As Carl set the plate in front of her, she gently pushed it aside. “No more food. I want you to make love to me,” she blurted, feeling her cheeks grow warm.
This was embarrassing, she realized, an awkward attempt at being sexy and seductive, when in reality she was anything but. Still, she brazened it out. “I haven’t been with anyone since David, and I need to move on. Please, help me move on.”
She had to get this sex thing out of the way. The first time was going to be uncomfortable, regardless who was making love to her. Carl was sweet and kind, and she wanted him. This was the moment.
He stammered, “But what about the dinner?”
“We can eat later.” She smiled at him invitingly, but he didn’t move. Still, she’d gone this far, she couldn’t backtrack now, and she certainly didn’t want another opportunity to slip by.
Carl’s hands still held the plates, and he started to stack them, then thought better of it. He balanced one on a wine glass until he could make room on the table for the other. As soon as his hands were free, Maddi clasped one and placed it on her breast, watching his cheeks flame and his eyes darken with what she took for desire.
He didn’t do anything for a second; then his thumb ran back and forth over her raised nipple. She felt it stiffen. This was her first attempt at playing a femme fatale, and she threw herself into the role. Tossing her head back she offered him her throat. He responded like any man would after that kind of invitation. He took control.
One hand slipped into her low cut dress and captured her breast, while his other hand dragged her out of the chair and into his lap. He kissed the cleavage that her black satin Wonder bra offered.
When his lips moved close to Maddi’s ear, she half expected to hear his heavy breathing. Instead, she heard a squeal and someone’s light footsteps running toward them.
Her head whipped around to see what was happening.
A figure rushed through the swinging doors of the kitchen with a sharp-bladed butcher knife held high. When she finally tore her eyes away from the glare of the lethal-looking blade, she saw a lean young man with blonde tips in his spiky hair, barreling down on them. Tears streamed down his ruddy cheeked, pretty-boy face, and his eyes glittered like a madman.
“No!” the young man cried. “Stop it, or I’ll kill you both, I swear I will.”
Maddi thought about throwing a shoe at him. Perhaps if she hit him square in the face they’d have a moment or two to react. But what if she missed her intended target?
She looked at Carl. He was the man. He should do something to diffuse the situation.
He did.
Carl didn’t fling a plate as expected in a Greek restaurant. Instead he tossed her off his lap and walked calmly over to the younger, weeping man, putting his arms around him. “It’ll be okay, Ricky.” He said soothingly. “It’ll be okay.”
What would be okay? Maddi thought, confused. This man was clearly hysterical, and he was holding a butcher knife and threatening to kill them both. Why the hell didn’t Carl disarm the man and call the cops, instead of holding his head on his chest, patting him on the back with soothing gestures?
Then she got it.
They were lovers. So what was she doing here?
She picked up the mouth-watering plate of scallops and mango, and, using her fingers she tasted one. Then she carried it over to the two embracing men. “Um, Carl?” She smiled as he met her eyes. “This is delicious, but it needs to be thickened up a little.”
Tilting the plate just so, she watched the scallops and mango slither off the dish and onto his face. A perfect-sized scallop plopped itself into one quickly closed eye.
“There. That should do it.” Maddi turned on her heels and sauntered over to the table. She could hear him sputtering and saying something about the lack of zest in the sauce. His boyfriend was torn between sobs and fits of giggles.
By the time she’d rearranged her clothes, gathered her belongings and marched out the door, she was grinning too.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Two nights later, Maddi met Jan and Barbara at a piano bar. It was a Friday night, a night they’d set aside to share their stories and discuss the skyrocketing growth of their little club.
After they had their round of drinks, Maddi told the girls, “I have so much to tell you both, I don’t know where to start.”
Barbara removed her blazer and folded it on the empty seat. “Have you been keeping secrets from moi?”
Maddi shrugged and grinned. “Only a few.”
Jan looked at the two of them. “Barbara, haven’t you gone home yet? It’s high time, girl. Hell, if I were Maddi, I’d have kicked your butt out a long time ago.”
