by Toni Aleo
“You look like a princess.”
She rolls her eyes. “That’s the point. Now, look,” she says, smacking me. But when I look up to the camera, I can’t shake how much she looks like what she is.
A princess.
“There ya go,” Tony calls, bringing the phone back to her.
Lena takes it, squealing happily when her eyes fall on the photo of us. “Send it to yer ma?”
I look at the photo, and my heart catches.
We do look like we belong together.
Wow.
When my phone dings with a message, I know it’s the photo from Lena. My mom is going to freak. I chuckle at the thought as I nod. “Of course. She’ll love it.”
“She will!” she gushes, squeezing my hand.
“Ready?” Tony asks as Lena nods.
“Are ya ready?”
I’m not, but I nod before I kiss her temple. “If you are.”
“Yeah, let’s go. Thanks, Tony.”
She sends me a grin as Tony opens the door to the town car for us. I hold my hand out, taking her hand and helping her in before I get in too. I haven’t been in a town car before, but by the way Lena is moving around, pouring us glasses of whiskey, I know it isn’t her first time. Handing me a glass, she sits back as the car starts out of the drive.
Holding her glass out, she says, “To a wonderful night.”
I tap my glass to hers, and I hope she doesn’t notice that my hand is shaking. Shit, I need this drink. Taking a long pull, I feel her watching me as I hiss out a breath. “I swear the whiskey here is stronger.”
“That’s why we’re so rich,” she says with a wink, but I don’t laugh before I take another sip. “So, things aren’t so grand with my ma.” Her brows come in as she exhales quickly.
“Is she okay?”
“I mean, she’s yelling and being a damn pain, but my da told me she might not recover like we wanted.”
“Oh,” I say. As if I weren’t already nervous about the gala, now I have the knife in my chest from knowing that, in a month’s time, I’ll be gone.
And she’ll be here.
“She’s saying she’ll need me to stay a bit longer. So our trip to Dublin will need to wait.”
I swallow hard before taking another drink of my whiskey, downing my glass. “But the good thing is she’ll be better.”
“Yeah, true,” she agrees, and I feel her gaze burning into the side of my face. “I worry for her, though. She has lost a lot of control in her body.”
“From the tumor? Or them removing it?”
“I think both,” she says, letting out a long breath. “It’s scary.”
“It is,” I agree, but Lena’s fear is way different from mine.
I’m scared to lose her.
“Ah, Jacks, what the hell’s wrong?”
I sigh as I glance over at her. I can’t tell her. I don’t want to ruin our night. “Nothing.”
“Yer a damn liar. What’s wrong? Do you not want to go anymore?”
“No, I do,” I insist before setting my glass in the cupholder. “I’m just nervous.”
“Nervous about what?”
I reach for her hand, weaving our fingers together. “Like, how do I touch you? Do I just hold your hand? Can I talk to you? I mean, are there rules? Do I have—”
“Holy fucking hell, what is your problem, ya nut?”
I can’t help but grin. “I don’t want to embarrass you tonight.”
“You won’t. Jaysus, Jacks,” she laughs, squeezing my hand. “Hold me how ya want. Kiss me if ya want, and ya best talk to me because I don’t want to talk to anyone but you. Rules, fuck ’em. We’re there to support a good cause and to enjoy each other.” She holds my gaze, her eyes burning into mine. “I’m not the least bit nervous. If anything, I’m giddy with excitement. I’ve never been to one of these things with someone I want to be with.”
I bite my lip as I draw in a deep breath. “Really?”
“Uh, yeah,” she says, leaning into me and nuzzling her nose along the hair growing on my jaw. She demanded I not shave, and I think it was so she could do that. “And everyone will be so jealous that I’m with the Canadian lumberjack.”
A loud laugh leaves my lips. “I doubt that.”
“Ah, they will. ’Cause ya got the shoulders to carry me anywhere and take what ya want.”
My dick comes to life at the thought. I shake my head. “You drive me insane.”
“Grand,” she coos. “Yer wound too tight for nothing. This is just a fun night for us.”
