by Laura Ward
“I know you are new to all this, Sunshine. But I’ve never had it better.” Her eyes snapped to mine, flaring with surprise. “Not ever. You’re…perfect.” My voice was thick, gruff from sex and my outstanding orgasm. Daisy’s gaze dropped to my mouth, her eyes heavy as her hands moved up my chest.
Bring on round two.
Bing. Bing. Bing. Daisy’s phone alerted an incoming message.
Daisy looked down at her phone and scrunched her nose. “Something’s going on at Amy and Izzy’s. Can you take me there?”
As soon as Izzy’s name exited her mouth, I removed the condom and got myself together.
“What’s wrong?” I pulled the truck out onto the street
“Izzy stole again. She lost her job.” Daisy typed furiously on her phone as I drove. “Jon?” She put the phone away, curling into my side. “I’m sorry to cut the night short.”
I kissed the top of her head. “No worries, Sunshine. Let’s go check on Izzy.”
Daisy sighed. “I’m not sure how to help her.”
Holding the steering wheel with one hand, I took hers in my other. Linking our fingers together, I squeezed. “You’ll figure it out. And I’ll be with you as long as you want.”
She squeezed back, eyes trained out the window, lost in thought.
There would be a round two, of that I was certain. But right now, Daisy needed to be with Amy and Izzy, doing what she could for girls that meant so much to her.
And in the meantime, I’d settle for the best round one of my life.
Chapter Twenty
Daisy
“LADIES? ARE YOU ready?” Jon and I stood in Amy and Izzy’s kitchen, waiting for the roommates to join us.
Jon offered to join me at the mall with the girls since he and Ricky were leaving later today to drive to Chicago.
Even though the Chicago Bears hadn’t made it to the Super Bowl, Dean was throwing a party as if they had. He, Grace, and Finn invited all of their friends to join them in a big affair in their penthouse apartment.
My parents were attending, so they asked me to stay home with Delilah. Secretly, I was bummed, but I also knew if I was at a party with Jon, I would struggle with any small form of restraint.
“Maybe I should fake an illness? Stay home with you?” Jon nipped my jaw, and I giggled pressing my lips together to stay quiet.
“No, go have fun.” I backed away from him, wagging my finger back and forth. “Besides, Dean would worry if he knew you and I were alone together. And, you’ll be with your boys. It’ll be great.”
Jon leaned back against the kitchen counter, hands braced behind him. “Everything’s better with my Sunshine.”
God, he was good to me. I never felt more desired. And he was so blessed hot. Standing there in fitted, dark jeans, a patterned button-down, thick belt, and brown boots. Spending his days at a law firm gave his look a hint of preppy that when mixed with his sexy, country vibe, I knew the Boston University girls would devour.
My heart did a free fall. The thought of him in Boston, walking along the picturesque streets with a gorgeous, smart, girl at his side and undoubtedly in his bed, caused a searing pain shooting through my chest.
“Ready!” Amy called, walking into the kitchen with her purse and coat in hand. Izzy followed, looking much less enthused.
“What’s wrong, Izzy?” I asked as we walked to the front door.
“I only have money for lunch, okay?” she grumbled, pushing past Jon and Amy.
Since the night I was called to the girl’s apartment after Izzy was fired, I’d been dealing with her funk. She hadn’t gotten a job, and her spending money was cut to provide for basics.
I’d learned through my job that many agencies used state funding to cover living expenses, food, and coverage like I provided. Individuals’ jobs provided their spending money. No job equaled no fun money.
I felt bad for Izzy, but she had to learn that choices had consequences. She stole again from a job, and while they forgave the toilet seat covers and the cake as small mistakes, missing soap, boxes of trash bags, and light bulbs signaled a problem.
Ten minutes later, I drove us to the mall in my company car. Jon bellyached, not a fan of being driven and not a fan of sedans versus pickup trucks, but his ride had no back seat.
As soon as we hit the shopping oasis, Amy and Izzy took off. The girls liked their independence and wanted some time to walk around and shop. Jon and I offered to sit in the food court and meet them in an hour.
