In shock, Tracy took a step back and tried to yank her wrist from Katie’s grip, but Katie tightened her hold and jerked her close.
“Don’t mess with me, Tracy, or my friends, or I’ll shove my foot so far up your fat ass you’ll be able to taste the leather.” Finally, Katie released her.
Wendy was white as a sheet and looked as lost as last year’s Easter egg. Tracy glared at me with angry eyes and grimaced as she rubbed her wrist. Embarrassed and fuming, she took Wendy by the arm and huffed. “Screw all y’all!” she shouted, then turned on her wobbly heels, and the two staggered off.
I watched as they disappeared into the crowd. Then I grinned at Katie. “Couldn’t resist, huh?”
Katie sucked her teeth and smirked. “Absolutely not! I’ve had some bottled-up tension that needed to be released, and I was hoping those two would give me a reason to explode on them tonight. But nice job taking up for yourself, sis. I’m super proud of you.”
“Yeah. Me too.” Jackson grinned, then kissed me on the cheek. “Very classy.”
“Thanks,” I said modestly. “I’m a little proud of myself too.”
“That makes four of us,” Andrew said, sliding his arm around Katie. “And you’re pretty direct, counselor. I’m impressed.”
“Ha!” I flashed a smile at Andrew. “You think that was direct, you should see her in court.”
“Is that so?” Andrew raised his eyebrows at Katie. “Remind me to never tangle with you.”
“From what I recall, Andrew, tangling with you has been on her to-do list for quite some time. But I expect you’ll thoroughly enjoy it.”
Andrew’s eyes widened as his face turned deep red. He cleared his throat and loosened his tie.
Katie looked at me like she wanted to say something but couldn’t. She probably wanted to kill me and thank me at the same time, so I took it a step further.
“What? It’s not like I told him you wanted to lick every square inch of his body!”
“Oh, dear God.” Katie rolled her eyes. “Rebecca! You didn’t just say that.”
I wiggled my eyebrows at her.
Jackson clapped his hands. “Welp, the cat’s outta the bag. Now y’all can both quit tiptoeing around the fact that you’ve been fantasizing about each other since high school.”
“Yeah! We’re almost thirty,” I added. “There’s no time to waste, Andrew. Katie wants babies. Lots of ‘em. So get a move on.”
Katie was so shocked, she had to bite her bottom lip to keep her mouth from flying open. But Andrew was grinning like he’d won the lottery.
Finally, Katie breathed. “Andrew, I do apologize—”
Before she could say another word, Andrew leaned in and kissed her on the mouth. “I apologize too, Katie. I’ve wanted to do that all night. You’re so damn beautiful, I just couldn’t hold back any longer.”
She smiled and batted her eyes. “I’ve wanted you to do that all night too.”
A wide grin spread across Andrew’s face. He put his arms around Katie, pulled her close, and kissed her again. This time, it was a long, deep kiss that involved some tongue and lasted a good twenty seconds. When it was over, he said, “Just so you know, if you still have some bottled-up tension, I have a few suggestions to help relieve it.”
“Sounds good to me.” Katie grinned, then reached down and grabbed Andrew’s butt. “But you’ve got your work cut out for you because I’ve been stressed for years.” She giggled.
“So, you wanna go make babies?” Andrew waggled his eyebrows at her.
“All right, all right! Let’s get this party started!” Jackson clapped his hands. “Come on, Prince Charming. Lemme buy you a drink before your clothes start falling off.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Rebecca
Saturday, June 3, 2000 ~ From This Day Forward
The reunion was a blast. After our brief confrontation with the she-devils, the four of us went to the bar and had a couple of tasty drinks. I don’t know if it was the alcohol, the rush of adrenaline, or the fact that Katie and Andrew had come clean regarding their animal attraction for each other, but we laughed and danced and flirted and giggled the rest of the night. The conversations flowed like a river, free and effortless. And the affection between old friends was also unhindered.
As the party came to an end and we were forced to leave, we hugged and kissed and made loose plans to meet at Andrew’s restaurant for brunch, followed by a slow, relaxing day on the beach.
