Wolves of the Pacific

by greenpeach20

In 1902, Renesmee Cullen grew tired of the tedious life of moving around with her family and decided to make the journey west as a mail order bride. Yet a chance encounter with a reddish brown wolf would change her life forever.

137. Chapter 137

Chapter 137

It was several hours before he was able to, but the moment JJ could get away with the twins, he stepped outside to the patio. Eun Mae and Mae Yon were buddle up snuggly in JJ's arms and JJ managed to carry the twins and a cup of coffee with him outside placing the cup on the arm of his usual chair and JJ sat down with the girls in his arms. As if on cue, as soon as JJ was seating, Blu flew over and landed right on the blanket so the little bird was looking at the twins hopping from bundle to bundle that were facing opposite one another.

"This is Eun Mae," JJ said gently lifting Eun Mae and gently bouncing her, "and this is Mae Yon," he continued and gently bounced the baby in his right arm.

The girls were both sound asleep and rather still while they slept, so Blu parked himself right between them, shook his feathers and then tucked himself in the little nook between the ends of the blankets and JJ. JJ smiled at the bird and then looked at the twins. They were definitely identical twins, but JJ and Eun Mi could already tell them apart. Eun Mae for starters was a whole half pound bigger than her little sister Mae Yon, but that aside, they also shared the same birth mark on opposite sides. They both had a tiny birth mark on their hips. Eun Mae's birth mark was on her right hip while Mae Yon's birth mark was on her left hip. While their temperaments appeared to be similar, Mae Yon was the more vocal of the two, but they both already had tufts of black hair that was silky like their mother's hair.

Now that they'd been in the world for a few hours, their skin had darkened just a little though they were still paler compared to other kids in the tribe. They both had their mother's eyes and nose while their face appeared like it might be more closely shaped like their grandmother's face, though it was hard to see through their chubby cheeks. Truly they were beautiful little babies. JJ didn't stay outside for too long since it was a little cold and he needed to get the girls back inside. Once Mae Yon started to squirm and whimper, Blu flew off them and perched on the railing while JJ went inside and brought the twins upstairs to Eun Mi so she could feed them.

"Thank goodness the two of you had girls," Blu Jae teased next JJ was downstairs with the family. "I feared if you had more boys that Eun Mi might kill you."

"Yes, we're most fortunate," JJ played along. He noticed Popo on his little cat tree and just stared at the cat. "And you'd better start calming the fuck down." As if a retort, Popo twisted so he could lick his back and then lifted his leg to clean his butt. "Stupid cat," JJ groaned.

As soon as they were able, Alice went crazy taking pictures of the twins. On a role, she also insisted that Eun Mae, Mae Yon, Tristan and Lilliana get pictures together which led to all the kids, Anatoli included, taking a large picture together some of which would be sent to Salem as soon as they knew where to send the pictures, though they knew it might be a while before they could send him anything. Sadly, it would be a long time before Salem would be able to call home, but he could write. It was several days before they finally reached the coast of Vietnam and once they arrived, there was a harsh reality check right off the bat when they saw a group of South Vietnamese burning their dead. It was his first view of war with his own eyes rather than through the eyes of his brother or his uncles. Based on their memories alone, this was nothing compared to what he could and almost certainly would see.

"Well, let's hope we're not going ashore," Aleksander said.

"We probably will eventually," Salem said. "I don't think I've ever been less eager to go ashore."

"No kidding," Aleksander said. And so, for Salem, it was the start of what would be a long time on the sub acting as defense and reinforcement against the Viet Cong.

Natalie didn't get her first let from Salem until the beginning to May and, if one were to be frank, what Salem told Natalie was a far cry from what he was really experiencing. Despite spending most of his time at a distance, he could still see and hear the results of their open firing. He relayed none of that to Natalie though. As far as Natalie was being told, Salem was bored out of his mind staring into a jungle from his submarine day in and day out. It was partially true at least.

Earlier that year, Kevin had taken Anatoli out to buy himself a car since he'd saved up quite a bit of money to put toward said car. He even had enough to get himself a brand spanking new 1965 black Chevrolet pickup truck that quickly proved its usefulness where it pertained to his job, though it wasn't the most comfortable car if he needed to drive his little sister or brother around. Amber called it 'the ugliest vehicle to ever drive', but Anatoli loved it all the same. When he first bought it, he put Baba Nadeshka's Orthodox cross on his mirror and as a congratulations gift Amber gave Anatoli a gold Star of David that was on the mirror with his cross. It was around that time that Anatoli had requested time off to go to Vegas. Since it was a slower time of the year that he was requesting the time off and they had enough man power for the current workload, Embry gave Anatoli the okay to take a month off. He let Ivory know and when it was the first of May, eager for an adventure, Anatoli tossed his luggage in the back of his truck, said goodbye to everyone promising to return end of May with Souvenirs, and hit the road with only a map as his guide. Amber had tried to convince him not to just take a flight, but Anatoli was insistent that he wanted to drive. It was an opportunity, he explained, to get a chance to view more of the American countryside.

He'd been right about the view he'd gotten on his way down. The American landscape was so varied compared to what he was used to in Lithuania or even Europe. Not wanting to waste any time, Anatoli only spent the night at one motel in Bend, Oregon and left bright and early the next morning not planning to stop until he made it to Las Vegas. Once he reached Las Vegas, he got completely lost though it was mostly of his own accord. The city was so bright and full of life in the burgeoning hours of the nightlife. After spending at least an hour just driving around taking in the City of Sin, Anatoli finally pulled over at a gas station both the fill up but also to get a new map. He also asked for directions to the casino where he knew Ivory worked curious to see it but also because he really wanted to see Ivory in the flesh wearing her uniform. He eventually made it to the casino where Ivory worked and took a moment to check himself in the mirror in his car. He'd not shaved that morning, so he had a five o'clock shadow, but thankfully his beard's color was light enough that it wasn't obvious.

After he was done, Anatoli went inside and searched for the Wild West room where Ivory worked. He spotted her right away and she was more beautiful in person than in her picture. She was wearing her yellow skirt that went to her thighs and her yellow corset top and her hair was curled wearing a little feather hat on one side of her head. She wore a deep brown lipstick and was smiling brightly at a customer that was apparently on a hot streak for the time being and made a toast to her with his five dollar mix drink. She was at the Craps table getting a new game started. Not wanting to bother her while she was working, Anatoli looked around until he found a man in a suit that looked to be security and approached him

"Excuse me, sir," Anatoli said to get the man's attention. "When does Ivory go on break?"

"Who's asking?" the man asked.

"I'm her boyfriend," Anatoli said.

"Never heard of you. If you want to talk to her, kid, you can do it at the Craps table with everyone else."

"Look, I do not want to bother her while she is working. Can you tell her I am here and that I will be at the bar?"

"I'm not your messenger boy." When Anatoli was about to argue, the man held up a hand. "Let me tell you something, sir: if I had a dollar for every time some drunk asshole said they were one of our girls' boyfriends, I'd have retired years ago."

"Fine, fuck you then," Anatoli muttered and walked away. He still wanted to make sure that he could surprise Ivory and she was still preoccupied with the patrons at her table, so he went to one of the waitresses that was dressed similarly to Ivory. "Excuse me, miss?"

"Why hello there handsome," the waitress smiled. "What can I get for you? You strike me as a man that likes a nice glass of Whiskey."

"You must be a mind reader," Anatoli smiled. "I am sorry to bother you, but would you know when Ivory goes on break?"

"Um…I think around nine. Why?" the waitress asked, suddenly appearing suspicious and ready to call over security.

"My name is Anatoli. I am her boyfriend and I am visiting from Washington."

"Okay," the woman said hesitantly.

"I do not want to bother Ivory while she is working. But I would like to surprise her. I plan to go to the bar to wait. Can you tell her I am her?"

"You said your name is Anatoli?" the woman asked and Anatoli nodded. "Alright," she said with a shrug. "I'll let her know to meet you at the bar when she starts her break."

"Thank you. I appreciate it," Anatoli smiled and left the Wild West room and checked the clock.

He had an hour before Ivory went on break, so Anatoli went to a store nearby that sold flowers and bought a corsage rather than a full bouquet. Sadly there wasn't one with a white dahlia, but he was able to get one made with a white lily, so he picked that one and then bought a box of chocolates. When he returned, he went to the bar where he'd said he'd be and waited a moment to get the bartender's attention.

"What can I get you sir?"

"A whiskey on the rocks please," Anatoli said.

"Would you like any food with that?"

"Is there anything on the food menu that Ivory really likes?" Anatoli asked.

"Ivory? You mean Ivory Black?"

"Yes," Anatoli said. "I want to surprise her when she goes on break."

"And who might you be?" the bartender asked.

"Anatoli. I am Ivory's boyfriend and I am visiting from Washington."

"Ah," the bartender said with a chuckle, "so you're Anatoli." The bartender extended a hand for the two of them to shake which Anatoli accepted. "Name's Drake. I'm a friend of Ivory's and she's been gushing over you since she got back from vacation."

"She is a wonderful woman," Anatoli said with a smile.

"As to your previous question, when she's on her dinner break, she always gets the pasta primavera. She gets it for free since she's an employee so don't bother ordering it for her."

"Can I order her a dirty martini? Extra olive?"

"I like the way you think, but she'll get in trouble if she's caught drinking on the job. I'd say those chocolates and corsage will do you just fine."

