Thankfully Nora had brought over the rest of my new clothes and a few more pairs of yoga pants. She brought Danny jeans and t-shirts, his usual wardrobe, and extra boxers because she knew I liked to steal them. This woman had to have been sent from heaven.
“Hey Danny? What about that collection of horror memorabilia you have in storage? That would be so cool if you turned your living room into a room like in the Munsters house or something.” Julian was really excited and I could see a twinkle in Danny’s eye.
He ran his hands through his hair and said, “I don’t know, this is our house, now, and I don’t know what Jane—”
“Jane will think it’s cool, dude. You know that. She can scare the shit out of her friends. It’ll be great! Remember when we took her to the Hollywood History Museum for that Halloween gig? She loved that.” Julian obviously was partial to this idea.
Danny looked at me like he was afraid to ask what I thought. “Jesse?”
I laughed. ”Sounds cool to me! Frankenstein is one of my favorite novels and one of the best films ever made.”
Danny’s eyes rolled back. ”God, you are so the perfect woman for me.” He leaned over and kissed me until Nora started to clear her throat.
Danny blushed. ”I’m sorry. Nora, what do you think?”
She raised an eyebrow and squinted at Danny. ”As long as none of that crap migrates into my kitchen I’ll live with it. I don’t have to go in there.”
I laughed and Danny jumped up to kiss her. ”Thank you, ladies. I’ve kind of missed my stuff. I had it in a rehearsal space we rented for a long time, but some of the other spaces got broken into and I didn’t want to lose any of it. Maybe I’ll call Nikki. He decorated Funny Farm like that. I know he did a lot of it himself, but I bet he knows people.”
I gulped at his mention of Nikki’s name.
“Maybe he’ll even come over, Jesse. Will you be able to control yourself?” Such a joker. It was definitely payback time.
I narrowed my eyes at him and jumped up to chase him. He easily evaded me until he made the mistake of hiding behind Bronson. I hit the icemaker on the fridge on my way to him. Bronson moved aside, and I shoved the ice forcefully down the front of Danny’s pants before he could get away.
“Ahhh FUCK! That’s cold, honey! C’mon! You don’t want shrinkage, do you?”
We all cracked up as he danced around, trying to keep the ice out of contact with his ‘boys.’
“I guess you better not mess with her,” Bronson said, giving me a wink.
I giggled conspiratorially.
Danny looked between us and frowned. ”What the fuck does that mean?”
I rolled my eyes. ”Nothing. I told him I owed you payback from the moustache episode.”
Danny’s eyes got wide. “Shit! I forgot about that.” He sat back down at the table, cautiously, and looked at me with a frightened expression.
Nora rapped her knuckles on the table. “Now, back to what we were discussing. We’ll need to have them empty the office, make space in the library, and basically you want them to rip up the entire living room, is that correct?”
Danny pulled on his goatee and started drawing on a piece of paper. ”Yeah, and if we set up the library like this, Jesse and I can both have office space in there. And—”
“But Danny,” I interrupted. “You need your privacy. I don’t need to have any office space. I can just keep my things in a bin or a box or something...Why are you laughing?”
“Jesse, you’re not going to live like a fucking hobo with your office stuff in a box. This is your house now, too!”
Everyone got quiet. They all looked to me for my reaction. I was speechless.
I exhaled and said quietly, “Danny? Can I talk to you for a minute?”
He seemed to get that I was serious. He looked around at the others and Nora said, “We’ll just give you guys a minute.” She led the brothers out of the kitchen and I put my head down on my arms on the table.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”
I held up a hand and he was quiet. We sat there like that for a long time. I finally lifted my head and reached for his hand on the table. I picked it up in mine and turned it over looking at his skin, his tattoos, his calluses, his scars. These hands had held me when I needed him, had made me feel tremendous passion, and were capable of making the most beautiful music. I was safe in these hands. I knew that. Why couldn’t I just relax and let him take care of me? Because it was his hands that had worked so hard to earn all of what he had, not mine.
