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By Trynia Merin
Disclaimer: Terri Mason is my character. Gene Simmons and KISS are real
persons, but this
story is a work of fiction, not intended to harm or demean the parties
mentioned. All other
characters are property of the author, or else used with the permission
of the authors
consulted. This story rated PG-13 for adult situations and some language.
Terri strode in on Friday morning, carrying her briefcase. Instead
of a business suit, she wore jeans and a KISS T-shirt, stopping into her
office. She began to place things into a cardboard box.
"Terri, you were pretty pissed yesterday. Are you feeling better, girl?" Crystal asked, leaning in. She had seen Terri through the front lobby, and appeared to be rather relived.
"I was. But I'm not," Terri said slowly.
"What's with the T shirt! It's casual attire on Friday…but that's WAAAY more casual…" Crystal laughed.
"No worse then Hawaiian shirts," Terri laughed back.
"I know I wasn't right to rake you over the coals for wanting to leave early yesterday. Especially since I was the one who suggested you go on 'offsite' meetings."
"Crystal, it's okay."
"Uh… Teri, what's with the cardboard boxes?" Crystal asked, noticing she was packing files and personal effects into two large containers.
"Here's my explanation," Terri said, reaching into her formal leather briefcase and handing Crystal an envelope. Puzzled, Crystal pulled out the letter enclosed within, on fine ivory stationary. Eyes traced across the lines, becoming more and more angry at each word.
"Terri, what the hell does this mean!" Crystal demanded, putting a hand on one hip and leaning over Terri's desk
"It's spelled out there, clear as day," Terri said.
"How can you resign! You've only just gotten here! Why…"
"Crystal, you've been acting Supervisor for six months. Who better then to take my place?"
"Terri, I need you! You can't just leave me…"
"No, I want you to be Supervisor. You're more cut out for this life then me. I just… can't become something I'm not. Try and look at it logically…"
"But you're the only one that…"
"Bull," Terri said firmly, standing up and resting hands on Crystal's shoulders. "You're as much an expert as me. I have given it three weeks, but I just can't pretend. I still will be a scientist, but I can't stand being a supervisor. You love it…"
"I know but…"
"Crystal, you were promoted when Gloria was fired. For six months, you held together the department. You're more then capable of taking over. You are the one who needs this job, and this life. I don't. I have a life already, and it's time I get back to it…"
"You miss Gene, right?" she asked.
"Not just him, but my new life. I have a chance to be a scriptwriter, something that I've wanted, but always avoided because I was afraid of failure. Now I just sold 2 scripts to the practice…"
Crystal's eyes widened, and she sank in the chair opposite Terri. Shaking her head, she gasped, "Whoa. That's… wow…"
"You see, I can make it. And I need to do it in California with Gene. Not because of Gene, but because it's something I need to do for me… and you know I'm right."
For a few minutes, Crystal's gaze fixed into Terri's seeing the sincerity there. Slowly she breathed in and out, digesting what had just happened. She uncrossed and crossed her legs impatiently. There was such confidence now in Terri's face she knew it was sincere.
"Then… I guess I need to take over here…" Crystal sighed.
"Yes. You're a good friend. And you'll make a better supervisor. So, will you forward my letter on?"
"You're sure, right?" Crystal asked.
"Yes. And I have a plane to catch…" Terri returned.
Her eyebrows raised at this. "You're leaving… tonight? But your apartment! What about your lease… and you should have given two weeks notice!"
"I'm sorry, but I need to get back. And you're already trained so you can fill in, right? And if there are any questions about the data and the project, they can email me or call me. I can still be a consultant…"
"Yeah… I never thought of that…" Crystal admitted. She blushed. Terri took her shoulder and nudged her to stand.
"Now why don't you take a seat behind this desk, and see how it feels. This was where you were sitting when I came back… and it's where I know you want to be. And me… I am going where I need to be…"
Crystal sat down, guided by Terri, behind the computer. Terri put the rest of her things into the boxes, and smiled. Up and down the arms of the chair, Crystal traced her fingers, savoring the feel of authority present. Finally she smiled, "Well what are you waiting for? Get the hell out of here!"
"My things?"
"We'll send 'em. Now scat!"
"All right…" Terri grinned. She slung her briefcase over her shoulder, and strode out. For a moment she glimpsed Crystal there behind the desk in her cream business suit, and grinned. She did belong there.
Now he was ready to relax, and perhaps take a swim. Or else just put in a long movie and cook some mozzarella cheese sticks. Punching in the code, he opened the front door, and entered. He hung up his long duster coat and threw his planner down, closing the door behind him and locking it. The house seemed so empty lately, even with the hired help.
Speaking of the which, where was the cook? He didn't recall giving her the night off. And what the hell was playing over the stereo system? It sounded like Guns and Roses, Paradise City!
Angrily Gene stormed out through the house, convinced whoever it was who pulled this stunt would be fired or have their ass handed to them when he found them. There were rules about such behavior!
The distant sound of splashing came to his ears, and he fumed. Boots pounded carpet as he reached the sliding doors to the pool area out back, determined to catch the culprit. It could be the housekeeper, the maid, or the gardener. All of which could find themselves unemployed very soon.
