Tangled Web Series Box Set

by Jade C. Jamison

  His eyes were clouded with emotion, and he didn’t dare trust himself to talk. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, hold her close, ask her to forgive him. But he knew, just looking at her and feeling the waves of anger coming off her, that now was not the time. He inhaled a deep breath and nodded, turning towards the door.

  He got to the living room and there were all their pieces of clothing, his scattered around and on the couch, hers on the chair. He picked up his jeans and slid into them. She was right behind him and started scooping up Monopoly parts, starting with the green houses, and throwing them in the box. She picked up the money and all the different cards and arranged the box while he slipped his t-shirt back on. If it hadn’t been so tense, he might have laughed that she was putting everything where it went instead of just chucking it all haphazardly into the center of the box. He sat on the couch to put his socks and shoes on, feeling the maddening silence. The only sounds were creating by her furious efforts to get the Monopoly game together as quickly as possible. But she had it assembled by the time his second shoe was tied. He stood, really not wanting to go, but he felt in his pocket for his keys anyway.

  He looked over at her, his brows furrowed, wishing he could find the right words but knowing even the perfect words would fall on deaf ears right now. She still looked super pissed and he understood. Her jaw was still clamped when she thrust the Monopoly box at him. Words…any words at all… “Will you feel like talking tomorrow?”

  She didn’t miss a beat. “I have to work tomorrow.”

  He started walking toward the door. “Tomorrow night?”

  “I don’t know.” She stood beside the door and unlocked it. She turned the knob and pulled it open.

  He walked through but turned and asked, “So can I call you tomorrow?”

  She sighed. And there he saw a glimmer of hope as the mask of anger slipped for just a moment. Even her words weren’t as heated when she said, “You can try.” But she closed the door.

  He stood there for a few seconds, still hardly believing what had just happened. He’d gone from soaring high in the clouds to hitting rock bottom in short order. He considered knocking on her door, insisting they work it out, but he knew that was a stupid idea. So he started walking down the stairs toward his car. As he was approaching it, a twenty-something woman with dark hair in a miniskirt approached him. “You’re the rock star, Riley Schultz, right?”

  Jesus. He really wasn’t in the mood. Couldn’t even fuckin’ come home anymore. But he wasn’t gonna be a dick. He forced half a smile. “Yeah, that’s me.”

  “Oh, my God. It’s true then.”

  “What?”

  “Someone told me you were dating Erin Lancaster.”

  He squinted. “Well, you’ll have to ask her about that.” He had no idea what they were doing, but he wasn’t about to tell this girl that.

  She sauntered up to him, hands on her hips, her eyes undressing him from bottom to top. “I will.” She walked right up to him and placed a hand on his chest. Oh, yeah. He knew where this was going, because he’d lived it hundreds of times already. He just didn’t get it. But he was going to wait for it before telling her to hit the road. “In the meantime, sweetie, you want some hometown action, I’d be happy to do whatever you wanted.”

  Yep. There it was. Bad timing on this girl’s part really, although five years ago, he would’ve taken her up on it, probably even opened his car door for her and fucked her right there. “Thanks for the offer, uh…”

  “Jo.”

  “Thanks for the offer, Jo, but, yeah, I guess you could say Erin and I are dating.” Even if they weren’t. Erin was the reason he turned the girl down, because even when emotions weren’t invested, it was hard to say no when a girl just threw herself at you, no matter how used to it you got.

  “Oh, bummer,” she said, tracing her finger down his chest. “In case that doesn’t work out, I’m right there,” she said, pointing across the way, “A-3. I’d rock your world anytime.”

  He nodded and forced another smile. “I gotta be goin’,” he said, not worried about how graceful his exit was. He just had to get out of there.

