Missing Chapter in Westridge
I was just alerted to the fact that in the Kindle version of Westridge, Chapter 10 is a duplicate of Chapter 9. I’m working to resolve this issue ASAP, but in the meantime here is a copy of Chapter 10 so you folks can read the complete story! I’ll post to let you know as soon as the issue is resolved.
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Playing pool eventually turned into teaching Gabby how to play pool. Billy acted frustrated, but Jason knew he didn’t care, especially with his wife getting tipsy and kissing his neck the whole night. Still, he complained about the perfect night being ruined by women and grumbled that this wasn’t a damn seminar. Jason ignored him and focused on the fact that, when he helped her line up a shot, his hands were on Gabby’s hips, his breath was on her neck, and she didn’t shy away. He couldn’t help it. He kept the drinks coming. And two hours later, when he decided to call it a night, Gabby’s cheeks still glowed red and a silly smile tilted her lips.
“Thanks for everything, guys,” he said at the door, hugging Diane and shaking Billy’s hand. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah,” Diane sighed, and Jason knew she wished it was under better circumstances. They all did.
Gabby stepped forward and hugged Diane tightly. “Tonight was really fun.”
Billy also leaned down to wrap his arms briefly around his old classmate.
“Stop by again,” he offered sincerely, regardless of his earlier complaints.
Jason helped Gabby down the steps and to the truck before heading back up to grab his daughter. Billy Junior was on the other side of the bed, sucking his thumb, and neither one moved a muscle. He waved to Billy and Diane one last time before quietly opening the door and placing Penny in the booster seat. She opened her eyes briefly, but then her chin slumped onto her chest and she was out again. He buckled his seatbelt and glanced over at Gabby. Her forehead rested against the window, and he could see her reflection. She was frowning again.
“Is everything okay?”
She turned to look at him, leaning forward slightly to see past Penny.
“Yeah, I just feel stupid going back home. I don’t think Mom and Dad have seen me like this since I was seventeen.”
She laughed, but he could see her concentrating, trying to force her skewed vision to return to normal. He grinned, and she rolled her eyes, falling back into her seat and giving up. Jason started the truck and gripped the steering wheel tightly as he spoke the next words.
“You could sleep it off at my place if you want.”
“On the couch?” she said hesitantly.
“Yeah, of course.”
“Thanks.”
She seemed to relax after that, and they didn’t talk much for the rest of the drive. He caught her glancing at Penny every once in a while, and he couldn’t read her expression. Curious maybe? Definitely not unkind. It was a start. He parked in front of his garage and went around to give Gabby a hand. She opened the door and stumbled out, but he grabbed her waist to steady her. She giggled and rested her head on his shoulder.
“Sorry,” she murmured.
He held her for a moment, enjoying the feeling, before pulling away to unbuckle Penny. This time, she didn’t even wake up. She was still wearing a pretty blue sundress, but when they got inside and he opened the door to her small room, he pulled her shoes off and let the rest go. Rosa wouldn’t be happy he hadn’t made her brush her teeth or get in her pajamas, but what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her. Gabby was using the bathroom and stepped out just as he closed Penny’s door.
“Is…is this a good idea?” she asked quietly.
Oh, no. It was wearing off. Her reservations were breaking through the haze.
“Yeah, it’s fine. You’ll be in the living room and I’ll be in my room.”
“But what about when I go home in the morning? What will my parents say?”
“You’re twenty-three, Gabby. You’ve been on your own for five years. What can they say?”
“Oh, they can say plenty. Maybe not as much as your mom, but you know they’ll say something.”
Jason chuckled and lifted his hand to brush a strand of hair out of her eyes. “You have a point.”
“And Penny?” she asked softly, a hint of pain making its way into her eyes. It confused him. But he’d promised no questions.
“What about her?”
“What will she think? About me being here?”
“She likes you.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“She’s four, Gabby. She wouldn’t be able to put the pieces together even if there were pieces to put together.”
