by Jayne Blue
“I’m not going to take no for an answer. Uncle Charlie, I still love him. That’s never going to change. He’ll see me if he knows I’m already there. You know he wouldn’t turn me away.”
“Sheeeeit.”
I smiled. I’d won. He swore some more but I knew I could count on him. He might be the last person I could say that about.
“Thank you,” I said. “I love you. And I promise, I’ll try to find a weekend real soon to come down and visit.”
For once, I hoped I’d made a promise I could finally keep.
***
Seth didn’t come to bed at all. As far as I knew he slept right on the stairs where I left him. I rose early, just after dawn. I dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. I wanted simple. I wanted to look like me again.
Seth came into the room as I toweled off my freshly washed hair. He was dressed in a new suit. He leaned in the door frame and his eyes narrowed as he caught sight of me.
“Where the hell are you going looking like that?”
“Maybe nowhere,” I said. “You said you don’t need me to come to Springfield with you so I don’t have specific plans for the day. Will you be back home tonight?” I knew the answer but I wanted to hear it again.
“No,” he said. “I’ve got meetings tomorrow morning so I might not be back until the day after tomorrow. You’ll stay here?” He said nothing about what happened last night. My guess was that at least that last bit he didn’t remember.
“I might go into town to do some shopping if you don’t mind.”
“Shopping for what?”
I wound the towel around my head and put my hands in my lap. I sat at the dresser.
“Well,” I said. “I was thinking. You told Jack about how many boxes and things your mother has throughout the house. How do you feel about me taking on the project of sorting through some of it?”
I held my breath as he regarded me. This is what I’d been working for since the very beginning – unfettered access to Miranda’s things.
Seth took a breath and scratched his chin. “It looks like an old lady lives here, doesn’t it?”
I had to be careful with how I answered. Agreeing with him might seem like the safest choice but sometimes it wasn’t. If I did, I was essentially criticizing Miranda. It could trigger him.
“Well,” I answered. I rose and crossed the room until I was standing in front of him. “It’s just that it’s your house now. You can do anything you want with it. It’s a beautiful house and the dinner party and the wedding I think is just the beginning. We could ... you could start using this place to entertain. It could be grand. You could give everything your touch, not your mother’s.”
“And you want to help with that?”
“I could give it a try? Maybe start out small, like I said. We at least need to know what your mother had. Take an inventory. I could go room by room. Then you can decide what you want to keep or sell or donate. Whatever you think.”
Seth nodded. “You’re not wrong. Why don’t you pick a room and start?”
I leaned up and kissed him and this time it was genuine.
“When I get back, hopefully we’ll have something to celebrate,” he said. “If my meeting with some of the Unions I’m hoping will back me go well.”
I supposed there was a first time for everything.
“Sounds good,” I said. “You want me to plan anything special?”
Seth shook his head. “I’ll let you know.”
He turned. He didn’t say goodbye. He didn’t kiss me again. He did none of the things a loving fiancé would do. It wasn’t out of character. Seth just left. I was shaking. I hadn’t expected that to be so easy. Seth had actually directed me to go through each room of Miranda’s house. I was so close! I wanted to start immediately. I wanted to tear every room apart until I found something, anything that could prove what she’d done to me.
But I had an appointment to keep. Once Charlie agreed to help me, I knew I had to go. It would strengthen my resolve and help me see the rest of this through.
I dried my hair quickly after I heard Seth leave through the front door and grabbed my purse. I was almost out the door myself when Mary stopped me. She was the other impediment to my unfettered access to the house. I had to formulate a plan to deal with her quickly, too.
“Do you want me to call a driver for you?” she said. “Mr. Manning said to have one at your disposal.”
Fat chance, I thought. I knew what she was about. Maybe Seth asked her or maybe she was so used to doing what she thought Miranda would want but I wasn’t about to tip her off on my destination. What I did today, I needed to do alone.
“I feel like driving myself today,” I said. “Seth wants to change a few things with the house so I’m just going to do some window shopping.”
Her face went sour as I expected. I didn’t stick around for anymore conversation. I took Seth’s Lexus since he’d taken a cab to the airport. The traffic was light heading into downtown as I drove into Union Station. I stepped out of the car. It seemed hot for April and I wished I’d left my leather bomber jacket in the car before I walked to the bus terminal.
“Where to hun?” The cashier was a cheery, plump man who looked a little like Louis Armstrong. It was early yet, not even eight o’clock. I bet by the end of his shift he’d be worn down.
“Marion,” I said.
He raised a brow and took my credit card. “Marion? You must have family or something out there. Pretty girl like you ought to be heading to Hollywood. Get your man to drive you out there in style.”
I smiled. “You can’t pick your family, can you?”
This got me a great belly laugh. “You’re not shittin’. Well, you have yourself as good a time as you can in Marion. What the hell do they have all the way down there worth sittin’ through a four-hour bus ride for?”
He slid my ticket across the counter. “A federal penitentiary,” I said through a bright smile and a wink.
This got me another belly laugh as he waved me on to make way for the next passenger in line.
