I don't own the characters and make no monetary profit from this story. Peter Gunn and Edie Hart own each other. My profit consists of the fun I have with them.
A Lifetime in Eight Days
Chapter 25: Heart to Heart
Arms resting above his head and hands loosely clasped, Peter Gunn stared at the ceiling from the comfort of his new reclining chair. His prone position was conducive to sleep but a nap just wouldn't come. Edie had come home from work hours ago, not directly but after stopping by her own apartment to feed Thomas, the little ginger-haired cat, and to visit with the feline for a while. She had picked up her mail and grabbed a few sets of clean clothes and fresh undergarments and had taken care of a number of overdue chores before calling a cab to bring her back to Pete's place. He had been half awake when she came into the bedroom and dropped her things onto the chair, telling him that Pop was already up and in the kitchen getting things together to make pancakes. He'd smiled sleepily as he watched her take off her sweater and toe off her shoes before crawling carefully over him to her side of the double bed. It felt good to have her there. They lay in silence for a while until she suggested he probably needed to get up and throw some water on his face so he'd be awake enough to head downstairs for breakfast. So he did. When he returned from the bathroom she was sound asleep with her face buried in his pillow. Somehow he had managed to get her clothes off and the covers over her without waking her though he just about wore himself out doing so. Pop had looked up in puzzlement when he appeared for breakfast without Edie but had nodded sagely when Pete told him she was tired and had fallen asleep.
"She was tired when she left for work last evening," he'd been told. Pop hadn't meant to make him feel bad, he'd just been stating a fact, but Pete had felt the blow nevertheless.
So here he was, restless and unable to sleep because his mind was filled with disjointed thoughts about the woman asleep upstairs, the odd visit yesterday from his friend Jacoby and a breakfast aside from Pop indicating he would probably be heading back home on Tuesday. This being Thursday that meant he'd still be around for several more days but Pete knew those days would fly by. He didn't know what to think about that. He wanted Pop to stay as long as possible but he also knew his dad had a life of his own and people who were missing his presence back home. He was also aware that he and Edie needed time alone, just the two of them, and that wouldn't happen until they had the apartment and their lives to themselves.
Pete released a sigh and reached for the Jordan's Furniture Store catalog still lying on the end table and began flipping through its pages. Maybe it would help put him to sleep. It must have because the next thing he knew was the feeling of the chair giving lightly and a soft warm body carefully wiggling its way in beside him. He smiled and painstakingly shifted over a little and opened his eyes a crack as his cheek rested atop the blonde head tucked into his shoulder. The lighting in the room indicated the day must be getting later, though it was hard to tell due to the drizzly cloudiness visible through the open curtains of the patio doors. A check of the clock told him it was just after three in the afternoon.
"Hi." Edie tried to stifle a yawn. She was wearing his robe over a light blue nightgown.
"Hi." Pete carefully slipped his arm around her and pulled her closer, dropping a kiss on her temple in the process, a stray lock of soft hair tickling his nose. He watched as Edie reached out with slim fingers to rifle through a couple pages of the catalog on his lap.
"Looking for a new headboard?" Her sleepy voice was filled with the humor of a shared secret and she felt a sudden gladness well up in her heart at the rise and fall of his chest as he snickered. The PI picked up the catalog and allowed it to fall open to a dog-eared page.
"Something along that line," he admitted. He held the catalog up and tilted it in her direction to get her opinion of the Serta Perfect Sleeper mattress and box spring set he was considering. She gave it an admiring look and raised an eyebrow at the price. The double set pictured was $159 but Pete said he wanted a queen size, which would be somewhat higher. On the bright side the purchase would come with a free set of linens "available in a variety of colors and textures" according to the catalog. Edie commended him on his good taste and watched as he lowered the catalog and flipped to the furniture section. He'd marked several headboard sets and told her to pick a few she liked so they could take a look at them when they visited the store.
"You want me to go with you?" Her gaze moved from the catalog to his face.
"Sure." Pete managed to tilt the chair forward so they were reclining rather than lying and tried to move further over so she'd be more comfortable, a pensive expression on his face as he managed to wrap his arm more fully around her. He kissed her forehead and allowed his lips to linger there and spoke again after a minute or two. "It's always been your bed or my bed," he said in a low voice, his breath tickling the soft hair above her ear. "This will be our bed. So we need to pick it out together." He dropped a kiss to her temple and moved his head so he could look into her face. "If that's what you want," he amended, not wanting to take anything for granted. "I hope that's what you want."
Edie gave him that special smile that was his alone.