She looked away and bit her lip, seeming to be contemplating something. Then she turned back, her hands touching his chest, and he froze, afraid that if he moved she would lose her nerve. Her gestures were innocent as her fingertips roamed his muscles through his T-shirt, but other parts of his body didn’t see it that way. He reached up to grasp her wrists, and their eyes met.
“Gabby,” he whispered, using his last ounce of self control to stop her from doing something she might regret.
“Even if there were pieces?”
Her tentative question caught him off guard. She tilted her lips up to touch his, and though her kiss barely lasted a second, it was the only confirmation he needed. He quickly recaptured her lips and pressed her against the wall, not allowing her the opportunity to over think. She bent to his every will, and while he knew a lot of it had to do with the alcohol that was still on her breath, he also knew that she wanted it. How else would they have ended up in this same situation three times in one day? And now she was finally letting it happen. He didn’t care what the reason was. This was right. That was all he needed to know.
He slipped his hands under her shirt and pressed his palms against the smooth skin of her back as he held her. She was a little skinnier than he remembered, and as he slid his hands farther up her back, he realized she was a little more braless than he remembered, too. He groaned into her mouth and felt her body tremble as she reacted to the carnal sound. He grasped her hair in one hand, pulling her head back gently to gain access to the sensitive flesh of her throat. She clutched his shirt and pressed her lower half harder against him.
“Jason,” she said breathlessly. “Penny.”
He moved his lips back to hers, teasing the swollen flesh relentlessly while he guided her to his bedroom. She turned the knob on the door, and he shut it behind them before pushing her back onto his bed. He wanted to see her. All of her. He pulled his shirt off, and she pushed herself up into a sitting position to watch. He joined Gabby on the bed to reach a hand behind her and undo the sash of her shirt. Her face was hot, her eyes wide with a mixture of anxiety and desire.
He leaned in and kissed her stomach as he slid the shirt up, following the hem with his mouth. When he reached her breasts, he paused. Her heart was racing beneath his lips, and when he moved his tongue to tease her nipples, she grasped his hair in her hand, holding him in place. She liked it. She wanted more. Jason’s ego soared, and he finished pulling her shirt over her head before laying her gently down on the comforter. She was beautiful. He marveled at the familiar freckles scattered over her torso, and he ran the palm of his hand over her body, watching her arch into his touch. She reached up to touch his face, and there were tears in her eyes. He leaned down to kiss her.
“Don’t cry, Gabby,” he murmured, touching his nose to hers.
She didn’t reply, but the tears never fell to her cheeks. She pushed her mouth into his, distracting him, letting her tongue pass over his lips. He allowed her access, and his hands went to the button of her jeans while hers went to his. Soon, there were only two garments separating them, and he quickly shed his boxers before sliding the lacy panties down her thighs. He’d never seen her wear anything like that. He liked it. He pulled himself over her and slid his fingers slowly up the inside of her thigh, feeling the skin tremble beneath his touch.
He felt through the curls until he found what he was looking for, and a rush traveled through his body as hers reacted. She pressed herself into his hand and threw her head back into the sheets, biting her lip to keep from making the sounds he desperately wanted to hear. He was going to have a hard time keeping control. Every move she made was erotic. He took a deep breath and moved his finger in small circles before sliding down to slip it inside of her. She was tight and wet, suggesting she hadn’t been with anyone in a while. Had she slept with anyone else at all? She probably had. The thought fired his possessive instincts.
As he stroked the fleshy part inside of her, a moan escaped her throat and she clutched the sheets, her eyes closed in a fit of ecstasy. He felt the muscles contract once, telling him she was ready. He would always know her best. And he would make sure she knew that. He removed his finger and tasted the moisture before grabbing a condom from the nightstand and nudging her knees apart. She opened her eyes, and hazel met blue. Her breath came hard and fast, and she propped herself up on her elbow to wrap an arm around Jason’s neck—one last kiss before he entered her warmth for the first time in five years. He rested himself at her entrance, and she pressed her face close to his as she angled her hips welcomingly. He pushed into her, and she tightened her hold, gasping in his ear.
