Cate stared at Jon for a
long moment, her eyes glittering. Then a
faltering smile curved her mouth.
"Yes. Of course.
We're okay... why wouldn't we be?"
Jon silently cursed himself
for letting her turn the question back to him after giving her cursory
answer. It was a classic interrogation
tactic, one she had taught him. And one
she used too well. He took a breath
before answering honestly but cautiously.
"I don't know. It's just... I guess things aren't like they
used to be." He rubbed his free
hand over her thigh that rested across his lap.
Cate blinked and looked
down at Jon's hand. Her gaze settled on
his wedding band and again her heart squeezed guiltily.
"No, they're
not," she agreed quietly. "But
Jon... we can't expect them to be. We're
not the same people we were when we met.
Of course we've
changed." Her lips curved again,
this time her smile more confident.
"We've grown. Together. That's what happens in a marriage. In a good one, anyway."
Cate watched Jon's hand pause,
then lift from her leg. She felt his
finger curl under her chin, lifting her head to guide her gaze back to his handsome,
earnest face.
"It is a good one, isn't it?" Need tinged his quiet question.
Cate's expression
softened. She looked deep into the azure
pools and saw they were clouded with worry.
"Yes, Baby. We're fine."
Jon's finger slipped from
beneath her chin to trace across her jaw.
"I just... I worry."
Jon's voice was soft and husky.
"About you. All you've dealt
with for over a year now... I know you say you're okay but I can see how hard
you take things. I understand, Baby,
that it's not easy for you... for us...
to get in the mood sometimes..."
"Jon, we talked about
this." Cate cut him off before her
emotions had a chance to rise. She could
feel them stirring in the pit of her stomach.
"We said we were leaving all that baggage at home. This is supposed to be a vacation from all
the... that stuff. For both of us."
"I know, but..."
Jon gave her a long look. "But if we
need to talk, Cate... let's talk.
Let's not avoid something just because we're on a trip."
"Jon..." Cate
reached up to lay a gentle hand over his heart.
"I swear to you. I'm
okay. We're okay."
"You sure?"
"Yes, Baby. I'm sure." Cate gazed back at her husband for a long
moment before leaning to brush a tender, reassuring kiss across his mouth. "And I'm sorry... really... about this." Her hand dropped to Jon's lap and she gently
patted his thigh, avoiding the source of his disappointment.
Jon gave her a wan
smile. "Cate, I told you. It doesn't matter. If it was anybody's fault it was mine. I'm the one who started the kissin'."
Cate couldn't stop a tiny
smirk of agreement. "Well...yeah. You did."
Jon arched a brow at her
concurrence. His smile turned smug. "Hey, I felt your knees buckle back
there, by the ice machine. Admit
it. I still got it."
She chuckled huskily and
nodded, her hair slipping over her shoulders with the movement. "Yeah, Baby. You do."
Her hand slid upward over his belly and chest until her fingertips
curled into the soft nest of silvery hair revealed by his t-shirt's v-neck.
Jon's expression sobered
again. He looked deep into Cate's
sapphire eyes as his observation slipped from his lips. He wasn't sure he should bring it up, but he
couldn't help himself. "But things
have been a little... strained... lately, huh?
In the bedroom?"
She couldn't hold his
gaze. Again Cate looked down at her hand
as she toyed with the silver charms on Jon's chain. Her fingertips traced over the tag engraved
with her name as she struggled with her answer.
There was no avoiding or misdirecting this question.
She sighed and nodded with
her admission. "Yeah, they
have. But not because of you. It's me."
Jon's brow creased. He hadn't meant to guilt her.
"Cate, it's not just you. Listen... it's been hard for me
too." Jon's voice was soft and
apologetic, though he smiled at his unintentional pun. "After all the dates with Doris and her
plastic specimen cups..."
"I know, Jon. I don't blame you."
He sat silent, waiting for
her to continue. But she didn't. She just kept toying with his necklace, her
eyes on her fingers.
He sighed again.
"Okay, look. We promised each other not to talk about.... that... on this vacation. So we're not gonna." Jon's firm tone made Cate look up. Her mildly-surprised expression made him
smile. "But what we are gonna do is take some time out for ourselves. For romance."
Cate's nose wrinkled as she
gave him a skeptical look. "As nice
as that sounds, Baby... this vacation is for the boys. For you to spend time with them, not me."
"No, it's just as much
for us," he argued. "Baby,
we owe it to ourselves. A change of pace
and scenery, to rekindle the flames.
Besides, I've seen more of Jake and Romeo lately than I have of
you."
