"Russell."
His mother said his name and his trained DNA forced him to turn to her. To prove his point he continued chewing, of course with his mouth closed. The woman draped herself over Lauren since they sat down. Jason was relegated to the seat furthest away from them, and his brother and sister-in-law were practically seated in another state.
"Are you enjoying your salad?" She smiled, but her smile was never a real one, it was more like a slash of lips that had been forced to turn up in the corners under protest.
This was a seemingly benign question, there had to be a trick.
"I like how Lauren cut the vegetables. She's very precise, probably because she works with so many doctors." His mother nodded and patted Lauren's shoulder.
He continued to chew. The second they got home he was dipping Lauren into a hot bath. Both of them would have to scrub her down thoroughly to ensure she was cleansed of this experience.
"Yep, Laurie is a cut above the rest." Jason gave his mother a thumb up from across the table.
"Russell." Somehow the octave her voice hit was exactly the same as nails sliding down a chalkboard.
If he masticated this vegetable mess anymore he wouldn't have to swallow, the liquid would slide down his throat. He bypassed his wine glass and took more than a gulp of the vodka Jason poured earlier. "Yes, Mother."
"You haven't said much tonight."
He blinked and considered the possibilities of speaking. Judgment, opinions and ultimatums were his reward for opening his mouth. "What would you like to know?"
"How's your job?" The smile flat lined.
"Russell got a promotion." Lauren bounced in her seat and turned to face the enemy head on. "He's a Solution Architect now."
"What does that mean?" His father lifted his hand.
One of the servers rushed over with two bottles of wine, the one he brought and another one. His father motioned to the one from his personal stash.
"He's the boss man now." Jason piped in and took it upon himself to refill Russell's glass.
"He could be more than a boss." At last his father faced him.
He could …
Those two words hung over his head every day of his life in this house and every time he returned.
He could have been on the football team if he tried harder.
He could be in his father's business if he stopped tinkering around with computers.
He could become a success with a family like his brother.
Always it came down to that he could be more. He took another sip, well gulp, of his drink.
Lauren reached under the table and put her hand on his leg.
"Well, maybe now that Russell is getting his life together and he has more to think about than himself, he'll come to the firm." His mother's smile grew, threatening to break her face.
"I don't have a law degree." Though this fact was etched in their brains, he reminded them. When he asked to run the IT department for his father, he was told he came from a line of lawyers and he could go make his own career. The day of their graduation Jason's parents did the congratulations and kissing for both him and Lauren, his parents left right after the ceremony to go mourn their losses.
His father put his fork down and rubbed his chin. "If there is one thing I learned about having a wife is they like a certain lifestyle."
"That's the truth." Mathew raised his wine glass.
"With Lauren working with doctors you have a lot to compete with." His father nodded. "There's only one profession that competes with doctors and that's lawyers."
Everyone but him, Lauren and Jason laughed and Lauren moved her hand away.
First she didn't want to walk in together, now she removed her hand. Damn it, he knew her better than anyone and knew since they showed up in Vegas she was a mess and he hadn't done a thing.
No, she wasn't a mess she was scared. Terrified. Terrified of being with them, and terrified of not being with them, and now here they were all screwed up again because of him.
He reached over and found her hand, though he tried to lace their fingers together, she didn't move.
"Come run the IT department over at the firm." His father put down his fork as if he were slamming down a gavel.
He could make his father proud.
Every muscle in his body tightened. How many times had he asked for this only to be told he was a waste? Out of the corner of his eye he glanced at Jason. His best friend gave him a slight nod, but his eyes remained dull. Jason would categorize working at Sinclair Law in the same thread as art for hire, maybe worse.
Lauren's trembling vibrated through him. If everything else didn't turn her into an anxiety ridden disaster zone, him working all hours with his family would have her drooling in the corner. Still, she tightened her grip, giving him her support.
For the first time that night, he wanted to smile. Not the fake expression his mother was so fond of giving out, but a real smile. With his mother and father, everything focused on what he could do, but with his family he was the man who did.
He fixed both finances and technology.
He provided a voice of reason against Lauren's dreams and Jason's insanity.
He was an integral part of the other two. No proving necessary. "Why now?"
Lauren let out a little gasp.
"As your mother said, you are getting it together." He set his eyes on Lauren. "Isn't this what you always wanted?"
Every time his father spoke to him, it was like being cross-examined. At one point in his life he would have practically dropped down to his knees and thanked his father. Tonight he presented his parents with what they always wanted. If they only knew what went on in his bedroom every night. "I need to think about it."
Jason sat back.
Lauren remained motionless.
"Robert, you always wanted Russell to think before he spoke." His mother raised her hand and both Rosie and the server made a run for her. "Why don't you and Lauren go enjoy the garden while we get dessert set up. I would ask for Lauren's help, but it's already done."
"I'm going to go see if I can get the kids to show me how to play Pride of War Seven. Did I tell you I want one of those handheld games for Christmas?” Jason stood up.
"No!" Russell got up, taking Lauren with him. "I need to discuss something with Jason."