"Are you the only one she tell about me? Everyone else I tell who I am they do not believe me."

"Ivory and I are friends from school. She's friends with some of the girls that work in the Arabian Night room but not so much the girls she works with in the Wild West room."

"Is more the security guard that was mean. I try to say I am Ivory's boyfriend and he accuse me of lying."

"Yeah," the bartender said. "In all fairness to the Pit Boss, they do hear that a lot so it's nothing against you." Someone interrupted their conversation when a voice called for the bartender. "Sorry, I'd better get back to work. It's nice to meet you."

"Is nice to meet you too," Anatoli smiled politely and enjoyed his drink.

It was another ten minutes that he was sitting at the bar before Ivory was on break. The waitress Anatoli had spoken to finished delivering the drinks she'd had and eventually got a chance to tell Ivory that someone named Anatoli was looking for her and waiting for her at the bar. After that, Ivory eagerly awaited the start of her break and once someone came to take over her station, she left the Craps table and started looking around for Anatoli. When she saw him at the bar sipping his whiskey, she felt butterflies form in her stomach and she ran off to the bathroom to make sure her makeup was just right. She reapplied her lipstick, adjusted her corset so her breasts were resting just the way she wanted them to and adjusted her skirt so that was resting just the way she wanted. Once ready, she returned to the bar and walked up as quietly as she could, hoping to sneak up on him. The closer she got, the more she could smell his body wash and his own masculine smell, but there was also new car smell lingering on him. Initially Anatoli was staring at his drink but when she was close enough to be in his peripheral vision, Anatoli turned and smiled. She smiled back at him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. They shared a kiss and as soon as they parted, Ivory rested her head on his shoulder.

"I missed you so much," Ivory said and then lifted her head to look at him and then started giggling. "I'm sorry, I got my lipstick all over you." Ivory let go of Anatoli and grabbed a napkin that she licked and started wiping away the lipstick from his lips.

"How does it look?" Anatoli joked.

"I'm afraid brown isn't really your color," Ivory smiled. "I think red and pink would suit you better." Ivory removed the lipstick from Anatoli's lips and then glanced towards the bartender. "Hey, Drake, how's my lipstick?"

"Smeared. You may want to fix that," he chuckled and handed over a little mirror. Ivory accepted the mirror and took the barstool beside Anatoli and then started cleaning up her lipstick. Once she had her lipstick adjusted, Anatoli retrieved Ivory's gifts starting with the corsage.

"The shop did not have white dahlia corsage, but I find white lily instead I thought was pretty," Anatoli said and put it on her wrist.

"It's beautiful, Anatoli; thank you," Ivory said and leaned forward to give him a quick peck, being mindful of her lipstick this time. Then Anatoli handed her the chocolates that she immediately starting dipping into. "When did you arrive?"

"About three hours ago," Anatoli answered. "I go on a tour of the city for a bit before I come here."

"You didn't go to the house?" Ivory asked.

"I want to see you first," Anatoli smiled. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you," Ivory smiled and reached over to run her hand over his cheek and chin. "I see you didn't bother with a shave this morning."

"Not this morning. I do tomorrow," Anatoli said as he took a hold of her hand and kissed her palm. "When do you finish for the night?"

"I leave at 1," Ivory said. "So I'll be home closer to 1:30. Don't worry about waiting up for me. Mom knows you're coming so when you go to the house, just knock and she'll let you in."

"Should I leave now?" Anatoli asked.

"No, no, not yet," Ivory said. "I've still got time before I need to return to the floor and I'd rather spend my break with you."

Anatoli smiled at her and held her hand while they started talking. They talked about his long drive and it gave Anatoli a chance to just revel in the sites on his way to Las Vegas. It had been a long time since Ivory had taken a train up to Washington rather than flying but she could still remember at least some of the spots he was talking about, even if she'd only seen it from the window of a fast moving train. When it was nearing the end of her break, Ivory reminded Anatoli the directions to her house and told him she'd call the house to let her mom know to let Anatoli into the house. They shared one more kiss before Anatoli left the casino and Ivory went to call her mom before returning to the floor. It took Anatoli a bit to find his way around but he did eventually make it to the house. To his relief, it was the only house in the neighborhood with a giant den outside so it was easy to spot. He parked his car and grabbed his luggage before going to the door and knocking. He waited a moment before Tamara answered the door.

"Welcome to the City of Sin, Anatoli," Tamara smiled and hugged Anatoli before letting him in. "So how was your drive?"

"Long and tiring, but an adventure," Anatoli said and kissed Tamara's cheek. "Thank you again for letting me stay."

"It's not a problem, Anatoli. It's a pleasure. Now, Ivory's insisting that you can use her room, but I suspect she's under the impression that means she'd be using her room too. While I'm not under the impression the two of you aren't intimate, I will ask that you and Ivory keep that to a minimum."

"Yes, ma'am," Anatoli answered respectfully and Tamara smiled.

"Don't call me ma'am. It makes me feel old," Tamara teased.

"I can sleep on the couch if is preferred," Anatoli offered.

"No, no, you are our guest so you can take Ivory's room. I told her that I expect her to sleep on the couch, but I suspect it went in one ear and out the other, so I'm counting on you to reinforce that requirement."

"Yes ma'- sorry. Yes, Tamara," Anatoli answered and Tamara smiled as she gently pinched Anatoli's cheek.

"That's better," Tamara said. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted so I'm going to turn in for the night."

"Yes, I think I do the same," Anatoli said and followed Tamara to where Ivory's room was situated.

They said goodnight to one another and Anatoli got himself situated for the night and fell asleep in no time once he was in Ivory's bed. Before falling asleep, he noticed right away the smell of Ivory's pillow. He could smell a floral scent – lavender specifically – that was calming as well as a more citrusy smell. Orange specifically. He could also smell her which was its own woodsy, even slightly dusty or sandy it seemed. The smell left him feeling aroused as he started falling asleep. Then he woke up to the feel of something on his hips. He groggily opened his eyes to see Ivory on top of him still wearing her uniform and a big smile. Almost out of instinct, he reached up so his hands were on her waist caressing up and down her waist, hips and thighs.

"Good morning," Ivory smiled with her hands rubbing his bare chest. "Sorry to wake you but I wanted to check on you."

"How was work?" Anatoli asked in a hushed voice with his eyes half closed.

"It was alright. I missed you after you left, though." Ivory leaned down so she was laying on him, her elbow on the pillow to the left of him with her hand on her chin. She started trailing her right index finger up and down his chin enjoying the scruffy feel of his beard hair. "So did mom give you her two cents about me sleeping on the couch while you're here?"

"Yes, she did. I can sleep on the couch if you prefer. Is not a problem."

"I was more thinking along the lines of us sharing my bed," Ivory smiled.

"I promise Tamara we will stay respectful," Anatoli said.

"Yes, I thought as much," Ivory answered a little disappointed but still smiling at him lovingly. "So that big black thing in our driveway: is that your new truck you've been telling me about?"

"No, is Embry's truck that I borrow," Anatoli answered sarcastically and started chuckling when Ivory gently swatted her hand against his cheek before returning to her gentle trailing along his chin.

"How does it feel to have your very own car?"

"Freeing," Anatoli smiled. "In Lithuania, so few can afford to have car unless they are in government position."

"So having a car of your own is making you feel awfully special I take it?" Ivory teased.

"A little if I am speaking truthfully," Anatoli said. "Grandpa help me with establish of credit but payment is a little higher from having so little history but I could pay high amount at time of buying car to I could keep monthly payment low."

"Look at you grabbing the American Dream," Ivory said and leaned down to give him a kiss. "So next step is your own place?"

"Next year most likely," Anatoli said. "Or later. Mama still do not want me to leave yet."

"Will she ever be ready for you to leave?" Ivory asked.

"I doubt," Anatoli said, "but I rather wait for the twins to be older. Make moving easier for mama."

"The ever devoted son," Ivory smiled and gently tapped the tip of Anatoli's nose with her finger. Anatoli squeezed her butt and Ivory giggled as she leaned in for a kiss. That kiss lasted a few minutes until Ivory finally pulled away so she could look at him again. "Now will you let me welcome you to Vegas properly or will you insist on being respectful?"

"I did promise we would keep our intimacy to a minimum in her house," Anatoli said. "I say nothing about outside her house." Ivory snickered a little before Anatoli continued. "Perhaps we can have evening drive?" Anatoli suggested.

"The desert is stunning at night," Ivory said. "Would you permit me to slip into something a little more comfortable?"

"Of course," Anatoli answered and lifted his head to kiss her before getting the two of them off the bed.

Ivory went to her closet while Anatoli put on a fresh pair of pants and t-shit. He sat down on her bed to put back on some socks and his shoes while watching her get out of her uniform. She stood in her bra and panties for perhaps longer than he would think necessary trying to find something to wear. She often glanced back at him while she looked, reaffirming his assumption she was putting up a little bit of a show for him. Eventually she put on a tiny pair of shorts that looked to have once been pants and a shirt that had once been a full t-shirt but had the back and sleeves completely cut out of it so that her bra was completely visible.

"Okay. I'm ready," she said and Anatoli couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Are you truthfully?"

"This is usually something I wear over my bathing suit when my friends and I go to the pool. It's one of my more revealing outfits."

"It is revealing," Anatoli agreed. Ivory walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned her head down so they could kiss one another a moment. Anatoli trailed his hands all over her body while they kissed and Ivory was the one to pull her lips away.

