Elaina

by Jennifer Hanks

  His voice sounded like he’d swallowed glass, like Bray had yesterday. Wrapping my hand around his forearm I led him back into his bedroom. I pushed him to his bed and he automatically laid down, closing his eyes and flopping his arm across his forehead, mostly covering his eyes. I saw the doorway to his bathroom and walked in, searching the medicine cabinet until I found ibuprofen. I grabbed him a few and laid them on the nightstand by his bed before heading back to the kitchen for a bottle of water.

  He hadn’t moved by the time I made it back, so I sat on the edge of the bed, took the cap off the bottle and picked up the pills.

  “Jake.” I said, softly.

  He grunted.

  “Jake, you need to sit up and take these pills.”

  “I’m fine.” His voice sounded so painful, I cringed.

  “You’re not fine. You’re sick.” I nudged his arm with my hand. “Just sit up and take these and then you can go back to sleep.”

  “I don’t get sick.” He murmured.

  I snorted. “I know you’re a manly man, but even manly men get sick.”

  He pulled his arm from across his forehead and opened his eyes, sending a glare my way. I smiled sweetly, which only seemed to intensify his glare. Holding up the pills and water I nodded encouragingly for him to sit up, which he finally did, swallowing the pills down with a groan. I’d imagine that hadn’t felt great.

  I set the water bottle back on his nightstand when he laid down and threw his arm back over his eyes. I might as well go get some work done while they both slept. Standing, I started to step away when I felt his hand wrap around my wrist.

  “Lay down with me.”

  “What?” He really must be delirious. When he didn’t answer, I continued. “Just get some sleep.”

  I tried to pull my hand free, but his grip was firm on my wrist. “I’ll come back to check on you in a little bit, but right now I’m going to sit in your kitchen and work a little bit.”

  I felt his hand give a little and sighed. Maybe he was falling asleep. My relief was short lived when he tugged on my hand hard, pulling my whole body towards him.

  I squealed when he pulled hard enough that I lost my balance and fell onto the bed beside him. “Jake, I don’t want to get sick.”

  He wrapped his arms around my body, maneuvering me until he had my body pressed tight up against his and he pushed his face into my neck. “I’m sick. You’re supposed to make me feel better.” He tossed his leg over mine, his thigh covering my own and wedged his calf between my legs.

  I barked out a laugh. “I thought you don’t get sick.”

  “You said I am, so make me better.”

  I sighed, but couldn’t help but smile. “You know you’re acting like a giant baby.”

  “You’re taking care of my kid.” He whined.

  “Bray really is a baby.” I said, but he just moved in closer wrapping his arm tight across my chest.

  I sighed when I felt his body loosen knowing he had me completely pinned to his bed and he was falling asleep. My arm was pinned under his head, but I could reach his hair so I started combing my fingers through it, reveling in how thick and soft it felt against my skin.

  Sometime during all of that I must’ve drifted off myself. I blame it on only getting a few hours of sleep the night before, but it still shouldn’t have happened. I woke to find myself on my side, his arm like a steel vice around my waist and his palm wrapped around my boob. I refused to think about how amazing that felt. I had no idea what time it was, but I still hadn’t heard Bray so I was hoping that meant we hadn’t been lying this way very long.

  I heard the tone of my ringing phone that I’d laid on the nightstand and realized that’s what had woken me. Reaching out, I grabbed it and looked at the I.D., rolling my eyes to the ceiling. I knew she’d keep calling if I didn’t answer.

  “Hey Paige.” I whispered.

  “Lanie?” She sounded unsure. “Why are you whispering?”

  I peeked over my shoulder at Jake who was curled around me, breathing deeply, but thankfully cooler than he had been when we’d first laid down and groaned. “It’s a long story.”

  “Tell me.” She demanded.

  I sighed, shifting until I was lying on my back again, his arm and hand thankfully falling from my boob to curl around my waist. “Well, I’m kind of lying in bed with Jake.”

  “What?” She shrieked. “Why the hell would you answer the phone if you’re in bed with that mountain of yummy?”