Cate shook her head though
she knew he was right. "Jon, wasn't
the whole reason we changed plans and came to Florida instead of Saint Barth
because you wanted to do something the boys
would like? Instead of just hanging
around on the beach with us?"
"Yes, but that doesn't
mean I want to spend all of my time
and attention on them." Jon's reply
was only mildly sarcastic. "Hell, it's
only been two days and already they're makin' me crazy. God love 'em, but if I don't get at least a little break from those two every couple
days this fun family vacation could take a really
ugly turn."
The look of earnest
half-panic in Jon's widened blue eyes made Cate snort out a soft chortle. She understood completely where he was coming
from, but was a little surprised to hear him admit it so early in the
trip.
"Okay, Jon. I've got your back. When you need a break just let me know and
I'll take the boys to the pool or out for ice cream or something." Cate smiled at her husband. "Give you a little peace and let you
find your sanity."
"That's not what I mean, Cate. I mean I'm gonna want time away from them with you." Jon's answer was serious. "Private time for grown-ups. God knows we're both gonna need it after all the kid stuff we're gonna be bombarded
with at Disney." He shook his head.
"For fuck's sake, I can only take so many Mickey Mouses."
Cate giggled. "Wouldn't that be 'Mickey Mice'?"
"Whatever. Maybe."
Jon gave her a skeptical look.
"But that sounds kinda stupid."
"Yeah, maybe it is
'Mouses'," Cate agreed, her voice gentling. "But whatever it is... we can't just
leave the boys alone, you know. I can't do it. It worries me sick. Hell, you know how many times I've checked the
door to this room, and we're sitting
right outside it?"
"I know, I know. And yes,
I noticed." Jon's shoulders dropped as he let out another exaggerated
sigh. "But Cate, Disney has those
babysitting services and kids' clubs and things. We could drop the Chuckleheads off there,
bolt out for a nice dinner or a romantic walk or something, then go back and
pick 'em up before they wear out their welcome."
Again Cate's nose crinkled
skeptically. "I don't know,
Jon. They'd still be with
strangers..."
"Okay, fine." Seeing he wasn't going to convince her
tonight, Jon interrupted her rebuttal.
"We'll worry about the logistics later. Until then..." He dropped his chin and gave Cate an earnest
look. "Remember our agreement? That we're gonna put all the sad and scary and
stressful stuff aside for awhile? Just
focus on enjoying each other, and our family?" The corners of his mouth curled convincingly.
Cate nodded slowly. She and Jon had made a pact before leaving
home; she would try her best to honor it.
"Yes, Dear. I remember."
"Good. So try not to freak out when I do something
sweet and romantic for you, 'kay?"
Jon again dropped his hand to her thigh and rubbed gently. " 'Cause it's gonna happen. I
swear."
She chuckled throatily and
lowered her hand to curve over his.
"Okay."
"You've been
warned."
"Yes."
"Annnnd...." Jon paused
and turned his head, pressing a kiss against her temple before murmuring
against her hair. "I know you're
gonna have to check in with work, and work is gonna call you. But will you try not to make it every day?"
"Jon, I have to be available. Gus is a smart guy, but he's still
learning..." Cate stopped,
realizing she had automatically gotten defensive in response to Jon's simple
plea. She took a breath, then
nodded. "Okay. I'll minimize as much as I can."
"Good. And if they have some emergency... you're on
vacation. Unless there's a big-ass
spaceship full of hostile aliens hovering over the White House I seriously
doubt there's anything Al and your colleagues can't handle without
you." Jon chuckled despite his
gentle scold. "And if there IS a giant spaceship about to blow the
White House to Hell, we're fucked anyway.
So you may as well stay here."
"Alien life forms
wouldn't be our jurisdiction anyway."
Cate snorted softly, but smiled.
"And for my part... I
promise I'll stay off the clock too. All
I'll do is check my email once a day, to be sure there's no Foundation stuff I
have to address." Jon nodded with
his promise.
"Okay." Cate tried not to roll her eyes. She hoped Jon was almost through with this
topic. His continued attention to it was
only making her feel more guilty.
"Alrighty then." Jon again patted her thigh and nuzzled at her
ear. Cate giggled softly, then turned
her face to his. After another soft kiss
she glanced toward the Navigator's windshield and the door beyond it.
"Jon, we've been gone
longer than fifteen minutes."
"And yet the
Chuckleheads haven't escaped." Jon
wrinkled his nose with his tease.
"Baby..." She frowned.
"Cate, they're
probably in the same exact position we left them, eyes glued to the T.V.
screen." Jon shook his head
slightly as he smiled at her. At the
same time his heart warmed at her concern for his sons.
"Still, we should go
back in. It's getting late."
