Chapter 21

“That was really fun,” Liz said as I pointed the rented Ford Focus toward my house.

Eric and Rick had swung past the property on their way home to ensure that no one was lurking outside. It appeared that Liz had managed to slip the paparazzi – and that I really wasn’t that interesting – because no one was there.

My car was locked in a windowless garage. It hadn’t been out in more than a day but I was OK with that. The Focus had an automatic transmission that made it a lot easier on my sore shoulder.

It also permitted me to hold hands with Liz as we drove the dozen blocks from Sarah’s house to mine.

“You know that Sarah and Matt are going to have to spring for guitar and piano lessons now,” I said.

“I’ll teach the boys if they decide they want to learn,” Liz declared.

She gave my hand a squeeze.

“Wow!” she said, shaking her head. “I’m really moving a bit too fast. Sorry about that.”

“It’s OK,” I said. “I have to admit that I really enjoyed watching you spend time with them.”

“Sarah said that the other ... friends that you brought over were a little standoffish,” Liz said. “Those boys are really sweet.”

“They are,” I said. “Their ‘Aunt’ Liz is pretty sweet, too.”

“I feel like I’ve known your friends for years,” Liz said as I pulled into my driveway.

I scanned the area around the house for strange cars or anything out of place.

“Wait for me to come back to get you,” I said.

“Yes, Ryan Jr.,” Liz said, rolling her eyes.

“At least you didn’t call me Little Ryan,” I said as I got out of the car. I checked the door to make sure no one had tried to enter. My security system was good but it wasn’t exactly state-of-the-art. There was nothing amiss and I felt a little foolish. I opened the door and did a quick visual inspection before I disengaged the alarm.

Liz was sitting primly in the passenger seat when I got back the sedan. She waited until I opened her door – positioning myself to shield Liz from anyone that might be hiding across the street just as I’d seen Ryan do two days earlier.

She hustled to the house as I made sure the car was locked.

Liz was shaking her head at me when I followed her in. She had already kicked off her shoes and unbuttoned her shorts.

“What?” I asked.

“Just watching you,” Liz replied. “Ryan is going to be really proud of you when I tell him.”

I sighed.

“We should have just had the dinner here,” I admitted. “I thought of that when we were driving over there. I put you in unnecessary danger.”

“It’s not danger, so much,” Liz confided. “Yeah, there are some nutjobs around. You get people that fixate on you and it’s scary. Most of the time, though, it’s just inconvenience.”

“I read a book once about the Secret Service,” I said. “It said they have to be right every time; someone wishing to do harm only has to be right once. Ryan is really solid at his job. Chris watched him the other night and he said that you couldn’t find someone better.”

“What does Chris really do?” she asked.

“I have no idea,” I said truthfully. “I have my suspicions but he has never once given me – or anyone else – a clear idea of his actual job.”

“Ryan thinks he was a member of a SEAL team,” Liz told me.

I held up my hands.

“Maybe,” I said. “He’s never said anything like that and Susan has always downplayed his occupation. I know that ... right when I first got to the hospital ... he was given a medical discharge from the Navy. Susan said he hurt his knee but I’ve never seen any indication of it. We all go out in the yard and kick a soccer ball around with the boys and I’ve never noticed an injury. For all I know, you could have been right the other night. He’s just a janitor there. All I know for sure is that he’s a real solid dude.”

“Yeah,” Liz said. “That’s what I mean about your friends. They’re all really great. You’re lucky to have them.”

“I know,” I said.

“Do you?” Liz wondered.

“Probably not but I’m starting to figure it out,” I admitted.

“Good,” she said. “I’m glad you’re not too old to learn new things.”

She captured my hands and pulled me toward the couch. I sat down and she sat down beside me. Liz bit her lower lip for a moment and then scrambled onto my lap. She put her arm around my neck and her head on my shoulder before she sighed contentedly.

I reached over and softly stroked her hair and her cheek. She shifted her face slightly until she could kiss my palm and my fingers.

We sat in companionable silence for a minute or two before Liz shifted.

“I could stay like this for the rest of the night,” she said. “But I really want to change out of these tight shorts.”

I nodded my agreement. I had worn a Polo shirt and shorts but I normally lounged around the house in cutoff sweatpants or basketball shorts and a T-shirt.

Liz made no effort to move, however. She just sat on my lap and looked at me with her quirky smile. She put a palm on each of my cheeks and leaned forward to kiss me softly on the lips.

“I have a problem,” she said.

“What’s that?” I wondered.

“My clothing situation is pretty bleak,” she admitted. “When I packed to come out here on Monday, I planned to be back in New York this morning. I only put the outfit I’m wearing in the bag. I was supposed to be on a plane last night and in my apartment this morning.”

“Oh, yeah,” I said.

“Now, in general terms, I am not opposed to sitting around in my underwear,” she said, smiling again. “But, the truth is, if I go that route, the underwear isn’t going to stay on for long I don’t think.”

I nodded my agreement.

