by J. Dorothy
He tilts his head. “Give me a kiss first, and then I might.”
“I’d rather kiss a dead rat.”
He laughs. “Oh, baby girl, you’ve gotten all hot and feisty. I am so going to enjoy you.”
“You won’t get near me, now tell me, or I’m going to ring the sheriff, and tell him what you were playing with the other day.”
At that, his face loses the smug grin. His eyes darken, the playful look has gone and he looks downright dangerous. “Now that would be a mistake.”
I can't help but cringe. “Okay, just tell me what you want and we can keep that our secret.”
He yanks on my arm and pulls me closer, his black eyes are locked on mine, and I can see the red lines and dark circles underneath.
“I heard about your little trick on Travis.”
What? How the hell does he know Travis?
I frown.
He grins. “Yeah, seems like you pulled a prank on my best customer.”
“Customer?”
“Travis, is a bit high strung these days. The thought of being a new daddy is taking its toll. He needs a bit of help to stay calm.”
I let out a sharp laugh. “Daddy, puhleeease ... he’s not daddy material.”
“You sure saw to that. Only problem is, I happen to know you can’t draw up paperwork without either party consulting a lawyer, your little scam would be chucked out of court. That bit of paper means absolutely nothing.”
I bite my lip, wondering how this drug head, has any idea about the law.
He chuckles. “Yeah, I'm not the dumbass you think I am. I did a law major before dropping out of college. And my aunt is a lawyer, so I checked it all out.”
“Why would you do that? Why are you even interested?”
He leans closer and I can smell the sweet, sickly scent of pot on his breath. “Because, sweetheart, I want you. I never forgot about you. And I always vowed that if I ever came back, I’d find you. And I’d have you.”
He trails his finger over my arm and I shiver, but not from lust. His touch makes me want to scream. This is my worst nightmare. He still scares the crap out of me. My heart is racing and my palms are sweating. I am so out of my league here. I have no idea what I’m going to do.
I can’t risk Travis finding out I've screwed with him. He’s not going to forgive easily, whether he wants Treasure Pot or not. And now that he’s all caught up with drugs, he could potentially keep asking me for money. Money I don’t have.
This is a colossal mess of epic proportions. My options are getting less and less. I have no one to help me. Cam or Tanning didn’t ask to be caught up in my problems, and I have no intention of letting them get involved with a drug dealer like Jason.
Shit, shit and more shit.
“I’m waiting, baby,” Jason says in my ear and bites my earlobe, sucking it into his disgusting mouth.
Oh holy Christ!
“O... Okaaay,” I stutter.
He pulls me into his arms. “Say that again.”
“Okay, okay ... we can , we can ... hook up. But..”
“No, buts baby...”
I’m shaking all over. “Can, we wait until I have the baby. I’m not exactly hot stuff right now, and it wouldn’t be that good. And ... and I want to make it good for you.” I nearly throw up at those last words.
He slips his hand up under my top and rubs over my belly, and I nearly lose it. I don’t want him anywhere near me, or my baby. I can’t stand it. I feel like ants are crawling all over my skin. My stomach clenches and I swallow down the bile.
“You feel so good. We could do other stuff. Oh, I’ve dreamed of doing so much stuff to you ...”
Oh god. My legs are going to give way, I can feel it.
Then I’m yanked out of his arms, into other arms. And I can feel the tears streaming down my face. Thank god. I know another second and I would have passed out.
“What the hell are you doing with my girlfriend?” I hear a voice say, and it’s the sweetest sound.
I bite down hard on my trembling lips. I’m really going to lose it. I can feel the sobs and I’m trying to hold them back, but I’m so scared and I’m so lost. I can’t take much more.
Beautiful hands are stroking my hair, and I choke out a sob.
“It's okay Jen, it's okay,” Tanning says into my hair and kisses my head.
Now I really lose it, and I’m crying and sobbing. I have no idea where Jason has gone but my guess is, he’s taken one look at Tanning and run away, like the coward he is. He may be built like a bouncer, but he’s the biggest pussy.
