Goodbye Isn't Forever (14 page)

Toni
entered the lobby of the hotel and found Kate and Gaddy talking to the concierge.

“Thank
you, Tom.  That will be perfect.  Just have it delivered poolside
close to two,” Gaddy ordered.

“What
delivered, Gaddy?  Are we getting entertained?”  Toni asked
hopefully.

Kate
stared at Toni.  “Yes, Toni.  Gaddy just ordered this gigantic cake
to be delivered with a hot guy inside.”

“Really? 
A hot guy covered in cake?”

“Right,
Toni,” Kate evilly added, “And you can even lick it off.  The cake, Toni,
the cake,” Kate clarified at Toni’s dazed look.

Toni
looked slowly around the lobby.  “You know; I would have thought this
place was too classy for the old guy-popping-out-of-a-cake-routine.  Looks
can certainly be deceiving.”

“Can’t
they?” Gaddy smiled.  “Who would have ever thought by looking at you and
Drew that she would be the one with the brains, too.”

“Because
she obviously has the looks,” Kate agreed.

“What?! 
Drew does not have all the looks or brains,” Toni’s words became faint as she
realized Drew stood facing her.

“I
don’t?” Drew questioned with her hands on her hips.

“Oh,
hello, Drew,” Toni stammered.  “I didn’t see you come in,” she mumbled
under her breath.  Out loud, she added, “We were only kidding,
roomie.  Right?” Toni looked at Kate for help.

“Hey,
I meant what I said,” Kate hugged Drew.  “You are so much better looking
than Toni.”

Drew
grinned.  “Thank you, Kate,” Drew looked at Toni before adding, “And I
don’t care what Toni says, Kate, I don’t think that you’re a ho!”

Toni’s
eyes grew big and she was starting to panic.  “No, wait, Kate.  I
didn’t mean…it wasn’t like...shit!  Drew!”

“A
‘ho’, Toni?  You called me a ‘ho’?”  Kate shook her head as she
followed Gaddy to the elevator and stepped inside.  Kate winked at Gaddy
as she turned back to see Toni slowly bringing up the rear.  “I just can’t
believe that you would say that, Toni.  Some friend you are.”

Toni
was quiet as she followed Drew inside the elevator.  She looked around at
the group of women she called friends.  Shit!  Not a friendly face in
the bunch! Where the hell was Alex when she needed her?  Toni knew that
Alex sometimes took her side only out of pity.  But a pity save was better
than nothing.  All she needed now was for Drew to find out about the
slipped out pet name for James.  She glanced at Kate and saw the tugging
of a smug smile on her lips.  She was so screwed!

Gaddy
had listened to the exchange with amusement.  She wasn’t normally on
Toni’s side, but she couldn’t resist.  “Now, Kate.  There is really
no need in being shocked.  You are a ho.  Just a guy ho, or would
that be a lady ho?”  Gaddy shrugged at Kate’s glance.

Kate
grinned and nonchalantly answered, “Well, I guess I am.  I can’t fault
you, Toni, for stating the truth.”  Seeing Toni’s relieved grin, Kate
couldn’t help but add, “And speaking of truths, Toni, don’t you have something
to tell Drew?”

“What?”
Toni could barely speak.

Before
Toni told on herself trying to explain to Drew, Kate intervened, “Remember,
Tone?  About the cake and the surprise?”

Toni
shot Kate a look of pure relief.  She looked at her roommate and
smiled.  “Oh, Gaddy ordered a huge cake to be delivered to us and guess
what will be inside of it?”  Toni wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Drew
thought for a moment before answering, “Presents?”

“Presents,
Drew?” Toni groaned.  “Why would there be presents
inside
of a
cake?”

“Well,
it would be fitting if it was a birthday cake, now wouldn’t it?” Drew
countered.

Toni
threw up her hands.  “No, what would be fitting is for a guy to be inside
the cake.”

Drew
rolled her eyes.  “Like that makes sense, Toni.  You can’t bake a
cake with a
guy
inside of it.”

Toni
was beside herself.  “But you
can
bake one with presents inside?”

Kate
and Gaddy had been listening to the exchange in utter amazement.  Shaking
her head at the still arguing pair, Gaddy leaned over to Kate, “You know, it is
true what they say.”

