Progressing through that final detail
The police car drove the well-known road from St. Kilda to his own home in Richmond. Jack thought the car probably knew the way by itself. This time, however, Phryne was sitting beside him.
They were silent for most of the journey. It was after midnight. It had been an eventful day and an emotional evening; both dangerous and revealing. With the events on board the "Pandaras", Sidney's criminality emerging, George Sanderson involvement, Rosie's breakdown and then finally realisations for both Jack and Phryne.
Jack had found himself on Phryne's doorstep, with no idea of what he wanted, other than to cast his eyes on Phryne. And Phryne, in return had only wanted to be in his sight. Aunt Prudence's presence (and influence) had kept their reunion to just that. However, Phryne and Jack had both made split second decisions, and now they were in Jack's car, driving to his home in Richmond.
The car crossed the Yarra River and the South Yarra mansions changed to Richmond's working men's cottages. Jack turned off the main road into the labyrinth of little streets that housed the families in the close quarters of Richmond. After several turns, Jack pulled up in a street lit by only one street light. Phryne gazed at the small house beside them in the dim light.
She turned to look at Jack, who sat silently in his seat, with his hands remaining on the steering wheel.
"Jack?" she asked.
He hesitated before replying, "Are we doing the right thing Phryne?"
"Are you having second thoughts about us being together?" asked Phryne, "because, if you are, I can call Cec and Bert to take me home."
"No" said Jack suddenly, "No, I want to be with you Phryne. I want you to be here with me. I want to make love to you, sleep with you, and wake up with you in my bed" he paused. "It's just…" He trailed off.
"What is it Jack?"
He paused before answering, "What happens tomorrow Phryne? What happens the day after that?
Phryne was silent, waiting for him to charge through this final barrier.
"What happens when you've had enough, you want to move on to another lover, another challenge? What happens when you decide that I'm too poor, too mundane; when you find I'm not exciting enough for you?"
"Jack" said Phryne moving in her seat to look at him directly, "Jack, I have known you for two years, and I don't think you're any of those things."
Jack, in turn, looked at her. "You say that now, but how long will it last Phryne?"
"I can't read the future Jack" she said. "So I don't know how long our new relationship will last, but I can tell you one thing: I have resisted pursing you for some time now, because you have been my best friend, and a respected colleague and I did not want to jeopardise that. We uncover the truth together and solve crimes. I have wanted there to be murders, so I have an excuse to be with you. You have occupied my days, and I love that."
Jack shifted in his seat.
"But there's more Jack. You not only occupy my days, but I think about you at night. When you sit in my parlour drinking whisky, I don't want you to leave. When you sit at my table, I want you there every night. You fit in with my household, like you belong there. I want you to be there, with me, day and night."
Jack went to speak, but Phryne put her fingers on his lips. "I haven't told you everything." She paused before saying softly, "When I go to bed, I think of you. Not just your voice, or your presence, but your hands, your body. I think about your hands touching me, caressing me. I think about your body lying next to me, on me, and, even I think about you being inside me!"
She put her hand high on his thigh. "I want to know what your manhood feels like; I wonder what it would be like to have you making love to me. I imagine your caresses, your firmness, and your cry of satisfaction. I fantasise about you being inside me. I call your name when I touch myself."
"Do you do that?" asked Jack, surprised.
"Do you?" Phryne returned. "I've respected you too much to use you as a dalliance or a casual lover. I've held back because you mean so much more to me than that. But now I want you Jack. Day and night; solving crimes in your office during the day and sleeping in my bed at night. Today's events have shown me that I want you in all aspects of my life. And I will commit to that, because you are worth so much more than a casual fling to use and forget about."
Jack hesitated, and then made his own declaration. "Phryne, you occupy my thoughts constantly. When you're not in my office, I can still smell your perfume. When I come to a crime scene, I look around for you. When I walk into my house, I can only think of how empty it is after being in yours."
Jack paused, swallowed and said "And when I'm in bed at night, you haunt my dreams."
"Hopefully in a good way" she teased.
Jack cupped her face in one hand, "I want you so much Miss Fisher and I'm prepared to risk tomorrow and every day after that." He leant in to kiss her.
The kisses were gentle, soft, caressing, but as Phryne rose onto her knees to get closer, Jack's hands slipped to her sides, holding, stroking and moving. His mouth became more insistent, his hands holding her more firmly, spanning her rib cage. When Phryne moved a little, one of his hands caressed her breast. Phryne let out a small moan.
Jack broke off the embrace "God help me Phryne, I have to get you inside before the neighbours call the police for indecent acts!"
Chuckling, they hurried out of the car, and Jack led the way up the short path to the wooden single story cottage. In the dim light of the street, he fumbled with his keys and opened the front door, turning on the hall light as he did so.