“Bill doesn’t want me home. He hasn’t called in weeks.”
“Whose fault is that?” Jan asked.
“Hey, wait a minute. Don’t you guys want to hear my news?” Maddi interrupted before a bitch fight got under way. “Well, I’m going to tell you anyway. David walked out on Tami and asked me if he could come back.”
“Holy shit!” Barbara gasped. “What did you say?”
“That it was too late. That what he did was unforgivable.”
“Good girl.” Jan patted her hand. “What an asshole. Leaving Tami with a new-born baby. I almost feel sorry for her.” She leaned forward, both elbows on the table. “So did he ask about his boat?”
“He didn’t mention it, but he knows it’s in Bermuda. Our lawyers exchange information. But he can’t do anything because our assets are frozen until we sort this mess out.”
“So, how did you feel seeing him again?” Barbara took a sip of her chardonnay, and picked at the bowl of nuts the waiter had placed on the table. “Was it tough?”
“No, not at all. Actually, I was horrified at how heartless he’s become.” She sighed. “Nicole showed me a picture when he was born. Cute little guy. They named him David.”
Jan rolled her expressive eyes. “I hope she sues him for child support and gets a fortune. Between what he has to pay you, and now her, he’ll not be retiring on his boat anytime soon.”
“He’ll never set foot on that boat. I’ll see to it.” Maddi didn’t want to spend the night talking about her ex. “Enough about him. I’ve got another doozie of a story for you.”
She had them laughing over the story of Carl and the screaming boyfriend with the wicked kitchen tool.
“Why was he advertising for a woman and cooking you dinner, if he was gay and had a lover the whole time?” Barbara asked in puzzlement.
Jan’s big brown eyes grew round as hazelnuts. “Probably trying to make his lover jealous. Is that it? Or he had a mother coming to town, and he’s still in the closet, and needed you as a cover.”
“Nope.” Maddi made a buzzing sound like a game show host. “Wrong on both counts.” She pulled out a note from her bag. “Read this. It came in the morning mail.”
“Dear Maddi. My friend Ricky and I apologize for embarrassing and frightening you. We concocted this idea of my meeting a woman to carry our child. As you probably know it is very difficult for gay men to adopt. If you would consider the idea we will pay you generously, say, fifty thousand dollars, for your trouble. Sincerely, Carl.”
“Sheesh, that’s terrible. They should have been upfront about it, and saved you from making a complete fool of yourself.” Barbara covered her mouth with the palm of her hand. “Oops, sorry.”
Maddi shrugged. “That’s okay.”
Jan smirked, Barbara started to sputter, and then all three burst into giggles.
Jan sobered up first. She peered over Maddi’s shoulder. “Don’t look now, but isn’t that the same guy we saw last week at the other bar? You know, Maddi, the one you were going to give your number to?” Jan frowned. “I don’t like it. He’s staking us out.”
Naturally they both turned. Barbara nodded. “Yes, that’s him. What’s he doing here?”
Maddi’s pulse picked up, and her stomach did a little flip-flop thing. He had as much right to
be here as they did, and yet, it did seem odd. She was sure she’d seen him around the campus too. Was he following her? Could he be one of those creeps from the internet, stalking her? She was always extra careful not to give away any personal information, but if someone wanted to find her, they could.
She glanced right at him, letting him see his presence had been noted. “I’m sure it’s a coincidence. At least I hope so.”
Jan said, “I don’t believe in coincidence. I think he’s up to something.”
“Come on, Jan. Turn down your cop dial for an hour or two. He’s not bothering us. And we still have MARS Club business to discuss, and e-mails to share.”
Jan kept a wary eye on him as she leaned back in her chair and sipped from her drink. “Okay. Read on.”
“This poor woman wrote about her husband Frank. Seems he likes to give and receive golden showers. Isn’t that disgusting?”
“Yuck.” Barbara made a face. “Just the image makes me want to wash myself.”
