Scorpienne
Telly Talk Member
Chapter 6 – Sue Ellen Gives JR the Silent Treatment
The Elysia ~ The following Wednesday
Something changed following the afternoon at Southfork. While their retreats to one another would remain on a weekly basis, communication between them was becoming more frequent. JR had phoned her up at least once every day since then. Nothing profound. He just called to see how her day was going and what she had been up to. And even though Sue Ellen never initiated the calls herself, she did take pleasure in hearing from him. It was nice to have someone to share her daily life with and he seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say.
Sue Ellen also thought she had detected just a wee bit of disappointment in his voice when she told him she was going to ask April to fly to Santa Fe with her to do some home décor shopping and wondered if he wished she had asked him to go instead. Whether April went or not, she would not ask him to travel with her. It would be a prime opportunity for them to spend more time together without worrying about being seen. But it also had the potential to escalate their relationship to a level she was not prepared for—or wanted. And maybe she just wanted her selections to be a surprise.
With her iced tea in hand, she retreated to the terrace and reclined against the chaise. Looking toward his office, she noticed his light was still on and she wondered for how long. He’d be coming around later but hadn’t told her when and she wouldn’t dare call to ask.
She would miss this when she moved into her permanent home. There was something romantic about being able to see that light flicker off on Wednesdays and knowing that meant he was on his way to see her.
Romantic. Get that thought out of your head. She quickly brushed the idea aside and instead thought about the rather thick bundle lying on the credenza inside. Earlier, when she was returning from a meeting with her interior designer, she’d been approached outside The Elysia by a gentleman in a dark suit.
“Excuse me, are you Sue Ellen Lockwood?” he’d asked.
“Yes, I am. Who are you?”
The man had then extended a large envelope to her and stated, “I’m a process server. You are being formally served with a Petition for Divorce and Writ of Summons issued by the High Court of Justice in London.”
Sue Ellen wasn’t shocked to have been served but she was a little taken aback by being accosted on the street. Determined not to give that away to the stranger, she had simply taken the package and laughed, “Thank goodness.”
Ignoring her humor, he pushed a clipboard toward her next. “Now, if you could please sign this Acknowledgement of Service for the court…”
So formal, she thought to herself and rolled her eyes as she took the offered pen and scrawled her name in cursive on the line. “I’d be delighted to.”
At that, the process server dashed off as quickly as he’d shown up and she’d headed inside to her penthouse. She hadn’t bothered opening the package, and figured that was best left to her attorneys anyway. So it still lay where she had left it earlier, unopened, and would remain there until she made an appointment with her legal counsel which she would do tomorrow. But as for tonight, JR’s light had just flickered off, and she had better things to do.
Twenty minutes later JR was at her door, just like clockwork. Along the way to let him in, she paused for her customary glance in the hallway mirror. She hadn’t bothered changing after her meeting with the designer and was wearing a muted sage-green dress adorned with delicate floral beading. Satisfied with her appearance, she opened the door.
“Hello, darlin’,” he said in greeting, catching her cheek with a light kiss.
Her guard slipped for a second at his immediate display of affection and Sue Ellen failed to notice he had one hand behind his back as he stepped inside the door. “Come on in,” she’d said and turned on her heel to lead the way to the main living area before asking, “Would you like something to drink?”
Without quite realizing it, she had begun to settle into a routine with him and, with the exception of the previous week, there was a certain level of domesticity to their weekly meetings. Office light out, arrival twenty minutes later, his knock at her door followed by a customary pre-dinner drink. Some talk. And then…
“Maybe in a minute,” he replied from behind her, placing his Stetson on the back of the sofa.
She turned to face him at that. “No pre-dinner drink?” she laughed. “Are you under the weather?”
“No, nothing like that.” Nodding toward the sofa, he inquired, “May I?”
He’s acting very peculiar, she thought to herself. “JR, you know you can make yourself comfortable here. You don’t have to ask.”
It wasn’t until then she became aware he was keeping one hand behind his back. What are you up to?
JR took a seat and patted the cushion next to him. “Come sit down with me…”
Sue Ellen was unsure what to make of it but, though apprehensive, did as requested and took a seat adjacent to him. Remembering the night she had asked him to be straightforward if he wanted out, the thought entered her mind that maybe this was to be the day it would all end. That would explain his serious tone. If that were the case, she couldn’t deny she would be tremendously disappointed. And sad.
But then she thought of the kiss at the door and didn’t think he would have done so if that were the case. She was just about to ask him what this was all about when he brought his arm forward and held out a gift-wrapped rectangular box.
