Signs of Interest 5

Wheels within Wheels

@J Hontz and S Pickrel 2009 - all rights reserved

When Justin stepped out of the bathroom, his hair still wet, only a towel wrapped around him, he found Luc waiting for him.

Luc was staring down at his boots, sitting on the edge of the bed. His face was creased in thought, still unshaven, unshorn and unshowered. He stifled a yawn as Justin came to a stop in the bathroom doorway.

"Feeling better?" Luc asked.

Justin was surprised into a short bark of laughter as he considered the way his erection tented the towel in spite of the shower.  "Yeah.  Better.  Right."

"Hmmm, that's what I figured. Listen, uhm, we've broken all the damn rules there are already, so I figure what we do from here on out depends on what you want. Well, and what she wants."

Justin stopped still for a moment and then went on getting dressed.  "She has no idea what's happened," he said finally. 

"You sure?  Because she looked pretty .. well, miserable when last I saw her," Luc replied. "Like maybe she's got a pretty good hint that that kiss meant something important, anyway."

"Not what I meant."  Justin pulled on a shirt before he turned around to face Luc.  "She has no concept of the facts of what's happening and while there's reason she should, there's a number of reasons to believe she'd never accept it."

Luc fell onto his back on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. "So, what, she gets no choice in this? You're making it for her? Mr Martyr?"

"Oh for god's sake, Luc!  Don't be an ass.  She doesn't live in a world that mates.  As far as she knows that only happens to animals and usually not for life."

"Yeah, I know, Mr Martyr. So by all means, don't explain it to her. Don't help her understand, don't give her a choice. Like I said..."

"Yeah, and she's going to be pleased as Christmas to find out it's all based in biochemical compatibility, pheromones and hormones run amok and now this cop has decided she's his.  That she belongs to him and god help anyone who decides to get in the way of that, let alone any other male over the age of ten who wants to lay a finger on her."

"No, first of all she won't believe it. Then, when she does, she'll be all piss and vinegar and horrified.  But then, if she cares about you in the least, and I'm pretty sure she does, she might think about it and what it means. Then maybe, somewhere deep inside, that scared little girl, whose Daddy has spent his whole life lying to her and putting her in danger, might possibly think it isn't really all that horrible an idea that there is someone who loves her with every inch of himself. The one constant in her life."

"Oh hell," Justin swore.  He was silent after that for a long time while Luc continued to examine the ceiling.  Finally, "What about you and Justine?"

Luc gave over examining the ceiling to look over at him. "Huh?"

"You and Justine."

"There isn't any me and Justine. She's a nice girl, friend of Goldie's, that's it."

"Oh."  Justin was silent again as he put on his shoes.  "So what exactly are you thinking?  That Goldie and I will just go home and live happily ever after?  That she'll be allowed to do that?  Or failing that, that I'd be allowed to stay here?  Or that I'll just become one of the people you and I have been chasing for fifteen years?"

"Well," Luc replied, "I've been thinking... We know she disappears. We figured she ended up dead. But what if that doesn't explain it?  What if she does go home with you?  Who'll say no? After the fact?  We'll both get drummed out of the corps, but hey, I'm okay with that. It'd be for a good cause."

Justin was glad he was sitting down as the meaning in Luc's words penetrated.  He'd spent a lot of time considering what history knew of her and her disappearance.  Entrenched opinion said she died, maybe accidentally, maybe suicide.  Personally, his money had been on murder and the snarling animal inside of him was determined to die before he let that happen, regardless of the consequences.  It was an issue on which he and the animal were as one.

"You can't give up your career for this," he said.

Luc laughed. "There you go again, telling people what they can and can't do. It's my career, my choice. And I'll be damned if I'm gonna put up with you crying on my shoulder for the rest of our lives telling me how lonely you are."

"Shit Luc.  You've been hanging out here too long.  We all know I'm a real man and real men don't cry."

"I'll remind you of that next time  you get drunk," Luc retorted. "So. Think about it. Talk to her, for pity's sake. For MY sake."

"Real men don't talk to their women either," he muttered.  "They just drag em off to bed and give their mouths something to do besides talk."

