The Sprite

Part 3

by Diz

 

 

Callum was due back around mid-day and Terry decided that it would be best if he left.
“It’ll be too awkward,” he said. “I’ll see you at the party,” he took directions to Gavin’s home and went off down the path with a wave.
About an hour later her brother exploded into the house, dropping bags and gifts all over the place, catching his sister up in a tight bear hug. “Glad to have you home Kid,” she said holding him tightly, “You look fit. Any injuries?”
“Nah mate,” he said, with a slight trace of accent, “Fit as a flea!” Grinning as he set her down and made for the kitchen. “Any food? I’m starving!”
“No change there then,” Jac muttered and then walked into the back of him as he came to a halt in the middle of the room.
“Okay,” he said turning to look at her with eyebrows raised. “’Fess up. Who is he?”
“Who’s who?” she said feigning innocence. Callum jerked his head towards the kitchen counter. Two mugs, two plates and two sets of cutlery stood mute witness to a shared breakfast. She blushed.
“Interesting,” Her brother noted, “C’mon Titch….details,” She gave him a very brief picture of Terry as being a dad and a rugby player and kind of glossed over the rest.
“You’ll meet him at the party tonight,” she said.
“Mmm,” he said, his face serious. “You like him. I haven’t seen your eyes spark like that for quite some time. Since old what’s-his-name,” Callum grimaced as he remembered her last boyfriend.
“Yeah I like him. Anyway, tell me about the tour,” Jac said in a determined change of subject. She began to move around the kitchen getting food together and listening to her little brother talk excitedly about New Zealand….and the tour…and the women…and the beer…and….Eventually, having eaten and talked for quite some time, he yawned hugely and hauled himself out of his chair.
As he lumbered up the stairs he said, “Gotta rest up for tonight. It’s good to be home.”

They were late arriving at the party due to the fact that Jac had to virtually crowbar Callum out of bed, and then they had a fight over the bathroom. She had got used to being on her own for the past weeks and didn’t take well to sharing with her lump of a brother again. Callum got a hero’s welcome and launched himself into the party with his usual abandon. Jac found Terry in a group with her brother Gavin and his wife Alison as well as Dino and Wyatt. She moved beside him and slipped an arm around his waist, he transferred his drink to the other hand and dropped his arm around her shoulders.
“G’day,” he said smiling
“Hiya,” she grinned and looked around the group. They were all smiling. They fell into conversation and the evening went along swimmingly. At one point Jac came back from the kitchen to see Terry surrounded by all three of her brothers. It looked ominous. She set her jaw and stormed over. Terry smiled slightly as he saw her approach and murmured something she didn’t quite catch, it made her brothers laugh, and they looked at her.
“What’s going on?” she demanded, bristling.
“S’okay Jac,” Terry said. “Your brothers and I were just havin’ a yarn, no sweat.”
“Really?” she said, glaring at the three of them in turn. They started to look uncomfortable.
“We were just looking out for you Titch,” Callum blurted out, the other two groaned.
“So you were hassling Terry then?” Jac’s voice went ominously soft. “Well let me put you in the picture. I decide who I spend time with. I decide whether their intentions are honourable or not. I’m a big girl now and you can just butt out. Understood?”
“Eh, yeah,” They muttered, and suddenly found other places to be.
“Geez you’re tough!” Terry said hugging her, "Scary in fact, especially when you go quiet. Remind me to watch for that,” His cell phone rang. Releasing her he flipped it open, “Terry Thorne,” he said, his voice businesslike and clipped. “Alice! What the…,” he glanced at Jac. Taking the phone from his mouth he said, “It’s the office, I have to take this, Excuse me,” Turned on his heel and walked away towards the garden. Jac drifted over to where Dino was talking and laughing with Callum.
“Where’s Tio?” the American asked.
“Had to take a call from the office, Alice somebody,” she answered, noticing an odd look cross Dino’s open features she said “What? What’s up?”
“Nothing Coach,” he said smoothly, “I just wonder what the call is about. Excuse me,” he headed after Terry, leaving Jac feeling a little uneasy.
“They’re good blokes,” Callum’s voice broke into her train of thought. “Dino is a hoot.”
“Yeah,” she replied absently, looking towards the door the two friends had disappeared through.