“I’m having a hard time,” I started, and then I paused. I didn’t know how to say what I needed to say. ”I don’t understand how you can just...Why, Danny? How can you just rearrange everything? Why would you just move me in and—”
“Because I love you. I want you to be my partner, Jesse. In everything. I don’t need privacy from you. I need it with you, not from you,” he said in a softer voice.
I cracked a bit of a smile and blew out a breath. ”I just don’t understand how it can be so easy for you to just do this. To take me in, move me in alongside you.”
He shrugged and smiled. “Remember the first time I fucked up so badly with you? When we were sitting in the library and I freaked out about Jane?” I nodded, hating to remember that day. ”The same could be asked of you. Why did you come back? Why did you stick with me all of those times I was such a jackass?”
“That was easy, Danny. Because I love you. Because even though you were being stubborn, I had to out-stubborn you.”
He took both of my hands in his and rubbed his thumbs across my knuckles. ”This is me out-stubborning you. Please? Don’t say no?”
“Do I have a choice?” I laughed and stood so I could sit on his lap. ”I hate being out-stubborned,” I said, curling into his body with an exaggerated pouty face.
He sighed happily. ”I’m so glad you’ve admitted it.” I tickled him and he wiggled to get away. We toppled off the chair and I landed on top of him, tickling until he was howling. He wasn’t trying to fight me off too hard. He let me have the upper hand easily.
When he was breathless, he finally called, “Mercy! Mercy, honey! God, I’m going to puke.”
I pinned his arms out to the side and leaned down, nose-to-nose with him. ”Promise you’ll never call me a hobo again?”
He nodded. ”Yes, just please, no more!”
I figured I’d take advantage of this opportunity. ”Promise no more blaming?”
His smile was gone and he nodded, a determined look on his face. ”I promise.”
I brought my hands to his face and searched his eyes. ”Promise you’ll be patient with me? Never let me go?”
He smiled, his eyes full of love. ”I’ll never fucking let you go. Come here.”
He kissed me deeply, being careful with my lip, which was much better today. I stretched out on top of him, enjoying his touch. We rolled over and he continued to caress me and kiss my neck. His hands roamed gently, careful of my sore parts. I craved his touch so much. I was desperate for him. He ran his fingers up my leg, sliding my skirt up as he did. I groaned as he found my core, found me wanting him. He touched me so slowly, so reverently, it took mere moments for him to bring me to my peak.
“Danny! Oh, baby, I love you,” I sighed, my whole body a pool of desire for him. I couldn’t believe I’d been able to reach orgasm just like that. Danny sure seemed to believe it.
He kissed me gently and whispered. “I guess it just took a sneak attack for you to relax. I’ll have to remember this move for those nights when you are stressed.” He kissed my neck and jaw until I was a quivering mess.
“There! Now, will you accept the alterations to the house that include taking care of your needs?”
“So not fair. But yes.”
He smiled that devastating smile. ”I fucking love you, honey.”
“I fucking love you, too, you manipulative orgasm-giver!”
He barked out a laugh as he stood up, helping me to my feet, and
we went back to our seats. He started drawing plans on some scratch paper, asking me questions as he went. The others slowly filtered back into the room.
“So it’s settled,” Nora asked.
Danny grinned triumphantly. ”Yes, ma’am! I’m going to call Nikki and then I’ll let you get to work making arrangements. Thanks, Nora.” He kissed her on the cheek and she rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m just glad we’re getting rid of that ugly ass furniture in there. I mean really, who here liked all that metal and sticky leather?” I swear I heard crickets chirping.
“I guess that’s your answer, Nora.”
We all laughed. Danny pulled out his phone to call Nikki and I used this opportunity to call Gloria. Nora left to go pick up some clothes for Jane and bring her back here.
Gloria told me to absolutely take the week. “The kids will likely have heard about it and may ask you questions, but a week from now it’ll be a little easier. I just want you well, sweetie. It’ll all be here when you’re ready.”
