lightly furred mound was visible through the silk. His heart thumped hard, and his prick took up the cadence, throbbing with an interest Eddie couldn't ignore.

  She was slender, small-waisted, so perfect for this time—or any time, really. Red hair spilled over her shoulders and her bright blue eyes glittered in the cool moonbeams.

  "Don't leave me tonight, Eddie," she said quietly, her beseeching voice low and seductive.

  "June, you know why this is a bad idea."

  She nodded. "I don't care. These moments mean everything to me."

  Looking at her, loving her, Eddie was compelled. He cared about her emotional well-being, but he couldn't resist.

  June walked to him and helped him remove his clothes. Within a couple of minutes, he was taking her in his arms, enjoying the feel of her silky night dress against the length of him, its full skirt teasing his legs and her hard nipples pressing against his chest.

  Their kiss said a lot more than any admission of names or places could. It was deep and sensuous, thick with longing and things unsaid.

  Eddie slipped the cap sleeves off June's shoulders, and the gown slid to the floor in a pale blue, gossamer froth. She was naked, and he pulled her against his erection, kneading her bottom, enjoying its round firmness. June did the same to his behind, pressing him as close to her as two people could get.

  He cupped her small breasts and teased her nipples, plucking at them until her head tilted back on her neck and she moaned. The sound reverberated through his body and mind, touching him as though she was holding his cock captive with only a thought.

  "June…"

  "Let's get on the bed, Eddie. Let's be together."

  Eddie kissed her deeply again, and moved them back toward the bed, showering her face with kisses until he pressed her back onto the mattress and turned her on her belly.

  "Hands and knees," he told her softly.

  She complied and he reached beneath her to tease her nipples some more, then ran his hands down her body until he grasped her hips. Grinding his pelvis against her bottom, he enjoyed the soft give of her buttocks against him. But he wanted her so wet that she dripped. He wanted her to be absolutely invested in this encounter, as invested as he was. So, he tickled her mound, bending over her to reach the little bead buried there. She gasped as he touched her so intimately. The moans which met his ears made him anxious, almost desperate to have her, but he let his fingers linger on her most sensitive organ until she began to beg him to take her.

  Take her he did. He slid his aching cock in so deep that she shuddered, and the way she ground her hips back suggested that she liked it very well. Her slickness welcomed him like a long lost lover, and maybe he was. Maybe it took a trip to 1950 to find the girl of his dreams.

  There was no time to dwell on it. Eddie's body was making demands and couldn't be ignored. He pumped into June slowly at first, his ardor growing, until his balls were slapping noisily against her. They moaned together, coming closer to their goal, though no closer to forever.

  "Eddie!"

  "Yeah, June. Yeah."

  He could feel her coming, little muscles driving him crazy, insi
sting on his release. As she gasped and cried out, he succumbed, filling her with his semen in a wave of pleasure so deep that he felt more than spent afterward.

  After gasping for a few minutes, reveling in the relaxation of aftermath, Eddie disengaged and moved them up onto the bed together where they could cuddle.

  He might not have her for long, might pine for her forever, but right at that moment, they were together. Eddie refused to think about what that meant.

  Chapter 8

  Eddie lowered his eyelids for only a few minutes, and when he opened them, never falling asleep, Romantek had done its magic again and started a new day. June was cuddled up against him, sighing with pleasure, staring across the expanse of his chest. They made love slowly again, putting all their emotion in the act, emotion that might never be relieved any other way.

  Heart aching, Eddie left her to stretch in the bed, while he showered, shaved and dressed. She was still lounging there, smiling like a Cheshire cat, as he kissed her on the nose.

  "I'm going to go get a fresh shirt," he told her. "I'll meet you at the office."

  "Are we going to see Grayson again today? I'd like to ask him about that cufflink."

  "I don't think we should approach it that way, so don't ask him about it."

  "But, Eddie-"

  "I've got a plan, kid; trust me."

  Although she bit her lip as she did it, June nodded her agreement. As she was getting out of bed, Eddie left.