Tanning is moving me out of the bar, my face is muffled into his chest and my eyes are closed, the tears spilling onto his shirt. Then he’s opening a door and the chilled night air hits me and I snuggle closer to his warmth. God, I need to be in his arms. I need him so much.
“Jen, I’m going to put you in the car, you need to let me go for a minute.”
I didn’t realise how tight I was clinging to his shirt, I’ve got him in a death grip. How pathetic am I? I manage to loosen my hold and I’m still shaking all over. Tanning helps me into the warmth of the leather seats, clicks my seatbelt in place and shuts the door.
I’m so cold. I can’t remember being this cold, and my teeth won’t stop chattering.
I hear Tanning’s door open and he reaches across and puts his jacket over me. I’m instantly surrounded by his scent and warmth and the shaking starts to subside.
He turns on the ignition and pulls out of the parking lot in record speed.
I have no idea, what questions he’s going to ask, and I have no idea what answers I’m going to give, but I have a feeling there’s no turning back, or trying to hide after tonight.
NiNeTeeN
_________________________
Tanning hasn’t spoken to me the whole trip home, and I’m grateful. I needed the time to gather my thoughts and pull myself together. Boy, did I lose it big time.
We park in the drive and Tanning shuts off the engine. He doesn’t say anything and gets out. I give a sigh, wipe my eyes ready to yank on my door handle, when my door opens and Tanning wraps his arms around my waist and lifts me down. I love his arms around me and I don’t want him to let go. My knees still feel weak and I’m really tired. Knowing I have to stop leaning on him, I try to pry free, but he grips me tighter and continues to carry me into the house.
He’s really not making it easy to keep up this whole friend thing.
When we get inside, he turns on the lights and sets me down on the couch, then disappears and I hear him switch on the kettle. I wait until he comes back carrying a large steaming mug.
“Here, drink this. Then we’ll talk,” Tanning says, in a husky voice, handing me the drink.
Raspberry herbal tea, my favorite. He is so sweet.
There is absolutely no way I can get out of this. So I take a sip and lean back into the couch.
I want to close my eyes and forget the whole day happened, but that won’t be possible with Tanning. He’ll want an explanation. Hell, I would too, after my performance tonight. Talk about a drama queen.
“Who was that guy, Jen, he looked a little familiar?” Tanning asks as he takes a seat on the chair opposite me.
I open my eyes. “His, name’s Jason and he was a few years ahead of us at school. He left town when we were in Junior High.”
“And now, he’s back.”
I nod and bite my lip.
“So, what happened tonight? Why did you look so scared of him?”
I bite my lip harder.
“Jen, tell me. Or I’ll find him and ask him myself.”
Shit, I can’t let that happen.
“Um ... he was just a little mean to me in High School, and he started hitting on me tonight and it kind of brought back bad memories.”
“Mean to you? How was he mean to you?”
God, I’ve never told anyone this. I’ve buried all that time dark and deep.
“You know, kid stuff. He was a bit of
a bully.”
“He bullied you?” There is incredulity to his tone. I get why. Knowing the infamous mean girl, Jennifer Jaimeson, actually had a dose of her own medicine, would blow most people's minds.
I let out a big sigh. “It was a long time ago. I don’t remember much.”
I’m lying. I remember it all, every single day. Every snide, derogatory comment. Every dig at how pathetic I was.
“You’re lying.”
I suck my lower lip into my mouth. “Please, Tanning, can we just drop it, I’m really tired and I don’t want to talk about it.”
“No. You and me. We’re gonna talk. No more diversion tactics, Jen. Do you understand?”
Now he goes all alpha male on me. Normally I’d be so turned on by that tone, but not now. Now, I want to stamp my foot and tell him to leave me alone, because I really don’t want to talk about it.
Tears are stinging my eyes again, and my stomach is clenched tight. Tanning moves across the room and settles in next to me, stretching his arm around my back and pulling me close, so that my head is resting on his strong chest. We fit together so well, and I want to stay here wrapped up in him forever.