I thanked her and told her I’d email lesson plans and request a sub. Before I hung up, she asked, “So what did Danny say about his test results? You both must be so excited!”
My eyes shot to Danny, who was still deep in discussion on his phone. “I haven’t even told him,” I whispered. “With everything that happened…I can’t believe I forgot.” I’d have to rectify that. I needed a plan. How could I break the news to him and make it special considering my damn face right now?
After hanging up with job number one, it was time to call job number two. The dance studio understood as well. My new classes had been going really well, especially with Jane there. She was having a blast learning a new form of dance. She thought it was way more fun than ballet. Danny made a point of picking her up so he could watch for a while.
The guys were getting close to wrapping up the first part of recording. Julian told me all the tracks were done and now it was time for mixing. This was apparently an arduous process, a time when tempers were often set off over which was the best take or mix. I still hadn’t been over there. I thought since I was going to be off this week, perhaps I could finagle an invitation.
Danny came walking back in with a peculiar look on his face. ”I just talked to Nikki,” he said with a strange smile.
I frowned. ”And what did he say?”
He laughed and sat down next to me, taking my hands in his. ”He gave me the number of the decorator he worked with. He also said he’ll shoot the album cover for us.”
“That’s great! I know you really wanted that.” But Danny was looking at me funny and stroking his goatee. ”What else?” I started to get nervous.
“Well, he actually asked if you and I would pose for him for one of his other projects.” He raised his eyebrows and I really got concerned.
“You and I? What kind of project?”
He laughed and tugged at his goatee. ”Um, how do you feel about posing nude, for him, with me?”
My face must have said it all because he squeezed my hands and laughed loudly. ”I say nude, but we’ll be sort of covered, or so he told me. Our private parts will be covered. What do you think?”
I was thinking all kinds of things, but none of them would form into a coherent response. “You and I, naked, in front of Nikki Sixx?” He nodded, looking hopeful. ”I don’t know what to say. What do you think?”
He shrugged. ”I told him no fucking way was I putting your body on display for anyone. He promised we’d be covered. Frankly, I didn’t really want my junk out there either, but that’s not my main concern. He actually mentioned it the night we saw him at the Roxy, that he wanted to photograph me. But then he got a good look at you. He said he’s been thinking of us since that night for this project.”
My face felt hot. This was way too much to have to think about, especially right now. “Are these going to be public? I’d need to talk to my parents. And my job! Teachers get fired for this kind of thing. When does he need to know? I don’t know, Danny.”
He laughed and leaned over to kiss me. “I told him we’d need some time. I told him what happened, and he said he’s so glad you’re okay. He offered his bodyguard, his house, whatever we needed.” There were so many people offering to help us, it made me feel cared about for sure.
“Let me talk to my folks and to Gloria. But what do you think?”
He shook his head. ”I don’t know. I told him he was crazy when he asked me. You, I totally get. You’re more gorgeous than any model I’ve ever seen. But he said this project is kind of a fallen angel kind of thing and that I have the right look.”
I giggled, covering my mouth with my hand. ”He’s kind of right about you. I can see that.”
He laughed and then he winced. ”He said I’d need to get a body wax. Can you believe that shit?”
Now I was cracking up. ”Oh no! Not your gorgeous hair! I love running my fingers through your hair.”
He growled a little. ”Yeah, well, he said it would ‘get in the way,’ whatever the fuck that means.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. His expression was a frustrated, dig-my-heels-in kind of stubborn, and he seemed a little embarrassed.
“It’ll grow back, baby.”
He raised an eyebrow at me. ”You like me furry?”
I laughed and ran my hand under his shirt, raking my nails through his chest hair. His eyes rolled back and he moaned. ”Ah, shit, Jesse. That feels so fucking good.”
I whispered to him just where else I’d like to run my fingers. He shivered, grabbed me up, slung me over his shoulder, and carried me to our borrowed room.
