"So you're onto my secret plan." He said with a chuckle. "Anything to get out of dancing." He kissed her once more
then led her out of the bar, laying down money for tip as they headed out.
For once a family thing had happened where a road trip wasn't required, strangely enough it was a battering on both
sides of the family this time. That just went to show that neither side really had much of a chance when it came to the
two of them.
"Clever man" she agreed with a smile as he led.
She was getting better with crowded places. Not - good necessarily. But she could use Hector as her shield and not
feel hemmed in or panicked. It wasn't the thought of the people so much anymore as the thought of being accidentally
touched. But she wasn't and they made it outside.
Once outside she lingered in his arms a little while longer. He smelled a bit smokey thanks to the air in the club but it
wasn't unpleasant. She was sure her hair smelled that way too. She felt safe. And content. And tonight, when she
slept, she knew her thoughts wouldn't be of sharp words and insinuations but of smoky jazz and friendly barbecue
sauce. Much preferable.
Wrapped close she lifted her face again, hands tangling in the fabric at the front of his shirt. Kissed him, slow and
sweet. For giving her tonight. For loving her the way he did. For no leaving her alone...
She exhaled at the end. Soft and peaceful. Not opening her eyes for a moment as the edges of her lips curved upward.
"Home?" She asked, voice quiet.
"Absolutely." He said. "Lock the doors, turn the ringers off...oh wait, I never turned them back on." As Cassie pointed
out, and it wasn't like he had a problem with them being off either.
"Come on." He said, handing her the helmet. "If we're lucky everyone else is in bed and sleeping tight."
She gave him a smile at that before pulling the helmet on and sliding on the bike behind him. Wrapping her arms
around him, she settled in. Thinking, despite the exposure to the elements, she'd always prefer riding a motorcycle
over in a car now that she'd ridden with Hector.
The ride back to the house was full of night and stars and she suspected he took the back ways. Not that she'd been
paying much attention on the way there, so wound up about what her family might have in mind. But now she knew.
And it was settled as far as she was concerned. And Hector's family... well, they'd just have to learn to live with her.
Because she wasn't going anywhere and she wasn't going to let things divide over her either.
They finally got back to the house and it was late enough that no one was dawdling on the street or their front
porches. And that was good enough for her tonight.
Hector took his helmet off and shook out his hair, now that he had more of it. "See? Nice and calm." He said. It was a
quiet neighborhood, even when there was a barbeque going on. They'd been homebodies to the nth degree the
whole time they were here, which wasn't all that different than when he was alone.
The point of vacation was rest and peace, socializing didn't do that for him too much.
Andi slide off the bike and set down her own helmet, running an absent hand through her hair before she moved back
into his arms. She enjoyed the chance to see more of the country, always curious and a sight seer by nature. But...
home. There was something wonderful and precious and private about home. And this was her home now. Because
Hector had given it to her. Making it safe and welcoming and warm for her. Making her belong here, in his world. It
didn't matter what everyone else thought. He'd brought her here and so she belonged. She would always feel as if she
belonged here now. Thanks to him.
"I love you." She whispered it, looking up at him as she reached up and gently brushed curling hair back from the side
of his face. "I do." as her arms went around her shoulders and she lifted her face. "I do."
"Love you too." He said and kissed her, his hand resting on the side of her face softly. Then out of the corner of his
eye he saw the light across the street flick on. "Okay, time for a new military game. We call it evade and invade." He
said with a chuckle, taking her hand.
"We evade and invade my own house." He said with a laugh as he unlocked the door and locked it behind them,
turning on only the dimmest of lights. Dealing with Paige was not something he wanted to do right now.
She was chuckling as they slipped into his house and she watched as he locked the door. All right. So maybe this was
her home with a few nosy neighbors. She felt a bit sorry for the other women on the block. The single ones that had
been waiting for their tall, dark eyed oft absent neighbor to notice them. Because she understood what it was to lose
your heart to Hector. Yes, she actually knew him and they only thought they did, but there were some things you
couldn't hide. And, even without his looks, Hector would have still radiated something irresistible that made a woman
feel as if she would always be safe if he'd only open his arms to keep her so.
