Status Update (14 page)

He got her.

It was comforting. Nice. So did she really want to keep fighting this?

No. She didn’t.

Laura bent forward and gave him a long, sexy kiss. “Thank you for taking care of me last night.”

“I like taking care of you.” Bryan pressed a kiss to her forehead.

She lifted her arms and pulled him closer, hugging him. For six months, he’d stood beside her as she struggled to rebuild her life, herself. He’d dealt with her tears, her fears, her drunken escapades and her eccentricities.

Bryan had taken everything she’d thrown at him in his stride and his presence made her stronger. Gave her the courage to take chances, to let her hair down, to try different things.

She owed him for so many things, but the main one was for helping her to believe in herself again.

She pushed against his shoulder, forcing him to his back as she came over him.

A spark of humor flashed in his eyes. “Last night before you passed out, you promised to fuck my brains out.”

Laura winced. “Wow. How classy of me.”

He gripped her hips. “There’s not a man in the world who would complain about a promise like that.”

“Do you mind giving me a rain check on that?” She bent forward and kissed him softly. “I sort of have something else in mind right now.”

He stroked her cheek, his eyes darkening with lust and something else she was afraid to name. She recognized it, but the word was simply too tough to say. Maybe in time…

“I’ll take whatever you want to give me, Laura.” He spread his hands out as if to say, “I’m yours.”

It was an offer she simply couldn’t refuse. She lifted her hips, coming back down on his cock so slowly they both groaned. Her commanding lover was true to his word. He let her direct their lovemaking, allowing her to set the pace.

Their bodies came together, melding as one with perfect symmetry. This man was made for her. And she for him.

Soon she took him faster, her orgasm coming to claim her. Bryan stroked her clit gently, the touch sending her over the edge. Her pussy clenched him tightly and Bryan gave way to his own climax. They rode out the glorious storm together, then she lay down on top of him, his chest her pillow.

And they fell back to sleep.

Chapter Seven

Laura Sanders

The TV shows I grew up on lied to me. I mean look how easy it was for
The
Brady Bunch
to merge two families into one. How simple it was for three guys to raise daughters in
Full House
. Lately my life feels more like
True Blood
and I’m that crazy blonde woman who works at the vampire bar. You know…the one who’s had the life sucked out of her and been brainwashed so many times she doesn’t know which end is up anymore. Yep. I’m her.

Laura looked around the table and tried to calm the butterflies in her stomach. Bryan and Trina had joined her and her kids at a local restaurant for dinner. It was the first time Bryan had met Kevin or seen Katie since that uncomfortable night at the hospital.

Kevin had come to visit for the weekend. Though he only lived a few hours away, his new job—and Laura suspected a new girlfriend—kept him busy at home. She missed him terribly, so she’d been excited about spending time with him.

She’d recently mentioned Bryan and some of the things they’d been doing together over the past few months to her son and Kevin had insisted on “meeting Mom’s new boyfriend”.

Unlike Katie, Kevin had taken the news that Laura was leaving his dad in stride. Her son was the king of easygoing, and she’d never been more grateful for his understanding than she had been the last couple of years.

Whenever they spoke about the divorce and why she’d made the choices she had, Kevin’s standard answer had always been, “You gotta do whatever will make you happy, Mom. Life’s too short to be miserable.” Laura had held onto those words like a life preserver through the roughest times of the separation, then the divorce.

“So let me get this straight,” Kevin said, laughing. “You were doing shotguns at a Buffett concert? Awesome, Mom.”

Trina and Bryan laughed, but Laura didn’t miss the distinct look of disapproval Katie gave her. She was glad Bryan hadn’t mentioned her trip to the top of the lifeguard stand.

Laura shrugged. “Yeah, well, I didn’t feel so awesome the next morning. I don’t foresee me attempting that game again anytime soon.”

Kevin reached for a breadstick. “I love Buffett. I’m jealous you went. If your friend gets tickets again, you have to snag one for me. How was the concert?”