He kisses the top of my head, and my automatic response is to lift my head to look into his beautiful green eyes. Oh, boy, not the move I should be making, because now his face is so close to mine and I can’t pull away. My eyes trail down to focus on his perfect, soft kissable lips, and I lick my own. Wow, the heat in the room just skyrocketed. But this time Tanning doesn't turn, or look away, instead he lowers his lips to mine and kisses me.
Now my world is spinning out of control, as he cups my face with both his hands and I part my lips to let him deepen the kiss. Oh god, he tastes so sweet and this is so much better than that first kiss, a kiss I thought couldn’t get any better. I wrap my arms around his neck and dig my fingernails into his scalp. He moans into my mouth and I’m so turned on right now, I could literally travel to the stars. He moves me onto his lap and starts to move his hands up and down my back, making my body tingle in all the good places.
I have no idea, where I get the strength, or the stupid idea from, but I pull away. We are both out of breath and Tanning looks at me with smouldering eyes, and I nearly lose my resolve and kiss him again, but I somehow manage to put a bit of distance between us.
“Tanning. We said we wouldn’t do this again,” I say softly, my voice still husky with lust.
He continues to caress my back and wraps his arms tighter around me, then nuzzles his head into my neck whispering, “You’re killing me. I can’t stay away from you. I want you.”
Holy shit!
I’ve longed to hear him whisper words like that. I’ve dreamt about it most nights in fact. So why the next words tumble from my lips, I have no idea.
“You might regret it.”
He pulls away so fast and tips my chin, forcing me to look into his beautiful eyes. “I only regret I waited this long. Seeing you tonight in that Jason guy’s arms nearly did me in. And then seeing how scared you were, all I could think of was protecting you. Jen, you have absolutely no idea, how hard it’s been for me to stay away from you.”
I swallow. Oh god. That is so hot. And I really wish I could track back a few seconds, to where we were, but I really want to know his thoughts.
I frown. “But I thought you only wanted to be friends.”
Tanning sighs and leans back on the couch pulling me with him so I’m now cradled in his arms. He strokes my hair and I have the urge to start purring like a contented kitten. This is so perfect.
“I have never, not in all the time I’ve known you, wanted to be just friends with you.”
“Oh.”
“I’ve had a crush on you since I first saw you. And even with all the stuff you did to me in High School, I couldn’t help the way I felt. I kind of hated you for it, actually.”
“Great. That makes a girl feel all kinds of gooey inside.” I chuckle into Tanning’s chest and he squeezes me tighter and lets out a small laugh.
Then he continues, “After I left town, I got over you. Or I thought I did, till I came back and saw you in that frigging towel.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Oh. All those feelings came crashing back, and I hated you even more. That’s why I was such an ass.”
“You weren’t that much of an ass.”
“Yeah. I was. I’ve never acted like that around anyone else. Only you. You drive me crazy. You always have.”
I grip his shirt tight and snuggle in closer to him.
“So, why didn’t you tell me this sooner?”
Tanning brushes his hand across my cheek, and it’s so gentle and soothing. “Because I had no idea if you’d changed or not. I didn’t want to be sucked in by you again and go back to where I was all those years ago. And then there was Travis.”
“Travis is an ass. He was my biggest mistake. Treasure Pot was the only good thing out of all that.”
“Yeah, well I kind of figured that out. Just took me a while.”
I smile and raise my head to look into his eyes. “You know that kiss in High School?”
Tanning grins and brushes a strand of hair from my face. “Oh, yeah. I know that kiss.”
I reach up and rub my fingers over the stubble on his chin, then trail my finger over his perfect lips. “Do you want to know a secret? One I’ve kept for years...”
Tanning nods, still grinning.
“That was the best kiss I ever had.”
Tanning bites my finger and a zing of electricity shoots through my whole body. “Is that a fact?”
My breath hitches as his eyes glaze over and he stares at me, then he leans down and brushes his lips over mine and it’s the sweetest most gentle kiss. But I’m hungry for more and I press my lips harder to his, when I feel his lips turn into a smile and he pulls away again. I let out a whimper.
