Shifting Perspectives

Author's Notes:

And another trilogy is born.

'Shifting Perspectives' is the third and final story in the tale of Kyle MacDenny. Minimal effort is made here to explain the backstory, so I highly recommended you read the stories in the following order:

• Shifting Priorities
• Shifting Gears
• Shifting Perspectives

I hope you enjoy them.

All characters engaging in sexual relationships or activities are 18 years old or older.

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Shifting Perspectives

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Chapter 1

Montreal was every bit as lovely and lively as Kyle had been told, but no one mentioned how bloody cold it got in the winter! As he rushed from the taxi into the airport terminal, he longed for the heat of summer and thought fondly of his time in Santa Barbara.

Well, most of it.

He'd left some good friends behind when he'd ridden northeast from the city, gradually making his way across the states until he found himself back in Canada.

Finding a temporary place to stay in Montreal had turned out to be easier than he thought. His first night in the city, he'd gone out to sample the nightlife and bumped into a rowdy group of college girls out celebrating the start of their last year. One of the girls, a petite and feisty French-Canadian brunette named Juliette Belanger, latched onto him and ended up taking him back to her small apartment for some fun after the dancing and drinking.

Kyle's French was rusty at best, as he was only catching maybe one word in four. Juliette told him she would help him learn the language if he stuck around and helped her with the rent. He'd informed her from that first night he was on a personal quest and wouldn't be staying for long, but she'd assured him she was happy to have him warm her bed for as long as he could. She was a wonderful teacher, so Kyle's French improved quickly, but he soon realized he'd never be fluent or sound like a native speaker.

When the weather began to turn cold, Kyle rented a storage unit on the edge of the city and spent a day preparing his Harley for its extended stay. He felt a little sad but knew better than to try to keep it on the road in poor conditions. He'd paid for six months in advance to ensure his unit would remain undisturbed.

Kyle managed to get a job as a barista in a downtown coffee shop for a little walking around money, but mostly to fill up his open calendar. It was near the major investment firms, so he kept his ears open for loose talk amongst the customers. He also tracked the business world closely through newspapers and the web. These efforts helped him augment his portfolio's income with a few solid investments that approached the returns he would have seen with the company Cameron's father purchased.

Kyle reached out to the Livingstons as Christmas drew closer, and they were delighted that he still intended to visit them. Plans were firmed up, and Kyle had trouble wiping the smile from his face as he thought of them.

He picked up that Juliette had begun to distance herself from him emotionally in the past few weeks. He hadn't been sure how to deal with that as, while he liked her, that was as far as his feelings went. She'd known he wasn't going to be a permanent fixture. He tried to keep things friendly, but the smiles he received became fewer and fewer.

A little more than a week ago, Kyle arrived home after work to see a pair of man's boots by the front door. He made his way into the apartment and glanced towards the bedroom. The door was open, and there was Juliette on hands and knees on the bed with a stranger driving himself into her from behind. When Kyle didn't display any jealousy but instead, politely apologized for the intrusion, the petite woman's cool finally broke, and she flew into a rage, shocking her new partner. Kyle packed his few belongings quickly and left, wishing her well and narrowly avoiding a thrown mug.

He spent the next week in a cheap hotel and gave his notice at the coffee shop.

Finally, it was time. His saddlebags were stored with his motorcycle, so he packed a duffle he'd picked up and headed to the airport. There was news of a major snowstorm coming in, so he prayed he'd get out before it arrived.

It was a long, dull wait, but eventually, he found himself jammed in his economy window seat next to two grandmothers from Cheltenham by the names of Beryl and Abigail. Apparently, Beryl had a lovely granddaughter who had just broken up with her fiancé. He learned this interesting fact before they'd even taxied to the runway.

Their flight managed to get off the ground before the storm reached its full fury, so they were on their way.

He settled back in his seat and closed his eyes. It was going to be a long flight.

-=-

"You're leaving? Again?"

"Where to this time?"

"Will you be coming back?"

"Did you ever love me?"

"Do you even know how to love?"

"You... you're a cold-hearted bastard!"

Kyle woke with a start and trembled, sweat beading his brow and his breath coming in deep gulps. He glanced around, but almost everyone was asleep, including his neighbors.