Jack pushed the door fully open and ushered Phryne in. As soon as she stepped inside, Phryne knew the layout of the house. Two small bedrooms and bathroom on the right, a parlour and dining room to the left. A kitchen in the secondary structure at the back, with a verandah and possibly a lean –to laundry.
Jack hung up his hat and coat on coat hooks as Phryne skirted around his bicycle in the hall.
"It's a bit dangerous, located there" she said, "I might trip over it in the middle of the night!"
"I'll move it" said Jack. They looked at each other, a little awkwardly. "Do you want to make a visit to the, um, facilities?" he asked.
"No" said Phryne, "I don't need to."
They looked at each other again, almost as if they were waiting for the other to say something.
Jack asked "Tonight; do I need to..?"
"No Jack" said Phryne, "I have everything under control."
"Right" said Jack, looking somewhat relieved. "I'll just move the bike then."
"I'll make myself comfortable in here" said Phryne, indicating the main bedroom.
"Right," said Jack again, and he turned and pushed the bike down the hall, the bike clicking as it went. Phryne entered the bedroom and turned on the light.
The bedroom was sparsely furnished; the furniture dusted, but looking unloved. A double bed, with a round wooden head board, a dressing table with an absence of women's toiletries, a wicker chair, an old wooden wardrobe with an oval mirror embedded in the front and a blanket box under the window. Phryne noticed this as the light of a passing car lit up the wall. She marched over and shut the curtains.
Phryne turned to the bed and a thought struck her. She peeled back the covers, but was relieved to see the neatly made bed had what looked to be worn but clean sheets. She sat on the edge of the bed and took off her shoes and socks. It was then that Phryne noticed herself in the dressing table mirror and saw that she still had her beret on.
Crossing to the mirror as she took off her beret, Phryne took in the objects that lay there. An unused man's hairbrush, a wooden bowl with coins in it, a silver container holding cufflinks and a tie pin. It was tidy and dust free. Jack's housekeeper was obviously capable, but there were no feminine touches such as a photo, a ribboned card, or a glass ornament. Phryne cast her eyes across the surface before seeing her own reflection and automatically patted her hair into place.
"I wouldn't bother if I was you," came Jack's voice from the doorway, "I intend to run my hands through your hair very shortly!"
Phryne smiled at him. Jack was leaning against the door jamb, his suit jacket over one arm, top collar undone and tie loosened. "You better be true to your word then" Phryne said.
Jack tossed his jacket onto the chair and stood before Phryne, then took her face in his hands. "I have dreamt about this" he said, before closing the gap between them. Their mouths sealed together and their tongues mingled, Jack's arms coming to hold her in a firm grip. Phryne's arms reached up and wrapped around his neck. "So have I" she whispered.
Jacks mouth left hers as he traced a path along her jaw. Phryne let out a small sigh as one of his hands moved down to caress her buttock, taking hold and pressing her into him. Phryne pulled back a little, to create enough space for her to apply her hands to his waistcoat buttons.
"It's time to peel off your layers Jack" she said. Jack smiled and let her apply her task, pulling her back to him as soon as she had all buttons undone. Jacks tongue was now exploring her mouth, sweeping, as Phryne pushed his waistcoat off his arms and let it fall to the floor. Phryne grabbed his braces and wrapped them around in her hands. "The possibilities are endless" she said, but released them and pushed them off his shoulders.
Jack crushed her to him, hindering her attempts to free him of his tie. "This tie has to go" she gasped, wriggling in his embrace.
"Do your best" Jack growled, as he ran his teeth over her ear lobe, his hands now both on her buttocks.
He began to walk her backwards toward the bed as Phryne wrestled with his shirt buttons. Jack was now pushing her shirt up, his hands now setting the skin of her torso on fire. Eventually, she gave up and ripped his shirt open, scattering buttons on the floor. She gave a triumphant grunt and pulled the shirt down his arms. There was a brief tussle with getting the cuffs over his hands. More buttons ended up on the floor.
"I'll have to explain that to my housekeeper" Jack muttered into her neck as he ran one thumb over her nipple. Phryne gasped with pleasure, thrusting her tongue in his mouth again, and running her hands down to his trousers.
Jack only allowed her a brief caress, as he managed to pull her shirt over her head. He manoeuvred her onto the bed, planting his knee between her legs, before pushing her down with kisses. Phryne laid back and let Jack blaze a trail of kisses from her neck, across her collarbone, down her sternum and onto her breast, now uncovered from her camisole.
Phryne moaned as Jack lavished attention to one breast, and rolled the nipple of the other between his fingers. "Oh my God, Jack" she breathed, as she writhed under him, her hands gripping his hair.
