A Modern Love Story (9 page)

One more minute to go.

She glanced around her room to make sure she had everything. Most of her stuff was already at Luc’s, snuck out here and there so when the time came, her load was light. And that time was…now! Midnight!

“Yesss,” she hissed, jumping to her feet. Her smile was huge as she stepped out into the dark hall and turned towards the door. A small sound from behind had her glancing back at Frank, standing at the far end in the dark. She laughed and flipped him off. “Sayonara, asshole.”

She was still giggling when she hopped up into Luc’s truck, parked at the curb.

He grinned at her. “What’s so funny?”

“Just saying my goodbyes to Frank.”

His smile faded. “Did he give you any trouble?”

“No.” She put her hand on his arm. “None at all. Let’s get out of here.”

Luc glanced over at her as he pulled away. “Hey. You’re wearing a skirt.”

“Yup.” She flashed him a beaming smile. “No more watching what I wear, what I say, what I do. I’m eighteen and free to do whatever the hell I want!”

“And tomorrow night, we celebrate. Just you and me.”

“Really?” She let loose a little squeal. “God, I love you. You’re the best, Luc!”

He chuckled.”Love ya too, Squirt.”

The drive to Luc’s apartment was short, and when they got there, Luc took her duffle bag and let her lead the way. She eyed up the building as she approached and could barely believe everything worked out as it did. Thank God Luc moved out of the Powell’s and had gotten his own place when he turned eighteen. Thank God Luc dropped out of high school—despite Robbie’s fierce protests at the time—and got his GED. Thank God Luc found full-time work in construction. Thank God,
and
thank Luc.

“The L’s called. They want you to call them tomorrow to let them know you’re okay.”

Robbie started climbing the stairs to the second floor. “I’m surprised they didn’t insist I call right when we got home.”

“Well, they did. But I convinced them to wait until morning.”

“And they agreed?”

“Only if I agreed to call if there was any trouble.”

She laughed as Luc unlocked the door. “God, it feels good to laugh about this all. I can’t believe it’s over.”

Luc gestured her in. “I can’t believe the L’s agreed not to report anything until after you got out.”

“We didn’t really give them much of a chance, did we? I thought Leah was going to strangle me through the phone for keeping them in the dark so long.”

He set her bag on the floor as they flopped onto the couch. “Not much we could’ve done about that. It’s not like they would’ve let you stay there, even though I had the situation under control.”

“You knew what I needed.” She leaned against him.

“Yeah. I knew.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and rubbed her arm. “And it worked out.”

“Yup.”

“All right. Let’s get you settled in. I set the alarm for you in the bedroom.” Luc stood and scooped her bag off the floor.

“Luc. That’s your room. I’ll just sleep on the couch.”

“Not having it. You have school in the morning.”

“You have work.” She pushed off the couch and followed.

He tossed her bag on the bed. “You have a scholarship to earn, and therefore, need more sleep than I do.”

“Like I could sleep, anyway. I’m too excited.”

“Try.” He tried to look stern, but the corners of his mouth twitched as he pulled her into a hug. “Humor me. Just tonight, okay, Squirt?”

“All right. But we’re gonna figure something out tomorrow.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

*****

Robbie raced home after school the next day. Not only because she was excited to
have
a home again, but because her and Luc were going to celebrate. Together. Alone. That night.

It was foolish, she knew, to continue abusing herself this way, but she was willing to make one last ditch effort to get Luc to see her as an actual girl, rather than just
Squirt
. Now that she was legally an adult, and out of a bad situation, it was time to see what they had between them. Correction. What they
could
have between them. He no longer had to worry about her, or watch her back—both things she had seen as obstacles to be overcome. Now she could just be
her
—a girl, a woman, in his life and one that didn’t need guidance or protection. She only needed him. And she had waited, held back, for him. He was the only one she wanted.

Okay, so she hadn’t
really
been saving herself for Luc, per se. The opportunity had never presented itself with anyone else, given the Frank situation and all. But, she had to admit, she always wanted her first time to be with Luc. Could she get what she wanted now?

By the time Robbie heard Luc’s boots on the stairs after his shift, she had worked herself into a full-blown tizzy. Grabbing her magazine off the counter, she launched herself onto the couch and whipped it open in an effort to look casual.

“Dammit,” she mumbled, turning the magazine right-side-up as Luc’s key slid into the lock.

“Hey, Rob.”

“Hey, Luc.” She glanced up, casual-like, as he kicked the door shut behind him. “Oh, you got pizza!” She flew to her feet.

“That’s not all.” He set the pizza down, and pulled a brown paper bag from under his arm and handed it to her.

“What is it?” She opened the bag, pulled out the bottle. “Champagne?” No, she thought, liquid courage!

“I told you we were going to celebrate. Guy at work hooked me up.”

