Beatrice and Douglas (6 page)

From the way Douglas had watched her throughout breakfast,
Beatrice had been prepared for a quick run home and a tumble.  Instead, he
held her hand and led her on a meandering walk through the cute shops of
historic Port Townsend’s Main Street.  Much of it dated from the 1800s and
had a heavy Victorian influence.  Well maintained with flower baskets and
brightly lit windows, it was cute, quaint, and situated as it was by the
harbor, it was well worth the meander.

“It’s an amoeba.”

Beatrice was not sure her voice was carrying the full weight
of her authority behind it, but looking at the modern art in the small gallery
they had wandered into, she really was not sure what it was supposed to be.

“An amoeba is a chicken shit answer for an ink blob. 
You can do better.”  Douglas turned to the side and looked at it from
another angle.  “I say it’s a dick on top of a reindeer.”

Beatrice snorted but tipped her head sideways just in
case.  “Oh yeah.  I totally see that.”  She pointed. 
“Antlers.  Funny hat.  Huh.”

They moved to the next painting.  This one had them
stumped for a while, but Beatrice could admit it had some nicer colors than the
last one in soupy greens.  This one at least kept all the colors
distinct.  “Maybe a dragon in a tutu?”

“This one looks like a dick, too.  I think there’s a
theme.”

“Or you just have dick on the brain,” Beatrice muttered, but
had to shake her head and move on because he was right again.

“What happened to trees and flowers?  Or, I don’t know .
. . local art of the majestic ocean and fluttering sailboats?”

Douglas was already squinting at the next painting. 
“We might need to move to another gallery for that.”  He sighed, “I sure
hope this painter is either a woman or a gay man, because if not, he has issues
with his dick.  Deep psychological issues.”

Beatrice studied the pinks and purples of the next
painting.  It looked like a dick.  “It could be an amoeba.”

Douglas snorted.  “Clearly you are in need of a little
more up close and personal dick time.”  He grabbed her arm, leading her
away.  “When we get back to the B&B, we can work on that.  For as
long as you need.” 

Beatrice laughed.  “You would do that . . . for me?”

“I’m all about the sacrificing.”

The day outside was full of cool salt breezes from the ocean
with a bite.  The sun had not made an appearance yet, even this close to
noon and Beatrice wished she had brought along more than her flannel for the
impromptu outing.  An outing she was enjoying more than she thought
possible, and all because she was with Douglas Bruce and he was using his
sarcasm and dry wit for something other than making her crazy.

“You want to hit that jewelry store?” he asked, eyeing the
sparkly window. 

“Are you going to do that guy thing of assuming I want you
to buy it for me just because I ooh and aah at all the sparkles?”

“Of course.”

“Then I’ll pass, thanks.”  But, he just grabbed her
hand again and dragged her through the shiny glass door.

“Come on.  We have to stop.  Traditionally, if I
get you something at the jewelry shop, you get me a little something in
lingerie.”  He waggled his eyebrows, shoving her toward the counter. 
“And I do mean little.”

She laughed, digging in her heels.  “If you want me to
buy you some new boxers, all you have to do is ask.”

“That’s cold.  You are an unnatural woman.  Let me
help you out.”  He crowded her into the counter from behind so that she
was leaning over the glass display with him pressed full length against
her.  “Think thong and see through lace.”  He whispered that directly
into her ear making her shiver.  She shook it off, elbowing him back.

“Yeah, because that sounds all kinds of comfortable. 
How about you think thong and see through lace, I’ll think cotton bikini with
cute little bow in the front.”

He nipped her ear before the man in the suit could get to
them.  “I can actually work with that.  Maybe a pink bow and white
cotton, and itty bitty bikini panties.”  He rubbed his hand down her
hip.  His voice a sly whisper in her ear.

She elbowed him again, just as the clerk stepped up. 
“Behave.”

“Can I help you?”

“No.”

