Unnatural Calamities Read online

  She realized he was completely turned on. Men. They were so very strange.

  “Toph?”

  “Hmmm?”

  “You okay?”

  He snorted, not bothering to stay quiet anymore. No point. The woman and Zack would not have noticed a freight train rumbling through the bedroom. “You mean other than the fact that I’ve been kidnapped and am being held for ransom by the stupidest man I’ve ever met?”

  “Yeah, other than that.”

  There was a long silence, broken only by the loud sound of their breath in the enclosed space and the woman in the bedroom, who was moaning. “Oh, yes, oh yes, oh yes!”

  “I’m fine,” Toph whispered after a moment. “Absolutely fine.”

  “Harder,” the woman shouted. “Harder, harder!”

  Toph abruptly twisted and pushed himself up onto his elbow. Janey slipped all the way into the tub. He leaned over her, and his breath fanned her face. With his free hand he delicately stroked along her face in the dark. Then he pushed his fingers into her hair, sending her hair clip to the bottom of the tub with a soft thud. His long fingers held her head steady as he gave her a hard, very heated and peanut-flavored kiss.

  Okay, Janey admitted to herself that men weren’t the only creatures she found mysterious. Almost at once her body flooded with need. She was fully wired for sound and clamoring again. She had never experienced such instantaneous arousal. Must be what life was like for the typical male. She was ready.

  Now.

  “You’re right. A bunch of clichés.” Toph’s whisper hitched with lust and an edge of amusement. “What would you be yelling? Any Gilbert and Sullivan fit the occasion?”

  Janey groaned as his hand slipped under her shirt and he smoothed his palm over her breasts, one at a time, and rubbed her nipples with his thumb. She tried to duck down to press her face against the bare skin of his chest and torso. He wasn’t letting her, the tease.

  Come on, Toph, she silently urged. Please. We might die.

  She doubted Zack would kill them on purpose, but he was probably dumb enough to do it by accident. She did not want to die without having felt Toph everywhere possible in, on and around her body.

  “Oh, please,” she whimpered.

  “Oh, please, what?” Toph gasped as he lay on top of her, grinding against her. She lifted her hips, flung a leg over the edge of the tub to make room for him so he could push his erection against her exactly where she needed him.

  “Oh, please shut up, Toph,” she moaned. “Oh, please, let us make love before I explode.”

  “Much better. Much better language.” His whisper gruff with lust, as his free hand fumbled with the button and zipper of her jeans and yanked them and her underwear down and off one leg. They didn’t have the time or patience to work her jeans all the way off.

  “Ahhh, come on,” Janey whimpered as he kissed and licked her breasts, and then awkwardly pulled himself down to get to work between her legs with his free hand. His other hand, cuffed to hers, grasped her side, leaving her unable to move her hands, helpless in the tangle of cover, pillows and him.

  She lay sprawled on her back, only slightly aware that the arm attached to the wall hurt where it rubbed against the tub and the cuff bit into her palm. Not enough to distract her.

  “Oh!” she groaned as she moved against him, about to lose what was left of her mind. “Oh. God.”

  He heaved himself up again. Awkward with eagerness and the use of only one hand, he struggled with his trousers.

  “Janey,” he breathed. He held her bottom steady with his free hand, and worked his way into her. It took some time and effort. The dark and cramped place and the fact that Janey could not seem to remain still despite his hold on her, did not help.

  At last he was embedded inside her. They gasped into each other’s mouths, both trembling so hard with need, the handcuffs rattled. Filled with slick, heavy heat, she arched her back, deliriously pleased to at last feel him nearly everywhere possible. She rubbed her bared breasts and belly against his skin. The slight motion made him gasp as if she had punched the air out of him.

  “Wait. Ah no, damn. Wait. Is this all right?” he whispered.

  A little voice in her head nattered something about disease. And what time of the month was it, anyway? Shut up, she told the voice. She had almost died. Close enough, anyway. She deserved this, dang it.

  Toph moved ever so slightly and skimmed every swollen nerve in her humming body. Her groan drowned out the pesky voice.

