Faithfully Yours

Part 4: Toil and Trouble

 

Chapter 30

"The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what Fiction means." 
 Oscar Wilde

Cole stayed at the office late, guilted into working through the pile of paper work that was on his desk because Erin had spent the rest of the afternoon efficiently dealing with clients and he could not find an excuse to avoid it.

He would have been home earlier but a call from Correja about another threat to sue for libel kept him sorting through precedents of libel law. He would have been even later if Erin had not had a brilliant inspiration about an earlier precedent. Still he went home at least feeling that day he had done something to support his family which he conceded these days was unusual. He sent Erin home with his heartfelt thanks, totally unaware that she cried all the way home because of it. For some-one who had had a dream to be a lawyer and for ten years felt she had failed in the dream, the ups and downs and successes of the day were to much.

Phoebe was home early. She had left the Bay Mirror because she was heartily sick of hearing other women's fantasies and because the consequences the spite plague was getting out of hand.

Two women had come to work in tears because of breakups with partners and on the wire services Phoebe read of some instances where less than understanding spouses had reacted very badly to their partners fantasies. She decided to go home and spend some time looking for spells that could perhaps soften the blows. She would have made it home even earlier but George called to apologise that he could not understand how he had mislaid the drawings for the advertisement campaign. He apologised profusely and assured her that he had left the restaurant with them and he was certain they had not fallen into wrong hands.

"Want to bet "she said to herself

She bit her lip as she realised , knowing Cole had taken the sketch book, George  was lying to her about the missing drawings but then she mostly convinced herself that George was the perfect gentleman and he was trying to protect her. After some time flirting and sighing as George flattered and cajoled her she allowed herself to be convinced to allow some very modest "test" poses to be made. She also half convincing herself that Cole would not know and it was none of his damn business and he was not going to control her and he couldn't stop her.

She flirted some more then went back to the manor where she and Piper left Leo and Glock to look after children and spent several hours trying to find "fix it" spells for spite magic and each coming to the conclusion that reality was the only cure.

"What if reality is a beating from an angry partner or a broken marriage?" Phoebe asked forgetting her own fantasies for a short while because she was seriously worried. "Magic is causing it so we should be able to find someway magic can stop it.

"Maybe that's the reality anyway "said Piper worried "Nothing has changed so we can't use magic to fix it up.

"So the spite magic provokes the problem, exposes it" Phoebe asked bitterly. "And leaves them to suffer the damage."

Piper flushed and said "Maybe that's the evil" she said quietly. "We keep saying that there is nothing wrong with fantasies. But trying to make them real...well, when you start thing a fantasy is real.

"Only problem is" said Phoebe "there once was a witch who fantasised what it would be like if this gorgeous sexy magic creature fell in love with her"and it became real."

"A couple of witches" said Piper slowly. "I recall a witch who had a baby sister who was so interested in Leo's bum she tried telling him her sister was a lesbian"

Phoebe nodded and then instinctively caught Piper in a hug "It is a nice bum" she said

"Iknow "said Piper returning the hug and then swallowing hard. "Bit bigger than it was then" she added.

"His wife's a good cook" Phoebe said and Piper grinned.

"What I don't get "said Phoebe a few minutes later. "I don’t get how a healthy fantasy life can cause such problems" she sighed.

"It’s a bitch" said Piper  "What is wrong with fantasy, so you imagine some perfect harmless sex. Why should it screw everything else up?'

"Damned if I know" said Phoebe "maybe we are being .. you know  a bit.. overreacting about fantasy.. because of stuff."

 Then stopped as Paige burst into the attic full of her days wows and fears about the consequences.'

"Maybe not" said Piper catching Paige in a sympathetic hug.

Then she cursed as 13 spites suddenly appeared and began dancing.

"I've had you lot" said Paige waving her hand and orbing one of the demon swords they collected from a confrontation with crab demons some months earlier, straight through several of the spites who blew up with a satisfactory blast "Bastards " said Paige meaning it

The spite held their ground for a few more bars of song and dance steps before Piper blew up four and Paige orbed the sword into the last few who fell like dominoes before exploding in a blast of black goo.

