Teacher: Act Two (A Hollywood Rock n' Romance Trilogy Book 2) (8 page)

“I'd forgotten all about that! But you guys are going into the studio!"

He shook his head. "We are, but our producer's daughter is getting married the weekend after next so he needs next week to prepare and pick up family members. We talked about working in the studio Thursday through Monday from noon to whenever. We could leave Tuesday and come home Friday? Is that enough time? And will you be my date for the wedding?"

I was nervous and excited for Danny to meet my parents. I knew my mother would love him and my dad would appreciate the lengths at which Danny tried to take care of me. But then I frowned.

"What kind of a wedding are we talking about here? A big formal thing with lots of important people? I don't know, Danny. You saw how bad I almost lost it when we saw Nikki Sixx at the Roxy!"

He was cracking up, but I was serious. "You'll be great, honey! I'm sure if anyone embarrasses themselves, it'll be me." I raised an eyebrow at him and he put his hands up. "I promise! I'll talk you through the whole thing. You'll be fine. Just remember to breathe." I poked him in his side and he pulled away from me. "Watch it! As soon as you're all better, I'll get you back."

I raised an eyebrow. "How do you intend to do that? I'm not ticklish."

He frowned. "Aw man, that totally puts me at a disadvantage! How the hell am I going to win?" I poked him again and he gently clasped my hands in his, kissing my fingers.

"When you do that I forget all about tickling you." I sighed and started to lean into him and then shot back up.

"Shit! I have nothing to wear to a wedding! I don't know, baby. Maybe you should just take Janey."

He frowned. "I can't. It's an adults-only thing, and besides, I want you! Go shopping this weekend. You'll look hot in whatever you wear."

Ok, this was one of the things that worried me. I swallowed hard and looked up at him.

"I'm not trying to be difficult here, but I can't just go shopping, Danny. It's not in my budget." I held my breath, praying the look crossing his face didn't mean he was about to come unglued. Thankfully, it melted into something closer to disbelief.

"Jesse," he pleaded. "We've got to have some rules about this shit because I'm not having you fucking going without. I'm trying to respect your feelings here, but seriously? Do I need to fucking show you my bank account?"

He was trying really hard, he was. I just didn't know what to say.

"It doesn't matter how much money you have, Danny. I don't feel right taking from you. You're already bringing Connie over and taking me to the acupuncturist. I don't want to be a burden."

He blew out a frustrated breath and pushed his hair back with a curse. "Look, what about this? If I ask you on a date, or want to take you somewhere that requires you to dress a certain way, then I should be allowed to foot the bill. Isn't that fair?"

I didn't like it, but he was probably right. "I suppose. I'm sorry, I really am. I was just raised that you do with what you have and if you can't afford something, you don't buy it. And you already have so many people you're supporting. I don't ever want to be a drain on you: financially, emotionally, whatever. You've already done so much for me..."

He pulled me into his arms and I fought to maintain control over my tears. He kissed my hair and just held me. "The only way you'll ever be a drain on me is if you cause me to worry because you won't take care of yourself, or won’t let me take care of you. And I agree with how you were raised. It's how Brooke and I tried to raise Jane. True, we might have been able to afford whatever, but we didn't buy whatever. Jane's probably the most unspoiled kid I know when it comes to material things and I love that about her. Now when it comes to getting Nora to make her favorite foods, or her daddy to watch fucking Fred movies..."

"She gets whatever she wants, just like her daddy. Ok. I'll agree to your rule, and I would love to accompany you to this wedding, where I will likely make a total ass out of myself, but hopefully you'll still love me."

Danny's smile was radiant. "I will always love you. Thank you, honey. I promise we’ll have a nice time. I'm looking forward to taking someone other than Alex to these damn things now! He always makes me drive, makes me bring him a fucking corsage."

I laughed hard at the picture he was painting. "Oh! But won't he be hurt that you are dumping him for me? Maybe we should make it a threesome... I mean, go together."

He bit down on my neck and said, "Why Jesse! You naughty girl." He had me squirming and squealing underneath him as he assaulted the sensitive spots on my neck. "I told you I don't share," he chuckled.

I pushed him back. "Danny! You know what I meant!"

