The Best of June

by Tierney O’Malley

  June blinked as if waking up from a trance. “Get in?”

  “The tub, hon.”

  “Oh.”

  Grinning, he helped her settle. Then he realized he hadn’t put bubble bath in the water. “Do you want the bath soap?”

  “No, thanks. This feels great.”

  She lay in the tub like a beautiful mermaid, enticing him to go to her without even trying. Her eyes were closed but a smile played on her lips.

  He wrapped a towel around his waist then sat on the edge of the tub. The water was deep so that her whole body was submerged. June opened her eyes. Noticing that he was staring, she tried to bend her knees to cover herself. Henry shook his head. “You shouldn’t be shy about your nudity. You have a beautiful body.”

  “I think the last time my mom watched me take a bath was when I was eight. Since then, I’ve bathed on my own.”

  “You should get used to me watching you take a bath. You’re my wife.” Since her hands were busy covering her breasts, he grabbed the washcloth on the rack then knelt beside the tub.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Washing you.” He wet the towel then rubbed the soap on it. He started with June’s feet.

  “Eeep!”

  Henry’s cock began to harden again when he saw her lovely toes with the little pinkie curled down. “Just relax.” I should.

  “How?”

  “Pretend I’m your mom giving you a bath.”

  “You’re kidding.”

  Henry grinned. “Now while I do this, I want you to start explaining why you walked in the rain.”

  “It wasn’t raining when I left home. Henry, please. This is ridiculous.”

  “Keep talking.” He tried to focus on her foot and not the pink globes that she tried to hide or the dark curls between her legs.

  “By the time I reached the bus stop, rain was—”

  “What were you doing there?” He washed between her toes then massaged her foot.

  June sighed then closed her eyes. “Lord, that feels heavenly.”

  “June?” he repeated.

  “I needed to catch the bus to go downtown. That’s why.”

  “Did you leave your car at the park-and-ride then decide to walk?” He lifted her leg above the water so he could wash it. He kissed her knee. He wanted to keep on kissing her until he reached that beautiful apex between her legs but forced himself to stay on the topic. Besides, June looked ready to fall sleep. “Honey?”

  “What?”

  “Your car.”

  “I don’t have one.”

  “But…” Now that he thought about it, he’d never seen another car parked outside or in the garage. He’d just assumed that there was one. What the hell? “Do you have a car or have you had one before?”

  “Never had a car. I depended on the bus—to go to work and wherever I had to go. Sometimes Vi or Craig gives me a ride.”

  “Why didn’t you ask them today?”

  “Vi is in school during the mornings and works in the afternoons. I don’t want to call Craig.”

  “He’d probably be here in a hurry.”

  “Exactly. I don’t even want to imagine being in the same car with him.”

  “Your parents?”

  “They’re in Las Vegas. Remember the vacation we were planning to go on? We got married so I didn’t get to go.” June’s shoulders sagged.

  “I’ll take you there myself. Anyway, what about me? Why didn’t you call? I gave you my cell number for a reason.”

  “You’re working. Besides, there’s the bus.”

  “Have you ever heard of a taxi?” Henry lifted June’s leg and rested it on his shoulder.

  “Henry…”

  “Shh…” Damn, he couldn’t get enough of his wife. “About the taxi?”

  “Do you have any idea how much it would cost to hire a cab from here to downtown?”

  June’s frown had him thinking. Maybe she didn’t have money. He’d open a checking account under her name and get her a debit card. Then he remembered the contract. The Greenwalds didn’t want him supporting June. Fuck that. June didn’t know anything about it. “We have money.”

  “Bus is better.”

  Henry slowly slid the washcloth along the inside of June’s thigh until he reached her wet pubic hair. June immediately clamped her legs together, making him smile. Her shyness was so fresh and real. He loved it. “No. From now on, you are not taking the bus. It’s ridiculous. Drive my car, hon. You know how to drive, don’t you?”