I told Katie to take it easy on Andrew, to which he replied, “Nothing she could do would ever scare me away.”
Jackson and I laughed, knowing our friends would undoubtedly be up all night relieving Katie’s stress. It’s a good thing our Sunday plans are simple and flexible, I thought. It’s likely the two of them won’t crack their eyes until after ten o’clock.
As Jackson and I walked down the steps of the conference center, he laced his fingers with mine and smiled at me. His blue eyes glowed with excitement, and my heart leaped in my chest. I knew what was on his mind, and I’d be a liar if I said I wasn’t thinking the same thing.
“That was so much fun!” I exhaled through a wide grin. “But I can’t wait to get home.”
He caught that I’d just referred to his house as “home” because he stopped me on the last step, pulled me in close, and lightly touched my cheek. “I’m eager to get you home.” His voice was seductive, and his smile, mischievous.
My heart pounded with anticipation. He lowered his head and kissed me on the lips, moving his mouth slowly and gently. When his tongue entered my mouth, I melted in his arms. The kiss was tender and unrushed, and it awakened every cell in my body. As he pulled away, my breath caught in my throat.
“I love you,” he whispered.
I lifted my eyes to meet his. “I love you, too.”
A devilish smile crept over his face as he laced his fingers back with mine. Anticipation drove us quickly down the sidewalk, out to the parking lot, where only a few cars were left. Surprisingly, one of them was the Bel Air.
As we crossed the empty rows, heading toward Jackson’s truck, I thought I saw movement in the car’s driver’s seat. I squinted to focus my eyes, and noticed it again. A man. I was sure of it. Two seconds later, the Bel Air’s engine roared to life, and the tires squealed on the asphalt. The car was heading right toward us and gaining speed.
“Look out!” I screamed.
“Rebecca!” Jackson shouted and grabbed me around the waist, jerking me off my feet and out of the way a split second before the car raced by. We struggled to catch our balance, spinning around just in time to watch the car fishtail onto the highway and speed off.
“Oh my God, Jackson!” I cried.
“Are you all right?” he panted, taking my hand and pulling me close.
“A little shook up.” I exhaled a shaky breath. “What was that all about?”
Jackson didn’t respond. He simply held me as I trembled in his arms.
“Who was that, Jackson?” My heart pounded in my throat, and I wanted to cry.
I could feel his heart beating a hundred miles an hour. He pressed his face against the top of my head as he held me tighter. Then he took a deep breath and finally said, “My father.”
My mind raced wildly, wondering how that could even be possible. I pulled away and looked at Jackson with confusion and fear in my eyes, searching for an explanation. “But I thought…” My brow furrowed. “Isn’t your dad… dead?”
He swallowed and stared at me with a distraught expression. “That’s what he wanted everyone to think.” Jackson looked down the road where the car had sped away, and his jaw hardened. “But that was him. I know it. I saw his cold, stony eyes.”
I didn’t know what to say. All I wanted was to protect Jackson. And love him. Forever. But if that was really his father, then he’d need more than me protecting him. I searched his face for an answer. My heart ached because all I could see was pain and anger and turmoil in his eyes.
I cleared my throat. “We should call Uncle Max.”
He glanced at his watch. “It’s past midnight.”
“Okay,” I said. “How about we call him first thing in the morning?”
A smile played on Jackson’s lips. “How about we go home now?”
“Great idea.” I exhaled. “I’ve had enough excitement for the night.”
Jackson snickered. “We’ll see about that.” His smile turned into a provocative grin as he waggled his eyebrows. Despite what just happened, I was engrossed with anticipation.
Jackson helped me in the truck and we held hands the whole way home. Neither one of us had much to say, but I was pretty sure we both had a great deal on our minds. I was thinking about my conversation with Aunt Sharon, and I imagined Jackson was thinking about his father—how was he alive, why was he here, and why did he try to kill us? I didn’t have any answers. But I knew one thing for certain, Uncle Max would help us get to the bottom of it.
