CHAPTER 24 - COUPLINGS

LFD - POST DINNER

JUSTIN

I wave goodbye through the door as Molly, Kiki and Vic clamber into the car with Drew and Emmy. Kiki’s feet hurt far too much for her to walk the three blocks to her house. “Are you ready?” Brian’s voice is surprisingly gentle and I nod tiredly. “So, Mr Chef Extraordinaire, how proud of yourself are you?”

“Must admit to being a little pleased. Wait... aren’t we going to the Church House?” I frown as he starts to lead me up the stairs.

“Nope. Come on, I knew you would be tired, so have a little surprise for you.”

“Surprise?” I yawn as he leads me, not to the bedroom like I thought, but to the bathroom where there is a steaming hot and bubble filled bath drawn. “When did…?”

“Molly and Kiki, while you were on clean up.” He smiles. “Now come here.” He pulls me into his arms and gives me a squeeze before starting to unbutton my whites and kiss the skin that appears. Soon, I sink into the bubbly water and sigh with contentment. “Good?”

“Mmm. Are you coming in, too?”

“Not with you...too tempting, but leave me the water. Try not to fall asleep in there!” He calls back over his shoulder as he heads out. Twenty minutes later, I am being gently dried with a warmed fluffy towel and struggling to stay awake. He leads me stumbling to the bedroom and the bed is toasty warm as I slide into it.  “You had better not be awake when I get back.” He whispers into my ear. “Or I will have to spank you for it.”

“You mean asleep…” I yawn again.

“I know what I mean.” He murmurs and covers me with the duvet.

NEXT MORNING

I come back upstairs with coffee and a slice of the cake from last night. I had to hide some in the back fridge as Drew went hunting!

“Far too early for that!” Brian grumbles, taking the tray so I can get back in bed. I take my coffee and say nothing as he helps himself to cake first. “You are never to make this again or if you do, I have to be out of the country.” He hands me the fork.

I lean across and kiss his shoulder. “Okay.”

“So what are you going to do today, apart from rest and accept?”

“That’s about it. I…”

“If you are going to say anything dipshitty about the course, I really will spank you and not in a good way.”

“There is a good way to be spanked?” He just looks at me. “What? There’s never a good way to be spanked. It hurts.”

“Only to a certain degree.” He murmurs, putting his cup down and taking the cake away. “I can show you, if you’d like.”

“No, thank you.” I tighten the bedding round myself. “I got smacked with a ruler once and I never misbehaved again.”

“Ah, but that was a ruler designed, somewhat, to inflict pain. But the feel of a warm hand on say...sleep warmed skin, nice and relaxed and pliant…”

BRIAN

I actually had no intention of doing anything in bed, but read the newspapers and sleep. However, my cock and hand are warming to the idea of having him squirming on my lap...and let’s see here. I tug gently on the duvet and he stares at my hand.

“That hand?” He whispers.

“Uh huh. This one. I will be super gentle as it’s your first time...”

“You will?”

“Uh huh. Do I have a curious kitten?” I whisper into his ear and he shivers.

“Um…” I cut off his next word by nuzzling his neck. “I’m not sure.” He manages to gasp out.

“Then we won’t. You need to be sure.”

“The answer is yes, though...you do have a curious kitten.”

“Thought so.” I grin at him. “Can’t wait until you say I can. The idea of that plump and delicious ass bouncing under my ministrations, is just well…” I pause as he clambers astride me. “And you want me to do what now?”

“Not talk, just kiss.” He mutters before covering my mouth with his.

ANNALISE AND LEDA’S HOME

EFFY’S ROOM

EFFY

I sigh and look at the ceiling. I’ve just been speaking to Dad and he’s told me that it’s up to me when Mom comes back this weekend. To be honest, I don’t want her there. She was really unnecessarily horrible and not one phone call! I hear a thud and a whine, which means one thing... Moon is outside the door. I get up and open it then he and Blue gambol in and leap on the bed. Well she leaps while he gets to the side and waits for me to lift him onto the bed.

“Hey Effy, how you feeling?” Aunt Leda leans against the door frame.

“Glad I have today as my free day from school. Can I come to YEP or go to Soup and Drop?”

“Yes to both or you could…” She looks over her shoulder. “...come shopping with me and help me pick up a birthday present for a very lovely lady in my life?”

“That! Can we do that?! Do you have an idea what to get her?” She nods, but then puts her fingers to her lips. “What?”

