Rebel was leaning against the sink eating the leftover half of my ham sandwich. "This needs mustard but you don't have any."
"I hate mustard."
"That's right. I remember when Michelle once accidentally squirted mustard on your hot dog, and you took it into the kitchen to wash it off. I mean that is true disdain. Most people would have just powered through it." She held up a spare key. "By the way, your dad used to keep a spare key under the hedge."
"Forgot about that key." I lowered the bat and leaned it against the wall. She pointed at it with her pinky since the rest of her hand was wrapped around my sandwich. "Were you going out to play baseball?" She took another bite.
"Yeah, with the head of my sandwich thief. I probably shouldn't mention this, but I thought you couldn't ever come back to Camden Beach."
She wadded up the paper and looked around at my half demolished kitchen in search of the trash can. I put out my hand for the paper and tossed it into the pile of broken tiles and laminate.
"Well, I missed you. And I knew you were working your butt off and you wouldn't have time to drive out and see me. I decided to be brave. Plus, I figured, it was dark and late and no one would be out, so no chance of running into anyone." She leaned her hands back against the counter. Her breasts jutted forward, pushing against her tight sweater.
After taking a good long look at her sweater, I lifted my eyes to her face. "You're not wearing a bra, are you?"
She reached down and yanked off the sweater. "I figured it was one less step. Are you mad I woke you?"
"Fuck." I reached for her hand and nearly ran with her down the hallway to my room. I kicked my foot against the door to open it wide and pulled her inside. My mouth devoured hers as she kicked off her shoes and unzipped her pants. I stopped kissing her long enough to yank down her pants. The panties went conveniently along with them.
I led her to the bed. She sat down with her feet on the ground and unbuttoned my shorts. She pushed them to the floor. Before I could climb onto the bed, she wrapped her fingers around my cock. She gazed up at me as her lips grazed the fleshy tip of my erection. She licked off the liquid and then ran her tongue over her bottom lip. Her hand took firm hold of my cock, and she pushed it into her mouth, making sure to tease me with her tongue, lips and teeth as she swallowed me.
"Fuuck, Rebel, so damn glad you came." I combed my fingers through her hair and held her against me, pushing my cock in as far as she could take it. She pumped me with her hand as she sucked and blew me.
Her free hand went around my ass, and she grabbed it with a big pinch as she pulled me closer, letting me know I could go farther into her mouth.
"I'm going to come, baby. Let me fuck you. I need all of you."
She slowly pulled her mouth from me and scooted back on the bed, knees up and drawing me onto the bed with her exposed pussy. I knelt over her and stared down at the naked beauty in the center of my bed. She had brought me to the edge of reason with her mouth, and I worried that I'd come the second I was inside of her.
She noticed my hesitation. "Tell me what you want, Josh. I won't say no. You're the only person I won't say no to. I'll do anything. Just ask."
"Yeah?" I leaned down over her, our naked bodies barely skimming each other. I kissed her nipple lightly. "Touch yourself, baby. I want to watch you touch yourself."
Her lips parted, and I wondered if I'd gone too far. But then she smiled up at me with that twinkle that was pure, wild Rebecca. She stayed up on one elbow and slid her free hand along her breasts and down to her pussy. I sat back to watch as she slipped her fingers down along her clit. Her head dropped back and her eyes closed as she stroked the pink nub. Her nipples hardened and her flawless skin turned rosy with a blush. And then a soft, mewling sound came from her lush lips, and I couldn't hold back anymore.
She startled as I leaned down over her. Her arms wrapped around my neck. She brought my mouth down over hers as I impaled her. The perfect rhythm of our bodies brought us both quickly to climax. She threw her long legs around my waist to feel every inch of me as her body trembled with ecstasy.
I dropped down and pulled her along with me as I rolled onto my side. She rested her head on my arm and busied herself with picking a few white hairs from my beard. "Hope I didn't give you these," she smiled.
"You might have. I'm glad you’re here."
