Neighborhood Steele - Part Four
Laura smiled and nestled into Steele’s arm. In response, he wrapped the other one around her too. This was something they’d both come to love: snuggling on the couch in the evenings to watch an old movie, relaxing comfortably together into something they each knew the other enjoyed. It was especially wonderful on Saturdays, Steele thought happily, when he knew Laura wasn’t moaning internally about the work she could be doing. He looked down and grinned. It felt wonderful, having her head in his lap.
“You know,” Laura said as the credits rolled, “if we’re really thinking of buying that house, we should look into those last occupants. Make sure nothing’s wrong with it.”
“What are we looking for? Jinxes?”
“You don’t believe him?”
“I think he has an imagination that likes to work overtime. The fact that those people didn’t live there very long doesn’t mean there’s something worth investigating in the house. Maybe they got jobs somewhere else. Maybe they didn’t like living next door to Da Vinci.”
“Devinsky.”
“Whatever.”
Laura smiled. “He does seem a little nosy.” She thought for a few minutes. “I’d still like to talk to the other neighbors. Ask if they noticed anything unusual.”
“Do you have to?”
“Why not?”
He sighed. “Laura, this isn’t supposed to be work. This is our life, our home. If you’re uncomfortable with the house, we’ll get one of the other ones. But don’t turn this into a case.”
“Aren’t you curious?”
“A little, maybe,” he acknowledged.
“Wouldn’t it be romantic, living in a haunted house?” she wheedled.
“Potentially haunted.”
They stared each other down until Laura broke into laughter.
“You are going to investigate, aren’t you?” Steele asked, grinning.
“Once a PI, always a PI, I’m afraid.”
Steele let out a long, defeated breath. “I suppose it’s not such a bad way to break the ice with the rest of the neighborhood: ‘Hello, did you happen to drive the last two families away?’”
“And why haven’t you done it to Mr. Devinsky yet?” Laura added.
“Hmm.” Then, because he realized he hadn’t said it yet that day, he whispered, “I love you.”
She squeezed his hand and planted a little kiss on his arm. “Even if I am a workaholic?”
“Because of that.” He hugged her more tightly. “After all, one of us has to make some money.”
“I can’t wait to do this in our house.”
He smiled widely. “You can’t? Good. I was worried that you might be getting cold feet.”
“No.” She sighed. “But as soon as we move in, my mother will be down for a visit. I’m not looking forward to that.”
“You don’t think she’ll like it?”
“I’m sure she’ll like the house. But she won’t stop telling me what I’m doing wrong housewife-wise.”
Steele kissed her forehead. “Then I won’t stop telling you what you’re doing right.”
“Thanks,” she smiled, and reached up to kiss him. “Maybe we should have a couple of kids right away so there’s no room for my mother.”
He laughed. “Speaking of your family, what time are we expected in Tarzana tomorrow evening?”
Laura groaned. “I’d forgotten. Six o’clock, I think. Frances is worried that I’m not feeding you properly. That’s why they’ve asked us. We should have them over next week to show off your cooking.”
She stood up and switched off the television. Steele, whose thoughts had been wandering to slightly more active forms snuggling followed her lead and hopefully asked, “Time for bed?”
“It’s eight-thirty!”
“Exactly.
Laura smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You know, I wonder sometimes whether it’s good for us be indulging so much.”
“We’re still honeymooning,” he answered, pulling her closer. “Years from now we’ll probably look back and wonder why we didn’t indulge even more.”
Laura kissed him passionately, reassured, as she always was, when he spoke of the future. He was briefly startled, but quickly began responding to her, especially when he felt her unbuckle his belt and slip a hand inside his trousers. She worked at arousing him.
“Oh, Laura,” he breathed after a few minutes, when he was erect and beginning to feel desperate.
He backed her onto the couch and removed her trousers, shirt, and bra. (His pants had already fallen to the floor.) Her legs opened eagerly. Once inside, his fingers found her moist and ready.
“Harry,” Laura groaned as he continued to fondle. She found herself doubly excited by the way his shirt hung half-open, displaying but not completely uncovering his gorgeous chest. “I’m ready, Harry.”
He slid inside easily and began to thrust, quickly picking up speed. Neither had any breath for kisses; the sensations were too powerful, and were happening too fast. Laura’s panting turned into little cries of pleasure as Steele thrust deeper. She was close, he could tell.
“Laura,” he found himself moaning when the contractions from her orgasm finally forced him over the edge.
She clung to him as he ejaculated, and kissed his sweaty forehead. Steele collapsed on top of her, his head resting between her breasts.
“You’d think we’d be bored of each other,” Laura said breathlessly, “after this month.”
