Remembrance: A Contemporary Erotic Romance (Iris Series Book 4) (51 page)

He smirked, then made a face at her.

“That’s mature.”

He continued smirking then shrugged.

Janie felt momentarily sorry for Danny getting involved in the mess that was Vanessa Monroe.  She looked away thinking of the picture of Vanessa with Detective Dickhead.  Biting her lip, she finally spoke, feeling the need to share the following information.  Quietly, she said, “I didn’t have sex with Danny because I couldn’t stop thinking of you.  I didn’t think it would be fair to him.”  Janie looked back at him after she’d spoken.

Luke’s eyes softened immediately and he hauled her onto his lap where he hugged her to him.  “I’m sure he wanted to.”

“He did, but I told him I didn’t think it would work between us, so,” she said into his neck.

“Considering he wasn’t looking for a long term relationship, I’m sure that didn’t matter to him,” Luke muttered, annoyed.  “It’s not like he’d care if it had worked out between you two or not, just as long as he could fuck you.”

“He was alright about it.  I think the thought of Mike going after him kept him cool.  He said he was disappointed, tried to change my mind a bit, but I ended it regardless.  I think he and Vanessa will be perfect together.”

He grumbled into her hair.  “I was right.  You are a lady.  A very good lady.” 

She smiled and hugged him harder.  He pulled her head back with his hand in her hair.  “You’re supposed to be naughty so I can punish you tonight.  But you’re being so nice.  I might have to change my strategy for our evening.”

“Well, in that case, Vanessa’s a bitch and Danny’s an asshole, and I hope they get everything they deserve.”  She gave him an innocent look.  “Is that a little naughtier?  Because,” she stroked her finger over his mouth and whispered, “I was really hopin
g to get that spanking.”

His mouth kicked up.  “You are a naughty little thing, aren’t you?”

She nodded slowly.  His grip tightened in her curls while his smile grew. 

“You’re definitely go
ing to get it, Janie.  I promise you that.  You ready to do some more screaming?” he murmured against her mouth. 

She nipped at him.  “Absolutely.”

“I’m going to make you very,” he kissed her, “very,” he kissed her again, “happy.”  He rubbed his lips into hers.

Janie was ready to tear the man’s clothes off but they had just entered the Village, where she’d grown up and her parents still lived.  She knew they were only a few minutes away and she had to get control of her lust fueled hormones.

He was feasting on her mouth, teasing her but taking control of the kiss and not letting her move by holding her hands together in her lap.  He’d been unbuttoning her coat and stroking the inside to find her breast.

“Luke Daniels, we’re about to
arrive at my parents’ house,” she whimpered when he found her nipple and flicked it.

“I just want you thinking about tonight and wondering about all of the things I’m go
ing to do to this sweet body I now get to pleasure.”  He pinched gently on her tightened bud and rolled it between his fingers.

“Mmm.”  She was losing focus and closing her eyes.

“So when I’m talking to your parents, I want you to be thinking about me tearing your clothes off, sucking your sweet nipples into my mouth, and taking you against another surface.  Maybe the wall right by the front door.  You think about that, Janie.  Because when we get back in this limo and we head back to our home, you’re going to be mine and I want you so ready for me, you’re dripping.”

She moaned softly.  She already was.

“Tell me you can’t wait for me to make you scream, Janie.”

“I can’t wait,” she whimpered as he manipulated her nipple under her sweater but over her bra.  She couldn’t grab him because he still held her hands, but she needed to let off some of this energy.  She couldn’t help herself and bit down on his lower lip. 

“Oh, oh,” he chuckled, nipping her back.  “Looks like someone might be ready now.”

“I am, I am,” she babbled, struggling against his hands and kissing him.

“You’re going to have to wait a little longer, my dirty girl,” he said emphasizing each word with a nibble to her neck as they pulled up outside her childhood home.  “Your parents are waiting.”

“Hello!” Janie yelled when they walked into her parents’ place.

