Free Fall Read online

  "Can we eat here?" He nibbled on a finger. "I could use some dinner."

  "As a matter of fact, I made a reservation." She took his hand and pulled him forward to the SkyCity restaurant.

  "This is great!" he said, once they were seated. He looked through the slanted windows at the pure blue sky outside. "We’re rotating, aren’t we? It feels like I’m on the deck of a big ship."

  They ordered steamed clams as an appetizer and each agreed on the king salmon as an entrée. The waiter brought them a bottle of Chateau St Michelle Riesling which went well with the exquisitely prepared meal. By the time they left the restaurant and entered the elevator for the trip down, Nina had a mild buzz.

  Trevor picked them up on Broad Street and Nina directed him to the Seattle Ferry Terminal on the waterfront where they parked in a line of cars and waited for the ferry to Bainbridge Island.

  Once on board, they left Trevor to his own devices and went up to the upper deck. The wind was brisk but invigorating and as she huddled against Joseph she thought that there wasn’t any other place in the entire world where she would rather be at this moment. He was eager and enthusiastic company, friendly and open to conversation with everyone, and unfailingly polite and well-mannered towards her. He was engaged in all the sights and sounds and seemed to squeeze every drop of enjoyment out of every detail. Her distrust of him from the night before had vanished. All of her defenses had fallen away.

  "My stepfather has a cabin on Crystal Mountain," she said shyly. "If you can get a night away we could go there this weekend. It’s really beautiful up there. A lot of wild, untamed wilderness. Giant herds of elk walk around the little village."

  Joseph turned his eyes on her and gave her a slow smile.

  "It takes about two hours by car," Nina went on a little nervously. "A nice little road trip."

  "I’m sold," Joseph said. He studied her and she turned to look out over the water.

  She felt his eyes on her and a tingle of excitement snuck up her spine. He knew what she was inviting him for. An overnight getaway. Just the two of them. She glanced at him and saw a complacent look on his smiling face.

  "There’s three bedrooms, you know."

  Joseph threw back his head and laughed, "Yes, ma’am!" He hugged her to him exuberantly.

  "My territory, my rules," Nina said, her voice muffled against his shirt.

  "Of course. I’m completely at your mercy," Joseph replied.

  On Tuesday Joseph was able to get away from the set for a few hours in the early evening. Nina took him to the Experience Music Project. They viewed the musical instrument sculptures and the artist memorabilia and found that they had similar taste in music. He gave her a kiss at her door and nothing more. After sleeping on it, Nina had regretted her invitation to the cabin that weekend. But once again in his presence, she vacillated back and forth, unable to tell him that she wanted to call it off. He came to the club that night and sat at the bar and laughed and teased with Trish and the other waitresses. Nina sang better than she had before, knowing that he was in the audience. He stayed until closing and walked her home, once again kissing her goodbye at her door. Wednesday and Thursday Joseph was busy on the set. Friday evening they attended a play at the Seattle University Theater, and enjoyed a production of The Importance of Being Earnest.

  By Saturday Nina was enveloped in a foggy haze of lust as the possibility of sex with Joseph loomed closer. She tried to sort out her thoughts and decide what to do. She knew that if she weren’t careful she would fall hopelessly in love. She was already a little in love with him, with his face, with his voice, the way he looked at her. They had the same values and outlook on the world. They saw the big picture and didn’t let inconsequential pettiness mar their enjoyment of life. She imagined a future where all the beautiful, complicated diversity of life would be theirs to experience together.

  He’s going to leave and go back to LA, she thought, interrupting the fantasy. This is just the novelty of new romance. The warmth of his touch, the exchanged looks, and the connectedness like they were thinking each other's thoughts would wear off. Yesterday she could tell that he took it for granted that he was going to get her into bed when they went to the cabin. Of course he did! She had practically guaranteed it. He was just waiting patiently. Whenever she heard his voice or saw his face she wanted to throw caution to the wind and just give in.

  She confided to Trish her doubts about letting it go further and taking it to the next step.