His mother's voice echoed in his mind, but the last words he recalled were said with a French-Canadian accent. Juliette's last words screamed at him as he left her apartment.

He felt his mother's disapproval settle over him. Had he used Juliette? He told her he wasn't going to stay right from day one. He enjoyed her company, and she certainly enjoyed their time between the sheets. He'd been oblivious to what had led to her explosive outburst. She'd called him several things in French during her tirade, but he'd been able to ignore it at the time as he was busy collecting his stuff to get out of there.

She'd called him uncaring. Cold. Emotionle--

The shock hit him like an open hand slap. That was his father. He'd lived with the woman without connecting with her on an emotional level as he knew he'd be leaving. He didn't let her into his heart at all. She barely registered in his life. Then he left, ignoring the pain he'd left in his wake. Fuck!

He suddenly needed to get up. He frantically nudged the two ladies next to him to wake them, then barely managed to keep from crawling over them to get to the aisle. He rushed to the small bathroom and lost his stomach contents into the small bowl. When he could heave no more, he flushed, then splashed cold water on his face to freshen up and rinsed his mouth out. He looked at the man in the mirror and was relieved not to see a man who didn't care. There was nothing emotionless about the haunted expression looking back at him. He held the edge of the sink to stop the shaking of his hands.

There was a gentle knocking on the door.

"Sir? Are you all right?"

"yes... I'm fine," he said, his voice wobbling.

He dried his face and hands, then opened the door to see the flight attendant watching him cautiously.

"Sorry, just a... really bad dream. Upset my stomach. I'm fine now," Kyle said quietly.

Her expression went from cautious to compassionate instantly. "Is there anything I can get you?"

His brain immediately said scotch, but his good sense slapped that down. "Water?"

A lovely smile beamed at him. "I'll bring it to your seat."

"Thank you." He made his way back to his seat, where he saw the two ladies were wide awake and waiting.

"Are you ill?" Beryl asked immediately.

He smiled at her. "No. Just a bad dream."

"Oh, you poor dear," Abigail sighed.

He struggled past them once more to sink into his own seat. He could have sworn Abigail got a little handsy as he passed, but he said nothing.

The woman with his water arrived, and he thanked her before she moved on. He sipped at the cool water and relaxed back against his seat.

"Did I mention my Lydia is studying to be a nurse?" Beryl offered.

Kyle looked over at the woman and caught the tail end of Abigail's eye roll. "No, you didn't. Good for her!"

He sat back with his eyes closed and pretended to be resting. Eventually, the two ladies drifted off, and he opened his eyes once more. He didn't want to return to his dreams. He could still feel his mother's disappointment, and he had to admit he was upset with himself for not being more vigilant. He should have been watching for signs of Juliette's emotional connection. Instead, he'd just focused on this visit and treated her apartment like a hotel room, complete with a bed warmer.

It shocked him how easy it had been to let that happen, even after the promises Kyle made to himself that he wouldn't allow himself to fall into his father's behavior. Yet it happened.

He stared out the window and tried to think of what he could do to ensure it didn't happen again.

Chapter 2

"KYLE! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

The high-pitched squeal of excitement sent a shot of adrenaline to his weary mind as he walked out into the arrivals area at Heathrow Airport.

Kyle quickly slid his duffle to the floor and caught Skye as she leaped into his arms. Her lips found his, and her tongue thrust into his mouth as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and her legs around his hips. His hands automatically went to her ass to support her weight, causing her to moan into his mouth.

When she finally pulled back from the kiss, she purred happily. "Mmmm, I missed that so much!"

He snorted quietly. "Yes, it's great to see you again, too."

She gave him a naughty smile and wiggled her body against his.

Kyle noticed he was being watched by the other passengers as they walked by. He smiled and nodded to Abigail and Beryl, the latter looking back with disappointment.

"Down you go, you little minx!" Kyle said as he moved his hands from her ass to her sides.

She cooed at the feel of his strong hands but released her grip to slide down his body, enjoying his hard muscles.

She picked up his duffle for him as they moved further into the arrivals area.

"I can carry that," he said, but she shook her head.

"Someone else wants to say hello," she replied with a cheeky grin.

