Statistic - 2nd Edition

by Dawn Robertson

  “No, but we are planning on it Thursday night before Liam goes to Colin’s for the weekend. He has been going every weekend now since Jillian moved into Colin’s house. Liam thinks he is actually visiting with his new sibling even though it isn’t born yet.” I laugh at the ideas of a four year old. But, I am not complaint about having more time to myself. It is a blessing with the amount of time I am putting in for work. Heck, I won’t complain about my time with Jackson either.

  Just as Brent begins to speak, the boys come barreling in the house again screaming about popcorn, juice boxes, and the need for us to turn the movie on. In the back of my mind, I think I am saved from the conversation that was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. I know Brent only wants the best for me and Liam though. He has dealt with so much loss in his life, I am sure he just doesn’t want to lose the friendship that we have built.

  The night moves along quickly as we watch the movie. I never thought I would be interested in it, but all the little jokes they add in for the parents really made it a knock out of the park. Both boys fell asleep near the end of the movie and after tucking Liam in on the couch, Brent gathered Max and said his very quiet goodbyes.

  Pulling out my laptop, I sat at the breakfast bar checking my email and scheduling a bit of social media for some clients before opening the local newspaper. Something I have began out of habit since my condo was broken into. Maybe hoping to connect the dots of other crimes taking place in the town to ease my own mind.

  The headline catches my eye, and my blood runs cold.

  “TIDEWATER WOMAN FOUND STRANGLED TO DEATH”

  That night I lay in bed, wide awake all night long. My mind keeps going back to Brent’s words about the woman he had been seeing. Megan. The same woman found strangled to death on the banks of the Pine Creek River. It had been forty-eight hours and the police were now on television begging the public for leads. Something they would only do if they have met nothing but dead ends.

  I felt bad for the family of this woman. But I didn’t feel bad for Brent. In fact, I couldn’t shake this uneasy feeling that he had something to do with it. Which made me a horrible person. No real friend should suspect their friend of being involved in a murder.

  Something just seemed off about it. One day he is telling me about going out on a date with her and the next day this same woman is making headlines for being strangled to death. What a horrible way to die.

  I shake the uneasy feeling and get out of bed for the day. Tonight Jackson would meet Liam for the first time, and first thing tomorrow morning Colin would pick him up for their visit and I would be able to organize the house a little bit more.

  Without thinking twice about everything, I text Jackson.

  Can I stay at your house this weekend?

  I just can’t shake that uneasy feeling about Brent. Maybe I should just text him about it? What is the worst that could happen?

  Are you okay? I saw the news about Megan this morning online.

  It was a reach. Maybe I could investigate a little bit. Or just go to the police with the random suspicions I have. Shit. It probably is none of my business at all. I don’t even know why I am thinking about or even bothering with any of this. After the break in, I should just keep to myself and try and stay out of the radar of any crazies.

  I am distraught. I will call you later on tonight.

  Maybe I am just looking too much into it. I instantly feel bad that I ever even thought Brent would be capable of something like that. We may not have been lifelong friends or anything, but we certainly have built quite the friendship since we met. Friends don’t question friends about being creepy murderers. Damn it! I am such a horrible person!

  My phone buzzes again, but this time, it is a reply from Jackson.

  You should know the answer to that. I have a meeting for work Saturday afternoon. See you tonight.

  My heart skips a beat thinking about the fact that I will finally be introducing the two most important men in my life. It seems silly that Jackson can be so important to me when he hasn’t even met Liam, but since the first night we spent together I just know I made the right choice writing off the other men I had gone on dates with and settling for my scruffy southern boy.

  Can’t wait. Xoxo

  The doorbell rings a little before 2 p.m. and I wonder who would be interrupting my work day. Mid-day visitors aren’t something I have come to expect, especially since moving. Heck, not too many people even know where I am living now that I have moved. I haven’t had time to invite people over for dinner or even send out little notes.