  "You’re too serious, Nina," Trish said. "And really, how long has it been? When will you get another chance to be with someone you've got the major hots for? Are you going to let him get away? Let go and live for once! It’s a quality of life thing, you know. Everyone needs some tender loving care. You deserve it."

  "But is it worth the heartbreak when he leaves and goes back to LA? Where will I be then?" Nina demanded.

  "You’ll be someone who had a terrific time with a great guy. Slow down! You’ve only know him a week. Do you want the promise of happily-ever-after already? Dang, girl. Lighten up a little. Also," she paused. "Don’t you think a guy like that can get laid anytime he wants? He’s spending a lot time with you. If he didn’t care about you he would have disappeared after that first date when you shot him down."

  "I suppose so," Nina said, still unsure.

  But when she saw Joseph walk into the club that night she knew she would take the risk. His eyes searched the room and when they alighted on her his face broke into a smile. Why do men get attractive laugh lines and creases of wisdom and women get ugly crow’s feet and old lady wrinkles? He was eight years older than she was, and he looked good. Not GQ good. She’d never gone for that type of fussiness in a man, but attractive in a scruffy, slightly bad boy way that spelled trouble for her.

  He walked over and she noticed that everyone, even the other men in the room, turned their heads to watch him. Oh God, I’m in for it now, she told herself, totally lost in his brown eyes—eyes that were now fixed upon her with twinkling expectation.

  "What time are we leaving tomorrow?" he asked, sliding close to her.

  "Well, it's Sunday and there won't be any traffic. Nine o’clock? We can stop for groceries in Enumclaw before we get to the cabin." Nina caught his scent and wanted to bury her face in his neck.

  "I’ll have Trevor drop me off at your place. Right now I have to attend a late dinner with the director and some of the cast. I just stopped by to see you for a minute."

  "How is the film going?" Nina asked. She really wasn’t interested in the work he was doing, but was making an effort. It was the only thing they didn’t click on, so far.

  "It’s going well, except for Ms. Greenfield, who is a pain in the ass. So, do you want me to bring anything?" He gave her an impish look that spoke of wine, candlelight and negligees.

  "Just yourself," Nina answered, pretending that she didn’t catch the sexual innuendo in his tone.

  He gave her a quick kiss and said, "I’ll see you in the morning, then."

  THREE

  ON the drive to Crystal Mountain Nina pointed out landmarks as they traveled down Interstate 5 to the 405, then through the valley on State Route 167. They drove through Auburn and stopped in the quaint little town of Enumclaw to buy groceries at the Safeway. They bought foodstuffs to make breakfast, lunch and dinner and also a box of cheap wine. The air became colder and snow appeared on the side of the road as they wound their way up the mountain. Forty minutes later they arrived at the cabin which was tucked into a small forest of tall evergreens.

  The small structure was built with unpainted clapboard and had a wide deck that stretched across the front. Two large cottage windows flanked a sliding glass door which Nina unlocked. The front room had a large stone fireplace on the right stocked with wood. There was a small kitchen, a large counter with four bar stools and a narrow hallway that led to the small bathroom and three bedrooms. There was a worn brown leather sofa, two vinyl lounging chairs and a large red oriental rug
covered the hardwood floor. In front of the sofa a dark brown, almost black glazed rectangular railroad tie with wrought iron legs served as a coffee table. They set their bags on the floor and the groceries on the counter.

  Nina shivered, "Think you can handle building a fire?"

  "Hey, I grew up in Michigan, remember?" Joseph sat on the fireplace hearth and opened the kindling box to dig out some newspaper. He quickly got a crackling fire going while Nina put away the groceries in the kitchen.

  He picked up his overnight bag. "So, where do I put this?" He hugged the bag to his chest and looked around, pretending to be lost and bewildered.