But if they were starting to get to the point of being a nuisance to him - she'd just have to take them in hand. One of
the responsibilities that came with her position in his life.
Without turning on lights she made her way into the kitchen. Her eyes were good in the dark thanks to years of
nothing but. She'd vaguely picked up before they'd gone out and so she knew there were no surprises waiting on the
floor to trip her. Leaving the bag of clothes on the table, she opened the ice box and put away the left overs in there.
Setting the bottles of sauce for her Da on the side counter with an unconscious pleased smile. Da would be so happy.
And it meant so much to her that Hector thought about him too.
She turned and gave him a look over her shoulder. Eyes and smile soft in the dim light. Reminded of other nights in
dim tents half way around the world. When she'd just been starting to learn how blessed she really was.
"Do we have to whisper too?" She asked, voice low and laughing.
"Depends. Do we risk waking up Mr. Snuffles?" He asked with a grin and a laugh. His nemesis...but a least it was one
he could laugh about.
The women in the neighborhood....he didn't worry about. Or even think about much. They were sort of there, and he
was more or less here...the two paths never really intersected, even if it wasn't for lack of trying from one side. Hard to
press an issue with someone who was there once a year for a couple of weeks, if that, and then gone again, just as
quick with just as little notice or warning.
That was his lifestyle, mostly by choice, and the women in the neighborhood probably wouldn't have stood it for long,
which made it a very good thing that he didn't want them to stand it, didn't it?
"Depends." She repeated, eyes laughing quietly. "Is your bed going to move to trip me if it realizes I'm home and
wandering around in the dark?"
'Practicalities' taken care of she moved automatically over to be back in his arms. Exhaling with a soft smile and
closing her eyes as she snuggled in close. While it might not have been entirely a good day - this most certainly had
turned into a good evening. How many times did that happen in the average life?
"Maybe. Depends on if you swear like that again. British slang is awful cute you know." He said with a grin as he held
her close. "course I don't think anything will attack us in the kitchen. We just might be safe and secure here. Then
again, it's on the first floor, so who knows? Could be in danger from peeping toms."
"Suddenly you care if we're spotted." She teased, eyes closed as she soaked in the feel of him and how wonderful it
always felt to be in his arms. "Because being fully dressed and snuggling in a kitchen is so much more scandalous
than romping starkers down an entire beach." Though, she had to admit, now that he'd mentioned it, the thought of
one of the neighborhood women hiding in the bushes and peering in a darkened window should have seemed a great
deal less plausible than it did. Instead it felt both vaguely plausible and vaguely disturbing on oh so many levels.
"And I'm not supposed to be cute when I swear. I'm supposed to be fearsome and vulgar and surprisingly inventive
and - oh bugger. We're either going to have to draw the blinds or go upstairs. All I can imagine now is your next door
neighbor with her hair in those blinding bright rollers and that ever present ciggie in her mouth hiding in the bushes
outside the window, getting her housecoat full of leaves."
"What can I say? Strange neighborhood." He said. "If nothing else, I think we've earned a little total privacy tonight."
Just on how everyone around them kept trying to not only get into their privacy, but get between them. Normally it
could have pissed him off, but it just mildly annoyed him. Because it was temporary.
Because most people who mattered seemed to have more common sense than that.
"Okay, but if you don't want to be in a freak show with me, we can go upstairs." He teased.
Andi's lips started to curve and she literally chortled quietly against him.
"I would say that rather depends on the kind of 'freak show' you were planning." She clarified. Raising her face to grin
up at him. "But if we go upstairs you have to promise to protect me from the blood thirsty feet of your vicious bed."
"Blood thirsty feet and vicious bed? You sure know how to sweet talk." He said with a laugh as he picked her up easily
into his arms. "There. If you're not on the ground, the feet can't touch you, how's that for protection?"
Her stomach did the little flip it always did when he picked her up and her face lit with a soft glow. She loved it when he
picked her up in his arms. When he carried her. It made her feel - light and soft and feminine. And it felt safe to feel
that way. She wasn't used to those feelings. It was silly and girlish but - it was true.
