Chapter 28

"... and like an idiot I asked 'how did it happen?'," Devlin said with a laugh. Sue laughed with her. It was Wednesday and she was at the Extended Stay, helping Sue get her kids dressed. Sue had called earlier; Danny had to go to an early morning teleconference, her Rehab session had been moved up to noon, and she needed helping in getting their daughters off to day care.

Sue stopped brushing her hair long enough to look up. "And what you really meant was 'How could you be so careless? I thought you were using birth control.' Did she tell you why she wasn't?"

"Not really." Devlin turned Stephie around. She was Sue and Danny's youngest and she squirmed as Devlin pulled her dress down. "There you go." She drew a breath before grabbing Kimberly, their 4-year old. "I got to meet him later that night when he showed up to take her to dinner. I couldn't say anything, of course." She sighed. "He seems kind of nice. I guess I'll get to know him better in the coming months."

"When's the baby due?" Sue turned her wheelchair slightly as she studied her hair in the mirror.

"Around the beginning of November." Devlin laughed, straightening Kimberly's collar. "I asked my mother and she kind of evaded the question at first, like she didn't want to admit just what she and Tom were doing, or when."

"She's probably still getting used to the idea that she's going to have a baby. The first few days that you're pregnant you're sort of in denial. Trust me, it takes a little while to get used to the idea. When does she want to get married?"

"As soon as possible. She doesn't want to walk down the aisle visibly pregnant."

"She sounds like my mother," Sue said with a smile. "She used to snip about girls who 'had to get married'; said they had the wedding night before the wedding, as if that was wrong. I didn't tell her what my college years were like." Her smile broadened into a laugh. "She would have had a coronary if she knew what I did my first freshman and sophomore years."

She stretched and leaned back in her wheelchair. "I was like every other girl in school. Two days after their parents left, every freshman girl was at the Health Center to get her birth control prescription. I expect it hasn't changed much since then."

"Not noticeably," Devlin said. She took a comb and started in on Kimberly's hair. "Alexa, the girl who lives across the hall from me says the Health Center plans on getting deluged the first week of the term."

"Does your mother know if it's going to be a boy or a girl yet?"

"Not yet," Devlin said. "The doctor's going to do an amnio next week. My mother's almost 37, so the doctor wants to be careful."

Sue nodded at this. "I'm glad I've had these two when I did. I don't want to be like Mrs. Proctor back home. She's 41, and pregnant with her fifth."

"Five?! I thought she only had three. Her oldest, Janet, graduated from high school with me."

"She and her husband went on a cruise and came back with a little souvenir. She said she's going to get her tubes tied after this one."

Devlin finished with Kimberly's hair and fastened it with a barrette. "You know, I can still scarcely believe it. I'd suspected my Mom was seeing somebody, but..." She spread her hands helplessly. "This is the last thing I expected."

"Our mothers aren't supposed to get pregnant," Sue said. "Nuts, they aren't even supposed to have sex. You just don't think of your parents having sex."

"I suppose." Devlin started to say more, but was stopped by a knock on the door. After a quizzical glance at Sue, she answered it.

The man seemed surprised to see her. "Isn't this where Rick and Beth Miller are staying?"

There was something about him that looked familiar, but Devlin couldn't put her finger on it. "Um, no it isn't, sorry."

Stephie tugged at Devlin's jeans, holding up her coat. Devlin smiled at the man. "Have you checked with the front desk?"

The man nodded. "They said the Millers were in Room 302." He looked at a slip of paper in his hand. "I guess I'll go check with them again."

Devlin smiled and closed the door. Stephie held out her arms and Devlin helped her put on her coat. Kimberly was struggling with her boots, and resisted Devlin's help. When she finally got them fastened she stood up triumphantly, walking around and showing them off.

"You're much better with them than Danny is," Sue said quietly. "Men just don't seem to have that much patience with young kids."

"I think it's a gender thing." Devlin grabbed her own coat. "A woman expects to take care of young kids, men don't. Or at least that's what one of my professors says."

