Leaving the bedroom after his shower, Kevin heard the sounds of singing coming from the kitchen. He stopped, leaning again the doorframe and listened with a smile touching his thin lips. He’d never heard her sing before he realised. Good thing as well he thought with a laugh, she’d best stick to acting, she did that better. But she sounded happy and was singing with more enthusiasm than skill, but he knew how she felt, because he felt like singing from the rooftops himself. And his heart warmed at the realisation that it was because of him that she was singing and sounded so happy. He loved her so much he thought to himself, more so now if that was possible. And since last night’s revelations between them, he realised just how much she meant to him. And her brush with the kidnapper last night had also brought home just how much. Pushing that thought aside with a shiver, he instead thought about a pair of beguiling pale green eyes looking softly at him in the aftermath of their lovemaking, that was a much more happier thought. Then the smell of fresh coffee invaded his nostrils making his stomach rumble with hunger and he pushed off the door with a smile going to find the source of the singing and the coffee.
I stood watching the coffee percolator make it’s gurgling and sucking noises and inhaled its aroma. I loved the smell of freshly brewed coffee. I was vaguely aware of being hungry, but it was after noon now and I thought I’d make us lunch instead of having breakfast. We had slept in late after the dramas of the night before, and its resulting delightful aftermath. Happily and not in tune I sang one of my favourite Sinartra songs as I leaned in over the kitchen bench to collect a cup to pour the waiting coffee in. A pair of tanned but well toned bare arms captured my waist from behind as I bent over the bench, I straightened and a hairy chin rested on my shoulder.
‘Umm.. I think that Frank might be turning in his grave at your rendition of his song my love.’ A soft teasing voice laughed against my ear.
I turned around still with the cup in my hand, and circled my arms about his neck so I could look up into laughing green eyes. A wave of happiness washed over me, the like I could honestly say I’d never really experienced before. Kevin was dressed in just a pair of jeans and was barefoot, and he looked incredibly sexy with his long dark hair still damp from his shower flopping over his eyes.
‘I know, I’m awful hey?’ I said with a smile. ‘ But you’ve nothing to fear from me baby, I’ll leave the singing in the family to you.’
He grinned and bent over and kissed me lightly but lingeringly. Raising his lips from mine he smiled. ‘I think that’s probably a good idea. I’ll sing, you act.’
I pretended to think about it. ‘Ok I agree, as long as you don’t dance without choreography ever again.’ I teased with a below the belt shot. He threw back his head and laughed, but suddenly he clasped my waist and picked me up and sat me on the bench top. ‘ There got you where I want you.’ He leaned in close and took the cup from my hand placing it beside me. ‘That means war my lady. That tongue of yours will get you in trouble some day.’
'Oh I hope so.’ I said incorrigibly pulling him closer as I twisted my legs about him. ‘War with unconditional surrender sounds good to me.’ I was drowning in those stunning eyes of his.
‘But who’s surrender? ‘ His lips hovered above mine temptingly. ‘No matter, I declare a truce, are you willing to discuss terms.’
‘Well, I know you for a man of his word. You do keep your promises ever so delightfully I might add.’ Our lips were temptingly, aching close.
‘Do I? I hope so, see I was brought up to…’
I touched my mouth against his cutting off his sentence. ‘Kevin, shut up and kiss me baby.’
He obliged leaving me breathless and clinging to him for support. Then the ringing of the apartment door bell brought our heads up.
‘What is it about us, whenever I want to kiss you we get disturbed.’ He groaned with a frustrated but cheery smile. ‘Gideon’ he yelled. ‘See who’s at the door will ya please dude, Jax and I are occupied.’ He turned back to me ‘ I’m laying odds it’s Aj and Kez.’ We heard Gideon’s good humoured snort from the other room, where he had been reading the newspaper while waiting for me to bring him a cup of coffee. Kevin and I grinned unrepentantly at each other. I snuggled in closer, my arms linked around his neck. ‘You think it’s them?’ I laughed. ‘Kez has such good timing as well, they are well matched that pair.’
