I was hoping to be doing something else this weekend. “I actually have a lot of studying to do. Isn’t Seamus bringing the kids over?”
“Yes, but you know how your father loves to hear about your classes. We’re so proud of you for picking yourself back up after everything and doing so well.”
After almost marrying a man who tried to blackmail my family? Or after doing community service for punching a woman in the face? “I know you are, Mama.”
Her mother hesitated. “Are you sure you don’t want to come over? You live so close to campus and I heard they’re throwing a wild costume party? A rage?”
“A rave.” Jennifer shook her head, trying not to laugh. Her mother wasn’t subtle. “Who told you about that?”
“Nina at the salon has a son who lives in the dorms. She says he can’t stop talking about it.”
“It’s nothing. A few fraternities are having a party and raising money for…something. I might take a study break to have a look, but it’ll just be college kids dancing around in togas. Nothing too bad.”
“If you say so.” Her mother sounded doubtful.
You’d think she didn’t trust me, Jen thought with a dry smile. She decided to change the subject. “Stephen sent me another edited picture of Tasha’s sonogram this morning. Did you get it? This time he added hats to their little heads. I’m betting by the time those kids are three months old they’ll be the most photographed twins in the world.”
They talked for a few more minutes and then said goodbye. Her mother was definitely worried about that party. Why? Did she think Jen was going to forget her degree and get engaged to a twenty-year-old boy wearing a light saber?
Jen sighed. Alicia was worried she wasn’t having sex, her mother was worried she might do something, and her brothers were…well, they probably weren’t giving her too much thought. Stephen had twins on the way, Owen was driving Jeremy crazy with wedding planning and Seamus already had four kids he was raising alone. But when they did think about her? It was probably to worry.
What was it about her that made people want to tell her what to do? Her Orphan Annie coloring? Her inability to toast bread? Or was it her tendency toward extremes? Whatever the reason, if they had their way she’d be insulated with layers of bubble wrap and only brought out for special occasions with proper supervision, no matter how old she was.
She checked her messages again. Still nothing. “Damn.”
Usually he sent some response right away. A smile. A dirty rejoinder. But then, he was also the one to initiate most of their conversations and meetings. Maybe he didn’t like her taking the lead?
Her family would definitely be worried if they knew about Trick and what she was doing with him. What she wanted to do with him and her professor. Her brothers would have simultaneous heart attacks and fall like Irish dominoes. Especially Stephen. Trick was his friend from high school and thirteen years her senior.
Stephen had no one to blame but himself. All she’d done was go to a club that practiced safe, sane and consensual BDSM. The same club his then-future wife had practically lived in and Jen’s brother Owen frequented more than he visited his mother. Stephen hadn’t had them followed. But then, neither of them was the baby sister whose last bad decision had hurt the family and revealed more than one secret relationship.
Still, it was a dick move on his part, and he hadn’t even been the one to admit to it. She’d found out from Trick himself, after she’d been arrested.
That was a fun memory.
He still hadn’t told her why he’d been hanging around after Stephen called him off. She knew it wasn’t just her irresistible charms, though since the semester had started, she’d bet her professor had something to do with it.
Did he sneak into Declan’s bed the way he did hers? The idea didn’t bother her at all. In fact, it was pretty damn hot. So hot, her body started to react the way it always did when she thought of them, so she got up and headed to the bathroom for a cool shower.
If he were here now this wouldn’t be an issue, and his absence was starting to grate. She finally had the apartment to herself and they didn’t have to worry about keeping quiet. If Trick didn’t get his ass over to her apartment, or at the very least text or call her by the time she got out, she’d take care of the problem herself, then settle in with Netflix and chocolate ice cream and forget about him.
She sent him one more text and then set the phone down on her nightstand before heading into the shower to relax. Usually a long soak complete with shaving and self-pampering helped to prepare her mentally for a night with him. However he decided to torment her, it would always end up with her in a boneless sprawl in the middle of the bed, crying tears of release. And he’d still have most of his clothes on and leave before morning.