Chapter Eighteen
Ryleigh had no idea what to wear for a “sex only” date. She’d tried looking up suggestions online, but had discovered the
search sent her to some really scary places, so she was on her own.
They’d agreed Alex would be coming to her place, so she didn’t have to go out in public, but even so, she wasn’t comfortable
walking around in a sexy nightgown. And that thought sent her into her closet to figure out if she had any really sexy nightgowns.
And when it turned out she didn’t, she wondered if she should buy one or two. If not for him, then for whomever she was going
to meet in her new life, not that there was time to get anything delivered in the next twenty minutes.
She stood in the center of her bedroom, confused and nervous about the upcoming, ah, event. She’d done all the grooming things,
she’d change the sheets. She’d also wasted way too much time trying to figure out if she should provide refreshments, but
wasn’t sure what was appropriate and thinking about a postcoital cocktail was strange.
She’d spent an hour playing with Lucy so her cat wouldn’t meow at the closed bedroom door, then had put on her favorite animal
channel in the hopes of distracting her.
“I have to get dressed.” Because while naked was the point, there was no way that was happening before they started to, you know, do it.
She finally settled on matching bra and bikini panties under a simple sundress. She skipped shoes and brushed her hair one
more time before walking into the living room and staring at the front door. Seconds later she heard a knock.
A flood of nerves swept through her as a million second thoughts filled her brain. Still, she walked over and opened the door
to find Alex standing there.
They stared at each other for several seconds.
“Would you like to come in?” she asked, feeling both awkward and shy.
“I would.”
He stepped inside, then shut and locked the front door. She glanced at his hands and saw he wasn’t holding anything, so assumed
he’d put condoms in his pocket rather than show up carrying a little bag, which made sense, but still this was so oddly medicinal
and now she wasn’t sure and—
He moved close, cupped her face and kissed her. Kiss-kissed with lips and tongue and heat and passion. She responded instantly,
straining toward him as she wrapped her arms around him. They pressed everywhere, the heat generated far more than just from
body temperature. Need grew as did wanting and all her doubts faded away.
He drew back a few inches and whispered, “Bedroom.”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Forty-five minutes and two orgasms later, Ryleigh lay on her back, struggling to catch her breath. She couldn’t believe what
had happened. Twice! She glanced at Alex and found him watching her, a faint smile pulling at his lips.
“What?” she asked.
“You’re so beautiful.”
“I look exactly the same as I did before. That’s the sexual satisfaction talking.”
“You’re still beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
She heard a faint meow from the other side of the closed door, so got up and let in the cat. Lucy followed her to the bed
where she jumped up and walked between them. When she was at shoulder level, she sank onto the sheets and began to purr.
“Someone wants to be a part of things,” he said as he stroked the cat.
“She does.”
She stretched out, facing him. He reached over Lucy and touched Ryleigh’s face.
“Thank you for that. You feeling okay?”
She grinned. “I’m a little sore, but otherwise in excellent shape.”
Instead of chuckling, he frowned. “Did I hurt you?”
“No. Let me replace the word sore with ‘well used.’ It’s been a while since I’ve done it twice like that.” Or maybe never.
His smile returned. “Yeah, the first time was pretty fast. It had been a while and I tried to hold back but, well, you know.”
“I do know and you more than made up for it the second time. The Johnston family name will feel no shame tonight.”
“Good to know.” He continued to watch her. “I want you to feel safe and comfortable.”
“I feel both.”
“I’d like to keep doing this. What do you want?”
More sex with Alex? Yes, please. She’d thought there might be weirdness, but she felt completely comfortable with him. They
were good friends and she trusted him. Of course they could maintain that while enjoying sex.
“I want that, too,” she told him. “There’ll be logistics. I’d rather not blast our change in status all over town.”
“You don’t want to put something onto Port Palmas Talks?”
“Not really.”
“Good. So as you said, logistics. Noah can’t know. He wouldn’t understand.”
She nodded. “Agreed.”
She thought about their lifestyle together. “Noah’s starting to have more sleepovers, but they’re not a regular thing. Getting
together during the day could be difficult. We’re both working. On weekends, Noah has birthday parties every now and then
but mostly he hangs out with you.”
A complication, she thought sadly. Now that she knew what being with Alex was like, she wanted to enjoy a little more regular
access.