"Feel better now?" asked Phoebe.

"Yes" said Paige.

When Cole arrived home Phoebe was playing with the boys,sitting cross legged in the conservatory her track pants dropped well underneath Pookie's bulge and ht shirt high above it..

She was clapping her hands in time to the music while Patsy danced. occasionally losing his balance and plopping on his bottom.

Melinda was sitting on a sofa with Unca Glock explaining in detail from one of her picture books about elephants while Wyatt was refusing to do anything lying on his back on the floor, lost in his own reveries.

Cole watching his family was lost in a few of his own.

Phoebe allowed Cole to bend down and kiss her, but remembered in time, she was mad at him about the drawings, so she turned away, only just touching his face as he raised his eyes toward Glock. Cole swallowed down a small jealous moment as Melinda demanded Glock's attention, covering it by picking up Wyatt, and then kissing Patsy as Phoebe watched him.

"Where's Paige?" he finally asked Phoebe.

"How was Erin?" Phoebe asked him sweetly.

"You knew "he demanded.

"Not at the time" she said "and leave Paige alone. She had a bad day, How was Erin" she asked.

"Damn good"  he conceded.

"Besotted with you" Phoebe asked sweetly.

"No "he said.

"You're not lying." She said surprised. "Nice to know there is one female who isn't.'" she added snippily "I wonder why?" she asked contemplatively. "Elise hates your guts too" she told Cole "But I think she is to busy enjoying her real life to bother about a fantasy one."

Wyatt decided that some activity was in order so he spat all over Cole's tie then started to chew on it. Cole one handed removed it so Wyatt entertained himself pulling the buttons of Cole's shirt undone and then started pulling at handfuls of chest hair.

"Welcome to the real world" Phoebe told Cole with a smile and was rewarded by the very special smile from him. Just for a few seconds, as Cole smiled the very special smile for her, the little lost witch who somehow found love despite everything evil threw at her, Phoebe decided the real world was a very nice place.

Paige came through into the hall, carrying a large pile of washing and followed by the witch baby sitter Marly. Paige haddecided that maybe looking at interesting pictures may not  be truly harmless and occupying herself  productively may be more useful. Marly had accepted Glock's presence with nothing more than a shy little nod, as she accepted all the comings and goings at the Manor, although she did say to Phoebe. Glock has a big nose doesn't he? Like Cole has big hands" she said "and feet" she added dreamily.

"Didn't notice" Phoebe told Marly quickly.

"Ah Paige" Cole started to say.

"Shut up Cole" Phoebe warned

"Shut up Cole" Paige said before he could say anything while Glock's nose twitched as he watched  "Erin worked out didn't she " Paige  demanded. "Can do all the stuff you hate,  Good with clients isn't she "Paige smirked.

"Um yes Paige "he agreed then decided teasing her, or snarking at her when she had a lousy day was not a decent brotherly thing  "You know what you're doing, you're good at your job" he conceded, then stoped cold as Paige burst into tears and fled up the stairs.

"Cole "said Phoebe exasperated

"What did I do?" he demanded totally perplexed. He looked at Glock for support "What did I do?" he asked Glock who simply shook his head.

Before Phoebe could explain Cole was distracted as he realised  Marly, painfully shy middle aged and nervous witch, had stoped and was staring at him and the hair on his chest . She flushed deep crimson before sighing and giggling.

Phoebe caught her bottom lip, while Glock's nose twitched.

Cole flushed almost as deeper red as the little witch baby sitter Marly. From the time he had first returned to the manor, she had been nervous, and frightened of the introduction of another male to the house.  However since the magic eclipse  earlier in the year when Phoebe and Cole strongly suspected Marly had changed with Phoebe but never proved, she had changed and mostly spent her time still going red but unable to take her eyes off him. And no matter how much he told himself it did not matter, the thought of a middle aged spinster witch sharing what went on between him and Phoebe seriously  embarrassed him, much as if a maiden aunt had caught them in the act.  And it was made worse because any attempt to ask Marly about it caused her to flush crimson, wring her hands and reduced her normally limited speech to inarticulate giggles.