He looked ahead and saw Helen smiling at him timidly. Once more, he was stunned by elegance and beauty, and she still had that Classic Hollywood allure he recalled from their first meeting. His appreciation must have shown on his face as a shy smile bloomed on hers as he stepped closer.

"Hello, Helen."

Her lovely auburn hair flowed down over her shoulders, framing her smiling face. It was a little longer now. His fingers slid into her silken locks as he brought his lips to hers in a sensual caress. He felt her gasp and tremble, then her need flared, and she pressed her lips to his as her arms went around him. His kiss deepened, and she made cute little needful sounds. When he pulled back from her lips, he moved his mouth next to her ear.

"Who's this gorgeous, naughty girl making such lustful sounds in a public place?" he whispered.

He felt a strong tremble rock through her body and pulled back to see her watching the people facing their way with looks of surprise and shock on their faces as they'd just witnessed him kissing the younger woman moments before. Her eyes snapped back to his, and she saw the heat in his gaze.

"You're such a beautiful and sexy woman. I couldn't stop myself. I hope I didn't overstep my bounds."

"No! No, it was quite lovely! I enjoyed that--very much!" she admitted breathily, her timid smile returning. Her eyes were twinkling joyfully.

Kyle loved her accent and was looking forward to enjoying it much more during his visit. He took her arm as Skye took his other one, and they began walking. He spotted Abigail and Beryl, again, standing with a pretty, younger woman who, from the resemblance, had to be Beryl's daughter, Lydia. All three were gawking at him in open-mouthed surprise. He gave them a smile and a nod as he walked past.

They left the terminal, and Kyle zipped up his leather jacket. While there was no snow on the ground, the temperature couldn't have been much above freezing. They made their way across the parking lot to a small, sporty two-door coupe.

"We're all going to fit in there?" Kyle asked hesitantly as he checked out the minimal back seat.

Helen glanced at him with a smile. "Skye will fit in the back seat with your duffel."

"Or I could sit on Kyle's lap," Skye offered.

"No," Helen responded.

"Pooh!" her daughter said, pouting.

Kyle shook his head with a grin. Once Helen popped the locks, he opened the door and folded the passenger seat forward for Skye. She slipped in and moved to the position behind the driver, then Kyle put his bag next to her. Dropping the seat back, Kyle folded his five-foot-ten frame into the passenger seat and slid it all the way back. He barely had enough room for his legs and felt his hair brushing the ceiling.

Helen looked over at him. "Comfortable?"

"Yes."

"Liar," Skye snorted.

"Comfortable enough," he amended.

Helen nodded and got them on their way. She was a pro with a stick shift and a confident driver. Certainly not as aggressive as Fiona had been. He was able to relax as they drove away from the airport. Once he got used to them being on the wrong side, that is.

"So, where in London do you live?" Kyle asked.

Helen glanced over at him. "We live in Twickenham."

He gave her a confused look. "But when you introduced yourself to us on the tour bus, you said you were from London."

She smiled self-consciously. "Oh! I did, didn't I! My apologies. Before that trip, I was told to never give out my actual address when traveling. Twickenham is considered part of Greater London, which includes the city proper and 32 boroughs. It's just a thirty-minute drive from here, and the city of London is only another forty-five minutes beyond that."

"Ah."

"Fiona mentioned you'd be visiting her in Santa Barbara. How did that go?" Helen asked.

Kyle brought the two women up to speed on his visit with Fiona and her friends. He omitted the sexy bits and Monique's grand lie, but finished with how Fiona had to make a terrible decision and then live with it when she left for France.

"Her parents presented her with a horrible choice!" Helen sighed.

"Yes, they did." While he didn't relate to Fiona's living situation, having come from a much lower-income family, he empathized with her having to make the tough call.

"You own a Harley?" Skye said excitedly from the back seat.

He turned his head to smile back at her. "Yes." He pulled his cell from his pocket and pulled up a photo of his ride gleaming in the warm rays of sunset next to the beach in California. He was rather proud of how that picture turned out.

Skye purred happily as she looked at the shot. She bit her lip, and for a moment, he thought she might leap between the seats to get to him.

They were driving into a quaint town, and he was surprised to see how busy the roads were this early in the morning. He checked out the businesses along the way. He couldn't block a wide yawn from escaping.