“Again, in general terms, that wouldn’t bother me in the slightest,” she said. “I guess I should tell you something else about me that some of the media outlets have gotten wrong. I like sex. I believe that I am really going to like sex with you. I am not the least bit prudish when I am comfortable with a partner. I have very few limitations when I trust someone. I have never been more comfortable around anyone than I am right now so I would imagine that my limitations with you are pretty much non-existent.”

I gulped as a litany of possibilities popped into my brain.

“But I am worried that taking that step too soon might damage the rest of the relationship we’re building here,” Liz continued. “And, in case I wasn’t clear, I would very much like to build a caring, nurturing, long-lasting relationship with you. I’m not speaking of a professional relationship; I’m not talking about a physical relationship; I’m not even referring to an emotional relationship. I’m talking about all three of those things. When I close my eyes, I see a real possibility that we have it all, Travis.”

I nodded my agreement.

“But in order to make everything work, we can’t rush one portion of it,” she added.

I closed my eyes but nodded again.

“So, we have to figure out if the time is right for that step before we give into ... horniness,” she said with a smile.

“I can’t be the one to make that decision,” I said in a tight voice.

“Yeah, that’s the problem with me,” Liz agreed. “I seriously considered going down on you in the car on the way over here. If it had been a longer drive, I’m pretty sure I would have.”

I let out a long breath.

“What do we do?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” Liz answered. “I do know that the more I’m around you the harder it becomes to keep my hands off of you.”

“Yeah,” I said.

“I also think that once we move to the physical plane, as it were, we’re not going to want to back away to develop the other sections of our relationship,” she said.

“No,” I said.

“So, I guess we have to ask ourselves if we’re clear about where we’d like to wind up,” she said. “I am but I’m not sure you’ve had time to really think about things.”

“There really isn’t much for me to think about,” I said with a shrug.

“I disagree,” Liz said. “Your life is really good without me in it.”

I shrugged again.

“I think it will be better if you’re in it,” I told her. “And, well, since we’re honest, this life will still be here if things don’t work out.”

“Not if I steal all your friends,” Liz said, smiling at me. “I’ll start with the boys. I got mad video game skills. After that, the rest will fall into line pretty quickly.”

I laughed along with her.

“I’ll still have Marcie and my neighbors,” I said.

“That reminds me...” Liz said, lowering her head again and offering me her cutest smile. “I think I need to have a talk with those neighbors soon. I saw the mom poke her head out when I was on the deck today. I think she was seeing if it was bikini time.”

“What can I say?” I asked as I polished my fingernails against my shirt front. “I’m a catch.”

“You’re a dick,” Liz countered. She shifted her bottom slightly and wiggled her eyebrows at me. “So? What do you think? Do you want to see if we set your sheets on fire?”

I couldn’t think of a thing in the world I wanted more. Liz leaned forward and pressed her lips to mine. She maintained the kiss while she shifted around until her knees rested beside my hips.

She wasn’t the least bit tentative or hesitant – and neither was I. My hands found her butt at the same time she started tugging my shirt upward. She pulled her lips away from mine long enough to pull it over my head. I used the separation to lift her top from her waist.

“I have to take it off my shoulders first,” Liz told me. She maneuvered her arms until her hands came through the sleeves and then pushed it up over her head. I leaned forward to kiss her between her breasts while she was occupied. I found the front clasp to her bra and opened it.

Liz pulled back a bit to push her bra off her shoulders. She flung it aside and it landed next to the top she had abandoned.

Her breasts fit her frame perfectly. They weren’t large by any means but with her slim waist and long torso they looked amazing. Her nipples were light pink and pointed slightly upward. Liz crushed her chest against mine when she moved forward for a deeper kiss. Her hips were rotating against my erection that was threatening to rip the zipper out of my shorts.

“Bed or right here?” Liz asked.

“Either ... both,” I stammered. Liz smiled at the answer. She stood but pushed me back to the couch when I tried to join her. She unbuttoned her shorts and slid them down along with her sensible cotton panties. She stood in front of me completely bare and turned in a circle. Her pubic hair was a little darker than her dirty blonde hair and it was evident that she had gotten over her aversion to trimming it. It was shaped into what the exotic dancers have termed a landing strip. With her feet apart, I could see that her lips were bereft of hair.

I realized that I was unconsciously licking my lips as I ran my eyes up and down her torso – and that a small amount of drool had leaked out of the corner of my mouth.

“Wow!” I said. “Sorry I’m looking at you like a piece of meat.”

“You’re not,” Liz said. “I am standing here so you can inspect my form. I feel ... appreciated – and not just because I have a good body.”

“A great body,” I corrected.

Liz’s grin broadened.

“Now I want to see you,” she said.

“In a minute,” I said. I took her by the hand and drew her back to my lap. This time, I initiated a gentle kiss as I traced my hands across her skin. Liz trembled a little when I ran my fingernails down her back softly.

She moaned into my mouth when I turned my attention to her nipples. I broke the kiss and dipped my head to run my tongue over her pink protuberance. Liz let me suckle for only a moment before she slid backward off the couch.