by Jewel E. Ann
“Don’t do this. Cage could walk through that door—oh for the love of…” he massaged his temples “…where is your bra?”
Jillian smiled as she exposed her bare breasts. “Take your shirt off. Let’s see who has a better ‘half dozen.’ Greta said—”
“Stop! Don’t say her name with your shirt off.”
Jillian giggled.
He grabbed her shirt and began buttoning it up. She snaked her hands under his shirt and let her fingers trail along his abs that were worthy competition.
“Tell me what AJ stands for,” she whispered, brushing her lips across his T-shirt over his pecs.
“No.”
She moved her hand down and stroked him over his jeans. AJ closed his eyes and sucked in a tight breath as his hands lingered on the middle button of her blouse.
“Tell me your name and I’ll scream it when you’re fucking me against the wall.”
“It’s Aric James, and please wait until I’m gone to scream it.”
Jillian bit her lips together and closed her eyes as AJ jumped back like she burned him.
“Cage—”
It was the first time Jillian had ever seen AJ that flustered.
Cage grinned at Jillian as she peeked open one eye. “Told ya he likes you.”
She nodded with a bit of a grimace as her fingers made nimble moves to finish buttoning her shirt.
“She didn’t mean—” AJ stumbled over his words.
“I did,” she deadpanned, shooting AJ a don’t-you-dare-pretend-this-isn’t-happening look.
Cage looked around the corner at his father. “Jeez, what the hell happened to your nose.”
“My foot slipped out of my hanging giddy-up stirrups and broke his nose.”
“Jesus, Jillian!” AJ rested one hand on his hip and scratched his head as he bowed it in embarrassment.
“Forget I asked.” Cage pointed toward the stairs. “I’m going to go shower.” He headed up the stairs. “By the way, if he won’t let you scream his name, I’m good with you screaming mine.” Cage shot her a cocky smirk over his shoulder.
“Cage!” AJ growled.
After they heard the bathroom door shut, Jillian sauntered over to AJ.
“Aric James…” she tugged on his shirt until he bent down a breath away from her lips “…and here I thought it must stand for something like Alice Jane because your parents were hoping you were a girl.”
“Shut up.”
Jillian grinned. “Make me,” she whispered a second before his mouth covered hers.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Jillian spent the next three nights with AJ, or as Jackson learned the hard my-sister’s-next-door-screaming way, “Aric James!” The sex was intense, sometimes brutal. It was never slow love making; it was a battle, a war of emotions in physical form. Eventually, they’d find solace in the entanglement of their exhausted, naked bodies until it was time to sleep—in separate beds.
Jillian wanted to believe that she was helping AJ, but mostly she felt like she was using him. And maybe he was using her. And maybe that made it OK.
“AJ asked me to go with him to Portland. His dad is giving Cage his truck so he asked me to keep him company since Cage can’t go because of practice.” Jillian looked up from the pile of laundry at Lilith asleep in her recliner. “I haven’t told Jackson that I’m thinking of going because he will freak out. I might just leave him a note.”
She hugged the warm towel from the dryer to her chest and sighed. “It’s just been sex and banter … lots and lots of banter, but now this trip invite changes things. I’m going to meet his parents and that’s where I lose it. Meeting the family and seeing a guy through his parents’ eyes changes everything. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. With Luke it was both. They made me love him … then they made me leave him.”
*
Day
Jessica waited by the curb with her purse and a small suitcase. Her whole body trembled with excitement. She was going to Tahoe with Luke and his GTO! It was a close tie as to which one excited her the most. The powerful engine rumbled before she saw the black top come into view. She swore the ground beneath her shook like a mild earthquake as Luke pulled up next to the sidewalk.
“Can I drive?” She jumped up and down as he got out and opened the trunk. It was very uncharacteristic behavior for her, but Luke and the GTO had her ready to do cartwheels down the hill.
“No.” He grabbed her suitcase and tossed it in the trunk.