We emerged several hours later after making love, and napping, which was a first. Danny never napped. Then more lovemaking, showering, getting dressed, removing clothes, more lovemaking, and getting dressed again. We were sitting in Julian’s office in front of a ginormous monitor, looking at furniture and ideas for the new room, when Jane and Nora returned. She came into the room, looking nervous, and gasped when she saw me. She didn’t run to me like she usually would. She actually clung to Nora’s side a little.
“Hey, sweetie! I’ve missed you,” I said and held my arms out for a hug. I glanced at Danny and saw him frown when she hesitated, but I wasn’t surprised. She came over and hugged me tentatively. She squeaked when I pulled her onto my lap.
“Are you okay, Jesse?”
“I’m okay. I was a little sore, and I know my face looks terrible, but everything is okay.”
She didn’t seem to believe me. She hugged me again, hiding her face in my hair. I held her and stroked her back. Danny reached over and rubbed her back, too.
“I know it’s upsetting to look at her face. It’s killing me,” Danny said seriously. I snorted and Jane popped up, frowning at me. Then she realized what he’d said and she giggled, too. It took Danny longer to get it. When he did, he shook his head.
“I can’t even get you back right now! This is so not fair!”
Jane laughed, but then looked back at me with worry.
“I’m really fine. He didn’t hurt me,” I said to her, hoping she understood what I was trying to tell her. “I want you to do me a favor, though.” She gave me her full attention.
“I want us both to take self-defense training. The detective I met at the hospital said she’d come to the house and teach us. Would you do that with me?”
She nodded vigorously. “Yes! Of course I will. I’m so sorry this happened to you, Jesse.”
I thanked her, kissing her forehead. “Thanks, Jane. I promise I’m okay. Now, the next item of discussion is that your dad has decided to make some changes at the house,” I said, gesturing to the computer.
Danny took over explaining what we were thinking of doing in the living room and her eyes totally lit up.
“It’s gonna be so cool! I can’t wait! Will it be done by Halloween? Can we have a big Halloween party?”
Danny and I looked at each other and shrugged.
“I don’t see why not
,” Danny said and the two of them started planning the party. I sat back, feeling a little tired. My heart swelled with love for these two crazy redheads.
After they plotted for a bit, we got Jane settled into the room across the hall from us. She looked around at the modern furniture and it made me think of watching her check out the hotel room when we went to Los Gatos. Man, that felt like so long ago, but in reality it was less than two months. So much had happened! Of course, I could say that about the entire time I was with Danny.
Nora stayed to cook us dinner and then Connie was coming to stay with her. Nora, it seemed, was a little freaked about what happened and Connie didn’t want her to be alone. Danny called the decorator and scheduled a meeting with her on Wednesday. We were going to go over to the house together then for the first time. Nora already had people coming to clear the room and put everything he was keeping in the garage. Some specialists were going to move the piano into the great room off the kitchen for the time being. I couldn’t believe this was all happening.
So we camped out at the Mannings’. It was a little weird, but they really missed having Danny over and they made every effort to make Jane and I feel at home. We all missed Legs, though. Their backyard was a series of decks and not safe for our growing pup. Legs would stay with Patricia and Max until we could get home.
After dinner the guys had a jam session and played some of the new songs they’d just recorded. The Mannings had turned part of their home into studio and rehearsal space. It was cramped and loud, but they provided us girls with earplugs. Jane and I curled up together on a loveseat and Nora sat on the arm.
Their music was absolutely brilliant! When Danny sang the new lyrics, I felt my stomach tighten. Somehow he’d managed to spill our ups and downs into the most beautiful words. He sang of love at first sight, of the excitement of getting to know someone, loving one who’s forbidden, the fear of losing the one you love, and even the thrill of a new lover. All of the songs were powerful and were a huge departure from what they usually sang about.
Teacher: The Final Act (A Hollywood Rock n' Romance Trilogy #3) Page 8