"You know it's what I want," she chided. "But if it's going to be ours I should pay half."
Pete's gaze narrowed on her face as he pretended to consider her offer.
"Actually you should probably be the one buying the headboard," he finally said, a smile lurking in his eyes. "Since it's your fault it's in the shape it is."
"My fault?" She tried to sound offended. "It wasn't my fault. I just happened to be there at the time."
"That's the problem," he chuckled. "You were there."
"I had to have something to hold onto," the woman lamented. "It was either that or fall off the bed. It wasn't my fault your headboard was so rickety. And it wasn't my fault you got so carried away with yourself." Her demure smile belied her words.
"Who's fault was it then? I was having fun." He gave her a sly wink. "You're always fun to play with."
"Fine then!" A flustered pink stained her cheeks and she pretended to be interested in the catalog. "You pay for the mattress and I'll pay for the headboard."
"No," he said, giving her an amused smile. "I'll take care of it. Besides," he stretched lazily, "you bought this chair for me."
"That doesn't come close to the cost of the bed."
"Doesn't matter."
"And how do you know I didn't use your credit card to buy the chair?"
"Wouldn't matter either. What's mine is yours. So it doesn't make any difference."
He let his eyes fall shut, feeling the heat of her gaze as he did. There were some things she needed to know. Things he needed to say. He knew that. And now was probably as good a time as any. The apartment was empty but for the two of them. He informed her that Pop was off doing something, running some sort of errands, had said before leaving just after noon that he would be back by six and would take care of getting supper ready. He heard the catalog drop to the floor and felt her move a little so that she fully faced him and then her arm was gently snaking across his chest, fingers plucking at the collar of his soft cotton t-shirt.
"Pete-"
"I'm sorry," he said, interrupting before she could go any further. "The very last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you."
Her eyes studied his face and she could have said something but she didn't. Instead she remained silent and let him say what he needed to say.
"I came after you," he said in a low voice, opening his eyes and casting his gaze toward hers. "That night. I made it halfway down the hall to your dressing room before deciding that maybe I needed to give you some time. I figured I'd just show up like usual the next day to take you to Mother's and we'd talk and sort things out and everything would be all right." He pursed his lips, gnawing at the inside of both, his eyes once again finding the ceiling. "Then I went home and went to bed and laid there all night thinking about what you said. And I decided maybe you were right." He blew out an exasperated puff of air. "Not maybe. I knew you were right."
Edie's hand moved from his chest and he felt its warm presence first against his neck and then on his cheek as she gently urged him to turn his face toward hers. Her fingers lingered and trailed to his lips, outlining them as she softly spoke.
"I missed you. You just were never there and-" She choked out a low self-conscious sound that might have been something between chuckle and sob, her hand circling the back of his neck. "I missed you so much and I didn't know what to do about your not being there and I wanted to talk about it but you were never there to talk to. It felt like we were going around in circles." She gave a self-deprecating smile as she devoured his face with her eyes. "I didn't know what to do without you. It was like half of me wasn't there. And all those weeks since have been even worse. Pete, I-"
Her jumbled speech was interrupted by the pressure of Pete's lips on hers, his fingers tangling in her hair as he held her and held onto her. The arm he'd wrapped around her brought her closer and she leaned into him fully, relishing the feel of his lips and his body against hers. She shifted so that she was lying against his chest then pulled away as he gave a grunt of pain but he refused to relinquish her lips. When he finally did end the kiss it was only to nuzzle against her cheek, his mouth trailing her jaw and teasing the soft hollow of her throat before he tilted his head to look into her face.
"Do you remember when we first started going out together?"
"Vaguely," Edie smiled teasingly.
"We barely knew each other." He tucked a stray curl behind her ear, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he returned her smile. "We'd only gone out a couple times. But I already knew how I felt about you." His smile faded a little. "From the very first moment I saw you I knew how I felt about you. And I was already afraid of losing you." His fingers continued their restless examination of her hair, absently marveling at its softness as he caressed the blonde locks. "Then when we..." Pete's voice trailed off and the woman smiled, eyes on his face. "When we finally-"
"-made love?" Edie's smile grew.
"It was a hundred times worse. I knew I'd do everything in my power to hold onto you." His fingers left her hair to trail a path along her cheek, softly touching her face as though attempting to memorize again details that had been etched in his mind since the day he'd met her. "Everything I've ever said to you about us, about the future, about wanting all those things you always talk about- I've meant every word. We'll have that. I want that. All of it. With you." He gave a shamed smile. "No matter how much I try to change the subject."
