Time to Control

by Marie Pinkerton

  "Wait, do you have to tell them? It's not a big deal, I'm fine with what I make. Besides, everyone else has a spouse or family to support."

  "That isn't an excuse, and you know it, Schroeder. And if they are doing it to you, they may be doing it to others as well. I have to tell them. It's my job."

  "But it'll piss Joseph off, and I don't want to be fired for making waves."

  Eddie put his arms around me, and this time I let him. "Sweetheart, is there something you're not telling me? In one breath you're saying you love your job, and in the next, you're afraid you're going to get fired. If one of your girl friends said something similar about her husband, you'd be on alert for domestic abuse. Is your company an abusive company to work for?"

  "What?! No!" I tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let go.

  He kissed the top of my head. "Think about it, okay? You shouldn't be living in fear for your job. Not when you do as much for the company as you do. Either they are abusing employees in one way or another -- and discriminating is a form of abuse -- or you're over-reacting to things, or... I don't know. But I don't like you thinking that they will fire you. And with all the problems you've had there, I certainly don't like you being happy there. It makes me concerned about your definition of happiness." He tilted my head up towards him with a fingertip under my chin.

  I cast my eyes to the side, not wanting to meet his gaze. "Can we just finish shopping so we can head home?" I asked, tiredly. He agreed, and the rest of the trip was without argument.

  Chapter Seven

  Eddie wouldn't let me carry anything in from the car, so I went in and changed. "That TV wasn't on the dresser this morning, was it?" I asked him, coming out of the bedroom in comfy pj's. "Wait, that certainly wasn't here earlier." I pointed to the massive flat panel HDTV hanging on the wall, cables hanging down from it.

  "I went shopping. Electronics is what I splurge on."

  Oh yeah, I was mad at him. I crossed my arms and got ready to yell at him, but he embraced me again. "I'm sorry. I've been saying that a lot, haven't I?” I nodded, and leaned my forehead against his chest.

  “Do you want me to reschedule my trip?” He asked softly.

  “What? Why?” My head was hurting again, and back to feeling thick.

  “Stay with you. Take care of you. Talk. Learn more about how not to upset my wife.”

  I chuckled and smiled, hiding the grin from him. “I haven't been Donna Reed myself. We'll figure it out. It's just been a long two weeks.”

  “I still want to be with you,” he said, rubbing the wedding ring.

  “I want to be with you too.” I tilted my head up and gave him a long kiss.

  He studied my eyes when we broke apart. “You look tired. Why don't you turn on the tv and figure out the remote. I'll put groceries away and make dinner.” I was about to object, and he pushed me towards the couch. “Go. Be a couch potato.”

  “Hon, where did you put the Bath and Body Works bag?” I called later that evening from the bedroom.

  “Um, I might have left it in the car.” He rested against the door frame, drying his hands on the dish towel he was using to dry the dishes with. “Need me to go get it?”

  “Unless you want me to go out like this, yes,” I answered, my nude body striking a very revealing pose.

  He swallowed and headed outside. When he returned I was bending over the bathtub, checking the temperature of the running water. “Wow, I am going to miss you.” He leaned over my back, his hands going for the soft breasts hanging down. He massaged them gently, and I moaned and arched my back, pressing my hips back into his. I straightened, and took advantage of our height difference and turned my neck so we could keep the body contact and kiss at the same time.

  “Mmm, you should go wash the dishes,” I finally said, pushing him away and reaching in the bag for some bubble bath.

  “Dishes can wait. I'd rather wash my wife.” He gave my naked body a good-natured leer, but I frowned.

  “Eddie, my head hurts, my ribs hurt, and I don't want to have another serious talk right now. I just want to have a nice long soak and read a book.”

  “Whoa whoa whoa. Who said anything about another talk?” He looked to have another activity for my mouth planned.

  I closed my eyes and sighed. Eddie reached around me and shut off the water. He checked to be sure the side of the tub was dry, then sat down and pulled me onto his lap. He caressed my breasts with one hand, and swirled his fingertip around the nipples that hardened. “Your body knows what it wants, even if your brain doesn't.”

