The Chinese Tiger Ying

by Larry Darter

  Groaning, I somehow found the strength to get out of bed. On rubbery legs, I dug a robe out of the wardrobe and shuffled to the bathroom to shower and brush my teeth.

  Fifteen minutes later I joined Mike at the table for a coffee. Again he hadn’t been bothered to put anything on, even his undies.

  “It’s a bit rude as a guest to mince about starkers don’t you think?” I said.

  “It’s only us here,” Mike said. “We’ve seen each other naked often enough.”

  “Doesn’t make it right,” I said with a raised eyebrow. “As you see, I’ve put on a robe.”

  “Good grief,” Mike said. “When did you become so puritanical about nudity?”

  He stood up from the table in all his naked male glory.

  “Oh my God, Mike,” I said. “Go put something on and stop bobbing about.”

  When he returned a few minutes later with the coffee carafe from the kitchen he was wearing boxers. The boxers didn’t do much to conceal the issue at hand, actually. He refilled our coffee cups. After we’d had a third cup, Mike left the room to shower. I made a mad dash to the lounge in search of my mobile. I finally found it between the sofa cushions and rang Nick. I could tell by his voice I’d awakened him. After a brief catch-up, I gave him a bullshit story about a girlfriend having to spend the weekend with me because she’d had a nasty argument with her partner and had needed a place to crash. I felt sad because I could hear the disappointment in his voice when I said I couldn’t go to North Shore and leave her alone all day. I swore to make it up to him.

  “Then can you come over Monday after work?” Nick said.

  “Yep, I can do that,” I said. “I really can’t wait to see you again.”

  Nick cheered up a little. I was already feeling the familiar tingles and aches just from hearing his voice. After Nick promised he’d do his best to survive without me until Monday, we hung up. I heard Mike open the bathroom door. He came into the lounge with a bath towel wrapped around his waist. My cheeks felt hot. I hoped he didn’t notice the blushing, or at least wouldn’t mention it. I couldn’t imagine why I was embarrassed about calling Nick, anyway. Mike and I weren’t in a relationship.

  We had a last cup of coffee. Then Mike stood up from the table. He grinned. I could tell from the look on his face what he was thinking.

  “Nooooo, Mike. No more. I’ve already showered. You should just appreciate what you got last night, and again this morning. To be fair, I should have already given you the boot for your numerous rule violations.”

  Mike’s grin widened. “You know you want to,” Mike said.

  “No, I don’t want to.”

  Mike let the bath towel drop to the floor. Obviously, he hadn’t taken a cold shower.

  “Bloody hell,” I said getting up from the table. No more, I thought to myself. Yeah right. Famous last words. I followed Mike back to my bedroom, untying the knot on the belt of my robe.

  Twenty-Eight

  Monday morning dawned after a grueling Sunday I hadn’t been certain I’d survive. Mike had already showered, dressed, and left for work. But, not before he had tempted me into whole-heartedly taking part in a final act of morning carnal coupling.

  I walked him to the door on quivering legs with my robe clinched tightly around me. There I’d forced him to swear by all things holy he understood he was not to return to my house without an invitation whether or not Oshiro had moved out of his apartment. He swore, but the roguish grin hadn’t left me feeling warm and fuzzy about his sincerity. I supposed it didn’t really matter as I’d be gone to Nick’s flat before Mike finished work, anyway. I was safe from his wily ways for at least the day.

  After Mike left, I took a hot shower, brushed my teeth, and got dressed. I wanted to go back to bed desperately because I needed the rest. But, I wanted to have a catch-up with my friend Jackie before I went over to Nick’s flat later. We’d spoken a few times briefly since I’d started my case, but I wanted to see her in person to talk over my predicament. I’d rang her, and we had arranged a meeting for lunch around noon.

  Sunday had indeed turned into an all-day shagfest. While admittedly I’d loved every minute, I’d almost despaired it would ever end because I’d felt so exhausted. But, no matter how knackered I’d felt, neither Mike nor I had been able to keep our hands off each other after it started. I’d been an ardent participant in every single one of the countless iterations of lustful mating, along with all the other sundry activities we’d got up to, all of them salacious.

