AndrewI stared at the multiple grocery bags on the kitchen table, my head spinning.“Okay. How many recipes are we following again?”Raven inspected the laptop on the counter. “There’s the stuffing, the turkey, the green bean casserole, the cranberry sauce. That’s for Lanie. Um, sweet potatoes, salad. Course, any idiot can make that.”I sucked in a long breath, wondering if I was having my first anxiety attack. “Salad. Okay. We can do that. Where’s the lettuce?”Raven made a face. “That’s the last thing we have to make. We need to get the oven ready for the turkey. Did you thaw it?”“Uh.”“Dad!” Raven loudly clapped her hands. “Keep it together. Did you thaw the turkey?”“Y-yes,” I stuttered. “I think so.”“What?” She looked disgusted.I opened the fridge and cautiously poked the turkey. “I think it’s thawed. How do I tell?”“Drop it on the floor,” she sarcastically snapped. “If it breaks a board, it’s still frozen.”“Don’t start an attitude with me, Raven. Not right now.”As I spun
AndrewBy the time the meal was finished, my kitchen was unrecognizable. Not even when Karen went on a cooking frenzy, as she sometimes did when stressed and made enough casseroles for a week, did the counters look like this.“You have carving tools?” Lanie asked me as she took the turkey out of the oven.“Sure do.”“And never been used,” Raven added.We moved with a rhythm, taking the dishes into the dining room, a place I only ventured into if a client was over for dinner.“Can we light those?” Lanie asked, pointing at the tall, untouched white candles in the center of the table.“Of course.” Grabbing the lighter from the fireplace’s mantle, I handed it over—making sure my fingers grazed Lanie’s an undue amount in the process.She lit the candles, adjusted the angle of the turkey, and straightened the cloth napkins.“I think you missed your calling,” I said. “Maybe you should have gone into home décor or the culinary arts.”Lanie wrinkled her nose. “Nah. I like my life the way it is
LanieThe beeping coming from the computer made me jump in my seat. Turning around in my chair, I stared at the screen in confusion for a second before realizing someone was calling me on video chat.A smile pulling at my lips, and I hit the green answer button. Andrew’s face popped up, his large office windows behind him.“Well, hello,” I answered, glancing at my office door to make sure it was closed all the way. Taking personal calls at work wasn’t forbidden, but I still felt weird about it and didn’t want to spend too much time chatting people up when I could have been bettering tomorrow’s minds and all that jazz.“Hello, Miss Jacobs,” Andrew purred. “Have I caught you at a bad time?”Heat traveled through me, and I crossed my legs, trying to get rid of that familiar ache Andrew’s voice always caused. “I can chat for a bit. How are you? How is work?”Andrew scrunched his nose slightly. “Can’t complain. I’ve been distracted by thoughts of you all day, though.”“I know the feeling,”
Lanie“Video chatting?” Raven asked, dropping into a chair and settling into a cross-legged position.“Huh?”She nodded at the computer screen. Although I’d closed out the conversation box with Andrew, I’d neglected to shut down the entire video chat program.“Uh, yeah.” I hastily clicked the program closed.“Anyone interesting?”The cheeky look on her face said she suspected I’d been talking to her dad. Embarrassment flooded me, and I looked for a way to dodge the question but then realized there was no point. I wanted to connect with Raven, to find out what was happening with her and Jason, but our relationship had gone beyond that of counselor-student. It was even beyond that of Dad’s New Girlfriend. If I wanted transparency from Raven, I needed to offer it myself.“Just some hot guy,” I said.Raven made a disgusted face. “Ew.”“Sorry.” I laughed. “It’s true.”“You can stop right there. I don’t need to hear any more.”I leaned forward in my seat, resting my arms on my desk. “I had
AndrewRaven ran down the stairs like a monster was after her.“What’s up?” I asked, going to the living room doorway. “You okay?”“What?” She wrinkled her nose and ran her fingers through her hair. “Yeah. Everything is fine. I’m going out.”I took in a long breath, calming my racing heart. When I’d first heard her steps coming down the stairs, fast as they were, I’d freaked out for a second. Now I noticed she wore a jacket and beanie.“On Sunday night?” I questioned. “You didn’t ask me.”“It’s only six o’clock, and I’m just going to Taylor’s house.”“Taylor?”Each time I checked, Raven had a new friend. It’s what I’d wished for a month ago, but now I was left feeling weird about her burgeoning popularity. Who were these kids she was hanging out with?“Taylor?” I asked once more, letting it hang there.“Chuck.”“Is that supposed to be funny?”Raven stepped forward and planted a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll be back at eight.”I arched an eyebrow. “Text me if anything—no, call me if you n
AndrewI stared at Saxton. “That’s what our society tells us, that women age faster than men, but that doesn’t mean it’s true.”Saxton turned to me, languidly tossing his arm over the back of his chair. “If a guy can still get up with a twenty-five-year-old when he’s fifty, shouldn’t he? Andrew, man, you should understand this better than anyone else.”I felt my lips draw tight against my teeth. “Mine and Lanie’s age difference has nothing to do with us getting along. She’s the first woman younger than me that I’ve ever been interested in.”“Let’s just move on,” Bob cut in, sending an irritated look Saxton’s way.“Fine.” Saxton tested out his bourbon and smacked his lips. “We’ll agree to disagree.”Bob’s eyes briefly connected with mine, and I felt compelled to mouth “sorry” but kept my face flat instead.“Saxton, I’d ask you how that girl Matilda is,” Bob started, “but I assume—”“Right. She’s old news. That was, what? Months and months ago.”Bob took a long drink.I raked my fingers
