Page 99 of Close Match

Monty swipes a hand over his wet mouth. “Come on, my love. We need a good night’s sleep. Neither of us has had one of those lately.”

While a small part of me is a bit disappointed he’s not planning on ravishing me, I know he’s right. I’m wobbling on my feet as we make our way to bed. Crawling in next to him, I roll to my side, my position of the last week. I’m well on my way to la-la land when Monty hauls me onto my other side so I’m curled into him.

“Much better,” he mutters.

And I have to admit, he’s right. Hearing his heart so close to my ear is so much better. Within seconds, I’m asleep.

I have no idea how long it takes him to drift off.

Fifty-Eight

Montague

Islip from her side in the middle of the night and head straight to the bar. I didn’t have a nightmare because I haven’t slept. What do you call your life repeatedly flashing before your eyes in the middle of the night while your heart beats erratically?

A wake-up call. Maybe a never-sleep-again call. Either way, I need a drink.

The marks are fresh on my soul from what happened today even though it worked out okay. Linnie’s mine and I’ll do anything, say anything, and protect her from anyone.

As the golden liquid slides down my throat, I berate myself. What was I thinking? I should have known better than to think there wouldn’t be scars on someone whose mother was an alcoholic, that she wouldn’t misinterpret my drinking to be about her.

I am surprised she said she didn’t mind. Then again, in the world she grew up in, alcohol is likely as commonplace as water consumption. What she doesn’t want it to be is because of her, which I gave her the impression of. Swallowing the last of the lowball I poured, I admire the way the moon makes the ivory of her skin glow. The way her dark hair floats around her like a cloud.

I feel a stirring deep in my loins the way I haven’t since the day Ev began the at-home protocol.

I cross the room and move back into bed. Sliding a hand over the silk covering Linnie’s hip, she stirs in her sleep. “Monty?”

“Hmm?”

“What time is it?” she mumbles.

“It’s time for me to show you how much you mean to me.” I press a warm kiss to the center of her stomach before I work my way down.

It’s a long while before I work my way back up her body, and only after she’s breathlessly called out my name. It’s even longer before I join our bodies.

But not before I tell her the most important thing. “I love you, Linnie.” And then, only then, do I slide home inside of her. Her body trembles beneath me when she whispers, “I love you too.” Then, I begin slowly moving in and out of her.

Instead of being tired and alone fighting these battles raging inside of me, I’m able to hold her next to me as I sip at another drink before I finally fall asleep.

* * *

The followingday while Linnie’s in the shower, I make myself a cup of coffee. Looking at the mostly empty decanter, I say, “To hell with it,” and pour the rest of it into my coffee. I’m not planning on driving anywhere today.

And besides, this way it can be cleaned. I honestly can’t remember the last time that thing was scrubbed out.

After a day where Linnie helps the beginner students muck out some stalls, she has to change to be fit to eat lunch. “I’m a disgusting mess, Monty!”

“You realize I’d make you wear it if your father wouldn’t likely get ill if he smelled the manure,” I tease her about the horse shit that ended up in her braid.

Giving me the finger, she walks into the bathroom and strips. Quickly starting the shower, she purrs, “Planning on joining me?”

I tell myself it was that invitation and not my spying the newly full decanter sitting on the bar that caused my heart to leap in anticipation. With a smirk, I start unbuttoning my shirt. “What do you think?”

Fifty-Nine

Evangeline

“Kick your foot out of the stirrup!”