  I giggled quietly. “It’s not like that.” Jake moved in close and once again buried his face into the side of my neck. I turned my head to face the door to the bedroom, hoping he would not wake up while I was talking on the phone. “I came over because Luke called me and said Braydon was still sick and he was asking for me, but I think he tricked me.”

  “Why? Isn’t Bray sick?” She asked.

  “Yeah he is, but he didn’t mention Jake was home and sick as well.”

  “You didn’t see his truck?”

  “It must be in the garage.” I began to move slowly, using my free hand to circle his forearm and start to lift it from my waist. I realized that wasn’t going to work when he moved closer and tightened his hold.

  Think Lanie. There has to be a way out of this. “I need to get out of this bed, but he’s wrapped around me like a freaking snake.”

  She giggled. “Oh my god, what I would give right now to see you two.”

  I tried to move his arm again, but he didn’t move. I tensed when he groaned and began to mumble. “Ugh, I can’t move Paige. What the hell am I supposed to do?”

  She laughed. “How should I know? This is a situation even I’ve never been in.” She paused. “Wait, you never told me how you ended up in the bed.”

  I groaned. “It’s a long story. I’ll call you later after I find a way to extract myself from him, okay?”

  She laughed louder.

  “It’s not funny.” I gritted my teeth.

  “Oh, it so is. Alright I’ll let you go, but you better call me and tell me the long story later. Deal?”

  I shifted a little closer to the edge of the bed. “Deal.”

  He buried his face further into my neck and groaned, his hand moving up to cover my boob. “Lanie.”

  I closed my eyes and held very still. He must be a boob man since even in his sleep his hand keeps ending up on it.

  “Oh my god, I heard him.” She squealed. “He sounds sick, but still kind of sexy, doesn’t he?”

  “Good-bye Paige.” I muttered and didn’t wait for her to answer before ending the call.

  His hand tightened on my boob, causing a stir in my belly that shouldn’t be happening for a lot of good reasons, the first one being I have a boyfriend.

  “Fuck, you feel good.” He muttered.

  I rolled my lips together and scooted my butt towards the edge of the bed, trying again to dislodge his arm, but I was stuck. The only way out was to chance waking him, but I needed to get out of this room. He’s sick and apparently my body doesn’t care about that because it’s experiencing all sorts of bad feelings. Or good feelings I guess if they were consensual and he was, well, I don’t know, awake.

  I heard a whimper from near my head, and stretched my neck to see the baby monitor sitting on the nightstand too. Oh thank whatever baby gods were on my side because Bray was waking up. I pulled a little more forcefully this time, and felt his arm loosen enough that I could squeeze out.

  “Where are you going?” He mumbled when I finally made it to sitting on the side of the bed, taking a deep breath.

  “I hear Bray.” I answered, but turned to see he’d fallen back to sleep, his arm stretched out below what would have been my body if I was still lying there.

  A really big part of me wished I was.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  LANIE

  Sitting on the corner of the couch, I held a very subdued Braydon, with his thumb in his mouth listening to his fourth Dr. Seuss book. I had no idea how much he lo
ves Dr. Seuss until I asked him to bring me a book to read and he showed up with more than he could even carry.

  When he’d woken up this morning, releasing me from Jake’s hold, he’d been whiny, but after some medicine and juice, he started to perk up. We ate some lunch and colored a little bit, but when he seemed to be tiring out, I’d asked him to bring me his favorite book. He snuggled in closer while I finished reading, ‘Green eggs and ham.’

  “That’s my favorite too.” My head snapped up at the sound of Jake’s voice, right along with Braydon’s.

  “Daddy.” He said, his voice sounding stronger than it had been.

  “Hey buddy.” Jake came around the couch and I noticed right away his hair was wet. I was happy to see he was dressed in loose grey track pants and a blue hoodie, but kind of irritated that he looked that good even when he was sick. I always looked like I’d been run over by a car when I was sick.

