Tales of the Ragoon, Kate's Movie Star (12 page)

Runyon responded by giving her bottom a
smack. She just giggled.

The boys went back to school, and they
started doing their homework. Occasionally, Pete asked Runyon to
help him make sense of Shakespeare. Runyon would explain what the
bard was saying. Pete would shake his head and ask why the…heck the
Englishman didn’t use proper English anyway? Kate was happy, and
that was what mattered most to Runyon.

At the end of March, the schools in
Livingston observed Spring Break. This year, Carlos took all three
boys fishing in the waters between Golden Gate Bridge and the
Farallon Islands. Carlos suggested that Kate and Runyon accompany
them, but they declined. Some of the cast of the talent show were
going to work during Spring Break and Runyon wanted to be there for
them. The last thing that Kate wanted to do on her Spring Break,
was to be on a boat where her father and brothers could present her
with fish to clean.

Carlos was so busy getting ready, that he
didn’t consider the implications of his seventeen year old daughter
and her boyfriend spending the week together alone. Maybe he just
did not want to think about it. As they were going out the door,
Matt looked at Kate and Runyon. Runyon tried to look innocent. Kate
didn’t bother. Matt gave her a frown.

Kate said, “Have a great time, Matt,” and
then stuck out her tongue at him. He shook his head and sighed.

Kate waited until she was sure that they were
gone, and then in a sultry voice (at least, she hoped that it was
sultry) she said to Runyon, “A whole six days all by ourselves. How
will we ever fill the time?”

She sidled up to Runyon, and she put her arms
around his neck.

“Back off, Jail Bait,” said Runyon, but he
took her in his arms and kissed her.

That evening, after she finished the dishes,
Kate went down to Runyon’s room. He was lying on his bed listening
to music. He gave a grunt when Kate toppled down onto the bed, and
then he moved over to give her some room.

“You sure like this old stuff,” she remarked.
“What are you listening to? And when did you get those damn Ragoon
satellite speakers?”

“This is old,” agreed Runyon ignoring the jab
about the speakers. “It’s called ‘Bombay Calling’. I’ve always
liked it, ever since I was a little kid.”

“Kurt?” asked Kate.

Runyon grimaced. “Yeah, it’s something that
he introduced me to. I admit that he has good taste in music.”

“He has good taste in sons, too,” said Kate
quietly.

“Kate.” Runyon’s grumble was a warning.

“Just saying,” said Kate. “I hope that you
will forgive him someday.”

“Maybe. I suppose I will. I don’t want to
think about it today.”

Kate sighed. “I hear you.”

They listened to music a while longer, and
then Kate said, “It’s hot down here.

She got up. Runyon looked up at her. Then
Kate crossed her hands, grasped her pull over blouse, and yanked it
over her head. She wasn’t wearing anything underneath.

“Kate,” growled Runyon, but he wasn’t looking
at her eyes. He started drumming his fingers against his thigh.

“It really is hot in here,” repeated Kate,
and she unsnapped her shorts and pushed them to her feet.

“What do you think you’re doing, kid?”
demanded Runyon. His fingers sped up.

“I’m not a kid, Silverstar,” replied Kate,
and then she said, “Oh what’s this?” as she slid her hand inside
her white cotton panties and withdrew a piece of paper.

“Put your clothes back on, Katey,” ordered
Runyon. “You know that we can’t be intimate. At least not until
your birthday. I’m not going to be stuffed back into that
rehabilitation center, no matter how much I want you.”

Kate looked up from the paper. “So you do
want me?” she asked. “You’re not just saying that to be nice?”

“Don’t give me that. You know damn well I
want you.”

Kate smiled. “Well then, here’s your
permission slip.” She handed the note to Runyon.

“What the…”

Runyon took the note and read it. His jaw
dropped. He read it again.

“I don’t believe this!” he exclaimed.

“Believe it. It’s for real.”

He looked up. “You emailed Laurence and asked
her for permission for me to have sex with you?”

“Yep. I’m legal. No more stopping at third
base.” She giggled.

Runyon groaned, lay back on the bed and
clapped a hand to his forehead. “Kate Garcia, you are, without a
doubt, the most unusual and aggravating woman that I have ever
known.”

“I thought that you’d be happy.”