"I had no choice. I'm quickly becoming addicted to these arms." She rubbed her hand along my arm. "This mouth." She pressed her finger to my mouth. "And, most especially, to this wonderful appendage down here." She moved her hand down to my cock and stroked her fingers along it. "Thank you for that. I haven't really been a huge fan of sex until now."
"Really? Then well done me. I guess you were just waiting for the right partner."
"I definitely was." She curled into my arms and fell fast asleep.
Chapter 28
Rebecca
I glanced at the pictures Dad had sent through email. He looked happier than I'd seen him in a long time standing in front of rows of fluttery green grape vines. I'd never seen him in faded jeans and work boots. And he'd given up on his every four week barber shop visit. Even his five-o-clock shadow had gone well into midnight shadow. And the gray peppered through the dark beard made him look like a distinguished rustic grape farmer. He'd looked for love his whole life and now he'd found it . . . in the earth. The vineyard stretched out over the rolling hills behind him and the hills ended at a wilderness of shrubs. Beyond that was the vast river, flowing between the sculpted green hills like blue silk. He was desperately trying to coax me back to Europe, back into his life, and every picture, especially the ones where he was standing with his familiar grin and laughing blue eyes, brought me a bit closer to the idea. But now there was a major reason for me to stay near my old home town. Each day brought me closer to Joshua and farther from the notion that this relationship was wrong. I loved Emily. That had never been compromised. She would always be the sister I never had. But my feelings for Joshua were deep, far deeper than I could have imagined.
Irene's heels sounded on the floor in the hallway. The woman spent so much time marching around, checking that everyone was working, it was a wonder she got any of her own work done. I clicked out of my dad's emails and got back to filling in claim forms. It was a monotonous task I didn't mind because it gave me time to daydream and think about Joshua.
I'd left him sleeping deeply, looking amazingly hot stretched out beneath a tangled white sheet. It had been sheer torture climbing out of his bed and leaving him behind, but I wanted to leave Camden Beach long before the sun was up. Somehow it was much easier driving through the town in the dark, where shadows made shops and houses look unfamiliar.
File folders dropped suddenly onto my desk from above. "I said your name twice. You need to focus on your work so we don't have any more mistakes like the other day."
I looked up at her. "You mean when you transposed the numbers? That was your mistake. Not mine." The woman had been slowly chipping away at my self confidence, and I'd had enough. She never apologized after the severe scolding that I had not deserved. In fact, I deserved the opposite. Since I'd pointed out the mistake to her, she'd actually grown even harsher toward me. If someone made a comprehensive list of the worst human character traits, Irene would check off every damn box.
I slid the folder in front of me and ignored her. She lingered like a vulture for a few more seconds and then click-clacked away. I was never going to buy another pair of heels because the sound of them hitting a tile floor made me cringe.
My phone buzzed in my desk drawer. I leaned out to make sure Irene was gone and pulled it out.
There was a text from Joshua. "I thought I'd wake up with my Rebel in my arms, but she was gone. Now the rest of the day is shit."
"Sorry, I wanted to escape before the sun came up."
"You mean like a vampire?"
I smiled as I typed back. "Something like that. When do you have time to come see me? I already miss y
ou."
"I'll see what time I get off tonight and let you know. In the meantime, keep missing me."
I sent him three heart emojis and opened the drawer to put away my phone. It buzzed again. I laughed in anticipation of what he wrote back. But it was a picture from a number I didn't recognize. I tapped it open and the picture spread across the screen. Emily and I were standing in our Halloween costumes. I was a butterfly and she was a pretty pirate. She was thirteen, and she was heading to a school dance after she took me out trick or treating. It was her first dance, and she had been so excited she practically pulled me along from house to house to hurry me. She got home late that night, or at least late for a thirteen-year-old, and she snuck into my room to tell me all about the dance. And I could barely hear one detail over the excited voice in my head reminding me that my new older sister found me important enough to tell me about her first school dance.
