He dried me with equal consideration and care with which he’d washed me, wrapping me in a towel and holding out one of his clean tee shirts for me to slip into. It barely grazed the tops of my thighs below my panties, which he held out a clean pair of those for me to step into as well.
He quickly pulled on a pair of his boxers, adjusting himself with a slight grimace, which I don’t think he realized I caught. I felt bad for him, but he made no further outward signs of discomfort, nor would he let me do anything to assuage his frustration. Instead he kissed my forehead and gently steered me to the bed, turning out the lights before climbing in after me.
Marlin gathered me back, against his chest, wrapping me in his strong arms before burying his nose in my hair, behind my ear. A sweet, gentle, kiss he placed there before letting out a contented hum. I fell asleep far faster than I wanted to after that. So tired that I was very nearly out the moment my head touched the pillow.
Chapter 33
Marlin
I let Faith sleep late, hell, I slept late, too. I still woke up before her, but she was sound asleep and lying on my chest so sweetly, I wasn’t about to move her. Instead, I relaxed and simply enjoyed the sensation of her soft warmth against me. Her body was snug up against mine, in that way that was so trusting, so beautifully, innocently, sweet; that I could hardly believe my luck. I’d wanted this since forever, had almost had it a time or two, so I’d thought. Really only came close once. God, I loved her belief in me. It made me feel like a man in every way that counted. It made me want to fight hard and harder to be the man she believed me to be. I thought I’d done a pretty good job up to this point, but there was always room for improvement in anything a man did and taking care of his woman? Well that was no exception; so, I let her sleep.
I let her dream, and I smoothed my fingers through her hair while she did it. Didn’t seem like it was one of her bad ones and the good was few and far between for her, so why not? I lazed in bed and relaxed and neither one of us had stirred until the phone had gone off with the ‘get the fuck out’ disguised as a curtesy call. We’d dressed in fresh clothes, had geared up for the ride and had gone as far as the nearest Denny’s for breakfast before hitting the road again.
That’d been a little over five hours ago. We’d stopped once for fuel, and again a time or two for Faith or myself to use the restroom, and truth be told, I wasn’t exactly pushing us hard. It was hot, and I don’t care how much citizens thought the wind cooled a rider, you wear that much black leather in Florida heat and humidity, you started dyin’ in a big damn hurry. The stops to pee were just as much stops to hydrate and try to cool down as much as they were anything. I saw another long shower in our future when we got to Bobby’s; a cool one this time.
We pulled down the dirt lane leading through the orange grove and to his house, sometime around dusk. He heard the bike, and met us out on his wraparound porch. His country house was the real deal and had been in his family for something like four generations now. A bright, cheery yellow with white shutters and trim. It’d been in magazines a time or two when his parents had been in it, and his dad had been alive. His mom lived with her sister somewhere out near Tampa now. Bobby’s siblings had long taken off for other states. He’d been the only one to get his dad’s farming genes and loved this place like nobody’s business.
I pulled off to the side of the front steps leading up onto his porch while Tango, Bobby’s yellow Lab did his best imitation of bounding down to see us. Dog was so old, I was surprised he was still kickin’.
Faith got down, and I could tell she was road weary. Bobby caught it too, eying her carefully before setting his jaw in that way, arching an eyebrow in my direction, asking without words if it’d been a rough day. I turned down my mouth and cocked my head to the side to let him know that just about
every
day lately had been a rough one, but this one hadn’t been overly so. I took off my helmet and stood up, swinging my leg over the seat and groaning a bit. Sometimes I felt like I was getting too old for these long rides, today was one of those days.
“Jimmy,” Bobby greeted and we clasped forearms and pulled each other in for a hug and a slap on the back.
“Hey Bobby, thanks for taking us in on such short notice.”
“It’s not a problem, hi Faith,” he stuck out his hand, “I’m Bobby. We haven’t been formally intro’ed, but this here is my farm and you’re welcome to sleep
inside
the house while you’re here this time.”
Faith blushed to the roots of her hair and shook Bobby’s hand quickly before letting go and taking a half step back, both of her arms winding around one of mine in one of the most adorable displays of shyness I don’t think either Bobby or I could hardly stand it.