Jon sighed. "Okay.
You're probably right. You do have to get up early."
Cate's brow furrowed at his
last comment. "I do? We can probably take our time driving
tomorrow. I doubt we'll be able to check
in before three or four."
"Yeah, but you gotta
give Romey a couple hours to teach you how to play that Mario game in the
arcade." Jon chuckled and rubbed
his nose against Cate's.
"Aw, shit." Cate's shoulders slumped. "He's not gonna forget about that, is
he?"
Jon grinned. "Nope."
"Thanks a lot for getting me into that." Her scold was gentle but weary.
"Welcome to
parenthood, Baby." Jon chuckled
again before leaning in for one last kiss.
"Don't worry... you're a natural." His reassurance was murmured against her
lips.
She sighed. "I hope so."
"Trust me." Jon again patted Cate's thigh as he gave her
a sweet smile.
"Do I have a
choice?" Cate's arched brow told
him she was teasing.
"Nope." Jon lifted Cate's leg from his lap and
reached for the door handle. "Now
come on, before they do try to make a
break for it. I don't want to have to
explain why we're sitting in the car."
*****
"Karibu, Bongiovi Family. We
hope you enjoy your visit with us."
Though their greeter's
Swahili-accented English was excellent, Cate could barely comprehend what he
was saying. She gaped in awe at their
opulent surroundings. Standing beside
her, Jacob and Romeo were similarly wide-eyed.
"Thank you..."
Jon's eyes dropped to the official shield on the host's uniform, then he smiled
thankfully as he saw the name imprinted there.
It was one he could pronounce.
"...Kwasi. I'm sure we
will."
He held out his hand to the Disney employee, discretely passing a folded bill with a brief friendly shake. Kwasi politely slid the tip into his pocket as he gave Jon a grateful tip of his head.
He held out his hand to the Disney employee, discretely passing a folded bill with a brief friendly shake. Kwasi politely slid the tip into his pocket as he gave Jon a grateful tip of his head.
"Is there anything
further you require, Sir?"
"No thank you. I'm sure everything here is
perfect." Jon waved a hand, vaguely
indicating their surroundings.
"I sincerely hope
so. Your drivers will be Peter and
Kamaal; when you are ready to venture out simply ring the garage and one of
them will bring your car. Your driver
will take you anywhere you wish on the Disney property or into downtown."
Jon nodded. "And if I want to drive my own car?"
"Of course you
may. But may I suggest you trust our
drivers to take you wherever you wish?"
Jon chuckled, understanding
the implied message of Kwasi's polite caution:
"Parking will be a bitch and
you'll never find your way back here."
"Okay. We will.
Thank you."
"Please let me know if
I can make your stay more comfortable in any way." Kwasi gave Jon another deferential nod. "Now I will leave you to your quarters. Habari
ya jioni. Good evening."
"Thank you. Good evening." Jon watched the young Kenyan man gracefully
slip through the wide doorway, pulling the heavy double doors closed behind him. His grin turned smug as Jon turned around to
address his uncharacteristically quiet family.
"I know it's no Pedroland, but...." He stepped up
behind Cate, giving her behind a little pat.
"It'll do, yeah?"
Jon chuckled when Cate
turned to look at him, her sparkling blue eyes still wide. "My
God, Jon... it's... incredible! I...
I didn't even know someplace like this
existed here!"
"Most people
don't," Jon replied, chuckling with self-satisfaction. Now that they had been together for several
years Cate had finally gotten used to his affinity for luxury accommodations
when he traveled. But he was still
occasionally able to surprise her.
"It's a VIP property, can only be booked through certain back-channels. And you have to be pre-screened and pre-approved before you even get the phone number."
"It's a VIP property, can only be booked through certain back-channels. And you have to be pre-screened and pre-approved before you even get the phone number."
"Seriously?" Cate's question was breathless. She still couldn't get over the room in which
they were standing.
"Yep. The CIA's got nothin' on Disney."
Cate turned her gaze away
from him, letting it sweep around the great room again. "I've worked with Disney security plenty
of times, when I was doing protective service. But I never knew..." She didn't
finish the thought, her senses too overwhelmed.
It didn't matter anyway.
Jon chortled and stepped
closer behind Cate, his hands settling on her hips as he moved his lips beside
her ear. "Romantic, huh?" he
murmured. "See? Disney ain't just for kids."
He saw her lips part to
answer, but when she just nodded he chuckled again. Jon stepped to Cate's side, his arm slipping
around her waist as he addressed the other members of their party.
"So? Whaddya think?"
"It's HUGE!" Romeo announced. "Is this the restaurant?"