“Jason,” she breathed. Her hips matched his slow, steady thrusts.
It was better than it had ever been, and he wondered why. Was it the desperation? Was it him? Was it her? Had she learned a few new things in the city? He couldn’t stand the thought.
“Say you’re mine, Gabby,” he said, groaning with the effort it took to keep from losing control.
Her only response was a soft grunt as he quickened his movements.
“Say it.”
“I’m yours,” she said with a moan.
She arched into him, and her breathing grew louder. Her muscles tensed, and her body began to clench around him. He didn’t have to hold on any longer. Burying his face in her hair, he let himself go. He thrust into her hard and fast, and soft, feminine sounds of ecstasy reached his ears. She whispered his name, and then her body convulsed. His own explosion followed close behind, and he continued to pump in and out of her, letting them both ride out the orgasm until they were spent. He moved to the side to keep from collapsing on top of her, and then the only sound in the room was heavy breathing and crinkling latex. She rolled into him, and he wrapped an arm around her, already nearing sleep.
“I love you,” she whispered.
He glanced down at her.
She wasn’t looking at him, and her eyes were closed. Did she even know she’d said it out loud? He was too happy to care.
“I love you, too.”
* * * *
Gabby awoke with a start. It was dark, and she was in an unfamiliar place. Then she looked next to her and saw Jason lying there, very asleep and very naked. She rested her head back on the pillow and glanced at the alarm clock. 2 am. She ran a hand through her hair and took a deep breath. Of all the thoughts and questions racing through her muddled mind, she picked out the most important. Did she regret it?
Not exactly. But her life had just become ten times more complicated. And had she actually said she loved him? Make that a hundred times more complicated. She rolled away from him and groaned. Suddenly, another consideration pushed to the forefront of her mind, and she got up, ran to the bathroom, and doubled over the toilet to expel the contents of her stomach. Which seemed to mostly involve alcohol.
“Shit,” she muttered, reaching for a tissue to wipe her mouth.
She sat back on the floor. Gross. Would it kill him to use a vacuum? She stood and went back to the bedroom to put her clothes on. She meant what she’d said—she did love him. But she wasn’t about to deal with Penny’s curious looks at breakfast or the awkward conversation that would follow with Jason. Come to think of it, she also didn’t want to deal with the awkward conversation between her and her parents if she showed up to get ready for the funeral in the same clothes she’d left in last night. It would have been bad enough if nothing had happened, but now that something had happened, she couldn’t deal with everyone’s questions. She had to leave.
Gabby took one last look at Jason’s handsome, peaceful face before leaving the bedroom. Thank God his heavy sleeping hadn’t changed. She slipped on the shoes she’d left at the front door and borrowed a flashlight, then left the house and started her trek across the back field. Her body ached, but in a good way. She shook off the feeling and started to run. The air was moist and heavy; it would rain soon. Perfect weather for a funeral. When she reached the wood, she hesitated, walking along the edge to find the break in the trees.
The irrigation pond was half full, and the moonlight reflected off of the water. She looked around for the familiar willow that time and the elements had bent to the ground. She pressed her palm against the trunk. The air smelled like dirt and impending rain. She’d never gotten used to the thick, man-made scent of the city. Was she ever supposed to? She sat down carefully and ran her hands over the rough bark. They’d sat here together so many times, just talking. She remembered discussing what their wedding would be like, what their house would look like, how many animals they wanted, and how many kids they would have.
* FLASHBACK *
“You know that house on the corner of Pine and Johnson?” Jason murmured.
“With the blue shutters?”
“Mm hm.”
Jason sat behind her on the bent tree, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. It was dark, and they watched the water ripple as pond skaters glided over the surface. Everything was serene, everything was perfect—life hadn’t interfered yet.
