by J. H. Croix
Once they’d arrived at the recital practice, next thing he’d known, Stella had announced to the entire group that he’d be bringing pizza for everyone. Janie’s shoulders had been shaking with quiet laughter when he glanced to her. He didn’t mind in the slightest, taking requests before heading out to Glacier Pizza. As he reached the row of seats where Janie was sitting, he could see she was busy reviewing homework. His heart gave a hard thump. Somehow being here with her sent unfamiliar feelings spiraling through him. It was nothing more than waiting out recital practice and getting pizza for ravenous kids, but he was here with Janie and her presence made the mundane special.
Mrs. Cooper, the music teacher he’d been introduced to before the pizza run, called out for a break. She smiled in his direction when he reached the stage. Before he had a chance to set the pizzas down, he was swarmed.
He simply slid them across the stage and kept a grip on the bottom box, so he and Janie had something to eat. When he made his way down the row to Janie, she glanced up with a grin. “Gotta give it to you. You handled the madness like a champ. Stella can get a tad too excited sometimes, so I hope you don’t mind…”
“Of course I don’t mind. It’s pizza. I love pizza, so it works for me if she loves it too.” It crossed his mind that perhaps he should wonder what it meant to be falling so hard and fast for a single mother. Stella was part of the package when it came to Janie, yet not for a second did he blink at that. It helped that he felt an easy affinity with Stella, pizza aside.
Janie shuffled the papers on the tray into a folder and slipped it in her backpack. “Good thing I love pizza too.”
With the pizza box balanced on a small tray between two seats, they ate and watched the students circle back to practicing. After Janie declared she was full, he slipped the box out of the way.
“Do you need to keep working?” he asked.
She shrugged. “Not really.”
At that moment, the students started on another piece and he turned to watch. He couldn’t say he’d ever spent time watching high school students practice for a recital. He was pleasantly surprised to hear how talented they were. Stella was so good at the piano, it was clear a number of the pieces had been chosen to highlight her playing. As time passed, he became hyper-aware of Janie beside him. Somewhere along the way, his hand found its way to rest on her leg. His raw physical attraction to her pulsed inside, and he kept reminding himself this was not the time or place to be thinking the way he felt about her. She glanced sideways, her eyes catching his. Without a word, she curled her hand over his where it rested on her thigh and stood, giving him a swift tug. He’d have followed her anywhere, so that’s just what he did.
Janie had been sitting beside Travis for what felt like hours, although she knew it hadn’t actually been that long. Once the bustle of eating had passed and the students settled back into practice, she lost all ability to focus. Usually she used this time to get caught up on lesson planning and grading. She found it a more efficient use of time than running back and forth to home while Stella practiced. Yet, with Travis here, focusing on anything other than him seemed nearly impossible. Desire swirled within her, its intensity growing with each passing moment. His palm resting on her thigh felt like a hot brand. She was wet with need and restless inside and out.
She suddenly couldn’t take it anymore and grabbed his hand, pulling him up with her and striding quickly out of the auditorium. She couldn’t explain why, but knowing Randy had somehow made his way back to Diamond Creek set off an emotional bomb inside. She’d have expected to want to wall herself away from Travis, yet the opposite appeared to be happening. She was frantic to feed the fire of her need for him, to lose herself in their scalding connection.
Once they turned down the hallway, she knew just where to go. She didn’t teach at the high school, but she knew the layout well. She made a beeline for the office supply closet, practically running by the time she reached the door. She yanked it open and tugged him in behind her. The closet was large with shelves on all four walls. The scent of paper filled the space. A shaft of light fell through a window to the hallway above the door. She spun to face Travis. His features were shadowed, yet his eyes caught the light. Her desire reflected back at her in his gaze.
