Rock Me Gently (16 page)

Lainey strode out of the bathroom. All put back together. Just as neat as she’d been when she’d shown up at his door.

She stopped and looked at him. “Ohhh.” She bit her lip. “I’m sorry.” She sat on the edge of the bed. Bending over she kissed his chest, right beside the ‘I heart Mom’ tattoo. He resisted the urge to pull Lainey back into his bed.

“I need to go make sure she’s okay.”

He nodded. “I know. I’ll walk you down.”

Hand in hand they walked down the stairs. At the bottom she took a detour to the couch. With a wave of her panties, she then bunched them up and stuffed them into her oversized bag. She continued to surprise him. There was a little devil under that prim and proper mom act.

Jason rolled his eyes at the thought of her leaving here commando. “Ahh, Lainey,” he breathed wrapping her back in his arms. “You can’t tease a guy like that.”

“Why not? You’re not wearing anything more under there than I am.” She scooted both hands down his pants then cupped his bare ass.

“But I’m not going outside. And you’ve got all those sweet little treasures hidden under that skirt.” He lowered his head and took her lips, just as her phone went again.

She pulled it out and read. “She’s hungry,” Lainey said, indicating Jill’s most recent text.

“It’s too bad, I’ve got lots of food,” he offered. “And I know you’re hungry. What are you going to tell her, you know, about where you’ve been?”

“I haven’t figured that out yet. I think I’ll tell her I was with you. I just don’t think I’ll tell her that we were here.”

Lainey looked up at him. “Will I see you tomorrow?” A worried gaze searched his. How could she even ask that? He didn’t want her to leave right now. If he could wake up with her in his arms, that would be his idea of seeing her tomorrow. But he knew that this was her insecurity. That she wasn’t sure of him yet. And it was to be expected after what she’d been through.

“Try to keep me away,” he answered, kissing her again. When he let her go she maintained that dazed look. He knew that would fade with time, so he was going to savor it now while he had that effect on her.

She walked down the path, then turned and gave him a little wave.

He watched until she drove away, then closed the door. He went into the kitchen and drained the pasta. It was overcooked after sitting in the hot water for so long. So much for al dente. He tossed the pasta in with the sauce and stirred it all together. Then he stared at it. He hadn’t intended to consume it alone.

Tossing a lid on it he then turned to put it into the fridge when he spied the takeout containers from Batallio’s. Ever since the night that he’d been there with Lainey, he’d gone there for takeout. A perfectly devious plan took hold. Scooping out the cold food he then gave the containers a quick wash. He dumped his homemade spaghetti into the Styrofoam squares. He was taking his woman and her daughter some takeout.

Chapter Ten

Lainey walked in the door at home. It was quiet. “Hey, Jilly. I’m home.”

“Hey, Mrs M.”

Lainey jumped at the unexpected voice.

“Henry…” She turned to see the teenage boy who seemed entirely too grown up at the moment, walking out of the kitchen, looking way too comfortable doing so.

“Hey, sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. Jill’s just upstairs.”

Lainey nodded, not quite knowing how she felt about Henry being alone with Jill. Her daughter had failed to mention that Henry was here with her.
Stop being a hypocrite
. She and Thad had been so much younger than Jill when they’d started having sex. And she didn’t even know how close Jill and Henry were. Things had cooled off between them, but they seemed to be heating up again.

Lainey made her way up to her own room. She needed to make herself decent and change, at least put some underwear on. What had she been thinking? She was a mom for crying out loud. She pulled on a pair of shorts and a flowered tank top. Gathering up her hair, she gathered it into a sloppy bun. As she walked down the hall she met Jill on the stairs.

“Hey.”

“Hey. You didn’t tell me Henry was here.”

“He hasn’t been here the whole time. When you weren’t here I texted him to come back.” Jill continued down the stairs. “Where were you?” Then quieter she said, “As if I didn’t know.”