“I like that one. And it’s not too far from home.” Gabby rested her head back against his shoulder.
He tenderly kissed the skin of her exposed throat, sending chills through her body. She sighed contentedly.
“Are we gonna get married?” she asked softly.
“Yes.”
Gabby smiled, and Jason kissed her cheek. It had always been a given. Of course they would be together forever. But she never got tired of hearing him say it.
“We need a house with a big yard,” she continued.
“For the dogs.”
“For the kids.”
“Jason, Jr,” he said softly, testing the sound of it.
Gabby turned to look at him and wrinkled her nose.
“That’s boring.”
“It’s not boring.”
“But there are so many names out there. There’s no need to reuse.”
“Billy’s naming his kid Billy.”
“Billy doesn’t even know if it’s a boy yet.”
Jason grinned and rested his forehead against hers. She closed her eyes and smiled.
“Then what do you suggest?” he asked.
Jason’s breath tickled her skin, and she captured his lips quickly in hers before meeting his gaze.
“I don’t know. I like Ross. And Jasmine, Daniel, Roxanne.”
“You want our kid to be named after a hooker?”
“Just because a rock band tainted the name doesn’t mean we have to perpetuate it.”
Jason smiled and gently tugged her hair.
“We have plenty of time to figure it out,” he reminded her.
“I know.”
* END FLASHBACK *
Gabby stood abruptly and stared at the spot for a moment, then turned and continued through the trees toward her house. Her parents had left the porch light on. When she reached front door, she dug in her pocket for her keys and slid an old silver one into the lock. She closed the door quietly behind her, locked it, and tiptoed up the stairs to her room. She wanted a shower but wasn’t willing to risk waking up her parents. She looked at herself in the mirror. She was coated in dried sweat from her night with Jason and dirt from her run through the fields. She picked a twig out of her hair and stripped, pulling a comfortable pair of pajama bottoms and a T-shirt out of her suitcase before throwing herself onto her bed. She would deal with the rest of the dirt when she woke up again.
* * * *
“Gabby…” Her mother’s voice drifted to her ears, and she opened her eyes groggily, trying to focus. “Gabby, it’s 10 o’clock. You need to get up and get ready.”
She sat up. Her mother was sitting on the bed beside her.
“Are you okay? You don’t look so good and you slept later than usual.”
Once again, last night’s adventures came rushing back to her, and she put a hand to her aching head.
“Oh, yeah, I…drank a little more than I meant to.”
“Hm.” Her mother looked disapproving but let it go. “And how was your night with Jason? Did you have fun?”
Yes. A little more than she’d meant to.
“Yeah, actually, I did.”
“Good.” Her mother beamed, then wrapped her daughter in a quick hug.
“I’m so glad you’re getting out more this visit. And that you’re giving you two another chance. Now get up and get dressed.”
Her mother left and Gabby got out of bed. She’d never said she was giving them a second chance. But was she? She pulled out the black dress she’d brought for the funeral and hung it on her door before heading into the bathroom. Well, she’d gone out with him, kissed him, slept with him, and then told him she loved him. She supposed that counted as trying to make it work again. But she was only here for one more day. What did it matter how people wanted to define them? She started the shower and welcomed the heated spray, soon washing away any evidence of last night. Except for the mark it had left on her heart.
She turned off the water and glared at her shampoo bottle—but her problems weren’t the shampoo bottle’s fault. She sighed and wrapped herself in a towel to go to her room. She used her hair dryer and flat iron before pulling her dress over her head and stretching both arms in a joint effort to zip the back. It was pretty, sleeveless, but demure enough for a funeral.
“Gabby, are you ready?” her mother called up the stairs.
“Coming!”
