Chapter 11
Crickets are chirping, their night music subtle in the otherwise quiet surroundings. It's dark back here, the only light coming from the lamps in the pool. I watch the reflection of the water as it dances on my naked skin.
The air is pleasant but cool, and as Manchu goes to the little cabana that resembles his house, I dip a toe in the water, happily surprised to find it heated.
He returns with two towels that he puts on a chair, and leaves me to go back into the brightly lit house.
Walking down the steps after removing my panties, the water feels good against my recently used body, and I stretch my neck back and forth as I glide in up to my waist. I circle my hands around as I skim the surface, the movement causing ripples that leave me, only to return after hitting the surrounding walls.
I hear the back door open but don't turn around, instead listening to the sound of a bottle and two glasses being left on the glass table. The water around me laps at my body, and I turn to see Manchu ducking under the water and swimming to the other side. Popping up, he wipes the hair from his forehead and smiles lazily at me.
I smile back and continue my pacing of the pool. He begins to mimic me and we pass each other going in opposite directions until I drop down to cover my shoulders and dip my head back, wetting my hair.
He again, does what I do and we look at each other from across the water.
"Am I allowed to veto a question?" I say quietly to him, not wanting to sully the silence.
"Yes, one veto. Also, I expect full answers. Simple 'yes' or 'no' not allowed. I also get to ask for clarification, or a follow up question, if I'm not satisfied."
"Wow, demanding."
"Yes, I am."
"Greedy too." I furrow my brow at him.
"Like you didn't know that." He grins.
We circle each other a little more, lazily floating.
"Why the subject matter, Professor?"
I think for a minute, there's no real easy answer to that. I sigh before I begin. "I'm interested in behavior that's outside of the norm."
"EHHH." He makes an obnoxious buzzer sound. "That isn't a why."
"So long version, huh?" He nods. I take a deep breath, and dive in. "I guess you could say it's my mother's fault. My dad died when I was young, and after that, she became very religious. The house became a fanatic's house; everything was a sin." I shake my head at my own memory. "Imagine being a girl, taught that every normal hormonal feeling and emotion you had, was the work of the devil. Every activity too. Even something as innocent like going to a party." I glance at Manchu; his rapt attention encourages me to continue.
"I was told I was impure, and I had never even done anything. I guess for lack of a better excuse, what was denied to me became more interesting by default. Human sexuality being a big one, naturally." I feel my face heat at this admission, ridiculous after what we've shared, but there nonetheless.
I watch as he nods his head at me, understanding. His arms swirl out like mine do, pushing the water and manipulating it into waves. "Once I left that house to go to college, I took some sociology courses and my love of deviant behavior was born. I was lucky, I guess. Instead of acting on my curiosity, I studied it." I shrug, having summed it up adequately.
"Why do you work at the bar?"
I raise my hands and splash them in the water, watching the waves I've created. "Well, when I moved here to be closer to Emmett, it was summer. I had the free time and he needed the help. I found that I loved the atmosphere, and the power it gave me to be something I hadn't been up until then, a confident, assertive woman." I pause, wondering how much further I should go. He seems hung on my every word, so I continue. "I revel in the authority, in the rush it gives me. I get to be a strong, sexual woman when otherwise, I've had trouble in that area." I feel my face heat at my admission.
"Explain this trouble."
I knew I should've stopped my explanation sooner. "Veto."
"Not acceptable." He barks out at me.
"You said I could veto!" My hands splash water at him in protest.
He ducks out of the way. "I said I wanted comprehensive answers. That's a follow up question, part b of question two, if you will."
I stare at him, and he doesn't back down. "Fine. The trouble would be, being unable to find the sexual aspects of a relationship satisfying." I half explain, sounding clinical.
His eyebrows quirk at my statement. "What did you find wrong with the ones you've had?"
I pause, thinking, and revel in the idea that although a bit awkward, opening up to him isn't as hard as I thought it would be. Besides, he won't be around for long so I'm not so worried about him judging me. If he does, I can walk away. "Um, I suppose, I chose men that weren't very gifted at delivering. Also, I couldn't seem to find my voice in the bedroom. To say to someone what I needed to really get off made me feel like that impure teenage girl."