At
Kate’s questioning look, Gaddy continued, “There really is a twin out there for
everyone!”

“You
mean like dumb and dumber over there?” Kate nodded towards Toni and Drew, who
were still arguing.  “I know Drew has her moments, but Toni, well, really
just takes the cake.”

“Oh,
speaking of cake,” Gaddy said as she reached for her phone and punched a number
in.

At
Kate’s questioning look, Gaddy added, “If I don’t get Toni a damn cake brought
in, I will never hear the end of it!”

Kate
smiled broadly.  “Wow, this is turning out to be an amazing pool
party.  I hope Alex comes soon.  She won’t want to miss this.”

Gaddy
nodded in agreement.  “I do wonder where she is.  I haven’t spoken to
her since Friday night at the club.”

“Well,
one thing is for sure,” Kate added, “wherever Alex is, there is no way she is
having more fun than us!”

“Zand. 
I want you so much,” Alex moaned as she pressed against Zand’s aroused body. 
Still on top, Alex leaned down and captured Zand’s lips in a hard and
passionate kiss.  Nap time was over and the gentle greeting of soft kisses
and light touches soon escalated into a quivering passion that demanded
release.

“Oh,
God,” Zand groaned as he reached down between Alex’s legs.  She was more than
ready.

Alex
could barely contain herself.  “All for you, baby.  Don’t stop.”

“Alex!”

Alex
didn’t disappoint.  She shifted her position until both of them were
moaning.

The more
that Zand moved, the tighter Alex held on.  Faster until neither could
hold back.  When Zand could again lay his hips flat on the bed, he slowly
withdrew.

Alex
had laid her head on one of Zand’s thighs as she eyed the still glistening
treat.

“Hmm,”
she mumbled.

Zand,
suddenly realizing Alex’s intentions on his still sensitive body, cautioned,
“Alex.  Wait.  I need a minute.”

Alex
laughed and grabbed Zand’s arms, effectively pinning them above his head. 
She looked into Zand’s wide-eyed expression and couldn’t resist a quick kiss on
his lips.

“I
won’t hurt you, Zand.  I just wanted to see how quickly you can
recover.  Round two awaits.  Or, is it round three?” Alex teased.

Zand
had regained some of his strength and was focusing on something he had wondered
for years.

“I
don’t want to know that answer right now.  I have another question that is
really pressing and I need to know.  Now.”  Zand watched Alex’s eyes
as she answered.

“What
is it?”

With
a quick movement, Zand freed his hands and flipped them over.  Leaning
over Alex, Zand let his eyes travel the length of her body before kissing her
passionately on the lips.

“I
need to know,” Zand whispered against her lips, “what Alex Kensington tastes
like when she is oozing sexiness.”

Alex
returned the kiss and looked hungrily up at Zand.  She shifted her legs
until Zand was between them.

“Taste
her and see.”

The
elevator dinged as it came to a halt on the eleventh floor.  As the girls
exited, all eyes turned to Gaddy in unison.

She hesitated
only briefly before indicating the suite to the left.  “I like this suite
better.  The view of the water is stunning and besides, mum stays here
most of the time.”

“Still
attached at the coat strings, Gaddy?” Toni kidded.

“No,
Toni,” Gaddy explained as if to a child, “It means that if mum has been here,
then the bar is going to be well stocked.”

“Oh,
then by all means, Gaddy,” Toni quickly agreed, “let’s go where mum goes. 
I love her taste in alcohol.”

Drew
rolled her eyes.  “Your taste isn’t exactly discriminating, Toni. 
You drink anything with even a hint of alcohol in it.”

Kate
laughed and added, “She’s right, Toni.  I still remember the night that we
ran out of beer, and you drank everything in the medicine cabinet that listed
alcohol in its contents.”

“Oh,
I did not.  Besides, the only one with even a hint of alcohol was that
nasty green stuff.  Yuk!” Toni grimaced, remembering.  “It tasted
horrible!”

“It’s
called Nyquil, Toni.  And it’s supposed to taste horrible.  It’s for
cold and flu symptoms and when you’re that sick, nobody cares if it tastes
good, just that it works,” Drew explained.