Jon laughed and reached to
tousle his youngest boy's hair.
"No, you Goof. This is where
we're staying! It's our room!"
"Our room has a
lobby?" Romeo turned his confused
face to look at his father.
"Actually, it's a
villa." Jon corrected himself by
way of explanation. "Kinda like the
place we stay in Saint Barth, ya know?
A little house?"
"We don't get to ride
in a jeep when we go there."
Romeo's statement was matter-of-fact.
"Nope, we don't. You're right."
"How many rooms are
there?" Jacob's question was also
quietly awestruck.
"I'm not sure. But I know there are a couple bedrooms. You guys can each have your own if you
want." Jon gave Cate a sideways
glance before stepping away from her and moving over to stand between his
sons. He gave each a gentle push in the
center of the back. "Go on, check
it out. Explore."
"Okay!" Romeo was the first to move, dashing across
the villa's domed atrium and into one of four hallways that radiated off the circular
room like spokes of a wheel. He quickly
disappeared into an open doorway.
Jon looked again at
Jake. "Go ahead. See what's what."
" 'Kay." Jacob grinned at his father before ambling
across the room and down another hallway.
Though the boy's gait was casual Jon could tell Jacob was barely
containing his excitement.
Jon stepped back over to
Cate. Again he slipped his arms around
her waist. When she looked up at him he
grinned. "Shall we try hallway
number three?"
"In a
minute." Cate's answer was
quiet. She settled her arms across Jon's
around her waist and leaned back into him.
"I just want to..."
"Take your time,
Baby." Jon chuckled softly and gave
her a little squeeze. Resting his chin atop her head, Jon turned his gaze
forward, for the first time really looking at their surroundings. Jon and his family had stayed in VIP Disney
properties before, but never this secluded villa in the Animal Kingdom resort.
He could already tell he had chosen wisely.
The villa's exterior had
hinted at the opulence inside. After
checking in at the VIP desk the Bongiovi family had been delivered to the front door in a luxury-fitted jeep by a courtesy chauffeur, via a long, winding
dirt trail illuminated by soft lighting concealed in the landscaping. A valet had followed in the Navigator,
following the jeep in a mini-caravan through the simulated savanna. A newly-risen golden moon shone down on their
trek, the night air crisp and humid as it swirled through the open-topped jeep.
After a several-mile drive
past the Animal Kingdom Lodge and Village the mini-caravan had pulled under a
wide, wood beam-bolstered, covered tiled
portico attached to a split-level structure.
Gas-fueled flames flickered in heavy hurricane lamps on either side of
the enormous, ornate arched wooden double-door.
As they were helped out of the jeep the valet driver and a porter
quickly unloaded the Bongiovi's bags from the Navigator and carried them into the villa through a
side entrance. Jon, Cate, and the boys
were ushered in through the front door as if they were royalty.
As expected, the
African-themed villa was decorated in warm, earthy tones accented with dark
wood and stone. The front entry opened
into a circular atrium, with two steps descending from the landing to the
atrium's vine-themed wood-inlay floor.
The room was warmly lit by a huge orb-like iron-and-glass chandelier
suspended from a domed ceiling. Between
the arched hallway entries niches carved into the walls displayed African
sculptures, prints, carvings, baskets, and candles.
The hallways leading from
the atrium were short and wide, almost like small rooms themselves. At the end of one Jon could see a large space
containing a long dark-wood table and eight upholstered tall-backed chairs. Sheer ivory curtains formed a backdrop for
the dining space, covering what appeared to be a bank of windows. Another hallway, bracketed by bookshelves on
either wall, led to another set of ornately-carved double doors concealing what
Jon presumed to be the master suite.
The hallway Jacob had
chosen contained a pair of life-size statues of Zulu warriors standing guard
beside another arched doorway. At the
hall's end the moonlit sky was visible through a large curved picture window on the far wall of what appeared to be a luxuriously-appointed living room. The flicker of flames in a stone fireplace
was reflected in the window, the orange tongues mimicking the golden glow of
the full moon.
The fourth hallway's end
was less scenic, a heavy sculpture on a lighted pedestal accenting a
goldish-brown wall. Romeo had
disappeared through one of a pair of side-by-side arched doorways in that
hallway; Jon's guess was the boy was trying to decide to which bedroom he would
lay claim.
As if on cue Romeo's
excited voice floated down the hall.
"DAD! Come see!
This is COOL!"
Jon chortled at the obvious
glee in his son's shout. He was pretty
sure Romeo had discovered the main reason he had chosen this villa for their
temporary family residence.
"In a minute,
Buddy!" Jon gave Cate another
squeeze and was rewarded with a happy little purr. He spoke more quietly to her, close to her
ear. "Why don't you check out our
room while I go see what he's found?"
