The Thing About Love

by Kim Karr

  Shocked, perhaps even intrigued, I leaned forward. “Who was the man you loved?” Just then Roger came through the door with a plate in each hand and set them down in front of us.

  The grin on my face was so wide, I thought my mouth might split open. Spaghetti and meatballs. “This looks delicious, Roger,” Mimi said, giving Roger a grateful look.

  “Yes, it does,” I agreed.

  “I’m glad you’re both pleased,” he said with a bow, and then left the room again.

  I stared down at the food.

  Jake.

  She wasn’t kidding. He really did tell her everything. I flushed at the thought as I put my napkin on my lap.

  “Eat,” Mimi insisted.

  I twirled some pasta around my fork and tried to eat it as gracefully as I could. While I chewed, I watched as Mimi moved her food around.

  “I hope you like it? Roger was worried the meatball recipe might not be right,” she said.

  Grinning, I looked over at her. “They are delicious, this is my favorite dish.”

  She dabbed the corner of her napkin to her lips. “I know, my dear. I know.”

  “You seem to know a lot,” I joked.

  “That’s because I make it my business to know,” she winked. “Now, tell me about Rory’s wedding. I have a few requests of my own.”

  We spent the rest of the meal discussing the wedding and the budget since Jake refused to set one. Even then I had to ask twice. Mimi did have some requests of her own, all of which I mentally noted.

  Once we’d finished eating, or once I’d finished, Mimi ate very little, Roger cleared the table and brought coffee, tea, and chocolate chip cookies, again my favorite kind—without nuts.

  I was eating my second cookie when Roger came back in the room. “Madame, I hate to disturb you, but Miss Monica is on the phone, and she is insisting she speak with you about Rory.”

  Mimi held her hand out. “Very well,” she said to him, taking the phone. “Give me a minute, please, Juliette?”

  I nodded. “Of course.”

  She glanced up at Roger. “Do you mind helping me out to the garden?”

  “Not at all. It would be my pleasure.”

  Facing the French door, I noticed the sun had begun to set. Its golden rays penetrated the glass and made everything in the room sparkle bright.

  The doors were left open, and the garden was fragrant as a warm breeze traveled inside.

  Monica was Mrs. Alexander’s daughter fathered by Lorenzo Alexander, the famous Italian racecar driver killed on the track the year following his divorce from Beatrice Crawford. The details of the divorce had never been disclosed, just as her estrangement from her daughter had not either.

  I, of course, knew her estrangement from her daughter had something to do with Jake and Rory. Other than that, his mother was one topic Jake steered far away from.

  “Monica, absolutely not. I forbid you from attending the wedding.” Mrs. Alexander’s voice was loud. The news must have broken about Rory’s engagement.

  “There is nothing further to discuss. Do not come here, neither Jake nor Rory wish to see you.”

  There was a pause.

  “I’m sorry, but neither do I.”

  Another pause.

  “How much will it take to keep you away?”

  The silence seemed longer this time.

  “I want to believe you.”

  She sighed.

  “I hope so, Monica. And it isn’t that I haven’t taken that into consideration, but Jake and Rory haven’t seen you in sixteen years. I can only hope you will give them their space to grieve once I’m gone.”

  There was more silence.

  “Monica, I think you should know that once I’m gone, I have informed Roger that if you renege on your promise to maintain your distance, he is to call my attorney and immediately stop the monthly stipends. Then you will truly be cut off.”

  There was a long pause.

  “I wish things were different, too.”

  I could hear her sniffling.

  “I hope that’s true. Goodbye, Monica.”

  Silence filled the space, and I tried to occupy myself by looking at my phone. Jake had texted me.

  Him: Hope dinner is going well.

  Me: Thank you for heads up.

  Him: Didn’t want you to be nervous over nothing.

  Me: Well, I appreciate that, but still paybacks are a bitch.

