It was safe to say that dinner was pretty much over.
“What did I say?” Jordan asked.
“I think there’s stuff that your mom doesn’t want to talk about and you’re being a jerk right now by prying,” I said.
“Excuse me?”
“Well, you like it when I tell you like it is, you’ve said so yourself, so I am. Here’s what you need to learn, kid,” I started. “When a woman tells you that she doesn’t want to talk about it, it’s not code to push for more details. For a perceptive person, I would have thought that you would have figured that one out by now since it’s just you and her.”
He sighed and lowered his head. “I know something happened back then — something big.” When he looked up at me, I saw a storm of emotions there. None of it looked good. “I thought that if I pushed, that she’d finally tell me.” He sighed. “I caught her and Granddad talking a few months ago. They mentioned me a few times so I went to find them in the living room and see what was going on. Their faces were so serious. They looked like they’d been arguing… about me.” He bit his bottom lip.
“What makes you say that?”
“When I walked into the room, Mom looked like she was about to cry, like just now. Granddad looked like he was about to explode and they both stopped talking.”
“I see.” He seemed like he was right on the money but Danica or her old man would have to be the ones to answer that one.
The doorbell rang, ending our heart-to-heart. Fifteen minutes had passed since her departure and Danica had yet to return to the dining room. I had a feeling that she was avoiding me more than the both of us.
“That’s me.” Jordan got up. “It was,” he shrugged his shoulders, “nice.”
“Make sure you kiss your mom goodbye before you go,” I said.
He laughed. “What are you, my father?”
“Nope, but aside from your grandfather and uncle, I’m all you’ve got so suck it up, buttercup. You know I’m right… about your mother I mean. She could use a little love right now, and an apology wouldn’t hurt either.”
He seemed to think about what I said. “I know.” Holding out a closed fist, I did the same and he bumped it before meeting my eyes. “And for what it’s worth, you’re right about everything you just said. I’m glad you’re around. You’re cool. Later, hot shot.” He walked off.
Dumbfounded at his admission, I said, “Later, kid.”
Chapter 23
I waited until I heard the front door shut, signaling that Jordan had left before getting up from the dining room table and gathering our food containers.
Entering the kitchen, I caught sight of a very ponderous looking Danica who hadn’t even noticed my presence. She sat at the round dinette table with a glass of wine and the bottle in front of her. The scene reminded me of last Friday except my poison of choice had been the aged whiskey that had been gifted to me by client, last Christmas.
“You know you’ll pay for that tomorrow, right?” She jumped. “I’m sorry.” I set the takeout containers on the island counter-top and leaned my hip on its side.
“I’m the one who’s sorry.” She sipped her drink. “This is not how I planned for the evening.”
Curiosity got the better of me. “So how did you plan on spending your evening?” My feet took me to stand beside her. I grabbed the bottle of wine, topped her up and she nodded toward the cabinet so I could help myself to a goblet of my own.
Pouring myself a generous glass, I joined her, where she had yet to reply to my question. I sat down and sized her up. Her gaze was trained on her drink, her fingers rolling it around by the glass’ stem. “Now tell me. What did you plan for tonight?”
She snorted. “Aside from not chugging this bottle?” Her chin jutted out toward it. I nodded. “I sure as hell didn’t expect my son to push me that far down memory lane.”
“It wasn’t so bad with us, was it?” I asked.
She lifted her gaze to my eyes. “No, it wasn’t.” She smiled and I smiled back. “I’ll always cherish those times,” she said. “Hey! Do you remember…?”
And that’s how one bottle became two and before I knew it, we were laughing like a couple of hyenas drunk on their last meal.
There was no way that I would be driving home tonight. It was like the old times, before she left, before we had dated, reliving old memories about the two school jocks and the tutoring cheerleader — our fabulous trio.
By now, we’d moved from the dinette to the living room couch. She had turned the TV on to some action flick but it didn’t matter. We talked and drank through the whole thing.
When it ended, I looked at my watch and made to leave.
She grabbed my wrist to stop me. “Stay.” I looked down as she remained seated.
“I shouldn’t,” I said. What I didn’t say was that I wanted to. I hadn’t had this much fun in a while. I didn’t want the night to end. But like all good things, they had to, didn’t they?
“Please?”
Damn. Could she look lonelier? “I can’t.” My voice lacked conviction.
“You can.” She got up and faced me, toe-to-toe. We were close. I could smell the sweetness of the wine we had been drinking on her breath, mingling with her perfume and subtle scent that was her own.
“I really should go.” I lifted my hand and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. She didn’t argue with me that time despite her obvious look of disappointment.
I moved in to kiss her cheek and paused, soaking the feel of her smooth porcelain skin against my lips. She tilted her head so as to let my day’s regrowth scrape against her cheek as I pulled back. When the sides of our faces parted, she leaned up and caught my lips with hers for a quick kiss that lasted much longer than it should have.
Her hands came to my chest while mine held the sides of her face.
Something was happening with me and I wasn’t quite sure what it was yet or if I’d be capable or willing to stop it.
Where our kisses from last weekend were hard, demanding and animalistic, this one was deep, slow and passionate.
