The Midnight Tour

rubbed against the sides of his groin.

Face looming over his penis, she said, “Ooo, you are so big and hard.”

Owen felt her fingers encircle him.

They squeezed gently, and he groaned.

“Hard as a rock. Oh, Owie, I’ve never felt it so hard.”

Her fingers glided slowly upward.

“You must be awfully turned on.”

Her fingers went away.

“Bet you just can’t wait to slip it into me,” she said. “Can you?”

“Huh-uh.”

“Into my hot, wet pussy.”

Her fingers returned, curled lightly around him, and slid downward.

Owen squirmed.

Monica let go, gently patted his thigh, and said, “Afraid you’ll just have to wait, honey.”

“Huh?” He lifted his head off the mattress.

Monica, smiling and shaking her head, backed away from the bed. “No fucky-wucky for you tonight, Owie. You’ve been a bad boy.”

“What?”

“Too bad Dana can’t be here for you.”

“What?”

Turning aside, she waved at him, said, “Ciao,” and walked out of sight. A moment later, Owen heard the bathroom door bump shut. Next came the click of its lock.

When he woke up, the gray light of morning showed through a gap in the curtains. He was still naked, but he no longer lay at the end of the bed with his legs hanging over the edge. Sometime during the night, he must’ve gotten up and crawled under the covers. He had no memory of it, though.

The last thing he remembered, Monica had locked herself in the bathroom and he’d stayed on his back, feeling cheated and angry.

At first, he’d been tempted to jump up and run to the bathroom door, break it open and grab Monica and slam her against a wall and shove it in.

Fix her good. Fuck her till she can’t see straight.

But he knew he could never do anything like that.

What he could do, he could walk over calmly to the door and talk to her. Apologize to her.

Apologize for what? She’s the one who went nuts!

Just say whatever it takes, he told himself. Take all the blame for everything. Beg her if you have to. Just get her to come out.

She didn’t take her nightie with her,

She’s naked in there,

Get her to come out, and we can pick up where we left off.

Except that Owen felt as if he’d been bludgeoned.

She had no right to treat me that way.

He had a heavy ache in the pit of his stomach and he was limp and he wanted to slap her a good one across her smirking face.

Thinking back on it now, Owen couldn’t recall getting up from the bed or moving his postion at all. Nor could he remember Monica coming out of the bathroom.

She must’ve come out after he’d fallen asleep.

She was in the bed now, near him under the covers. From the sound of her slow, easy breaths, Owen supposed she was probably asleep.

Not so much as glancing in Monica’s direction, he eased himself slowly, silently out of the bed. The room felt chilly.

Starting to shiver, he glanced at the clock. Ten till six.

He crept past the foot of the bed. Her nightgown was still on the floor.

Seeing it, memories rammed through him. His throat went tight. A knot formed in his stomach.

He looked over at Monica.

She seemed to be lying on her side. Her hip made a high bulge in the covers. Her left shoulder protruded above the edge of the blanket, bare. He couldn’t see her face at all, just her black hair spread over the pillow. The hair looked sleek and smooth. She must’ve brushed it while hiding in the bathroom last night.

Owen supposed she was probably naked under the covers.

He supposed he might pull them away and take a look. He might slip into the bed with her, wake her with gentle kisses and caresses.

You never know, I might get lucky.

Call that luck?

Even though he stood there naked, imagining how it could be, he felt no stir of arousal.

Instead, he felt slightly gleeful.

If I can get away with this...

Silently, he gathered clean clothes for himself. He took them into the bathroom, eased the door shut and locked it. He wanted to take a shower, but didn’t dare. He bad to pee, did so, but refrained from flushing. With water running slowly and quietly from the faucet, he washed his face and brushed his teeth. He didn’t bother shaving. But he did comb his hair.

Then he got dressed and silently eased open the bathroom door and stepped out.

Monica still lay on her side, her bare shoulder sticking out of the blanket.

Owen had never unpacked his suitcase. He’d simply left it open on a luggage rack inside the closet and removed items as he’d needed them.

It took him only a few minutes to gather his things and throw them in. He shut the suitcase. He carried it to the door, set it down, then silently made his way back through the room.

Monica remained on her side, apparently still asleep.

Owen picked up his overnight bag and his camera case, swung their straps over his shoulders, and walked silently back to the door. There, he hefted his suitcase. He slipped into the hallway and eased the door shut.

A smile tilted the corners of his mouth.

He walked away quickly.

Downstairs, the lobby was nearly deserted. Piped-in piano music played quietly. Owen recognized the melody as “I Left My Heart In San Francisco.” A couple of guests were busy pouring themselves free cups of coffee. The young, uniformed woman behind the registration desk was looking through a magazine and paid no attention to Owen as he walked by.

Just outside the entryway, he found a cab waiting.

He took the cab to San Francisco International Airport.

Where he headed straight for a car rental agency.

Chapter Twenty-Four

FRIDAY MORNING

Dana woke up. She was lying on her side, snug in bed.

Above her, a breeze lifted and swayed the curtains. The morning air felt chilly on her face.