Unwritten Rules (26 page)

She was sitting on the couch, flicking through some vacation brochures that she’d brought. She didn’t look up when we settled down. I curled up in Jonah’s lap, resting my head on his chest as I looked over at J.J. She exhaled, and turned the page sharply.

“What are you doing?” I questioned, wondering

where she was planning to travel to.

“Christmas,” she muttered. “Please tel me we

don’t have to stay around here for Christmas. I hate the cold, the snow, the tourists, and al those freaking sparkly lights! Australia! Let’s lounge on the beach on Christmas morning. Now that would be awesome!”

“I, um...”

“Come on El e. I’ve never been to Australia. Are you in?”

“Actual y, no,” I breathed, feeling Jonah shift underneath me. “I have plans.”

“What plans? Staying here and getting naked with the inked recluse?”

Jonah snorted, but didn’t comment. He left J.J. for me to deal with.

“I’m going home for Christmas. Back to my mom

and the beach. I’m tied up for New Years too.

Sorry.”

“Ergh,” she winced. “The beach in winter is

depressing. Why won’t you come with me?”

I took a moment, knowing I should have asked him first, but decided now was as good a time as any. “I’m going home, J.J. I’m taking Jonah to meet my mom.”

Her eyes went wide as they shot over to Jonah. I braced myself, hoping I hadn’t just screwed everything up. I calmed down the moment he hugged me tight and

whispered “You are?” into my ear.

“Yes.”

He held me tight. I snuggled closer to him, love washing over me. Jonah may not have been able to verbalize his feelings just yet, but there was no denying that he did have them. Taking him home was a big step, one I was excited to take.

J.J. had been annoyed, flat out cal ing it desertion. She’d acted like a petulant teenager, pouting and snapping at Jonah and I. I later learned it was because she’d ended her relationship with Elijah the night before, so the idea of sticking around New York, alone at Christmas, was too much for her. Being the good friend I have always been, I invited her home with us. Though she protested, I knew she was secretly relieved.

Then it was Jonah’s turn to pout. After assuring him that we would stil have plenty of alone time, he eased up, even though he was not happy about sharing me with J.J.

My mom was ecstatic; for the first time in years she would have a ful house to fuss over. She cal ed me every day to ask what my friends enjoyed eating and how long we were staying. She even asked whether Jonah and I would be sharing my room; I had mumbled an embarrassed yes. I was nervous about them meeting, but not as much as I was about meeting his family. Jonah had promised me it would be fine, but it did little to relieve my anxiety. I was petrified.

Jonah had been on cloud nine since that initial phone cal to his mom. He’d cal ed them every couple of days since. He was happier, but it wasn’t al smooth sailing. I received a cal from him a few days ago that caused my blood to run cold. He could barely speak, his breathing was erratic. He’d had another anxiety attack. Scared, yet pleased he’d cal ed me, I’d raced up to his apartment. I was reassured when he opened the door, but his complexion was ashen, and quick gasps wracked his chest. Seeing him like that forced me into autopilot. I grabbed a paper bag from his kitchen along with his medication from the bathroom. Just like before, I waited with him, soothing him and stroking his back as he tried to regulate his breathing. I knew that talking to his parents wasn’t going to make everything al right, but this attack seemed so random. It wasn’t until Jonah calmed down that I found out what sparked the attack. It turned out he’d been talking to Quinn via a webcam, and after his brother had signed off Jonah had lost al sense of composure. I was worried about him but knew setbacks were inevitable given his past. The three of us spent Thanksgiving together,

getting drunk and eating junk food. It wasn’t the most traditional celebration, but it was the best one I’d experienced in a very long time. Even J.J. and Jonah managed to get along better. It seemed the more intoxicated they were, the more they liked each other, so I made a mental note to make sure Mom had plenty of liquor.

“Are we nearly there yet?” J.J. wailed from the backseat of the car.

“Christ, you’re worse than a toddler!” Jonah

moaned, rol ing his eyes in my direction.

I gritted my teeth, knowing we would be home in another ten minutes. We’d been driving for hours, and the closer to my childhood home we got, the more fractious my passengers became. Repeating the mantra of “we’re almost there” wasn’t helping any longer, so I gritted my teeth and took in the scenery. I rol ed down the window, ignoring J.J.’s protests of how cold it was, because I wanted to smel the air. I took a large gulp of the salty breeze, tasting the tang of the sea and knowing I was home. Jonah’s hand squeezed my thigh, sensing my relief.