She got in and felt the familiar car orgasm building as the seat vibrated to the purr of the engine. “But at some point you’re going to let me drive, right?”
“Nope.” Luke looked over and smiled all GQ at her: perfect hair, sexy shades, killer smile, plaid short-sleeve button down shirt, dark jeans, and Nike’s that looked fresh out of the box. Her panties were doomed.
“You look edible.” She winked at him then slid on her sunglasses as he put it in gear.
Luke flipped down his visor to block the setting sun then pulled away from the curb. “Thanks. It’s a bit of a disturbing compliment from you, but you’re still not driving.”
“So what’s in Tahoe? You’ve been so vague this week about our ‘field trip.’”
“You’ll see.”
“Are you secretly whisking me away for a weekend of sexual healing with your magical penis?”
Luke didn’t even crack a smile, which was unfair because her comment was not only flattering but funny.
He made a quick sidelong glance. “How did you find out about my magical penis?”
Jessica grinned. That’s all she could do. Luke had a way of making her talk, but he also had a way of rendering her speechless. Those speechless moments … they were the ones Jessica mentally logged into her Reasons I’m Falling in Love with Dr. Luke Jones journal that she kept in her head, and every time she added to it she moved it down a shelf closer to her heart.
“I think it was your Tumblr page … Cockfessions of an Argyle Sock Addict. It was just by accident that I came across your page. I’ve never seen so many animated GIFs of girls having sex with argyle socks pulled up to their knees. That’s some serious kink, Jones.”
“So you’re into online porn?”
She slipped off her shoes and hugged her knees to her chest. “Absolutely. It’s a reminder that there are people in the world that are fucked-up more than me. Pun intended.”
“Why do you think you’re fucked-up?”
She looked out her window and shook her head. “I don’t know. Ask my shrink.”
“And what do you think he’d tell me?”
“She. My shrink is a female. There’s no way in hell I’d see a male shrink.” Jessica smirked. “I’ve been down that road before. He made me iron his underwear.”
“Socks,” Luke corrected.
“Then we had sex in his closet.”
“Kissed.”
“Then he shoved me off my bike ten feet from the finish line because he didn’t want me to win.”
“You were never going to beat me.”
“I totally would have. Then he came to my apartment and I think had I not been covered in my own blood we would have had sex that night.”
Luke didn’t respond. Instead the air became thick and heavy until he cranked down his window. Jessica had drank and bled too much that night to make sense of Luke’s visit. He left his date—a sure thing—to come to her apartment. She remembered feeling something from him that wasn’t empathy, or the need to fix her, or anything that she’d ever felt with him before. That night all she saw was a man who wanted a woman … plain and simple. But until that very moment she hadn’t let herself believe it … she hadn’t let herself hope.
The rest of the ride was filled with nothing but the high-pitched scream of the tires over worn pavement. They stopped for gas and drinks, but the conversation never ignited again.
“We’re here.”
Jessica opened her eyes while sitting up. She blinked away the s
leep, then squinted at the lit sign, the only thing she could see in the surrounding darkness. “We’re staying at a bed and breakfast?”
“Yes, but it’s under renovation so it’s not open to the public.”
“So … we’re squatters?”
Luke chuckled. “No. I know the owners.”
“Oh, friends?”
“Sort of.” He shifted in the driver’s seat so he was facing her. “What I’m about to tell you, you have to promise not to read into it, or get too excited, or anything like that. Okay?”
“Is it haunted? Just going to be honest. I used to love haunted houses, but Four kind of ruined them for me.”
A sadness stole Luke’s facial features for a brief moment. “No. It’s not haunted. It belongs to my parents.”
Jessica’s eyes widened. “Oh … you brought me to meet—”
Luke shook his head. “No. That’s what I was afraid of. That’s why I told you not to read into this. While technically you will meet my family, I didn’t bring you here to meet them. I brought you here because I thought you needed to escape for a couple of days and this is where I come when I need to decompress.”
“But they know you’re coming this weekend?”