Phoebe could not resist a small giggle and as Glock eyed Marly oddly and Cole groaned.

Marly finally all but ran up the stairs, stopping on the landing to look back at Cole and sigh, and then crashed into Leo as he came downstairs. Leo put his hand out to steady her, and she jumped and froze, and muttered inarticulately before he pulled his hand away.

Cole red as Marly glared. " This bloody spite magic is driving me crazy" he said. Everywhere I go women chasing after me, making stupid noises, pinching me in the hallway. I can't even answer the damn door in my own home without being attacked."

'"It’s a bitch" said Leo unsympathetically.

"I can't walk down the street, into a shop, without that happening " Cole said really angry. "Women are going nuts. Out of control. No man is safe."

"It's not all about you Cole" Leo said "And you're exaggerating. I don't feel in danger from women. They don't chase me" he said.

Cole rolled his eyes but before he could say anything the front door bell rang and Cole and Glock and Phoebe and Leo waited.

"I fear it would be unwise for me to answer it' Glock said.

Cole and Phoebe eyed each other as the bell rang impatiently.

"I don't want to get attacked" said Cole.

"Any-one I know orbs" said Leo

"Somebody get that" yelled Piper from the kitchen

Finally Phoebe muttered "I'll get it" as another ring sounded. She hauled herself to her feet, deliberately poking Pookie forward as she answered the door yelling "Paige" at the top of her voice.

"It's really for you" she told Cole as she went past him, retrieving Wyatt from him

"What" he said. Oh" he said as Paige's colleague Anne managed to push her way through the door as Glock quietly exited.

"I just thought Paige might need to see these straight away" she said waving a sheath of papers in her hand. "She left work early and the archbishop wants them signed. He seemed a bit annoyed at her today so I thought I would bring them straight over, to keep Paige in his good books" Anne  garbled  as she spied Cole "Hello" she breathed flushing as crimson as Marly and stifling a giggle

"Paige "yelled Phoebe from the bottom of the stairs "you know my husband" she said to Anne.

"Not as much as I'd like too" said Anne licking her lips.

"Nice to meet you" said Cole backing into t he conservatory after Glock, unfortunately smacking straight into Marly who had snuck back downstairs.

Her hands lingered on his back far to long and as he jumped and turned around, Marly clutched his shirt and it pulled it out of his pants and the remaining two buttons gave way revealing a taut belly and hair. Marly palpated, her whole body shivering.

 Anne in the hallway and able to see this let her breathing a huge gasp and caught the table to keep herself upright. She flushed bright red and swayed as if she was about to faintly.'

Phoebe, furious, reached over and took the papers from Anne's resisting hands. "I'll take those "she said planting herself between Cole and Anne "and she added "Cole is happily married ...to me " she bit out and she rested her hand on Pookie as proof.

"He wouldn't be happily married and look at another woman like that" Anne answered still staring at Cole.

"Like what?" said Cole, wriggling free from Marly and wincing as his shirt ripped out of her clutches.

Anne made it past Phoebe "Like what I see in your eyes" she whispered breathily to Cole.

Phoebe dumped Wyatt back at Cole

"You're imagining it "Cole told Anne clutching Wyatt in front of him for protection "Fantasising."

"A woman knows" breathed Anne reaching around Wyatt to touch Cole's naked chest. "I love a man who loves children "she whispered.

"Get the hell out of my house" snarled Phoebe, wobbling her and Pookie between Anne and Cole. She caught Anne's shoulder and spun her around.

"Out "she ordered Anne, giving her such a shove she crashed into the hall table. Phoebe barely gave Anne time to regain her balance before hassling her toward the door. "Just get the hell out of my house home wrecker." Phoebe hissed as she shuffled Anne out the door

Anne just stared at her "You bitch "she spat. "I hate you. I hate women who never know when to let go."  She lifted her hand to bitch slap Phoebe, who instinctively lifted hers to protect herself.