"Okay." Cate raised a hand to point toward the
hallway to their left. "Down there,
you think?"
"Uh-huh. I'm pretty sure the dining and living rooms
separate the master suite from the other bedrooms." Jon loosened his arms as Cate shifted in his
embrace, regaining her balance in preparation for her exploration. Reluctantly he let her slip from his grasp.
"DAAAAAAAD!"
Cate giggled and turned to
smile at Jon. "I think you better
go."
"Yeah,
probably." Jon nodded. He was pretty sure he knew what his youngest
boy was so eager to show him. After all,
he hadn't chosen to stay at this resort on a whim. "Or he's gonna scare the animals."
"Oh my God... I didn't
even think of that!" Cate's eyes widened again. "Jon, is this one of the rooms... well, villas... where the animals come right
up to the door?"
Jon grinned cheekily. "Well, I don't think there's gonna be a
baboon walking up and ringing the doorbell, if that's what you mean... but
yeah. Of course. It's the Animal
Kingdom Resort, Cate. Why else would
somebody stay here?"
Cate gasped softly, then
slowly shook her head as her smile broadened.
"You know Romeo's not gonna want to leave here when he figures that
out, right? And forget him sleeping."
"Little Shit better
sleep." Jon waggled a sandy brow at
Cate. " 'Cause I got plans. Grown-up plans. After-hours
plans." He waved a hand toward the
hallway leading to the master suite.
"So go check out the grown-up den, 'kay Baby? Lemme deal with Cubbie." He snickered at his own Lion-King pun.
"DAAAAAAAAD!!!! C'meeeeere!!!!"
"I'm COMIN'! " Jon's shout sounded vaguely roar-like. Again he chuckled, giving Cate a wink and
turning away. She watched as he
sauntered across the atrium and into the dim hall, then disappeared into a
doorway. Cate's smile softened as she
heard him address his boy, then Romeo's excited chatter.
"Wow," she
murmured, shaking her head as her gaze again traveled around the circular room. She turned the opposite direction and
traversed the short hall to the big doors at its end. Cate paused with her hand on the iron handle,
glancing at the giant baskets filled with tall grasses on either side of the
entry. Then she opened the portal and
stepped inside.
Cate's lips parted in
another approving purr as she surveyed the sitting room. A massive zebra-hide rug covered the dark
wood-plank floor. Twin tawny leather
chairs sat side-by side beside a low table made from a polished trunk
cross-section of an exotic tree. Opposite
the chairs silver-based lamps with ivory shades perched on squarish, brass-fitted
steamer trunks at either end of a deep mahogany-hued leather couch.
On the exterior wall creamy sheer net curtains filtered the moonlight through a massive picture window, framed by heavy woven-fiber drapes. Through the gauzy sheers Cate could see another smaller table and chairs, set on a wide deck bordered by a picketed railing. Beyond the railing she could see only star-speckled night sky.
On the exterior wall creamy sheer net curtains filtered the moonlight through a massive picture window, framed by heavy woven-fiber drapes. Through the gauzy sheers Cate could see another smaller table and chairs, set on a wide deck bordered by a picketed railing. Beyond the railing she could see only star-speckled night sky.
Wondering where the portal
to the deck was located, Cate looked to her left. A partial wall was split by another set of
double doors, these made of lighter, slatted wood. Next to the doorway a stone-surrounded
see-through gas fireplace separated the sitting room from the bedchamber. A small flame flickered in the transparent
firebox, its purpose ambiance rather than heat.
Cate opened the bedchamber
doors and moved through them, then stopped.
Again she gasped, stunned by the beauty of the suite's inner
sanctum.
Its exterior wall was entirely glass, matching net sheer curtains and fiber drapes tied back into corners to expose the stunning view and to reveal the ebony handle of the sliding glass panel that allowed access to the deck. Between the transparent wall and the sitting room door stood the feature that had left Cate breathless.
Its exterior wall was entirely glass, matching net sheer curtains and fiber drapes tied back into corners to expose the stunning view and to reveal the ebony handle of the sliding glass panel that allowed access to the deck. Between the transparent wall and the sitting room door stood the feature that had left Cate breathless.
The enormous canopy bed was
unlike anything she had ever seen before.
Its frame was made of twisted boughs of zebrawood, smoothed and polished
to form a heavy footboard and spindled headboard. Taller branches formed the corner posts and
spread outward, forming a natural canopy frame over the mattress. Over the branches yards of white net draped
in gauzy swoops and folds, mimicking clouds against the blue-tinted
ceiling-sky. The bed linens were also
made of pristine white cotton, the sheets and coverlet elegantly turned down to
reveal a black-thread Disney monogram in the middle of one luxurious
sheet. Copper-and-black foiled chocolate
squares rested in the center of twin plump feather pillows, welcoming their
guests.
