Cutting Cords

by Mickie B. Ashling

  “Then stop kvetching already,” he said, grinning.

  “You’re not the most stoic person in the world, either.”

  Max cuffed me and I stuck out my tongue. “Don’t be disrespectful,” he said.

  “Come on, old man. I’ll race you to the horses.”

  “Fucker,” Max called, but I was already gone.

  Chapter 10

  LUNCH WAS being served when we walked in, and I noticed that Cole and Noriko were already eating. I stooped to kiss Cole on the cheek. “I’ve got to wash my hands.”

  “Come back and join us.”

  “No problem,” I said, patting Cole on his back. He seemed reassured by my gesture and rewarded me with a sweet smile. Noriko observed us quietly with an expression that was impossible to read. More than anything else, it convinced me that I needed to stop antagonizing her so I could get to know her better. I couldn’t play this guessing game forever.

  On my way back from the rest room, I stopped at the buffet table and made myself an enormous salad. I’d always had a tendency to shy away from the fatty foods, preferring salads to macaroni and cheese, but since the start of my relationship with Cole, I’d learned the importance of mixing in protein along with the greens and complex carbohydrates. His loving vigilance paid off, and I started gaining weight without realizing it. I was healthier than ever, and my body had filled out quite nicely. My father’s prediction that I’d pack on the pounds eventually had finally come to pass. Who knew if it was genetics or Cole’s interference? Now I could look in the mirror and see Joe Average rather than the underweight beanpole I was used to.

  “I smell horses,” Cole remarked as soon as I sat down beside him.

  “You’re a veritable bloodhound, shogun. You should rent yourself out to Scotland Yard.”

  “I’m just saying, Sloan. Did you go riding?”

  “Max and I took a couple of Leah’s horses out for a while. It was great!”

  “Sounds wonderful,” Cole said wistfully.

  “Next time you’ll have to come. Rose won’t mind.”

  “Rose?” Noriko interrupted.

  “That’s the horse’s name―the one I rode.”

  “I see. Cole-san,”—Noriko shifted her gaze—“you are able to do such dangerous things?”

  “He’s only blind,” I interjected rudely, “not mentally challenged.”

  “Sloan,” Cole said disapprovingly. Turning toward Noriko he explained. “We double up. Sloan’s a good rider and I’m safe with him.”

  “Damn right.”

  Cole reached for my hand and squeezed it, a little too tightly, to my mind. His not-so-subtle way of telling me I needed to cool it, which pissed me off even more. “Do you ride?” I asked Noriko. “Horses, that is.”

  “No.”

  “Too bad.”

  Cole threw his napkin on the table, knocking over a water glass. Noriko was on her feet instantly and sopping up the spill with her napkin. “It’s alright, Cole-san. I’ll get you another glass.”

  “Thank you,” Cole replied. As soon as she left, he turned to me angrily. “I thought we agreed that you were going to be civilized.”

  “What? I just asked her a fucking question.”

  “And I’m telling you that you’re coming across all wrong.”

  “Oh, please. I’m not pussyfooting around that bitch.”

  “See? It’s this sort of talk that gets my goat.”

  “Fine,” I said, sighing dramatically. “I’ll behave.”

  Noriko returned and placed a fresh glass within Cole’s reach. “Is there anything else you need, Cole-san?”

  “Weren’t you going to drop the ‘san’ shit?”

  “It doesn’t bother me,” Cole said. “In fact, I rather like it.”

  “Of course you do,” I said, giving Noriko dagger looks.

  Her return smile was nothing short of triumphant. Round one went to her. And damn, that fried my ass! I wolfed down my salad, barely tasting it. In between mouthfuls, I watched her eat her sandwich. She was using a fork and knife rather than picking it up with her hands. Her table manners would have made Miss Manners jump with glee; they were so perfect. She knew I was watching her every move, and I wondered if she was for real or acting out some kind of role.

  “Do you work?” I asked, interrupting her flow.

