FanFiction_SpaceBetween

Maureen Silver staggered into her apartment, laden with shopping bags, her purse, and a briefcase. She managed to push the door shut with her foot. Her grip was slipping. She hurried into the kitchen to deposit everything on the counter before she dropped it. God, she was tired! She took a moment to catch her breath. Looking over the counter into her living room, she sighed with dismay. Her place was a wreck. Since she�d begun working on Coastal Bank�s web design, she�d been putting in 14-hour days at the office. She�d been arriving at home long enough to drop whatever she was carrying, climb into bed, and get up again the next morning. Empty food containers were scattered everywhere. A dozen pairs of shoes were strewn across the floor. A haphazard pile of newspapers, unread, looked ready to tip over.
But, the previous three weeks had paid off. She had a plan and a design. George, one of her designers, had found an amazing firewall. Bless him. Nothing they had tried before held up under extensive testing. Six initial designs had been rejected by Coastal, but she was sure she now had one they would like. She and George had spent the last two days, huddled over his system, getting a demo ready. She was going to fly down to San Diego and make a presentation to the entire bank board. Not just Shaw, but all of the officers. While Coastal had agreed to her company introducing their bank to the World Wide Web, they had signed a provisional contract. If they didn�t agree with her final design, they could cancel. Pay her for her services, but cut her loose. From a business standpoint, that could be a disaster for her little company. From a pride stand point, she would be damned if she couldn�t make this account happen.
Her presentation was in ten days, which meant that she would be able to take some much needed days off. Harriet had insisted as she�d been walking out the door, �I don�t want to see your face for two days. Do you hear me?� Dear Harriet. Maureen knew that the best decision she�d ever made was to hire that woman.
She kicked off her pumps and put the perishables into the fridge. With that done, she cast one more disparaging look at the living room before heading off to the bathroom. She hadn�t indulged in a bath in weeks. And right now, her sore back and aching muscles needed a little hydrotherapy. She started the water, adjusting the knob until the temperature was nearly scalding. She poured some of the bath oil she�d picked up on a vacation in Napa. She used it sparingly, but decided that tonight was the night to splurge. While the water roared into the porcelain, she went into her room to divest herself of her clothes. She pulled her hair up into a clip and dipped a toe in. Almost too hot. She let the water run cold for a minute, then shut it off and climbed into the tub. She had to ease her body down, but once settled back into the hot water, she could feel her muscles relax.
She stayed in the tub for nearly an hour, becoming sleepy and rubbery. When she felt the water temperature dip below a comfortable level, she pulled the plug and wrapped a towel around her torso. She fussed around in the bathroom a while longer, slathering her face and body with lotion, combing out her damp hair. Then she pulled on her thick robe and padded out to the living room.
On the table by the couch sat her phone and answering machine, the little red light blinking madly. She peeked at it. The LED told her she had 11 messages. Oh no. She hadn�t checked her machine in weeks. The only calls on this phone would be personal, not business, but she felt a tug of guilt as she sat on the couch and pressed Play.
*beep* June 21, 2:01 pm �Maureen, honey, it�s your mother. I just wanted to see how you were doing. Give me a call soon. Love you. *beep*
*beep* June 21 4:37 pm �Maureen, it�s Raza. I have an extra ticket to the concert tonight, if you want to go. I know its last minute, but� Well, call me.�
*beep* June 21 8:14 pm �Uh, hi. Maureen? It�s Darien. I haven�t heard from you and I, ah, wanted to say hi. So� I hope we get to talk soon. Bye.�
Damn! She meant to call him when she got home. This message was a little more than a week from their wondrous union in his home. Great. Just great. She finally met a nice guy and she was blowing him off. She scrambled through her briefcase, searching her day planner for the scrap of paper that had his number. The remaining messages were from her mother (four), two solicitors, Raza wondering if she�d dropped off the planet, and a wrong number. Maureen panicked for a moment, certain that she�d lost the number, when she found it in the back pocket of her notebook. Relieved, she let the machine finish relaying all the messages and picked up the receiver. Hopefully, he would forgive her. Hopefully, he would understand. Butterflies fluttered as the other end rang. On the fourth ring, she didn�t know if she was dismayed or relieved. Okay. His machine would pick up. She would have to leave a message. She was trying to form a contrite sounding sound bite when the other end clicked. �Fawkes.�
Startled, Maureen fell silent. �Hello?� she heard before she managed, �Darien?�
�Yes?�
�Hi. Uh, hello. This is Maureen.�
His response was immediate. �Maureen! Hey! I�m so glad you called.�
She grimaced. Not only had she blown him off, but now he was being nice about it. �Hi. I�m so sorry I didn�t call sooner.�
�That�s okay. I figured you were busy.�
�I have been. I�ve worked the last 22 days straight. But I didn�t check my machine and you called over two weeks ago and� Darien, I�m really sorry.�
�Don�t worry about it. You�re on the phone now.�
�I know, but��
He laughed. �Maureen, it�s okay. Really. I understand.�
She sighed. �Are you sure?�
He chuckled again. �Yeah, I�m sure.�
Relief calmed some of the butterflies. �I hope so. You know, no one does guilt like we Jews.�
He out and out guffawed then. �I know. My partner is Jewish.�
She giggled. �Ah, okay. I don�t need to tell you, then.�
She could hear his smile. �How have you been?�
�Insanely busy.� She told him of her development of the Coastal Bank website. It surprised her how much she wanted to talk about it, considering she had been eating and breathing the project for the past three weeks. She warmed to her topic, getting involved in the intricacies. Darien contributed a few �uh-huh�s and �oh yeah?�s at first, but became quiet the longer she spoke. Maureen realized, 20 minutes in, that she was getting a little too detailed for someone who didn�t even have a computer. �So, George found this great firewall and I�m really boring you to tears, aren�t I?�
He chuckled. �No, no. I just�well, yeah. I have no idea what you�re talking about.�
She felt her face grow warm. �Oy. I�m sorry.�
�It�s okay.�
�All right, then. Why don�t you tell me what you�ve been up to?�
�Oh, not much. Workin�. I work for another agency now.�
�Oh? Did you get a promotion in Health and Human Services?�
�Not exactly. I, uh, work for another agency all together.�
�Oh no! Did you get laid off?�
�No.�
�What happened?�
�Uh, I got transferred.�
�Oh.� Maureen was relieved. �Where are you working now?�
Darien hemmed and hawed a moment before confessing, �The Bureau of Weights and Measures.�
That struck her as odd. �What in the world are you doing for them?�
�It�s kinda� It�s� Aw crap.�
�What?�
�I can�t really talk about it.�
�Is it secret?�
�Yeah. Sorry.�
�That�s okay.� She was mildly irked, but she would let it slide for now. �We can talk about something else.�
Which they did. They talked about Cold Springs, movies, and favorite foods. An hour flew by as they settled into comfortable conversation. Maureen realized that she missed Darien. It was fun to talk to him. He put her at ease and made even the most trivial topic seem interesting and funny. She settled back into the corner of the couch, her legs tucked under her, truly relaxed for the first time in weeks. The knowledge that she was heading back to San Diego bobbed to the surface. She told Darien and he sounded pleased.
�Can I see you?�
�Of course. I�m looking forward to seeing you, too.�
�I keep thinking of your last night in town�� Was that a flirt she heard in his voice?
�Now that you mention it, that was very nice.�
�Nice. Yeah, you could say nice.�
�Why?� she asked in mock hurt. �What do you mean?�
�Oh, I was thinking more along the lines of �mind-blowing�.�
Maureen snickered. �As I recall, that wasn�t the only thing blown.�
His sigh was more like a moan. �I remember.�
Her belly grew warm. �Where are you?�
�In my apartment.�
�Where in your apartment?�
�On the couch.� Beat. �Why?�
�Because, I can think of things I�d like to do to you on your couch.�
�Oh�yeah?�
�Yeah. Like sitting you on the couch and stripping for you. Slowly.�
�Uh-huh.�
�Finding some nice, mellow jazz on the stereo and starting to unbutton my blouse�pulling it away from my body��
�Uh��
�Turning around, swaying my hips as I slowly pull my skirt down to the floor, bending over to step out of it��
�Uh, Maureen?� He sounded desperate.
�Yes?�
�When did you say you were coming to town?�
�The end of next week.�
�Oh good.�
�Why? Having a little problem over there?�
�Hey, it�s not little!�
She chuckled. �I remember. I had it in my mouth and deep inside my pussy.�
Darien moaned.
