“It’s okay,” she said, suddenly feeling very meek. “I’m happy to go and get something myself.” Leah stood and gestured toward the door. “Do either of you want anything?”
“I’m sorry, sweetie.” Candice straightened herself out. “The last thing you need is to listen to us thrashing it out.” She shot a look at Ty. “And I will thrash you if you so much as think about trying to get that worm off my hook.” She turned back to Leah. “Let’s go get a proper drink.” She marched ahead and strode down the corridor.
“Why did you bring me with you?” Leah said in a harsh whisper to Ty.
“I just want to get this sorted,” he replied. They followed Candice to the bar.
“Clearly Candice feels the same way about Jerry as I do.” They stepped into the nightclub, and, far from the dark hallways, it was filled with yellow light.
Three men milled behind the bar, polishing glasses, restocking bottles and emptying tills. Candice beckoned to one and he trotted over on command, taking three tumblers from behind the counter. He added a shot of vodka to each before topping them with Coke.
“It’s a bit early, isn’t it?” Leah asked, pulling her phone out and checking the time. Perhaps it wasn’t that early. The day had rolled by without her even noticing. She took the glass presented to her by the barman and took a sip. She was unsure of the brand, but it was obviously expensive—smooth and warm under the sweetness of the Coke.
“Why don’t you stay here for a bit while I go and beat some sense into your boyfriend?” Candice smiled. “Believe it or not but there’s a kitchen in the back, and if you ask Paul nicely, I’m sure he’ll throw something together if you’re hungry?”
“I can do chips, sandwiches, burgers…” Paul began to reel off a list. His voice matched his looks—smooth, warm and dark, just like the drink in front of her.
“Chips would be fine.” Leah sat on one of the stools as Candice and Ty left her alone. Paul disappeared into a back room, and the other two men continued with their chores. She started to play with her mouth, making sucking and clucking noises, glancing around the room and taking in her surroundings. The VIP area was cordoned off with thick red velvet ropes stretching across both entry points by the dance floor. Without the gyrating throng, the floor seemed larger, stretching out toward the stage where the DJ’s booth was situated.
She finished her drink, slid from her stool and realized how little she had eaten that day. The room wobbled and Leah planted her hand on the black leather seat, waiting until the world caught up with her.
“Another drink? Chips will be another ten minutes.” Paul had reappeared.
“Oh, no, thanks!”
“Just a Coke perhaps?” He flashed a grin, one she suspected he had perfected for patrons of Kiss-Kiss, and poured a drink whether she wanted one or not. Leah shrugged and sat back on the stool, grateful that her center of gravity had returned.
“You okay?” Ty slipped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck.
Leah murmured in delight. “Did you get everything sorted?”
“I’m staying out of it.”
“Good. Have you told Craig? You haven’t, have you?”
“I will do.”
Her annoyance came out as a grunting groan.
“Leah…” Candice walked into the bar, her voice a cool, seductive purr. She strode over to them, ordering Paul with the universal sign language for ‘Another round, please!’
“No.” Leah slapped her hand over her glass. “I’m tired and I need to find somewhere to stay.” She glared at Ty, waiting for him to assure her that Jerry wasn’t moving back in.
“Why don’t you guys both stay for a drink and a dance as my personal guests.” She pressed her palms against Leah’s shoulders, fingers massaging close to her collarbone. “We can use the private room out the back, get wrecked and sort all of this mess out with a decent hangover.”
“Candice…” Ty’s voice was a low growl.
“Lighten up, Ty. Leah’s a big girl and can make her own choices.”
“This”—Leah pointed to the glass—“has gone straight to my head. Sun, alcohol and no lunch are not a good mix.” She was pretty sure she slurred the last sentence.
“Your chips, madam.” Paul presented her with a small basket lined with paper towels and filled with thick-cut chips, steam swirling from the pile. A bottle of ketchup was placed next to them.
