Teacher: The Final Act (A Hollywood Rock n' Romance Trilogy #3) (2 page)

“Jesse, I wanted to say goodnight.” Jane came in and stopped in the doorway with a worried look on her face.

“Baby, did you find... There you...” He stopped with the same pose and worried look as Jane. Nora and I looked up and laughed.  

“You two look more alike all the time,” Nora said, motioning for Jane to come join our hug. She squeezed us both really tight.

“Jesse, will you tuck me in,” she asked, turning her big blues on me.

I kissed her forehead and followed her out of the room, saying goodnight to Nora.

“I’ll wait for you,” Danny whispered as I passed him, and I smiled at him, relieved. In Jane’s room, I braided her hair for her and gently scratched her back until she was asleep. Poor thing just went through a huge upheaval. It was no wonder she was upset.

I stepped out into the hall, maybe a half hour later and heard Danny playing the piano. He smiled slightly as I walked up, glancing down at the bench next to him so I sat down. He played a tune I recognized from the night before they went into the studio. His music was really soulful. I wondered how it would transfer to the Blackened hard rock sound.

He stopped about ten minutes later and stretched his back.

“I’ve missed you,” he said quietly. “I know we’ve been talking a lot this week, but I feel...”

I nodded, running my fingers along the top of his thigh. “You’ve had a lot going on, baby.”

He covered my hand with his. “So have you,” he said in a gravelly voice. “Are you feeling okay?” While I wanted to be honest with him, I didn’t want to upset him.

“Can we talk about that tomorrow? I just want to be with you tonight,” I said, feeling a little shy. I wasn’t sure where his head was at, and with him being a little distant, I was worried.

He frowned, looked down at my hand in his, and stood, leading me to the bedroom.

“Do I need to be worried?” he asked as he led me down the hall.

I shook my head. “No, just having some side effects. I’m calling the doctor Monday morning.” I really didn’t want to worry him and I didn’t want my health to get in the way of us being intimate. I needed to be close to him.

When we got to his room, well, our room, there was a lot of tension in the air. We looked at each other nervously. Thankfully, he spoke first.

“I’ve wanted to touch you every night this week,” he said quietly, while keeping his hands in his pockets.  

I was so afraid a bomb was about to drop. He was acting so hesitant. “And you didn’t because?” I desperately tried to figure him out.

He cleared his throat and said, “I wasn’t sure if it was okay. I still don’t.” He looked deep into my eyes and spoke so honestly, it was probably the most difficult thing he’d ever had to say to me. “I’m afraid.”

I wanted to cross the space between us and take him into my arms, but I felt exactly as he did. “What are you afraid of?”

He took in a shaky breath and ran his hands through his hair. “I’m afraid of how out of control I feel. I’m afraid of you leaving. I’m afraid of losing the best friend I’ve ever had. You. Before the wedding I thought I could read you, thought I had a handle on my feelings for you. Now...”

Oh, God. This was scaring the crap out of me. I wanted him to stop talking. I was petrified of what else he might say. I felt like we were standing on the edge of a cliff, and the rocks were slipping away.

“Now?”
Please don’t let him say it’s over
, was all I could think. “What’s changed for you, Danny?” I was shaking. I was so scared. Obviously all the talking we’d done this week had unsettled him more than anything.

His expression was all over the place. “Everything just feels so much more real. And fragile. My feelings have changed only in that I love you even more, and I need you even more, and I got a taste of what it would feel like to lose it all. I don’t think I would survive that.  So part of me wonders if I shouldn’t just let you go so I never have to worry.”

My heart stopped. This was it. I’d heard people describe the feeling of a broken heart before. I thought I knew how it would feel from the previous times he’d pushed me away. But there was no describing this fear, this pain. If he said it was over, I thought it would end me.

Scrounging up the last ounce of courage I had, I asked, “So what are you going to do about that part?”

He cocked his head and narrowed his eyes. “I’m going to tell it to shut the fuck up because there’s no way I ever want to live without you. No safe route will ever compare to how whole I feel with you.  But I’m so scared you’re going to tell me to fuck off. I can’t take not knowing anymore, Jesse. Can we fix this? Please? I love you so fucking much! I can’t take it anymore, not knowing.”

