by Stacey McCoy
Her message is typical of Alex. Reading it brings a smile to my face. I can feel Jake watching me.
I look up. He’s smiling.
“What?”
“I like seeing you happy that’s all.”
I take a deep breath and text Alex back. “You’re the filthy skank LOL. Lunch sounds great, but no details. I don’t want to know what you got up to last night. Send me where and when later. Love you too….Skank.”
I hit the shower while Jake gets dressed.
My body feels different. It’s hard to explain. I suppose it’s because I had a mind blowing orgasm last night. The first and only one given to me by a man since Sam was alive.
The water is warm and comforting. I take my time and shave my body where it’s needed and wash my hair. As I dry off I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I look different too. I step closer to the basin to study my face. My skin seems clearer. I have colour in my cheeks that’s been missing for a long time now. As I step back away from the basin I notice my posture seems to be corrected and I’m not even trying to stand up straight. I dress then head back out into the bedroom.
I find Jake sitting at the deceivingly small looking table and chairs situated by the vast, tinted floor to ceiling windows which stretch the width of the room. There’s a serving table on wheels beside Jake with four cloches on it. The room is filled with an appetising smell which only a big breakfast with all the trimmings can give you.
Jake stands when he sees me.
With my index finger raised slightly I state, “Hang on one moment. I’ll just tell the girls I’m hanging out here for now.”
I walk out into the next room and no-one is there. I find a note on the table by the door. It reads, “Sounds like you need some rest after last night’s efforts. We’ll call and catch up for lunch later. Enjoy. Love from us.”
Oh my god. Chrissy did hear us last night and by the way she’s written the note everybody knows Jake stayed and that we had noisy sex. There’s nothing I can do about it now so I return to my room and shut the door. Even though no one else is here I don’t want to take my chances when it comes to risking any more embarrassment for either of us. No doubt we’ll cop it at lunch.
As I re-enter the room Jake gets up, pulls out the chair opposite his and waits for me to sit. He’s only wearing his jeans. Oh my.
“Why thank you Sir,” I say as I take my place at the table.
“You’re more than welcome.”
We giggle because I’m sure it’s rare for both of us to be in surroundings of this level of luxury.
“I didn’t know what you’d like for breakfast so I ordered a little bit of everything, oh and don’t stress I didn’t put this on your room tab, I paid for it,” Jake states as he returns to his chair.
“Oh you didn’t have to do that, but thank you. How about I shout you lunch, that’s if you still want to hang out with me by then?”
“Kat, wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”
His words are sweet and comforting.
Jake begins to remove the cloches. We’ve a choice of bacon and eggs on sourdough bread, pancakes with fresh strawberries, date scones and cereal. I start with bacon and eggs. I need a meal that’ll help soak up some of the previous night’s alcohol. On cue my morning after hangover headache rears its ugly head. I instinctively rub between my eyes. Jake jumps to his feet and heads to the bathroom. He returns with Panadol and pours me a glass of orange juice.
“I could get used to this,” I say.
“So could I.”
I sigh. “Jake we need to talk. As I said this has been great, but we have to be realistic. I mean how can this possibly become more than what it is right now? We’re from two different worlds and what if the thought of me was more appealing to you than…me.”
Jake puts his knife and fork down, swallows his food and sits back in his chair holding his cup of coffee.
He looks directly into my eyes. “Kat, what do I have to do to prove to you that I will do anything to be able to keep seeing you?”
“You say that, but you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into with me.”
“Let me find out for myself then.”
“And how are we going to do that with you here and me nearly three hours away.”
“I do own a car you know.”
“Don’t be smart. You know what I mean.”
“Yeah I can see why you think it might be a challenge, but challenge accepted I say. You just say the word Kat and I’ll be there, anywhere, anytime, whenever, whatever you want”
I shake my head in disbelief. Disbelief that this gorgeous man is sitting in front of me saying all these wonderful things to me and concern that the slightest taste of reality could send him running away with my broken heart. There’s only one thing I can do…Jump. The question is will I sink or swim? I’ll have to wait and see.
“Okay Jake. Let’s give it a go, but you need to tell me if you can’t handle it. You need to be honest with me, tell me how you’re feeling. I’d much rather know where I stand with you than have you walk out on me with no explanation whatsoever, and we need to take this real slow. I can’t just go home tomorrow and tell my kid’s ‘mummy has a new boyfriend!”
“Boyfriend hey! I like the sound of that.”
“I’m serious Jake. This is bigger than your average boyfriend-girlfriend relationship. I don’t think you understand how many people will be affected by this.”
The realisation of what I’ve just said scares me a little and I can feel my palms starting to sweat.
Jake reaches across the table to grasp my hand. “Kat don’t stress. It’ll be okay. I’ll do anything to make this as easy as possible for you and your kids, just give me a chance to show you.”
“Jake. Please don’t,” I ask as I once again pull my hand away from his.
“Don’t what?”
The poor guy looks honestly complexed then the penny drops. “Is that why you yelled at me six months ago? Because I held your hand?”
“Well it sounds stupid when you say it like that, but basically, yes.”
