by Jesse Jordan
“Why?” I ask, half amazed. “You guys... you're...”
“We're brothers,” Rocky says softly, giving me another one of his trademarked smiles. “And Joey likes you, a lot. So, if our brother needs help, we help him. Besides, he doesn't ask that often, he helps us at least three times as often as we help him.”
“Thank you,” I answer thickly, surprised when Rocky puts an arm around my shoulders and squeezes. He's not taking advantage, he's not trying to hit on me, he's just saying... welcome to the family. It feels good, and I feel close to being moved to tears when he lets go. “Uh, where's everyone else?”
“Oh, don't think that they're being lazy. Maria, Bella, and Angel are out shopping for a bed and that sort of stuff while Teresa and Cora are packing up Joey's stuff to move out here. If we can get a move on, we'll have his new temporary room all laid out by the time dinner's ready. We're doing the traditional Fragments moving meal,” Rocky says, raising his voice a little. “Right, Ian?”
“Damn right. Triple meat medley pizzas with extra bacon!” the huge man calls back, coming over. He looks me in the eye, stern at first, to the point that I'm starting to get nervous before he grins broadly, nodding. “Yeah. You'll do just fine for Joey. Come on, Rock, we've got work to do.”
Ian turns, but not before giving me another smile. Rocky chuckles and points to the house. “Go on, let Ian, Joey and me do the whole grunt work thing. We can divvy up the pizza later. Besides if you hurry, you might find Joey's old stash of Playboys.”
“Rocky!” Joey yells, horrified, but I can't help it, I laugh as I run towards the front door, leaving Joey torn between helping his friends and trying to figure out if Rocky's set a trap for him. Just as I go inside, I hear Joey turn back to the work in the garage, yelling. “Rocky, if you...”
I find Cora and Teresa in one of the bedrooms, clearly Joey's by the looks of the stuff in the closet. Teresa looks up as she takes clothes out of the dresser, smiling when she sees me. “Welcome, Andrea.”
Cora's just as beautiful as the pictures I've seen of her, and I'm surprised when she comes over and hugs me, actually picking me up off the ground an inch or two. She's strong for a pregnant woman, even in her petite body. “So, you're the one, huh?”
“What do you mean?”
Cora, whose hair is pulled back in high twin strawberry blond ponytails, grins as she sets me down. “You'll find out for yourself when the time comes. Come on, we've still got a long afternoon in front of us, the boys still need to wrap up before we put together the bed. Whenever it gets here.”
It's midnight before Rocky scoops up his daughter and everyone leaves, the work finally complete. We'd finished by toasting the whole thing with tall bottles of beer, Cora skipping since she's driving as well as pregnant, and Ian's going to stay overnight with them at their home. Maria and Teresa go to their bedrooms soon afterward, and I sit with Joey in his new 'apartment,' the walls still bare and the creases still clear in the brand new king sized sheets. “Where did she find this, anyway?”
“Knowing Maria, she probably went nuts over at Bed, Bath & Beyond. She loves that place, seriously. One of my biggest joys was the first time I got a good-sized royalty check and I took her and Angel over there to let Maria pick out a brand new bathroom set. I don't know if I'd have gone with the brown headboard though, I like black, but it's okay. Maria's happy, so I'm happy.”
“You've made me happy too,” I reply, sitting down next to him on the bed. “Joey, this is amazing. And I promise I'll pay you back for every cent of what you guys put out for this rush job somehow. Even if it takes years.”
Joey shakes his head, taking my face in his hands and stroking his thumbs over my cheekbones. “You'll do no such thing, Andrea. This was a gift. First from Ian, then from me. And you're going to keep accepting these gifts, no return or repayment or obligation required. I'm not your father, there are no strings attached in this offer. You are welcome to stay here as long as you want, my room is now your room. Not borrowed, not lent. It's yours.”
I blink, tears in my eyes, and I nod before yawning, exhausted by an afternoon and evening of hard labor. “Joey, thank you. Can I be honest?”
“You can say whatever you want to me, isn't that what being boyfriend and girlfriend is all about? I'll be honest first though, I was worried there for a few days that you didn't want that anymore.”