  Him: You can pay me back any way you want. When you go to bed tonight, you can touch yourself, but don’t come.

  Me: You are so bad.

  Him: You have no idea. And if I didn’t mention it before, be naked for me.

  Just then Mimi wheeled herself inside, and I jumped, my phone flying face up on the Oriental rug beneath the table.

  Oh, God, if she reads that I will die a thousand deaths.

  Practically lunging for it, I had the phone in my hand and back in my bag in a matter of moments. “Oops,” I said, looking over at her.

  She now looked tired and worn. “Can I help you?” I asked.

  “Yes, if you don’t mind Juliette, I’d like to go into the parlor for a bit before bed.”

  “Not at all.” Rushing over to her, I wheeled her out into the grand foyer and across to the parlor. The doors were open, and all of the dogs were lulling around inside as if waiting for her to join them.

  As soon as Mimi entered the room, they all came scurrying toward her. I continued toward the center of the room and locked the brakes. Daisy was whining, and I helped her onto Mimi’s lap and then sat on the couch beside her chair to pet Mr. Darcy, who believe it or not was patiently waiting for my attention.

  “Did you hear my conversation?”

  I nodded. “Part of it. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”

  “It’s okay. Has Jake spoken of his mother to you?”

  “Not that much. Just that he called you when he knew his father had died because he was worried about Rory.”

  “Yes, he did,” she concurred, “and I’m very thankful he did. I had no idea my daughter was so very much like her father until then. I mean, I had an inkling she wasn’t doing as well as she’d tried to convince me she was. But if I had known, I would have never allowed it.”

  I glanced over at her. “Rory and Jake were lucky they had you.”

  She started to slowly pet Daisy. “Jake and Rory haven’t seen Monica since I brought them here. Rory was so young, I don’t think not having her mother around impacted her the way it did Jake. For the longest time, he thought he was like her. He isn’t, of course, but no matter how hard I have tried to make him see that, he still feels the need to prove he is more like his father than his mother.”

  “The job that is waiting for him in New York,” I said, having already figured that out.

  Daisy closed her eyes in contentment and purred like a kitten. “Yes. He thinks if he follows in his father’s footsteps, it will make up for something that doesn’t need to be made up for.”

  I nodded. Clearly, she knew Jake had told me about how his father died.

  Mimi sighed. “Guilt manifests itself in many ways. It is why I continue to give money to Monica even after all these years.”

  “But what do you have to feel guilty about?” I asked.

  “I should have known that she was incapable of settling down. Conrad thought he could change her. I knew he couldn’t, but I wanted to believe he could. That he was her once in a lifetime. He wasn’t, of course, because people like Monica and her father don’t have once in a lifetimes.

  “After Conrad and Monica divorced, I should have paid more attention to what she was doing. I should have seen what she was doing to her children. The way she was ignoring them. Neglecting them. Conrad was blind when it came to her. He only wanted to see the good. And I was busy building my empire. It’s Jake and Rory who suffered. Now by paying Monica, I am assuring she stay out of her children’s lives. After all, it was how I got them away from her, to begin with.”

&n
bsp; Mr. Darcy licked at my fingers. “What do you mean?”

  Mimi wiped a tear from her cheek. “All I had to do was dangle a trust over her head in exchange for full custody of Jake and Rory. You see, Conrad wasn’t entirely blind. His will left everything he had to the kids. Monica got nothing, not even the house. So she took what I offered without hesitation. And the kids were much better off with me.”

  I looked at her with compassion.

  “I wasn’t heartless like the papers reported. I tried to help Monica, but she didn’t want help.”

  My heart ached for all of them. I was sure it was hard.

  Mimi took my hand. “My grandson is a wonderful man, and I hope one day he sees that about himself. And you have no idea how much I wish I could be around for that day, but sadly I won’t be. Please don’t think I’m trying to rush things between the two of you, but you do care for him, don’t you?”

  I nodded.

  “Then you should know, you make him happy.”