  She shook her head, swallowed, and put down her utensils. “No, I’m too busy at home.”

  “Doing what?”

  “My mother is old and needs help.”

  “Who’s watching her while you’re away?”

  “My grandmother.”

  “She’s still alive?”

  “Yes.”

  “How old is she?” I was curious. If her mother was too old to care for herself, her grandmother must be ancient.

  “She’s in her eighties.”

  “Yet she’s able to care for your mother?”

  “She’s very healthy.”

  “Is your mom sick?”

  “She has Parkinson’s disease.”

  “Isn’t that genetic?” I pounced. “Did you know this, Cole?”

  “I was aware of her illness, but not the exact nature of the disease. We can test for the gene.”

  “Sure,” I grumbled. “Throw that into the mix.”

  “As far as I know, Parkinson’s is not considered genetic,” Noriko interjected quickly. “Only fifteen percent of cases have a first degree relative with the disease.”

  “Is that right? How do you know if you fall into that percentile?”

  “As Cole-san suggested, we would test for the gene mutation that is normally found in familial Parkinson’s.”

  “I thought you just said it’s not genetic.”

  “It’s not considered a genetic disease. However, they have discovered a certain gene mutation in people who have other family members that are affected.”

  “No matter how you gloss over the details, it sounds genetic to me.”

  “We’ll test for it,” Noriko said bluntly.

  “Why are you willing to surrogate? Is it the money?”

  “The money is important, but the commitment’s even more.”

  “Who are you committed to?”

  “I’m not at liberty to discuss it.”

  Huh? “Have you done this before?”

  “No, Sloan. I have never been with a man.”

  “You mean you’ve never been married or been a surrogate?”

  “I mean I’ve never had sex.”

  Cole spat out a mouthful of tea and had a violent coughing fit. His face turned an unhealthy shade of purple, and for a moment I thought he was choking on something. Even Freddie began barking, adding to the confusion. Finally, Cole caught his breath and turned toward Noriko with a look of pure astonishment. “I was not aware that you were a virgin.”

  “Does it matter?”

  “I… suppose not, although I would think you’d want to have your first child with someone you love?”

  “I am doing this for someone I love.”

  “I don’t understand,” Cole replied.

  “It’s the Virgin Mary all over again,” I mumbled. Unfortunately Cole heard.

  “I beg your pardon?” Noriko said, looking at me in confusion.

  “She’s either a Buddhist or Shinto,” Cole pointed out. “She has no idea what the hell you’re talking about, Sloan.”

  “Gentlemen, I am right here. Please stop referring to me as ‘she’.”

  “I’m sorry,” Cole apologized. “Noriko, this may change everything.”

  “Why should it? You needn’t worry about having to initiate me.”

  “Who is this person you love who is making you do this?” I asked.

  “No one is forcing me,” Noriko said, looking at Cole. “I’m doing this willingly and with open eyes, but I will not discuss it any further.”

  “Wait a minute,” I argued. “You can’t throw out such a monumental statement without any further explanation.”

  Noriko st
ood abruptly. “I would like to retire for a few hours. Please excuse me,” she said and left our table. I watched her walk up the stairs gracefully, staring straight ahead and never looking back to see if I was observing her. She moved like royalty, with her back as stiff as a board and her head held high. Every bone in my body screamed for answers, but her oblique references to some unknown person only left me with more questions. I’d have to find out on my own somehow.

  “Well, ain’t that a bitch,” I muttered, loud enough for Cole to hear.

  “It’s certainly a surprise,” Cole agreed.

  “I guess she’ll be the second virgin in history who mothered a child?”

  “Sloan, I can feel a migraine coming on, and you’re not helping.”

  “Come on, shogun. I’ve got the perfect solution for your pounding head, if you’ll pardon the pun,” I grinned.

  “You’re such a shit sometimes.”

  “At least I’m predictable.”

  “Will you please let it go for now?”

  I grabbed his hand, drawing him close. “Let’s take a nap, dear. Everything feels so much better after an orgasm or three.”