She had him, she could tell. Her grin turned predatory. �And it felt so good, Darien. You were so good. The way you just�� She paused and released a breathy sigh, ��fucked me.� Maureen heard his breathing now, louder over the phone. Her own skin tingled with warmth. That warmth spread to her loins and radiated outward. She pulled her robe open so she could reach her breast. Her skin was hot to the touch.
�I wish you were here, to do that all to me again,� she purred, pinching her nipple lightly.
�Oh, God. Me too.�
�Are you hard?�
�Oh yeah.�
�Stroke yourself, Darien. Pretend your hand is mine.�
She heard some shifting and movement, then a contented sigh. Just hearing him so turned on was having the same effect on her. Maureen ran her hand down her stomach, over her hips, and to her cleft. Her middle finger probed and she gasped when she found her clit. �Ohh, Darien. I�m so wet right now.�
He made an unintelligible noise, panting for air.
�I can�t wait to see you. I can�t wait to see all of you. I can�t wait until you�re making love to me again.�
�God! I want you,� he managed.
She slipped her finger further in, slipping into her opening. �I want you, too.�
�What�are you doing right�now?�
�I�m touching myself.� He groaned again and Maureen smiled. �I�m rubbing my clit. I�m pretending my fingers are your cock. The very thought of you inside me is making me so hot.�
�Jesus,� he gasped.
�I just came from a bath. My skin is all pink and fresh. I smell like jasmine.� Her labia swelled, her engorged clit aching. Maureen focused intense circles over the nub and was soon panting in time with Darien. �Oh, God��
�Are you gonna cum?� he asked, his voice rough with desire.
�Oh yes�yes� You?�
�Any second now.�
�Cum with me?�
He made another strangled noise, and then, �I�ll try.�
She cooed and coached him over the phone, keeping him with her. Soon, they were huffing and moaning together. Maureen stretched out on the couch, one foot on the floor and the other hooked over the back cushions to give herself better access. Both she and Darien whispered filthy things to each other, reveling in the taboo of what they were doing. The pressure built in her groin. She couldn�t hold it back any more.
�Darien�I�m-� She bit out a high-pitched squeal.
�Me�too,� he croaked.
The orgasm swept through her, hot and fast. She had enough presence of mind to pull the phone away from her mouth so she wouldn�t deafen Darien with her scream. She heard familiar sounds on his end as he arrived at his own climax. Juice flowed out of her, coating her hand with thick, sweet sex. She bucked her hips, reaching for a partner that was hundreds of miles away. She came down with a crash, breathless and loose. The cacophony had died down on the other end of the line.
When she could string words together again, Maureen murmured, �Darien?�
�Huh?� He sounded dazed.
�How are you doing down there?�
�Wow.�
She giggled. �So glad to hear that.�
�What�about�� She heard him gulp and swallow. ��you?�
She purred, stroking her velvety dampness. �I�m real good.�
He huffed and murmured, �I�ll say.�
�You say the sweetest things.�

They kept in closer touch after that night. Nothing happened on the scale of that long-distance sex, but that was okay. Maureen was pleased she could still converse with Darien in a friendly way. She liked him. She liked being friends with him.
She still couldn�t get over their initial phone call. She must have been ovulating when she spoke to him. Which would explain why she�d been so eager. Which was going to make her visit with him very interesting. She arranged her flight and he offered to collect her from the airport. And not the commuter airport from her last trip. She was taking a major airline to Lindbergh Field. While she liked the freedom of having a rental at her disposal, she was also charmed by the idea of being met at the gate by a handsome man she liked very much. She was arriving the Thursday before her Monday presentation. She could handle being squired around for the weekend.
When it came to lodging arrangements, they got into a small squabble. Maureen insisted on a hotel. Darien insisted on his place. Maureen argued that she didn�t want to impose. Darien assured her it was no imposition. After several moments of back and forth, Maureen relented. If some catastrophe did befall their living arrangements, she could always check into her hotel later.
On Friday morning, bright and early, she climbed into a car from a service and went to Meadows Field Airport. With her, she carried her briefcase, containing her laptop with the presentation carefully stored on three different CDs. She�d packed light, just taking her lucky blue suit and her black dress as back up. Everything else was casual clothes. She even remembered to pack her bathing suit. She really wasn�t sure what to expect from Darien. They could spend the entire weekend in his bed, so enraptured with each other�s body that they would only emerge on Monday morning. Or, they would have an evening of lovemaking followed by chaste cuddling. Or nothing. She wasn�t sure which option she was hoping for.
She deplaned in San Diego and made it to the end of the jetway when she saw him. Standing back a bit, he watched every passenger come off the plane. When his eyes caught her, Darien grinned and moved forward. Maureen dodged around a pair of grandparents greeting their grandchildren and threw her free arm around his neck. Darien folded his arms around her and squeezed tight. When they broke apart, they were both grinning like crazy.
�It�s great to see you,� he said, lacing his fingers with hers.
�It�s great to be seen,� she teased, leaning up to drop a peck on his cheek. What she thought was going to be an innocent display of affection quickly changed when Darien moved his head and took her lips with his. For a moment, their lips were enough. Then he opened his mouth more and teased her with his tongue. Maureen�s murmur of approval was lost in the din of the airport. She sent her tongue out to meet his and was soon lost in the kiss. Everything around her dropped away as his mouth worked with hers. Only when another passenger jostled her in trying to get past did they separate. Both Darien and Maureen glanced around and blushed when they say several sets of eyes watching their show.
Darien leaned to her ear and said, �C�mon. Let�s get your bags.�
He tugged her hand and led her through the terminal, down the escalator to the luggage claim. Maureen�s case was one of the first off. Darien snagged it and carried it outside, despite her protests that she could handle it herself. Still holding her hand, he led her out of the airport to the short-term parking. He placed her suitcase into his trunk, opened her door, then climbed in himself. They were on the freeway in minutes.
The ancient car had a front bench seat, so Maureen was able to easily slide over to snuggle next to Darien. �Did�ja miss me?� she cooed in his ear.
He grinned. �Yeah, a lot.�
She stretched out her tongue and flicked his earlobe. The car swayed. �How much?�
He cast a quick glance at her. �You won�t find out if you make me crash this car.�
�Oh yes. That would not be pleasant.� She rested her chin on his shoulder and slid her hand up his denim-clad thigh. She felt his breath catch. �Sorry.�
�About what?�
�I can�t seem to keep my hands off you.�
�Oh.� His right hand left the wheel and rested on her knee, his fingers stroking tiny circles. His touch was a jolt and Maureen leaned further in to take his earlobe gently between her teeth. �Oh, God�� he breathed.
�Do we have supplies for the weekend?� she purred.
�Supplies? You mean like..?�
�Uh-huh.� She kissed his ear.
�Oh yeah. Plenty of supplies. Food, patches, condoms. We�re set.�
�You�re such a good host.� Maureen trailed her tongue along his carotid artery. She could feel his heartbeat jump.
�You really need to stop that,� he told her in a strained tone.
�Stop what?� Her hand moved nearer to his groin.
�Maureen, really. My�condition.�
She paused. �Oh. Right. I�m sorry.� She backed off a bit. �Don�t you have any of those handy patches with you?�
�I�m driving the car!�
�I�m impatient.� She dug around in his nearest coat pocket and came up empty. Reaching around, she had to press herself against him to reach the other one. Darien made half-hearted attempts at protest when her fingers brushed something paper. She pulled out a familiar packet triumphantly. �Ah ha!�
�You�re going to get us both killed. Or arrested.�
She quickly opened the packet, peeled off the backing, and pressed the patch to his chest. While she was there, she allowed her hand to roam over his chest. Darien was speeding now, off the freeway and on side streets, heading for a recognized industrial section of town. While she worked the buttons of his shirt open, Maureen used her lips to elicit a throaty moan from Darien. He yanked the wheel and the force of the turn made her fall hard against him. The tires squealed as his sped into a parking slot.
Once the car was motionless, he turned and took her face in his hands, devouring her mouth. The heat couldn�t be ignored. They both made soft noises as their tongues tangled and their hands pawed at each other�s clothes. Maureen had a head start and nearly had his shirt and jacket off with one motion. Darien leaned into her, forcing her back on the seat. Maureen lay back, pulling him with her, as they both frantically tried to undress. Darien got her blouse open and left her mouth to kiss her breasts through the fabric of her bra. She tangled her fingers in his shaggy hair and arched her back, moaning, �Yes��
She hadn�t had sex in a car in�well, ever. While varied, her experiences usually involved a bed. And there was something deliciously naughty about what they were doing now. Darien pulled a cup away enough to free her nipple, which he immediately covered with his mouth. The warmth and wet of his mouth made her cry out. She wanted him naked before her, and she wanted it now. But it soon became evident why she�d never had sex in a car. They were both tall people and the front seat, while roomy, couldn�t accommodate what they wanted to do. Darien banged his elbow twice, once on the dashboard and once on the steering wheel. And Maureen couldn�t untangle her legs from under the steering column. She was getting a cramp in her calf, which was quickly killing her desire.
