Patrick Ch. 10

Kevyn kept her eyes down, she knew that Stu was looking at her, she could feel it. When she knew that there were just a few more minutes of class left she began to pack her things so that she could make a fast getaway. She even took out her cell phone just so she could pretend to be talking to someone thinking that Stu wouldn't be so rude as to interrupt a phone call.

But luck wasn't with her, right after making announcements about changes in the syllabus Stu asked Kevyn to stay behind.

"Damn!" Kevyn swore under her breath wondering what he could possibly want. She decided to try to make a break for it taking off as soon as it was time.

"Miss. Morris? A moment please."

Kevyn stopped at the desk to see what Stu wanted.

"What happened with the last test?" he asked.

"Nerves, I'll do better on the next one." she replied and started to walk away.

'I'm new to the area and I thought that maybe you could show me around."

"I don't think that my boyfriend would like that..... Unless he could come along?" Kevyn asked innocently.

It had the desired effect.

"I was thinking just the two of us, three would be a crowd." Stu replied sourly.

"Oh well.... Have a good night." Kevyn said and walked away.

As she waited for the bus, Kevyn tried to figure out what she was going to do about class. She didn't want to dodge Stu every week but she didn't want to kill herself for the rest of the semester either. She wondered if there was a class that met during the day on Tuesdays, it was worth checking out. If there wasn't she was stuck, it never occurred to her to call Patrick to tell her about her problem with Stu simply because she was used to handling things on her own and their own relationship hadn't been defined.

She debated about what to do during the bus ride home and then decided that all she could do was check the class schedule and go from there. As soon as she got home she changed her clothes and turned on her laptop, while it was going through its thing she made herself a sandwich and poured herself a glass of milk. By the time she was finished fixing her snack, the laptop was ready.

She crossed her fingers and pulled up the school catalogue. She went to the sciences section and said a silent prayer.

"Please, please...." and nothing. She looked for other days and times and gave up, she was down to two choices, stay where she was or switch to the Thursday night class and have to go to work afterwards which presented its own challenges.

Dropping the class was out of the question. "Shit!" she swore under her breath. In the end she decided to stay where she was positive that she could put Stu off until the end of the semester if she kept mentioning her boyfriend or there was always the chance that someone else would catch his eye and that would end the issue-one could hope.

Kevyn made herself to eat her now dry sandwich and drink her milk. She looked at the clock and wondered if Patrick was up.

*******

Patrick was thinking about Kevyn, he thought of little else since the night he told her that he was a rapist. Other than that one email he hadn't heard from her and it was all that he could do not to call her but he missed her.

It was Tuesday and the first class with the new instructor and he wanted to know how it went, he still hadn't shaken the feeling of intense dislike for the man and it was beginning to worry him. For an hour he debated on whether he should call Kevyn or not and then decided on an email.

"Kevyn,

I hope that you're alright. I've been thinking about you ever since the night we talked but haven't called because I don't want to crowd you. I also wanted to let you know that whatever it was Melissa's mother was up to is no longer an issue; I think that she was trying to figure out a way to extort money from me but at any rate it's a moot point. I know that you had class tonight and I was wondering how it went and what the new guy is like. Take care and I love you.

Patrick"

He hit send and went back to working on the online class. There was actually no reason why he couldn't take his class back but decided against it. He wasn't sure if Kevyn was ready to see him in any capacity and he didn't want to rock the boat.

He went back to working on the online class not expecting to hear from Kevyn. What he was going to do once he had the class set up he didn't know although he was behind in his movie watching, maybe he could get caught up with that but the idea didn't appeal to him, he wanted to host another movie night but with Kevyn at his side. He stood up, stretched and headed to the shower, tomorrow he would move back to his own house. Everyone was satisfied that he was safe to be on his own now that they were convinced that he had been claimed.

Vanessa and Veronica hugged him when he went back for the repeat PET scan and not even pictures or talking about Melissa or her mother stirred his anger which made them wonder if the chemical released by being in love neutralized the rage somehow.

He didn't know and he didn't care but he understood the importance of their work and wanted to help. He looked at the laptop that the girls gave him and decided that he'd better enter his notes before he got into the shower. Veronica was adamant that he have them done by the end of the week.