"You live with Jason. Go enjoy the garden." His mother narrowed her eye in disappointment.
"The three of us need some air." He gulped down another drink.
"Fine, then send him back, the children love him." Along with the eye, he also got her to jut her chin of warning out.
"Come on." He pulled Lauren to him and waited for Jason to walk ahead of him.
Maybe instead of a warning he should take it as a victory.
***
Once dismissed, Russell kept a firm grip on her, grabbed Jason's arm, and basically dragged the two of them around the back of the pool behind the rock waterfall.
The Sinclair's backyard was as magnificent as the rest of their home. Lauren wondered if anyone ever used this area for anything other than showing off.
Russell stopped, let go of them and put his hand to his forehead.
She shut her eyes, allowing herself to envision the future the Sinclair's saw for their son. No, she wasn't dumb enough to think she was their dream girl. The Sinclair's battled with their son's lifestyle, his devotion to his best friend, his platonic relationship with her, his career. When they came in as a couple, they had hope.
They weren't a couple.
She turned to Jason.
They weren't a couple either.
Her own hope took her a whole different direction. Every day some new obstacle told her this was hopeless, but like a drug addict needing to go to rehab she continued to tell herself one more day. "Russell."
"What are you doing?" He paced around in a circle.
He knew damn well what they were doing. They were trying to save him from destroying anything he had with his parents. Rat
her than arguing, she wrapped her arms around his waist, breathing in the scent of clean laundry and cologne.
"I don't know what the two of you are doing, but I'm late for my game." Jason tapped his foot.
"When did the normal become abnormal?"
She looked up at him, staring at his well-defined chin. No one would ever exemplify strength and smarts like Russell Allen Sinclair.
"What are you talking about?" Jason shrugged his shoulders.
"They think we're a couple." He shook his head. "That's what they've been waiting for."
"So let them think it." Jason hit him in the arm. "Look how easy tonight has been. Let it be."
"This isn't easy, and it shouldn't be."
She let go and moved in front of him. Only two weeks ago he wouldn't kiss her in public with Jason. Yes, in Vegas they decided they weren't seeing anyone else but long after this was over, they would have to piece their lives together.
"Does it feel right, just you and me?" Russell motioned between them. "Does it?"
She opened her mouth, but had no answer. After having both of them nothing else would ever feel right. All day she pretended, but it felt off, as if she were walking with only one heel on and everything was staggered.
"Does it feel right? Let me know?" He offered her his hand.
Here it was, the fix, the high and almost beyond her control she answered by taking his hand, intertwined their fingers and then reaching back and taking Jason's hand.
"See. That feels right. It's not normal, but it is." He leaned down and kissed her.
"Now you." He tilted his head toward Jason.
Jason took her chin and gave her a similar kiss, only taking it a bit further and sucking on her lower lip. She tightened her grip on both of them.
"Damn."
She broke the kiss. "What's wrong?"
"I get so hard watching you." Russell pulled her closer. "But if it was anyone but Jason I'd kill them." He dipped his head down and gave her another kiss, opening his mouth and letting go of her hand to rub her ass.
"I think the alcohol is making you horny." Jason moved in and began working her neck.
She shut her eyes and let them tend to her. All night she was tight, ready to be found out as a fraud, and now with both of their hands and mouths on her, the tension melted, her insides heated and she moaned as the high took over.
"I am hard." He ran his tongue along her ear.
"Russell." She arched her back.
"I get hard in less than a second thinking about the two of you." Jason pushed himself up against her.
"What about you?" Russell cupped her breast in his palm. "Does the thought of just one cock do it for you anymore?"
How did she answer? Jason may get hard in less than a second, but she swore it took her less than that to have her panties soaking wet at the thought of having one of them inside her and one in her mouth. "Stop." She stepped back.
"Lauren?" Russell reached for her.
She put her hand to her chest and turned away. "It's more than just two cocks."
"Laurie." Jason came up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Look at me." Russell's voice took on the quality she loved, solid, strong, and definitive.
She shook her head and turned back These men were who she gave up her dream for and the closest she got to telling them what she wanted was that it was more than two cocks. It had to be both of them or no one. Damn it, she wasn't ready to let go.
She reached up and fisted Russell's collar. "I think you wanted to piss your parents off." With that, she thrust him away, and flung her arms around Jason's neck. "Are you still hard?"
"I can be." He took her by the hips.
She faced Russell. "It's not two cocks, it the two cocks."
"I think I can be hard too." He went behind her. "Actually, I am hard."
Jason pushed her sweater down and nibbled her collarbone.
With two men there was never any room for want, they took care of her in conjunction, caressing all the right spots in unison and opposition and she moaned as she first reached down to the front of Russell's pants. "Yes, you are." His erection already made its way down his pant leg.
"I don't need dessert, let’s get out of here." Russell pressed her hand to him.
"Yes, I think it’s time the three of you leave."
Russell's father's voice intruded into their interlude. His strained tone was that of someone who just found out his son cheated in the big game and the team would have to give the trophy back. She stood motionless, frozen, not even bothering to move her hand from the conspicuous place it was on this man's flesh and blood.
