FALLING: The Negative Ion Series (12 page)

“DO IT!” I shouted back.

He leaned forward, moving my hips higher as he gripped the floor, thrusting harder and faster until he stilled, shouting to God and thanking him.

We both collapsed and panted, me on my back and
Jaxen, still inside and on top of me. I thought I was going to have an asthma attack, I was breathing so hard and heavy.

“What the fuck… oh, God, baby… what was that?”
Jaxen breathed into my neck.

“What?” I giggled through my breaths. “Didn’t you like that?”

“Are you kidding? Fuck! I loved it! Where did that come from?”

“I don’t want you to get bored with me, Red. I wanted to spice it up and keep you happy.
”

Jaxen
looked up and frowned at me. “You thought I wasn’t happy with our sex?”

“You never say. You just do.”

“I do because I love making love with you.”

I look away and whisper. “You said ‘fuck’ earlier, Red.”

Jaxen turned my head and looked in my eyes. “There is sex, there is fucking and there is getting off. With you, all of it is making love. We just fucked but I still made love to you. I called it a fuck because I wanted to ram you hard and make you cum like fountain. I meant nothing negative by saying that to you, I promise.”

I nod then
Jaxen bends and kisses my lips so softly. I kiss him back and feel him grow again. I started moving my hips as he groans in my mouth. I gasped and held on to him as he takes me to the edge. I build and cum again and Jaxen is right behind me, crying out and tightening his eyes.

We hold each other on the floor for I don’t know how long and he rubs me everywhere he can reach.

I swear I don’t know how I’m going to be able to let him go.

Chapter 11

32
days left and I got a what?

I sauntered in the house at 3 a.m., completely wiped.
Jaxen and I attended what had to be a fourth going away party and I drank until I was blue in the face. This one was hosted by Skull and the guys at the tattoo parlor for one of the part time artists that was also going east. As usual, Jaxen smiled and watched me party with his friends, keeping a close eye on me as he sipped from the same cup and I had a suspicion it was only soda or water.

My parents were waiting up for me, which I found odd, especially my pregnant mother who usually knocked out by 6 these days and stayed sleep until noon the next day. Okay, that was an exaggeration. I think she showed herself around eight or nine a.m. but she looked like she wanted to sleep until noon.

This night, Jaxen brought me home early but we were in the car for a couple of hours necking and trying not to go too far since we had no protection. Pregnancy was the last thing I needed and he agreed.

I walked in the door to my beaming parents and I smiled back.

“What’s with your smiles?” I ask as I sit across from them.

“You got a letter or a large envelope
, I should say,” Mom gushed.

My brows rose. “From who? Grandma? She’s been threatening to send me her recipe book and I swear borscht is the last thing I want to learn to cook.”

“No, honey,” Daddy grinned. “It’s from Harvard.”

“Harvard?” I whispered. “Harvard sent me a large envelope?”

“Yes,” Mom grinned as she held out the package.

I couldn’t do anything but stare at it. I froze, couldn’t move if you paid me. I felt whatever was in that envelope, I wasn’t going to like it at all. I had
32 days left with Jaxen and I wanted them all and no matter what was in that big envelope. Nothing was not going to ruin these last precious days.

“
Come on, honey! Open it!” Mom smiled.

I shook my head, still staring.

“You need to at least see what’s in there, Itsy,” Daddy frowned. “It’s a thick envelope. It has to be good news.”

Yeah, good for everyone else but it won’t be for me, especially if it took me from my love. Sighing, I took the envelope and slowly peeled it open.

“It’s an admittance,” I murmur as I read. “I got in early. Holy… ”

I read the letter and see that they want me to enroll a week before I am supposed to leave and start work in Daddy’s firm. A week less with
Jaxen. Seven days.

I wiped my tears and sigh.
I can’t go. I want and need Jaxen and I know I will never be able to casually get on that plane and leave him.  I still had four weeks to go and even the thought of it tears me apart. I was going to tell them later but since I have this letter, I feel like I should do it now. I know they are going to be disappointed, but I need to do what I feel is right for me.

“Um, Mom… Dad… I uh, well…,” I start then look at the floor hoping I can find the right words.

“What, honey?” Mom’s voice asks nervously.