Runyon looked at her. “I am happy, Baby.
Embarrassed, but happy. I can just imagine what Laurence must have
thought when she read your email. You did notice that, in this
note, she also cautioned you against this step?”

“Yeah, I get it, big step, emotional
consequences, responsibility, blah, blah, blah.”

“It’s not blah, blah, blah,” Runyon insisted.
“It’s important.”

“You know, you make a terrible irresponsible
Hollywood role model,” remarked Kate. “I thought that you would
have me under the covers by now.”

“I’m a very good irresponsible Hollywood role
model,” replied Runyon morosely. “That’s the problem. I don’t
suppose that you thought about buying condoms?”

“Don’t need’em. Can’t get pregnant. I thought
you knew? They put an implant in my back at the MHRC. It’s a device
that releases chemicals that block the formation of my eggs. It’s
time stamped. I can’t get pregnant until I’m twenty one.”

Runyon shook his head. “I should have known.
You are so organized.”

Kate slipped down onto his lap. “I’ve had to
be, Runyon. I’ve had to be organized and responsible for a long
long time,” she said seriously. “I’d like a little irresponsible
Kate time, Runyon. Please.” She kissed him.

Giving in, Runyon lay back and pulled her
down with him. And so began their intimate life together. Their
first time was full of desire and passion. They came together
roughly almost violently. There was no lingering cuddling
afterwards. They simply rolled apart, Runyon pulled Kate against
his side and almost immediately, they fell asleep. In the morning
they came together again, but this time they took their time and
savored the feel of each other.

For Kate, the next six days was the best time
of her short life. She did not worry what the future would hold, or
what anyone would think of her actions. She just lived in the
moment and enjoyed her time with Runyon. In the back of her mind,
she knew that this time would be brief. It was almost April, and
Runyon would be off probation and free to leave in July. She put
that thought aside. She had never had a time that she did not feel
that she had to be proper and responsible. A lot of that was due to
her mother, of course. For this week, she would not be Kate Garcia,
woman of the house. She would simply be Kate Garcia, Runyon
Silverstar’s lover.

Their lovemaking was powerful at times and at
other times it was tender. They made passionate love, and they made
fun love. Six days was not enough time for various explorations,
but it didn’t matter. What they had was enough. In the mornings,
Runyon went to the high school to work with the cast of the talent
show. At noon, he rushed home to Kate’s arms.

Runyon emailed Jane Laurence and received
permission for Kate and him to leave Livingston at night and dine
at restaurants in Modesto and Stockton. They would enjoy their time
out, and then they would return to his room and fall eagerly
together into his bed.

On the last Saturday afternoon, they piled
food and drink in his room and stayed in his bed for the rest of
the day. They made love sometimes, but mostly they just lay next to
each other, holding each other. Kate liked this best. She had never
had a relationship that involved a lot of cuddling time, and she
discovered that this was necessary for intimate conversation, for
learning about each other, and for feelings to grow beyond desire
into caring.

At last, after midnight, they came together
for the last time. It was slow this time, even though there was a
feeling of urgency. Kate’s family was due to return sometime in
mid-morning.

As their passion grew, Kate realized that she
was not having sex with Runyon. She had done that. But now she was
making love to him. Sweet, tender love, that spoke about her
feelings for him. Afterwards, she lay beside him listening until
his breathing became regular. When she was sure that he was asleep,
she spoke.

“I love you,” she whispered softly.

In the darkness, Runyon smiled.

In the weeks following Spring Break, Runyon
and Kate tried to temper if not hide their deepening relationship,
and in public they were somewhat successful, but in the privacy of
the Garcia household, this proved to be impossible. Carlos and Matt
quickly noticed the change in the atmosphere, and the younger boys
were not immune to it either.

One afternoon, Carlos came home early. Kate
was in the process of slicing tomatoes for a salad. Carlos grabbed
a head of lettuce and began to peel leaves. They worked silently
together for a few minutes, before Carlos spoke.

“You know that he will be leaving, Katey,”
her father said.

Kate sighed. “I know Dad,” she responded.

“It’s going to hurt, Katey. I hate that for
you.”

Kate gave her father a wan smile. “Yes, it’s
going to hurt. But it’s been worth it. Trust me on that. I’m a big
girl now.”

