Chaotic Be Jack (The Cap's Place Series Book 5) Read online

  I said, “I think he is some type of mercenary. One of those off the books guys that our government uses to do things the bureaucrats and politicians don’t want connected to them. My guess, and it is a guess, is that the boat explosion was intended to end the story of Justin, but that for some reason he decided to come back here and resume that identity. Why? I have no idea. He says he’s retiring from his former life, whatever that life was. I don’t know. Only time will tell. All I can say for certain is that he’s always been on my side and for that I’ve been thankful more than once.”

  PJ had parked the car. She turned in her seat and gazed at me. She was obviously making her assessment of my answer. Finally, she smiled and said, “Fair enough. I can live with that.” Opening her car door, she said, “Now let’s go upstairs and have lunch. We’ve got to feed you if you’re going to get your strength back. Been hours since we had breakfast and you talked to Moe.”

  My conversation with Moe. Damn. I got so distracted with the issue of Justin that I completely forgot to call Marge, Dana, or anyone else. I pulled out my phone and began dialing as we walked into the building.

  CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

  After lunch I mentioned to PJ that I just couldn’t seem to shake the overwhelming physical fatigue that was weighing on me. She said that based on her internet research my fatigue was normal and that it should pass in a couple of days. That sounded consistent with what I had been told at the hospital. Unfortunately, until that very moment I’d completely forgotten everything I was told at the hospital. On her direction, I settled in on the couch in a napping position. She sprawled sideways across a large overstuffed chair, saying she was going to text Angela and see how things were going in Gainesville. The entire scene was quite homey.

  Before I drifted off to sleep, I replayed the phone conversation with Marge in my mind. As Moe had predicted, Marge was obviously miffed that she hadn’t heard from me earlier, but her ire seemed to temper a bit when I told her I was under PJ’s supervision and care. After Marge, I’d called Dana and Sissy but got voicemail for both of them. I tried to sound as upbeat as I could as I left my messages and told both of them I would call again later. My last thought before drifting off to sleep was to turn off the ringer on my phone.

  When I awoke, PJ was gone from the chair. I sat up and saw her sitting on the balcony. The sliding door was partially open and a breeze was gently rustling the sheer curtains. It was a beautiful late afternoon with the color just starting to fade from the cloudless blue sky. As I joined PJ on the balcony, I was surprised to see her drinking a glass of wine. The open bottle of Chardonnay and a second glass sat on the table next to her. As I settled into the second chair, I chided, “Drinking alone?”

  PJ gave me a relaxed smile and replied, “Living with a teenage daughter, if I didn’t drink alone, I wouldn’t be able to drink at home. And living alone with a teenage daughter, I can tell you I need to drink at home.” She picked up the bottle and asked, “Care to join me?”

  “I was afraid you’d never ask.”

  PJ poured me a glass and said, “Sorry, I don’t have any Landshark.”

  “If you can learn to drink coffee, maybe I can learn to drink wine.”

  “Wow, I think we’re bonding.”

  I quipped, “I was hoping for something a little more intimate than bonding sometime soon.”

  PJ smiled and said, “Sounds like you’re feeling better, Mr. Nolan.”

  “Yeah, I am feeling better. Not one-hundred percent, but much better.” I sipped the wine and asked, “How is Angela doing in Gainesville?”

  Shaking her head, she said, “Oh, that little girl’s got her grandparents wrapped around her little finger, like usual.”

  “Hey, I thought that’s what grandparents were for, to indulge kids in things their parents won’t. Although somehow I don’t think Angela lacks for much.”

  “You’re showing your lack of parenting experience, Jack. It’s not about needs, it’s about wants.”

  “Well, you’ve got me there. And at this point in life, it looks like that role will evade me.”

  PJ regarded me closely. “Who knows, maybe you’ll hook up with some young chick and start a brood of your own.”