"Did you manage to sleep on the flight over?" Helen asked, catching the tail end of the yawn.

"Yeah, some, but I had disturbing dreams. Then I couldn't get back to sleep," he sighed.

"You should have a little rest when we get to the apartment then," she replied with a concerned look.

He nodded, as taking a nap sounded wonderful. "Is it normally this busy here?" he asked as they waited for a gap in the traffic to turn onto a side street.

Skye snorted. "You were expecting a place called Twickenham to be a sleepy little village?"

He grinned self-consciously and nodded.

They finally made the turn and wound their way through a neighborhood to face the gates of a parking lot next to what looked to Kyle like a five-story condo. The gates swung open, and Helen pulled in and parked in her spot.

Kyle climbed out and slid the seat forward before folding it down. He pulled his duffle out, resting it on the roof before reaching in to take Skye's hand. He helped her out, and she pressed herself to his chest with her face tilted up expectantly. He smiled and kissed her.

She grinned at her mother when they joined her behind the car. She touched Kyle's arm and pointed to a two-seater parked next to Helen's. "This little beauty is mine!" At his raised eyebrow, she continued. "There's more room inside than you think."

They went into the building and took the elevator up to the top floor. As they walked down the hall, the second to last door opened, and a woman stepped out. Kyle saw she was probably the same age, if not a little older than Helen. She was dressed elegantly and, from her polished appearance, she probably saw the inside of a spa regularly. She looked at the approaching group in surprise and smiled.

"Good morning, Helen! Skye," she said, and Kyle picked up just a hint of distaste as she addressed the younger woman.

Helen spoke for them. "Good morning, Margaret. Please let me introduce my good friend Kyle MacDenny from Canada. Kyle, this is my neighbor, Margaret Hillsbury."

The woman's face froze as she looked at Kyle. She made an odd choking sound, then quickly cleared her throat and gave them a hesitant smile. She pinned Skye with her eyes. "This is the Kyle you spoke of? The one from that little bicycle vacation you two went on?"

Kyle wondered what exactly Skye had divulged, but knowing the young woman, it was likely too much. He took a deep breath and put a smile on his face. "That certainly sounds like me, as that's where I met these beautiful ladies," he volunteered with a smile. "It's nice to meet you, Margaret." He reached out a hand, and she automatically shook it. She continued to stare at him, her eyes sliding down his body and back up. Kyle glanced curiously at Helen as Margaret wasn't letting go of his hand.

"Off to church, Margaret?" Helen asked, and this jolted the woman out of her frozen state. She released his hand.

"Yes! Yes, I'm meeting with the vicar after the sermon to discuss the Christmas gala. Will you be attending this year? I could get you free tickets. You could bring along your guest," the woman asserted eagerly as her eyes returned to Kyle.

"Unfortunately, the night of the gala is the same night the hospital faculty is throwing its own party, and I promised I'd bring Kyle along to that."

After a sudden look of disappointment, she forced a smile back onto her lips. "Oh, well, that's too bad. It was nice to meet you, Kyle."

He gave her a smile and a nod, and she began to walk away.

"Margaret! Don't forget to lock your door and take your keys," Helen called out to the distracted woman. The woman in question made another odd sound and rushed back to her door to get her keys dangling in the lock. Kyle noted her embarrassed blush and smile as she nodded to them quickly before turning back to the elevators. She fast-walked away and gave them a little wave over her shoulder.

Helen smirked and continued to her door at the end of the hall, with Kyle and Skye following. He turned to the younger woman.

"What exactly did you say to Margaret?" he asked.

Her smile was innocent. "I just said we met you on the trip." They stepped inside, and Skye closed the door behind her before she continued. "And you'd given us the hottest sex we'd ever experienced in our lives!" She giggled as he closed his eyes and shook his head in defeat.

Kyle opened his eyes to see the look of shock and embarrassment on Helen's face. "You told her I had sex with Kyle too?"

Skye nodded. "Yes! Why wouldn't I?"

"Because it's none of her business who I have sex with!" Helen asserted, and Kyle nodded to her with a smile. Helen immediately turned to him. "Not that I'm ashamed of what we shared!"

"Good, because I'm certainly not," Kyle assured her and aimed a stern look at the naughty daughter. "There is such a thing as over sharing."