Zeke (9 page)

“Don’t worry about it right now.
It’s just something we needed to work out, in case it ever came up.”

She looked at him strangely. “I
don’t think it’s ever going to come up. I love you so much, I don’t even think
of anybody else.”

“That’s good, honey. I probably
jumped the gun, but I’m glad it came up now instead of later on. We have
something special here, Susie. It’s once in a lifetime, and we need to work
hard to keep it. Great relationships don’t just happen by accident; people have
to create them, nurture them. It’s good to get things out in the open, talk
them over. Don’t you think? I feel a lot better now. Don’t you?”

“I guess so.” But she wasn’t sure
about any of this. Her emotions swung back and forth. Jealousy went along with
love; everyone knew that. Zeke must not love her. Or maybe he loved her too
much. Maybe that was it.

Sue went home that night in a state
of mental duress. She couldn’t sleep; disturbing thoughts kept her awake. If
Zeke didn’t love her, maybe she should stop seeing him. Just as quickly as the
notion entered her head, she felt a surge of panic. She was immediately bereft,
as if she had already broken up with him. The thought made her physically ill.
Yet, what was the point of continuing a one-sided love affair? A war of
emotions battled inside her head.

In the dark hours of the night, Sue
reached the conclusion that she should break it off with Zeke. Replaying the
bizarre conversation in her mind, she was overwhelmed by a deep disappointment.
Heartache followed. Then a reprieve of an idea occurred to her, an explanation
she could accept. Perhaps he was so confident of her love and trusted her so
much, that he simply didn’t feel threatened by the idea of her being intimate
with someone else. That was the explanation. He was secure in their love.

Relief washed over her, and she
suddenly felt grateful for his open-minded attitude. It was different, for
sure. It didn’t fit well with the image in her mind of what a relationship
should entail. But she needed to grow a more mature attitude. Zeke was special
and it would take a clever, sophisticated woman to keep him interested. She
could adjust. Most men would not have the self-assurance to watch the woman
they love with another man. But Zeke was different. For her and Zeke, it would
be a shared experience. Something they could talk about, something that would
bring them closer. She couldn’t imagine wanting anyone else. But, if she ever
did, she decided it was comforting to know she wouldn’t have to lose Zeke over
it. It actually made a lot of sense, once she got past the initial shock.

She finally closed her eyes shortly
before dawn, firmly convinced she had a most wonderful and unique relationship.
In her long hours of deliberation over the issue of sharing their love with
others, she somehow inexplicably overlooked his anger problem.

Summer seemed to fly by now that
Sue had Zeke. Her mind was always on him, obsessing over him, missing him when
they were apart, and clinging with desperation to every moment they had
together. She recalled each tender word, each fevered touch, the way he looked
at her. All of it was a private movie she replayed endlessly in her mind. She
was an addict and he was the needle. She forgave his twisted talk, the secrecy,
and his unpredictable moodiness. She had to. She needed him. His love gave her
life meaning, bestowed on her a value and a worth.

Sometimes he would call in the
middle of the night, aching to see her, and no matter how tired she was, she
would slip quietly out to meet him. Their sexuality raged, and their emotions
swelled and swirled like storm clouds over the mountains. Zeke was ready all
the time. Even when they had just finished making love, he was quickly aroused
a second time. Often when they drove around, he would have his pants open and
erection in hand. Sue found it exciting the way he would look ahead at the road
and pretend nothing was out of the ordinary, while she sat in the seat beside
him and watched him stroke himself. She grew stimulated just watching.

He was sometimes happy beyond
reason, tender with her, exuberant in their love. He pleasured her as often as
she desired and never seemed to tire of exploring and awakening her sensual
nature.

But, there was that other side to
him, too. Sometimes he was unreasonable, almost cruel. Those times were hard on
her, but also like storm clouds, they passed quickly and the sunshine would
return to light her world again. Nobody’s perfect, she told herself. Nothing is
perfect.

Big Ben

“You’re perfect,” Zeke said to Sue,
looking down into her eyes after they had made love. “I need you so much,
bunny. I can’t live without you. I’d die if I ever lost you.”

Zeke had driven them right into the
middle of a field and stopped near a dead tree. He had barely turned off the
engine before they’d ripped off their clothes and pressed against each other.