  Not long after, he got into the office. Fran greeted him with her perky smile and eager interest, a cigarette smoldering in the ashtray on her desk.

  "Hey, babe," he said, offering her a PEZ. She took it and sucked on it. Fran was one sexy creature; there was no denying it as he watched her mouth move the candy around. He stole back his brain, saying, "I've got some phone calls to make. When June gets here, do two things."

  Fran's face closed up. "Yeah?"

  "One, be nice or I'll take you over my knee."

  That made her giggle. "What else?"

  "Send her in."

  "Oh, I won't send her, Eddie."

  "Fran," he began, a warning in his voice.

  "She'll barge right in without a by-your-leave. I won't have to send her."

  She probably had that right, so Eddie just grinned and made his way back into his office.

  It took several tries to get to Hendrickson Grayson's secretary. Eddie got the run-around big time. Eventually, however, he got the secretary, only to find out that Grayson was in his home office that day.

  Frustrated, Eddie called Grayson's house and ended up having to make an appointment through an assistant. They were on for four o'clock that afternoon.

  June showed up a little before lunch time, with matte pink lipstick on, and a swagger in her step. She wore an orange and white polka dot dress, with a tight, narrow belt that emphasized her small waist. The flouncy skirt flicked around her knees, showing off her lovely legs to perfection. Overall, she was a pretty package and he was a very lucky guy.

  He came around his desk and kissed her deeply as soon as the door had closed.

  June's eyes went a little dreamy, but she smiled bright enough. "Miss me?"

  "You know it."

  She nodded with a giggle. "I do know it."

  Eddie gave her a smack on the rump and chuckled as he went back behind his desk.

  "Good news and bad news."

  She sat, pulling off her gloves. "Good news."

  "Okay. I got us an appointment to see Grayson."

  "Excellent! What's the bad news."

  "We can't see him until four o'clock."

  She pouted. "That's hours from now."

  "Yeah, but I think we deserve a few hours off. Let's go to the beach."

  "I'll get sunburned—redhead you know."

  He had forgotten that they didn't have sunscreen in 1950. "Plan B: let's go to the zoo." That she couldn't balk at. They didn't have zoos in their time so this would be a golden opportunity to see some unusual animals, even though it wouldn't be in a natural habitat.

  June lost her pout and brightened up. "The zoo? That sounds like fun."

  "Off to the L.A. zoo, lady bird." Eddie gathered up his suit coat and hat and led her away from work for a few hours.

  * * * * *

  They saw tigers and lions and bears, flamingos and toucans and rhesus monkeys. The concrete channels and sidewalks were anything but grassy plains or jungles, but Eddie thought they were okay for the afternoon. Animals hadn't always had it so good in the past, but he was mollified by the fact that in his century, they were better husbanded.

  After a few hours, June complained of tired feet, so they stopped and ate corn dogs, which were sinful but addictive—Eddie had two—and followed that with ice cream sandwiches and coffee.

  June admired every baby animal, including the babies in strollers that mother humans pushed around. The babies were taken with her, smiling and goo-gooing at her as she made faces and baby noises. They seemed fascinated with her red hair and the little cloisonné earrings she wore.

  Eddie bought June a plush stuffed elephant, and even knowing that it wouldn't be brought back to the twenty-second century, he felt satisfied by the way she cuddled it and cooed over it. She'd be great with kids, he realized with a pang.

  By three-thirty, they were ready to head over to Grayson's house. June smiled through the whole car ride, despite the smog and her tired feet.

  They waited in an anteroom for Grayson to finish a telephone call, but he called them in after a few minutes.

  Eddie wasted time talking about the weather and what he knew about Grayson Industries. He asked about the accidental death of Bill Arminster and got nowhere with the conversation. But, although he would have liked for Grayson to spill all, Eddie had another plan of action.

  While they sat in the big chairs in front of Grayson's wide desk, Eddie carefully dropped the cufflink near the foot of the desk. As he got up, he made a small noise and bent down, picking up the jewelry as though he'd just found it.

