by Amy Marie
Trent doesn’t move from the bar he is leaning on, but as he takes a pull of his beer, he unapologetically takes in my body from head to toe. When his stare meets where Jace’s hands roam they grow angry. Dark.
“What’s the matter, baby?” Jace asks turning me around.
I know the instant he sees Trent because his body goes rigid. He mumbles a “fuck” and possessively wraps me up in his arms.
A slow song starts and Jace starts swaying with me again, acting as though we don’t have an audience. His nose nuzzles into my hair, into my neck and nips.
“Can I cut in?” Trent’s voice hits my body like lightning tensing up with the strike.
My eyes plead with Jace. I’m not sure for what. To say no. To say yes.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He pipes up continuing to hold me tighter swaying to the music.
I can’t see Trent but I can feel him. “And I don’t think it’s up to you.” His tone is terse.
Jace’s forehead meets mine again and whispers. “You want me to take care of this?”
I shake my head no and revolve around to tell Trent ‘no’, and I really try, but I can’t. I blame not denying his request on the fact that we’ve known each other for years, but in fact, it’s because I’m drawn to him, and I can’t for the life of me figure out why.
Trent tilts his head to the side and a slow smile appears. “I’ll be good, Noe. I promise.”
“One song.” I agree and Jace drops my hand and stalks away. I can’t care about that now. All I care about is Trent’s hands that are reaching out for me. His arms wrapping around my waist and his soft, aggressive lips that are within licking distance.
A fast song filters throughout the bar but he’s taking it slow, breathing in the air I breathe out. Stroking my lower back and creating a pool of desire in me. His fingers are like Heaven. I’m in pure bliss whenever he touches me.
I risk looking up at him, finding a look of adoration and affection. Not like Jace, who looks at me like he wants to rip my clothes off. I smile back at him, and his body physically relaxes. Tugging me tighter into him, I can only lay my head on his chest as we move around the dance floor. Drunks jump, shake and grind all around us but we’re turning in slow circles. I inhale his scent, and it’s intoxicating. Tears start to well up in my eyes because this feels like home. Like I belong right here, in his embrace.
But I can’t.
Hoping to break the spell he is putting me under I pull back a fraction.
“Why are you here?” My voice is trembling as he continues rubbing circles into my back.
He doesn’t say a word but looks to the right. I follow his gaze and find Erin watching us.
Erin. That’s what she did.
“Sneaky Decker’s.” I laugh, but I’m confused.
“Who’s the other guy, Noelle?” He asks puzzling me even more but clarifies. “You said there was someone else besides Jace. I want to know who the other guy is.”
I don’t get why he cares. He’s with Alex. He let her back into his house after she abandoned him. He spends every waking moment with her. He sleeps with her at night. He allows her to spend time with a child that his family and I helped raise when he was desperate and needed help.
Me.
Us.
Not her.
“You. You’re the other guy.” Tears threaten again, and I push on his chest. “I can’t do this right now, Trent. I’m sorry.”
I leave him on the dance floor and find Jace with A.J. at the bar.
He turns away as I approach but still speaks to me. “Did you have fun?”
“Jace. Come on.” I try to calm the situation. He should be pissed. I shouldn’t have given Trent that dance.
A.J. clears his throat and awkwardly starts to walk away. “I’m going to head back to the table.”
“Jace.” I pull on his bicep to get him to face me but when he does turn around I see hurt and disappointment.
“You don’t look at me like that, Noelle,” he says looking past me pointing in Trent’s direction. “I can’t compete with that.”
I push a loud breath out of my lungs and my shoulders slump. “There’s no competition.”
He looks to the side for a second before finding my eyes again. With defeat written all over him he says, “I know and unfortunately it seems he is the one without competition.”
“Jace.”
“Him or me, Noe?” He raises his voice looking past me.
I answer him as honestly as I can. “I guess I still don’t know.”
