Tristan's Loins (6 page)

"I did not call to fight. I thought since I
shelled out another sixty grand to pay off your damn car, you would
be reasonable. My mistake."

"Jim, I'm keeping the ring. You don't have to
keep bugging me."

"Selene, this divorce has cleaned me
out!"

"Not my problem," Selene said tightly. "I
hope she was worth it, Jim! I don't owe you anything but a bit of
advice. When you get tired of paying Ginny's way and you realize
you screwed up; I don't want to hear from you."

Selene hung up the phone before he could
reply. She knew he hated that. She smirked, always liking getting
the last word. She knew she was being petty. Jim was broke
obviously. She took little pleasure knowing he could not afford to
buy Ginny a ring.

She flipped on the computer and the screen
popped up to Tristan's room. He was practicing sword stances and he
had his tunic off. He was naked from the waist up. His rippling
arms and chest astounded her. Her eyes slid over him and her mouth
went dry. Who knew she could write such perfect abs? Tempted to
sigh just for the sheer pleasure of watching him, she slid into the
chair.

Tristan seemed oblivious of her as he went
through his exercises. Selene was fascinated despite feeling like a
voyeur. His body was a thing of beauty. While she looked at
Tristan, she noted how much he looked like Axel in some ways. She
squirmed by how quickly she thought of the handsome gym
teacher.

"I can hear you, Selene." Tristan swung
around with his sword, grinning as he stopped to look up, looking
so devastatingly attractive, Selene felt herself getting warm. "Do
you like what you see?"

"I was not gawking at you, get over yourself,
pal," she scoffed, knowing he did not believe her. His smile
widened.

"Ah, it's quite alright." He flexed his
massive arms. "I’m used to women looking at me."

"Yeah well, since I created you I suppose I
also made you conceited, my bad," Selene said in disgust as he
chuckled.

Tristan appeared in no hurry to put his tunic
back on and she found his chest far too distracting. He seemed to
know how he affected her even if he could not see her. He sat at
the table and stretched out.

"What did you teach today, Selene?"

"The usual: reading, writing and grammar."
She saw him frown.

"You can read and write?" He seemed
surprised.

"Yes of course, how would I teach English if
I could not?"

"That is very impressive for a woman," he
said and looked away, a sad look upon his face. "Gideon did not
have such knowledge to impart to me."

Selene sat forward, eyes wide. Tristan could
not read or write? How does an English teacher-turned-author make
her hero illiterate? She wracked her brain and determined she had
given Tristan no formal schooling. Gideon taught him to fight and
little else. If he were to take over the earldom of Montfort, he
would need to learn.

"Would you like to learn to read and write?"
She saw him perk up. "I can write you in some books and things to
help you make your letters. We can work on that first."

"Would you?" he asked hopefully. "It would
give me something to do, Selene. I’m growing very bored."

"Of course, it is no trouble. That is my
fault for not writing in any educational background for you when I
started this. It was my mistake. Of course you must know how to
read and write."

Tristan looked like she had given him the
greatest gift. She wished all her students felt that way and pulled
up her file. She typed in a kindergarten level alphabet workbook.
She hit save and smiled as he opened it in pleasure on the screen.
She hastily went back to the file to type in a pencil for him. That
would make it easier for him.

She watched Tristan holding the pencil and
smiled. He looked dumbfounded until she explained which end to use.
Soon, he was absorbed with making his letters and she left him
alone.

Selene had papers to grade anyway and kept an
eye on Tristan while he learned to form letters. She was very
impressed by his dedication to learn to read but then she had
written him to be ambitious and determined. She did not doubt he
would learn how to read by the time she finished the book.

"Selene, I’m done with the book," he told her
finally and she looked up from the couch in surprise.

She got up and went to the desk, seeing him
hold up the book for her inspection, turning each page to show he
had indeed gone through A thru Z, upper and lower case, no doubt,
and in an hour. Impressed, she typed in a first grade workbook and
smiled to see him snatch it up and get busy.

Tristan finished that in an astounding amount
of time as well. She wrote in grades two through five and a basic
phonics workbook. Before she went to bed, he was sounding out his
phonics with alarming accuracy.

