Misty Reigenborn Romance Boxed Set

by Misty Reigenborn

  "Tor. What are you doing?"

  "I'm not here to seduce you Tony.” She rolled her eyes at him. “I want a cigarette."

  "I'll come out with you." He slipped his shoes on.

  "Is Langston here?" They were headed toward the stairs.

  "I think he left an hour or so ago. He's still trying to make it up to that client that Lindsey messed everything up with. The guy's leaving town this afternoon so he had to get an early start."

  "Oh. Still no word from Lindsey?"

  "Not that I know of."

  “Did he calm down about the sex thing?"

  "Yeah. I can't believe I said that. It was like I got comfortable and all of a sudden I was talking like I was in front of Carl and Andi. I'm such an ass."

  "You're not an ass but damn do you have a nice one." She gave it a pat as she followed him outside.

  "Tor quit it. He's dealing with the whole sex thing." He handed her a cigarette. "But it doesn't mean he's happy about it. After you abandoned me last night, he went over the same shit, added some warnings against abortion, said if it happened and we were thinking about adoption that he'd be willing to take the baby. Or if we needed a place to stay until we got on our feet we always had a place here. But he told me again that he'd really rather that we'd waited. Then he shut up about it, talked some more about Lindsey, told me again how sorry he was that he'd mentioned that about your dad. I can use some caffeine. I came out here twice last night to have a cigarette."

  "Did Langston give you the alarm code?"

  "Yeah. I told him I have a hard time sleeping some times and fresh air helps and that I didn't want to smoke in the house. He appreciated that, so he said it wasn't a problem and gave me the code."

  "That's good I guess."

  "Yeah, he's a good guy. I still wish I hadn't put my foot in my mouth about you snoring though."

  She laughed. "He looked like he wanted to kill you at first huh?"

  "That is not funny at all Tory." He followed her into the house.

  "Not even a little?"

  "No."

  "Someday you'll see the humor."

  "I doubt it." He shook his head as he headed upstairs to get his phone.

  She had started the coffee when he came downstairs a few minutes later dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, talking on his phone.

  He hung up the phone and leaned against the counter opposite her. "My cousin is nuts."

  "What did he do?"

  "Him and Andi snuck out last night and had sex in my house. Took the spare key out of Aunt Lori's purse."

  "Geese, that is crazy. Did you tell Carl about your mom?"

  "No, I'll tell Uncle Keith. Let me call him."

  She poured herself a cup of coffee, digging in the fridge for the chocolate mint creamer that she liked.

  Tony sat at the table. He talked to his uncle for a few minutes and then hung up the phone.

  "He said Aunt Lori stocked my fridge with leftovers. He also said that Carl and Andi are already talking about marriage and that Carl told him about the big box of rubbers I bought him. That kid needs to learn to keep his mouth shut. He reminded me to call Aunt Lori again before we leave tomorrow and when we get home. He said he's looking forward to meeting you and said I better not have told you any horror stories about him."

  Tory laughed. "I think that any family will be a relief after spending the last few days here."

  "Yeah. He was in a crappy mood. They have another budget cut set for the first of the year, so they're changing shifts again. Laying off some guys, but then they're going to turn around and hire new guys who don't know what they're doing but that they can pay less. Uncle Keith hates that shit."

  "Did he ask you if I was pregnant?"

  "Ugh, yes. I didn't want to tell Uncle Keith that the way I see it, Andi will probably end up pregnant long before you do. She's one of those girls who think that a baby is like a neat toy."

  "She's a nice girl."

  "Of course she is. It doesn't mean she's not going to get pregnant the second she finishes high school. She'll probably convince Carl that a baby is what they need to prove their undying love."

  "She must have taken lessons from you," Tory teased, watching as Tony poured his third cup of coffee. "Are you sure you're okay Tony?"

  "Yeah, just trying not to think about how much I want a shot of coke straight into my veins."

  "So you're going to get all hopped up on caffeine and nicotine?"

  "It's better than me going out to try to find some coke."

  "What about when you get home and have to buy drugs?"