LanieThe doorbell sang, and I immediately got to work smoothing down my hair and patting under my eyes, checking for any eyeshadow that had fallen there. It didn’t matter that Andrew had seen me in all kinds of rumpled states. I still got butterflies when I thought of seeing him, and I wanted to look good for dinner at his house.The door flew open, and Karen smiled wide. “Lanie,” she cooed, pulling me in for a hug.We’d only met once before, but Karen had one of those personalities. She could make friends with anyone.“How are you doing?” I asked, face still pressed against her shoulder.“Good, good. Come in out of that cold.” She quickly shut the door behind me. “I was just headed home. Raven and Andrew are somewhere downstairs, and dinner is in the oven.”As she talked, she worked fast, taking and hanging my coat in the hall closet and winding her scarf around her neck. “There’s a cake in the fridge. You’re not allergic to coconut, are you?”“Nope. I love it.”“Oh, good! It’s coco
LanieTaking my hand, Andrew turned it over on top of the table and ran his fingertips down my palm. “Do you have plans this weekend?”“No,” I exhaled, finding it hard to think of anything other than the way he was touching me.“Good.” A smile danced at the corner of his mouth. “Come away with me for the weekend. We’ll go to San Juan. There’s a resort there I think you’d really like.”“Really?”“Mm-hmm.”“That’s … Wow. When? Friday? What about Raven? When will we be back?”I knew I was asking too many questions, but Andrew’s proposition had made me get excited, and sometimes when that happened, I talked too much.“I was thinking we leave after school on Friday and then come back Sunday afternoon. Or early evening. I talked to Raven about it, and she’s fine. Karen will be around, so she won’t be alone. What do you say? Can you miss one weekend of yoga for me?”Andrew raised my hand and kissed the inside of my wrist, and I laughed with joy. “I think I’ll get over yoga.”“Erica won’t be
Andrew“How are you doing?” I rubbed Lanie’s shoulder, feeling silly for asking the question.She huffed out a breath, looking out the window instead of at me.I nodded. Right, then.What was it I learned in that maternity class we took? For the life of me, I couldn’t remember one thing. My pulse was racing a million miles an hour, and all my nerves were bunching up in my stomach.Lanie exhaled again, long and low, as she had another contraction.The door opened, and the doctor strode into the room with a big smile. “Let’s check you out,” she said.Lanie just pressed her lips tight together and nodded, her face growing red.“You’re doing great, honey,” I told her.She smiled up at me, but I could see the exhaustion in her eyes. She was ready for this to be over with.Taking her hand, I held it tight as the doctor checked her dilation.“Ten centimeters,” she announced. “We’re ready to push.”“Thank god,” Lanie gasped. She gritted her teeth and squeezed my hand so tight, I thought it wa
LanieI whisked the curtains open, taking in the white beach and the sparkling blue water. Palm trees and other foliage covered the far side of the bay. A few people surfed, but other than that, the area was empty.“Oh my god,” I breathed. “It’s beautiful.”Andrew’s strong arms wrapped around me from behind. “Yeah?” he murmured, laying a kiss on the side of my neck.We’d gotten to the resort after dark the night before, and all I’d really gotten to see were the patios and the lobby. I’d pored over the brochure, though, listing all the things I wanted to do.“I can’t believe we’re here for a whole week.” I rested my arms against Andrew’s.“What do you want to do today?”“Mm.” I leaned against him, thinking about it some. “Sunbathe? Take a surfing lesson? I dunno. What do you want to do?”“Spend time with you.”I spun around to face him. “I like that answer.”A knock on the door made me look over his shoulder. “It’s so early. Who is that?”Andrew shrugged but couldn’t hide the knowing l
AndrewThe door of the old house opened, and Erica came out first. She smiled at everyone over her bouquet, and a low whistle came from somewhere in the crowd.“Inappropriate,” Saxton dramatically gasped under his breath. For a moment, my nerves loosened, and I almost laughed—but Raven was coming out the door then.She wore a blue dress like Erica, just cut in a different way, with the skirt longer and no sleeves. Smiling wide, she made her way down the aisle. She walked with the slightest limp, one that might have been unnoticeable if you weren’t paying attention. It was the one leftover symptom from the car wreck, something that would likely be with her for the rest of her life, as she’d broken her leg so badly.The limp didn’t get her down, though. Overall, she’d been positive about the whole thing. Now, as she reached the end of the aisle, she looked my way and absolutely glowed.Love and pride filled my heart. Our relationship had gone through some tough times, but the last six m