  I wiggled from his grasp, and slid in below the bubbles, gasping at the hot water. “No. We shouldn't.”

  “Ooh, I'm up to a 'shouldn't' from a 'no'.”

  “Eddie, go get my book, will you?” I asked, exasperated.

  “No.” He grinned at me, showing the crinkles around his eyes that I normally loved. Today, not so much, I thought, ignoring the heat that rose between my legs. He grabbed one of the new washcloths from the stack on the lip of the tub, wet it, and started to wash an arm. I leaned my head back against the bath pillow and closed my eyes, conflicting emotions running through my body. Eddie paused in the washing, and got another washcloth and wet it, placing it folded over my eyes, soothing the headache. I fell a bit more in love with him.

  “I don't do condoms.”

  “Huh?”

  “No condoms. No Pill. No artificial birth control. Therefore, no sex.”

  “Sweetheart, we've been having sex,” he said cautiously, moving to the other arm.

  “Yes, but I haven't been fertile. Now I am, or at least close enough. So unless you want a baby in nine months, and I think there's several very valid reasons to wait at least six months before trying, no sex.”

  “How do you know that you are?” He was genuinely confused.

  “The body prepares for it. A woman can pay attention to the signs, and know. It helps that my cycle is as regular as clockwork. Right now my body is saying 'virile man – he sire strong children – make baby now!' and flooding me with hormones. I want to jump your bones, and it's taking a lot of restraint to stay away.” The washing moved to my torso, and I squirmed, torn between enjoying the pleasure and knowing I should make him stop.

  “Guys don't need to have sex every day, you know,” he confided. “They only want to. We can control ourselves if we need to.” I didn't think my nipples could get harder, but the friction from the washcloth was stimulating them even more. “And not every action needs to lead to sex. If not having sex when you're fertile is part of the deal, I can work with that. But that doesn't mean we have to be hands off.” He tweaked a nipple, and I sighed in relief when he moved to wash a foot.

  “I--”

  “You said you didn't want to talk. So don't talk, just listen. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to have little Schroeder's and Eddie's running around, but I may insist on more feminine names for our girls. I want lots of kids, and I know we haven't talked about that yet. However, I do agree that we need to wait. We know we're married, but the world does not. One of the two of us will be moving in a few months, and it'd be easier if you weren't massively pregnant at the time. Also,” he sighed, and moved to the other leg. “We have an amazing opportunity with the ring. We don't know how it works, or why. I want to play with it more, and travel with you. I don't want to do that with you pregnant – I'd be too worried for the baby. I also wouldn't want to leave our kids at home while we go, even if it's just for a second. We can discuss timing later, but until then, I'm going to be as hand's on as I want to be.”

  He brought the washcloth between my legs to wash me, and his touch was anything but clinical. I parted my legs involuntarily, giving him better access. I felt his lips touch mine, and I relaxed into the kissing and ministrations.

  “Lots of kids?” I asked when I was functional again.

  “Oh yeah.”

  I grinned at him mischievously. “I don't think I'll mind making babies with
you. And I hear that can take lots of practice.”

  “Oh, yeah, lots of practice.” He grinned back.

  “I'm looking forward to it.”

  Later that night in bed, Eddie whispered into my ear while cuddling. “Is there anything else you haven't told me?”

  “Hmm?” I woke up a bit to process his request. “Like what?”

  “Like earlier.”

  “Hon, I don't know. My brain hurts to think. It's been a roller coaster of a day. I just want to go to sleep. We can talk tomorrow.”

  “I'm leaving at seven,” he reminded me.

  “There's this new invention,” I murmured, pulling the blanket up around my chin. “It's called the telephone.”

  He chuckled, and kissed me. “Good night.”

  “'nite, love.”

  Half an hour later I threw off the covers, rolled over, and punched him in the chest. “I'm mad at you.”

  “Bloody hell, woman! What was that for?” Now fully awake, Eddie sat up against the headboard and hauled me close, holding my hands securely.

