Vet's Desire (9 page)

“Oh, come on. I
shared the problems of my love life with you.”

“That’s the
difference. I don’t have a love life.”

“Says you.”

“Says me,
because I know.” Tim placed the can squarely on the table. “You and
Mike are regular old gossips, you know that? I can just see you
both in your twilight years, sitting on the porch, sharing cake and
coffee and chatting about your wrinkles and what you can do to fix
your sagging arses.”

“Men don’t get
saggy arses. We get saggy bellies.”

“Is that the
official medical verdict?”

“You’re right.
Can you imagine Mike with a saggy belly?”

“He’ll be
pumping iron all the way to the grave. Probably bench press his
coffin.”

They both
snickered.

“Rick?” A
sleepy voice came from the doorway and Tim turned around to see
Cherry standing there, rubbing her eyes and looking all soft and
sleep-mussed, her hair half out of a ponytail and her dressing gown
skimming her knees.

A plus-sized
armful of sweetness that Rick just adored. In fact, his friend was
already walking towards her with a sappy look on his face. Bending
down, he kissed her tenderly on her lips, one hand brushing her
hair back over her shoulders before slipping behind to gently tug
the elastic band from her hair.

Brushing the
flour off his nose, Cherry smiled up at him. “You’ve been baking.
You should have woken me and I’d have made it.”

“Honey, you
were so tired that I didn’t have the heart to.” Sliding his arm
around her waist, Rick walked her to the kitchen table.

“Hey, Tim.” She
smiled easily, but he didn’t miss the blush on her round cheeks nor
the way she brushed her hand down the front of her dressing gown to
ensure that every button was neatly in its slot.

Yeah, Cherry
might be at ease in her husband’s presence, but she’d never gotten
over her self-consciousness when around other men. But under Rick’s
care she was improving, for she didn’t immediately go and get
dressed, instead staying at the table and accepting the glass of
iced chocolate her husband handed to her before he sat down,
tugging his chair up beside hers and looping his arm around the
back of her chair.

“Tim was just
telling me how Cindy has him tongue-tied,” Rick said
cheerfully.

“Cindy?” Cherry
looked curiously at him.

“Your husband
is so starved for gossip he’ll make up anything,” Tim said. “Don’t
you have any juicy gossip at the hospital to tell him? Hot nurses,
randy patients, handy doctors for that matter? Anything at
all?”

“Our hospital
isn’t exactly a cess pool of rampant, torrid affairs.”

“Then it needs
to be.”

Smiling, she
took a sip of the iced chocolate.

“So, what do
you think caused the tongue-tie?” Interest shone in Rick’s
eyes.

“I don’t think
it’s polite to ask,” Cherry said.

“Hey, he came
here to chat.” Rick twirled a lock of her hair around one finger,
his gaze steadily - and laughingly - fixed on Tim. But there was
also a touch of curiosity.

Uh-oh, that
never boded well. Once his friend had the bit between his teeth, he
wouldn’t let go easily.

“I called
around to say g’day,” Tim informed Cherry. “I happened to mention
being tongue-tied and Cindy in the same conversation and Rick
started obsessing. Me.” He placed a hand on his chest. “I’m fine as
ever. In fact, I’m heading to the Bevan Club to see if I can score
tonight.”

“Yeah, you
looked dressed for it.” Rick grinned. “Don’t lie to me, old
son.”

“Look, Dad, I
was just on my way home to change, all right? Seriously, you need
to get out more.”

“Nah. I have
everything I need right here.” Rick squeezed Cherry, making her
blush as he kissed her ear.

His friend had
never spoken a truer word and it showed in his manner. He was the
very picture of a contented, married man, more than happy with the
path his life had taken.

Which was all
very well for him, but Tim wasn’t a marrying man and women were for
flings, not ever afters.

Well, some
women, not all, and he made sure he only hung around with the fling
chicks, not the ever afters. Okay, he amended silently, he hung
around a little with Cherry and Maddy, because they were both a
part of his best friends’ lives, but that was it. Well, apart from
his vet nurses but that was work only, and Nancy, his sixty year
old neighbour whom he took on dates to his mother’s parties to
annoy the shit out of her, but that was it. Oh, and clients were
off limits, too.

Geez, he was
getting a headache just thinking about it.