However before Anne could connect, Marly somehow got between them, and caught Anne's hand.

"How dare you?" Marly spat at Anne. : Coming in here trying to break up a happy marriage, flirting chasing. Just get the hell out of here" she said shoving Anne out the door

Marly slammed the door in Anne's face and turned around leaning on it and glaring furiously at Cole who was still clutching Wyatt and blinking hard.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she told a stunned Cole, "Flirting with every damned female who comes in here, behaving like a.a.a…a ..cad." Marly demanded "I'm disgusted " she said and stalked toward the kitchen, stopping to sniff in Cole's face, clearly expressing her disappointment in him.

"OMG" said Leo who had come into the hall.

"I do not think you should comment that you find Burvjarian females unusually ferocious anymore" Glock told Cole a he came out to enjoy the show "I do not believe them to be any more ferocious than those here."

"Wow "said Piper who had come from the kitchen at the start of the yelling.

Cole shook his head "Fuck" he said "what was that about?"

"Ï think Marly has her fantasies" said Piper enjoying herself as Cole swallowed in embarrassment.

Phoebe who was breathing deeply looked at Cole "How dare you encourage Marly" she asked sweetly.

"What? " he said before he caught her smile.

Phoebe took Wyatt from his arms and handed him to his mother. She reached up and caught Cole's hair, pulling his head down to her. "That had better be the last woman I catch you with" she told him archly "because from now on I don't care how innocent you claim to be you're in huge trouble. "

"Kay "Cole said carefully.

Piper hugged Wyatt against her. Wyatt was enjoying himself for once being in the thick of things while Patsy and Melinda were ignored in the other room. As he snuggled up to mom, Piper saw Glock watching his eyes a very bright yellow. "You have to be inside a couple to understand it" she said dryly.

"A couple is something long since passed by in my realm" he said "the best we have is a mating"

"I'm sorry" Piper said  reaching to touch him and then quickly pulling her hand back.

"But I am learning much about existing in a conflict without it becoming a war" Glock smiled down at her.

"You have to know that if you want to be a mate" Piper answered her head on the side returning his smile

Leo standing, watched and sighed deeply.

Patsy and Wyatt had been put to bed right on time that night but after the spite visit Melinda started muttering about chocolate and so was allowed to stay up and share the adult so she could be watched closely.

She was busy sulking about the lack of chocolate on the menu and to keep her quiet Piper allowed her to nurse Big Cat at the table, making a mental note to find Little Cat before Melinda noticed he was missing. With the family running out of insults and taking respites from drama dinner was fairly subdued until a shimmer sounded and Therold still wearing his lore master's robe appeared.

The small monk like guardian sighing loudly as Phoebe smiled hello, then he turned toward Cole and said in his high whinny voice "Belthezor we need to talk alone."

Cole considered saying no, but finally stood up and followed Therold into the parlour.

"Don't like that "said Leo concerned after a few minutes. "Francesca should be here. She wasn't going to leave those two alone."

He stood up "I think I better go supervise" he said "Durand is worried about them together." he added.

Leo had barely stood up when they heard Cole yelling from the parlour.

"Shut the fuck up" he roared at Therold "Go fuck yourself. Don't you dare come in here, into my home lecturing me about taking care of my wife. Making insinuations…"

"I was warning you that evil was targeting her, and you should take care not to hurt her by even remotely giving her concerns about your fidelity" Therold squeaked out loudly and angrily.

"This is not good" Leo told Piper as Phoebe jumped up as best she could so she could to get between Therold and Cole.

Therold apparently recognised that Cole was not going to be reasonable. He scurried out of the parlour.  As Phoebe came toward him, after a demonic glare at Cole" Therold turned to her "Its isn't your fault my dear" he said in his high voice "But you must be careful, that evil does not take advantage of your gentle heart "

"For god's sake" stormed Cole behind him "This is guardian's business not witches and she's my wife and I can take care of her.'

Therold moved closer to Phoebe. "It’s a courtesy to a beautiful witch "he said in a high whinny voice.