  As he stepped in the car, she said again, “Change your mind, A-3…anytime.” She screwed up the side of her mouth in a sexy pout and slid her hand up her thigh as he turned on the engine and forced himself to look down at the gearshift, pulling it into reverse. He had to get out of there now, because he wasn’t going to do that. He’d done it before, drowning his sorrows in hundreds of women, and in the end, it just made him feel numb. No. There was still maybe a chance to resolve whatever was going on with Erin. He just had to give her time.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “SO WAS I right?” Jackie had asked her over the phone. Instead of answering, Erin had just begged her friend to come over.

  So when the doorbell started ringing, Erin was pretty sure that’s who was there. It was growing dark out, so she turned on the outdoor light and peeked through a slit in the door first before throwing it open wide. “So, girl, what the hell?”

  Erin invited Jackie into the kitchen for some hot tea and she told Jackie everything, from Friday night until that afternoon. Jackie looked at her wrists. “Are you gonna cover that with makeup tomorrow?”

  “Well, yeah, but I’m also going to wear that one blouse with the hyper-long sleeves.”

  “Oh, the brownish one? That’s a cute top.”

  “Yeah, and I’m going to try to avoid writing on the board tomorrow. I don’t want the sleeves sliding down and having kids ask me what happened.”

  Jackie nodded. “Good idea.”

  “So…are you gonna give him another chance?”

  Erin shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  “You really like him, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, I do, but I think he thinks who he is gives him a pass on a lot of shit I wouldn’t let slide with other guys.”

  “Well, then, you’re doing the right thing. He wants you, he needs to figure that out now.”

  “In the meantime, he left his wallet here. Oh, and his handcuffs.”

  “His wallet? Seriously?”

  “Yeah. I think it’s ‘cause he was in a hurry to grab a condom earlier and it fell on the floor, and then I was practically shoving his ass out the door.”

  “So what did he say about that anyway? Did he even care that he’d made you feel uncomfortable?”

  “Well, he said he was sorry, that he’d wanted to make me feel good. And…uh…I guess I inadvertently chose a safeword and didn’t even know it.”

  “Well, duh.”

  “Yeah, well, you forget, I’m the naïve schoolteacher from backwoods Colorado.”

  “Oh, stop that. You’re not naïve or stupid. Just because you’ve never engaged in stuff like that before doesn’t make you backwoods. Stop being so hard on yourself.”

  “I guess I’m just feeling guilty too.”

  “Guilty? Why?”

  “Well, I guess I should have clarified and not just acted like a deer in headlights. And you should have seen the look on his face before I laid into him. He looked so…peaceful.”

  Jackie rolled her eyes. “Well, of course he did. He had a hell of an orgasm, I’m sure.” She swallowed the rest of her tea. “So where’s this wallet?”

  “Oh, no.”

  “Oh, yes. That’s what he gets for leaving it behind.”

  “No way,” Erin said, but Jackie was already up and walking to the living room.

  Riley’s plain black leather wallet was now resting on the coffee table where Erin had put it when she found it. Jackie picked it up and unfolded it. “Ooooh. Lots of cash. Check it out.” She spread it open and leaned it toward Erin. Erin didn’t want to touch it or even count it, but Jackie leafed through it without taking it out. “At least three hundred here. A couple of credit cards too. He must trust you. Oh, and lookie here.” She pulled the wallet farther apart. “Two more condoms. You kicked him out too soon, sweetheart.” Erin shook her head, wishing Jac
kie would put it down already. She felt uncomfortable having her friend snoop through Riley’s personal stuff while she just stood by looking on. Jackie then turned the wallet. “Aw. What a cute driver’s license. Look at that picture! He lives in California.” She looked up. “So just how do you think this is gonna work out anyway?”

  Erin sighed and sat on the couch, exactly where Riley had been just a couple of hours earlier. Jackie set his wallet back down, much to her friend’s relief. Erin said, “I don’t.” Jackie raised her eyebrows. “After Colby and then Frank, I don’t intend to keep any guys around anymore. And he won’t be sticking around, so it’s perfect.”

  Jackie shook her head and sat next to Erin. Then she said, “So, you never said anything about how your orgasm was, girl. Aside from feeling like you were gonna lose your mind…?”