"Maybe." Sue pulled on her jacket. "Now you're sure this won't be a problem? Those car seats can be a real hassle. Danny had the staff here take them down to the lobby, and the manager said he'd help you with them."

"I'll be all right. What are you doing in Rehab today? Or do they tell you that in advance."

"The nurse said it was a surprise." Sue rolled her eyes. "The last time they 'surprised' me, it was with an electric wheelchair." She grabbed her purse and a blanket. "I'm ready."

"Okay," Devlin told the two girls, "time to go."

The girls each picked up a backpack, and Kimberly held the door for her mother. They ran ahead and rang for the elevator while Devlin pushed Sue's wheelchair. By the time they got to the lobby the Para-Transit Bus had arrived to take Sue to her Rehab session.

The manager helped Devlin put the car seats in her car, and made sure the two girls were both fastened in securely. "After a while it gets so it's automatic," the woman said. "Will you be doing this very often?"

"Today was an emergency," Devlin said. "I might have to do this again, but not soon."

The woman nodded. "And Mr. Mitchell is bringing them back?"

"That's the plan."

The woman nodded. "That should be everything, then." She rubbed her arms briskly. "Glad I could help."

"I would have been lost doing this," Devlin said. "Thanks a lot."

The daycare was in the north end of town. After Devlin dropped the girls off, and their car seats, she felt at loose ends. Even if she hit every light red and took her time parking, she'd have more than two hours until her next class. Well, there was always studying. She had a paper for one of her classes, and... She glanced at the seat beside her and felt a moment of exasperation--she'd left her books at the Extended Stay.

"If my head wasn't attached I'd forget it somewhere," she muttered as she pulled into a turn lane. She heard a horn behind her. Some car behind her had just been cut off. It was a gray beater, more primer and Bondo than styling, and it looked familiar. Then she had it, she'd seen that car in the Extended Stay parking lot as she was buckling the kids in.

She dismissed it as she barely made the light. She caught a glimpse of a solid mass of cars ahead of her where road construction was narrowing everything down to one lane each way. She bit off a curse. She was in no mood to sit in traffic for the next hour and go just one block. Instead she could duck down an alley, make a turn and double-back to the Extended Stay.

At first the cop wasn't going to let her turn, but after giving her a withering glare, he nodded and she made the turn, flashing him a smile as a 'thank you'. By the time she got through the alley and another two turns she thought to look behind her. The 'Bondo car' was nowhere in sight.

"Must be too many detective novels," she muttered. Her literature class had just read a pair of Mickey Spillane novels and, surprise-surprise, she found she liked his vivid story-telling style. She wished the English authors she'd read the previous term had written half as well.

She parked in back of the Extended Stay. She still had her key card from when she and Danny had used it, and rode up in the elevator damning herself for being so forgetful. She'd just have to remember a little better the next time.

When she opened the door to the room--it was still as messy as when she'd left it--she stopped in surprise. Danny was standing next to the desk going through some papers.

"This is unexpected," she said.

"Oh, hi. Um, did Sue and the girls get off on time?"

"I just dropped the girls off at the daycare." She crossed the room and picked up her books from the table. "Guess what I forgot."

"Yeah, I forgot some papers I needed this morning. Fortunately I can fax them to the people in Toronto."

Devlin glanced at the clock, an idea forming in her mind. "Do you have to be back right away?"

"Not for a couple of hours," Danny said, looking at the clock, too. He smiled and loosened his tie. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Devlin dropped her jacket on a nearby chair and started unbuttoning her wool shirt. "It'd be a waste of a perfectly good opportunity, wouldn't it?"

Their first time was rough and fast. Devlin insisted on doing it doggie style. She wanted to feel him deep inside her, and when she felt him blasting against that fiery little spot on her cervix, she gave a soft cry and came.

He barely softened, which was all right with her. She straddled him, but didn't put him in. Instead she slid back and forth on his cock as it lay against his stomach, rubbing her clit directly against his hardness, feeling his girth spreading her sex lips. When she came that way--it was a shivery kind of orgasm that left her wanting more--he was more than ready for the second round.