“I’ve seen worse on the Jerry Springer show. A lot worse.” Maddi grinned. “Want to hear about it?”
“No!” they cried.
“You can’t believe any of that stuff. It’s all made up. Staged, with actors,” Barbara said.
“Really? What about the time they had members on from the KKK? Real, or not real?”
“You’ve been watching too much daytime TV. Get a life, girlfriend.” Barbara winked to take the sting out of the words. “So, you got any more for us?”
Jan lifted an e-mail off the stack. “This one is funny. The lady’s dentist,” she lowered her voice, “takes oral surgery to a whole new level.”
Maddi had to ask. “Does she name this dentist?”
“No, but she’s been there twice this week.”
Once they stopped laughing, Maddi said, “We’ve got dozens of doctor complaints too, Barbara.”
“Do they name the doctor?” she asked with a grin.
“All right, girls. Do you want to hear my story?” Jan’s big eyes sparkled with amusement. “Talk about scoundrels. I’ve been going to a massage therapist for several years, usually once a week, or every other.”
“And?”
“And last week something unusual happened.”
“Tell us.” Barbara leaned forward, her face lit with anticipation.
“After I got undressed, I laid face down under the sheet. The music was soft as a sea breeze, and he had candles lit everywhere. I totally mellowed out.”
“So what happened?”
“Have patience. I’m telling you.” She continued, “Jason knocked quietly, then entered the room. I couldn’t see him, as I had my face down in the cradle. But I heard him rub his hands together to warm them before touching my skin.”
“Okay, cut to the chase. What did he do?” Maddi demanded, and caught the eye of the stranger in the corner. She blushed and looked away.
“His oily hands barely touched my skin and it felt so sensual, just a gentle caress, not deep tissue as he normally does. He started with my right foot, then my left. It was such a turn-on.”
“Jan, maybe you should introduce your friends to your masseur.” Maddi said, with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
“Only if you let me finish my story.”
“Go on. We’re all ears.”
“Jason placed each foot on the corner of the table so my legs were spread apart. Then he began to massage my calves and move up to my thighs, still using a gentle, sensual touch. I usually drift off to sleep, but not that day. I didn’t want to miss anything.”
“I guess not,” Barbara squeaked.
“As he got to my thighs, he kept moving higher and higher towards my buttocks. Then he rubbed my inner thighs for the longest time, before his strong hands moved up to my ass.” At the stunned look on their faces she hastened to reassure them. “Oh, I had a little skinny towel covering me, don’t worry.”
“I should hope so,” Maddi replied.
She giggled. “Okay, I have to admit that it shocked me at first and made me feel slightly uncomfortable, but horny as hell. So I kept my eyes closed and just let him do what he wanted.”
“Jan. That’s awful. You should have him arrested.”
“Maddi. Hold on. I haven’t even gotten to the good part.”
Barbara’s eyes gleamed. “Well, do go on.”
“Thank you. As I was saying, he came so close to touching my privates that I could feel the back of his hand slightly brush up against me. Damn, but I was moist and ready.”
Maddi stopped her. “Hey, he’s not allowed to touch you inappropriately, and you’re a police officer. You shouldn’t have let him get away with that.”
“Yeah. That’s what I thought. So I turned over ready to slap his wandering hands, and guess what?”
“What?”
“It wasn’t Jason. It was my boyfriend, Josh.”
“Oh, my God.” Barbara burst out. “He must have been furious, thinking you’d allow Jason to touch you like that.”
“No. He knows me better. Anyway, it was our anniversary and he’d paid Jason to leave the room so he could surprise me. Then we made love right there.”
“Too cool.”
“Hmmm. It was.”
Barbara glanced around the room, and frowned. “That man keeps watching us. It’s giving me the willies.” She shuddered, as if to prove it. “Who knows what he’s doing behind that newspaper.”
“What do you think he’s up to?” Maddi asked lightly. She didn’t want the night ruined by this handsome stranger, who may or may not be a stalker. And she sure wasn’t about to mention seeing him a couple of times on or near her campus.