  Chapter 11

  I STOPPED for a second at Max’s table and whispered in his ear. “Guess what? Mother Earth is a virgin.”

  “Seriously?”

  “I’ll talk to you later,” I said, feeling Cole tugging on my hand. He knew his way around the house, having been here often enough. As soon as we got in the room, Cole toed off his shoes and was about to climb on top of the comforter when I stopped him. “Let’s take off our clothes.”

  “It’s the middle of the day,” Cole protested.

  “And your point is?”

  “Everyone’s awake and they’ll hear us.”

  “It’s the weekend, and no one downstairs will give a damn what’s going on up here. Unless you’re planning on changing from dreamer to screamer, I doubt they’ll even notice we’re gone.”

  Cole lifted his arms and allowed me to tug off his T-shirt and pull down his boxers and jeans, freeing him up for my enjoyment. I helped him onto the bed and tore off my own clothes before slipping between the sheets. We gravitated toward each other, and I held him for several minutes, listening to his thumping heart. “You realize that this new development brings home my theory that she may renege on the contract.”

  “How?”

  “She’s never been married, never had children. How can you predict how she’s going to react when they put a baby in her arms? I admit that I’ll never know what it feels like either, but I would think anyone with an iota of feeling will have second thoughts about giving up their firstborn. Or the twins, if you’re sticking to that scenario.”

  Cole grunted a response. “Can we not talk about this for at least ten minutes?”

  “You don’t have much faith in my staying power, do you? Ten minutes? Come on, you know we can do better than that.”

  “You talk too much.”

  I silenced him with an open-mouthed kiss, covering his body with mine and grinding my stiff dick against his corresponding boner. Cole wrapped his legs around my thighs and pushed against me, moaning with pleasure. I peppered his neck with biting kisses, sucking up the soft skin, and tasting the sweetness that was pure Cole. His smell was a combination of soap and aftershave that was unmistakably male. There was nothing feminine about this man despite the fact that his skin was as soft and smooth as a baby’s ass. He released a shuddering sigh when I moved a little lower, latching on to a brown nub and nipping at the puckered skin growing hard against my lips. There were a few hairs sprouting around the edges, and I tugged at them with my teeth while my hands ran up and down hard flanks that had loosened their hold on my lower body. “Touch me,” he begged, knowing how much it meant to hear him ask.

  I rolled off and turned him on his side, all the while caressing him as I got into position behind him. I wanted to drive myself into his tight ass and feel him open up, sucking me into the warmth of his body. The lube was conveniently positioned under my pillow, and I slicked up before inserting two fingers into Cole to prepare him as best as possible. “Ready?” He nodded, and I shoved into him forcefully. I pushed past the tight ring of muscle and then held my breath to feel his reaction. He was quivering, and a loud groan rumbled up from deep in his chest. “God, Sloan, you’re splitting me in half.”

  “Should I pull out?”

  “No,” he said emphatically. “Give me a second to adjust.”

  “I’m quite happy where I am,” I said, nuzzling Cole. My cock was throbbing with pleasure, encased within his warm body. I slid an arm under his neck, threw my right leg over his hip, and drew him closer, cocooning him in my embrace. My free hand snaked across his stomach and ended up circling his engorged shaft, which was slippery with precum. He made tiny mewling sounds and slowly rutted against me, signaling his readiness.

  “Fuck me,” he whispered, turning me on even more. I buried my face into his thick hair and began to rock, pushing in and out, gradually increasing my speed, like a piston starting up cold. It didn’t take but a few minutes to feel his urgency as I shafted his silky organ while I began to pummel him with forceful thrusts. “Sloan,” Cole cried out, seconds before he erupted in my hand. A fountain of warm spunk spilled over as I clutched him and milked him dry.

  I felt him spasm around my cock, clenching it with muscles that pulsed in time with his rapid heartbeat, and I let myself go, soaring in a forceful rush as he massaged me from the inside out.