  When I look out into the driveway, I see Jackson’s truck and can’t help but smile. I run down the stairs and unlock the front door in a hurry. He stands there with a dozen roses in his hands, and a huge smile on his face.

  “I thought I would sneak over for a little time alone before Liam gets home.” He smirks and I know exactly why he decided to come visit early.

  “Such a bad boy,” I laugh as I swat him in the chest and take the flowers to the kitchen and set them in a vase. “The flowers were a nice touch,” I add.

  “So does that mean I can get a little afternoon suga’?” I laugh at him even asking. He can have it anytime, anywhere but I wouldn’t let him know that. At least not yet. It would give him a little too much power over me, and that is something I am just not ready for yet.

  “I guess so,” I flirt back, running my finger along his tight black t-shirt, down his abs and only stopping when my fingers reach the button of his shorts. “I mean, I guess you deserve it since you brought me those beautiful flowers.” I giggle as I drop to my knees in front of him and unbutton his shorts.

  “Aurora?” he questions, looking down at me on my knees in the middle of my kitchen.

  “Hmmm?” I simply reply while I unzip his pants and reach into his boxers to pull his hardening cock free.

  “You are gonna kill me, woman.” he lets out a chuckle as I take his dick in my mouth. His head falls back in pleasure as a grunt escapes from his lips. My mouth slowly works up and down his cock, while my hands gently squeeze his balls. Licking and sucking each inch of his manhood.

  His fingers tug at my hair, helping to guide my mouth up and down in perfect rhythm. My body responds to every little noise he makes. My nipples slowly harden under the thin material of my t-shirt, as my pussy gets wetter by the second.

  “Mmmmm I want you… inside me.” I say as I momentarily pull his cock free from my mouth. Sitting on the floor with my pouty swollen lips, looking up at him with the most innocent look I could possibly muster after sucking his dick in the middle of the kitchen.

  His arms reach down, pulling me up to my feet, and pushing my black yoga pants down in one swift movement. As I realize that he is stripping me, my thin Georgia Bulldogs t-shirt flies over my head landing somewhere across the room. He quickly lifts me up, setting my ass down on the counter top.

  “Shit, I don’t have a condom.” Jackson interrupts the moment. I think about the box of condoms inside my nightstand upstairs. I also think about my IUD and the fact that going upstairs to fish out a condom is going to completely ruin the mood. Instead of ruining our afternoon quicky I say fuck it.

  “Don’t care, just fuck me.” I am aback by my own words and Jackson looks at me with question before even thinking about accepting the offer I just laid out on the table.

  “You sure?” he asks as he reaches between our two bodies, rubbing his finger along my aching clit, and sliding a single finger inside me. “I could go upstairs and grab one…” he says while his finger works in and out of me. Each movement bringing me closer to my own pleasure.

  “I’m sure… just… Jackson!” without second thought this time, he slowly pulls his finger out of me, and starts to push his throbbing cock inside me. Gently, inch-by-inch he fills me, until I can feel his balls press against my wet entrance.

  “Shit, Aurora… I didn’t think this could get any better,” he says as I wrap my legs around his waist and pull him
closer.

  “Oh my God! Jackson,” is all I can say as he begins to push inside me once again. In and out, and I can feel him hitting spots he has never before touched. Spots we could never even think about hitting while just laying in bed together. Every time we fuck, it just gets better and better.

  His lips work their way up my neck, finally coming to a stop on my own. My mouth parts to welcome him and our tongues dance as our bodies become one. Each inch he pushes inside me, the closer I get to coming apart in his hands.

  “Shit you feel so good, I could get used to this…” he whispers in my ear. Goosebumps spread across my body as I feel his warm breath on my sweaty skin.

  “Mmmm… me too, Jackson. You feel so good.” I can barely get the words out in between moans. He pushes in again and again, quickening his pace and I can feel my orgasm begin to release through my entire body. I can feel it from my soaked pussy, all the way to my toes. My fingertips and my lips. I can feel the pleasure he has given me all over my damn body.