“I love you, Katey. Your brothers love you
too. Don’t forget that.”

As she concentrated on the knife slicing the
tomato, Kate’s smile widened. “I know that. I love you guys,
too.”

There were not many opportunities to be with
Runyon in the coming weeks. He was busy with the talent show class,
and by the time he arrived home, the boys were there. But even
without intimacy, their time together was precious. They even
enjoyed their occasional fights.

The most serious was when Runyon insisted
that Kate was going to her Senior Prom. Kate declared that it was
silly to attend ‘an old ritual designed to force girls to spend
enormous amounts of money on a one day outfit, and parade
themselves for guys whose only interest is getting lucky
afterwards.’

Runyon told Kate that ‘this is a once in a
lifetime event and you’re going to go whether or not you have fun.’
He noted that he respected her feelings, and he almost never gave
her a command, but that this was one of those times. Finally, she
acquiesced and spent a disgruntled day searching for a Prom dress
and new shoes.

When Prom night arrived, Kate looked at
herself in the mirror and privately admitted that she had never
looked better. As they were preparing to leave, Dr. Santini drove
up in his expensive sleek black sports car.

He greeted Kate and Runyon, and then he held
out his keys.

“I thought that you might want to take your
girl out in a really cool ride,” he explained.

When Runyon hesitated, Kate snatched the
keys. “Thank’s Dr. Santini. I’ll drive.”

“Oh, no you won’t,” said Runyon as he
wrestled the keys from Kate and held them up over his head.

“Aw, come on,” she complained unable to jump
in her new high heels.

“I’ll drive to the Prom, and you can drive
home,” conceded Runyon.

“But everyone will see you driving and not
me,” grumbled Kate as they got into the car.

“Thanks,” Runyon said to Kurt once he had let
the window down.

“Have fun,” called Kurt as the twosome drove
away

Of course, Runyon was the hit of the Prom.
When Kate took a bathroom break, she was surrounded by girls
begging her to let Runyon dance with some of them. Exasperated, she
suggested that they ask him themselves. He was quickly mobbed, much
to his annoyance.

He did get some unfriendly looks from some of
the senior boys. One was gauche enough to ask him what hotel Kate
and he were planning to stay at that night.

“The Hotel Garcia,” he snapped, only to find
out later that various couples were frantically googling and
binging the ‘Hotel Garcia’ so that they could make last minute
reservations.

Kate was not impressed at his attempt at
sarcasm.

“Believe it or not, most of these people
don’t really know who I am, Your Wonderfulness, especially my last
name. I’m just known as the slu…girl who stole Runyon Silverstar
from far more deserving lays.”

“Baby, there is no more deserving lay than
you,” responded Runyon cheerfully.

Kate stared at him suspiciously. “That was a
joke, right?”

“Huh?” He replied innocently.

As Kate pulled up to her house, Runyon
muttered, “I wonder if he’s still here?”

“He would sort of have to be,” answered Kate.
“I’m driving his car.”

“True,” sighed Runyon. “Maybe he’s
asleep.”

“If he is, he’ll be using your bed.”

“True.” Then a thought occurred to Runyon.
“You know, Kate,” he began slowly. “If he is asleep, it would be a
shame to wake him.” He gave Kate his trademarked smile.

She gave him a suspicious glance. “And?”

“Perhaps, I should sleep somewhere else
tonight.”

“Well, we could drive over to the Hilton.
They might have a room.”

“Yeah,” agreed Runyon eagerly.

“I can just wait until you get a room,” Kate
said sweetly. “Before I drive back here and sleep in my own very
comfortable bed.”

Runyon grimaced. “Let’s go wake him up.”

Of course, Kurt was keeping Carlos company in
the living room. Carlos looked relieved when he saw the two of them
enter the house.

“Did you have a good time?” he asked.

“Almost,” replied Runyon who then grunted
because of the sudden elbow in his side.

Chapter Six

Kate Gets a Movie Star

The day of the talent show was rapidly
approaching. Runyon was even busier than he usually was. The cast
was working evenings now, and by the time that he arrived home, he
was tired and not really in the mood to cuddle. Kate tried to be
understanding, but she knew that her time with Runyon was running
out. Now she regretted ever asking him to help with the
production.