True for You (18 page)
“Aren’t
men supposed to not like shopping?”
“Depends
what they’re shopping for.”
I
level him with a look. “So cars or tools?”
“Lingerie.”
My
eyes round. “I am not shopping for that with you.”
He
pouts, his lower lip sticking out. The same one his tongue had licked
earlier. I want to lick it now. Oh God, I’m shameless. “Please,
Bliss.”
“Fine,
but you have to wear whatever I pick out.”
“Huh?”
“We’re
shopping for
your
unmentionables, not mine, right?” I blink up at him, all
innocence.
He
throws back his head and laughs. “I knew I could count on you
to keep my mind off last night’s disaster.”
Reaching
between us, I take his face in my hand and turn it to one side,
examining his cheek. The handprint is gone, but to me, it still looks
tender. I kiss him there, and he draws in a breath.
“Better?”
I ask.
“Got
more places you can kiss,” he says gruffly, reminding me of the
little boy I used to know. Of all the bruises he endured from the
people who should’ve protected him. My heart melts.
“I’ll
kiss you anywhere and everywhere you want.”
“You’re
too good to me,” he says, lowering his head to my chest. “I
have a meeting this morning. Would you like to come with me?”
“What
kind of meeting?”
“An
appointment with an agent. One of the best, if not the best in the
industry.”
“Oh,
did Violet tell you about the agent?”
“No.”
He looks up at me. “Davis, her dad, emailed me. He recommended
him. I don’t know why he’d do that.” He grunts.
“Actually, I do. He’s exactly like Cameron and believes
in helping the less fortunate.”
“You’re
less fortunate?”
“In
spirit, I guess.” He exhales. “I might have overstepped
my bounds and did something for you.”
Try
as I might, I can’t think of what he could do for me that would
overstep his bounds… except divorce. My heart thuds loudly in
my chest. So loud, that I’m sure he can hear it.
“What’s
that?”
He
closes his eyes. “Just a minute. I’m listening to you.”
His mouth kicks up at the corners. “The beat of your heart. The
look in your eyes.”
“You
can’t see my eyes.”
“Hush.”
He taps out a rhythm on the bed. “I need to think on this some
more.”
“What
about overstepping your bounds?”
He
hops off the bed, all bashful as he grins at me. “I might have
found a few schools for you to pick from up here so you can go to
classes, while I record my next album.”
Shocked,
my mouth falls open. “You did that for me?”
“You’re
not mad?”
“Why
would I be mad?” I throw the covers back, leap out of bed, and
tackle him. “You, Jackson Morgan, are the sweetest husband
ever.”
“Sweet
enough to go back-to-school shopping for lingerie?”
I
snort. “Only if you let me wear it on the first day.”
He
frowns. “School supplies it is, then.”
*** *** ***
Jackson
I’m
driving in my car, excitement coursing through me. The meeting with
my agent went better than I ever imagined.
For
some reason, Everett had kept quiet about the real reasons for
terminating my contract, but he did make it clear that he still owned
the rights to my name.
My
phone rings, and I answer it, using my Bluetooth. “This is
Jackson.”
“Jackson.
Henry Vail. Good news. Empire Five wants to sign you immediately.
Between you and me, they’ve been waiting for years for this
opportunity.”
“That’s
amazing news.” I hit the steering wheel. “I have these
songs—”
“Empire
Five already has some picked out for you, but they have agreed to
take a look at yours. If they like them, they have absolutely no
problem recording, and they’d like to release the album under
your real name, instead of buying the Jaxon Hunter brand from your
old label. Your fans will follow with your image plastered
everywhere.”
“Fair
enough.” It’s not exactly the control I wanted…
but at least they’re willing, which was more than I could ever
say for Everett. “When do I start?”
“Tomorrow.
Seven am, but only if you’re willing to sign.”
“Hell
yes, I’m willing.”
He
chuckles. “Nelson wants to get you in the studio as soon as
possible. He’s shooting for a fall release.”