"Yeah I hear you. But I've never been a traditionalist," Luc replied. "Can I have the shower now?"

"All yours," he said.  "I'll go sample the biscuits."

"Just don't sample the cook," Luc retorted as he began stripping before reaching the bathroom.

In the kitchen, Goldie was slumped on a chair, watching Justine. She'd never been allowed to touch anything in the kitchen when she was a little girl. She liked watching other people cook, though, and it was better than thinking about what Justin was thinking of her.

"Would you relax," Justine said.  "You can set the table if having something to do will help."

"I should just leave, you know?  He hates me. I hurt his feelings, I treated him like crap, and I'm not sure I can face him again," Goldie moaned, almost ready to bolt.

"Oh please.  You kissed him and it scared the hell out of him he liked it so much."

Goldie got up and began gathering plates and silverware. "No. You didn't.. It wasn't a kiss. As such. It was... something else. And please don't ask me to explain it. I know it sounds totally weird and insane, but it seemed to be something way the hell beyond a normal kiss."

"As was obvious to even this most un-casual observer," Justine said.  She scooped the fruit she'd cut up into a bowl and set it on the table. 

Goldie turned bright red. "I don't suppose you've kissed Luc?" she asked.

"No. Why would I have.  He's not interested in me."

"Right. I'm sure he's not. But I want you to kiss him anyway. Think of it as an experiment,"  Goldie explained as she stole a piece of fruit.  "They're alike, but... different. I'm trying to figure out what that means."

"Excuse me?" Justine gasped, turning from washing her hands so suddenly she splattered water in a one hundred and eighty degree arc around her.

"I'm just asking you to kiss him, not go to bed with him," Goldie replied earnestly.

"As an experiment?"

"Well, do you want to kiss him for another reason?" Goldie asked, getting out orange juice and glasses.  "I mean, if so that's fine, I was just trying to help you, you know, find a reason to do it."

"I'm perfectly capable of kissing him just because I want to," Justine huffed.

Goldie opened her mouth to reply but suddenly every word in her brain headed for the exits. Justin was standing in the door way.  She froze.

"Smells good, ladies," he said as he moved to help himself to more coffee.  "It's really nice of you to do this."

"Uhm..." Goldie said. "Uh... I'm sorry. I mean for surprising you. Won't happen again."

"What won't happen again?" he asked, reaching past her towards the fruit.  He grabbed a spear of melon and took a slow bite.  "I love melon."

Goldie licked her lips. "Uhm, nothing is gonna happen again. Promise."  She grabbed the butter and scooted past Justin to get to the table.

He grasped her upper arm gently as she came in range again, his smile amused.  "Define nothing, baby girl."

"Why do you call me that?" she asked.

"I like to, now stop avoiding the question."

"What's nothing?  Uhm, well, I'll ... I'll hear you when you tell me to back off. It's fine with me. If that's what you want, well, that's good with me."  Goldie shrugged her arm to try to break free.

"When did I tell you to back off?" he asked, stilling her struggles by taking a single step closer.

"I.. I thought.. I swear you told me to.. I didn't mean to tease you. I just... I don't know what I was thinking."

"No I don't remember ever saying that.  And believe me, it's something I'd be unlikely to forget," he said, standing so close his breath was warm on her skin.  He leaned towards her, tilting towards the curve where her shoulder met her neck, watching the pulse throb frantically in her throat.  "But just so we're clear," he said, "I don't promise to not tease you."  Then he pressed a kiss against her pulse, laving it swiftly with his tongue before retreating, letting his hand fall from her arm. 

He held a piece of melon in his other hand, lifting it to her lips.  "Want a bite?"

Her eyes were closed as she fought to get her heart back under control. "I... Uhm, you shouldn't do that. I can't think when you do that.  Yes."

He held the melon to her lips, feeding it to her.  "What is it you want to think about?"

"Uhm... I want to think about why someone stole my canvas for one thing," Goldie said. "It pisses me off."

"After breakfast," he said.  He brushed his finger along her lower lip where he'd rubbed the melon and then put it in his mouth, sucking the taste off of it.  "Justine made biscuits.  And there's melon.  I love melon."