When they returned both men looked glum. Terry came towards her, his eyes blue and sparking with anger. “Something’s come up luv, I’ve got to go to London tonight.”
“Now?” she said, “But it’s late, can’t it wait ‘til morning?” She looked from Terry to Dino, who also looked angry.
“No, It’s real important. Isn’t it Terry,” The sarcasm in his voice confused Jac. The bigger man took her arm and walked her towards the door, “I really am sorry Sprite,” he said in a low voice, “I’ll call ya,” he kissed her on the cheek and was gone before she could respond. The party lost its interest for her pretty quickly and she left Callum to his own devices and went home. The ansaphone light was winking at her.
“Em hi,” A familiar voice said, “It’s me. I’ll be out of the loop for a couple of days, but I will call you. Bye,” The message ended.
Jac heard nothing for a week, eventually her short store of patience ran out. She called Terry’s cell phone. “Terry’s mobile,” A woman’s voice said,
“American,” Jac thought, “Definitely American, that’s weird” “Who is this?” she asked.
“Alice Bowman,” The woman replied as if that were all the explanation necessary. “Who’s this?”
“Nobody,” Jac answered, “Must be a wrong number,” she hung up.She called Dino at the office. “Okay,” she said after pleasantries had been exchanged. “Who’s Alice Bowman? And why is she answering Terry’s mobile?”
"Ah hell,” Dino groaned, “That stupid fucking Aussie!! I can’t believe he’s that stupid!”
“Dino!” she said. “What’s going on?”
“Coach, you're gonna have to speak to Tio. I can’t do this,” he responded in a resigned tone.
“I would if I could get hold of him,” Jac’s voice was even but determined. “Look Dino, I’m losing my marbles here! Just tell me.”
Sighing resignedly, Dino told her about the “stuff of legends,” job and how Terry had fallen hard for the wife of the hostage he was sent to negotiate for. “I thought it was long over, that he was over her. He’s in love with you for chrissake! But then she called him…”
“And he goes running,” she finished in a dull voice, “I take it “she,” was Alice Bowman?” Terry’s friend nodded.
“Yeah. Alice. They went through some heavy stuff to get her husband out.”
“Good “customer relations,” are part of the job I take it,” Jac sourly.
“Jac,” Dino said in a sad voice, “It was years ago, he’s a different man now.”
“Really? Then how come he never told me about it?” she challenged.
“I don’t know what to say to you Coach,” Dino sighed again. “You love him?”
“Yes, but it’s obviously not enough,” she admitted close to tears.
“I’m real sorry Jac. Call me if you want to talk,” The man responded, and hung up.

The days that followed were work and more work. Jac’s mood was bad and people tended to avoid her. She drove the teams hard and collapsed into her bed exhausted, but unable to sleep. Terry called a couple of times. She let the ansaphone pick it up. He said he was sorry, that he needed to see her, that he didn’t mean to hurt her, that he needed to see her, PLEASE. She couldn’t do it. She still trained the 3rds but Terry didn’t show.
“So much for needing to see me,” she thought.
A couple of weeks later, Jac had to play for the Women’s team because they were short of players for a match. It was good to be back in the thick of it, she was really enjoying herself until she came off the back of a ruck, and straight onto the fist of a big second row forward. Her knees buckled and she crashed down in heap, seeing stars. Sitting up she winced at the feel of an icepack on the back of her neck.
“Comes to a pretty pass when someone has to knock you half conscious before you’ll talk to me,” The physio said. Jac lifted her head and gazed blearily at the owner of the voice. His eyes were blue, and he wasn’t smiling.
“Drop dead,” she said succinctly.
“How many fingers am I holding up?” Terry asked holding his hand up. She frowned in an attempt to focus,
“Three. How many am I holding up?” she countered with an unmistakeable gesture. He smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. Instead of responding he looked up at the referee.
“Definite signs of concussion. She’ll have to go off.”
“Like hell,” Jac stated, struggling to her feet, the slight stagger did nothing to help the impression of capability she was trying to create.
“Off you go Jac,” The order came, “and get someone to take you to A&E to be checked out. No arguments,” The referee raised a hand as she opened her mouth to protest. She stalked off the pitch, angrily shaking off Terry’s hand under her elbow.

