“Hey, handsome, do you have some spare change?”
John looked at the homeless woman who hit him up for change every day, "Sorry, Dena, not today."
John continued on toward the Tribeca building that housed his office and apartment. He’d just finished a meeting at the NYPD and was headed back to the office to interview a potential new assistant. His former assistant, Summer, was in South America helping Todd Manning look for his daughter, Verano, and her mother Téa Delgado. It had been five months since the disastrous December night at Llanfair when John informed Todd about Tea and Verano’s existence. That same night, John had discovered that Jessica Buchanan had used her money and position to keep Evangeline from visiting him in the burn center when he was recovering from a near-lethal car accident. That interference had led Evangeline to believe a lie that kept them apart for years. But now they were making up for lost time.
As John walked down the street, he noticed that the air seemed warmer than usual. It was spring in New York City and the climate seemed to be reflecting the change that had taken place in John. The last four months had been some of the best of John's life. It was hard to believe how much his life had changed. This time last year he just existing, not living. He spent his days working with the NYPD and FBI as a law enforcement consultant and spent his nights drinking in Quincy's bar listening to sad music and swimming in his own regret. Now even though he spent his days the same way, his nights were very different. His nights were spent with the woman he loved.
He and Evangeline had found a nice rhythm. They both had stressful jobs; he with McBain Investigations, she as a lawyer with a thriving corporate criminal practice. They often spent the evenings working, both of them completely comfortable in their silence. Of course that silence didn't last into the night. Things often became significantly noisier once they went to bed.
As John approached his office, his smile faded. He stopped. There was a light coming from under the door and he knew that he'd turned off the lights before heading to his meeting that morning. He placed his hand on his gun and silently turned the doorknob. The door, which he'd locked this morning, opened. John stepped into his office.
He looked around. Summer's computer was on and there was a trash can full of freshly shredded documents in the middle of the floor.
"What's the sitch, chief?" a voice said.
John whirled around, pulled his gun and pointed it right into the delicate features of Summer Tamm, his heretofore absent assistant. She stood there holding a plant and looking summarily unimpressed.
"Kind of slow on the draw aren't you, Wyatt Earp?" she said, with a sardonic smile on her face as she stepped into the outer room that was her part of the office.
John exhaled and put his gun back in its holster. "Dammit, Summer! You know better than to sneak up on me!"
"Technically, you snuck up on me." She placed the plant on the end table, poured a cup of coffee and handed it to him. "And you know how dngerous that can be."
As John's heart rate returned to normal, he realized how much he had missed his friend and "partner-in-crimefighting" as she called herself.
"What are you doing here?" he asked. "Did you and Todd find Tea and Verano? In your last e-mail you were feeling kind of hopeful," He asked Summer had kept John apprised of their progress with periodic emails.
A shadow passed over her graceful visage as she sat down at her desk. "No," she said, "We came close to finding the little girl in at a Buddhist monastery in Nieva, but no luck. Not that Manning makes it easy. That man thinks he can push anybody into doing anything just by yelling loud enough or flashing enough cash!"
That sounds like Manning, thought John.
"Can you imagine him trying that crap with Buddhist monks?!" Her cheeks flushed red. "Buddhist MONKS! These are people who have devoted their lives to finding serenity. He'd throw tantrums and make threats and they would just smile and say 'Attachment brings suffering.'" She smirked at the memory. "I thought he'd have a stroke. But I've got to hand it to him, he's in this all the way. He just wants to get his family back. Although, frankly, the guy could benefit from a vasectomy. I've never met a man with so many kids that wasn't the leader of a religious cult."
John sat down across from her. It was apparent that however irritated Summer was by Todd's behavior, she had developed a sort of fondness for him. "So why aren't you still there?"
"I took him as far as I could. He's in good hands." She said simply and John knew he would get no more information out of her. " She turned to her computer. "What the hell did you let these temps do to my system? It's a mess. Outstanding invoices, case files laying around, ammo not secured…and ALL my plants are DEAD! You couldn't even remember to water the freaking plants!"