"Me too," said a voice from the doorway. "And I love breakfast even more," Luc added. "What can I do?"

Justine took a deep breath, grateful for the interruption and she'd only been an unwilling watcher.  Her pulse was throbbing and all she could think about was sex.  "Uhm, nothing.  It's ah...it's all done."

"Then maybe we'd better eat," Luc suggested eying his partner. "You okay, Justine?" Luc pulled out a chair for her.

She set a jar of honey on the table and let him seat her.  "Uh, yeah.  Fine.  Just hungry."

"Yeah," Luc muttered, "I know the feeling, trust me."

"What?" Goldie asked, suddenly finding a smidgen of attention span.

"Nothing. Eat up. We should go over to your studio after breakfast."

"Do you keep canvases anywhere else?" Justin asked.

"Well, at the school and at home.  They tend to collect," Goldie replied buttering a biscuit, keeping her eyes determinedly off Justin.

"I want to go by your studio at the college, too," he said.  "Just to be sure."

Goldie bit her lip. "I meant home, home. Daddy's place. But I don't want to go there."

"Why not?" Justin asked.  "This is really good," he added.  "You're a great cook, Justine."

"Yeah, you are," Luc agreed, while he watched Goldie picking at the napkin on her lap.  "Why not, Goldie?"

"I, uh, he doesn't like cops. And, uh, I'd just rather not, that's all."  Goldie had found her lap fascinating.

Justine studied her face.  "Honey, it's not likely he's involved."

She looked up at Justin then, fighting back a tear. "I know that! My own father wouldn't.. He ... He wouldn't!"

"But?" Justine asked gently.

Goldie's head swiveled around to regard Justine. "He asked me for some canvases last week. I said no," she whispered, her voice hoarse.  "What a stupid request.  It made no sense then, makes none now!"

Justin set his fork down and reached for Goldie's hand.  "Goldie, baby..."

"He couldn't stand going back to jail, Justin," she said, the tears falling now. "Please."

"You think I'm going to arrest him?"

"You will if he's involved," Goldie whispered.  "You'd have to."

Justin's other hand clenched next to his plate.  "You think I'm going to arrest your father?"  Whatever he was thinking, all his tone conveyed was mild interest. 

Goldie finally looked up at him. She frowned. "You're a cop. I get that you have rules. I mean, I understand. But... but..." she ran out of words and fell silent.

"Jesus baby, you really are amazing."  Justin shoved his chair back.  "I'm gonna get some air," he said.

Justine sighed as he left.  "Is he always this...sensitive?"

Luc sighed. "Not usually. Goldie, I'm almost certain your Dad isn't involved. So try to stop worrying."

"What did I say to hurt him this time?" Goldie asked. "I'm trying, really I am. I don't want to piss him off. I don't understand how I did!"

Justine stood and went to the pantry, pulling out a bottle of scotch and three glasses.  After she'd poured and shared she looked at Goldie straight in the eyes.  "Drink it and then I'll explain how you screwed up."  Then she tossed her's back and refilled the glass.

"Isn't it early for this?" Goldie asked. But she drank it down anyway.

Luc sighed and drank his. "Lemme go check on him."  He got up and went in search of Justin.

Justine just nodded.  "You don't trust him," she said to Goldie.

"What?  What does that have to do with anything, and why do you say I don't trust him anyway?" Goldie demanded, suddenly furious about ... she didn't know about what.

"You figure it out, girlfriend.  You're smart," Justine said, and rose to clear the table.

"What do I need to do, Justine? I'm .. everything I say, everything I do... "

"I suppose it depends on what you want, sweetie."

Goldie groaned. "I don't know. How can I know? I hardly know him!  One kiss can't... I mean.  Argh!"

"Well then, I guess you're pretty screwed," Justine said cheerfully.  "More melon?" she offered, holding out the bowl of fruit.

Goldie cursed, got  up and marched out after Justin. She found the two guys not saying a word, nor looking at one another, just standing outside.  "Can I have a word?" Goldie asked, looking at Justin. "In private."

Luc opened his mouth then closed it, but waited to see how Justin wanted to handle this.