When I could convince my lungs to function again and when I could force myself to take in a breath, I slowly stepped across the space between us. I lifted Danny’s left wrist, the one still thankfully wearing the cuff I’d given him. I lifted it up so the heart was facing him and I held it up in front of him.

“The only thing that has changed for me is the determination to love you even more, to fight for us even more, and to do whatever it takes for us to get past this. I can’t stand this space between us either, Danny. You’re my lover, my best friend, and you hold my soul in your hands. Please, don’t be afraid.  Come back to me.” The last words were barely above a whisper.

“I want to,” he said, shaking his head. “But I know there’s going to be more drama. I wish I could say there won’t be, but Brooke’s shit isn’t going to go away just because she’s in New York and marrying this dude. And neither is Grace Manning, although I think she’ll be singing a different tune now that she’s seen Brooke at her worst. I guess what I’m trying to say is I wish I could shield you from the ugly parts of my life, but I won’t always be able to.” He swallowed hard and took my hands in his. “Knowing all that, do you still want to be with me, Jesse?”

I answered him without hesitation.

“For as long as you’ll have me, Danny, and I sure as hell hope that’s for good.”

He squeezed my hands in his and pressed his forehead against mine. “God, I want that. I want you! I’ve been so afraid to ask you because I thought you’d say no.” His hands came up to cradle my face. “So you promise me that we’ll deal with this? Together? No running away?”

I nodded and lifted my chin. “No running away. We’re in this, for better or worse.”

His lips curled up on the sides. “That sounds a little like a vow,” he said, playfully, while dropping kisses on my bottom lip and jaw.

I smiled up at him, raising an eyebrow. “It does, doesn’t it?”

He leaned back so he could look deeply into my eyes. “I’m going to fucking marry you, Jesse. I swear it. I hope you’re ready for it when the time comes.”

I giggled. I couldn’t help it when he was so serious. “Name a time and place, Danny. I’ll be the one in the dress.”  

His eyes bugged out and he clutched at his chest. “You mean it?! You will? Even after what I just said?”

I rolled my eyes. “The only way I would say no at this point is if you decided you were done with me. Or, I guess, if you decide to rekindle your relationship with Alex. I’m not sure I could compete with him.”

He laughed and picked me up, spun me around, and fell on the bed with me on top of him. He brushed my hair back out of my face and laughed.  “I told you he’s a sloppy kisser, and you’re an amazing kisser, so I think we’re safe from that fucking scenario.”

I gave him a non-serious look of scorn. “You keep bringing up his kissing skills, or lack of them. I think I’m going to have to make you give me the gory details.” I tickled him a little and he squirmed wildly.

He tossed me off him and pinned me down with my arms over my head. “You want me to talk?”

I nodded. “I think if we’re going to be married eventually, I should know about your sexual escapades. Especially with Alex! For all intents and purposes, he’ll be my brother-in-law, so it’s kind of weird that he kissed my future husband.”

He groaned and bit my neck, eliciting a gasp from me. “I fucking love it when the words ‘married’ and ‘husband’ cross your lips. Fine. I’ll give you the fucking gory details.”

I stopped struggling against his hold and looked up at him in anticipation. “We, uh, experimented a little. When we were younger. Like when we first left home.”

He blushed and I could tell that he was really worried about what I would think. He let go of my hands and I wrapped them around his waist, slipping my fingers under his waistband.

“Experimented, huh? I think I need more details.” Nothing disturbed me about this information. In fact, I thought it was exciting.

He cleared his throat nervously. “You sure about that?”

I nodded, licking my lips. “Danny, you are the sexiest man I have ever met. It would in no way surprise me to hear that straight men aren’t immune to your sensuality.”

He shook his head. “You are unbelievable,” he murmured, kissing me deeply. My hands slid further down, squeezing his perfect ass. He moaned softly and I could feel his arousal thickening.

“Did you have sex with him?”

He dropped his head on my shoulder and laughed. “No. Well, not totally. We couldn’t decide who should bottom, and I think we just kind of reached a point where we both said, ‘Nope, not interested,’ so we stopped. Then we went out, grabbed a couple of chicks, and looked at each other like, ‘Yep. Way better.’“

I could totally see that happening. “So you kissed, though. Anything else?”