  Erin looked down at the coffee table. God, she didn’t even want to admit it, but there it was. “It was pretty wild.”

  “Would you do it again?”

  “Hell, no.”

  “Never?”

  Erin thought about it. “Ask me in a few years.”

  “Would you fuck him again?”

  Erin sucked in a long breath and dug deep. “Yeah, I think I would. I think I really like him.”

  “What the hell am I gonna do with you? You take him back, you better make him grovel.” Erin shrugged. Jackie started laughing. “Better yet…you said he left his handcuffs here, right?” Erin nodded her head and smiled. “How evil are you feelin’?”

  * * *

  Hell, no. As badly as Riley had wanted a drink, he’d decided he wasn’t going there. That was twice now he’d had the craving in just one weekend. He hadn’t felt like that in a long time. So, once his mom and dad blazed for church again Sunday night, he got baked.

  He’d gone outside because he had a feeling his mom would be able to sniff it out even hours later. It was dark out and he just sat at the picnic table on the patio in the backyard and leaned back against the table, looking at the stars, smoking a little weed in the little brass pipe he’d had since he was a teenager. How his mom had never found it under the corner of the carpet in his closet, he’d never know. Smoking the pot gave him some time to think about the day’s activities, but all that did was leave him full of regret. He was glad the weed took the edge off, because that was the only way he was able to get any sleep that night.

  But because sleep didn’t come easily, he dozed late the next day. By the time he got up, his dad was already at work, but his mom was out front working on her flower bed.

  He couldn’t help it. He was feeling down and didn’t know how to fix the problem, but maybe another woman—even his mother—could give him some ideas. So he poured a glass of water and went outside. His mom was weeding around the beds in front of the house, so Riley sat in one of the chairs on the porch, just in front of her. “Hey, mom.”

  “How did you sleep?”

  “Pretty good.” Well, that was a lie; he’d been able to sleep some, but what he said next was the truth. “I usually do sleep well coming home.”

  His mother adjusted her straw hat so she could see him better and sat up, her rump resting on her calves. “Good. I just wished you would come home more often.”

  He winced. He’d made sure to be here right now because his brother Brian was going to be there later in the week. Riley visited three times a year tops, and he was lucky to be there a week at a time. It wasn’t that he didn’t love his parents, but he was nothing like them anymore. They had little in common. But, he supposed, that was where unconditional love came into play. “I know, mom. I just stay pretty busy.”

  His mother scrutinized him. “I know you do, and I’m glad that nowadays your busyness doesn’t mean you’re involved in illicit activities.” She was talking about his conquered heroin addiction and two unrelated arrests that had led to community service and restitution back when he was young and hot headed. Damn good thing she didn’t know about the pot. “But now that you’re financially stable, don’t you think you could come home just a little more often?”

  Like he wasn’t feeling guilty enough. But he loved his parents, so he said, “Yeah, I can try.” She smiled and started pulling up more small weeds. And…he couldn’t believe he was going to go there, but he was. He couldn’t stand it anymore. “Hey, mom. Let’s say dad really messed up with you. Made you mad, hurt your feelings, broke your trust. How could he make that up to you?”

  His mom paused and looked at Riley. “Why in the world would you ask me something like that?”

  Riley wondered. How much did he really want to tell her? At the same time, he didn’t want her thinking his dad had fucked something up and Riley was fishing around for info. “Well…let’s just say there’s a woman I’m pretty interested in, and…uh…anyway, I did something kind of stupid and she doesn’t want to talk to me. If dad made you really mad and made you feel like you couldn’t trust him anymore, how could he convince you to try?”

  His mom looked thoughtful and she stared at the edge of the porch for a few minutes. “Well, I guess the first thing you need to do is apologize.”

  “Done.”

  “And give her some time. So, for example, don’t bother her while you’re here. Wait until you’re back home and by then she should be ready to talk.”

  He took a deep breath. “Uh…the woman I’m talking about…lives here, mom. In Winchester.”

  His mother looked almost confused. “When did this happen?”