Jack's tongue trailed to the other breast, his hand on her hip. His pelvis ground into hers, his arousal straining into the cloth layers between them.
"Jack, get these trousers off!" Phryne demanded, as she pulled his singlet up as far as she could.
"Soon" was his answer, as he continued to knead one breast, while suckling the other. Phryne gasped; her desire mounting. She pulled at his head until his mouth returned to hers, her hands then reaching down to grope in vain for his waistband, as well as tug at his singlet.
She could feel Jack's grin on her neck as he shifted his weight from one arm to another, letting her pull off his singlet and throwing it aside. His free hand smoothed over her hip, across her belly and coasted lower. He fingered along the seam of her trousers and Phryne writhed again. "Jack, I want you" she moaned. She could hear a faint rumble of laughter into her throat as he slid his tongue down her sternum.
His mouth was again on her breast, as he fumbled with the buttons on her hip. But the buttons were tiny and secured tightly. He released her breast with a small pop and focused on the fastenings. Alas, they were too delicate for his calloused fingers.
Phryne gave an impatient "Huff" and pushed Jack upwards. "Let me do it!" she said, fumbling with the tiny buttons.
"Miss Impatient!" chuckled Jack, as he sat back to watch her wriggle out of her trousers. He managed to wrench off his shoes and socks before Phryne had her trousers and underwear down her thighs. Jack completed the removal of her lower garments, running his hands lightly down each leg with the clothes, and then slowly, torturously, running his hands up again. He started at her ankle and drifted his fingers along the inside of one leg, to her folds, then repeating he process with the other side.
Phryne was totally aroused by now, legs splayed, her body flushed, her folds moist. "Oh, Jack, please!" was all she could manage. Jack leant over her, watching her as his fingers caressed her dampened curls, exploring. Phryne moaned and lifted her hips to his touch. His fingers extended further, inside her opening, circling and stroking.
Phryne moaned again, as the probing fingers became more insistent, stroking a little harder, pushing in a little deeper, applying pressure to a certain bundle of nerves. Suddenly he thrust in a long finger, and then joined it with another. Phryne gasped and moaned. Jack thrust with his fingers, the artfully applied just the right amount of pressure to her clitoris with his thumb.
Phryne peaked with a cry. Her hand clamped down over his as she rode out her climax, Jack watching her with lustful amazement. "My God Phryne, you're amazing" he breathed, as she recovered. Phryne smiled and reached out to him, "I want you now, Jack."
Jack abruptly left her side. "Get in bed" was all he said, as he reached the door and switched off the light. Phryne struggled to re arrange herself in the bed as she heard Jack return to the bed and remove his trousers. The mattress moved a little as he climbed in next to her.
"Don't I get to see you naked?" Phryne asked, "You had a good look at me."
"Another time" he growled, as he pushed his knee between hers and rolled her onto her back.
Phryne wriggled under him, as he moved between her thighs, she could feel his arousal against her leg. She reached down to stroke his length, as Jack's stubbled chin and trailing tongue marked her jaw line. Her touch caused a hitch in his breathing and with a groan; he pushed her hand away as he shifted to push his way into her.
"Oh," she breathed into his ear, as she felt a small wave of pleasure as he entered.
"God Phryne!" he moaned, the moment he found himself buried within her. He started moving, Phryne wrapping her legs around his back. He was thrusting into her, filling her completely, his lips caressing her ear, then her lips and back again. Phryne tried to rock her hips to match his rhythm, but Jack's hand went to her hip, to hold her still against the bed. It was as if he wanted to peak without inducement.
His pace increased and Phryne's hands could feel the tightness of his back muscles. His grip around her tightened and she moaned his name, which seemed to spur him on. Several hard thrusts later, Jack tensed under her hands and he called out into the pillow, as he spilled into her.
He collapsed onto her, spent and panting. Phryne put her arms around him and held him, stroking his back and whispering his name into his hair. They stayed there for a few minutes while Jack recovered. Eventually he rubbed his face into the pillow and lifted himself up a little.
"Am I too heavy?" he asked.
"No, you're just right" she answered him.
He chuckled and nuzzled her neck, before rolling off, pulling her with him. Phryne settled on her side into the space next to his chest.
Phryne lifted her chin to kiss his lips, but she realised that Jack was totally exhausted. As his breathing steadied, his grip on her loosened and she felt him relax. Realising that conversation would be beyond him now, she merely said "Goodnight Jack", to which he grunted in reply.
Phryne settled into sleep, but she thought she heard Jack mutter something.
"Jack?" she asked quietly, but all she heard was steady breathing in reply. On reflection, she was sure he had said something like "Don't leave me Phryne."