After returning her kiss with my own, I leaned my forehead against hers and kept my eyes closed. When they opened, I groaned at the sight of her hooded eyes.
“Stay.” I felt the tug at the bottom of my shirt.
“I can’t.” I looked down to see that she’d unbuttoned the entire thing while we had been kissing. How’d I miss that? “This can’t...”
“We’re two adults. We know what we’re doing.” Her hands were on my pants but I stopped her progress. “What?” She backed a few feet and reached for her blouse buttons. “Don’t you want me, Jacob?”
Shit. “You have no idea.” I swallowed hard.
“Then take me,” she said, walking backward toward the stairwell. She paused at the first tread and shrugged off her blouse.
My hormones were clouding my judgement. I knew that giving into her wasn’t smart. At least, not until I knew what happened all those years ago. I needed to know how she felt back then, where she stood, now. But most of all, I needed to know how I felt, what I wanted because it was clear to me, in this moment, that I no longer wanted the same things I did last year, last month or even last week.
I felt her hands on my chest. “Where’d you just go?” Looking down, she was in nothing but her bra and underwear.
Fuck! I groaned and my hands reached and pulled her into me hard by her hips. Instead of answering her question, I attacked her mouth with mine, delving deep and drinking in her taste — the only one I’ve ever craved — the only one that ever satisfied me — but also, the only one that would make me regret too.
Backing her up toward the stairwell, I yanked my lips from hers, turned her around to face the stairs and smacked her ass. “Get up there before I change my mind.”
Chapter 24
Pushing her down onto the bed, I made haste of my clothes, baring myself to her. The smile on her lips told me that she liked what she saw. The bite of her botto
m lip told me that she desired me. And the lick of that bitten lip was my undoing.
God this woman drives me crazy!
Rushing the bed, I reached for her. I stripped her of her bra and underwear and took a swift plunge into her depths. She arched into me, emitting a loud moan. My frantic thrusts were met with her own as we came together in the most intimate way two people could when crazed by liquor and raging hormones.
“Damn you’re tight,” I said against the skin of her neck.
“You feel so good, baby.” She bit my shoulder, her fingernails digging into my back. “So big.” Her tongue licked up the side of my neck.
I growled when I felt her clench me with her heat. Something felt different from the last time but I couldn’t pin point what as I was held prisoner by my lustful haze.
I kept thrusting until I heard her blissful cries of release resonating off her bedroom walls. I pulled my face from her neck and took in the sight before me as her climax rolled on.
That face, full of passion, lust, hunger, amazement; hell, I could go on listing what I saw flash through her carnal expression. It was raw, it was beautiful — she was beautiful.
As her tremors ebbed, I picked up the pace again, my lips fused to hers. I wanted to make her explode like that again, make it more intense if I could.
“Oh, Jacob!” she cried into my mouth, her pussy began to spasm again. It wasn’t long now and I was thankful because I could feel my own need to explode become more demanding with each thrust.
“God, I love it when you say my name like that.” I nibbled her jaw.
In an instant, she had us flipped over and was riding me without breaking us apart.
I grabbed her hips and helped her pump up and down my shaft. I could feel the head of my cock hitting new depths, to the point she was bottoming out. If it bothered her, she showed no sign.
Her head arched back, her speed grew frantic. Reaching behind herself, I felt her hand massage my balls and within seconds, I was crying out her name while she cried out mine on her second climax.
Momentum slowed with our eyes connected until I pulled her down on top of me and rolled her until she was under me. “Jesus, woman.” I couldn’t seem to catch my breath.
She began to laugh one of those hearty laughs that could make everything right in the world. “That good, huh?” She brought my head down to hers and kissed me nice and slow.
I nuzzled her cheek. “Mmm… you have no idea. You’re amazing.”
She hid her face in my chest. “I think I could get addicted to you. You’re too much fun.” She kissed my chest and I pulled away to see her face.
I arched my brow. “Fun?”
“Yeah.” She smiled up at me but I looked to the left of her face, at her pillow, my body having gone rigid and not in a good way.
As with the last time we were together, that familiar pang of regret was back.
It must have showed on my face because she cupped my cheeks in her hands and turned my gaze back to her. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I shook my head and rolled off of her to sit on the edge of the bed with my back to her. She rushed to her knees and covered herself with her bed sheets. How could I have been so stupid? I let my head drop into my hands and closed my eyes.
“Jacob?”
I ignored her, glimpsed down and saw why everything had felt so different. No condom. Fuck!
I grabbed my underwear, pulled them on before reaching for my jeans, anger sinking in, more at myself than her but she deserved some of it too.
“Jacob,” I kept ignoring her, “would you please talk to me? What the hell is going on? Jac...”
I swung around to face her. “What do you want from me?” My eyes narrowed. “We’ve had our fun, now I’m heading home.” She stared at me without saying anything. “What, two orgasms wasn’t enough? Sorry, honey, but I’m not a fuckin’ machine!”
“Jacob?” Her voice quivered. “I thought that this is what you wanted.” I didn’t answer as I turned my back to her again and put my shirt on. “Wasn’t it?”