“I’ll
be there.”
“And
Jackson?”
Yes?”
“Even
if you’d chosen to go with another agent, I’d still say
this—it’s a damn good thing you’ve parted with
Everett. I know he’s your dad, but you can’t be singing
the same songs, the same way, year after year, and expect to stay on
top.”
Ain’t
that the damn truth? “Thanks, Henry. I’m looking forward
to working with you for a long time.” I turn off my Bluetooth
and head home. Bliss is going to love my news.
Ten
minutes later, I’m parking the car and heading upstairs. The
elevator isn’t fast enough for me.
But
when I walk through the door, the entire house is quiet. Eerily
quiet. I know Bliss is quiet by nature, but this…
“I’m
home,” I call out.
“In
here.” Bliss’ voice sounds strange, all raspy.
I
jog to the bedroom, find the flat screen on, but the sound is off.
Bliss sits cross-legged on the floor, a box of tissues in her lap.
“Did
you watch a sad movie?”
“No.”
“Scary
one?”
“No.”
Kneeling
beside her, I take her hand in mine. It’s cold to the touch,
despite the bedroom being warm. “What’s wrong?”
“A
delivery guy brought a DVD to me.”
Dread
washes over me. “And?”
“There’s
a girl, Tara Flowers, and she’s pregnant,” she says.
Oh shit. No, no,
no
.
This
cannot be happening.
“Everett’s a liar. He’s—”
“I
know he’s a liar.”
The
breath I’d been holding comes out in a whoosh. “Then why
are you crying?”
“Because
she
’s
on camera, saying it’s yours, and that you paid her to keep
quiet. She even has the paperwork where money was transferred from
your account to her parents.” She looks at me, eyes and nose
red. “Explain how that’s a lie. Is everyone lying about
you? Or am I the only one dumb enough to think you were different?
That you were more. Explain that to me!”
The
room closes in on me. “The money’s mine, but the baby
isn’t.”
“I
don’t believe you.” Then she stands up and walks out of
our bedroom.
Jackson
“Why
don’t you believe me?” I ask, chasing after her.
“Why
would I? She looks like your type, you spent time with her, and it’s
not like you were faithful to Callie while y’all were engaged.”
She stops in the middle of the room. “The only person you ever
attempted to be faithful to was Violet.”
“I
was always faithful to her.”
“You
cheated on her with Callie, then you tried cheating on Callie with
Violet, but she wouldn’t have it, and then there was me—oh
God,” she cries. “I was the other woman. I let you touch
me while you were engaged to someone else.”
“We
weren’t really engaged.” My earlier good mood is gone,
banished by my past coming to bite me in the ass. “I was her
beard.”
Bliss
blinks at me. “What’s a beard?”
“A
disguise. She and my dad were the ones that were having an affair,
not me. I wouldn’t willingly have touched Callie. Ever. She was
Violet’s best friend, and I
never
touched her. I couldn’t stand to be in the same room as—you
know what? I’m done explaining myself. I’m over defending
myself to you, to Violet, and to any other woman.” I slash my
hand through the air. “For once I’d like someone to
believe me, to take my side, and no matter what…
to
trust
me
.”
“But
why would you pretend be with her? Why would you do that to Violet,
or to yourself for that matter?” She lays her hand on my arm.
“Help me understand.”
“If
I didn’t… if I hadn’t pretended, time after time,
that all those other women were with me, then my mother would have
killed herself, and it would be all my fault.” I look down at
the floor. “She hurts herself, Bliss. With razors, with
drinking too much, and with pills. I can’t be responsible for
that.”
“You’re
going to take the fall again, so your mom won’t hurt herself?”
I
scrub a hand across my face. Of course, Everett wants me to play his
game. It’s punishment, for leaving the tour. “I don’t
know,” I mumble.
“What
do you mean, you don’t know?” Her grip tightens on my
arm, and I look at her. “Jackson, you can’t do this.”