"I have to get up early," she informed him
and smiled as he nodded, not looking up from the third grade
workbook. "Try to take a break. At the rate you’re going, you will
graduate from high school before I get home from work
tomorrow."

His answer was a definite grunt. She turned
down the sunshine on the computer and went into her bedroom to get
ready for bed.

She took a shower, enjoying the feel of the
warm water. It was not long before she was having quite racy
fantasies of her book character, imagining him in the shower with
her. Feeling his big hands sliding over her as she washed, she
sighed in delight. Her hands shook as they slid over her swollen
breasts, closing her eyes and feeling Tristan's mouth pulling at
the stiffening peaks with slow, ruthless precision. The bath puff
lowered between her legs and she gasped, keeping her eyes closed.
Her hand grasped the shower door as the puff brought her to a
shuddering climax within minutes.

By the time she rinsed off, she was
breathless. Tristan's face had merged with Axel Gifford's making
her disconcerted to say the least. She toweled off and shook off
the disturbingly decadent imagery during her shower. She really
needed to get a grip.

Darcy met her in the faculty lounge, a Tim
Horton's cup in one hand, a lesson plan in the other. Her cute
round face was always at its perkiest in the morning. Darcy was
definitely a morning person.

"It's Friday!" she chirped as she sat with
her at their table. "Maggie wants to do Happy Hour in honor of your
new status."

"Yea," Selene tried to sound enthusiastic.
"I'm real sorry. I'm just not feeling festive."

Darcy frowned, blue eyes sympathetic, but
unrelenting. "Selene we haven't been out in months. It will do you
good. Ted is away at a conference and Maggie said Biff is in New
York trying out for a part."

"His name is Burke, not Biff," Selene
reminded with a giggle. "Now you’re doing that deliberately. You
know his name."

"He will always be a Biff to me." Darcy
rolled her eyes. "What does Maggie see in him? He's as dumb as a
pet rock."

"A pet rock doesn't have a twelve pack."

"Yeah, well some things are more important
than looks. As soon as Biff gets a part, he'll be gone and you know
it." Darcy fretted over this constantly, knowing Maggie was doomed
for heartbreak. "She's paying for it all too. Did you know
that?"

Selene felt uncomfortable knowing how much
Burke was taking Maggie for a ride. She had been so involved in her
own matters the last six months, she was not aware of how much
Maggie was investing in Burke.

"You’re kidding right?" Selene grew
concerned. "She can't afford that. Where did she get the money to
finance his trip to New York?"

Darcy looked worried. "Selene, she took out
loans. Where have you been? She's up to her eyeballs in debt now,
and it's to further Biff's career."

Selene had little time to answer because
Maggie soon joined them, looking pensive and quiet. She was never a
morning person, but the worry lines around her eyes were
noticeable. Selene felt guilty for checking out on her friends the
last six months. It was obvious Maggie was in trouble.

"I just heard Burke is in New York trying out
for a part," Selene said and saw Maggie's lips tighten. "How'd he
do?"

"He got it. Its underwear commercial with
Calvin Klein," Maggie said tightly, and suddenly her face looked
stark and vulnerable with hurt. "He's not coming back. You might as
well know; he took me to the cleaners if Darcy hasn't already
filled you in."

Selene did not know what to say.

Darcy came to the rescue. "Honey, we all do
stupid stuff for love. Trust me; John even took our only TV when he
left. I know how you feel."

Maggie looked devastated. "He used me. I
guess a part of me knew it. I just did not want to admit I wrecked
my life for nothing."

"You did not wreck your life, Maggie." Selene
put in her two cents. "It's his loss. What goes around comes
around. How long can he model underwear, anyway? Give me a
break!"

"Just say it, Selene. I'm an idiot!" Maggie
grumbled her dark eyes wounded. "You told me I was making a mistake
leaving Jack for Burke and you were right. At least take credit for
it."

Selene gazed at her friend consolingly. "We
have to find out on our own, Maggie. Nothing we could have said
would have stopped you then. I think you were miserable with Jack.
Latching onto Burke was just a means to get out of the marriage.
Write it off."