  I gazed back into her soft green eyes and replied, “Not likely, I’m sorta focused on someone a little more mature. Someone who already has child-rearing experience.” Saying nothing in reply, PJ smiled warmly and clinked her glass against mine. For the next few minutes we sat in silence sipping our wine and watching a small group of ducks ambling along the shore of the lake. The wine was good, the weather great, and the company perfect.

  Our little bubble was burst when PJ’s cell started to vibrate on the table. It was the detective we had met with earlier. He told PJ that two bodies found in the Intracoastal matched the descriptions I had given him of Ty and Mooch. He asked if we could come down to the medical examiner’s office and identify them. PJ had asked if it would severely hinder his investigation if we waited until the following morning. He must have said it wouldn’t, because she said she’d call him in the morning and set a time. After explaining the conversation to me, she said, “I’m enjoying this time together too much, I just don’t feel like going anywhere right now. Guess I’m getting selfish in my more mature years.”

  After a few more minutes of our comfortable quiet, PJ looked over at me and said, “You look like your mind’s a thousand miles away, Mr. Nolan. Penny for your thoughts.”

  Damn, this woman is perceptive. At that moment I was thinking about Katharine’s father’s request that I come up to Michigan to see him before he died. I considered how much I was willing to tell PJ. Discussing a visit from my ex didn’t seem like a good approach to further our bonding. Yet, honesty did seem like a good foundation to our evolving relationship, so I embarked on an approach I had little experience with and told her the entire story.

  Throughout my story of Katharine’s, visit I expected PJ’s cop face to materialize, but to my surprise it didn’t. In fact, if anything, her eyes softened as she said, “Wow, that’s a tough situation, Jack. I don’t know any of the details about your break-up with your ex, but I’ve always had the sense she hurt you deeply. Now, to have her reappear and drop that on you is really rough.” She cocked her head to one side. “You do believe her? There really is a request from her dad, it’s not just some ruse to get you to come up there and see her?”

  “Not in a million years.”

  “Don’t ever underestimate the wiles of a woman.”

  I shook my head. “No, I know Katharine well enough to know her ego would never let her admit that losing me was a mistake.”

  PJ reached over and patted the back of my hand. “My friendly advice is that you have to go. If you don’t, you’ll always regret rejecting a dying man’s request. But I also advise that you be careful in any dealings with your ex, her motives may not be as straightforward as you believe.” She paused and withdrew her hand. “Unless, of course, you think you two could make another go of it.”

  “No way in hell. I’m not even the same guy I was when I was married to her. She wouldn’t have any interest in me and I certainly don’t have any interest in her. Of that, I am positive.”

  “She’s probably not mature enough for your tastes now.”

  “That could be . . .” PJ was grinning. I caught on and knew she was jabbing me again about the mature comment. Hoping to redirect the conversation, I asked, “You think we’ll be able to get in to see Cap’s Place tomorrow?”

  PJ nodded. “Yeah, I think so. Sounds like they’re making progress in clearing the streets. We’ll take Moe, but what about Marge? I’d bet she wants to see things, as well.”

  “She asked me to call her when we decided about our plans to go. Said she’d meet us there.”

  PJ nodded. “We can probably work it out to go by Cap’s Place after we leave the medical examiner’s office tomorrow morning.”

  “Sounds good.” In some ways I was anxious to see Cap’s Place,
in others I was dreading it. I knew that it was only going to confirm the extent of damage I could recall from living through the storm there. Maybe worse than I remembered.

  I held up the wine bottle and asked, “Can I pour you another glass?”

  “No thank you. I missed my shower this morning. There was a man sleeping in my bedroom and I didn’t want to disturb him. I’m going to go in and take a shower and freshen up before I make dinner.” She rose and started toward the doorway into the condo. She stopped, turned, and cooed, “Would you care to join me, Mr. Nolan?”

  CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

  I’m certain my mouth was hanging open. I was speechless. After lusting and scheming for so long on how I was going to get PJ into bed, even coming close a couple of times, the time was now. While I still felt a significant shortage of physical energy, the prospects before me provided a real jolt to my recovery, some areas of my anatomy feeling more energized than others. I muttered something unintelligible and followed her through her bedroom to the ensuite bath.

