Author's note: So, no new reviews make Catmandew a sad panda. I'm thinking about stopping this story since no one seems to care for it. I enjoy writing it, but methinks that I'm the only one who is getting any enjoyment from it. I don't want to lay a guilt trip down, but I'm kinda bummed right now. As always, many thanks to ACD, Mofitiss, BBC, Andrew Scott's ancestors for choosing each other and "hitting that" so that he could exist today, and Rick Bartel (my 10th grade History teacher) for being the best teacher I have ever had.
Chapter 7
"Wait. Sebastian, what the blue bloody hell did I just see?" asked Jim with a puzzled look on his face.
"What do you mean? If you have something else in mind, Jim, we can do that. Those were just the first two things that popped into my head."
"No. We'll get to that in a minute. Why the hell did you wake her up like that. Like you were coaxing a rabid bear out of hiding? Is that how you wake everyone, except me up? What the literal fuck?"
"Oh, Jim, I can answer that for you." Responded Heather with an embarrassed smile. "Um, I … uh … I tend to react less than positively to being awakened suddenly. Done it my whole life. Even as a baby. I um … well, I … tend to kick and punch people if they are too close and/or too sudden with waking me. Sebastian learned this the hard way one time. I kind of … um … sort of … kicked him really super hard in the crotch one morning. Again, Bash, still super-duper sorry about that, still. So sorry!"
"Yeah, she drove her heel right into my bits and pieces with all her might. There was a lot of swelling – "
"Yeah, he actually threw up. I wanted to take him to the hospital, but he absolutely refused. Frankly, honey, I'm still impressed that everything still worked after that. My heel hurt for like 2 days after that. I thought you had to have at least some testicular torsion just based on the swelling alone. But you did learn an important lesson didn't you. We snapchatted my sister that morning and she taught him how to wake me up properly and he hasn't gotten hurt since, have you? You just have to follow the rules, right?"
"Yeah, the rules. That's why I wouldn't let you wake her up. I didn't want you to get hurt like I was or worse. Basically, when you want to wake her up, you have to approach her like a bomb." Heather shot her friend the middle finger and a withering look. Sebastian raised an eyebrow in her direction and continued, "Like I was saying a bomb. Make sure you stand clear of her arms and legs and speak softly and kindly. Slowly raise your voice as you go and give her plenty of time to reorient. If you rush her, she gets violent."
"I don't get violent. I'm always kind and loving and patient, dumbass."
"Anyway … Jim, do you want to go to the Aquarium or the Science Museum?"
"Give me a minute and I can pull up the list of stuff at the Inner Harbor. There's a lot there other than just those two things." Heather handed Jim her cell phone. "Here is a website that lists pretty much everything that is considered to be a part of the Inner Harbor. As you can see, there's a pretty good variety, including some great restaurants. I had planned on making dinner here like I said earlier, but if we are out at dinner time, that can get pushed back until tomorrow."
Jim scrolled through the list and picked out a few places of interest. He "accidentally" closed the browser and scrolled through the file marked "photos." Heather had an interesting variety of pictures. One in particular drew his attention. It was of a young teenage Heather in a short black formal gown with her arm wrapped around the shoulders of an older man who did not look especially happy to be there. "Dad? Grandfather? Date? Date, ooo, Heather you naughty minx!" Jim wondered to himself. He sent the photo to himself and then deleted evidence of the forward. "This just may come in handy later." He handed the phone back to her and said, "Let's start with lunch and then maybe the Aquarium. How soon can everyone be ready?"
"Give me about 20 minutes," said Heather.
"Well, I need a shower, so 20 minutes is good for me too," announced Sebastian.
Fifteen minutes later, Heather walked down the stairs, wearing a black baseball cap, a fitted gray t-shirt with the words "Not today, Satan" emblazoned on the front, and slim fit blue jeans that clung to her every curve. She reached down and grabbed her favorite sneakers. She sat down on the couch next to Jim and put her socks and shoes on. Jim read her shirt and smiled, "What are we denying Satan today, my dear?"
Heather looked at him coyly and replied, "Depends on the offer he makes. Why? Have you two talked recently?"
"I'd never turn down a client without hearing him out first. It's just bad business and rude, after all."
"Interesting." Heather turned towards Jim. "So, what's on the Big Guy's agenda today? More of the usual soul snatching, possessions, general tempting and trickery, or does he have something special in mind. Maybe leading a good girl astray. Perhaps by using his silver tongue and sinister good looks?"
"Oh, Kitten, everyone knows you can't lead a girl astray unless she really wants to be led that way. She has to have the desire already." Jim raked his eyes over the doctor's body. "Do you know of any good girls who want to go bad?" Jim leaned in almost touching Heather's face.
"I could probably think of one or two." Heather placed her hand on Jim's upper thigh. "But it would have to be for the right kind of devil. He would have to be pretty exor- "
"Jim, is Heather down here? She didn't answer when I knocked on her bedroom door," called Sebastian as he descended the stairs. "She tends to take forever to –. Oh, you're down here already. Great! Are you guys ready to go? Kitten, are you okay? You look really flushed. Do you want me to grab a bottle of water for you?"
Heather had already pulled back as soon as she heard Sebastian's voice. She took a deep breath and silently cursed his existence at the moment. "Nope, honey. I'm all good. I'm just a little warm, but I'll be fine. I'm ready if you guys are." She glanced over at Jim who looked annoyingly calm, cool, and collected. "How the fuck does he do it? Did I just completely misread the situation? We were totally going to at least kiss right then, right? Maybe get hand over clothes action. God, I have GOT to get laid. It's been so long I can't even read sex cues anymore. Ugh!," she thought to herself.
Jim stood up and offered his hand to her. "Need a hand getting up, Heather," he smirked. "Yes, Jim that would lovely. I thought for a minute that you might have needed some help getting up, but you seem to have done just fine," returned Heather.