She still held his hand in hers. He lifted it between them and turned hers over in his, dipping his head to drop a kiss in the center of her palm. The tiny place where his lips connected with her skin sent a shock of sensation rippling outward. One kiss and then pure stillness for a moment before his lips moved to the paper-thin skin on the inside of her wrist, sending slivers of pleasure under the surface of her skin. He lifted his head, the cool air hitting the place where his mouth had left a damp trail. He curled his hand over hers, his thumb caressing the soft skin he’d just kissed.
Her breath was coming in short pants, and she was nearly afire inside and out, heat suffusing her. His back was to the closet door. She held his eyes and placed her palm in the center of his chest. Driven by a wild, pounding need, she stroked boldly down the muscled planes of his chest to curl her palm over the ridge of his cock, hard and hot through the denim of his jeans. His breath drew in with a hiss. She tore at the buttons on his jeans, sighing with delight when she could shove his briefs down far enough to free his shaft. Without waiting, she knelt and dragged her tongue along one side of his cock. He groaned her name and reached for her. She swatted his hands away and knelt down, settling in to drive him as mad as he drove her.
She explored the length of him with her tongue. With a swirl around the thick head of his cock, she took him into her mouth, savoring the subtle salty tang. Between licks, strokes and kisses, she took him into her mouth again and again. She grinned in satisfaction when she pulled back to look up through her lashes. His head was thrown back against the door, his body rigid and his breath coming in sharp, guttural pants. Her pause brought his eyes swinging down to meet hers. He moved so swiftly, she couldn’t have stopped him if she wanted. She was lifted and spun around. She almost lost her balance and gripped the edge of one of the shelves as his hands shoved her clothes out of the way. Her shirt was pushed up and with a flick of his thumb, her breasts tumbled loose from her bra.
Her nipples were tight and need clenched her like a vise. She moaned in relief when his warm hands cupped her breasts. He lightly pinched her nipples, just hard enough to make her want more, so much more. His hands slid roughly down her sides, the calloused surface sending hot sparks along her skin. He made quick work of the buttons on her jeans and pushed them down around her hips. Without preamble, he dragged his fingers across the silk of her panties between her thighs and hooked a finger over the edge to delve into her slick channel. She cried out at the feel of his fingers plunging into her. She’d been hovering on the edges of this mad need for him for long enough, she was frantic. Her hips rocked into his hand, and she came quickly in a noisy burst, her cries loud in the small closet.
His touch slowed to a pause before he dragged his fingers out. She glanced over her shoulder to see him tossing his wallet to the floor once he yanked it out of his pocket. She heard the tear of foil and then felt the head of his cock at her entrance. Still throbbing from her climax, all she wanted was to feel him inside of her. Shivers raced up her spine when he slid a palm up the center of her back. With one hand holding her hip firmly, his other brushed her hair off her neck, lacing his fingers into it. He nudged against her entrance, just enough to tease. Barely holding onto her sanity, she arched and pressed her hips into him. He nudged into her a little further.
She threw her head back and arched deeply. He finally surged inside, seating himself fully within her. Her head fell forward, her breath escaping with a low cry at the delicious stretch. They were still again, the air around them electric, before he started to rock into her. In a blur of sensation, they rocked together, her hips pressing back into his again and again and again. She lost herself in nothing but feverish pleasure. With his hand gripping her hair lightly, she rolle
d into his surges. Her core drew tight, pleasure twirling inside, until she was hurtling toward another release, the need so deep she could hardly bear it. His hand slipped free of her hip to drag his thumb over her clit. The brush of his touch set her loose again and she cried out, slamming her hips back into his. Her channel convulsed around him as she felt his body go taut with one last surge into her. His guttural cry joined hers.
She slowly came to awareness, slightly amazed to realize she hadn’t collapsed. Her hands were gripping the edge of the shelf tightly. The grip of his hand on her hip anchored her. She slowly straightened, and he drew back. In the quiet of the small supply closet, they tugged their clothes back into place. When she saw him glancing around for a trashcan, she snagged a box of tissue from the shelf and tidily wrapped the condom inside before tossing it in the wastebasket in the corner. She turned back to find his eyes on her. In the shadowed light, she felt suddenly vulnerable. This rush of need driving her to him was so unfamiliar she didn’t know what to do with it. He seemed to sense she didn’t want to talk when she stepped to his side and slipped her hand in his. Once again, she led him through the darkened hallway as they returned to the auditorium.