He smiled, moving ever so slightly against me. “Aren’t you the curious kitten?”

I nibbled on his jaw and he ground a little harder. “I am curious. Did you touch each other?”

He nodded, slipping a hand under my shirt to caress my breast. “We did.”

I opened my legs a little further and he pressed hard against my core, like he really wanted inside. “Did you use that talented mouth on him,” I asked, feeling myself getting wet.

His eyes searched mine, perhaps unsure of what I’d think. “Yeah,” he said and I sighed.

“I bet he enjoyed that. You are so good with your tongue.”

His eyes rolled back in his head. “Jesus, Jesse. I never thought talking to you about being intimate with Alex would have this effect.”

I reached under him and unfastened his jeans. “Did he return the favor,” I murmured against his throat. When I touched him, he shivered.

“God, yes, he did. Fuck, Jesse! I love it when you touch me.” He moved against my hand and kissed me hard. Then he stilled, holding my face in his hands.

“Jesse, you need to know that I mean it when I say that no one, and I mean no one, has ever made me feel as good as you do. I don’t mind telling you this stuff. It’s surprisingly kinda hot. But I can honestly say that you’re the best I’ve ever had. Hands down, no competition.”

I smiled up at him. “I’m glad to hear you say that, but I wasn’t worried. If Alex was better than me, I don’t think we’d be here right now. Now roll over.”

He grinned and complied. He rolled onto his back with his hands behind his head, and watched me stand before him intently.

“I think we both have too much clothing on for this conversation, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve really missed being naked with you.”

His smile fell and he sat up. His hands came around my waist, pulling me close. “I’ve missed you, too. I was afraid you wouldn’t want me to touch you...”

“How about we show each other how much we missed each other,” I said hoarsely. “No more being afraid.”

He smiled up at me and proceeded to undress both of us. We spent the rest of the night getting reacquainted with each other’s bodies and all the things we loved to do together. When the first rays of the sun filtered in, we were still making love, covered in sweat and each other.

“I kept you up all night,” he panted.

I laughed. “You mean, I kept you up all night.”

He laughed, nuzzling my neck. “And I loved every minute of it. You can keep me up whenever you like, honey.”

We kissed lovingly and then Danny began to thrust into me like he meant business.  It was difficult not to scream when I came. It gave me a rush, like riding the downward path on a roller coaster. Danny watched me the whole time and when I smiled at him he pulled me over on top of him and I moved against him until his whole body was quaking, his head thrashing from side to side.

“Let go, baby,” I whispered, but his movements grew more desperate.

He gripped my hips hard enough that it caused me pain, but it felt so good to watch him experience such ecstasy. His head kicked back and he moaned.

“I love you, Jesse. I love you,” he cried over and over. Suddenly his eyes opened, he reached up to touch my face, and then his whole body bowed up off the bed. “Ahhh, God! GOD! Jesse, Jesse.” His breath was labored, his body slack.

I climbed off of him and he gasped. “I can’t even pull you over here, I’m so fucking spent. Hold me? Please?”

I pulled him over to me, using the last of my strength, so his head was resting on my chest. I stroked his back and laughed at the cries coming from him.

“I’ve died and gone to heaven,” was the last thing he mumbled before he finally fell asleep.

I rolled him off of me so I could use the bathroom. When I came out, I put on the t-shirt he took off last night and walked over to the window.

The sunrise was so beautiful. It left me feeling even more optimistic.

For once, Jane woke before Danny. She knocked quietly and I looked up from the book I was reading. She giggled when she saw him sprawled out on his stomach, his face turned to the side with his mouth open, snoring. I motioned her over and gave her a hug.

“I so want to mess with him right now,” she whispered.

I nodded and whispered some suggestions in her ear. She crept quietly into the bathroom and came back with my makeup bag. I handed her a bottle of nail polish and she painted his toenails and fingernails on his right side bright pink. He barely stirred. Next she lined his lips with my purple eyeliner, his eyebrows in dark pink lip liner, and finished off by writing “ROCK STAR” across his forehead. She grabbed his phone off the nightstand and took pictures before he woke up and all was lost. Her giggling must have disturbed him, because he rolled over on his back and rubbed at his mouth, smearing the lip color everywhere. I snorted and we both cracked up.