  He sat down at the other end and Bray crawled off my lap to sit with his dad. Jake wrapped his big arms around him and snuggled him close. “How are you feeling Buddy?”

  Bray shrugged. “Otay.”

  I smiled at him and raised my eyes to Jake when I felt the heat of his stare. He frowned. “How did you end up here, Lanie?”

  My eyes widened. “Don’t you remember anything from this morning?”

  I could not disguise the hope clear in my voice.

  He furrowed his brow. “Not really.” Bray wiggled and he helped him off the couch, watching him go to his trucks in the corner before his head turned back my way. “I had a dream you were here and in my bed, but I figured that was my fever.”

  I laughed like that was the funniest thing I’d ever heard, but even I knew it sounded uncomfortable.

  “So what happened?” He asked.

  I had two options here. I could either fess up or lie through my teeth. I really didn’t feel I had a choice. “Luke called and asked me to come over and take care of Bray because he asked for me.”

  He nodded. “So, you weren’t in my room?”

  “I brought you some medicine and water.” I admitted.

  “Oh.” He said, but looked unsure.

  I stood from the couch. “Well if you’re feeling better, then I should probably go.”

  When he didn’t say anything, I kept going. “I’ll just go get my stuff together. I was working today while you guys slept so umm I should get that and just get going.” I finally got my mouth to shut up and walked as quickly as I could to the kitchen to get my laptop after dropping it there this morning.

  Hearing my phone ringing, I looked around, trying to figure out where I put it when I heard, “Hello.”

  He answered my phone? Wait, maybe we have the same ringtone, that was probably it. I walked back towards the living room, checking along the way for any place I may have laid it down.

  “It doesn’t matter who I am. Who the fuck are you?”

  He did answer my phone! I hurried into the living room to see he was sitting exactly where I’d left him, Bray still pushing his truck behind the couch.

  “Is that my phone?” I whispered.

  He held up a finger indicating I should wait a minute. What? “Jake…”

  “Trey.” He bit out. “What the fuck kind of name is that?”

  “Jake!” I hissed. “Give me my phone.”

  I reached over him to grab it, but he swatted my hand down. “Yeah she’s here.”

  I widened my eyes, leaning in, grabbing for my phone again, but he twisted out of the way, grabbed my hand instead and pulled me down. I squealed when I fell face first in to his lap.

  My head flew up. “Damnit Jake.” I swore.

  “No you cannot talk to her.” He said, smiling at me.

  I sat up, half on his lap, half off and narrowed my eyes. “Jake.” I warned.

  His smile widened. “Listen man, I don’t know who the fuck you are, but Lanie’s hanging here today with me and our kid.”

  My eyes had to be huge. Our kid? “What is wrong with you?”

  I lunged for the phone when Jake started laughing and grabbed it out of his hand, quickly putting it to my ear. “Hi Trey. Sorry about that. He was just kidding around.”

  “You’re at Jake’s.” Trey voice was low, frustration evident.

  I sighed. “Bray was sick and asked for me so I was helping out.”

  I tried to stand but Jake pulled me down, situating me on his lap and wrapped his arms around my middle. I threw my elbow back catching him in the stomach before pulling the phone away from my mouth.

  “Let me up.” I hissed.

  “What?” Trey’s voice was in my ear.

  “Uh…nothing Trey, sorry. Can I call you in a little bit?”

  “Are you going to try and convince me there’s nothing going on between you two?” He sounded pissed and I felt really bad.

  “I promise Trey, there’s nothing going on. Jake was just kidding around.”

  I felt Jake’s lips skim my neck until he reached my ear and a shiver rolled over my skin. “Don’t lie to him baby.”

  “Can I please call you as soon as I get home to explain?” I begged.

  “Yeah sure Lanie.” He said, but I wasn’t so sure he wanted me to call him. “I’ll talk to you later.”

  He hung up before I could say anything more so I pulled the phone from my ear and pressed end. Turning around, I shoved hard against his arm until Jake had no choice but to release me and I flew off his lap.

  He threw his arms out to the side. “What?” He asked innocently.