On either side of the bed
silver urn-bottomed lamps sat atop carved ebony night tables. Beside each lamp sat matching antique-looking
alarm clocks. Stepping over to more
closely inspect the clocks, Cate discovered they were actually cleverly-designed
touch-screen digital timepieces. On
small silver trays rested a sleek pen and monogrammed notepads, a clear
miniature water flask, and a cut crystal heavy-bottomed water glass.
Cate smiled when she
noticed one notepad, bound in black velvet ribbon, was lined with blank music
staffs. It had clearly been specifically-placed
in anticipation of her husband's needs.
She reached out to touch the ribbon as she wondered if musical
inspiration would strike Jon here, as it had in a similarly-gorgeous bedroom
years ago. During the earliest days of
their courtship as he sat watching her sleep under another romantic canopy, he had been moved to write the
lyric to "her song."
But that was Once Upon a
Time, a long, long time ago.
Cate turned away from the
night table and moved slowly around the end of the massive bed. She stopped beside the sliding door, taking a
moment to inspect the space beyond the glass.
Cate hadn't noticed when they approached the villa that it was built
onto the side of a modestly-graded hill.
The impressive drive and entry to the home was at ground level, but the
back part of the structure was clearly several feet higher than the earth
below. As a result, a wide deck expanded
the master suite and provided a panoramic view of the simulated African
savanna.
Sliding the door open with
a quiet swish, Cate stepped out onto
the deck. Though it was still fairly
early in the evening, with the setting of the early-April sun a chill had
touched the humid Florida night air. She
shivered lightly, but continued to the rail.
"My God..." she
whispered, awed by the majesty of what she spied. Elegant animal figures, shadowy but clearly
visible under the bright new moon, seemed to float across the horizon toward a
long, dark structure. Cate watched breathlessly
as horned, hoofed, long-necked, and stoutly-built mammals disappeared into
different sections of the barn, where their keepers were obviously putting them
up for the night.
She smiled. If Romeo had discovered a similar view from
his bedroom, the boy would be overwhelmed.
Of Jon's four children he was the animal-lover. Her heart warmed at her husband's wonderful
surprise for his littlest boy, just days after his birthday. Jon really was a wonderful father.
Cate stood at the rail
watching until the last animal had disappeared into the barn. Then she turned to look at her more immediate
surroundings. Besides the patio table
and chairs she had spied through the window, the deck was furnished with two
woven-wicker, cushioned chaise lounges and another small table. Square sisal rugs covered the gray-painted
floor planks under the furniture, and a trio of now-still ceiling fans hung
from the dark-beamed ceiling. A black
metal column-style heater stood toward the center of the wide space, where it
could undoubtedly warm the entirety of the deck.
At the opposite end of the
deck, which Cate now realized far extended beyond the width of the Master
Suite, were two items that surprised her: a large treadmill and an elliptical
trainer machine. Apparently there was no
need for the guests of this posh villa to leave for any reason, including a
workout. And what a view they would have
during their morning exercise; the machines faced east, toward the
sunrise. Cate imagined the sight of the
morning sun breaking over the landscape would be spectacular. She would definitely have to be sure to
witness it at least once during their stay.
Cate turned her gaze again
to the gorgeous view, then sighed. She
felt a mild pang of guilt with the involuntary thought that flitted through her
mind: I wish it was just the two of us.
Cate frowned at her jealous
lament, then shook her head. This was a family vacation, not a private getaway
for her and Jon. It was most important
that Jacob and Romeo enjoyed themselves.
She and Jon would find their own time together somewhere else. If she was truly part of his family, a
stepmother to his children, she needed to act like it. That meant putting the boys before herself.
With another little shake
of her head, Cate turned back to the bedroom.
She stepped back inside and slid the door closed behind her, the room's
warmth making her realize just how chilly it had gotten outside. As she stepped over to the bed she noticed
something she hadn't seen before: a
closet on the opposite wall, its slatted pocket doors discretely half-opened to
disclose that their luggage had been carefully placed inside.
Cate's frown relaxed, then
curved upward as she again rounded the bed and crossed the room to the
closet. While Jon was exploring the rest
of the villa with Jake and Romeo she could at least start unpacking.
When she rolled back the
doors Cate was pleasantly surprised to see that not only had their bags been
portered to their room, each had been placed on a long, chest-high wooden stand
that featured two rows of wide drawers beneath.