“I know, but I just don’t—”
“No more of that,” she says, waving me off. “I have an idea.”
I eye her. “What?”
“Tony, the privacy screen, please.”
“Yes, madam,” he says, and I watch as it goes up, but Lena doesn’t. Instead, she sets her glass down, and when the screen clicks shut, she looks at me, a sly and devilish grin on her face.
“What are you up to?”
“Ah, you’ll see,” she murmurs before hiking her skirt up her thighs. I try to stop her, but she climbs between my legs, her knees hitting the floor before she stares up into my eyes. “I think ya need to come.”
When she starts to unbuckle my slacks, I stop her. “Lena, no way. You’re too pretty for all that right now.”
She blushes. “That’s sweet, but I feel ya would be relaxed.”
“No.”
She scoffs. “Ya can’t tell me what to do.” I try to block her, but she somehow undoes my slacks, and then my dick is in her hand. I hiss out a breath as she whispers, “I want ya in my mouth, Jackson.”
She moves her nail along the shaft of my dick. Of course, I’m hard as a rock. I’m pretty sure I stay that way around her. “But your makeup.”
“Will stay in place. Let me make ya feel good,” she says, and before I can even try to protest, she has me in her mouth. My eyes go half lidded as I watch her move her mouth up and down my shaft. Her eyes are shut, her lips plump, and they feel so good around my swollen dick. Squeezing me at the base, she speeds up the motion, making a loud popping noise when she gets to the top. My toes curl in my shoes as I grip the seats, small, soft moans leaving my lips as I watch myself disappear into her mouth.
I feel my orgasm building. My heart is pounding out of control, and sweat has broken out along my neck. But Lena moves up and down my dick like she isn’t dressed to the nines. When she takes me deep in the back of her throat, I let out a harsh moan as I buckle up, everything blowing up inside of me. If it didn’t feel so good, I would be embarrassed. She sucks me dry as my head falls back, and I’m heaving for breath as I look up at the roof of the town car.
“Feel better?”
I lift my head, watching as she wipes her mouth with a napkin. Her lipstick is gone, all over my dick, but I don’t think either of us cares. Reaching for her, I take her by the back of her arms, bringing her up and into my lap. She wraps her arms around my neck, pressing her nose against mine as she gazes into my eyes. “You are undeniably the most unreal woman I’ve ever met.”
Her eyes sparkle as she touches her lips to mine. “I don’t want to be with anyone but you, Jackson. Please don’t be nervous.”
I scoff. “Lena, the only thing I’m feeling right now is good. Fucking good.”
Her lips curve into a kitten-like grin. “And just think, there’ll be more when we get home.”
I squeeze her ass in my hands. “Promise?”
She licks my lips, nodding slowly, her eyes dark and teasing. “Promise.”
As I gaze into her eyes, I don’t know how someone can be as gorgeous as she is but absolutely destroy me the second she gets her mouth on me.
But then, that’s why I love her.
God, I love her so fucking much.
I gaze into her eyes, moving my thumb along her lip, and I don’t know how I’ll walk away from her.
But I’ll have to.
“The only thing I’m worried about, at this point, is
what damage is left behind from what we removed. We thought it was a clean surgery, but you’ve lost the movement in your left leg and most all movement in your left arm. So I need you to realize it won’t be a fast recovery.”
Standing beside Declan, I watch as my ma nods, her hand in my da’s. She looks as if she may cry, and it turns my stomach. “Above all, you’re lucky to be alive.”
She scoffs. “In a broken-down body.”
“Ma, this is a blessing,” Declan says, and she nods, meeting his gaze.
“I know, I’m sorry,” she exhales, and then she waves off the doctor. “Fine, so when can I go home?”
“Tomorrow—as long as your blood pressure stays where it’s been.”
“Thank God. Two weeks here has been bloody hell.”
I smile. She’s been impossible. Hating everything about the hospital, even when Da hasn’t left her side. Declan has been working his ass off, while I’ve been doing what I said I would do. Be her. It’s event season, so I’ve been busy, and I haven’t hated it.
Mostly because Jackson has gone to everything with me.
