by Max Henry
“Come on, Son.”
He followed Trevor from the house, and took a seat on the front fence to watch the flames dance inside. Trevor backed the car into the adjacent parking spot, and tossed his gun into the vehicle as he got out. He wandered over to where Pistol sat, and joined him on the fence.
“It’s over, brother.”
“Aye. It is.”
“Did it bring you the peace you needed?”
He nodded. “I think it has. I feel so much calmer, you know what I mean?”
“Yeah, I do.” Trevor pulled the hair tie from his black locks, and pinged it at the car. The elastic landed on the hood. “How about that job then? Am I joining you on that plane?”
“All sorted.” He’d called Phil while Trevor had been showering that morning. “Even booked your ticket.”
“Yeah?”
The flames licked up the curtains.
“We better move back before the windows decide to blow out.”
“You mean, before the services show up?”
“Yeah, that too. We’ll wait and make sure that car catches.”
“All good by me.” The two of them moved to the far side of the street. Trevor punched his hands in his pockets. “I guess I should start practicing my Aussie, huh?”
“Its not another language entirely, ya know.”
“Might as well be to me.”
Pistol laughed as the windows shattered, and the flames spread along the eaves of the roof. The car ignited shortly after, the fire licking a pretty path along the paintwork. He turned, and started up the road with Trevor. They made it barely a dozen houses before the explosion sent a shockwave through his body, shaking his lungs inside their ribcage prison.
He took a last glance over his shoulder at the house as it roared with the destructive inferno. He committed the sight to memory, wanting to remember this later for what it truly was; more than two bodies being burned to ashes. The moment meant so much more, and once the immediate threat of being caught had passed, he’d be able to dwell on it in a bit more depth. Until then, they needed to push on, and get their asses out of the area.
“Any ideas on where we’ll go until the flight’s ready?” He patted down his pockets for the lighter, and cursed under his breath.
“Public, but not obvious would be best.”
“Fancy a movie?” Pistol pulled the squashed packet of smokes from his jacket, and tossed the few remaining into the gutter.
“Quitting again?”
“Not much choice when you left me fuckin’ lighter in there.”
Trevor chuckled.
“Besides, you said I’d have to quit if you were goin’ to show me how to be at least half yer size.”
“Its not rocket science, Son. You lift something. It’s pretty cut and dried.”
“I lift bottles most nights.” He smirked at the big guy.
“I meant something heavier than what your grandma would use to bulk up.”
“Fuck up. Anyway, movie?”
“Yeah, why not. It’s been a few years.”
A fire engine careened around the corner of the street ahead of them. “Coppers won’t be far behind.” He looked over to find Trevor already making a shortcut through an alley beside a row of townhouses.
“Hey, wait up would ya?”
He ducked after the guy as the fire engine screamed past.
Yep, life was good.
Steph pointed the remote at the T.V., and shut the late night reality show off. Her body was humming, going a million miles an hour with the knowledge tomorrow was the day. Tomorrow Pete would be home, safe and sound, in one piece, unharmed.
Her nerves buzzed so wildly it had been impossible to sit still the entire afternoon at work. Her leg had bopped constantly under her desk as she worked, going as far as to cause a colleague to complain about the tapping noise she made at one point.
She stood from her seat, and walked the empty coffee mug into the kitchen, switching lights off as she went. An eerie glow seeped under the door of the spare room, caused by the streetlight outside coming through the open blinds. She could go in there and shut the light out, but that would require opening the door on something she wasn’t ready to face yet.
No. Pete would be home tomorrow, along with Trevor. The two of them could help her with it. She didn’t have to face the issue alone.
Steph moved through the motions, closing blinds, and doing her evening routine on autopilot. The sooner she went to sleep, the sooner she could wake up tomorrow, and the closer his arrival would be.
Like you’re going to sleep.
