My heart soared and flipped and tumbled at his words and I didn’t dare correct him. Tonight I would be his woman.
“Let’s get out of here,” I said in a husky voice.
“Have fun, kids,” Bailey called out as Lucas snatched his guitar case and dragged me out to his truck. He buckled me up and tore out of the parking lot. I laughed as I clutched his leg.
When we got to his house, he hurried me inside but instead of rushing me into the bedroom, he dropped his things and took me into the kitchen.
“Hungry?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I said as I dropped his hand to wrap my arms around his waist. “For you.”
Chuckling, he turned to gawk at me. “That was cheesy.”
“No it wasn’t!” I protested. “It was sexy! And hot!”
“It wasn’t sexy or hot,” he said, gripping my hips to heft me on the counter and stand between my knees. His hands slipped under my shirt and up my sides. “I’ll show you what’s hot and sexy.” After he yanked my shirt over my head, he dropped it to the floor. “Now this is hot,” he said as he kissed me. I clutched his shoulders and gasped.
“Um, Lucas,” I said, as I pulled away from him. “Won’t Collin be home soon?”
He hooked a finger under my bra strap and slipped it down my arm. “Nope. He’s been seeing some girl and he’s going over there tonight.”
“Well, in that case,” I said as I unbuttoned his pants. "Continue.”
He helped me off the counter and out of my clothes then lifted me back up as I yanked his jeans down. He kicked them off and cursed, a sheepish smile on his face, and ran out of the room. I laughed, a little self-conscious, as I guessed what he was after. I was right.
When he returned, he kissed me fiercely. He scooted me to the edge of the counter and entered me quickly. I buried my face in his neck as I moaned his name which only hastened his pace. The new position was exhilarating and just plain hot that it drove me to the edge in record time. I wrapped my legs around his waist to urge him on – wanting him to finish with me.
He did, pressing me to his chest as shudders rattled his body. I rested my cheek on his shoulder as we both calmed our breathing. He finally laughed and ruffled my hair as he helped me off the counter.
“I’m really going to have to scrub the counter now, huh?”
I blushed as I gathered my clothes and scurried to the bathroom. After I started the shower, I hopped in, knowing he’d join me soon enough.
He didn’t disappoint me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my shoulder. I turned in his arms to kiss him sweetly on the lips. “Sorry, love,” I said with a teasing grin in which he returned. “But I’m still recovering from the kitchen activities to resume them in the shower.”
“Hm,” he said with narrowed eyes. “You must be tired – you usually love it in the shower.”
I felt the heat in my cheeks but I didn’t contradict him. “You just make me crazy.”
He kissed me again, allowing his lips to linger on mine. “And I just can’t keep my hands off of you.”
We finished the shower faster than usual and I helped myself to one of his many t-shirts before crawling into his bed. I glanced at the clock and my heart stopped – my notebook was lying open on the nightstand.
“Um, you read some of that?” I asked as I pointed at the notebook.
“Yeah,” he said as he crawled in beside me. He shut off the light and collected me in his arms. “I took it to work with me and read it on my breaks. I had a hard time putting it down so when I got home, I sort of chilled out for a bit in here and started reading again.” He kissed the top of my head. “Irelyn, you are extremely talented. I can’t believe you’re not published yet.”
I thrilled at his words – and blushed furiously. “You really like it?”
“Yes, very much. And I’m not just saying it. I honestly mean it,” he said.
“Thank you,” I said as I kissed him. “I’m glad you like it. I was a little scared to let you read it.”
“Never be afraid,” he said. “You can tell me anything you want. Or show me.”
My cheeks were blazing and my heart fluttering happily but I had to change the subject – I guess I just couldn’t handle the deep meaning in his words. “I don’t think there’s much that I haven’t shown you.”
He chuckled as he buried his face in my hair. “That’s not what I meant.” He turned our bodies so that we were on our sides and I was spooned against him. I think he loved having my body pressed against his and his arms around me. “Listen to me, love – no matter what this thing is between us – I don’t care if it’s just a…affair, I guess I mean to say. Anyway, we haven’t set rules or boundaries nor have we really discussed what will happen in the future. That’s fine – I’m following your lead.”
I tensed and he felt it. He massaged my arm, planting soft kisses along my cheek and jaw until I relaxed.