"Just what am I supposed to be making notes on?" he asked.

"Everything that happened since you found Kevyn." Veronica said.

"Everything?" Patrick asked.

"Alright just the highlights including what happened when you kissed her."

"I am so not doing that! " Patrick replied, "That's way too private."

"Then generalize." Veronica said.

"Uncle Patrick, we appreciate anything that you can do, right Ronnie?" Vanessa asked.

"What? Yes, we do appreciate it." Veronica replied sheepishly, "I'm sorry, I just haven't been resting well."

Patrick asked if everything was alright and Veronica assured him that it was, he wasn't convinced but she was no longer a child and she knew how to reach him if she wanted to talk. He sighed and sat on the bed and began to put in brief notes about the finding of Kevyn. When he got to the part about the kiss he only said, "I felt myself settle."

He was so intent on writing his notes that he didn't hear the phone ring; it was an hour later when he noticed the flashing light indicating that he had a message.

"Damn it!" he swore when he saw that Kevyn had called. He didn't bother to listen to the message; he called her back hoping that she was still up.

"Hi." she said when she answered the phone.

"Hi, I didn't hear the phone." Patrick said relieved to hear her voice, "How are you?"

"I could lie and tell you that I'm fine." Kevyn replied, "But I'm not, I'm still trying to understand what you told me and how I can still love you knowing what you did."

Patrick whispered silent thanks that she still loved him but things weren't going to be resolved until they talked.

"Kevyn we need to talk again."

"I know, I just need more time." she replied.

"Could we have coffee? We can talk about other things or we could go back to the batting cages, whatever you want but I need and want to see you."

Kevyn hesitated and then made up her mind, "Del Taco's open."

"Tonight?" Patrick asked.

"If it's too....."

"I'll see you in thirty minutes!"

*******

Kevyn hung up and changed her clothes again, she had surprised herself by offering to meet Patrick, that hadn't been what she was planning to do. The reason for the call was to find out about Melissa's mother and her plans but since they were meeting, she decided to ask Patrick about his past. She also knew that if she asked it would be quid pro quo, he would want to know more about her marriage to Lonnie but she decided that it was only fair. She turned on the television and watched a comedy until Patrick arrived even managing to get so involved with the show that she jumped when Patrick knocked on the door.

She turned the television off, grabbed her phone and answered the door. Patrick smiled at her when he saw her when what he wanted to do was kiss her.

"Hi." she greeted as she stepped out of the efficiency and locked the door behind her.

"Hi." Patrick replied and before he realized what he was doing he had her in his arms and was kissing her.

Kevyn tensed and then relaxed returning the kiss, she had missed him but they still had some serious issues to talk about.

"I've missed you." Patrick said hugging her.

"I've missed you too." Kevyn confessed.

Patrick took her hand and led her to the car; he unlocked the door and kissed her temple before he helped her in. He considered it a miracle that she even allowed him to touch her much less kiss her but he was grateful. The Del Taco was almost deserted with most of the customers using the drive through.

"Are you hungry?" Patrick asked, "I know I am."

"Sure, I like everything here so surprise me and I'll have an orange soda instead of coffee."

Patrick came back with a tray filled with what looked like everything on the menu.

"I got a little of everything." Patrick said sitting down.

"I bet your parent's owned stock at the grocery store." Kevyn said as she watched Patrick pour packets of hot sauce over several tacos.

Patrick chuckled, "We did keep the cabinets pretty empty."

They ate in silence with Kevyn once again being amazed at how much food Patrick could eat.

"Tell me about the new guy." Patrick said as he doused the last of the burritos with hot sauce.

Kevyn shrugged, "He's young and kind of a jerk but he's alright I guess."

Patrick stopped what he was doing; there was something in Kevyn's voice....

"Did something happen?" He asked.

"No, not really."

"Not really? What does that mean exactly?"

"It means that nothing happened." Kevyn replied.

Patrick took a long drink of his soda before responding.

"Sweetheart in case you've forgotten, you're a lousy liar."

"Damn, I've really got to work on that!" Kevyn mumbled.

