Sorry for the misunderstand ladies. This is the chapter where Patrick Jane has his shirt off. Again, use your imaginations. . . and call 911 if you lose all ability to breathe.
Thanks to the girls who reviewed my last chapter. I love you guys.
V. A Million Kisses and Finally Time
"Come on Lisbon," Jane coaxed. "Don't be afraid. . . I'm right here, I'll even catch you if you'd like."
Lisbon peeked down the waterfall that led to the water and clutched her towel around her body a little more tightly. "I'm not afraid of sliding into the water."
"Then what is it?" Jane asked.
"I haven't worn a bathing suit in front of anybody in years. And every time I have worn one, I've been covered up by shorts and a tank-top."
"I won't look then," Jane said, making a pretense of slapping his hand over his face.
"Okay." Lisbon dropped the towel and slipped out of her flip-flops. Jane stole a swift glance of her in the modest, red, two piece that Van Pelt had selected, before hastily covering his eyes again. "I'm coming down! Don't look Jane!"
Jane opened his eyes, so he could see her reaction when she hit the water.
"Jane!" She squealed as she slid down the waterfall, he held his arms open and she fell into them, taking them both under the water. After a couple of minutes, they both surfaced, Jane holding her securely in his arms, bridal style. She smiled. "You're right. . . this does feel like a million kisses all over your body. It's wonderful!"
"Do you really like it?" Jane asked.
"I love it," Lisbon answered sincerely. "This is the best gift you've ever given me."
"I'm glad you like it," he said quietly.
Lisbon caught her breath, knowing what was going to happen next. . . praying that it would happen next. But then, it didn't, he gently put her down in the water, and dunked under the water. She shook the feeling off quickly. . . it wasn't supposed to be like that anyways. They were supposed to be married in name only, and she couldn't mess that up. Not if she wanted to face a divorce instead of an annulment when their year agreement came to a close.
.
"There's only one bed," Lisbon said.
"I'm not blind, I have eyes Lisbon," Jane replied. "I saw that this morning, and I asked the guy at the front desk to have housekeeping send a cot."
"Oh really? How did you explain that one?"
"I borrowed Daisy and said that I needed it for my niece."
"Really?"
"Really," Jane answered.
Lisbon raised an eyebrow. "Well, where's the cot?"
"I don't know, maybe they haven't sent it yet."
"Apparently Jane, because it would be here, and we could actually see it—"
"Aunt Tessie? Uncle Patrick?" Daisy's voice came through the doorway. "It's me and April. We were wondering if you'd like to get some ice cream with us?"
"Where are your dad and mom?" Jane asked, going over to the door and opening it.
"They sent us away," April said, smiling knowingly.
"Well, then why don't you come in and we'll order room service," Jane said. "It's a little too late to go out right now. Actually, why don't we just call your parents and see if you can spend the night with us?"
"Really?" April asked, glancing at Lisbon. "You don't mind Auntie Tess?"
Lisbon smiled at Jane. "No, of course I don't mind. I'll order the ice cream, what kind do you want?"
"I'll have a Kona Coffee ice cream with toasted coconut, and Daisy will have chocolate" April said, before Daisy could speak.
Lisbon nodded and looked at Jane, who was talking to Tavis on his cell phone. "What about you Jane? Do you want anything?"
"Get me whatever you're having," Jane answered.
"That was surprisingly easy," Lisbon said to April, trying to conceal her shock.
April looked puzzled. "Really? What do you mean?"
"I mean, usually Uncle Patrick is a lot more difficult than that," Lisbon answered.
"Oh, yeah. . . I know," April said. She smiled. "Maybe he likes you."
"No, because he's always liked me. . . and he's always been difficult."
"Well, maybe he likes you more than a friend now."
Lisbon bit back a smile. "Of course he likes me as more than a friend. We're married, aren't we?"
April grinned. "You should order the ice cream before it gets too late."
"Oh! Right!" Lisbon picked up the hotel phone and ordered a kiddy chocolate for Daisy and three Kona coffees on waffle cones with toasted coconut for the rest of them. Then she, April, and Daisy settled in to watch the Suite Life on Deck while they waited for it to arrive. Eventually, Jane hung up the cell phone and came over to join them. She glanced at him. "Did you just hang up with Tavis?"
"No," he answered. "I called Cho to check up and tell him that we had gotten to Hawaii safely."
"And how are things?" Lisbon asked, as Daisy leaned into her, trying to get comfortable.
