Kicking and Screaming (8 page)

CONRAD

Well, I couldn't figure out a way to get out of this fix without starting a war in my marriage, or alienating my daughter; but Collins had come through. I do believe Cynthia and her daughters' little ploy backfired there.

Isn't it strange that I think of them that way, as hers? Not that I don't love them, but imp has always been mine, from the moment she'd been born she'd captured my heart.

Not even when Jenny had come along had that changed. The girl had just always been my favorite in every way.

Unlike their mother, I tried to curtail my favoritism, as a dad should. But the last few days had shown me that my wife hadn’t been so careful with our third offspring.

She’s always been such a strong independent little thing, that I never gave it a second thought, but I could see now where I might’ve been wrong in letting things go unsupervised for so long.

She was a grown woman now as she’d so aptly pointed out, but she was still my little girl and it hurt me that I’d neglected her so horrendously.

I knew there was no point in saying anything to my wife until the dust had settled. She’d only hear what she wanted to anyway.

“Very well then that’s settled. Maybe we should all head on out to dinner it’s getting late and we don’t want to lose our reservation now do we?”

I looked at my wife in the hopes that mentioning it would remind her that we had other guests in the house, like the Piersons who were the biggest gossips this side of the equator.

I could see the wheels turning in Cynthia's mind, but imp was going to Texas if I had to walk her there.

Besides, either Cynthia was blind or just plain stubborn, but anyone with half a brain could see the man wasn't interested in Miranda or Jenny.

Not even the self-proclaimed beauty of the State, that Petra Pierson girl, had been able to catch his attention. But my imp, well now, it seems Jonas and I were the only ones who saw what was going on.

I shared a look with that young man now and I’m pretty sure we both breathed a sigh of relief. I wouldn’t be surprised if we were both thinking along the same lines, ‘thank heavens there was someone else to deal with the imp.’

***

JACKSON

I can see she's confused by my offer; I'm not. I need to see where this blossoming attraction is leading, and what better way than to have her in my domain?

I needed to take her away from the distraction of conflicts that seemed to abound here in her home?

Eventually, I'll get to the bottom of that. But right now, my main focus is on the feelings that have cropped up between us like wildfire, purely unexpected and not easily controlled.

I knew she was weakening towards me, her kisses told me as much, but I wasn’t stupid enough to think that that’s all it would take.

I had no doubt that she would put me through my paces, unless of course I humbled her in my usual style. I’ll wait and see which way the wind blows.

She might need more time to adjust to the idea of being under me. We’ll see how much time after I get her home with me.

I was already warming to the idea, even though I’d just pulled it out of my ass. Then again I’d made many a business decision in just that manner and I can’t see where it had led me wrong.

Yes, having her in my home would level the playing field I think, I don’t expect her to be this volatile outside of her element, and maybe then she would tell me just what the hell this big secret is that she was holding.

***

MAXIE

   What the hell is going on around here anyway, has everyone lost their minds? And where does he get off telling everyone I should come to his home?

I was ready to read him up one side and down the other, but my idiot sister made the decision for me.

"Well if she gets to go then I think we should as well." So says governor tacky.

"That's just tacky Jenny, even for you, he said Maxie, not Maxie and the family pet; and I'm sure you don't want to follow me all the way to Texas, you might come up missing somewhere between here and the Alamo."

That started an avalanche of words flying over my head, but I noticed he wasn’t forwarding an invitation to anyone else.

That made the decision all the easier for me. I could tell from the looks on their faces that they were not in the least bit pleased and that just made the idea seem that much better.

“I guess I should go pack for my trip, I wonder what they wear in Texas.

Jackson darling do you think jeans and tanks will do it? Or do I need summer dresses? Maybe I’ll pack both. Oh this is just so exciting.”

I fluttered my lashes and gave my best impression of my nitwit sisters as I ignored my mother who looked like she was about to expire.

That kind of dampened the excitement a little; that look on her face. I knew that more than anything she wished it was one of her precious darlings that he’d invited.

It didn’t matter what my dad said after this, she had embarrassed me for the last time.

“I think you’ll be perfect in whatever you choose to wear love, an if you need more than you pack we can always go shopping.”

Okay, he was laying it on a little thick with the ‘love’ thing but at least it did the job, if the indrawn breaths were anything to go by.

Dinner was an experience to say the least. There was a sudden frost on one end of the table, while Firefox, her dad, her brother and I kept up a running commentary on any and everything.

I found out that Jonas was a racecar driver of some renown who travelled the world with his craft.

I also learned that he was very protective of my girl, and must admit to some jealousy there.

They shared a very easy relationship between them those two, one that seemed like there was no room for anyone else.

“Don’t worry about that son, those two have been thick as thieves since they were kids.

The kids use to bully him when he was younger because of his dad. He only has one arm you see, and the other kids thought it was fun to pick on him in the schoolyard.

Well one day, imp overheard them and when they surrounded him like they usually did, she ran into the melee and started throwing her fist.

Then she dragged him home to me to patch him up. She asked him why he never fought back and he told her that his dad had told him not to.

She called his dad some choice words and told him that was the dumbest thing she’d ever heard. They’ve been best buds ever since.”

That made it a little easier to take, but I wonder what made him think that I needed that reassurance?

MAXIE

I guess I'll be going to Texas, if only to spite my mother and her whelps. Janet seems excited by the idea at least, and that's a good thing. After all, it's all about her and Michael's happiness right now. I wish the rest of my family would remember that.