We’re silent for a moment before he says, “Let’s just take a break. Seems like you need to figure some things out.”
He places his unfinished beer on the bar and walks away.
I’m seriously doubting the validity of this Sunday dinner that Erin’s mom requested for me to join. I love to see Mama Decker but she took my Trent buffer away and told me that Jace could not come. Not that he would since we’re on a break. Only family. So, why the hell is Alex here?
My back aches from being slumped in the dining room chair as the Decker clan chatters about. Neither Alex nor I have touched our food and unlike last time when my foot could reach Trent’s crotch, this time I want to kick him in his balls. He won’t stop smirking and he has his arm draped over the back of Alex’s chair.
Asshole with a capital “A”.
Jace and I have been on difficult terms. I don’t know why I’m fighting the inevitable except that I want to be sure it won’t work out before I cut all ties with him.
But Trent doesn’t have to know that. All he needs to know is that it’s in his best interest to stay the hell away from me. My body, unfortunately, hasn’t gotten the memo because it’s turned the hell on. Anytime his lips wrap around his fork my mind spins, and if his tongue darts out I have to squeeze my legs together.
I should have known things wouldn’t work out with Jace because he can’t turn me on as instantly as Trent can.
I fucking hate my body.
“Aunt Noe,” Hannah, Erin’s oldest niece, grabs my attention. “My mom said one day you will be my real aunt.”
A fork is dropped; I think it’s mine or maybe Erin’s. Walker starts laughing as Nicole shushes Hannah. She doesn’t get the hint.
“What, Mom? You said if they both pull their heads out of their asses Uncle Trent would marry her. I want her to be my real aunt.”
“Hannah!” Nicole screams as Walker’s laugh gets louder. “Language.”
Yea, that’s what she should get yelled at for. Not the fact that she is trying to marry Trent and me off.
And marriage? Seriously?
“I’m not getting married,” I tell her trying to lighten the mood. “All of this can’t be tamed.” I bring my glass of wine to my lips risking a glance at Trent, who still has his arm around Alex, but whose smirk has been wiped clean off his face.
Awkward.
Hannah’s lip juts out in a pout. “You don’t want to be my aunt?”
Is this kid for real?
“I am your aunt, baby. I’m Aunt Noe.” Another sip of my wine. With no food in my stomach I’m sure to be blissfully drunk very soon.
“So, you just don’t want to marry Uncle Trent.” She states with a shrug like this conversation isn’t a big deal. Why is no one stopping this interrogation? I’m about to muzzle this chick. Pre-teen or not.
I risk another glance at Trent. His eyes are soft and questioning. My chest starts to tighten because never in my life would I deny that I would want him as my husband. Despite the fact that Jace and my weird relationship could be terminated on the spot, he is still with Alex.
“Excuse me.” I pardon myself before the tears spill over.
My feet feel heavy as I walk through the hallway.
“Go after her, Trent,” Alex commands.
Why does she even care?
Another chair scrapes the floor and heavy footsteps follow after me. I quicken my pace and run out the front door, sprinting to the
lake across the street. Moments later, Trent joins me on the bench, but says nothing.
“Why did she tell you to come after me?” I finally break the silence and face him, tears kept back.
He stays quiet, his lips pressed firmly together before he looks out towards the water.
“Okay, since that seems to be a tough question for you, why don’t you tell me why she is living with you?”
His head shakes from side to side confirming that is another question he won’t answer.
“Can you tell me anything?” I stand and pace in front of him. “Anything, Trent? I’ll take anything.”
“We’re not together,” he whispers peering up at me. I lose track of thought when he stares directly at me. It’s like the sun...you know it’s bad to look directly at it but you can’t help it.
“I know we’re not together, Trent, but you still owe me an explanation. Your family wasn’t the only people who held you up when she left! I don’t understand how you could just let her back in after all she did.” I can’t take it anymore. I have to walk away.