“I do, more than anything. And right now, what I want is to kiss you and see if this bed is as good for making love as it looks like to me. But I'm not sure if I can stay awake that long, and it'd feel weird to me to wake up tomorrow knowing that your mother might walk in on us.”
“We'll figure it out,” Joey says with a small chuckle. “Because I want to make love with you, too. But you're right, we'd fall asleep afterward, and I'm not sure I'm ready to deal with Mama walking in on us, either. For now, though, good night, Andrea. Buenas noches.”
“Good night, Joey. Buenas noches.”
His words help me fall asleep, but honestly, I think the main reason I can rest so quickly and so easily is that Teresa, probably in a case of forgetfulness but maybe not, didn't change the sheets on Joey's old bed. His pillow, the blankets, they all smell just like him, and I close my eyes enveloped in the warm glow of his essence, and the warm embrace of his blanket.
I do think I'm going to get rid of the rock poster on the wall.
I wake up to a nearly silent house. Other than the hum of the fridge in the kitchen I can't hear anything, but I feel comfortable, stretching languidly before I roll out of bed and head down the hall to the kitchen area. On the fridge, I find a note written in feminine script, the words touching me.
Good morning my new sister (Do you mind if I
call you that?). Joey has recording with the guys,
and Mama and I have a babysitting job to do.
Sorry, we couldn't be here when you woke up, but
enjoy the rest. We'll be home probably around
six thirty, Joey might be back earlier, you know how
musicians are. There are leftovers in the fridge for
lunch and the Wi-Fi password is FragMEnt27984,
make sure you watch your caps! I look forward to
getting more time to talk with you this evening. By
the way, Joey snuck a kiss in on your cheek before
he left, but you were out too much to do much
more than stir. It was cute.
Love
Maria
It's cute, it's innocent, and at the same time, it moves me to happy tears. I open the fridge to see exactly what Maria promised, a Tupperware with what look like two burritos inside. I close the door and think about what I want to do. I have freedom, I have a warm place to sleep and a family that is already willing to accept me with open arms. Ironically, I've never had less stress on me, but inside I feel a fire. I want to contribute, to give to these people as much as they've given to me.
It's not the money. It’s about the feeling, the effort that everyone just gave. As if I'd asked for them to lend me a pen, not their lives and their house. Ian never said much last night, but he worked tirelessly, outworking the contractors, not missing a single beat. Rocky was the leader, coordinating the guys and making sure that they worked well together, while Joey was moving all the time, providing the little touches that made sure everything went well. It was Joey who made sure that the switch cover plate was in place for the lights, and he was the one who double checked that the garage door was down and locked securely. It's a great setup. When Joey wants, they can lift the garage door still, but when it's down you can't really tell the difference from inside compared to the other walls.
No, I have to give to them as much as they gave to me. I just need to figure out how to do it, because right now I'm not sure how I'm going to even heat up lunch, I don't see a microwave anywhere.
Sighing, I go into the living room, I'll figure out lunch later. I glance at the TV, but I've spent too much time over the past ten days watchi
ng daytime crap shows, especially after I turned in my resignation. There wasn't much else to do in the hotel room after all. Instead, I leave the living room and go back to the bedroom, fetching my laptop. I connect to the home Wi-Fi to access my personal e-mail and I'm pleasantly surprised when I see I've got a short, to the point e-mail from Harry Bethlehem. Gimme a call. H.
Why not? Harry was always a good guy, and if he's asked me to give him a call, I'll give him a call. I dial his number, kicking back on the comfortable couch while the phone rings.
“Hello?” Harry says when he picks up, probably not recognizing the number. “Harry Bethlehem.”
“How's the baddest urban reporter from the mean streets of Utah doing?” I ask, feeling better just hearing his voice. “It's your favorite newbie.”
“Hey 'Dre!” Harry says, laughing. “Wow, I'd thought maybe you'd dropped off the face of the planet. You didn't pick up your phone for three days, and I wasn't sure if you were going to answer that e-mail or not. How're you doing, girl?”
“Much better than I was just two days ago, Harry. How're things around the office?”
Harry sighs, his mood darkening. “Honestly? Be glad you called me when I'm out of the office on a story. Right now, even mentioning the name Andrea Coates anywhere in the building is likely to get you crucified.”