"Weren't you going to take me for a drive in your new car?" Ivory asked.

"So eager," Anatoli teased and kissed her.

The two of them went outside to Anatoli's car and hopped right in. Ivory directed him to a particular spot that she used to camp at with friends when she was younger and that had a particularly nice view. As soon as they reached the spot Ivory wanted to take Anatoli to, he parked the car so the moon was in view.

"Have you ever seen the desert moon?" Ivory asked.

"Not until today, no," Anatoli said.

"Why don't we step outside and take a look?" Ivory said and got out of the car. Anatoli followed after her going around to the front of his car leaving the keys on the ignition so the radio would stay on playing music. She was staring at the hood of the car and appeared slightly upset. "I'm not used to cars with hoods this high up."

Anatoli smiled and grabbed a hold of her hips to lift her up. She got her foot on the hubcap and with Anatoli's assistance was able to get herself turned so she was seating comfortably on the hood. The hood of the car was long and flat enough that she could scoot back and lie down against the glass. Anatoli hopped up to the hood to join her and scooted up to lay against the glass right beside her. Truthfully, the moon didn't look any different than it did in Washington, but lying on top of his car with Ivory at his side made the moon seem that much more special. Anatoli reached out to take Ivory's hand, but she went one step further and rolled so that she was tucked right against Anatoli with her face on his chest. Since she was there, he wrapped his arm around her instead.

"Isn't the desert moon beautiful?"

"Is romantic," Anatoli said and kissed Ivory's head. Ivory trailed her hand over his chest and then delved her hand down so she could put her hand under his shirt to touch his bare chest. Anatoli already had full access to her bare back at least until he encountered the clasp of her bra. When he encountered the clasp, he undid it with his fingers and once it was undone, he started trailing his hand up and down her back and he felt her shiver. "Are you okay?"

"Absolutely," Ivory smiled and tilted her head up so she could kiss his chin.

"I am surprised how cold it is," Anatoli said, rubbing his hand up and down on her back much faster to warm her up.

"Yeah, it gets cold in the desert at night," Ivory said. "What happens is the sand absorbs heart like crazy so when the sun is out, the ground gets really hot and the air is so dry that it feels like a little oven. But as soon as the sun goes down, the sand looses heat almost immediately so at night it's really cold."

"Are you certain you are not cold?" Anatoli asked.

"You're keeping me warm," Ivory smiled.

She moved the last bit needed so she was partially on top of Anatoli and pressed her lips to his with her hand still under his shirt. Anatoli was the one to deepen the kiss when he pressed his tongue against her lips so she could open for him. Their tongues met and when they did, Ivory pulled herself further up so she was on top of Anatoli straddling his hips with her elbows on either side of him and her hands both on the glass of his car. Anatoli's hands went to her thighs to gently lift her knees up a little more and then brought his hands forward to tug her thin shirt between her breasts. Her bra fell between them leaving her breasts bare to his touch. He felt her nipples hardened both from the cold of the night and from his touch. He started rubbing his thumbs back and forth to make them tighten that much more. When he did, Ivory moaned gently rubbed her hips up and down in a slow thrusting motion. The moment she stopped, Anatoli brought his hands down to her hips and started guiding her over his now throbbing erection. Ivory smiled against his lips and returned to doing what she'd been doing.

He then trailed his hands around and undid the button of her shorts and tugged down the zipper before bringing his hands back up and tucking his hands under her shorts and panties so he was touching her bare ass. He squeezed the cheeks affectionately then released, repeating his pattern for a moment before he brought his right hand to the front of her, dipping his hand down between her legs so he could touch her core. When his fingers encountered the wet heat, the two of them moaned at the same time and Ivory moved her hips forward taking his fingers inside her. Taking advantage of the position, Anatoli pressed his thumb against her clitoris to make her started whimpering. He did that while the two of them continued to make out atop the hood of his truck until Ivory was getting really close and pulled her lips away so she could look at Anatoli.

"I just realized the condoms are in my purse," Ivory said.

"Your purse is in the car, yes?" Anatoli asked while he was kissing her neck, not wanting to stop what they were doing.

"Yeah, it's on the floor of the passenger's side," Ivory said as a moan released from her lips from Anatoli kissing her neck. "Can I have a moment to get a condom out of my purse?"

"Would you prefer we go back into the truck?" Anatoli asked.

"I had hoped we could just do it on top of the hood, but now that I think about it, we might end up breaking the glass."

"That would be terrible," Anatoli said and sat up so he was sitting on the edge of the hood with Ivory nestled against him and her arms wrapped around his neck. "Hold onto me."

Ivory smiled and tightened her hold while Anatoli jumped off the hood and bounced her up to secure his hold on her while he walked around to the passenger's side of the truck. He opened the door and placed her onto the seat and climbed in after her while she grabbed her purse and scooted back to allow Anatoli into the car. Once they were in the car, 'Baby I Need Your Lovin' by the Four Tops came on and played low on the radio. He closed the door behind him once he was in the car while Ivory was getting a condom out of her purse. Once she had it in her hand, Anatoli pulled her bra and skimpy shirt over her head and then pulled off her shorts and panties tossing them to the side. She kicked off her sandals while Anatoli pulled off his shirt and Ivory reached over to start undoing the button and zipper of his pants. She started tugging his pants and underwear down until his erection sprang free for her. They got the condom on and once they did, Anatoli grabbed a hold of Ivory's hips pulling her forward so he could slip inside her and hold her close.

By then, The Beach Boys were on the radio singing 'I Get Around' but they were no longer listening to the radio and just made love to one another. He had Ivory on her back across the seat for a moment but soon lifted her back up and sat back in the passenger's seat with Ivory in his lap lifting her up and down on top of him. Ivory laced her fingers through his hair as she followed his lead and she moaned through their kiss as she was already getting close to reaching her climax. As she was getting closer, 'You're my World' by Cilla Black began to play and though she could not do so with complete coherence, she started to sing and hum along to the song under her breath with her head laid back as she moved. She wasn't far from Anatoli for long. Anatoli pulled her close so he was clutching onto her and their lips met while the two of them continued their movements until they both reached climaxed together. While they were coming down from the excitement, the two started kissing one another lovingly with Kenny Lynch singing 'Stand by Me' on the radio. While they kissed, Anatoli started running his fingers through Ivory's long hair until he had it ponytailed in his hand so he could start kissing her neck.

"That was incredible," Ivory moaned and then giggled a little when the kisses to her neck started tickling her. "I admit I've never had sex in a car before this."

"Neither have I," Anatoli said with a chuckle. "Do you want to stay out here longer or go back?"

"I guess we should go back," Ivory lamented and rested her head against his shoulder tucking herself under his chin.

The two of them shared one more kiss before Ivory got off Anatoli and started getting redressed. They got the condom wrapped up in some napkins until they could get it thrown away and made the drive back to the house. When they returned, Anatoli ensured the condom was thrown away discreetly and offered again to sleep on the couch and Ivory could have her room, but Ivory insisted she wanted to share her room. By then, Anatoli was really tired and didn't bother arguing. He didn't really want to anyway. They got ready for bed and fell asleep together snuggly fitting on Ivory's bed. Ivory was the first to wake but only because there was a knock at her door. She groaned and got out of bed going to her bedroom door. When she answered, there was Tamara with her arms crossed giving her daughter a look that was critical, brow raised, yet conveyed she was not surprised.

"I see you didn't sleep on the couch like I told you to," Tamara said. Ivory stepped out and closed the door so they wouldn't bother Anatoli.

"By the time we got back last night, we weren't terribly concerned with where we were sleeping. We just wanted to get to bed," Ivory answered with a yawn.

"Where did you two go last night?" Tamara asked, following her daughter to the kitchen.

"We went out to the desert to be alone. Anatoli had said he'd promised you we'd be respectful but that didn't mean we could go for a drive." Ivory found the now cold coffee and poured herself a cup. She glanced at the clock to see it was 12:30. "I was wondering what you were doing home."

"For God's sake, Ivory," Tamara sighed and rubbed her face. "When did you two get back?"

"I think it was three in the morning," Ivory said. "Somewhere in there."

"What time do you need to be at work?"

"Not until three," Ivory said. "I'm working until 1 again today. I wish I could have gotten the time off but if I did it would mean I'd have to give up all my time off for Christmas."

"How long is Anatoli staying?"

"For the month," Ivory said with a little smile.

"And what's the plan for this month? Aside from not doing what I told you and sharing a bed with him."

"Oh come on, mom. When daddy used to stay here, you and he slept in the same bed."

"No, your father slept on the couch."

"A huh," Ivory said skeptically.

"Young lady, I don't have to explain myself to you," Tamara said, admittedly a little flustered. "Now, when I spoke with Anatoli he was very agreeable to the two of you not sharing a bed, so I assume this is your fault. I would appreciate it if you did as I asked and slept on the couch while he's visiting. Or he can sleep on the couch. Either one; just no sleeping in the same bed. And I will call your father for backup if I have to."

"Don't involve daddy, mom," Ivory groaned. "Fine, I'll sleep on the couch while he's visiting."

"Thank you," Tamara said. "I'd better get back to school. Have a good night at work okay, Ivory?"

"Thanks, mom," Ivory said and tilted her head so Tamara could give Ivory a kiss on the cheek before leaving.