"So tell me about Stu Brinkman."

Kevyn told Patrick about meeting Stu at the park not once but twice.

"I didn't know who he was but both times he asked me to go for coffee with him after the second time I stopped going to the park. I saw the email that he sent out but I didn't make the connection until I went to class tonight."

Patrick stopped eating, "What did he do to you?"

"Nothing, we were in class." Kevyn said.

"What did he say to you?"

"He recognized me and said something about finding out my name."

"And?" Patrick prompted.

"He asked me out and I told him that I didn't date my instructors..... Patrick?"

"I'm fine, what else?"

"I..... I kind of claimed you as my boyfriend."

"You did?" Patrick asked surprised but pleased.

"Sorry that I used you like that but....."

"Did he accept that?"

" Patrick...."

"Kevyn did he accept that you had a boyfriend?" Patrick asked his tone intense.

"No, he said that since we weren't married or engaged and that made me fair game."

Patrick tapped his fingers on the table and then changed the subject.

"Is it alright for me to start calling you again? After all I am supposed to be your boyfriend."

Kevyn hesitated, "I guess but we still have to talk about .... That."

"May I ask a question?"

"I guess." Kevyn replied.

"What happened in your marriage?"

"The question should be what didn't happen." Kevyn replied.

"Alright, I'll bite." Patrick said, "What didn't happen?"

He listened as Kevyn talked about her marriage to Lonnie.

"He was full of big plans and ideas which was great but he did nothing to make any of it happen and one day I'd had enough. I was tired of living with his parents and working while he sat at home supposedly working on getting us out of his parent's house and into our own place. So what didn't happen? None of his grand plans, we never got our own place and as a matter of fact he still lives there. It was then that I decided that I was going to be independent and not need a man for support."

"You don't want to have to depend on anyone." Patrick commented, "Did he hurt you?"

"Hurt me? You mean like hit me? No but he slept around while I was working my ass off so do you see why I didn't want to meet anyone?"

"I get it, but Kev it was bound to happen." Patrick said.

"I was doing fine until you." Kevyn said with a weak smile.

"I wasn't." Patrick said softly, "I didn't start doing better until I met you."

There was an uncomfortable silence so once again Patrick changed the subject.

"I'm glad that you called."

"Tell me what happened with Melissa's mom." Kevyn said not responding to the sentiment.

"My mother and sister-in-law is what happened." Patrick replied and told her about the fundraiser.

"Jeez, remind me not to piss them off." Kevyn remarked.

"They would love you." Patrick replied, "Sweetheart, we need to talk so we can get past this."

Kevyn hesitated, he was right and putting it off wasn't going to make it go away.

"I'm off Sunday thru Tuesday." Kevyn said, "But Patrick the issue isn't how I feel about you do you understand that? Wait maybe it is." she amended.

"What you're saying is that you love me and you can't reconcile that with what I was."

"That's accurate but Patrick, why did you do it?" Kevyn asked.

"It's a very long and complicated story and one that I can't tell you here." Patrick replied, "But I'll tell you everything on Sunday."

"Will it be as bad as what you already told me?"

"In some ways yes," Patrick replied, "but I've told you the worst about myself and I am so thankful that you stuck around."

Patrick took Kevyn home a short while later; he walked her to her door and kissed her.

"I love you Kevyn Morris." he said and walked away, he had a visit to make.

*******

Stu sat in the living room of his condo channel surfing but his mind was on one Kevyn Morris. He hadn't been able to forget her since the first time he saw her in the park and he had come on much too strong, then luck was with him and he saw her the second time and he made the same mistake and then compounded it by basically accusing her of being a racist . Seeing her in class was a very pleasant surprise and instead of treating her like any other student, he pushed again making her angry. He reminded himself that he had to be careful, he was already let go once after a student file sexual harassment charges against him. The last position that he held, he was given the option to leave or be fired. His father paid the school to seal the records, "Thanks pop." he muttered under his breath.

He didn't consider himself to be a bad looking man standing just shy of six feet with dark hair and blue eyes and he was on the thin side. Even so women seemed to find him attractive until he started pushing too hard and too fast and then they went running. Stu threw the remote on the sofa and went to the kitchen still thinking about Kevyn. He wanted her but he needed to slow down but fast was the only speed that he knew.