  I scrunched my brows together. “How do you know that?”

  She squeezed my hand. “Through his laughter.”

  I laughed. “What do you mean?”

  “I have never heard him laugh so loud and so much as I have since you came into his life. The way it echoes through this house brings tears of joy to my eyes. And it makes me feel like with you in his life he just might be okay when I’m gone.”

  I wiped my own stray tear away. “I really do care about him, a lot.”

  “I know. I didn’t really have to ask. It’s evident, Juliette.” She smiled at me. “Promise me one thing.”

  “I’ll try.”

  “Once I’m gone, he’ll be leaving for New York to take the same job his father held.”

  I nodded, very aware of this.

  “When he goes, don’t let him slip away as easily as he will want to. He’s not good with goodbyes, and he’s terrible with relationships. Show him the way.”

  “To what?” I asked.

  “To love, my dear, show him the way to love.”

  Uneasiness moved through me. “But what if I don’t know it myself?”

  Just then Matthew came into the room. “I’m sorry Ma’am, but it’s time for your medication.”

  I lowered my head and put it on top of Mr. Darcy’s. Mimi gave my hand one last squeeze. “Then gather the strength to find it, for the both of you,” she whispered.

  Find the way.

  It sounded so easy.

  Too bad it would prove to be anything but.

  Keep Something At Bay

  JAKE

  TIPTOEING INTO MY OWN ROOM wasn’t something I was used to.

  I’d worked much later than I’d planned on, and it was almost six in the morning by the time I’d showered and was finally headed toward my bedroom.

  Although I was in desperate need of sleep, it wasn’t what was on my mind. There was an itch under my skin I couldn’t alleviate.

  And it was Juliette Easton.

  Who just so happened to be in my bed. Waiting for me. Naked, I hoped.

  Opening my door, I smiled when I saw her curled in the middle of the mattress. With the covers to her chin and her head resting on my pillow, she was sound asleep. Slivers of the early morning sunlight bled through the blinds and cast a golden glow on the wall behind her. She looked like a princess the way the waves of her dirty blonde hair fell onto the pillow, all mussed and sexy.

  Fuck, how my fingers twitched, because damn it, I really wanted to touch her. So much so that my cock was already rigid and straining. And yes, making things all the better, it was now standing at full attention. “Down boy,” I murmured to myself as I circled the bed and set the test results down on the nightstand.

  Too bad my dick didn’t pay attention to my command. Hey, it knew what it wanted. But who could blame him when what he wanted was so close.

  Ignoring the urge to wake her, I carefully pulled the covers back and slid in beside her. And yes, she was naked.

  I might have fist pumped.

  Closing my eyes, I felt the corners of my mouth tip up as I settled against her. This wasn’t what I had in mind, but it wasn’t a burden either. Besides, these twelve-hour shifts had worn on me.

  I’d just nodded off, or maybe not, when she whispered, “You aren’t really going to sleep, are you?”

  Hell no.

  My body leaped to life at just the sound of her voice. I couldn’t tell if she was being a smartass or serious, but either way, I’d show her just how awake I was. Sliding one arm under her and wrapping the other around her, I pulled her tight against my body and allowed my erection to prove my intentions. “Good morning, Juliette,” I murmured into her ear.

  At that, she couldn’t form a coherent response.

  “I didn’t understand you,” I goaded. “But I’m fairly certain it sounded like, “Good morning, Jake,” I said, and then I plunged a finger deep inside her. “Am I right?”

  “Yes,” she cried out.

  “Oh, fuck,” I groaned. “You’re so wet. Did you touch yourself last night and think of me?”

  There was a slight nod from her as I nuzzled her neck and then nipped her earlobe.

  “Did you come?”

  She shook her head no.

  Anticipation licked up my spine at how ready she was for me. All I had been thinking about was sinking my bare cock into her sweet pussy. I circled her clit. “But you wanted to, didn’t you?”