  Mike had always been great in bed when we’d been together. But Sunday it had been obvious he was a good bit more adventurous and resourceful than in the past. At any rate, I felt sure we’d worked our way through a respectable number of the positions detailed in The Illustrated Kama Sutra before falling asleep Sunday night. Mike had also gained some new tantric-like skills since our past relationship. It was a bitter pill to swallow knowing it must have been Oshiro who had been the source of Mike’s new skills. While we hadn’t spoken about it much, Mike had said enough I had worked out he had gone directly from me to Oshiro once he had felt ready to climb back aboard the fickle dating horse.

  I’d dozed off on the couch when Mike rang and woke me at around ten. I couldn’t believe I’d fallen asleep. But giving it a think, realized there had probably been a good reason I had. Anyway, I was happy Mike had called because I hadn’t planned to fall asleep and didn’t want to miss lunch with Jackie.

  Mike told me he had gone with a group of cops to the air freight terminal to seize Bryce’s shipment. But when they arrived the warehouse workers couldn’t locate a single box. The entire shipment had vanished into thin air. Believing Chambers had paid off an employee or two to turn over the shipment, Mike said the cops had spent the rest of the morning reviewing security video recordings and interviewing the air terminal employees. So far, they had turned up nothing.

  “Think Chambers has it stored at his house?” I said.

  “Probably not,” Mike said. “That would be a dumb move. Even with his connections, he couldn’t be certain we won’t eventually get a search warrant.”

  “I really hope you can find Bryce’s shipment,” I said. “It would really be a help for clearing Ken Lawrence.”

  “Yeah, and it might help us break the Lee Tran murder case too,” Mike said. “All we can do is continue what we’re doing and hope we find something to connect Chambers with the missing shipment.”

  “The guy at the insurance company in San Francisco promised to fax me the photos and descriptions of the artifacts included in the collection with Tiger Ying,” I said. “I’ll dash by the office today to see if it has arrived.”

  “Okay, good,” Mike said. “I’ll call you if I learn anything. Let me know if you receive the information from San Francisco.”

  “Ahkay,” I said.

  “Unless you want me to come by this evening so we can compare notes,” Mike said.

  “Dammit, Mike,” I said. “No. No. No. That’s not happening. Anyway, I won’t be home this evening. I’ve got something on with Jackie and may spend the night at her place.”

  “Can you at least tell me where we stand?” Mike said.

  “Ahkay, I suppose it’s only fair,” I said. “As I’ve said, again and again, I’m unwilling to restart the relationship, Mike. I don’t want that right now. I don’t think enough has changed since we ended it to warrant it. To be fair, I suppose I’m not saying never, but I’m definitely saying not right now.”

  “But, the last two days have been awesome,” Mike said. “I could tell you enjoyed it as much as I did.”

  “I won’t deny I enjoyed it, Mike,” I said. “But the worry is you don’t see it for it was. Yes, we had lots of stupidly amazing sex. But it was just sex, good fun, shared by two people who care about each other. I can’t promise you anymore than that at the moment.”

  “Wait, you’re saying you might continue to sleep with me?” Mike said.

  “Only if you swear you understand it isn’t
leading us anywhere,” I said. “If you can convince me you understand it’s just sex, then I’ll stop fighting you on that front. Sex was never one of our issues, Mike. That bit was always great. Maybe it’s even better now. I loved having you here over the weekend. But, I’ve hurt you once, and I won’t do it again. I won’t do anything that might lead you to hope things have headed the direction you want them to go when they haven’t. It wouldn’t be fair to you or me.”

  “I can live with that,” Mike said. “I love having the intimacy back with you. I’m willing to take that and wait to see what might develop.”

  “That’s the thing I insist you understand before we go forward,” I said. “Nothing at all may ever develop. I don’t want a relationship right now with anyone. It would only be sex when it was convenient for us both, and we both wanted it. There is no exclusivity involved. We’re both going to remain free to see other people if we want to. And, I think you should explore that option.”