“Yes.”  Beatrice and Douglas spoke at the same time,
Douglas louder, smiling benignly at the little man.  “What do you have in
belly button rings?”

“Hah!  In your dreams, Bruce.”

The little man’s bright beam of happiness vanished
fast.  “I am afraid to say we have nothing in body piercings.  But we
have some lovely traditional jewelry.”

“Ignore us,” Beatrice said with a smile towards the
man.  “We’re just looking around.  I mean, if I wouldn’t marry him
for Dougie Jr. or any of the others, I’m not likely to change my mind for the
twins.”  Beatrice patted her flat belly and sniffed disdainfully. 
“It’s the whole free milk thing.”

The little man blinked.  “Free milk?”

“You know, if I can get the milk for free, why would I buy
the cow?” 

Douglas who had been until that moment concentrating on the
feel of pressing up against soft curves and wondering how soon he could get her
back to bed, almost gave up the game by laughing out loud.  Instead, after
an abbreviated snort, he cleared his throat.  She didn’t help him to
contain his mirth when she actually reached back and patted his ass. 
“Right, Dougie?”

Dougie, Christ.
 He nuzzled her neck. 
“Whatever you say, sweetheart.”  He took advantage of the fact that his face
was hidden and bit her neck.  Hard.

She gasped, and then stood a little straighter. 
“Now.  I was thinking that if I get my man a little something shiny, he
might give me a little something later.”  This time she reached behind her
and grabbed his ass full out, her attention never leaving the sales clerk that
was looking so bemused.  “What do you think?”

Watching the man look back and forth between their serious
faces, Douglas was tempted to laugh again, or bite her harder. 
Really,
it could go either way.

“What do I think about what?”

“Jewelry for my man.  What do you got?”

To the man’s credit, he was quick to shake it off and show
them to another section of lit displays.

Before she could follow, Douglas pulled her back and whispered
for her ears only, “When I get you alone, I’m going to take this out on your
ass.”  Then he nipped her ear.  He felt her shiver again; she looked
over her shoulder at him and smiled real slow and wicked.  “That’s what
I’m paying the big bucks to hear.” 

He snorted out a laugh
,
following after her, anxious
to see what she would say or do next.  With Beatrice it could be anything.

***

“Cuff links really?  That’s the best you could do?”

“What?  I had to buy something after we put him through
our shenanigans, and my dad will love them.”

“Your Dad?  I give you Dougie Jr. and the twins, and I
don’t even rate jewelry?  I feel so used.”

Beatrice laughed, knocking him with her hip.  “I
thought you wanted lingerie?”  She pointed at a shop farther along the road. 
It was two shops side-by-side, separated by men’s and women’s apparel.  He
stopped and narrowed his eyes, while she skipped on.

“Don’t tease me, Beatrice.”  He had to raise his voice
the further she got ahead of him.

“What?” she called back with a laugh.

“If you buy me men’s underwear, I will be very
displeased.”  Several people turned to stare at him, but he was too busy
concentrating on her laughing face while she kept going.

“Ooh, a displeased Douglas Bruce, how will I cope?”

“Shit.”  His grumble was for his own ears since she had
already skipped inside, the men’s side. 
Evil, evil wench.

***

They were almost back at the B&B when Beatrice’s phone
started ringing.  Beatrice was laughing, and pushing at a handsy Douglas
Bruce, even as she grabbed her phone and looked at the caller ID.  “It’s
Jack.  You be quiet,” she said pointing a tiny finger his way, before
pushing the answer button.  “Hey Jack.  What’s up?”

“Beatrice, my lovely, I have a little teensy favor to ask of
you.”

She raised a brow in doubt.  “Really?  How little,
because the last time you called and sounded so wheedling you wanted me to work
that Portland office complex.”

“And look how well that turned out.  Beautiful
building, if I do say so myself.”

“Yeah, and I hate doing offices, and you know it.  So
what is it this time?”  He started to sputter and she interrupted him,
“and don’t hem and haw, just pull off the bandage.”

