Thirty-three

WHEN I SLID INTO BED, it was next to Kate. She turned toward me and started to say something, but I silenced her with a kiss that went on and on. While I kept my lips locked onto her, I hugged her to me with my left arm and let my right hand explore her body, stroking and caressing everything I could reach. I felt her tender breasts as if it was the first time. I cupped her ass in my hand and pulled her toward me, grinding my cock against her stomach. I pushed her to her back without breaking the kiss. Her legs opened to me and as I began to sink into her, I broke the kiss so I could look into her eyes. There was a look of wonder there—a look that I recognized as adoration. As I sank into her depths her mouth stretched into that glorious smile that I loved.

“I love you, Kitten,” I breathed as we began to move together. “I love you with every breath I take. I am so happy you have chosen to share my bed and my life. I love you.” She shuddered under me as her breath was sucked into a long whine, rising in pitch. I could see her eyes begin to roll back in her head, but I wanted her conscious. I pushed against her breasts with my palms forcing the breath back out and pinched her nipples. He eyes snapped open and the air escaped from her lips with a wordless exclamation that brought her focus back to my eyes. “Don’t ever forget,” I said as I continued to thrust into her and she built again. “I love you and will love you for the rest of our lives.” My orgasm erupted with a force that turned my words into a vow and we pulled our lips to each other muffling our cries of pleasure and release.

I felt Kate’s hands grip my back and hug me to her so fiercely that her body lifted off the bed as I supported my weight on my hands. She kissed me over and over again—lips, cheeks, nose, forehead, chin. When she loosened her grip enough to sink back into the bed, tears flooded her eyes, but she didn’t say a word.

“So beautiful,” I heard the whisper from next to me and for the first time became aware of Melody and Lissa next to us. We turned our faces toward our lovers to see them lying spooned together watching us. Both had tears streaking down their cheeks.

“Hey, Justin, this is Tony,” I said into the phone. “Are you back in town or still traveling?”

“I’m back, Tony. What’s up?”

“Well, we’ve got extended family with us for New Year’s Eve and they’re all really into drumming,” I said. “If you don’t have plans for tonight, I’d like to invite you over. You were really great on the congas.”

“Oh. Thanks. I’ve uh ... It sounds like fun, but ... I’ve got a date.”

“If you’ve already got plans, no big deal. Or you’re welcome to bring her ... er ... him? ... along.”

“Her,” Justin said firmly. “Well, we weren’t going to do anything special, but just hang out. Mind if I give her a call and buzz you back?”

“Great. Let me know.”

“Oh, if you were wondering, Amanda’s back in town and called yesterday bitching about how no one’s back yet to hang with. I know she enjoyed the drumming and dancing before our final,” Justin said. Hmm. So, his date wasn’t with our study mate. Well, why not? I disconnected with Justin and dialed Amanda’s number.

“Hello.”

“Hey, Amanda. I just heard you were back in town,” I said. “I was thinking maybe you’d like to get together tonight and go over the first chapter for Dennis’s class on Tuesday. We could get a head start.” There was a long pause.

“Who is this?”

“Shit. I thought you had me on caller ID. I forgot I changed phones. This is Tony.”

“And you want to study on New Year’s Eve?”

“Not really,” I laughed. “But I’m glad you’re taking me seriously. We’ve got extended family over and they are all into drumming and dancing. I thought if you weren’t doing anything special tonight that you might want to come over and join us.”

“Oh. Really?”

“Yeah. I’m going to check with Justin and Bree, too. We had a good time the last time we tried it,” I said.

“It sounds like fun, Tony. You really don’t mind if I come over?”

“Amanda, I wouldn’t invite you if I didn’t want you to come.”

“Okay. What time?”

Justin rang me back right after I hung up with Amanda to tell me he and his date would be here at eight o’clock. I decided I’d better call Bree and make sure no one was left out.

“Hi, Tony,” she said when she answered the phone.

“At least my name comes up on caller ID when I call you. How are you doing?”

“Vegging. Last chance before classes start.”

“Want to come join us for New Year’s Eve? We’re going to drum and I called Justin and Amanda to see if they’d like to join us. Kate’s family is crazy into drumming and dancing.”