�Darien?�
�Hmm,� he said, his mouth full.
�Maybe we should-� A breath of cool air blown across her moist nipple made her gasp.
He straightened to look at her and caught his hip on the wheel. �Ow!�
She suppressed a grin. �Maybe we should take this inside.�
He rubbed his hip with one hand while supporting his weight with the other. He gazed down at her. He tipped his head and said, �We could always get in the back seat.�
The grin that followed gave him away and Maureen shoved his chest with both hands. �You are a funny man. Off!�
He didn�t move, peeking into the back playfully. �Plenty of room��
She was pinned beneath him and until he decided to move, Maureen was trapped. �Darien!�
�Nice big back seat,� he added roguishly.
She started to laugh. �Darien, come on. Get off.�
�That�s what I�m trying to do�� He leaned in for a kiss.
She turned her head, laughing harder now. He was teasing her, keeping her trapped beneath his weight, chasing her lips for a kiss. Maureen was in the full grip of a giggle fit and shrieked and squealed, pleading with him. Darien finally relented and eased off, sitting upright in the seat. Maureen clawed her way up, trying to pull herself together, both mentally and fashion wise. She chuckled as she rebuttoned her blouse. Darien got out of the car and went to retrieve her bag while she calmed the last of her giggles and smoothed her hair.   She climbed out and walked with him into the building.
They made it up to his floor without incident. Darien unlocked the door and pushed it in, letting her enter first. She looked around, seeing his apartment by daylight now. His dining table had been replaced with a pool table. Bachelors. She heard the door shut and her bag set on the floor. Then Darien took her wrist and spun her to face him.
�Hi,� he said with a grin.
�Hi,� she smiled back, draping her arms over his shoulders.
They both leaned into the kiss. Gentle at first, it quickly became urgent. Darien held her back tight with one hand while his other one drifted down to stroke and grip her rump. Maureen murmured into his mouth, pressing against him. Her hands ran through his hair, rubbing his scalp and neck. A wonderful warmth churned in her belly and groin. His lips were delicious. She nibbled his lower one before moving her mouth to his throat.
Darien tilted his head back, sucking air through his teeth when she delicately ran her teeth over his collarbones. She brought her hands down. He hadn�t redone the buttons on his shirt and she pressed her palms against his chest. She rubbed one nipple with her thumb, making him groan. God, she just loved the reactions she could get from him. She bent lower and licked his other nipple with a firm, broad stroke of her tongue.
He walked against her, pushing her back. She thought they were headed for the bed until her lower back bumped against the counter. In the kitchen? Well, Darien was just full of surprises. She felt a thrill run through her as she met his mouth with hers again. Their tongues danced for a few moments before he spun her around so her belly was pressed against the counter. Startled, Maureen quickly recovered when he began running his hands over the front of her while he kissed and licked her neck. He pressed his hips against her, trapping her hips. His erection nudged her lower back.
�Ah�Darien,� she sighed, leaning against him and wound her arms behind the back of his neck, stretching her torso. His hands came up and held her breasts, massaging her through her blouse. Maureen�s legs trembled, the sensations racing through her making it difficult to stand.
His breath huffed in her ear before he growled, �You were very bad in the car.�
�I was?�
�Yes. Bad, bad girl.�
She pushed her rump into his hips. �Oh yes. I�m very bad.�
Darien moaned and gripped her breasts tight. He released and quickly worked on her buttons, pulling her blouse open and yanking her bra up over her breasts. His long fingers tormented her nipples. Maureen was panting now, whimpers escaping her throat. He took a healthy piece of shoulder between his teeth and bit lightly, making her shudder. Then he pushed her down, his hands on her shoulders until her stomach was against the counter. Maureen tried to straighten, but he held her firm. The restriction was agonizing and tantalizing. Darien ground his hips against her ass, his need obvious. Maureen gasped, �Oh, yeah�please��
He bent down, his weight holding her captive, and began to bundle her skirt in his hands. The fabric slid up her thighs and was pushed up to her waistband. His hot hand was running lazy circles over the globe of one cheek before delivering a light slap. Maureen jumped and yelped, not from pain, but from the intensity of the feeling. One hand kept her pinioned to the counter while the other snagged her panties and pulled them down.
It was a good thing she could use the counter for support. Maureen wasn�t sure she would be able to stand at this point. She stepped one leg out of her panties so she could brace her legs apart, locking her knees and resting her weight on the surface. When Darien slid a finger over her swollen clit, she cried out with joy. Two fingers slid inside her dripping hole and a pair of lips began lavishing her ass with kisses.
She couldn�t form words at this point. All that came from her mouth were inarticulate noises. She felt Darien move behind her, heard his growl of appreciation. She turned her head to see what he was doing when she felt his mouth press against her pussy. He was on his knees behind her, using that wonderful mouth to the best advantage. Maureen sobbed and dropped her head, arching her back to meet his mouth. His lips and tongue worked her, his hand holding her hips firmly to the counter. The pressure was building and Maureen was helpless to stop it. Only minutes after his tongue touched her clit, she was cumming with explosive force. The world faded as ecstasy swept through her, obliterating everything. She was dimly aware that he was moving again, but she was having difficulty marshalling her faculties. He was gone for a moment, then his hands grabbed her hips again. Just as she was able to catch her breath, his condom-clad cock slid into her.
Maureen never told anyone, but she loved the feeling of being taken from behind. Everything was at different angles. Different spots were rubbed in different ways. She grunted with pleasure and braced herself against the counter surface. Darien was soon pounding into her fast, his hips slapping against her ass. Both of them were groaning now, gasping for breath and driving each other on. She felt a second orgasm build and was taken by surprise when it was more powerful than the first one. Her screams bounced back to her from the brick wall. Everything clenched, including the muscles surrounding Darien, making the pleasure two fold. Darien grunted in surprise and, after a few more strokes, gripped her hips hard. He drove into her one last time, a series of short gasps announcing his arrival.
For a second of eternity, they froze together, seized by the sensation. Maureen collapsed onto the counter, her face against the cool Formica. She heard Darien huffing behind her. He shifted his hands from her hips to the edge of the counter, bracing himself. His breathing was irregular. Her tongue felt thick and useless, but she managed, �Are �kay?�
�Yeah,� he wheezed at last. �Just�God� Holy shit.�
He lay his forehead on her spine and continued his struggle for air. Maureen wanted to turn around, to take him in her arms, to stroke his head and calm him. But she was trapped between his hips and the counter. Plus, she wasn�t sure she could make all her muscles work just yet. But he was soon sucking in oxygen regularly. She felt him shaking as he withdrew his spent prick from her. He paused for a moment, then tugged weakly on her waist. It took a great deal of effort for her to comply and stand straight. She stumbled when she turned to face him. They fell against each other, using each other for support, as the bliss faded and they could breathe normally again.

Common sense told them that if they didn�t want to end their reunion with a trip to the emergency room because of a fall, they�d better move things to a more secure location. They ended up on Darien�s bed, peeling clothes from each other. They spent the next six hours bringing each other to bliss. Just when she thought they had no more, they would be back at it again, hands, mouths, and genitals bringing the other to higher plateaus. When they finally collapsed in a tangle of arms and legs, drenched in sweat, bedclothes torn asunder, Darien fell asleep almost immediately. Maureen glanced at his snoring form and spotted the patch still affixed to his pectoral. With the last of her strength, she scraped it off his chest, slapped it to the footboard, and feel asleep.
When she woke hours later, the golden light streaming in through the window told her it was approaching dusk. At some point during their unconsciousness, she and Darien had righted themselves in the bed and managed to pull a sheet over their bodies. Darien was spooned behind her, his arm slung over her waist. His breath puffed warm against her neck. Maureen lay still, enjoying his warmth. She was exhausted yet energized. Languid yet twitchy. Her skin hummed and tingled. She smiled and scootched closer to Darien. He murmured in his sleep, snuggling his head against her back. She pulled his hand, drawing his arm closer, and dozed again.
When she opened her eyes again, it was dark outside. Damn. She hadn�t meant to sleep the day away. Okay, technically, she hadn�t spent most of the day sleeping. The patter from the bathroom told her Darien was in the shower. She grinned devilishly and considered joining him when the water stopped. A minute later, Darien stepped out of the bathroom, his hair wet, his skin still damp, a towel wrapped around his waist. He looked simply amazing. Maureen smiled.