"Such a clever man." She agreed with a smile, slipping her arms around his wide shoulders as she kissed him. "You've
saved me again."
He laughed. "Actually I'm bribing you." He said. "I save you from the bed, you save me from the elephant. I think that's
a fair bargain."
He carefully shifted her weight to turn off the dim lights as he made his way through the hall ways and up the stairs.
Both safe from any aggravation for the time being. It was too late to call or knock on the door unless it was an absolute
emergency after all.
She laughed against him, eyes dancing.
"That's a deal." She agreed. Leaning in to kiss his jaw. The 'smack' he had joked about so long ago. "I'll defend you
from all elephants of unconscionable color in exchange for my toes. Do you know you have a very nice neck?" She
asked.
He chuckled at that as he climbed the stairs. "No, I actually didn't." He said with a laugh. His neck was never something
he gave much thought to until he had to protect it. Like from Wekesa...
"I think it holds my head up nicely though." He allowed.
"It’s a very nice head too." She agreed. Raking long fingers gently through his thick hair. "But I'm going to stay
momentarily focused on your neck if that's all right. Not giraffe long, not short and stumpy and not turkey thin." She
tipped her face and pressed a light kiss to the side of it. She hadn't forgotten the bruises that had been on it when
they'd first come here either. Bruises that were there because of her. Because he'd come looking for her. "Good for
kisses or love bites. And I like the way your hair curls against the back of it. So it’s a very nice neck." She gave it a
moment's thought and then opinionated: "All its missing is a hickey or two."
He laughed as they entered the bedroom. "Do you know how amazingly classy that sounds with a British accent?" He
said. "Hickeys...scratches....we're certainly going to have to take credit for Mrs Johnson's extremely well watered lawn
and garden at this rate."
She laughed. Delighted. A year ago the thought of her leaving scratches or love marks on anyone would have had her
raising her eyebrows with one of 'those' looks. As Suz had often enough discovered when she'd ventured the
discussion into that territory against Andi's wishes. Now it just pleased her. Deep down in the core of her. If she'd been
a puppy she might have wiggled. Because she had someone that not only drove her out of her mind at times but that
she felt safe enough with to let go.
"And her hearing aid too." She reminded him. "Somehow we were responsible for the volume level on that."
They weren't - quite - that bad. She'd never realized what a vocal creature she was until Hector though. And - she did
have to wonder what they would do when the room or bed they were sharing was in much closer company than the
entire house and wide yard that they had to themselves now.
"I'm sure she'll send us the bill for the batteries." He said with a grin as he shut the door behind them with his foot and
placed her on the bed, kicking his shoes off and pushing them under the bed with his foot. "Just as she will if she
happens to drown any of the flowers while watching the goings on."
She was laughing as she scooted back a bit on her elbows, sandals lost somewhere already between the kitchen and
the bedroom. Other than the shoes she didn't move to shed anything else. She could have. But she liked it better
when Hector helped.
"Tean we should be safe tonight." She reminded him with dancing eyes. "Second floor you said we'd be safe from
peepers. Her flowers get to live one more night." Her smile widened. "Though I won't promise anything about her
hearing aid."
Hector peeled off his shirt and tossed it into a basket in the corner of the room for dirty clothes. "Her flowers will be
forever grateful. But I think it's past her bedtime anyway, so her hearing aid should be fine." He said with a laugh as he
got on the bed beside her.
"But if you want to give her hearing aid a battle, I won't object."
Her eyes changed when he took off his shirt. Oh God... what an amazing man... the smile spread. Shifting she crawled
over and into his lap, facing him this time so she could rest her legs against both his hips. Sliding her fingers softly
down his chest.
"I should note for the record that your neck melts into a very nice chest too." She commented seriously.