“It really is a small one this time.  I need to get a
hold of Douglas and he’s not answering his phone, and he’s not at the B&B,
so I was just hoping that if you saw him you could have him call me. 
Seems some big lawyer is trying to reach him and says it’s urgent.”

Beatrice looked at Douglas Bruce and shrugged.  “He’s
right here.  Hold on.”

She handed the phone to Douglas, and he raised an
eyebrow.  She shrugged again.  He put the phone to his ear.

“Yo Jack, what’s up?”

There was a long beat of silence.  “How about you tell
me how you happen to be with my niece this morning when I know for a fact that
there is no work being done this weekend.”

“We went to breakfast.”  Beatrice rolled her eyes and
then mouthed “wimp” at him. 

Another silence.  “You went to breakfast . . . with
Beatrice?  I mean, on purpose?”

“Yeah, on purpose.”  Douglas laughed at that, and then
grabbed the hand Beatrice was flipping him off with and tugged her
closer.  He buried his nose in her neck and sniffed.  She slapped him
upside the head and pointed her finger at him warningly. 

“Jack, is there a point to this call?”

“Got a phone number for you to call.  ASAP.  No
idea what it’s about, but they say it’s imperative that they speak to
you.  Their words.  You been getting into any trouble, I mean besides
the usual?”

“Not that I can remember,” he said, his mind on other things. 
Like how soft Beatrice’s hair was or how she smelled so damn good.  “I’ll
find my phone and check my messages.  Soon.”

“You do that . . . So breakfast with Beatrice, huh?” 
His voice was a little too nonchalant to be believable.

“Was there something else, Jack?”

“Probably.  Going to have to think about this one for a
bit.  The lawyer there, too?”

Douglas rolled his eyes at the lack of subtlety.  “He
was, briefly, until I gave him his walking papers.” 

Beatrice gasped at that and reached for the phone.  He
held her off easily. 

Jack just laughed, a full belly laugh, and mumbled something
that sounded suspiciously like “about damn time.”  Then, in a louder
voice, “Expect to see you two at the next barbecue, together and all official
like, unless you think this blessed détente will have a short shelf
life?”  Again, not subtle.

“We’ll be there.  All official like.”

Beatrice rolled her eyes at that, poking him in the chest
hard.  Keeping her mouth shut was almost too much for her.  He
smiled, then leaned down and kissed her pursed lips, quickly before she could
bite him.

“You do that.”  With another laugh, Jack hung up.

“What was that?”  Beatrice had her eyes narrowed
dangerously.

“He wanted to make sure we were coming for the barbeque.”

“I got that.  What was that other thing? 
‘Together . . . All official like’ . . . what does that even mean?”

“Means the family will be seeing us as an official couple.”

Beatrice lost the ability to speak briefly.  Then her
voice rose a little too high.  “When did that happen?”

Douglas Bruce canted his head a little to the side and
studied her calmly.  “You appear to be panicking.  Are you saying we
aren’t going steady?”

Beatrice opened her mouth and then closed it again; finally,
there was nothing to do but laugh.  “You’re enjoying this a little too
much.”

Instead of answering right away, he plucked her off her feet
first, making her gasp in surprise.  One arm behind her back, the other
under her knees, he carried her up the stairs and through the doors of the
B&B.  “I’m going to be enjoying it a whole hell of a lot more as soon
as I get you to a bed.”

Beatrice crossed her arms over her chest and fought to keep
a straight face.  “I don’t know.  I’m kinda out of the mood.”

“No problem.  We’ll work on your inability to recognize
a dick, and go from there.”

Unfortunately, their plans lasted about a minute.  As
they walked into the lobby, Mrs. Peal was dithering at the counter, and when
she saw them, she threw her hands up most dramatically.

“Oh, I am so sorry.  There has been a break in and the
police are requesting we stay in the lobby until they get here.”

Douglas put Beatrice back on her feet.  She walked
forward until she could take Mrs. Peal’s hand.