Once Tamara was gone, Ivory made a cup of coffee for Anatoli and brought it to her room where Anatoli was still sleeping. She put the mug of coffee on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed right beside Anatoli. He was still asleep and didn't look like he'd be awake for quite a while. She glanced at her alarm clock remembering she had it set and reached over to turn off the alarm. She finished her coffee pretty quick and left her bedroom to put her mug in the sink and then go outside to tend to her lizards. She cleaned the enclosure where the lizards stayed and then got some crickets and lettuce on their usual spot so her dragons could eat at their leisure. By the time she was back inside, she had another hour and a half before she had to get to the casino, so she took a shower, blow dried and curled her hair like she normally would. Normally she would have a vinyl record playing in the living room so she had music playing but she didn't want to disturb Anatoli. After her hair was curled, she applied her usual make up and then returned to her room to put on a fresh uniform. She'd gotten really good at tightening her corset all by herself getting and always tied the strings in a little bow at the bottom. Last thing was to get her high heels on while sitting on the edge of the bed. After her shoes were on, she looked at Anatoli and smiled. He was still asleep and she was debating whether or not to wake him, but soon she touched his chest gently and rubbed her hand over his chest hair until he finally opened his eyes.

"Tu esi toks gražus," Anatoli said with a sleepy smile.

"What was that?" Ivory asked.

"I say you look beautiful," Anatoli said.

"Thank you," Ivory smiled and leaned down so she was resting on his chest with their noses barely touching. "I regret to inform you that I need to leave for work." Anatoli glanced at the clock and saw what time it was.

"Is two in the afternoon?" he asked, surprised.

"Yeah," Ivory lamented and kissed Anatoli's chin. "I need to be at work by three and I'll be working until one today."

"When is your days off?"

"Monday and Tuesday," Ivory said. "So I work tomorrow and Sunday, but after that, I'm all yours for 2 days."

"So long from now?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so," Ivory said sorrowfully. "I'll make this up to, I promise."

"Promise?" Anatoli asked with a smile and brought a hand to her knee to squeeze her knee affectionately.

"I promise," Ivory said and kissed him. "I'd better get going or I'll be late to work. I'll see you when I get home."

"I will wait for you," Anatoli said and kissed her again. The two of them kissed a moment before Ivory giggled and pulled away.

"Okay, I really need to go," Ivory said and stood from her bed. "I'll be back around 1:30 okay?"

"Okay."

As Ivory stood from her bed, Anatoli spanked her which caused Ivory to yelp and start giggling before slapping his chest. She finally left the house and went to the casino just barely making it on time to punch in before getting to the Wild West room. She went up to one of the Pit bosses, specifically one that was a best buddy of hers, to get her assignment.

"Joe," Ivory said and the man turned to face her.

"Christ almighty; it's about time you got yourself to work," Joe said.

"And a good afternoon to you too, Joe," Ivory smiled. "So where am I working today?"

"Craps Table Eight," he answered.

"Again?"

"If you're not agreeable, I can station you at Roulette Table Six and you can take over for Hannah. Fair warning, one of the players has been drinking since ten this morning."

"Craps Table Eight it is then," Ivory said with a smile. "Also, just so you know: my boyfriend Anatoli is in town visiting, so if he comes to see me, make sure not to gate keep him okay?"

"Wait, you're actually dating that little Russian kid?" Joe asked, shocked and appearing offended by the notion.

"He's not Russian, Joe. He's actually German but he was raised in Lithuania."

"How the fuck did he get here then?" Joe asked.

"He fled East Europe through Germany and has been lucky enough to restart his life here in America. He's actually a Holocaust survivor I'll have you know and he's come a really long way. He just bought his very first car and he's working as a contractor."

"Good for him," Joe said after gently rolling his eyes. "I know I didn't fight those fucks for them to start bumming off us."

"Joe, when you fought, we were still on good terms with the Soviet Union," Ivory pointed out.

"Only because Hitler was a bigger fish to fry. Didn't make them less of assholes."

"Joe, he's not Russian, so don't be mean to him if he comes to see me. Now I want you to be on your best behavior."

"Fine, fine, whatever," Joe grumbled. "I'll be honest: the kid doesn't strike me as your type."

"What did you think my type is?" Ivory giggled a little and Joe shrugged.

"Hell, I don't know. I imagined you'd end up with a black guy or something. Or probably another Squaw. You tend to keep to yourselves it seems."

"Joe, that's probably the meanest thing you've ever said."

"Bullshit, kid. I've said worse," Joe said.

"It's the meanest thing you've ever said to me," Ivory replied.

"Don't be that way, kid. You know I love ya'," Joe said and patted Ivory's back. She smiled and gave Joe a hug. "Honestly, you've caused me more grief since you started working here than my daughter has her whole life."

"She just wasn't working hard enough," Ivory said and Joe huffed a laugh.

"Trust me, she's been working really hard," Joe said. "Do you want me to tell Ben you've got a boyfriend now or do you plan to?"

"Why would I need to tell Ben?" Ivory asked.

"Because he's been asking you out since you started working here?"

"And I've always politely declined and will continue to do so," Ivory answered.

"If you say so," Joe said. "I'll be on the lookout for your communist boyfriend. No promises I'll be nice to him, though."

"Joe, he's not a communist," Ivory said irritably and pinched his shoulder.

"Whatever, kid. Now get to work. These people won't lose all their money themselves."

"That's not necessarily true, but I'll be happy to help," Ivory giggled and finally went to her assigned table to start the night.

Once at her table, it wasn't long before Ivory was swarmed with eager patrons wanting to try their hands at the Craps table. Back at the house, Anatoli slept in long after Ivory left but when he finally woke, he went to take a shower ensuring that he shaved. By then, he desperately needed it. After he was clean and in fresh clothes, he met Tamara in the kitchen who was making herself an omelet for dinner.

"Good afternoon, sleepy head," Tamara said. "Now, I specifically told you I didn't want you and Ivory sharing a bed."

"I am sorry," Anatoli said, "by time we return, I was too tired to argue."

"Yes, I suspected as much. I already gave Ivory my two cents, but if she argues with you, then you sleep on the couch. Okay?"

"Yes, Tamara," Anatoli answered respectfully.

"Good," she said. "So tell me Anatoli," she began, changing the subject, "it might be a bit soon, but given Ivory's downright smitten with you, have the two of you talked about closing the gap? Living situation wise I mean."

"I do not think I know what you mean," Anatoli said.

"I mean are you planning to move here to Las Vegas or has she voiced a desire to move to Forks permanently?"

"Oh," Anatoli said, "no, we have not discussed. Now is not good time I leave home. Mama still need all the help she can get for the twins."

"I can understand that," Tamara said. "Do you currently have a preference as to which you want to do?"

"I not think about it, no," Anatoli answered honestly.

"I guess at this point you two wouldn't have talked about that," Tamara said. "Can I ask you an honest question?" Anatoli nodded nervously. "Do you love my daughter?"

"Do I love her?" Anatoli asked, a little baffled by the question.

"Yeah. Do you love her?"

"I…" Anatoli was at a loss for a moment, not expecting Tamara to be so direct. In truth, he'd not really thought about it. When he and Ivory started seeing one another he was just 'doing' as it were; just enjoying himself with a woman that was a lot of fun to be around.

"You're taking an unsettlingly long time to answer me there, Anatoli," Tamara said.

"Is not…I just never really….I was surprised by your question," Anatoli finally managed.

"I would assume that you care deeply for her at least," Tamara said. "A man doesn't drive two days to Nevada from Washington for a fling."

"A fling?"

"I mean you would not bother making the long trip here if your relationship with Ivory was just temporary."

"No, I do not think is temporary," Anatoli answered and then leaned against the wall started to rub his face. "Look, Tamara, forgive me if I do not express well; English still hard language. But I do have feeling for Ivory. Is not that I think she is…sudas…Kurva…how you say in English?"

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess by 'Kurva' you mean 'whore'?"

"Yes," Anatoli nodded, "that is word in English. I do not think of Ivory in that way. Is more than that. I just am not in position to offer what I think you imply."

"You're not in a position to love my daughter?" Tamara asked, raising a brow while trying to stay patient.

"That is not what I mean to say," Anatoli said and groaned. "I feel you imply we should talk about marry. Or get marry….married?"

"Ah," Tamara said, almost ready to giggle now. "I see. You think I'm trying to pressure the two of you to move your relationship along faster than it is?"

"Yes," Anatoli answered.

"Well, rest assured I'm not. It's far too soon for that; I agree. I'm just trying to determine if you love my daughter. She's certainly madly in love with you. You do know what I mean by 'love' right?"

"My English is not that bad," Anatoli grumbled. "If you want answer to be truthful, I think Ivory is wonderful woman. I like her a lot." Tamara stared at Anatoli a moment, not changing her expression. She seemed to not like the answer she was getting. Eventually, though, she shrugged and platted her omelet.

"Alright, I'll let the two of you figure it out," Tamara said. "Just remember who you'd have to deal with should anything go wrong." Tamara smiled and winked at him before taking her plate to the table. Anatoli chuckled a little, unable to help himself.

After asking if it was alright, Anatoli helped himself to some food as well as finishing his coffee that Ivory had placed on her nightstand for him. Afterwards, he really wanted to see Ivory so he left the house to go to the casino. Once he arrived, he went inside just as he had the night before and went to the Wild West room looking for Ivory. While he was looking, he heard someone whistle and it caught his attention. He looked at a man that he recognized from the night before. Once Anatoli was looking at him, the man motioned for him to come forward. Anatoli hesitated long enough for the man in question to roll his eyes and lose his patience.

