Playing Passion's Game (23 page)

Juliet kissed her, a long, sweet kiss that made Trent wonder why she’d waited so long to reveal what was so painfully obvious.

“I love you too, Trent. I didn’t want to leave you either. You’ve held my heart in your hands since the start.”

Trent pulled her close and held on tightly. “I think you had mine from the moment I saw you. I’d never seen anyone more beautiful. Being with you made me realize that I’ve been living but I’ve never truly been alive, not until I fell for you.” Juliet’s arms tightened around her, and Trent relished the comfort as it broke through her wretchedness and finally gave her warmth.

“I had another call this morning not long after I spoke to you. Monica had a meeting yesterday evening with Victor Tweedy, your neighbor’s son. Seems he’s been watching the transformation of your yard with a very keen eye. Are you aware he’s the boss of his own construction firm?”

Trent nodded. “I know bits from what Mrs. Tweedy has mentioned. There’s just her son and his daughter. I know his wife died young.”

“Victor Tweedy builds and renovates houses. He has builders, electricians, plumbers, and painters he’s all in charge of. He asked Monica if she would be interested in being his landscaper so he can bring the full package to his customers.”

“No kidding?”

“He has quite a few properties that need gardening care too, so he asked if she’d be caretaker to those as well.” Juliet beamed at Trent. “Monica asked me to join her as her partner. After my meetings today I went through the facts and figures with her. On company time too, I might add. It all sounds too good to be true, but I think we can make it work. Now all I have to do is tell my bosses.”

Trent squeezed Juliet in her excitement. “That is seriously cool! That’s perfect for you both.”

“I had a meeting after the presentation with my bosses offering me a new job that might not be there in a year’s time or I could take a golden handshake.” Juliet smiled ruefully. “I was offered a severance package that is more than I could have ever hoped for considering the current climate. I know what’s happening to the banks. I’ve been seeing it from the inside all falling down around us. I chose to jump before the ship sank.”

“You’re being laid off?”

“And walking straight into another job, something I’ve been keen to do for some time now, as you know. My severance check will be a marvelous nest egg for you and me to build our future on.”

Trent was ecstatic to hear the word
future
on Juliet’s lips. She kissed her, her head swimming at the possibilities that were opening up for them both. Trent pulled at Juliet’s hand gently. “I have something to show you.” She led Juliet to the front of the house and paused by a closed door. “This is the front room. I’ve never used it. As you’re aware, I pretty much stayed upstairs except to venture down for food.” She pushed open the door. The room was empty except for a mass of wire curled into a coil with a modem attached. “I can have this room fitted with a wireless Internet connection in a jiffy. I thought, maybe, you might like to use this room as your study. We could get a desk in here for you, a chair, move your laptop in and you could work on your spreadsheets in your own space.”

Juliet walked around the room, checking it out, her eyes shining brightly at Trent’s gift.

“I have a telephone line installed in here too. I just need to know where you want it placed.” Juliet touched each wall as she wandered around. “We could paint it any color you wish, make it more you.” Before Juliet could say anything, Trent held out her hand again. “One more thing.” She directed Juliet toward the living room. Swinging open that door, Trent revealed what was inside. “I figured if we were going to have Kayleigh over here staying with us sometimes we’d need a proper family room to entertain in.” She loved how Juliet’s eyes widened at the new large-screen television set back in the corner, resting on its shiny new stand. Beside it was a Nintendo Wii.

“Your console is upstairs, isn’t it?” Juliet said, obviously shocked by everything Trent was showing her.

“That’s my new one, to be used for gaming downstairs when we have visitors who’ll play.”

“I can’t believe you bought a TV for in here.”

“I wanted us to be able to use this room as it should be. Isn’t that what couples do? Make a home together?” She reached over by the TV and picked up a bright pink Wii Remote. “I even got you your own controller so you can join in when Kayleigh and I play.”

Juliet took the proffered remote. “
Pink
?”

Trent shrugged. “I figured that color of cover would be more your choice. I got blue for the kid.”

“You did all this for me?”

“I did this for
us
. I want to be with you so much, and through you I get your family too. I want them to feel welcome here, because I’m hoping,” Trent took a breath and finished softly, “I’m hoping this will be your home too?”

“You’re asking me to move in with you?”

“The buying of a controller for a loved one is kind of like a gamer’s version of an engagement ring. It reeks of commitment,” Trent replied solemnly, a smile tugging at her lips at Juliet’s whoop of joy. She caught Juliet in her arms as she launched herself across the room at her.

“We’ll need something decent to sit on in here,” Juliet said.

Trent pointed to a catalogue she had nearby. “I picked this up to help you decide what we need.”

“When did you decide all this, Trent? That TV was not here when I left.”

“The minute you’d gone I was at such a loss…the house only ever seems a home when you’re in it with me. So I decided I had to let you know how much I love you by showing you. I’m opening up my house to you, Juliet. You’ve already settled in my heart. Won’t you please move in with me and make me complete?”

“I’d love to. I don’t want to be without you either. And we’ll use my severance to get this place habitable. We can start with the living room and then we’ll sort out my home office.” She gazed adoringly up at Trent. “I can’t believe you did that for me.”

“You can do whatever you like here, any room,” Trent said, burying her face in Juliet’s hair to hide the fact she was grinning like a crazy person.

“Can I paint your game room pink?”

Trent pulled back to meet Juliet’s teasing look. “You can change the sofa in there to something more comfortable.”

“I like that sofa just fine. I wouldn’t touch a thing in that room. Except for you.”

Shivering at Juliet’s seductive tone, Trent said, “Welcome home.”

Trent kicked the front door shut with her heel and popped her head around Juliet’s office door. The room was empty, so Trent headed off to the kitchen.

“Juliet?”