  "I think I'll be okay then, stupid as it may sound. Bring the first crack head or meth head to my door, I'll see how freaking pathetic they are when they’re craving their next high. That'll make me never want to shoot up or smoke anything besides weed ever again, guaranteed. Plus no way in hell am I going to have my mom get out of that place and see me wasting my life. She'll wish she was still stuck in there oblivious to the world. She's going to have a hard enough time as it is."

  “I'm glad Langston is still going to help you. I was afraid that he was going to be so upset that he was going to call the doctor up and tell him to forget it."

  "You're telling me. It messed me up to think that he lost all respect for me. But thinking that my mom's chance was gone until I could find another doctor to help her, I couldn't take that."

  "I don't think he's the type to go back on a promise. I think he might have been pissed off at you, might still be pissed off at you; but I don't think he would have been messed up enough to do that. I think he had to figure that I'm a normal teenager. I thought for a minute about bullshitting him, telling him that I'd spent the night at your house but I figured it would insult his intelligence. It was so adorable when you told him you wanted to marry me."

  He scowled at her. "Adorable? Am I three?"

  "No, you're a very sexy twenty-one. Wanna make a stop at the motel before we wander aimlessly around this stupid town?"

  "If women are supposed to hit their sexual peak in their thirties, I hate to see what you're like then. You're going to screw me to death Tor."

  "What a way to go.”

  "Let me go when I'm eighty. I guess you're feeling better? About your dad?"

  "Ugh, don't remind me. I wonder if he's back. Maybe I'll try to give him a call. Then again why ruin a nice day with an argument? I might try to call him tomorrow though."

  He poured himself another cup of coffee, emptying the pot. Slightly amused but still concerned, she said "Do you want me to make another pot?"

  "If you don't mind. Are we taking your car today?"

  "Might as well.”

  “I wish you'd drive it at least once before we leave."

  "I'll drive it. I just don't feel like it right now. It feels too weird with the way everything is with my real dad right now to be accepting such an expensive gift."

  "Get over it. It made him feel good to give it to you. It really upset him that your mom screwed his business deal up so that you couldn't go Ivy League."

  "I wouldn't have gone. What's the point of going to a school that expensive when you don't know what the hell you want to do? Even if I could get in, there are more deserving people."

  They went outside where she smoked one cigarette and stood shivering while Tony smoked a second. "Are you sure you don't wanna go have sex?"

  "I don't think I'm up for it."

  She pouted. "You're no fun."

  "I'm sorry. With as much as sex with you takes my mind off of everything else, I don't think I'd be any good."

  "Damn, guess we'd better wait for later then. You wouldn't want to ruin your perfect record of truly outstanding, mind blowing sex now would you?"

  He gave her a half-hearted smile. "Thanks Tor."

  "I only love you for your body Tony. You know that right?"

  "Yes Tor."

  "Do you want something to eat?"

  "I'm okay."

  "You sure? There's enough food in
this house to feed an army."

  "You eat. You're gonna burn off all your calories wandering around the mall."

  "C'mon babe. Let me prove to you what a wonderful cook I am. I can cook anything that comes out of a box or a bag and has printed instructions."

  "I'm really not hungry Tor."

  "I'm gonna worry about you if you don't eat Tony."

  "I told you you'd make a good mother." He grinned.

  She wrinkled her nose at him. "Bah humbug." They went back into the house.

  "Wrong occasion."

  "Bah baby then."

  "You'll come around. My mom had a friend who said she never wanted kids; didn't want to go through pregnancy or labor. She met a guy, fell in love, and ended up with five."

  "Ugh, do not mention that many children in my presence ever again. Let Carl and Andi have five kids. No way in hell am I giving birth to that many children."

  "You wait and see Tor. I'll have you convinced before you know it."

  "Uh huh." She was digging in the refrigerator for something quick and easy to make.

  "What do you think about two? A boy and a girl. The boy would need to be older so that he could protect his sister."

