Chapter 95: Jo II—Get to Know You
Peter’s skin was burning and wet and his body was heavy as it trembled and relaxed against Jo, pressing her deep into the mattress. She closed her eyes and let him lay on top of her for a moment, gasping and breathing against the back of her neck. She felt prickles of cold sweat all over her body and she could feel herself still trembling. Hot tears began to slip out of her eyes, and down her face. Why?
Peter rolled off her, and she felt exposed and cold.
"Are you alright?" he whispered, "I didn’t hurt you? Did I?"
"No," Jo murmured, wiping a tear of her face and smiling slightly as he pulled the blanket up and over her body. What a sense he had for her, she thought. It was uncanny. She rolled over to face him and she could see the sudden concern in his face when he saw her tears.
"I’m so sorry!" he said wiping at her tears, "I didn’t want to hurt you!"
"No," Jo murmured as he kissed her and pulled her to him, filling her with warmth. "You didn’t... not too much... it was just different, kinda overwhelming. I’ve never done it that way before. Did you like it?"
"Sure," Peter said, "I really did... but not if it hurt you."
"Mmm," Jo said with a small sigh. "It was nice, kind of scary, we can do it again but I don’t know if I can take it all the time."
Peter kissed her again, softly on the forehead and it flooded Jo with such a warm contentment that it was almost scary. She could not remember ever enjoying a man this much before. It wasn’t just the way he made love to her, it was these moments before and after, the way he just held her and spoke so softly. She could not remember him ever rushing to leave her side unless he was already running late for practice or a game. What man was ever like that?
"Peter," she whispered. She ran her fingers through his thick hair briefly.
"Yes?" he asked.
"This might sound odd to you, but can you take me out to dinner sometime?" she whispered.
A brilliant, heart-wrenching smile spread across his face. "Of course!" he said. "Oh my God we haven’t before?"
Jo smiled looking quickly at the ceiling as she thought about it. "No," she said. "We never have we’ve always been... well you know."
Peter laughed, rolling away from her and putting his large hands over his face. "Shit, I feel like such an asshole now! You must be exhausted of me by now!"
Jo rolled her eyes and patted him on his chest. She noticed how pale he was compared to her own dark skin and the sight sent a tiny thrill through her. Suddenly she understood what he had been trying to tell her before, about her skin. "I’m not," she said. "Don’t get me wrong, hon. It’s just that.. well... when you were gone and I was with my uncle and his family. They were asking all sorts of questions about you when I told them I was with someone here. And all I could safely tell them was your name and that you’re a hockey player. I mean, Peter have we ever sat down and talked with each other? What do we know about each other? When I said your name, the kids went nuts, Phil, and his wife... Peter.. they knew more about you than I did! It was embarrassing, all I could do is smile and nod and pretend I already knew what they were telling me. I mean I don’t want to put any pressure on you...."
Peter stopped her mouth with his kiss, his hands soft and delicately touching her cheeks. Jo squeaked in surprise and then ran her hands over his neck breathing heavily when he pulled away from her. His pale eyes looked deep into hers and he whispered. "I feel the same. I want to talk about you to the world and I only know what I can keep private between us."
"Really?" Jo sighed, closing her eyes in euphoric relief. She had been so scared that her request would have scared him, making him disappear like he had been some shining figure in a fairy tale. She knew she was asking a commitment from him now, and he had just asked for one from her. Such an alien world she was beginning to traipse into. And it was a beautiful one. "You’re not... I’m not making you do something... give something you don’t want to?"
"I want to know everything!" Peter exclaimed. "I want you completely. And if all it takes is some dinner dates... well what a wonderful thing."
The restaurant was a beautiful one, Peter had promised her that it served the best Italian food she’d ever had. Jo was starving and willing to eat anything. Another thing about her fast relationship with Peter had been her real lack of time to just sit and eat a meal. The first thing her father had noticed when she had flown back to Phoenix is that she had lost a great deal of weight. Jo had not believed him until she looked at herself in the mirror and was horrified to see how right he was. No wonder her clothes had seemed odd to her.
They were quiet, though. They ordered food, drinks, had appetizers brought to them. And Jo couldn’t think of a thing to say to him. She just kept smiling and when they would make eye contact, she could only blush. The funny thing was, she could see his cheeks redden too. Was he feeling the same?
"I don’t know what to say!" Peter laughed finally. "I mean... well I feel like we’re just meeting..."
Jo laughed and took a sip from her wine. "Oh God! I feel the same too. How embarrassing.... After everything we’ve done with each other and now we’re feeling shy?"
Peter shook his head and looked away. "Sheesh.." he said quietly and just as quickly his smile disappeared and his face blanched into one of horror.
"What is it?" Jo asked searching her brain for what she could have said.
"Oh God!" he exclaimed.
"You basterd!" a woman’s voice rang out.
Jo looked to the source and saw a red faced, seething blond woman with pale eyes. She was storming right to their table.
"Uh...." Peter said.
"You son of a bitch!" she yelled pointing her finger at him.
"Uh," Peter stammered. "Cindy.. I..."
"Candy!" she yelled. "My name is Candy! And dammit how could you treat me like that! Like I was some forgettable piece of..."
"Excuse me!" The headwaiter said, blanching and putting his hands on her,
"Don’t touch me!" she yelled, "I’m busy!"
Jo put her hands on mouth when Candy tossed Peter’s wine into his face. Peter dropped his face into his hands and moaned. Candy then turned her angry gaze onto Jo who stared back as calmly as she could. Inside she was terrified, as long as she didn’t have a gun of any sort....
"And you!" she snapped. "Don’t let him fool you chickie! He’s only good for one night and then he’ll disappear forever and he’ll never call you and he only wants one thing!"
Jo shook her head.
"And another thing!" she hissed. "He’s not even that well endowed so don’t waste your time!"
With that she ripped her arm out of the headwaiter’s hand and she stormed out of the restaurant with a well-dressed, man following her, a worried look on his face.
"Ooooooooo," Peter kept moaning as the wait staff scurried to clean him up, apologizing profusely for the scene. By the time they had left him wiped clean and pink faced, Jo was hiding a smile underneath her hand.
"Oh Peter," she whispered.
"I’m so sorry!" he moaned. "I mean you can hate me now and...."
"Hey," Jo interrupted him putting her hand on his. "I said I wanted to get to know you and I meant it!"
The red slowly blanched from Peter’s face and an uncertain smile settled there.
"Besides," she continued as casually as she could. "That happens to me all the time. You’re not the only one who can break hearts!"
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