“Now, since we’re both in a chatty mood, stop distracting me, and start fessing up. I meant what I said, I want you to tell me about tonight.”
I twist my swollen lips and play with the buttons on Tanning’s shirt. I could keep distracting him. I don’t think it would take much. But that was the old manipulative Jennifer. I don’t want to manipulate Tanning. I want to be honest with him. But I have to know something first.
“Why haven’t you told your parents about me?”
“What?”
“I um ... I was home before. When your cousin was here, and I kind of heard what she said.”
“Shit. I’m so sorry Jen. She had no right to say those things. She’s just a little protective of me. Acts more like my older sister.”
“Yeah, well I’ve heard worse. And I do get it. I’m not exactly the kind of girl you’d want to introduce to your parents. They’d probably think I was a sl ...”
I don’t get to finish that sentence as Tanning captures my lips in another kiss and takes my breath away.
“Don’t. Don’t ever say that about yourself,” he breathes hot and heavy, resting his forehead on mine. “You’re amazing. You blow me away with how brave you are, with all that you’ve gone through and now with the baby.”
Oh wow, that kind of makes my heart squeeze in my chest. No one has ever said that about my decision to keep Treasure Pot. Most people either dodge the conversation, or give me sympathetic glances, or dismiss me as being a town whore, because I got knocked up by a fly-by-nighter.
Suddenly I want Tanning to know I’m not like that. I grab his hand and hold it to my face. “Thank you. Thank you for saying that. It means a lot. But I really want you to know, Travis was a mistake. And well, he was only my second mistake.”
“Huh?” Tanning says, wrinkling his cute brow.
“Yeah. I know what the rumour mill spread at school. Hell, I fuelled most of those rumours. All the guys were on board with it, as it made them look good. But in all honesty, except for Will, none of the others got past second base. I slept with Will after graduation, only because I got drunk and I was depressed.
You know after losing everything.”
Tanning sighs and rubs my back.
“And Travis. Well Travis, was a way for me to get Cam’s attention. Stupid, I know. You were right about me trying to get between him and Bailey. That was my plan, initially, and then you showed up, and you kind of turned my world upside down.”
“I did, huh?”
“Yeah. Big time.”
“So ... what about this Jason guy? Where does he fit into all this?”
I blow out a breath. “He’s a drug dealer, and apparently, Travis is his best customer.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah. And he wants to black mail me.”
Tanning sits up straight and pulls me up with him. “He wants to what?”
I take another big breath and explain it all. The whole conversation between Jason and me on the dance floor.
“Jesus, Jen. And you were going along with it?”
I shiver a little and suddenly want to take a shower, remembering Jason slobbering all over me, and how I agreed to let him do other unspeakable things.
“And you weren’t going to tell me?”
I give my head a small shake and Tanning narrows his eyes. “Why not?”
“Um ... because it’s not your problem. I made this mess. I need to deal with it.”
Tanning grabs my chin. “You’re not alone anymore Jen. You never have been. I’ve been right here. And Travis and Jason are to blame, not you. I could seriously kill them both after what they’ve done to you.”
“No.” I cry out. “Please. You can’t get involved. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to you. Please ... please promise me.”
Tanning strokes my hair, and I snuggle in close to his gorgeous chest.
“Okay, Sweet Cheeks. I won’t go near them, but neither are you.” He kisses the top of my head and I close my eyes and take in the warmth and comfort of him.
There is not a place on earth I want to be more than right here, right now. I bathe in the scent of Tanning, and for the first time in a long time, sigh in pure contentment and pure relief.
TWeNTY
_________________________
I slowly open my eyes and blink. I’m not sure I remember coming to bed last night, but here I am. Sitting up, I check what I’m wearing. My pink pyjama pants and matching t-shirt. I definitely don’t remember putting those on, or coming to bed. Then I rewind back to last night. Mmmmm ... Tanning. Cuddling in his big strong arms.