In the dressing room she sat down and dropped her head between her knees, the nausea from the head knock almost overcoming her. She heard the door open and Terry say, “Get your trackies on and I’ll take you to the E.R.”
Too tired and sore to argue Jac leant further over to untie her boots. The move almost unseated her. Suddenly he was there, easing her to sit upright and crouching at her feet to unlace her boots. By the time he’d accomplished that Jac had rallied and she donned her tracksuit and training shoes by herself. They didn’t speak, but she knew that there was no point in discussing whether or not he would drive her to hospital. The trip was silent to, she felt too ropey to fight and he seemed content to say nothing. The check up was uneventful. The doctor gave her the usual spiel after assessing her reflexes and eyesight. As she approached reception Terry was there, Jac sighed in exasperation, “Can’t you take a hint?” she thought.
“What’s the score?” he asked getting to his feet as she reached him.She told him that the doctor had cleared her to go home as long as she looked out for complications….blah.blah. Terry nodded, “Standard stuff. Is Callum home?”
“No,” she said and then mentally kicked herself for not lying though her teeth,“he’s off for some R&R after the tour. Scotland I think.”
“So, I’ll take you home and hang around for a while to make sure you don’t pass out,” her tormentor said, eyes daring her to argue.
“You don’t need to,” Jac protested weakly. “I’ll be perfectly…”
“Wretched and sore,” he finished succinctly. “C’mon Sprite, just give in on this. It’s not that much of a big deal,” His use of that endearment nearly finished her. A lump formed in her throat and she had to blink back unexpected tears.
“Whatever. You don’t look like you’re in the mood to back down,” Her voice was gruff.
“You’ve got that right. Let’s roll,” Back at her house Jac felt worse again. “I’m going to shower,” she said climbing stiffly up the stairs.
“Don’t lock the door,” Terry called from the kitchen. She shrugged her shoulders but couldn’t raise the energy to think up a retort. She started off standing in the shower but soon found her legs were too rubbery to support her so she sat down, only meaning to be there a minute or two. The next thing she was aware of was the water being turned off and a gentle voice and strong grip coaxing her out of the stall and wrapping her in a warm towel. She stood mute while Terry dried her body, helped her into her dressing gown and used a second towel to dry her hair.
“Jac?” he asked gently, “You okay? Headache? Feel sick?”
“No, just tired,” she answered in a small voice; to her horror tears began to leak from the corners of her eyes.
“Ah Sprite,” his soft voice said, “Don’t, it breaks me up to see you cry,” he drew her into a warm hug then turned her so that his arm was round her shoulders. He guided her to her bedroom. In a haze of tiredness she let him seat her at the dressing table, comb out her hair and dry it using her hairdryer. His search of her wardrobe produced a pair of warm pyjamas, his mouth quirked at one corner as he dressed her in them but he said nothing. Installed warmly in her bed, Jac watched him warily as he took off his shoes.
“Relax, I’m not going to pounce on you,” he said as he lay on top of the covers fully clothed. “I just want to talk to you,” she opened her mouth. Terry held up a hand. “Please, just hear me out,” she closed her mouth. “Alice is someone who meant a lot to me. We shared a very intense time and I thought I was in love with her. When we got her husband Peter out I realised there was no future for us, there never was really. I kept away from her and them and resigned myself to the work. Then I met you,” his eyes kindled warmly, "a committed, feisty, passionate woman who made love and talked and laughed with the same intensity. I had fallen in love with you and I had never felt that way about anybody before. I admitted to myself that what I had with Alice was fuelled by adrenaline, guilt and the thrill of the forbidden. I have never been as happy as I was in those weeks with you. Then she phoned out of the blue, upset, saying that Peter had left her and she had come to London to be with Me,” he shook his head in disbelief. ” She was incoherent and rambling. I didn't know if she was just drunk or sick . She said all sorts of scary stuff about what she might do to herself if I didn't go to meet her. Sprite, I was poleaxed, I didn't think it through. I'm sorry that I walked away from you like that,” his face was set in grim lines as he looked at her.
"Why didn't you call me?” Jac asked in a small voice.
"Alice told me you'd called. She said that you'd freaked when you heard her voice and told her to tell me that I was out of your life.”
She gasped, "I never said..."
Terry raised a hand to her cheek and lightly stroked her skin, "I know,” he said gently. "I spoke to Dino. He put me straight. And how!” he smiled grimly. "I got a few home truths forcibly rammed down my throat. He came to see me. I was in a bad way. I had already told Alice that there was nothing left between us but I knew that I had lost you through my own stupidity. Dino told me that you had said that you loved me and that if I didn't try to put things right I was "gonna be one sorry son of a bitch,” His mimicry of Dino made her smile. "So here I am Jac, telling you that I love you, that I want to be part of your life, that I'm sorry I hurt you. Please let me play your games again Sprite,” he was looking at her so gravely, a small frown between his brows, that she felt her heart turn over. She lifted a hand to his cheek, feeling the start of stubble against her palm.
