The Lingering Dead (34 page)

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Authors: J. N. Duncan

BOOK: The Lingering Dead
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“What's that, sweetie?” Laurel asked, kneeling down beside Jackie, her cool hands closing in and around Jackie's.
She gave them a feeble smile. “Me.”
“What?” They said in unison.
“My present,” Jackie said. “It's me. Laur, you can have me for tonight, so you can be with Shel for Christmas.”
“You ... really?” Laurel said, flabbergasted.
“Holy, fucking hell,” Shelby cried out, clapping her hands together with a loud pop that made Jackie jump.
“If it's too weird or inappropriate—”
Shelby leaned forward and grabbed Jackie's face with both hands and kissed her hard. “That's an amazing gift, babe, and I don't give a shit if it's weird or inappropriate, because I'd give just about anything to have a real night with this beautiful woman right here.”
“Hon, are you sure?” Laurel asked.
Jackie nodded. “Thought about it for a while. It's what I want, if you'd like to.”
She looked at Shelby and laughed. “More than anything. Oh. Oh! You sneak. This is why you were practicing blocking with Cynthia.”
She laughed. “Yes. I figured I might not want to be aware of everything that went on.”
Her eyes got wide. “So, you're saying you don't care if, you know, we actually sleep together?”
Jackie let out her pent up breath. This was going to work. “We have to be at Nick's by ten for brunch and presents and whatever else there is. I'll need to run home first, so I need my body back by eight. That gives you about fourteen hours to do whatever you want to do.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really,” Jackie replied. “Just leave me in one piece, that's all I ask.”
They all laughed at that, and then Shelby got to her feet. “Well let's eat first, so we can get this show on the road.” She was bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Oh, my God, I'm so excited. Jackie, you're the best.”
Laurel's cold lips brushed her cheek. “I love you, hon. It's the best Christmas present in the world.”
Jackie beamed. That was all she needed to hear. Christmas was officially all good now.
 