“I need these.” Leah picked up the bottle and drowned the chips in tomato sauce before shoving one into her mouth. It was hotter than she’d been expecting, and she began to frantically wave her hand in front of her face.
Candice laughed. “You finish your chips, I’ve got to go round up the troops and get ready for the night. Ty, I’m sure you can look after your lady and get her to make the right decision.”
“What’s she talking about?” Leah asked as Candice made her way to the front door, disappearing into the cloakroom.
“Who knows?” Ty shrugged. “Why don’t we take those over to the seats?” He nodded toward the VIP booths. He grabbed the basket with one hand and hooked the other around her waist, helping her to stand steady.
* * * *
By the time Leah had finished her chips, the club’s night staff had begun to arrive, and her head had started to clear from the woozy fog. She frowned at Ty, stuffing the last chip into her mouth and licking her fingers clean.
She watched as the DJ skipped and hopped his way up the steps onto the stage. Behind the decks, he bent down, picked up a tattered cardboard box and thumbed through a selection of vinyls. “I thought they used MP3s nowadays,” she mused.
“This guy’s old-school. He’s a true believer that music sounds better on vinyl than it does digitized. I’m inclined to agree with him.”
“I saw your collection at the house. Have you decided what you’re going to do?”
He hooked a finger under her chin, using the pad of his thumb to wipe at the corner of her mouth. “I’m not losing you,” he said, as if it were a simple fact.
Leah smiled. “What do you want to do tonight? We’re not exactly dressed for a night out.” They both looked down at their sun-bleached shorts and T-shirt combos. Leah wrapped a protective arm around her naked waist. “And I might get cold later. I need to get changed.”
“You’re just fine the way you are,” Candice said, appearing beside them. “Anyway, I do believe that I offered you the VIP lounge.” Music blared out of the speakers. “It’s quieter. And cozier too,” she purred, giving Leah a suggestive wink before turning back to Ty.
Ty and Candice stared at each other. Leah felt like she was watching two wolves vying for alpha status.
“You’ve had your fun,” Ty said to Candice. “I’ve told you where I stand. I want none of it.”
“Maybe we should just go,” Leah said, almost fearful of the tension that was growing, filling the club. “Ty?” She reached out for him, startled when he pulled away from her. “We should go,” she said again.
“Yeah,” he said, still looking at Candice. “We should.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
The drive home was silent. Once they got back to the house, they showered separately and sat in the lounge. Leah could tell that not all had gone well at Kiss-Kiss, but she was beginning to wonder exactly what had happened between Ty and Candice in that back office. “What did you mean by ‘you’ve had your fun’?” She twisted in the seat to look at him.
“Candice can be…” He paused. “Persuasive.”
“You mean dominating. I’m not some idiotic virgin, Ty, so stop treating me like I am. I know what you’re into, and I know that you two have a past. I guess I just thought…” She shrugged.
“What? That she was submissive?” He let out a loud laugh, shattering the tense air between them.
“Was Jerry part of your relationship?” The question caught him off guard.
“Umm… Yeah. Yeah, he was.”
She snuggled into him, resting her head against his chest and let
ting her fingers play with the soft fabric of his T-shirt. He inhaled the scents of his shampoo and shower gel that laced her skin and hair.
“Does that bother you?” he asked, unsure whether he wanted to hear her answer.
“I don’t know.” At least she was being honest with him. He kissed the top of her head.
“I’m sorry.”
“What for?” she asked sleepily.
“I shouldn’t have put you in that situation. I shouldn’t have dragged you into any of this.”
“I’m not wholly innocent,” she said. Her breathing grew heavier, deeper, as she drifted into a gentle slumber.
“Come on,” he said, nudging her awake. “Let’s get you to bed. Tomorrow we need to start unpacking boxes and getting more of your stuff.”
* * * *
Leah rolled and stretched in an empty bed. She’d slept for eight hours straight, but still felt exhausted. Curling up in the sheets, she buried her head into the pillows, ignoring the bright sun that crept through a gap between the curtains.
