Hidden in the Stars (Falling Stars #2) (18 page)

"Ow," he shouts after I smack his arm.

"Stop staring," I scold in a whisper.

Jackson signs the shirt quickly and hands it back.

"You better get this back on."

"Are you crazy?" she gushes, clutching the shirt to her chest. "I can't wear or wash it ever again."

"Can I get a picture with you?" The star-struck mute girl finally speaks.

"Uh, how about after the game?" Jackson offers. "I don't want to interrupt. Plus, I came here to watch a buddy of mine."

"You know someone on this team?" Snotty, half-dressed girl scrunches her face.

"Yeah," Jackson answers with an is-there-a-problem tone.

"Oh, okay." She perks up once she realizes his annoyance.

"Great. Catch me after the game."

Sitting back up, he pulls me between his legs and wraps an arm around my shoulders.

"This could get out of control," he whispers.

"I won't say I told you so," I mumble.

My chin disappears into his hand. Cupping it, he pulls my head back to look up at him. With a half-grin on his face, he says, "Sassy little mouth you have there."

I try to pull my face away, but he holds it still. Dropping his voice, he whispers, "You're lucky I enjoy the fuck out of your sassy little mouth."

The half-grin grows full and painstakingly beautiful.

The blow of a whistle pulls us away from the moment.

The game is over and the teams are lining up.

"Lucas' team won." Kel leans toward me. "Figured you'd want to know since you were a bit busy."

"Shut up," I growl, crossing my arms over my chest.

Jackson chuckles, loudly.

After three cell phone pictures with the two girls, they are finally on their way.

"I told you it's him." Sean's voice rings out from behind me.

Turning, I take in most of Lucas and Sean’s team.

"You thought we were lying," Sean scoffs, wrapping his arm around Lucas' shoulders. "We told you Jackson is his mom's boyfriend."

My eyes widen and heat burns my cheeks and nose.

"It's really him." Scotty, one of the kids on the team, steps forward. "You're really him, ain't you?"

Jackson walks to the group of boys, pulling the sunglass on the top of his head.

"Sure am," he confirms, causing a murmur of excitement.

"You're really his mom's boyfriend?" Another teammate takes a step forward.

"I never said he was my mom's boyfriend," Lucas growls, pushing to the front of the group. "They're just friends." His eyes narrow on Jackson.

"Friends don't kiss," Sean scoffs.

Lucas turns his narrow eyes to glare at Sean.

"What?" He shrugs. "He kissed your mom. And," Sean continues, "he was hugging her in the stands." He motions to the bleachers.

Dear God, please let this end.

"Alright, what's going on here?" Their coach steps forward.

"Coach, this is Jackson Shaw from The Forgotten. He's famous!" A girl teammate exclaims.

"Famous, huh?" The coach studies Jackson. You can actually see the realization smooth out the curiosity wrinkling his face.

Soon, a crowd of kids, coaches, and parents circle Jackson. He's asked to sign soccer balls, bags, jerseys, hats, and one mother even asked for him to sign her chest. Luckily, it was near her collar bone, not her breast.

"Can we go?" Lucas sighs, impatient and unimpressed.

"Yeah. We'll go."

Standing, I move through the remaining crowd toward Jackson. Our eyes meet and calmness settles into his.

When I'm close, he reaches out and pulls me to him.

"We're going to go. I, um...I want to thank you for coming to his game." Even I hear the discomfort in my words.

"I'll have Sam take us to your place." Jackson releases me, motions for Sam, and turns to the crowd.

"Us?" I furrow my brow.

"Thanks, everyone, for making me feel welcome at the game today. I really appreciate it. Unfortunately, I have a prior engagement." His arm wraps around my waist. "So, I need to get going." He puts his free hand up, waving to the crowd.

A mixture of “thank you”, “you're awesome”, and “I love you” comes from the group.

Sam's presence is felt before his hand comes to my arm. Gently, he guides me away from the crowd. Jackson breaks free from last second autographs and strides to my side. Sam releases my arm, allowing Jackson to take his place.

"I need to get the boys." I dig my feet into the ground, looking back to where I left them.

My heart drops into my stomach. They're gone.

"They are already in the car," Sam informs.

The panic ebbs.

In the car, Kel is lecturing the boys about playing with buttons.

"Guys," I sigh, sliding into the back seat, "behave."

"Okay," they grumble in unison.

"Push whatever you want." Jackson settles in next to me. "Just leave the windows up."

"Why?" Lucas wrinkles his face in confusion.

"Because people will try to get pictures and stuff. Duh," Sean answers.

"That's part of it," Jackson confirms. "People throw stuff at the cars, too. I don't want anyone getting hit with something."

"What kind of stuff?" Lucas studies him.

"Um…" Jackson hesitates. "Clothes, rocks, stuffed animals, flowers…and other stuff."

"Rocks?" Sean asks, disbelief in his voice.

"Yeah, they'll wrap notes around them sometimes." Jackson shrugs.

"Just don't push any buttons." I give both boys the I-have-spoken look.

"Okay," Lucas responds. "Yes, mam," Sean answers.

"Damn," Jackson mutters under his breath.

Arriving at my building, part of me expects him to leave us on the curb. The more irrational girly side of me does backflips when he climbs out and follows us upstairs.

"Lucas, don't drop your bag in the middle of the floor," I order before the door is even closed. "Sean, change and shower."

I flip the lock on the door.

"Are we still doing pizza?" Kel unloads the mini cooler on the counter.

I nod and grab the coupons from the drawer of my small desk. Sorting through them, I begin to feel self-conscious. I've forgotten Jackson. He's currently witnessing the routine of our life.

