Szot, JC - The South Window (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) (5 page)

Tess looked out the window. A slight frown twisted her curved and pouty lips. “He’s too reserved. I have to work on him some more. I’ll get him.” Tess turned to her and smiled, her pearly teeth catching her lower lip.

“What do you mean? You couldn’t make the sack on the first night?” Allie felt bold today. Maybe part of her was sticking up for Marty.

“Be careful, Allie.” Tess’s eyes narrowed.

“Oh, come on, cut the guy some slack. Reserved or not, I call it respect.”

“Respect’s no fun.” Tess jumped off the chair. “Let’s go to my place, grab a snack, and take a swim.” She stood in the threshold, her fingers threading through her hair.

“Let me get my suit.”

* * * *

“How about a strawberry daiquiri?” Tess grinded some ice in the blender, which was on the counter of the outdoor bar. Visions of Marty’s slack face tugged at Allie’s thoughts. Her eyes moved to the kidney-shaped pool. She stared at its glimmering surface, wondering if their bodies had been baptized in the pristine water.

“No, thank you, too early for me.” Allie slung her towel over a white lounge chair. She reclined back, settling in to feel the sun’s heat. She popped one eye open and watched Tess fix her drink.

“Ah, come on Allie, it’s four thirty,” Tess whined, strutting over to her lounger in her gold bikini. At least she had her suit on. The last time Allie was here, Tess had indulged in some nude sunbathing. Tess had a bold nature to her. It was even arrogant at times. The comfort of others while they were around her wasn’t usually a concern.

“You go ahead. I’ll take a seltzer if you have it.” Allie soaked up the sun until five o’clock then went home.

Dan had called. He left a message that he would be home for three days, which Allie couldn’t believe. Her elation quickly plummeted when he then said he would have to go to Switzerland for six weeks. A merger had turned into a takeover. Allie’s summer alone now stretched before her like a desolate road with no end.

Chapter 6

“He’s really getting that place into shape.” Dan slid back into bed. They had woken up to Marty’s electric saw. “He starts working early, doesn’t he?”

Dan nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck. His morning whiskers scraped over her skin like wire. His lips nibbled, her senses waking up after weeks of being dormant. Heat circulated through her, pooling in her center. Some nights Allie craved him so much, but he was never there. This morning Allie was almost afraid to let herself go, because then he would be gone. That meant she’d have to wean herself all over again. This cycle of him being home and then not was a struggle.

He scaled her body with his soft, white-collar hands gliding over her skin, easing her nightgown away as he looked down at her. He reached into her with his icy-blue eyes. Slept-on waves of hair hung over his brow. Their bodies entangled around one another’s in the warm beam of light that poured through the skylight, spilling onto the patchwork quilt. His lips grazed over her lightly. Dan’s cell phone buzzed from the nightstand. He released an aggravated sigh and leaned over, flipping the cover open.

Allie listened to the one-sided conversation, watching Dan’s face fall. He disconnected the call, burying his face into the pillow, groaning.

“What’s wrong?” Her finger danced down the warm, silky skin of his back.

“My flight’s been moved up,” he mumbled into the pillow. “I have to be at the airport by noon.” He faced her, his brows knitted. “I’m sorry, Al.”

“It’s okay, we’ll make the most of it.” She saw this as a diversion. Now she wouldn’t have to be tempted by the dangling carrot. She redirected him. “Let’s get up. I’ll cook you a send-off breakfast.”

* * * *

“Hey, Danny boy, I heard you were home. I just had to come over and say hi.” Tess strutted around the kitchen island, pinching Dan’s ass, which had Allie annoyed five minutes after she’d arrived.

“Hey.” Dan’s eyes flashed at her, his brow furrowed.

“So are you kids getting reacquainted?” Tess sat down at the island, giving both of them her provocative look.

“Would you like coffee?” Allie asked, trying to get the conversation back on more civilized ground.

“Sure, then I’ll skedaddle. Let you two do what you should before Danny boy here has to leave again.” Tess waggled her brows, laughing.

* * * *

“I swear she gets more overdone every time I’m home.” Dan shook his head. “I can’t wait until she has to get a job,” he seethed. “Then she’ll be over here whining. I’m not sure which will be worse.”

“Well, she’s sunk her claws into Marty already.” Allie looked across the table at him.

“I’m not surprised. Did you warn him, Al?” Dan opened up the paper, eyeing her over a folded page.

“I’m staying out of it.” Allie waved her hand dismissively.

* * * *

By late morning Dan was gone again. They had enjoyed two meals off the grill, a nice walk, and a surprisingly civilized swim at Tess’s while he was home. Tess had invited Marty, but he had to go pick up a load of lumber, so he’d politely declined.

Later that night Tess and Marty were off again. Where they were going at this hour of the night, Allie couldn’t figure out. Allie had had trouble sleeping since Dan had left.

This time Tess was dressed a bit more formally. Marty appeared to be more of a conservative dresser, his attire similar to their previous date. Allie leaned on the windowsill. Their mysterious outings were turning her into a snoop. Tess walked around the car, her skin shimmering underneath a short, black dress with a plunging neckline. The straps of her shiny, silver heels glittered in the dark.