“What I’m trying to say is that no matter what happens, I genuinely like you, Irelyn, and I really hope that we’re at least friends.”
I wanted to cry and sob and gush and just hug him until he couldn’t breathe. I wanted to utter sappy, romantic words to him. I wanted to act out a scene like I was writing it in one of my stories. But I didn’t. I wiggled until I was facing him and traced his jaw. I knew that no matter what happened – even if it was so wrong for me to be with him while I was still Dustin’s girlfriend – that I was a better person for knowing Lucas. I smiled in the dark and kissed him, forcing all my feelings and emotions and confusion in that one kiss.
He held me tighter and returned it – almost like he understood.
When our lips finally broke apart, we were silent. We didn’t need to say anything, anyway. I imagined if the lights were on, we’d both be staring in each other’s eyes. It was intense and romantic and something totally out of romance stories better than mine. But what it actually meant for us, I hadn’t a clue.
“Hey, love,” he said, effectively breaking the tension. “Why don’t you write a story for me?”
“Really?” I squeaked. I cleared my throat and tried again. “Really? Um, what about?”
He turned me again until I was pressed against him and wrapped tightly in his embrace. His mouth was close to my ear, his breath blowing my hair when he spoke. “Well, something with a good guy and a bad guy and a hot chick.”
I snorted and he squeezed me.
“Let me finish.” He pressed a kiss to my temple. “I don’t care what time period or anything. I mean, they can be fighting dragons or fighting terrorists – anything you want.”
“Okay,” I said slowly, curious as to what he was up to. “Anything else?”
“The hot chick has to have pretty blonde hair and kick ass blue eyes,” he said and I could almost feel his smile. It thrilled me to hear him describe her that way – I knew he was talking about me. “She has to be able to speak her mind but not be a bitch about it. She has to be smart and fun. And she has to be filled with passion.”
I wriggled to my back so I could admire what features I could see in the dark. I toyed with his bare chest as I spoke. “And the good guy is a musically talented man who is incredibly sexy and wonderful and possibly from another country?”
He grinned and kissed me. “Not at all – that’s the bad guy. And I don’t care if he wins or loses – that doesn’t make a difference.” He shifted and hovered over me, kissing me again -and again and again – each kiss lasting a little longer than the previous one. His lips lingered over mine as he whispered: “I just want the bad guy to get the girl.”
Chapter 11
Tommy was bouncing off the walls when I walked through the door late Saturday morning. I was a little grumpy - not in the mood for young boy exuberance - so I held him off while I tromped to my room and gathered some clothes for a shower.
I tried not to think about Lucas while I washed my hair and scrubbed my body – that would only heat me up and force me to turn the water temperature down. And I was already in a dark mood because I hadn’t wanted to leave him this morning. I never wanted to leave him in the mornings but today was worse than usual.
Maybe because he woke first and stirred me from sleep with sweet kisses that eventually turn hot. Maybe because I just couldn’t seem to get enough of him. Maybe because my heart saw him as more than just a fling and my brain was starting to, too.
After I showered and dressed, I headed downstairs where Tommy waited patiently on his piano stool. Smiling apologetically, I perched beside him. I pecked his cheek.
“What’s up, Tommy?”
“I like the new school, Irelyn,” he said, his eyes shining. “I can play the piano all day.”
My mind stuttered as I froze, gawking at him. He smiled gently and I shook my head to get it started again. “You, what? You like Torrison’s?”
“Aunt Mina took me there. I still have to do math and reading but I get to play the piano. And Bobby Luther will show me around. He plays the piano. He’s ten. He’s nice. He said he would be my friend.”
“You…you really like the school?” I asked. He nodded and spun on the bench to face the piano. “So, you want to go?”
“Yes.” He plucked at the keys absently but I could tell he was itching to play and I was preventing him from doing so.
“Well, good,” I said. “Um, okay. I’ll get out of your way.”
I found my mother in the kitchen as Tommy’s fingers let loose on the keys. I grinned at her before giving her a huge hug.
“Tommy is so excited,” my mother said. “And it will be so good for him. He’s opened up a lot more to me. Oh, he’s still very particular, you know – wants his things arranged just so and keeps to his schedule – but he’s starting to really open up.”