  “Jesus, Aurora you are tightening up like a vice grip! I can’t hold on anymore!” He says in between pants. He throws his head back, and I can feel his release begin to spill inside me. His hot come filling my tight cunt. He tries to pull out but it is too late. Most of his release is inside me, dripping down my leg and onto the damn kitchen floor.

  I can’t help but laugh, because my first thought is, there is come all over my damn floor. But it is hot as hell. Jackson stands there with his dick in his hand, his release dripping into a puddle on the floor as his other hand braces the counter holding his weight up.

  “Holy hell. When I came over for some afternoon lovin’ I didn’t expect all that.” He laughs and looks up at me with the most loving blue eyes. Those eyes. I could spend the rest of my life staring into. I think I realize right then and there with a mess on my floor and this man looking up at me that I am done for. Completely gone. Lovestruck to the millionth power.

  But, that is something I would never let him know. Not right now. Not anytime soon.

  “That was… holy. Crap.” I laugh as Jackson helps me down off the counter. “Where did my clothes go?” I laugh some more as I spy my shirt on the other side of the counter. That made it pretty damn far, I think to myself.

  “I think your pants are over there,” he nods in the direction of the stove and there are the yoga pants I was wearing.

  “I’ll let you clean up that mess you made,” I wink at him and turn for the bathroom at the bottom of the stairs.

  “What am I? A housekeeper now?” He laughs and sasses me.

  In His Mind

  How much of a whore could you be?

  Fucking in the middle of the kitchen in broad day light when anyone could walk by the house and see right inside? I am disappointed in you Aurora. I should have known you aren’t the perfect little bitch I thought you were. But I can’t help but be obsessed with you. And I fucking hate it.

  But yet you continue to be my everything. The center of my fucking world.

  But I wonder how many more men will there be before I finally get you all to myself?

  How many more men will you let use you for nothing more than a cheap come dumpster?

  Is that the kind of woman you are?

  A whore?

  No wonder your husband treated you like such.

  You can’t make a whore a housewife.

  But, you will learn.

  I will teach you.

  It is only a matter of time.

  You will be my whore. My wife. You will obey me, and worship me.

  Liam is bouncing all over the living room, excited about having company tonight. And the fact that I made my homemade Mac n Cheese which is probably his favorite meal. The simple things that please a four year old.

  I should be nervous or freaking out that I am finally taking the step to introduce a man to my son. But I feel the opposite. I am calm as I possibly could be with my son flying around the house. The door bell rings, and Liam goes flying through the house stopping short before smacking into the front door.

  “Mommy! DOOOR!” He yells, even though I am only a few feet behind him.

  “Go ahead. Answer it, Liam,” I tell him and watch carefully as he unlocks the door and opens it for Jackson. He is standing there, handsome as can be with a plaid button down on with black cargo shorts to match.

  “Who are you?” Liam asks, looking him up and down a couple times. As if he was sizing him up. I laugh to myself as I watch him. He is probably a fifth of the size of Jackson and he is sassing him already. I can only wonder how the hell this all is going to end. As he turns to look at me, I hide the smile on my face, and replacing it with a stern look.

  “That isn’t any way to greet a guest, Liam Avery.”

  “Sorry, Mommy. Hi. I’m Liam Avery Alexander. Who are you?” he tries his greeting again, looking back to me for approval, and I give him a nod.

  “Hi, Liam. My name is Jackson. Jackson Drew Revere. I’m a good friend of your mommy’s.” He bends down to Liam’s height and extends his hand for a shake.

  “It is nice to meet you, Liam. Your Mom has told me a whole lot about you.” Jackson says. Liam hesitantly takes his hand and shakes.

  “My Mommy hasn’t told me anything about you.” Liam says. I want to laugh at how protective he is being, but I know I shouldn’t encourage him at all.