Andrew3 Months Later – The Wedding“Your tie looks fine,” Bob told me.“Huh?” I dragged my gaze away from the line of trees ringing the field. “What’s that?”“You were messing with your tie again.” Bob grinned. “You ever wore one of those before?”I frowned. “Almost every day.”Bob clapped me on the back. “I was kidding, Andrew. Relax.”I took in a long breath. “Sorry.”All around us, wedding guests chatted and catering staff hurried to and from. The day was amazing, a balmy June morning. The venue Raven and Lanie had discovered couldn’t be more perfect. What was once a mansion on the outskirts of the city had been turned into a preserve complete with hiking trails and a covered area for events.“Were you this nervous?” I asked, looking Bob over.I expected him to answer in the negative—Bob was just that confident about everything. I’d only asked because I needed to keep myself busy somehow. If I didn’t spend the last fifteen minutes before my wedding talking, I’d probably die of anx
LanieLast night, he’d pulled out every time and played it safe. I knew we were taking baby steps. Going from using a condom every time to suddenly doing away with them was a leap. But I was on birth control, which I’d told him, and immediate pregnancy was extremely unlikely. I just wanted to know what it felt like to have his come fill me up.“Please baby,” I moaned. “I want to feel you.”Andrew groaned above me, and his hands tightened on my ass. I was doing him over with this talk, and I knew it. He loved it. And he probably wanted the same thing I did. So I encouraged him again by looking over my shoulder and looking him in the eye as he fucked me.“Andrew,” I purred. “Fuck me until you come inside me. Please.”And he did. He bucked wildly against me, and I came as he shot his warm silky load inside me. It was what I had needed. A closeness that we’d never experienced before. He was bent over me and kissing my spine and my shoulder blades as his orgasm ebbed away and my body thrum
LanieI woke up in the morning with Andrew’s hand on my hip. I was lying on my side, and he was behind me. I could feel his cock pressed against the small of my back. His breath was on my neck, and his closeness turned me on immediately.I was always horny in the morning, and waking up next to him was intoxicating.It was early. The room wasn’t as bright as it would be at say, seven or so in the morning. It must have been earlier, maybe six, possibly just after five. But we were both awake, and I wanted to take advantage of it before I had to leave for work at eight thirty.My life had somehow mended itself. Erica’s weekend getaway had helped, and so had Andrew’s willingness to take a good hard look at himself in the mirror and figure out what he wanted and whether or not he was willing to do what it took to get it. He shifted against me and yawned deeply.“Morning,” I whispered.His hand moved around my hip to my belly, and he pulled me in closer to him. His cock shifted between my a
AndrewHow had it taken me so long to figure out that this was what I needed? I hadn’t felt this good in years, or maybe even a decade, to be honest. Hell, maybe longer. My career had consumed my life. I’d nearly let it destroy my relationship with my daughter. Had it not been for Lanie, my life would have already imploded. Not only did she rescue the crumbling relationship with the person I loved most in this world, but she also showed me support and kindness and softness.“You’re a lucky bastard.” I smiled to myself as I rolled out of my chair and made for the kitchen.I chopped up some strawberries and tossed them on a bed of whipped cream. I added a sprinkle of icing sugar and some chocolate drizzle and left it in the fridge so that the whipped cream wouldn’t melt by the time Lanie came back down.I waited, much too nervous to do anything but pace the kitchen floor for a whole thirty-five minutes before Lanie appeared in the kitchen doorway. She was wearing a smile that eased my n
AndrewWhen I told Lanie that Raven was home, it took a lot of effort for us to cool down. We were all giggles and flirting as we went to the kitchen and each got a glass of water. Then we went out back to the patio and sat in the sun. Lanie kicked off her sandals, rested her feet in my lap, and let the sun kiss her bare legs. I ran my hands up and down them as she told me all about her weekend with Erica.“It really was beautiful there,” Lanie said. “We should go some time. You’d love the hot springs. I can only imagine how stunning it would be in the winter. And cold.”“I’ll take you whenever you want to go.”“I’ll tell you when I start to get the itch again.”“Good. What else is new? Tell me.”Lanie shrugged and sipped her water. “Besides getting totally pampered all weekend? Not much. I had some good chats with Erica, though, and I was able to sort through some things that were taking up too much space in my mind. Things about us.”“Oh?”“We need to be better at communicating,” sh
Lanie“Lunch on the corner. I saw you guys walk by and had to come after you.” He ran his hand up my hip to rest it on my waist. “Lanie, I have to apologize. I’m sorry for all this shit the last few weeks. I’ve been an ass. I want to make this work. Really. I want to be with you.”I thought I might start crying. Again. But I held on to my emotions and smiled instead. “I want that too. So badly.”He kissed me again. My heart raced and tried to fly out of my chest.He broke away and threw his arm out to flag down a passing cab. We both piled into the back seat, and he told the driver his address. Then he pulled me into his lap, pushed my skirt up so he could rest his hands on my bare thighs, and crushed his mouth against mine.“What about your car?” I asked him and pressed against him tightly.“Fuck it. I’ll get it later.” He slipped his hands into my hair and pulled me down for another long round of kisses.I clung to him and didn’t care that there was someone in the car with us. He wa