 
Morning came around, and Jackie returned to a sleepy, worn-out body. On the plus side, she had already showered. Twice. She had been able to block out most of the night's events, but when things became too intense, which seemed to happen on a fairly regular basis, it was impossible to block out everything. Shelby did things Jackie had never thought of before, and Laurel savored every moment of it. Jackie just wished she had not cried so much. If she could have sex half that good, she would feel pretty damn good about herself. Good tears or not, it stung to know how much Laurel had missed out on because she had been stuck with her.
She left around eight, was kissed good-bye perhaps a bit too appreciatively by Shelby, and left Laurel with her while they basked in the glow of their first real night together. Walking out to her car, Jackie felt stiffness in muscles she didn't realize could be stiff. It was worth every last painful twinge though.
Jackie arrived at Nick's a few minutes after ten, but Shelby had not arrived yet. He greeted her with a kiss and a smile, taking the three gifts she had held in her hands. “Merry Christmas to you. How was your evening with Shel and Laurel?”
“It was good,” she said quickly, hoping he would leave it at that. “I think my gift went over rather well.”
“Excellent. Shel and Cyn are on their way,” he said. “I'm just finishing up brunch so we can eat when they arrive.”
“OK. Can I help with anything?”
“Nope. Just a couple things to do. Coffee?”
She smiled. “Make it mud, please.”
“You'll be able to stand a spoon in it,” he replied and headed for the kitchen.
“And Merry Christmas, Nick,” she added. “You all have made it the best Christmas I've ever had.”
He stopped and stepped back over to her. “You deserve no less.” His kiss this time was deeper and longer lasting. “And we still have all day to make it better.”
And it was better than she could have hoped for.
A Christmas Story
marathon ran on the television in the background under threat of death from Shelby, who insisted it was the best holiday movie of all time. Brunch left Jackie so full she could barely move, with eggs Benedict, waffles, raspberry puffs, fresh fruit with homemade whipped cream, all washed down with coffee and mimosas.
Flopped on the couch with Nick and a coffee, watching Shelby hand out gifts, Jackie felt rather happy for the first time in a long while. The alien death, guilt, and self-doubt were all successfully pushed into the background, for at least a little while, and damn it all if she was not going to enjoy it while it lasted.
When they were all settled in, Shelby held up the card, which was all she had received from Nick. “A card, Nick? This doesn't count as a present.”
“Why not?” he asked. “You need it put in wrapping paper?”
“And a box, with ribbons and a bow,” she added. “You suck.”
Still, when she opened it, she gasped and grinned. “A year-long pass to Four Seasons Spa? Jesus Christ, Nick. How much? Oh, never mind. This is awesome. Thank you.”
Cynthia had the same gift, which would allow them to go together. Jackie found that she had a similar card in hers as well. Shelby took immediate offense.
“You got her the same gift as us? What's wrong with you—”
“She hasn't even opened it up yet,” Nick said. “You don't know what it is.”
“Well, you wouldn't tell me, so I can only guess it is.”
“Telling you is like sharing a secret with the whole world,” Nick replied. “You can't handle it.”
Shelby huffed. “Bullshit. I can too. Fine. Open it already, Jackie. Let's see what Mister Boring got for you.”
Jackie opened up the envelope, curious now, since it was apparent that she had received something else, not that the spa would bother her. She had not minded her trip there at all. Inside was what looked like a postcard, with the picture of a showroom piano on the front. “Ooh, that's pretty,” she said. “I wouldn't mind having one ...” Jackie turned the card over, where a simple,
Merry Christmas, Jackie
was written in large script. Below it, it read,
Scheduled for delivery, December 29th, 2
PM.
“Well?” Shelby said, impatiently. “What is it?”
“A piano,” Jackie said. “Wow, Nick. This is a Steinway, isn't it?”
“It is,” Nick said. “You'll really notice the difference over the one you have now.”
Shelby snatched the card from her hand and looked it over. “Well, I guess you're excused on this one, babe. That's lovely.”
God. It was a twenty-thousand-dollar piano, easy. It sure put her present to shame, not that Nick needed a new piano or much of anything else for that matter. “I don't even know what to say, Nick. It's beautiful.”
“Just promise me I get to hear the first song played,” he replied.
She leaned over and kissed him. “You can have the first hundred songs.” She watched him pick up the gift she had gotten for him at the suggestion of Shelby. “My present isn't anything close to that.”
“It's not about the money,” Laurel said. “It's the thought that counts.” She gave Jackie a big, cheesy grin with that, and Jackie felt heat rush to her face.
“OK, fine. Cost doesn't matter.”
Nick opened up his painting, or actually a print of an oil painting, which he recognized before she even said who the artist was. “It's a Remington!” He sounded genuinely excited. “I love his work. There are a couple of them up in the library.”
“I thought maybe for your office,” she said, hopeful. “It's not the real thing, but it's hard to steal from a museum.”
“It'll look great up behind the desk,” he said. “This is great, Jackie. Thank you.” He kissed her again. “It's a perfect gift. Really.”
Not next to a grand piano, but she had to convince herself that the cost of the gift really did not matter. Her gift to Laurel cost no money at all.
They continued around, opening the remaining gifts, and then lounged in their seats watching a full round of the movie before eating leftovers, playing pool, and switching from mimosas to hot buttered rum. As evening rolled around, Shelby and Cynthia began to gather up their gifts and help clean up, and Jackie found herself struggling to stay awake. How many drinks had she had over the course of the day? How much sleep had she actually gotten the night before?
Hugs and kisses good-bye went around, and Shelby whispered in her ear. “Planned on staying, didn't you?”
“If I can stay awake,” she muttered back. “How late were you two up last night?”
“Oh,” she said, “kind of late. Sorry, babe. Get a nap in for later.”
Yeah, right. If she fell asleep now, she would never wake up until morning. Except that is exactly what she did. Nick put on
It's A Wonderful Life
for them to watch, and with the fire going to warm the bottoms of her feet, and the soft crook of Nick's shoulder to cradle her head, Jackie was gone before the opening credits were done.
When Jackie stirred from her comatose state, it was dark, and she was lying down, smothered in a thick layer of blankets. Nick's arm was around her waist and she was spooned up against him. It felt too good to move.
“There you are,” Nick said, amused. “Good morning.”
“Morning?” Jackie groaned. “Damn, what time is it?”
“Three-thirty or so,” he replied. “I was going to let you sleep on the couch, but when the movie ended, you muttered, ‘Let's go to bed.' I had to carry you, but you weigh 110 in the pouring rain.”
She halfheartedly threw an elbow back at him. “One twenty-four, thank you very much.”
Nick chuckled. “I was close. You need anything? Glass of water? You want to get up?”
“No,” she replied and relaxed against him. “This is good just like this.” Settling in more solidly against his body, Jackie could tell that he was good with it, too.
His head lifted up next to hers and his lips pressed softly to her neck. “Agreed. Might be stuck here all day at this rate.”
Jackie felt him grow even firmer against her backside, settling between her cheeks. It occurred to Jackie then that she was indeed naked. “Nick?”
“Hmm?”
“I have no clothes on.”
“I noticed,” he said. “You undressed yourself when I set you on the bed last night.”
“Oh.” She had thought about it, had been considering it for the past two weeks, but the actual implementation of it? The thought had knotted her stomach with fear. “I guess that's OK. Did we? I mean, last night.”
“No,” he replied. “I did take the liberty of settling in here with you. If that's all right.”
Jackie smiled. Actually, it was more than all right. When was the last time she had actually woken up in the morning with a guy still next to her? “Yeah, this is good. I like this arrangement.”
“I'd hoped so,” Nick said. “I could get used to this.”
Jackie shifted her hips against him and turned her head back to look him in those depthless, softly glowing eyes. “Me too.”
Nick's hand slid up her torso, cupping a breast, and brushing the palm across her hardening nipple. His mouth came down against hers, pulling her body tightly against his. What he wanted was readily apparent, and Jackie knew that she wanted this, too. The time was right. Fear had drifted away to an inaccessible place. She lifted up her leg and draped it over his, allowing Nick's cock to settle between her thighs. A subtle move of his own hips and a moment later he was inside her.
Jackie gasped and moaned against his mouth. There would be no hyperventilating this time, no panicked, racing heartbeat, and no urge to just hurry up and get it over with. They had hours here, and Jackie felt no compulsion to get out. He wanted her, every single neurotic cell of her if his hands and mouth provided any indication. The time was finally right, and for the first time in her life, Jackie made love to a man she truly cared about.
 
 
It did not last all day, but Jackie heard the clock chime two
PM
before she finally crawled out of bed and into the shower. Her mouth appeared to be stuck in a perpetual smile. The nerves had crept in at times over the course of the morning, but Nick was so casual and at ease with her in bed, that they would recede into the background once again. So many things to do and try, many of which she might have actually done at one time or another, but tequila had stolen all of those memories. It was almost like learning about sex for the first time, and Mr. Practical had been just as willing to talk about sex as actually perform it. It had gotten to the point, at one stage, where she tried to see if she could fluster him with absurd sexual requests, but he took everything in stride.

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