"So why can you be that way with me?"
"If you've noticed, I haven't said much during sex with you at all." I see him narrow his eyes in thought, until they widen.
"You may like the sexual control at the bar, but you love handing it over to me outside of it." He says.
"I would clarify it more as you're able to give me what I need, somehow by just knowing." I take in a nervous breath. "Am I done yet? That was more than three."
"Three? By my count I earned seven." He smiles wickedly at me, while moving like a snake closer to me. His head dips down so that just his eyes are above the surface, like a predator stalking it's prey.
I do the math, three in the car, one in Em's office, three tonight. He's almost correct. "I gave myself one, that doesn't count."
Instead of arguing, he keeps his mouth under the water and I feel his hands circle my waist, pulling me to him. Our naked bodies float together, and instinctively, my legs rise up to wrap around his waist. He's holding me against him and I bring my arms up to rest lazily on his tattooed shoulders, not quite in an embrace. His head dips back up, keeping those shoulders at the surface and I trace the art with my fingers. The dwindling smoke from a fire surrounding a sun swirls along his skin, wrapping itself like a ribbon around a series of stars in constellation form. My nails move and scrape gently across a black and gray heart, the bottom of which melts and drips into a curling ocean wave.
"I've asked four. You can take a turn if you want."
"Well you started out with a work one, so I will too. Why Pediatric Oncology?"
I see his eyes darken, and turn to sadness. "Rose and I had a little sister, Margaret. She developed leukemia at six, and I watched her suffer with it for three years before she died."
"I'm sorry." I tighten my arms around his neck; almost hugging but unsure if he'd want that.
"Me too. She'd have been twenty seven."
"She'd be my age. How old were you when…"
"I was nineteen when she died. Rose was sixteen."
"Ah, an older man." I tease gently about our ten-year age difference.
He gives just a hint of a smile, and continues to carry us around in the pool. The heated water giving me goose bumps where the outside air hits my skin. Without thinking too much about it, I lean in and press my lips to his. He returns the kiss softly, no urgency from either of us while we float.
"I'm starting to prune." I look at my wrinkled hands that have finally removed themselves from his neck. We had been kissing for what felt like forever, me not taking the opportunity to ask my other question and thankful he didn't continue with his.
"Let's get you dried off." He puts me down and we walk to the steps. He doesn't let go of the grip he has on my hand, and we ascend together into the air that's turned brisk while we were swimming.
He quickly grabs a towel and wraps it around my body, before reaching for his own. We hurry towards the house before he runs back to grab the wine and glasses.
"Well, I guess I'll go change and get out of your hair." I start to move towards the steps, but his voice stops me.
"You can stay the night, if you'd like." I look to him and he's looking down at the bottle, studying it like he's never seen it before.
"I don't know, I mean…" I trail off, unsure how to say 'thanks for the fuck, but we both know what this is.'
He looks up sharply at me, all of the softness in his features from the pool leaving, being replaced by that devilish boy again. "It's late, I saw you brought your bike. You shouldn't be riding this late alone."
"I ride later than this all the time from Emmett's."
"I'm not done with you, I thought I told you that." He smirks.
"I'm a horse, remember?" I say pointing at myself. "I need to be broken in slowly."
We look at each other for a moment; I'm considering and he's waiting for me to decide to stay. "I'm going to go."
"Of course. Take all the time you need to get dressed." He moves to the sink and I watch as he places the glasses in before I turn and hurry up the stairs, trying not to drip.
Once dressed and standing in the entranceway, a still towel-wrapped Manchu brings my jacket to me and we stand awkwardly, saying goodbye.
He leans in for a kiss at the same time I hold out my hand to shake.
He looks at my hand and raises an eyebrow. "Really?"
"I'm new at this. Sue me." I smile, slightly nervous as he leans in and chastely kisses me on the lips.
"Have a safe trip home, Isabella."
The next week flies by in record time; Sunday I devote to visiting Timmy in the hospital. Things are going well and he's allowed one non-family member at a time. Kate and I take turns relieving Alice or Jasper, whoever is on hospital duty so they can go home to shower, eat, and see Tommy.