"Does she really have a boyfriend?" he muttered. He knew that she had been lying about the fiancé, she was a poor liar but when she mentioned a boyfriend and asked to bring him along..... It didn't matter, as far as he was concerned if a woman wasn't wearing an engagement or wedding ring they were fair game. The thing was, he really liked Kevyn and the way she stood up to him in class was a turn on leading him to wonder what she would be like in bed. She was bigger than he liked his women but she had something that his usual women didn't have.... Confidence and strength. He felt it when she told him to call her Miss. Morris, he got hard just thinking about it and her but if he wanted to get her into bed he had to slow and soften his approach, she would push as hard as he did.

With that in mind he began to plan his seduction of Kevyn.

*******

Patrick decided to go back to Ethan's first; he wanted to investigate Stuart Brinkman further before he confronted him. When he got to his room he turned on his laptop and googled Stuart Brinkman. The information matched what was on the search that he did on Ethan's program but he looked deeper, he wanted to know where Stu worked before and if there had been any problems.

An hour later he knew all that he wanted and needed to know, Stuart Brinkman was a predator. He fixated on one woman until she either reported him or became unavailable in another way-engaged or married. Fortunately there was no history of violence at least none that was reported but that didn't mean that there couldn't be a first time and that made him a threat as well as a distraction.

It was time for a visit.

*******

Stu had just finished jacking off thinking about Kevyn and was cleaning himself up when he realized that he wasn't alone.

"Hey! How'd you get in here?" He asked quickly covering himself with a pillow.

Patrick's eyes blazed, he had gotten there just as Stuart came with Kevyn's name on his lips.

"Get some fucking clothes on!" Patrick demanded.

"You can't come in here and tell me...."

"I said get some fucking clothes on. NOW!"

Stu was going to argue until he saw the coldness in Patrick's eyes.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he asked as he pulled on his shorts and then his tee shirt.

"My name is Patrick Sinclaire."

It took Stu a moment to register who it was that he was talking to.

"What do you want? Is this about the comments about your office hours and how in the hell did you get in here?"

"No this has nothing to do with that although it was unprofessional." Patrick replied, "I'm here about Kevin Morris." he added ignoring the question about how he got in.

"What about her?"

"She's taken."

Stu smiled, "by whom? You? She doesn't date her instructors or so she says."

"I'm not her instructor." Patrick said glaring at Stu, "but even if I were that doesn't change the fact that she's spoken for and that you are to stay away from her."

"Afraid of a little competition?" Stu asked not snidely realizing the danger that he was in.

Patrick gave him a cold smile before replying.

"It would be well within my rights to beat your ass for jacking off to my woman; actually I would have no problem with killing you."

Something in Patrick's tone caught Stu's attention and alerted him to the danger he was in.

"How did you get in here?" he asked some of his bravado gone.

"It doesn't matter but now you know that I can and will find you if you approach Kevyn again." Patrick replied, "as a matter of fact let's eliminate the chances of that happening; I'm taking my class back."

"You can't do that! I signed a contract."

"I'll buy out your contract."

"No." Stu replied even though he was nervous. He had to keep this job, if he didn't his father would cut him off and he wouldn't see another cent until his father died.

Patrick had to admire the man's nerve but it changed nothing.

"I know about your past, the sexual harassment allegations and why you were given the option to leave your last job...."

"Those records are sealed! How did you get that information?" Stu demanded his fear forgotten.

Patrick was tired of talking , it was clear that Stu wasn't going to go away even if he bought out his contract and that he wasn't going to leave Kevyn alone.

"Stuart, look at me." Patrick commanded.

When Stu looked up at him Patrick spoke.

"Kevyn is unavailable to you is that clear?"

"Yes." Start answered reluctantly.

Patrick strengthened the compulsion when he felt Stu's resistance.

"You will finish out the semester without approaching Kevyn with anything except class related issues, is that clear?"

"Yes."

"You will not jack off with Kevyn in your mind, do you understand?"

"Yes."

"You will stop pursuing women who tell you no, do you understand?"