Chapter 3

 Jessica eased her slender body from the driver’s side of her silver BMW convertible. Her pale skin was in stark contrast to the thick ebony waves cascading over her shoulders. She struggled to balance the bulging bags of groceries in her arms as she carefully picked her way up the stairs and then down the hall of our apartment building. I’d repeatedly asked her why she insisted on loading her arms instead of making multiple trips. She couldn’t really explain her reasoning. It wasn’t as if she was a lazy woman. It was more the way she was raised. Her mother was a stickler about doing things in the quickest time possible. One trip was obviously faster than two.

I heard her struggling with the key and briskly pulled the door opened before disappearing and leaving her to enter and shut it with her foot. She didn’t take offense. She knew this was the time of day I dedicated to training in my makeshift in-home gym.

Bags toppled over as she set them on the kitchen counter. She rushed to retrieve several runaway apples before they rolled out of the kitchen and into the hall. A scowl creased her brows as she inspected one and saw the severe bruising it now sported.

I turned on my soothing music and began my Tai Chi session. I found the slow and gentle movements of this ancient practice just the thing to help my body cool, stretch, and relax after a vigorous training.

Jessica leaned on the wall while she watched in silence. The muscles on my back flexed and my skin glistened with sweat as I moved in slow, disciplined, and controlled postures. She often remarked how my strong, chiseled features reminded her of a Greek god; minus the beard. Her eyes traced down my torso. I allowed myself an inward smile. I knew she was admiring the round of my buttocks as it flexed beneath my lightweight sweatpants. It was her favorite part of my body.

She’d learned a long time ago not to interrupt when I was training. I took my training very seriously and the simple gesture of allowing me those few hours of peaceful focus made all The difference in my frame of mind for the rest of the day.

I sometimes wondered how she put up with me. She often told me I was like a wild animal that needed constant care and restraining, yet she was content with our life together. She was certain my wandering eyes and fear of commitment would fade with age. In the meantime, she was willing to go the extra mile to keep my eyes and attention on her and her alone.

She heaved a satisfied sigh before heading back to the kitchen and setting the apples on the counter before slowly and methodically unpacking the contents of the grocery bags and putting each item in its respective place. Looking around the kitchen, she spotted dirty dishes in the sink and set to task of putting them in the dishwasher and tidying up the counter tops. When she was finished, she stepped back, placed her hands on her hips, and gave an approving nod. Just as I was set in my ways when it came to my training, Jess was set in her ways when it came to her home. She didn’t function well when things weren’t in their proper order. It was an affliction that was with her since childhood; something her mother was certainly pleased with. Needless to say, my drop-as-you-go habit took time adjusting to.

Jess peered once again in my direction and smiled. When I reached the far side of the room, my eyes met hers as I slowly turned. I could see her shudder from the sensual chill running down her spine.

Sensual chills weren’t always her reaction. The first time she’d witnessed my vacant stare while performing Tai Chi she was freaked out. She eventually discussed it with me. My explanation that I wasn’t really looking at her but was in a form of walking meditation and my mind was only partially aware of what was going on in the room made sense and her fears were replaced by lust.

She shook her head to clear away the hypnotic sensation she sometimes had when she got caught up in watching my slow, methodical movements and made her way into our bedroom. Her day had been more stressful than usual and she longed to soak in a hot bubble bath. She quickly stripped off her clothing and headed for the bathroom. Pouring a generous amount of lavender scented bubble bath into the running water, she distributed the ever growing bubbles by slowly swishing her hand back and forth in the soothing, warm water. She then reached to turn on the radio that was precariously perched on the edge of a narrow shelf positioned at the end of the tub. She set the dial to an easy listening station before lowering her slender body into the oversized tub. The low tones of a flutiest working his magic permeated the air as it coaxed her mind into deep relaxation.

Her eyes were closed in blissful tranquility when I filled the doorway with my lean, six-foot, one-inch frame. My smoldering eyes permeated the pink flesh of her breasts as they bobbed above the bubbles.

“Got room for me?” I asked seductively.

Her hazel eyes peered from under her thick black eyelashes and smiled.

“Come on in, dirty man,” she cooed.

I wasted no time stripping off my sweats and easing my body beneath the steamy bubbles opposite her. The heat soothed my overworked muscles while her giggles and mischievous tossing of tiny bubble clusters at me tickled and aroused my senses. It wasn’t long before I lunged forward and covered her mouth with mine. Our passion rose as she returned my kiss with a sensuality that flared my loins with desire.

Our lips never parted as I stood and pulled her up onto her feet. Scooping her slight, five-foot three-inch body into my arms, I made my way into the bedroom and gently lowered her onto the bed.

Our brief time in the bath wasn’t enough to remove the scent from my strenuous workout. Rather than repel her, it roused a primal excitement. We devoured each other with passionate lovemaking until we lay, spent, upon the bed.

Jessica laid her head on my chest as I pulled her close. All tension and anxiety from the day was gone. The beating of my strong heart had almost lulled her to sleep when the ringing of the telephone brought her back to reality. Reluctant to break the mood of the moment, we let the answering machine take the call.

“Dan, this is Shen. It is important. Please call me as soon as you can... Please,” came Shen’s voice through the machine.

I tried to sit up and to reached for the receiver in hopes of catching him before I hung up. There was an unmistakable sense of urgency in his voice; something I’d never heard before. Jessica felt my muscles tense as I shifted position. She wasn’t ready to release the feeling of euphoria and drew me back down to her with sensual persuasion.

“He said as soon as you can. Right now, you can’t,” she murmured as she climbed on top of me.

Although Jessica would never admit it to me, I knew she was jealous of my relationship with Shen. She occasionally expressed how she felt like she was competing with him for my time and attention. She claimed she struggled for whatever attention I gave her while I offered it to Shen freely. This wasn’t true. It was just that Shen and I shared a world of martial arts that was first and foremost in my daily existence. The only interest she had in that world was watching my ass while I practiced. I tried to explain this to her, but a strong river of resentment flowed just beneath her surface of false acceptance where Shen was concerned none-the-less.

Running her soft, moist tongue across my chest, she coaxed all resistance I might have had away. I shuddered with excitement and shoved Shen’s phone message in the recesses of my mind as my loins came back to life.

****

It was several hours after Shen’s message before I slipped from the embrace of my sleeping and satiated girlfriend and made my way to the phone in the kitchen. Guilt swept over me as I dialed his number. His message sounded urgent. It was clear he had something very important to discuss.

Disgust for my inability to control my carnal urges consumed me as I listened to the ringing through the receiver. Why did I allow lust to control me so? Why couldn’t I be more like my buddy? I couldn’t recall a time when he allowed his body’s desires to take control. I promised myself that I’d work on conquering what I considered an undesirable flaw.

Shen asked me to meet him as soon as possible at our favorite Chinese restaurant, with no further explanation. I readily agreed.

Jessica popped her sleep tussled head through the doorway.

“What is it baby?” she asked.

I heaved a sigh. I’d always known Shen to be calm and collected. Hearing the strain in his voice put me on the alert. Something very serious must be happening.

“The craziest thing, I... I just don’t know,” I said.