Laura was still a bit hazy on the actual concert part of that evening.

Bryan chuckled, then saved her. “It was great. The place was packed and he covered all the biggies. Highlight of the night for me was when he sang ‘Tin Cup Chalice’.”

Kevin’s eyes widened. “Get out. That’s my favorite of his too. Most people don’t even know that song.”

Laura tried to restrain her grin, then gave into it. From the impressed look on her son’s face, it appeared he’d just shared a serious bonding moment with Bryan. Thank God. She really wanted her kids to like Bryan. Though they still hadn’t attached a label to their relationship, they were spending more and more time together. Bryan had clothes in her dresser, a toothbrush in her bathroom and his favorite brand of beer in her fridge.

He was filling a void Laura hadn’t realized was there until he reappeared in her life.

Trina leaned closer to the table. “By the way, Laura, I love your hair. Did you do something different to it?”

Laura instinctively raised her hand to her hair. “Yeah. Michael, my hairdresser, talked me into side bangs and more highlights for summer. You don’t think it’s too much?”

Trina shook her head, smiling. “Not at all. Very hip.”

Katie didn’t seem to agree. “I didn’t know you wanted to be a blonde.”

Laura laughed uneasily. “Crap. Is it that light? I wasn’t really going for blonde as much as I was trying to cover the gray.”

Katie didn’t reply and Laura caught Kevin giving his sister a dirty look. Terrific. Her twins had always been incredibly close, the best of friends. The last thing Laura wanted to do was cause a rift between her kids.

Kevin reached over and good-naturedly messed it up. “It doesn’t look that blonde. I think it’s a great style for you. Makes you look younger.”

Katie’s attention drifted to her plate and she didn’t make any other attempts to join the conversation. Trina and Kevin got into a heated discussion over who was the greatest guitar player of all-time: Clapton or Hendrix. Bryan put in a plug for Van Halen, while Laura mentioned Santana, but they were both instantly shot down. Laura laughed at Kevin and Trina’s hilarious argument, delighted when Bryan looked at her and winked.

“Do you know if your company is hiring?” Kevin asked Bryan.

Bryan grinned. “You already thinking about switching careers?”

Kevin shook his head and chuckled. “No. A friend of mine graduated with a degree in engineering, but he’s having a hell of a time finding a job.”

Bryan reached into his back pocket, pulled out his wallet and handed Kevin one of his business cards. “Have your friend give me a call early next week. I’ll check with my boss and see if there are any open positions. Do you think your friend would be willing to relocate if there’s nothing available locally?”

Kevin nodded, taking the card. “He’d probably move to Timbuktu at this point. He’s really frustrated. Thanks a lot, Bryan. I appreciate it.”

“No problem.”

“So you two really never dated in high school?” Katie asked. It was the first time she’d joined the conversation since Trina had mentioned Laura’s hair.

Laura and Bryan both shook their heads.

Bryan glanced at Laura and smiled. “No. Seems crazy to me now that I never asked her out, but back then, she was just my best friend. I guess somewhere in my screwed-up teenage mind, I didn’t want to mess that up.”

Laura pointed her fork at him. “Or it could be you couldn’t see me since you spent all your time worshipping Rachelle Matthews from afar.”

Bryan laughed. “Oh my God. There’s a name I haven’t heard in years. Damn. Rachelle.” Bryan wolf-whistled, the gleam in his eyes proving he was enjoying jerking Laura’s chain. “She was a looker. Wonder if I could find her on Facebook.”

Laura gave him a dirty look. “I don’t know, but you’re certainly free to look her up tomorrow since you and I won’t be hanging out anymore.”

Trina giggled as Bryan put his arm around Laura’s shoulders. “Rachelle couldn’t hold a candle to you then or now.”

Laura flushed when he bent closer and pressed a quick kiss on her cheek. While Trina and Kevin didn’t appear to mind the show of affection, Laura couldn’t ignore the sadness that crept into Katie’s eyes.