“Well,
it was horrible!  And it didn’t even work.  Not enough alcohol for a
self-respecting buzz.  It shouldn’t even be listed on the label!” Toni
still complained.

“Wait,
Toni,” Gaddy prodded, “was that what you drank that made you sleep all night
and most of the next day?”

Toni
glanced suspiciously at Gaddy.  “Yes.  Why?”

Gaddy
winked at Kate.  “Oh, nothing.  Just making sure.”

“Making
sure, why?” Toni pressed.

Gaddy
grinned nonchalantly.  “Really, nothing, Toni.  I just like to know
what works.”

“You
weren’t listening, Gaddy.  It didn’t work.  All I did was sleep,”
Toni argued.

Gaddy
walked ahead and slid the door key in the slot.  She pushed it open and
glanced wickedly back to Toni, adding, “Exactly!”

Toni,
looking offended, stopped in her tracks.  Kate and Drew laughed as they
passed by her and followed Gaddy into the suite.

“Oh,
funny, Gaddy!  You are on a roll today, aren’t you?  And to think
that I gave up a bikini wax for this.”

“See,”
Gaddy quipped, “You would have had to pay someone to rip you to shreds, and
here, among friends, we do it for free!”

Kate
walked back to Toni and slung her arm over her shoulders, leading her inside. 
“Better quit while you’re ahead.  Gaddy is unbeatable today, you have to
admit.”

“Humph!”
 Toni grumbled, “I never admit defeat.”

Kate
shook her head and walked to the couch.  “Suit yourself, Tone.”  She
plopped down and adjusted the cushions to her liking before adding, “But don’t
be surprised if everything you eat or drink today tastes like Nyquil!”

Just
as Zand leaned in for his first taste of Alex, he stopped abruptly.  He
sat back up on his knees and looked toward the door.

“Zand,
what are you doing?  Is something wrong?” Alex was still leaning up on her
elbows, anxiously awaiting Zand’s descent.

“Did
you hear something?”

Alex
sat upright and listened.  All she could hear was the thumping of her
heart and the wetness pooling between her thighs.  Could she actually hear
that?  She was so turned on that she was starting to believe she
could.  And, they were wasting time.  Alex didn’t want a moment to
pass by today without either her hands and tongue on Zand or Zand’s on her.

“Come
on back down, Zand.  I don’t hear anything,” Alex lured as she leaned back
on her elbows.  She wanted to watch as Zand used his magnificent tongue on
her.  There were still some parts of her fantasies that they had yet to
fulfill.  And as far as Alex was concerned, they were wasting precious
time.

Zand
sat there for a moment longer, still listening.  He glanced at Alex and
smiled sheepishly.  “I really thought that I heard a door shut.”

“It
was just the loud pounding of my heart.”  Alex leaned forward and patted
the space between her legs.  “Front and center, Gabriel.  Now!”

Hesitating
for only a fraction of a section, Zand smiled and licked his lips suggestively
at Alex.  He had no intention of disobeying that command.

He
settled himself between Alex’s legs again and slowly began his descent.

#

“What
the hell was that?” Toni jumped up off the couch.

Kate
looked up lazily at Toni.  “I didn’t hear anything.  Lay back down
and sleep for a while.  The cake is two hours away and I, for one, am not
swimming for two hours while we wait.”

Toni
waved Kate off, “Shh!  I know that I heard moaning.”

Drew
perked up at this.  “Moaning?  Like when someone is bound and gagged
and is trying to call out but can’t?”

Gaddy
looked from Drew to Toni.  “What the bloody hell do you to do when you are
left alone?”

Kate
suddenly sat up.  “Gaddy, I really hate to say this, but, I think I heard
it, too.”

Drew
tilted her head.  “I think it’s coming from down the hall.”  She
looked worriedly at Gaddy.  “Maybe from the master bedroom.”

“What?!”

“Shh.
 Listen,” Kate whispered.

“Ohhhhh…mmmmm.” 
The muted sounds drifted from the master suite.

Toni
looked victoriously at Gaddy, “Now do you hear it?”

Gaddy
swallowed hard, “Yes, I did.”

“Gaddy,
is there any chance that your mum is still here?” Toni asked hesitantly.