“I told you Terry. I’m yours for as long as you want me. I love you.”
A sound, a cross between a groan and a growl came from deep in his chest, and he moved his head to kiss her palm before gathering her to his chest in a tight hug. Jac felt him kiss the top of her head. He lowered her back to the bed and loosened his hold, lying on his side propped on one arm. Using his other hand he gently traced her features. She smiled and nipped at his fingers as they passed her lips.
“Are you going to join me?” she asked.
“Why? Are you falling apart?” he teased.
“No I’m not, you’re supposed to be resting. Doctor’s orders,” His smile widened to a grin at her mutinous expression. “I’ll stay close though,” he said, snuggling her closer to the shape of his body.
Jac woke occasionally during the night and always found Terry looking at her.
“I don’t want to let you out of my sight,” he whispered, kissing her on the nose, in answer to her frowned, unspoken question.
Just after dawn she caught him out. He was asleep, lying on his back. She slithered stealthily out from under the covers and lay looking at him for a while. His lashes lay on his cheeks and a shadow of stubble covered his jaw. She gently stroked his cheek, Terry sighed a little and rubbed his cheek against the pillow but did not wake. Emboldened, she lifted her hands to the buttons of his shirt easing each one out and opening the material to give her a clearer view. Strong and smooth, he had a flat stomach, the silver traces of old wounds marked him here and there. She touched her lips to those she could see. He didn't move, but when she raised her head from soothing a mark low on his stomach that disappeared into the waistband of his jeans his eyes were open and a dark stormy green.
"Morning,” Jac said quietly, "How long have you been awake?"
“Since you started to wriggle out of the covers, but I was enjoying myself too much to let on.”
She blushed.
"Though if you had gone any further I would have gone out of my mind,” he continued, his eyes promising delights.
"Really?” Jac said reaching for his belt. A large hand covered hers.
"Sprite,” he said in a warning tone, "do you feel okay? I mean, if we start something here I probably won't be gentle. It's been too long."
"No,” she said prowling over him an all fours, "I don't feel okay, I feel frustrated as hell to have you here and not to be able to touch you. So, lie back and let me have my way or it will go worse for you,” he looked a little taken aback by her aggressive stance but raised his hands to place them behind his head.
“Whatever you say,” he said. Jac returned to her exploration of his chest, shoving the material of his shirt away from his waistband. He obligingly shrugged out of his shirt to give her access to his arms and shoulders, roped in smooth muscle, which she tested with her teeth. She smiled, hearing his indrawn breath and slipped her tongue out to the mark she'd left on his bicep.
"Sorry,” she said against his mouth,"Got carried away."
"S'okay,” he replied his eyes passion dark, "I'm not complaining,” She dragged herself down his body and attacked his jeans. With his help they, and the rest of his clothing, were soon gone and she had the whole of his body laid out, bare and inviting, before her. She licked her lips. Terry groaned and closed his eyes. Jac leaned down and kissed the inside of one knee, moving his legs apart so that she could continue kissing up his hair roughened skin till just before his groin. She returned to the other knee and repeated the process, this time completing the action by kissing and licking his straining erection. She felt his hands in her hair as he drew his knees up slightly, groaning and gasping under her attentions. She brought her hands into play, stroking squeezing and scratching lightly as she took as much as she could of his shaft into her mouth.
"Fuck!” came a startled exclamation, and he hardened even more. Jac kept going, loving the sound of his tortured voice begging her to stop, not to stop, and that he loved her. A few minutes later he gripped her hair tightly and tugged her face up to his, he flipped her onto her back and kissed her hard.
“No more,” Terry gasped breathlessly as he kissed down her neck to her breasts, nipping hardened nipples with his teeth. Stripping her of her pyjamas, he pushed her legs apart and shoved two fingers roughly into her aroused body.
“Terry please!” she groaned. He laughed and twisted his fingers, blocking her from closing her legs with his big body. He kissed his way down until his mouth replaced his hand and his tongue moved in her the way his fingers had. When she was nearly mindless with need he moved up her body. His eyes darkened. His primed body slid into hers, hard, hot and ready.
"Sprite!"
"Tio!"
They both gasped at the sensation. Instead of going wild, they slowed and slowed, being gentle to try and keep the feeling as long as possible. They fell into climax together, gazing into each other’s eyes.
"Oh God Jac!” Terry whispered against her neck, "I love you,” She stroked his back, cool now with sweat.
“I love you Terry,” she replied. Then they were asleep.
 