  We ended up falling asleep, entwined and at peace for the moment. When I woke up, Cole was standing by the window in his boxers, combing out wet hair that left drops of water all over his brown shoulders. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

  “I was about to.”

  “Are we going somewhere?”

  “I thought we could walk around town and give Noriko a short tour.”

  “Right.” Noriko… fucking hell! “Give me a minute.”

  WE ENDED up taking Max’s Land Rover into town and spent several hours perusing the boutiques and specialty shops. Even though Cole couldn’t see anything, he was delighted by Noriko’s obvious enthusiasm as she explored the different stores lining Main Street. She led the way, and we let her choose the shops, following hand in hand as she picked up and discarded candle after candle, looking for a particular scent. Finally, she settled on a purple piece: a lavender-based candle shaped like a lotus flower. She found it at Willow, a tiny store featuring handcrafted, one-of-a-kind items.

  “Where are you sending this?” I asked, handing her the tiny package she had wrapped for shipping.

  “To my mother. She loves candles.”

  “They don’t have candles in Japan?”

  “She doesn’t get out much.”

  “I see. Will they deliver it to her front door?”

  “Yes,” she said, nodding.

  “Who’s going to watch her if you and Cole sign a contract?”

  “If we reach an agreement, I will have the funds to hire someone.”

  “Is this all about money, Noriko?”

  “Isn’t everything?” she said. I stared at her, hoping to see more than what she’d shared. On the surface she appeared cool and unruffled, but behind the façade lay secrets I could never glean unless she was willing to divulge her motives, an unlikely scenario given our mutual hostility. However, I did catch a whiff of fear so intense it shocked me. Why was she so afraid? And who was making her feel this way?

  I decided to talk to Max and discuss the logistics of hiring a private detective. Cole had given me permission to investigate on my own, although he probably didn’t think I’d carry it this far. Wrong. Noriko posed a severe threat to my relationship, in my opinion, and wild horses couldn’t stop me from getting to the bottom of her story. There had to be more than met the eye.

  That evening, after dinner, while Cole and Noriko shared a brandy, I snuck into Max’s room to enlist his help. He was sitting in front of his oversized computer monitor, b
rowsing through headshots.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m looking for the right person.”

  “For what?”

  “Harrods and Bergdorf are joining together for a project in late fall, and they want me to pick models who epitomize the British male, or what they believe a true Brit gentleman should look like.”

  “Why don’t they just hire Prince Harry?”

  “That’s actually the look I’m hoping for. I’ve already got several people lined up, including you, but I need a redhead, preferably one without freckles.”

  “Good luck on that.”

  “Well, he exists. I just need to find him.”

  “Speaking of finding, I need a detective.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Can you help me?”

  “I’m sure I can come up with a few names. You want someone Japanese, don’t you? You don’t want to pay for travel expenses and assorted bullshit. Get someone from over there.”

  “I want them to speak English.”

  “Naturally.”

  “Don’t say that like I’m an idiot. I don’t know what’s available.”

  “Leave it to Uncle Max. I’ll hook you up.”

  “Thanks.”

  “No problem, Sloan. How did it go in town earlier?”

  “Fine, I guess. We’re both still alive to talk about it.”

  “How long before you have to give Cole your answer?”

  “Sooner rather than later, so hop on the detective, will ya?”

  “I said I’d take care of it. What do you think of this guy?” Max said, pointing at his monitor.

  “He looks like that actor from Torchwood.”

  “Captain Jack? I wish.”

  “What do they wear under those kilts?”

  “Not a damn thing, if I remember correctly.”

  “That’s fucking insane.”

  “It’s hot as hell.”

  “It makes life easier, doesn’t it?”

  Max laughed, looking at me with a wicked gleam in his eyes. “There’s only one way to find out.”

  “Will you sample the wares?”

  Max snorted. “I’m not a Hollywood producer, beauty. Sleeping with me is not a prerequisite for the job.”