Pete's hand returned to cup the back of her head as Edie buried her face in his shoulder.
"I was the one who didn't hold on."
"No. That's not true." The PI made a face, his expression one of self-disgust. "I made all sorts of decisions in my own mind about things I wanted to do, things I thought I needed to do, for the two of us. Things I should have talked to you about, that we should have decided together." He bumped her forehead with his, urging her to look at him. "Things we will talk about. I promise."
"I should have tried harder. I shouldn't have been so impatient."
Pete's mouth quirked in a half-smile and he shook his head.
"You did what you had to do. Exactly what you should have done. The more I thought about it the more I knew you were right, that we couldn't go on like we were. It was my fault things got to that point and I realized there were some areas I really needed to work on when it came to you and me. I figured..." The PI shrugged, his lips meeting her forehead and once again lingering. "The thought of being without you almost killed me and I worried about you and I missed you. I need you to know that." His breath was warm against her face as he talked. "There's no way I can explain to you how much I missed you. I don't ever want to go through that again," Pete emphasized.
"Never," Edie shook her head. She lifted her hand to his face, allowing her fingers to tenderly outline the fading bruises, to drift across his forehead, along the bridge of his nose, across his cheek to the dimple found there. Her expression told him there was something else she wanted to say but he gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.
"We can talk about it again tomorrow. Or next week." Pete gently palmed her cheek, wiping at the moisture rimming her eyes as he gazed into them. "Or never. I don't really care. Just promise me that the next time I act stupid you'll kick me in the shin with one of those pointy-toed high heels of yours." His expression was wry. "That should knock some sense into me and keep me in line."
The smile that lit the woman's face refused to leave as she ran her fingers through his short hair and leaned in to kiss him. Pete felt her soft laughter against his lips and felt the tug of his own smile. Edie pulled away reluctantly, her gaze wandering over his features, drinking them in. They lay there in companionable silence for a long while, until Edie knew she had to break it. She needed to talk to him about something.
"Pete?"
"Hmm?" His eyes were closed, lashes dark against his cheeks. He looked tired. Maybe she should wait. When she didn't continue those lashes fluttered and she was caught in his deep blue gaze. His eyes held a question but a sudden uncertainty gripped her heart.
"Your haircut looks nice, " she finally said, lifting a hand and running her fingers gently through his dark crop of hair, touching briefly upon the back of his head, feeling of the lump that was barely noticeable anymore. "Johnnie did a good job."
"My neck itches where he used the razor." Pete swept his palm along the back of his neck to emphasize his words. "I think I need to go upstairs and take a shower to wash away all the little hairs he left behind. It wasn't quite the same as sitting in his barber chair."
Edie smiled and allowed her fingers to smooth the soft material of his t-shirt where it clung to his shoulders. She could never get enough of the warm strength he exuded, of the firm muscles that seemed made for her own body to fit alongside perfectly, just as her head fit perfectly into the curve of his shoulder. Every part of their bodies aligned seamlessly, as though created especially for each other.
"I can wash your back for you."
"Sure you can," Pete answered agreeably, his hand wrapping around hers and stilling it against his chest. "As soon as you tell me what it is that's on your mind."
Edie moved her fingers restlessly within his and her lips parted several times as she tried to speak. She couldn't quite find the right words, didn't know if such words existed. She was very aware though that with Pete it was often best to be openly blunt about things. His patience didn't last long when it came to hemming and hawing.
"Pete, when we were- When we weren't-" Her tongue darted out to wet suddenly dry lips. "I went on a date. I went out with someone." She waited but he didn't say anything, didn't move, didn't react to her bald statement. She lifted her gaze to his face. "Did you hear me, Pete?"
"I heard you."
"I went to dinner and a movie-"
"-with silly Sheila Bell and her husband Danny," he finished mildly. Pete's gaze wasn't directed anywhere in particular, his eyes half closed as he relaxed with her next to him. "Danny's brother from Harrisburg was in town and Sheila didn't want him to feel like a third wheel when they took him out so she asked you to go along. You had dinner at the Pink Dragon and you snuck out of an eight o'clock showing of North By Northwest at the first intermission and went home in a cab by yourself." He slanted her an amused look as she raised her head to stare at him. "Without telling anybody. That wasn't a very polite thing to do. I know Mama taught you better manners than that."
"How do you know all that?"
"I have my ways," he reminded her. "Devious and underhanded though they be."
"Sheila's barely spoken to me since," Edie murmured, her chin resting on his shoulder. "I think she's really mad at me."
