Elaina

by Jennifer Hanks

  Luke put his coffee cup on the counter and then his hands low on his hips. “We need to figure our shit out.”

  I sighed. “Luke…”

  He shook his head. “Nobody blames you because I was shot.”

  I lowered my eyes. “I do.”

  “Then you need to get the fuck over it.” I snapped my eyes back to him. “I’m not tip-toeing around you anymore. I came here to live with the Jake I grew up with and love spending time with, not whatever this version is. I wanted to be here to heal. Think about that Jake. Out of our entire family I came here and not because it was my only option; because I wanted to.”

  He moved his coffee cup to the sink before turning away. I knew I should say something, I just didn’t know what to say.

  He turned back to me at the mouth of the hallway. “Oh and just some brotherly advice. If you want Lanie, you better make your move. I hear she’s dating someone now.”

  He smirked before turning and moving down the hall.

  Lanie’s dating?

  I put my cup in the sink, poured out the leftover cold brew, and gazed out the window at Lanie’s house. I braced my arms hands on either side of the sink replaying parts of my conversation with Luke in my mind, knowing there was so much I needed to repair with him and my family, but for some damn reason all I could concentrate on was the news that Lanie’s dating. Dating who? She hasn’t dated anyone since we moved here as far as I knew. I never saw a man coming or going, but if anyone would know it would be Luke. They had lunch every fucking day. Why the hell did that piss me off too? I bent my head, closing my eyes, and made the decision to not try to figure out what was going on in my mind, but to keep an eye on Lanie. She doesn’t really have anyone in her life watching out for her, I’d check out who she’s spending her time with and keep an eye on her, it was the least I could do after all she’s done for me.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  LANIE

  Staring in the mirror hanging above the pedestal sink in my bathroom, I smiled back at my reflection. My eyes ran over the layers in my shoulder length hair and the light blond highlights, all courtesy of Paige’s friend who’s a hairdresser. She did a great job. It’s still easy to fix, but now has a styled look with very little effort and the color makes my eyes stand out. I grabbed my tube of lip gloss and put some on, admiring the little bit of make-up I’d put on, just enough to look like I tried without making me look like someone I’m not. I’d gone shopping with Paige over the last two weeks and finally updated my ratty wardrobe, buying things that are still my style, but an updated version at least.

  Paige introduced me to a mechanic who comes into the auto-parts store, and he asked me out. She’d said he came into her work and said he saw us out shopping together and asked about me. That had never happened to me before. Tonight will be our second date and I’m actually excited. He’s nice and more importantly, he’s in my league, not like Jake. I realized he was just an unrealistic crush I had, but I’m over that and I’ve moved on. His words still stay with me, but they’re fading with every nice word and gesture from Trey.

  The ringing of the doorbell brought me out of my thoughts. Straightening the bottom hem of the skirt I was talked into wearing by Paige, I made my way to the door and past a sleeping Beasley. Little did he know that tomorrow he and I were starting to walk everyday. I doubt very much he’ll like my plan.

  Pulling open the door, I couldn’t help but smile when I saw Trey in his standard attire of jeans, but this time wearing a long-sleeved shirt that made his hazel eyes really stand out.

  “Hi.” I said, awkwardly.

  He smirked and leaned against the door frame, his eyes flicking down my body before landing on my eyes. He reached his hand out and tugged on the bottom of my skirt. “I like this.”

  I ran my hands over the flowy black skirt. “Thanks.” I said quietly.

  “You ready?” He straightened from the door frame.

  “Yeah. Just let me grab my purse.” I turned back to the house and grabbed my purse off the counter, walking to the couch and rubbing behind Beasley’s ear. He opened one eye, looked at me and groaned from his impromptu ear rub before closing his eye and getting back to his nap.

  “Does he ever get off the couch?” Trey asked, from just inside the door.

  I giggled. “Not really. But tomorrow I plan to start walking him so he’s going to be pretty upset.”

  Trey chuckled and reached for my hand when I made it to where he stood and I smiled softly, loving that he did that. I locked the door behind me and turned, heading to his truck when I was stopped by a voice I’d missed hearing.