He stretched her out on the bed, taking his time, kissing her, fondling her breasts, drawing imaginary lines on her sensitive skin with his tongue, working her up--as if she needed it--before finally moving between her legs and what they'd both done so many times and yet looked forward to.

He was soft, he was hard, he filled her, he left her aching for more. She pushed up against him, taking everything he had. In those last moments, as she drew tighter and tighter, as everything focused down on that one spot where he so wonderfully plugged her up, she clung to him. All she could feel was his hardness in her molten depths. His face was rigid as he tried to hold himself back, and when he lost it, when he drove into her in short, hard strokes, she lost herself to her own need and came, swept up in a wild moment of pure intensity.

She came back, lying beside him and cradled in his arms, her sweat-slicked skin pressed close to his as it had so many times before. She felt like she would float away but for his arms. She wanted to move, but she didn't want to leave his warmth.

Danny opened his eyes, a tired look on his face. "That has to be the fastest we've done it in some time," he finally murmured. "And it was just as good as always."

Devlin smiled and kissed his cheek. "We had to release all of that pent up energy."

"Pent up energy? I thought... Sue mentioned you'd joined some lifestyle group here in town. I thought you were--"

"I did, but it isn't the same," she interrupted. "You know all my secret places. You know exactly how to get me wound up. Someone I've never met before doesn't know that, and won't learn it in one evening no matter how much time we take."

He slid a hand up her body and cupped her breast. "True. I suppose experience does help."

She pushed his hand away. "That feels good, but we don't have time for another go around."

He turned to glance at the clock. "Yeah, you're right." He sighed. "I wish we did, though." His lips curved down. "I've still got all of this pent-up energy."

"I thought you and Sue were finally making love again."

"Not really. Oh, we go through the motions, but she isn't feeling much. Plus, with the kids here in the room..." He grinned sheepishly. "Call me a little self-conscious, but I'm having some performance anxiety. There's nothing like really getting into it, and feeling a hand on your leg, and realizing it isn't Sue's."

"Yeah, that'd turn me off in a hurry."

"That's exactly what happened." He sighed. "I'm hoping Sue will start enjoying our lovemaking, when we do it, that is."

"Yeah, I hope so, too."

He propped himself up on his elbow. "So what was this other group like?" He leaned forward and teased her nipple with his lips.

"Stop that!" She playfully swatted at him. "We don't have the time."

"I know, but I want you to walk out of here with your nipples poking holes in your clothes."

"They do that already on these cold days, thank you." For a few moments they wrestled, he trying to suck her nipple, she trying to push him away. In the end he used his superior weight and strength to pin her to the bed. There he unmercifully tickled and kissed her until she relented with a laugh.

"We really don't have time to fool around much longer." She was aware of his cock and balls pressing against her leg. It was already stiffening out, and she knew if he made the slightest effort she would blow off the rest of the afternoon.

He slid his hand between her legs, rubbing her gently. She was already wet, only in part due to him, and this just lit her fire again. But she was also pretty tender down there, and so she pushed him away.

"Are you sure you can cum again so soon?" she asked, eyeing his cock. It showed no sign of going down.

"One way to find out," he replied.

"Well, let's do it right." She twisted around and took his cock in hand. It was red and wet, and mostly hard. She gave it a friendly kiss hello, then wrapped her lips around it and began sucking. It filled out, pressing against the back of her mouth as she played with his balls.

She could taste his juices--was it really more than a week since the last time she had? She could also taste herself, something she'd grown used to those nights in Toluca. She could feel his strength, and the way he responded when she stopped to suck his balls. One hand moved up and down his length while the other fondled his balls and probed the skin over his prostate. She knew he wanted to cum in her again, but there was no time for that. He'd have to settle for the next best thing.

It took a few minutes, but finally he pushed up into her mouth, held himself there as she sucked as hard as she could, and then he was pulsing into her, filling her mouth with his essence.

After several seconds the spurts died away and he relaxed, pulling his softening length from her mouth. He lay back on the bed, his chest rising and falling rapidly, his arm thrown over his eyes.

Devlin gave his cock one last kiss before laying her head on his tummy. When his breathing returned to normal she dropped one last kiss on his heated skin before crawling up next to him.