“Yes.”
“And they know you’re bringing me?”
“Yes.”
“So you told them I’m your patient?”
“No. You’re not my patient. I told them you’re my friend and you’ve been dealing with some personal issues and that you needed to get away for a few days.”
“Do you bring a lot of female ‘friends’ here?”
“No.”
“So just be honest. They’re going to think I’m your girlfriend.”
“Possibly.”
“And you’re okay with this?”
“No. But it’s only for two days and so if they don’t want to believe me, in spite of the truth I’ve told them that there’s nothing going on between us, then I’m not going to make an issue of it. They’ll get the picture when they never see you again after this weekend.”
Jessica unfastened her seatbelt. “Ouch! That’s a little harsh. You make it sound like I’m dying.”
They grabbed their suitcases out of the trunk.
“What are you going to do when they fall in love with me?”
“Hypnosis.” Luke opened the front door.
“You can do that?”
“How do you think I got you to iron my socks.”
“Shut up,” Jessica mumbled when she stepped inside.
“Luke is that you? We’re in here,” a woman’s voice echoed to the entry.
Luke deposited their bags by the stairs and led her down the hallway.
“Luke,” Jessica whispered.
He turned.
“What if they ask us how we met?”
“Hmm … we train together. Good?”
She nodded.
“There’s our brilliant son,” the same woman’s voice cheered.
A mumbling of “gee thanks” rang in unison from the unexpected gathering. Jillian made a quick count of the group that sat around the table playing cards—eight.
“Oh, you know what I mean.” The tall woman with short black and gray hair tried to quiet the group as she stood to hug Luke.
“Hi, Mom.” Luke kissed her cheek. “Everyone, this is my friend, Jessica Day.”
Jessica smiled at everyone, exactly six more than she thought she’d be meeting.
“Hi, Jessica.” His mom offered her hand. “I’m Felicity.” Her eyes lingered on Jessica’s arm. “What happened?”
Jessica twisted her arm to look at the cut. “Oh, just a little spill on my bike. My legs are much worse.”
Felicity looked down but Jessica’s scars were covered by her capris. The man beside her cleared his throat.
“Sorry.” Felicity winked at him. “This is Tom, Luke’s dad.”
Tom nodded with a bright smile. “Nice to meet you, Jessica.” He shared Luke’s deep blue eyes but his hair was thick and blond, very Robert Redford.
“Next to him,” Felicity continued, “is our son Lane, and his wife, Anne, then our daughter Lara, and her fiancé, Drake, then our youngest son, Liam, and his girlfriend, Zoe.”
Jessica struggled for words. “Um … nice to meet all of you.” She nudged Luke’s arm and gritted her teeth through a huge smile. “You didn’t tell me you have three siblings … all with names that start with L.”
Everyone laughed.
“We were high on something.” Tom winked at Felicia.
“Actually, I have four siblings,” Luke corrected. “Where’s Lake?”
“She’s staying at a friend’s house tonight,” Lara answered.
“You two want in on the next game?” Felicity asked.
“Sure, we’ll go get settled upstairs and be right back.” Luke motioned with his head.
“You’re both in the adjoining lake view rooms.” Felicity called as they reached the top of the stairs.
Luke plopped Jessica’s suitcase on her bed. The room was a shades-of-yellow paint palate: the bedding, the curtains, the wallpaper.
“We’ll share the bathroom that connects our rooms. So lock both doors when you use it.”
Jessica looked out the window at the lake under the spotlight of the full moon. “I have nothing to hide, no need to lock the door.” She looked over her shoulder and grinned.
“Jessica,” Luke warned.
She turned and plunked down on the bed. “So … Luke, Lane, Lara, Liam, and Lake. Oh. My. God.”
Luke grinned like a shy child.
“And you’re the oldest? And it’s clear that you have your mom thinking you’re the smartest. You’re welcome by the way. I wanted to correct her on that one, but I didn’t.”