“What the hell,” he groaned, scowling.

Jane smiled sweetly and tried to hide the evidence. “Good morning, Daddy! Did you sleep well?” She was overdoing it with the cheese and he picked up on it.

“I slept fine, thank you. What are you doing up so early, acting so damn chipper?” He winked at me and pushed himself up to sit against the headboard. I tried not to gawk at the sight of him like that.

Jane sat on the end of the bed towards my side, still giggling. “It’s eleven o’clock! I’ve already had breakfast. Nora was going to take me and Legs to the ranch, but I wanted to give you a kiss first.” She skittered around to his side, kissed him quickly, and then hurried around to my side for protection.

Danny laughed at her behavior, only a little confused. Then he noticed the polish she’d left on the bedside table. He looked at his hands and feet and frowned. “Baby, this totally isn’t my color. It pales next to my skin. Didn’t you have anything brighter?”

She laughed hysterically, falling back on the bed and I knew she was only saved from a mauling by his lack of clothing.

“Oh, my sweet daughter...Beware what you start with your old man.”

She giggled, a little more nervous. “Gotta go! Love you! Oh! Can we go do something this afternoon? I wanna hang out with you. And Jesse. Bye!” She shut the door behind her and I felt Danny’s eyes on me.

“How bad is it?” he asked, stretching out and rolling over towards me.

I covered my mouth with a hand to hide my smile. “I believe there’s some damning evidence on your phone.”

He rolled his eyes and leaned over to grab his phone, exposing his delicious skin and delectable ass. I noticed I’d left teeth marks the night before. Oops. I put my book aside so I could fully appreciate the view.

“Nice touch with the forehead tattoo,” he chuckled, setting the phone aside. He reached for me and pulled me up against him, essentially trapping me so he could interrogate me. I reached for a tissue to try to get some of the makeup off. It was hard to take him seriously with writing on his forehead.

“So what was your role in this? Co-conspirator? Accessory? Or were you an innocent bysleeper?”

I wiggled, trying to get loose, but he had a good hold on me and used his bulk to keep me pinned beneath him. He yanked his shirt off me with one hand while using the other to keep me from escaping. He kissed my neck, shoulders and breasts enthusiastically, his version of coercion.

“I swear, I had nothing to...Ok, maybe she used my makeup, but it was all her...I might have told her where it was, but she intimidated me. Hey, I didn’t think cops were allowed to use excessive force,” I said the last part with a groan as he entered me deeply. Even after our marathon session the night before, I welcomed him with a happy sigh. “What happens if I plead the fifth, officer?”

He kissed me hard on the lips and then pulled back. “Vell, ve have vays of makink you talk,” he said as he moved down my body, nibbling, sucking, and kissing.  Until he got to my hips.

“Did I do this? Shit, Jesse!” He noticed the bruises from his fingers.

I laughed and said, “Police brutality! Police brutality!” He frowned, looking really upset so I grabbed his jaw and made him look at me. “Baby, I loved it. I’m fine. I just bruise easy. And you were going to make me talk, remember?”

Once he could tell I really was fine, he grinned wickedly. He got to work, and with his skills, he had me singing like a canary in no time. It didn’t take much more effort on his part for me to give him a full confession. He worked me over until he was completely satisfied there was nothing left to add to the story.  He said I could go free, since I was a good little prisoner, and I was rewarded with a shower.  After we dressed, I was fed a delicious breakfast. By hand. I made sure to savor every bite and nibble every one of his fingers.

“I fucking love you, honey. I feel so good after last night. In so many ways,” he said with a mischievous smile.

“Me, too, baby,” I answered, leaning forward to link my fingers around his neck. “So let’s talk schedule.”

He stepped closer to my barstool and leaned in close. “Absolutely, although mine is pretty set. Breakfast with my ladies, studio with my boys, home to make love to my woman.” His hands started to get busy, so I slapped at them.