“She always, and I mean always, manages to find out what I’m getting her. I am determined this year!”

“Okay, let’s go!” I declare excitedly but then frown. “What about?” I indicate Moon and Blue.

“We’ll take them up first and let Tyrone look after them. Then we’ll head to the mall.”

“Brilliant! Oh, did you know that Tyrone and Arch are a couple?” I tell her as I help Moon down.

“Yes, but everyone is pretending not to notice.”

“You gals off?” Aunt Anna asks, making us both jump slightly.

“Yes, we’re going to YEP and then…”

“Don’t let her get me the blue earrings, Effy.” She grins at us.

“For fuck!” Aunt Leda exclaims. “See?! This is what I mean! How the hell did you know about the earrings?!”

“Dear sweet Leda, the reason I guess my present every year is not some psychic ability; it’s because you send a list to my dad and he sends it to me.”

“What?!” She gasps incredulously and then chuckles. “Wait a second... as a matter of interest, what’s wrong with the earrings?”

“Nothing. He’s already bought them for me. You save him a lot of time when it comes to buying presents for me.”

“I am going to kill your father!” Aunt Leda fusses, but there’s a smile on her face.

SOUP AND DROP - AFTERNOON

MICHAEL

I keep an eye on the door, but this place is absolutely crammed. I have been run off my feet, and there is still no sign of Heathan. But Eric has just arrived, looking absolutely hot!

“Hi, Eric!” I call out and he waves briefly at me before heading out back with one of the bitches. I quickly follow.

“Yes, Michael? Is there something we can help you with? You are not on shower or pound duty today.”

“No, Tabitha, I’m not. But I…”

“You are needed inside, so please go back to your post. We are very busy as you can plainly see. Now Eric, please can you come and look at this little guy? He’s…”

She takes him further into the stinking pound and I am so very tempted to follow. But then I see that Heathan has arrived, so it’s time to find out just where the fuck he was last night!

“Heathan!” I declare as I march up to him.

“Hey, Michael! Excuse me a second! Hey buddy, why don’t you grab a bowl and have some soup to go with that roll?” He calls out to someone. “Do you have a dog or friends out there?”

“Pitbull, she’s called Glenda.”

“Glenda!” I snicker.

“What’s wrong with Glenda, Captain?” He glares at me. “Jeremiah, can you go with…what’s your name?”

“Trent.”

“Go with Trent just to make sure he comes back. And as an incentive, Trent, we’ve got a hot shower, change of clothes, kibble and a nice warm bed for you both. Oh actually, Odette are we sending them to the hotel now or up to YEP?”

“The hotel. But make sure they’re checked over first.” She replies, flying through to the other room.

“Okay. Before you go Trent, when was the last time you two ate?”

“A couple of days ago.” He mutters.

“Alright. Nice and light, it is. Now go and get her.”

“Michael, you are needed outside!” Tabitha calls out to me and I smirk because outside to me means Eric.

“You and I will talk later...I am needed for something far more important!” I tell Heathan, now that he’s finished playing nursemaid.

“Of course, you are.” He says before heading back to the kitchen. His attitude this morning sure needs adjusting but I’ll see to that later!

As I head outside, I watch Eric bend over to tend to another fleabag. But before I can say anything, a shovel and a broom is pushed into my chest. “Since you are so keen to be out here and are such a lover of dogs, you have been transferred to pound duty. Happy poop scooping!” Bitch tells me with a smirk and my stomach roils.

“Well see you tomorrow!” Eric calls out.

“Tomorrow? I thought you were work…”

“No, I volunteer here when I can. There was an emergency call out, so I’m off to work. Oh you missed a bit and word of warning, the end cage is not pretty. Even a seasoned pro like myself almost barfed.”

Two hours later, I am almost praying for the end of all dogkind! But it has finally been cleaned to their satisfaction and I can come back inside. I spot Heathan, sitting and talking on his phone with a smile on his face. So I head over to get my questions about last night answered and to find out what Eric’s like to live with. He doesn’t see me approach so I hover in the background, quietly listening.

“Okay, gotta go. Yeah. No, I’ll come to you. What time? Okay, see you at seven, dude.”

I make a mental note of the time and then plonk down in the seat. “For a minute there, I thought you were arranging a date.” I laugh and he looks a little surprised. “But nobody says dude to a date. So what’s he like?”

“What’s who like?” He asks, guardedly.