Yeah, good luck with that one. Her imagination ran wild, coming up with endless scenes in which she, and Pete played out her fantasies at the airport. A robotic face stared back in the mirror as she brushed her teeth, lost in the daydream that was soon to become a reality.
Would he go through with it? Do as he’d promised? Or was it all a ruse to wind her up for his arrival, have her chafing at the bit to get him home?
Well, she’d call his bluff for sure. The boy wouldn’t know what hit him when he saw her tomorrow night. His flight was due in a little after nine given the only flights she’d been able to book at the time for the return journey included a three-hour layover. She had plenty of time to get home after work, change, and head in to the airport to get them.
Steph slipped under the covers, and scooped her phone off the nightstand. She flicked open the messages, and typed out a quick goodnight.
HEY, BABY. NOT LONG TO GO NOW. CAN’T WAIT XX GOODNIGHT
She placed the phone down, and slid down to lie on her side. As comfortable as she was, her eyes remained wide open, staring intently at the display, willing it to light up.
It did.
MMM LOVE. YOU IN BED? MY MIND WANDERS …
YOU BET. LAST NIGHT ALONE.
21 HOURS, 42 MINUTES.
LOL. YOU’RE COUNTING TO THE MINUTE?
YOU BET I AM. ARE YOU NAKED?
WHATEVER YOU WANT ME TO BE.
JESUS.
MIND ON TASK, SOLDIER. HOW ARE THINGS THERE?
FINISHED. TREV AND I CAUGHT A MOVIE.
IS THAT SO? DATE NIGHT WITHOUT ME?
HE WISHES … CAN’T WAIT TO FEEL YOU IN MY ARMS, HOLD YOU TO ME.
CAN’T WAIT TO HAVE YOU AGAINST ME, EITHER.
I’M NEVER LEAVING YOU AGAIN.
PROMISE?
UNTIL THE DAY I DIE.
DON’T SAY THAT.
TOO SOON?
TOO SOON.
LOVE YOU CUTIE.
LOVE YOU TOO, BABY.
SWEET DREAMS :*
As long as Pete was in her dreams, they’d forever be sweet.
***
“… require attention in those specific areas.”
Steph dropped out of her daydream, and back into the meeting about a new client they were taking on for an internal audit.
“Will we be taking specific divisions, or is the company being handled as one entity for the purposes of the audit?”
Barbara looked at Steph like she’d grown an extra arm. “We covered that a minute ago.”
“Oh.” Her face burned.
“Nice of you to re-join us.” Barbara cocked an eyebrow. “That will be all we need to cover for today. I’ll talk to each of you individually over the next few days. Have a good night everyone.” She smiled at the group, and then hesitated on Steph. “Hang around, would you?”
She nodded, willing the chair she sat on to sink into the carpet, and banish her from sight. Her brain had been scattered all over the place all day, knowing that in a few hours she’d be at the airport, waiting for Pete, and Trevor to show their gorgeous faces through the doors from customs. The meeting was the last thing on the agenda for the day, and the odds she had at remaining focused throughout had been a thousand to one.
“Everything okay?” the last of Steph’s colleagues closed the door as Barbara took a seat beside her. “Was coming back to work the right thing to do? If you need to take the
time, don’t be afraid to ask.”
“I’m sorry.” Steph shook her head. “I’m excited to see Pete after a week away in Ireland, he flies in tonight. I didn’t mean to zone out. It’s not excusable.”
“You remind me so much of myself at your age; distracted by my then-to-be husband.”
“I didn’t know you were married?” Steph flicked her gaze past Barbara’s hand, and noted the absence of a ring.
“Was. Past tense. We didn’t work out.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. He was too career focused—not that I’m not as well—but he spent every single day at his office. I thought he was having an affair at first, but it was worse than that. He simply enjoyed being there more.” She laughed. “I think I would have rather found him screwing his secretary. It would have been more normal.”
“I guess that would be awkward.”
