“We need to survive! That’s why you’re still working there. Plus, Mr. M has been nothing but good to you. I would never expect you to quit because of the stick in that woman’s ass.” I sighed. “So what’s the bottom line? Are you taking the money? Please tell me you are. I’ll find a way to pay him back someday, I promise. We need that money now to get you better. I have as much pride as anyone, but now is not the time for that.”
She paused. “I’m gonna take it.”
I spoke to the ceiling in relief. “Oh thank God.”
***
A week later, Gavin showed up at my window at night; that had become a habit.
He waved, his voice muffled through the glass. “Hey.”
I opened the window. “Hey. What’s up?”
“Just checking on you.” He crawled inside.
“Yeah? That’s it?”
“No.”
“No?”
“I really want to kiss you.”
Gavin and I were no longer playing the “just friends” game. While things hadn’t gone beyond kissing since that night at the beach, we couldn’t get enough of each other’s lips.
He wrapped his hands around my face and brought my mouth to his. His breaths felt like my oxygen. Immediately, my body reacted, needing so much more than his lips on mine.
When he finally forced himself back, he asked, “How’s your mom?”
“She’s good. Not nauseous like she expected.”
“She doesn’t have another treatment until next week, right?”
“Yeah.”
“You think she’ll be good until then?”
“Yeah. I do.”
He looked like something was up. “What are you doing this weekend?”
“I don’t have plans. Why?”
“I want you to spend the night with me…at my house.”
At his house?
“What? How?”
“My parents are flying up north to look at colleges with Weldon. They’re gonna be gone the entire weekend.”
Oh.
“What about the staff?”
“My mother is giving everyone the weekend off. There’s going to be no one home but me. I can’t tell you the last time this happened. Maybe it never will again.”
As enticing as this was, I was hesitant. I bit my lip. “I don’t know. I mean, I’d definitely have to tell my mother. I don’t want to lie to her.”
“Yeah. Of course. If you think it would upset her, I understand. You could come for the day even, if you can’t spend the night. Whatever you want. It feels like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invite you over and not have to worry about anyone. That’s how it should damn well be all the time, Raven.”
He was right. This opportunity might never come again.
“I really could use the escape,” I said. “It’s been a hard week.”
“Think about it. No pressure. It just feels like this weekend will be the first time I can breathe all summer. And there’s no one I’d rather breathe with.”
“Are you sure no one will be there?”
“A hundred percent. I heard my mother tell everyone not to come in—including your mom.”
My mother didn’t normally work weekends, but she had been scheduled to work some now to make up for lost hours.
He squeezed my waist. “It’ll be so much fun. We’ll cook dinner together in the kitchen, swim, watch a movie in the theater—anything you want. The whole house will be ours.”
***
I hesitantly entered my mother’s room just before bed later that night.
“So, I wanted to talk to you about something,” I said.
She’d been reading one of her holistic books. After closing it, she sat up against the headboard. “Okay?”
“I was wondering if you’d be okay with me taking off for the weekend.”
“You mean, like, go away?”
“Yes.”
“Sure. I’m feeling okay, and the next treatment isn’t until Monday. Where are you going, though?”
I braced myself. “Gavin invited me to spend the weekend with him at the house.”
She nodded in understanding. “Because his parents won’t be there…”
“Yes, but before you say anything. I—”
“Raven, hear me out.”
“Okay,” I said, preparing for the worst.
“I know you’re probably expecting me to lecture you on how you need to be careful and you shouldn’t spend the weekend with him because it’s too big of a risk, but that’s not what I’m about to say.”
I sat down on the edge of the bed. “Alright.”
“If this diagnosis has taught me anything, it’s that I wish I had taken more risks. I really do believe I’m going to be okay, but if for some reason I’m not, the one thing I’ll regret most is worrying so much about what others think and not taking more chances in life. If, God forbid, I’m not around someday to see you get married and have children, I sure as hell want to see you happy right now. That means today. And I know Gavin makes you happy. He’s a good guy, Raven. He really is. I know Ruth would have both of your heads if she knew—and mine, too. But I think you should live your life and do what makes you happy, despite that evil woman.”
I wanted to cry, but had to stop myself. Her words overwhelmed me. I knew they were coming from a place of fear, in a sense. For her to have relaxed her attitude so drastically on my spending time with Gavin meant that on some level she was afraid she wouldn’t be around long enough to witness me being truly happy about anything.
At the same time, she was right. I’d regret it if I didn’t take any chances or never followed my heart. And even though Gavin was leaving soon, my heart wasn’t ready to let him go yet.
“Thank you for supporting me. Gavin has been a huge help through all of this. I really want this time with him.”
“Then, take it. And have an amazing time, beautiful daughter,” she said. “Just be careful—in every way. I know you’re smart. You won’t do anything you’re not ready for. I also know that if you do decide the time is right, you’ll be responsible.”