‘Oh I so agree there.’ He said as he leaned in for another kiss. A cough from the doorway signalled visitors.
‘Go to hell Aj.’ Kevin said not turning around. ‘I’m making love to my wife.’
‘It’s not AJ.’ Said a familiar cultured voice causing Kevin and I to turn in stunned silence.
‘Daddy.’ I exclaimed with more savoir faire than I felt, as I clambered staggering off the bench tumbling into Kevin’s arms. He caught me and looked at me with a pained but amused grin as we turned as one to face my father.
‘Miles sir, what a pleasant surprise.’ He managed to choke out with some equanimity, despite having been caught out in the act of passionately kissing his wife in front of his father in law.
Miles chuckled. ‘ Oh I bet it is. None the less it’s reassuring to see you two are on the level.’ He moved forward to shake Kevin’s hand and peck me on my cheek. ‘I did have my doubts about you both, but I’m happy to see they are unfounded.’ I felt Kevin’s shoulders shake in amusement.
‘Coffee daddy, it’s freshly made or would you prefer tea?’ I left Kevin’s arms trying to keep my features composed, but a side ways glance at Kevin from under my lashes was almost my undoing. He was trying to look as unconcerned as I and not quite succeeding. Suppressing my laughter at being caught out, I pulled out a chair for my father ushering him into it.
‘Ok Daddy what brings you here?’ I asked sitting him down before hustling back to pour out the coffee for everyone. I passed around the cups and I gestured for Kevin to sit down. He grinned ignoring me, instead standing still, he pulled me back against his chest and he rested his chin on my shoulder with his arms around me as he leant against the bench as we waited for my father to speak.
Miles sipped at the coffee and looked at the couple in front of him. One look at his daughter told him something was different about her. She radiated happiness with an inner glow of deep contentment. He’d seen the silent interaction between them and in that few seconds noted how Kevin followed his daughters every move with love filled eyes. He felt a deep sense of relief, that she had finally found the man to make her happy and one that so obviously loved and cared about her.
‘Oh just passing through on business. So I thought to myself why not surprise you both with a visit. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.’ Miles added mischievously with a twinkle in his eye.
‘No Miles. Nothing that can’t wait till later anyway.’ Kevin said, before colouring crimson, as he realised what he was implying to Jax’s father. He saw Jax give him a sideways glance as she bit her lip to stop from laughing at his slip of the tongue. She really was incorrigible, he thought in his embarrassment as he buried his face with a groan in her shoulder hiding his desire to laugh also.
Miles chuckled. ‘Kevin lad, don’t be embarrassed, and Jacqueline stop laughing at him. I do remember what it was like to be newly married and in love with my wife, I’m not that old or decrepit that I forget.’ He then added thoughtfully more to himself than anyone. 'Plus I still have the odd dalliance myself.’ His daughter looked up from her husband’s arms with sudden concern in her eyes. She made her way over to the table, sitting down and grabbing hold of his hand.
‘Tell me you’re not lonely Daddy?’ I asked softly giving his hand a squeeze.
Miles smiled reassuringly at me. ‘No not lonely darling. I do miss you and miss having you around the old pile, but I’m not lonely. That’s not to say I don’t miss your mother because I do, I did love her you see. But I have a good life, with good friends, so I’m content.’
‘I hope you’ll be staying with us Miles? Kevin asked as he joined the pair of us at the table. I flashed him a grateful look and he smiled at me.
Miles hesitated. ‘I’m booked into a hotel, I don’t want to intrude, be in the way.’
Kevin shook his head brooking no refusal. He liked Jax’s father and he meant the offer. ‘Please sir, we’d love to have you here. I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t mean it.’
Miles still looked unconvinced, but I added with a grin. ‘You’d better stay Daddy, Kevin’s a very stubborn man when he puts his foot down, it takes a lot to shift him.’
Miles looked at his daughter in amusement. ‘Met your match darling?’
‘Yes, you could say that Daddy.’ I caught Kevin’s eye and smiled as memories of our verbal tussles flooded back.
‘Ok I’ll stay here with you both then, if you don't mind.’ Miles looked across at Kevin and let go of my hand.
