Chapter 4

-A Hot Night in Tampa-

Brad pressed his thumb to the announcement pad. He'd done it dozens of times in the past few months — this very pad, even — why was he feeling so nervous? He felt like a teenager going to his first prom. He could hear the faint buzz of the announcer through the thin, cheap walls of the apartment and seconds later the bolt of the lock as it clunked back into the frame. The door cracked open and a couple of bright green eyes looked out under a slash of red hair.

"Yes, were you looking for someone?" Samantha teased through the door.

"Yes, ma'am," he fumbled playing his part. "I'm here to pick up Miss Samantha, ma'am. Would you please tell her Bradley Joe is here to take her to the dance."

"I don't know," she mused eyes sparkling even brighter. "I'm thinking you may be too old for her, a big strapping man like you."

"I'm younger than I look, ma'am," he answered hanging his head down and mumbling. "And I promise I'll treat her right respectfully, ma'am, and bring her back right on time."

"Well that wouldn't be any fun, now would it?" she laughed and swung the door completely open. "Come on in. I'm ready. I just need to get my purse." The door smacked lightly against the wall stop as she turned and walked toward the counter on the other side of the room. Brad didn't move. He stood stock still with his jaw slightly opened and wondered for the hundredth time just what the hell he'd gotten himself into.

She was wearing a short dark red skirt, matching heels and an emerald green top. She was tiny and perfect and his mouth was suddenly so dry he wasn't so sure he could say anything. She stopped, picked up her purse and looked back over her shoulder at him. Seeing him still standing in the doorway she frowned slightly, turned and started back towards him.

"This is okay, isn't it?" she asked hesitantly. Her hand came up to the neckline of her blouse and nervously fingered the top fastener. "I can show a little more — up top — if you'd like. It's just that I don't have much, especially compared to Grace that..."

"Stop it right there, Samantha," he commanded as he suddenly came alive and moved. He came over to stand in front of her as she glanced up at him furtively. He smiled reassuringly and placed his hands lightly on her shoulders.

"You look drop-dead, heart-stoppingly gorgeous," he sighed and shook his head slightly. "I have to admit I have no idea what the protocol is for dating three women at the same time but this is the way I'm going to do it. No comparing any of you to any of the others. None, nada, zilch. I wouldn't do it and I'm not going to let any of you do it, either.

"You want to know why?" he continued and she nodded meekly. "Because you're incomparable. Each one of you is so unique and different it would be impossible. You, Samantha Roebling..." he shook her just the tiniest bit, "are not Grace..." another tiny shake, "and you are not Patricia. You are the most beautiful Samantha I have ever met and one of the three most gorgeous women I know. You are perfect just the way you are and I wouldn't change you for anything on God's green earth!

"Sorry," he said and quickly let go of her shoulders. "I guess I've fucked it up tonight but it's something I had to say. I was kind of expecting something like this, from all three of you. I had a prettier speech all thought up but this is what came out. I'm really sorry — Oof!" She had balled up her delicate hand into a fist and hit him as hard as she could right in the stomach causing him to double over bringing his face down to her level.

"You know why I hit you?" she demanded, grabbing his shirt just under the collar with both hands.

"Yeah," he wheezed. "It's because I touched you—"

"No, you idiot!" she growled. "It's because you apologized!" To complete his surprise she hauled him the rest of the way down and kissed him hard on the lips releasing his shirt and wrapping her arms around his neck. It wasn't too long before their tongues were lightly dueling in and out of each other's mouth.

"Mmm..." he mumbled when she finally released him and let him straighten up. "Does this mean I didn't screw up our date too much?"

"As far as I'm concerned our date is over..." she said lightly and his heart stopped for a beat or two. " ... you passed with highest marks. But," she said with a grin, "you need to see if you can stand me for more than a minute or two. Maybe we can pretend I didn't punch you out right after you came to pick me up."

"Okay, so long as we can pretend I didn't lecture you about relationship things that I have no knowledge of, nor experience with," he nodded.

"No, that was beautiful," she said putting her palm lightly on his chest. "And I know what you said is right, it's just that — well — I think each one of us secretly compares ourselves to the others and wishes we had what they do. You know, Grace with her breasts and Pat with her legs ... It's not right, but we still do it."

"Then that's something we're all going to have to work on," he sighed. "Because to me each one of you is perfect exactly the way you are. Although I will say you do have a nifty little punch there," he chuckled as he guided her towards the door.

"Comes with the red hair," she laughed. "I know most of the time I'm just a meek little thing, but I do have a temper now and then."

"I'll remember that," he said rubbing his stomach with his free hand.

The evening had gone very well to his thinking. Dinner was nothing fancy but good and there was plenty of it. Naturally Samantha ate like a little bird while Brad consumed large quantities of carbon-based life forms as she teased him. After dinner they took a leisurely walk near the beach watching the last red rays of the dying sunset fade from the western sky. Tugging his arm she pushed him down onto a walk-side bench and sat herself down in his lap.

"Would you like to kiss me now?" she asked looking up at him with her huge green eyes. The obvious response was hardly worth the effort to say and he bent down and pressed his lips softly against hers. For a while it was sweet and almost chaste until she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled herself in closer against him. If he'd been in a different frame of mind he might have wondered where such a small woman got such a large tongue; he was certain she was halfway down his throat. Not that he was going to complain, that's for sure! Besides there was a small — tiny really — chance his own tongue might have been doing a little exploring all on its own. The fact that they were in public and the lack of oxygen finally caused them to break their lip-lock.

"Holy good God, woman," he whooshed as she sighed and snuggled up against his chest. "If you kiss your other dates like that there is no way you could still be single!" She just giggled and pressed herself even closer.

"You have no idea how much I've missed this," she mumbled from somewhere beneath his chin after a few minutes.

"Well as far as I'm concerned you can have as much of this as you want," he answered reaching up to stroke her hair. "I'm not going to lie and tell you I've been living as a monk for the past few years but I can tell you nobody I've been with has ever felt this good sitting on my lap."

"Thanks. That means a lot to me," she said looking up at him.

"You mean a lot to me," he smiled down at her. "Is there something else you'd like to do? Not that I'm not perfectly happy to just sit here and hold you!"

"Maybe we can just sit here and make out like teenagers?" she grinned hopefully.

"That shouldn't be too difficult," he chuckled. "I swear you're still a teenager; the records must be wrong. If you looked any younger people are going to think I do my trolling at the local grade school."

"You are such a liar," she laughed and smacked him softly on the chest. "I'm an old lady and I have the kid to prove it."

"You must have had Phyllis when you were ten," he said as he tickled her side. He wanted to run his hand up and down her bare leg; feel the soft roundness of her hip and bottom, over her waist and up to cup one of her small but delightfully firm breasts. Not that he was going to take any liberties; he liked these women — actually a lot more than liked — and he wasn't going to pressure them in any way. It's just that she felt so tiny and perfect sitting there; he'd caught his hand moving all on its own a number of times already and had to pull it back.

"What's the matter?" she asked when he sighed after they had been going at it for quite a few minutes.

"Oh, nothing," he mused as he rubbed her back while she snuggled into his chest attempting to accomplish the physically impossible task of getting even closer to him. "I'm just thinking which is always dangerous. It just goes to show how little you really know someone and how first impressions are usually wrong. A couple of months ago I would have bet one of my bikes against the possibility of the two of us sitting out here, you on my lap, making out for the world to see."

"You would have, would you?" she giggled. "Now why would you have thought that?"

"Well," he started. "Remember the first day I came to tell you you'd been included in our program? You looked so scared when you cracked open that door I though for sure you were going to piss— ah, have an accident when you saw me. I've known cats that were easier to coax out from under the bed. You wouldn't even look me in the eyes for the first month. I was under the impression that you were pretty, ah..."

"Timid?" she finished and he nodded. "Actually you were right. I've always been shy — and to be honest — fearful. I've never felt comfortable with other people and usually just hide in the background where it was safe and let everybody else do what they want so long as they left me alone. I was the same way with Bob, my husband. I was more than happy to let him make all the decisions and control what we did. Don't get me wrong: he was a good man and I loved him dearly. I really didn't mind if he did all the thinking and deciding for us.