  “Wanie!” I glanced towards Jake’s house in time to see Braydon let go of his dad’s hand and run as fast as his tiny legs would carry him towards me. I dropped Trey’s hand and bent in time to catch him, his little arms wrapping tightly around my neck.

  I gave him a big squeeze before he pulled back, his blue eyes the exact shade of his dad’s staring into mine. “Pay Bweasy?”

  I frowned. “I’m sorry Bray, I was just leaving and Beasley’s sleeping on the couch.”

  He giggled. “Bweasy sweeps awot.”

  A shadow fell over us and I looked up, my eyes slamming into Jakes and my breath caught. I pasted a smile on my face despite my stomach rolling and stood. I felt Bray’s small hand wrap around mine hanging by my side and a wave of something indescribable flowed through my body.

  “Hi Lanie.” Hearing his deep voice caused a shudder to move through me.

  “Hi Jake.” I answered quietly.

  I felt something brush against my arm and glanced over to see Trey standing beside me. I’d forgotten he was there. How could I forget my date? Jake, and his son for that matter, have some kind of power over me when they’re near.

  I touched Trey’s arm, Bray now swinging my arm on the other side. “Trey this is my neighbor Jake.” I gestured towards Jake, but quickly averted my eyes towards Bray and said, “And this handsome guy is his son Braydon.”

  Trey gave a head nod to Jake, and Bray who was not paying attention, but instead fascinated with the bracelets hanging on my wrist.

  Jake’s eyes flicked between Trey and I before finally landing on me. “Going out?”

  I nodded. “Umm…yeah.” I was nervous. Why was I so nervous?

  He squinted in the evening sun. “Your hair’s different.”

  For some reason, Jake noticing my hair sent a whole lot of butterflies loose in my stomach. I reached up and touched the ends. “I got highlights.”

  He nodded but didn’t say more and disappointment overwhelmed me before I straightened, realizing it didn’t matter what Jake thought of my hair. I’m not his type, I know that, so nothing about me would be something he’d like, at least with my appearance.

  I felt a tug on my hand and looked down, smiling wide at Bray’s upturned face. “You eat wif me?”

  I squatted down to his level once again and frowned. “I can’t today sweetie. I’m sorry.”

  His smile dropped immediately. I couldn’t have felt worse than I did in that moment until I thought of the one thing that would bring a smile back to his face. “But if your dad says its okay, you can come over tomorrow and play with Beasley.”

  His smile returned just as I thought it would and his head snapped up to Jake’s. “Daddy, I pay Bweasy?”

  I didn’t turn around, but I didn’t need to in order to feel the heat from Jake’s stare.

  “Yeah kiddo, we can do that tomorrow.”

  I gave Bray a hug and stood back up. “Okay, I’ll see you guys tomorrow then.” I looked at Trey who grabbed my hand and smiled. “We’re going to go now.” This was always hard for me. How do I end this? Do we just leave? I didn’t have to decide because ironically Jake did it for me when he leaned down and threw a now laughing Bray over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold.

  He glanced at Trey briefly before his eyes once again found mine. “I’ll see you tomorrow Lanie.”

  His words almost sounded like a thre
at, but I knew I was misunderstanding. Jake has been a difficult person for me to figure out. I’d never been good at understanding people, but with him it has felt a hundred times harder.

  He spun away from us and a giggling Bray looked up. “By Wanie!”

  I waved and smiled, my other hand still clutched in Trey’s. He gave me a tug and we walked to his truck. I rounded the hood, getting in the passenger side while he started the truck. I barely had my seatbelt buckled before he was backing out of the driveway.

  “So, he’s your neighbor? Is that all?”

  Surprised by his question, I glanced over at him, but he didn’t seem angry, just curious. “Yes. He and his son moved in about a month ago, I guess.”

  “You seem close to his kid.”

  I smiled. “I am actually. When they first moved in, Jake’s parents went on a vacation and he needed a babysitter, so I volunteered.” I paused and then laughed. “Or was talked into it by Jake’s dad, I’m not really sure. It all happened kind of fast.”