�Hey,� he greeted, sitting on the edge of the bed. �Good evening.�
�Yeah, how about that?� Maureen rolled over to be closer to him. Darien bent down for a kiss. �Astounding what several hours of fantastic sex does for your sleep.� He grinned wanly, his eye twitching in a wince. Maureen frowned. �What�s wrong?�
He shook his head and sat up. �Nothing.�
It didn�t look like nothing. She sat fully up, the sheet falling away from her breasts. She touched his temple. �Do you have a headache? From that patch?�
He looked like he was going to try to deny it, but instead nodded. �Yeah. A mild one.�
�Oh, Darien.� She kissed where she�d touched him. �I�m sorry.�
�I�m not.�
This close, she was able to study him better. He looked a little pale. Faint bruises were swept under his eyes. Nothing drastic, but he definitely didn�t look like he felt well. She stroked his face. �Okay, I think we need to take it easy for the rest of the night.�
He smiled through his discomfort. �Aw, c�mon.�
She kissed him firmly on the cheek. �No more patch for you tonight, young man.�
He pouted playfully, then stole a kiss. He bent in for another, more ardent one. Maureen felt his fingers teasing her nipple. She pulled away. �I think we�ve both had enough activity for one day.�
�I can never have too much of you,� he murmured, intent on another kiss.
Maureen chuckled and pushed him away. �Okay, okay, Don Juan. My turn for the shower.�
Darien arched an eyebrow. �Need someone to scrub your back?�
She was trying to be stern and failing miserably. �I can scrub my own back.�
�You sure?� He was leering now, scooting closer, his hands starting to touch her in tingly places.
She shooed his roving digits away. �You relax and I�ll be right back.� When he wouldn�t surrender, she giggled and pushed him again. He finally let her climb off the bed and dart to the bathroom.
Just to be sure, she locked the door behind her. She didn�t want him to try to sneak in while she washed. Sure enough, as she was testing the water temperature, she heard the doorknob jiggle, then a muffled �Crap�. Maureen smiled, shook her head, and walked under the spray.
She scrubbed herself from scalp to toe, washed her hair, and rinsed off. A large fluffy towel, neatly folded, waited for her on the closed toilet. As she dried off, she realized that her bag with all her toiletries was still in the main room. Damn. She wrapped the towel around her and poked her head out the door. The TV was on. Darien, now wearing pajama bottoms, was stretched out on the couch, eyes closed. She left the bathroom trailing a cloud of steam and tip toed over. He didn�t seem to hear her approach, so she made a point of making some noise so she wouldn�t startle him. He opened one eye. �Hey.�
�Hi there. How�s the head?�
�Sore.�
She kissed the furrows of his brow. �Poor thing. Guess I�ll have to take care of you tonight.�
He brightened. �Really?�
Maureen rolled her eyes. �For the love of Moses, Darien. You have a one track mind.� He cocked an eyebrow, suppressing a grin. He had her there. �Okay, so do I. But not tonight. You need to rest.�
She collected her suitcase and took it back to the bathroom. She set her kit on the back of the toilet. She found her simple cotton nightgown. It was white, with delicate embroidery around the top. The spaghetti straps kept it from being too sweet. She pulled it on, combed out her hair, brushed her teeth, and went back to the living room. Darien was sleeping now, so she didn�t wake him. She flipped around the channels until she found an old Montgomery Clift movie, then searched for the phone book. She discovered she was ravenous, so she called a pizza place that sounded close by and ordered a large with everything. She made herself a cup of tea and eased onto the couch, lifting Darien�s feet and setting them on her lap. He didn�t stir. Poor guy. He must have a doozy of a headache. She sipped her tea and watched the movie.
An hour later, a knock at the door startled them both. Darien looked around, bleary and disoriented. Maureen hopped up and ran to her purse. After peering through the peephole to find the scrawny teenager on the other side of the door, she handed him some bills in exchange for the pizza, shut the door, and carried the large flat box to the kitchen. Darien was sitting up now, rubbing his hand through his hair. �How are you feeling?� she called. She found plates and served up the pizza.
�Better,� he responded thickly. �Not too much of a headache now, but I feel wiped out.�
Maureen brought the plates and some napkins in with her. �I can�t imagine why.�
He looked up, grinned, and shook his head. She plunked down next to him and handed him a plate. �I hope you�re hungry.�
His color was better. He inhaled the aroma of the food. �Starving!�
�Good.� They sat together and ate in quiet, watching an announcer on the channel drone on about Hollywood classics. Darien was reaching for the remote when she heard him say �Dark Victory�. �Wait!� Maureen exclaimed, nearly spilling her plate to the floor. �I love this movie! Let�s watch it.�
Darien didn�t look thrilled. �Dark Victory?�
�Darien, it�s Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart!�
�Okay, okay.� He settled back into the couch, putting his arm around her shoulders. Once the movie started, she was completely lost to the screen. Toward the end, as Bette Davis began to lose her sight, he heard her sniffle. A sideward glance confirmed she was crying. He grabbed a box of tissues from the table behind the sofa and handed them to her. When Bette Davis went to her room to die in peace, Maureen was nearly bawling. Darien held her tight as the screen faded to black. Maureen yanked three tissues out of the box and blew her nose.
�Oh,� she sighed, �I just love that movie.�
�Yeah, I can tell. You look so happy.�
She cast him a disparaging look. �Ha ha. Very funny.�
Darien chuckled and kissed her cheek. �How about we watch something fun now?�
�Like..?�
�I think �Die Hard 2� is going to be on.�
�Well, this is certainly an evening of extremes.�
They found the channel but still had a few minutes before the mayhem started. They bustled around, cleaning up from dinner, visiting the bathroom, and setting up new snacks for a new movie. Darien stretched out on the couch again and Maureen snuggled up to his side, resting her head on his chest. She fell asleep before Bruce Willis got to the airport.

The scent of brewing coffee reached her first. Then she became aware of bright light bathing her eyelids. She was in Darien�s bed, which was weird because the last thing she remembered was being on the couch. She rolled over and sat up, seeing she was alone in the sheets. Darien was in the kitchen, still wearing his pajama bottoms, but he�d added a full apron to the ensemble. Something sizzled in the frying pan he was tending.
Maureen sat for a while, watching him, letting the fugue of sleep drain away. He glanced up, saw her, and smiled. She smiled back and climbed out of the bed. A quick trip to the bathroom and she joined him in the kitchen. She peered around his arm and saw ham in the pan. She kissed his shoulder. �Good morning.�
He turned his head to see her. �How did you sleep?�
Maureen yawned and raked a hand through her hair. �Obviously, like the dead. I don�t remember leaving the couch.�
�You didn�t.�
�Then how did I get...?�
�I carried you.�
�Really? Wow. Hope you didn�t give yourself a hernia.�
He bumped her with his hip. �Hardly.�
�Why, Mr. Fawkes. You are quite the romantic scoundrel, aren�t you?� Quickly changing gears, she looked around. �I smell coffee.�
�Over there,� he told her, indicating with a nod. Maureen filled the two cups sitting by the coffee maker and set one next to where Darien was working.
�You know, it�s a good thing I�m not orthodox.�
�Huh?�
She nodded at the contents of the pan as he cracked open some eggs.
It took him a moment to figure out what she meant. �Oh!� he said finally. �The ham! Aw, man, I�m sorry. I didn�t even think-�
�It�s okay.�
�I can make you something else.�
�Darien, it�s okay. I like ham. I used to swap my tuna fish for BLTs in grade school.�
�Are you sure?�
�Of course. Just don�t tell my grandmother.�
They sat at the counter and ate their breakfast. Maureen suppressed a wicked smile, remembering what they had used the counter for yesterday. She mused that she must have needed all that sleep. Instead of feeling sluggish as she did when she�d slept too long, she felt great. Better than she had in a long time. She was awake and alert, feeling refreshed and ready to go. They discussed what to do that day. Maureen immediately requested the beach.
�Oh yeah?� Darien said thoughtfully.
�I�d love to go. I haven�t been to the beach in ages.�
�Okay. Yeah. I think a day soaking up some rays would be great.�
Maureen squealed with delight and gave him a hammy kiss.