He laughed. "I'm teasing," he said, pulling me up. "Besides, if we ever had a threesome, I'd never ask Alex. He's a sloppy kisser."

My eyes shot to him as my jaw fell in my lap. "Why do I get the feeling you're not totally joking?"

He just made a smug face and said, "Perhaps I'll tell you someday. But for now I'd really like to just sit out here with you and play my guitar. Will that be too weird for you?"

He was really going to drop that bomb and leave it? Fine, but we would definitely discuss this further!

"Not at all! I'd love it, actually."

He beamed and stood to go inside the house. He asked if I needed anything and I said just for him to come back. The sun felt tremendous on my skin. I soaked up the Vitamin D and tried to relax, even though I was still curious about his remarks.

Today was a different sort of day for us. We were now going to be in an adjustment mode. Before, my reason for being here was to help Danny with school. Now that we were finished, and as of tomorrow he would be done with his exams, being here would be different. Even though we’d been intimate for a couple of weeks now, I had still sort of been the ‘teacher.’ Just being the ‘girlfriend,’ and figuring out what that entailed, was going to be an adventure! I wondered if he would treat me different. I wondered if I could ever totally relax here. As it was, I was feeling a little lost. I was learning that I didn’t handle the unknown well. Part of me wanted to jump up and tell Danny I was heading home and I’d see him later. The other part of me wanted to take him up on his offer to never leave.

He came back out with an acoustic strapped to his back and an electric to his front. He plopped down on the opposite couch from me and plugged in a small amp to an outlet in the brick wall by the fire pit. 

“I just want to run through some of the stuff I wrote, get it down a little more before I try to teach the other guys,” he said absently, almost like he was talking out loud and not to me. I watched him work and was intrigued to see him go from the student to the confident craftsman. I was fascinated as he warmed up his hands playing a few practice chords. He plugged into the small amp with his electric, a Les Paul, and tuned it.

I curled up against the cushions, resting my head. I was feeling tired from my outing this morning. Watching Danny was so compelling. I was sure that’s what kept me from falling asleep.

After he’d played for twenty minutes or so he spoke without looking up. “Are you still with me?”

“I am. I love watching you play.”

He smiled down at his hands. “I hope I’m not ignoring you too much, I usually just play when I’m alone.”

I swallowed hard. “I can go, if you would prefer. I--”

“No! No, that’s not what I meant. I just meant that I usually play with myself, but I really feel good playing with you.” He chuckled and blushed. “That didn’t come out right.” I giggled, too, and he looked up at me, a shy smile on his face. “Everything is better with you here, Jesse.”

“I like being here. Although I have to admit, I was sitting here earlier thinking about what it was going to be like, you know, being here without a purpose. School, you know? I feel kind of weird, not quite in the way, but kind of...”

Danny laid his guitar aside and clasped his hands between his knees. “Honey, I don’t want you to feel weird here. I’m sorry if I did anything to make you feel like that. I feel the opposite. I feel so good that you are here, but it is an adjustment. I don’t want to bore you...”

“Danny, I am never bored. I can always find something to occupy myself with.”

His smile heated at my comment. “You can always occupy yourself with me,” he said in a low voice.

I licked my lips and said, “While that is very tempting, we do have to keep in mind that we aren’t going to be here alone much.”

He rolled his eyes. “I know. But I like thinking about it. Makes it that much sweeter when we are alone together.”

I smiled at him and snuggled into the couch more. “I don’t want to keep you from your guitar.”

He shook his head. “No, I’m glad we are talking about this. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable here. I really want this to be home for you... When you are ready, of course.”

I smiled at him. “Thank you, Danny. And don’t feel like you have to entertain me.”

“If you were home on a day like this, what would you be doing?”

“During the summer? Reading, going to the pool if it’s not trashed or there’s no crazy party going on. Watching movies in the evening. Hanging out with Cosmo and the guys if they behave.”

He shrugged. “You can do all that here! Why don’t you bring some clothes and a bathing suit so you can do what you like? I know you said you don’t want to spend nights here, and I won’t push you on that, although...” He was pulling on his lip. “I’m going to miss you so fucking much when you’re not here. And when I’m in the studio... I don’t know how much time we’ll get if you aren’t here when I get home.”