“Why can’t I hold your hand?” he asks as he reaches for my hand once more.
“Jake. Just don’t please.”
Raising his hands in surrender, “Ok. If that’s the way you want it.”
He’s not completely annoyed with me, just confused. I get that, but the thing I don’t get is how easily he accepted my request without knowing why. Maybe he doesn’t need an explanation. Maybe there is more to Jake than I’m giving him credit for.
I take a deep breath and force my shoulders to relax, “So, where do we go from here?”
“Let’s just get through today for a start.”
That sounds perfect. We can begin by taking things one day at a time.
“So tell me about these little rug rats of yours.” Jake sits back and continues to eat while I talk. Our little bump in the road now out of sight.
I begin telling Jake about Ashley and Aiden and their funny little ways. After a while I realise I’ve been talking for over an hour. Breakfast is well and truly over. It’ll be lunch time soon.
“Sorry,” I say. “I’ve been going on and on for ages. You haven’t been able to get a word in.”
“Don’t ever apologise for talking about your kids. They sound great and they’re obviously a huge part of your life. If not your whole life.”
“Yeah they are my…everything. I’d do anything for them. I can’t believe I’ve spent all that time last night talking to you and not once mentioned them.”
“Don’t beat yourself up over that. I’d like to think I was the reason why you were distracted. But Kat, I don’t ever want to come before your kids. I know what it’s like to lose your dad at a young age.”
“Oh my god Jake, I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’m okay. Kids are adaptable you know, they’ll be okay, they have you as their mother.”
“Do you still have your mum?”
“No.”
“Oh Jake, I’m sorry!”
“She killed herself shortly after Dad died. Let’s just say she had bigger issues and Dad’s death tipped her over the edge.”
“Jesus Jake this story isn’t getting any better.”
I have tears of empathy in my eyes as I imagining Jake as a small boy standing on the side of the road, lost, with no parents to love him. At least my kids have me.
“It’s okay I had my brother and sister.”
“Oh you have a sister too. Are your brother and sister older than you?”
“Yeah Veronica’s older by five years and Matthew by two.”
“So that would make them….how old then?”
“Is that a very polite way of asking me how old I am.”
Jake is laughing at me. It’s nice to see a smile on his face again. I could see sorrow touched him deeply while he was talking about his parents.
I’m blushing a nice shade of red now.
“Yeah I suppose I am. We really don’t know much about each other you know.”
“I’m 36 years old. No kids. Single, although I’m hoping to change my Facebook status soon.” Jake smiles then sighs all within a heartbeat as he continues his story.
“I was 14 when my dad, and then my mum, died. Verno was 19, Matthew 16. I know I wasn’t as young as your kids are now when I lost my olds, but I’ve always felt that I still could’ve benefitted from them being around through those tough teenage years you know. But they weren’t.
I’m grateful to have Matt and Verno in my life, I always will be. I was able to live with them and Verno’s boyfriend, now her husband, Troy, after it happened. When I was 18 I moved out to start my own life.”
“Verno?”
“Yeah she hates it. So when you meet her please call her Verno.” Jake is smiling again.
“I couldn’t do that to someone I’ve just met and I think we’ll leave that introduction for a day far in the future, don’t you think.”
“Yeah of course, I wasn’t trying to insinuate that you meet the whole Samson clan just yet.”
“Samson hey?”
“Yeah that’s right. Jake Robert Samson. I told you mine now you tell me yours.”
“It’s McVeigh. Katherine Anne McVeigh.”
“It suits you. You look like a Mrs Katherine McVeigh.”
The sound of my married name being spoken like that reminds me of my heartache. I get up from the table and walk away from Jake. He rushes after me and is holding me in his arms in an instant.
“Jake I’m sorry. I just…I feel like I’m cheating on Sam.”
“I get it. It’s not like you chose to separate, or move on from each other. He being gone must have left a massive hole in your heart, but I’m hoping I can help fix that for you. I don’t want to rush you Kat, I just think, give us some time and maybe some of those feelings might get a little easier to deal with.”
“Who are you?” I ask as I search Jakes eyes for a reason as to why he seems so understanding. I mean seriously does the guy have a degree in psychology or what?
He simply smiles at me. I feel myself melt. I’m caught in Jake’s embrace looking up into his disabling blue eyes and I suddenly want to kiss him. The feeling exonerates all my concerns of my infidelity. I grab Jake’s face and pull him toward me. If I had heels on I’d be able to reach his lips a little easier. Our kiss quickly erupts into a rush of passion. Jake scoops me up into his arms and walks over to the bed. He places me down gently then strokes my cheek and wipes away my tears. Jake leans into me and kisses both of my eyes. He’s so gentle and loving for such a big man.
We stare at each other and simply touch each other’s faces, exploring each other’s features. I notice a small scar on Jake’s left cheek. It’s a straight line like a knife wound. I can tell it would have been a deep cut.
“What happened here?”
“Oh there...” Jake blushes as he too runs his finger along the white, raised scar.
The man removes his clothing for a living in front of two hundred odd women every Saturday night and my observation of a small innocent scar on his cheek has made him blush.