“Thank you,” she stammered awkwardly, “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” he smiled at her, his best most genuine good ‘ol boy smile that usually had the girls dropping their panties saying they wouldn’t be needin’ ‘em anymore. Instead, the smile earned him Faith tucking herself closer into my side. I smiled at that and Bobby grinned.
“Y’all hungry?” he asked and I nodded.
“Starved.”
“Well, c’mon in! I’ll get somethin’ goin’ on the grill out back.”
“Sounds good,” Faith said and smiled in an attempt to not seem rude. I’d filled Bobby in, and he didn’t pay no never mind to her being so shy. I’d told him it’d take a good long while for her to warm up to him, if she ever did.
We had dinner and beers, made some small talk, but Bobby could tell we were wore out and didn’t push it. Instead, he cleared plates and told us he was going to watch some TV before hitting the hay, and we were welcome to join him. Faith smiled wanly, and I declined for us before she had to.
“Right then, see y’all in the morning, then. Jimmy, you know where the guest room’s at. Make yourself at home.”
“You got it, Man. Thanks again.”
“No problem.”
Faith very nearly sagged with relief when I took her gently by the hand and led her upstairs. I took her down the hall to the bathroom and got the water running in the tub, stripping us down a piece at a time like the night before. I didn’t know about her, but I was up for a soak, and Bobby had these giant ass old fashioned copper tubs in the house. The kind that were deep, and big. The kind that they just didn’t make anymore, and apparently they were something Faith had never seen before because she couldn’t stop staring at it, as if it were too good to be real.
“Never seen a woman fall in love with a bathtub,” I said casually.
“What, am I looking at it the same way I look at you, or something?” I froze and looked up from where I was gathering her fitted tee in my hands to draw it over her head. I felt a slow, lazy grin overtake me, but I chose not to say anything. Instead, I undressed us and got into the tub, shutting off the tap. I held a hand out to Faith and she climbed in after me, situating herself in front of me, laying back against my chest carefully.
God, this must be what heaven is like.
My arms around her, she trailed fingertips beneath the warm water along my arm, and I had to smile to myself. Yeah, I was pretty sure this was heaven. I heaved a long sigh and I’m not sure why, but I sang to her; her song,
Hope Never Dies.
She melted against me, and turned her head so it was pillowed half on my chest and half on my shoulder. I closed my eyes and the next thing I knew, the water was cold and we were both jerking awake at a hard thumping on the door.
“Y’allright in there?” Bobby called through the wood.
“Yeah, Man!” I laughed, “We fell asleep!”
“There’s a bed for that y’know. See y’all tomorrow.”
Faith rolled her head back and looked up at me, blinking owlishly, she shivered beneath the tepid-at-best water and I chuckled.
“I think we’re both tired.”
She nodded and winced as she moved, stiffly, to let me up. I pulled the drain and stood with her and reached for the towel rack, wrapping her in it first. We were prunes, and she was cold. I dried her off and she stood hugging the towel around her. I dried off, double timing it, so I could chivvy us a couple doors down to the guest room. I shut the door behind us and lifted the bedding so she could crawl in. I got in right behind her and she didn’t hesitate to cuddle up to my side. I got comfortable and her body heat combined with mine had us warm enough and drifting off pretty quick.
Truthfully, we both passed right the hell back out again. It was nice, it was comfortable, and the next morning showed up too damn quick. Faith slept on, but I needed to make a run back out to my boat for a few reasons. Knowing she would be safe enough here, I laid out some clothes for her for the day and took myself downstairs. Bobby was in the kitchen and passed me a cup of strong, black coffee.
“Morning!”
I took the cup and nodded, grunting out a half assed, inarticulate reply.
“So, what’s your plan for today?” he asked and looked entirely too pleased at my rough state. I was used to getting up early, fishing being my trade; I still didn’t have to like it.
“Have t’ head back to m’ boat. Pick up some more clothes and shit for the both of us, talk to my brother… I might have to head back to work even though we’ll be stayin’ here, if that’s cool.”
“That’s cool.”
“Can’t really bring Faith around Ft. Royal for much more’n a visit until the rest of the crew is back.”