"Damn it, get your ass over here!" the man said and Anatoli complied though not too eagerly.

"I am here to see Ivory," Anatoli said, already defensive.

"I figured as much, Ruski," the man said.

"What you just fucking call me?" Anatoli said.

"Calm down, I'm not trying to pick a fight with you," the man said. "Ivory gave me the heads up who you are. I figured I'll introduce myself to you properly. Name's Joe Henderson. I'm the head Pit Boss here. Ivory's a friend of mine."

"Well, is good to meet you," Anatoli answered, calming down a little but not much.

"And don't mind the Ruski shit. I fought on the Eastern front during the war so I've had my fair share of Russians back in 44'. Can't say as I was a fan."

"Neither was I," Anatoli said.

"Ivory said you're German?"

"Mama is German and French she say. My birth father German. I do not know him."

"How'd you end up in Lithuania?"

"When born, my birth father take me away. I think so at least. I know I end up with couple from Lithuania who raise me. I escape Lithuania with help from a friend. He give me Exit Visa and I escape to West through Berlin."

"How'd you end up in America?"

"I try to find mama. I only know at the time I need to go to Dachau. Is where I was born. A professor in Munich show me newspaper of man that save my mama. I make plan to flee to America but I need money, so I try working in Paris. As it turn out, mama was in Paris. My half-sister have her Bot Mitzvah and a trip to Paris was her present. I reconnect with mama and they take me to America."

"A huh," Joe said. "That's a pretty remarkable coincidence."

"I do not question a good thing."

"I guess you shouldn't given your position," Joe answered. "How old are you?"

"20," Anatoli answered.

"And you work as a….contractor am I right."

"Yes, sir," Anatoli answered. "I was electrician when I live in Lithuania and Ivory's family friend was able to give me work."

"Another bit of pleasant coincidence."

"Best left appreciated; not questioned."

"Answer of a man that knows how good he's got it," Joe said. "So tell me, Anatoli," he continued as he took out a pack of cigarettes, putting one in his mouth and then offering one to Anatoli. Normally he'd not, but he needed to relax and accepted. Joe lit Anatoli's cigarette before lighting his own. Once lit, he finally proceeded with his thought. "Are you a man that knows how good he's got it when he has a good woman on his arm?"

"Ivory is wonderful," Anatoli said. "I am very lucky."

"Yes, you are," Joe sighed a little. "Ivory has made clear that I'm to be very nice to you. Unfortunately for you, I love that girl like a daughter, so you haven't earned me being nice to you. What you have earned is a good grilling."

"I do not want to cause trouble, Mr. Henderson. I just come to see Ivory," Anatoli said in an exasperated tone.

"Who said anything about causing trouble? I just want to get to know the shlub Ivory's currently shacked up with."

"Currently?" Anatoli asked in a mean tone, feeling like the man was trying to bate him.

"She's a beautiful girl, kid. You're not the first goose trying to win over the swan. Though to your credit, she actually seems to think seriously of you."

"Well, I think serious of her," Anatoli said.

"Do you?" Joe asked perhaps skeptically. "So this thing you two have; it started this past Christmas right?"

"We meet when she visit for Christmas, yes," Anatoli answered.

"Okay," Joe said, taking a drag from his cigarette. "So you've met her parents?"

"Yes," Anatoli answered. After the first puff of his cigarette, Anatoli kept it between his fingers.

"So do you plan to keep this thing you two have long distance or are there plans to move closer to one another?"

"We have not discussed that yet," Anatoli said.

"But you plan to?" Anatoli only nodded awkwardly. "Okay, good. And you make good money?"

"That is not your business."

"You're dating a young woman that deserves a man that can take care of her. You have very much made it my business," Joe said. "Now answer my damn question: do you make good money?"

"I make good salary, yes," Anatoli answered.

"Yet as I understand it, you still live with your parents? At your age?"

"Is more convenient for mama that I am home right now. I have twin brother and sister that need a lot of attention."

"Which is why you're fucking around here in Vegas; I see," Joe said condescendingly.

"Where is Ivory, Mr. Henderson?" Anatoli asked in a frustrated tone.

"Craps Table Eight," Joe answered. Anatoli put out his cigarette on an available table and was about to walk past Joe when the man held up an arm to stop him. "She's a good girl. You remember how lucky you are."

"Yes, sir," Anatoli answered and then forced his way past the man. He looked around until he found the table Ivory was hosting. She saw him and smiled, waving him over to her table. Anatoli finally smiled and approached her until he was standing beside her at the table. Anatoli leaned over to give her a kiss which she accepted.

"Hey doll, how 'bout a kiss for the rest of us poor bastards?" one of the men in the crowd said making the whole group laugh.

Elsewhere in the Wild West room, another security guard was making his assigned rounds. He'd been stationed in the Wild Card room for the past several days – a large party going on – and was eager to finally return to working the Wild West room. He'd seen Ivory at her assigned table early in her shift and was making his usual parameters around her table always staying close. While doing so, he noticed Joe talking an unusually long time with a patron but otherwise thought nothing of it until that same patron went to Ivory's table and the two of them kissed. The sight was enough to send him in a fury. He glanced at Joe again who was watching the exchange as well and the security guard rushed over to confront Joe.

"Evening, Ben," Joe said.

"Who the hell's that guy?" Ben asked irritably.

"What guy?"

"You know what guy," Ben said. "That guy you were just talking to that just kissed Ivory."

"Calm down, Ben; now's not the time to try being a macho man," Joe said. "You're on the clock."

"Who is that guy?"

"He's Ivory's boyfriend," Joe said bluntly.

"Her boyfriend? Since when does she have a boyfriend?"

"Since Christmas as I understand it," Joe said. "He's a good kid. Had a hot streak of good luck since coming to America and he's working as a contractor in Washington. Good, stable profession. Good money. Doesn't smoke either. I gave the kid a cigarette and after one puff he just kept it to one side so he wouldn't offend me."

"He's not American?"

"As Ivory explained, he's German born and is a holocaust survivor. He ended up in Lithuania and was able to escape and reconnect with his mother."

"Jesus," Ben rolled his eyes and looked back in Ivory's direction catching her smiling at the man in question.

"Ben, don't act like a scorned lover. Ivory never accepted your advances so you really have no reason to behave this way."

"She never said anything to me about having a boyfriend since December."

"She doesn't owe you an explanation, kid," Joe said. "Look, just take it from an old grizzled bastard: there are plenty of fish in the sea, so just let it go and move on."

Clearly not getting any sympathy from Joe, Ben walked away with a grimace and got back to his rounds, though he kept a close eye on the table Ivory was working at. In the meantime, Ivory got her patrons through a few more rounds and several left after they'd lost their last of the chips they had. Whether it would be to get more chips or were calling it a night had yet to be seen.

"Did you want to get a drink?" Ivory asked.

"I might. Do you want me to get you something?"

"I'm on the clock so I can't now."

"Oh, right, sorry," Anatoli said.

Ivory smiled, "You go ahead and get yourself a drink and tell Drake to bill me for it."

"No, you don't have to."

"I insist," Ivory smiled. "Help yourself to a drink and just come right back."

"Okay," Anatoli smiled back and walked away to the bar to grab himself something to drink. When he got to the bar, Drake was helping some other customers but he waved at Anatoli to let him know he'd be right over. While Anatoli was waiting, someone in a suit walked up to him and based on the look on the man's face, Anatoli was immediately on defense.

"How do you know Ivory?" the man asked.

"Excuse me?" Anatoli asked back, surprised by the sudden question from a man he'd never met or seen before.

"I asked how do you know Ivory?"

"We meet during Christmas and we start dating. Who the hell are you?"

"Name's Ben. I don't know what Ivory told you, but she's taken. So back off."

"What?"

"I said she's taken," Ben repeated.

"Yes, by me," Anatoli bit back.

"No, by me. Two years now," Ben said. Anatoli was at a loss and, with his silence, Ben continued. "She's my girlfriend, so I suggest you back off now."

"Do you always let your girlfriend sleep with other men?" Anatoli asked sarcastically.

"You let me deal with that. All you need to do is back off my girl."

"Ben," Drake spoke up, getting the man's attention. Before another word was said and Drake could get to the other side of the bar where they were, Ben gave Anatoli a dirty look and walked off. Anatoli couldn't believe what just happened and his gut reaction was to be livid. "Anatoli-" Drake's voice came, but Anatoli left the bar in a huff and then went back to his car. He needed some air. "James," Drake said to another bartender behind the counter, "I'll be right back. Cover for me." Drake went right to the Wild West room to look for Ivory and once he did, he went straight to her table.

"Drake, what are you doing here? Is it your break already?" she asked glancing at the large clock in the room.

"Ivory, Anatoli just left."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know, but he looked like he and Ben were having an argument and by the time I got to the other side of the bar, he'd left. He looked pissed."

"Ladies and gentleman," Ivory immediately turned her attention to the patrons at the table that had, thankfully, not heard what she and Drake were talking about, "I'm so sorry, but I'll need to switch out with someone. I'll get someone over shortly to return to the game." Ivory left just as the patrons were asking what was going on and Ivory went straight to Joe. "Joe, can you please get another girl on my table? Anatoli left after Ben was talking to him."

"Ah, shit," Joe groaned and rubbed his face, figuring he knew exactly what had happened. "Go on. I'll take care of it."