‘ Congratulations lad, you must be the first man ever to get my daughter to listen to him. I expect you to tell me your secret. It’s something I’ve never had much success with.’ He joked.
‘Aww we just talk about things reasonably sir.’ Kevin said grabbing my hand and bringing it to his lips, all the while looking at me with a smile shining in his eyes.
Miles took note of the look that passed between his daughter and her husband. ‘Reasonably huh? I bet it’s reasonable. Been through the fires of hell with her temper more like, huh lad?’ He smiled at me and I pulled a face at my father, while Kevin chuckled and nodded.
‘Very funny Daddy, I wonder where I got it from in the first place?’ I looked at the two men in my life and sighed. I knew I had met my match with the pair of them, and the trouble was I sensed they were well on their way to forging a strong alliance. ‘So daddy, do you need a shower? I can show you the guest room if you like. Gideon and James have the other two bedrooms, but you will like them both, they are the best two bodyguards. Even I’ve become accustomed to having them both around all the time.’
Kevin sighed and grimaced and I immediately knew where he was going to lead the subject . ‘Jax baby, I think you should tell your father what happened last night.’
I knew this reckoning would come, but the night spent with Kevin had somehow pushed the horror away and now it was back. With a sigh of resignation, I looked over at Kevin and he didn’t fail me. He reached over and pulled me out of my chair and onto his lap so that his chin rested on my shoulder his strong arms about me holding me close. I looked around gratefully and he kissed my temple lightly. ‘You want me to tell your father?’ he asked as he brushed his hand lightly across my hair in a comforting gesture of his that I’d grown so accustomed to. I looked at my father’s patiently expectant face but his eyes betrayed his worry and concern. And the story tumbled from my mouth, hesitantly and haphazardly at first but I managed eventually to begin to make sense. Every now and again I could feel Kevin tense and try to relax as my story unfolded, and when I got to the part of the actual kidnapping attempt and my struggles against it, Kevin buried his head in my neck and I felt him shiver and hold me tighter. With a sigh I finished my tale. ‘So that’s it Daddy, well it as regards to last night, but not the end of this we think.’
‘It’s not good Jacqueline.’ My father said thoughtfully over his coffee cup. ‘Not good at all.’
‘I know daddy, I know. But what can I, we do?’
‘Come back to England with me.’ My father said throwing the cat amongst the pigeons.
‘No!’ I said at once. ‘That’s running away, and who’s to say he won’t follow me there. No that’s not an option.’
Kevin sighed. ‘It could be a good idea though babe.’
I twisted in his arms to look him square in the eye. ‘No Kevin. I’m not going anywhere.’ I saw his frown but before he could say anything I kissed him quickly but fiercely on the mouth. I laid my head against his and whispered. ‘Kevin I don’t want to go home. I just couldn’t bare to leave you, not now. Besides my home is now where you are.’ He looked me deep in the eyes and I could see him struggle with what was the right option to take. He held my face in his hands. ‘God Jax, I just want you safe, I want you safe from harm. I’d pay any price to keep you out of harm’s way.’
I rested my forehead head against his. ‘ Oh love I know that but Kevin I just want to be with you. Besides I have commitments here that I need to finish. How about I think more about this when I’ve finished this movie with Ken.’
Kevin sighed and looked up at his father in law. ‘Miles any thoughts on this?’
Miles smiled ruefully and with regret. ‘I think this isn’t my battleground to fight on lad, and it probably wasn’t within my rights to suggest what I did, my apologies to you both. Jac darling I wasn’t trying to interfere or cause trouble. It was just a random suggestion.’
‘Miles please don’t apologise. You weren’t interfering, you were acting out of consideration. And I appreciate your advise and concern.’ Kevin said gravely as he looked down into my eyes. ‘ See we both have the same agenda here, in wanting to keep Jax safe.’ He ran a finger lightly along my nose. ‘We won’t close off our options yet, is that ok babe?’