"All right, what the fuck are you doing… and…"
His words stopped dead in his throat as Gene saw who was swimming in the pool. Gracefully she shot underwater, then thrust her head and shoulders up in a spectacular splash as she came to the edge. In a daze Gene ran up to the shallow end, his eyes wide with shock. Leaning over he saw her smiling face and graceful curves encased in a black bathing suit, form fitting and one piece.
"That's a fine hello," came a voice that he'd missed.
"What are you… oh God you're back… why didn't you…" Gene babbled, almost unable to form a coherent sentence.
"I wanted to see the look on your face, that's why," Terri grinned, leaning up out of the pool, resting her chin on her folded arms. Gene said nothing, but leaned over, and grabbed her face in his hands, fingering her cheeks. Dark eyes met her gaze, the expression filled with shock and joy.
"Miss me?" she asked.
"Oh shut up," he growled, and sealed off her reply with a kiss. Gene's kiss seared her lips, and she grabbed tightly to him for dear life. Her lips hungrily devoured his, tongue thrusting between his lips. Pulling her between his knees he pressed her close to his shirt, not caring that she was soaking wet. Around his neck, she wrapped her arms, their tongues dancing intricately in their combined greeting.
Their embrace continued till Gene felt cold wetness seeping into his shirt. Parting from her he took a deep breath and laughed. The whole front of his shirt was soaking wet from her wet body to his dry one. "Better get you out of those wet clothes," she whispered into his ear.
"Sounds like a very good idea to me…" he laughed, unbuttoning his shirt. He took little time in shedding their clothes as quickly as Terri had shed her inhibitions. The look in her eyes told him what she wanted, and he was all too eager to please. Soon the water rose as he jumped in next to her, considerably more ready to join her in the pool.
"Now you're wearing too much, sweetheart," he joked when she was wrapped in his arms, pressed tightly to him under the cool water.
"And you're doing what about it?" Terri laughed, savoring the caressing hands that kneaded her back and spine. Between the tight suit and her skin his hands wandered, pushing down the straps of her shoulder, and peeling it off in one fluid motion. Like a lizard shedding, she came easily from her suit, and Gene tossed it far away.
"That," he laughed, teasing her bare skin with his fingers, then his tongue. She arched her neck, laughing softly. Skin slipped against skin, slick and smoothly warm in contrast to the chlorinated water that suspended them. They were still in the shallow end, Gene's arms wrapping her close to his body.
"Mm," she murmured as he plundered her waiting lips with a soft kiss and a tongue coaxing them apart. Hands traced down to grip each other's backsides, unhindered by any cloth now.
"Tell me something," Gene whispered, nibbling on her sensitive earlobe as he traced his tongue along the triple piercing of her left ear, then working his way up to the ring high in the top.
"What?" she whispered back, wrapping her legs around his waist. Gene moaned, pulling her hips so she was tight against him.
"You came back… but is it for good, or for a visit…"
"Let's say Crystal makes a better supervisor then me…"
For a moment, Gene pulled away, eyes filled with questions, a hint of a hopeful spark there as he continued, "You mean you quit?"
"Resigned is a much better word…"
"I thought you wanted this…"
"Depends on what particular 'this' you're talking about, Gene," Terri raised an eyebrow, feeling his excitement stiffening as his muscled tensed and firmed.
"Well I mean the job in Philly… what about wanting to be a scientist again and all that? Or did your parents drive you up the wall?"
"Actually, they're warming up, thanks to a certain concerned third party…"
"My mom called them, didn't she?" Gene asked with a laugh.
"Yes… did you put her up to it?"
"I couldn't help calling her could I, considering I do call her at least once a week," Gene grinned cheekily. "But seriously… se really called them?"
"Yes… my dad called to smooth things over… and that was what reminded me…"
"Of what?"
"What was important. I thought I could go back, and be a scientist again. I realized that I was running away to 'prove something'… like you did when you started acting…"
"Instead of playing with the band? That I cut the crap and came home…" Gene completed.
"More or less," she flushed, with embarrassment at being so straightforward.
"I'm glad," Gene whispered. "Because I missed you…"
"How much…"
"Guess," he laughed, kissing her again. She could not suppress a gasp as he entered her for the first time in two weeks, and she moaned with the intensity of fierce heat burning her inside while the water leached away all body heat around them both.
"Aww… but I missed… ohhh not just that…" she moaned. "The writing… and you…"
"I thought so…"
"Don't be so damned smug," she scolded him, but her irritation vanished in a low groan as he thrust up into her, feet touching the bottom while she encased him.
"I'm sorry… tell me more…"
"Ohh well…" she groaned, trying to speak over the intensity of his thrusts. "I was running away to try and get a piece of my life back I admit. But I did prove I could do it. And that's good enough for me… and ohhhh well I was ashamed at first…"
"Why?" Gene asked, pausing his assault of pleasure.
"That I'd be a quitter… but then I realized I was quitting, on the writing. And the more I tried to fit in the more I realized I didn't. And I make one lousy supervisor."
"But you make an awesome writer," Gene smiled, kissing her.
"You're just saying that…" she groaned.
"Hey, can I lie in the heat of passion?" Gene joked; thrusting wickedly into her so hard it made her cry out.
"Ohh god no," she laughed.
"Welcome home, sweetheart," Gene cooed, working her and him to a height of bliss they'd both missed.