by Sandy Smyth
“But I never hired anyone to work at night,” Tom exclaimed.
“John and I both saw him almost every night. He’d talk to the foreman and the other guys before they’d leave, and then he’d get busy. We could hear the hammers, nail gun, and electric saws long into the night. We had no reason to suspect that he was anything but a member of the construction crew on the night shift.” Mike shook his head in disgust.
“Give me a description of this guy. I’ll run it through our computer, and I’ll talk to some of my men and see if they can identify him. I’ll also need the name of the foreman and the construction company. They may have additional information on this guy. Maybe some of the crew members have seen him on a previous job.” Ben took his notebook out of his back pocket and began writing busily as Mike and John began describing the person they saw.
* * * *
Kate bent down to Tom and whispered in his ear. “Why don’t we go upstairs and rest for a little while? We’re not needed here. Mike and John have everything under control, and it’s been a very busy and emotion-filled morning. I think we need some downtime. I know I do. Join me?”
He smiled at her playfully, but with obvious weariness, “I thought you’d never ask. Why don’t we check with Mrs. Mallory and see if she can prepare a picnic lunch for the two of us? We can take it with us to my room and have a snack and rest and talk, if you want. Or, we can just nap. Okay?”
“It sounds wonderful, Tom, just wonderful.”
He picked up the house phone and called the kitchen. While Tom was on the phone, John turned and looked at Kate. She nodded at Tom and then indicated herself and pointed upstairs and closed her eyes. John’s eyes softened with warmth as he looked at her and then at Tom. He nodded, a smile tipping up the corner of his mouth before he turned back to Ben and Mike. Before Kate could take a step, Mike caught her eye, winked, and gave her a quick smile. Boy, she thought, these guys didn’t miss a thing.
* * * *
“They’ve done it again, haven’t they, John?” said Mike softly as they stood in the doorway to Tom’s room, looking at the two people stretched out on the bed, fully clothed, with the fingers of their hands entwined.
“Done what?” John asked as they backed away from the room and gently shut the door.
“Holding hands and looking more in love than they did the day of their wedding, and they’re not even awake this time!”
John chuckled and put his hand on Mike’s shoulder as they walked next door and entered their room. “You’ve really missed him, haven’t you, Mike?” John said, suddenly very serious.
“Yes, yes I have. Very much. It’s been hard to hide that emotion, that love, for so long, even if it was what he needed and wanted. But we were able to manage, weren’t we, John?” Mike could tell by John’s tenseness that he was disturbed, and Mike wasn’t sure how to ease that tenseness.
“That’s the key here, John, to manage. We managed. Had Katie not been…Katie, we would have ‘managed’ for the rest of our lives to love him without the physical or verbal expression of that love. We would always have missed the sexual and verbal connections to him, but we would have been able to ‘manage.’ Right?” At John’s tight nod, Mike continued.
“Then let me make one thing very clear. I could never, and I mean never, ‘manage’ to live without loving you. You are the bedrock foundation of all that I am. Without being able to express my love for you, I would shrivel up and die inside and probably outside as well. I’m not just talking about sex, either. I—”
John’s voice shook with emotion as he framed Mike’s face with his hands. “I feel exactly the same, but haven’t the eloquence to express it as beautifully as you did. Without you…”
John fisted his hands and stepped away. “I can’t even go there. When I saw you with Tom today, I felt twinges of jealousy and fear for the first time. Fear that maybe you wanted Tom more than you wanted me, jealous of the stark emotion I saw in your eyes, and yet, yet I was happy for you. Just know that it doesn’t matter what happens between the four of us, as long as we, you and I, love each other the way we do. We can also accept the very real love and desire we have for Kate and Tom. We can make love with them, and cherish them, and it cannot harm what we have together. As long as we love each other, everything else will fall into place.”
“Speaking of a place. There is this place called a shower that has both our names on it. Care to join me? Maybe I can get you to scrub my back while I scrub yours. Interested, John?”
