Chapter Seven

Six days later Mindy woke nestled in the warm comfort of Colby’s arms. It was nearly five in the afternoon. Colby had worked last night, getting home just before seven. He had crawled into bed with her after grabbing something to eat. She was still sound to sleep. She had been up most of the night working on a new screenplay. He had taken very good care of her. She found she liked being pampered by him. She felt much better. He was still asleep his breathing deep and even. She smiled she liked lying next to him. He held her close even in sleep. She wasn’t mad at him anymore. Her hand drifted over his chest and down his stomach. She wanted to touch him, her handed drifted lower. She covered him, he was hard. Her hand stroked him. She wondered if she could get him off without waking him. “I see you’re feeling better.” Colby mumbled grasping her wrist to stop her.

“Yes.” She said lifting her head to look up at him.

“We need to talk.” He told her quietly.

“I’d rather kiss you.” She said leaning up to kiss him. She brushed her lips against his. The kiss deepened as Colby pulled her closer. He rolled her beneath him. His hand moving under her night gown to cup her breast. He explored her mouth with his tongue as he rubbed his thumb lightly over her nipple. She stroked her hands down over his back. She could feel his hardness pressing into her stomach. She wrapped her legs about him rubbing against him.

“We need to stop.” He muttered breaking the kiss. She was driving him crazy.

“I don’t want to stop.” She mumbled pulling his head down. They kissed hungrily. She felt his hand slide into her panties. He slipped a finger inside of her.

“You’re so wet.” He told her with a shudder. He was nearing the point of no return.

“No, don’t stop.” She moaned when his hand moved away.

“I have too.” He said moving off of her. He was close to losing control.

“No you don’t.” She muttered in frustration. Her body was on fire.

“We need to talk first.” He told her. He was sitting on the edge of the bed his back to her.

“I don’t want to talk to you, I’m sick of this shit!” She replied tossing the covers off as she got up. She stormed out of the room slamming the door behind her. Her defenses slammed up, shielding her thoughts from him. She walked into the bathroom, and turned on the shower. Removing her nightgown and panties she stepped under the shower. But the hot water did little to soothe her tension. Why did he have to stop? She wanted him so bad her body was aching. They were right back to square one again. I have to get out of here! She stepped out of the shower quickly drying her self off. She would pack up her stuff, and move back into Tom’s guest house. She quickly dressed, and then headed out to the garage to get some empty boxes. She carefully packed up all of her stuff.

“What are you doing?” Colby asked from the doorway. He frowned at the stack of boxes on the bed.

“Packing my stuff up.” She answered not bothering to look at him.

“Why?” She had stripped the room bare.

“You know why.”

“You stripped the bed.” He said coming into the room.

“I bought the sheets and comforter that was on the bed. Don’t worry. I’ll get some sheets and blankets from the linen closet, and make the bed up.” She explained. “I’ll get Matt to help me haul this stuff to Tom’s.”

“You’re not going anywhere.” He told her reaching out to turn her toward him.

“I’m not staying here.”

“Yes you are.” He replied firmly. “We need to straighten a few things out, but it will have to wait until later.” He told her glancing at his watch. “I need you to set the table.

“Fine.” She replied with a sigh. But when she tried to move away, he pulled her closer leaning down to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck kissing him back, as the kiss deepened. She couldn’t help responding to him, even though she was mad. Her defenses crumbled under the weight of her passion. With her defenses down she was aware of Doug’s car pulling into the driveway. “Your brother’s here.” She told him breaking the kiss.

“I know.” He muttered letting her go. He walked out to the living room to open the door for his brother. “You’re early, I said six-thirty.”

“It’s nearly six-thirty.” Doug replied. He was in a bad mood. One of his patients was doing poorly.

“Hi Doug.” Mindy called as she walked into the kitchen. She had changed into a bikini. “I’m going to take a swim before dinner.” She walked out onto the deck through the sliding glass door. She needed to cool off after Colby’s kiss. Taking a deep breath she jumped off the diving board into the cold water. She swam under the water, coming up in the shallow end.

“I take it she’s feeling better.” Doug commented watching her through the sliding glass door.

“Yes.” Colby replied setting the table. He was tempted to cancel the stupid card game.

“Any nightmares?”

“A couple. Go open the door for Matt.” He ordered with a frown.

“Yes master.” Doug replied sarcastically.

Colby opened the sliding glass door to go out on the deck. Mindy was still swimming. “Dinner’s almost ready.” He told her coming to stand on the edge of the pool.

“I’m not hungry.” She replied tersely.
“You need to eat.” He pointed out.

“No I don’t.” She said diving under the water. He was still there when she came up.

“You’re going to tire yourself out.” Doug said coming to stand near the end of the pool. He had a bottle of beer in his hand.

“So?” She called leaning back she floated in the water

“So, you’re going to get sick again.” Doug replied.

“Fine, I’ll get out.” She said not wanting to argue with Doug. She swam to the edge, pulling herself out of the pool. Colby stepped forward to wrap her in a towel. “Thanks.”

“Go change.” He ordered quietly. He swallowed hard her nipples had hardened in the cold water. He longed to strip her top off and take her breast into his mouth.

“What’s for dinner?” Matt asked as he joined them. He was holding a beer in his hand.