  “I was sleeping, and you made me wake up and think. You want to talk now, or what?”

  He rubbed his chest, where I punched him, ruefully. “Well, I'm certainly not falling back asleep any time soon. What did you want to talk about?”

  “I don't know, you're the one that wanted to talk. What else haven't you told me? You're going to Chicago, when are you coming back? Are you coming back here? Or do I have to come visit you? Where else do you have to go? Are we planning visits ahead of time, or spur of the moment? When are we traveling next? Are we going to Henry's, or visiting a random time period?”

  “All right, enough.” He clamped a hand over my mouth. “I'll be done in Chicago Friday, and was going back to New York for the weekend. I have a meeting Monday morning there, and believe it or not, I have work to do in my own office. I can probably sneak out next Friday afternoon and hop a flight here, flying back Sunday evening. Unless you don't want me to come.”

  He released my mouth so I could answer. “Oh, I want you to come,” I said, wiggling an arm free and finding his groin. “I really want you to come.” Eddie took a shuddering breath and reclaimed my hand prisoner.

  “You're more than welcome to come visit me any time,” he continued. “Can you do your job remotely? Do you have any vacation time saved up? Maybe you can come visit me in New York for a week?”

  “I didn't think about that. I doubt they'd let me telecommute, but I do have two weeks of vacation time still, even after the days off I've taken recently. You wouldn't mind if I come visit?” I craned my neck around so I could look at him.

  “I'd love for you to come,” he told me, and kissed me until my toes curled. “As for traveling,” he said when I was left panting, “I'd like to go somewhen each time we're together. We should make a list of where and when we want to go after we take care of Henry.”

  “Ooh, good idea.”

  He nudged me. “Making the lists would also help keep us occupied when we can't be together.”

  I sighed, and buried my head in his bare chest.

  “What, babe?”

  “I don't want to be alone,” I admitted. Eddie tightened his arms around me, being cautious of my bruises. “It's been great being with you this past week, and having you come with me to my parents. But it's kept me from thinking about the fact that I lost my apartment, I'm married in a long-distance relationship, and I'm now living in an expensive town home that I still can't tell apart from the neighbor's. Not to mention the problems at work. I'm afraid that you're going to leave, and everything is going to come crashing down on me.”

  “I can quit tomorrow,” he said quietly.

  “No, I'm not asking you to do that,” I protested. “You like your job. Probably more than I like mine.”

  “Baby, something needs to give, and I don't want it to be your sanity.”

  “I don't think I'm going to lose it, Eddie. You've just.... you've made me think a lot about myself. And I'm not sure I've liked what I've found.”

  He kissed my forehead. “Well I'm sure I've liked what I've found in you. You're strong, beautiful, confident, and I love being around you. I love spending time with you, and traveling with you. I can't think of anyone I'd like to experience the past with more.” He moved his lips down to mine and showed me his love.

  “If you need me, you just ask, and I'll be here, Schroeder. I promise.”

  It was hard for me to get up in the morning due to us staying up talking for so long the night before. “Wait, am I driving you?” I asked, realizing I had no idea how he was getting to the airport.

  He chuckled as he towel dried his hair. “A shuttle is picking me up. Are you hopping in the shower?”

  “Nah, I'll wait until you leave. Come here?” He wrapped the towel around his waist and came to stand between my knees. I put my arms around him, breathing in his scent.

  “Oh, I forgot to tell you. Your credit cards should be coming in a few days. Next time you're in New York we'll get you added to the bank account.”

  “Huh?”

  He combed his fingers through my hair, getting out the tangles from overnight. “Credit cards. I've added you to my accounts. There's still a bunch you need to get to finish up this place, and you said you didn't have much in the bank.”

  “You're giving me credit cards?” I asked stupidly. “Why?”

  “Silly wife.” He pulled on my hair to lean my head up towards him, and kissed me on the lips. “Do you realize most women would be asking me what the credit limit was, and already planning on how to spend it? And not questioning why?”

  “Um.” I kissed him back, and grabbed his butt through the towel and pulled his hips to me. “If you're sure. I won't spend much, I promise.”