It was a perfect day. Darien and Maureen claimed a spot of sand, set up their blanket and towels, the cooler full of iced Coronas, and their bag of beach supplies. They took turns rubbing sunscreen on each other, some of the applications becoming frisky. They lay themselves on the sand and offered their skin to the sun. They played a game of Frisbee and took dips in the warm surf. Darien bought them both ice cream cones and hot dogs. The day was filled with the sounds of the sea, gulls, radios tuned to different stations, and the shriek of playing children. It smelled of coconuts and brine. Despite Maureen�s insistence on regular doses of sunscreen, Darien�s shoulders started turning red so she made him put on a T-shirt. While she, thanks to her Middle Eastern heritage, became a lovely golden brown, his nose wasn�t looking too good. She finally called it a day. It wouldn�t do for him to get so sunburned that he wouldn�t be able to do anything else later.
For dinner, he took her to an oceanfront restaurant and they landed a table by a window. They shared margaritas and crab legs, as well as conversation and lots of flirting. Maureen slipped her foot from her sandal and rubbed his leg. He looked down, startled. She smiled, pleased.
They took in a concert in the park, sitting under the shelter of a tree. Maureen looped her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder, listening to the free blues and jazz. They took a stroll through the manicured grounds, their hands linked loosely and naturally. They took a drive, watching the spectacular sunset over the Pacific. When Darien pulled the car into his parking lot, Maureen felt satisfied with a day well spent.
As they walked down the hall to his apartment, Maureen groaned at one of Darien�s bad puns. He unlocked and pushed open the door and they both entered laughing. �Thanks, Darien,� Maureen said, wrapping her arms around his waist. �I had a really nice time today.�
�I�m glad,� he replied, dropping his arms around her. �I did, too.�
He kissed her, gently. They were content to stand that way for a while, their lips and tongues carefully exploring. �How�s your nose?� she muttered before taking his lips again.
�Huh?�
�Your nose.� Maureen leaned back to investigate. It was pretty red. It might fade by morning. Or get worse. �Let me see your shoulders.� She turned him around and pulled his shirt over his head. The skin was crimson. �Hmm. You might have a bad burn there.�
He turned and pulled her to him. �And here I thought you just wanted to see me with my shirt off.�
She grinned. �Well, that too. But I think you may have got a little too much sun today. Do you have any aloe?�
�Aloe?�
�You know, aloe vera gel.�
�I don�t think so.�
�Well, I do. Why don�t you take a cool shower and I�ll put some on your back.�
He pulled her in for a kiss. �Care to join me?�
She rubbed her hands over his chest, then circled around to caress his back. �I am feeling pretty�dirty.� He tipped his head back and laughed.
They walked to the bathroom, stripping each other as they went. When Darien started the water, Maureen couldn�t resist and pressed her hands to his butt and squeezed. He grinned over his shoulder then stepped into the tub, holding his hand out to her. She took it and allowed him to help her in. They stood under the showerhead for a while, stroking wet skin and tenderly kissing. Maureen groped the rack behind her shoulder and found the bottle of shampoo. She squeezed a dollop of the sea green gel into her hand and began to work Darien�s hair into lather. He sighed in appreciation and nibbled on her shoulder, giving her better access. She squeezed most of the foam from his head and spread it across his shoulders and back. Darien caught her breast and flicked her nipple erect with his tongue.
She turned suddenly, giving him her back, and passed the bottle to him. �My turn.�
She loved his hands. She let her head drop back as his long fingers massaged her scalp, coating her hair with thick white suds. He thoroughly washed her hair and she reveled in the pleasure of it. Then he pressed his front to her back and raised his hands up to her breasts. Still soapy, his hands slipped and slid, looking for purchase. What was it about this man that made her so hot? She decided it wasn�t important to figure that out right now. She leaned into him, her own hands reaching back and stroking his hips.
No earth-shattering orgasms. No frantic pawing and pulling. They spent a half an hour under the spray, washing each other and using the removable showerhead to rinse each other off. Darien laughed deep in his throat when he pointed the spray directly at her vulva and she yelped.
They spent another few minutes drying each other off. Darien dried her hair with great care, wrapping a smaller towel around her head. She found her tube of aloe in her toiletries and shooed him out to the main room. �Lay down,� she instructed, pointing to the bed.
�I love it when you boss me around.� He reached for her breast and a kiss. Maureen made a face and pushed him toward the bed. Darien stretched out cross ways, resting his head on his hands. Maureen crawled to his side and began rubbing the cooling gel over the inflamed area. �Mmmm,� he breathed. �That feels good.�
She was careful not to massage too hard. She just wanted to coat the area. But she couldn�t resist the rest of his back and began kneading the muscles there. Darien groaned appreciatively. She liked to give her lovers backrubs. She liked giving therapeutic pleasure. Maybe it was her inner yenta. She didn�t know. She pressed her thumbs into his spine and worked her way as far as the burn. Darien�s groans let her know how much he was enjoying it as well.
Maureen worked her way down, gradually getting more of her hand under the towel he wore. He lifted his ass slightly, nearly purring. Just like a cat. She bit her lips to keep from chortling. Soon, she added kisses to her repertoire, tasting his back and leaving a trail of saliva down his spine. His breath picked up, his moans longer and lower. He began squirming under her hands, just a little at first, but more as his arousal grew. She surprized him with a nip to one cheek. �Do I need to fetch one of your patches?� she asked, leering at his reaction.
�Uh, yeah. That might be a good idea.�

Despite the beautiful day, the night brought rain. Maureen lay in the bed with Darien, both of them curled up together, enjoying their post-coital bliss. Maureen had her head tucked and resting on his chest. Darien absently stroked her back with the arm he had around her. It was nice to be like this, coiled around a warm, handsome body, listening to the rain patter against the large window. She sighed contentedly, tracing patterns on his belly and listening to his heart beat.
�Darien?�
�Hmm?�
�I�ve been meaning to ask you. I got kind of distracted.� She trailed a finger down lower on his belly and tickled the crown of pubic hair. Darien chuckled. �How is your brother?�
He went rigid under her, and not from pleasure. It was enough to make Maureen sit up to look at him. He stared at her, a strange expression on his face. He looked�well, not afraid. Tense. Worried. �Kevin?� he asked after a long moment of quiet.
�Yes, Kevin. Unless you have any other brothers I don�t know about.�
�Why?�
She thought that was a strange response to a simple question. Annoyance fluttered. �Well, we went to high school with him. To tell you the truth, I had a bit of a crush on Kevin. I just thought he was so smart and talented. He was�� Darien broke the gaze and looked away. �What�s wrong?�
�Nothing. Sorry.�
�Liar. Something�s wrong.� He was silent, looking at the far wall. �Darien?�
�He�s� Kevin�s dead, Maureen.�
She certainly wasn�t expecting that answer. Maureen blinked and sat up straight, gaping at Darien in disbelief. But when he finally looked at her again, she knew he couldn�t be lying. Sadness haunted his brown eyes.
�My God, Darien. I�I�m so sorry.�
He shrugged and stroked her arm. �It�s okay.�
�No. I mean� God.� She sat back, completely floored by this revelation. Images of Kevin flashed through her mind. She had never really known the elder Fawkes brother. He had been two years ahead of her and ran with the brains. She always saw him from a distance, on his way to the chem lab or chess club. Truth was, she did have a crush on Kevin Fawkes. This was before she had a crush on his younger brother for saving her from a death of embarrassment in the hall. Kevin always made the dean�s list. He was always winning some award of one kind or another. In high school society, Kevin was never considered cool, but he made her teenage heart flutter.
And now he was dead. Tears made her eyes sting and Maureen blinked them back. �What happened?� she breathed at last.
�He was� um�� Maureen glanced up sharply, seeing the indecision on Darien�s face. �He was killed.�
Her hand flew to her mouth and she gasped. �Killed?� she managed to squeak out.
Darien nodded, but didn�t volunteer any further information. Maybe he didn�t want to talk about it. That would be understandable. But Maureen�s curiosity got the better of her and she was asking questions before she could stop herself. �When? What happened? My God, Darien, did they ever catch the person?�
He sat up and moved a bit closer to her, running the back of his fingers against her face. �It was about over a year ago.�
She sighed and slumped. Her eyes were stinging again. �What happened?� she whispered. He was quiet again and she met his eyes, pleading silently for an answer. �Darien?� she prompted.
He was holding something back, and she couldn�t for the life of her figure out what it could be. Maureen gripped his arm. Darien grudgingly told her, �He was shot.�
�Sweet Moses. And the police haven�t caught the guy?�
Something flickered over his face. Something dark and unpleasant. His eyes became hard for an instant. �No.�
�Then what-?�
�Can we not talk about this? Please?�
She could have been upset by his abruptness, but she knew that, in Darien�s position, she would have felt the same way. Maybe that�s why getting any information out of him was like trying to pull the green off grass. She couldn�t imagine losing a sibling to such violence. But something else was bothering Darien. It was as though he wanted to tell her, but wouldn�t. And the possible reasons why he wouldn�t began to gnaw on her.