  So did Toph as he moaned “Janey,” next to her ear. “Janey. Oh. Please say yes.”

  “Yes. Fine. Please, please, yes.”

  Outside the bathroom, the woman shrieked her agreement. “Yes, yes, yes.”

  Toph moved in Janey and she twisted, longing to put her arms around him. She needed to pull him against her and feel his muscles under her hands. The brush of his skin on hers had to do and ah, yes. Him inside her. Good. She writhed around him.

  “Janey,” he whispered hoarsely. “Slow. Down.”

  “I can’t. Next time. Now. Now I can’t.”

  “Next time,” He breathed warm, stuttering words in her ear. “That’s a promise? There will be a next— Oh, Janey.”

  She pushed against him, harder. He had gone so perfectly deep—she needed that spot, yes, that again.

  He groaned. “Goddamn please. You’re too much. That’s too much.” He pushed with long deep thrusts as if his life depended on it.

  Yes. Good, because her life did. Yes.

  Janey screamed noiselessly into Toph’s open mouth as she was struck down by the largest lightning bolt of an orgasm she had ever experienced.

  She was vaguely aware that almost immediately afterward Toph gasped and collapsed on her.

  A few minutes later, he began the awkward process of reassembling their clothes. Janey gave a sleepy snicker. Her handcuffed hand brushed against him as he pulled up his pants and the back of her hand pressed against the intriguing long and hard shape that informed her he was ready for round two.

  “See what you do to me?” he whispered.

  “Can’t see a thing. Felt something pretty darned nice though.”

  “Would you lose respect for me if I told you that was the best three minutes of sex I’ve ever experienced? I imagine you’re not the only sick person here. I’ve never been so turned-on in my life.” He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He slid onto his back and waited while she twisted her hand in the cuff so he could draw her down on top of him. “Sorry I didn’t last longer. I don’t seem to have Zack’s stamina.”

  “It’s been a matter of days for Zack. Not months or years,” she whispered hotly.

  Toph’s laugh breezed across her cheek. “Do I sound like I need reassurance?”

  “Hmmm. Well. Yes.” She yawned luxuriously and tried not to let all of her weight rest on him. “Oh, but my gosh, that was good. Thank you. If we survive, can we really do it again some time? Without the handcuffs. And maybe not in a bathtub? And definitely without Zack anywhere in the area.”

  “Yes,” he said. “Of course. Please. Anything for a friend.”

  “Whoops. Gotta adjust this thing.” She pulled up her hand joined to his and together they tucked in the dropped face cloth. Their joined hands rested against his shoulder. Her fingers traced his shoulder, large and smooth.

  At some point earlier, Janey hadn’t noticed when, the screaming had stopped in the bedroom. Now all they heard was an occasional light giggle.

  Janey closed her eyes, just to rest for a minute. The heavy relaxation spread from her belly up and through her limbs. She smiled, as limp and happy as a kidnapped woman handcuffed to a pole lying in a crowded bathtub could feel.

  When she woke up, her arm was freezing and the hand attached to the pole had grown so numb, it did not feel as if it belonged to her. Her other hand was being slightly raised and jiggled as Toph leaned over her, his hand jamming into her front pocket. She certainly had slept like the dead, for he�
�d managed to wriggle out from under her. He’d been busy and must have pulled her arm all over the place as he worked. The light over the sink was on, with a towel to cover some of its glare.

  “The girl is gone,” he whispered. “They got into an argument because she wanted to use the bathroom and he wouldn’t let her. She left in a huff. Zack came in here a few minutes ago to use the toilet, but I’m pretty sure he is now asleep—he’s snoring occasionally. You don’t snore, by the way. Can you scoot up to the back of the tub and move your hand this way a bit? I want to try again with the tools. Damn, I wish you used hairpins.”

  She adjusted her wrist. “I’ll buy some next time I go to the store in case this happens again.”

  After about a quarter hour of fiddling in the near-dark, there was a soft click. “Fantastic,” Toph whispered with an obvious note of pride. “I knew all those hours playing up in my bedroom would lead to something good.”

  The cold, hard bracelet circling one of her wrists loosened, and she was suddenly half-free. She sat up straight and rubbed at her other hand with a grateful groan.