  PJ started the shower, to warm the water, undressed, and dropped her clothes in a pile on the floor. She stepped into the shower without ever turning around. The soft definition of her shoulders, tapered back leading to a narrow waist, round hips and toned legs were the vision of something that should be preserved for the ages by the likes of a Michelangelo. My clothes landed in the pile on top of hers and I stepped through the door of the walk-in shower, pulling it closed behind me.

  As I stepped up behind PJ, she turned around and faced me. She smiled mischievously as she said, “Looks like parts of you are getting their strength back. I hope I’m not rushing your recovery, but I just couldn’t wait any longer to have you.” Her arms went around the back of my neck as my arms encircled her waist and we pulled together in a long passionate kiss. We finally parted lips, but neither of us seemed to release the force of our grip on each other. It was as if our bodies were welded together. PJ made a low purring sound as she buried her face into the side of my neck. I cupped her butt in my hands and pulled her even tighter against me.

  After several more long kisses under the streaming water, I reached over and pulled a bar of soap from the niche in the shower wall and began to gently suds her body. I turned her around to face away from me and gently glided my soapy hand across her chest and breasts. Her nipples were as hard as pebbles. I took this as a good sign given that we were standing in a steaming shower of water, so I knew she wasn’t cold. I knelt as I worked my way down her body with the soap. As I ran my hands up and down her legs, she parted her feet, affording me easy access to her inner thighs. As I slid my hands to the upper reaches of her thighs, I planted gentle kisses on the cheeks of her butt.

  As I returned to standing behind her, PJ leaned forward, placing her hands on the shower wall for support. From behind, I reached between her legs and began to gently touch her. Even over the sound of the shower, I could hear her moan. I ran my finger around the emerging tip of her clit and felt her entire body tremble. I encircled her upper body with my other arm to lend support and slowly inserted my finger into her. I could feel her gripping my finger as she tilted herself to afford me easier access. Slowly, I worked my finger in and out until it was obvious that a second finger was most welcome. As I gently worked my fingers in and out of her, I used my thumb to bring her clit to its full potential. I could feel the tension building in her body until it burst forth in a loud gasp and cry of “Oh my God. Oh my God.” Her vaginal muscles tightened as if they would never release my fingers.

  I withdrew my hand and PJ collapsed like a rag doll across my other arm, her hands sliding down the wall. Slowly she regained her standing position and turned to face me. Again wrapping her arms around the back of my neck, her warm green eyes glowing, she said, “Oh my God, Jack Nolan, where have you been my whole life?” We kissed softly before she pulled back and said, “Now where is that magic soap, one good turn deserves another.” Our first shower together ended with PJ taking me in her mouth and drawing every ounce of tension from my body.

  We stood in the warm moist bathroom toweling ourselves, and each other, off. PJ towel dried her short auburn hair while I gazed upon her exquisite beauty. As she finished, she turned toward me and glanced down at my rapidly returning erection. That mischievous smile returned as she said, “Obviously, we have more work to do. Shall we adjourn to the bed?”

  In bed I kissed every inch of her responsive body, lingering longer in some areas than others. Finally, when she was begging for me and I couldn’t resist any longer, I entered her. Our coital dance began with a slow rhythmic pace progressing to an uptempo and ending with a fervent crescendo. PJ rode our coupling through two more climaxes, the second of which I joined in a mutual release. In the end, as I rolled from atop her, we were both gasping for breath. In a nearly hoarse whisper, PJ said, “Yes, sir, I do think you are going to make a full recovery.”

  We lay side-by-side in that twilight that follows two persons momentarily melting into one being. As my breath rate slowed back to something closer to normal, I reflected on what had just occurred. Amazing sex. Well, that goes without saying, but somehow sex just didn’t do it justice as a descriptor. It went beyond sex to something I had no experience with. Somehow it contained an element I hadn’t expected and didn’t understand. Something I couldn’t find words to describe but was undeniably present. Something that made the physical connection more than sex.