“Sure… yeah… it’s what I wanted,” I said with sarcasm. I eyed her over my shoulder as I did up the last button.
“Then what’s the matter?”
Walking back toward the bed, I exploded. “You making your mind up about what I want, is what’s the matter. Did you think that I’d have fucked you again tonight if I was playing around?” I could feel my blood boiling and I didn’t like the sensation. “Never mind. Don’t answer that. It doesn’t matter anyway. The past is in the past. It’s better off that way,” I said, trying to calm myself down. I kissed the top of her head. “Don’t bother getting up. I’ll see myself out.”
“Wait! We’re still on for tomorrow with Anna, right?” she asked.
“Yeah… fine,” I said, dejected. “Bye, Danica.”
I left her place, sat in my car and realized I shouldn’t be driving. Fuck! I hit the steering wheel, letting my frustration out.
Leaving the comfort of my car and locking it, I proceeded home, on foot.
I didn’t know who I should be mad at more; Danica, for thinking so little of me or myself, for thinking that this charade was just that, a charade, and that it wasn’t turning into something more. Tonight, I allowed a small chink in my player armor to remain open and I’d been played.
Half an hour later, I was home and no less pissed off since I realized that we hadn’t talked about our lack of protection. How could I have been so stupid? You’ve been asking yourself that same question a lot lately.
As I settled in bed, I heard my cellphone go off beside my head. Grabbing it, I wondered who it could be. Unknown number. It was a text. I opened it.
I’m sorry. Nica
I found myself hitting the call button instead of texting back. It rang once before she picked up. “Hello?” She sounded on the down and out.
“I’m sorry too,” I paused. “Um… we didn’t use protection.”
I heard the whoosh of her breath leave her lips. “I know. It’s okay. I’ve been on the pill since Jordan was born.” It was my turn to let out a loud breath. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yeah, tomorrow,” I said. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Jacob.”
Chapter 25
The next day, Danica and I visited Anna to give her the good news. It had been awkward at first but our excitement with helping Anna aided with curbing the discomfort.
When I dropped Danica off at home, she invited me in but I declined under the guise that I had other plans. She didn’t seem convinced but she didn’t push either.
Throughout the first half of the week, I poured myself into what little work I had. I finalized the remainder government forms I needed to fill out and submit to ensure that my business was legitimate. I opened a business account at the bank. I even went to the point of contacting Stan to see if he and Hope needed any last minute help with the ball which was in a week’s time.
I had RSVP’d for two but it’s what I’d always done over the years. If I brought someone along, I did and if I went solo, then so be it.
I hadn’t heard from Danica at all, since Saturday morning and our meeting with Anna. The worst part about it was that the more I tried not to think about her, the more she haunted my thoughts.
By late afternoon on Thursday, I was playing with the idea of getting in touch with the woman. This whole unsolved issues thing had me riding thin on patience, not to mention sleep.
“Jake,” I heard being called from my front door.
“Out back.” Paxton came out onto the patio. “Beer’s in the fridge.”
Paxton sat on the outdoor sofa beside me, popping the cap off his bottle. For a minute, he sat there without a word and in the next, he burst out laughing.
My head snapped in his direction and my eyes narrowed. What the hell was so damn funny?
“When are you going to admit to yourself that you still love her?” he asked.
Huh? “Fuck off.” I brushed
off his comment. “Why are you here?”
He sobered. “Danica asked me to come by.”
“She what?”
“Call her, man. I’m not getting in the middle of this more than I already am.” He took a sip from his beer. “You two need to talk and as far away from a bed as possible by the sounds of things.” I looked up at him, wide eyed. “Oh, I know it happened again.”
“She told you.” My voice was flat.
He shook his head. “She didn’t have to. It was written all over her face when I mentioned you.”
“Ben said something happened to her and that’s why her father moved them away. You wouldn’t know anything about it, would you?”
“No.” He bowed his head and it was as if he was reliving the day she had left; the day he had to bear the bad news to me. “You really need to talk to her.”
“I’m not sure if there’s anything to talk about now.” I looked over at him. “She’s changed, Pax.”
“Of course she’s changed! Did you think that she wouldn’t? Fuck, man, open your eyes, even you’ve changed! We’ve all changed! It’s what life does to you,” the man said. “You know you’re stuck. Without talking things over with her, you won’t be able to move on. And neither can she.”
“I get that.”
“I don’t think that you do. Let me ask you something.” I could tell he was searching to word his question just right. “Why do you think it is that you haven’t moved on? You can’t tell me that you haven’t had a decent lay from any of those chicks you’ve been with. I’ve seen a lot of them. They were smart, beautiful, and successful. And some even tried to get you to settle down. One even managed it for a short time if I remember right. Why is it that every time a new woman comes along, you can’t stop playing?”
I growled. Fury boiled over and the words were out of my mouth before I could even process them. “Because I still love her, dammit!”
“There you have it.” He got up, set his half-empty beer down and rubbed his hands together to signify that his work there was done. “I’m going home but before I go, here’s a word of advice…”
Almost Forgotten (Contemporary Erotic Romance) (The Broken Men Chronicles Book 2) Page 9