“I brought you a little somethin’…”
Seeing it, her first instinct was to breathe a sigh of relief.
“You alright, Sue Ellen? You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
“What?” she asked, regathering her wits. “Oh…yes, I’m fine…”
Gently, JR laid the box on her lap. “Well, go ahead…open it…I’ve been looking forward to this all week…”
Sue Ellen did want to open it. His smile seemed so sincere. But she also recalled the rules they had established in the beginning and knew, as much as she would like to, she could not accept it. “It’s a lovely gesture, JR. But remember, we said no gifts…”
“Uh, uh, uh…” He wagged his finger at her. “You said no expensive gifts. Now go ahead. Humor me.”
He was right. That was exactly what she had said. And her anticipation was getting the better of her. She was dying to find out what was inside.
“Okay.” She grinned and proceeded to remove the bow and wrapping.
She could feel his eyes on her as she stripped away the outer layer to reveal a white box. Curious, she lifted it and shook it. Whatever it was, it had a little bit of weight to it. “What is it?” she inquired, pausing when she looked up to find his blue eyes just dancing.
“That would ruin the surprise, darlin’,” he answered, nodding toward the box. “Go on…”
Slowly but eagerly, she removed the lid to peer inside. And came to a dead stop. She did a double-take before raising her eyes to meet his. She could kill him.
“JR, what in the...”
The laughter he must have been containing from the very moment she opened the door erupted then, boisterous and every bit as evil as she’d heard thousands of times over the years when he revealed one of his schemes to her. Finally, he quietened down enough to point at it and softly say, “Read it to me. What does it say right there?”
“You really are a bastard,” she reminded him, but was unable to conceal the grin that tugged on her own lips.
JR didn’t bother trying to deny it and, not about to let her off easily, gestured toward the gift again. “Read it.”
Sue Ellen closed her eyes and shook her head, nearly laughing herself. Opening them, she smoothed her fingers over the book, bound in Italian leather. “Holy Bible. King James Version…”
Leaning forward, he pointed toward the bottom right-hand side of the good book and inquired, “And what’s that part at the bottom?”
Exasperated, she looked down at her own name, engraved in cursive. “Sue Ellen…”
Laughing once more, he told her, “Surely, you didn’t think I was gonna let you have the last word after that little stunt the other day…”
“I suppose I should have seen it coming,” she replied, unable to withhold her own laughter.
“And besides, it’s hard to have Wednesday night Bible study if you don’t have a copy of the living word for reference.”
Admonishing him, she stated, “That is enough, JR. Please. We’re both going straight to hell.”
JR moved closer so his shoulder brushed hers, ignoring her rebuke. He lifted the cover and turned to the first page. “There’s an inscription here,” he said tenderly.
Sue Ellen gazed down at the striking penmanship she recognized as his and, without him having to encourage her to do it this time, she read aloud the following: “Presented to Sue Ellen by John Ross Ewing II…”
The gesture momentarily left her at a loss for words. She knew it was a joke, his way of getting back at her for the other day at Southfork. But behind it was something she hadn’t experienced in quite some time. Effort. He’d gone out of his way to do it, knowing neither of them would probably ever read a word of it. He hadn’t purchased it in an attempt to buy her affection or to impress her. He’d done it simply because he knew it would put a smile on her face.
And, much to her surprise, it touched her heart.
“Thank you,” she softly said and meant it.
“You aren’t mad?”
“Not at all.” She shook her head.
Without another word, JR extended an arm along the back of the sofa, inviting her to lean against him. Taking him up on his offer, she settled comfortably beside him and allowed her head to rest on his shoulder. Slipping his arm around her, he said, “Tell me about your day…”
Sue Ellen set the gift aside. “Nothing groundbreaking. I met with my designer again. It’s all starting to come together.”
“You’re excited?”
“I am,” she answered, adding, “And I’m afraid our time here is drawing to a close.”
He grew silent for a moment, leaving her aware of his steady warmth and the even cadence of his breath. It felt nice. “How soon?”
“Mm, if everything goes according to plan, as early as next week.”
“But there’s no way you can have it furnished by then.”
“No,” she replied. “But my designer is leasing me enough furniture to get by. And I’m fine with doing it a little at a time.”
“Well, we’ll have to give this place a proper send-off, won’t we…”
The remark seemed almost sentimental, and it took her a little by surprise. That was different, coming from him. But she’d take it. Sitting upright, she turned so she was facing him. “Don’t you mean improper?” she teased.
He considered that for a second before chuckling, “If it so pleases you…”
Her lips curved into a grin. “It might…”
Settling against him once more, Sue Ellen added, “Something else happened today.”
