by Lesia Reid
“Okay,” Sebastian said.
“Dad, can I get this backpack?” Joey called.
“That’s too big,” Deana whispered to Sebastian.
“Let’s find one in his size.”
Deana protested every item all the way to the cash register. He reminded her that it was his treat. She gave up as he slid his debit card in the machine.
“Are you in the mood for ribs?” Sebastian asked.
“If Jaime could hear you,” Deana said.
“Don’t worry about that. He introduced me to this great ribs and chicken place on University Drive, I don’t know about you but I’m starving.”
The chatter about the camping stuff they had bought echoed throughout the car. Deana had never seen Joey this happy before. For him it must have been like a great Christmas. She’d cautioned Sebastian not to get carried away, but he too was like a big kid suggesting gadgets and gear that would make the camping extra special.
Deana thought Joey couldn’t be happier until over lunch, Sebastian asked him if he wanted to go to Denver with him.
“Can I, Mom?” Joey asked.
“Sure, but you have to mind everything Sebastian says. You will keep your cell phone with you at all times and if you lose him, call him immediately, don’t wander off looking for him.”
“Aren’t you coming?” Joey asked.
“I have to work.”
“You’re sending me alone?” It wasn’t concern she heard in his voice, it was disbelief. Deana knew she was sometimes overprotective, but she couldn’t help it, Joey was her life.
“You won’t be alone,” Deana said. “You’ll be with Sebastian.” “So you are getting married,” Joey said, “and he will be my father.” “Cool,” Trevor said. “You’ll have to wear a suit to the wedding.” “Not yet,” was all Deana said.
“Sure you don’t want to play hooky for the rest of the week? It’s not too late to change your mind about Denver,” Sebastian asked Deana on Monday night.
“I’ve got bills and that means work. I’m sure you’d hate it if your secretary plays hooky for four days in a row.”
“Yes, but I’m not sleeping with my secretary.”
“I would hope not.”
“Don’t even put that thought in my head. My secretary is almost sixtythree and even if she was a young filly, there’s only one woman I desire in my life.”
“My two favorite men are going on their first solo adventure. I can’t believe I’m letting Joey go with you, yet it feels right that you should have this time alone with him.”
“Deana, move in with me.”
“I just moved here,” Deana said.
“Then I’ll move in with you.”
“Don’t be silly,” Deana said. “I couldn’t imagine your huge house fitting here and we don’t have a sound proof game room. Besides, I’m just beginning to enjoy your sleepovers.”
“It would be nice if we are in the same house.”
“We’ll discuss it when Joey’s away at camp.”
“Okay, but—”
“Shhh,” her lips touched his as she moved closer to him in the bed. “Let me send you off to Denver properly.”
Her naked body pressed against his. He turned and pulled her on top of him. There lips met and the kiss was soft and tender.
Her legs straddled him as she kissed his cheek, his ears, down his strong muscular neck.
Her fingers traced a path down his chest, followed hotly by her expert tongue. He moaned and sighed heavily as she teased one nipple then the next.
She kissed his belly, her hair teasing his chest as she continued downward. He gasped as she captured his manhood between her lips. The wet warmth was tantalizing and the sensations were unbelievable.
“Deana,” her name was a long moan as he wrapped his hands in her hair.
She teased him, stroking, sucking and kissing his manhood. He lifted her as he felt a familiar stirring in his loin.
“I love you,” she said.
He felt her warmth surround him as she rode him slowly at first, then faster. His hand reached up and caressed her perfect breasts. She arched her back and moaned. He moaned with as he felt her tightened against him. He held her hips and met her strokes.
“Deana,” he moaned as he gave himself over to her. She collapsed on his chest her breath ragged and warm against his skin. “I love you.”
It surprised Deana that she didn’t cry when Joey disappeared in the airport with Sebastian. She hadn’t even gotten the flight information. When he called to say they had landed safely in Denver, she was overjoyed at the news, but not apprehensive.
The house was empty without him though, and she realized as she dragged herself to bed the first night that it wasn’t only Joey’s company she missed. She missed having Sebastian next to her in the nights. She still checked all the doors and windows before bed, but with Sebastian around, she’d felt safer.
She rented the exact car from the rent-a-car company. There was nothing to be found in the pockets of the car. The company had done an excellent cleaning job. She never saw the dark sedan again. With Joey gone, she’d set her clock to two hour intervals and slept and watched on those intervals. She knew she would wear herself out, but there was nothing else she could do.
Reasoning broke some time late Thursday afternoon. Deana decided it was all her imagination and she’d dreamt up this grand scheme to justify not sending Joey to summer camp. She was apprehensive on the matter, though it was practically written in stone that he would go. Joey had held his end of the bargaining. He’d brought home the grades she required and he’d done his chores without her fussing a hundred times. She couldn’t back out of the deal now. Though danger would be as good an excuse as any, she thought.
“How are you doing?” Deana asked Sebastian on Thursday night. It was nearly midnight when he called, but she was happy to hear his voice. “We are getting ready for the flight tomorrow. Joey’s enjoying himself. He just talked us into a huge deal with one of the builders in Colorado Springs.”