As we pulled into the garage, Jackson told me to sit tight. He shut off the engine and came around to open my door.
“Grab around my neck,” he directed, then lifted me off the seat into his arms and pushed the door closed.
“What in the world are you doing?” I asked, as he carried me across the yard.
He smiled and kissed me on the cheek. “The ground’s a little damp, and I don’t want you to mess up your pretty shoes.”
I leaned my head against his shoulder. “Always looking out for me.”
“Always.” His eyes scanned my face, then drifted to my neck and down to my breasts. “Did I mention how much I love this dress?” He licked his lips, and that evil grin reappeared. “The sweetheart neckline’s my favorite part.”
I giggled as he carried me up the front porch steps. “You can put me down now,” I said, my fingers still locked around his neck.
“I can, but I’d rather not. I want to hold you forever.” His voice was breathy, provocative. Without breaking his gaze, he fiddled with his house key before unlocking the door. Then he carried me inside and pushed the door shut.
I lifted my head and whispered, “Lock it.”
He smiled and turned the lock. “Better?”
I nodded yes and rested my head against his shoulder again. I was thankful to be at home with Jackson, safe and secure in his arms, and alone at last.
The lights were off, but the moon was shining through the shutters, offering just enough light for us to see. He carried me through the house to his bedroom and gently lowered me down onto the bed. It was soft, and the down comforter felt like brushed cotton. I leaned back, resting my head against the pillows. They too, were soft and smelled fresh, like lavender.
Jackson leaned over and kissed me tenderly on the lips. “I want to see you,” he whispered.
He crossed the room toward an oversized dresser. A moment later, I heard a click, and a globe filled with what appeared to be fireflies illuminated the room.
“Is this okay?” he asked in a soft voice.
“That’s beautiful,” I said. And it was. The fireflies floated around the globe as the sounds of the outdoors filled the room.
“My granny bought this lamp for me when I came home from rehab. I wasn’t able to go outside, so she brought the outside in for me.”
“That’s so sweet, Jackson. Mrs. Ruby is the kindest person I know.”
He smiled and stepped out of his shoes, then loosened his tie, pulled it over his head, and placed it on the dresser. He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt as he walked back over to the bed. The lighting was a great idea. It was like having a full moon in the bedroom. How calming. How perfect. How romantic, I thought.
I could see triple bookshelves to my left, and to the right of the bed, two dark leather easy chairs formed a cozy sitting area in front of a bay window. Single-drawer nightstands with matching lamps were on either side of the bed. To the right of the oversized dresser, a door opened to the master bathroom, where a gigantic custom tub was perfectly positioned in front of another set of bay windows. Tucked in the corner by the bookshelves, a flat-screen TV hung above the mantle of a cobblestone fireplace. Neatly situated by the hearth were a leather chaise lounge and an iron floor lamp, offering an ideal place to read. Every piece of furniture matched the dark cherry wood of the king-sized four-poster bed. The room was alluring yet simple, and definitely masculine.
Jackson crossed the room and sat down on the bed at my feet. He reached over, slipped off my shoes, and placed them on the floor. With soothing hands, he began to massage my tired feet. His thumbs pressed into my arches. First, in small circles. Then, kneading and stroking. As he moved down the center and across my heels, I closed my eyes and moaned with pleasure.
“Does that feel good?”
“Yes,” I said lazily. “It sure does.”
He squeezed around the edges of my heels and worked his way up the sides of my feet. Then he rubbed every toe individually with just enough pressure to keep from tickling me. His hands ran up the back of my legs, rubbing, kneading, and massaging my calves. Bending my knees slightly, he lifted one leg and then the other to kiss each one of my toes. Trying my hardest to hold in a giggle because I didn’t want to ruin the mood, I curled my lips in between my teeth and bit down. As the moist kisses and his hot breath moved from my feet to my knees, tingles sparked in my most private places, awakening my senses.