“Oh yeah? What’s that?”
“Downstairs, just as I was returning to my suite earlier, I was served with divorce papers.”
“Here?”
“Yes,” she laughed. “Right on the street…”
At that, he abruptly removed his arm from around her and rose up from the sofa. “If you don’t mind, I’m gonna make myself that drink now.”
Sue Ellen watched as he walked to the bar, her eyes narrowing. “I don’t mind at all.” Then, a moment later, she asked, “Is everything alright, JR?”
“Yeah…yeah…,” he called out from the bar, pouring himself a bourbon. “Tell me, what do you think about that?”
“Well, I was delighted, of course.” Something in his demeanor had shifted and she wondered why. She hadn’t failed to notice he’d omitted her last name from the engraving on the gift. That in mind, she suspected he would have been equally pleased that chapter was coming to an end.
Drink in hand, JR returned to the living area. Gesturing at the credenza behind her, he asked, “That it over there?”
Slowly, she turned her head to the package and back to him. “Yes.”
His tone shifted again. His lips curved into a lazy, knowing smile as he noted, “You haven’t opened it yet?”
From across the room, she studied him as he sipped his bourbon. He must have removed his jacket while pouring his drink. Her eyes swept the perfectly fitted lines of his waistcoat and crisp, rolled-up shirtsleeves before meeting his again. “I suppose I just wasn’t that interested…”
“When was the last time you spoke with him?”
She glanced at the summons again. “The day before I left him.”
“You don’t say…”
It was time to end this discussion. They only had this one night together and she had no intention of wasting it talking about Don Lockwood. She had something else in mind. Something considerably more salacious.
Looking up at him, she quietly told him, “I’ve found sometimes it’s best to allow one’s silence to do the speaking.”
His eyes crinkling above the rim of his tumbler, he took another drink. “Wanna talk about it?”
It should be criminal for someone to be that attractive, she thought to herself, pondering his question. Her gaze dropped from his eyes to his lips. Earlier, she’d considered the possibility of sneaking out together under the cover of darkness, finding some secluded little restaurant where they could have dinner without the risk of being seen. But the longer she looked at him, she found herself developing an entirely different sort of appetite.
Suppressing the wicked thought that entered her mind, she finally gave him a subtle shake of her head in response.
He looked her over for a moment, leaving her to wonder whether his thoughts echoed her own. Great minds. “I see…,” he remarked. “What would you like to talk about then?”
Sue Ellen looked at him without answering. She didn’t want to talk. Not right now. Without breaking eye contact, she rose from the sofa with a slow, feline grace and allowed her gaze to say what her words did not.
The only break in the silence came from the clicking of her heels on the tile floor. Stepping directly into his space, her fingers slid over his as she wrapped them around the cool glass and removed it from his hand, placing it down on the mahogany table beside them. Closing the final inch between them, she smoothed her hand lightly over the fabric of his waistcoat, looked up at him and asked, “Shall I order breakfast for two in the morning?”
Her voodoo must have worked because, without a word, his thumbs found the line of her hips as his hands settled on either side of her waist. There was no space left between them. With a look of pure roguish mischief, he asked, “Does that mean I get to spend the night?”
He needn’t have asked the question. Her mind had been made up before he even showed up at her door. JR wouldn’t be going anywhere tonight. And she could tell by the expression on his face that he knew it too. Deciding to play along, however, she allowed her eyes to roll up to the ceiling as if she were contemplating her options. A few seconds ticked by before she let them fall back upon him and granted him a single affirmative nod.
A quiet chuckle stirred from deep within his chest as he stared down at her and she knew he was thoroughly entertained. His thumb began to stroke the fabric over her hip and, tightening his grip on her waist, he leaned in a fraction. His voice seemed to lower an octave as he whispered, “So that’s how it is…”
The warmth of his breath brushed her skin, eliciting a wave of simmering heat through her that slowly intensified into an intoxicating burn. Her earlier restraint began to falter. She drew a long, heavy breath and, giving him a second, definitive nod, she allowed a low ‘Mmmhmm’ to slip past her lips.
The only summons she gave a damn about right now was the silent one she was passing on to him.
First one, and then the other, Sue Ellen slid out of her heels. The shift in height made her feel delightfully smaller against him. She tilted her head back to meet his eyes, exposing the long line of her neck. JR did not hesitate. He gripped her a little tighter. His head dipped. And his lips traced a slow path until they found the soft hollow of her throat, evoking a sudden, involuntary gasp from her.
