Chapter 1
In an attempt to suppress my laughter, I almost passed out. “Um, no.” Couldn’t he see I was too hooked up on him, especially after I’d just broken up with his son? My mind was always preoccupied with Carl, and the more time I spent with him, the more warped I became.
“Jessica, you’re the only one I’m seeing.” He grabbed my face, his thumb caressing my cheekbone as he lowered his lips to mine. “I need a lot more of you right now,” he said.
Smoldering, sluggish fire escaped his lips. His mouth was gentle on mine, and as his tongue slid past my lips, I felt a weakening in my legs. One of his hands slowly made its way down my neck, across my collarbone, and finally under the top of my tank.
When he looked at me, my nipples prickled into points, aching to be touched. My shoulder had a strap that slid over it and pulled down over it. Relaxing into his kisses and his fingers caressing my breast, I let out a long sigh.
As the point of his teeth grazed my pebbled nipple, a low groan oozed out of me, barely audible over the gurgle of the coffee maker. Holy crap, it was amazing. I held him close, arms around his head, and urged him to gorge himself on my skin.
But a tingling, unpleasant feeling shot through the hairs on my arms and up my back. My body had picked up on an impending threat long before my brain had. His attention was caught first by the shadow that had fallen on us from the open window above the sink.
As he turned to stone, I cast a glimpse over my exposed shoulder to see what he was staring at.
Oh. Shit.
Judy Maligner’s shocked look wonderfully captured the horror I felt. She stood in Carl’s side yard, peering at us through the window; what the heck was she doing there? I had a breast out and Carl’s lips were on me; how long had she been watching?
We were barely out of her sight when he grabbed my wrist and dragged me along till I had time to fumble the strap up and hide.
Is she able to see us?” I made a futile inquiry. It was obvious that she had, and his serious look backed that up. Although I didn’t have a specific strategy in mind, I attempted to escape, but he grabbed my waist and held on. The sound of his voice was reassuring and comforting. “Sit tight. I’m going to change into a shirt and then I’ll deal with this.
I looked up into his face. He looked at me as if I were a child, but I could see I wasn’t registering. His mind was obviously working, and I could see the wheels spinning. All of his energy was going towards containing the harm.
The way I felt at the time was identical to how I feel today. It was clear that I was just making things worse for him. I broke out of his grip and headed towards his room, as if running away would improve the problem. I need to get dressed as well.
Rather than disagree, he remained silent. He decided to accompany me to the bedroom, but he was quicker than I was and he was the first one inside. He grabbed a t-shirt out of a drawer, threw it on, and gave me a hard stare. Stay still, all right? he said softly. The situation is under control; I’m good to leave.
When I opened my mouth to say anything, he turned and yanked the door almost all the way shut. As he ran to the kitchen door that led to the patio in the rear, the sound of his clunky shoes faded. I hurriedly brushed my tangled hair out of my face and into a wrinkled outfit I’d prepared for the day. My face was bare save for the remnants of last night’s makeup. Wow, this morning I was the polar opposite of Judy in every way possible.
Two sets of footsteps could be heard from the kitchen after the door had closed. When I heard her voice, so righteous, I halted at the doorway.
Her vehicle is now parked in the driveway.
Carl’s words were direct. “And?”
There was an expression of apparent embarrassment. After knocking on the door and hearing no response, I assumed she had spent the night with David while you were out of town. A decent parent wouldn’t let their child do something like that, so I figured that was the case with you.
The question is, “What kind of thing?” Carl’s remarks cut deep, and I imagined his face to be as serious as his tone.
I don’t have to explain anything to you. Accepting a sleepover visit from your son’s teenage girlfriend. She pronounced “teenager” the way I pictured prim and proper Judy pronouncing “atheist democrat.”
There was a deep sigh that was very masculine. “To start with, Jessica isn’t David’s girlfriend.
As for me, “Well, I’d hope not.”
Moreover, she is a fully grown adult. The second is that it is none of your concern how I choose to bring up my kid. Where did you get the idea that I wanted you to come into my yard and peer into my windows?
Her voice became higher in both pitch and loudness. I thought I was helping you out! I figured you’d be interested in hearing about that girl’s questionable night out. Taking a deep breath, Judy paused. I was completely serious in his tone.
I don’t have to explain anything to you. Accepting a sleepover visit from your son’s teenage girlfriend. She pronounced “teenager” the way I pictured prim and proper Judy pronouncing “atheist democrat.”
There was a deep sigh that was very masculine. “To start with, Jessica isn’t David’s girlfriend.
As for me, “Well, I’d hope not.”
Moreover, she is a fully grown adult. The second is that it is none of your concern how I choose to bring up my kid. Where did you get the idea that I wanted you to come into my yard and peer into my windows?
Her voice became higher in both pitch and loudness. I thought I was helping you out! I figured you’d be interested in hearing about that girl’s questionable night out. Taking a deep breath, Judy paused. I was completely unaware of how improper that was.
“Judy…”
Saying, “She’s a kid. And you’re taking her where?
To the wall, I sagged.
Keeping his composure, he said, “That’s clearly none of your concern,” but I could detect a hint of a snarl underneath. In a few more minutes, he would have lost his temper completely.
Is this what has put you off? She spewed out. I’m too old for you, I’m afraid.