Looking up from under my lashes, I find him sitting on a stool at the breakfast bar, watching me. He grins. I force a smile through the semi-embarrassment of couponing in front of Jackson Shaw and quickly divert my eyes back to my task.

"Do we still have the one that includes the 2-liter?" Kel asks, bent into the fridge. "If not, I'll run down to the corner." He straightens and shuts the door.

"I don't see it. Didn't we use it when Sid was here?" I wrinkle my brow, walking toward the breakfast bar.

Laying the coupons out, Kel and I go through them again.

Jackson grabs a coupon. Both Kel and I follow the action and study his reaction. He sets it on the bar and pulls out his cell phone.

"What are you doing?" My body instinctively shifts toward him.

"I invited myself, so I'll get the pizza." He touches the screen of his cell.

"You don't have to—”

"Does this place have beer?" Jackson looks to Kel.

Kel's eyes shift to me briefly before he gives Jackson a shake of his head.

"I can run out and get some," he offers.

"No, you can't," I scoff. "You're only eighteen."

Kel shrugs. "I have connections."

"I don't want to know." I shake my head.

"Hey, yeah, man, I need…" Jackson pauses, giving me an expectant look, "a large pepperoni and a 2-liter."

"What about your—”

"We're good," I cut Kel off.

"Sorry, just give me a minute," Jackson speaks on his phone before handing it to Kel. "Order whatever you usually get, but add a large pizza with pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, and olives."

Kel takes the phone and relays the order. This time, he includes my Sicilian style pizza and Caesar salad. After the address is provided, he hands the phone back to Jackson.

Putting my bag on top of the bar, I rummage through and pull out my wallet.

"I don't think so." Jackson grabs the worn leather, shoving it back into my bag.

"Jackson, I can pay for food." A bit of insult and embarrassment sharpen my tongue.

"I know you can." He stands from the stool, reaching into his pocket. "But I said I'd get the pizza since I'm a self-invite."

Sighing, I give a resigned, "Fine."

Leaving my bag on the bar, I take my irrational embarrassment and anger with me to make sure the boys are cleaning up.

Showers complete, Lucas, Sean, and Kel convince Jackson to join them for video gaming. I'm thankful for the moment away from his little touches, seductive looks, and that damn mouth of his. My mind is almost cleared when Sid calls.

Of course, she's more interested in the fact that Jackson is in my apartment. And keeping her on topic regarding my budget is practically impossible.

"You do realize you have Jackson Shaw, guitarist of The Forgotten, playing domestic daddy in your apartment, right?"

"Sid," I use my warning tone, "it's not like that, and stop referring to him by his full name and job description. It's creepy."

"It's not creepy, Liza. It is panty melting, nipple tightening, hot as fucking hot can get. The fact that you don't realize this concerns me. Is your vagina working properly?"

"Stop it," I laugh.

"Perhaps you should have him check under your hood. And when I say hood, I mean clitoral hood," she deadpans.

"Oh my God, stop it!" I cry out in laughter.

"Should I be jealous?" His voice, next to my unoccupied ear, ensures my vagina is working just fine.

"Sweet Lord of penises, his voice is sexy," Sid sighs over the phone.

"Jealous of what?" I pull the phone away from my mouth and tilt my head.

"I only want to hear ‘oh my God’ when it's followed by my name and you coming around my cock." His tongue flicks the lobe of my ear.

I shiver and tighten my crossed legs.

"That's it. I'm ruined," Sid cries dramatically. "No man will ever live up to this."

"Both of you stop." My words are breathy and it takes all my strength to lean away from his mouth.

"Pizza!" Lucas shouts, running toward the buzz of the intercom.

Jackson straightens and steps back from me. Taking a deep breath, I move to stand, but his hand on my shoulder stops me. Instead, he walks over to the door, pulling cash out of his back pocket.

"Damn cock blockers," Sid grumbles.

"Sid!" I scold, but smile.

"Well, damn, the kid just killed the ear porn I was getting," she whines.

"Don't you have enough porn already?"

"You can never have enough," she snorts. "Besides, this was real life rock star ear porn. Girl, I need to freshen up after that."

"Okay, TMI, Sid."

"Like you aren't used to it," she counters.

Pizza boxes slide onto the counter next to me. Kel sets out paper plates and plastic cups. I stare at the old mismatched cups and feel embarrassment creeping back to the forefront of my emotions.

Oh my God! I have nothing to be embarrassed about. They are clean. Just because Jackson is in my home doesn't mean everything is now worth shit.

Suppressing the shame, I redirect Sid to our conversation about my budget. I try to keep my voice low, but Jackson decides to sit next to me instead of with the boys in the living room.

"I think living together is ideal," Sid presses the issue again.

"I'm not moving back to Pennsylvania," I counter. "And you just found an apartment you love. Didn't you sign the lease?"

"Not yet and I don't have to. Plus, I didn't mean you move back here. I told you before I can move out there," she says, her tone serious.

"I'm not asking you to change your life so you can come out here for me."

"I miss you," she mutters.

"I miss you, too," I sigh.

"No final decisions, just think about it. We can find a four bedroom place and share the expenses."

"Sid…"

"It's a thought," she cuts in. "Did you hear anything else about Sean today?"

"No, same as before. His social worker has the guardianship papers from his grandmother, but I haven't heard anything."

"What about his mom? Won't she try to swoop back in?" Sid, knowing Sean's family life, is right to worry about her.

"Apparently, since she lost custody of Sean to her mother, there's really nothing she can do. However, they did reach out to her. I guess she didn't realize her mother's house had a reverse mortgage. So, if Mrs. Jackson doesn't return to the house, it goes to the bank. His mom wasn't happy to find out she wouldn't be getting the house and I guess that's all she cared about."