  “Well, Liam is right. I haven’t told him much about you because you are so awesome I wanted him to meet you in person, Jackson.” I smile at both the boys while I continue. “Jackson is Mommy’s very special friend. Just like Daddy has Miss Jillian. You like her too right?”

  “Yes. I like Miss Jillian a lot. She is cool and brings me for ice cream. She used to bring me go karting with Daddy but she can’t ride in them anymore because of the baby in her belly. She said she will bring me again once the baby comes out.” Liam rambles and both Jackson and I smile and listen. I think back to our first date, go-karting together like two children and I know him and Liam are going to get along just fine.

  “How about I bring you go-karting until Miss Jillian’s baby is out of her belly?” Jackson asks Liam. The excitement on my boy’s face is heartwarming. I am pretty sure the exchange has my heart racing and growing a couple sizes. It really is something to behold.

  As Liam nods his head in excitement he starts saying, “Yes! I would like that! I would like that very much Mr. Jackson. Can I just call you Jackson? Are you going to marry my Mommy? Are you going to put a baby in her belly too? I want a bunch of siblings and Daddy and Miss Jillian already have one. They told me there is only one in there but I think she has two babies hiding in that giant belly.” The boy rambles and rambles, but it is something he always does when he is excited. The questions he spits out are hysterical and embarrassing all at the same time.

  “Slow down there, buddy. I don’t know the answer to all your questions, but we can start with you calling me Jackson.” He pads Liam on the head as my boy grabs him by the hand and starts dragging him through the house like he hasn’t been here before. Showing him all his favorite toys, his bedroom, the playscape in the backyard that Jackson actually built last weekend while Liam was camping with Colin. All the little things that he loves about his new house. For once since the move, I really feel like it has been for the better. At least when it comes to Liam. It was touch and go for a couple days, but seeing his sheer excitement about all the little things we didn’t have at the condo makes me know this all worked out best.

  “How about some dinner guys?” I interrupt their male bonding session pulling the tray of mac n cheese out of the oven and placing it on the stove to cool.

  “Liam, can you set the table for me?” I ask, and he runs to get the job done. Plates, silverware, paper napkins for all three of us, and when the job is complete he sits down at the head of the table.

  “Jackson can you sit next to me?” Liam yells across the room.

  “Sure thing, buddy.” Jackson replies and I nod telling him to
go sit. While I dish up everyone’s food, the two of them continue to gossip like little school girls at the table and I just can’t help but smile.

  This is my new family.

  Everything I have been looking for in all the wrong places. Finally found.

  “I never thought he was going to fall asleep!” Jackson laughs as he falls back against my plush sofa, kicking his feet up on the ottoman and toeing his shoes off.

  “Well, I guess he was excited. So, that went well.” I smile and lay down next to him on the couch. “I never thought we would get any time alone together tonight.” I add, as I snuggle up to Jackson and lay my head on his chest.

  “So I guess I get the Liam seal of approval.” he laughs. “Does that mean I get the Aurora seal of approval too, because I am pretty sure that is the most important one.” He presses a gentle kiss to my forehead and wraps his arms around my shoulders.

  “Mmmhmmm. You do.”

  “That’s good because there’s something I wanna ask you, Aurora.” My heart starts beating quickly against my chest and I am anxious as hell. I really hope this isn’t going somewhere I am totally not ready for.

  “What?” I barely squeak out.

  “Would you mind coming to a picnic this weekend with all my friends and family?”

  “I thought your family lives in Mississippi?” I am curious because I recall a long conversation about his mother living a couple states away.

  “They do. They come up for the summers to visit. My brother has a guest house, and they stay with him. They are having the annual family summer picnic on Saturday. I know I told you I have a work meeting, but I wanted to make sure everything with Liam went perfect before I asked you to come. Now, I know I need you to be by my side all day. I want you to meet my family and all my friends. To truly be a real part of my life instead of a name they have all just been hearing recently.”

  I smile thinking about the reality of our relationship taking on new meaning. Going on to the next level. We were no longer just dating. We were actually embarking on the whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing.