A Somers Dream (5 page)

As morning crept in, Penny laid in Shane’s arms enjoying the warmth he emitted. Last night was a success if Shane gave her the right indication. After he joined her on the floor, she joined him on the chair, then on the dresser, then in the shower and, finally, in bed. It had been one hell of a night and one she is certain she won’t be forgetting any time soon. “Good morning, beautiful” he said as he kissed her on the forehead. “Good morning”, she replied and kissed him on his chest. Shane gave out a small groan and tightened his hold around her. Penny giggled and tapped him on the chest, “No more, you wore me
out” and she meant it. Penny was sore in places she didn’t think were possible but they were good sores, ones she wouldn’t trade in. Shane chuckled and rubbed her back “I wore
you
out?! Guess you didn’t notice the way I was walking to bed last night after the shower, did you. Feels like I just got off a hundred mile trek on a horse” Penny laughed, she remembered the way Shane was wobbling last night, it was just too funny. “You were a trooper though. You just kept right on going” she said as she continued to laugh. “Had to keep up. Didn’t want you thinking I wasn’t up to the task of pleasing you when you wanted it. How rude would that be?” All Shane wanted then was a bag of ice or frozen peas, yea, those would be better. It conforms unlike cubes of ice. Now that he had time to rest, he laughed as well at the memory, it sure was a sight to see, not that he would want to see it again. Penny got her laughter under control and continued to snuggle in closer, time was drawing to a close and she wanted to hold him for as long as she could. “I guess we should get up. You’re gonna miss your flight if we linger here much longer” he hugged her close before starting to rise. Penny got up and went for a shower while Shane got dressed. As he was buttoning his shirt, he realized it was going to be a very long two weeks before he sees her again. He put it on his agenda that before arriving at the airport, he was going to stop at the electronics store and buy her a web cam. “I may not be with her but at least I’ll be able to see her” he said to himself. Once Penny got out of the shower, he told her what he wanted to do and she agreed. Two weeks may not be long for some but for her, it was like an eternity. At least, that was how she is feeling as she packed her bag. Shane picked it up and they both made their way to the front door. Penny stood for a few moments, just looking around, keeping it to memory. “You’ll see it again in two weeks” he said, feeling just as down as she looked and Penny looked up at him. “I know” and with a faint smile she headed out the door with Shane in tow.

CHAPTER 8

Penny’s flight was a solemn one. Saying goodbye to Shane was hard even when she knew she would see him again in a couple of weeks. She tried to remain cheery in front of him but it was tearing her apart inside. He kept reassuring her that two weeks wasn’t that long and that it wasn’t a ‘goodbye’ but a ‘see you soo
n’. He had picked up the webcam on their way to the airport and he kept reminding her that they had a date later that evening. Even though it wasn’t the same, she wasn’t going to miss it. She had made plans with Cathy to pick her up at the airport and spotted her friend, waving her arms like a lunatic. Penny put on her best, bravest face and gave her a warm smile when she walked up to her. The drive home was fast and harrowing. Cathy always believed she was a formula one racer in her previous life and had no qualms about proving it. Greg always gave her crap about her driving but she always said that if no one died, her driving was fine. ‘
No wonder Greg is going bald
’, thought Penny, checking to see if she was losing hair herself as Cathy narrowly missed another car as she cut into the right lane for their exit. The conversation from the airport was minimal at best, Penny preferred Cathy kept her attention on the road instead so as not to get them killed. “They literally gave you a license?” Penny asked as a horn honked at them while Cathy cut them off. “There is nothing wrong with my driving. It’s everyone else who doesn’t know how to drive” She said as she began to yell at the driver in front for going too slow. “Move! It’s sixty here not twenty! You know something?” she looked over at Penny then back at the driver in front “if people are too damn scared to drive they shouldn’t be on the road!” After profusely beeping her horn at the car in front, she swerved into the other lane and passed at warp speed. “You have a serious case of road rage, you know that?” Penny was trying to swallow her heart after the traffic violation her friend just made “there is therapy for that”. “Therapy is for insecure people like the one that is now behind us” and with a final look in her rear view mirror, Cathy screamed “that’s how you drive, moron!” Penny was relieved when Cathy turned onto her street; her feet will soon be on safe and, non-moving which was the important part, solid ground. Cathy apologized not being able to go in with her and hear all the juicy details of her trip but she had to pick up the kids from swimming lessons in twenty minutes across town, she was wondering how she was going to make it. Penny had no doubt she was, only God help whoever gets in her way. Smiling and waving goodbye, Penny watched as her friend peeled down the street then turned and walked into her house.