"Thank you," Ivory said and then rushed out of the casino. Anatoli wasn't right outside, but she searched the parking lot until she finally found his car. She went to the car and found Anatoli in the driver's seat with his head against the headrest, eyes closed. "Anatoli?" Ivory said to get his attention. The window was open, so he heard her without trouble and looked right at her.

"Ivory?"

"Do you mind if I come into the car?" Ivory asked. She could tell Anatoli was upset, but he nodded and reached over to the other side of the car while Ivory came around and got into the car while Anatoli got the window closed so they could talk privately. Once she was in, she scooted over so she was close but didn't get too close. "Anatoli, what happened? Drake told me you left suddenly." Anatoli didn't answer right away but when he did, it was after looking at her a moment.

"Who's Ben?"

"Ben is one of the security guards here at the casino," Ivory answered bluntly.

"He said you are his girlfriend of two years," Anatoli said as calmly as possible.

"He told you we're dating?" Ivory asked, her face contorting in frustration and perhaps disgust.

"Yes," Anatoli said. "He said you and he dating two years and I need to back off."

"Well, he can go fuck himself 'cause none of that's true," Ivory answered without hesitation. Anatoli continued to look at her trying to determine if she was lying. His first thought was to assume that if what Ben were saying was true, Joe would have said something, Tamara would have said something, or even Nathan or Jaedynn would have said something, but then Joe did mention plenty of men went after her in his own words, but then, just because men chased her didn't mean they'd won the race. "Anatoli, I promise: Ben and I have never been in a relationship. He's been asking me out since I started working here and I've always told him no. It's been almost two years of him asking me out and me telling him 'no'. He wasn't really mean about it, just persistent so I didn't really think about it."

"So he lie to me?" Anatoli asked.

"Yes," Ivory said, "blatantly. And I'm really sorry." The two of them looked at each other for a little while. She looked like she might start crying but was doing her best to answer him as calmly as possible. Anatoli reached his hand up to touch her cheek and she quickly took a hold of it with her own and tears fell, but she kept looking at him, pleading for him to believe she was telling him the truth.

"Truly nothing happen between you two? Past or present?"

"Nothing whatsoever," Ivory said. "And nothing ever will happen. I want to be with you." Ivory moved the last bit closer so she was sitting right beside him and their knees touched.

Anatoli looked at her a little while longer. He believed her and now he felt stupid taking anything that guy had said to heart. Eventually, Anatoli leaned his head forward and pressed his lips to hers. Ivory wrapped her arms around his neck once they started kissing and Anatoli got her situated so she was sitting in his lap. The kiss stayed chase while Ivory waited for any kind of response from him. When he pulled away from her, he looked into her eyes apologetically.

"I am sorry," Anatoli finally said. "I should not have taken what he say seriously."

Ivory hugged him and laid her head against his chest. Anatoli kissed the top of her head and then leaned his head down to kiss her lips. They kissed for a long time in his car. He started trailing his hand up her leg until he was touching her bare hip under the constraints of her mini-skirt. Ivory took her lips away so she could start kissing his clean-shaven chin and neck and Anatoli started kissing her neck while he squeezed the tender flesh of her hip. When Anatoli started to gently suck on her skin right at her neck, he felt her tremble and held her a little tighter, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Will you come back inside with me?" Ivory asked.

"In a minute," Anatoli said and laid her down on the seat of his truck and Ivory started giggling. " I need apologize for how I act."

"Anatoli," Ivory sighed when his lips started to press against her skin, "I don't have my purse with me. I don't have any condoms."

"I have in glove box," Anatoli said as he was kissing down her neck and chest until he reached the top of her blouse.

"Okay," Ivory moaned and relented with a smile. "We had better be quick, though."

"We just reconcile and you want it be quick?" Anatoli poked fun and gently tugged her bodice down only enough so her bra was exposed but because of the corset he couldn't pull it down any further.

"No, I don't want it be quick, I just need to get back inside," Ivory teased and giggled when Anatoli nipped her though making sure not to break the skin.

Anatoli started kissing his way down her body, kissing through the barrier of her corset until he reached her legs. Ivory laced her fingers through his hair eagerly awaiting what she hoped he was about to do. Yet he teased her ruthlessly. Anatoli kissed up and down both her thighs, driving her crazy and decidedly not being quick about it. She didn't care. If Joe wanted to yell at her about it, she'd gladly call this an early dinner break. Finally, Anatoli came down to her, pulling her panties aside and giving attention to her most sensitive spot causing her to release a trembling whimper. She wanted so badly in that moment to tell Anatoli she loved him; that she'd loved him from the moment she saw him, but she forced herself not to. Now wasn't the time. She didn't want there to be any shred of a doubt that she was being completely heartfelt in her declaration and she feared if she told him now, it would be misconstrued as insincere.

Anatoli stayed between her legs for several minutes using his tongue to bring Ivory closer and closer to her release. Her body felt tighter and tighter until she finally felt as though she'd snapped, achieving her orgasm. When she did, she tried to keep herself quiet but she cried out just a little with pleasure, tightening her hold on the strands of his hair and Anatoli kept going until she finally relaxed. Once she had, Anatoli reached over to his glove box and pulled out a condom. He applied their protection swiftly and was inside her once it was in place. Since she'd reached her release and since she'd expressed a need for them to return inside, Anatoli worked towards his own release while Ivory laid back content to allow him access while she enjoyed the aftermath of her orgasm. Once Anatoli had finished, he came down and kissed her passionately until they both needed to come up for air.

"We had better get back inside," Ivory finally said.

"Okay," Anatoli said and finally parted from her.

The two of them got themselves cleaned up and Anatoli found a garbage can to dispose of the condom while Ivory took a moment to clean up her lipstick. She cleaned it off Anatoli once he returned to the car and once ready they walked back to the casino today hand in hand. This time, Ivory went up to the bar and ordered Anatoli the whiskey on the rocks she knew he'd want and they returned to the Wild West room together. Ivory looked for Joe and ran up to him once she found him with Anatoli close behind her.

"I take it the two of you made up?" Joe asked.

"Yes, everything's fine," Ivory said.

"Don't worry about Ben; I'll deal with him," Joe said, holding up his hand to silence Ivory when she was about to make the inquiry. Then Joe glanced down at her neck, rolled his eyes and then went into his inner coat pocket to pull out a yellow handkerchief. "Tell Anatoli to start placing there's somewhere out of sight from now on."

"What are you-" Ivory started but then glanced down seeing a hickey on her chest and thought it likely there were more. She took the handkerchief and tied it stylishly around her neck to cover them up.

"Better," Joe said. "Now get back on the floor. I have you reassigned to Roulette Table 4. You can relieve Matilda."

"Thanks Joe," Ivory smiled and grabbed Anatoli's hand to take him with her to her new table assignment. After she ran off, Joe searched around until he finally found Ben in the break room. He was sitting at one of the tables writing, appearing as though he were stewing.

"Ben," Joe said and got his attention. Ben closed the notebook he was writing in so he was giving Joe his full attention.

"Yeah, Boss?" Ben asked.

"What did you say to Anatoli to make him storm out?"

"Hell, I didn't say anything," Ben said defensively. "I just introduced myself; that's all."

"A huh. And how did you introduce yourself exactly?"

"I told him ivory and I were friends."

"Friends, Ben?" Joe asked skeptically. "Look, Ben, my time is valuable so just tell me right now what happened so I don't have to start investigating this. If I have to investigate, you'll just make it worse for yourself."

"Christ, fine," Ben said. "I told him Ivory was mine and to back off."

"You told him you and Ivory were in a relationship? And you thought that would end well?"

"I'd hoped pretty boy would take a walk and I'd take care of the rest from there," Ben said.

"Alright, Ben, I'm trying to be patient with you. Really, I am. I get it: Ivory's a beautiful young woman. But she's not the only pretty face out there."

"It's not just that."

"Really? And what else do you know about her exactly?"

"I know enough."

"Like what?"

"Enough," Ben insisted.

"For shit's sake Ben," Joe groaned and rubbed his face. "You need to learn to pick your battles. I'll be frank: at least right now? You don't stand a chance. Ivory's pretty much head over heels for this guy. I mean it: you're better off just moving on."

"He's not that great. She'll get over him eventually."

"Ben," Joe said and placed his hands on table leaning down so he was looking right at Ben. "She's just not that into you. So save yourself the trouble, okay?"

"I happen to think she's worth fighting for."

"When you've got a chance, sure," Joe said and stood up straight. "I don't want to have this conversation again, Ben. Enjoy the rest of your break and I'll see you when you get back to the floor."

Ending their conversation there, Joe left the cafeteria and returned back to the Wild West room. Ben stayed at his seat, opened back up his little notebook and get back to what he'd been doing. Anatoli stayed at the casino with Ivory watching her lead the patrons in the roulette wheel having a great time. Except one man that lost about $200 and had to be forcefully escorted out of the casino because he wouldn't calm down. Anatoli would see Ben patrolling the room now and then and every time he saw the man, it would send a fresh wave of anger through him, but he'd put it from his mind. Or he tried to at least. At one point in the night, he stepped away to the bar to get a new drink and while he did, he noticed Ben look right at him, the same dirty look. Not wanting to take that lying down but also not wanting to make a scene or get Ivory in trouble, Anatoli settled for flipping him off before placing his order for his second drink for the night. Doing so didn't help the situation any and it certainly didn't accomplish anything, but Anatoli was happy just to have acted out somehow. And when he returned to the Roulette table with Ivory, every time he noticed Ben doing his rounds, Anatoli always made a point to rub her back affectionately just to hit home his point.

