“Hi, Phil,” I said as I gave him a strange look. “What are you doing here and why are you holding our pizzas?”
“Hi, Ellery. I was just down in the lobby and heard the delivery guy say he had pizzas for the Blacks, so I saved him a trip up since I was coming up to see Connor anyway.”
“Thanks, Phil.” I smiled as I took the pizzas from him. “Connor will be down in a minute. He’s changing Julia. How much do I owe you?” I asked as I reached for my wallet.
“Oh, please, don’t worry about it. It’s on me.”
Connor walked down the stairs and was surprised to see Phil standing in the kitchen.
“Phil, what brings you here, buddy?”
“I have some papers you need to sign,” he said.
“It couldn’t wait until morning?” Connor asked.
“No, I need to get these faxed over to Japan tonight, and when I went to your office earlier to have you sign them, you’d already left.”
“Why don’t you sit and have some pizza with us,” Connor said.
“Nah, I don’t want to interfere with your dinner.”
“You’re not interfering, Phil. Now sit down and let me get you a drink.” Connor insisted.
I took the paper plates and napkins to the living room. Phil followed behind me with the pizza boxes. Connor poured himself a scotch and made Phil a martini. I sat down on the floor, at the coffee table. Connor asked me what I wanted to drink. When I told him a coke, Phil jumped up and said he’d get it. We sat around the coffee table and talked while we ate.
“I’m surprised to see you sitting on the floor, eating pizza, Connor,” Phil said.
“Ellery likes things very informal,” Connor responded.
“Yep, I don’t like all that uppity shit.” I laughed.
“Well, Connor has changed quite a bit since he married you,” Phil said.
I looked over at Connor and smiled. “He sure has.”
“He’s a very lucky man to be married to such a beautiful woman.” Phil smiled.
When he said that, I blushed. “Phil, stop it.”
“No, I’m serious, Ellery. You are incredibly beautiful, and any man would be lucky to have you.”
“Well, thank you. But I’m the lucky one.” I smiled.
Connor got up and walked over to the bar to make Phil another drink, while Phil helped me bring the plates and pizza back into the kitchen.
“Thank you for inviting me to stay. It meant a lot to me, Ellery,” Phil said as he hugged me tightly.
As I stood there, astounded, I gently patted his back and told him that he was welcome. Connor walked in and handed Phil his drink.
“What’s going on in here?” He smiled.
“I was thanking your beautiful wife for having me.”
“It was our pleasure, Phil. You know you’re always welcome here.”
He drank part of his drink, set it on the table, and then announced he had to leave. Connor showed him to the door and gave him the money for the pizza.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Connor said as he shut the door.
He turned around and looked at me as I walked over to him and collapsed in his arms.
“I’m tired. I think I’ll go take a hot bath,” I said.
“Okay, baby. I’ll be up in a while. I have some papers I need to go over and then I’m going to call Detective James.”
When I reached the top of the stairs, I stopped in the nursery to check on Julia. She was sound asleep. I started the bath water, poured a capful of bubble bath, and stepped into the tub. As I lay back, I slowly closed my eyes and took in a deep relaxing breath. All I wanted to do was escape into a world where it was only the three of us. As I was dreaming about my alternate world, Connor walked into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub.
“Are you enjoying your bath?” he asked.
“Yes, I am. I was dreaming about our alternate world.”
Connor looked at me strangely. “What are you talking about?”
“I invented a world where it’s only me, you, and Julia. Just the three of us, living happily ever after.” I smiled.
“I love your imagination,” he said as he lightly ran his finger up and down my arm. “Are you imagining the things I’m doing to you in your alternate world? Are you imagining me making passionate love to you all night long because I can’t get enough of you? Are you imagining me whispering ‘I love you’ in your ear as I’m slowly moving in and out you?”
Whenever Connor talked like that, in that tone, he always put me in a trance. It was like I was frozen by his words and I was unable to move. As he spoke, he fondled my breast. While he stared into my eyes, he ran his thumb over my puckered nipple and leaned over to kiss my lips.
“You need to get out of the bath now,” he whispered.
“What if I’m not done yet?” I whispered back.