Sue was deeply satisfied as she
felt the warm weight of Zeke, her lover, on top of her, and the swell of emotion
in her heart. “You won’t lose me,” she promised.

“Swear? Swear you’ll never leave
me.” His smile was soft.

“I swear.” Sue’s answer was
earnest. “I’ll always be with you. I’ll love you forever. You’re my soul mate,
Zeke.”

“That’s what I like to hear. I’d do
anything for you, Sue. You know that, right?”

“Yes.” She sighed happily.

“By the way, I have to go out of
town for a few days.”

The news fell lazily from his lips
and Sue’s heart dropped. Sitting up, she pulled her shirt over her naked chest.
She swallowed hard. “Why, Zeke? Where are you going?”

An ominous silence permeated the
small space. Outside the van, field grass rustled in the light breeze with a
ghostly whisper. Sue held her breath. Zeke snatched his clothes and yanked them
on with quick, concise movements.

“Zeke?” She stared after him as he
crawled up front and dug around in the glove box.

He got out of the van but didn’t
close the door. Sue hurriedly dressed and followed him. She found him standing
a few feet away in a bare patch of dirt, throwing something at the dead tree
and then retrieving it before repeating the process.

“Zeke, honey? What’s wrong?”

Zeke froze but wouldn’t face her.
In his hand, he held a long knife made entirely of metal. It had a dull finish
and a thick rounded handle with indentations that gave him a grip for his
fingers. Sue had never seen anything like it.

“Where’d you get that?” Sue stepped
closer.

“I’ve had it a long time. It’s my
soul.” He tossed his hair aside and turned to meet her gaze with cold eyes. “I
call it Big Ben. You’d know that if you’d read my poems with even an ounce of
insight. Apparently they were too deep for you.”

He snapped his wrist and the knife
plunged into the ground between Sue’s feet. She squealed and jumped back.
“What’d you do that for? You could’ve hurt me!”

“If I’d wanted to stick you, I
would have.” Zeke bent over and pulled the weapon from the dirt. He wiped it on
his denim-clad leg and slid it into a leather sheath before slipping it into
his back pocket, where it stuck out ominously.

Tears gathered in Sue’s eyes.
“You’re so angry with me. What did I do wrong?”

As if repressing great rage, Zeke
took a deep breath and blew it out slowly.
 
“I
hope you’re not going to be one of those women who try to tie a man down,” he
said finally. “Having to know where he is every second of the day, giving him
no room to breathe. That’s a complete turn-off to me.”

“I’m not,” Sue protested. “I just
wondered where you’re going, that’s all. Why can’t you tell me?”

“You’re pushing it, Sue,” he said
darkly. “I don’t have to report to you. You’re not my P.O.”

“Well, no, I know that. I just
worry about you.”

“Worry?” His laughter was snide.
“That’s just an excuse to control somebody. I’m not going to let you
interrogate my every move. You better accept that right now or things aren’t
going to work out so well for us.”

“Okay, okay.” She scrambled for
words. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I was just curious. Just forget I said
anything. Please.”

“Well...okay,” he said, his mood
immediately lightening. “It’s all good. I’ll call you when I get back.”

He put his arm around her and led
her back to the van. She vowed to reread every poem he’d given her and see if
she could find some reference to Big Ben. Maybe he was right. Maybe she wasn’t
smart enough, or philosophical enough, to understand a man of his complexity.
But, she’d do her homework. She’d go over every line with a mental microscope.
When anything like this came up again, she’d know what to say.

Under the Dock

It was time for Mrs. Harrington’s annual
Pleasure Party, a three-day hedonistic event for a few select friends, other
adventurous wealthy women in her circle. They’d spend the time in a rented
villa on a private beach near Hilton Head; the festivities would include
shopping, sunbathing, sightseeing, and nights of steamy indulgence. The last
would involve servicing by Mrs. Harrington’s two virile employees, Zeke and
Lazlo. Although this was Zeke’s first year working the Pleasure Party, he had
been well versed in his duties. Mrs. Harrington expected all her guests to walk
away from the weekend feeling exquisitely pampered and completely satisfied.