  “I did,” she moaned.

  “Do you want to come now?”

  She ground herself against my cock. “Oh, God yes.”

  “Good thing, because it’s all I’ve been thinking about.” I captured her mouth and consumed her. It was inexplicable, the urge that came over me whenever I was near her. I’d gone without sex for months, but now having her was all I could think about.

  Suddenly, she pulled away from me. “Let me jump in the shower really quick.”

  I shook my head, which was still wet from my own shower. “I’m hungry for you right now, and I don’t want to wait.”

  Juliette turned to fully face me. Her naked body was soft and warm against mine, and when she gazed up at me, her eyes were glowing with that heat that made me weak. There were times when she looked at me I could have sworn I saw something else in those eyes, and this was one of them.

  I felt a distant chill wash over me.

  That look, what it conveyed, it was dangerous.

  Love?

  I wasn’t sure.

  But if it was, I wasn’t looking for it.

  Didn’t want it.

  From everything I knew, what came out of it was nothing good.

  Heartache.

  Despair.

  Even death.

  Who the hell would willingly sign up for that?

  So yeah, love definitely wasn’t part of my plan. Besides, the notion was crazy. People didn’t go from hating each other to falling in love in a matter of two weeks.

  “Are you sure?” she asked in a soft voice. “I haven’t even brushed my teeth, and you’re so clean and fresh.”

  Whereas the daytime version of Juliette was sassy, the morning version of her was sweet and adorable. I liked this side of her. Really liked this side. Then again I really liked the other side, too.

  With a grin, I smoothed a hand down the side of her hair and stared at her beautiful face. Suddenly, my gut ached in the strangest way. “I’m sure, baby. You’re perfect just the way you are,” I whispered, my breath catching on the words in a way that I wasn’t familiar with.

  Her own breath stuttered across her lips, and her pupils dilated rapidly as desire seemed to devour her.

  Unable to stop myself, I kissed her again. The angle was wrong, and she shifted a little on the pillow to meet my mouth. Gone was her soft that molded against my hard so nicely. I didn’t like the space she put between us.

  When I slid my tongue into her mouth to taste her, she gasped. And I realized what I did like was the way she swallowed her breath. The way I
breathed the same air she expelled. There was something almost erotic about taking the air she gave, sucking it into my own lungs, and savoring it before returning it back to her.

  It made me feel more alive than I could ever remember feeling.

  My thoughts were bordering on crazy now, and I shook them off. “You’re too far away. Come a little closer,” I ordered in a gruff voice.

  Scooting up on me, she huffed, “You’re very bossy when you get home from work.”

  Light.

  The light was back.

  Relieved, I went with it. “I’m worked up,” I grinned, pushing the hair from her eyes.

  “I can see that.”

  Holding her chin in my hand, I leaned in closer to her. “Ask me why.”

  She raised a brow. “Why are you so worked up, Dr. Kiss?”

  Dr. Kiss.

  I really disliked that, but from her lips, I could tolerate it. It was even growing on me.

  After nipping at her bottom lip, I reached over toward the nightstand. “Because I want to fuck you bare, and I brought you this to ease your mind about it.”

  She looked at the folded piece of paper. “And that would be what? A recommendation from that nurse you work with on how skilled you are with more than just your stethoscope?”

  There was a slight hint of jealously in her tone that I chose to ignore. Instead of easing her mind though, I swatted her bare ass with the document and then handed it to her. “Don’t be a smartass. It’s my test results. I’m clean, and you’re on the pill, so we’re good to go.”

  “But I don’t have my results with me. They’re at home.”

  “Were you all clear?”

  She frowned. “Yes, but you should still see them first.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t need to.”

  “Are you su—?”

  The information on these kinds of tests was cut and dry. You were either clean, or you were not. Cutting her off, I leaned down and fused my mouth to hers. It seemed that kissing her was something I also couldn’t get enough of.