  He’d climbed out of the tub and stood a few feet away stretching out his muscles. He leaned sideways and backward. Wow. That lean gorgeous body had been on and in her. Another flush of heat and desire filled her as she watched. Well, what do you know, she thought with her own touch of pride. Ol’ Janey made it with a real cutie. A cutie multimillionaire.

  “Great work, Toph,” she whispered. “Now go on and get the heck out of here.”

  “I can’t leave you here alone with him.”

  His words echoed her deepest, strongest sentiment but she firmly replied, “Please go before Zack wakes up. Go get help. And, um, please tell Rachel I love her.”

  Toph ignored Janey and started to fiddle with the handcuff attaching her to the pole. The empty handcuff dangled from his wrist and got in the way until he held it back, clenched in his strong white teeth.

  In a furious whisper Janey said, “I mean it, Toph. Listen. I’m not the rich one, you idiot. He doesn’t want me. You’re risking too much every second you waste here. Get out of here. Get help.”

  “No. I’m not leaving you.”

  “Come on, you’re a smart guy,” she hissed. “Get help. And don’t mess with the idiot. I remember that he actually knows how to use a gun, Toph. Even when he’s drunk. I’ve seen him slaughter dozens of beer cans.”

  Toph groaned. He handed the scissors and file back to her. “I wasn’t thinking straight. Yeah, it’s too dark over there, but I should have started with the other cuff so we could both get away. I’m sorry. I will be back as soon as I can, darling Janey.”

  Darling? She sort of liked the sound of that. But now her heart rate increased because she was going to be left alone with Zack. Get out of this now, she told herself. Think about it all later.

  Toph leaned forward and pulled her into a kiss. His free hand slid across her shoulders and stroked her satin skin. Oh, the second they were alone together… He tore himself away, turned off the light and slipped from the bathroom.

  Zack sprawled naked and asleep across the bed, bathed by the blue television light.

  Toph froze. What if Zack woke up and grew furious when he saw Toph was gone? Would he take it out on Janey? Where the hell was the gun?

  He spotted what might have been the dark shape under the pillow. He examined the urge to lunge at the gun and get into a real fight with Zack. Maybe handcuff the bastard to the armoire for a day or two. Or a month.

  The remote lay under the pillow. The gun was still clasped firmly in Zack’s hand. Five shots left.

  No. Toph’d be no good to Janey dead or injured. He resisted the instinct to take care of Zack. Instead he’d be smart and get help.

  He raced across the courtyard to the main desk, running faster than he ever had in his life.

  The sleepy clerk at the hotel desk woke right up and even punched 9-1-1 for him.

  The police station was only a mile away, and even as he spoke to the dispatcher, Toph could hear the sirens begin to wail.

  “Keep the noise and lights down,” he shouted into the phone. “I told you. There’s still someone in there with him. Goddamn it! Shut them up.”

  By the time anyone got the message about using stealth, the first cars had already screamed up to the entrance to the hotel.

  Toph, a blanket draped across his naked torso, paced barefoot in front of the lobby’s fake fireplace. The first cop to rush in gave him a funny look, as if Toph were a wild-eyed crazy man. Hell, that fit.

  “Mr. Dunham! Are we glad to see you!” Another cop strode to him waving a fax sheet at the others. Toph caught a glimpse of an old photo of himself wearing a tux and a grin.

  “No! Shut it up!” Toph bellowed to the crowd of cops pouring into the lobby. Even Zack wouldn’t sleep through that racket. “He still has Janey Carmody in there.”

  “Don’t worry. We know about the girlfriend,” the cop said confidently.

  “You’re talking about her sister!” yelled Toph. “Janey is not Zack’s girlfriend,” but the cop jogged off into the night.

  The one who stayed behind to take Toph’s statement yammered about post-traumatic stress and shoved him toward the ambulance.

  “I’m telling you that Penny is Zack’s girlfriend.” Toph could hear the rage in his voice and took a couple of deep breaths to calm down.

  “Easy, Mr. Dunham.” The cop patted his blanketed shoulder and signaled to a man with a gurney. An EMT.