Chagrinned, John said, "Sorry, I don't think anyone lasted more than a week. I guess being surrounded by evidence of violent crime all day kind of works the nerves." He got up and walked into his office. Summer followed. She turned her hazel eyes on him and asked, "So how are things with you?"
"Fine," he said, "You can see business is still good. I'm still consulting with Quantico on the Gryphon case. I had a meeting at One Police Plaza about a couple of cold cases in the Bowery that ought to keep me…" she shot him a look, "…sorry keep us pretty busy."
"Ummm-hmmm," she nodded. "So, you and Evangeline still going at it like a couple of greased weasels?"
He flinched at her textbook bluntness, "Jeez, Summer…" He ran his hand over his face but couldn't cover up the grin that momentarily showed up on his face.
She nodded with a self-satisfied look, "What is that? An actual smile on the face of John McBain, professional depressive? Now you have to spill."
John felt like he was in high school smoking behind the bleachers. "Things with Evangeline are…"
"Are…?" she prompted.
"Good."
"Good?" she said. "That's it?"
"Very good." He replied with a shrug.
"Oh my God!" She narrowed her eyes. "Have you been doing it here in the office?!"
"Stop it!"
"On my desk?!"
"SUMMER!!"
"Fine…fine…" She relished his embarrassment.
John raised his mug in a toast. "Good to have you back."
Summer returned his toast, "It's good to be back."
*********
John spent the rest of the afternoon getting Summer caught up on the latest activities of McBain Investigations and listening to her complain about the condition of the office. Finally he made his way to his apartment two floors up. On the way down the hall, he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. Evangeline was supposed to be working late tonight. He dialed her direct line and got her voice mail.
"Hey beautiful, it's me. I just got done with work and was wondering if I'd be seeing you tonight." John unlocked the door and opened the door. "I know you're working late but if you get this message before…ARRGGGHHH!"
Before he could finish the sentence, John was tackled from behind and his phone went flying. He rolled onto his back and looked up into Evangeline's smiling face.
"I can't believe you let me sneak up on you," she said and proceeded to start kissing his neck.
"That seems to be the theme today. Me taken unawares by warrior women. First Summer , now you."
"Summer's back?"
"Yeah and ready for action…..as it appears…are…you. Ummm…No fair….uhhh….you…are supposed…to be in…your office." John said between kisses. Goodness, she was on fire tonight! That's when he realized…
He grabbed her hands and looked at her. "Lemme guess, you won your case?"
She tossed her hair from her face. John could see her pride…and her arousal. "Yup, nailed the bastard for fraud and false claims. Should bring the firm a heft half million" she said breathlessly. She leaned in for another kiss.
"Hold on, tiger" John disentangled himself from her, stood up and closed the door. Once it shut, she was back on him winding her arms around his neck. Their tongues entwined as John slid his hand up her skirt and caressed her thigh.
"What about dinner?" moaned John.
"To hell with it." She ripped open his shirt and buttons flew helter-skelter.
She marched him over to the couch.
"You know," he said pushing off her jacket, "I'm beginning to feel like a booty call."
She pulled off her blouse and bra. John's hands crushed her breasts marking the tender flesh
Evangeline ran her hands through his hair. "I'm sorry,” she purred, “How can I make it up to you?"
John’s blue eyes darkened with passion as he turned her back to him and nibbled along her collarbone. The fullness of him pressed against her buttocks. His hand found her secret center and massaged her. She moved against his hand faster and faster her body coated in a fine sheen of sweat. Finally John could not longer take the pressure building inside him. He leaned her back onto the cushions and entered her. A moan escaped her throat as if against her will. John withdrew almost completely.
“Bastard!” she gasped “Don’t tease me…please”
Hearing her say please pushed John past his limit and he poured forth his passion into his willing lover as he felt her spasm.
They lay together in a tangled heap on the couch, covered in the throw that John normally kept on the back of the couch.
“Mmmm…so,” Evangeline whispered breathlessly, “How was your day?”
John held her a little tighter, kissed her shoulder and said, “Sweetheart, with you in my life, everyday is perfect.
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