“Because he’s been sitting there all this time, not really drinking, just taking notes in a little book.”
Jan squinted suspiciously. “I agree. There’s something odd about him. I’m getting negative vibes.”
“Honestly, you two.” Maddi waved her wine glass in the air. “The man looks perfectly innocent, and rather delicious. He’s probably new in town and doesn’t know many people. Or he’s an out-of-town sales rep, writing up some orders. That’s about how sinister he looks.”
“Hah!” Barbara smirked. “Remember Ted Bundy? He was good-looking too.”
When Maddi glanced over, she caught his eye. Her heart hammered in her chest. “Okay, I have an idea how to check him out. I’m going to pass his table on the way to the ladies. I’ll try to see what he’s writing in that book.”
“What will that prove?”
“Maybe he’s writing a column about the MARS Club. I don’t know.” She slid out of the booth and sashayed toward the ladies room, passing the mystery man as she went.
He slammed his little book shut and covered it with his hand. Now that was strange. What was he hiding?
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The following morning, Maddi jumped out of bed, raced down the hall, and pounded on Barbara’s bed. “Wake up, sleepy head.”
“Why, what time is it?” She glanced at the clock. “It’s only six. What’s the matter? Has something happened to the boys?” Fully alert now, she was already out of bed, throwing on a pair of jeans.
“No, no. I’m sorry if I frightened you. The boys are fine. It’s me. I have something important to tell you.”
“Great. But couldn’t it have waited until I was up and dressed?”
“Nope. I’ve decided what I’m going to do with the rest of my life, and I had to share this awesome news.”
Barbara gave her a warm smile. “What is it?”
“Counseling. I’m going to get a psychology degree.”
“Wow, Doctor Clemmons. I think that’s a great idea. You’ll be a hell of a counselor. You are so easy to talk to.”
“I won’t have trouble getting clientele.” Maddi laughed. “My schedule will be chocker-block full with my MARS club ladies.”
“Sad, but true.” Barbara agreed.
“While I’m working towards my degree, I’m going to volunteer at a cris
is center. What do you think?”
“I think I need some coffee.” Barbara led the way into the kitchen, and put the coffee on. “I knew you’d figure it out eventually. You’re a smart lady.”
“I dug up some information about crisis centers. I can’t counsel the callers, only give them information and referrals. They’d train me in crisis intervention techniques, and teach me to assess the calls.”
“Maddi, you’ll be wonderful. You have a knack for saying exactly the right thing, and people are always open with you.”
“Thanks, Barb. Oh, did I tell you that Autumn called? She wants to advertise on prime-time TV, and get even more public awareness.”
“Won’t it cost a fortune?”
“The money keeps pouring in. I think it’ll pay off in the long run, don’t you? The more people who join, the more women we help, and the more money we raise.” Maddi flicked on the TV and sat down to watch The Today Show. “It’s going to be big, just watch.”
* * *
The following Sunday, Barbara, Maddi, and Jan met for cappuccinos at a coffee house in Princeton. They sat next to the window looking out at the old Oak trees that lined the two lane street.
“It’s only my first two weeks answering phones for the crisis center, but I had my first scary call last night,” Maddi told her friends. “It was a young girl who’d been raped by her former boyfriend. I thought it sounded like Sophie from our MARS Club group. Of course she didn’t identify herself, and I couldn’t ask.”
“Oh, I hope not.” Jan looked worried. “She’s a sweet girl, but she needs to stand up for her rights. Did she report the rape to the police?”
“No, she said she was afraid to.”
“If she calls back, tell her if she doesn’t report the crime it gives him license to do it again. A victim is only a victim once. After that, they’re a volunteer.”
“Wow,” Barbara said. “That’s a bit rough.”
“It’s the truth. What’s to stop him? If she’s not talking, and she’s no match for him physically, he can pretty much do whatever he wants.”
Maddi stirred her cappuccino, and looked at Jan. “Can I tell her that you’d meet her somewhere, if that makes it easier?”
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