He chuckled. "We had this conversation before, I think." He said, though it had been more about what they considered
'odd' about themselves. She still couldn't convince him that his toe wasn't odd though. "But if we're going that route
again..." He said as he loosely put his arms around her, so they were against her back, and slid them under her shirt
and against the soft skin underneath. "I love your neck." He said, running a line of kisses down it. "And it leads to a
very nice chest indeed. "
She momentarily lost track of whatever response she'd been about to make as his mouth touched the vulnerable skin
of her throat. Her eyes fluttered closed and her lips parted in a soft sound. He knew what he did to her when he
touched her throat and her hands flexed unconsciously against his chest, long fingers stretching. She hummed her
agreeing noise, aware he'd said something or other. Frankly when his mouth was against her throat she'd agree to
anything he wanted. Then her lips stretched at their edges into a smile as she realized that and, eyes still closed, she
asked:
"What did I just agree with?"
He chuckled against her skin. "Basically everything." He said and looked at her with a grin. "Why? Did I find the
weakness?" He asked innocently. He knew that was her weakness and was more than willing to exploit it for distraction
purposes!
"I think one of the agreements was complete ownership of England, not sure how you're going to swing that, but will be
fun watching you try!" He said.
Her skin shivered at the sound of his chuckle against her and she almost lost track of what he was saying again. And
then she laughed. An easy, real sound. Dipping her head to press a kiss to his lips.
"You're evil. I stand by my assessment." Another kiss. "Good thing it’s a queen and not a king in charge of the
kingdom. I'm sure she'll understand when I explain why I've handed it over to an American." Another teasing kiss. "You
people should have thought of this back in your revolution. Would have saved time."
"Well, sure, but the one in charge then was a man, remember?" Hector said with a chuckle as he flopped back, taking
her with him. He turned his head and looked at the clock. "Huh. Look at that. 12:05. Means the day is completely over!"
She laughed when they went over. Snuggling in on top of his chest.
"Good." She declared. "I was ready for yesterday to be over." It had been a - full day. And she was ready for not so
much fullness for a while. Playful, her hand moved down his side, knowing all the reactionary points. "Today's starting
out very promising." She murmured, lips against his throat.
"Oh, I'd say more than promising..." He said while she pulled the same distraction techniques that had been so
successful for him just moments ago. And hers were no less successful, as the earliest morning hours definitely took a
turn for 'promising,' and fulfilling such said promise until late in the morning.
After a nap, and a shower, Hector ventured out onto his porch in his shorts to get the paper, only to find the paperboy
missed his porch and instead aimed for half way down the driveway.
"Kids." He said with a chuckle as he padded down the driveway in his bare feet.
Paige had been waiting for this all morning. Actually it had been several weeks. Hector was always hard to pin down
when he was home but this round he'd been almost impossible. Whatever that anorexic Amazon was doing to him, and
Paige had her own ideas, Hector was harder to spot that a flea in a kennel full of dogs. Still, she'd been patient before.
She knew how to play that game. A future with Hector required diligence and the ability to wait.
The irony of that was Paige had decided she was done waiting. But than she'd had to wait some more to do something
about that decision.
Whatever was going on with the scarecrow had to have a stop put to it. It had gone on long enough and someone
needed to step in and straighten things out. She'd half expected his family to do that but they apparently weren't as
concerned about what he was getting into the way they should have been. As far as gossip went, most of Hector's
friends had met the string bean and seemed to like her too so there was no hope in that area. And of course she
wasn't about to let some other woman step in and be the one to open his eyes. Oh, hell no.
So she kept her eyes peeled and when the paperboy chucked out the morning papers she went over to Hector's and
moved it down to the middle of his drive. Gave her more time that way. And still, when he came out of his house hardly
dressed, she almost forgot she'd had anything in mind other than staring.
That man did all kinds of things to the inside of her just looking the way he did.
Bean pole wasn't in view and so Paige put on her best 'what a pleasant surprise' smile and came out of her house.
Trotting across the road with a grin.
"I swear, I never know when you're around or not anymore." She drawled cheerfully.
"That's the point of a vacation, Paige." He said, pinned down in conversation. No polite way to get out of this one!