Shaking his
head, he drained the last of the Coke and stood up. “Well, gotta
get going.”

“Do you want to
stay for tea?” Cherry asked.

“Thanks, but
no. I’m off for some fun.” He looked at Rick. “Any final words of
advice, Dad?”

“Pack your
condoms.”

Cherry took
refuge in her drink.

“Be safe,” Rick
continued, straight-faced. “Don’t drink too much. Take a taxi home.
Call me when you get in.”

“The first four
I’ll do, the last is in your dreams.”

Bidding them
farewell, Tim got in his car and drove home. The house was quiet as
normal and Janet’s usual note was ready. His dinner was in the
‘fridge to warm up.

Tim looked
around. His bachelor home was neat as a pin and as quiet as the
grave. The only sounds were the soft hum of the ‘fridge. It was
around this time the night before when Cindy had phoned and he’d
gone to her rescue.

What a
romantic, absolutely stupid thought. He’d gone and done his
job.

The phone rang
and he picked it up, glancing at the caller ID and losing heart
almost immediately. Clicking the phone on, he put it to his ear and
said politely, “Mother.”

“I’m just
checking to ensure that you’re still coming to my party on Saturday
night.”

“I’m actually
thinking of skipping it.”

“You’re going
to skip your own Aunt’s birthday? The woman who took a chance on
you?”

Jesus. “I’ll
send her a birthday card.”

“Oh, I’m sure
she’ll be touched. She’s been telling everyone that her favourite
nephew is coming. Now she can tell them he sent her a card
instead.” The frosty disapproval was overlaid with tart
expectance.

“Shit. Fine.
Yes, I’m still going.”

“You’ve got a
date, I trust.”

“Well, the
demand was torched with the words ‘Tim and Date.’ I rather thought
the summons from Hell was pretty straight forward.”

“Don’t be
dramatic, Timothy.”

Goddamn it, his
mother had the knack of making him feel like a naughty ten year
old. As usual.

“I’m sorry,
Mother. I’m standing here with a hard-on while my current chick is
waiting half dressed for me. In the lounge.” He waited a heartbeat.
“On the floor.”

“I don’t expect
any better.”

“Then you won’t
be disappointed. Glad I made you proud yet again.” Tim hung up the
phone.

Shit. Moodily,
he contemplated his kitchen. Now he had to find a date. Time to
visit Nancy.

Striding out of
the kitchen and down the hallway, he went out the front door.
Standing on the stoop, he looked over at his neighbour’s house.
Yep, her light was on. She was probably in there watching porn
while smoking her cigars.

Walking up to
her door, he rapped smartly and waited.

It didn’t take
long before it swung wide open and Nancy stood there in all her
glory and looking older than her sixty years. The mini-skirt she
wore showed wrinkly legs and her high heels made her totter even as
she stood on one spot. Tonight her short, curly hair was dyed white
with a wide black streak running down the middle of it. A
lipsticked mouth so red it almost burned his eyeballs out just
looking at her turned up into a wide smile, revealing her dentures.
The fake front right tooth had a minute gold rose stuck to it.

Nancy was one
classy chick. He grinned.

“Timmo!” Nancy
grabbed his hand.

“Are you
watching porn?”

“Oh honey, am I
ever.” She giggled.

Her giggle
wasn’t anything like Cindy’s. Actually, Tim had the brief thought
that maybe this would be Cindy in about forty years time, in tight
clothes, high heels and outrageous - everything.

That made him
wonder if she watched porn. He’d have to ask her.

No, he
wouldn’t! Jesus!

Shaking the
thought away, as tantalizing as it was, Tim shook his head. “And
you didn’t invite me over to watch it with you? I’m so
disappointed.”

Nancy winked
brazenly at him. “I was afraid you’d get carried away and have your
dirty, dirty way with me.”

“Exactly. And
you’d ruin me for all the other women out there wanting a piece of
me.”

“Probably a
good thing I didn’t invite you.” Nancy jerked her thumb over her
shoulder. “My friend Bert is visiting.”

Tim’s brows
rose, though he wasn’t really that surprised. “Your friend? You’re
watching porn with your friend?”

“We class it as
educational.” She winked, her hand fluttering to land on her large
bosom. “Let’s just say, we’re getting some pointers.” Her laugh
this time was downright bawdy. “Or, should I say, Bert’s getting a
pointer!”