  “What does he do for a living?”

  I was surprised by that question as well. “He owns a construction business with his brother.” I shifted so I was facing Trey. “Why do you ask?”

  He pulled up to the stop sign and turned to me, lifting his hand, he laid it on my knee. “I just want to know who’s living so close to my girl.”

  A warmth I hadn’t expected overcame me and I smiled slowly. He grinned before turning to look out the front windshield, moving back into traffic. I looked down at his hand still lying on my knee and shook my head. This felt right, it felt good. It wasn’t confusing, it was real and not a fantasy like I’d created around Jake.

  Trey felt right.

  ~*~

  His lips moved slowly over mine and I sighed. His hands resting lightly against my hips squeezed and shifted me closer, his body tight up against my own, he moved his hands slowly up my back. This was the perfect end to another date with Trey. He wasn’t even pushing to take it further, he seemed as content as I was to only make out on my porch. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against mine.

  I ran my hands up to lay against his chest and smiled. “I had fun tonight.”

  He pulled back until he could see my eyes and he grinned. “Me too.” He took a deep breath before he pulled away completely. “I need to go. I’ll text you tomorrow.”

  I nodded and crossed my arms over my chest, watching him turn and jog down the few steps off my porch, before heading to his truck. I stayed there until he backed out, even throwing my hand up to wave. Smiling I let myself in the house and sighed realizing I liked him. Really liked him. He wasn’t a great conversationalist, but he was nice and seemed really interested in me, asking about my work and my life, something I hadn’t had in a relationship before.

  Beasley stretched and groaned, still in the same position on the couch as when I left. I rolled my eyes before calling him to go outside. Shutting the side door, knowing he was safe inside the fence, I started back to my bedroom to change when there was a knock on the front door. I smiled, the romantic in me knowing it had to be Trey.

  I pulled open the door, but my smile faded when I met the angry eyes staring back at me.

  “Did you even look to see who it was?” Jake pushed by me into the house and closed the door, forcing me to let go of the knob.

  Shocked I stood still right in front of the door.

  “Lanie?” He snapped.

  I shook my head. “What are you doing here?” And then something occurred to me and I moved towards him. “Is Braydon okay?”

  His eyes softened, but it didn’t last long before his intense glare returned. “Bray’s fine. Did you hear what I asked you?”

  I shook my head, confused. “What?”

  He leaned in towards me. “I asked you if you even checked to see who it was before you opened the door.”

  “No, I didn’t.” I admitted.

  “Why the hell not?”

  “Because I assumed it was Trey.”

  He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. “Is he supposed to come back?”

  I rolled my lips together. “Well, no, but I thought maybe he forgot something.” I shook my head back and forth. “That doesn’t really matter.” What are you doing here Jake?”

  “You know this is a family neighborhood, right?”

  What the hell was he talking about? Is he drunk? He doesn’t look drunk, but he’s not making any sense. I decided to indulge him and see where this goes, maybe then I’d find out why he’s standing in my living room at midnight.

  “Yes, I know that. I’ve lived here a while now Jake.”

  He nodded. “So knowing that, you still were going at it on your porch with the jackass you went out with tonight?”

  My eyes widened. “What?” I whispered.

  He threw his hands up in the air before settling them on his hips. “I saw you.”

  “We weren’t going at it Jake.” I felt my face flush with anger and to be honest, a little embarrassment that he was watching us. “We kissed, that’s all.” I threw my hands on my hips and leaned forward. “And why the hell were you watching?”

  “It was pretty damn hard to miss the show when my kitchen window,” he gestured behind him where his kitchen window would be if we could actually see his house, “is right fucking there.”

  I threw my hands up in the air. “Then don’t stare out the window!”

  He leaned in close. “Go in the fucking house!”

  I backed up, breathing hard from anger and grabbed the doorknob, yanking the door open and gesturing outside. “I think you need to leave.”

  He stalked towards me, his body angled to go outside and I breathed a sigh of relief. He paused in the doorway before he slammed his hand against the door and pushed the door shut, backing me up against it, his hard body pushed into mine, his hands resting on either side of my head against the door.