  "What do you do if you have a girl first or a couple of girls or a couple of boys? Are you thinking that you're going to keep me pregnant forever if you don't have one of each? Because if you do, you're insane Tony. You may talk me into one child before I go through menopause, but two is doubtful."

  "Did you enjoy being an only child Tor?" He poured another cup of coffee. She emerged with a dented tube of cinnamon rolls.

  "It was kind of mixed feelings. It could have been a good thing, could have been a bad thing. I hate to think what a child of Luther's would have turned out like. Which brings me to the issue again of what if my dad has other kids?"

  "I doubt it Tor. I'm sure he would have told you if he did."

  "Like he told me he was married?"

  "Marriage and kids are two different things."

  "Can we change the subject? I don't want to talk about my dad and I don't want to talk about kids anymore either. You're going to drive me so nuts I'll never want to have sex again."

  He snorted. "I'll believe that one when I see it."

  "Yeah, you're right. Tony, have you ever thought about having a threesome?”."

  "To each his own." Tony shrugged, pouring a splash of creamer into his cup.

  "Have you ever done it? A threesome I mean."

  "Tor I thought we weren't going to discuss our sex lives when we weren’t together."

  "So you did! Damn Tony, with who?"

  He shook his head, watching as she tried to figure out which one of the buttons on the fancy oven turned it on.

  "C'mon Tony, tell me. Are you embarrassed because it was with another guy?"

  He sighed. "I never said I did it Tor."

  "You did too. I could tell by the look on your face."

  "What difference does it make whether I did or not? I wouldn't plan on doing it again. Unless you wanted to."

  "Ugh, yuck. You've got to be kidding me.”

  “You don't wanna do it so what the hell does it matter if I did?"

  "Damn Tony, you're defensive." She had figured out how to start the oven and was digging around in the cupboards for a pan.

  "You're bringing up the past like I'm supposed to be proud of it. First you badger me into telling you about the woman that said I sucked in bed. Now you're bugging me about whether or not I've ever had a threesome. Does it turn you on to think of me with other women Tor, is that it? I would have thought it was the exact opposite with how jealous you've been getting. What the hell does it matter who I've been with? I told you that there hasn't been anyone else since we were together, besides Sheretha when we were broken up. Would you like it if I wanted a play by play of what you did with Jude? How much would you appreciate that?"

  "Damn Tony." She put the cinnamon rolls in the oven and poured herself a glass of orange juice. "I'm sorry. Forget I asked."

  "Baby, I'm sorry." He got up and put his arms around her. "I would rather you not be curious. Most of the shit I've done in that last three years is nothing anyone would be proud of. I don't like remembering the shit myself. Hell, there's a lot of shit I don't remember, I was so busy getting drunk. I don't want you to be ashamed of me Tor. I'm sure it's not comforting to know that I honestly can't tell you whether or not I've had a threesome. I can tell you not that I remember. But what the hell does that mean when there were plenty of nights when I had to ask someone what I did or who I did the next morning? Half the time the people I asked were so wasted they couldn't remember what they did, let alone what anyone else did. I'm trying to be better Tor. It just makes it hard when the past is dredged up. It starts to make me wonder why I should bother when I've already done so much messed up shit."

  "It wasn't all messed up, Tony." She cupped his face in her hands. "You almost killed a guy because he was trying to sell his daughter for crack."

  "Yeah, and look where she ended up."

  "It's not your fault. You didn't make her mother marry a pervert. The rumors may not be true. Maybe she ran away and now has a wonderful life. Maybe she's in school, getting ready for college."

  "That’s the fate of every teenage girl who's been raped or abused. They run away and go to school with no money, and no place to live."

  "C'mon Tony. I'm the pessimist. Why are you trying to convince yourself the worst is what had to have happened to her?"

  "She was broken Tor. You could see it in her face. Girls that are already broken and burnt out on life become strippers, crack heads and hookers. They don't meet prince charming and end up in a mansion on the hill."

  "Maybe she's the exception to the rule Tony. Maybe someone found her and saved her. It happens."

  He sighed. "Sure Tor. And the tooth fairy has tea with Santa Claus and the Easter bunny every Sunday."