“Anyway, enough information from an old duck like me. Go and get your man from the airport. I’ll turn a blind eye if you’re a few minutes late in the morning.” She winked, and stood to leave. “I’m not this lenient with everyone, Steph. I see the work you put in, and the effort deserves reward.”
“Thank you.” The warmth of a blush coloured her cheeks for the second time as Barbara left the meeting room.
Steph bundled the diary, and papers before her into a heaped pile, and sped for the door. She felt like a kid when the school bell rang. Her freedom was imminent, and there was a sexy-as-fuck man about to walk back into her life, and blow her mind.
Repeatedly.
She skidded to a stop at her desk, dumped the handful on the top, and snatched her bag from next to the seat.
“In a hurry?” Marcus laughed as he watched her spin, and dive to punch the divert button on her phone.
“Can’t talk. Places to be.”
“Say hi to Pete for me,” he called as she fled through the office, fishing for the keys to the rod as she went.
No time to waste. The countdown was on.
***
The escalator took what seemed to be an inordinately long time to get to the top floor of the terminal. She would have taken the elevator, but a family with two baggage trolleys had rolled up, and she’d gestured them to go ahead of her. She wasn’t the kind to split up a family when she had other options.
Steph stepped off at the top, and sucked in a large breath. This is it. In mere minutes he would be there, in front of her, tangible, lickable. Sigh. She scoured the arrivals board for his flight details, and suppressed the urge to jump around like an excited toddler when the status read ‘arrived’.
Given the time of night, the amount of people crowded around the arrival gates was minimal. Steph found a position near the middle, and staked her claim to a spot on the railing. Like hell she’d allow anybody to stand in front of her if she sat in the row of seats provided several feet back. She wanted to see the look on his face when he saw her.
Minutes passed like hours as she shifted from foot to foot. Surely he wouldn’t be far away. The doors slid open, and her heart clenched as the first people filtered through from arrivals. A dozen or more older couples, young travellers, and families walked by her, looking around, lost until they found the one who waited for them with open arms.
Her heart swelled each time she saw the pure joy on people’s faces as they were reunited with their special ones. If it weren’t so creepy, she’d seriously consider hanging out here every time she needed a pick-me-up. There was something magnificent about watching people in their happiest times.
Steph lost herself watching a little girl reunite with her father, tears streaming down his face as the child babbled non-stop. So sweet. She turned back to check the doors, and let out a startled squeak.
There, nose a hair away from touching hers, was Pete, watching her with a devious grin plastered across his lips.
“Hey beautiful.”
“You scared the hell out of—”
He stopped the flow of garbage with a scene-stealing kiss that left her jellified to the tip of her toes. He’s home.
“Fuck I missed ya,” he murmured against her lips.
Steph buried her fingers in his hair, and pulled him back for another kiss—one she was prepared for. He opened his mouth, letting her tongue glide over his as a deep rumble sounded behind him.
“Hi Trevor. Nice to see you. You too Steph. Great to be back,” Trevor teased.
Pete chuckled. She pulled back, and smiled at the big guy. “Come here, then.” Steph pulled him into an awkward hug with the railing still between them all.
“Oi, that’ll be enough of that now,” Pete complained.
“Settle down, tiger.” Trevor laughed, and pulled back to pick up his bag.
“Is that the same one you left with?” Steph pointed to the green duffle, her brow creased.
“Uh, no.” He curled his lips in a cheeky grin. “Kind of lost the other one in a fire.”
Pete snorted a laugh as he followed the big guy around the railing to meet Steph at the end. “We’ve got a few stories for ya, Love.”
“I bet.” Her cheeks were set to split in two with the silly smile she couldn’t wipe from her face.
Pete stuck an arm around her waist, and pulled her to his side as they headed for the exit. Trevor walked ahead on the escalator, and she stayed by Pete’s side as they descended to the car park.
He buried his nose in her hair, and hummed. “You smell divine.”
“I’d hope so.” She giggled.
“Good enough to eat.”
Her cheeks burned with the intensity of her smile after four simple words. She clenched her thighs together, and straightened her back.