" Titch! What the HELL is HE doing here?"
Jac Christie winced. Her brother Callum was standing in the living room of their shared house glaring at the figure of Terry Thorne, who sat comfortably slumped, apparently unconcerned by the question, in one of the armchairs. The television was on and an opened beer can beside his seat. The subject of the question stood easily and came to stand beside Jac; sliding an arm around her shoulders he drew her against his side. "That answer your question mate?" he asked easily, but Jac could hear the determined edge to his tone and was grateful for the reassurance of his arm as she looked at her brother.
At 6'2", and a professional rugby player, Callum Christie was a daunting prospect, especially when angry. Squaring her shoulders she stepped forward, away from Terry, wishing that she had kept her chunky boots on instead of being barefoot.
"He's here because I want him to be. Please try to understand." Jac watched Callum's eyes move from her face to the still figure of the man behind her and then back to her face. She turned to look at Terry.
"I'll go and make us a cuppa," he said, correctly reading her unspoken suggestion. She watched him leave, enjoying the view for a moment before turning to face the mutinous look on her brother's face.
As he moved around the kitchen Terry strained his ears but all he could hear was the cadence of conversation and the different pitches of the siblings’ voices. Callum's low and deep; Jac's lighter and sharper.
"Doesn't sound as if they're killing each other yet,” he thought wryly.
The Christie family was large and boisterous and showed their emotions freely, something he found difficult to do himself. It was one of the things he loved about Jac. The way she threw herself into everything, her work as a rugby coach, her lovemaking with him, with abandon and commitment. He smiled, remembering how warm and willing she had been in his arms the night before.
The kettle boiled, interrupting his reverie, and he made a pot of tea, adding three mugs to the tray, before he carried it to the table. The last couple of weeks had been great. Callum had been away on holiday. Adam, Jac's oldest brother, and his wife Joanne were still away visiting her relatives in Wales, and Gavin, Jac's twin, was so caught up in preparations for an exhibition of his work at his wife Alison’s gallery that he hadn't the time to call round. It had given Terry and Jac time they needed. Time they had used to talk about their relationship, and to root like rabbits. The smile returned.
The voices from the living room had stopped and he waited for them to come into the kitchen. They appeared in the doorway; Jac tucked underneath her brother's left arm. She was smiling. Terry allowed a little of the tension he had been holding to ease as he watched them approach. Callum's face was serious. "O.K. Terry, here's the deal. Jac tells me that you two are solid now and since she's my big sister I have to believe her. However, if you muck her about again I'll make you sorry."
Terry looked at Callum steadily; the younger man's face was hard edged and determined. "Fair enough mate," he held out his hand. The guy had a point. He had hurt Jac badly, but that was in the past. It was their future he was interested in now. The handshake the two men shared was firm, and they stood back.
"Cuppa?" Terry asked, changing the atmosphere.
"Sure." Callum grinned and the three sat down together.
Jac breathed a sigh of relief. "One down two to go," she thought, watching her big little brother laugh and joke with Terry. Of the three brothers, Callum was always going to be the easiest to bring round. At 25, five years her junior, he was open and friendly by nature. He had shared a house with Jac for the last 5 years and they were friends as much as brother and sister. If Jac said she was okay with Terry, he would grudgingly accept it and make the best of the situation. He would also abide by his promise, painfully extracted though it was, to keep quiet about her renewed relationship until she had a chance to broach the subject with the other brothers herself.