“Well, if you know then I don’t need to tell you,” Lainey said, following her into the kitchen. She filled up the kettle and set it to boil.

“Didn’t you bring anything to eat?” Jill complained.

“No. Last time I did you had supper made.”

Jill slumped onto a stool. Henry sat down beside her. “We’re starving,” Jill continued.

Just as Lainey turned to give her a cool motherly stare, the doorbell rang. “You expecting someone else?” Lainey asked, looking between the two of them.

“No. But I sure hope it’s spontaneous delivery,” Jill grumbled.

Lainey padded to the door and opened it, gasping at the tall dark handsome teacher who’d just finished giving her two toe-curling orgasms. Her stomach leaped at the sight of him, as well as a sweet tingle down below.

“Hey,” she said in surprise.

“Hey, thought I’d bring dinner, since we didn’t get a chance to go out,” he explained. Lainey stepped aside so that he could come in, glad that she hadn’t gone into any details. Unexpectedly, he kissed her cheek with Jill and Henry looking on. It was a statement.

“Hey, Dub,” Henry said. “Excellent timing. Jill’s
starving,”
he laughed teasing her. “Batallio’s too. Isn’t that your favorite?”

Jill shrugged.

Henry took the containers from Jason.

Lainey looked up at him. “What are you doing?” she rasped.

Taking her hands, he then pulled her close. “You look sexy as hell.” He kissed the end of her nose. “I wasn’t ready for our night to end. Besides you didn’t get to eat and I invited you for dinner. And I believe I heard your daughter was also hungry. So, come on, while it’s hot.”

Jill watched them closely as, hand in hand, they approached the table.

“Hi, Jill.”

“
Mister
Westlake. How did you know I was hungry?”

“Oh, excuse me, Miss Markham,” Jason responded. “I didn’t realize we were being so formal. Should I have dressed for dinner as well?”

“I don’t remember you being invited for dinner, Mr Westlake,” she answered frostily. “How did you know I was hungry?”

“Jill…” The steel in Lainey’s rebuke brought about a stiff apology. “We were together when I got your text,” Lainey justified, grudgingly.

“Oh. Have you been with him all this time? Since the shop closed?”

“Yes, when you messaged that you were at Henry’s I figured I was on my own for supper, so we made plans.”

“Plans?”

“Yes, dinner plans. As you can see.”

Jill set out some plates, while Lainey provided some cutlery. “Coffee?” Lainey asked Jase.

“Whatever you’re having. I’m easy,” he grinned, holding her gaze.

She smiled then turned away, making them each an instant coffee.

“Want a soda, Henry?” Jill asked.

“Yeah, I’ll get them,” he said, helping himself.

Lainey opened one of the containers. Henry popped the other and they each served their partners.

“It smells weird,” Jill complained. “Not like Batallio’s at all.”

“I think it smells fantastic,” Lainey exclaimed, rolling the fork around the spaghetti. “I’m starving.”

The phone rang.

Lainey got up to answer it. “Hello?”

“So,” Henry sat back in his chair and examined Jason from across the table. Jase knew he was up to something. Henry put his arm around Jill’s shoulders. “Jase. Is it Jason? Can I call ya Jason?” he asked, in a deep fatherly tone. “The little missus and I would like to know what your intentions are concerning our little Lainey there.” The kid could barely keep a straight face.

“The little missus, Henry?” Jason watched the kid. “I wasn’t aware that I needed to ask permission or make my intentions known. And Jason is fine.”

Jill narrowed her eyes on him. “I’m perfectly aware of who you are. And that’s exactly why I would like to know your intentions.” Jill crossed her arms over her chest.

“Hey, Jill,” Henry protested. “I was just foolin’ around.”

“Yeah, and so is he. My mother isn’t the kind of person who fools around. If she’s interested in you, then it’s serious. It’s not just sex to her,
Jase
.”

“Hey, whoa, whoa, hey,” Jason held up his hands. He’d never intended to get into this kind of conversation with them.