  I laced my fingers through PJ’s as we lay side-by-side on our backs. Her soft steady breathing made me think she was dozing. I, on the other hand, felt alive, charged, and wired. At least my mind was wired, my body gave no indication that it wished to move from a prone position. A collage of scenes of our encounters from the time PJ and I met until today was tumbling through my mind. As I sorted through and assembled them in a rough chronological order, I realized that the feelings they stirred in me had evolved from the original physical attraction to something else. Something much less superficial, much deeper and potentially more enduring. I could feel it, I just couldn’t label it. My past sexual relationships, Katharine included, had all started during the early physical attraction phase and never really grown past that. PJ and I had built a personal relationship over time and outside the bounds of the bedroom, and that had somehow given us the foundation for today. Even if I couldn’t articulate to myself exactly how, this felt different. It felt right.

  I don’t know how long we dozed and I drifted in and out of my mental movie. Eventually, we both regained consciousness and rolled to face each other. I spoke first. “My gosh, Ms. Johnson, you are one amazing lover.”

  “Well, Mr. Nolan, you’re no slouch yourself. In fact, you’re damn great.” A pensive look crossed her face as she added, “Actually, I have to admit I haven’t had a lot of experience in this area for more years than I care to count, but I believe you may well be the best lover on the planet.”

  Now it was my turn to reflect. “My opinion is that this is a classic example of the whole being more than the sum of the parts.”

  PJ smiled. “I’ll buy that.” With that she leaned in and gave me a tender kiss on the forehead. “I hate to say it, but I need to take another shower.”

  “Can I join you?”

  “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Again, we soaped each other’s body under the pulsating shower of water but ended up simply standing with our arms wrapped around each other until the water ran cold. By the time we returned to the kitchen to find something for dinner, all color had drained out of the sky and the street lights had winked on.

  CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

  Waking in bed next to PJ was different on many levels, yet seemed so normal and comfortable. First of all, we had consummated our new relationship one last time just before falling asleep in each other’s arms last night, so we both slept nude. On the couple of occasions I had stirred during the night, it had seemed the most natural thing to put my arm around her naked body and spoon with her. I’m going t
o recommend this to her as our standard sleeping attire.

  PJ was still sleeping peacefully and I could swear she wore a smile on her face. Talk about an ego booster for a guy. If they’re still smiling the next morning, you must have done something right. I slipped out of bed, pulled on the only set of clothes I had, and headed for the kitchen.

  Sunday morning dawned clear and bright with warm light streaming into the condo. It made me smile when I was able to find the coffee filters and coffee in the first cabinet I opened. Maybe this was one woman whose mind I could understand. At least enough to keep myself out of serious trouble. As soon as the coffee finished dripping, I poured myself a cup and headed out to the balcony. It was just before 7:00 a.m. I love this time of day, the world is awaking but hasn’t completely launched into the frenzy of the day. It’s still stretching and rubbing the sleep from its eyes.

  I was about halfway through my first cup when the door behind me opened and PJ padded out carrying a cup and the coffee pot. She was barefooted, wearing an oversized off-white tee shirt. My suspicion that she wore nothing under it was confirmed as she walked around the chair and the sun caught her profile. I said, “Hi there, Sleepyhead,” mimicking her greeting of yesterday morning.

  With a feigned frown, she replied, “Don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee.”

  “Wow, just started drinking coffee and now you’re already addicted.”

  “Hey, when a girl’s had more sex in the past twelve hours than she’s had in the past fifteen years, it takes something to get the motor running the next morning.”

  “Oh, so when you tell me how amazing I am, you really don’t have any comparison.” I stuck my lower lip out in a pout.

  “You were amazing yesterday, but we’ll just have to see how you do today.”

  “That sounds like a challenge if I ever heard one.”