Chapter Seventeen
Jack
At quarter to ten, I’d given up hope that Tora would show tonight. I hated admitting even to myself how crushed I was by it. She was all I could think about. Worse than not having her was the idea that she’d stayed away because of Seth, if that’s what it was. My phone rang and my shoulders tightened when I saw the caller ID.
Seth. Was she with him? I accepted the call.
“You have an offer to make me?” I said by way of answer.
Seth let out a forced laugh. “You’re something else, Jack.”
“Is that a no?” I said. “Cuz I’m tired and Game of Thrones is about to start.”
“Rrright.” Seth’s tone was odd, like he had an audience. Was Tora with him?
“Say hello to Tora for me,” I said. “Tell her I’m sorry for cutting dinner short last night.”
“You can tell her yourself the next time you see her,” Seth said. “I’m in Springfield. She stayed home.”
Good. And fuck. Why wasn’t she here?
“Anyway, Jack,” Seth said. “I’ve had some meetings. I’m really encouraged. But I’d really like to know I can count on you.”
“I’d really like my dad’s stuff back, Seth,” I said.
“Is that all? Is that really going to be your answer from now on?”
“Pretty much.”
“You’re a shit sometimes, Jack.”
“You’re not really helping your cause, Seth.”
“Fine,” he said. “I shouldn’t have called you so late. Go watch your Game of Stones or whatever it is. I’ll call you tomorrow when you’re in a better mood.”
I was about to say something skewering but a soft knock on my door took the sarcasm right out of my mouth. I went to the door and looked out.
Tora was there, standing in the hallway looking small. Even with the distortion of the keyhole I could see something different in her face. She was momenta
rily unguarded. She wiped at her eyes and ran a hand through her hair. Something was wrong.
I became aware that Seth was still talking in my ear and I clicked the phone shut and tossed it on a chair as I opened the door.
“Hey,” Tora said. A smile had come back into her face and it was genuine. I wanted to take her, pull her close to me and make her forget whatever shadow darkened her eyes just a moment ago.
“I’d just about given up on you,” I said, swinging the door wide. She ducked under my arm and came in the room.
“Don’t,” she said in a firm voice which she covered an instant later with a smile and a laugh.
I shut the door and watched her. Something was definitely off. She rubbed her hands on the thighs of her jeans and paced in front of the bed like she didn’t know if she should stand or sit. She was uncomfortable and I needed to know why.
“Tora?” I started.
“Don’t,” she said again, even more abruptly. “I don’t want to talk. I just want to be, Jack. I don’t want to think. I just want.”
Then she was on me. She crossed the room and threw her arms around my shoulder, pressing her body against mine hard enough that I took a step back to keep my balance. Her mouth was hot, urgent. But she was awkward as she pulled at my shirt and stuck her hand down the waistband of my pants.
She closed her fingers around my dick; I was hard for her already. Of course I was. But she had a desperation about her that was wildly out of sync with the look I saw in her eyes just a few minutes ago.
“Tora,” I put my hands up and took her wrists while she kissed me harder.
“Please,” she whispered against my mouth.
I took a step forward and we stumbled together toward the bed. She sat down on it hard and I got my hands out to brace my fall before I landed square on top of her. I stepped back, leaving her panting on the bed.
“Stop for a second,” I said and the part of my brain connected to my dick wanted to bitch slap me.
“Why?” Tora almost shrieked it.
“Because something’s wrong with you,” I said. “You’re upset about something and I want to know what the hell it is first.”
Her shoulders slumped and she folded her hands in her lap. Slowly, I sat down next to her. I was almost afraid to touch her. Afraid that if I did, whatever she’d been hanging on to so tightly would crumble.
“What’s going on? Is it Seth? Did he do something to you?”
She shook her head.
“You aren’t going to tell me, are you?” I said.
When she raised her eyes to mine I saw deep pain behind them and it nearly gutted me. This was getting dangerous for me. I was starting to feel things for her that usually led to trouble for me down the road. As far as baggage went, we both had truck loads. But she was hurt. Something had hurt her and whatever it was – whoever it was – I wanted to punch it until it bled. Anything to get that look out of her eyes.
She might have sensed something in mine because she raised a hand and stroked my cheek. “It’s okay,” she said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t come over to unload my crap on you.”
“Okay,” I answered. I brought my hand up and took hers away from my face. The bones of her wrist seemed so small and delicate. Everything about her was except for the green fire in her eyes and steel in her back. I wanted to know what made her that way.
“Tora,” I went on. “I want you. More than is probably good for either of us. But I think I want to know you just as much.”
She took her hand back and looked up at me. “Yeah. That’s probably not good either, right?”
“Can you tell me what happened?”
She shrugged. “Jack, I’m just tired today. Tired of everything except for you.”
“Okay.” I reached out and helped her peel her jacket off of her shoulders. It was an old leather bomber jacket. It had frayed patches on the front and another on the sleeve. “This looks legit,” I said. “Is it?”
She ran a hand over it as I took it and laid it carefully over the chair near the desk. She nodded.
“Someone you knew?” I asked.
Tora tucked a hair behind her ear and gave me a half smile but wouldn’t answer.
