Picture Perfect (5 page)

Chapter 9.

I didn’t have my regular hippie dream that night, but I still awoke early, around four o’clock. I slipped out of bed but didn’t bother about dressing. The unforced entry of the day before worried me. If I was correct, then
one
of the house’s occupants was in league with the ungodly, and that’s bad news when someone on
your
side is a traitor. I found Maria in the kitchen again, busily baking. Her eyes lit up when she saw me and she gently touched my face where that earlier punch had caused a bruise to appear. She clucked her tongue in sympathy and asked, “Massage?”

I hesitated. Some of my muscles
were
a little sore after the fracas, but I didn’t like to take up too much of her time. She bypassed my decision-making process by taking my arm insistently and tugging me towards her room. I followed gratefully. As I’ve said before, I loved massages. I’d allow her to massage me even if she
was
the mole in our camp. Hell, I’d let her do it even if she was in league with the very
devil
Himself!

Knowing her routine, I stripped and lay down on the table. Her hands glided over my back in a sensuous manner and I immediately felt my thoughts relaxing along with my body.

After some fifteen minutes in rubbed delight, I was instructed to turn over and Maria commenced on my front. Neither of us had spoken a word up until now, but she suddenly broke the silence by saying, “You good fighter. Defeat three. Not many do that.”

“Well, I’ve had a lot of practice,” I answered drowsily.

“Me fight good too,” she whispered. “Fight burglar once here in house. Punch him good. Me, how you say……undercover…. person for police.”

“
What
?” I said, suddenly fully awake and sitting up. “You’re a
policewoman
?”

“
Shhh
!” she said urgently. “No tell
no one
! Big
secret
. Special mission.” She firmly pushed me back down and recommenced her massage. “Sent to keep eye on Master Roger.”

“But
why
?” I asked, my head still spinning from her revelations.

Her hands paused on my stomach. “Suspect drugs,” she announced simply.

“Drugs?
Roger
? Are you
sure
?” I exclaimed.

“
Not
sure. That’s why here,” Maria explained. “Sent to find out. Maybe, maybe not. No evidence so far. Keep secret?”

“Of course,” I reassured her, patting her hand.

“Is
good
,” she smiled, and then, leaning down, she kissed me.

I was rather taken aback at her overfriendly display of affection.

“Ah, Maria, what are you
doing
?” I asked, after her lips had left mine. Perhaps this was some Latin custom I was unaware of, or something.

“
Kiss
you,” she replied, looking askance at me as if I was a total moron. “You
like
?”

“Uh, yes, it was nice,” I complimented her, “but
why
did you do it?”

“You very pretty,” she informed me, once again. “Very……how you say….
sexy
?” She made those universal hourglass curves in the air with her hands. “Very nice shape. I like very much.”

“Thank you,” I stammered, “and I like you too, but
not
like that.”

Her face registered her disappointment at my less than enthusiastic reply. “You no
like
me?” she pouted.

“Of
course
I do,” I told her, becoming socially embarrassed at this turn of events, and not wanting to hurt her feelings. “I like you a lot, Maria. I’m just not ready for a relationship.”

“You
ready
,” she assured me. “Massage tell me things. You lonely. Me learn this from you.”

“How do you know
that
?” I asked, bewildered.

She gave me a secret smile. “Hands tell many things. You wiggle when hands touch near certain places. You ready.”

I cursed my erotic imaginings and my thoughts of Moonbeam. Now Maria thought I
fancied
her. Damn!

“Have thought about what me say,” Maria told me. “Finish massage now. Lie back.” She rolled her hands on my torso and lightly squeezed the muscles under my rib cage. “You all
tense
,” she commented, disapprovingly.

“Fancy that,” I murmured. “I wonder why.” She stroked her hands down my left arm, twisting and rotating as she went. Despite everything, I found myself relaxing once more until she found a tender spot in my forearm.

“
Ouch
!” I exclaimed.

“
Ah
,” Maria said. “Sore. Me fix.” She gently rubbed above and below the painful area, alternating with a scoring motion with her fingernails across the sore muscle and soon enough the ache disappeared as if it had never been. Then it was the hand’s turn. She dug her thumbs into my palm, rubbing outwards and then each finger was rhythmically twisted and stroked. It was magical. I didn’t want it to end, but all too soon, Maria said those words I dreaded to hear, “All finish. Dress now.” We did the paper towel routine again and, no matter how much I tried to suppress it, I shivered when Maria dried the oil from my legs. She smiled at me knowingly as I flushed a little, annoyed that she had noticed my reaction.

I reluctantly climbed back into my pyjamas after my de-oiling and, having thanked Maria, made my way back to my bed.

Chapter 10.

I didn’t sleep, but I did doze fitfully for the next hour or so. Maria’s declaration that she found me ‘sexy’ kept me tossing and turning and flooded my mind with doubts. I
was
lonely. I admitted it. It was no secret to anyone who knew me and my appalling record of mismanaged romantic interests. No matter how hard I tried, no one ever wanted to stay with me. Now that Maria had waved the flag that started
that
particular thought train from the station, I found that she
did
tempt me a little. She was a surrogate Moonbeam, and the fact that they looked alike helped her cause dramatically. I fluffed my pillow yet again, rolled over on my side and tried to settle down. Should I approach Maria? She was obviously more than willing to be with me. And it would be lovely to be able to hold someone at night once again. I missed that aspect of it so badly. Pillows weren’t much of a substitute for a warm, breathing body. I also missed the caresses and the loving touches – no, I
craved
them, which was probably why I enjoyed massages as much as I did. Blast, I hated all this indecisiveness. I was a girl of
action
, not philosophy. But what if Maria was the traitor who let the gang members into the house? I’d be siding with the enemy……on the other hand, she was a
policewoman
, for heaven’s sake……but that would mean that Roger was the culprit….but, then again, he
had
told me that the police were hand-in-fist with the local mobsters……so, maybe it
was
Maria after all….. My head was spinning. It was no wonder I couldn’t sleep.