The innovation made Cate nod approvingly. It would be quite easy to transfer her
belongings from her suitcase directly into the bureau below.
She chuckled quietly,
self-amused that she was excited about such ridiculously mundane things as
this. With a wry smile Cate unzipped her
bag and flipped open the lid.
Cate was nearly done
emptying Jon's bag when she heard the suite's door click open. Again she
smiled, anticipating his voice.
"Cate?"
"In here." She stepped back from the closet, into his
line of sight. Jon grinned at her and
sauntered through the doorway. He
stopped in his tracks when he spied the giant bed. His eyes rounded and his jaw dropped.
"Whoa." Jon stared at the furniture for a moment,
then cast his eyes around the room. He
nodded approvingly before letting out a low whistle. "This place just keeps getting better
and better."
Cate giggled. "I can only imagine what the rest of it
looks like."
"You don't have to
imagine. Go check it out." Jon strolled over to where she stood, his
nose wrinkling as he realized what she was doing. "Baby, we have plenty of time to unpack
later."
"I know. But I figured I'd just get it out of the way
while I was waiting for you. You did say you'd meet me here." Cate chided him playfully. "I was beginning to think you
forgot."
He grinned sheepishly. "I kinda did. But only for a minute or two." He turned his head to look around the room
again, then wandered over to the window.
"Nice view, huh?"
"Beautiful."
"Did you see the
animals going in to the barn?" Jon
turned back to grin at Cate. "I
thought Romeo was gonna lose his shit when that happened. He wanted to drive over there and see them up
close."
Cate chuckled. "I can imagine."
"I'm gonna call the
concierge tomorrow, see if there's some sort of behind-the-scenes tour or
something." Jon laughed
softly. "If for no other reason
than to pre-emptively shut him up."
Cate nodded. "He's gonna love this part of the trip,
that's for certain. Little Doctor
Doolittle he is."
Jon nodded, his smile
softening. "Yeah. I brought him to Animal Kingdom before but he
was pretty little. I don't think he
remembers much. But this time... he'll
be all about it."
"I have no
doubt." Cate laughed quietly, then
wandered over to stand beside Jon.
Together they turned again toward the window. "How about Jake? Does he like it so far?"
"Yeah, he thinks it's
pretty cool. But he was more excited
about the telescope than he was the animals."
"Telescope?" Cate arched a brow. "Where's that?"
"On the deck outside
the other bedrooms. There's a big-ass
telescope and a book about what you can see in this part of the sky." Jon
shook his head, still in semi-disbelief at the amenities that came with this
property. "And there's one of those
viewfinder things that you can look out at the animals with. You know, like at the top of the Empire State
Building, or on the boardwalk at Asbury?"
"Cool!"
"Oh, and... get this.... it has night vision. We were watching
the animals go in with it. And they have
a field guide thing for them, too, so you know what species are what."
Cate nodded,
impressed. "Wow. I think I'll check that out, myself."
"It's pretty fuckin'
awesome." Jon grinned and nodded
eagerly. He gave a little self-satisfied
chuckle and stepped closer to the sliding glass door. He craned his neck, looking out onto the
deck.
"So what else is out
there on our deck?"
"A patio set, one of
those outdoor heaters. Oh, and get
this... a gym."
Jon turned to look at her,
surprise registering in his expression.
"What?"
Cate nodded. "Uh huh.
A treadmill and an elliptical. We
don't have to leave the house to go for a run."
"That's awesome." Jon half-chuckled his observation. "Does the deck wrap all the way
around?"
"No. There's a rail and a bamboo-kinda screen
thing at the end by the exercise machines." Cate shook her head. "I guess it's a privacy screen or
something."
"You couldn't see the
other deck?"
"No."
Jon turned to give her a playful
leer. "Well that's convenient."
Cate smiled, feeling her
cheeks heat with a light blush.
"Yeah, well. Don't get any
ideas. This is a family vacation, remember?"
Jon turned to Cate, his
smile turning naughty as he gathered her into his arms. "Yeah, but it's a big fucking villa. And I
promised you some romance. Remember?"
Cate smiled coyly, resting
her hands against Jon's chest.
"Yes, I remember.
But..." Her thought was cut
short and she let out a surprised yelp as Jon suddenly dropped his hands below
her ass and lifted. Automatically Cate
grabbed Jon's shoulders as he lifted her off her feet and turned, easily
carrying her the few feet to the bed.
Cate squeaked again when
Jon lurched forward, causing them to fall together on the mattress. Swiftly Jon rolled onto his back, pulling
Cate with him. She found herself laying
atop Jon, his arms wrapped securely around her, his teeth gleaming and blue
eyes sparkling as he grinned up at her.