“You can’t stay there all day,” Ty said, walking into the bedroom. She heard the clunk of pottery on wood as he placed a cup of tea by the bed.
“Watch me,” she said, her voice muffled by the pillows and blankets.
“You okay?”
“Mmm… Better for a good night’s sleep. What are you doing about Jerry?”
“Don’t worry about that now. Come on, get dressed and let’s start moving you in properly. That’s if you do still want to move in with me?”
“Of course I do.”
“Good. Because it would kill me if anything I did hurt you.” Ty stood up. “I promise to be honest with you about everything from now on. One hundred percent.”
“Then start with what you’re going to do about Jerry.”
“I don’t know. And that is the truth. Craig wants me to let him move back in once he’s been released from hospital, if the charges are dropped.”
“And if they’re not?”
“Then I don’t know what happens. He needs help, Leah.”
“Yeah, I know. But he doesn’t need you like I do.”
* * * *
Her words had hit him like a giant sting, straight into his heart. He’d never been needed before, not the way she meant it. Fuck. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to be needed. Weren’t women supposed to be strong and independent? Then again, he’d thought that was exactly what Leah was. She still claimed to need him, though.
He picked up the house phone and punched in Craig’s number. “Hi, it’s me.”
Craig cleared his throat. “Have you thought about my offer?”
“Yeah, about that…” Ty ran a hand through his hair and began to pace the lounge floor. The carpet beneath his feet was soft and comforting, a complete contrast to the fire that burned in his chest. But it had to be said. “I don’t think it’s going to work out. I tried to help and—”
“He could still press charges against you.”
“Don’t try to blackmail me, Craig, it won’t work. He deserved it then, and he probably deserves it now.” He took a deep, refreshing breath, stopping himself from digging a deeper hole. “How is he?”
“They’ll be discharging him this afternoon, once the doctor’s done his rounds.”
“And the charges?” Ty waited for an answer. “Craig? You still there?”
“Yeah…yeah. Did you speak to Candice?”
“I don’t know why you don’t try yourself.”
“You try to explain to your wife that you’re calling your ex-girlfriend to try and get the charges dropped on your drug-dealing brother.”
“Have you ever considered the fact that being charged might be exactly what he needs? It might give him a wake-up call. He can’t spend his entire life living off you and me. You have a family to look after. I have a girlfriend who wants to move in with me, but doesn’t want to be around Jerry. What if I want to get married and have kids? I can’t do that with him hanging around my neck.”
“No, I know. Shit, Ty, I’m sorry.”
“You’re only looking out for him. I get that. But he’s supposed to be an adult.” Silence filled the phone line until Ty said, “I’ll dig out Lance’s number. Those two have been pretty tight recently, maybe he’ll be able to help out.”
“Thanks, Ty. I’d appreciate that.”
“I’ll text you later.”
“Okay. Thanks. Bye.”
Ty hung up and turned round to see Leah leaning against the doorframe.
“Married and kids, huh?”
“Morning,” he said, squeezing past her and heading to the kitchen.
“Is this a long-term plan?” She followed him, continuing to tease him. “Am I involved? Or do you have your sights set somewhere higher?” They walked into the kitchen and Leah pulled herself up to sit on the counter. He raised a disapproving eyebrow, which she ignored. “Perhaps”—she gripped the edge of the surface and swung her legs—“you’ve decided you want someone more willing.”
“For God’s sake, Leah, how many times?” he said, sounding irritated. “I love you.” He shifted between her legs. “If all you wanted to do was shag missionary style, then that’s what we’d do. Christ, if you wanted to abstain, it would be fucking hard but I’d do it.” It came out as a torrential rant, one he had no control over. All she could do was sit and stare at him as he continued. “And yes, those plans do include you. One day, if you’ll have me, I want to marry you and have kids with you.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
It had been three days since he’d mentioned marriage and babies. The hallway was still filled with her boxes, but Maggie’s spare room was now well and truly a nursery. Neil had told her that she was always welcome if things didn’t work out. She didn’t dare tell either of them about the semi-proposal. She’d told Yvonne, though, and Rainie. Both women had instantly demanded a coffee, so she’d arranged to meet them both at the same time, preferring to not have to repeat herself until the whole of Bristol knew.