Sixty- five minutes later, after a shared soft pretzel and smoothie, with some light groping thrown in, I started to get worried.
“They’re never, ever late, Jon.” We stood at the entrance to the food court, facing the two-level mall, scanning the crowd.
I checked my phone for the third time. “No calls, either. They have my cell number programmed in their phones. They know how to use it.”
“Look,” Jon pointed to his left. “There’s Amy.”
We took off in a sprint toward her, the tears and panicked expression on her face only making me more anxious.
“Where’s Izzy? Is she okay?” I asked, gasping for air.
Amy shook her head. “I came as fast as I could. She is in mall jail.”
“Mall jail?” I looked behind me and over Amy’s shoulder. Was this a joke? Were we being punked?
“Mall security,” Jon spoke in my ear.
Amy nodded. “She got caught stealing again.”
~~~
The store owner was more understanding than I could have imagined. She had an uncle with Downs and so she understood some of the proclivities that individuals struggled with. She hadn’t wanted to get security involved, but Izzy clammed up once she was caught, not providing any contact information for someone the owner could talk to.
Mall security was less understanding. After I reasoned, begged, and finally promised not to allow Izzy to shop unattended, she was released.
The four of us drove home in silence. Even after I parked in front of the building, no one moved.
Finally, it was Amy who spoke. “If you do not stop this, I’m leaving. I will go back home with my parents.” She sat next to Izzy in the backseat, her small mouth pursed in anger.
When Izzy wouldn’t answer, Amy gathered her bags and purse and exited the car, banging the door shut after her.
I turned in my seat to face her. “Izzy, talk to me. Why are you doing this?”
Her lower lip quivered, but she looked away, staring out the window.
“I shoplifted once. Back in middle school,” Jon told me, not addressing Izzy, but speaking loud enough for her to hear.
“You did? I didn’t know that.” I tilted my head to the side. “Why?”
A short, hard laugh, escaped Jon’s mouth. “I don’t think I knew this at the time, but looking back I know. I was lonely. I had great friends. Dean, Landon, Ricky, and more, but not a family that loved me. My mom and I just had another fight. Her boyfriend had slapped me and told me I was stupid and that I couldn’t do anything.”
My mouth dropped, and heat filled my face, but Jon remained calm and in control.
“I walked around the mall and thought, I’ll show him. I’m not stupid. I can figure out how to take what I want. And I did take what I wanted. But then I got caught, and I felt even worse.”
I placed my hand on his forearm. “What did you do?”
“My football coach at the time had me to dinner with his family. He told me that if I wanted a better life, I had to be a better person. No one would hand it to me. I had to work for it. I didn’t steal again, but I also didn’t hang out at home much. I started to get part-time jobs so that I could pay for what I needed and I didn’t have to ask my mom for a thing. It helped, but I still remember that feeling.” Jon gave me a small smile and then looked out the window.
“I don’t know why I take things, okay?” Both of our heads whipped back to Izzy. “It is like there is a good Izzy in one ear telling me to behave, and a bad Izzy in th
e other ear saying that if I want it, I can have it. But I can’t. I get in trouble, okay? How do I stop?” She began to cry, holding her hands in front of her face.
Jon reached into the center console and grabbed a stack of drive-thru paper napkins, handing one to her. “You just took the first step. You were honest. You told us you made a mistake and you want to change. That’s the hardest part, Izzy.”
I nodded. “Absolutely. And the next thing we’ll do is get you to talk to a therapist. Helping Hands has all kind of specialists that can talk to you and help you learn to make better decisions.”
“Okay.” She sniffled, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. “I’ll do anything to get Amy to stay.”
Jon opened his door and stepped out. He walked to the other side and opened Izzy’s door first, helping her out, and then mine. “Why don’t we go upstairs and you tell her exactly that.”
As I would have guessed, Izzy’s desire to be better was all Amy needed to hear.