Justin shrugged.  "Sure."

Luc nodded, and walked back into the house to help Justine clean up.

Goldie glared at Justin. "It would help, you know, if you'd explain just what it is that I do that makes you so furious all the time. It would help if you'd talk to me, rather than.. than.. just ... just... I don't know. Cuz I sure can't figure out what's going on in your head."

He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the railing.  "You like to leap to conclusions, don't you?"

"No, not particularly. What conclusion am I leaping to?"

"That fury is the emotion de jour."

"Well, how do I know what emotion is the one that's making you crazy? You haven't told me. All I have to go on is your actions. And stomping out of breakfast looks like fury to me. If it isn't then what is it?"

"Why?"

"Why? Why?" she demanded walking up to him and staring up at him. "So I can stop pissing you off or whatever it is that I'm doing. I'm trying my best to get along with you but everything I do, everything I say seems to go wrong and you get all.. all whatever it is you get."

He stared down at her, taking his time over every detail.  "Why did you kiss me?"

"Why? Why did I kiss you? I don't know any more!" she replied, exasperated. "I just... It seemed like a good idea at the time."

He smiled, leaving the humor out.  "When you tell me why you kissed me, I'll tell you what the emotion is."

"God! You make me crazy!  Why is that?  Guys don't do that to me!"

"I'll answer that question then, too," he said.  Then he moved, like a stalking cat pouncing, his hand cupping the nape of her neck and pulled her against him.  His mouth was on hers before she had time to take a breath.  He swallowed her protest and plunged his tongue into her mouth, sweeping it along the length of hers, reveling in the sweetness of her taste.

She was pushing at his chest, trying to push him away, but he was too strong and her protest died as the kiss went deeper. Instead she was opening herself to him, even as she stood aside mentally in a dazed state wondering what was happening to her. She'd dated seldom, and never ever had a man's kiss turned her into jello before.

He eased back from the kiss slowly, knowing if he didn't he'd take her right there on the front porch and bedamned to anyone who might see them. He was willing to but she wouldn't appreciate that. When she lifted her eyes to his he grinned.  She looked dazed, her lips puffy and red from the kiss, her face flushed and her breathing moving her breasts against his chest.  He laid a finger against her lips when she opened her mouth to speak.

"Don't," he said.  "You'll only get yourself in more trouble."

Her eyes searched his.  She wasn't sure what to say anyway. She wasn't sure which way was up. She'd been honest when she'd said guys didn't confuse her or make her crazy. They were irrelevant for the most part. Good to paint and good to go out for a drink with, but she'd learned early on, watching her father lie to her mother, that guys were more trouble than they were worth to keep. Yet here she was, her heart racing and wanting nothing more than to drag Justin into the nearest bed.

He watched as each thought chased the next across her face.  Vulnerable and confused and wanting.  He stroked his knuckles over her cheek.  "It'll all make sense eventually, baby girl."

"Why not now? Explain whatever it is to me. What, you're married with six kids?  Your wife's a cop too?  Your daddy wants you to take over the business and you're rebelling by being a cop? You hate artists?  You love the color blue as well as melons? What?  What is it you're not telling me? I believe you won't lie to me, but its the not understanding that's making me crazy. Please."

He grinned and dropped a kiss on her tip tilted nose.  "You really want to know?"

She swallowed, but met his eyes unwaveringly. "Yes."

"Then answer my question."  He laughed at her expression and added as he stepped back from her, putting a hand at the small of her back to direct her into the house.  "But here's a clue."  He leaned down, his lips next to her ear and whispered, "I'm keeping you."  Then he tugged delicately on her ear lobe with his teeth as he swirled his tongue in her ear.

"What?" she asked, but jumped when a voice right behind her said, "Breakfast is all cleaned up. We should get over to the studio and wherever else. Are we going to Daddy's?" Luc asked.

Justin waited, his expression closed.

Goldie swallowed then nodded.

"I'll get Justine," Luc said and left them.

"Go get your purse, doll," Justin said.

She started toward the house then stopped. "I kissed you because when you touch me I .. I like it."  She scooted on into the house, not giving him a chance to respond.

Justin laughed. 
 

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