After dinner, I rode back to the house with him, not like I had a choice. He pretty much took my arm and led me to his ride.

I would’ve decked him one, but he did the sweetest thing when Petra slithered her way in between us, as he was about to open the door for me.

“Sorry Ms. Pierson, but Maxie and I would prefer to be alone.” Hell hath no fury doesn’t begin to describe it. I thought the idiot was going to combust right there on the sidewalk, not to mention her face was red as a sunburnt baby’s ass.

I didn’t help matters any by laughing in her face, not very ladylike, but I have to get my kicks where I can.

Then when we left, instead of following the caravan back the way we’d come, he typed something into his GPS and we were off to who knows where.

“Where’re we going?”

“You’ll see.” He took my hand and lifted it to his lips for a brief kiss.

He didn’t say anything else as we headed for the shore, where he parked next to the boardwalk.

I started to get out of the car but his hand on my arm pulled me back in, and I found myself practically in his lap again, with his mouth devouring mine.

“Do you understand what’s going on here Firefox?” Why did he have to spoil it with talk? We were just about to get to the good part, where I felt my toes curl and my heart melt a little.

I sighed and fixed my top, which had ridden up from his hand around my middle. “What?”

“Have you ever had a man before?” My mouth dropped open almost to my chest.

“Hey, that’s none of your business.” My cheeks were on fire and thankfully the car was dark or I might’ve died of mortification otherwise.

Were my kisses that lacking? I tried to pull away but he wouldn’t let go. “If you find my kisses so inept why don’t you go fuck...”

“Uh-uh-uh. First of all that’s not what I was saying, and second of all no swearing at me. I’m not sure I like my woman sounding like a fishwife.”

“Your...who says I’m your anything?”

“I do, that’s why I asked you if you knew what was going on. I wasn’t going to, but I think it only fair to warn you, I mean to have you once I get you home. And I mean to have you for a long, long time.

For the first time in my life I was at a loss for words. I could do nothing but watch his face as it lowered to mine once more and then his mouth was covering mine.

“Relax baby; give me your tongue.” That’s easy for him to say. I was strung tighter than a bowstring and I was afraid I was going to embarrass myself by doing something gauche.

JACKSON

“You’re so soft Maxie.” I nibbled my way from her ear to her lips while holding her pressed to my chest. Her little heart was beating out of time, she was scared.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of baby, no matter what, I’ll take good care of you.”

“Who says I need you to?”

“I do, now stop fighting me and give me your mouth. You can go back to spitting fire once I’ve had my fill.”

I didn’t give her a chance to rip into me again, just pushed my tongue into her mouth until hers came out to play. Then I sucked it into my mouth to play the way I wanted to.

Once again I found myself calling a halt before things got out of hand, which they seemed to way too quickly with her.

“I better get you back, the others will be wondering where we are.”

I saw her shoulders slump at the mention of home and what awaited her there.

“Stop worrying, we’ll be gone before you know it, then you’ll have nothing but sunshine and laughter back on the old homestead.”

And then who knows, maybe your stay will turn into more.

Before long, I was in my room packing. I have to admit to a little excitement.

With my career, I travelled a lot, but never just for the sake of pleasure.

There was always a concert or a private performance at the end of my travels. This will be the first time I've gone somewhere just for the hell of it.

And now with this new development...here alone in my room, I could let my guard down, be honest with myself at least.

I was so tempted to give into him, to just let go and take something for myself. There was a time when...No, I’m not gonna think about that now. That was then, this is now.

That thinking brought me back to the whole reason why I’d been giving him such hell in the first place.

"You think you're so slick don't you young lady? Well I don't know what wicked wiles you've used to gain his attention, but I promise you, you won't be leaving this house."

Mom crept into my room behind me. I’d been too deep in thought to hear her and so she was right up on me by the time I noticed her.

I turned to look at the woman who was my mother, the one who had given birth to me, but for all intents and purposes, had given up her motherly rights long ago.

I’d never thought that she hated me outright, there was just some great divide between us since I was a child.

I’ve always made excuses for her behavior towards me. Those long lonely nights when I cried myself to sleep after yet another one of her dressing-downs.

Dad had picked up the slack; he’d seen the need and tried to fill the gap.

It had taken me a long time to stop wanting or needing her love, but I don’t think I’d ever really ever outgrown wanting her approval.

But now, with her latest actions, I’d finally kissed that dream goodbye. I was done; all the way done. That’s why my voice was so calm and detached when I finally answered her.

"I'm not sure why you hate me and I've pretty much outgrown caring about that, but I would suggest you get some help for your mental condition.

I'm a grown up, you can't stop me from doing anything at all. The only reason I'm here suffering you and your inferior daughters is because of dad and Janet.”

“Janet will be gone from here soon, so she doesn't need me to be a buffer anymore, and dad will just have to fend for himself.

But rules or no rules, I won't stay another minute under this roof with you; then again, maybe I wouldn't have to break dad's rules, maybe I will one day soon become a married woman." Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

“You’ve never been anything more than an embarrassment to me. Don’t think you can come running back here after he’s done with you, which we know is bound to happen.

Just let his dear mother spend one minute in your presence and she’d see that he sends you packing.”

It didn’t hurt, they were just words. They meant nothing, had no power over me.

I repeated those words over and over again in my head and my heart. There was such venom in the look she gave me that I was taken aback.

She really did hate me after all. I would’ve buckled under the pressure if not for the intrusion.