Without You I Have Nothing (64 page)

_{"Why didn't you
bring Jennifer home with you Peter?  Who's this new woman?  Look, she's
laughing and she's so happy. That isn't my sister, Jennifer. Did you exchange
her for this new model?"}

_{Peter knew he was
home with his family.}

_{"Now, let's put
this luggage in the car. We guessed there'd be lots. You must have left many
sad shopkeepers in Asia because trucks have been arriving on the hour every
hour, day and night, delivering Jennifer's latest purchases."}

_{Grinning wildly,
Andrew swung his sister into his arms and squashed her as he kissed her cheek.}

_{"You look
wonderful sis. Married life has done wonders for you. I'm thinking of taking
the plunge myself."}

_{In teasing disbelief,
Jennifer punched Andrew in the arm. "You married?  I'll believe it when I
see it. I can only feel sympathy for the poor girl. Who is it?  She'd have to
be out of her mind to marry you."}

_{During the trip home,
the teasing and hilarity continued, with many questions about their travels,
where they had been and what they had seen.}

_{That night over a
traditional dinner of baked lamb with mint sauce, gravy and baked vegetables,
Jennifer's statement, "I still call Australia home,” made her parents
smile, since that simple quotation told them she'd missed her mother's cooking
and her family hearth.}

_{At the end of a long
evening of food, talk and laughter Andrew stood. "Come on you two, enough
talk, I'll drive you home."}

_{The headlights swept
in a wide arc up the driveway of the Rocky Springs mansion and Jennifer was
surprised when Peter swung her into his arms to carry her up the steps and
across the threshold of their home.}

_{"Oh dear, I left
your luggage behind. You'll have to make do and sleep naked,” was Andrew's
cheeky comment as he drove off.}

_{Peter grinned. "Welcome
to our home, Mrs. O'Brien, a haven of happiness, a twin for the home where you
grew up."}

_{The place actually
looked inhabited and there was already human warmth about the rooms, but
Jennifer needed to sleep. She allowed Peter to lead her to the master  bedroom
where, oblivious of Peter's presence she undressed and slowly went to soak in
the gigantic bath. She made no comment, lazily opening one eye as the slopping
of water over the edge told her that Peter had joined her.}

_{He looked at her in
silence, a mischievous smile on his face as he took her feet in his hands and
began massaging. Jennifer lay back, enjoying every touch. Just as his
attentions were becoming sensual, she felt him sliding behind her to rub her
neck and shoulders.}

_{She enjoyed his
fingers pummeling and pushing at her aching muscles. Eventually, as the water
cooled, he stood and helping her out of the bath dried them both with fresh,
fluffy towels.}

_{Bending to kiss her
Peter lifted her arms around his neck. He slid his hands behind her knees and
effortlessly carried her to their bed where he lay beside her, his hands
worshipping her nudity.}

_{The realization that
this was the first night in their own home heightened their passion, which
overcame their tiredness. Before sinking into the softness and darkness of
sleep, they made love with renewed energy.}

_{The following
morning, Jennifer, her body still on Singapore time, woke late to find Peter
carefully studying her. He bent to kiss her then, playfully slapping her rump,
commented, "I thought you'd never wake. Come on, up your get, you haven't
time to play with my body."}

_{She giggled as he
corrected himself. "On second thoughts, I have plenty of time to play with
you,” and his mouth fastened on a nipple.}

_{Jennifer pushed
against his chest trying to dampen his passion but to no avail.}

_{Ignoring her efforts,
Peter eventually straightened and pulled her onto her feet. "Come on Mrs.
O'Brien time to shower and then have breakfast. We must get busy because we've
a property to run."}

_{Smiling
mischievously, he led her to their shower recess and turned on the water. As
soon as the water had heated, he pushed Jennifer under the steaming spray. He
was still adjusting the heat of the water when Jennifer dragged him under the
shower with her.}

_{Once Jennifer was
thoroughly wet, she turned and snuggled her wet body against Peter's back. She
reached around his waist and began soaping him from his shoulders to his knees
lingering on his groin.}

_{Peter could only grit
his teeth and moan as he tried to turn around to face her but she wouldn't
allow him to move.}

_{"What's the matter
am I getting to you?”  Jennifer asked, her eyes flashing with a naughty gleam.}

_{The only answer was a
groan as her soapy hands aroused him even more.}

_{"I'll be a good
girl. Stand still and I'll do your back properly this time,” she said, reaching
for the soap. Giggling, Jennifer began to work her soapy hands across Peter's
back, actually doing some washing for a few minutes before she got playful
again as she started washing his thighs. What began as washing was suddenly
becoming erotic massaging and Peter jumped and turned. Jennifer burst out
laughing.}

_{"All right,
enough's enough,” Peter said. "It's my turn to wash you."}

_{"Aaaw, what's
the matter, baby?  I'm just trying to make sure you're clean, that's all.” 
Laughing Jennifer wrapped her arms around his neck and began kissing him,
rubbing her full wet body against him.}

_{Peter continued
kissing her as he lathered his hands with the soap. Then he began fondling her
breasts.}

_{Reaching down, she
grasped Peter's rampant penis and bent it down between her legs so that it was
rubbing against her sex. She broke her kiss, buried her face against his neck
and began to whimper.}

_{Remembering how
Jennifer liked having her breasts loved, Peter pinched her swollen nipples,
digging his thumbnails into the ends. Her moans grew louder and, as she began
to shudder, he swirled his tongue tantalizingly over each rigid nipple. Then he
suckled her. Suddenly she surrendered to her orgasm. Her arms tightened around
his neck as she hung on, almost unable to stand. Finally, her shuddering eased
and her moans became gasps.}

