I'm done another chapter of this FF cross story. I hope you enjoy it! Have a nice holiday too!
C.J. just looked at Matt as he got dressed, admiring his physique as she usually did. The man did keep himself in perfect physical condition which had of course been necessary for his line of work, first when working on a ranch and then as a private investigator. But besides helping to protect him from danger, it had other benefits as well.
He turned to face her after buttoning his pants and caught her.
"What are you looking at," he asked.
She feigned innocence.
"Looking at," she said, "why, the view of course."
"It must be contagious," he said, with a smile, "are you getting dressed?"
She nodded.
"As soon as I can figure whether or not I need to…adjust my wardrobe again."
He walked over to her and sat next to her on the bed and before she knew it, he had her in his arms and kissed her softly on the mouth, the way he had of hinting at so much.
"You look absolutely breathtaking," he said, "I think this is just a small gathering."
She reached for her robe.
"It's just for Shelli's surprise for Hollings," she said, "She does this every once in a while."
"They seem to be able to make it work out between them," Matt said, "despite their differences."
"It's called love Houston," C.J. said, smiling, "but they aren't married…even with a baby on the way."
Matt sighed. He knew that was the case but what worked for Hollings and Shelli might be different than what was best for C.J. and him. No, not what was best, but what he wanted in his life. He really wanted to marry her and he believed that she finally could see that it was out of something far removed from obligation.
He didn't want to push the issue again at least not right now, even as the ring began to wear a hole where he had kept it for safe keeping, awaiting just the right moment. She left him to take a shower before even attempting to search through her clothes for something that would fit.
"I'm glad you could come," Shelli told Matt and C.J. as she had told everyone who had come into the Brick to attend her surprise party for Hollings. When he had found out about it, he had indeed been surprised but he instead took over the bar and began serving drinks to his friend. Matt had ordered a brandy and C.J., a sparkling glass of fermented grape juice. Eve had looked over the drink critically before giving her approval though she stuck to Dave's special concoction of carrot and lemon grass shots.
"How's the baby doing," Shelli asked her.
Eve furrowed her brow.
"Her father's looking after her and I've left him a specific list of instructions including what she can and cannot eat. What music to play for her while she's eating and the proper amount of ambient lighting…"
Shelli just shook her head.
"Wow, you have got this whole parenting thing figured out."
Eve shrugged.
"There's plenty of good books which offer valuable advice," she said, "I could give you the mandatory reading list."
Shelli held her abdomen.
"You'd better hurry," she said, "I feel like I'm going to pop at any moment."
Eve eyed her pregnancy.
"Has the baby dropped yet," she asked.
"Huh?"
Eve just shook her head and moved to the refreshment table. Matt had gone there to get some plates for himself and C.J. who had sat down with Ruth Ann and Marilyn. Joel sidled up behind him.
"So how are things going," Joel asked.
Matt scooped up some roasted potatoes.
"Everything's going just fine," he said, "C.J. has been getting plenty of relaxation."
Joel nodded.
"Great, that's really good," he said, "She'll need it going into the final trimester in several months."
"What happens then," Matt asked.
Joel paused.
"She'll be somewhat larger," he said, "which will make it difficult to sleep comfortably and then there's something called the nesting instinct…"
"The what?"
"That's where the mother to be experiences a surge of energy focused on preparing the home for the baby's arrival."
"That makes sense."
"Something to keep in mind if she decides to redo the nursery about five or six times," Joel said.
"Okay…I'll remember that."
Joel smiled.
"You've got a lot to look forward to," he said, "It's every man's dream to propagate."
"You sound like Maurice…"
"What I mean is that since I've been a little boy, I've had it drilled into me by my parents, my grand parents that it's important to carry on the family name and its traditions through the next generation."
"My daddy used to say the same thing," Matt said, "He even always hinted at me that C.J. was his choice. I just never listened at least not while he was still alive."
"He died when you were young?"
Matt shook his head.
"He died a couple of years ago of a heart attack," he said, "We'd been a bit estranged but we worked it all out before he passed. I just wish that he could have lived to see his grandchild."
"You have other relatives?"
"An uncle and a cousin," he said, "They both moved to California."
"What about C.J.?"
"Her family's deceased as far as she knows."
Joel's brows rose.
"Meaning?"
"Her parents died when she was young," Matt explained, "She doesn't know much about either of their families."
Joel nodded and right then, Maggie breezed by the refreshment behavior giving them both a terse greeting.
"Leave some for the rest of us Fleischmann," she said, dipping into the coleslaw.
"There's plenty O'Connell, even for your unworldly appetite."
She threw him a glare and walked away. Matt just looked at Joel.
"Okay what's wrong," Joel said, "She was rude to me."
Matt just shook his head.
"She really likes you," he said.
Joel snorted.
"She's got a very funny way of showing it."
"Maggie's a great woman," Matt said, "and if you're not careful, some man will come along and realize it and she'll be gone."
Joel looked exasperated.
"If so, he won't live very long."
Matt sighed.
"How long are you going to hold that over her head," he said, "Those were probably all unfortunate accidents."
"A man getting hit by a satellite," Joel said, "What are the odds of that?"
Matt didn't' know the answer but he did know that often enough, life threw out plenty of hardballs at people and Maggie had gotten more than her share.
"Sometimes bad things like that just happen."
Joel looked incredulous now.
"Six times," he said, "I have no intention of becoming number seven…even if I were interested."
"Then she'll be sure to find someone who will take that chance," Matt said, "and I'll bet he'll buck the trend."
Joel scooped some more potatoes on his plate.
"Then I wish him the best of luck," he said, walking off.