"She's not mad at you. I told her to mind her own business." Pete's lips straightened into a rueful smile. "But a little more politely than that. I also told her if she couldn't keep her mouth shut about me talking to her then she needed to make excuses to not see you." The smile became a soft chuckle. "Also more politely than that."
"When did you tell her that?" Edie frowned, her tone flabbergasted.
"That evening after you left the theater," he said. "I went inside and sat down next to her." His gaze slid lazily over her perplexed expression. "I have a feeling I scared the daylights out of her brother-in-law. It wasn't a date. Believe me, if it had been anything even close to a date I would have done more than scare him. And I would have had you out of there long before you decided to leave on your own." A breath of a sigh escaped his lips and he touched his mouth to her forehead. "I know you think you have to apologize for it but you don't."
Edie was quiet for a long time, so long that Pete finally turned his head to look at her. He caught the melancholy expression in her eyes, the glistening sheen of tears that refused to be tamed, the trembling of her lips unable to be stilled.
"Honey, it's okay." He released her hand and cupped the back of her head, bringing their lips together for a gentle kiss.
"I had to know." As the words escaped her lips the tears did the same, running silently down her cheeks to dampen the material of his shirt. "I'm sorry."
"Had to know what?" Pete was confused.
"What it would be like doing those things without you," the woman murmured.
"Edie..." He twisted sideways, his arms going fully around her, pulling her to his chest, fingers tangling in her hair, his lips finding hers in a crushing kiss. Finally ending the caress he pushed slightly away to look into her eyes. "Honey, you didn't do anything wrong. I love you."
"I don't ever want to do those things with anyone else."
"You won't," he assured her.
"Pete?"
"Hmmm?"
"Don't ever leave me."
Pete sighed when the doorbell rang just as he and Edie decided to make their move from the recliner to the shower. He released her hand and urged her toward the stairs, saying he'd be right up just as soon as he got rid of whoever was leaning on the bell. His eyes followed her until she got to the upstairs landing and disappeared into the bedroom and then he stepped to the apartment door and pulled it open. Across the threshold stood a well-dressed man in his late fifties.
"Mr. Gunn." The man smiled ingratiatingly. "You might not remember me. I'm-"
"I know who and what you are," the PI ground out. "What do you want, Mr. Leopold?"
The smile fell from Egan Leopold's lips.
"I'd like to speak to you. May I come in?"
"No." Pete looked him up and down, curious despite himself. "I'll say again, what do you want?"
"The police are holding my client, Mr. Gunn. But I'm sure you're aware of that."
"Your client, Mr. Leopold?
"Don't play dumb, Mr. Gunn. You know who I'm talking about. Joe DeVito." Leopold, a slim man with deeply tanned skin and salt and pepper hair, clasped his hands in front of him. "Your cop friend Jacoby is holding my client, Mr. DeVito, and the District Attorney is pressing charges in reference to your recent experience." The oily smile returned. "I'd like you to make sure those charges are dropped. My client had nothing to do with Paul Denner and had no knowledge of his recent activities. I'm certain even you will admit that an innocent man shouldn't be jailed on the circumstantial case the police have filed against Mr. DeVito. Or on the libelous statements of his cousin Bennie Marconi."
The detective stared at the attorney for several long seconds, his face expressionless, his eyes thoughtful. Then he reached for the doorknob.
"Goodbye, Mr. Leopold." The door swung shut and was locked quietly and firmly.
The PI continued to stand in the same position, looking at the door but not seeing it.
"Pete?"
He glanced to the top of the stairs to meet Edie's concerned gaze. She'd shed his robe and stood in her nightgown, a bath towel in one hand, the other hand resting on the stair rail. He gave her a smile.
"I'll be up in just a minute. Why don't you warm the water up?"
She answered with an uncertain nod before disappearing back into the bedroom. Pete walked into the living room, lifted the telephone receiver and quickly dialed a number. Sergeant Lee Davis picked up on the first ring. After the usual pleasantries Pete asked for Lieutenant Jacoby but was told he was out on a case.
"Is there anything I can do for you, Pete?"
"Tell Jacoby that Egan Leopold dropped by to see me."
The silence from the other end of the line was telling.
"Tell Jacoby I want to see a copy of my case file." Pete felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead to go along with a sudden vise-like headache. "Tell him he can send it over or I can drop by and pick it up. He can let me know which is best for him." He thanked Davis and hung up and then slowly made his way up the stairs, desperately hoping a hot shower and soothing hands would chase away his dark thoughts.