“It’s not my story to tell and I meant that Alex and I aren’t together.” I hear from behind me and whip around.
He’s standing now, and I finally notice what he’s wearing. I wish I hadn’t. Trent is sexy in anything but when he wears a polo shirt I lose it. The way it hugs his pecs just so that you can see the outline makes him look like a man. Nothing like the teenager I met all those years ago. And the fists he clenches at his side. Yea, I’ve had those fingers all over me.
“Push it up, Noe.” His legs bring him closer to me and I crank my neck to look up at him.
“What are you talking about?” I question as my body sways into his. I swear it has a mind of its own because if it was listening to me I would be running far far away from him.
“Your jaw, it seems in need of being pushed up since you are gawking at me.” One lone finger comes up and presses on my chin until my teeth meet.
I shove myself away from him and stomp back across the street. I wanted to be alone. I’m going home. I need to be away from him. Even an hour has clouded my judgment. When his finger touched me I almost came. He has way too much of an effect on me.
Before I reach the path to the door I remember what he said. He isn’t with Alex. Well, he’s going to answer at least one of my questions today. When I stop mid-step he runs into the back of me and I launch forward and practically hit the garage door.
My body rotates around and he’s mere inches away. “Why aren’t you with her? If she is living with you why aren’t you with her?”
His eyes are averted to my chest. It’s rising and falling at a rapid rate. I try to convince myself it’s from me running away from him, but I’m in good shape. It’s his presence...and we’re alone.
“I don’t want her, Noelle.” He looks around as though he is making sure no one is nearby and steps into my personal space.
My back is against the garage door. He places one palm on it next to my hip and leans down. “I answered one of yours, you answer one of mine.”
I nod. I’m a fucking mute right now. I have no voice. No way to tell him to step back. No way to tell him to go away and no way to tell him to fuck me in front of the neighborhood kids riding their bikes past us.
I jump at the same time as his free hand slides up my thigh. It’s his move. He owns the “slide your hand up a girl’s thigh” move, and he’s perfected it.
“Are you wearing panties, Noe?” He finally asks, his voice cracking with desire.
I don’t respond, because I’m a mute and all, and he hisses when his fingers climb higher and find nothing.
No. Panties.
“I warned you, Noelle. I told you that I might not be so nice next time.” A soft touch of his hand pushes towards my inner thigh but not where my body is beckoning them to go.
My body has gone rogue with my voice because before I can stop myself I tell him. “I don’t like when you play nice, Trent.”
See? Rogue!
He takes a deep breath and looks to the sky. Probably praying for the resistance that both of us have lost.
My legs spread wider and his digits move in, sliding through the slickness he has created. His fingers feel as though they are on a slip and slide.
“Goddamn it.” His head hits the garage door when it falls forward over my shoulder. “We can’t do this right now, Noelle.”
And he pulls away, dropping my skirt, grabbing my hand and pulling me back into the house. With every stride I feel myself getting more worked up. My clit is so swollen.
The table is quiet when he pulls out my chair and pushes me back down into it. All eyes are on me.
“Did he propose?” Hannah asks.
Seriously getting her a muzzle for her birthday.
“Hannah, eat your dinner,” Mama D tells her. “Everyone, eat please.”
I look back across the table to find Alex’s uncomfortable stare. I don’t know what’s going on between the two of them but if they are not a couple and living together it’s got to be big. Or maybe I’m just being stupid, but he puts his arm around her chair yet again as he sits and the previous ten minutes disintegrate.
Savannah’s cries ring through on the monitor and I jump up before Erin gets the opportunity.
“I’ll get her,” I say waving both her and Walker off and take off towards the guest bedroom.
Her mouth is wide open, letting an ear piercing scream out. I gently pick her up and walk to the rocking chair in the corner. She calms as the rocker moves forward and back but still whimpering.
My fingers trace the outline of her face and she grabs my hand, bringing it to her mouth.