  A gun went off. Toph jumped and spun toward the sound. Goddammit. He shoved the EMT out of his way. “That’s it. I have to go.”

  Toph took a long stride toward the door. The EMT and the cop caught up with him and each grabbed one of Toph’s arms. “Let go of me,” he growled.

  They spoke simultaneously with that damned neutral tone of authority.

  “Sorry, sir.”

  “You can’t go anywhere near that room, sir.”

  They shoved him into an ambulance to wait. One of the idiots insisted on taking his blood pressure. When the medics started to close the doors to haul him to the hospital he managed to push past them and leap out.

  “There’s nothing wrong with me,” he snarled.

  “Okay, sir.” The policeman laid a hand on his nightstick in a meaning manner. “But you’re staying next to this ambulance or I’ll insist you go to the hospital.”

  Toph gave up and leaned against the side of the ambulance, his arms folded.

  A truck from a local television station showed up and two men jumped out. It didn’t give Toph much satisfaction to see that the cops didn’t let the arguing reporters head for the room either.

  When the bright light of the camera flashed on, he retreated into the shadows of the ambulance.

  Within five minutes, a young and eager cop came trotting around to the back of the ambulance to report what had happened in room 210.

  “It’s okay, Mr. Dunham. It’s all over. The guy got away, but we got his girlfriend.”

  “Oh my God! She is not his girlfriend,” Toph bellowed.

  “The blonde one who escaped from York Correctional two days ago. Carmody. Just now she got shot in the shoulder while trying to get away. They’re taking her to the hospital.”

  The good news was Toph didn’t get in trouble for threatening to punch the cop who wouldn’t let him get through to Janey. The bad news was the guys from the TV station caught Toph’s yelling on tape.

  Chapter Nine

  Janey woke up with several tubes attached to her. One was in her arm, one was shoved in her nose and one ominously snaked under the light blanket that covered her body. She shifted on the bed and her shoulder jolted with fiery pain. At once Janey understood she was in a hospital and dying. How long would the process take?

  It didn’t seem fair that she had to have a headache that made her worst hangover feel like a picnic. Weren’t dying people allowed relief from pain and some gorgeous visions?

  Then a gorgeous vision appea
red above her. A face with curling sandy hair, a bow-shaped mouth, a cute little button of a nose sprinkled with golden freckles. Rachel. A jolt of love made Janey forget the pain—temporarily.

  Her niece’s hazel eyes widened. “Hey great, you’re awake again,” she squealed.

  Within seconds, two nurses bustled in to poke and prod Janey and talk to each other about her. When they left again, Janey gingerly turned her head to study Rachel.

  “Did I get hit by a truck, love?” she croaked. It hurt to talk.

  “You keep asking that.” Rachel rubbed at a round cheek. “It was Zack. He kidnapped you and Mr. Dunham three days ago. One of the police officers ran into the bathroom where Zack and you were and a bullet rocketed…no, that’s not the word. Dang.”

  “Ricocheted?”

  “That’s it. Ricocheted from an officer’s gun. He said it was by accident, but then you fell and hit your head on the tub. Zack got away. They wanted to keep you in the hospital down in Maryland, but you kept on insisting on coming home.” Rachel recited the words as if they were lyrics of a song she’d rehearsed too often.

  Zack. Memory flooded back. She shut her eyes for a second. How could she forget a moment of that whole stupid episode? They must have pumped her full of drugs to forget it. Something to ease her dying. She wasn’t sure how she got into the bathroom or how the police discovered them. And she certainly didn’t remember demanding to go home.

  The last thing she recalled was lying next to Toph Dunham in the hotel room on the carpet while Zack slept and the television blared over their heads. She had kissed Toph. Hoo boy, she did like kissing him.

  “Janey, you’re smiling! You must feel better.”

  “I’m just so glad to see you, my turtledove. I wasn’t sure… Well. How long have I been here?”

  “Almost two days. You’ve been waking up and falling asleep a lot. You’ve got a concussion.”

  “Oh my good gosh. How have you been? Have you missed school? Who’s been taking care of you?”