“Oh. Thanks. It’s nice to know I’m invited, too. Sounds like it will be more fun than sitting on the sofa watching the ball drop over and over again. Dad’s set top box is set up so he can get local games in all time zones. Of course, he’s got a faculty party tonight.”

“Um ... Bree? Does that mean yes?”

“Yes, you doofus. I’ll see you at eight.”

I hung up. Did I tell her what time?

With three extra people, we had sixteen in the house snacking on everything we could get at Costco on Saturday afternoon. We had soft drinks, Pub Mix, popcorn, nuts, chips—even one of those huge shrimp platters. We didn’t have dinner, just started snacking at about three in the afternoon.

Oh yeah. Just three extras. Justin’s date? Bree. Now that was interesting.

“Um ... Amanda,” I said when I’d maneuvered her into the kitchen with me. “I thought you and Justin were like, seeing each other.”

“Me? With Justin?” she looked appalled. “I’d never date a med student. They’re nuts.”

“You’re a med student.”

“Ye-ah.” She looked at me as if it was obvious. We both snorted and she gave me a quick hug. I felt her softness pressing against my chest.

“Mmm. Free-boobin’ tonight, huh?”

“I figured I’d start the year right. Never know when they might be needed,” she laughed. She gave me a gentle shove away from her, picked up the tray of vegetables, and took it downstairs.

Aside from all the props I’d moved into one corner yesterday, there was really no furniture downstairs, though Lissa had purchased half a dozen fake oriental rugs at Ikea over the summer to cover the floor. We had our eight folding chairs and the dining room chairs down there so people had room to sit. There was quite a selection of drums scattered around the room, including Ken and Oke’s big drum. I thought they’d sent me a huge drum, but theirs was easily half again as big around as mine. Oke brought his strange guitar, too. Willow had the tabla and I asked him to show me how he manipulated the sound. Those drums are seriously cool. Bree sat with a set of bongos next to Justin and Amanda sat next to Grandpa Ken with an Irish bodhran. Kate, Gypsy, Sunday, and Rainbow had all disappeared into the teens’ room. Wendy settled down next to me and picked up a tambourine.

Finally, Ken started things off by hitting his drum solidly one time. He looked over to me and I answered with a single beat. Both drums were deep, but Ken’s rattled the rafters. He started a slow steady rhythm. I joined in, hitting the off-beats. Oke brought his two mallets to play on the big drum with his dad and the noise kept getting deeper. I was glad we’d put earplugs in the boys’ ears and was kind of wishing I’d done the same thing. Drew had put his drum down and had his head wedged beneath Lissa’s arm. He looked happy, though.

We’d been building up steam for about fifteen minutes when I heard the finger cymbals. I watched Ken and saw him change up the rhythm. We took three long loud strokes and everything went silent except the cymbals. Gypsy came spinning into the room with her fingers creating the rhythm. Kate, Sunday, and Rainbow were right behind. They did a complete circuit around the room and stopped. Kate faced me, Gypsy faced Oke, Rainbow faced Willow, and Sunday surprised me by facing Justin. All four women leaned forward and kissed the men. Bree nudged Justin and giggled. As soon as the women moved back from the kiss, Ken started the rhythms again, though I noted that he muffled the drum a little and followed suit.

And the dancing began in earnest.

What a New Year’s Eve! The women danced, periodically drawing one of the others up to dance with them. Oke’s guitar came out and he played some unbelievable finger work while most of the drums fell silent. I got my next surprise of the night when the drums had started up and a piercing flute rode over the top of them. Amanda was pretty amazing on the instrument and improvised with the drums. The rest of the evening was punctuated by the guitar and flute making their appearances and by sudden twangs as Willow cut loose on the tabla.

I left my drum to spend several minutes in Kate’s arms as we danced around the room, sometimes inside the circle and sometimes outside. Bree had drawn Justin up to dance as well and I noticed Amanda experimentally handling the mallets for my drum which soon joined the melee again. Kate hugged me tightly and spoke in my ear.

“I have never been so consumed by passion—so possessed—as I was last night,” she said. “Tony, my darling, never doubt my love for you. You are the center of my world.” I held her and our dance included a long, luxurious kiss as she spun me back into the room and pulled Lissa out of her chair. The boys were both dancing wildly and I wondered how long they were going to last. Before I could return to my drum, Melody was in my arms and we danced together, just letting our feet keep rhythm while we looked into each other’s eyes.