I dozed off again soon after, but woke up all grumpy. No big surprise there. Paul was already up. I hoped that Roger didn’t want me to model for him because I was out of sorts, but he probably would. I was late to breakfast, but Maria was there to serve me a helping of a delicious soufflé she had prepared. I was a little worried that she would pursue her stated aim of making me her girlfriend while Paul and Roger were present, but she gave no hint of it as she gathered up the dishes.

“I’d like to start to paint you this morning, if that’s okay, Kim,” Roger stated. “It won’t take long. I’ve already finished the drawings.”

“I’ll be up soon,” I promised him.

Roger headed to the studio and Maria retreated to the kitchen, leaving me with Paul.

“Okay,” he said, after a few minutes, “what’s going on?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, thankfully sipping a cup of coffee.

He sat beside me and looked earnestly at me. “You’ve been sneaking around at night and then you come back and flop around like a fish out of water. I’m worried about you, sweetie.”

“You
knew
all that?” I exclaimed, astonished. “I thought I was being so
careful
not to wake you. I’m sorry.”

“You
didn’t
wake me,” he replied. “Somehow I always know when you’re up and about, especially if we’re both in the same room. ‘Big brother protecting little sister’ syndrome, I suppose.”

I stared into his anxious grey eyes in wonder. “I never knew you did
that
,” I said softly.

He shrugged nonchalantly. “It’s what I do,” he replied. “I can’t sleep if
you
can’t sleep. That’s why I wait up for you if you go out on the town. I have to know that you’ve come home safely.”

I felt my eyes prickle with incoming moisture at Paul’s admission. We tended not to share our feelings about each other, and hid them behind a veil of pseudo insults, but our mutual love and concern was permanently present in the background, only occasionally barging its way to the front. This was one of those times. I flung my arms around his chest and hugged him forcefully.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you,” I whispered sincerely.

“Right back at you, sis,” he responded. We broke apart and smiled at each other. Paul reached across and compassionately wiped the tears from my face with his fingertips. “Now,” he said, “are you going to tell me what you’re up to at nights, or do I have to drag it out of you by force?”

I giggled at his ridiculous statement. “Force?” I questioned. “
You
? The world’s most ardent pacifist? I can’t really see that happening.” I sobered. “I couldn’t sleep and was checking the house when I ran into Maria. She was cooking in the kitchen.” I sighed sorrowfully. “I’d had a dream of my old hippie days and Moonbeam. I told you all about her years ago, remember?”

Paul nodded. “She was your first love, wasn’t she? Didn’t she
save
you from some whacko, or something?”

I smiled in reminiscence. “Yes, she did. Without her, I don’t know
what
would have happened to me. I certainly wouldn’t be the person I am today, that’s for sure. Anyway, when I came across Maria I was struck how much she looked like Moonbeam. I wouldn’t have seen the resemblance without the dream. And that makes me think that there’s a connection somewhere. But, to cut a long story short, she gave me a massage…..” I stopped dreamily. “Man, she is so
good
.” I shook myself. “But then, half way through, she tells me that she’s an undercover policewoman, looking into whether Roger is a drug runner.”

“
What
?” Paul interjected.

“It’s
true
, I swear,” I said. “I don’t know whether to believe her or not. She’s still a suspect in the door opening episode, but being associated with the local constabulary gives her some credence, I suppose.”

“Maybe,” Paul agreed, stroking his chin. He glanced at me inquisitively. “But there’s
more
to this, isn’t there?”

I laughed quietly. “How do you
do
it?” I questioned. “How do you
know
these things about me? Do I have my thoughts printed on my face or something?”

He smiled gently. “I know
you
, sweetheart,” he said simply. “I know all of your moods and how you think. I’ve been with you through all of your loves and all of your broken hearts. What more can I say?”

Once again my eyes filled. Paul was my
rock
– the one sure thing I could forever rely on in my times of trouble. I wiped my eyes briefly with the back of my hand. “Stop
doing
that!” I scolded. “Roger won’t appreciate me turning up with red, puffy eyes.” I took a few moments to compose myself and continued my tale. “Anyhow, during the massage, Maria also told me that she thought I was ‘sexy’ and she kissed me. I think she wants to be my girlfriend.”

“No surprise there,” Paul remarked. “Sweetie, you
are
sexy. Anyone can see that. What are you thinking of doing?”

“If you know me so well,” I teased, “why don’t
you
tell
me
?”

He smiled at my challenge. “Very well, I’ll try, if that’s what you want.” He stared off into space, his eyes unfocused. “From what you’ve told me I’d say that you’re considering her offer quite seriously. Maria resembles Moonbeam, and that memory is influencing your decision, but you’re not sure because of the possible link of Maria to the gangsters. How am I doing so far?’

I nodded, impressed. “Keep going,” I told him.

“But you’re dying to take her up on her offer because it’s been ages since you’ve had someone to love and you’re the type of girl who
needs
companionship. You’re such a giving person that you don’t feel complete when you’re by yourself. But the fear of Maria’s possible involvement with the baddies is holding you back and driving you crazy. How’s that?”

“Brilliant,” I applauded. “You
do
know me. I can see I’ll have to be more careful around you. After all, a girl needs to keep
some
secrets to herself.”