  "In the main room, you dork." Nina led him down the hall and showed him the two small rooms, one painted in a dark blue shade and one painted in forest green. The master bedroom was larger and painted in a deep burnt orange with a tiny walk in closet and two tall bookcases filled with paperbacks. Nina set their bags inside the closet and pulled the drapes to let in the light. Then she grabbed a set of clean sheets off the shelf and pulled the down comforter off the bed. Silently, Joseph helped her spread the sheets and slip the pillowcases on. With that done, they set about making a lunch of turkey sandwiches and a salad.

  After lunch they went for a long walk on the trails surrounding the cabin and eventually arrived at the river. They stayed by the river for two hours, talking about their lives and childhoods. Nina discovered that Joseph was very close to his sister and practically estranged from his strict father who didn’t approve of his acting career, sneering at his choice to go to Julliard instead of majoring in business as he planned for his son. He was still angry at both Joseph and Laura for making their home in Los Angeles. His mother was a homemaker and a great cook, waiting on his father hand and foot like a good little housewife for their entire marriage.

  Nina told him of her life in Lynnwood, before her father left. Running wild around the neighborhood under the lax supervision of her easy going, carefree mother and of her brother Luke, who chose his guitar over the path of a basketball career that her father had wanted for him. Her father had wanted boys and didn’t pay much attention to her, which made her turn into a full blown tomboy to get noticed. After he left and her mother re-married, her stepfather George took up the reins of the family.After several long months of illness took her mother from her, she attended community college where she got a technical writing certificate. She juggled working contract jobs and singing in Luke’s band until her father died and left her and her brother the money to buy the Live Wire.

  Hand in hand they walked back to the cabin. They got a glass of wine and sat at the picnic table on the deck watching the sunset. When it got dark they went back into the toasty warmth of the cabin and Joseph studied the collection of movies under the small television set. Nina came out of the bedroom in a baggy pair of pajama bottoms and a white form fitting T shirt and Joseph watched her slim back as she did the lunch dishes at the sink.

  "Are there any of your movies in the pile?" She asked.

  "No, unfortunately there’s no apparent taste for fine film here," Joseph said. "I might make an exception for LA Confidential, though. How about it?"

  "I love that movie!" Nina poured two more glasses of wine, switched off the lights and sat on the couch as Joseph started the DVD. Joseph sat beside her, picked up his wine and they both grew quiet as they watched Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey and the rest of the wonderful cast play out the corruption of 1950’s Los Angeles. They wound up lying full length on the couch together, and as the movie ended Joseph felt Nina’s stomach grumbling under his hand.

  "What are you hungry for?" he whispered into her ear.

  "Food." Nina stopped his roaming hand.

  She instructed Joseph to light the grill outside and set about scrubbing and buttering potatoes to microwave. Joseph grilled two T-bones and they sat at the kitchen counter together eating and drinking more wine and listening to fifties oldies on KIXI radio. At ten o’clock they banked the fire, locked up the cabin and went into the master bedroom.

  They stood beside the bed and Nina said, "It's been a perfect day."

  She went to him, unbuttoned his shirt and slipped his arms out of the sleeves, letting the shirt fall to the floor. She stroked the smooth skin of his chest and put her arms around his neck, tilting her head up to be kissed. After a few moments, she pulled her shirt off over her head. Joseph reached around and unfastened her bra letting her breasts fall free where they sloped down into two round globes with large nipples. Mesmerized by the sight, he stroked the tender skin underneath and skimmed his palms across her nipples, which immediately stood at attention.

  She kissed him again and, with their arms around each other, did an awkward slow dance to the bed. She lay down, lifted up her hips and took off her pajama bottoms, then watched as Joseph quickly removed his own pants. He crawled on top of her and put his mouth on hers, kissing her deeply. Then he paid attention to each breast, flicking his tongue back and forth across her nipples. His hand moved between her legs and rubbed her through the fabric of her damp panties. She caught her breath in a gasp.

  He sat up, pulled off his boxers and she took hold of his hardness, running her hand lightly along the length of it. She wiggled out of her panties and parted her legs for him whispering urgently, "C’mon!"

  Joseph woke to the sound of his cell phone ringing. He fumbled for his pants, found his phone and answered.

  "Hello?"