“No,
she called me when she arrived in New York.  No one is supposed to be
here.”

“Mmmmmmm……ohhhhgodooohhgoooooodooooohhhhhhh!”

Toni
tried to whisper, “If that’s a ghost, then it must have found a friend, because
that sounds more like a…a…ghost having an orgasm!”  Toni thought for a
moment, “Can they really have sex?”

Gaddy
had heard enough.  If one of the staff was using their suite, then it
would stop here and now.  She stood up from her seat and started to walk
down the hall, when Toni grabbed her arm.

“What
are you doing, Gaddy?  It could be dangerous.  We don’t know what is
going on in there.”

Gaddy
laughed sarcastically.  “Oh, I think we all know what is going on in
there.  We just don’t know who, and that is what I intend to find
out.  No one uses this suite without permission!”

Toni
still held on to her arm, “But, Gaddy, it could be someone dead or nearly
dead.”

“Oh,
for God’s sake, Toni!  I don’t believe in ghosts.  And if I did, this
one doesn’t exactly sound dangerous, now does it?  And I don’t think
Casper-the-friendly-fucking ghost has been yelling out for help!”

“Yes,
he did.” Toni defended.  At the questioning glances coming her way, she
lowered her voice and mumbled, “Divine help.  I know I heard an ‘oh, God’,
or two!”

Kate
rolled her eyes and stood beside Gaddy.  “Come on, Gaddy.  I’m with
you.”

“Thanks,
Kate.  I’m not sure what we’ll find, but let’s go have a look,” Gaddy
linked arms with Kate.

Toni
looked from Drew to Gaddy and Kate.  “Fine. I’ll go, too.”  She
looked back at Drew, “Say nice things about us at the funeral, Drew.  You
and Alex are all that’s left.”

“Oh,
quit the dramatics, Toni!  Anyone that is making those sounds is not
exactly in the fighting mood,” Gaddy whispered as they crept down the hall.

“Maybe
not now,” Toni insisted, “But we are getting ready to interrupt and that would
annoy anybody.”

“Toni
is right,” Kate mused.

Gaddy
looked at her friends.  “You make sense
now
, Toni?  Still,
there’s no damn way I am going to feel bad for interrupting.  Those sheets
are very expensive in there and my favorite!  Open the door, Kate!”

Kate
looked wide-eyed at Gaddy.  “Me?  Why do I have to do it?  Make
Toni.  She always complains about being left out.”

“What
are you talking about?  I don’t mind being left out,” Toni argued. 
“Leave me out.  That’s fine with me.  Really, I don’t mind.”

“Shh!”
Gaddy cautioned, “I don’t want them to hear us.  We need the element of
surprise.”

“As
if they are expecting company now,” Toni added.

“What
the hell are you talking about, Toni?”  Kate whispered.

“You
don’t think it’s going to be a surprise already?  Who, while having sex,
expects company to barge in?  Gaddy, you must like an audience, don’t
you?”

Gaddy
glared at Toni.  So much for the lucid thoughts. Out loud she explained,
“No, Toni.  I meant I didn’t want them to hear us before we barged
in.  Honestly, can you cross the street without help?”

“What’s
that got to do with…oh!” Toni finally caught on.

Kate
put her hands on each of their shoulders, disrupting their debate.  “Are
we ready?”  At the nods of the two women, she whispered, “On the count of
three.  Three...two…one!”

#

Drew
had been watching from behind the couch.  She was ready to flee for help
if the need arose.  She moved in closer to the edge of the couch and
bumped something with her knee.  As she looked down to see what she had
touched, she saw a very chic, black purse.

Nice
purse, Drew thought.  It looks just like the one that...oh no, no, no!

Recognition
sat in as she struggled to regain her footing and stumbled back down.  On
her second try, Drew stood, and, looking over the couch, watched in horror as
Toni slowly turned the knob on the bedroom door, with Kate and Gaddy
practically attached to her back.

“Toni! 
Nooooooo!” Drew called out, clamping her hands over her ears.  She didn’t
want to hear the impending sounds when the door opened.

“Oh,
shit,” she mumbled as she ducked behind the couch.  “Alex is going to kill
us!