Ch.8, Pt.7: “I’ve hurt you…
“I’ve hurt you,” he said going to her and putting his arms around her. She didn’t respond. He pressed her head against his chest and spoke into her hair. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. That’s the last thing I want. I’m sorry. I didn’t think you would want to have children now.”
Katherine closed her eyes and sighed. “I don’t know if I do. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. I just never felt ready before, and now, with this house, I sometimes think about having a family.”
“I’m sorry.” Rick held her close.
Was he apologizing for being unable to father her child? “It’s okay. It’s just all a surprise. I had no idea you were married, with children.”
He held her away from him and peered intently into her eyes. “I’m divorced. It was a long time ago. I don’t feel I have to talk about it when I meet someone. I’m not married any longer, got it?”
She shrugged his hands off her shoulders. “Okay. Yes, you’re right. You’re divorced, not married. I just rather would have known all that before - “ She let her words fade away.
“Yeah, I know.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Things happened so suddenly the other night - I didn’t have a chance.”
“Yeah, you rushed out of here the next morning like there was a house on fire.” Katherine gave a weak smile. “Another house. What was the rush?”
“I had to go to Jeremy’s soccer game.” When Katherine looked puzzled, Rick added “My son, Jeremy.” Katherine’s face cleared, and he continued. “If I hadn’t promised Jeremy, I would have stayed. I was enjoying it, remember?”
“Well, that leads me to something else we didn’t talk about, and that’s AIDS. You still need to wear a condom for that.”
He recoiled visibly. “AIDS! Who are you sleeping with that makes you in danger of AIDS?”
“That’s my question to you! If you’re sleeping around, you’re in danger of AIDS.”
“Sleeping around - ” he began, but she continued.
“We should be routinely using condoms. You never know. Anyone can get AIDS now. I know. I do shows on the topic.”
“I don’t sleep with anyone who’s at all likely to have AIDS.”
Katherine raised a finger at him. “You never know, that’s the point. I can’t believe I did it without. Next time, we’re using condoms.”
Rick opened his mouth, but then his expression changed and he grinned. “Next time? There’s going to be a next time?”
She bit her lip in regret that she had given herself away, then looked into his delighted face and smiled at him cheekily. “I’m not sure. I haven’t quite made up my mind. I need to be reminded of what it’s like.”
“You do, do you?” Smiling, he walked toward her slowly.
Her smile faded as she felt a flutter of desire and backed up until her knees touched the side of her bed. “Yes. I’m not sure I remember.”
His lips were pressing against hers, and suddenly weak, she sat down. He put his arms on either side of her, supporting himself, and gently forced her to lie back. His knee came up beside her and they wriggled onto the bed, still kissing, until they were lying full length.
“Is it coming back to you?” he asked nuzzling her ear, his hands wandering.
She let out a sigh and relaxed her body completely, letting go all the tension of the day. “Yeah, it’s coming back.” As he began undoing her clothing, she protested weakly, “We need to use a condom.”
“You said next time.” He kissed her bare skin. “We’ll use one next time.”
“Just this once,” she agreed, lying to the sensible part of herself.
“That’s right. Then we’ll be good.” He mouthed her breast; she stroked his dark head. Divorced, two kids, vasectomy, ran through her mind until it seemed like a listing in a companions wanted ad. Divorced, D. Two kids, 2K. Vasectomy, V. He’s a D2KV, she thought, but then turned to meet his mouth and forgot about everything.
CHAPTER 9, Part 1: “You’re in the honeymoon phase…” » »
Ahem - this IS next time! Bad Rick! Bad!
Ain’t that the truth?