Travis steered his truck through the darkness, the falling snow sparkling like glitter in the beam of the headlights. Stella was chattering away beside him in the front seat. He couldn’t keep his eyes from occasionally looking at Janie in the rear view mirror. He was still half-dazed from their mind-blowing encounter in the office supply closet. If someone had told him he’d fall so hard and fast for a woman, he’d think nothing of screwing her in a closet, he’d have laughed so hard he’d probably have broken a rib. Yet, tonight he was so desperate to have her, it seemed the perfectly reasonable. In fact, if he could find another closet right about now, he’d drag her inside and do it all over again.
While Stella talked about a few of the pieces she was practicing and various social dramas, Janie’s soft voice sprinkled the conversation. His mind turned his thoughts over in circles. Janie was, well, she was like no other woman. He’d never been the kind of guy to purposefully avoid attachments, but he also hadn’t been a player either. He’d been somewhere in between, or so he supposed. He was now discovering the issue had been that he’d yet to meet a woman who called to him on every level. Janie was that woman, and he couldn’t quite believe she’d been right under his nose all this time.
He was slightly stunned at the depth of feelings she elicited. Between the slow build between them and Randy’s reappearance in Diamond Creek and how it affected Janie, it was beyond clear she meant a lot to him. His mind spun back to the look on her face when she realized the call he and Ben had responded to had involved Randy. Just thinking about it now sent a flash of cold anger through him. He’d be perfectly happy to march up to Randy’s hospital room and punch his lights out. The only thing holding him back was the knowledge Janie probably wouldn’t appreciate the wildfire of gossip that would create, not to mention he’d probably get himself arrested. Though he was friends with everyone on the police force, Darren ran an up and up force. He wouldn’t stand for Travis assaulting someone just because of old history.
“Travis?”
Stella’s voice snapped him back to where he was. He focused his eyes on the road through the blowing white snow. “Huh?” he asked, glancing sideways at her.
“Oh, I said thanks for the pizza, like three times,” she explained with a roll of her eyes. “The rest of the kids liked it too. I was telling Mom you should come to recital practice more often.”
He caught Janie’s eyes in the rear view mirror at the sound of her muffled laughter. “Anytime,” he replied, thinking perhaps they could make good use of the supply closet again.
Janie shook her head with another laugh. “She just wants you to bring more pizza.”
Stella laughed and shrugged. “Maybe so, but I like you too.” She paused and glanced at Janie before he felt her gaze on him again. He sensed she was considering something. “Okay, you’re a guy,” she began.
“Yup. I’m a guy,” he offered, trying to keep from smiling.
Stella swatted his shoulder. “I have a question. I know what Mom thinks, but I need a guy opinion.”
His heart squeezed, a funny warmth spreading through him. It was oddly satisfying to have Stella trust him enough to ask him anything.
“So, did you see the guy who plays the drums?”
At his nod, she continued. “He’s my friend, like one of my best friends. I mean, when I first moved here, life sucked. It totally sucked. I didn’t know anyone and I was just this loser foster kid from Kenai.”
“Stella, please don’t…” Janie began.
Stella glanced over her shoulder and threw a smile at Janie. “Mom. I know. You’re gonna tell me not to call myself a loser and say something about how words matter. I get it. Don’t worry. I don’t think I’m a loser now, at least not most of the time. But back then, I did. I’m just trying to explain.”
Travis kept driving, figuring it was better to let Stella get to her question at her own pace.
“Anyway, so life sucked. I got to know Parker in music class and he was like one of the only kids who was nice to me at first. Now I have lots more friends, but even though he’s a guy, he’s like one of my best friends. Okay?”
Travis nodded, thinking she meant for him to confirm he understood. “Got it. Parker’s a good guy and he’s one of your best friends.”