Tears burned my eyes as I stared down at the picture. We both looked so darn happy, and at that time, things were still rolling along smoothly. Dad and Michelle were happy. Emily and I were happy. But it wasn't long after that when things changed dramatically. At least for me.
I looked again at the phone number. It wasn't part of my contact list, but I had a good idea of who’d sent it. I grabbed a tissue from my purse. I hadn't realized my hands were shaking until I went to wipe my eyes.
I texted Joshua. "Does Dylan know we're seeing each other?" I'd never asked Joshua because I really didn't want to know.
The response came back after a long pause. "Yes. He saw your name on my phone when you called the other day. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. Is anything wrong?"
"No, it's fine." I dropped the phone back into my drawer and stared at the computer screen. The numbers and charts were a blur, and it felt as if my cubicle was closing in on me like the sides of a coffin. The shaking in my hands was replaced by a terrible tingling sensation. I rubbed my hands together to keep them from going numb.
Dustin heard me working hard to catch my breath. He peeked over the partition and his eyes rounded. "Rebecca, is everything all right?"
I nodded and then shook my head.
"I'll get you a cup of water." He raced off to the water cooler.
I'd been plagued with panic attacks for long enough to know when I was facing one, and I'd taught myself how to slow them down. I closed my eyes and tried to think about a happy situation. But the only thing that came to mind was being with Joshua, and that wasn't helping to negate the source of my attack.
"Here you go." Dustin had practically crushed the flimsy paper cup between his thumb and forefinger, and judging from the tiny amount of water left inside, most of it had sloshed out on his harried journey back to the cubicle.
Sipping the water helped me forget about my erratic breathing and some of the tingling left my fingers. Dustin stared down at me with such a profound look of worry on his face, I couldn't help but smile back at him. "Dustin, if I haven't told you enough, and I'm sure I haven't, you are a good friend."
"Seriously? I thought break time ended an hour ago." Dustin and I both startled at the shrill voice. Neither of us had heard the sound of the sharp heel alarm.
Her approach had helped snap me out of my fog. I spoke up quickly. "Dustin was just bringing me some water because I felt a little faint." I waved my hand for effect. Although it actually felt good.
"Get back to work, Dustin," Irene snapped. "And I'm watching you. You are on thin ice, Rebecca. One more major mistake like you made the other day, and you'll be out of a job." She spun on her heels and marched off.
It could have been the picture or the panic attack or the fact that it seemed I just wasn't ever supposed to be happy, but I was done. I pushed my chair back so hard it rattled the entire cubicle. Then I stepped out into the aisle.
"It. Was. Your. Mistake . . . Witch."
Irene froze in her hostile tracks. The entire office came to a halt. You could hear the time clock ticking and the water cooler gurgling, but that was it. I was especially aware of Dustin, who sat like a terrified block of stone in his cubicle.
"Excuse me?" A red blush was already rising up around the collar of Irene's blouse, and her cheek twitched just a bit.
"How do you do it? I mean, do you get up every morning and look in the mirror and ask yourself ‘how can I make everyone's day miserable? What can I do to make sure everyone thinks I'm the worst fucking person on the planet?’ It must be. Because you achieve those goals every damn day. Meanness comes so naturally to you that you don't even seem to realize that you are a venomous snake. Shame on you for being such a wretched person." I knew I should just stop and clean out my desk, but I had a year's worth of anger layered up inside. "And you don't even bother to know any of us. Jennifer, over in accounting, has twin boys who have medical needs that require her to take off once a month, but instead of asking her how you can help and make her life easier by tweaking her schedule, you dock her pay. I've lost a sister. She died in a car accident when I was nineteen and it devastated me. But you don't know that because you don't ask one thing about the people who work so hard to make you look good at the board meetings. But you don't ever look good. There just isn't enough magic in the world to erase the evil that swirls around you every second of the day."