It’s been perfection. He’s the best person to attend an event with, I’m convinced of that. He keeps me laughing the whole time, and everyone who meets him adores him. He can talk about anything, and I enjoy listening to him, especially when he speaks of his travels. When we were lying in bed last night, since he hasn’t stayed in the housing while Ma has been in the hospital, I made him promise to take me to all the places he’s traveled.
I want to see them the way he did, but with him.
“Well, Mrs. O’Callaghan, I’ll miss you.”
That makes everyone in the room laugh. We all know darn well this doctor hates my ma. She’s been unreasonable from the beginning. “Of course ya will. Thank you, Doctor.”
“My pleasure,” he says before leaving the room. As the door shuts, I look to the bed as she leans back, shaking her head. “I’m ready to go home.”
“We want ya home, Ma,” Declan says, and while I do want my ma home, I don’t. I know that means Jackson will probably have to go back to the housing. It’s the last thing I want. I love spending time with him, I love sleeping with him, and I totally love waking up to him. He always wakes with his hair in his eyes, and it’s adorable. I’m not ready for that to stop, and I have actually thought about talking to Declan about building me a little cottage on the land. I’m not saying that Jackson wants my forever, but for the time being, I want to be alone with him.
Maybe, in time, he’ll want my forever.
I know I want his.
Desperately.
Shaking my head, I walk toward the bed, sitting in the chair beside my ma just as she says, “I’m sure Lena feels differently.”
With my brows together, I ask, “Huh?”
“About me coming home.”
Her eyes meet mine, and I give her a look. “Of course I want ya home, Ma.”
“Means your boy toy won’t be able to stay anymore,” she sneers, and I roll my eyes. Ma hasn’t brought Jackson up at all, but I knew it was coming. I’ve seen the blogs and the papers; I’m just surprised she’s waited this long. “Not in my house will you lay with scum.”
“Ma, he isn’t scum,” Declan says, but she ignores him.
“It just pisses me off how candidly you ignore what I ask.”
“Noreen, your blood pressure. Ya want to come home, right?”
“Oh, hush, Ivor! I’ve been sitting on this for weeks.” Reaching for her little table that holds her things, she picks up one of the papers and clears her throat. “When asked who her handsomely clad date was, the princess replied, ‘My boyfriend, Jackson Tremblay.’ Within seconds, everyone was yelling for answers, but I had the princess in my grips. ‘Tell me, will there be wedding bells?’ A look of pure adoration came over the beautiful princess’s face as she looked up at her beau, who looked a wee bit lost, and informed me, ‘maybe.’” Ma paused, glaring over at me before throwing the paper down. “Maybe!”
I don’t answer her, though. I look away, shaking my head. I don’t know why she is acting like she didn’t know Jackson meant something to me. Pretty sure I’ve told her that.
“Ah, Noreen, it’s all lies anyway.”
“No, I said it.”
Everyone’s eyes cut to me. My da’s eyes widen as he holds his hand out. “What in the world?”
I shrug. “What?”
“How did I miss this? You haven’t spoken of a Jackson Tremblay.”
“Because if I did, you’d tell me to call it off. I’m not dumb.”
“Well, call it off,” my ma says then. “It’s not to happen, Lena. Yer just making a fool of yerself.”
“How am I doing that?”
“By being with someone you can’t be with.”
“Oh, I’m being with him,” I say sternly. “I care for him, a lot, and I enjoy him even more. We have a grand time, and I’m not giving that up.”
Pretty sure my ma is about to have a coronary. “It is not supposed to happen. You’re to marry someone of worth!”
“And, to me, he has all the worth.”
“You’re being impossible, Lena!”
“I don’t think I am.”
“Who is he? Do we know his family?” my da asks, and Ma laughs.
“Ivor, no, ’cause he’s a damn bartender and slings the shite in the stables.”
“He cares for the horses,” I yell, my own blood pressure rising. “And he’s a good man. He doesn’t need to work, but he does because he likes to. He’s on holiday!”
“Right, ’cause everyone works on holiday,” Ma says sarcastically. “He is shite, and you will be with someone better.”