"There, all better?"

"Much." He lifted his arm, staring at his watch. "Damn, I see what you mean. Look at the time. You're going to be late for class."

"What time is it?"

"Uh, 1:15."

"It's only English Lit, and I've already finished reading the book. At least I won't have to listen to the professor tell us how good the 19th Century English novel is."

"They're not that bad. I enjoyed some of them."

"None of them would get published today, they're too slow and their plots are pretty lame."

He sighed and began to get up. "If the stories sound lame, they weren't when the books were published. Besides, we have different standards, now. You have to keep that in mind."

Devlin stretched and sat up. She felt absolutely wonderful, and even the prospect of her Economics class this afternoon wasn't enough to dampen her mood. The room was a mess, their clothes were everywhere, and she was mildly surprised the maid hadn't interrupted them.

She grabbed her clothes and dumped them on the chair next to the desk. Danny was just stirring off the bed as she headed into the bathroom.

"Can I come in?" he asked a few moments later, knocking.

"Of course, silly," she said. "I'm only peeing, there's nothing you haven't seen several times."

"It just seems, I don't know, wrong to interrupt someone when they're using the toilet."

She laughed as she wiped up. "Now that you mention it, I guess so. But just a few minutes ago you had your face right there."

"It isn't the same thing."

She got the shower going. After it warmed up she stepped in. Behind her she could hear him using the toilet. When he joined her in the shower he slid his hands around her, cupping her breasts. But it was only a friendly squeeze. He stepped back and let her clean up.

She wanted to linger, to enjoy the sensuous feel of the hot water sliding over her skin. But she didn't have time. She might blow off English Lit, but she couldn't blow off Economics. And she wasn't going to walk into that room smelling of sex.

After a finger douche she grabbed one of the last remaining clean towels. "If the maid wonders how you ran out of towels..."

"... we'll blame it on the kids," he said. "Everyone knows young kids can go through a bathroom like a tornado through a trailer park." He stepped out of the shower, his nude body pink and glowing.

Devlin dressed as fast as she could. Danny was still dressing when she grabbed her books--she remembered them this time--and wrestled her coat and muffler on. "I'll see you..."

"I'm not sure," he said. "Call Sue and we'll figure something out."

"Sure, she's the instigator of all of this."

"Hey, you agreed to it."

"So did you." Devlin sighed. "I'll call her tonight."

"We usually eat about 7:00, and we should be back here by 8:30. Why don't you call about 9:00? That's the girls' bed time, so you shouldn't be interrupting things."

She gave him a peck on the cheek. She still felt marvelous, even rushing around like this wasn't going to spoil her mood. She had enough time to stop at Linkins and get herself a cup of coffee and an apple. Despite what some might think, her high-protein snack hadn't really banished her hunger.

She alternated between sipping and eating as she waited in the hall for her the class before Econ to let out. She studied the people walking past her: she thought she'd seen the same man who'd come to the door a few moments ago, and she was curious if he'd show up in the hall. She couldn't put her finger on why he seemed familiar, but she knew she'd seen his face recently.

The bell rang and she forgot about it. It was time for the Dismal Science, and not even the prospect of sitting on the hard wooden chairs for the next hour could ruin how she was still feeling.

By now Devlin knew everything she had to do for a sales meeting: get the continental breakfast from the kitchen, get the order slips unpacked and stacked on the table in the corner, set up the screen and unpack the slide projector, get the computer powered up and the diagnostics run, lay out the samples of fabric, and finally, put up the dummies. The first few times she'd done it she had spent over an hour at it; now she could get it done in 15 minutes.

She had just left the Catering Office when she ran into Danny. "Hi, stranger, what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see the Athletic Club Manager," Danny replied. "Right now I'm waiting for my attorney." He glanced at his watch. "He was supposed to be here 10 minutes ago. How about you?"

"I have a sales presentation in just a few minutes. Say hi to Sue for me."

"I will. She was grateful for the help yesterday."

"Not a problem." She gave him a wave and went back upstairs. She'd just finished putting everything out when Denise O'Connor knocked on the door. "Are you ready?"