“Home Sweet Home” she said to herself as she climbed the stairs of her brownstone apartment
on the upper west side. She chose this particular area because it was not far from Grand Central Park and the area was quaint with its culture and artists. But what really sold her on the property was the huge outdoor space. Living in New York, she found that to be a rare commodity. Walking through the door, she looked around and noticed how sparse and fragmented her place was compared to Shane’s. “Nothing cozy about this place”, she said to herself as she placed her bag near the stairs. Her furniture was modern as modern goes. Her couch wasn’t overly cushy or comfortable but good enough to sit while the remaining pieces were more for filling the space. The only areas of the house where she spent any of her hard earned money was the kitchen and bedroom. Those are the two places she ever spent time in as opposed to the rest of the house so she made it pleasing and comfortable to be in. As Penny began to settle herself in, she checked the messages that were on her machine. It seemed that work was in a state of chaos, a headache was waiting for her come the next morning. ‘
Well’
, she thought,
’I’ll just deal with it then
’. Still listening to messages, she scrolled through her emails, unpacked her bag, made a light snack and finally, when the last message was heard, she went to draw a bath. Just a few more hours until her date with Shane started and she wanted to look fresh when he saw her and soaking in a nice hot tub was going to do just that. As she lay there, letting the hot water soak into her muscles, she began to wander through her memory of the week. The ease and comfort she felt being with him was new for her. The only people she ever felt easy and comfortable with was Cathy and Greg. It was like as if they had known each other for years yet, it had only been about a month since they first started chatting. He was so easy going and laid back, funny and sweet. It was hard to not feel comfortable with him. The more she thought about Shane, the more the memories of the evenings they shared began to surface. They were wonderful and amazing evenings, for sure. She felt her body beginning to respond to the thought of Shane touching her and immediately put a stop to it. She was still a bit tender and in no way ready for another assault. Besides, she would rather wait until she saw him again before doing anything of that nature. It wasn’t enticing unless he was there to watch or join in. Shane had made it way more enjoyable than being alone, Penny realized.
He
had made many things more enjoyable, even having dinner was more enjoyable with him than it was alone. ‘
Oh it’s gonna be a very long two weeks
’, she thought. Having a webcam does help, a bit, but it doesn’t replace the real thing. You can’t cuddle with it or kiss it or have sex with it. Although, there is cybersex but it’s not the same. He still wouldn’t be there, with her, holding her, kissing her, touching her and finally being one with her. Her body already felt the emptiness that Shane normally filled. She was gonna have to be strong and keep telling herself that two weeks is not long. Not long at all. So, with that decision made, Penny got out of the bath and prepared herself for her date. After fussing with the pc and webcam, she waited until it was time, time for that ‘ding’ to let her know he was on the other end.