"Make it sooner rather than later though, Titch. Adam will be well pissed off if he hears about this through the grapevine," Callum had warned darkly.
"Earth to Jac." Terry's teasing voice brought her out of her thoughts. She grinned at him, lifted her mug and drank the tea gratefully.
Later that night in Jac's bedroom, as he sat on the bed to remove his boots, Terry watched her flit about the room moving a vase here, a book there, lifting her freshly laundered clothes from a chair and neatly putting them in cupboards and drawers, studiously avoiding his gaze. He frowned; Jac was not what you might call house proud so this behavior had to mean something else. "What's wrong J?" he asked, surprised at the blush he saw on her face when she looked at him.
"It's Callum,” she said finally, drawing her shoulders up to her ears in a helpless shrug.
"What about him?" he asked, confused. He stood up to remove his shirt and Jac's newly acquired antique brass bed squeaked alarmingly. Then it dawned on him. Jac was embarrassed. He grinned.
"It's not funny!" she gritted out looking flustered. They had spent the days since she bought it finding ways to make the old bed squeak and groan. Now its protests would tell tales on them. He walked towards her. He saw her firm her jaw as she eyed him. He smothered his grin.
"So what you're saying is, there's no hanky panky with little brother in the house?" he asked, relieved to note her expression of concern at that prospect. "We'll just have to get creative and be very...very...quiet," he said softly, releasing the remaining two buttons of his untucked shirt as he approached.
"You trust me don'tcha?" he asked, lifting her chin and looking down challengingly into her eyes. Jac licked her lips and tilted her head to receive his kiss. A small moan escaped her when he lifted his head. "Shh," he said against her lips as he slid her T-shirt up and over her head and dropped it to the floor, savouring the feel of her fingers sliding over his skin, pushing his shirt off his shoulders and down his arms. He shrugged out of it and kissed her again, filling his hands with the swell of her breasts constrained by the soft cotton of her bra. The nipples peaked against his palms and she groaned again.
"Quietly," he admonished in a growl against her neck, eagerly seeking and releasing, the catch of the bra and stripping it from her. He kissed her deeply, sliding his tongue into her yielding mouth, demanding a response while he backed her against the wall. His kisses continued on down her neck to her breasts tormenting her nipples. He knelt, teasing his tongue down her flat belly and licking the inches of skin revealed by the unfastening and sliding down of her jeans. The heavy material pooled around her ankles, taking her underwear with it, and he nipped at the side of one of her knees making her raise her leg with a yelp of protest. Terry freed it from the garment and eased it over his shoulder, opening her to him. He searched her soft folds with his tongue, savouring the heady musk of her arousal and finally drawing her pouting clitoris into his mouth.
"Tio!"
He heard her strangled breathless exclamation and felt her hands sink into his hair gripping tightly, her hips bucking, as he sucked and nibbled, growling contentedly at the proof of her climax. Her other knee sagged and he allowed her to slide down the wall to sit facing him, her blue eyes wide and startled.
"Let's get you to bed," he smiled into her dazed face, brushed her tousled curls from her forehead, and kissed her. She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck, standing with him. He lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed to tuck her under the covers before he moved to the window and drew the heavy curtains before removing the rest of his clothes. His cock stood out rigid and demanding.
"Sorry mate, not tonight," he apologised to his demanding member as he slid into the crisp sheets of Jac's noisy bed and drew the already sleeping form of his lover against him.