I sigh and shake my head. “Is my father that angry about things? Harry, I did what I had to do.”
“I know, the rumor mill filled me in on some of the details I missed on what his 'proposal' was. You know, you could have fought it, legally. But I guess I know why you didn't. So, what're you doing now?”
“Now? I'm staying with a friend and trying to get on my feet. I don't suppose that sending my resume out to the LA Times is going to be any help at all, is it?”
“No chance in hell, not from what I've heard. Darren isn't just muddying the water, he's trying to burn your rep to the ground and piss on the ashes from what some of my friends in other places are telling me. Right now, the word on the street is that if any other media group even talks to you, Coates Media goes on a total war footing. I mean, editorials, scandals, investigative journalists, all of it leveled at whoever talks with you.”
“Then why are you talking with me?” I ask. “Harry, I don't want you getting in trouble.”
“'Dre, like I said I'm out of the office. Right now, I'm supposed to be headed to Long Beach to talk with some urban artist. I'm in my car, hands-free, stuck in traffic. Ain't nobody going to listen to me right now.”
“Honestly? Well, what do you think I should do? I mean, my friends are being really generous, but still, I can't just mooch off them forever. I don't want or need a sugar daddy.”
Harry chuckles, and I can hear him smirking. “Sugar daddy, huh? I bet this sugar daddy speaks Spanish and plays one mean-ass rock guitar, but I won't push there any further. Honestly, if you want my opinion 'Dre, what you should do is look non-traditional.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, curious. “Indie media?”
“Try social media, girl. Look, let me lay it out for you. You're pretty. You've got a name, a writing style, and the smarts to get lots of followers quick. So, start yourself a blog, a Facebook page, and an Instagram. You've got plenty of personal connections out there. Artists that your pops ignored, or celebs who want to get their real story out there. So why not work that angle? People want to know the inside scoop on celebs. Get some yoga pants gym selfies with all the people you know, and monetize, monetize, monetize.”
I think about it, nodding. It's a good idea, and I do have some people I can start talking to. Well, maybe not the yoga pants gym selfies, but the rest of it's dead on. “That's a great idea. Thanks, Harry.”
“No problem, 'Dre. Listen, I'm not going to be able to talk all the time, but let me talk to the people I know. There's a lot of people in entertainment who want that sort of underground exposure, who don't have the backing of the media groups. Let me see what I can dig up, and I'll call you or e-mail you leads.”
I swallow, touched. “Harry, thank you. Seriously, you're the best. Better than this town deserves. Watch yourself though, after some of the stuff my dad said. I'm sorry I didn't realize how flat out racist he is.”
“Maybe, but this town and your father pay money, and Utah don't. As for my skin, we can talk about it another time, when times are easier and hard discussions not so hard. Hang loose, work on some blog site design, and I'll be in touch in a few days.”
After we hang up, I think about Harry's idea. It's a good one, I can keep a bigger percentage of what my work generates, even if I have a smaller market. It's worth a look
, and I spend hours researching, so into it I don’t even notice the time pass until the front door opens.
“Hey beautiful, how's the day been?” Joey asks, coming in and giving me a kiss. His lips and body are warm, even warmer than the light sweatshirt he's wearing should make him, and I feel myself respond, pulling him tighter. “Mmmm, a good day then.”
I nod, biting his lip and tugging him towards the garage bedroom. I've never been this forward before, this willing to drop everything in the middle of the day and jump into bed, but Joey's not like any man in the world. “Joey... I want to tell you about my day, but first, I need you.”
The garage is perfect, quiet and huge, much larger than even my old bedroom, and the bed is massive. Joey picks me up easily and almost casually tosses me onto the soft, springy surface, making me squeal in delight as I go tumbling. I pull off my shirt, grinning as Joey gawks at my naked upper body. There are advantages to not wearing a bra, it seems.
“I need you too,” Joey rasps, pulling his sweatshirt off. He's gained a little bit of weight, but it's all muscle, his chest more defined, his tattoos standing out on his arms. “You have no idea what I was doing in this bed last night just to get some sleep, knowing you were just down the hall.”