I didn’t intend to go there this weekend, but I also couldn’t be a hundred-percent certain I wouldn’t. I wasn’t sure I was trying to stop that from happening anymore.
***
Marni lay on her stomach, watching me as I packed.
“You guys are so gonna bang this weekend.”
I folded some jeans and placed them in my faded Vera Bradley duffel bag. “Not really sure how you could know that.”
“Because I see the way you look at each other. It’s like a simmering fire waiting to explode. This is going to be your first opportunity to be alone with him. Not to mention, if this weekend isn’t some sort of love fest, why the hell didn’t I get an invite to Casa Masterson, huh? We’re all supposed to be friends, yet Gavin didn’t text me to tell me about this little party. He wants you alone.”
Marni had introduced me to her girlfriend recently.
“You and Jenny are welcome to stop by. I’m sure Gavin wouldn’t mind. Maybe you can come over for a swim.”
“Whatever. You see if you still want us over once you get there. Put it this way: I won’t be holding my breath for a phone call or a text. I don’t want to be a cock block.”
Tossing my bikini into the bag, I chuckled. “You’re funny.”
She pointed her index finger at me. “You know what you should do?”
“What?”
“You should raid that witch’s panty drawer and put itching powder in her underwear.”
I laughed. “No matter how rude Ruth is to me, there’s still a part of me that recognizes the need to respect her because she’s Gavin’s mom.”
“Well, you’re a better person than I am. I’d make that witch itch.”
“You’re crazy.”
She was cracking herself up. “Make that rich bitch itch.”
“I don’t need to do anything, Marni. Karma takes care of everything. Don’t yo
u know that?”
“Well, what did your mom ever do to deserve what she’s going through?”
Her words caused me to freeze. Life was so unfair.
My heart felt heavy as I shrugged. “Sometimes bad things happen to good people. And I’ll never understand it.”
CHAPTER TEN
* * *
GAVIN
It seemed surreal, like an effing dream, to be driving Raven back to my house on Saturday, knowing I wouldn’t have to take her home later. I still couldn’t believe I was going to have her all to myself this weekend. My stomach was in knots, but not in a bad way. It was filled with anticipation and an excitement like I’d never experienced.
She looked so beautiful. Her long, black waves blew in the wind as we drove with the windows down. Her eyes were half closed as she smiled and soaked in the sun. Our day hadn’t even started, and I somehow knew I would remember this moment for as long as I lived.
We pulled into the driveway and walked hand in hand to my front door.
“I’m so freaking happy to have you here. I don’t even know where to begin,” I said as we entered the house.
Raven walked into the empty kitchen. Her voice echoed. “It feels really weird to be here. Sort of like I’m breaking and entering.”
My chest grew tight. “It’s not fair that you have to feel that way. You should feel comfortable, like this is your home. But I get why you don’t.”
She shrugged. “It is what it is.”
I caressed her cheek with my thumb before tracing it over her lips. I started singing the lyrics to “I Think We’re Alone Now.”
“Perfect song for today.” She smiled.
“I’m really grateful for this time with you.”
“Me, too.”
“What do you want to do first?” I asked.
“I guess we should enjoy the pool. We’re supposed to be getting some rain later.”
“Okay. That sounds good. Why don’t you go get changed? I’ll make us some snacks.”
Raven disappeared into one of the bathrooms. When she reemerged, it took everything in me not to gawk at her gorgeous body. Her breasts spilled out of the shiny, gold bikini she’d put on. Her body was banging. I’d always thought so, but never had I seen her so scantily clad in broad daylight like this. She’d wrapped a towel around her waist. As she leaned over the kitchen counter, her cleavage was all I could see. My mouth watered. I wanted to lick a line down the middle. Well, what I actually wanted to do to those tits was a lot more indecent than that. My dick rose to attention. It was going to be very interesting trying to hide my excitement today.
I figured I’d address it now.
“I just want to put this out there. You’re probably going to catch me staring at your body several times today, and I might have a perpetual hard-on. You look incredibly sexy.”
She grinned mischievously. “I selected my wardrobe very carefully.”
“So you’re trying to drive me crazy? It’s working. I can’t take my eyes off you.”
“That’s okay, because I love the way you look at me.”
“Well, I happen to love looking at you.”
It was too early to be feeling this turned on. Pace yourself. I wanted to carry her to my bedroom and ravage her. I knew I needed to get that thought out of my head. She’s a virgin. I’d vowed not to cross that line with Raven this weekend, so I definitely needed to suck it up.
She lifted the plate of crackers and cheese I’d laid out. “I’ll take this outside.”
My eyes were glued to her ass as she walked through the French doors to the pool.
We sat out in the sun for a while, Raven on the lounger right next to me.
I placed my hand on the smooth skin of her thigh. “I still can’t believe your mom was okay with you spending the entire weekend here. It’s nice that you have the kind of relationship where you can be open with her.”
She sat up a little. “She knows I’m an adult. She just told me to be careful.”