�Sure,� she said, moving over to enfold him in her arms. �I�m sorry, Darien.�
His arms wound around her waist. They held each other for a while, the only sound was the rain and their breathing.

The rain continued the next morning. Luckily, the burn on Darien�s shoulders and nose had faded during the night to a mild fuchsia. She applied another coat of gel to the burns to encourage quick healing. It was difficult to do, with Darien�s hands everywhere. By the time she was dabbing the green aloe on his nose, he was slipping a hand between her thighs and reaching for her prize. Maureen let the tube of gel fall to the floor as they tumbled back onto the mattress.
They spent the day in. The rain kept on, sometimes a mist, sometimes a downpour. Winter in California. When they weren�t making love, they puttered around Darien�s apartment. They made lunch together, eating and joking quietly. Maureen was glad to see Darien�s spirits improve from the night before. But, she thought she still detected something. A tension that was between them. And not the fun sexual tension that they were taking every opportunity to assuage. Many times during the day, Maureen tried to convince herself that she was just imagining things. She didn�t have the best track record with men. Her brush with engagement ended when she discovered that her would-be fianc�e was actually seeing not only one, but two other women. She would have never caught on if one of his friend hadn�t accidentally spilled the beans while drunk out of his mind at a frat party. Maybe she was being too sensitive. Darien wasn�t obliged to tell her anything personal he didn�t want to. But it didn�t help that she was hurt that he didn�t want to.
In mid afternoon, desire overtook both of them while they were lounging on the couch, reading books from Darien�s shelves. Responding to an unseen cue, they both looked at each other over the tops of the pages. Darien grinned lasciviously. Maureen took that as a challenge. Tossing her book aside, she dove for him, landing on his chest and claiming his mouth with hers. Their tongues twined as their hands feverishly roamed over each other. It wasn�t too long before Darien had to shift Maureen off his groin because of his growing erection. She grinned at him in the shadows created by her hair falling around their heads. Then she quickly slid down his body to kneel on the floor next to the sofa. Puzzled, Darien raised his head to look at her. But her motives were clear as she hovered over the tented fabric of his lap, licking her lips with slow purpose. He dropped his head back on the couch, moaning softly.
Maureen placed deep, wet kisses on his belly while her hands worked the button and zipper open. She kissed her way down, teasing him with her pace, as she peeled the fabric away. Darien�s stomach hitched and jumped as he tried to catch his breath. With a couple of quick yanks, she had his pants past his hips. His cock strained toward her, hard and red. He smelled musky, salty, and masculine. Maureen cooed with pleasure before taking the tip of his erection in her mouth. She wrapped her hand around the velvety shaft and began to suck.
�Wait!� Darien gasped, his hand shooting down to take her hair. He didn�t pull, just stopped her. Maureen pulled her mouth away, making a noisy smacking sound.
�I need��
The patch. Of course. How could she have forgotten? Well, so much for the lovely momentum she�d worked up. Maureen took a moment to contain her annoyance. She got up quickly and went to the nightstand. The drawer was where Darien kept his supply. As she got one out, she noted that there were only two more left after that. She smiled, despite the inconvenience. Well well. They certainly had been active the past couple of days.
She didn�t hear Darien leave the couch, but in the next moment, he was snugged to her back, his cock poking at her rump. His mouth descended to her shoulder, his long fingers pulling aside the strap of her nightgown. His other hand roamed over her belly, rubbing the cotton of her gown against her skin. In an instant, she forgot why she was annoyed. Maureen sighed and leaned her head back, Darien�s lips kissing her pulse point and tugging on her earlobe. His other hand reached around and took her breast, kneading the globe of flesh through her nightgown.
She�d walked over hear for a reason. What was it? Oh yes� The patch. She held up the paper packet. Darien took it from her and continued nibbling on her neck. One hand slid down her front and began gathering the fabric. In the next moment, his slid his finger into her cleft, probing for her clit. When he found it, Maureen gasped loudly and nearly jumped off the floor.
�You like that?� he purred in her ear.
Maureen managed a breathless, �Uh-huh��
�What about this?� His finger glided over her sensitive nub and slipped into her wet opening. He kept his hand pressed tight to her vulva while he massaged her inner walls. Maureen moaned, long and low, and had to lock her shaking knees. She reached up and behind, using him for support.
�Darien�oh��
While his fingers strummed her pussy, his lips worked her neck and shoulder. Each touch of his lips soon felt like fire. Maureen dimly wondered how she was remaining on her feet. He walked around her, his hand never leaving its damp nest. He took her mouth in a fierce kiss. Grateful for the better angle, Maureen clasped her arms around his neck to keep from falling. She groaned into his mouth as another finger slid into her. Her legs wobbled. Certain she was going to fall, panic flitted through her mind. But Darien was one step ahead of her. He pulled her tight to his chest, shifted his weight, and lay her down on the bed. His fingers, delicious and relentless, rubbed on.
He settled beside her. When he pulled back from one of their fervent kisses, Maureen saw the patch affixed to his pectoral. When did he do that? she wondered, before a surge of ecstasy sent a tremor through the length of her body. �Darien!� she gasped, her hips rising involuntarily to meet his hand.
�Hmm?� he whispered, coaxing her mouth open with his tongue.
�If�you keep�oh God�doing that, I�m�oh!..I�m going to cum.�
�So cum,� he shrugged, sealing her mouth with his.
She was starting to have the thought that this was selfish and one-sided when another of his fingers slipped into her now-sopping hole. He used the knuckle of his thumb to stroke her clit. That thought was quickly shattered as he pushed her to the plateau where there was only pleasure and bliss existed. She wasn�t thinking, just riding the wave of sensation to the inevitable conclusion. The orgasm built slowly. Maureen stopped resisting and just let it take her. Soon, she was howling at the ceiling, every muscle constricted, her hands clutching Darien as it washed through every corner of her body. Her muscles clamped down around his fingers. As slowly as it arrived, the orgasm was equally slow in letting her go. It took several minutes for her body to relax. Darien tried to help, murmuring gentle words in her ear while stroking her hair. Maureen gradually eased back on the mattress, twitching and hitching. When he withdrew his hand, she whimpered.
Darien curled up next to her, his arm around her waist. �You okay?�
Still panting, Maureen nodded. �Oh yeah� Great. Let you know�as soon as I can�breathe again.� She slapped her hand to her damp forehead and pushed the sweaty hair away. �Sweet Moses!�
He was chuckling. �Didn�t realize I had such an effect.�
She rolled her head to grace him with a long-suffering look. �Please. You knew exactly what you were doing.� Darien grinned. Oh, now he was just being a pain in the tuckus. �When I can move again, Darien Fawkes, you are in so much trouble.�

True to her word, Maureen later had Darien begging. After she finished the fellatio she started on the couch, she roused him from his stupor and pulled him on top of her. They made love in the old-fashioned position for quite a while, gazing into each other�s eyes while he thrusted. Once again Maureen felt the tension that had been brewing all weekend. Her concerns were chased away with their mutual release. Sweating, exhausted, and spent, they collapsed into a heap. Darien remembered to pull the patch off right before unconsciousness claimed him.
She woke a short time later. It was dark out and the rain had dwindled to a sprinkle. Darien stirred beside her. Mumbling thickly, he rolled over and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. They scooted closer and spent the next moments waking up.
�How are you feeling?� she asked after a while.
He kissed the top of her head. �Great.�
�So, I guess the key is not to leave that patch on for longer than an hour.�
His chest shook with a chuckle. �Yeah, I guess.�
�I wish you didn�t need that thing.�
�Me too.�
She lifted her head to look at him. �Why do you need it?�
�I told you��
�All you said was it was a glandular problem. What gland? What is your condition? Is using this patch going to cause you any problems down the road?�
He was still for a long time, gazing at her. She watched the emotions flicker in his eyes and waited. �Where is this all coming from?� he asked at last.
�Concern. For you. I care about you, Darien. Besides, I don�t think it�s unreasonable to ask you a health question after spending several hours in intimate carnal oblivion with you.�
He frowned. �I�can�t tell you.�
Irked, she sat up more. �Can�t or won�t?�
He breathed, �Aw man,� and rubbed his other hand over his face. �I�it�s� I wish I could.�
She pushed herself completely up, sitting next to him and looking down. �What is with you and all the secrets? Why the big mysteries?�
He tried to placate her by pulling her back to him, but Maureen wouldn�t move. She was concerned and a little miffed. �Maureen, really. I can�t tell you. I wish I could, but it�s very�complicated.�
�Try me.�
Huffing in resignation, Darien sat up as well. He took her face in his hands. �I would if I could. I would tell you. Everything. But I can�t.� His eyes pleaded with her to understand.