“I want to be with you,” he said, his gaze intense. “We’ll figure it out.” He paused. “Sometimes you spend the night in the
guest room. Would you be open to that? You could bring Lucy and we could . . .”
She laughed. “I’d like a little ‘we could’ in my life.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do.”
Jax walked through the store on her way to the second floor. “Ramon,” she called. “I know, I know. I’m sixteen minutes late
for dinner. Come on, sweetie. Let’s go.”
She waited for the familiar flap of wings and the feel of his light body landing on her arm or shoulder. Instead there was
only the noise of customers and the soundtrack from Wicked playing in the background.
She looked around but didn’t see him anywhere. When she reached the second floor she checked in each of the rooms, including
his private space, but he wasn’t there.
“Ramon,” she called, more loudly this time, ignoring the sense of panic swelling inside of her.
He had to be somewhere. This was his home—he wouldn’t just leave, he loved her.
Just that morning she’d taken him outside for his bath.
He fluttered and preened in the sun, enjoying the water and occasionally flapping hard enough to make sure she got sprayed as well.
But she couldn’t find him and the more she looked, the more scared she got. She ran down the stairs and searched the store,
calling his name. Several customers turned to stare at her, but she ignored them.
“Ramon! Ramon!”
Cheryl hurried over. “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t find Ramon.” Jax felt her eyes start to burn as her heart rate increased. “He’s gone.”
Cheryl went pale. “He’s around. He’d never leave. Maybe someone’s reading to him and he’s not paying attention to you.”
“It’s dinnertime.”
Cheryl pressed her lips together. “Yes, well, he has to be somewhere.”
Jax ran to the front of the store and slipped behind the main counter. She grabbed the microphone and began to speak.
“Hi, everyone. It’s Jax, the owner of the Painted Lady. I can’t find Ramon, my parrot. He should be in the store. If any of
you can see him, please shout out and let me know where he is.”
The store went oddly silent. Jax waited, afraid to breathe or move, as she hoped to hear a loud “Here he is!” Only there was
nothing. She waited for five seconds, then ten. The tears in her eyes spilled down her cheeks as the horrible reality crashed
in on her.
Ramon was gone.
“We’ll find him,” Cheryl said firmly.
Jax ran out of the store and onto the sidewalk. She spun as she searched the surrounding trees, then looked up at the widow’s
walk.
Nothing.
She called his name over and over again, then returned her gaze to the widow’s walk. Maybe he’d gotten trapped in the apartment.
She ran back inside and raced for the stairs. When she reached the top floor she unlocked the door and burst inside.
“Ramon? Are you here?”
There was no flap of wings, no familiar voice. Nothing.
She jogged to the balcony and went out.
“Ramon! Ramon! Where are you?”
“I called Ryleigh and Marcus,” Cheryl said, coming up behind her. “I’m going to put out a bulletin on Port Palmas Talks.”
Except for the strangeness of calling Marcus, Jax appreciated her friend’s actions.
“That’s a good idea. I’ll review the security tapes. Maybe there will be something on them.” Although she wasn’t sure what.
“I can’t believe he would fly away,” she said, telling herself she had to stay calm and that the sick feeling in her stomach
didn’t matter. “This is his home. Do you think someone took him?”
“I don’t know. He’s an expensive bird.”
“Yes, but he’s big. You couldn’t just slip him under your coat. Plus, he’d scream if someone tried to grab him.” The tears
returned. “I don’t understand. He loves me. I’m his person. He wouldn’t leave. The front doors to the store have always been
open, but he’s never disappeared like this before.”
Cheryl hugged her. “We’ll figure this out,” she said.
Jax hoped that was true but deep inside she was terrified Ramon was gone forever.
The bulletin went out a few minutes later. After going up and down the street, calling for her bird, Jax retreated to the
office to scroll through security tapes looking for something. Anything. Progress was slow and she had no idea what she was
looking for. He’d had his bath around eleven and she’d seen him after lunch, so started her search at the two o’clock marker.
The going was slow as she had to review the recordings carefully enough to make sure she spotted him.
Only Ramon wasn’t on any of the recordings and there was no suspicious person running out with a struggling bird. With each passing frame, she felt more and more sick to her stomach. She’d barely gotten to the four o’clock hour when Ryleigh burst into her office.
“Is he here?”
Jax shook her head, then started crying again. Her sister pulled her to her feet and hugged her.
“I’m sorry,” Ryleigh said. “I know you feel awful. What happened?”