Jac swam out of her sleep and awakened to a darkened room and the warm, enveloping embrace of Terry's muscular frame. She nestled closer to him and began to kiss whatever she could reach. It was difficult to tell where, or what, she was kissing in the darkness but it had the desired effect.
"Hmmm?" the sleepy questioning sound belied the speed at which Terry's arms snaked around her and held her close, easing her on top of him to be kissed hotly. "What about Callum?" he asked in a tight controlled voice. Jac wriggled experimentally, and found what she had hoped for, the iron velvet length of his penis.
"What about him?" she asked teasingly, just ahead of a sharp nip to his neck.
"Right answer," Terry's voice rumbled and he rolled, swiftly trapping her against the mattress. It was quite some time before the bed was quiet.


"Cheeky sod!" Jac muttered as she went into the kitchen late the next morning.
"What?" Terry asked, looking over her shoulder, before lapsing into a ridiculous giggle. The infectious sound made her own lips twitch as she looked at the can of "3 in 1 Oil” on the table. Beside it a note read: "Finally you get out of bed! I hope the enclosed helps...I wasn't sure if it was the bed or your aged joints making all that racket.... Either way the lube should prove efficacious! Gone to the Club to catch up with The Lads...Cheers C" the note was signed off with a smiley face.
Terry hugged her back against him and he kissed her neck causing teasing shivers to run down her spine. The telephone rang; Jac slipped out of his hold and answered it.
“Coach? It’s Dino…Is he there?” The friendly voice held an edge of irritation.
“Dino!” Jac replied warmly, cutting her eyes to where Terry was grimacing and signaling that he didn’t want to speak to his friend and business partner.
Jac grinned, “Sure, hang on a sec. I’ll put him on.” with a saccharine sweet smile she held out the phone to Terry who looked at her pleadingly as he took the handset.
“G’day mate. What’s up?” he asked in a bright tone.
“What’s up?” Dino echoed his question incredulously. “You drop off the radar for two weeks! You give Wyatt heart failure because the last time he saw you, YOU were miserable as sin, and you ask ME what’s up!”
“Okay mate give me break. I was just following your advice. I came to put things right,” he explained patiently.
“And you had to go AWOL to do it? You couldn’t phone?” Dino questioned.
“What are you? My Mother? Leave off Dino, you’ve made your point.” Terry was beginning to get irritated.
“I’ll call Wyatt next. Is that O.K. with you Ma?” he asked with an edge of sarcasm.
“Make sure you do Tio. He’s 'not best pleased'.” Dino’s impersonation of Wyatt was note perfect and made Terry grin despite his annoyance.
“Okay, message received and understood.” Terry rang off. He walked back towards Jac and took the mug of tea she held out before they both sat down at the kitchen table to eat the toast she had prepared.
“I have to get back to London,” he said eventually, feeling a dull ache in his belly at the thought of leaving her.
“I knew it was too good to last. You better go and make nice with Wyatt,” her eyes danced, teasing him.
“Yeah,” he said.
"What are you gonna do about Adam and Gavin?" he watched her scowl.
"I think attack is the best form of defence. I'll take them out for a beer and just tell them," she said with a decisive nod.
"That's as good an approach as any. Being out in public should stop them from overreacting too much. Are you sure you want to do this? Do you want me along?" he knew the answer he would get.
"What? You think I can't handle those two? Who made you my white knight?" she demanded angrily.
"Okay, relax. Of course you can handle them, I just had to ask," Terry said in a placating tone. Rising from his seat he carried his now empty mug to the sink, returning to lift Jac from her seat and perch her on the table facing him. He eased between her legs and slid his arms around her to hold her for his kiss, enjoying the press and slide of her lithe body against him as she responded hungrily. He lifted his head and looked down into her eyes. " I love you Sprite," he said, stroking a finger down her cheek, feeling the truth of it punch deep in his gut. He hugged her tight to him before stepping back.
"I have to go and grab my gear," he explained on his way out of the kitchen. He left a short time later, climbing into his car and watching her get smaller in his rear view mirror, standing in the doorway waving.