“My mother gave my father everything she had,” Jill continued. “And he threw it all away. I never thought my mother would even look at another man, let alone what seems to be going on between the two of you. If you’re just going to jerk her around, then walk away right now before you hurt her. It would be much easier for her to cope before things get much more hot and heavy. We know who you are and about your past and your reputation. You were no better than my father. She can’t take it again. I won’t let you hurt her.”

“That’s just it, Jill. I
wasn’t
any better. But I’m not that guy anymore. I don’t want to be that guy anymore. That’s why I quit to become a teacher.”

“Henry said he heard you singing yesterday. What if you go back to it? What if you can’t stand to be the humdrum schoolteacher for long and you need to go back to the adoring crowds and the groupies. Then what?”

“Hey, Jill, ease up, they’re just seeing each other,” Henry attempted to reason with her. “We’re not talking long term yet. What if your mom finds out he’s the biggest jerk in the world? I mean she’s pretty savvy. She might just have her fun with him then kick him to the curb. That’s the way I see this going. Jase West, puh-lease, not even in Lainey Clarkson’s league.”

Jill turned on him. “You think my mom’s hot, don’t you?”

“Well, you know what they say about apples and trees, right?” Henry grinned.

Jill frowned then she gave him a swat before turning back on Jase.

“He’s probably right, you know,” Jason said, trying to diffuse the snowballing situation. “She’ll probably figure out that I’m the world’s biggest jerk, but I’d sure appreciate the chance to prove you all wrong and maybe someday Jason Westlake will be worthy of being maybe not in the same league with Lainey Clarkson but maybe in the minors.”

Jill opened her mouth to speak when Lainey hung up the phone and came back to the table.

“I hear you had a rough day at school today,” Lainey said to Jill, as everyone dug into their meal.

“Where’d you hear that?” Jill asked.

“Jason said that you left class.”

“Thanks,” she said, giving him a derisive look.

“And,” Lainey continued, “that was an automated message from the school. Apparently you did not attend school for the remainder of the day either. A student in your household…” she mimicked in a monotone.

Jill and Henry shared a look.

“And I take it by that little exchange, perhaps you were not alone.”

“Henry and I cut. I was going to tell you. Preferably not in front of one of my teachers, but I was.”

“I heard nothing,” Jason said. “I left my credentials at home.”

“Why did you leave school? There is nothing that people can say now that can hurt us. It’s all been said, read about and played out for everyone to speculate. We’ve been gossiped about and judged before. Be thankful this is just frivolous school gossip, it’s not plastered all over every tabloid rag or sensationalist ‘entertainment’ show. That’s all over with. This is a breeze compared to before. This is all good stuff, Jilly. So what? I kissed your teacher. And I plan on kissing him again.”

Jill’s mouth dropped open and Henry grinned.

“So you and everyone else better get used to it. Some other scandal will come along and take over soon enough, and you can gossip along with the rest of them. The weekend is coming, someone will pull some bone-headed drunken stunt at a party and that will be all the buzz by Monday.” She took a bite of her supper. “Mmm, this is really good.” She looked around the table at the three people staring at her in various states of surprise. “What?”

Jill didn’t answer, Henry grinned stupidly at her so she turned her attention to Jason.

“What are
you
grinning about?” she asked.

“I’m looking forward to you kissing the teacher again.” Jason raised his eyebrows. “When might that be?”

“Ahhh, gross,” Jill rolled her eyes.

“Well, not until you drop that cocky, shit eatin’ grin, that’s for sure,” Lainey retorted.

Henry snorted and almost fell off his chair.

Lainey turned her attention to Henry. “So, Henry, what were you and my daughter up to all day?” 

Instantly, he stopped laughing and nearly dropped a full fork. “We…we just talked…and stuff and drove around.”

“And stuff?”

“No, I mean, we drove around and talked.”

“And what did you do at your house?” Lainey asked, acting like it was just mild conversation, as she coiled spaghetti on her plate.