  “Why? I don’t want to date anyone else. I love being with you. That’s what I want. I’m serious. I’m ready to accept what you’re offering, no strings attached.”

  “I’m serious about this, Mike,” I said. “If you’re up for a shag now and then, that’s great. But if you try to push me back into the relationship thing, the deal will be off. You understand that, right?”

  “Yes, and I won’t try to pressure you into anything. I know that killed the relationship to start with. I won’t make the same mistake again. I’ll give you the time and space to decide what you want. I’ll respect that whatever it is.”

  “Okay, then on a trial basis, we’ll give it a go and see what happens,” I said. “We probably need to suss things out a bit more just so I can feel confident we really are on the same page with this. If I don’t hear from you before, ring me Tuesday if you want. Maybe we can have a catch-up and talk about it more.”

  “And, after we talk, maybe a little of the other?” Mike said.

  “I told you I’m all good with it, as long as you understand everything I’ve just said.”

  “Awesome, I’ll call you Tuesday then, babe,” Mike said.

  “Ahkay, well I have to dash,” I said. “I’m meeting Jackie for lunch.”

  We said goodbye and hung up. I let out a long sigh. I hoped I wasn’t making a massive mistake. Mike was a great guy, and I had never stopped caring for him. If he could live up to and be happy with the arrangement I’d outlined, I’d be thrilled. We were compatible in lots of ways, and the sex was amazing.

  Yet, I had feelings for Nick too, and he ticked a lot of boxes for me. I wasn’t even considering letting him go. I saw no reason I should be expected to. While I wasn’t exactly sure this was something sustainable over the long term, I knew I wanted to give it a go. Where was the harm? Perhaps I was getting the most from the current situation but weren’t Nick and Mike getting what they wanted too? I couldn’t wait to hear Jackie’s opinion. She never held back. If she thought me mad for being a part of this odd love triangle, then she’d say so. That’s why I trusted her opinion so much.

  Looking at my watch, I saw it was time to head to Kapolei to meet Jackie. I grabbed my jacket, hopped on the motorbike and left the house.

  Twenty-Nine

  In the Aulani Cafe inside the Kapolei Shopping Center near John Rodgers Field, at our table for two, we could look out at the traffic whizzing past on the freeway. What the restaurant lacked in captivating views was more than compensated for by the variety and deliciousness of the food. Aulani offered American, Polynesian, and Hawaiian dishes—everything from sushi to roast beef.

  Because it was close by John Rodgers Field where Jackie operated her flight service, it had been a favorite lunch spot for us back when Jackie had furnished me office space inside her hangar.

  Jackie was drinking a beer. I sipped a nice glass of merlot.

  “Both of them?” Jackie said.

  “Yep.”

  “And they are both great in the sack?”

  “The best.”

  “How is that?”

  “A bit different.”

  “And, ah, sexually stimulating?” Jackie said.

  “Quite.”

  “But, isn’t it a little complicated?”

  “Scheduling is a bit of a challenge at times, yep,” I said.

  “Holy shit! Where do you find the energy?” Jackie said. “I find it hard enough to make time to date one guy, let alone two. And, seriously having sex every day, multiple times each day?”

  “Well, you know, guys do a lot of the heavy lifting when you’re shagging,” I said. “I mean to say I actively take part, but mostly I find I can relax and enjoy surfing the never-ending waves of ecstasy.”

  Jackie laughed. “Seriously? Afterward, do they hand-feed you grapes from a silver bowl?”

  “Ha. It hasn’t come to that yet. But it’s been sweet as. I can tell you that.”

  “I’ve never done it, but I’ve had girlfriends who have dated two guys at the same time,” Jackie said. “But, not for long, maybe two or three months. Then they would choose which guy to drop and which one to seal the deal with and make the relationship official with him. But, it doesn’t sound like you’re talking about that.”

  “No, I’m not,” I said. “I’m not ready for a long-term, monogamous relationship at the moment. I learned that from my past relationship with Mike. I’m only interested in something casual and fun. With both Nick and Mike, it’s only sexual. I’m not trying to work out a choice.”