  "Is this yours, Mr. Grayson?" he asked.

  "Let me see." He examined the cufflink. "Yes! I've been wondering where that got to. It's a favorite set. Thank you for finding it."

  Eddie smiled, trying very hard to hide his feeling of triumph. "Glad to help."

  June's smile was slow and sweet, and there was a twinkle in her eye when she looked at Eddie.

  Grayson said so long and they made their way through the house. The butler met them near the foyer.

  "Wait," June said. "Is there a powder room I can use before we leave?"

  Dames. "I'll meet you at the car, June."

  "Okay. I'll only be a minute."

  The butler opened the door to the dusk, and Eddie exited, popping a PEZ as he did. The shadows were long, and no exterior lights had gone on yet. Eddie had parked his car at the stand of pine trees again, and rounded the corner of the house in order to go there. As he turned the corner, he felt a vicious blow to the back of his neck. It sent him to his knees with a guttural cry. He thought his neck might be broken so moved it gingerly. How far would Romantek go in a RAVE? Would they injure him right out of the dream? Was this the price he paid for wishing he could come clean with June—an early termination?

  He groaned and tried to get off his hands and knees to identify the feet and legs he saw running away. The assailant wore dungarees and deck shoes without socks. Whoever it was, they were very casually dressed.

  Eddie rose to his knees as June ran up. His neck hurt very badly, radiating pain through his skull and down his spine.

  "Eddie! I'll get him! You stay there."

  "June! No!" he cried. But his voice was infirm and he couldn't reach out to stop her. "Damn it!"

  "Stop!" she shouted as she raced across the gravel toward the assailant and away from Eddie and his car. Eddie had a sarcastic moment, wondering if any criminal ever stopped when someone hollered.

  After a few moments, while Eddie rose slowly to his feet, he was okay
enough to hurry after her. There was a shriek and then three distinct gun shots, the bullets pinging on the car thirty feet behind him.

  He found June, flat on the gravel, breathing hard, terror on her face. The shooter had gotten away, but not before Eddie and June had been able to identify him: Mendez.

  Eddie, terrified that June was hurt, bent over her, his own injury forgotten. "June? June, baby, are you okay?"

  "Yes. Yes, Eddie." She got up to her knees, rubbing her gloved hands together to get the gravel off. She looked stunned and pale. Eddie hoped she wasn't going into shock.

  "You're sure?"

  She nodded and he helped her to stand. Her stockings were shredded, her pretty dress dirty and rumpled and her hat askew, but Eddie had never seen anything so gorgeous in his life. June was okay. She wasn't shot or injured.

  But, damn, it had been a very close thing. All of a sudden Eddie was pissed off at her big time. He held his temper back as he rubbed his sore neck.

  "Are you okay, Eddie?" Her hand touched his cheek gently.

  "I think so. He got me pretty good."

  "Did he hit your head?"

  "No, my neck."

  "Let me see."

  Eddie waved her away, still irritated with her for endangering herself so foolishly. "I'll be okay."

  Looking concerned, June backed off her mother hen act and went to gather up her dropped purse.

  "I want to check out the car. I think the bullets hit the hood."

  "Okay," she agreed, catching up with him as he walked away.

  There were two dings and one hole in the hood of the car, but it didn't look like anything was broken. There was no smell of gas or oil and no puddle underneath the frame. It looked like the bullet had missed all the vital parts. Things could have been much worse.

  "Get in the car, June."

  "Are you mad at me?"

  "Like a fenced bull. Get in the car." He opened the door for her and she slid in, primly holding her purse in her lap. His neck was throbbing, but getting progressively better. He had Grayson placed in Deets' car, and there could be no good reason for that. Shorty Deets wouldn't be a compatriot of a man like Grayson. Their association had to be unsavory. The "accidental" death of Bill Arminster had to be tied to Grayson's mysterious payments. Maybe it was Shorty that Nicolas Sammers wouldn't identify.