He felt Stella’s firm nod. “Right. So anyway, now he’s asked me to go to the Christmas Dance. I’m all nervous because I’ve never been and I’m worried it’s weird he asked me and I don’t know what it means.” Stella’s words tripped over each other, coming out in a rush.
His heart clenched again. He couldn’t say he knew what it was like to be Stella, but he knew what it was like to be in high school. He was going on twenty years past it, and he was still relieved it was over. He kept his eyes on the road when he sensed Stella felt uncomfortable and strove to keep his tone casual. “So what’s your question?”
“Okay, so Mom says it’s okay to go to a dance with a friend. But what if it’s something else? I don’t know why a guy would ask a girl to a dance if he didn’t like her as more than a friend. I’m afraid to ask Parker about that because I don’t know. So, see—this is why I need a guy opinion. What do you think? Is he just asking as a friend, or is it something more?”
Travis glanced in the rear view mirror. He wished Janie could somehow silently impart some advice here. Her eyes caught his, and one corner of her mouth curled up. She gave a tiny nod that he interpreted to mean it would be okay for him to answer. Although he’d be damned if he knew the right answer. He wished he knew if Stella liked Parker as more than a friend. He sensed she might, but he wasn’t sure. After a moment of deliberation, he elected to answer as best he could and pray he didn’t unintentionally say the wrong thing.
“Okay, guy answer. Your Mom’s right. It’s totally okay to go to a dance with a friend. Parker’s obviously your friend, so you’re cool there. As for whether or not a guy would ask a girl to a dance if he only liked her as a friend, well it depends. I don’t know Parker. All I know is he plays drums in music class and recitals with you. He sounds like a pretty nice guy since he was nice to you at a time when it was hard to be the new kid on the block. To make my answer more guy like…” He paused when Stella giggled. “…truth is, most guys ask girls to dances if they like them. So maybe Parker is asking only as a friend, or maybe he’s asking a friend who might be hoping there’s something more there. Don’t go crazy with that answer, but it’s my best honest guy guess.”
He glanced sideways to see Stella rapidly twirling a lock of hair around her finger. He looked back at the road, slowing to turn off the highway and onto the road that led to Janie’s house. Stella sighed. “Fine, so basically it’s a big fat maybe. Maybe he just wants to be my friend and maybe he wants something else.”
“Yeah, guess so. I bet you wish I could give a guarante
ed answer, huh?”
“Yup. That’s okay. I’ll figure it out.”
He turned down Janie’s driveway and slowed to a stop. “Are you going to the dance?” he asked as he turned the truck off.
Stella looked over at him before nodding slowly. “It’s my senior year. If I don’t go this year, I’ll never know if I would have had fun or not.”
“Damn good reason to go.”
Stella’s face split in a grin. “Damn right!”
Janie spoke. “Stella, don’t start swearing left and right. Okay?”
“Travis swears! You just heard him,” Stella countered with a sly grin.
He bit back a chuckle as he unbuckled his seat belt and glanced to Janie with a rueful grin. “Sorry ‘bout that.”
Janie shook her head with a laugh. “It’s okay. I swear too, but Stella has a little too much fun getting going with it.”
Stella started to climb out on her own. “Stella! Wait until one of us can help you out,” Janie said quickly.
Stella leaned back with an elaborate sigh. “Fine.”
Travis got out and quickly jogged around to help Stella. Awhile later, he found himself leaning on the kitchen counter, sipping hot chocolate Stella had made. She was putting away her homework, while Janie loaded the dishwasher. His eyes were drawn to the glittering lights on the Christmas tree in the living room beyond the stairs. Stella had finished decorating the tree before she started her homework. The home had lights strung festively along the windows and the stair railing. It felt so comfortable to be here, he didn’t want to leave, but he figured he needed to find a way to make a graceful exit when Stella looked across the counter at him. “So when are you gonna stop pretending you’re not dating my mom and just stay over one night?”
