CALLEY (RIBUS 7 Book 3) (26 page)

*****

The evening was splendid, and Chelan was captivated by all the sights and sounds. As afternoon turned into late evening, she and Jim returned home. Once in the door, Chelan kicked off her high heels. “Oh, my aching feet,” she groaned.

Jim took her coat from her and watched with amusement as she limped over to the couch. He hung the fur up and then headed for the bar. He smiled at her as he released the champagne cork. “I can tell that over the past decade or so, you never did anything that required you to dress up.”

Chelan looked up at him slyly as she rubbed at her crippled toes. “You’ve got that right, more or less.”

Jim sat down beside her and handed her a glass. “Here’s to this evening. May there be many more,” he said, and raised his glass.

Chelan raised hers then took a sip. Jim bolted down the whole glass and shook his head. “Ahh, that was good.”

Chelan frowned at him. “Thirsty, are we?”

Jim nodded. “Yeah, actually, I am.” He stood and poured himself another. Then he returned to her and resumed his seat next to her. He put his glass on the table. “Now for you.” And he reached down and grabbed her feet.

“What are you doing?” she exclaimed.

“Rubbing some blood back into your delicate little feet.”

Chelan took a moment to quell her jitters. She looked at him hard. “It’s okay, really. I just need to put them up.”

He smirked at her. “Consider it a conciliatory move made in appreciation for having put up with my choice in footwear.”

Chelan finally acquiesced and lay back against the arm of the couch, his smooth massage calming her. He stopped for a moment and took another drink. She watched as he loosened the collar of his shirt and then returned his attention to his task. Chelan closed her eyes and time began to drift.

Jim watched her, her soft breasts rising and falling seductively through the fine blue material. He looked to the hem of the dress, her long silky legs disappearing into the darkness beneath. He swallowed down the rest of his drink; his loins ached. He wondered if she was wearing anything under the dress, and suddenly his breathing took off. It would be so easy to slide his hand up and under the fabric, just to find out.

Chelan was feeling the effects of the long day and the drink. His fingers pressed into her hard, and she moaned with satisfaction. But at her small utterance, Jim lost it. His hands began up her legs.

Chelan shot up, spilling her drink. Jim caught her in his arms and pressed her back down. He stretched out over her, but she pushed against his shoulders. “No,” she ordered.

Jim kissed her neck. “Oh, come on, Chelan,” he breathed. “Just relax.”

Chelan pushed with all her might, but Jim let his weight bear down on her, crushing her. “No!” she yelled. “Get off me!”

But he ignored her. He stuck his knee between her legs, forcing them apart. Then he reached for her dress and raised it above her hips. Settling back down on her, he ground his pelvis against hers.

Chelan could feel his swollen lust. “Get the hell away!” she demanded.

Jim held her head firmly and kissed her forcefully, his tongue piercing her. Then he came up for air. “Oh, come on, Chel. We’ve been together so much these last couple of months. I know you feel something for me. Don’t play games.”

Chelan gasped. “I’ve not led you on. So knock it off! We’ve been down this road before.”

Jim continued to rub himself against her. He smiled. “If you’d just relax,” he said, and his hand reached for her panties.

Chelan gritted her teeth and shoved her palms into his throat, pushing with all her strength, effectively crushing the wind from him. Jim shot up, struggling for air. Chelan scrambled out from under him. She bolted to her feet and made it to the foyer, but Jim caught her quickly, grabbing her by the wrist.

“Jesus, Chelan, you owe me just a little bit after all I’ve done for you.”

“You have got to be kidding me!” she shouted. “We’ve discussed this. I owe you nothing. And I certainly don’t owe you with my body!”

Jim shoved her up against the wall and almost knocked the wind from her. He held her hands above her head and grabbed her breast, his grip causing her to cry out in pain. “After all I’ve done for you,” he seethed, “the least you can do is put out just this once.”