“Steaks.” Colby replied before turning to head back into the house. Mindy followed him inside. Going down to her room she quickly changed. By the time she was done, everyone had gathered around the table. Colby was bent over searching through a cupboard for a bowl. She reached out as she passed him to run her hand lightly over his butt. Colby straightened, sending her a look of warning. She just grinned and walked over to the table. Doug, Matt, and Amber were seated at the table.

“Hey Amber.” She said surprised to see her.

“Hi Mindy, how are you feeling?”

“Great.” She replied. “I’m surprised to see you here.” She said taking a seat. Lowering her shield she concentrated on Amber’s thoughts. She was relieved to discover that Amber’s thoughts were centered around her boyfriend.

“Trevor had to work late. So I thought I would come over and hang out with you guys.” Amber replied.

“So where’s the steaks you promised.” Matt asked when Colby placed a bowl of salad on the table.

“They’re coming.” He replied walking outside to get them off the barbecue.

After dinner they played poker. Colby dealt the cards out before setting the deck down.

“So Mindy how are things between you and Todd.” Amber asked picking her cards up.

“Good.” She replied.

“Have you had sex yet?” Amber asked.

“Not yet.” Mindy replied studying her cards.

“That mean your planning to?” Amber asked with a frown.

“Yes, we were going to do it after the Christmas dance. But I got stuck down here.” Mindy said rearranging her cards.

“Do you love him?” Amber asked.

“I like him a lot, he’s a good friend. He makes me laugh.”

“So why do you want to sleep with him. I thought you were going to wait for the right guy.”

“I need the experience.” Mindy said absently.

“What do you mean?” Amber asked.

“I’m a writer.”

“So?” Matt put in. He discarded two cards picking up the two that Colby dealt to him.

“So writers write from personal experience. I can’t write a decent love scene if I’ve never been in one.” She answered rearranging her cards.

“So write screenplays that don’t have sex in them.” Doug said discarding one card.

“That’s not what the powers of be are looking for. Sex sells movie tickets.” Mindy answered. Setting down her cards she pulled her phone out, flipping it open. “Hi Dad.” She said putting the phone to her ear. “Who else would be calling me.” She answered setting her cards on the table. “I’m feeling much better, no more headaches.” She told him leaning back in her chair. “Relax, I’m not alone. I’m playing cards with my friends. Here you can talk to them. Everyone say hi to my Dad.” She replied handing the phone to Doug. They passed the phone around so everyone could say hi. “Are you satisfied, I’m perfectly safe. Colby doesn’t have any steps. He lives in a one level rancher. The only stairs are the one’s leading to the basement. I don’t go down there.” She lied rolling her eyes. “Don’t worry, I’m fine. I need to get off the phone you’re holding up the game.” She told him with a sigh. “Bye.”

“Sounds like your dad’s worried.” Matt commented.

“Yeah you fall down one flight of stairs, and suddenly you’re not capable of going anywhere by yourself.” Mindy muttered setting the phone down.

“You didn’t fall down any stairs. Someone tried to rape you.”

“Thanks for the reminder Doug. Where were we?”

“Is that why you’ve been making out with all those guys? To get experience?” Amber asked still frowning.

“Ashley has a big mouth. I’ll bet a dollar.” She said throwing a dollar into the pot.

“She’s worried about you. You were almost raped at one of the parties.” Amber said. “Just out of curiosity what would you have done, if Ashley had been too late?”

“What do you mean?”

“Would you have filed charges against him?”

No, because it would have been my fault.” She answered shaking her head.
“How do you figure that?” Matt asked turning to look at her.

“It was my choice to get drunk and place myself in a dangerous position.”

“You’re saying it’s all right to rape a woman who’s had too much to drink?” Amber said.

“You need to get some counseling.” Doug said shaking his head.

“I do not. Remember the case your brother handled. His client raped a woman who was drunk. He argued that it was the woman’s fault. She asked for it, when she got so drunk she couldn’t say no. Jeff won that case.”

“Only because the prosecutor was worth less. I would have torn his argument apart.” Matt told her angrily.

“Dad suspended Jeff for the way he handled that case.” Doug put in.

“If you have a few drinks at a party and a guy forces himself on you, that’s still rape!” Matt told her firmly.

“Are you saying you’ve never had sex with an intoxicated woman?” Mindy asked.

“No, I’ve never had sex with a woman that was drunk.”

“Colby?” She questioned.

“No.” He said with a frown. He was really starting to worry about her.

“Just my wife.” Doug admitted. “But that can hardly be considered rape.

“We’d have to ask her.” She replied.

“Are you saying I raped my wife?” Doug demanded.

“That’s why most rapes go unreported, the victims blame themselves.” Matt said.

“Drunk or not its still rape.” Amber muttered with a frown. She knew that from experience. It had happened to her when she was a Freshman in college. She had gone to a party and had too much to drink. She’d been too drunk to stop the guy. The whole thing was a blur, she had never been able to remember the guy clearly. Mindy watched Amber quietly, her heart aching for her friend. Amber had never mentioned the rape to anyone. But Mindy was able to read her thoughts. She concentrated harder on Amber going deeper into her mind. She felt a jolt of pain as she encountered Amber’s memories of the night she had spent in Colby’s arms. They had spent the night at Amber’s. Knowing how much she had enjoyed being in Colby’s arms was painful.