Meanwhile back home, Eun Mi figuratively and literally had her hands full with the twins yet, true to form, she made it look effortless. Regardless, JJ kept the boys in line making sure they helped out around the house, did the dishes so Eun Mi didn't have to, help her with the gardening, help her with cleaning the house and anything else Eun Mi needed help with. Since they were expecting Yon and Tae Woon to come visiting that summer, Eun Mi was especially strict with how she wanted this consistently situated and Jae Sun helped her a lot in the way of directing his little brothers. And he wasn't above being just a little smug with having authority over his little brothers, though JJ or Eun Mi made sure it didn't get to his head. One evening at the beginning of May, JJ had gotten the boys all to bed and went to take a shower while Eun Mi attended to the twins. By the time JJ got out of the shower, Eun Mi was already in bed appearing to already be asleep, so JJ got into bed with her. He was about to turn off the light when Eun Mi turned around in bed so she was looking at him.

"Everything alright? I thought you were already asleep." Before Eun Mi answered, Popo poked into the room and hopped onto the end of the bed. JJ's answer was to stare at the cat a moment and Eun Mi smiled. "Stupid cat."

"I'm alright," Eun Mi answered JJ's previous question. "I actually wanted to talk to you about something."

"What did you want to talk about?"

Eun Mi got herself onto her elbow before answering. "I've been thinking. I'd really like to add a chicken coop to the backyard and get some chickens."

"You mean live chickens?"

"Well, yes, of course live chickens. Why have a chicken coop without chickens?"

"Why do you want chickens?"

"Because the boys love eggs and we spend so much on them I thought it would be more feasible to have our own chickens. Chickens are also fantastic for gardening. In the off seasons, chickens will eat the weeds, stems and overripe vegetables. And they eat the insects that might harm the crops. And while they're going that, they scratch and kick at the soil mixing it up which is good for produce production. Besides, I used to have neighbors with chickens when I was a child and my mother and I had a chicken in our garden when we were living outside Pyongyang. I have my garden and now I'd like a chicken coop with some chickens."

"Will you want pigs and cows too?" JJ asked sarcastically making Eun Mi giggle.

"If we have the space."

"Okay, no," JJ said. "We're not getting pigs and cows. Honestly, Eun Mi, I don't even eat meat."

"You don't, but the kids do," Eun Mi said. "Besides, I was only kidding. I just want chickens."

"And how do you plan to protect these chickens, Mrs. Dauer if you please? Those little chickens would be faced with wolves, foxes, mountain lions or wolverines. Have you ever dealt with a wolverine, Eun Mi? They're fucking assholes."

"We would just need to make sure their enclosure has high fencing."

"And if one of those creatures decides to burrow under the fence?"

"We make sure the fence is really deep. Remember our neighbor in Korea? Mr. Bo?"

"No," JJ said.

"Well, he's one of our neighbors in that village. And what he does is he has a large house sized enclosure and he makes sure the fence goes deep into the ground and he has rocks in front of them."

"And how exactly does he get it? A latter?"

"No," Eun Mi smiled, "the door operates normally. He just has a hole the that part of the fencing with a step so the door is elevated. I know you've seen this man's chicken coop, JJ."

"If I have, I don't remember," JJ said.

"Well, anyway, we could make sure the enclosure is secure so nothing can get in and every now and then, I can let the chickens out to stretch their legs a little more."

JJ was quiet for just a moment before turning off the light and lying down. "I'll think about it," JJ finally said.

"I would very much like to have chickens to raise, JJ. I would really love silkie chickens. That's what our neighbor in Korea has," Eun Mi said.

"I said I'll think about it, Eun Mi," JJ answered and turned on his side so his back was facing her. Eun Mi smiled and kissed JJ's neck and then laid down for bed. The following day, JJ went to work as usual. Before he'd even gotten to work, JJ had decided they didn't need chickens and was content to just tell her no. But then a customer in particular came in to get some supplies and JJ almost groaned.

"Good morning, JJ. How's the family?" Mrs. Johnson asked when she got to the register with her items. "How's Eun Mi adjusting to the twins?"

"Effortlessly like she always does," JJ said, smiling a little. "I'll tell you what, Mrs. Johnson. I'm a little sore with you for coming into my shop today."

"Why? What did I do?"

"Well, last night, Eun Mi tells me that she would just love to have her own chicken coop in our backyard. I told her I'd think about it and I was ready to just say no, but then you walk in and now I have to at least ask you. Would you happen to be able to give or sell me some chicken eggs so Eun Mi could start her coop?"

Mrs. Johnson breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "You had me thinking you were mad at me. How many chickens would you want?"

"I don't know," JJ shrugged, "I guess five would be plenty."

"Did she say whether she say what she wanted the chickens for? Eggs? Meat? Or just companions?"

"She specified eggs, though I wouldn't put it past her to use them for meat eventually."

"I would suggest ten if you're planning to use any of them for meat, but if eggs is her primary goal, I'd recommend seven. It'll give you plenty of eggs, leave enough so the chickens can eat the eggs and if Eun Mi wants to cook one, it won't be a such a large deficit in egg production."

"The chickens eat the eggs?" JJ asked, scrunching his nose.

"Oh, yes. Producing eggs with that degree of frequency is laborious work for the poor things. Eating the unfertilized eggs helps them get some of that nutrients back."

"A huh," JJ mumbled. "So if I wanted to buy 7 fertilized eggs from you, what would it cost?"

"I'll tell you want: you let me have a half off discount on my things and those seven chicken eggs are yours." JJ glanced at the items she was purchasing and did the mental math in his head. All in all, $17 for 7 fertilized chicken eggs. JJ groaned a little to himself and then nodded.

"Alright, Mrs. Johnson. You've got yourself a deal."

"Pleasure doing business with you, JJ," Mrs. Johnson beamed and got her wallet ready while JJ rung her up. "I have some very handsome roosters and chickens that will give Eun Mi some very healthy babies. I'll get to work on that and I'll have you seven fertilized eggs in no time."

"Do you suppose you could give me silkie chickens? That's what Eun Mi said she'd really like."

"Silkie chickens?" Mrs. Johnson asked. "I'm afraid I don't have any," she became thoughtful, "but I'll tell you what: I have a good friend that lives down in Aberdeen that got himself some silkie chickens. He may want extra since they're harder to find."

"Do you think you could give me five eggs from your brood and two from his silkie chicken brood?"

"Not a problem at all. They aren't likely to hatch at the same time, but so long as they hatch around the same time they'll get along wonderfully."

"And I can't just get one chicken I assume?"

"I cannot recommend against that enough," Mrs. Johnson insisted. "You need to have at least two and that's the bare minimum. Chickens are social and they need to be around other chickens in order to be happy and healthy."

"Of course they do," JJ groaned. "I don't suppose you have any structure recommendations for the actual chicken coop?"

"Absolutely," Mrs. Johnson smiled. "I actually have some blue prints that you can review, but all you really need is a structure with a roof and that's tall enough for you to stand in so you can clean it. I realize this is for Eun Mi, but given she'll likely expect you or the boys to help her, I'd recommend making sure it's at least seven feet in height. Also, you need to have a bed for every three birds. In your case, I suggest having four beds for the birds. Make sure they have an abundance of space to walk around but keep them in an area where predators can't get to them."

"Eun Mi will know what to do," JJ said. "And thank you for all your help. When do you think we could expect those eggs?"

"I'll reach out to that friend of mine and get back to you. Spring is a good season for chickens to lay eggs so I don't anticipate it'll take very long. Make sure you get a box with a blanket and a heat lamp to keep the eggs at a consistent and warm temperature. I can let you use my incubator if you want."

"That would be fantastic, thank you," JJ said.

"I'll look into getting you some baby silkie chickens and some eggs from my chickens and make sure they hatch around the same time. I'll have an update for you by tomorrow."

"Thanks for your help Mrs. Johnson."

"You're welcome, JJ. I'll be in touch," Mrs. Johnson said and left with her purchase.

At the end of the day when JJ returned home, he could hear the children playing in the backyard. He step inside the house but no one was there, so he went out to the back yard where everyone was. The boys were playing and Eun Mi had the twins in her arms and her ghostly hands were tending the garden but her back was to the garden. Her attention was focused on a section of the garden that had been overrun with arugula. Eun Mi had only intended there to be a small patch of arugula in their garden but it had overtaken the garden. JJ had never had arugula before Eun Mi started growing it, but now they ate it all the time and he hated it. He ate it with a smile on his face, but he hated it. At the moment, Eun Mi looked as though she were inspecting the space.

"What are you doing?" JJ asked.

"I am trying to decide where to put the coop," Eun Mi said. "I think we'll put it here: let the chickens start helping with all this arugula."

"I haven't said yes about getting chickens Eun Mi. I said I'd think about it," JJ said firmly. Eun Mi looked up at him lovingly.

"I know you aren't sold on having chickens, but I still think they would be a nice addition to our garden."

"They're animals, Eun Mi, not flowers," JJ said.

"They're just like flowers: they contribute to the health of the garden. Flowers make bees come to pollinate and chickens help keep a garden weed free."

"Yes, Eun Mi, you told me. I said I'd think about it," JJ said. Eun Mi smiled at him. JJ sighed and went back inside to get freshened up and to relax.