Jackson lowered my legs, and then I felt him slide closer to me on the bed. I kept my eyes closed and waited for him to kiss me. But instead, I felt his hand on my knee. His touch was gentle, warm. Slowly, he slid it under my dress and up my thigh. My insides tightened as he traced over my skin with his fingertips, and I felt a swelling between my legs. He spread his fingers and groped my thigh, then carefully crossed over to my other leg and ran his hand around the back. I swallowed and began to breathe out my mouth. As he caressed and massaged higher and higher, I felt my dress inch up, and my breathing quicken. Then he slowly pulled his hand away.
I opened my eyes to find Jackson looking at me with a wide grin on his face. Without saying a word, he slid even closer to me on the bed and lightly touched my shoulder with his fingertips. He traced the length of my arm, then up again, across my bare chest and down my other arm. The sensation was electrifying and made all the tiny hairs on my skin stand on end. Aware of my body’s response to his touch, he placed his hands on either side of me and leaned over, just inches above my face. His smile, no longer playful, was now serious and suggestive. His eyes, earnest, fierce, aroused.
He lowered his head and began depositing soft kisses along the side of my neck and around my ear. Then back down, across my throat, and up the side, giving the same courtesy to my other ear. His kisses continued down my neck, over my collarbone, and across my chest, lower and lower, until he reached the plunge of my dress. They were soft, unhurried kisses, and I could feel the heat from his breath on my skin. Tingles began to grow into a slow burn, spreading throughout my body, causing my nipples to harden with desire.
As if he had sensed the tightening of that delicate area, he raised his head and whispered, “Do you like that?”
My throat had gone dry, and I was unable to speak. I tried to swallow but couldn’t. I nodded and parted my lips. “Yes,” I breathed.
The corners of his mouth turned up. His eyes were intense, pleased. I watched as they lowered to give full attention to my curves. Slowly tracing the top of my dress, he ran his fingers along the arches, carefully dipping them inside the edges. Back and forth. Back and forth. Deeper and deeper he investigated, caressing and stroking. He gently slipped my dress down, revealing the top of my breasts. I gasped at the coolness of the air on my exposed skin. He lowered himself on his elbows and cupped my breasts in his palms. Then he wet his lips and lowered his face, nuzzling my bosom, planting subtle kisses on my skin, licking the places where his fingers had visited. Back and forth. The tickle of his soft whiskers made me ache with want.
“Jackson,” I breathed his name.<
br />
He raised his head. His eyes were dark with passion but gentle. “Do you want me to stop?” he whispered. His smile was kind, understanding.
I clenched the comforter and whispered, “I love you.”
His smile grew. “I love you too,” he said, unrushed, and with complete sincerity. Then he gazed at me, lovingly, patiently waiting for my answer.
“No,” I sighed in surrender. “Don’t stop.”
Jackson lowered his head, returning to his last kiss. As he began to brush his lips across my chest, he curved his thumbs around the base of my breasts and gently squeezed. I gasped as desire grew in the deepest part of me. Spreading his fingers, he covered my breasts and began massaging them. Pushing them together, he pressed his face into my cleavage. Desire spread over me as he rubbed his open mouth all over my flesh, breathing heat on my skin. My back instinctively arched as he squeezed my hardened nipples through my dress. His mouth then replaced his hands and I could feel the heat from his breath through my dress. A slight moan escaped from my throat. My hands curled around the back of his neck as he continued to fondle and nibble each tip. I closed my eyes, giving in to the pleasures of his touch.
“Ahhh…”
“I know, darling,” he uttered.
Responding to my arousal, he folded back the silky fabric of my bra and kissed the curve of my breast until he reached the tip. He licked around the fleshy bead and took my nipple in his mouth. I gripped his hair, and my breath grew choppy as he sucked and nipped. Then he moved to my other breast, nuzzling and kissing, encircling it with his tongue. Sweet heat spread throughout my body as he sucked deeply, pulling my tight, sensitive nipple into his mouth. My muscles tensed, and I could feel the warm swelling down below.
“Jackson!” I cried out.
“Yes?” His breath was labored, but his voice was gentle, as he continued to lick and kiss.
I paused, trying to clear my mind so I could speak without hesitation, without fear. “I’d like to take this off.”
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