"You're to busy being in Burvjara to take care of me" Phoebe informed Cole her nose in the air while at the same time managing to smile graciously at Therold, while Paige snorted and Piper sucked her breath.

Cole stood up moving closer to Phoebe himself and did not notice that  Little Cat, which Therold had loving presented to Phoebe as kitten, had appeared with a mouse in his mouth right behind him. He trod on Little Cat's tail and Little Cat in retaliation attacked Cole, sticking his claws into his leg as hard as he could and hanging on. Cole howling in pain instinctively kicked out throwing Little Cat with the mouse still firmly in his teeth across the room. Little Cat landed on all fours in a hissing spitting picture of indignity which was only matched by Therold's outrage.

"Unca Cole" screamed Melinda "Unca Cole evil" she said running to her pet.

"Children and innocents know the truth" squeaked Therold furiously.

Leo half planted himself between Cole and Therold. Glock quietly stood, picked up Little Cat and gently disengaged the mouse. He handed Little Cat to Melinda who dropped Big Cat to cuddle the little one and mutter "I hate you Unca Cole."

Big Cat decided Phoebe was his best bet and went straight to her. She bent down to pick him up as Therold turned toward Cole, anger in his eyes and started to hiss "Demon"

Leo realising this was getting worse, and neither Cole nor Therold were going to listen to good advice, carefully thanked Therold for his courtesy and saying how honoured the Charmed Ones were that he had come. Paige and Piper hastily agreed and Phoebe, still hugging Big Cat who was using Pookie as a perch, sweetly touched his arm. As she did so Therold reluctantly turned away from an angry Cole,  Therold smiled, kissed her hand and shimmered but not before Cole received a fully demonic glare.

They went back to the dining room table and finished coffee in silence.

"Therold's just a lonely soul looking for a small amount of kindness" Phoebe told Cole, a little uncertain of where he was going. "He's harmless."

"He's a goddamn guardian god damn well showing off" muttered Cole "and chasing his damn fantasy women, who in case he hasn't noticed belongs to me. And he isn't harmless. He's one of the most powerful creatures in the realms."

"Cole "started Phoebe.

"At least he is doing something about the Geztalt and Brotherhood" Piper pointed out.

"Unlike other guardians" added Paige.

"Demon wars have nothing to so with do with justice "Cole muttered. "And " he turned on Phoebe "You aren’t helping playing on his fantasies."

"Its harmless, " Phoebe insisted confidently. 'Why don't you fix Burvjara?" she asked sweetly "so you can be around to take care of me?"

Cole snorted." Why don’t witches fix spite plagues?" he demanded.

"Spites are pretty harmless" said Paige defiantly.

"Wasn't today enough proof that that isn't harmless?" Leo asked in a reasonable voice.

Paige glowered at him, and her lip trembled.

"Do you know how much you're hurting Mark, getting fixated in that garbage?" Cole demanded petulantly, because he knew he wasn't going to win with Phoebe.

"Since when have you given a damn about Mark?" demanded Paige.

"I have a lot of sympathy for him, getting caught in witches' toils and fantasies." Cole snorted.

"Mark really cares Paige" Leo explained in his best guiding voice with only a quick sideways glance at Piper, who flushed glanced toward Glock, whose yellow eyes brightened and trunk like nose twitched. Piper looked down,

Leo fronted Paige.

"When you love some-one "he explained "you're vulnerable, when just being near them, means everything, when you want to protect them and care for them."

"And there was I thinking all men thought about was sex" said Paige smarmily crossing her arms.

Leo sucked his breath at her an

Cole snorted again "Got the sex part the wrong way round" he snarled. "Its women who never stop thinking about it, all they want is to screw us around."

"Huh" snorted Phoebe.

"And whose fantasy life is on show, look at the three of you, nothing but sex, sex,  sex," Cole hissed, to busy arguing to notice Piper went white then red then white. Leo did not miss it.