“Ah…because she knows I bite.”
“Pretty much.”
“So, she doesn’t exactly trust me, if she felt the need to warn you.”
“It’s not that. She just knows you’re a—”
“A horny twenty-one-year-old guy who’s going to try to get into your pants?”
“Well, yeah.” She laughed. “Aren’t you?”
“I’m horny as fuck. But remember what I said about getting in your pants the night we first went out?”
“The only way you’ll be in my pants is if I put you there.”
“That’s right. I plan to be good—unless you beg me to be bad.” He winked. “I’ve got the guest bedroom all set up for you and everything. I really do just want to spend time with you.”
“Then, let’s do it.” She got up suddenly and dove into the pool.
I followed suit, jumping in after her, leaving a huge splash of water in my wake.
Over the next hour, we had the best time playing like a couple of kids. We’d race from one end of the pool to the other. I lifted her up in the air and tossed her in the water too many times to count. At one point, when I took her into my arms, instead of throwing her, I wrapped her legs around my waist and kissed her. I’d been dying to do it. Thankfully, she didn’t resist; she let me devour her mouth just the way I wanted as her long, wet hair covered us both. I knew she must have felt how hard I was. Pressed up against her stomach, my dick felt like it was going to explode.
I let out what my heart had been holding in as I spoke over her lips. “I don’t want to leave you, Raven. I don’t want to go to Connecticut.”
“I don’t want you to leave, either.”
Putting her down, I looked into her eyes. “What if I told you we could make this work?”
“How?”
“I’ll pay for you to come visit me. And I’ll come home more often, too.”
“And your mother’s going to somehow magically not know why you’re coming back so much?”
“She won’t have to know I’m here.”
“Won’t she see the charges?”
“Believe it or not, I don’t rely on my parents for everything. I plan on getting a job up there. It will come out of that money.” Threading my fingers in her hair, I added, “I’m nowhere near ready to say goodbye to you.”
A look of worry came across her face, like I’d just reminded her of the fact that I was leaving. “What day are you flying out again?”
“It was supposed to be August fifteenth.”
Now she looked panicked. “Jesus. That’ll be here so fast.”
“I know.”
We were silent for a while. I fidgeted with her gold necklace. The charm was her name in cursive. Even though I didn’t really mean it, I said, “If you want to part ways with me...that’s okay, too.” I gulped, anticipating her response.
Please don’t take me up on that.
“That’s not what I want. I haven’t even been able to think about you leaving. I’m in total denial.”
Relief washed over me. We were on the same page. I would do whatever it took to continue seeing her.
“Let’s just take it one day at a time,” I said. “I only brought this up because I wanted to make sure you knew I don’t want this summer to be the end.”
Her eyelids fluttered as if she was trying to process more than her mind could handle.
“Talk to me, Raven. What’s on your mind?”
She sighed. “Your mother will never accept me. That much I know. If you’re talking about something serious with me, how could that work in the long term? She hates me, Gavin.”
My heart beat out of my chest, desperate to compete with the doubt in her head.
I took her hand and placed it over my heart. “Feel that. That’s what happens whenever I think about what you mean to me. When you said that about my mother and used the word hate, my heart went crazy, because that goes against everything it knows.”
Her question, though, was a fair one
. I had to wonder if I was being selfish in wanting to prolong this. I had to look deep inside myself to find the truth. But it was there, and it was clear to me.
“Raven, we don’t know how we’re gonna feel in a year. What I do know is how I feel right now. I’m crazy about you...in a way I’ve never been about anyone before. But time will tell. If in a year nothing has changed with us and I still feel this strongly, I’ll know I need to do whatever it takes to make this work. If that means my mother disowning me, so be it. It would really suck to be put in that position, but it would be her doing, not mine.”
Raven looked like she couldn’t believe what I’d just said. “I would hate to be the cause of your mother disowning you.”
“It wouldn’t be your fault, because defying her would be my choice.”
She seemed more upset now than she had before. I almost regretted bringing up this subject.
“I’m sorry if I took this conversation a little too far,” I said. “But I need you to know where I stand.”
“No…I’m glad you did. You actually addressed what was weighing on me. I’ve been afraid to broach the subject. I guess it’s just hard to accept reality.”
I needed to lighten the mood.
I pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “I’m taking time away for more pressing matters.”
“Like what?”
“You wrestling me to the ground tonight.”
Her eyes widened. “What?”
“I’ve been dying to be pinned down by you. I want you to submit me while I try to resist.”
“Are you serious?”
“Dead serious. It’s my fantasy to have you use your jiu-jitsu moves on me. Will you humor me later?”
“That’s seriously your fantasy?”
“Well, I have a lot more fantasy scenarios when it comes to you, but that one is at the top of the list.
“What’s another one?” she asked.
“I don’t think I should admit anything else to you right now. You might ask me to take you home.” I grinned. “Why don’t you tell me one of your fantasies?”
The Day He Came Back Page 10