"But you're right: I would never have walked out here when we were dating and brazenly plopped my butt in his lap unless he forced me to, and even then I'd be worried about what everybody else thought of me." Then she grinned, "I'm not like Grace. She would have probably tripped you in the grass over there and been under you before you hit the ground. Assuming she didn't just mount you from the top."

"You didn't seem to have that problem tonight," he chuckled. "Not that I'm complaining one little bit you understand. So what's changed? I'm pretty sure I didn't bring a tube of courage in any of those boxes."

"A couple of things, really," she replied. "First, I began to realize that I wasn't being much of a mother to my child. Hush, let me finish," she said pinching his lips together when he started to protest. "Sure I did the best I knew how. I kept Phyllis fed and clothed the best I could and we had a roof over our heads but I realized now I was teaching her to be just like me. Not with anything I would say per se, but by the way I acted. She was becoming just as shy and timid as I was at her age and I didn't even realize it. She's going to have to live in this world someday and she can't go around being a frightened little mouse like I was."

"Phyllis is a beautiful, wonderful little girl and she will do just fine," Brad said giving Samantha a gentle squeeze. "You've been a fantastic mother even given the horrible situation you've been in. Your daughter will grow up to be an astonishing person and you will be responsible for that and if there is any way I can help, I will."

"I know you will," Samantha said as she wiggled around until she was straddling his lap facing him, her arms draped around his neck, hands gently pressed against the back of this head. "And that's the second reason, or maybe the third, forcing me to break out of my little prison of fear.

"My daughter needs a father or at least a man she can look up to and see on a regular basis. Someone who can show her the world isn't always the frightening, horrible place her mother has shown it to be. She needs a man in her life to help guide her and show her what bravery and courage really are. Bob died before we even knew I was pregnant and I've been too afraid to go out and find this man, but now I have."

"Samantha," Brad choked, "I'll help you with Phyllis, no matter what. You know you don't have to be with..." She reached around and pinched his lips shut again.

"Shut up," she admonished. "I'm on a roll and haven't finished yet."

"I found that man," she continued hiking herself up until they were almost nose to nose and all he could see were her bright green eyes. "I found a man that I fell madly in love with even if it scared the crap out of me. I found him and I thought he liked me too, but I was too scared to do anything about it. Then I found out two drop-dead gorgeous hussies were also in love with him and aiming to get their claws in him so I had to pull up my big-girl panties, grow up and get out there and fight for him. I never really thought I had any chance to compete against those two but I had to try, and here I am.

"I hope I didn't scare you away with what I said about Phyllis because that's not the reason I want to be with you." She paused. "Not the only reason anyway. Unfortunately I can't separate those two reasons: Phyllis and I are a package deal. Not much of a bargain for you I'm afraid: two clingy, needy females for the price of one. You don't need us but we need you. I want you. I want to be in your life, your heart and your bed." She sighed, trembled and pursed her lips before continuing, "I don't expect you to be Phyllis's father — that's not your responsibility — but I hope you can agree to be her friend, mentor and rôle model at least. If you can't, that's not your fault but I hope you can tell me now before you break her heart. Mine I'm not worried about. I have to be a grown-up now and I'll get over it someday."

"Samantha," he mumbled and gently plucked her fingers off his lips. "You are one scary little mouse, my dear." She at least looked embarrassed. "I have no idea what the hell is going on or what will come of it. I can tell you that I love you and the more time I spend with your daughter the more I have come to love her.

"I am totally out of my league here," he shook his head. "I am in love with three wonderful, perfect, gorgeous women and have absolutely no idea what in the hell I'm doing. I can promise you one thing though, even if this crazy triangle thing blows up in our faces..."

"A triangle has three sides, silly," she giggled. "I think this would be more like a quadrangle."

"Hush," he scolded smacking her lightly on the bottom causing her to giggle again. "The last thing I need now is female logic; I'm confused enough as it is. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, I can promise you one thing though, even if this crazy quadrangle thing blows up in our faces and you come to your senses and drop me like a live grenade I will still be here to help out with Phyllis or anything else you need. I don't care if you end up hating my guts; I'll still be here."

"Thanks," she whispered leaning against him. "I didn't want to scare you but I did want to be honest with you. I think you're perfect for me, but even more importantly, you are perfect for her. I'm sorry to say it, but she is more important than my happiness."