‘I guess so.’ I whispered forlornly, the thought of going back to England without Kevin was something I didn’t want to contemplate. And one look into his pain filled eyes told me he was feeling exactly like I was. Across the table my father sighed and thought out aloud making us both turn to face him. ‘ You know darling, I never thought to see you settled with someone who loves you as much as Kevin does. It makes me happy and Kevin, I’m proud to have you for a son in law. I couldn’t ask for a better man to fill those shoes.’
Kevin smiled at my father and put out his hand, which my father shook. ‘Thank you sir, your acceptance means a lot to me.’
I got up off Kevin’s lap and took the coffee cups to the sink.’ Ok that’s enough guys. Thank god we aren’t at Beauleigh or he’d be bringing out all my awful baby photos.’ I needed to lighten the mood up, to shake off the cloud that had momentary covered my happiness. They both laughed and we heard the doorbell ring. ‘Gideon please’ Kevin and I yelled together, and we looked at each other with a grin. ‘AJ and Kez?’ we both said together again.
‘Well if it is, this time I’m not going to be caught kissing you.’ Kevin teased.
‘Well why not?’ I leaned in over his shoulder temptingly.
‘You fight dirty.’ He laughed pulling me onto his lap, kissing me soundly.
‘In that she’s her mother’s child.’ Miles laughed at us both. ‘She might have got the family wildness from my side, but she gets her other.’ Here he thought about it. ‘Attractions from her mother’s side.’ I pulled a face at my father, making no attempt to leave Kevin’s lap.
A noise from the archway at the kitchen's opening made all our heads turn.
‘Yo dudes waz up?’ Aj breezed in Kerry not far behind. ‘ Hey Miles cool to see you. You got here quick, that was fast work.’
As my father stood to greet them he said. ‘Pure coincidence that I’m here lad.’ He enfolded Aj into a hug. ‘Seems I owe you a debt of gratitude young man.’
Aj taken aback said. ‘No way Miles. It was pure luck that I was in the right place at the right time. Fortune smiled on us last night and no one owes me anything. Speaking of that how are you sweetheart?’ he took in the fact that I was sitting on Kevin’s lap with a wide knowing grin.
‘I’m ok Bone.’ I said. ‘And we took your advice.’ I added pointedly.
‘So I see sweetheart, so I see, didn’t get much sleep then Kev?’ he added with an irrepressible wink. I bit back a smile, and was glad my father was busy greeting Kerry, one shock was enough for his system today I thought. Kevin laughed and shifted my weight on his knee. ‘One day Bone, you’ll get yours.’
He looked at Kerry with a half smile. ‘Oh I rather think I have, I just need to convince her.’ I was about to reply when the door bell rang again.
‘I know, I know I’m getting it’. Gideon yelled from the other room.
‘Where’s James?’ Kerry asked. As she pulled out a chair and sat down.
‘He went to make sure the studio security is ok. I’m due back on the set tomorrow.’ I told her.
‘Ken was on to the producers straight after last night Jac, he’s wants security doubled.’ Kerry said as she grabbed
an apple out of my fruit bowl.
‘Good thing as well if you ask me’ Aj pulled out a chair beside Kerry as he helped himself to a bite of her apple. She looked indulgently at him as Sue, Brian Nick and Lee were ushered into the kitchen. Sue sought my eyes, and took in the fact that I was still sitting on Kevin’s lap with my arms about his shoulders. ‘Ok Jac?’ she asked as she kissed Kevin and my cheeks.
‘Yeah everything’s cool.’ I said knowing she read my mind but Kevin and I looked at one another, we couldn’t help it, she gave us a smile a mile wide before turning to greet my father. I unwound myself off Kevin and went to say hello to Lee and Nick with Kevin two steps behind me.
‘I guess Howie and Michelle won’t be far behind.’ I asked Lee as we welcomed them. Nick grinned. ‘He won’t be long, we put him in charge of getting some food and wine for lunch. They wouldn’t let me go and get the food.’ He added with a grin.
‘With good reason I think Nick, we wanted it to get here.’ Lee teased him.