I take a deep breath and exhale it slowly
and staring at my toes, I speak slow and even.

“I don’t want to move to New York anymore. I want to stay in California. Whew.”

Complete silence. I slowly raise my head and look at my bewildered parents.

“
Itsy, um…”

“
Mom, I fell in love and I couldn’t help myself. I cannot let him go.”

“But this is your education,
Itsy. You can go to school a year early, which is really on time. Are really going to throw that away?”

“I’m n
ot throwing anything away, Mom. I’ll still finish my education, just not on the east coast.”

“Honey, listen. Your mother and I will be
east and you’ll be here, missing out on seeing your siblings grow up. Is that what you really want to do?”

“I need to, Daddy. Mom said that I needed to see what this was with
Jaxen so that I wouldn’t have regrets later. Well, I did and now I cannot be without him. I love him.”

Mom and Daddy looked at each other as a tear rolled down my cheek.

“Kitten, do you think he feels the same for her?”

Mom looked at me then back to Daddy. “Yes, Sam. I believe he does.”

Daddy sighs. “So now what?”

“I could wait to see if Stanford accepts me.”

“You applied?” Mom asks, completely stunned.

I nod. “Yes. I needed to, in case I got cold feet about New York. I didn’t
know Parker or Samantha was going east too and I was going to bail. So I applied there and to U.C. Berkeley-Boalt.”

“What if you don’t get in?” Daddy asks.

“Then I need to wait a year and reapply. In the meantime, I work and be with Jaxen as much as I can.”

“Sam…” Mom whined after a few minutes.

“I know. You were right,” Daddy sighed.

“Right about what?” I asked, looking back and forth between them. “What am I missing?”

Daddy rubbed his face and moved to the edge of the couch then looked at me, his expression a mix of relief and glee.

“Your grandparents are not getting any younger.”

I giggled. “Well, none of us are, Daddy.”

“True
,” Daddy chuckled. “But they wanted to move back to California, and told me so right after I asked you to move to New York. They wanted to be closer to their grandchildren and decided to stay in New York when I told them you guys were moving there. Your mom doesn’t want to go east, but since you were going, she was willing to give it a shot. So that left me as the lone holdout. Chips are stacked against me now. We’re all staying.”

My eyes watered and bulged. “No one’s going east? We’re all staying in California?”

“We’re all staying, honey,” Daddy confirmed.

I let out a big whoop
, squeezed in between them on the couch and hugged them both tight.

“Oh, God! I can’t believe this! I get to stay and be with
Jaxen!”

“We’re gl
ad you want to be with us too, honey,” Mom chuckled.

“Of course, Mommy! You guys too! Ooh, I have to find an apartment!”

Mom gasped. “What? Why?”

“I can’t stay here with you guys and your baby!”

“But you are our baby, Itsy,” Mom whined.

“I’m 22, Mom,” I giggled. “I should be out and about now. I’ll get a job and start saving. Wow, I cannot believe I’ll be living alone!”

“Sam, do something,” Mom gasped.

“
Itsy, wait before you do anything. Job, apartment. All of it. Let’s wait to see if you get into Stanford or Boalt then we’ll work from there. Until then, you stay here with your mother and me.”

“But Daddy--”

“No arguments. You are our daughter and you will be here as long as you need to be. I wouldn’t care if you’re here forever.”

I wrapped my arms around him and sighed. I really did miss him while he was in New York and I’m glad to get more time with him.

“Yes, Daddy.”

The next afternoon, I met with Parker and Samantha for lunch. Jaxen said he had something to do and would call me later to spend some time together. We decided to meet at Cracker Barrel and when I walked in the restaurant, I immediately found them, sitting at a table and kissing each other softly.

“Ew,” I murmured as I sat across
Parker. “Seriously, people are trying to eat and you’re putting me off the thought of food.”

“I love you too, little sister,” Parker chuckled. He reached over and kissed my forehead. I smiled at him.

Samantha grabbed my hand. “I’m so fucking happy, I could burst. Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

I giggled. “For what?”

“For falling in love with my brother and convincing your parents to stay in California!”

“Yeah,” Parker nodded. “I wasn’t looking forward to moving. It was made better with
Samantha going and there was no way I was going to let you go without me, but Mom was a battle I was slowly losing. I’m glad it’s worked out this way.”