"When you love some-one" Leo tried again "you can't help wondering if you are a good enough man for them, if you can be the best person you can, just to protect and take care of them. You look in yourself and wonder just what you can do to be the man they need...they want."

Phoebe hissed a laugh and Paige snorted.

"Mark is vulnerable Paige" Leo said not missing that now Glock was looking down and Piper not taking her eyes from him. "What you are doing Paige" Leo said pushing his point "is making sure Mark is tearing himself apart because knows he can never be everything you want." He glanced toward Piper and swallowed convulsively.  "Is that what you want to some-one just because they love you? Destroy them?

Paige looked like she was about to burst into tears", as she hugged her arms around herself.

" Maybe Mark could start bumping iron, get the buns and pecs in shape"  Phoebe suggested  putting an arm around Paige. "or just ask the elders for a little magic, to make him Paige's fantasy man, instead of crying in his beer." She added pointedly

Leo and Cole both glared at her.

"Which will only work until she gets another fantasy" Leo said watching Piper.

"Exactly" said Phoebe giving them her best men are idiots look "trying to be your woman's fantasy is plain stupid, worrying about it is stupider" she explained. "Every woman born knows if we waited for the perfect hero, most of us would never get any sex."

"What she says" said Paige with a sniff. "Hell women know there is no such thing as perfect, don't even bother thinking it or trying for it."

Piper suddenly smiled.

"Which is why fantasy exists" said Phoebe pushing her point

"And chocolate" said Paige.

Cole snorted and Leo frowned.

"Stop playing games with Therold" Cole told Phoebe.

"Get over it" said Phoebe.

"Fix the god damn spites" said Cole pushed.

"How" asked Piper sweetly

"You've got the goddamned book" Cole said "What does it say?"

"Reality fixes it" said Piper. Not magic"

"This cannot go on ten years waiting for reality to take affect" Leo said in a reasonable voice that made Piper grind her teeth. "If Melinda keeps her chocolate fixation up for ten years she'll be a blimp before her teens." He pointed out. "It needs to be fixed. Find a spell."'

"We don't think there is spell that makes everything real" Phoebe said. "Real isn't magic.'

"That isn't what you said the first time we screwed "Cole smirked.

"Seeing the lies you were telling me at the time, maybe what I thought was real was just evil magic" snorted Phoebe.

"Melinda' said Piper looking around suddenly "Where is she?" she said jumping

"Melinda said she wanted to go to the bathroom" explained Glock. "while you were discussing reality." he added.

 "I'm checking the bathroom" said Piper urgently and they all jumped as the front door bell rang. "Answer the damn door"" she ordered.

"I answered last time" said Phoebe.

"She's not here" yelled Piper from the bathroom, desperately.

"I'm coming" called Leo "Answer the damned door" he ordered

Paige crossed her arms and firmly stayed sitting.

The door bell got louder.

"It looks female" said Phoebe "You really want me to answer it?" she asked Cole sweetly.

"I'll get it" said Cole finally pushing his chair back so hard it nearly fell.

"Do your shirt up" ordered Phoebe. "And it better not be any-one fantasising about you."

"Like I'm responsible "muttered Cole but fiddled with his shirt buttons as he approached the door

The shadow on the other side, short round plump and female was leaning on the door bell.

Cole opened it to find nosy Mrs Taylor holding Melinda's hand firmly. He turned around to yell "Piper, Melinda's okay" then held the door mostly closed so she could not see inside

"I found her in my kitchen" said nosy Mrs Taylor severely and curiously "She was helping herself to chocolate cookies, devoured half a packet."

"Oh" said Cole. He started to glower at Melinda.

"'allo Unca Cole" said Melinda giving him her best pixie smile through a mouth covered in chocolate.

She won hands down. He shook his head reached to pick her up and hugged her. "You stood on my cat' she accused.

"So you just had to have chocolate" he answered as Melinda nodded.

"She should be spanked" declared Mrs Taylor narrowing her eyes.

"Some things like chocolate are beyond control" Cole conceded, realising as he hugged Melinda he was conceding Phoebe a great deal.

"Piper "he yelled.