“Seriously, I
don’t think I should be hearing this.” He could barely maintain his
stern façade.

“Says the stud
of the neighbourhood - oh hell, the stud of the city!” She nudged
him with her elbow.

“Hey! Nancy!”
The rough-hewn voice bellowed from the depths of the house. “This
film is on hold, but I’m old! I can’t be on hold for much longer! I
forgot my Viagra, you know!”

“Oops!” Nancy
waved to Tim. “Catch you later, sugar.”

“Wait.” Tim
held up one hand. “I need a date Saturday night.”

“Your Mum’s
party?”

“Yeah. You
in?”

“Will she have
those dishy waiters again?”

“Probably new
ones. She wasn’t impressed when you hit on that young bloke who
turned out to be gay.” Tim grinned. “Now he’s bi, thanks to
you.”

“My lucky day.
Who knew he was into older women? That surprised us both.” She
cackled. “Honey, I am so there.”

“Nancy!” Bert
bellowed. “We gotta hurry, woman, I’m starting to deflate!”

Just the image
was enough to make Tim inwardly shudder.

“Ta-ta, Timmo!”
Nancy shut the door in his face.

Shaking his
head, Tim returned to his house. He really needed to get laid and
forget about Cindy, Nancy, Bert, his mother and everyone else.

A half hour
later he was dancing in the club, watching the slim nymphette
shimmying in front of him, her sparkling dress low cut to reveal a
tantalizing glimpse of her breasts.

They weren’t
very big, which shouldn’t have mattered because he rather preferred
a moderate handful, which was exactly what this nymphette had - a
nice, moderate handful. Certainly not an ample bosom that
threatened to explode out of a tight top.

Seriously, he
really needed to get laid.

Grabbing her
hand, he towed her back to the bar and sat her down, swinging
easily up onto the stool beside her. “So, Sharon, how about we
ditch this club and go somewhere private?” He smoothed his hand
down her trim thigh.

“Sure.”
Grabbing her glass, she tipped back her head and swallowed the last
of the vodka, her elegant throat working as the liquid slid down.
Replacing the glass on the bar, she smiled sultrily. “Your
place?”

“How about
yours?” He smoothed his hand a little higher up her thigh, working
his fingertips under the hem of her skirt. “Mine is being
repainted.” No way did he take women back to his home. That was his
sanctuary, not for his flings.

“Okay.”
Smiling, she took his hand and started to lead him from the
club.

Not a good
sign.
He
led the women,
they
didn’t lead him. In a
firm move, he turned their hands so that his was above hers,
holding her in an undeniable dominant gesture, and he stepped ahead
of her so that she followed him.

Outside, he
hailed a taxi and opened the door to let her in first.

“Wow, a true
gentleman.” Sliding in, she gave him a good eyeful of thigh as she
moved across the seat to allow him to get in beside her.

“Where to?” The
taxi driver glanced at them in the mirror.

Sharon gave her
address and the taxi moved out into the traffic.

“So, Tim.” She
smiled at him. “You’re having your home painted?”

“That’s right.”
Settling back in the seat, he gazed out at the passing lights.

“New house, is
it?”

And there it
was, the snooping. “Not really.”

“You’ve had it
awhile, then?”

“It’s old.”
Turning to her, he gave her his full attention, secretly amused
when she blushed just a little. Had to be a bloody good actress to
blush like that. “So, Sharon.” He almost purred her name.

“Tim.”

And just like
that he fell easily into his smooth line of talk, asking her
general things while appearing to be deeply interested. Actually,
he was studying her. Out of the noisy club and spinning lights, he
could get a good idea of her looks and attitude. Or some of it. The
main thing was that she was female, beautiful, slim and, most of
all, mercenary. Just the kind of woman with whom he could have sex
and walk away from without a backward look or thought.
Gratification, that was the plan, and he knew it would be
gratification for them both.

Only he
intended to end it right after he walked out her door, whereas she
was no doubt planning to get her hooks into him.
Not gonna
happen, baby
.

Her home was a
typical up-and-coming career woman with some money. Neat, feminine,
with a touch of class. The air was fragrant with artificial scent
that was expelled from a spray can high up on a shelf in the
hallway and on her bookcase as well, he saw as he started to enter
her lounge.