"Slow. Believe it or not, they didn't have any cases today."
"So? Don't act like they won't be able to get along without you—"
"Us," Jane corrected.
Lisbon rolled her eyes. "Don't act like they can't get on without us. They might—"
"Room service!" Somebody called.
She pointed to the door and ran her fingers through Daisy's hair. "Jane, go get that. . . would you?"
"Sure," Jane answered, getting up and going over to the door. "Hey, maybe they'll have that cot too—"
"Uncle Patrick, you silly man, you won't need a cot," April said. "Daisy and I'll sleep on the pullout bed."
"The pullout bed." Lisbon gave Jane a pointed look.
"Yeah. . . I wouldn't dream of asking you to give up sleeping with Aunt Teresa," April continued.
Lisbon blushed. "Well. . . thank you, that's very considerate April."
"You're ice cream is melting!"
Jane pulled the door open, accepted the tray of ice cream, and tipped the person who had brought it up to them. He gave Daisy her ice cream first and said, "Hurry up and eat that. It's getting late."
Daisy nodded and stifled a yawn. "But I'm not the least bit sleepy."
"Sure, and I'm king of the Jungle," Jane answered, pulling Daisy into his lap and trying to hold her, while he managed his own ice cream.
"Really Uncle Patrick, I'm not tired." This time Daisy yawned hard.
"It's been a long day," Jane said to Daisy. "Nobody will blame you if you are tired. And you won't be missing out on anything if you fall asleep. Well. . . except maybe for the mermaids."
"Mermaids?" Daisy asked, trying to take a bite of ice cream, but feeling tired to raise the spoon completely to her lips.
"Yeah, the mermaids," Jane answered. "They make a stop here in Hawaii about every hundred years."
"Where are they going?" Daisy asked, handing her ice cream to Lisbon.
"Fiji, I think," Jane replied.
"Well, then why stop here?"
"They have to learn the new love song," he answered.
Daisy made a face. "New love song?"
"Well, really. . . they're going to learn all sorts of new songs."
She giggled. "Uncle Patrick, you're silly."
"Silly?" He repeated. "How am I silly?"
"There isn't such a thing as mermaids," Daisy answered.
"There is too," Jane replied. "I saw one today, and she asked me to teach her my song."
"What song is that Jane?" Lisbon asked, looking slightly amused.
"More than Words," he answered, his blue eyes twinkling. He looked down at Daisy, who was sleeping soundly. "She's sleeping."
"That's okay," Lisbon said. "April and I got the bed ready while you were confusing her with your little story."
"I'll go put her to bed then," Jane said. "April, you better get ready for bed too. Like I said, we've all had a long day and tomorrow are going to be even busier."
April nodded and obediently went to prepare for bed.
Lisbon looked at Jane. "Come on, I'll help you tuck Daisy in."
.
"Stay on your side," Lisbon ordered Jane as they crawled into bed. "I mean it Jane, if you so much put a finger on my side of the bed—"
"SHH!" Jane pointed over to the couch, where April was still messing around, trying to get comfortable.
She lowered her voice. "I mean it Jane! So, don't even test me."
Jane nodded. "On my word as a gentleman, I won't even look at you tonight."
"Excellent." She rolled over on her side and closed her eyes. "Good night Patrick."
"Good night Teresa," Jane replied.
When she thought that he was sleeping, she glanced over at him. He was on his back, lying perfectly still. Her lips twitched, and then she rolled back over, drifting off into a comfortable sleep almost right away.
But Jane couldn't sleep, his heartbeat was out of control, and his senses were filled with Lisbon. The tropical perfume she had purchased in the gift shop earlier that day was filling his nose with coconut, strawberries, and papaya. Totally not her, but totally her at the same time. The presence of another warm, human body next to him, her even breathing. . . it was enough to make him wash away into a comfortable dream land. But there was a presence. . . a presence that made it impossible to do so. It made it impossible to enjoy the company of another woman in his bed.
He lifted his left hand up and studied the gold band in the darkness. It was annoyingly heavy; it was burning into his finger. He slid it off his hand and studied it, turning it over and over between his fingers.
It's time. . . a voice that sounded like his wife's filled his head.
It's time. . . a voice that sounded like Lisbon's agreed.
"It's time. . ." Jane whispered into the night. He slipped out of bed, and found his flip-flops, than he left the room quietly, and made his way down to the beach.
TBC. . .