“Pizza and champagne?” She laughed and threw her arms around him. “That’s awesome!”

He chuckled as he gave her a quick squeeze. “Let’s eat up before it gets cold, then pop this sucker open.”

*****

The pizza went fast, but the champagne went even faster. Luc watched with satisfaction as Robbie drank her champagne, talking about her college plans and the roommate she was assigned to live
with in
the dorms—Lizbeth something-or-other. He was happy to have her there. She was finally fucking safe, with no Frank to worry about, and nothing left to scare her.

He obliged when Robbie held out her glass for a refill, but felt the need to warn her. “I hear this shit sneaks up on you, Squirt.”

“So be it. Fill ‘
er
up.”

He laughed and poured. “That’s my girl.” And she was his girl, in a fashion. Six years they had known each other, and other than the L’s, she was the only person he gave a flying fuck about.

Tipping back her glass, Robbie leaned against his shoulder and snuggled close with a giggle.

“What’s so funny?” He slung his arm around her shoulder and began stroking her hair—just as he had done hundreds of times before.

She gestured with her glass towards the end table. “Juicy Fruit.”

“Are you drunk already?”

“Ha! No. On the table.” She gestured again.

“You…want a piece of gum?”

“Uh uh. Did I ever tell you…
Naw
. Forget it.”

“What? You can’t do that. You know that drives me nuts.”

“Yeah, I know.” She giggled again. “It’s just that whenever I smell Juicy Fruit, or see it, I think of you.”

“Really?” He took a long swallow of champagne. “Why’s that?”

“Remember when we kissed?”

Jesus Christ. How could he forget? The girl could fucking kiss! “
Ahh
…yeah.”

He felt her shrug under his arm. “You were chewing Juicy Fruit at the time.”

“I was?” He smiled with a swell of arrogance that she’d even remember. “I must have really made an impression, huh?”

She nodded and drank more, emptying her glass in a couple of gulps. Leaning forward, she put the glass on the table and then twisted to face him. “Remember what you said to me afterwards?”

Who could’ve had a single coherent thought after a kiss like that? “Not really.”

Her green eyes narrowed. “You told me to let you know any time I wanted to practice.”

“That’s right! I did say that.” He laughed, but it faded as he saw the look on her face. “What? Why are you bringing that up now?”

She tipped her head to the side, slid her face closer. “You helped me out when I needed you. What if I said I needed your help again? But of a…um…different variety.”

His mouth went dry as his brain caught up, his arms dropping away from her. “Robbie.”

“I want you to be my first.” She circled her arms around his neck. “I love you, Luc.”

“I, ah, love you too, Robbie. Which is why I won’t take advantage of you.”

“You wouldn’t be taking advantage.”

She was so close. Right there. He could almost taste her. “You’re drunk.”

“I know what I want.”

“Yeah, maybe in the moment, but tomorrow—”

Her mouth slammed into his, cutting off all further words, and—if he was going to be totally fucking honest—all further brain function as well. Her tongue sought his and he felt the sparks ignite behind the kiss. Without a rational thought, his hands dived into her hair, pulled her close as she scrambled onto his lap to straddle. The heat was all he could think about as his hands slid down to grab her hips. The heat consumed, spurred him on, clouded his thoughts. He felt the lust curl and bunch in his belly, ready to lash out to take, possess and own. But he kept it restrained, strapped down—painfully so—when he remembered just who he was holding.

Gripping her hips, he broke away and lifted her straight off his lap to set her back on the couch beside him. “No.”

Her eyes went wide as her cheeks flooded with color. “But—”

“No.” He dodged her reach by pushing to his feet. He tried not to look at her…deliciously mussed up hair, green eyes blurred with need, her skirt riding dangerously high to showcase her gorgeous legs. “Sleep it off, Rob.”

He walked away. What the fuck else could he do? And shut the door to the bedroom behind him. Frustration mixed with anger, which mixed with a fierce urge he had never felt before. He sat on the edge of the bed, pulling his fingers through his hair as he took a deep breath. So she
just
decided she wanted him? Right out of the fucking blue? Like the champagne had nothing to do with it? Fuck that! Shit! Why couldn’t he be
that fucking guy
?! The kind that just takes what he wants?!

Because, he thought after another deep breath, it was Robbie.

That was why.

*****

Robbie shifted, and immediately groaned from the bass drum thundering in her head. “Make it stop. Turn it off,” she mumbled.

“How you doing, champ?”

She peeled back her lids, squinting against the light, and struggled to focus. “Stop yelling.”

Luc chuckled. “I’m not.”

She laid there a minute and took stock. She was on a bed—Luc’s bed, she assumed—and had one arm and one leg hanging off the side. Her head—heaven help her—felt like it was going to explode at any moment.