“That’s great,” I said, beaming. Maybe Grandfather was right about this school. Tommy seemed excited and already had a tentative friend. “I’m going to go call Dustin. I’ve hardly talked to him all week.”
***
Whispering Winds was decked out in breathtaking Christmas décor. Lighted garland hung in every doorway as sparkling stars and snowflakes hung from the ceilings. Huge seven foot Christmas trees decorated a corner in every room, their fresh, piney scent lingering in the air and reminding everyone of Christmases long ago.
All the tables in the dining room sported red or green table cloths with lightly scented candles flickering on top. Brass reindeer pranced across the mantle of the huge fireplace as green and red stockings hung in front of the roaring fire.
I detested Whispering Winds but at Christmas – it completely and utterly stole my heart. The décor was lovely and expensive but also tastefully done to where you wished you could decorate your own home the same way.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Dustin asked as he escorted me to my grandparents’ table.
“Yes, it is very beautiful,” I concurred. “I’ve always loved the decorations.”
He held my chair for me and I smiled my thanks. I caught my grandfather’s nod of approval out of the corner of my eye as Dustin dropped next to me.
I was only slightly surprised to see Martin and Vivian Summerlin sitting across from me. They belonged to the club but didn’t make it a routine to eat there every Saturday.
“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. Summerlin,” I said with a polite smile. They’d given me permission long ago to call them by their given names but I wasn’t allowed to do so in front of my grandparents. They believed children and young people were far too familiar with their elders these days and that I should continue to address the Summerlins formerly until I was married into their family.
“It’s so nice to see you again, dear,” Mrs. Summerlin said. “You and Dustin have been so busy that I never see the two of you together.”
I smiled again. I did genuinely like Dustin’s mother. She was a warm, caring person who’d passed some of that to her son. Mr. Summerlin, on the other hand, was a little harder to please. Oh, we got along just fine – always had, but I always secretly thought that he was vying to take over my grandfather’s position as most formal, stuffy man once my grandfather passed. He had a ways to go – but he was getting there.
“Hopefully things will settle down during break,” I said. “Then I can come over and visit if you’d like.”
“I’d like that, dear,” she said.
Grandfather interrupted with an update on Tommy’s school. He announced that Tommy approved and that he’d start once school resumed in January – like it mattered or not if Tommy approved.
Tommy ducked his head over his plate, embarrassed to be the center of attention, and I wished I was sitting closer to him. Mom draped an arm over his shoulder and he perked. I guess he was opening up.
“See, I told you,” Dustin whispered in my ear. I furrowed my brow, wondering what he thought he’d told me. If he meant that it would all work out, well then he was right. But he wasn’t the one who’d suggested Tommy take a tour and be asked his opinion.
Stop thinking of Lucas, I ordered my brain. I couldn’t think about him while I was surrounded by my family and Dustin’s. That seemed almost as bad as the actual cheating itself.
Dinner couldn’t pass quickly enough for me. I did, however, endure – but not without costs. My cheeks were aching from forced, fake smiles and my stomach was still rumbling. The entrees at the club were large on price but low on sustenance. I was dying to leave and run through the drive-thru of the nearest fast food restaurant.
Dustin grinned when he heard my stomach object and leaned in to whisper in my ear. “As soon as we’re excused, I’ll take you for some real food.”
His smile reminded me of the day I met him and how in love I used to be.
Used to be? my brain asked. I, like always, pushed the question aside so I could force one more smile to my face.
I hated that I had to ask to be excused but that was expected here in the world of the rich and the posing. Dustin did the honors and my grandfather nodded, a small smile toying on his lips. My heart fell to my shoes. Was Dustin intending on proposing tonight?
He did indeed indulge me with fast food as we took a drive through Indianapolis to admire the festive displays of light. I forced as much food down as I could since my once ravenous hunger suddenly evaporated.
We passed the Horse Shoe Club and I wondered if Lucas was playing there tonight. I knew that he had in the past but I hadn’t asked this morning if he would be this weekend. An inkling of anger and jealousy swirled in my stomach, interrupting the digestion of the cheeseburger I’d choked down, as I imagined Amber there, close to the stage, watching. My fingers itched to scratch her eyes out and my knuckles longed to punch her – just once.