  "Where are you?" It was Trevor.

  Beside him Nina moved under the covers and he saw that she was awake. Her sleepy eyes regarded him over the top of the blanket.

  "I am… outside of Seattle." Joseph answered.

  "Well, I have instructions to pick you up. I guess you're needed on the set."

  Joseph looked at the bedside clock and saw it was 7am. He turned to Nina, "I have to show up at the set."

  "Okay." Nina slowly got out of bed, shuffled naked to the closet and got some clothes out of her bag. "I’ll start some coffee."

  He gave the estimated time of arrival to Trevor and started to dress. He longed to crawl back into bed and make love to her again. He was ready just thinking about it.

  "I'm sorry. The scene was supposed to be this evening. I know she’s the one messing up the schedule." He found his shoes under the bed and put them on.

  "You mean Anne Greenfield?" Nina asked.

  "Yeah, it’s her. She gets a kick out of playing the queen mother of the production."

  They took turns in the bathroom, made sure the fire was completely out and locked up the cabin tight. They each carried a travel mug of coffee as they put their bags in Nina’s Jeep and set off down the road. During the ride back they listened to her extensive collection of mixed CD’s, ranging from Patsy Cline to Metallica. Joseph knew most of the lyrics to each song and Nina commented that he had a surprisingly good voice. She dropped him off in front of his hotel at ten o’clock where Trevor already waited outside.

  "Will you be at the club tonight? Could we have dinner?" Joseph got out of the car.

  "On Mondays we don’t have a band and I have the day off. But, I have plans for dinner. Maybe we could meet up later."

  "Sure. What time should I be there?"

  Nina hesitated, "Umm, why don't you give me a call this evening?"

  "Okay." Joseph said goodbye, and wondered if he imagined her aloofness.

  Nina spent the rest of the day in her apartment and at six she went to meet Trish at Lowell’s for dinner. Trish, already seated at a table, took one look at her and said, "You got some meat!"

  "And you’ve got quite a mouth on you. Do you have to make it sound so nasty?" Nina dropped into a chair and ordered a soda water with lime from the waitress.

  "Yeah, I bet it was nasty! So? Give me the dirt!"

  "It was just like a porno flick. He twisted and turned me and flipped me this way and that. He maneuvered me into positions I thought were physically impossible." Nina gazed out the window at the waters of Puget Sound.


  "Uh huh." Trish looked at her friend closely. "Are you going to see him again?"

  "I guess he’s coming over tonight."

  "What do you mean, you guess?"

  "Well, I’m not sure it’s such a good idea." Nina squirmed uncomfortably under Trish’s knowing gaze.

  Trish whistled softly. "You’re in love," saying it like it was some dreaded disease. "Bad, bad Nina! Don’t tell him that! Good God! Don’t say anything!"

  "What? Do you think I’m some kind of ditzy moron? I don’t know how I feel about him. He had to go back first thing this morning and he made me drop him off at his hotel, instead of the movie set, like he didn’t want anyone at work to see me. It just reminded me how this will never work out between us. I feel a little stupid for hoping it could turn into something more. Maybe I should leave it at a one night stand and save myself from getting too attached. He’s only here for another few weeks anyway."

  "But you are going to see him again aren’t you?"

  Nina shrugged and didn’t answer.

  "Poor, poor Nina," Trish said. "Hey," Seeing the look of misery on Nina’s face, she apologized. "I’m sorry, honey."

  "I’m such a pathetic fool," Nina declared. "For Chrissakes!"

  "No you’re not, Nina. You’re a true blue romantic," Trish said, "but you don’t know for sure that’s why he wanted you to drop him off at the hotel. It might be your imagination. You know what they say? If you believe all men are assholes and think every single one of them will screw you over, then that's what will happen. It's all in your mind set. You know what you want. Now all you have to do is make him know what he wants. You want to keep going with this guy? Then give him everything you’ve got. Give it your best shot."

  "It’s all such a big game. I don’t want to play it," Nina said tiredly. "And why are you encouraging me?"