"Easy for you to say," Maggie snapped.
"You’ren't eighty thousand in debt!"

Selene gasped, her brown eyes widening in
dismay. "Oh my God, Maggie! What the hell have you done?"

Maggie nodded and smiled bitterly. "Go ahead
and say it now. I'm a damned retard!"

"You’re a damned retard!" Selene said under
her breath, aware of other teachers in the lounge now.

"I mortgaged my house, took out loans, high
interest loans too," Maggie confided and tears filled her eyes.
"Burke said he'd pay me back when he hit the big time. I got
carried away."

"Well, don't count on it now," Selene said
knowingly and shrank from the misery on Maggie's pretty face. "What
are you going to do?"

Maggie wiped the tears and smiled bitterly.
"Pay for the rest of my life probably."

"Maggie, if you need to borrow some money-"
she began, but Maggie cut her off.

"No! Hell no, Selene! After what Jim did to
you, if you think I would accept a loan from you, forget it! I
deserve this. No, I got myself into this; I'll get myself out. I
may have to work the summers for the next ten years, but it's my
fault."

"You’re sure?" Selene could see Maggie would
accept no help from them.

"Yeah, don't worry," Maggie said and smiled.
"You can buy drinks tonight, though."

"You’re on," Selene promised and reached out
and squeezed her hand. "I'll make them all doubles, ok?"

"You guys are the best friends anybody could
ever have," Maggie said and smiled through her tears. "I’ll never
ignore your warnings ever again, I swear."

Darcy raised an eyebrow. "That's pushing it,
sister."

Maggie chuckled. "Yeah, your right."

Just then, they all became aware of Axel
Gifford coming into the lounge. The handsome coach was dressed in
casual khaki's and a pullover with the schools logo on it. All
three of them sighed in unison. Darcy giggled and her round face
flushed.

"Thank God Howard retired," she
whispered.

"He seems really nice," Selene said. "I
showed him to his new office yesterday."

"And?" Maggie pressed her, thinking there
more to the story.

"That's it. I showed him to the gym and we
talked for a bit. What did you expect me to do? Jump his bones
right there in the gym?" Selene felt her face grow hot to think of
the shower scene last night.

"I would have, he's hot." Maggie's lips
curving appreciatively, never taking her eyes off him. "Things are
looking up. I'm going to take an interest in sports, I can see
that."

Selene was shocked at the mild feeling of
jealousy that came over her at how Maggie staked her claim to the
handsome gym coach. She knew how Maggie was. The timing of Burke
leaving her to start his career as an underwear model and the new
teacher's arrival could not have been better.

"Watch and learn, ladies." Maggie rose from
the table and adjusted her navy skirt. "I'm inviting him out to
meet us for drinks tonight."

"It's girl's night out!" Darcy protested.

"What can it hurt?" Maggie eyed Selene
hopefully. "Come on, Selene, two against one we invite Coach
Hattie?"

"Go ahead, I don't care," Selene earned a
scowl from Darcy.

They both watched Maggie work the room in her
approach to the gym teacher, noting every man in the room was
riveted by Maggie's dark beauty. Mr. Rutgers looked like he was
struggling to breathe as she passed.

"Selene, why do you encourage her?" Darcy
watched Maggie introduce herself to Axel and work her wiles on him.
"She hasn't even gotten over Burke yet. The last thing she needs is
to start something new."

"Hey, she's a big girl, Darcy," Selene
pointed out, miffed for some reason to see Axel smiling down at
Maggie. "We both know she wouldn't listen."

Darcy looked slightly put out when Maggie
returned to inform them that Axel would be joining them at Ma
'Belle's at eight. The bar was their hangout and had been for
years. It was a small, intimate bar. They had karaoke on Friday
night. Maggie usually sang for them, having a very Cher-like voice.
Axel would be putty in her hands. Selene could see that and felt a
pang of disappointment for some reason.

Selene barely knew the man. Their lunch date
came to mind and she dismissed it. He was just being nice. Maggie
had every right to pursue him. Why did she feel like a fourth
grader now, wanting to throw a very definite fit to know Maggie set
her sights on the gym teacher?