‘You didn’t have to bring food. I would have cooked for us.’ I said to everyone as I watched Kevin pull out a chair and sit himself down at the table looking from one face to another in bemused amusement as the chatter washed over him. It wasn’t going to be a quiet afternoon.
‘Well we thought since we are lobbing up uninvited on your doorstep, we provide the meal. Besides we wanted to see how you were, not make you run after us.’ Brian told me with his disarming smile. ‘How are you feeling this morning Jac?’ He pulled up a chair beside Kevin and flung an affectionate arm about his cousin’s shoulders.
‘Ok thanks Bri.’
Then Howie and Michelle arrived with arms full of food and wine, and Gideon looking nonplussed followed them in.
Kevin looked up from his conversation with Brian. ‘Gideon, just pull up a pew, sit down and go with the ride man. When this lot get started no ones stopping them, so just enjoy lunch with this rabble.’ Gideon grinned and sat down, his huge frame dwarfing the chair and making it look fragile.
‘Hey guys, how about we take all this food and wine upstairs to the roof garden. It’s a beautiful sunny day we can eat al fresco.’ Everyone seemed keen on the idea of adjoining to our penthouse roof garden for lunch. ‘Kev babe do you want to switch the outside speakers on? We’ll have some music while we eat.’
‘Sure baby, any preference?’ he asked poking his head around the door.
‘No your choice.’
As we settled down to eat, the dulcet tones of Frank Sinartra came through the speakers. Everyone looked up at Kevin as he appeared from the stairway.
‘Kev man the music..’ Nick started but Kevin stopped him with a wave of his hand.
‘This is an in joke between my wife and I Nicky.’ He grinned as he caught my eye. ‘Maybe later she’ll sing for us as well.’
‘You wretch.’ I giggled as I almost choked on my wine. He sat down next to me with laughter alight in his fine eyes and a teasing smile tugging at his thin lips. I pushed his fringe out of his eyes. ‘That makes us even I think.’ And he laughed crinkling up his nose and eyes in the way that was peculiar to him but he kissed my hand that was still playing with his hair before turning cheerfully to tackle the food before us.
The conversation flowed thick and fast, and I looked every now and again at my father who was enjoying every moment of the rambunctious noisy gathering. I relaxed and let the companionship of everyone wash over me. After last night I probably didn’t need the solitude of being left to think alone. These friends knew me better than I thought I knew myself. They provided a welcome distraction with their laughter and they took away from my mind the darkness that hung like a storm cloud over my happiness.
Hours later when everyone had left and the apartment was considerably quieter, and my father and Gideon sound asleep in their room’s, I placed the last of the dishes into the dishwasher. James stuck his head around the door. ‘Night Jac, I’ve done a sweep of the apartment and everything’s ok. I’ve set all the alarms and I’m hitting the sack ok?’
‘Night James sleep well, luckily it’s not an early start tomorrow. I think we could all do with a good night’s sleep. Thanks for all you did today, I appreciate it.’ I stopped filling the dishwasher to turn smile at him. He looked bone tired and weary.
‘Oh, it was nothing, just doing my job.’ He raised a tired hand in goodnight gesture and disappeared down the hallway. I hummed one of the guy’s songs as I placed the detergent in the dishwasher and shut the door closed.
‘Arh, there you are.’ Kevin appeared where James had stood moments before. And I soon found myself with his arms wrapped around me seconds later. I reached up entwined my arms about his neck and pulled his head down so I could kiss him. ‘Ummm.’ He murmured against my lips as he hugged me tighter. He pulled away to look into my eyes. ‘Shall we call it a day and go to bed?’ I looked up at him with a longing that was overwhelming with its intensity and saw that it was mirrored in his own eyes, and he touched his lips to mine in a kiss that banished all thoughts of tiredness from my body. I moved from his arms and hit the light switch darkening the kitchen instantly, but in the grey dim shadows I could see the promise of fulfilment in his glittering eyes. I held out my hand towards him. His fingers curled around mine and he let me lead him to our room, where we closed the door on the outside world but it was a while before sleep drew it’s veil over us. We were in love after all and as the clock quietly ticked away the night we showed each other just how much.