“Right,” Deana said.
“Well, he did. We went to dinner with the owner of the company and his family and you know Joey’s curious mind. Within a few minutes he had them in the palm of his hands. We flew down to Colorado Springs this morning and signed the papers. We decided to drive back to Denver.”
“It’s good you’re having fun.”
“Miss us yet?”
“Every minute of the day,” she said. “Where’s Joey?”
“He’s sleeping. He got tired on the way back. It’s not a long drive and he wanted to see the sights. I guess everything was too much for him. He fell asleep in the car.”
“I have the early shift tomorrow. I’ll see you when I get off work.” “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Deana listened to Joey’s excited recollection of their trip to Denver and Colorado Springs. He spoke about the private jet the two had boarded that took them nonstop to Denver, then how they’d flown to Colorado Springs. He liked the mountains. She was in awe how much he remembered and how much fun he was having just recollecting the moment.
“And we went to a town called Cripple Creek. They had casinos everywhere, but we didn’t go into any of them, Dad just wanted to see the potential for business. We went up and around the mountain, then down the mountain. Dad said if they built a bridge across the mountain and valley it would be shorter and faster. It was about three hours drive from Colorado Springs. But it was nice, though I fell asleep on the way back.”
“You will have a lot to write about when you get back to school. They always have those summer essays. You can write about the Bahamas, Denver and the summer camp.”
“Don’t forget my birthday party at Dad’s house.”
“Well, you should be tucked in early tonight.”
“But tomorrow is Saturday.”
“Yes, but I’m sure you’ll need to start packing for camp and figure out if you got everything you needed.”
Joey hadn’t crawled in bed with her since the first week they moved to the old house. Tonight, she woke to the soft knock on her door.
“Mom,” he whispered.
“Come in, honey.”
Sebastian too woke up and moved over as Joey came into the room.
“Is something wrong?” Deana turned on the lights on her side of the bed.
“No,” Joey said. “Can I sleep with you and Dad tonight?” “Sure, come on.”
Joey climbed into the bed between them. It was fortunate they always dressed after making love, though they hadn’t made love tonight. Sebastian would pull on pajama bottoms or boxers, and Deana would pull on her pajamas. It was part of them understanding that Joey was first priority in the family.
“Did you have a nightmare?” Deana asked as she turned out the light and settled in the bed.
“No, I missed you.” He hugged his mother. “Good night, Mom, Dad.”
“Good night,” Sebastian said but his voice was tight. In the dark, his face was twisted with emotions. There was no way in hell he could leave Deana and Joey.
Chapter 15
“I get off at one today,” Deana said as Sebastian climbed into his vehicle. “Joey’s out at two. Maybe we can do lunch.”
“I don’t think I can make it. I have a business meeting at twelve thirty,” Sebastian said. “We’ll do dinner.”
“Okay.”
“Have a good day, honey.”
“You too.”
He kissed her then drove away.
With an hour before she had to pick up Joey, Deana decided to go to the posh uptown mall at Boca City Center. There was a sale in one of the designer shops and she thought she’d get something nice for dinner.
She was passing one of the expensive signature restaurants when a familiar face caught her eyes. It was Sebastian. She stopped for a minute. Then the face of person across from him came into view. It was Anna.
Deana moved away quickly before they could see her. See looked back once. Sebastian was grinning. He looked happy. She looked at the casual way Anna’s hand fell over his.
She didn’t pick up the dress. She made her way back to the metered parking lot and drove to King’s Elementary School.
“Business meeting my ass,” she said, sitting in the parking lot. She kept going back to the grin on his face. It wasn’t a business smile. She’d seen that grin many times before. A business meeting, he didn’t seem to have any of those when he was chasing her. Anna was right; Deana was not from his world. She knew that.
And he proposing to her was that to appease mother so she would get off his back. And how utterly convenient she had a kid. A kid who already called him dad and thought he was the most special thing to happen in their life since getting a Playstation.
Hadn’t she tried to protect herself and Joey from this hurt? No, she’d let Sebastian in without a thought. Sure, she’d tried chasing him away in the beginning, but had she really? Deana hated herself at the moment.
The house was silent when Sebastian got in. He dropped his keys in the basket and pulled off his jacket. It was a long miserable day. He wanted nothing more than a shower at the moment. Bonus, if Deana could get away to shower with him.
“Deana!” he called out. Her car was in the driveway.
“In the kitchen.”
He found her pouring over papers at the breakfast nook. Joey wasn’t in sight.
“Where’s Joey?”
“He’s staying at Thelma’s tonight,” Deana replied without looking up.
“I thought we were going to dinner.”
“I changed my mind.”
“Okay, did you have something to eat? Do you want me to order dinner before I hit the shower? We could stay in and make up for the night I left to New York.”
“I want you to go and never come back.”
“What?”
“Leave,” she looked at him now.
“What happened between an implied sexual rendezvous for lunch and me walking in this house?”
“How was your meeting today?” she asked. “The one that you had so we couldn’t have lunch.”