“Eric, to live with of course. I know it’s only been a couple of days...no, not even a day.”

“He’s okay, tidy and a great cook like he said.”

“Were you showing him the sights yesterday?”

“No, he came over to get the keys and I pretty much left them to it.”

“Them?”

“He and Stanley moved him in.”

“So what did you get up to? I wanted to talk to you about…”

“Oh that’s fabulous news!” Odette suddenly squeals into her phone. “No, we are going to celebrate whether he likes it or not. I will round up the troops and we will start in Woody’s and then go on from there…just get him there!”

“What’s happened, Odette?” He asks.

“Justin has been offered a prestigious place in culinary school in...oh she never said where it was. But no matter, we are going to celebrate this evening. Are you coming?”

“I had made other plans, but we could come for a couple of drinks first.”

“Good, very good.” She turns to me. “Such a shame you won’t be here.”

“Why wouldn’t I be there?” I frown.

“You don’t like Justin. Why would you celebrate yet another achievement of his?”

“Getting the old diner spot is not an achievement! He offered…”

“Oh, not that. I’m talking about getting Brian to call him his boyfriend...in front of a dining room full of people.”

“Boyfriend?! Brian would never say that!” I scoff with certainty.

“He didn’t say the word boyfriend, that is true…”

“Well then...”

“But he did ask, and will get, a key to his house. Which now I come to think of it is more the action of a partner than a mere boyfriend.” She giggles as she walks off, leaving me steaming.

“I thought you flew out tonight.” Heathan interrupts my seething.

“What? Oh now the flights are in the morning. I can, like you, stop by for a couple of drinks.” I get up and smile at him. “See you later, dude.”

CATHERINE’S HOUSE - EARLY EVENING

LINDSAY’S ROOM

I lie there panting up at the ceiling feeling replete, but stunned before I start to sit up. “Is that how you welcome all your guests home?”

“Only the ones I want to eat for dinner.” Catherine grins up at me before lowering my skirt back down. “Now come, Madam Co-Chairwoman. I mean, come downstairs when you’re ready. We have the next meeting to discuss.”

HEATHAN AND ERIC’S APARTMENT - SAME TIME

ERIC

Oh god, I so needed that bath. I’ve got just enough time to get dressed and make my way over to meet the guys in Babylon. As I pull on my jeans, the door knocks and I have a bad feeling about this. I sigh as I look through the peephole and plastering on a smile open the door.

“Michael, what are you doing here? Heathan is out and I’m about to go out.”

“You look nice…”

I wish I had put the vest on before I open the door as I am standing here in just my jeans and socks.

“Excuse me, let me just get some more clothes on.”

“Oh don’t bother on my account!” He calls out and I wince as the door closes, knowing he’s on this side of it! “Are you going to meet the guys at Babylon?”

“Yeah!” I call back.

“Great, we can go there together, then!” He calls out, his voice getting closer.

“Take a seat in the lounge!” I say quickly and shut the bedroom door.

“Oh, okay then.” He stammers, somewhat thrown.

I grab my phone and dial Stan. He laughs at my plight, but says he had a feeling that Michael would do something like this and is sending someone to rescue me. They are less than five minutes away. As I brace myself for being in his company, the door knocks.

“Are you expecting anyone?” He asks, frowning and getting up to answer it.

Dude, I wasn’t expecting you!

“Oh, what are you doing here?!” Michael sounds annoyed.

“I’ve come to get my pussy pirate.” Molly answers, sweeping past him. “Are you going to board me tonight?” She purrs as she wiggles up to me and then takes advantage of my dropped jaw to lay a tongue filled kiss on me!

“What the hell do you think you are doing?!” He shrieks at her.

“Kissing my boyfriend...or at least bedmate for tonight.” She winks at me.

“Bed...don’t be ridiculous! He’s not interested in you! I don’t know what’s wrong with your gaydar but…”

“Yours is broken.” I can finally speak now the blood is flowing to the right head. “I’m not gay. I am, as she so sexily put it, a pussy pirate. Now, if you want to walk with us to Babylon, you are more than welcome to…”

There is complete silence and an empty space where Michael Novotny was standing.

“Thanks for that. As rescues go, that was impressively done.” I grin at her as she heads towards the apartment door.

“You’re welcome. Now about that boarding…” She smiles at me over her shoulder and slowly closes the door. “...you wanna dive in? The water’s mighty fine...”

“Oh, it’s more than fine…” I growl as I beckon her towards me.