  “Kind of. I lack practice. Besides, driving downtown is crazy.”

  “What about a closer clinic?”

  “My doctor works downtown.”

  “Find another one closer? Swedish Edmonds Hospital is only a few minutes away.”

  June started scooping up water then dumping it on her knee. “Been seeing my doctor for a long time. He knows me.”

  He’d buy her a new car. No, maybe a truck and hire her a driver. “Trip to the bus stop ends today, hon. Give me your schedule and I’ll make sure I’m home to take you to your doctor.” She shouldn’t be walking alone, especially in this part of their neighborhood. If some lunatic attacked her or she was run over by some drunk while walking, no one would see. And how far did she walk? Staring at June, a strong urge to hug her overwhelmed him. Reality struck him—it would be horrible to lose her.

  “You don’t need to bother yourself, Henry. I can—”

  “Yeah. Take care of yourself. I know. Still. From now on, no riding the bus.”

  “You’re a bully.”

  “And you’re a witch who has cast a spell on me. You know that?” He splashed water on her.

  “Stop.” June covered her face. “What did I do? I’m not a witch.”

  “You made me worry.”

  She gave him a puzzled look.

  “Don’t look surprised. You’re my wife, June. If you’re not home cooking, of course I’m going to worry.”

  “Oh. So, it’s the lack of homemade dinner that had you worrying.”

  “Got that right.” He dropped the cloth into the water. Slowly, he made a circling motion on her pubic mound.

  June sucked in her breath then bit her lower lip.

  “If you ride the bus again, I’ll tie you in bed. Naked.”

  “Ha!” She splashed him repeatedly.

  “Hey!”

  He captured her hands, trying to stop her, but she submerged herself in the water and held her breath. “Brat.” He reached in and pulled her out of the tub. “You’re done.”

  She wiped the water off her face. “I’m not done!”

  “Yes, you are.”

  “No! The water is really warm. I don’t want to waste it.”

  Henry wrapped June in an oversized soft towel then carried her back in the bedroom, where he deposited her in the middle of the room. He began drying her off.

  “My hair is wet.”

  Henry undid her hair. “We’ll dry it, then.” By the time he was done with her, June’s eyes were half closed. “Poor baby.” He turned down the bed then helped her settle.

  June yawned. “I need my clothes.”

  “Sleep nude.”

  “I’m too tired to argue. Thank you, Henry.”

  Her color was still high and lovely. He covered her with the sheet. While his eyes were on her, he removed his towel and dropped it on the floor. Sighing, he joined her in bed.

  “We haven’t had dinner.”

  “You hungry?”

  “No. Just tired. But you want Chinese broccoli.”

  With his heart beating fast, he tugged his wife closer to him. He liked spooning with her—intimate. June let out a lusty yawn.

  “Rest. Don’t worry about dinner.”

  It took a minute before she replied, “I’m thinking about cooking green beans with shredded pork and a splash of fish sauce. Have you had anything with fish sauce?”

  Henry smiled. “Maybe.”

  “You’ll love my green beans. But you don’t have t
o if you don’t want—”

  “I’ll try your green beans.”

  June sighed. “You’re staying for dinner, then?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  June wriggled closer to him, her butt rubbing his semi-hard cock. Henry closed his eyes and savored the feel of his wife in his arms. The first time they’d done this, he hadn’t wanted it to end. Now she was back in his arms, except their paths had crossed again for a totally different reason.

  He heard a cell phone ring. It came from the bathroom. It was his phone that he kept in his jeans pocket. He ignored it. But it kept on ringing.

  “Henry?”

  “Sleep, baby.”

  “Henry?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You don’t have to stay with me. I’ll be fine. It’s okay if you leave to go to her.”

  Henry opened his eyes and pointed his gaze on the sole frame sitting on the dresser. This close, he could see it was an image of an ultrasound that she had framed. The baby’s profile showed the shape of her head, stomach and toes. Jelly Bean.