CHAPTER 9

That was the hardest thing Shane thought he ever had to do, dropping Penny off at the airport. The ride there was quiet, not much to say and he didn’t want to say anything. He didn’t like the fact he would have to wait two weeks before he can hold her again but what can he do? They both have responsibilities and he knew she would have to go back to hers. ‘
I certainly can’t expect her to up and leave her job and stay with me
’ he thought to himself, he knew that was being selfish. Once they reached their destination, Shane walked with her as far as the security check point and watched her leave. He stood there until he couldn’t see her anymore then started to head for the parking lot. He sat in the car and waited until her plane left the runway and he could see it gaining altitude, he was feeling like crap. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt so awful when someone left, even the feeling he had when his mother died wasn’t the same feeling. He was devastated when his mother died but this feeling…this feeling is more like being ripped apart. An empty feeling. He didn’t like it, not one bit. He started the car, put it in drive and headed for home. He tried to prepare himself for the meetings he had lined up in the coming week but his thoughts kept returning to Penny. She was an amazing, sweet, funny, beautiful, smart woman and so much more. She was definitely the whole package. A package he wanted to keep. He was gonna do what needed to be done to make sure they were together, he had no intentions of letting this one go anytime in the near, or far, future. With that new found determination, Shane smiled all the way home. As he pulled into the driveway, he noticed a car parked there. He wasn’t expecting anyone and he didn’t recognize the vehicle either. As he got out of his car and made his way to the house, the front door opened and there stood in his doorway the last person he ever wanted to see…Lynesse.

He can’t believe it! How the hell did she get in?! As he got closer to the door,
Lynesse gave a brilliant smile “Shane, baby, where have you been? I’ve been waiting for like…forever” She stuck out her cheek expecting a gracious kiss but Shane just bulldozed his way past her. Lyness gave a pouty look, “Is that any way to say hello to your mother?” she grinned. She knew he hated it when she called herself that. “You’re not welcome here, Lynesse. Leave before you are ceremoniously thrown out” he said through gritted teeth. “You mean unceremoniously, don’t you?” he was getting angry and she knew it. “It would be a ceremony for me, now get out” Shane turned his back ending the conversation and walked down the hall into the kitchen. He couldn’t believe she was here, in his house of all places. What the hell could she want…no, he didn’t care what she wanted he just wanted her gone. Shane hadn’t seen Lynesse in five, not long enough, years.

Lynesse
Whitcombe was the daughter of a shipping magnate whose company dated back to the civil war. She was old money while Shane’s family was new.  They had met at an auction house, Shane being there for business while Lynesse was there for personal matters. They were both bidding on the same piece, an eighteenth century
Rare Rhinoceros Horn Carved Cup, which the family business needed to complete their Asian collection for the company auction. Lynesse wanted it because she thought it would look good in her living room.
It was an expensive piece but Shane did have a budget to follow, unlike Lynesse, who had out-bidded him by an exorbitant amount. Shane liked her back then, she was smart and sassy with a no nonsense attitude. They had hit it off and started to see more of each other. A year and a half later, Shane had asked her to marry him. She said yes and the arrangements began for a Fall wedding. At that time, he was on top of the world. He had everything he wanted, a great job that he loved and soon a beautiful wife. Four months into the engagement, Shane had to go abroad for an auction in Japan. There was a piece that the company wanted and it was up to Shane to acquire it. Normally, he would take Lynesse with him but with the wedding fast approaching, she begged off saying there was too much to do and she couldn’t very well up and leave. He didn’t want to leave her behind but he had to go. The vase that they needed for the collection was the final piece and he had to be there to acquire it. Normally, he would bid over the phone but this particular auction house had a policy about phone bids. There were none. So, with bags packed, he kissed his fiancé good-bye with the promise he would return in a week’s time. He hadn’t expected to acquire the piece as quickly as he did so decided to surprise Lynesse and come home a day early, but what he walked into was a mind numbing blow he wasn’t expecting. While Shane had been overseas, Lynesse had gotten married, and what he had walked into was a wedding reception. Lynesse’s and his father’s.