She couldn�t for the life of her imagine what could be so hush-hush that he couldn�t tell her. The fact that he couldn�t rubbed her curiosity the wrong way. She studied his face, weighing their exchange. She had to admit that she was a little hurt that he wouldn�t tell her. Then again, she had to remind herself that they hadn�t really been together that long. They had proclaimed their friendship to each other, but that was all. Of course, didn�t friends share things with each other? She finally looked away and nodded, grudgingly.
�I�m sorry,� he said sincerely.
�That�s okay.� She looked across the room because she really didn�t want to look at him in that moment.
�Maureen?�
�Hm.�
�Look at me.�
She was trying to play it cool and wasn�t doing so well. Darien reached out and gently turned her face toward his. �C�mon.� She finally met his brown eyes. �Don�t be mad.�
�Too late.� The words were out before she could stop them and she mentally berated herself.
Now it was his turn to look away. Darien gazed at the mattress for a few minutes, then slid away from her, going into the bathroom and shutting the door. Maureen cursed and reached for her robe. Well, fine. A wonderful day spoiled because he had a secret and she wanted to know it. She went into the kitchen and put the kettle on a flame, scowling at the microwave, lost in her internal debate.
Darien was in the bathroom a long time. She heard the faucet turn on and shut off. She also thought she heard him talking. He was in there long enough for the water to come to a boil, the tea to steep, and for Maureen to drink half the mug while she angrily paced the kitchen. By the time he emerged, she was well on her way to being thoroughly angry. He was wearing his pajama bottoms and a worn T-shirt. He approached her cautiously, stopping a few feet from her. Maureen set her mug on the counter and glared at him.
�I know you�re pissed,� Darien began.
�Yes. Yes, I am pissed. I don�t get it, Darien. What is this big deep dark secret?�
�I told you. I can�t tell you.�
Maureen snorted. �Yes, that�s what you said. But I�d like to understand why you can�t tell me.�
He fidgeted for a moment, then, �Trust me.�
She narrowed her eyes. �You�re going to have to do better than that.�
He apparently felt cornered. His own irritation bubbled to the surface. �Why do you need to know so badly?�
�I�m worried about you.�
�I have a doctor.� He was quickly becoming as angry as she was.
�Well, forgive me! I�m so sorry that I showed you some concern. Never mind that this problem of yours affects me as well.�
�How the hell does this affect you?�
�Because you have to put on that stupid patch! Because if you leave it on too long, you get sick! Because I don�t like to see you ill, you dope!�
�Hey! You don�t need to worry about me, okay? I�ve got it under control.�
She felt her face flush with her anger. She folded her arms over her chest, digging her hands deep in the crook of her elbows. �I see that. Under so much control you can�t even answer a simple question.�
�Dammit!� He threw his hands up and turned away for a minute. Maureen watched him collect himself, her jaw clenched. When he faced her again, he was controlling his temper with great effort. �Look. I can�t tell you. I�m sorry if that�s a problem for you. But I can�t.� She didn�t respond, just glared. �What?� he demanded.
�I still think it�s a case of �won�t�.�
�Jesus, Maureen! You�re so damn stubborn! Why can�t you just accept what I�m telling you?�
�Because it sounds like a load of bullshit.�
�Bull..? Listen to me. I can�t tell you for your own safety, okay?�
�My safety? You have a thyroid condition and it�s a threat to my safety?�
�It�s not thyroid.�
�Whatever! The point is that you�re keeping something from me, and I don�t understand why it�s such a big deal!�
�Because you�re making it a big deal!�
�I�m asking a question out of concern!� Maureen hitched her thumb at her chest. You�re the one being stubborn!� she finished, stabbing a finger at him.
Darien growled in annoyance. He took a shaky breath, trying to calm down. His tone showed that he failed when he bit out, �It�s not like we�re married.�
She blinked at the cruelty in his tone. An equally nasty retort was on the tip of her tongue, but she held it back in favor of a slow simmering rage. �You�re right. We�re not married.� She went to the phone book and began flipping through pages.
�What are you doing?�
�I am calling a cab. Then, I�m going to the hotel.�
He made an exasperated noise, then took her elbow. She shook him off as she scanned the listings. She picked up the phone and dialed. �Maureen, you don�t have to do that.�
She cast him a withering glare. �Yes, I do.� The connection clicked and a gruff male voice told her she�d reached Oceanside Cab Company. �Hello, yes. I need a cab.� She relayed the address to the dispatcher. Darien reached for her arm again. She yanked it out of reach. When she rung off, she stormed past him and went to the bathroom to collect her things.
�Maureen, c�mon. Don�t go.�
She spun to face him. �Why not, Darien?� she challenged.
�Because�I�� His anger was dying down to annoyance. She, on the other hand, was still royally ticked off.
�Fine.�
�Fine.� She stalked into the bathroom with Darien behind her. She slammed the door shut with more force than necessary, but at least it kept him from following her. She threw everything together and banged back through the door. Her suitcase and briefcase were on the floor by his dresser. She threw them on the bed and finished packing, punching items into the bag and yanking them out with equal strength. She tore off her robe and threw on a sundress. No underwear. She wanted out of there as quickly as possible. Darien watched her helplessly, his first attempts to touch her met with violent gestures. She closed and zipped that case just as the phone rang. She charged around him and punched the power button. It was the cab driver, waiting for her at the door. She thanked him and slammed the phone down on its base. She collected her bags and headed for the door, Darien trotting beside her, protesting. �Okay. Maureen, wait. Don�t go. Let�s talk.�
She shot straight for the door, not even looking at him. �I tried to talk, Darien. You were too worried about my safety.�
�I am. Would you-� She tugged the front door open when he caught her elbow again. She stopped this time, first looking pointedly at his hand, then at him. �Please. Don�t leave mad.�
�How about if I just leave?� she shot back. She looked at his hand again and Darien let go. She spun and hurried down the stairs. The rain had stopped, but the night was still damp and chilly. Gooseflesh pimpled her skin when she stepped outside. The driver was leaning against his cab, puffing on a cigarette. He quickly stepped it out when she burst through the doors. She snarled at him to open the trunk. The driver must have sensed her foul mood, because he hopped to immediately. He tried to relive her of her bags, but Maureen ignored him and hurled them into the trunk herself. Then she flung herself into the back seat.
As the driver pulled on to a main thoroughfare, her cell phone chirped from her purse. Without looking at the caller ID, she pressed the power button. �Yes?�
It was Darien�s voice. �Maureen-�
She grunted in annoyance and hit Off. Right after she dropped the phone into her bag, it rang again. Let it ring. Damn Darien Fawkes, his secrets, and his misguided chivalry. Her eyes were stinging with tears, but she refused to let herself cry just yet. She still had to check into her hotel. Thank God she�d made that reservation from home. Maybe they would let her check in a day early. Maureen sat in the back of the cab, trying to rub warmth back into her arms. The driver kept to himself and didn�t try to make small talk, for which Maureen was eternally grateful. Soon he was easing the cab up to the front entrance of the Marriott. He hurried to the trunk to collect her bags, which a bellhop took and hurried inside. As luck would have it, the desk clerk was able to accommodate her. In a short time, she was tipping the bellhop who brought her bags to her room.
When he left, the room was deathly quiet. The argument came back to her, the angry words haunting her. Why had she gotten so mad? Why had she deliberately pushed Darien�s buttons, goading him into anger? With their shouts ringing in her mind, Maureen sat on the bed and cried.

The argument and the crying jag took a lot out of her. Maureen slept for nearly ten hours. She was jarred awake by the phone next to her head. Foggy and disoriented, she fumbled for a while before her hand hit the receiver. ��lo,� she mumbled into the mouthpiece.
�Ms. Silver?�
�Huh�yeah�what?�
�Ma�am, this is Craig at the front desk.�
�What time z�it?�
�A little after 10 am, ma�am.�
What? Really? She managed to get her eyes to focus on the clock by her bed. Sure enough, the red numbers informed her it was 10:03. �What can I do for you, Craig?�
�Ma�am, there is someone here to see you.�
�To see me?�
�Yes, ma�am.�
�I�m not expecting anyone.�
�He�s quite insistent, Ms. Silver.�
He? Maureen was instantly awake. �Is he a tall guy, skinny, with hair sticking up?"