Her mom came out of the kitchen all smiles.  “Hey you two,” she gurgled then hugged and kissed them both.

“Where’s Robbie?” Janie asked.

“Hey.”

They turned to see her nearly 20 year old brother coming into the room.  He looked more and more like Mike every day.  “Hey, bud,” Janie smiled and hugged him.  “Long time, no see.”

“I know.  A whole three weeks,” he joked, since he’d just seen them all on Thanksgiving.

“Exams go okay?”

He looked at her like she even needed to ask.  “Of course.  I’m a Callahan,” he said smugly.

“Yes, you certainly are,” Luke snorted.  “Like your brother more and more every day,” he said, giving him an affectionate smirk. They gave each other the man’s handshake, half-hug combo then slapped at each other like they usually did, laughing the whole time.  “Good to be home?”

“Definitely,” he said.  “I can’t wait to not study and have Janie cook me something.”

“Your sister’s cooking does have that impact on us, doesn’t it?  We should all catch a movie while you’re home,” Luke said as an afterthought.

“Cool.”  Then Robbie got the typical Callahan twinkle in his eye.  “So I hear you and my sister are hookin’ up.”

Both Janie and Luke smacked him on the side of the head simultaneously just as Janie’s mom shook hers in amused annoyance.  

“Don’t talk about your sister like that,” Luke said, smacking him again, but smiling.

“What?” Robbie laughed while ducking his head.  “It’s about time you two figured it out.  All the rest of us knew it was gonna happen.”

Luke looked over at Janie and shook his head while Janie just made a face and shrugged. 

“I thought I heard a ruckus out here,” Michael Callahan, Sr. boomed as he entered the living room.  The man was just like his kids, gregarious, fun, and often times a prankster.  Hugs were sent all around again then Janie’s dad said, “I’m so glad you guys could come for dinner.  Heidi’s been waiting for Janie to do her famous finish to the sweet potato pie before she puts it in the oven.

Janie turned to look at her mom.  She knew her mother needed no help with the pie.  It was her recipe, after all.  That was just her dad’s way of saying he wanted Janie to split.  She took the hint, knowing it would leave Luke alone with them, and said she’d be happy to finish it.  She gave Luke one final look, then dragged Robbie into the kitchen with her.

There, she tried to distract herself by finishing the pie and peppering Robbie with questions about school and girls, until finally Robbie stopped her.

“I’m glad you picked Luke,” he smiled.

Janie looked up to see a sweet happiness in her younger brother’s brown eyes.  She hip checked him.  “Thanks, bud.  And I don’t even know if I picked him, necessarily.  For me, it just always
was
Luke.  I’m just glad
he
picked
me
.”

“Please, why wouldn’t he?  I’m glad you didn’t end up with that cop.  Mike didn’t like him.”

“I know,” she rolled her eyes then laughed.  “Neither did Luke.”

“So, this is serious, right?  I mean that’s why Dad made up that bullshit about how you needed to finish making Mom’s pie?  Because they wanna be alone with Luke?”

She chuckled then sighed.  “It’s serious, and yeah, I’m thinking that was Dad’s way of getting him alone.”

“This is perfect.  He’s already like another brother to me.  That means I won’t have to get to know any other dickwads and be nice to them,” he said, sticking his finger into the sweet potato filling.  She slapped his hand away.

“So glad I can help you out there,” she said in a wry tone.

“Are you gonna make those mashed potatoes again for Christmas?  Those were so good,” he groaned. 

“Geez, I guess they were the hit of Thanksgiving.  You’re like the third person to tell me that.”

“They were.  Will you make ’em?”

“Of course.  What are you going to make?” she said, her lips lifting into a grin.  “Now that you’re no longer a kid, you should be responsible for something so all of us womenfolk don’t have to do all the cooking.”

“I’ll make your stuffing recipe.”

“Nice.  It’s really easy.”

They heard a clearing of the throat at the door and turned to see her mother standing there, her eyes red from crying, but a smile splitting her face.