As she promised, the following day Mrs. Johnson came into the shop with some blueprints and some good news: her friend in Aberdeen confirmed that he'd sell three fertilized Silkie chicken eggs to him and the two of them would work with each other to ensure the conception dates were as close together as possible. She let JJ know to expect the eggs in another week and a half along with the incubator she'd be lending them. JJ thanked her and reviewed the blueprints, but they were definitely different than what he suspected Eun Mi would want design wise. He'd still run them by Jacob so they could build a coop Eun Mi would like. Once he came home that day, Eun Mi was making dinner already as the boys were getting the house cleaned.

"Jae Sun," Eun Mi said as soon as JJ walked into the house, "이걸 네 아버지에게 줘, 제발." (igeol ne abeojiege jwo, jebal/Give this to your father, please) Jae Sun went right to Eun Mi accepting the bottle she'd handed him with a ghostly hand and came over to hand it to JJ. It was an unmarked bottle but he could tell by the smell it was her rice wine.

"Special occasion?" JJ asked Eun Mi and taking a sip of the bottle of rice wine.

"No," Eun Mi answered with a sweet smile and JJ almost laughed, but he refrained and instead took another sip of the wine.

"Well, it's delicious, Eun Mi," JJ said and went upstairs to change out of his work clothes.

Over the weekend when JJ had a chance, he went to Embry with the blue prints he'd received from Mrs. Johnson and then worked together to come up with a design that was unique and that Eun Mi would like. Eventually they came up with something appropriate, but the next step was to have the coop installed in the backyard around the same time Mrs. Johnson gave JJ the eggs all without Eun Mi noticing until it was time to show it to her. And so began the process of trying to keep Eun Mi out of the house for the entirety of a day so they could get the coop set up. Day before Mrs. Johnson confirmed she'd be bringing in the eggs, one of Eun Mi's many cooking students came into the store.

"Maggie?" JJ called her name when she came in.

"Yes, JJ?"

"Can I ask you to do me a huge favor?"

"What's that?"

"Has Eun Mi ever taught you guys to make Ox Bone soup?"

"She hasn't in our group. Isn't that an all day kind of soup?"

"Yes, it is," JJ said. "Look, I'm trying to surprise Eun Mi with some eggs and a chicken coop and I need her out of the house for the day. Do you suppose you and the other ladies in the class could demand a start to finish demonstration of Ox Bone soup? It's Jae Sun's favorite so I'll make sure he helps you in the persuasion."

"Well…" Maggie said thoughtfully, "I'll talk to the others and see if we can all be here around 11 for an early class. We usually bring our own ingredients, so what will we need to have? Besides the bones of course."

"I know you need Nappa cabbage."

"Eun Mi usually brings that sort of thing. Our next class isn't scheduled until the end of the month, though."

"I'm sure Eun Mi could be convinced to have an early class. I'll even make sure it's a free class. Call it a customer appreciation class. Do you think the class can be held this Saturday?"

"I'll see what I can work out," Maggie said. "Make sure you have little Jae Sun working on convincing her too."

"You bet," JJ smiled. "Your bill's on the house today for all your help."

"Oh, no, JJ, I can't let you do that," Maggie answered.

"No, please Maggie. I insist."

"Well, if you insist," Maggie smiled and retreated to look for the things she had come in for. As soon as she paid for her things, she promised she'd make a few calls and let him know as soon as she had an answer from the other classmates. Before JJ left the store, Maggie came back in with good news that all the girls in the class were happy to have an all day class this coming Saturday especially if it was free of charge and a student appreciation meal. Once JJ had his answer, he thanked Maggie and asked that she give Eun Mi a call once she returned home. In the meantime, JJ went to the phone in the shop and dialed the house.

"Hello?" came Eun Mi's voice after two rings.

"Eun Mi, its JJ. Can I speak to Jae Sun for a second?"

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah everything's fine," JJ quickly answered. "I just need to talk to him about something."

"Alright," Eun Mi answered. JJ heard Eun Mi call to Jae Sun in Korean and a moment later he heard the receiver being passed.

"Mom said you wanted to talk to me, dad?" Jae Sun asked.

"Yeah," JJ said. "I need you to do me a favor."

By the time JJ got home after closing up shop, he returned home to Jae Sun asking Eun Mi to please say yes to Maggie and the others in the class to make Ox Bone stew this Saturday promising he'd help etc. JJ smiled and ruffled Jae Sun's head while Eun Mi wasn't looking before he went upstairs to change. The following day, Mrs. Johnson brought the incubator with ten eggs. She gave him the care instructions and JJ brought the eggs to Natalie's and Suerro's house to make sure Eun Mi wouldn't see them. When Saturday came, Eun Mi made breakfast like she always did but quickly got the kids together so they could go into town, though JJ insisted that he would look after the twins. Once she was finally gone, Embry was at the house with Taraq and Bayok thirty minutes later to get started on the chicken coop.

"So what black magic did Eun Mi work to get you to agree to this?" Bayok teased.

"Same black magic she used to convince him to let her keep the cat," Taraq smiled and finished sawing one of the planks of wood.

"She wants chickens and at this point, I see no reason to say no," JJ said. "I did make clear there will be no pigs or cows, though."

"You say that now," Embry teased.

"I say that always. And if any of you start encouraging adding pigs and cows, I will see to it you all suffer dire consequences."

Embry and the twins laughed at JJ's expense and continued with their work. They managed to get the coop up and ready by two that afternoon and then got it set up the way Mrs. Johnson had started including water bowls and food. While they did that, JJ went to Natalie's to get the incubator of eggs and brought it to the back porch. Eun Mi didn't return with the boys until it was about dinner time. Anticipating Eun Mi would be gone all day, JJ had an early dinner at Natalie's but made sure he was home to welcome Eun Mi.

"How'd the class go?" JJ asked, sitting on the couch reading the newspaper.

"It went well," Eun Mi said. "I think from now on if I teach that recipe again, it'll be the last class in the course."

"That's fair," JJ said and put down the newspaper.

"How were the twins?" Eun Mi asked as she walked over to the basinet where they were sleeping next to JJ.

"They were great," JJ said. "So I have something to show you."

"You do?" JJ nodded and stood from the couch to take Eun Mi's hand and then led her outside where the incubator was. As soon as Eun Mi saw that, she then noticed the chicken coop. "You got me chickens?"

"Yes, I got you chickens," JJ said. "They aren't hatched yet, but Mrs. Johnson said they were fertilized about a week ago and they should have another three or so weeks before they hatch so long as we keep them in that incubator." Eun Mi stood away from the incubator and gave JJ a hug.

"Thank you, JJ," Eun Mi said.

"What do you think about the coop?"

"It's adorable," Eun MI smiled. "We'll need to let the chicks grow up a little before we keep them in the coop. We need to wait until they can keep warm on their own. I'll find a place to keep them where they'll be safe until then."

Eun Mi left JJ's side so she could return to the eggs to check on them with their sons hovering over the incubator as well, though given none of the eggs had hatched yet, they quickly grew bored with it. JJ was irritated that she was keeping the incubator in the living room protected by a cage so Popo couldn't get to the eggs, but it wasn't really in the way so he got over it by the start of the week. After building the coop, Embry and his brothers returned to the city and Embry went to Kevin's house to have dinner with the family. Caleb and Evalynn were at the house visiting and when Embry arrived, the girls were hanging out together on the playground while the boys were playing together in the front yard. While they were waiting for dinner, Embry, Kevin and Levi sat outside on the back porch enjoying a beer together while they talked. When Evalynn and Heather heard Embry, Kevin and Levi they glanced in their direction. Embry waved at Heather and Evalynn before getting comfortable in a lawn chair. While they did that, Heather's gaze lingered on Embry.

"You okay, Heather?" Evalynn asked when Heather was quiet for a while.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Heather said, still looking at Embry. He was wearing his work clothes which was just a pair of jeans and a white wife beater. He looked so strong and his hair was short like it was in his pictures from his service in the army. When she'd look at those pictures of Embry, she always thought he was handsome, but never thought much more about it. But for some reason, today with his jeans and white shirt, his muscular arms in view and his smile when Kevin said something funny, she suddenly felt butterflies. "Evie?" Heather said.

"Yeah?" Evalynn answered.

"Have you ever looked at someone and felt butterflies in your stomach?" Heather didn't see the perplexed look on Evalynn's face and she was too focused on Embry to notice how long she was quiet. Evalynn followed where Heather was staring and scrunched her nose a little.

"Isn't he older than Uncle Kevin?" Evalynn asked.

"Daddy's older than mom and they're in love."

"Not by…how old was Uncle Kevin when you were born? Forty five?"

"He doesn't look old," Heather defended. "Besides, it hardly matters."

"No, it matters. What would he have in common with a fourteen year old? Maybe you could gush over The Beatles and Embry can tell you about 'when I was your age, we didn't have cars or British boy bands and I remember trench warfare and giving a prostitute my bread for sex; you kids these days don't know true hardship'," Evalynn said, trying to impersonate Embry's voice but woefully failing.

"You're being disrespectful. He's a veteran," Heather said. "I think he's handsome."

"Eh," Evalynn shrugged.

"Not 'eh'," Heather said and finally turned around so she was facing Evalynn. "I'm not saying I'd do anything."

"I'd suggest against it. A crush is cute, action is a criminal offense," Evalynn said. "And for Embry specifically."

"Shut up," Heather mumbled.