  “Henry.”

  “I heard you. Do you want me to go to her?” It was a stupid question. What kind of a wife would want her husband to go to his girlfriend?

  “What I think is not important. I just… I just don’t want you to feel that you have to stay with me because you feel obligated.”

  “I want to stay with you. You’re my wife.”

  “But I don’t want you to hate me more because you couldn’t—”

  “Can you do me a favor?”

  “What?”

  “Let’s not talk about Stacey, your reasons, my reasons, or why we are married. From now on, we’ll leave everything outside the bedroom door. In here, it’s just going to be you and me. At least until Jelly Bean is born. Deal?”

  “Deal.”

  “We have to seal it.”

  June turned to face him and offered her hand. “Shake hands?”

  “I have a better idea.” Without taking his gaze off her, he traced her shoulder, her curvaceous side and the warm plumpness of her pubic mound with his finger. “Baby, you lost your chance to take a late nap.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Henry sat with his best friend John at the breakfast table. They’d been sharing coffee from the carafe. Everything was set except for the food. Henry had been anxiously waiting to have their breakfast.

  Earlier when he’d told June that John would be coming for breakfast, she’d tried to get off the bed as fast as she could, but he’d stopped her and coaxed her into making love to him again.

  Exhausted, she’d fallen asleep and had woken up only when the doorbell rang. When she’d remembered John, she’d let out an expletive that made had Henry laugh his head off. The whole time she’d been getting dressed, she’d thrown blame on him for getting up so late.

  John sniffed the air. “Smells damn good.”

  He looked at his friend from across the table, grinning from ear to ear while they both listened to the loud banging of pans and once in a while June’s colorful language.

  Henry hadn’t known his wife could curse like a drunken sailor.

  “You’ve been grinning like a fucking idiot. Finally slept with your wife?”

  “Stop asking private stuff, you moron.”

  “Since when did you stop talking about your private stuff?”

  “Since I told you to stop asking. Like right now.”

  “Fine. You’ll tell me anyway. She didn’t have to get up this early to cook for us.”

  “Believe me. She always gets up early.”

  John raised an eyebrow. “Except this morning. She must be really tired.”

  “Me too.”

  John burst out laughing. “What happened, man? I thought you were staying off your wife until…” He looked in the kitchen’s direction. “You know. You look happy. And don’t tell me it’s because we got the business going.”

  “Just shut up.”

  “Did you finally wake up and took a good look at your wife and say holy fuck, she’s gorgeous?

  “I already know she’s gorgeous.”

  “But it’s only now that you’ve realized meeting her is the best thing that ever happened to you?”

  Henry was saved from answering when June appeared, carrying a tray. He stood in a hurry, the chair nearly toppling over. “Hey, let me get that.”

  “What do you want me to do, June?” asked John.

  “I want you to eat what I cook. Sorry, this is all I can come up with on short notice.”

  Henry and John looked at the tray. Big servings of mouth-watering breakfast sausage prepared with diced potatoes, bell peppers and onions cooked with scrambled eggs made them both lick their lips. Golden toast and fresh fruit served on white plates sprinkled with confectioners’ sugar added to the breakfast feast.

  “Wow,” both Henry and John said simultaneously.

  June transferred the plates on the table. “Sit before they get cold. I’ll get the pecan and banana pancakes.”

  John raised his eyebrows at Henry in a silent question.

  “I’ll get them, hon. You sit.”

  “No. I can manage. Walking is good for me. I wish I had more time, but it’s almost brunch time now. So you’ll have both.”

  She left then came back with the same tray. This time it had the pancakes and bacon-wrapped baked eggs with cream cheese biscuits and arugula.

  “Wow. I think I’ll move in here permanently if I get to eat food like this all the time.”

  “You’re welcome to live here.”

  “No, he’s not,” Henry contradicted. “He’ll destroy the plumbing and he snores.”