  Jackie said, “I’m a little surprised at you.”

  “I’m a little surprised myself,” I said. “I’ve only ever been in the standard one-on-one in the past.”

  “It’s so daunting to contemplate,” Jackie said. “If one or both ever catch on to what you’re doing, how will you explain it?”

  “That’s been a bit of a worry of late,” I said. “That’s why I needed your take on it.”

  “To be honest, I don’t think it’s sustainable,” Jackie said. “If you haven’t already started, I think you’ll soon be fabricating all kinds of ridiculous lies to keep them separated from each other. It will get increasingly difficult to keep your lies straight. And come on, it’s inevitable you’ll call one by the other’s name. If it happens during the throes of passion, you’re screwed and not in a good way.”

  “Yep, I already had to lie to Nick because we had something on for last Sunday, but then Mike needed a place to stay over the weekend. I couldn’t just leave Mike alone at my house all day Sunday to be with Nick. That would have been impossible to explain to him.”

  “But, you don’t want to stop doing it do you?” Jackie said. “I can see it in your eyes when you talk about them.”

  “No, I rather like it as it is,” I said. “I had never dreamed I'd be shagging Mike again, but it’s been amazing. He hasn’t been pressuring me for a commitment as before. I was already seeing Nick when it happened with Mike, and he’s an awesome guy too. I’m stuck. I don’t want to give either of them up.”

  “Doesn’t it seem a little like, you know, a ménage à trois?” Jackie said.

  “Oh hell nooooo,” I said. “It’s not like we’re all in bed together having an orgy, is it? That would be grotty. I’d never take part in a three-way.”

  “I don’t see how what you’re doing is much different,” Jackie said. “You’re getting all the attention from two guys either way. Assuming both your boys are straight and not bi-curious, even if all three of you got together in one bed they wouldn’t be interacting. You would do it with the first guy until he was, you know, spent. Then you’d do it with the other dude. Then rinse and repeat until you were all exhausted. All the attention would still be on you, and they would both get their satisfaction individually.”

  “Okay, sure, I see the logic, but it still isn’t like a ménage à trois. In the scenario you painted, both Mike and Nick would have to know about each other and agree to the arrangement. In my situation, both are unaware I’m sleeping with the other
. I have it with each of them at different times and places. Maybe you might call it a love triangle if you feel labeling it is necessary.”

  Jackie nodded. “Holy shit! Don’t you feel even a tiny bit like a ho?”

  “I struggled with that at first. Sometimes, it still feels as though I’m being a bit shady,” I said. “But, I’m not exactly wracked with guilt. I mean both are keen as to shag me. I’m keen to shag both guys. I treat them equally. Sure, I’m getting what I want, but aren’t they?”

  “I admit it sounds super hot,” Jackie said. “But, I couldn’t do it. I’d not be able to rationalize it like you are. I mean playing the role of the perfect girlfriend to two guys? Even if it isn’t technically cheating, to me it would still feel like cheating. My feelings of shame would be palpable.”

  “Both are so different, and both have qualities that tick a lot of boxes for me,” I said. “It’s not that I’m stuck in indecision unable to choose one over the other. I don’t want to choose. I want them both. Why should I have to let one of them go?”

  Jackie shook her head. “It’s tantalizingly sexy to think about, but still seems daunting. Do you think it’s sustainable? Doing it every day with two hotties, multiple times a day with each of them? Aren’t you feeling even a little raw down there?”

  “There was a bit of discomfort at the beginning when I added Mike to the mix,” I said. “But it seems I’ve adjusted. I always want it with Nick even when I’ve just had it with Mike and vice versa. And, I never have to force myself. I’m always eager for it, and it’s always pleasurable and super satisfying. I feel it will turn out like it is when you’re with only one guy. You root like bunnies at first, but doesn’t it fall off after a while? At the moment, both want to go at it three or four times whenever we do it, but I think it will decline to a more manageable level.”

  “You’re always up for it?”

  “Oh God yes, I seem to want it constantly. I even want it when I first wake up in the mornings now which I never did before. If anything, it feels more pleasurable than ever.”