Janie’s heartbeat doubled.  “Hey.  Guess who’s making the stuffing this year?  Robbie’s going to try it out.”

“Oh, good!  That means
he can shop for it, too,” she laughed. 

Robbie groaned but rolled his eyes.  Then with tongue in cheek, he said, “So, you comin’ in here to learn how to finish making your sweet potato pie, Mom?  Because Lord knows you’ve never made it before.  What would we have done without Janie here to finish it?”

His mom grabbed the hand towel from the fridge and snapped it at him.  “Wise ass.  Get out of here and go talk to the boys.  I need some girl time with my daughter.”

“Whatever,” he smiled.  “I know when I’m not wanted.  I friggin’ just get home and already I’m bein’ kicked out.”  He gave his mom a bear hug and a loud kiss before leaving the kitchen.

There was silence while mother and daughter looked at each other, the older wiping at her eyes, the younger biting her lip from her nerves and excitement.

“Oh, Janie,” she whispered.  “I can’t believe how happy I am.  You must be ecstatic.”

Janie walked to her and they hugged each other long and hard, both of them laughing and crying at the same time.

“Are you worried we’re moving too fast?” Janie asked.

“No, not at all,” her mom said reassuringly, pushing Janie’s hair off her face.  “You’re both certainly old enough to know what you want at this point in life and there’s no reason to wait, not after having such a long history together.  He wanted to tell us you’d be moving into his loft,” she said waiting for confirmation.

Janie nodded.  “That’s the plan,” she said, unable to hold in the giggles.  “I just can’t believe this.  I never knew he felt this way, and in a matter of days,” she said, shaking her head.

Heidi grabbed her daughter’s face.  “What a Christmas this is, huh?  So much to celebrate,” she beamed.  “Your aunt Tabby is going to flip.”  Her mom let out a squeal, referring to Jem’s mother.

They hugged again then Janie leaned back and looked at her mom nervously.  “Anything else he talked to you about?”

Her mom gave her a saucy and secretive look.  “I have no idea what you could be talking about.  Now, get that pie in the oven and let’s get ready for some dinner.”  Her mom gave her a knowing look followed by a huge kiss on the cheek, then called Robbie to set the table.

……

“So, you just talked about us moving in together?  Nothing else?” Janie asked when they were in the limo, her on one side, him on the other.

He gave her that quintessential enigmatic look as her answer.

She huffed a little and crossed her arms.  “Don’t you dare say the word patience, Luke Daniels.”

“And if I did?”

She glared and cocked an eyebrow.

“Patience,” he whispered, a playful smile around his lips.

“Pain in my ass,” she grumbled.

“Speaking of pains in the ass, I hope you’re ready for what I have in store for you tonight,” he murmured.

That got her attention, so much so that she felt a zing right between her legs.  He watched her, letting his eyes skitter lazily down her body, stripping her with his gaze.

“I hope so too,” she joked, feeling a little nervous and whole lot of lust.  “Any hints?”

He just remained silent and shook his head no.

“I think you’re the one who needs the spanking, Luke Daniels,” Janie pointed out raising her chin in defiance.

His eyebrows went up as he smiled wickedly.  “Do you?  Well, that would be interesting. You could certainly try to spank me,” he challenged. “It might be hard to do with your hands tied though.”

She swallowed. 
Holy shit
.  “You’re going to tie my hands?”

He paused and she could tell he was no longer joking.  “Would you like that?”

She swallowed again.  She remembered years earlier after the ‘mommy porn’ bestseller had come out and she’d read it, she’d found some of the practices in the popular book hotter than hell.  Not everything on its pages was her cup of tea, but knowing Luke might restrain her while teasing and loving her literally made her break into a sweat.  She wanted the man with every fiber of her being.

“If it’s you doing the tying, then I think I might,” she finally answered with a coy smile.

His eyes softened but she could see them glittering in the darkened limo.  He took her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist.  “What you do to me, Janie.  I love how much you trust me.”  He leaned forward.  “I can’t wait to get you in that loft.  You have no idea.”