  “What happen?”

  “Your breach of trust.”

  “Oh, uh…long story, but let’s say we just met and it didn’t take me long to fu—screw it up.” His mom gave him a look but said nothing. “The problem is I’ve really grown to like her.”

  “In just a few days? Well, Riley, I’d say that’s a sign that whatever’s going on between you isn’t likely to last. Relationships take time, honey, and just a couple of days, especially when you’ve decided to take another woman out to help the school with its fundraiser, really isn’t enough time to judge the efficacy of any relationship.”

  He closed his eyes momentarily. Only his mother would use the word efficacy when talking about dating. And she had no idea the woman he was talking about was also the woman she’d mentioned. Maybe bringing this up with her was a bad idea. He wrinkled his nose. “Thanks, mom. I’ll figure it out.”

  “Riley.” His mom put down the tiny trowel she’d been using and sat back on her haunches again. “Here’s what I think. If it’s meant to be, it will happen. If she knows how you feel and you’ve said you’re sorry…and she likes you enough, just be patient. Give her the time and space she needs. If you come on too strong and don’t give her some air, she won’t give you the time of day.”

  He took a deep breath and nodded. That seemed like sound advice. The problem was his time here was running short. In exactly a week, his mother would be driving him to the airport in Colorado Springs so he could head home. He hadn’t thought much about if a long-distance relationship was even in him, but that didn’t concern him right now. At this moment, he just wanted to solve the problem. He needed to fix it. Even if nothing worked out between him and Erin, he wanted her to know he’d never meant to hurt her. He’d only wanted to give her the time of her life.

  Worse yet, he’d realized this morning that he left his wallet at her place, so he’d have to see her at some point, whether she liked it or not.

  So he thanked his mom and asked if she wanted his help. She said no but that she’d love his company. So she started catching him up on town gossip, and he heard names he hadn’t heard in years. It was warm outside but not too hot, even as it got closer to noon. At one point, his mom wanted to take a break and they went inside and drank lemonade, but then they returned outside. Riley was glad he’d decided to hang with his mom for a while, because even though they didn’t have much in common anymore, he knew he loved her and she loved him.

  He was carrying another bucket of weeds to the trash barrel f
or her when he heard his phone ring. He set the bucket down and pulled it out of his pocket. It was Erin. He took a deep breath and answered it on the second ring. He steeled himself for disappointment, though, because she probably just wanted to return his wallet to him. He cooled his voice and answered, “Yeah?”

  “Hi, Riley.” He heard her take a deep breath. “I think I’m ready to talk.”

  “I thought you had to teach today.”

  “Well, yeah, I am. I’m just on lunch break right now. I meant tonight.”

  He couldn’t help the smile that was beginning to creep up on his face. “Okay.” This was sooner than he’d expected, but he wasn’t complaining. “What do you have in mind?”

  “Well…I have a friend who’ll be staying with me. She needs a place to crash for a day or two, so my apartment’s out of the question.”

  “So do you want to go out somewhere?”

  She was quiet for a moment. “Ummm…I thought maybe I could use the handcuffs on you this time.”

  Riley put his hand on the trash barrel. Had he heard that right? How the fuck had she done such a quick reversal? Well, maybe it was like what his mom had said—give her a little time and space and she’d decide what she wanted. Maybe she’d had a chance to realize he’d made an honest mistake. But he certainly hadn’t expected this…and not quite so soon. And he felt the blood rushing from his head and extremities to his cock at just the thought of this sexy girl he couldn’t get out of his mind wanting to cuff him and do untold nasty shit to him. That had been a lost dream just a few hours ago. War, sewage plants...chill that shit, Riley. He swallowed hard and glanced behind him. He couldn’t have his mother listening in on this conversation. But she was still way over there at the flowerbed, and she didn’t seem to be growing impatient waiting for her bucket back. He cleared his throat. “I gotta tell you, I like the sound of that. So…are you thinking maybe a hotel or something?”

  “Yeah, that sounds good.”