“It went great. I was able to secure a three hundred house project for the company. You’d think I want to celebrate with the company, but I want to be here with you.”
“Sorry, we are not open for celebration. Just go.”
“Deana.”
“It’s over, Sebastian. I don’t love you anymore.”
A flash of anger darkened his face, but he held his temper in check.
“Is this because I didn’t have lunch with you? I’m not dim, Deana, I know what you were implying but I couldn’t get out of this.”
“No,” Deana said, getting up. “It’s just over. You’re no longer useful to me.”
“Is this a joke? If it is, it’s not very funny.”
“No joke,” Deana said. “You got what you wanted—I hope, and I got what I wanted. It’s really simple.”
“You’re not making any sense.”
“Then let me give you the candid version. You no longer interest me.” “I see.”
He didn’t say another word. He took his keys, jacket and left.
For two days he didn’t call and she didn’t call, at least not until she saw the news in the Business Journal of the local papers. Torrance Construction signed a contract to build Truman Lakes, all phases. There was a picture of Sebastian shaking hands with Anna Truman.
“Oh God,” Deana said. She felt sick to the stomach. “What have I done?”
He agreed to meet her on neutral territory. She chose a park close to Joey’s school.
“How have you been?” she asked.
He sat on the picnic blanket beside her. He didn’t touch her, they sat facing each other.
“Breathing.”
“I made sandwiches,” she said. “I hope you haven’t had lunch as yet.”
“How’s Joey? I’ve been meaning to call him. The funny thing is I don’t know how to explain my absence.”
“He’s fine. I told him you were away on business—something unexpected.”
“So you lie to him now?”
“It’s not exactly a lie.”
“How I remember it was you kicking me out of your lives. It was unexpected, but certainly no business trip.”
“Would you like something to drink?”
“Cut to the chase, like you did when we last met.”
“I made an error in judgment and I’m sorry,” Deana said. “I do love you and I want you in our lives.”
“Let’s see, what is it you wanted that you didn’t get?”
“Nothing. It’s something I need to give but didn’t.”
“Go on.”
“Sebastian, you and I are an unreal situation. This is like the prince and the pauper only real life. And I know you said it shouldn’t bother me that we are on such different ends of the social scale, but sometimes it does. I feel you give so much and I have nothing to give you in return.”
“All I needed from you was your love,” he said. “Couldn’t you see how happy I was being with you and Joey? I wasn’t losing interest because I turned you down twice. Both times were perfectly legitimate reasons. I didn’t want to keep you up that morning for the New York flight and I had a meeting that lunch time.”
“What?”
“Deana, I’ve been going crazy trying to figure what I could have done to push you away, and that’s all I could think of.”
“That wasn’t it. It wasn’t you, Sebastian, it was me. I saw you with Anna at lunch on Tuesday. I thought—no, I don’t know what I was thinking. That’s not true either. She told me she wanted you back and that you had begged her to stay when she left.”
Sebastian looked away from her in disgust. She saw a vein throbbing on the side of his forehead and knew he was angry.
“You can call me when you’re ready to plan Joey’s party.” He got off the blanket. “I won’t break my promise to him.”
“Sebastian, plea
se.”
She got up and moved towards him.
“Don’t touch me,” he said.
“At least let me explain.”
“You had your chance on Tuesday evening. We have nothing more to say to each other. I’ll continue being a friend to Joey until such time you take him away from me also.”
“Baby,” she said.
He turned on her now. She saw a raging sea of anger in his eyes and in the middle of it, raw pain.
“I’m not your baby. You were right. In our relationship I gave and I gave and in return you gave me nothing but a few enjoyable moments in the sack. I guess it was really a steamy sexscapade.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Oh I don’t think you’re sorry, Deana. And I don’t know what you’re sorry for. Are you sorry you kicked me out without giving me a chance to defend myself? Are you sorry I won’t be there anymore? Are you sorry you hurt me more than anybody ever has? What are you sorry for?”
“Everything,” she said.
“Well, I’m sorry too. I’m sorry that I impress you as the man who runs after whatever skirt is offered. I am sorry I spent the last few months loving someone who couldn’t love me back.”
“I love you, Sebastian.” He walked away.
Deana called out sick the next day. She didn’t want to face the world. She scarcely held it together long enough to see Joey off to summer school that morning. As soon as Thelma drove away, she locked the door and crawled back into bed. The box of tissue on her nightstand was her best friend. She hadn’t cried when she thought she was losing him to Anna. Now she cried because she didn’t lose him to anyone, she shoved him away.
“Hey champ,” Sebastian called from his parked car.
“Dad, you’re back,” Joey said, running over to the Porsche parked in the school’s parking lot. “I’ve missed you the last couple days. You must be really busy not to call.”
“Sort of, is your mom picking you up?”
“No, I’m supposed to go with Aunt Thelma. I’ll go tell her you’re here. Be right back.”
Sebastian watched as Joey sprinted over to a car parked six over. Thelma came out and waved to him before Joey sprinted back.
“Seatbelt on,” Sebastian said.