“So
I just let her kill herself?”
She
puts her hands on her hips and lets out a snort. “She’s
still alive today, isn’t she?”
“Excuse
me?”
“Last
night, your mother accused me of sleeping with her husband, of being
his
latest
floozy
.
If she really wanted to hurt herself, then wouldn’t she have
done it by now?” She blows out a breath of obvious exasperation
when I don’t respond. “I’m not an expert, but I
think she’s too selfish to do something that permanent.”
I
stare at Bliss in amazement and disbelief.
“Why
don’t you talk to someone about it, like a therapist?”
she says.
The
tension in the room swells, dips, and then swells again. “Like
some head case? No thanks.”
Her
lips smash together. “Then don’t expect me to feel sorry
for you, or put up with you
pretending
to
cheat on me.”
“Do
you really think I’d do that to you?” I shout. But I know
the truth, and I know my past. I’m weak, and I can’t take
the chance that Kathy won’t try to kill herself. I have enough
on my conscience.
“If
you could do it to the girl you claimed you loved, the same one you
spent months trying to get her to fall back in love with you, then
what makes me so darn special?” she asks, her voice breaking.
“Give
me some time, Bliss. Can you do that for me?” Answer a question
with a question—that’s me. Actually, that’s the old
me. “I know I don’t deserve it, but I’m begging
you. Give me time.”
She
sucks in one of her cheeks. “Okay, I’ll give you time.”
Tears fall from the corners of her eyes, and she hiccups. “But
I’m begging you. Please don’t hurt me anymore, not like
this. My heart can’t take it.”
Slowly, I move
closer to her, and closer still when she doesn’t back away. I
take her in my arms, kissing her tears, her nose, her cheeks, and her
sexy mouth. For the longest time, it’s just me kissing her,
until she sighs one of her sighs and melts against me, arms wrapping
around my neck
“Can
I tell you my good news?” I ask between kisses. I’ll deal
with Everett and his DVD later. Besides, I still have the flash
drive, with the pictures of him with barely legal girls.
“Everyone
wants you to sing for their label?”
“Something
like that.” I nibble on the side of her jaw. “Want to
help me celebrate?”
“With
cake and ice cream?”
“Not
a bad idea. I could put the ice cream on your nipples and lick it
off.”
“Or
I could put it on
your
nipples and lick it off.”
I
lean back, holding the most perfect woman for me in my arms, and gaze
into her eyes. “I swear I’ll fix this.”
“I’m
holding you to that,” she says, her face all vulnerable.
I
swing her up in my arms and carry her into the bedroom. “Baby,
I’m going to love you so good, that there’s no way anyone
could ever think I’d want any woman but you.”
*** *** ***
Bliss
Jackson
lays me down on the bed, undressing me like I’m too helpless to
do it myself. Then he takes off his clothes, until he’s
standing there, sexy and nude. Grinning like the wicked man he is, he
climbs on the bed and takes me in his arms once more.
“You
are the sexist woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.” He trails
his fingers down my neck and onto my collarbone, his tone and face
all serious. “The sexist woman I’ve ever had the pleasure
of touching.” He moves lower, taking a hard nipple into his
mouth and letting it pop out. “Of kissing.” He places
open-mouthed kisses down my stomach and abdomen. “Of licking.”
My thighs tremble in anticipation. “Open up for me, beautiful
girl.”
I
part my legs, and he gives me a sexy smile right before he lowers his
mouth and—
“Oh
God.”
He
smiles against my sensitive skin. “I prefer Jackson.”
“With
a mouth like that, who wouldn’t prefer you?” I gasp.
Then
he licks me again, and I forget everything.
***
Jackson
and I, after a few hours of make-up sex and cuddling, are shopping.
So far, he’s bought me a new backpack, school supplies, back to
school clothes, and quite a few outfits that will never see the light
of day because they’re so short and tight.