“Lead on, I’ll be right behind you, literally as well as figuratively.” John laughed.
* * * *
The sound of shared laughter slid through the partially open connecting door to the two rooms, and then stopped.
“Well, that was pretty intense,” Kate said in a low whisper.
“I’ll say it was. I’ve always known that they loved each other, and that they loved me. But I had no idea of the depth of their passion for each other, or for me. I should have known. Maybe on some level I did know. It sounds like I rejected them when I met you, and I probably did. You came into my life like a whirlwind and turned everything I thought or felt upside down. But I have not one shred of regret for anything I did to keep you in my life.”
Kate leaned over and kissed him soundly. “Perhaps I’d better shut that connecting door before they get out of the shower, or before we start any intense conversations ourselves.” She quickly moved to the door, shut it quietly, and returned to bed, snuggling up next to him for the next twenty minutes, resting quietly. “I’ve missed this, Tom. Just being together, talking, a little cuddling, falling asleep knowing you’re beside me.”
Suddenly, Kate sat up in bed and her voice hardened. “I won’t let you take this away from me. I won’t let you shut me out again. I know you’re going to have a period of recovery to get through after the surgeries, and I won’t interfere with that. But I’m your wife, and damn it, I expect you to treat me that way, not like some guest who has to be avoided or who has to be pawned off onto someone else.”
“Kate! That’s not true! My God, how can you think such a thing? I love you,” Tom protested.
“How can I think such a thing? What about the last two years you’ve been out of the hospital, Tom? How many times did you ever seek me out, just to talk, to discuss a movie or TV program or a book, or to watch the sunset? Try never, zip, zilch, zero, nada and, not one damn time. But Mike and John did, often. You guarded your privacy with such zeal that I felt like an outsider. Mike and John welcomed me whenever I needed to talk, or just needed company or a shoulder to cry on.” Kate took a deep, shuddering breath.
“You couldn’t have wild monkey sex…hell, I knew that, Tom. But you could have held my hand, kissed me once in a while, or just put your arm around me occasionally. Mike and John were always touching my arm or hand, hugging me or throwing an arm around my shoulders, kissing my forehead or cheek. They gave me their warmth and showed their caring in a hundred different ways. Whenever I asked you how you were doing with your physical therapy, you shut me down and changed the subject. You even buried yourself in your office at mealtimes. Ninety-five percent of my meals were eaten with Mike or John, or both. Maybe one percent of the meals, when we had guests, you would join us. The other four percent I ate alone. You fucking left me!” she said angrily.
“Kate, no! No, no, no. It was to protect you! I was only half a man. I didn’t know whether I’d ever walk again or if I’d be able to make love to you like a normal man. I didn’t want you to have to deal with the pain-ridden mess I’d become, or the rage and frustration that would overcome me at the knowledge of the things I couldn’t do anymore. Christ, for almost three months I couldn’t even go to the bathroom by myself,” he shouted.
“Protect me, my ass,” she snarled at him. “Half a man? Give me a break. Even wheelchair-bound, you’re more man than any five thousand men off the street.
“And please, tell me I did not actually hear you say you were afraid you’d be un
able to make love to me like a ‘normal man.’ Since when did you have this sudden urge to make love like a normal man? I seem to remember the conference room, now that certainly was not normal, or perhaps the library. Nope, I don’t think that qualifies either. Oh, wait, let’s not forget the pantry! On second thought, forget the pantry. Mrs. Mallory would be appalled and would never do any cooking here again. Definitely not normal. Come on, Tom, I could go on and on. Room after room to be exact. Maybe you’d better define your concept of ‘normal’ for me.” Kate got on her knees and got right in Tom’s stunned face.
“And, as your wife, it’s my right to deal with your rage and frustrations and to even wipe your ass, if required. Don’t hand me any more garbage, Tom. I’m giving you fair warning that I won’t allow you to push me aside this time. So don’t even try.” Kate swiped at the tears running down her face until Tom handed her a tissue and pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly, his hand pressing her head against his chest.