The four of us spent the afternoon cooking together in the kitchen. Jon and Izzy mostly ate, but they did it entertaining us and bonding together. He stayed until it was time to leave to meet Ricky.
As Jon and Ricky drove to Chicago, I was left thinking. Every choice has a consequence, but sometimes the toughest choice of all is to be honest with yourself.
The consequences of that decision could change everything. What if I was honest with Jon? Maybe he was falling in love with me, too. And when my parents and siblings realized that, they would be happy we were together.
I wanted it all. I wanted Jon, a happy family, independence, and a relationship.
But I feared the consequences I would face for my honesty would only leave me lonelier than ever before.
~~~
“Happy Valentine’s day, Flower!” Dad walked into the kitchen with a large, heart-shaped box of chocolates. He handed them to me and planted a loud kiss on my cheek.
“Thank you, Dad.” I placed the box on the counter and opened the oven, checking the temperature of the meat.
“What’re you cookin’ in there? Smells fantastic!” Dad peeked in behind me, inhaling the scent.
“Braised short ribs, twice baked potatoes, seared green beans, and a Caesar salad with homemade croutons. Sound good?” I shut the oven door and went back to the stovetop where the beans were sizzling.
Dad rubbed his stomach. “My belly just fell in love. Now I’m gonna deliver Delilah and your momma’s chocolates, and hopefully, steal a kiss or two from your momma as well. Call us when you’re ready?”
I waved him off. “No more than ten minutes.”
The kitchen door opened, but all I saw were a bunch of daisies. Jon appeared behind them, handing them to me and then looking around each corner to see if we were alone. “Happy Valentine’s day, Sunshine.” He kissed me quickly and then hopped up on the counter. “How was your day?”
Reaching on my tiptoes, I pulled a vase from the cabinet and filled it with water, placing my lovely daisies inside. “Not too bad. Izzy saw her therapist again and seems to be doing better. She has a job interview next week, too. The fact that she’s seeking therapy for her compulsions will help her nail it, I’m betting.” The timer dinged on the oven, and I slid on oven mitts. I placed the cast iron pot on a trivet and pulled the platter of potatoes from the warmer. “Dad brought me candy, and the hottest guy I know brought me flowers. I’d say it’s been okay.”
“Just okay? That sounds pretty great.” Jon frowned in confusion.
“Well,” I walked over to him, standing in between his legs. “This made it great.” Reaching into my back jeans pocket, I pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to him.
He took it from me and read, his eyes getting larger until he pulled me against him, hopping up and down and dancing me around the kitchen. “You got in! You got accepted! You’re going to New York!”
“Shhhh,” I placed my finger over his lips. “I haven’t told anyone but you.”
He nodded, pressing his lips together, looking like he was going to explode from holding it in.
“I will at dinner. Help me get the food on the table.” I said as I walked the potatoes over to the table.
He grabbed the salad with one hand and swatted my butt with his other. “Just got into one of the top culinary schools in the country and already bossy as hell, huh?”
Laughing, I moved out of his grasp as my parents and Delilah joined us. We sat, passing food and filling plates while everyone chattered about their day.
“Who gave you those lovely daisies, Daisy?” Mom asked with a playful grin.
“Jon,” I answered, and her eyes grew wider.
“Speaking of,” Jon said, bending to rustle through a bag. “I have presents for all the ladies of the house.” He handed Delilah a stuffed bear holding a chocolate bar and my mom a scented candle.
No doubt about it, Jon was good with the ladies.
“Thank you, Jon.” Delilah got out of her seat and hugged him.
Mom opened the lid to the candle and inhaled. “Smells wonderful, thank you, sweetie.”
After a few more moments of eating, I was ready. “Mom, Dad? I have something to tell you.” I waited until my dad raved over the short ribs, how tender they were, how flavorful. Everyone was half-way through the twice-baked spuds, moaning about cheese and bacon. My mom gasped, actually gasped, when she tried the homemade croutons and dressing on the salad. Good food was on the brain. This was my time.
“I got into another culinary school.”
Mom paused, a forkful of green beans suspended in mid-air. “Oh?”