  He leaned in close until his nose brushed against mine, his lips hovering above my own, his warm breath coming out in pants, mimicking my own hard breathing.

  “Did you like it?” He whispered.

  My mind tried to decipher his words, but was so distracted by the heat of his body pressed tightly against mine. “What?”

  He rubbed his nose along my cheek, working his way to my ear where his lips stopped. “Did you like him kissing you, touching you?”

  My body shivered when his breath teased along my ear, his tongue flicking my ear lobe. I couldn’t answer that. I couldn’t even remember what it felt like when Trey kissed me, but it sure as hell didn’t feel this.

  He pulled one hand away from the door and skimmed it along my arm until he laid it right above my breast, his thumb rubbing along my throat. He ran his nose and lips lightly down my neck, burying his face into the sensitive spot where my shoulder meets my neck before working his way back up to my ear.

  “Did he make you wet?” I felt my breath catch. “Did he make you as wet as I am right now?”

  I shook my head and groaned when he bit down softly on my earlobe, his thumb making lazy circles along my neck before moving down to skim along my collarbone.

  “Fuck you smell good.” He groaned, moving his hand up to wrap around the back of my neck. He pulled his other hand from the door, laying it against my hip, pushing his hips into mine and groaning again when his hard cock pushed up against my belly.

  I closed my eyes and let my head fall back against the door, not caring anymore what the hell he was doing, just wanting more. Wanting him to feel for himself that my panties were not just wet, but soaked, and had been very dry until he touched me.

  He ran his tongue up the column of my neck, until his lips were hovering above my own. In desperation, I wrapped my hand around his broad neck and pulled his head the rest of the way, fitting his lips against my own. He moved fast, grabbing the sides of my head with his hands and I did not hesitate opening my mouth and letting him slide his tongue in alongside mine. Our twin groans broke the silence in
the room. He pushed me tight against the door. I jammed my hands into his hair, pulling at the strands, straining to get my body as close to his as I possibly could. He grabbed my leg and pulled it to wrap around his hip, putting his cock right where I needed it the most. I slammed my head back against the door, breaking the kiss, breathing hard while he thrust his hips against me over and over again. His breath was hot against my neck where his head was buried and I pushed my hands through his silky brown locks, grinding with absolutely no control against his dick, racing towards the orgasm happening even with all of our clothes still on.

  The loud sound of Beasley’s bark penetrated the fog we were lost in and we broke apart, both of us panting and staring wide-eyed at one another. I dropped my gaze, my face hot. He rubbed his hand along my thigh before pulling it from around his hip, dropping it gently to the floor. As soon as my foot touched the floor, I moved away from the door. He hesitated, his hands back on his hips, and I thought he might say something, but after another bark from Beasley letting me know he wanted in, he wrapped his hand around the knob pulling the door open, then closing it behind him with a loud click.

  I breathed and leaned back against it.

  What the hell just happened?

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  JAKE

  Groaning, I rolled over at the sound of the doorbell ringing. I felt like I just fell asleep. Running my palms over my face, I sat up and threw my legs over the edge of the bed and grabbed my phone. Ten in the morning. That couldn’t be right. I stood and walked slowly into the bathroom right off my bedroom, leaned my palms against the counter and stared into the mirror. I looked like shit, but I should. I polished off a lot of whiskey after coming back from Lanie’s place last night. I groaned and glanced down at my dick when thoughts of her were bringing it to life. I hadn’t crawled in my bed drunk and naked since Bray and I moved in here, actually probably a long time before that even. I didn’t want to explain morning wood to my kid just yet.

  When I didn’t hear the doorbell again, I assumed Luke got it and turned to start the water in the shower. Making it nice and hot, I got in and rested my palms on the shower wall, letting the water roll over my head and shoulders and the steam surround me. I knew I was being selfish not getting done and out to check on Bray, but I was assuming Luke had taken care of him too and to be honest, I hadn’t had a fucking minute to myself since he and I moved here and I felt like being completely selfish.