As his mouth slowly trailed back up, her fingers curled into his crisp, starched shirt. When it finally left her throat, he did not leave her time to recover. Entangling her hair with one hand, he tilted her face upward with the other as his lips found hers. The first touch of them was demanding and certain. She leaned into the kiss, sliding her hands to anchor herself to him.
When the kiss finally ended, a beat of silence stretched between them before he looked down at her and, his voice low and ragged, asked, “Should we take this upstairs?”
Sue Ellen took a deep breath. She’d been waiting for him all day. She didn’t want to wait a second longer. Her eyes drifted to the polished mahogany table on which she’d placed his unfinished bourbon and then back to him. With a slow, single shake of the head, she gave him her answer.
Following her glance, JR’s eyes traveled to the table and back to her. With a knowing gleam, he murmured, “Alright.”
What followed was pure instinct for both. Their leisurely pace gave way to urgency. Sue Ellen was already undoing his trousers by the time his hand found the pull of her zipper. In a fluid blur, the two garments fell to the floor in a heavy, forgotten heap. And before she knew it, his hands were on her, effortlessly hoisting her up and back until she was seated on the table. Behind her, the jostling caused his tumbler of bourbon to slosh onto the table in dark droplets—an afterthought to them both. For a fleeting moment, their eyes locked on one another. There was a disarming, effortless familiarity to it all. Decades had passed, and yet there were things about him she remembered as clearly as yesterday.
The polished mahogany felt cool beneath her, in sharp contrast with the intense warmth of his body pressed against hers. His hands slipped up from her waist and framed her face. He kissed her again, this time deeper and more demanding than the first. Hooking her legs firmly around his waist, Sue Ellen pulled him closer.
She allowed her eyes to fall closed. It’s too bad we only get to have these meetings once a week. Every sensation felt amplified. The heat of his palms, guiding her. How strong and unyielding he felt. The cadence of their shared breath. Their rhythm continued to intensify until the tension that had been building between them all evening finally broke, leaving them both clinging to one another.
A quiet followed, broken only by the sound of their breathing. For a while, they remained like that, tangled and silent, their foreheads resting against one another. She opened her eyes to look up into his. Holding her gaze, he whispered her name. “Sue Ellen…”
He started to say something else, or at least she thought he did. But instead, he brushed a stray lock away from her cheek, held her gaze for another moment and pressed his lips to her forehead, keeping them there.
Sue Ellen drew a long breath. “I know,” she whispered back.
By morning, their geography had changed from mahogany to the stone rooftop terrace. Breakfast and the morning paper were spread out before them as they sat together in the quiet morning light, wearing identical hotel-issued bathrobes.
“I’ll be damned,” JR muttered under his breath, and pointed at a below-the- fold story from the front page. “Did you see this?”
Sue Ellen set the society section aside and leaned toward him to look before reading aloud, “Disgraced oilman Jeremy Wendell to be released from prison…”
She thought about it for a moment and took a sip of her coffee before remarking, “Such a miserable, weaselly little man. Do you think he’ll come back here?”
“Oh, I’d say you can count on it.”
Looking at him curiously, she then asked, “Surely you don’t think he’ll try to stage a comeback?”
“I’d say you can count on that too.”
Sue Ellen studied him for a second. He didn’t seem worried, just perturbed. Giving him a grin, she touched him on the leg as she leaned in and said, “I have all the faith in the world you won’t allow that to happen.”
Her comment drew a chuckle from him, and he nodded. “Damn straight, I won’t.”
Watching the wheels turning in his eyes, she couldn’t help being amused. She enjoyed this side of him very much. He possessed a brilliant, albeit calculating mind. You just never knew where or to what outrageous lengths it would take him. But if she was being truthful to herself, it had led to some of their most libidinous encounters. She had no doubt whatever scheme he came up with would be no exception.
With that in mind, she smiled. “That’s the JR I know.”
She thought he must have been thinking the same thing because, right then, he pushed away from the table and reached for her. Without a word, he gently directed her from her seat. He didn’t have to pull hard. Eager to accept his invitation, she settled on his lap.
“You’re one helluva woman, Sue Ellen.” He smiled.
Instead of thanking him, she threaded her fingers through his damp hair and fished for another compliment. “You really think so?”
“I do.” His lips brushed her cheek then and, for a while, the two of them simply sat in silence, smiling at one another. Neither of them had anticipated how difficult leaving was going to become, though they should have.
Finally, he broke the silence by adding, “You know, a week’s an awfully long way off…”
Smiling knowingly, she agreed. “I know…”
His faint smile then took on a sudden, wicked edge. “We’ve got a little bit of time. I’m up for another round if you are…”
“I thought you’d never ask.”