“What’s the matter?” He chuckled. “Feelin’ a little uncomfortable?”
“Bastard.” She smiled, looking him square in the eye.
How did she win her luck with this guy? He was amazing, attentive, and full of love for her. He’d treat her like a princess for the rest of her life; she had no doubt in that. He was everything she wanted, needed, desired, and more.
“I’m so glad your home.” If only she knew how to break the news of what happened while he was gone.
“Aye. I am, too.”
They paused at the pay-machines to settle the parking fee, and then continued across the walkway to the parking building.
“What level did ya park on?”
“Five.”
“Perfect.”
She frowned at him, and he tapped the side of his nose. Trevor laughed ahead of them.
“What have you two been talking about that I don’t know about?”
“You’ll see,” Trevor quipped. He punched the call button on the bank of elevators, and shared a knowing look with Pete.
“You two are making me nervous.” As though she hadn’t been of her own accord.
“Good”. Pete pulled her closer as they walked into the empty car. “I like it when ya nervous.”
Steph nestled her back into Pete's front as he leant on the side of the elevator car. He wrapped his hands over her hips, and pinned her to his body. An obvious part of him enjoyed the nearness as much as she did given the hard-on between them.
Pete leant forward, and ran his nose around the shell of her ear. "Are you still up for this?"
"Huh?" she replied, eyes closed. Her head had already drifted to another place while she practiced how she’d broach the subject.
"What we discussed," he whispered. "If ya not, just say."
Flashbacks of their conversations whacked her upside the head, and heat rushed over her skin.
"I, um ..."
"If you're too shy, Love, that's fine. But fuck, I've been dreaming about sinking into you since we boarded that fuckin' flight, and I don't know if I can be blamed for me actions if ya deny me."
"Are you tryin' to blackmail me, Mr O'Malley?" Steph smirked as he laid gentle kisses along the nape of her neck.
"Not at all, Cutie. Just tellin' ya the facts."
She gla
nced up at the numbers as they passed level three. "I don't want to make Trevor feel uncomfortable."
At the sound of his name, the big guy looked across from the corner of his eye, and smiled.
"He won't mind." Pete's hands slipped off her hips to explore the crease at the top of her thighs, finishing with both palms placed over her sex. She trembled under his touch. He skimmed his palms around her thighs until their connected bodies stopped his explorations. Pete lifted the skirt of her dress a fraction, and slipped his left hand around to the front of her thigh.
Steph's lips curled in a grin. His breath halted.
"Fuck, Love. You can't say no now."
His fingers traced the outline of where panties would sit—if she had any on. Steph gasped, tingling from head to toe after a singular swipe of his fingertips over her clit. How she was supposed to think of what to say about Ivan when he did that, who knew? Maybe it was better left unsaid for now.
The elevator dinged to announce its arrival at their floor. She cleared her throat, and stepped away from Pete, noting Trevor adjusting himself as he exited first.
“Which way?” Pete stopped beside her, and wove his fingers through hers.
She closed her eyes to settle her addled mind, and make enough sense of the jumble in her brain to remember where she parked. “Right … I think.”
“You think?” Trevor smirked.
“Yes, I think,” she snapped. “Somebody distracted me.”
Pete chuckled, and pulled her to the right. They walked no more than two rows before the distinctive outline of the rod showed. An older couple wheeling suitcases passed them by, and offered a greeting. Steph returned the courtesy, and ducked her chin to her chest.
Hopefully they don’t get in the same elevator. Awkward …
“Are ya sure you weren’t planning this?” Pete tipped his head toward where the rod sat in the corner of the parking building.
“Hardly,” she laughed. “It was the last park on this level.”
“Whatever.” He curled one side of his mouth, and leant in to press a kiss to her lips.
Steph swooned at the contact, and wobbled on one of her heels as they approached the back of the car.
“Steady on, Love. I need ya to keep your balance a little bit longer.”