“Up here, sweetheart.”

Following Juliet’s voice upstairs, Trent padded into their bedroom but found that was empty too. “Jule?”

“In here.”

Trent wandered into the spare bedroom, which was still empty save for a few boxes of Juliet’s clothes she was sorting through to throw out. Trent found Juliet standing in front of the large window, the blinds pulled aside so she could see the expanse of the yard below.

“Surveying your handiwork, love?” Trent asked, slipping her hands around Juliet’s waist and hugging her close. She pressed a kiss on Juliet’s neck, then rested her head on Juliet’s and looked down at what held her attention.

“Hey, gorgeous.” Juliet hugged Trent’s arms around her. “Just look at how pretty everything looks.”

The yard was a riot of flowers. The last burst of summer colors was making way for autumn’s turning shades. The new growth of trees edged the lines of fencing, and the gazebo stood proudly amid the pebbles in lieu of grass. Small paved steps led the way to the gazebo, laid by Juliet and Monica as the last finishing touch. Trent had to admit her favorite piece was the darker shade of pebbles that Monica had fashioned into a very distinct Space Invader alien that could only truly be seen from above. It was a perfect finishing touch, requested by Juliet.

“You and Monica did a fantastic job,” Trent said, amazed as always by how her yard had been transformed from the unruly mess it had been to the gorgeous picture-postcard perfection it now was. It had become a place even Trent liked to spend time in, usually in the evening with Juliet at her side.

“Kayleigh’s coming over later tonight to sleep over ready for tomorrow’s event.”

Trent chuckled at Juliet’s exasperated amusement. “It’s our first big ‘kids only’ tournament. She’s been preparing for it for over two months now. I’m just glad the hall let us open it up to all the kids. I think it’s going to be as popular as the grown-up matches are.”

“Kayleigh is so excited.”

“She should be. She’s very good. I hope she gets a trophy tomorrow.”

“You could be considered biased, her being your sister-in-law and all.” Juliet leaned forward to let the blinds drop back down, giving them back their privacy in the room.

“Your sister is an awesome gamer. She’s going to do well with or without my bias.”

Juliet snuggled back into Trent’s arms, reaching up to tangle her fingers in Trent’s hair, pulling her down to kiss her long and deeply. “I’m glad you’re home.”

“I missed you too,” Trent said, astounded every day by how much she loved coming home to Juliet in
their
house. It made her feel safer than she could ever have imagined. It never ceased to amaze her how empty her life had been. Trent cuddled Juliet close, enjoying the feel of her in her arms.

“I have had a thought on what we could do with this room.”

Trent looked around at the bare walls. “You want wardrobes in here for your clothes? Elton said he would help me read the directions.”

“No, I was thinking more along the lines of using it as a nursery for when we have a baby.”

Juliet’s softly spoken words made Trent’s heart jerk in her chest. “A baby?” she repeated dumbly.

Nodding, Juliet caressed Trent’s cheek. “I’d love to have a baby with you. You’d make a remarkable mommy.”

Trent knew her mouth had dropped open. “You want a baby with me?”

“I want us to be a family, our own family, yours and mine. Can you imagine bringing a child up into our love?”

Trent’s throat closed over the wave of emotion rising through her. “My own family.” She digested this while staring into Juliet’s expectant face. “That would be so cool!”

“I’m not saying we do it right this minute, but one day soon you and I will go look into a way to get me pregnant.”

Letting out a whoop of joy, Trent swung Juliet round in her arms until they were both laughing and giddy. “God, I love you so much. A baby! Yes, yes to a baby!”

Juliet laughed at Trent’s exuberance. “How’d you feel about us trying right this second the old-fashioned way of making a baby, you know, just to get in some practice?” She popped the buttons of her blouse and parted it to reveal full breasts straining against her bra.

Trent quickly picked her up in her arms and carried her to the bedroom.

“What time is Kayleigh coming?” she asked, peeling her shirt off over her head in one quick movement and flinging it aside.

“Later, much later.” Juliet wriggled out of her jeans and scooted her way up the bed, beckoning Trent to follow.

“Good, because I think we’re going to need lots of practice to get this baby-making thing down just right.” Trent stared down at Juliet, loving her so much. “You, a real home, and maybe a baby to love one day. How did I get to be so damn lucky?”

“You opened your heart to love, Trent, and I promise to never let you regret it.”

“I love you.” Trent nuzzled her face between Juliet’s breasts and barely raised her head to ask, “You are coming with us tomorrow, aren’t you?”

Juliet’s fingers threaded through Trent’s short hair. “Of course I am. Someone has to keep the gamer groupies away from you.”

“Like I’d even look at anyone else when I have you. No one begins to compare. You’re my ideal.”

The hands in her hair began stroking as Trent pressed kisses across Juliet’s chest to roll her tongue around a nipple straining through Juliet’s bra.

“Damn, I wish I’d told Kayleigh we’d just pick her up on the way there tomorrow,” Juliet said, wrenching her bra off and moaning as Trent’s mouth instantly latched onto her bare flesh.

Trent just smiled against Juliet’s skin. “Look on it as practice for when we have a child of our own.” She paused for a moment, thoughtful. “I might want to get as much gaming in now as I can as well.” She jumped as Juliet hit her playfully. “Hey, don’t ever think I don’t know where my priorities lay.” She pressed her lips to Juliet’s and kissed her tenderly. “You, my love, will always come, in every sense of the word, before my gaming.”

About the Author

Lesley Davis lives with her American partner Cindy in the West Midlands of England. She is a die-hard science-fiction / fantasy fan in all its forms and an extremely passionate gamer. When her Nintendo DSi is out of her grasp, Lesley is to be found seated before the computer writing.

Visit her online at www.lesleydavis.weebly.com.

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