"Get your things. You're fired." Her hands were balled so tightly I half expected blood to drip from her palms. It was a short curt response. Apparently, I'd left her somewhat speechless.
"Gladly." I walked into the cubicle and pulled out my purse. I jammed my pictures inside of it but left the half dead plant. I circled around the corner and kissed a stunned, yet smiling, Dustin on the forehead.
Irene clapped her hands once. "Everyone else get back to work, or you can leave with her."
I caught a few winks and secret smiles as I swept past the cubicles. Timing was on my side. The elevator slid open the second I pushed the button. I stepped inside and waited for the doors to close before letting the tears flow.
Chapter 29
Joshua
Dylan was a pro at disappearing into the office whenever the bar was crowded. Tory was still off, and it felt as if I'd finished pouring enough drinks to keep the entire state of Texas drunk for a week. It was a week night, so the crowd was thinning as people willed themselves to go home and get a few decent hours of sleep before the morning alarm clocks started screaming. I had mentioned to Dylan that it was his turn to close, but he never gave me a definitive response.
I'd carried the load tonight, so I was going to remind him. That way, I could head out to the city and see Rebecca.
Dylan was just hanging up his phone when I walked into the office. "Well, Penny quit."
"And why is that?" I asked.
"I told you I didn't touch her. Her grades were slipping, so her mom said she had to quit. Satisfied?"
"Not really. We put time and valuable hours into training her for a two month stint. She was too young. That's on you." I wiped my hands on the towel hanging over my shoulder. "And so is closing. It's your turn. Besides, I ran that bar like a fucking gladiator tonight, and now I'm beat."
"But not too beat to drive miles to see Rebecca," he commented as I headed to the door.
I stopped and turned around. "We're work partners. What I do after hours is none of your business."
"Uh huh." He fingered the stack of bar receipts. "How is she doing, anyhow? Have you talked to her today?"
"Since when do you care?"
He looked up at me. "Why wouldn't I care? She grew up in the same house as me. Her dad was married to my mom."
"And you're stating things I already knew because . . . ?"
"Never mind. Do whatever you want. Becca was always flighty as hell, so it won't be long before she takes off to be with another guy. You don't know how wild she got as a teen, hanging out with all kinds of guys. Sneaking out of the house at night."
I stared at him for a long, tense minute. "Stop fucking there, Dylan. Not another fucking word out of your mouth
or we can start dividing this place up right now."
He lifted his hands as if he'd said nothing wrong. "What? Just trying to warn you. Cuz I sure as fuck don't need you moping about here all brokenhearted and depressed because Rebecca dumped you."
"Go to hell." I walked out and stopped in the hallway to text Rebecca. "Hey, I'll be there in an hour."
She didn't respond right away, so I headed back to the bar to fill the last pitchers of beer. Ten minutes later my phone buzzed, and I glanced at it.
"Actually, I'm kind of tired tonight. I think I'll just go to bed."
I stared at the text. After the shitty conversation with Dylan, I hadn't been prepared for her to say no. "Anything wrong?"
"No, I kind of just want to be alone. Love you."
I shoved the phone back into my pocket. She wanted to be alone, which meant she didn't want to be with me.
I finished serving customers. Everything seemed heavier, the glasses, the pitchers, my arms. It was amazing what a mind fuck a simple innocent text could be.
Five minutes later my phone rang. I passed a beer over the counter and pulled out my phone.
"Hello." I headed to the stockroom to get away from the noise and out of ear shot of nosy business partners.
"I got fired." Rebecca's words sounded slow. "But I'm feeling pretty good about it because I really gave it to Cruella. Only now I'll lose the apartment and car and then there's this thing I like called food."
"Rebel, just how much did you drink?" The word apartment sounded like one long syllable. I couldn't fucking believe how relieved I was that she'd called me. She had wrapped herself around me good.
"I finished that bottle of wine. And in between I was eating some of those frozen cheese sticks that I think I bought back at the turn of the century. So I'm not feeling my best."