Dad chewed, a lot longer than I thought was necessary, either stalling or gathering his thoughts. Finally, he swallowed and asked, “Where, Flower?”
“The International Culinary Center in New York. It’s one of the top three programs in the country, Dad.” I dragged the tongs of my fork through the tomato and red wine based sauce. The sound of my pounding heart filled my ears.
“New York City’s pretty expensive.” Dad put his fork down and picked up his beer. “How are you going to manage all that?”
“I’ve saved all my money this year, plus loans, and I’ll get a job. I’ll find a roommate, and I won’t need a car, so…” My voice trailed off. The whole thing sounded scary when I said it out loud.
“You think you can handle a big city like that?” Dad asked.
“You know who I bumped into at Walmart today?” Mom took Dad’s hand in hers. “Clare McFadden, Amy’s mom.” Mom met my eye and kept going. “She was raving about our Daisy. Seems that she’s been a real asset to Amy and Izzy. Taught them some basic cooking, takes them out to the mall and bowling, and most importantly, she convinced Izzy to get help with some of her struggles. No one else has gotten through to her. Just our Daisy.” Mom looked up at Dad with a smile.
“Actually, that was—oomph.” I tried to interrupt to give Jon the credit he was due, but he stepped on my foot. Hard.
“So, I’m thinking our girl is proving every day that she’s mature and responsible, Dale. I say we give this some thought.” Mom released his hand and continued eating.
Dad’s mouth was tight, but he grunted, and that was better than saying no as far as I was concerned.
He gave me a short nod and ate the last bite of his meat. “What’s for dessert?”
I grinned. “Only flourless chocolate cake with fresh raspberries and whipped cream.”
Each person at the table whooped, ready to end the night with one of my decadent treats.
I’d call this another step in the right direction.
I’m coming for you, New York City.
~~~
“I need my dessert.”
My bedroom was dark and quiet, the only light coming from the moonlight that shone through my window. I hadn’t fallen asleep, but I was in that dreamlike limbo that made my mind slow, and my bones feel like jelly. I opened one eye and looked at the alarm clock on my bedside table. Two o’clock in the morning. Dian
na was away at school, so I should have been all alone.
“Jon?” The bed dipped beside me, and I smelled him, that unique scent that was Jon. A hint of cologne, a touch of soap, a breath of leather.
“Valentine’s Day is technically over, but you also got into your top school today. You made a sinful chocolate cake for dessert, but I need to end my night with something sweeter.” He leaned over and kissed me, his tongue finding the seam of my mouth, and I opened, meeting him with soft strokes.
I sat up, my hands finding his chest bare, touching, rubbing, grasping onto him. My blood ignited, and I squeezed my legs together to lessen the throbbing. “I can be quiet. I need you tonight. Please, Jon.”
He paused for a long minute. “We can’t wake anyone. No more talking. Silence.” I nodded, my lips against his, and he took the end of my t-shirt and pulled it over my head. His hands were full of my breasts, and he handled them, tweaking the nipples, licking, biting, and then sucking until my breathing became rapid. My panties were rolled off next. My body was buzzing with anticipation.
Jon stood and rolled me over onto my stomach. I heard a rustle behind me and imagined it was his shorts and briefs. The bed creaked as he climbed onto it, and suddenly his hands were on my hips, lifting them into the air.
My knees were up on the bed, and I started to lift onto all fours, but he placed his hand on my back and guided me back down so that only my ass was in the air. His hands caressed each cheek, squeezing them, worshipping each one. Before I could register what was happening, he moved on top of me, his chest hairs tickling my back. He placed his arms on top of mine, our fingers linked. Jon’s face was close to my neck, and he sucked and kissed the soft skin. “Do you know how long I’ve fantasized about your perfect ass? Your body was made for me.” His words were whispered, the quiet, raspy sound so erotic I thought I might detonate with pleasure.
It was all too much. The weight of him on me, the speed of my pounding heart, the anticipation of what was to come. My grip on his hands tightened, a desperate, silent plea.