“Serious talk time, mister! Now, I know what your schedule is, and I know Jane’s going to horse camp until Friday, but I also go back to work on Tuesday.”

His smile was gone and he was all serious. “Work. Right. I forgot.” He pulled back a little and leaned his elbows on the counter. “Do you know what your schedule is going to be like?”

“I think Gloria has me scheduled to work Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. I’ll work from eight to three, and then I was thinking of talking to the dance studio to see if I could have flexibility with my nights. Nora said her cooking will be on Wednesdays and Thursdays. I was going to see if I could teach Mondays and Tuesdays so I can be here with Jane.”

Danny smiled at me and then shook his head. “You are so fucking good to me.” He leaned over to kiss me lightly on the lips and I almost lost my focus.

“I just want to help. Anyway, this week, I’m going to go to acupuncture and the doctor tomorrow, training Tuesday through Thursday, and Friday I was going to go clean up the rest of my apartment. Nora said she’d come help me.”

Danny took my hands in his. “I’ll come help. I can tell the guys—”

“There’s really not much more to do. It’s fine.”

He exhaled, frustrated, and then nodded. “Okay.” He walked around behind me and rubbed my shoulders. “You know what I like about your schedule?” He spoke close to my ear, giving me shivers.

“What do you like about it?” I asked, enjoying his touch.

“You will have four days off each week. It’ll make it easy for you to fly out and spend weekends with me when I’m on tour.”

I turned to face him, a surprised smile on my face. “Really? You’d want me to?” I attempted to hide my excitement.

“Of course, honey! I’d love for you to be with me all the time, but I know you have to work. It might not be possible when we’re in Europe, but when we’re here in the states, hell yeah I’m going to want you with me! We’ve already decided to only be out two or three weeks and then a week home. I want you to send your school calendar to Patricia when you have it so she can work her magic. Oh, and if you don’t already have a passport, I’ll want you to go with Patricia to get one.”

I snorted. “Oh yeah, because I’ve had so much need for a passport. I’ll talk to her about it. But why?”

He grinned like he had been busy making plans. “I have my reasons,” was all he would say.

We spent some time doing business type stuff. I pulled up my calendar and sent it to Patricia using Danny’s computer in the office.  I sat on his lap, at his insistence, and he told me a little bit about the business of being Danny Black.  He slid on his reading glasses. Very hot.

“So Patricia handles the band stuff, but she also handles a lot of my personal business.”  He ran his hand up and down my back while scanning his email. He flipped through the snail mail and sorted it. Bills, music catalogs, requests for donations, invitations to appearances. The stack was pretty hefty.

“I know she handles your schedule, but what other kind of business?”  

He laughed, shaking his head.  ”Taking my girlfriend shopping, finding rehearsal space and booking it for a bunch of ruffians that live next door to my girlfriend.  Well, used to.  Let’s see, helping me order jewelry for my girlfriend.”  I pinched his side and he jumped, almost knocking us out of the chair.  

“I get it that she takes care of stuff for your girlfriend,” I said with an exaggerated eye roll.  ”I’m just curious what else?”  

“Ah, she helps me with my finances, she oversees my accountant, insurance, stuff like that.  She helps me hire people I might need, like my attorney.  Pretty much she’s my go-to girl.  Nora, on the other hand, is my business partner and personal assistant.  We make decisions about the house together.  She pays the bills, handles household maintenance, oversees the cleaners when they come...We do have a cleaning crew that comes through once a month, taking care of the heavy-duty stuff that Nora hates to do.  She schedules the gardeners.  She handles the dry-cleaning.  She’ll be Janey’s chauffeur for all of her stuff. You’ve already seen that.  Pretty much she’s the boss. I just live here.”  

I giggled and kissed his temple.  ”So what’s my job, then?  Seems like other competent women already take all of the jobs in your life.  Speaking of which, do you consciously surround yourself with women?  I think it’s really cool. I was just wondering if you did it on purpose.”  

He made a face and then laughed.  ”Wow, I guess I hadn’t thought of it that way.  Does that make me a mama’s boy?”  More pinching from me.  ”Ow! I guess it started with Patricia. Nora came with the house. Jordan and Connie came with the territory.  My accountant is a dude. My band members are dudes.  I’m an equal opportunist.” He wrapped his arms around me and rested his head on my shoulder.  