“Now Shane, can’t we be adults about this? It has been five years already. Let’s bury the hatchet”
Lynesse called from the front hall, she didn’t like being ignored and she certainly didn’t like being ignored by him. She made her way towards the kitchen where Shane was and couldn’t help but notice how exquisite the house was. ‘
He has great taste, that’s for sure
’ she thought and she walked down the hall. Entering the kitchen she saw that Shane was pouring himself a glass of wine, “Perfect. I’ll have a glass as well” and she sat on the stool. He let out a sigh and poured one for her as well, he figured he wasn’t getting her out until she said what she came to say. As he pushed her glass towards her, Lynesse was marveling at the décor and grandeur of the kitchen “This place is beautiful. How come I never seen it before now?” She looked over at him with that pouty look she thought made her look irresistible. It made him want to vomit. “Could be because you were never invited, I guess. What do you want, Lynesse” he was feeling very tired all of a sudden. “What? No ‘how you been’ or ‘how’s the family’? Where are your manners?” she was going to drag this visit for as long as she can. She had a purpose for being here and she wasn’t going to leave until she got what she wanted. Shane rolled his eyes and combed his fingers through his hair letting her know he was getting agitated. “Fine, Lynesse. How’s old Holten doing? Still alive I take it?” he wasn’t in the mood for dealing with this. All he wanted to do was come home, eat, relax and then hook up with Penny online. This wasn’t part of the plan. “Well, you got one thing right. Actually two things, he is old and he is still alive. I don’t really see him all that much. He just locks himself away with all his antiques for hours on end. Life has become quite dull, to be honest”. Again, Lynesse gave that pouty look that made Shane want to slap off. “So why are you here, Lynesse? If he’s not dying or sick, there is no reason for you to be here” He wondered if it would be considered assault if he picked her up and threw her out. He knew the answer to that, cursed and began to drink. “I’m sorry, what did you say? Oh never mind. The reason I’m here is that I’ve been thinking. My ‘relationship’ with Holten has died out and he no longer pays any attention to me. So I thought what a brilliant time for us to pick up where we left off. We were a great pair before all this nonsense began. So I started thinking, why not? We had some good times together, Shane. And I know you’re not seeing anyone ‘exclusive’, I’ve asked around. It’s funny how you never became serious with another woman after me.” Lynesse’s smile was so wide, she could’ve inhaled the Titanic, ocean and all. Wine came spewing from his mouth as he heard what she had to say. He was starting to think something was wrong with his hearing because he
knew
she didn’t just say what she said. Gasping for air, Shane looked dumbfounded at her. “Excuse me? Did you just say, in relative terms, you wanted to get back together?” Oh he was feeling faint. There is no way that was what she said. “Of course. Why else would I come here to this godforsaken place? You know I hate the woods. Oh Shane! It would be like old times again.” For Lynesse, two miles out of town is ‘the woods’ and ‘old times’ was her being catered to. Shane was having a hard time digesting this little bit of news. “Um, Lynesse? Maybe you forgotten a couple of details so let me enlighten you, Ok? Not
only
are you married to my father but you
left
me for him?!” He was having a stroke. Oh yes, he can feel the weakness in his chest. What the hell was wrong with this woman? “Well, you left me and Holten was so understanding and sweet. He understood that a precious gem, such as myself, should never be left unattended. Besides, I needed to be with someone who was more established in life” Lynesse said this all casual like while examining her manicure. That wasn’t exactly how it happened but he didn’t need to know that. Shane was having a hard time digesting all of it, he wondered if there was any Pepto Bismal in the bathroom pantry. A whole bottle would feel good right about now. “More established?” he said confounded, “I don’t care what game you’re playing but I’m not into it. You made your bed five years ago, either you deal with it or find someone else to play with. I’m not interested” With that said, Shane held Lynesse gently by the arm and made his way to the front door to escort her out. Once he had her through the threshold, she turned to say something, he slammed the door in her face. He had enough of Lynesse Whitcombe, no Lynesse Somers, for an eternity. Lynesse stood outside on the front porch completely appalled, “Well, of all the nerve. How dare he!”. As she began to walk to her car, she decided that it wasn’t over. Shane will be hers again even if it took every deceitful scheme she could come up with to do it. Lynesse always got what she wanted and what she wanted was Shane. “This isn’t over, not by a long shot” she slammed the shift into gear and she drove down the driveway, already plotting of ways to make Shane hers once again.