“Instead of telling me, how about you show me instead?” I purr, sliding my shorts and panties off. “Or maybe you can just do what you wanted to do, instead?”
Joey nods, his smile growing as he pushes his pants off, his cock bobbing into view. “Last time, you started me with your mouth. I think a good lover should return the favor.”
I'm squirming, even the idea of Joey going down on me making me wet as he takes my knees and spreads them, lifting my legs up higher and higher until I'm nearly folded in half, my pussy open and exposed to him, my toes pressed against the headboard as Joey looks me in the eyes. “Do you want this?”
There's no question there, just a light bit of teasing, and a quiet, powerful demand for my obedience, for recognition of his strength and his masculinity. I nod, not smiling, shivering in anticipation. “Yes, sir. I want you, everything you have.”
Joey smiles, his dark eyes burning with emotion as he reaches out with his tongue, tracing it along the outer lips of my pussy and making me moan in warm heat. Oh God, it feels good, and my hands are already tugging on the bedspread, balling it up as he licks me again, his tongue slightly closer to parting my folds. Still, he takes his time, watching my every movement as he teases me, driving me insane with frustration and pleasure as he licks everywhere but inside my pussy or my clit. When his breath tickles my asshole, I clench, then relax, nodding. A deep hunger in me wants it, but I'm not sure I'm ready. But this is Joey. “Joey... if you want, it's yours too.”
“Another time, my beauty. For now, though...” Joey whispers before his long tongue finally slips between my pussy lips, my breath catching before it explodes in a long, deep groan of pleasure. It's amazing, waves of pleasure rolling one after another from my pussy to my chest and brain, and I can't tear my eyes away as I watch Joey lick my pussy. The feelings are doubled as my eyes drink in every caress, every lick, and I watch as his face starts to glisten with my juices, his lips shiny and slick with my desire.
“Joe, oh yes, oh please yes...” I whisper, running my fingers through his hair and grinding my pussy lightly against him. Joey growl
s and licks higher, circling my clit for a few seconds before he lowers his lips and literally starts sucking my clit. White sparks of pleasure overwhelm my eyes, I can barely see at all as he sucks and nibbles, my sensitive bud lovingly assaulted by his lips and tongue. I buck, my stomach tightening into a ball before my orgasm fills me with light, pure amazing light. I'm calling out his name, wanting to say more, wanting to say how I really feel about him, but I can't because at least for the moment my brain is overloaded.
I feel myself being stretched out, and Joey bringing himself up next to me, caressing my body as he does, his hands gentle on my skin. “Are you okay?”
I laugh lightly, turning to kiss his lips which are still shiny with my juices, tangy and fragrant with my own flavor. “Mmmm, you are amazing at that. And I taste good, although I think you taste better.”
Joey hums happily and our kiss deepens, our tongues caressing each other as I reach down and take him in my hand, stroking his cock slowly, keeping him hard while I rest and recover. He's wonderful, patient and strong, nibbling on my ear and licking at my earlobe until my body is ready for more, my nipples aching from his fingers stroking me teasingly. I pull back, stroking his face with desire. “How do you want me?”
“On the edge of the bed,” Joey says, pulling me to the edge and turning me over. He's able to slide off, his feet touching down on the carpet we hastily laid down last night and his hands taking my waist between them. “Hard or slow?”
“Hard, my love,” I whisper, the words out before I even know that I've said them. Joey pauses, and I look back, worried, but he smiles, blinking as the word hangs in the air. He doesn't reply, but instead lines his cock up with my sopping wet pussy, filling me with one long, hard stroke that jolts me all the way up my spine to my brain, which rings with ecstasy. Pulling back, he pauses at my entrance for a second before he thrusts again, and I suddenly realize he's not wearing a condom. I don't care, it feels so good, and I'm on the pill anyway. I trust him in the health area anyway, and it feels good, so good and right to just give myself to him, to be taken by his powerful hips as his cock drives into me again and again, unrelenting but not unforgiving, just right instead. Joey's always been a tender, considerate lover, but I asked him for hard, and he's giving it to me hard and fast, and I love it. “Yes, yes, harder! Oh Joey, fuck me harder!”