“You have the most important job,” he murmured, the rumble of his voice giving me shivers.  There was a time when he couldn’t speak, when I didn’t know what his voice even sounded like.  Now I got to hear it and feel it.  No wonder I was so in love with him.  He assaulted all of my senses.

“And what does my job description say?” I asked in a low voice.  

His lips spread into a most sexy smile and he said, “To love, honor and cherish me. To hold me in sickness and in health...”

“Hey, those are vows, buddy!”  

“Hmmmm,” he murmured. “How about sleep aide, muse, swim partner, masseuse, hair washer, well, total body bather...”  He kept on with his list, getting quite graphic, but then he stopped and smiled again.  ”And most importantly, my best friend, my sounding board, and, of course, my teacher.  That’s how you started, that’s who you’ll always be, because you’ve taught me so much, honey.”  He was so sweet.  I had been determined not to cry anymore, but my eyes welled up with tears. “I didn’t mean to make you cry. It’s just the truth, honey.”  I sniffled and he kissed me.  And kissed me again.  And some more.  He lifted me onto his desk and started assaulting my neck when we heard the front door open.

“You guys home?” Nora yelled, probably meaning “are you guys decent?”  

Danny smirked and said, “We’ll have to save this for another time.  Mmmm, don’t think I’ll be able to work in here without thinking of you on top of...”

“Hi Daddy!” Jane came running in and I turned to hide my blush.  

“Baby girl!  How was the ranch?”  He gave her a big hug and she beamed up at him.

“Great as usual!  But I think I need new riding pants.”  She pointed down at her legs and the bottoms barely reached the top of her boots.  

Danny barked out a laugh.  ”Yeah, I would say so!  The flood waters are coming in!”  She slugged him in the arm.  ”Ow! How about we go this afternoon?  Do you need anything else?”  

She shook her head.  ”Well, yeah.  Maybe some boots? Tall boots? Mine are getting tight.”  

I reached down and felt to see where her big toe was and all her toes were pushing against the front. “These are way too tight.”  

Danny nodded at both of us.  ”Well, that settles it.  Let’s go to the country and western store.  I better get mah Ropers and mah Wranglers on, little darlins.”  

Jane groaned and I cracked up at Danny’s bowlegged cowboy walk down the hallway.  He even turned and tipped a pretend Stetson at us, and then he fake spat.

“My dad is such a weirdo,” Jane groaned.  

I hugged her close and said, “Yes, but he’s our weirdo.”  

She looked up at me quizzically.  ”Everything ok with you two?” she whispered.  

I frowned down at her, smoothing her hair back. “Why do you ask?  Yes, we’re fine, but what made you think something was wrong?”  

She shrugged and rested her head on my chest.  ”My dad seemed kinda depressed. You did too, I guess.  Is it always like this when you’re in love?  The ups and downs?”  

I kissed her hair and rested my chin. “I think so.  At least that’s what I’m learning.  But I hope he and I won’t have too many of the downs.  It’s just been a tough adjustment for us both, but I think we’ve worked things out.  Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.  Certainly not without a fight.”  

She smiled at me and squeezed. “Good!  Because I love you, Jesse.  I don’t want you to go.”  

I smiled at her and said, “I love you, too.  And the only place we’re going is to get your new supplies!  Let’s git along little dowggie!”  I smacked her butt and she scooted out of the room, laughing.

Danny in the Western Supply Depot was almost as bad as Danny in the drug store.  

“Hey darlin’,” he called out to Janey, continuing with his horrible attempt at a Texas drawl.  ”You think I need a ten gallon or a twenty gallon hat?  Maybe they make a keg sized one.”  Then he held up the gaudiest Western shirts and asked, “Honey pie, think I should git me some of these to wear on tour?”  

I grabbed my forehead and shook my head.  Jane leaned into me and tried to hide.  

“I think this hot pink one with all the sparklies is totally me!  Oh shit, this one’s a chick shirt.  Dayam! Can’t tell the difference.”