He crushed her to stillness against the wall and pressed into her lips so hard with his mouth that she felt like she was suffocating. His hardness was bruising her slender hips, but she could no longer move.

Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door, and Jim’s head snapped around, his eyes wild. Chelan looked to the door frantically, but Jim placed his hand firmly over her mouth, his body still immobilizing her. “Not a word,” he growled from under his breath. Then he shouted at the door, “Who is it?”

“It’s Jason, Jim. I’m sorry to disturb you so late.”

Jim glared at Chelan. “You keep quiet,” he ordered.

Chelan nodded once, and he released her. She instantly sprinted to her room, where she slammed the door shut and locked it.

Jim straightened his shirt and caught his breath. He stared down the hall after her for a moment while he smoothed his hands through his hair. Settling himself, he moved to the front entrance, opened the door, and smiled at Jason. “Come on in, good buddy.”

Jason stepped in. “I must apologize once again, but I didn’t manage to get this material to you today. And when I came by your office you had already gone.”

Jim reached for the stack of documents. “Oh, yes—the material on the DSP 5600.” He rubbed at his brow. “I’d forgotten. God, thanks for reminding me.”

Jason nodded. “I know you need it for Monday, and I leave early in the morning for Dallas.”

Jim shook his head. “I just can’t believe that I almost forgot this stuff.” He stepped down into the living room and set the manuals on a table. “Care for a drink?”

Jason smiled. “No thanks, Jim. I’ve got to catch some shut-eye.”

Jim smiled. “Well, we’ll get together when you’re back.”

Jason nodded and then glanced over Jim’s outfit. “Been out on the town, hey?”

Jim chuckled. “Yeah. Took Chelan to the symphony. She’s never been before.”

“She enjoy it?”

“Sure did. We’ll do it again soon.”

Jason nodded, and then he looked past Jim to the discarded shoes and the spilled glass.

Jim looked behind himself and tensed.

Jason’s smile waned a bit as he glanced toward the spare room. “I hope I didn’t interrupt anything,” he offered sheepishly.

“Oh, no. Nothing at all, my good man. Chelan was tired and went to bed early.”

Jason nodded. “Well, I’ve got to get going. Good luck next week.”

Jim hustled up the stairs and opened the door. “I’ll give you a call when I’m back.”

Jason stepped out into the hall. “Great. Talk to you soon.”

Jim shut the door. He straightened himself, the effects of the champagne dwindling. He looked toward Chelan’s room and rubbed his fist over his lips. “Ahh, to hell with you,” he muttered, and he trudged off to bed.

Chelan awoke early the next morning and winced. Her hips were bruised, and her breast ached. She sat up and brushed her tangled hair from her face. She rose out of bed and shuffled over to the mirror. Her fingers traced the discolored patches that mottled her normally flawless flesh. It was then she made her decision.

She scrambled about the room and gathered all the things Fremma had given her. She was careful not to pack a single item that Jim had procured. She pulled on her jeans and a shirt and did up her runners. Then she slipped into her coat.

She placed Jim’s keys on the nightstand and tiptoed to her door. She listened but heard nothing. She opened the door as silently as possible, and then peered down the hall. Jim’s door was shut.

She padded quietly out to the foyer. She reached for the door. “Chelan!” Jim shouted.

Chelan’s heart leapt into her throat. She wrenched the door open, but Jim bounded across the living room and slammed it tight.

She gripped the doorknob hard. “Let me go!” she insisted.

“Listen to me! I’m sorry. I was rude.”

Chelan looked at him incredulously. “Rude?” She yanked on the door, but Jim held it securely. She glared up at him. “You tried to take me,” she seethed.

His brows furrowed. “No, I didn’t, not like that. I was trying to persuade you to make love to me.”

“That’s what you call love?”

“Look, I said I’m sorry. And I am. Sometimes when I drink I get pushy. I won’t touch you again. I don’t know what your problem is, but I guess I’ll just have to wait.”