It was so tempting to just say ok, that I’d just be here, but I really wanted to do this right.

“I know. But even if I move in with you, when you go on tour we’ll be apart. This is just practice, sort of.”

He shrugged. “I guess. I don’t like thinking about that at all. I mean, I’m looking forward to making new music and playing... I wish I could have my cake and eat it, too.”

I giggled nervously. “We’ll work it out, right?” I was increasingly uneasy about this topic.

Danny frowned for a minute and got up to come to my side. I sat up a little and he sat next to me, pulling me onto his lap. We cuddled together, just holding each other. I think we were both nervous for the future. Our courtship had been pretty unique up to this point. It was like we didn’t know what to do next, and if we let go, we might just float away.

“Damn right, we’re going to work this out. I don’t want to be without you in my life. You are too important to me.” I sighed and kissed his neck, feeling an appreciative rumble from his chest. “You just gotta talk to me, Jesse. I’m glad you said something today. I’d hate to think you were worried we couldn’t work this out.”

“I just get scared sometimes. I’m sorry. I told you I didn’t know what I was doing.”

He lifted my chin and kissed me. “You’re doing great, honey. You don’t have to do anything other than just be with me. The rest will work itself out.”

We kissed again, my fingers tugged on his hair gently and he moaned softly against me. "Fuuuuuck, I love it when you pull my hair- Oh! I almost forgot to tell you. I told Mrs. Jennings what was going on with you and handed her my work. She said she'd grade it this week and let us know how I did. She said she hopes you feel better soon.”

“Good. I’m so happy she was willing to work with us on this. I can’t wait to hand you your diploma!”

He smiled at me, a mischievous look in his eye.

“What’s that look for,” I asked him, curious.

He shrugged, overdoing the innocent look. I knew he was up to something.

“The girls should be back soon. I’m going to play some more, ok?”

I nodded and kissed his bottom lip. “Get back to work, slacker,” I whispered.

He laughed and kissed me back. “We ok,” he asked, his voice cracking slightly.

“I think so. I feel ok, do you feel ok?”

He looked between my eyes, searching for some sign I wasn’t being open with him.

“I just want us to be ok, Jesse. I love you so fucking much.”

When he spoke in his special way to me of his feelings, I felt so loved and appreciated. For a time it would wash away all of my doubts about us. Maybe, just maybe, someday it would take those doubts away for good.

Danny played for another hour before the girls came back. Connie was with them and we all hugged.

“Daddy! How did your test go,” Janey asked, wrapping her legs around his waist as he spun her around.

“Awesome! I think I totally aced it!”

She kissed his nose and said, “You better! You worked so hard this summer. I’m really proud of you.”

Danny just beamed at her. “That makes it all worth it, baby. I love you.” He kissed her and set her down gently. He hugged Connie and Nora, both of whom plopped down on the couch next to me.

“What did the doctor say, Jesse?”

I filled them in and they shook their heads and nodded throughout my story.

“I like this doctor already,” Nora remarked.

Danny laughed. “That’s exactly what I said!"

Nora said she would call her friend, who was one of the acupuncturists on the list I received from my doctor, in the morning and get an appointment for me after Danny’s test. Connie said she’d come over weekly to work on me for as long as I needed. I felt tears welling up, but I tried to swallow them and squeaked out a thanks to them.

“Nora, I’m in the studio this weekend and then Ron is taking next week off to get ready for Trina's wedding.”

She laughed. “Oh, right! I forgot about that! That poor boy she’s marrying. Does he have any idea what he’s getting into?”

Danny explained that his producer’s family was a wild bunch, and his daughter’s fiancé was a pretty straight-laced kid. He was a brand new attorney that had come to work for Slade, Danny's management company. Trina was a singer and actress when she was a teenager, but she decided to go to college and get into the business side of the music industry. She was interning at Slade when she met Elliot, and they fell hard for each other. Elliot was really nervous around the family. Danny and the guys took turns messing with him, telling him stories of past boyfriends that Ron had chased off, just to watch the poor kid turn green. We were all laughing at the stories when Danny’s phone buzzed.