“You can trust me, you know,” I said. “I know you have secrets. I’ve watched you. There are moments when I think I’m seeing the real Tora. Mostly when it’s just us. But then, you have this mask you wear.”
Saying that much to her was a risk. She could slap me, she could tell me to fuck off. Worst of all, she could decide to leave. Somehow, though, I knew she wouldn’t.
“You can trust me, too,” she said.
“I think I already know that.” I gestured to the desk where I had set my mother’s teakwood jewelry box.
She nodded. “I’m still sorry that happened to you.”
My turn to shrug. “I think something just as bad happened to you, didn’t it?”
Her eyes flickered and she looked away. I’d pushed a button.
“Will you just stay here?” I said. I hadn’t planned what I said. It just came out and the second it did it felt right.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, don’t leave. We don’t have to do anything. I mean I want to. All I’ve been thinking about is how much I want to. But ...”
“Am I that pathetic?” Tora’s laugh was soft.
“You’re not. I just ... I just think maybe you need peace more and I kind of like the idea of being the one to give it to you. And taking advantage of vulnerable women isn’t my thing.”
The smile that lit her face was breathtaking. “You mean just, like ... sleep together?”
“What,” I raised a brow. “You don’t think I can take it?”
“What if I can’t?” She let out a bright laugh and stood up. She put her arms around me and I pulled her against me. Her head came to rest in the hollow of my chest and she fit there like she belonged. Her voice was soft as she pressed her cheek in.
“I do trust you, Jack. I don’t know why. And you’re right. I do feel like myself when it’s just us. But I have to keep my secrets. Just a little while longer.”
I kissed the top of her head. “I can live with that. Just don’t lie to me.”
She nodded against me. “I can live with that.”
“And if you can’t take it,” I said, “well, that’s a different story.”
I don’t know how long we stood there, but later we broke apart. She took her jeans off and crawled into the bed in her t-shirt and underwear. I stripped down to my boxers and slid in next to her. She nuzzled against me, her head against my chest. And I held her as she fell asleep, laughing to myself when she started to snore.
***
Tora
I woke to darkness and for a moment had no idea where I was. Then I felt warm, solid arms around me. I wriggled to loosen his embrace, just enough so I could sit up in bed. My eyed adjusted to the light, mostly coming from a bright moon through the large windows. Jack snorted and shifted, coming to rest on his back. His chest rose and fell with his steady breaths. I reached out and ran my hands down the soft curls of brown hair there, tracing down over his abdomen and across the curve of his hip. There was nothing soft about Jack’s body. Everything was sculpted and strong from the bulge of his biceps, the corded muscles of his thighs and as I pulled the covers back, his rock hard erection. He was nude, having stripped sometime in the night.
He stirred; the edges of his full mouth twitched and a line crossed his forehead. He let out a soft groan and a shudder went through him. He was dreaming. A sex dream judging by the state of his cock. Was he dreaming about me? I sat up on my knees and pulled the covers all the way down to his knees and watched him.
Jack shifted, pulling his right leg up until it angled against the other in a “four” shape. He made a subtle movement with his hips, clenched his buttocks. His abs flexed and a ripple went through him. He thrust his hips. His balls quivered under him. They seemed full and heavy.
I wanted him.
Jack groaned again.
I reached back and unhooked my bra, tossing it. My aim was bad and it landed over the lampshade near the window. I couldn’t wait another second. As Jack shuddered and groaned through whatever erotic scene played out in his mind, I decided to give him one in real time.
I shifted and settled myself between his legs. Bracing myself with my hands on either side of his thighs, I lowered myself down, stretching my mouth wide to take in the length of his cock. God, he was so hard, like steel wrapped in velvet; the veins along his shaft pulsed against my tongue as I began to suck.
Jack’s groan grew louder, he was still dreaming. I swirled my tongue and ran it down to the base of his dick, lapping at what I could reach of his balls. His body shook and twitched and I grabbed hold of his hips to keep from being thrown off him.
Jack woke.
His hands went to the side of my head, driving me down the length of him until the tip of his cock hit the back of my throat. I struggled not to choke. Then he did it again, making me fuck him with my mouth; I sucked and swallowed, working to keep the pace he set. It aroused something deep and wicked inside me and I felt a rush of hot fluid between my legs. The room was silent except for the wet, smacking sound I made as I lapped and sucked for all I was worth. That too turned me on so much it shocked me.
“Fuck,” Jack said as he pulled me up and off of him. He kept his hands on my head, guiding me up so he could look at me. His eyes were wolfish, feral, flashing something dark as he held me.
“Please,” I said. “I need you.”
Jack brought me up until I lay on top of him, his erection beating a pulse against my thigh.
“I need you,” I said again; my voice didn’t sound like my own.
“Are you sure?” He sounded far away.
“Please?” My voice barely louder than a breath.
Jack shifted, setting me gently beside him on the bed. Then he rose, staggering for just a moment and it made me smile. I couldn’t help it. I’d unsettled him in the best possible way and I was proud of it. But Jack got his bearings quick enough; he paced at the end of the bed, running his hands along the rough stubble on his jaw. Then he turned and came at me. He planted his hands flat on the bed and leaned in to kiss me.