“My problem?” she gasped. “Has anything changed over the last ten years? I have not a given you so much as an inkling that I am interested in a physical relationship. And I certainly didn’t ask to be brutalized.”

“Brutalized? Oh, come on! You’re blowing this all out of proportion. Look, years ago we went through all of this, and I understood. You were young and inexperienced. But Chelan, you can’t tell me now that you’re still a virgin. That’s impossible. So loosen up.”

“Don’t you dare tell me to loosen up! Last night you assaulted me, telling me I owed you. I owe you nothing! I asked for nothing. I demanded nothing. So don’t tell me I owe you with my body. That’s not fair, and it’s simply not right!”

“Okay!” he shouted. “Fuck it. You win.” Then suddenly, his voice softened. “Oh, hell, I’m sorry. Please don’t go away. You are right. I way overstepped the bounds. I’m really sorry. I’ll back off. I promise.”

“I thought you would have grown up by now!”

Jim released the door and held his hands up in surrender. “I have, Chelan. Christ, all I wanted was a little sex. I mean really, we’ve been doing everything together… sharing everything, and we’ve been getting along perfectly. I just thought the time was right.”

Chelan glowered at him. “The time was not right. Not even close.”

“Fine. Great. Whatever. You’re right. I said I wouldn’t touch you again, and I won’t. Christ, I’ll get down on my knees if you want. But just don’t leave.”

Chelan tried to calm herself so that she could think. She didn’t have anyplace to go, and that was a big problem. Right now she couldn’t exactly land back on William’s doorstep without a story in hand to tell Marion. Of course, she could get a hotel room, but how would she explain that to William without causing friction between the two men?

She sized up the man before her.
Maybe it was the drink
, she told herself. Maybe he was being genuine. She stared into his face. His eyes were racked with contrition—contrived or not, she could not tell.

“Please, Chelan,” he pleaded softly. “I will behave.” He backed up from her, allowing her the freedom to leave. “I’m gone all next week. The place is yours.”

Chelan straightened herself and sifted through his words while studying his body language. She dropped the pack and pointed her finger at him. “If you ever touch me again without my permission, I will call the police and press charges.”

Jim shook his head. “No problem. I’ve learned my lesson.” He put his hands on his hips and thought for a moment. “In fact, I should go to the office today anyway. I’ve packed for my trip, so I’ll leave right now and you can have your space.”

Chelan watched as he disappeared momentarily and then returned with his travel bag. He stopped at the closet to get his overcoat and then stood still and looked at her. “I am sorry, Chelan. It’s just that I want you so bad. I always have. You know that, don’t you?”

Chelan continued to watch him warily. “You can’t always take what you want,” she informed him firmly.

Jim hung his head. “I know,” he said. And he opened the door and left.

Chelan slid down the wall and sat still upon the floor. Did it ever end? Would she ever be truly safe? Could the men here not value pure, simple friendship? Why did they always want to take more?

She held her head as visions of Dar crowded in upon her lonely and fragile thoughts. Dar had waited. Many years, in fact. There were countless times while she was in his care that he could have pushed further, and she may have yielded to him. But he never did. All the men of the Empire had waited for her to come to them first. Even during times of great intimacy, no matter what her mental state, no matter what her dress, they never took from her. They only gave. They had cared and loved and offered her all, but she was never expected to pay in any way, and certainly not with her body.

Now her memory of Earth values and male-female relationships had been refreshed. Payment and power. With many men, you owed up or you were forced. And Jim had also touched on another long-ago forgotten aspect of the Earth male psyche… her clothing. From now on, she would only be in his presence conservatively dressed. Nothing was going to be misconstrued as an invitation again, fancy occasions or not. Lesson learned.

*****

Chelan enjoyed having the condo to herself, but she no longer relished the idea of leaving its confines. She was now so overly conscious of her conduct and how she dressed that she was at the point of never wanting to roam outside at all. She had even curtailed her workouts, no longer willing to endure the stares of the other patrons. As a consequence, as midweek rolled around, she was bored out of her mind.