She grabbed her purse, put on sandals, and hurried down the stairs. Her mother was wearing a dark blue dress, and her father was in a suit. She hated funerals. Why had she come home for this? But she already knew why. Because Mrs. Grayson had been an important part of the community and an important part of her childhood. Gabby had only seen her at the diner once or twice a week, but the woman had always been interested in what was going on in her life and always had her two cents to put in. When Gabby was five, Mrs. Grayson would listen intently as she recounted pony rides, and when she was older, she would give her a free milkshake when she came in during exam week. And if Gabby was being petty toward Jason, Mrs. Grayson would call her on it.
* FLASHBACK *
“What’s the matter with you?”
Gabby looked up from her plate of fries. She sat at the counter, away from the other kids who had just gotten out of class. Mrs. Grayson stood there, pausing on her way to take coffee to one of the state construction workers. They were always in there and always trying to flirt with Caitlin, but Mrs. Grayson kept them in line. She had gray hair and a small stature, but she made people listen. Which was probably why Gabby found herself reluctantly opening up now.
“Jason and I are fighting.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, God, it’s not Rosa again, is it?”
Gabby was taken aback. “How did you know?”
“I know everything.” Her piercing gray eyes bore into Gabby from behind her wire-framed glasses, leaving no room for argument. “Now what’s the dumb broad done this time?”
“She’s always wearing short skirts and has her cleavage hanging out. And I caught Jason looking today.”
Mrs. Grayson put a hand on her hip. “Well, he’s a man, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, but…he’s my man.”
“Then get out there and remind him. Don’t bother paying for the fries.”
She took a nickel out of her pocket and rolled it toward her.
“And keep this between your knees. You don’t need to give him too much of a reminder.”
* END FLASHBACK *
If Mrs. Grayson were here now and knew what was going on, she would tell Gabby to get over it. Tragedy was no reason to stand in the way of God’s plan. Gabby felt tears prick the backs of her eyes, and as they all piled into the SUV, the rain started. Perfect.
They pulled up to the church about two minutes before a familiar red truck. Gabby stepped down, opened her umbrella, and watched Jason lift Penny out of the cab. Rosa was talking with her family in front of the double doors and crossed the parking lot to meet them, her short black dress accentuating her long legs. Jason said something to her, shrugging and grinning as he did so, and Rosa laughed before taking a comb out of her purse and squatting next to Penny. The little girl was beautiful, just like her mother, and she’d inherited the same high-maintenance hair. Gabby closed the car door and glanced at her own reflection. The red hair and freckles would always seem plain next to Rosa’s gorgeous blond curls and alabaster skin. Penny was lucky. And Jason was lucky to have had such a lovely daughter. She followed her parents inside the church, shaking hands with the funeral director and taking a program. Her family settled in a middle pew with the Dawsons, and Jason found them a moment later. Gabby’s mother was sitting on her right, and Jason sat on her left.
“You didn’t stay,” he said.
He spoke only loud enough for her to hear, but embarrassment made her want to shush him. She glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention before resting her gaze on him. He’d shaved, and he was wearing a navy blue suit. He looked just as good as he had the day before, in his dirty jeans and T-shirt. But now was not the time to let images of the previous night slip into her mind. She cleared her throat and looked toward the casket. People were going up to pay their respects, but she didn’t want to see Mrs. Grayson like that. No matter how well their hair and makeup were done, the deceased never looked the same. She’d rather pay her respects from far away.
“I just didn’t think it was the best idea,” she whispered.
He settled back on the pew and grinned.
“Well, maybe next time.”
“Cocky,” she muttered, still refusing to look at him.
She was taken completely off guard when she felt his arm around her shoulders.
“This is a funeral, Jason, not a movie.”
“Mrs. Grayson wouldn’t care.”
She sighed and let him keep his arm where it was. She enjoyed the warmth of his solid torso beside her, but, even more, she enjoyed knowing that no one around them would read too much into the gesture, at least not during the funeral.
“Sh!” both of their mothers hissed at the same time.
It was starting.