“You’re something else. You know that, don’t you, Kate? And, you’re right. I did that to you, to us. But it was such a fearful time for me. My whole world had changed, and I had no control over my life at all. For a long time there was only a sea of pain and fear. The doctors couldn’t even tell me if my spinal cord would, or could, heal. I believed that for the rest of my life I was going to be contained in that damned wheelchair, that I would never be able to feel anything ever again. There were many times I wished that I had died in that car crash. It wasn’t until two or three months ago that I started having definite sensations in my legs and…er…other areas. That was when I knew I would walk again. That was when my world changed once again, this time for the better.”
Tom pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I was wrong to handle things the way I did, I know that now, and I think I even knew it at the time. I was wallowing in fear and despair and didn’t want you, or anyone else, to try to pull me out of it. And, no, I won’t try to push you aside this time, I promise.
“On another note, I would prefer to have a bidet installed rather than have you wipe my ass, if you don’t mind,” he said with a grin.
She shook her head with a watery chuckle. “You won’t get an argument out of me on that one, Tom.”
“You won’t get an argument from us either, Tom. A bidet sounds like a fine idea,” said Mike as he and John walked in through the open connecting door between the two rooms.
“Hi, guys,” said Kate, sitting up.
“Didn’t mean to intrude, but the door was open.”
“No problem,” said Tom. “That door latch is sprung. I’ll have it fixed one of these days.”
“Wow, don’t the two of you look great!” Kate said. “Nice clothes. Very nice. Kind of the mature preppy look, huh?”
“Mature preppy look? Damn, John, I think we’ve just been dissed by our sweet Katie.”
“No, no. You guys look great. Don’t laugh. I’m serious. John! You’re wearing loafers!” Kate scrambled awkwardly from the bed and stood at John’s side. She reached out and lifted the leg of his trouser to see his shoe better. “Oh, my God, they are, they really are penny loafers.” She looked up at him in awe.
“And that’s bad?” John asked, his lips twitching and his blue eyes filled with laughter.
“John! Penny loafers are hot! I kid you not. They are soooo sexy. They’re right up there with boots. I mean, all you see men wearing today are those ugly running shoes, trainers, or whatever they’re called or sandals and baggy-assed pants. You hardly ever see eye candy wearing penny loafers or boots with pants like these, pants that let you know there is some seriously awesome rear action there. Wow, John, what a combination! I’m seriously impressed.” She patted his butt as she moved to Mike.
She looked down at Mike’s feet. “Oh, please. Don’t tell me you’re wearing boots! I can’t stand it.” Kate sat down cross-legged on the floor in front of Mike and slowly lifted the hem of his jeans, up, up, up. “Mike,” she breathed. “These are full boots, real leather boots. I love real, full, leather boots!”
Tom and John were snorting with laughter at the stunned look on Mike’s face as she kept lifting his pant leg higher and higher.
“Mike, these boots have just created a full-blown fantasy in my mind. You, naked, except for these boots. Hot, hot, hot. One of these days, Mike, one of these days. Or nights.”
Mike grinned and reached down to help her to her feet. “Minx,” he said affectionately. “You’re deliberately trying to get us all hot and bothered. And you succeeded,” he said as he tried to adjust the growing erection in his tight jeans.
John was by the bed listening intently to what Tom was saying. He nodded and then grinned in surprise. John nodded again, then threw his head back and laughed in pure pleasure. Tom laughed with him, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Do you have any idea how much I love listening to them laugh, Katie? For a long time we had nothing to laugh about, but now, with you, everything has changed. You have lightened our load, and we love you very much. Now give me a kiss so I can meet the crew for a briefing before dinner.”
Kate slid her arms up around Mike’s neck and looked up into his warm, brown eyes. “Never forget that I love you, too, Mike.” She lifted herself on her tiptoes and captured his groan with her mouth.