C.J. had been sitting with Ruth Ann and the other women listening to stories about the Cicely traditions that the town folk engaged in including the ones that sounded somewhat…strange. Like the first rite of spring's thaw when the town's men stripped down to nothing and went running down its streets.
"No man's complained yet," Ruth Ann said, "even Joel got into it after some coaxing."
"And some threats," Marilyn chimed in.
"Maybe Matt will stay long enough to participate this year," Shelli said, "It's coming up in a couple of weeks."
C.J. just smiled, imagining what a sight that would be but she didn't know if he'd do it.
"I'll run it past him," was all she said.
Matt came up to the table with their plates of food and handled her one piled high with everything on the menu. Her eyes grew big.
"I don't know if I can eat all this," she said, "but the sardines make a nice touch."
He sat down with them.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
She shook her head.
"Oh no, we were just going over some of the traditions that the people here do to welcome each of the four seasons…"
"Like what?"
She just smiled.
"Just a couple of them."
He furrowed his brows.
"I heard a rumor that one of them involves running around town in the freezing cold with no clothes."
C.J. looked at Shelli and both laughed.
"That's no rumor," Shelli said.
C.J. smiled.
"Houston I already volunteered your participation."
He began feeling a bit hot under the collar.
"C.J. I'm going to have to talk to you about that later," he said, looking around him, "while we're alone."
"I look forward to it Houston."
"Not that I'm shy or anything…"
C.J. folded her arms.
"Houston you have a great body," she said, "How do you think I got in this condition?"
She felt delighted by the faint hint of color in his cheeks.
"That was… different."
"Yes it was," she agreed, "but this might be a lot of fun."
He looked doubtful.
"Freezing out in the cold without a stitch of clothing," he said, "Who's going to be having any fun?"
The women all looked at him and he got the point quickly.
"Oh yes of course," he said.
Ruth Ann gave him a sympathetic look.
"It's our release after spending most of the winter indoors and wrapped up from head to toe in thick clothing."
"But there's plenty that you could do indoors," he pointed out.
"True," she said, "but for some of us in the meantime…"
He felt his face flush even more.
"I get your point," he said, "but I'm not sure it's the right thing for me to do. After all, I don't live here."
Shelli shrugged.
"It doesn't matter," she said, "Joel had only been here a couple of months before he got down and did it."
The other women nodded.
"And his body…well it wasn't that bad," Shelli said, "And Matt's…he should get a better response."
Matt blinked.
"This is a competition?"
Ruth Ann chuckled.
"No, but there will be an audience of women," she said, "You see, it's the reverse of most situations where the women put themselves on display for the men."
He nodded.
"I see…I think," he said, "Well I'll certainly give it some serious thought."
C.J. looked over at him and almost laughed but stopped herself. She couldn't really believe Matt felt self-conscious about his physique. Not with a body like his, which she had after all, enjoyed immensely.
"I'll try my best to get him to see reason," she said to the others with a wink.
Chris walked into the Brick and all the women's eyes turned towards him as they always did, the man had a charisma with women that defied definition or reason. She had heard rumors that there had been studies conducted on the DJ and poet but that nothing definitive to explain this attraction had been uncovered, let alone explained. She knew him to be very sweet and considerate of women, giving them his undivided attention and with those qualities, no special pheromone or secret formula was needed.
He walked over to the table and said hi to everyone. The women responded and so did C.J. After all, pregnant or not, she still was all woman. But it was just an attraction with no real feeling or history behind it and she knew where her heart lived.
"I just got off the phone and I'll be doing a poetry reading in Rosalind next week," he said, "They have a woman's book club there and they've been some of my most devout fans."
All the women congratulated Chris, their praise overlapping.
"That's great Chris," C.J. said.
He turned his attention to her and nodded.
"You're looking awfully fine today Ms Parsons," he said, "You're more beautiful each time I see you."
"Rounder too."
Chris didn't appear phased at all.
"There's no other period in a woman's life when she's more stunning than when she's nurturing new life," he said, "In fact, that's going to be the theme of my next book."
Shelli looked enthusiastic.
"Awesome."
Other women slumped.
"You mean you won't include any more…sex in your work."
Chris pondered that and then smiled.
"Sensuality doesn't end with pregnancy," he said, "There's plenty of room for both."
C.J. couldn't argue with that. After all, that part of her had hardly waned even as her pregnancy progressed. Especially feeling more energetic than she had during the first couple of months, and keeping herself very busy with Matt.
"I think that would be great Chris," she said.
"You have been one of my muses," he said, "and you have inspired this continuation of my work."
She felt touched.
"Thank you Chris."
Matt didn't know what to think. Was the poet being genuinely complementary or did he still have designs on C.J.? He felt possessiveness that he didn't know he had within him come to him just at the thought.
"Houston, are you okay?"
He looked up to see C.J. looking at him, concerned.
"I'm fine," he said.
"Isn't it great that Chris has a booking in Rosalind?"
"Yeah great," Matt said.
Maggie breezed on by again.
"What's up Mags?"
Maggie looked at Shelli.
"Joel is being such a…", she started before looking at Matt.
"What," Shelli said, "Don't leave us hanging."
But instead Maggie forced a smile on her face.
"He's just being Joel," she said, "Excuse me, I need to get some fresh air."
As she walked off, the other women looked amazed.
"What's gotten into her," Shelli asked.
"I don't know," Ruth Ann said, "Maybe she's coming to terms with this love-hate thing with Joel."
Matt didn't know what had gotten into Maggie except maybe she had given his advice some thought but then what did he know? After all, Chris walked into the room and mesmerized every female in his path.
Did that include C.J., Matt asked himself as he sipped his drink.