“She’s teething,” Erin calls out from the doorway. “First tooth coming in.”
She walks over to the bed and sits. I can feel her stare on me so I look up. “What, Erin?”
“Nothing. You just look good like that.” She smiles as she looks at her daughter in my arms. “Do you want that someday? I mean, I know you love your independence but one day, right?”
I look down at Savannah as she slobbers all over my fingers. “One day, Erin, I do. But right now I don’t know if that will ever happen.”
“It will.” She stands and attempts to take Savannah from me. I turn so that she knows I’m not giving her up. She concedes and turns to leave. “One day you will meet someone who you will want that with.”
After she is gone, I sing You are my Sunshine to Savannah, soothing her, while rubbing her gums. I did this with Jason when he was teething, and it helped a lot. I loved every minute I spent with that little guy. My favorite was when he would fall asleep on me. My world is always so fast paced and during those moments Jason would settle me down and have me breathing deep. It was a great feeling, and he is probably the only man who has ever stolen my heart.
As though he hears his name in my thoughts, Jason toddles into the room and runs to me. “Nannah.” He points at Savannah.
“Yes! That’s your cousin, Savannah.” I smile and grab his face and squeeze his chubby cheeks. He looks just like his daddy and all the ladies panties are going to drop when he is older.
“Too, Nannah,” he yells loudly scaring her.
“Awe she loves you, little man, and so do I.” I lean over and kiss him on the forehead.
“Too, Noe. Too!” He screams again and runs out of the room past his father standing in the hall.
“Come to my house tonight at eight,” he says from just outside the door. “We need to talk.”
~~
I don’t like to take commands. I like to run my own ship but I couldn’t help getting to Trent’s house right at eight. The driveway filled with his truck and Alex’s parent’s car and thankfully, Jace isn’t home.
I’m not sure why I’m here. Does he want me to talk to him with Alex there?
The door is wide open when I arrive and I just walk in. Everything stills when I hit the living room and find Alex straddling Trent on the couch, her lips on h
is, his hands on her waist.
I turn to run before he sees me, but it’s too late. I can hear him scream my name all the way to my car. I don’t look to see if he’s coming before I peel out of the driveway.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
I’m done.
I throw the keys down onto the table as we walk into the house after leaving my moms. It’s dark so I flick on the lights hoping not to wake a sleeping Jason. Alex walks in the door with him snuggled up into her chest. I can see she is struggling with his weight a bit so I take him from her and bring him to his room.
I quickly and quietly change his diaper, dress him in fresh pajamas and lay him down. He’s peaceful and while his chest rises and falls I think about watching him with Noelle. The way he is comfortable with her, the way she was holding Savannah, I’m feeling so much more than I ever thought I could for her. It’s scary. She looks good with children and I would love to see what ours would look like. Placing a kiss onto his head I tell him I love him and prepare to say goodbye to Alex. She is going to spend the night with her parents so they can leave early and see another specialist in Wisconsin.
I walk into the living room finding Alex slung across the arm of the couch and glance at my watch. It’s 7:30 P.M., and Noelle will be here in half an hour. I haven’t let Alex know that I asked her over, well told her, and I prefer if she was gone by the time Noe arrives.
I’m not sure exactly what I am going to say to Noelle, but I need to hear if she feels anything for me and if so to just be patient. I truly believe that I need to focus on Alex and Jason’s last few months together.
“Are you still planning on hitting your parent’s house tonight?” I ask placing my tired body beside hers. Jason had us both up early this morning. She sleeps in his room but I have a monitor just in case she needs any help. He was up bright and early at 5:30 A.M. wanting to play. She told me to go back to sleep but I couldn’t. So I watched them play.
She doesn’t answer so I reach over and squeeze her knee. She jumps up chuckling and looks over at me.
“Yea, I have my bag ready. You look exhausted,” she says shoving her shoulder into mine and stands up to, I assume, take her bags outside.