I'm so happy to see him returning back to normal, hospital gown and all. He looks so small in the bed, wires and monitors surrounding him, but his color is returning, and my favorite Timbo smile is gracing his face.
We play tic-tac-toe and a very mild game of thumb wrestle, but all too soon, it's time for me to go. I leave him with a kiss on the head and a promise to come back later in the week.
Tuesday afternoon, I'm sitting with Tori in the Sociology department office while we eat salads, and she bitches about how many weddings she has to attend in the next few months.
"I swear it's like all of my friends ganged up and decided to get engaged at the same time. Besides how much all of this is going to cost me in presents, bachelorette parties and bridesmaid dresses, I have no prospect of a date to any of these events."
"I'll have a wedding soon too, I suppose." Ang and I are still waiting for Ben to present the ring she found, and she's starting to wonder what his problem is. I briefly flash to an image of Manchu and I attending the wedding together. Dangerous thinking.
I quickly get back on track with Tori, and suggest she have one of the bachelorette parties they're planning at the bar. She seems interested and says she'll run it by the other girls. "Maybe I'll find a nice biker cowboy to take me to some weddings." She wiggles her eyebrows at me and grins.
"What about James?" I ask, while munching on a carrot.
"Who?"
"James, Sociology Film Professor James."
"Oh, your guy? No, I wouldn't do that to you." She says, shaking her red mane.
"I'm not dating James."
"He's cute." She points out.
"He is, that's why you should date him."
She wrinkles her nose at me. "I don't know, I don't usually go for the bookish types."
"Well you should try something new, you never know." Like having sex with arrogant people in the medical field, I grin internally.
I make a mental note to arrange for James to come down to the bar on the night Tori brings her friends, and we move onto other topics.
Making my way to the back of the coffee shop on Thursday morning, I'm surprised to see someone sitting with Mimi.
I'm even more surprised when it's no other than Manchu, dressed in doctor mode. My heart skips a little as I get closer, taking in the well-used leather biker jacket over his scrubs and the sneakers adorning his feet. He just looks so cute.
Sitting down at my table, with a confused look on my face, they both look over at me.
"Is it Friday? Have I disturbingly lost days somewhere?" I tap my finger to my chin. "No, can't be. No suit." I smile and Manchu stretches his frame so that his arm is resting on the chair across from me as he leans between the tables.
"I thought you'd like to see me on an off day." He replies, smirk in full force.
"Well, we're all wrong once in a while." I answer back, smiling sweetly. "Seriously, why are you here?"
"I am serious. I thought you'd like to see me." He looks to his companion. "What doesn't she understand, Mimi?" Looking back to me, he continues. "Actually, I was here chatting up the latest Stephen King with my new favorite coffee partner."
"Oh, well don't let me bother you guys then." I pull my laptop out and turn it on, waiting for the little apple symbol to appear.
"I can talk to you both."
"No, it's ok. Really." I start hunting for a file to occupy myself with.
"Okay, maybe I just wanted to see you." That stops me and I look up to see Manchu and Mimi both smiling at me. "You look beautiful today, Half Pint."
Even though I'm secretly thrilled with his comment, I narrow my eyes. "What's the catch? Do you need help moving or a ride to the airport or something? You're being too nice."
He sips his coffee and ignores my comments before grabbing a napkin and wiping coffee from his mustache.
"Your mustache is getting long." I observe, admiring it.
"Needs a trim." He absentmindedly runs his hand over his face, rubbing at his facial hair.
While Manchu goes off somewhere in his head, Mimi takes the lull in banter to ask me how Timmy is doing. We talk awhile about his progress and how well his parents are faring, when I mention that I'm visiting him again later that day.
"What time are you going to be there?" Manchu breaks in; I hadn't even realized he'd been listening.
"Around three or so. Why?"
"Stop by and say hello."
I widen my eyes. "You want me to come to your office to say hi?" This isn't something a sex relationship involves, does it?
"Sure, why not? I don't bite." His smile grows playful and he leers at me.