Tonight Allie noticed that Tess didn’t turn her headlights on until she pulled out of the driveway. To Allie this was a telltale sign that whatever was going on, Tess did not want her knowing about it.

While fixing her coffee, Allie noticed Tess and Marty pull into her driveway. Allie glanced at the clock on the microwave. It was 7 a.m. Tess’s hair was unruly and rumpled, along with her black dress. Marty looked about the same with the exception of his shirt sleeves, which were pushed up to his elbows.

Allie watched him trudge across his yard, his face haggard from lack of sleep. Tess looked back in Allie’s direction twice before slamming her front door.

Allie didn’t see or hear any activity until late in the afternoon. She was out watering her garden, admiring her red geraniums that had grown thick and full, when she saw Marty carrying her rocker across the yard.

“Oh, I get my gift today,” Allie squealed. She shut off the hose and met him halfway.

“It’s yours, lady.” He set it down, wiping his forehead. He looked better, but his eyes drooped like an old dog’s. Tess would have this guy beaten down by the autumn harvest. Allie felt bad for him. Maybe he just didn’t know how to say no. Tess was hard to refuse.

“It looks great. I love it.” Allie ran her hand across the smooth, glossy back.

“Where you want it?” Marty asked, shielding his eyes from a blazing sun.

“Would you mind taking it up to my studio for me?” Allie didn’t want to ask too much from an already maxed-out man.

“Sure, you lead the way.” Marty waved her on.

“It’s the room where we looked at the paint, remember?”

Marty climbed the stairs carefully, not wanting to scuff the walls. He made the turn on the landing then crossed the hallway into Allie’s studio. She asked him to place the chair next to the bay window. He set it down at an angle.

“Thank you so much. I love it.” Allie went and sat down, rocking back and forth, looking out into the vast backyard.

“Hey, I like this,” Marty said.

Allie turned and saw Marty standing in front of her easel, looking at her painting of Lake Erie in the winter.

“Oh.” Allie stood and joined him in front of the painting.

“Is this for work?” He faced to her. His eyes roamed around her face. He’d gotten some sun. His cheeks were a flushed pink.

“No, I just felt like doing something for fun. I need to work on the ice hanging off the rock here.” Allie pointed to the upper corner of the canvas.

“Will you sell it to me when you’re done?”

He seemed skittish today, his eyes darting around her. Allie couldn’t achieve steady eye contact. She smelled coffee on his breath, along with a mild sweetness of something slightly burnt. He was making her nervous. Allie pulled strands of hair off her sweaty neck then thrust her hands into the pockets of her shorts.

“I didn’t pay for the chair, so I can’t sell it to you. I can give it to you.” She snuck a quick glance at him. This time he was staring into her, his gaze unwavering. She swallowed past the anxious lump that had sprouted in her throat.

“Ah, come on, you painted the bench for me, so now we’re even.” He laughed. “Hey, come see the bench. I have it out front on the porch. Do you have a minute?” He dug his fingers into his cheek, his heavy whiskers starting to look like a beard.

“Sure, I’ll come see it. We’ll fight about the painting when I’m done with it, okay?” She laughed, feeling her lips curve into a grin.

“I suppose.” He shook his head. “Hey, get your shoes on and come over.” Marty turned and barreled down the stairs.

By the time Allie heard the front door slam, she had her sandals on. She walked across the yard. The door to Marty’s workshop was open, and his radio was on. The sound of a bluesy saxophone drifted through the air. She stepped across the patio stones and tapped on the door.

“Yeah, Allie, come on in. I want to show you something in here first.” He motioned for her to come to the back of the workshop. While she walked down the length of the workbench, Allie noticed the ashtray and a pack of cigars up on the shelf.

“What do you think of this?” Marty was moving his workhorses so she could get to the back corner.

“Wow, that’s beautiful.” In the back he had an antique washstand that was a deep, rich cherry. Allie ran her hand across the cool, glossy wood.

“I could sell this, but I don’t know where to go to sell anything like this around here.” He patted the surface with his hand.

“Landisville has an annual county fair after the autumn harvest. They have all sorts of stuff there, from antique cars to homemade jams.”

“Mm, should I try to sell it there then?”

“I would,” she told him.

Allie helped him pull the plastic cover back over it. They walked outside around the side of the house, up to the front porch.

“Well, what d’you think?” He pointed. He had the bench catty-corner on his front porch, near the vertical window that lined the front door.

“I like it.” Allie touched the leaves with her fingers, feeling the raised areas of paint which she’d done on purpose, wanting to add texture and character.

Marty was just getting ready to say something, his head slightly turned, when the acceleration of an engine halted their conversation. They both simultaneously turned as Tess pulled out of her driveway. Her hand shot out of the window as if to wave, but the look which Allie knew was hidden behind those dark sunglasses was surely no friendly expression.

“She’s wild, your friend. You know that, right?” Marty shook his head.

“She’s one of a kind.” Allie laughed off his comment.

“That’s for sure,” he muttered.

Allie battled the temptation to ask him where they’d been going, roaming around at all hours of the night, but she wanted Marty to be comfortable around her. She thought if she brought it up, their newly formed relationship would regress. Allie also wasn’t sure if he would tell Tess that she had asked.