Then Bryan started telling some funny stories about her from their high school days.

Laura shook her head, smiling, amazed by his memory. “I swear you’re making half of this stuff up. I’m positive I never instigated a water-balloon fight in the student parking lot.”

“Liar,” Bryan accused. “I spent nearly three hours tying those damn balloons the night before the battle for you. I had a hell of a blister on my finger. Of course that was small potatoes considering I had my ass chewed off after the fight. My dad still brings up the damn detention we got for that.”

Kevin pretended to be scandalized. “So basically, Mom, all those years when Katie and I were growing up and you swore you had been this ideal student, you were lying.”

Laura laughed. “No, not lying. I got very good grades and apart from that one detention—”

Bryan cleared his throat.

Laura gave him a dirty look, then continued, “And apart from those two—” she glanced at Bryan, “—or three detentions, I was generally well-behaved too.”

Kevin laughed so loud a few other patrons at surrounding tables looked at them. Laura couldn’t help but join him. Her son was big and burly like his dad. However, unlike Mason, he was quick to laugh, he’d never known a stranger and he managed to put people at ease in any occasion.

“Damn, Mom. It’s like everything I ever believed has been blown out of the water. Next thing you know, you’ll tell me there’s no Santa Claus or Tooth Fairy.”

“Um, Kevin,” Trina began. “I sort of hate to break this to you…”

They all laughed when Kevin covered his heart as if he’d been stabbed. Laura noticed even Katie smiled at her brother’s silly antics. However, when she caught Laura looking, the happy expression fled, quickly replaced by the far too common apathetic appearance Laura was coming to hate.

The waitress approached with a pitcher of water, refilling their empty glasses. “Would you like dessert?”

Bryan looked around the table. Everyone said no, so he asked for the bill instead. The entire meal had been a success with the exception of Katie and her silence. However, Laura took solace in the fact that her daughter had agreed to come out with them at all. Maybe, given enough time, she and Katie could find a way back to how things had been before the divorce.

“Hey, Laura.”

Laura glanced up to find a young man standing near the table. His face was familiar, but she struggled to remember how she knew him.

He obviously realized she didn’t recognize him. “Kevin, remember? From Blue Moon. Sex to music.” Kevin started grinding the air to imaginary music and grinning.

She smiled uncomfortably when she realized his words were giving her kids the wrong idea. “Oh, that’s right. The dance lessons.”

“Haven’t seen you out again. I’m heading over to the Moon with my friends right now.” Kevin looked around the table. “You all should come over there after you’re finished here. Awesome band playing tonight. I can give you some more lessons if you want.”

It was apparent her dance instructor had over-imbibed with dinner. She gave him a brief, “Maybe we’ll see you later,” and was relieved when he left.

“Sex to music?” Katie asked.

Laura raised her hand. “That was a joke. Georgie was trying to teach me how to dance and—”

“You know what? Forget I asked. I really don’t want to know.” Katie pushed her chair away from the table and stood up.

Laura rose as well. “No. I want to explain.”

“Explain what, Mom?” Katie’s voice was loud, angry. Laura sensed everyone in the restaurant turning to stare at them.

Laura pointed to their chairs. “If we could just sit down and talk about this quietly, I think we could—”

“I don’t want to be quiet anymore.” Katie pointed at her. “Who are you? I don’t even recognize you. New hair, tight jeans and low-cut shirts. You’re getting drunk at concerts and going dancing with guys who are young enough to be your son. And that guy even has your son’s name. How sick and twisted is that?”

“Katie.” Laura tried to calm her daughter down, but Katie wouldn’t be appeased.

Kevin stood as well and stepped closer to his sister. “Hey, Kate. Come on. Take it easy.”

Katie shook off Kevin’s hand, all her anger directed solely at Laura. “Who the hell are you trying to be?”

Laura was taken aback, left struggling for an answer. Who was she trying to be? “I don’t know what you want me to say.”