Just a little chapter this time. Jackie isn't feeling very well at all, so send her your best wishes - she loves your reviews.
Flatkatsi
Supporting Rumors - Part 74
Jack cursed as he knocked the table in the kitchen hard and the coffee mug, although not falling, spilled most of its freshly made contents all over the newspaper he had just put down, ready to read. Cursing again, he fetched a cloth, mopping up the spill.
The hairs on his neck stood up alarmingly and he threw the cloth down and swung his chair around. As he did, he caught sight of a figure leaning against the doorway to the lounge.
"Christ, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"
"Now, why would I do that?" Harry Maybourne straightened and moved into the lounge area, casually taking a seat in an armchair, placing the bag he was carrying at his feet. "Don't mind if I do, Jack, thanks." Maybourne mimicked a drink with his hand.
"I see you haven't lost your touch when it comes to breaking and entering."
"What? Did you think a simple alarm could keep me out?"
Shaking his head, Jack poured another coffee, bringing both into the lounge area. Jack handed a mug to Maybourne before wheeling himself to a position opposite.
Jack indicated the bag with a nod of his head. "Hope you're expecting to stay - not."
"Now I'm hurt. I travel all this way to see how you are doing …"
"Well, I'll give you that ... your highness's kingdom is a hell of a long way …"
Maybourne grinned. "Actually, Jack, I was talking about Jamaica." Harry laid the mug down and picked up the bag, unzipping it quickly. "I brought you a present."
Jack shook his head again, his grin widening. Life was never dull with Maybourne around.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
When Sam returned home she found her husband stretched out on the couch and Maybourne in a chair, the two men snoring softly in front of the blaring TV. Quelling her surprise at seeing Maybourne, she grabbed the remote to turn it down and found her husband regarding her blearily.
"Was watching that."
Sam cocked her head, wondering what on Earth Jack had hold of.
He grinned and shook them. "Maracas," he explained unnecessarily.
"I can see that, but what are they …" Sam gave Maybourne a pointed look, "doing here?"
"Oh, I sense ..." Harry's quiet voice came from the deep recesses of the chair.
"Shut up, Harry." Jack gave Sam a disarming smile and pushed himself up a little, Sam automatically assisting him, albeit a little awkwardly with one arm, until he was upright.
"Oh, that's a good bit … wonder how many cars they went through filming?" murmured Harry as he peered closer at the TV screen. "Good job the bad guys are lousy shots."
"Nearly as bad as you, except when you're real close that is," retorted Jack, obviously referring to the time when Sam had been captured by Adrian Conrad and he'd taken a bullet in the back and arm. Thankfully he'd been wearing a vest, but he still complained he should have had sleeves in the damn thing.
Maybourne raised his eyebrows, giving Jack a pained look. "For that, I won't buy you any more DVD's – I told you, I did not shoot you. Cross my heart." His grin widened as he brushed a hand over his stomach.
Jack's face paled and he stilled.
"What?" Harry was obviously puzzled, but Sam picked up on what had upset Jack straight away.
"It's nothing, Maybourne." Sam grabbed at the DVD cover from the table as a distraction. She shook her head as she read. "Starsky and Hutch? That was from the hospital ..." She bit her bottom lip, giving Maybourne an accusing look. "You were there ... how did you get in?"
Maybourne shrugged. "I have my ways."
Jack seemed to have recovered himself. "Being lower than a snake's belly helps somewhat though."
"That's gratitude for you ..." Harry snorted.
"Ah ..." Jack held up a finger. "Don't let's go there again ..."
The impending silence was suddenly broken by the rumbling coming from Maybourne's stomach. "Sorry . . . haven't eaten since the plane ..." He gave them a hopeful smile.
"Pizza?" asked Jack, his look to Sam also hopeful, one which she couldn't dash ... and she smiled in return.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
Sam ate with them, listening to their comfortable banter, occasionally joining in. She yawned and thought about leaving them to it, however before she could escape, the men headed for Jack's study. She sighed and cleared up the boxes and napkins and settled down to watch the DVD.
xoxoxoxoxoxo
"Hey sleepy head. Come to bed."
"Mmmmph?" She peered up sleepily.
"Come on, bed."
"Maybourne?"
"I'm not sleeping with him."
Sam slapped his arm and rose up with a groan, as she looked around for the man in question. Jack busied himself turning off the TV and he ejected the DVD.
"Called a cab. He's gone to a motel," he called over his shoulder.
Sam nodded, far too tired to be more than a little curious.
"I've locked up. Come on."
They snuggled down in bed and Sam lay on his chest, her left arm in its cast carefully placed on him.
"So then, who did you prefer?"
"Hmmm?" she murmured sleepily.
"Starsky or Hutch?"
"What?"
"Who did you like best, Starsky or Hutch?" he asked again.
"Actually, I preferred Huggy."
"Huggy? "
Sam murmured her affirmative.
"Huggy ..." Jack's voice held a hint of disgust ... He looked down at Sam, and dropped a kiss on her head. "I knew you had peculiar taste in men ..."
xoxoxoxoxoxo
TBC