_{Holding her for
several minutes slowly Peter rocked her as the water poured down on them. Eventually
she looked up and Peter noticed that most of the glazed stare had left her eyes
so he whispered, "Think we're clean enough for now?"}

_{Jennifer smiled and
nodded.}

_{Shutting off the
water, he opened the sliding shower screen and stepped out into the steamy room.
He reached for one of the extra-large towels, helped her from the shower, then
enveloped her body in the soft white cotton.}

_{Pulling a second
smaller towel from the rack, he threw it over her head and began vigorously
drying her hair as she stood in silence. Her head bowed towards him as he
rubbed. When he had dried most of the water from her hair, Peter wrapped a
smaller towel around Jennifer's head as a turban then turned to get a towel to
dry himself.}

_{"Right, feeling
refreshed?  I'll meet you in the dining room. Breakfast will be ready.”  As if
worried her naked body would arouse him yet again, Peter was quick to dress and
leave.}

_{Jennifer believed
he'd been busy in the kitchen as he placed two bowls of steaming Pho Ga on the
table along with Asian mint, bean sprouts and chilies.}

_{The only objects that
suggested she had returned home were the pots of jam, the huge pile of hot
buttered toast and the compulsory jar of Vegemite. The steaming mugs of tea
reminded Jennifer of that first morning in Malaysia at the Makan Stall.}

_{While they were
eating, the phone rang.}

_{"I sent one of
my cooks and an amah over to help you settle in.”  Elizabeth seemed anxious to
tell Jennifer the news.}

_{Hearing Jennifer's
reaction she explained, "The amah is a house girl to clean and do the
washing - general household duties. The cook this week is Vietnamese. Blake
Pastoral supplies all cooks and amahs and they are on the company payroll. The
servants have stocked the pantry and all your clothes are in place. Enjoy your
breakfast. It's wonderful to have you back."}

_{Jennifer could only
stare at the silent phone. Turning to Peter and shaking her head in bewilderment,
she expressed her surprise. "You really are a pest. I thought you'd cooked
this breakfast and I was about to allocate all kitchen duties to you. Now I
find the company has supplied cooks and amahs."}

_{When breakfast was
finished, Peter, with his arm around her waist, strolled down the long
corridor.}

_{"Let's look at
our offices.”  He opened a door and followed her into the room. "Hey, wait
a minute. This is a terrific office, I think I'll swap."  The leather
chairs and lounge, the bookshelves with their law books and the plush comfort
shrieked of being a successful law practice.}

_{One wall was wooden
paneling which he slid back commenting, "I wonder if the computers have
been installed?  When we returned to Singapore just before returning home and
you were out shopping with Lu-Lu and Lee-Lee, trying to purchase all of
Singapore, I called Eric who proudly told me of the advances and changes made
here by the company. When he had finished both your Mum and Andrew took over. That's
why I was not surprised at our Vietnamese breakfast."}

_{Jennifer was staring
at a bank of computers. She gasped as Peter flicked one screen to life and she
was looking into Peter's office. She giggled as Peter danced off like a
schoolboy to his office only to appear in her monitor.}

_{"Hello
sweetheart - see I'm not far away.”  He spoke to the screen before reappearing
in her office. "Andrew used a communications expert from among the Gurkhas.
The expert has networked the two properties, including the workshops, and he is
now officially in charge of our computers and our company network."}

_{Taking her hand, he
led her back into the corridor. "Come to my office and let's explore
that."}

_{A similar bank of
computers occupied one wall of Peter's office. Drafting tables, stools and
shelves of computer aided drafting programs filled the room. This was an
engineer's dream office.}

_{Jennifer looked up at
him and gasped, seeing another facet of this man, a side she hadn't suspected
existed.}

_{Proudly he opened the
door in the far wall.}

_{She noticed on the
left a bathroom door, so the sign 'Tandas' said, and a flight of steps leading
down to a cool quiet cellar.}

_{Peter led the way
down the steps. Against the far wall was his family altar and above it the
picture of Peter's parents. There was a faint suggestion of incense in the air
as three faint wisps of white smoke climbed from three joss sticks.}

_{The bookshelves
against one wall were full of engineering manuals. The plaque with its two
Gurkha knives hung on another wall. An extensive sound system filled the air
with the sounds of 'Love Changes Everything'. The only furnishings were a
leather-covered suite of large comfortable chairs and a luxurious sofa. There
was no sign of air conditioning but Jennifer knew this room would be both cool
in summer and warm in winter.}

_{Jennifer took him
back to her office where she pushed him down on the lounge as she kicked off
her shoes.}

_{She lay her head in
his lap. However before she could speak, the phone rang and she looked
expectantly at Peter. "Your phone - you answer!” was Peter's comment.}

_{"Jennifer
speaking, oh it's you Mum. Yes... Oh... Okay…  It's that important... Lunch...
but we've just had breakfast...”}

_{She paused. "Andrew
get off the phone, I'm talking to Mum...”  She sounded exasperated. "Andrew,
I'm talking with Mum. Stop interrupting."}

_{The call ended and
she was still annoyed when she informed Peter, "We are due at Mum's in
half an hour. We are to lunch and then attend a board meeting. The company
solicitor and accountant will be there. You and I don't have to give a report
but there'll be a progress report from everyone else.}

_{"That brother of
mine's a pest, he wanted to tease me. He said our luggage was on its way over
so we wouldn't have to go nude. Really, he's a pest."}

_{Walking into the
dining room at Deep Springs, they were not surprised to see Jack, the company
solicitor, and Brian, the company accountant stand and welcome them back home. Conversation
at the table centered on their trip to Malaysia and Singapore.}

_{The meal was a
leisurely affair. Relaxed and well fed, they made their way upstairs to the
rear of the house.}