“Are you all right?”

“I am so sorry.  This has never happened here
before.  This is a small town.  Nothing ever happens here.  I
think I’m in shock.”

“Just breathe.  You’ll be fine.  No one was hurt?”

“Goodness no.  I was in the back.  Usually people just
ring the bell if they need help during the day, and I was watching my morning
shows and I didn’t hear anything.  I’m so sorry.”

“You weren’t hurt.  That’s what’s important.”  She
looked at Douglas and he stepped forward.  “Really Mrs. Peal.  No
worries.  Other than my cell phone, all of our important stuff is locked
up securely at the site.  All I had here was a few clothes and a
toothbrush.”

“Beatrice is right.  Don’t worry on our account,”
Douglas said as the door opened behind him.  He turned in time to see a
pair of uniformed officials come inside.

There were two of them.  They were both skinny with
brown hair and receding hairlines.  Both sets of brown eyes studied the
scene with mild suspicion.  One was older and wearing a sheriff’s badge.
They looked enough alike to be related.

“Ruth?” The older version looked from her to the woman
holding her hand and the man standing so close beside her. “Everything all
right here?”

“Of course not.  I was robbed!”

“Right.”  He looked them over carefully.  Mostly
he was studying Douglas.  “These your guests?”

“Yes.  It was their rooms that were ransacked.”

“You two been up there since it happened?”

“No.”  Douglas leaned back against the counter going
for casual, in the hopes that it would ease the suspicion vibes coming from the
sheriff. “We were at breakfast and then exploring your lovely shops.”  He
jingled the bags in his hand.  Though why they might think he would
ransack his own room he didn’t bother to ask.  He just tried to look
innocent.

“I’ll go check it out.  You two mind answering some
questions down here while I do?”

“I thought we were.”

Rather than respond, the sheriff pursed his lips, looked
them over one more time, and headed for the stairs.  It was the young one
who was going to ask them the rest of the questions apparently. He led them to
the breakfast room so they could sit down with coffee while they were grilled.

It didn’t take very long to say ‘yes, they were working just
outside of town, and yes, they had been staying here for a few days and would
be here until the job ended.’  ‘No, they had no idea who might have broken
into their room and no, there was nothing valuable.’

“You have separate rooms?”

“Yes,” Beatrice and Douglas said in unison.

“But you are together this morning.  Is there someone who
might not like the idea?”

“We aren’t sneaking around, if that’s what you are
asking.”  Beatrice glared her displeasure at the man.  “It’s a new
development.”

“So you have no idea who might have broken in?”

Douglas grunted.  “Probably thieves looking for a
payday.”

“Small town.  We don’t get this kind of crime here.”

“You think this was a personal attack on one of us?”

“Or both.  Yours was the only rooms targeted.”

“We are the only ones staying here.  Why would they
target empty rooms?”

“More importantly.  How did they know which rooms were
occupied?”  Beatrice had been watching the play between the deputy and
Douglas like it was a tennis match, but she threw that out there on the fly and
both men turned to look at her like they just remembered she was in the room.

“That is an excellent question.”  The deputy seemed
surprised, whether from her interrupting man talk, or from the fact that it was
a good question.  She kept talking.
“I don’t think you can tell
just by walking in the door.  No obvious empty key holders or boxes for
mail.  But it’s not a big place.  Maybe they just opened doors and
ignored the obviously empty rooms?”

“An excellent point.”

“Thanks.  I liked it.”

The sheriff returned about then and they started all over again,
by which time Beatrice was ready to zone out anyway.  Clearly, this was
not getting solved any time soon.  They were allowed to check out their
rooms briefly before Mrs. Peal put them in an alternate choice.  Somehow
Douglas had maneuvered them in together when she wasn’t paying attention.

“Are we cohabitating now?” she asked when she saw him
checking out the closet space.

“Yes, thanks for asking me, what a delightful idea.”