  She laughed. "Maybe they do."

  "And this from the woman who doesn't want to have kids because she's already worried about them growing up to be teenagers and hating her."

  "It's a well-known fact that every teenager hates their parents at some point."

  "I never hated mine. Not even when my dad got me drunk and embarrassed me in front of all his friends. I never could bring myself to hate my mom after my dad died even after what she did."

  "So you're the exception to the rule. Why couldn't Annie be the exception to your rule?"

  "I don't think Carl's ever hated his parents either."

  "If they took him away from Andi, he'd hate their guts."

  "They wouldn't do that. If Uncle Keith caught them butt naked in his bed, he wouldn't forbid him to see her."

  "Oh really?"

  "Maybe he would. But Aunt Lori would see how miserable it made him and sweet talk Uncle Keith into letting him see her again. She's the world's biggest romantic. She practically cried when I told her we'd broken up."

  "That's so sweet."

  "It was real sweet when she got over being sad and called me a stubborn asshole."

  Tory laughed, grabbing a pot holder as the oven timer beeped, signaling that the cinnamon rolls were done. She slid the pan onto the counter, leaving them there to cool.

  "You're gonna help me eat these.”

  "Eat what you want and save the rest for Langston."

  "You owe me a couple pounds of muscle back on that sexy body of yours." She ran her hands over his chest.

  "You think I'm gonna get them by eating a bunch of sugar?" He laughed.

  "If you don't eat, I'm gonna spread some of that frosting on your chest and lick it off."

  "Since when is that a threat?"

  "That might be kinda fun so we might have to try that anyway. What would a big strong man like you consider a threat? Ah, I know. I'll call your Aunt Lori and tell her that you're starving yourself."

  "I'm not starving myself. She'll drive up here with leftovers to make sure we're both eating if you call he
r. It would probably offend Langston to find her in his kitchen feeding us when he's got plenty of food."

  "So humor me and eat at least one. They're really good. You need some sugar to counteract all that caffeine."

  He shook his head at her as she finished frosting the last cinnamon roll. "You don't make any sense Tory. Sugar to counteract caffeine?"

  "Yep, too much caffeine can give you a headache, not eating can give you low blood sugar; giving you a headache. So you eat some sugar and viola you're better. Do you want to try for some more of my logic or are you gonna sit down and shut up and eat your cinnamon roll like a good boy?" She gave him a no nonsense grin.

  He sighed as she placed the cinnamon roll with the most frosting on it on a plate in front of him. "Then you give me the one with the most frosting. You put half the damn container on this one Tor."

  She gave him a sweet smile. "That's because I want to lick it off of your lips. I'd even lick it off of your chin with your sexy stubble. Did I ever tell you how sexy you look when you haven't shaved for a couple days?"

  "You are out of your mind Tory. Were you not listening when Langston grudgingly accepted the fact that we were having sex but said not under his roof?"

  "That's why I didn't mention having sex on the kitchen table." She laughed.

  He shook his head, pulled off a small piece of the cinnamon roll, and put it in his mouth, chewing slowly. He swallowed, and took another sip of coffee. "I'm eating, are you happy now?"

  "You're gonna eat the whole thing.”

  "Yes mother." He took another bite. Then he looked up at her and gave her a cocky grin. "You don't have Aunt Lori's number so how can you call her?"

  "Well, I could call Carl. I'm pretty sure I could talk him into giving it to me. And if I couldn't talk him into it, I'm damn sure I can talk Andi into it. She told me to keep an eye on Carl when she's not around. How am I going to convince her that I can keep him out of trouble when I can't take care of my man?"

  "Nobody ever said that you weren't good at taking care of me Tor. You've always been good at that. And I don't mean just sexually either. Even when you didn't want to admit that I was anything more than your fuck buddy you took care of me. You've got a very strong protective instinct in case you haven't noticed. Except when it concerns you. You'd lay yourself on the line for someone else, but you let some idiot like Jude take advantage of you. You wouldn't let me kick his ass when he called you wanting to get laid again."