"Jon!" Cate sputtered, struggling to prop herself up
off his chest. "What the..."
"Shh." Jon admonished her. "Just.. shut up. And kiss me."
Cate gaped at him for a
moment, surprised by his demand. Then a
slow smile curved her mouth. Unable to
resist, Cate lowered her lips to his.
Jon purred happily at the
contact, rounding his mouth and snaking his tongue forward, probing at her
plump lips. He chortled smugly when she
offered no resistance.
Encouraged by her response, Jon slid one hand up Cate's back and cradled the back of her head, his fingers lacing into her thick copper locks. His other hand slipped downward, his fingers tunneling under the waistband of her Levis and into her panties. Jon groaned as his palm curved over the warm, firm globe of soft-skinned muscle. He gently squeezed Cate's ass, eliciting a welcome purr from her throat as her tongue curled around his.
Encouraged by her response, Jon slid one hand up Cate's back and cradled the back of her head, his fingers lacing into her thick copper locks. His other hand slipped downward, his fingers tunneling under the waistband of her Levis and into her panties. Jon groaned as his palm curved over the warm, firm globe of soft-skinned muscle. He gently squeezed Cate's ass, eliciting a welcome purr from her throat as her tongue curled around his.
He kissed her deeply for
another long moment, then slipped his lips sideways. "You were saying?" His smugness was evident in his throaty
murmur.
"I..." Cate
gasped softly for breath. "I wasn't
saying..."
"I didn't think
so." Jon chuckled throatily before
again taking her mouth. He rolled
sideways, taking her with him, his fingers curving into her fleshy cheek. Laying on his side, Jon curled his top leg
over hers, pressing his hips hard against hers.
He groaned softly as his groin twitched and his jeans tightened. His hand cupped around the base of her skull,
urging her to intensify their kiss.
Cate couldn't help
herself... he was making her dizzy with his amorous assault. Her hand slid down Jon's side and into his
back pocket, squeezing his taut, rounded ass as he kneaded hers. Her other hand curled against his pec, the
nail of her thumb brushing over Jon's tightened nipple. He winced at the sensation, then growled with
delight.
"Jon..." Cate
breathed against his mouth. "Baby..."
"Shhh."
"Boys... Jake...
Romey..." She gasped, almost desperately, as his leg twined more tightly
around hers. She could easily feel his
arousal against her pelvis.
"Quiet." His
command was a breathy hiss against her lips.
"They're busy."
Wow...brilliant chapter..& to make matters better...Id missed the last chapter as well....so I had 2 to read...I Luv the flow of this story...Your story telling is awesome & the long chapters make the wait all worth while...lol...Hopefully this vacation is not exactly what the Doctor ordered but more..what Nature ordered...My fingers are crossed that there is about to be a lil baby making happening soon...
ReplyDeleteI agree totally with jbj64, don't make us wait too long for the next chapter please, love this story.
ReplyDeleteJon shouldn't try anything while the boys are awake, he'll have blue balls for the rest of the evening, Cate is too responsible to have sex when her sons in law can come in the room at any moment (especially after the bathroom incident).
ReplyDeleteI love the super detailed description. I don't care if it's a fictional villa, I want to live there.
Excellent chapter honey. Thanks for the chapter are we back on a schedule honey because that would be great. We all love this story so much! Your writing is awesome. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteWOW! Just WOW! That villa sounds amazing! Too bad my kids never liked Animal Kingdom. And I'm more of an EPCOT girl.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping that Cate will finally relax and prevent another case of "blue balls"! And who knows, maybe Mother Nature will be benevolent enough to them... It happened to me (not to the extent of what these two been through so far). Hubby and I tried for almost 18 months, then I got information on and numbers for 2 best fertility experts at NYU....and we went away for 10 days vacation to Vegas. Long story short, my "Vegas souvenir" just turned 20 years old, four days ago.
Catte, *cough, cough, cough* how long are you gonna torture them? JK! Great chapter! Please write faster!
Still one of the best stories! Thanks for those two long chapters!
ReplyDeleteCome on Cate give Jon a chance to romance you :-))
I´m sure there must be doors with locks somewhere around.
No "fun" with kids around - pfft - so why have some couples more than 1 kid???? ;-))))
Excellent chapter. I'm not sure how Cate will respond to Jon shutting down her concerns about the kids interrupting. Him minimizing her concerns may not help matters.
ReplyDeleteI hope they do get some great quality time together on this trip. Lord knows they need some love & romance that's not for the sole reason of trying to get pregnant.
Can't wait for the next chapter!!!
Peg