Zeke was blasé on the flight to South
Carolina, where he sat next to Lazlo in coach while Mrs. Harrington relaxed
in first class. But when they arrived, the sights and scents of the resort area
filled him with a strange excitement. As Lazlo silently unloaded the luggage
from the rented limo, Zeke pretended not to hear Mrs. Harrington calling to him
to help with the baggage, and instead strolled a short distance down the beach.
He shaded his brow from the bright sun as he gazed at the red and white striped
lighthouse next to the huge resort. The salty, fishy breeze lifted his hair and
he breathed deep. This is the lifestyle he deserved, only without the demands
of the overbearing broad who paid him. He sighed and looked back at Lazlo
struggling with the cases while Mrs. Harrington tapped her sandaled foot in
annoyance, her white Capri pants stretched tight across her stout hips, and her
large sunglasses hiding her hard, calculating eyes. He strolled back, insolence
radiating from him in waves, to give Lazlo a hand.

“Now, Zeke, you need to help get
these bags over to the ferry!” Mrs. Harrington’s bracelets jingled on her wrist
as she gestured. “And make it snappy. You’ll have plenty of time for
daydreaming once we’re settled. The girls will be here this afternoon and we’re
going on a shopping extravaganza. You boys can entertain yourselves however you
see fit until we return.”

The girls!
Zeke hid a
caustic smile. The group invited to this little festivity hadn’t seen girlhood
in several decades; of that, he was sure. Still, these women had the money to
take good care of their bodies. They might not be youthful, but they weren’t
ready for the grave, either. He was starting to look forward to the evening’s
events.

On the trip across the bay, Zeke
slouched at the rail and watched a merry band of dolphins as they raced
alongside the boat. He envied their freedom.

Mrs. Harrington sauntered over to
give him a brief lecture. “I know you, Zeke. You think the whole world revolves
around you. I don’t think I’ve ever employed a more narcissistic, self-centered
houseboy. But for the next three days, I want you to pretend the world revolves
around my friends. Be convincing. Understand? I want them to feel like queens
on a throne.”

Hiding his annoyance, Zeke nodded.
“I’ll get the job done. Maybe it’s Lazlo you ought to talk to.”

Her laughter was brash, carried
away by the breeze. “Lazlo is the least of my worries. He’s compliant, eager.
Does exactly what I expect of him. He doesn’t have that arrogant streak that so
mars your likeability.” She sashayed away, her sandals slapping the bottoms of
her heels.

“Whatever,” Zeke muttered and fixed
his eyes on the approaching shore, the stretch of white sand, the dunes beyond,
and the waving leaves of the sea oats.

Zeke and Lazlo were to wear no
clothing while inside the villa, which was no problem for Zeke. He was so
comfortable being nude he’d have to remind himself to pull on a pair of shorts
before going outside. At least for three wonderful days, he wouldn’t have to
wear the monkey suit usually required of him at events to which he accompanied
Mrs. Harrington. He couldn’t wait to hit the beach as soon as the old lady and
her friends headed out on their shopping trip.

Once settled, Lazlo retired to his
room for a nap to rest up for the night’s activities. Zeke opted for a walk.
Kicking the sand along the water, he kept his eyes moving behind his dark
glasses, scoping out possibilities. He drew admiring glances from a number of
females on the beach, as he expected he would, but he was looking for a
particular type this time.

Stopping near a solitary striped
chair, he turned to see a busty blonde jiggling toward him, her huge breasts
swinging within the tiny confines of her bikini top. She carried a drink in one
hand and a bottle of suntan oil in the other. Sunglasses perched atop her head,
holding back sun-streaked hair. Her blue eyes sparkled as she smiled at him.

“Hey,” she said in a perky voice as
she leaned down to set the oil on the sand, giving him a much-appreciated view
of her backside.

“Hey,” Zeke answered, nearly
drooling. Her ass was round and plump as two melons on a vine, ready for
plucking.

She rose and turned to him, licking
her full pink lips. “I’m Sheila.” She stuck out her hand.

Zeke took her hand gently,
extending the contact. “Gary. Nice to meet you.” He lifted her hand to his
lips, eliciting a giggle. She was sending signals that she was in the market
for a quick one-time fling, and he was ready to oblige.