Jason straightened up and pushed her behind him, and Russell put his arm around her. She peeked around them to find not only his father, but his mother standing there with her hand over her mouth as if her Thanksgiving dinner was about to make a reappearance.
"Don't tell me this is not what it looks like." His father pointed at him.
Russell tensed against her and she bit her lip, welcoming the metallic taste of blood in her mouth.
"It is exactly what it looks like." Russell cleared his throat.
Mr. Sinclair shook his head. "This is how you live your life, you've actually gotten worse."
If Mrs. Sinclair didn't vomit, Lauren could take her place. The turkey, trimmings and salad did a spin cycle in her stomach and she broke out into a sweat.
"Apparently so." Russell gave her a light push forward. "But you are right about one thing, it's time for us to leave."
Jason took her hand and she held on, letting both men guide her forward.
Russell let go of her as they passed his father. "What exactly is so wrong, anyway?"
"Come on." Jason continued to move them forward.
"I don't think you need an answer to that question. I don't even know why I'm surprised."
"Me neither. I'm glad I lived up to your expectations." Russell laughed.
They made it to the gate when Russell caught up with them. "Let's go home." He put his hand on the small of her back.
"Russell." She swallowed trying to stop her voice from breaking.
"Did you leave anything in the house?"
She glanced into the window, right into the kitchen. The maid was cleaning up. Her salt was still on the counter, Jason's candle next to it. "No."
He unlatched the gate himself. "Well, I did piss them off."
"Yes, we did." They walked through the gate together.
Now the addiction would ruin a family.
One more day.
Chapter Twenty-Three
"Oh my God, you all look wonderful!"
Russell shut his eyes before the big fuchsia lips abraded his cornea. Instead, the massive, moist mouth only assaulted his eyelid, but he was pretty certain he sacrificed a few lashes in the process.
"Look at them!" Cecelia Morgan pinched both his cheeks, hard. "You make my teeth hurt." She mashed her lips against his chin and pushed him away.
Russell wiped his eye and watched Jason's mother move on to her next victim. She was always a sight to behold with her skin-tight pants and equally tight shirts. Though she was no taller than Lauren, her blue-black hair done up in a beehive and patented stiletto heels made her appear much larger.
"The fruit of my labor! It took me thirty-six hours to give birth to you and every hour was well spent." She lunged at her son, flung her arms around him and gave him a similar round of kisses before shoving him aside.
"Hi, Mom." Jason backed up and elbowed him.
His mother turned to the one she really wanted. "You look positively radiant!" She clapped, rubbed her hands together and took Lauren's face between both of her hands.
Russell bit the inside of his mouth to stop the laughter when Cecelia's onslaught caused Lauren's lips to purse out like a goldfish.
"You are absolutely gorgeous. Gorgeous, I tell you. I wish I had such a complexion, it's better than peaches and cream, better." She pummeled Lauren's face with a se
ries of pecks followed by a hug. "Oh, I missed you."
Every time Cecelia embraced Lauren she closed her eyes and leaned into her, and every time Russell felt his own need to take her into his arms. Lauren wanted, no needed a family more than any of them and what he and Jason found annoying or funny, she basked in, soaking it up like a sunbather dripping in baby oil.
Lauren kissed Cecelia's cheek. "I brought you salt."
"Salt?" Cecelia kept hold of Lauren's shoulders and held her at arm’s length.
Russell put his hand in his pocket. Lauren always made sure to treat each set of parents the same, but they weren't, not by long shot.
"It's pink." Cecelia scooped the salt set up into her palm. "It's magical."
"It's from the Himalayan Mountains." Lauren grinned, one of those grins she couldn't stop because it was authentic.
Cecelia wrapped her arm around Lauren and spun around to face the men. "Bruce, look at the magic salt from the mystical land of the Himalaya."
The way Jason's mother described the salt, he believed the salt could perform miracles.
Jason's father stepped forward, patted both him and Jason on the shoulders and bent down to study the salt. He tilted his head from side to side. "I think we should put it in the center of our Thanksgiving feat. It is marvelous." He stood up straight, kissed both of Lauren's cheeks and leaned back. "She looks different."
"I think she looks beautiful." Cecelia gave the salt to her husband and pulled Lauren in for another hug, smothering her in her bosom.
Russell nodded as Cecelia doled out the attention and the compliments that should have been Lauren's yesterday.
"She looks great." Jason bent down and hit the glass on the aquarium.
"Ahhh!" Cecelia screamed and let Lauren loose to shoo him away from the fish.
Lauren stumbled, and instinct caused him to rush toward her, only to be tripped up by Jason.
They found their footing and both reached her at the same time. "Lauren."
"I'm okay." Lauren held her hands out and widened her eyes at them.
He punched her in the shoulder and swallowed. The last thing they needed was a repeat performance of Thanksgiving with the Sinclair's. Lauren cried the night before. She didn't want him to know, never said a word, but he knew. Knew from the way she tiptoed to the bathroom. Knew from the way she sniffed as she slid into bed. Knew from the way she held his hand yesterday. "It looked like you were going to fall."
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