  I narrowed my eyes, my skin hot with anger. “You know what, Jake.” I took a few steps back. “Why would you do that?”

  He stood when I started walking towards the kitchen and followed me. “I don’t like that guy.”

  “You don’t even know him.”

  I stopped at the counter, tossing my phone in my purse sitting by my laptop.

  “I know enough and everything I know,” He stopped in front of me and propped his hip against the counter, leaning in close. “I. Don’t. Like.”

  I stood on my tip-toes and got in his face. “I. Don’t. Care.”

  His arm shot out and wrapped around my waist, yanking my body up against his. “You feel that, I know you do. When we’re this close, I know you feel it too.”

  I leaned back putting a small amount of space between us. “I have a boyfriend Jake, I feel things for him and I like him.”

  He snorted. “No you don’t.”

  My eyes widened. “What?”

  “You’re using him because I haven’t given you what you really want.”

  My jaw dropped. “I cannot believe you just said that.” I shoved him back. “You are very arrogant Jake and I don’t like arrogant men.”

  “You’re lying.” His face lowered closer to mine again. “And just so you know, you’re not the only one wanting something.”

  I shook my head. “Now who’s lying Jake?”

  He leaned back. “What? You think I’m lying about the way I feel?”

  “Yeah.” I nodded. “I know you’re lying. What I don’t know is why.”

  He smirked. “Oh yeah? How do you know that?”

  “Because I heard you.” I snapped, pulling back and surprisingly he let me go.

  The smirk fell from his face replaced with confusion. “Heard what?”

  I grabbed my stuff, swinging my purse over my shoulder and pulling my laptop close against my chest, almost like a shield. Maybe that’s exactly what it was. “Nothing.”

  I rounded the counter, walking past Jake, but he reached out and grabbed my bicep pulling me to a stop. I closed my eyes until I once again felt him standing in front of me.

  “Heard what?”

  I couldn’t stop the words that still haunted me. “Do you seriously think I’d want a woman like her?” His face paled, even more than it already was from being sick and I knew, I just knew I’d been right. “I don’t know what game you’re playing Jake, but I don’t like games and I don’t want to pla
y.”

  I moved past him, almost to the front door when his voice stopped me. “You’re wrong Lanie. You didn’t hear what you think you heard.”

  I reached out, grabbing the door knob and turning it until the door popped open.

  “Lanie.” I felt him standing behind me. “I only said that to keep Julie from having any interest in you. I don’t know what she’s capable of and I sure as hell don’t trust her.”

  He moved until he stood right in front of me, effectively blocking my way out. “They were only words, Lanie. I was trying to protect you.”

  I blinked back tears before raising my eyes to him. “I can’t unhear those words Jake. No matter what your intentions were, I can’t unhear them.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  JAKE

  My head snapped up when I heard the door open, then close and I waited for who I assumed would be Luke to come to the kitchen. I took a sip of the hot tea I’d just made and cringed. I fucking hate tea, but my throat feels like I swallowed glass and tea with honey has been the only thing soothing it.

  “How are you feeling?” Luke’s voice brought me out of my thoughts and I glanced his way.

  “Like shit.” I answered honestly. “But at least the fever I had this morning, once gone, didn’t come back.”

  He nodded. “How’s Bray?”

  “Better.” I said, relieved.

  Luke looked around the kitchen before peeking into the living room. “Is he sleeping already?”

  I took another drink of the tea and made a face. “Yeah, this cold or whatever the hell it is, has really wiped him out.”

  Luke pulled the stool out across from me and sat, smirking. “Tea?”

  I nodded. “I fucking hate it, but it works.”

  He grinned. “I hate it too, but you’re right, it works every time.”

  I took another drink before setting the cup down in front of me.

  Luke’s worried eyes found mine. “You doing alright, besides the cold, brother?”

  I snorted. “Nope.”

  Luke frowned. “Something happen?”

  I didn’t want to share, but I knew I needed to. I had no idea Lanie had heard what I’d said weeks ago to Julie, but now that I knew it was eating the hell out of me.