“I get you; remind me again what’s up?”
I did, explained about the Russians and the whole bit. Bobby sniffed, and nodded.
“She’s safe enough here, I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“Anyplace you don’t want her poking around?”
“I’ll give her the full tour when I see her up and moving around, set some boundaries for safety around the equipment. Shouldn’t be bad, though. I’ll tell the workers they’ll be seeing her around and I’ll also tell ‘em to stay in their lane. She’ll be fine.”
I nodded carefully, and Bobby eyed me, “You got it bad for this chick, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
That was all that needed to be said about it, too.
“I’ll bring back some fish outta my freezer,” I told him and he nodded.
“Sounds good.”
I downed my coffee and headed for my bike, I knew Faith was safe enough with my best friend, but that still didn’t mean I liked leaving her here like this one bit. I shot a text to her phone with where I was headed and to call me when she woke up so she didn’t worry or have to contend with wondering if I was coming back. I figured she’d be freaked out enough.
With a heavy sigh, I fired my bike back up and made for Ft. Royal, I wanted to get back here sooner rather than later.
Chapter 34
Faith
I woke and it was so quiet, there was no distant crash of waves on the shore, and there wasn’t any hum from the A/C unit. It was so very still, too, which meant I wasn’t on the boat, either. I pushed myself into a sitting position and heaved out a breath.
No, I wasn’t in familiar surroundings, but I
was
safe. I was on the orange farm and if Marlin wasn’t here in the bedroom, knowing him, he wasn’t likely far away. I got up and had to smile. He’d laid out my favorite, long, summer dress and sandals for me. He’d even remembered clean underthings. I dressed quickly and sighed out. It was warm in here. Too warm, almost like the house didn’t have A/C, but what home in Florida didn’t? Also, it’d been much cooler the night before. I wondered if Bobby had turned it off.
I let the dress fall around my body, the soft, breathable, jersey knit, fit well in the chest, but didn’t cling badly to the rest of me. The teal and white chevron pattern was flattering, too. I picked up the light, white lace wrap that I liked to wear with it and slid my feet into the white sandals that waited for them. I went downstairs, figuring that I would find Marlin in the kitchen, but the house was deserted.
Panic began to swell in my breast and I forced it down, my fingertips finding the metal and leather cuff around my wrist. I opened the door to the house and pushed on the old, wooden screen door, letting myself out onto the porch. It was oppressively hot out here too, only marginally less bad than inside but that was due to the slight breeze rustling through the trees which marched in lines away from the house.
It was as if the house had been built, and orange trees had been planted in the back yard, but then the owner decided that he wanted more. The next thing you knew, there were rows of trees in all four directions, though they’d had the foresight to leave a little bit of a front yard, not only for kids to play on, but also an expanse to park cars on.
Marlin’s motorcycle was conspicuously absent, and so was Bobby’s battered old truck. I bit my bottom lip and listened, and hearing distant voices, picked that direction to walk in. I stayed out in the middle, between two rows of trees, so I wouldn’t be missed, and took my time making my way towards the talking and laughing I could hear.
“Whoa! Hey, look who’s up.” Bobby smiled and waved at me from further up the row, and I slowed. I didn’t see Marlin with him, or among the other men standing around the back of his truck.
“I was looking for Marlin,” I called softly.
“Ah, he went back to his boat to pick up a few things for y’all. He should be back soon, he’s been gone for a fair bit.”
I smoothed my face into a mask of neutrality; I didn’t want to show any of these men that this news upset me, or how afraid I was. Besides, if Marlin entrusted Bobby with my care, then I was reasonably sure that I could, too.
“You hungry?” Bobby called and I nodded carefully. He looked me over, considering and said to one of the men standing near the front of the truck, “Miguel, grab me the blanket off the front seat, would you?”
The man complied. He was older than Bobby, by quite a bit, maybe fifties or sixties, and a deep, deep, tan from too much time in the sun. He smiled at me and handed Bobby, who was clearly his boss, the blanket. Bobby laid the blanket across the tailgate of his pickup and then held out a hand, motioning for me to come closer. I took stock of the situation.