"So Titch, what's this in aid of?" Adam had at least allowed her the time to sit down and take a sip of her pint before he went on the offensive.
"So I need and excuse to have a pint with my family now?" she hedged, playing for time, looking at her twin Gavin who quirked a disbelieving eyebrow at her.
"Well here's the thing. The Kid has been avoiding us since he got back from Gran's in Edinburgh and all of a sudden you fancy a "family bonding session". Something 's up," Gavin said while Adam looked at her steadily. "C'mon Jacqueline. Out with it," her older brother demanded.
Jac swallowed convulsively and took another supportive mouthful of her drink. Adam only ever used her full given name when he was angry with her, or worried about her. She took a breath and said, "Tio's back."
"Back? As in back in your life?" Adam's questioning voice was quiet. Not a good sign. Jac nodded, holding his gaze with difficulty, but it was Gavin who exploded.
"Jac? Are you off your head! The guy walks out on you; goes off to an old girlfriend, and you take him back! If I hadn't been so busy with the exhibition I would have stopped that bastard from getting within a mile of you!" Jac gaped at her normally quiet and gentle brother as his outburst made other customers in the pub turn and look in their direction.
"This isn't the way it was supposed to be," Jac thought dazedly. Adam was supposed to be the one who lost the rag and Gavin the one who helped her get her point over. Her relationship with her twin was very close. He had been a huge support to her when Terry had gone to see Alice Bowman, and not come back. Now his angry reaction confused her.
"So why is he back?" Adam asked her in a more gentle tone.
"I love him," she shrugged helplessly, ignoring Gavin's derisive snort, she continued, "He didn't go back to Alice, he told her it was over between them, but he thought that I wouldn't want him after leaving me at your party like that. He loves me,” she said finally.
"And you believe him?" Gavin's voice taunted her. It made her angry.
"Yes I believe him. Now I didn't have to do this, try to explain, but I didn't want there to be any secrets between us. I am not asking for your permission or even your approval. I am just letting you know. Terry is back in my life. End of story," she faced her two brothers defiantly.
"I can't handle this," Gavin said, stood up from the table, and walked away without a backward glance.
“Gav!” Jac got to her feet to follow him.
"Titch, no," Adam's big hand circled her forearm and drew her back into her seat.
"Let him go, he needs to think it through. You know how he gets if anything hurts you. He'll come round." Now Jac was really confused. Her big, overbearing, overprotective, elder brother was being sensible and calm about Terry, and her twin, with whom she shared a bond closer than simple siblings, was being totally unreasonable. She subsided into her chair with a heavy sigh sliding a hand through her hair. She looked again at Adam.
"What's going on Adam?" she asked. He didn't pretend not to understand.
"Let's just say that this past while in Wales I came to realise that you can't live other people's lives for them. Jac, you're a smart woman. I love you. Whatever you decide about your life I will be right behind you," Adam's face was solemn and serious and his gentle statement brought a lump to her throat.
"Thank you," she whispered, and leaned in to be hugged by Adam's rangy frame.
 
 

...to be continued

 

 

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