  “Henry! Eat. I didn’t cook these for you to admire.”

  While enjoying breakfast, Henry and John talked about their business. His mind was divided between what John was saying and his wife, who ate little and now moved around the apartment like an ant building a nest. He couldn’t believe that she’d walked to the bus stop in her condition. He noticed too that she would always touch her back and wince. His mom said lower backaches were common among pregnant women. A good rub would help. Henry grinned. He’d bet she’d love that.

  “We have a meeting with Loren DeFray,” John said.

  “Good. He’s a retired naval architect and highly recommended. He’ll help us with the legal issues that we may face someday. Also, Chief Engineer Brian Friedman would be a good addition to our staff.”

  “And we’re all set in Port of Seattle. Got that squared away. But there are still so many thing things to do. I’ve started hiring the staff. Still reviewing résumés,” John explained as he looked at the stacks of papers in front of him.

  “Okay. Set the meeting. We need the ball to roll faster.”

  Since they’d already done the legwork and had practically all their ducks in a row, they now had to work on the heavy stuff. But with the money, they could handle that easily.

  Henry smiled to himself. Finally, he’d be building his dream—proof that he hadn’t wasted all that time at the maritime academy, that he wasn’t a fool. And with luck, he’d be able to build other people’s dreams as well. He picked up his mug and noticed his wife wasn’t in the dining room anymore.

  That was interesting. He knew whenever she wasn’t around. It must be her scent, or that her mere presence changed the room’s atmosphere—like sunshine in a dark room, flowers in a meadow, an ice-cold drink on a hot summer day. Yeah, she was that.

  He reached for the last cookie on the plate the same time as John did. They ended up breaking it in half. Henry sprinkled powdered sugar on his cookie before taking a big bite.

  “I’ll be fat in a week if we work like this.”

  “I know.” Henry licked his fingers, glancing at the phone vibrating on the table. Stacey. She had called three times already.

  “I’ll definitely miss this kitchen.”

  “What are you talking about, John?”

  “You know, the first time I met June at your wedding, I liked her
instantly. So much, in fact, that I thought it was love at first sight.” John laughed at Henry’s reaction. “I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who felt that way at the wedding, bro. Now that I’ve gotten to taste her cooking and have seen her in your home, I think she’s perfect.”

  “But?”

  “All of this will be gone in six months.”

  John’s statement hit Henry square in the chest, like a hard punch that he failed to block. He couldn’t breathe. Gripping his mug, he tried to control the emotions so foreign to him.

  “I’d snag her once she’s free, but she’d probably just smile and say no to me because she’s in love with you.”

  Henry frowned at his friend. “How do you know she’s in love with me?”

  “The spectator always sees what’s happening in the game, buddy. So, should we use Monster or JobSource?”

  “Both.”

  June. In love with me.

  He liked the sound of it. But was she? Shaking his head, he gave his full attention to John.

  It was already past ten o’clock when John left. Henry took the stairs one step at a time. He was spent, brain-fried, but his heart fluttered at the thought of his wife sleeping upstairs. His steps faltered as reality hit him. He really was falling for his wife.

  He walked into June’s bedroom and stood beside the bed. His wife lay fast asleep on her side, her hand on her belly. He’d noticed she would always touch her belly, always in a protective gesture. Henry pulled up the covers then lightly ran his fingers over June’s hair. Silly girl.

  He went to his room to shower and get ready for bed. Instead of sleeping in his bed, he went back to June’s room then lay beside her. June moaned then scooted closer to him.

  “She’s in love with you.”

  God, what if she really was in love with him? He pulled her tighter in his arms then closed his eyes. He’d break her heart. Damn it to fucking hell.

  “I’m sorry, love,” he whispered then closed his eyes.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  It had been almost four months of wedded bliss.

  Living with June was a dream. She was a great housewife, so caring and she always thought about his needs. Her sense of humor was amazing too. Her smile was enough to make him forget why they’d ended up married.