“I wasn’t asking you to move in with me, Douglas.  I
was asking if you were trying to do it without having a conversation.”

“Either way, ‘yes’ works for me.”  He ignored her snort
and moved past her to check out the view.  You could see the mountains on
this side, rather than the ocean, but the view was still a nice one. “Which side
of the bed do you want?”

“Really?  Seriously, if this is your idea of romance,
you suck at it.”  She dropped the small bags they had from their shopping
trips on the chair.  Luckily, they had both purchased underwear on their
outing since they weren’t able to get their clothes out of the rooms the
sheriff was processing.

“Hey, I tried to buy you jewelry.”

Beatrice laughed, then lay down on the bed beside where
Douglas was sprawled out.  They were both looking up at the ceiling. 
“We should get the delivery tomorrow,” she said thinking about work.

“Yep.”

“It’s probably going to be awkward with the guys. They are
all about the off-color jokes.  And they always know everything going on.”

“They say anything to you and I’ll break their necks.”

His tone was as serious as she had ever heard it.  She
turned to study him.  He felt her stare and shifted to his side, going up
on an elbow, studying her in turn.  “What?”

“You’re going to have words with the guys if they tease
us?”  Her tone was clearly confused.  “They always tease.”

“They can tease me all they want.  Anyone tries that
with you and I’ll break his neck.”

She raised a brow at that.

“What?” he asked again.

“Just trying to figure you out.  Why are the guys
allowed to tease you and not me about this?”

He shrugged.  “It’s a guy thing.”

Beatrice shifted to her side too, starting to smile. 
“Douglas Bruce, are you protecting my honor?”

“Let’s say I am making sure no one makes you feel
uncomfortable in your place of employment.”

That brought on a full-blown smile and she scooted closer,
so that they were almost touching chest to chest.  “You are protecting my
honor.  That’s so cute.”

“You think it’s cute?  You’re not going to tell me all
about how you can defend your own honor and woman power, blah-blah-blah?”

“Well, of course I can kick ass when necessary, but it’s
sweet.  I guess I didn’t expect you to be sweet.”

“It’s not sweet.  It’s a guy thing.”

“If you say so.”

“I do say so.  Men know not to make off-color remarks
to a woman about her sex life.  If they do, it’s a sign of disrespect and
her man takes care of it.”

“Wow.” She narrowed her eyes studying him from face to
chest.  “Hmm.  I think I need a moment of silence while I fantasize
about you in denim and leather straddling the back of a Harley and saying ‘my
woman’ in that deep alpha male voice.”  Then she paused, crinkling her
nose. 

He tapped her on the nose.  “What’s your problem now?”

“That fantasy only goes so far before there’s beer guzzling
and belching.  And ‘my woman’?  Seems weird for you to say that about
me.  Feels like I should kick you in the balls on principle.”

“You’ll get used to it.”

“Oh, will I?”

He leaned over and kissed her lips lightly, his eyes
warming.  “Eventually.  You can call me ‘your man’ to even things
out.”  He kissed her again, then moved to her cheek and then right below
her ear.  “We’ll work on it.”

“You seem to want to work on a lot of things.  Like
long-term plans kind of work,” she murmured, feeling his hand fold over her
breast, his lips on her neck.

“What can I say?”  He pushed her over until she could
feel him against her whole body, his hand going under her shirt to find naked
skin.  “Whatever it takes, however long.  I’ve always been an
overachiever.”

***

“Anything?”

“Nothing.”  The voice was hard and cold over the
line. 

“If he has received the letter.  It must be on his
person.”

“Or it hasn’t arrived yet.”

“I think a series of small incidents would make sure he
keeps his eyes on the ball.  Nothing too drastic, we don’t want serious
questions asked, just a few small setbacks at the worksite should do it.
Something that would be blamed on kids or careless workers.  But if he
decides to take an out-of-town trip, or anything else questionable, you will
need to take more extreme actions.”

“That’s what you’re paying me for.”