“Me too,” I grinned. “I really do love him, you know.”

Parker looks at me a moment then nods. “Yes, Itsy, I know. Congrats.”

My jaw drops.
“Are you…”

Parker nods. “I’m releasing you. I think you’re safe with him.”

I cried and jumped up, wrapping my arms around his neck. Parker’s arms come around me and he sets me on his lap like he used to when we were little. I feel Samantha soothe me, rubbing my arm as I cried at the memory I have when I was two, the first time I sat in my big brother’s lap.

“Don’t cry, sis,” Parker says as he rubs my back.

“It’s going to be funny not having you ’protect’ me anymore,” I sniff when I relax.

“Whoa,” Parker says pulling back and looking at me. “I’m releasing you from day-to-day protection.
Jaxen fucks up with you… ever… and I kick his ass. Literally.”

“Good,” I grin. “I think you’d be justified if he ever hurt me. Which I sincerely doubt he ever will.”

“So do I,” Samantha sighs. “I think he’s changed for the better for her. I know I warned you over and over but I really believe he’s yours, Itsy.”

“I know he is. He loves me,” I say softly. “And I love him.”

“Good,” Parker smiles. “Now go clean your face. I don’t want to see tear tracks while I eat through half the menu.”

I stand and
Samantha does to. “I’ll come with you.”

When
we get to the ladies room, Samantha asks me to be her maid of honor. I eagerly agree and we make plans to start planning after the New Year.

“July 26
th will be here before you know it,” Samantha grins.

“I know. I can’t wait. What are your colors?”

“Parker’s favorite. Blood red and black. He’s so demonic and he’s got me loving that combo. I can’t wait to see him and the guys in black tuxes with the blood red shirt and ties. And you… I think you should be in black and the other bridesmaids should be in the red.”

“Oh, please,” I beg. “I want to be in red. I love that color.”

“You in red and the others in black?” Samantha murmurs, the wheels in her head spinning. “That could work. We have time to draw it out and agree. I want you to stand out from the others.”

“We could ask
Jaxen to draw it out in different scenarios, Sammi. Maybe get a better idea that way?”

“Good idea,” a voice murmurs as
Samantha nods. I turn to see who is talking and see no one. I frown.

“You could also get him to draw wedding cakes. Tell him what you want, he can draw it out and
you can take it to the baker.”

I startle and drop my purse
on the counter. Samantha giggled, reached in and grabbed my phone.

“Your purse is making calls again,
Itsy! Hi, Shauna!”

Mom laughed. “Good
afternoon, Samantha. Itsy, it’s a good thing you have unlimited minutes, honey. Your purse is always calling me! You have to learn to lock your phone!”

I finally giggle and shake my head. “I know, Mom, and once again, I’m sorry. I keep forgetting. God, this is why my phone is always dead when I need to use it!”

“It is, honey. Please try to remember this time. Enjoy your lunch. Bye, girls.”

Samantha
smiles. “Thanks, Shauna. Bye.”

“Thanks, Mom. Bye!” I giggle and hang up, immediately remembering to lock the phone and toss it in my purse.

“God, once your purse called me and you were shouting out my brother’s name. It totally put me off my dinner,” Samantha shuddered. “And sex. It took Parker’s tongue an hour to get me to respond and get that crap out of my head.”

“Oh, God,
Samantha!” I shouted. “Why did you do that to me?!
UGH
! I don’t need to hear about you and Parker!”

“Payback’s a bitch,”
Samantha laughed. “Learn to lock your frickin’ phone!”

“
Ew… I so will. And you need to get Jaxen to learn to not wait until his phone dies before plugging it up. Always kicking off in the middle of a conversation. That irritates me so much.”

“You and Mom both. Then there’s the waiting for him to call back after he finds his
charger. She’s always ready to ring his neck for that.”

I
t took all my will power not to tell Jaxen I was staying in California. I wanted to wait until the last minute to tell him and I anticipated his reaction when I told him. I also asked Samantha and Parker to keep it from him while they said they were staying. I wanted to tell him, in my way and in my own time.

Jaxen
didn’t have to go in to work that day and I had no plans, so when he called me around three, I eagerly accepted his suggestion: to be alone in a hotel room making love.