Mike’s tongue licked into her mouth, tasting her, before he resolutely stepped back from her. “You’re dangerous, Katie, very dangerous and very sweet.”
John came up behind Mike and put his hand on Mike’s shoulder. “Kate, stop fantasizing about Mike and his boots and giving him sexy kisses. It’s my turn for a sexy kiss.”
“The sexy kiss is right here, waiting for you, John. But I can’t fantasize about you naked, wearing only your penny loafers, it’s just not the same as naked with boots. But what does get me hot is the thought of you fully dressed with your penny loafers on but with one very important part of you exposed. Now that’s sexy with penny loafers.” Kate smiled at the stupefied expression on John’s face.
“You have three choices, Kate,” John said in a low rasp. “One, you can come over here and give me that kiss so that Mike and I can make the briefing. Two, I can nail you against that wall and fuck you until we’re both screaming in orgasm, or three, we can turn this into an all-out orgy right now and screw the briefing and dinner. Take your pick.”
“Well, since I’m starving, number three is out, and I don’t think I’m quite up to being nailed against the wall, so two is out. That leaves one sexy kiss coming up.”
Kate took one step forward, lifted her hand, and placed it against John’s cheek and looked into the incredible blue of his eyes. “I love you, too, John. Never doubt it.”
John slipped his hand behind her neck and gently drew her toward him. He lowered his forehead to hers and exhaled roughly. “You’re one hell of a lady, Kate. Are you sure we can’t order in?”
Kate laughed softly and lifted her lips to his, expecting a hard, wildly passionate kiss. Instead, he sipped gently at her lips and poured so much love and affection into his kiss that Kate was stunned.
“What about me? Don’t I get any kisses?” said Tom, grinning and leaning lightly on his cane.
“Absolutely, Tom,” said Mike as he carefully slid his arm under Tom’s, lending his unobtrusive support. “And I get to go first!” He angled his head and covered Tom’s mouth with his own in a steamy, ardent kiss.
“Damn, that looked hot,” said John as he moved to Tom’s other side and slid his arm around Tom’s waist. Tom’s cane clattered to the floor as John’s mouth took his demandingly. “Welcome back, Tom,” said John with a smile.
Kate looked at her three musketeers, standing with their arms around each other, through a film of tears. Their love for each other and for her was so overwhelmingly obvious that she could hardly speak. Finally, she managed one word.
“Slippers?”
That single word was met with an instant of stunned silence as they checked out Tom’s slippers, followe
d by a thunderous roar of laughter. They barely managed to stagger backward to the bed, gasping for air. Mike and John were shouting with laughter, while Tom was howling and doubled over, holding his sides. They would almost get themselves settled down when one of them would say, “Slippers?” And they’d start laughing all over again.
Mike staggered over to Kate and hugged her close.
“Katie, you have a wicked, wicked sense of humor. How did you keep it hidden from us for so long?”
Before Kate could answer, Mike’s cell phone started vibrating. He gave her a quick smile, stepped back, and answered his phone.
“This is Mike, go ahead. What?” His voice and face reflected his shock. “Where? Call the others. But don’t touch anything. We’re on our way.” All amusement wiped from his face, John was already on his feet heading for the door.
“Where, Mike?”
“The pool. Apparently a message was left there. We’ll let you know what’s going on when we know, Tom.” And they were gone.
“Damn it! I feel so useless, Kate.” Tom raked his fingers through his blond curls.
“Come on, Tom. Didn’t you once tell me that your success in the business world was based on hiring people who were experts in their field and letting them have the freedom to do their jobs without interference? Well, unless you’re a security expert, too, you have the best men for the job in Mike and John. Not only that, their employees are well-trained professionals.”
“You’re right. I’d only be in the way. But, damn it, it’s my problem. And I cannot figure out why I’ve been targeted. There has to be a reason! There has to be a reason that two years have gone by without any problems and suddenly it’s starting up again with a vengeance.”