"Stealing is not beyond control" Mrs Taylor said.

"She wasn't stealing so much as following an uncontrollable fantasy" said Cole knowing he was conceding Phoebe more as he hugged Melinda.

Melinda knowing she had him clasped her hands around his neck and planted a chocolaty kiss on his face, spoiling it a little by following it up with a chocolaty burp.

Cole hugged Melinda closer.

Mrs Taylor, glared at him, "So you're not going to do anything about her stealing." she demanded.

"I can pay you for the biscuits" Cole offered.

Mrs Taylor snorted as he cuddled Melinda again.

Piper appeared to grab Melinda from Cole and mutter thanks at Mrs Taylor.

"Keep that brat under control" Mrs Taylor told her. She shuffled as if she was moving and Cole started to shut the door when Mrs Taylor suddenly blushed crimson. She made a rumpling noise in her throat and  pushed the door open.

Cole let go the door, not quite sure what to do.

She suddenly licked her lips and Cole stepped backwards into the hall, only vaguely aware that Glock was scrambling to get out of sight. Nosy Mrs Taylor was not interested in Glock. She stepped with Cole, right against him, her body arched against his.

Cole, aware of Phoebe coming to her feet from the dinner table tried stepping away, embarrassed he looked down into nosy Mrs parker's face, her eyes slit with sexual desire, her breasts heaving and one hand clutching his shirt.

"I've watched you" she said

'Have you?" he asked nervously.

"Since you came here" she said.

"Oh" he said.

"You're beautiful" she wheezed

"Fuck" he muttered.

"If you want" she sighed "I've seen you with that little girl" he said

"Which one?" said Cole as he became aware her hand was clutching at his groin.

"The one you married" Mrs Taylor wheezed. "I've watched her since she was a baby."

"Oh Phoebe" said Cole dumb as Phoebe came hustling over.

"Her" said Mrs Taylor "you don’t need her" wheezed Mrs Taylor in a sexy vamp.

Phoebe caught Cole's shoulder with Mrs Taylor still attached to his groin and his shirt. "Hello" she said to Nosy Mrs Taylor and was totally ignored

Cole with some effort managed to pull her hand free of its grasp on his groin.

"I think we have an insurmountable problem" he told Mrs Taylor

"You think I'm to old. You're wrong. You need a real woman " she whispered  huskily  "one with experience'"

Ït isn't that you're to old for me" Cole said trying to free his shirt. "I think I'm to old for you."

He freed her hand from his shirt, and putting both his on her shoulders, he turned her around, and managed to steer her toward the steps, while Phoebe leaned against the door, Pookie thrust forward., her expression caught between amusement and anger and perhaps a little fear.

At the top of the steps he gently pushed her to the top one and said "It isn’t your fault, its not real, just an uncontrollable fantasy." he explained as gently as he could

Mrs Taylor rumbled something deep in her throat and somehow turned around so where his hand had been on her shoulder it was now touching a sagging breast.

She sighed and reaching up caught his hair and pulled his mouth to hers where unable to get free she gave him one of the most expressive erotic and expert tongue kisses he had ever had, so erotic in fact his hand of its own accord squeezed her breast

"So you know what experience is really like" she whispered against his mouth.

As she let him go Cole was aware of a number of things.

Mrs Taylor was sashaying down the steps with a hip swirl that would have done credit to a twenty year old, the second neighbourhood gossip Mrs Eden was walking past the manor and was standing at the bottom of the steps mouth wide open.

He hurriedly turned away to face Phoebe wholet fly with a massive bitch slap that knocked him half against the door.

"I warned you what would happen if you so much as looked at another woman" she spat., while nosy Mrs Taylor sashayed past Mrs Eden who was creeping up the steps to get a better look.

Cole reached for the red mark on his cheek

"What are you thinking?" Phoebe demanded "tell me the truth. I dare you. You just tell me what you're thinking." she spat.

"I'm thinking that old Mr nosy Taylor was one hell of a lucky man" said Cole truthfully, sucking on his tongue.

………………………………………………………..