But before I can yell anything, Declan stands. “He is on holiday.”
Both my parents look to Declan. My ma is breathing hard, and my da’s face is turning red, but Declan commands the room. “He’s actually a good mate too. I like him, and you both must realize that if it weren’t for him, she wouldn’t be doing as well as she is.”
“Oh, please, she’s fine—”
But Declan shakes his head. “Ma, she was on drugs, drinking, and sleeping with anything. She came home for ya, but no telling what she would have done if she hadn’t met him.”
“She would be with someone better!”
“Hush, Noreen,” my da says, looking to Declan. “Whatever do you mean?”
“Amberlyn and I have observed them. He takes her riding, he listens to her, and I’ve watched them lie on a blanket for hours, just talking.” He looks to me then. “I tried talking to Lena before, and she shut me down. She shut us all down, but there is something about Jackson that she is able to connect with, she is able to speak to. How dare you try to break that up?”
“Because he is not good enough for her! He just wants her money and her tight ass.”
I give her a look since yesterday she had said my ass was frumpy. Before I can protest, Declan is speaking once more. “No, Ma, I don’t agree with ya. It isn’t about sex or even her money. His idea of a date is sitting outside of his tent or lying in the grass. He’s a phanny, for Christ’s sake.”
“He isn’t a phanny!” I yell, shaking my head. “He just likes being outdoors. He was a lumberjack back home.”
“Ivor, a lumberjack,” Ma says, completely disgusted. “Our daughter is with a lumberjack.”
“Ya know, he came here,” Declan says then, looking to my da. “When Ma had her surgery, he came and sat with Lena.”
Da looks to me, his face full of confusion. “He did?”
“Yeah, he wanted to be there for me. He knew I was upset.”
“It does not matter,” Ma yells, throwing her good arm up. “We didn’t raise her to marry down.”
Da laughs at that. “We didn’t raise this one for that either, but according to you, he did.”
Ma looks away. “Amberlyn is a good woman, and I do care for her greatly, but Lena will not make that choice.”
“You don’t know him,” D
eclan says. “Just like you didn’t know Amberlyn. Maybe it’s time to accept that your children aren’t like yous two. Maybe we want love instead of a name.”
Silence falls over the room, everyone lost in their own thoughts but me. I’m staring at Declan, completely taken with him. He has always commanded attention, and I’ve always adored him, but I never expected him to go to bat for me like that.
“She’s been to hell and back,” he says, meeting my gaze. “I feel that I failed her, that we all failed her, when he got ahold of her. I turned my cheek when she was engaged to Micah, though she never loved him. We all knew it, but ya said he was so darn good for her. No one asked her what she wanted, until she stood up for herself. But now, with Jackson, I see this look on my sister’s face.”
Tears well up in my eyes as I watch him fight back his own. “She has a smile more often than not. She rushes to go ride her horse, she cares about looking good now, and she has a light in her eyes. She is who she is, which isn’t who ya raised, Ma. It’s a different version, a better version, and I refuse to allow you to take that from her.”
As a tear runs down my cheek, I wipe it away quickly as I draw in a shaky breath. “I happen to love the person my sister has become. I love her more than before, because this woman isn’t giving up and taking what is given to her. She’s fighting for what she wants.”
I look up to Declan, my lip quivering as I meet his gaze. “Thank you.”
“No need. I do it ’cause I love ya,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest. “And if yous two love her and want to be supportive, I suggest ya let her love who she wants ’cause she deserves that.”
I watch my parents, and while I appreciate everything Declan has said, I know they’ll never go along with it. They’re so old-school and it just—
“Fine,” Ma says then, closing her eyes before sighing heavily. “He’s right.”
“He is,” my da says, shaking his head. “You two aren’t like us, or anyone else, for that matter. You’s both yer own people.”
“We are.” Declan’s face breaks into a grin. “And it’s time for things to change.”
I have to be dreaming. I’m dreaming. But yet, when my ma’s warm hand comes into mine, it doesn’t feel like a dream. “I’m sorry. I think we all failed you when it happened.”