“Uh-uh.” Steele kissed her chest. “It keeps getting better.”
“It does, doesn’t it?”
He chuckled. “Just think how much fun we’ll have with three bedrooms to test.”
“You know,” Laura said as the credits rolled, “if we’re really thinking of buying that house, we should look into those last occupants. Make sure nothing’s wrong with it.”
“What are we looking for? Jinxes?”
“You don’t believe him?”
“I think he has an imagination that likes to work overtime. The fact that those people didn’t live there very long doesn’t mean there’s something worth investigating in the house. Maybe they got jobs somewhere else. Maybe they didn’t like living next door to Da Vinci.”
“Devinsky.”
“Whatever.”
Laura smiled. “He does seem a little nosy.” She thought for a few minutes. “I’d still like to talk to the other neighbors. Ask if they noticed anything unusual.”
“Do you have to?”
“Why not?”
He sighed. “Laura, this isn’t supposed to be work. This is our life, our home. If you’re uncomfortable with the house, we’ll get one of the other ones. But don’t turn this into a case.”
“Aren’t you curious?”
“A little, maybe,” he acknowledged.
“Wouldn’t it be romantic, living in a haunted house?” she wheedled.
“Potentially haunted.”
They stared each other down until Laura broke into laughter.
“You are going to investigate, aren’t you?” Steele asked, grinning.
“Once a PI, always a PI, I’m afraid.”
Steele let out a long, defeated breath. “I suppose it’s not such a bad way to break the ice with the rest of the neighborhood: ‘Hello, did you happen to drive the last two families away?’”
“And why haven’t you done it to Mr. Devinsky yet?” Laura added.
“Hmm.” Then, because he realized he hadn’t said it yet that day, he whispered, “I love you.”
She squeezed his hand and planted a little kiss on his arm. “Even if I am a workaholic?”
“Because of that.” He hugged her more tightly. “After all, one of us has to make some money.”
“I can’t wait to do this in our house.”
He smiled widely. “You can’t? Good. I was worried that you might be getting cold feet.”
“No.” She sighed. “But as soon as we move in, my mother will be down for a visit. I’m not looking forward to that.”
“You don’t think she’ll like it?”
“I’m sure she’ll like the house. But she won’t stop telling me what I’m doing wrong housewife-wise.”
Steele kissed her forehead. “Then I won’t stop telling you what you’re doing right.”
“Thanks,” she smiled, and reached up to kiss him. “Maybe we should have a couple of kids right away so there’s no room for my mother.”
He laughed. “Speaking of your family, what time are we expected in Tarzana tomorrow evening?”
Laura groaned. “I’d forgotten. Six o’clock, I think. Frances is worried that I’m not feeding you properly. That’s why they’ve asked us. We should have them over next week to show off your cooking.”
She stood up and switched off the television. Steele, whose thoughts had been wandering to slightly more active forms snuggling followed her lead and hopefully asked, “Time for bed?”
“It’s eight-thirty!”
“Exactly.
Laura smiled and wrapped her arms around his waist. “You know, I wonder sometimes whether it’s good for us be indulging so much.”
“We’re still honeymooning,” he answered, pulling her closer. “Years from now we’ll probably look back and wonder why we didn’t indulge even more.”
Laura kissed him passionately, reassured, as she always was, when he spoke of the future. He was briefly startled, but quickly began responding to her, especially when he felt her unbuckle his belt and slip a hand inside his trousers. She worked at arousing him.
“Oh, Laura,” he breathed after a few minutes, when he was erect and beginning to feel desperate.
He backed her onto the couch and removed her trousers, shirt, and bra. (His pants had already fallen to the floor.) Her legs opened eagerly. Once inside, his fingers found her moist and ready.
“Harry,” Laura groaned as he continued to fondle. She found herself doubly excited by the way his shirt hung half-open, displaying but not completely uncovering his gorgeous chest. “I’m ready, Harry.”
He slid inside easily and began to thrust, quickly picking up speed. Neither had any breath for kisses; the sensations were too powerful, and were happening too fast. Laura’s panting turned into little cries of pleasure as Steele thrust deeper. She was close, he could tell.
“Laura,” he found himself moaning when the contractions from her orgasm finally forced him over the edge.
She clung to him as he ejaculated, and kissed his sweaty forehead. Steele collapsed on top of her, his head resting between her breasts.
“You’d think we’d be bored of each other,” Laura said breathlessly, “after this month.”
“Uh-uh.” Steele kissed her chest. “It keeps getting better.”
“It does, doesn’t it?”
He chuckled. “Just think how much fun we’ll have with three bedrooms to test.”