“You’re not, are you?” Yvonne asked, and Rainie almost spat out her coffee.
“No,” Leah said. “I’m not.”
Rainie giggled. After the introductions had been made, Yvonne had immediately spread her wings and swooped Rainie under them. She’d already offered her a personal training session and a makeover after Rainie had commented on Yvonne’s lithe figure and outfit that suited her better than it would any mannequin.
“Thank God for that.” She leaned back with her usual dramatic flair. “So what about, you know…?”
“Lance’s said that Jerry can crash at his,” Rainie offered before picking up her mug and sipping at it.
“What about you and Lance?” Leah asked, desperate for a change in conversation.
“I’m not sure he’s really my type.”
“Crap in bed, eh?” Yvonne smirked.
“The complete opposite, but he was a rebound. They never last long, do they?” She looked up at Leah and gave her a sympathetic smile. “And after everything that happened at the party… Glad I avoided that one.”
“How long before you’re back at school?
“Two weeks. Fourteen whole days before heading back to the classroom.”
“Don’t sound too enthusiastic.”
“Meetings. Training. Planning. And teenagers.” Leah sighed. “Thousands of the bloody creatures. Trust me, you have it easy.”
“Ha!” Yvonne blurted out. “You think getting overweight women with absolutely no self-esteem, no confidence and no willpower to get fit and healthy is easy? And don’t even get me started on the men! I swear half of them only hire a personal trainer so they can watch my arse wiggle.” She shuffled in her seat and Rainie laughed. “Got any plans for your final days of freedom?”
“Making the most of the sun,” Rainie said.
“And starting your new program,” Yvonne reminded her.
“And diet.”
“Leah? Sex, I bet. Lots of kinky sex.” She shot her a wink
. “Who needs exercising when you’ve got a Ty, huh?”
Rainie giggled. “He’s certainly something. Are you going to be flashing an engagement ring around the school next term? Has he told his aunt yet?”
“Aunt?” Yvonne inquired.
“Mrs. Hilary Davis,” Leah said, bypassing the mention of kinky sex. She would tell Yvonne, but not while Rainie was around. “The head teacher. She’s his aunt.”
“Oh, wow. Are you still going to have a job when it comes out that you’re shagging the head’s nephew?”
“Of course she will,” Rainie jumped in. “Leah is the best English teacher we have!”
“I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration,” Leah said in a soft voice.
“No, it’s not. Have you seen the exam results of this year yet?”
“I’ve been preoccupied.”
“We’ve moved six places up the board! Hilary would be an idiot to fire you over something so trivial. Not that it is trivial! Especially if he’s talking marriage and kids… Oh, you know what I mean.”
“Yes.” Leah smiled. “I know.”
“Well, I’d better go,” Rainie excused herself, finishing her coffee. “I’ve got so much to do. I will see you before we go back, won’t I?” Leah nodded. “Good. And, Yvonne, it was lovely to meet you properly. I’ll call you tomorrow to arrange a date for my first session.”
“You better had,” Yvonne warned. They waited until Rainie had shut the door behind her. “So dish.”
“What?”
“You’ve been sitting on something, and it’s got nothing to do with weddings and babies.”
Leah sucked on her bottom lip. “The other night…”
“Yes?”
“We went to Kiss-Kiss and got invited to use the VIP lounge by the manager, Candice.”
“Candice as in the woman at the party? As in Ty’s ex?”
Leah gave a nonchalant shrug. “They weren’t really a couple, I don’t think.”
“Potatoes, potahtoes. Spill it.”
“I think… I don’t know. I don’t know what to think. I got the feeling that there was more to it.”
Taking Care Of Leah Page 17