“Yes, I’m the oldest. And thank you for your self-control. Let’s go.”
*
Buttered popcorn mixed with laughter filled the air as the cards were dealt around the Jones’s dining room table. The game was Hearts. The players were the most engaging and fun group of people Jessica had ever met.
“So, Jessica, what do you do?” Tom asked.
Jessica sorted through her cards. “Only the most extraordinary and exciting job in the world. I’m an actuary intern.”
She looked up from her cards at the blank stares. “Basically, I’m a math geek that gathers and analyzes statistics to determine the consequences of risk in the future for insurance and pension programs.”
The blank expressions continued. She needed to come up with something before the crickets took over.
“Can you believe this guy…” she jabbed her thumb in Luke’s direction “…has like fifty pair of argyle socks?”
The room erupted into laughter. Luke looked at Jessica with a really-you-had-to-go-there look.
The evening progressed with Luke’s family sharing some of his secrets, including his Star Wars obsession, his first time using a nail gun that ended in three of his fingers being nailed together, and his addiction to German chocolate cake. Jessica took mental notes for blackmailing him in the future. Everyone seemed content with their triathlon training explanation for their five month friendship.
“If you leave the windows cracked in the bedrooms it could get chilly, so there’s extra blankets in the closet,” Felicity called from the sofa where she sat cuddled in Tom’s arms.
The rest of the family had left. Jessica was surprised that everyone except Luke lived in a ten mile radius of their parents’ bed and breakfast. She loved their close family. It made her feel at home. Jessica only had one sibling, but their family of four was just as close. They were all survivors and always there for each other.
“Thanks, Mom,” Luke called as he ushered Jessica toward the stairs.
“Good night.” Jessica waved to Luke’s parents.
“Jones … Jones … Jones … Your family is amazing.” Jessica flopped back on her bed as Luke stood in the doorway. “I don’t even know where to begin. First, your dad’s
name is Tom Jones … Tom … Jones.” Jessica rolled to her side, wearing a huge grin. “And all your siblings look like your dad with his blond hair, except you, the black sheep with your black hair, fifty pair of argyle socks, and fancy condo in San Francisco, which is way outside of the ten mile radius of the Jones’ family circle.”
Luke grabbed an extra blanket from the closet and tossed it on the bed. “Lake has black hair. I have twenty pair of argyle socks. My condo’s not that fancy, and I’m far from the black sheep of my family. Now, good night.”
“But your dad’s name …”
Luke turned before exiting.
“That’s pretty cool, right?”
Luke smirked before closing the door behind him.
He was a fucking unicorn. A unicorn with argyle socks, but no less a unicorn. It was a fantasy at best, but if she could catch him, Jessica knew her dreams would come true.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Under four layers of blankets protecting her from the cool morning breeze, Jessica slept in past her usual waking time. A poking on her arm brought her out of her sleep like an animal under attack. There was a grunt, several snaps, and flailing limbs as she tumbled to the ground with a pool stick busted in three different areas.
“Good morning.”
Breathless, she fought away the tangled hair that strangled her face, only to catch Luke sitting in a chair by the vanity mirror. “What are you doing?”
He smiled. “Waking you for our run.”
“By poking me with a pool stick?” She grabbed one of the broken pieces and flicked it at him.
“Yes.” He caught it and ran his finger over the splintered wood.
“Why?”
“Just a hunch.”
“About?” She widened her eyes.
“About how you might react if someone or something brought you out of a possible dream state or startled you.”
Jessica crawled back onto the bed. “And so?”
Luke waved the broken stick at her. “And so I was right to sacrifice the pool stick instead of one or all of my limbs.”
She ran her hands through her hair. “Four kicked me in the ribs to wake me up. My hands and legs were zip tied, but I struggled to break free from the stabbing pain in my stomach and ribs so eventually the zip ties rubbed directly on my wrist bones.” Jessica held up her wrists to show him her pearly faded scars. “The moral of the story is I don’t like to be woken by touch. But you already knew that.”
