A pleasant surprise

Much later they were a naked sweaty ball lying entwined in one another on the bed. After a close 'inspection' of the 'family jewels' (including a 'taste test'), Marissa had insisted on a thorough workout to ensure that there was no unforeseen damage and that everything was still in working order.

"So … any complaints?" Ryan asked as his breathing slowly returned to normal.

Marissa smiled as she finally regained the power of speech. "I may need to do it all again." She panted. "You know … I haven't checked if there has been any damage to your recuperative powers."

Ryan smiled. "I don't think you'll have any complaints with my recuperative powers."

"You never know. We can't know for sure until we've tested them out." Marissa replied.

Ryan disentangled himself from her and laid flat on his back, his legs and arms spread wide. "Test away. But you do realise that I'm starting to feel like some sort of guinea pig."

Marissa ran her fingers over him wondering if she actually had the energy to go again just yet. "I've never thought of you as a guinea pig… although they are pretty cute. I had some as pets when I was little."

"I didn't know that. What happened to them?" Ryan asked.

"Let's just say that they had very healthy sexual appetites and I think that my mother decided that it wasn't such a good idea for Caitlyn and I to sit and watch them at it all day long."

Ryan started to laugh. "So that's where you get all your ideas from?"

Marissa laughed. "You'd better watch out. They also multiplied at a great rate." Marissa teased.

"Sounds good to me." Ryan replied. "Whenever you're ready. You know you only have to say the word."

"But what about the practice?"

"Oh … Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the practice. But I think I could be up for the real thing if required." He smiled.

Marissa moved her hand lower. "Seems your 'up' already."

"Well looks like those recuperatve powers are okay then?" Ryan said as he rolled on top of her only to be interrupted by the tone of his cell phone ringing in the distance.

Marissa didn't want him to move ... at least not from the bed. After the last 24 hours she just wanted this time together. "Leave it." She suggested. "Who ever it is can leave a message."

Much as Ryan didn't want to answer it, he knew that he had to. "I'd better get it." He said as he moved from the bed. "Sandy may have convinced Seth to give me a call. I don't want to take the chance that it's him and he thinks that I'm ignoring him." Ryan said as he made his way back in to the lounge room to look for his jacket that had been hastily discarded earlier.

Marissa wondered why Ryan would be concerned about a phone call from Seth? Couldn't he just call him back? She'd have to ask Ryan when he returned.

---

A few moments later Ryan appeared back at the door way phone in hand as he spoke to whoever was on the other end of the line. Marissa could tell that it wasn't Seth but someone to do with work as he concentrated on what he was saying.

Marissa couldn't help but smile as she ran her eyes over him. He was beautiful … in every sense of the word. And not just in the physical sense … although watching a naked Ryan as he moved about the room you couldn't debate that … to her he was perfect. But it was the inner Ryan that was even more special. And he'd given her another chance. She knew that wasn't easy for him. Because of his family background, Ryan had his own insecurities and trust issues and he still sometimes expected the worst from everyone. She guessed it was just his way of protecting himself.

She knew that she'd been wrong to keep secrets from him and some how she was going to make sure that it never happened again. All she wanted was to spend her life with him. She was not going to put their relationship at risk ever again. He meant too much to her. She knew that she'd shaken his trust in her and caused him to doubt just how much she loved him but somehow she intended to win that trust back. She didn't know how … but it would happen. She had to find a way to make him see that there would never be anyone else for her.

Ryan glanced over at her and smiled. He ran his eyes over her and she instantly felt self conscious as she lay there waiting for him to return. How was it that he could undress you with his eyes when you were already naked? But that's what it felt like. She moved to pull a sheet over her but Ryan quickly crossed the room and took her hand … stopping her. "Okay … I'll see you tomorrow at 10." He said and then closed his phone.

"Who are you seeing tomorrow at 10?" Marissa asked puzzled. She didn't think that he knew anyone in Paris. But then she realised that her words may have sounded like she didn't trust him so she quickly added. "I mightn't let you out of bed before then." to soften her words.

Ryan slipped back on to the bed beside her and pulled her close. "Roger Anderson. He's an English guy that is part of that consortium that I'm working with in Seattle. Apparently he's thinking that he may get involved in something similar here and he wants to get together and talk about it before he goes back to London tomorrow afternoon. He asked us out to dinner tonight but … " He hesitated and smiled at Marissa. "… I'm thinking of not letting you out of the bed … so I said that we'd meet him in the morning for brunch."

"WE? Why do I need to be there?"

Ryan laughed. "So … you're complaining about going out for brunch but not about the fact that I'm planning on keeping you in bed for the rest of the day."

"I wasn't planning on going anywhere anyhow." She replied. "I still have those recuperative powers to test out."

"Test away." Ryan said as he lay back against the pillows waiting for her to take the lead.

Marissa moved to sit astride him and was just beginning to grind in to him when his phone began to ring again. "Way to ruin the mood Atwood." Marissa stated a smile on her face.

"I swear to God … if Annabel has given someone else my number …." He reached for the phone as he looked at the disappointment on Marissa's face. "Hey … it's not like I'm doing the calling. But I'd better get it. It could be Seth. Or ... " Ryan picked up the phone and looked at the caller id. And then turned to Marissa a puzzled expression on his face. ".. it could be Keith?" he said a little perplexed as to why Keith would be calling.

"Well answer it." Marissa said impatiently. "Something might be wrong with Cheryl … or Emily." She said. The thought of something happening to Emily making her feel almost nauseous.

Ryan quickly flicked the phone open and raised it to his ear. He hadn't thought about the fact that Keith was in San Francisco. He just hoped that nothing was wrong.

----

Ryan closed the phone back up and turned to Marissa with a smile from ear to ear.

"What?" Marisa asked impatiently. "What was that about? All you said was okay, sure, no problem, yeah, of course. What's going on?"

Ryan kept smiling. He was delighted with Keith's news and he knew that Marissa would be too. "Keith just wanted to know if it was okay for Cheryl and Emily to move in with him."

"What?" Marissa said her eyes like saucers with surprise.

"Since I supply the apartment as part of his job benefits he thought he should check before he asked them to move in." Ryan explained.

"Do you mean 'move in' move in?" Marissa asked.

"I gather not just yet. For starters they will just be co-habitating. But I'm pretty sure that's where Keith thinks they are heading. Apparently Cheryl has been given the all clear to go home. She will still need further skin grafts but they just want to let her heal for a while before they do anymore. And she was reluctant to return to the family house. Too many memories I guess. She wanted a fresh start somewhere and so Keith thought …" he explained.

"This will be great. She and Emily will be living in the same building as us. They'll be able to come and visit and we'll be able to baby-sit whenever Cheryl and Keith want to go out." Marissa was jumping up and down on Ryan she was so excited.

Ryan laughed at her but then grabbed her by the hips and held her steady. "Whoa there girly. Just be careful what you're jumping up and down on there." He said as he moved her slightly higher to make sure that she didn't cause any damage.

Marissa couldn't contain her excitement. "I told you when we were last in San Fran that there was something going on between them."

"Yes you did Miss Smarty pants. So you get the prize." Ryan said.

"In case you hadn't noticed … I'm actually Miss No pants. But I still want my prize."

"I think that can be arranged." Ryan replied as he lifted her by the hips and brought her back down on top of his hardness. As he thrust in to her all other thoughts disappeared but the need they had for one another.