There was a click and the phone was dead.  Benedict
turned to look over the L.A. skyline.  He liked the view for the status it
showed and he wasn’t about to lose it.

“He may just ignore the summons.” 

After two weeks, the woman’s voice was a bitter brush
against strained nerves, especially since it looked like he would not need to
use her as a distraction on Douglas Bruce.  He was distracted enough with
his interior decorator.  But Benedict held his temper.  She might
still come in handy, so he ground his teeth and answered.

“Not a chance I’m willing to take.  We stick with the
plan for now.  If it looks like he needs more distraction than he
currently has, we’ll work on it.  There isn’t much time left.  We may
not have to do anything further.”

***

Monday morning came too soon.  They received the
shipment of supplies first thing and were able to get right to work on the
replacement boards.  Besides a few looks from the guys when Douglas leaned
a little too close or brushed up against her when he passed, there was none of
the teasing she had expected.  At least not in front of her.  Douglas
had been right about that at least.  Apparently, it was a guy thing, and
since it was equally a guy thing to tease unmercifully, she was not surprised
to hear a few off-color remarks when she chanced to be within hearing distance
and unseen.

“I don’t get it.  Clearly she’s slumming.”

“Taking pity on the poor boy.”

She recognized the voices.  Andrew and Duffy were both
among the newer workers, which meant they had only been working for the company
for about five years, as opposed to the old timers who had been around longer
than Beatrice.

“It’s like one of those movies where the hot chick takes
pity on the retard and takes him under her wing.”

“You are all hilarious, but if we could get back to work, I
don’t know about the rest of you, but I have plans for after we’re done here.”

“Ooh, he’s got plans.”

“In a hurry all of a sudden.  Anyone remember Douglas
Bruce trying to get done early for any other girl he was dating? 
Anyone?  At all?”

“Nope, from what I remember he rarely made plans until he
was done with work, then he’d make a call and hope to strike gold.  But
no, I don’t recall him ever trying to finish early before.”

“Must be love.”  The codgy old voice was Dodger and
Beatrice wondered how many of them were standing around just to give Douglas a
hard time.

She made sure to make noise when she came around the corner.
By the time she got to the back porch, everyone was making noise again. 
Only this time doing actual work.

“Hey, Dodger, did you separate the wood for the upstairs
from the delivery.” 

“Sure did, darlin’, and the porch pile was moved over to the
tarps.”

“Great.  If you all are through gossiping like old women,
maybe I could borrow Douglas for a few minutes to go over the workload for
tomorrow.”

“Sure, the workload for tomorrow,” Andrew muttered under his
breath and then made sure to be very busy when Douglas turned his way. 
Dodger cleared his throat with a warning look towards the younger man.

“Give me ten to finish the banister and I’ll be there,”
Douglas said, a gleam in his eyes that worried Beatrice enough she was blushing
before she could do anything to stop it.  Douglas noticed as he noticed
everything and he gave her a slow sexy half smile that had her rolling her
eyes.  Clearly, she was not the only one remembering the last time they
were together in the trailer.

But if he thought they were going to make a habit of daytime
nookie, he was in for a rude awakening.  They were going to keep it
professional if it killed her.

Beatrice entered the trailer and moved to the to-do file she
had been ignoring. There was a pile of bills to be paid and a few letters, one
in particular she recognized as registered mail.  There was a small sticky
note on it that said it was forwarded by a lawyer’s office in Sacramento. 
Jack had added that it was the same people trying get hold of him by phone and
that they were getting more and more impatient and pushy about it.

She heard the door behind her open and she called back.

“Hey, there is a lawyer letter here for you.  It looks
important.”

Before she could say anything more, she felt a hand grabbing
her hip and pulling her back into hard thighs.  “I’ve been waiting for this
all damn morning.”

She pushed his hands back and partially turned, leaning far
enough back that she could keep space between herself and his persistent
sexiness.  “We are not having sex at the job site.  It’s completely
inappropriate.”