"If you did, maybe she'd like you better."
Manchu's eyes match mine in size when we both look over at Mimi who is smiling devilishly. "What? Old women can't have quips?" She raises an eyebrow and I start to laugh.
"Oh Mimi, if I weren't already sleeping with Half Pint here, I'd definitely be barking up your tree."
I put my head in my hand at his comment, although I shouldn't really be surprised at this point. Besides, Mimi's heard worse from him about the fact that we're sleeping together.
"Sorry kiddo, I like my men mature."
I bark out a laugh while Manchu says "Ouch!" and gets up to leave.
He turns to me, "Come by when you're done." His eyes are soft; his smile kind, so I nod my head and tell him I'll see him later.
"Good one, Mimi." I say to her once Manchu has walked from the table. We bump fists and I look back and smile, watching as he strolls away.
I'm nervously standing outside of Manchu's office door, having just left a very happy Timmy who was able to have Tommy visit. The two boys sat close together on his bed and ran matchbox cars down their legs. It was a beautiful thing.
I've been here before, I'm not nervous about that; the past two weeks with all of the Timmy stuff I've had my fair share of hospital visits at the children's wing. I'm more nervous that this is a social call, and not a booty call. Unless he has some doctor-patient fantasy he wants to try. My mind starts to conjure inappropriate images so I roll my eyes at myself and enter the office.
There's no one in the waiting room and the TV in the corner is off, so I assume he's done with office visits for the day. I walk up to the glass partition ready to tell the receptionist that's looking at me why I'm here when Rose appears and stops short when she sees me.
"Izzy? Hi!" Her eyes are wide and questioning, and I tell her that her brother told me to stop by after visiting Timmy. She asks how he's doing and we chat for a second before she waves me over to the inner door and we stand inside by some purple filing cabinets.
"He didn't tell me you were coming." She looks confused, and I start to wonder if she's not okay with me being here.
"Oh, um I'm sorry, is it a bad time?"
She must see the worry on my face because she smiles and adds, "No! Not at all, I'm just surprised. Edward has never had anyone stop by before. He's certainly never been close enough to a woman to ask her to."
Oh. "Really?" My voice squeaks, and Rose picks up on my surprise or relief, whichever you prefer.
Smiling, she explains. "Oncologists are a strange breed. They can be a bit closed off."
The Sociology professor in me is intrigued. "It's a trait found in the occupation? How so?"
A look of resignation comes over Rosalie's face, and she answers. "It's hard for them to open up and get close to people. It's an unfortunate side effect, when a third of your patients die. It can carry over into their personal lives."
She says it so bluntly that it's jarring, but I guess in her line of work, it's something she just accepts. I remain silent, not having a thing to say to that sobering thought.
"Conversely, saving lives gives them the arrogant trait." She winks, instantly removing the heavy atmosphere.
"That sounds more like the guy I've come to know, definitely arrogant."
"I heard that." At his voice, my nerve endings stand at attention and I turn to see Manchu hotter than hell in his scrubs complete with a tight blue scrub cap, face mask hanging loosely from his neck, and a fantastic smile as he looks at me. "Hello, Half Pint."
"Hi." I turn back to Rose. "It was good to see you again, Rose." I smile at her and she returns it, before reminding Manchu to fill out his charts before he goes.
"How's Timmy?" He asks while turning back to walk the way he came from, so I follow while giving him the latest update.
We make a little small talk as he leads me to a door inside the back of the offices. "I have to do something, would you like to join me?"
"What is it?" I ask, wiggling my eyebrows.
"Unfortunately not that, although," he pauses in the hallway we entered and leans in close. "I do need some extra credit, Professor."
My insides twist with want. "Oh you have the unoriginal teacher fantasy, huh?" I finger the button at my throat. "Shouldn't I have my hair up and glasses on for that one?"
"And nothing else." He growls into my ear and I'm officially wet. Maybe I can turn this into a booty call after all. "I actually have a patient to check on." He pulls back and it snaps me to attention.
"Oh, I can go…"
He touches my arm, the warmth seeping through the silk, and smiles.
"Would you like to meet my kids?"
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