�Ah, yes ma�am.�
Darien. Damn him. �Tell him to go away.�
There was a muffled exchange on the other end, then what sounded like a scuffle. Then Darien�s voice. �Maureen, don�t-�
She slammed the phone down on the cradle. Anger was certainly better than coffee to get her day going. She flung back the covers and stomped toward the bathroom. Her cell phone piped up. God, he just doesn�t give up, does he? She rooted around in her purse and looked at the ID screen. Darien�s cell. Dammit! She pressed Power.
Before she could say anything, he blurted, �Don�t hang up!�
�Why shouldn�t I?�
�Maureen, c�mon-�
Her lips were set in a grim line. �What do you want, Darien?�
�I� I�d like to take you out to breakfast. Or brunch. Whatever people eat at this time of day.�
�No.�
�I thought we were friends,� he said softly, his tone plaintive. Under normal circumstances, she would have found that charming.
Instead, �So did I.�
�Maureen, I don�t want us to end up like this.�
�End? Darien, for there to be an end, there has to be a beginning. And we haven�t had one of those.�
�I thought we were off to a good start��
�Well, I guess not.�
�Maureen-�
�I have to go.�
�Wait!�
�Good-bye, Darien.� She disconnected, then shut the phone off. She continued to the bathroom, where she indulged in a hot shower that lasted half an hour. When she stepped back into the room, she checked her cell phone and discovered she had not listened to the message from the previous night. But the moment she heard Darien�s voice, she erased the message. She decided that staying around the hotel was just going to make her stir crazy. She needed to get outside and burn off some of her anger. She dressed quickly in jeans and sneakers and took the fire stairs to the back entrance of the hotel, in case Darien was waiting in the lobby.
While the rain had stopped, the day was still gloomy and overcast. She walked for a couple of hours, half-heartedly window-shopping. She sat down at a sidewalk caf�, but discovered she could only eat half of her sandwich. She left her waitress a healthy tip and kept walking.
The physical activity helped. She soon relaxed, strolling instead of stomping. She headed down for the harbor and walked along the boardwalk, watching the people on the beach with a sad smile. She passed through the lobby without seeing Darien. While she told herself Good, a tiny part of her was disappointed. Which was ridiculous. She was mad at Darien. And why should she expect him to have spent the whole day in the hotel lobby, waiting for her? Maureen spent 30 minutes with the concierge, arranging for a rental car to use the next morning. Burton was an older black man, with a gentle smile and quiet voice. He watched her carefully while he made the arrangements. Was her funk that obvious?
�Miss Silver, I�ll make sure that car is ready to go in the morning. You have a nice evening now. Sleep well.�
She went up to her room. She was surprised to see a large bouquet sitting on the dresser of her room.   Consisting of brightly colored wildflowers, it waited patiently for her in the glass vase. She sighed, having a good guess who it was from. She plucked the card from it�s holder and read;

I�m sorry.

D

She glanced at her cell in the charger and saw the message light. While she no longer had the heart to simply delete the messages, neither did she really want to listen to his voice at that moment. She called room service and ordered a dinner she knew she wasn�t going to eat, then put on her nightgown and sat on the bed, surfing through the hotel�s meager cable offerings.
When the plate was completely cold, she gave in and retrieved the message. From Darien, left about 20 minutes before she got back to her room. It was brief. He was just checking in. Call him. Maureen debated for a long time about whether to call him back, but decided that she couldn�t tonight. She had to go through her presentation for tomorrow and get to bed early so she was rested and alert. Besides, in her current mood, she would probably give in to him. And she didn�t want to do that yet.
She checked all the discs and ran through the presentation on her laptop. She hung her suit up so it would be smooth by morning. She set her full tray outside her door and went to bed early.

She surprised herself and nailed the presentation. The board practically gave her a standing ovation. She felt like crap on the inside, but on the outside, she was smooth professionalism. They raved about the design, delighted over the color scheme, applauded all the security steps she�d taken. The CEO of the bank shook her hand and actually gushed. With his blessing, she would launch the site in a month.
They all insisted on taking her out to lunch. Her heart sank, but she smiled pleasantly and accompanied them. You would have thought she�d rescued Coastal Bank from Chapter 11. They toasted her, complimented her, and basically tripped over themselves to show her their gratitude. Maureen plastered a half-smile on her face through the entire thing.
Her flight was scheduled to leave that evening. She had wanted to get back to the office with the news of how the presentation went for Harriet and George. Since there were barely any changes to make, George would be thrilled. She toed off her pumps and pulled her cell out of her briefcase. It rang in her hand, startling her into nearly dropping it. She checked the screen. Darien. With a heavy sigh, she clicked on.
�Hello.�
�Hi, Maureen.�
A long, awkward pause. �You know, some people would think you were stalking me.� She meant it as a joke, but she heard it fall flat.
�I�m not. Stalking you, I mean. I just� Did you get the flowers?�
�Yes. They�re beautiful.� Beat. �Thank you.�
�I was hoping� I mean� Maybe we could, you know�try again.�
A hot iron fist gripped her chest. �I don�t know, Darien.�
�I�m just asking for another chance. I�� He was quiet for a long time. She was about ready to check if he was still there when he quietly added, �I� I feel� What I�m trying to say is�I�care about you. Very much�
He couldn�t bring himself to say the words, but his tone was clear. He had to be kidding. Of all the things to say, he had to say this now? She had to shut her eyes to hold back the tears. He must have taken her silence for rejection, because he sped in to �I know. It�s a lot. We�ve only really known each other for a short while. I don�t want you to feel pressured. I just�I feel very strongly about you. I feel good when I�m with you. Believe me when I tell you that you are the best thing to happen to me in a long time. And I don�t want to lose that. I don�t want to lose you. Even if you don�t feel the same way, I hope we can at least be friends again because I would hate to see this come between us and I care about you a lot and I should probably stop now because I�m babbling.�
She didn�t think she would be able to speak, her throat was so tight. She could scarcely believe she was breathing. Did she love Darien? She didn�t know. She did know that she cared about him and enjoyed his company. That she had actually missed him today when she was walking around, ostensibly angry with him. It was too much for her at the moment. Her mind was spinning and she needed to sit down.
�Darien, I can�t do this right now,� she said, her voice cracking.
�Maureen? You okay?�
Well, that was a stupid question. �No, not really. I can�t�� She swallowed, trying to drive down the baseball in her throat. �I can�t talk about this with you right now. I have to catch a plane tonight.�
�You�re leaving?� He sounded so forlorn. She pressed her hand to her mouth briefly to hold back a sob.
�Darien, I have a company to run. I need to get back to my people with the results of my presentation. Besides, with all the false starts� I just don�t think we�re a good idea.�
He was quiet for a long time. Maureen moved the phone away from her mouth so he wouldn�t hear her quietly crying. �Need a lift to the airport?� he whispered.
�No. I picked up a rental this morning and will take it to the airport.�
�Oh.� How could one syllable portray so much distress?
She was about to lose it. She was about to break into braying sobs. She needed to get off the phone right now. �I have to go.�
�Can I call you?�
�Yes.� Fine. Whatever. Just please get off the phone.
�Have a safe trip.�
�Okay.� She was barely able to find the power button through the sea of tears on her eyes. She released her grip on the phone and heard it thump onto the bed. Hot tears poured down her face. Her breath wheezed through her constricted throat. Blind, she groped for something to sit on and settled on the corner of the bed. She couldn�t do this now. She had a flight to catch. Why was she so upset, anyway? It�s not like she was in love with Darien. Was it? Was it? Maureen put her face in her hands and sobbed.
It was fifteen minutes before she was able to get herself under control. She felt hollowed out. Splashing some water on her face, she peered at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her eyes were swollen and red. Water dripped from her colored cheeks. Disgusted with herself, Maureen dried her face and went about packing up her things. She caught herself staring at the flowers for a long time. Just staring at the obscenely bright colors, the fight replaying in her mind. She finally tore herself away and called the desk for a bellhop.
The desk clerk looked at her once during check out. The same with the clerk at the car rental company. Both avoided looking at her as they quickly got her under way. She checked in at the ticket counter, answering the agent�s formalities with a dead monotone. She shuffled through the airport, going through security like a zombie. She actually walked past her gate and didn�t realize it until she was almost to the end of the terminal. Maureen walked back and took a seat by the window, watching the ground crews without really seeing them. The gate agent announced that her flight would begin boarding. Maureen looked down at the ticket in her hand. She was certain, absolutely certain, that if she got on this plane now, she would never see Darien again.