  “Spend as much as you want, I trust you. No, baby, we don't have time for that,” Eddie grudgingly said, unwinding my fingers from the towel where I was undoing the knot. Undeterred, I slid my hands up his thighs and gained access to his growing erection. “Schroeder, you shouldn't--” He broke off when I removed the towel and brought my mouth into play.

  It didn't take long to bring him to completion, and he pushed me back on the bed and collapsed on top of me afterwards. He put his arms under my armpits and hauled me up further on the bed so our heads could be even. I grinned at him like the cat that swallowed the canary, and started nibbling on his earlobe.

  “I really need to get going.”

  “Yeah, I totally see you moving.” I flicked my tongue into his ear, and he about jumped out of his skin.

  “Wow, this is going to be a long week.” He stood up and ran his hands through his hair, giving I an excellent view of his entire body. I started to reach for him again, and he danced out of the way. “No. I gotta shower again. Hands to yourself.”

  Fifteen minutes later I stood by the front door with him, bags next to them. “I'm going to miss you, Eddie,” I whispered, hugging him tight.

  “Me too, love. Call me if you need anything, will you? Promise me.” He lifted my chin up with a fingertip, and I nodded solemnly. “Good girl.” He kissed the tip of my nose. “I love you, Schroeder.”

  “I love you too, Eddie,” I said, and closed the door firmly behind him before bursting out in tears.

  Thankfully, work was busy enough where I didn't think about Eddie all morning. And come lunch time, I was too pissed to be mournful.

  I kicked the flat tire on my Jetta, regretting driving over the piece of debris in the roadway that morning. I thought it was just a flat sheet of metal, but the deflated tire proved there was at least one sharp edge. Although didn't I hit it with the other side? No matter, it had to be from that. It was my own damn fault. So much for going out to lunch.

  I considered calling AAA, but practicality won out. There was a tire store just a few blocks away, and I couldn't imagine getting a donut put on, then driving three blocks down to buy a tire and pay them to put it on. I called Dylan, but she had already gone to lunch. Matt had
n't left yet, and was quite happy to drive me over. Matt was strong enough to manhandle the tire into the trunk as well, which I knew I'd have to do if I had gone with Dylan. And since my ribs still hurt, I was rather glad I had Matt.

  “Thanks for the lift,” I said when he dropped me and the tire off at my car. “I'll call AAA to have them come change it.”

  “Oh, Hell no.” Matt insisted on changing it himself, and ended up being assisted by a few other salesmen coming back from their lunch breaks. Shane, one of the guys, had worked in a dealership before coming to work for the company. He inspected the tire, and pulled me to the side after the others left.

  “This isn't a standard puncture,” he told me quietly. “You have a cut on the tire wall, on the inside. There's no way you hit something there. It's more likely that someone slashed it, but tried to hide it.”

  My jaw tightened. Alan. I just knew it.

  Shane persisted. “Why would someone do this to you? Does anyone have any grudges against you?”

  I stared at him, surprised he hadn't heard office gossip. “Maybe an ex-boyfriend,” I lied. “You know me – love 'em and leave 'em. Thanks for the help.”

  I sat back at my desk, fuming. Had Alan lost his mind? Why on earth would he do that? Getting upset with me and sending me spam was one thing, but wanton destruction of property was another. I hoped he found a new job, and soon. Then he'd be too busy to even contemplate more revenge on me.

  I didn't tell Eddie about the tire when we talked that evening. He'd just freak out, I thought. Overreact. He had plenty to talk about though, as he had talked to Kinerian about the disparity in pay in the tech department.

  “They were pissed, hon,” he told me. “Absolutely livid. They brought Joseph in on the conference call to yell at him. Apparently he had no clue what anyone made – it was all Alan.”

  “I find that hard to believe. Alan had to get every raise approved by him, and claimed to always have to fight to get a three percent raise.”

  “And you believe him now?” Eddie asked wryly. “I looked at the raises over the past few years, and some have gotten up to a ten percent raise.”