“Jake Samson are you blushing?”
“Yeah, well, maybe a little.”
“Oh this is going to be good. Tell me everything.”
Our moment exanimating each other has passed. I sit up on my knees and wait like an excited student listening to teacher as he reads a story, itching with anticipation to find out what happens next.
Jake rolls onto his front, his face now looking at the bed. He lets out a heavy sigh and with a monotone voice he gives me his explanation of how he got to have the scar on his cheek.
“I was on stage doing a skit with B, The Son of Bondage, when we miss timed a step and one of his props cut me on my cheek.”
He rolls over, lies back and with his hands behind his head he silently smiles and nods as if his proud of what he has told me.
I stare at him for a moment. I can tell he’s not telling me the truth. His body language screams liar.
“Jake there’s more to this story and I know it. So either you tell me, or I ask Liam next time I see him, which will be in about…oh an hour.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll tell you. I’d rather you hear it from me cause the guys tend to embellish the story, a lot.”
“I’m waiting.”
Jake sighs and sits on the bed in front of me, legs crossed, his hands behind him so he’s leaning back. I can see every contour of every muscle from his neck to his navel and it’s not a bad sight let me tell you.
“Okay. So you’ve probably figured out that we each have a stage name for a reason right.”
“Right.”
“Well B got his cause he was having trouble with this cougar one night and the only way to stop her from trying to get into his pants was to tie her to the chair. So he used the feather bower he had and wrapped it around her wrist to stop her from groping him. And that’s how he became The Son of Bondage.”
“I look forward to hearing about how you got your stage name one day, but today is not the day. Continue.”
“You’re loving this aren’t you?”
“I love that I’ve made you blush, yes.”
Jake takes a deep breath and runs his hand through his hair. Now I’d like to think I have good self-control, but if he does that again I’m not going to hear the end of this story. I’ll jump him instead.
“Okay…So B used to do this skit where he’d get three chicks up on stage and he’d take turns in whipping them while they were tied up. It wasn’t rough at all, it’s all for show you know, just gives them a bit of a kick. He had every type of prop a good Son of Bondage would have. Whips, straps, hand cuffs - you name it. At the time, I was his helper. I’d tie the girls up while he danced around putting on a show. I never tied them up tightly in case they freaked out or something, but they’d always play along and leave their hands behind their backs.
Anyway one night one of the girls got loose and grabbed one of B’s props. It was a riding crop. It all happened so fast. One minute B was doing his thing on the first lady, the next thing I had been tripped. I fell on my front and hit the deck pretty hard. I rolled over to see what I had tripped on and there she was standing over me with the riding crop. She was the last lady in line and apparently she liked me and thought she’d have her way with me on stage.
Turns out she had a fetish for all things bondage and she wanted to make me her play thing. She yelled out, ‘Who’s your bitch now hey?’ and hit me with the riding crop. The end of it flew off before it sliced across my face, so I was hit with a pure metal rod. Hence the scar. It didn’t worry her that I was bleeding, in fact she looked quite satisfied. As I said it all happened so quickly, no one had time to come to my rescue, that’s when she made a dive for my pants and undid me right there and then on stage. She almost had me in her mouth when B noticed what the hell was going on and he grabbed her. I was shocked and bleeding and had to put myself ba
ck in my pants before I ran off stage.
B doesn’t have any metal props on stage with him anymore. I made sure of that. And he checks to make sure nothing’s broken before he goes on stage.”
After having seen the show three times now I can envision just how it would have all played out. Some of the women can get quite frisky with the guys and it’s rather funny watching them deal with drunk, randy women. I can see it now, Jake flat on his back with some inebriated, whip wielding woman standing over him trying to claim him.
“How the hell did she get in your pants and nearly swallow you whole? Weren’t you trying to stop her?”
“Well yeah I was, but she was strong and forceful and I was bleeding from the face. It was all a bit of a shock you know!”
Jake’s voice is raised and a little high pitched as he recites the moment that is replaying in his mind. I can tell by the way he’s told his story that he truly was scared that night. It would have taken a lot of courage for him to get back up on stage the following weekend.
“Well the crowd certainly got their money’s worth that night didn’t they?” I do my best not to laugh, but I can’t help myself. I’ve lost it. I haven’t laughed this hard in well…nearly a year. I roll back on the bed with tears running down my cheeks, but this time they’re tears of joy, at Jake’s expense of course, but none-the-less tears of happiness.
Then something happens. Something that usually happens to me when I laugh this hard, but I wished it hadn’t happened right now.
I pass wind.
“WHAT WAS THAT?” Jake shrieks.
His embarrassment from his story clearly overshadowed now by mine.
I instantly turned bright red. I grab and cover my face with a pillow as I do my best to stop myself from laughing.
“Oh here you are all high and mighty laughing at my indiscretion and you let out a fart in front of me. We’ve barely known each other a day and you think it’s okay to fart in front of me!”
Jake is tickling me, trying to make me laugh more. But I bare down tight and clench my butt cheeks together with all my might.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I say. “Please stop.”
Jake stops. “What are you sorry for Kat? Not being a lady, or for laughing at my story?”