"Laying low in the peace and quiet. Gotta remember, at work everyone who has need to know, knows where I am at all
times. I kinda like coming and going as I please." He unfolded his newspaper and read the headlines, and looked at
Paige sideways. "Without someone keeping tabs on me."
It wasn't even noon yet, and the temperature was already climbing into the high seventies as he waved at a jogger on
his rounds. The only thing the jogger was wearing that he wasn't was shoes.
"But I'm sure you've managed to keep busy even without knowing where I am all the time." What was it with this
neighborhood and wanting to know where he was all the time?
Paige smiled brightly and shrugged. She had good shoulders and the top she was wearing showed them off. Heck, it
showed all of her off without being slutty. She'd dressed this way on purpose. Men were visual creatures and she was
going full guns on this one. Hector had to appreciate what he was seeing even if he pretended he didn't notice. She
knew she was sure enjoying the view.
"Keepin' busy." She agreed. "Been helping Dad at the shop with his books. Whoever he had before was a total bozo
and messed up all the balances. I actually came over here because of mom though. Bert's over and she wrangled him
into looking at our sink. I'm supposed to ask if you've got a - 6-8 double crescent wrench?"
Of course that was all made up. Well, except for the wrench. Which she knew for a fact he had in his garage. She and
one of her 'boyfriends' had snuck in there a few years back when Hector was overseas and one of his family had left it
unlocked by accident. She'd pretended she was impressed with his knowledge of tools. She'd also pretended he was
Hector.
He looked at her then. Bert should have brought his own tools, they were usually wherever he was. At least the
necessities according to Bert, and one of them was a 6-8 double crescent wrench.
"Yeah I do." He said with a raised eyebrow. "Give me a minute, I'll go get it." The garage door was locked, so he had to
go through the house as he turned around and went back in side, through the hall and into the garage, activating the
garage door opener as he went to his toolbox for the wrench.
As expected, Paige was at the door when it rolled up. "So Bert's over? Haven't seen him in a blue moon. Maybe I'll
stop by."
Paige didn't even blink.
Bert wasn't over. But thinking he was might get Hector to actually set foot in her house. She hadn't thought about that
but she didn't find it a bad turn of events. Of course, he'd probably bring the anorexic. String bean didn't seem to let
him go far without her.
Like she didn't trust him on his own.
She walked into the garage. It really had been a long time since she'd been in here. As far as she could tell he should
be done with the car by now by the way it looked but he and his friends kept spending afternoons in here from time to
time. She couldn't imagine why. Bracing her arms she hoisted herself up to sit on one of the counters. Well aware it
would hold her weight and a bit more.
"You've really come a long way with your car." She offered with a smile. "I remember when it's engine used to be
scattered all over the place."
"It was just one big puzzle." Hector said with a chuckle as he went through the wrenches he had. "We've got some
body work to do, fine tune the transmission....things like that. It's a while before it's road ready." Though it would at
least start. They'd gotten that far.
But it wasn't about the car, really, it was just one thing all his friends and him still shared as their lives diverged and
went on different paths. Teaching, military, real estate. Marriage, kids, none of the above. So they'd gather around the
car, work on it a bit, and catch up. Because men needed an excuse, whether it be automotive or a game of basketball.
He found the wrench and handed it to her. "Here you go."
"Thanks." She took it from him but made no move to leave. She liked watching him. She liked watching him in the
garage. It was masculine and strangely comfortable. It was easy to imagine them this way years from now. Just
enjoying each other when he came back on leave and she sent the kids across the street to her mother's. Of course
they'd have a car that actually ran by then.
"Will you take me in a ride in it when you're finally done?" She asked, voice hopeful.
Hector laughed. "You're going to have to wait in line for that one. My nephew has first dibs. Then Tommy's nephew.
Then Stevie's son." Going in birth order there. "Then the siblings, and girfriends, and wives. Plus Mrs. J asked last
time I was in town. Like I said, it’s a list."
There was a beat of silence there. "So tell your mom and Bert I said hi."
“Hector." Paige set the wrench down next to her with a sigh. "Why don't you like me?"