“You okay, Red?”

I nodded, rather self-conscious from the tears shining in my eyes.

“Want me to take over driving?”

“I’m good. We’l be there in a few minutes

anyway.”

“Thank God!” J.J. cheered, kicking the back of my seat. “I’m starving. I need out of this box! Your cat’s snoring is grating on my nerves.”

“How the hel are you going to manage driving this back to New York alone?” Jonah snorted, knowing he was going to get her riled up with his question.

J.J. booted Jonah’s seat, hissing then adding,

“Jerk.”

I turned onto a smal lane, just off the beach. There were only three houses. My mom’s was the closest to the sea. I put the car in park and hadn’t even removed my seat belt before J.J. jumped out. The second the cold air hit her she began moaning.

“Oh, quit it, J.J.! If al you’re going to do is complain, then you need to go home now.”

I opened the backdoor, lifting Meow’s cat carrier from the seat. Jonah walked around to meet me, looping his arms around my waist, putting his back to my sul en friend.

“Ignore her,” he uttered loud enough for her to hear. “She’s just being crabby.”

“She’s getting on my last nerve,” I ground out, relaxing the moment his lips touched mine.

The kiss made my head spin, and al angry

thoughts dispersed. I pushed my free hand into the back pocket of his jeans but felt a tap on my shoulder.

“What?” I questioned J.J. as she was pointing

over to the house.

I turned to see Mom coming down the steps of the porch, smiling and rubbing her hands in glee. Her tightly curled, red hair was slowly turning white and was set with enough hairspray that it didn’t move in the wind. She was always pristine in her appearance, and apart from the apron she was wearing, today was no different. She hurried over, arms outstretched waiting to embrace me. I raced to her like a child leaving school at the end of the day.

“Oh, darling! It’s so good to have you home.”

She hugged me tight, her floral perfume

encompassing me. My mom had worn the same perfume for as long as I could remember. I recal ed times when I’d been upset as a young child, and her smel alone had soothed me. I had been nervous and worried about what she would think of Jonah, but being in her arms calmed me.

“My, he’s a handsome one, isn’t he?”

I giggled, loosening her hold and turning her

around to meet Jonah. He was shuffling awkwardly, staring down at the ground and rubbing the back of his neck. I held my hand out to him, hoping to ease his distress. His grip was harsh, but his hand was trembling as he spoke up.

“Thank you for inviting us, Mrs. Sampson. It’s good to meet you.”

He shook my mom’s hand, but held back when

she tried to hug him. I should have warned her to tread careful y with him, but I was afraid to give her the wrong impression of him before they met.

J.J. wasn’t so reserved, though. She pushed us both out of the way, smiling widely at my mother, and introducing herself with a smal flick of her hair. They began to chat, instantly striking up a connection. My mom questioned her about her career as a makeup artist, where she got her coat from, and how we’d met, among other things. I was relieved that they hit it off, unlike her and Jonah. I took his hand, leading him into the house and showing them both where to hang their coats.

“I have some hot chocolate ready for you al .

Marshmal ows?”

I nodded, placing Meow’s carrier on the floor and opening the metal door. Meow strol ed out, arching his back and meowing loudly. Knowing he was content enough, I began heaping everyone’s bags by the stairs and watched Jonah. He was shuffling again. J.J. strol ed around the room, checking out the photographs in the recently dusted silver frames. While she was occupied, I grabbed Jonah’s arm and tugged him toward the stairs. He frowned at me, tilting his head at the kitchen.

“I’m just showing you around,” I said innocently. He scowled. I could see he didn’t believe me, and I wondered what he thought I was up to. He ascended the stairs behind me, placing his hands on my hips. When we reached the top I turned and placed a kiss on the tip of his nose.

“Are you alright?”

“Sure. I feel a little strange...uncomfortable, even, but you don’t need to worry.”

“I do, and I don’t want you to retreat into yourself here. I want my mom to see just how wonderful you are.”

“I’l try,” he sighed. “I real y wil . Now, do I get to see your bedroom?” He waggled his brows, gaining a giggle from me as we moved into my bedroom.

“We’re not teenagers, Jonah. This room isn’t a secret sanctuary that you get guy points for seeing.”

“Guy points? Real y?”

I dismissed him, opening the door and walking

inside. Jonah stood in the entrance, gazing around the room, bracing his hands on the top of the frame. The action stretched his torso, lifting his navy, long sleeve t-shit so that I got a flash of his navel. My mouth watered at the sight. I began mental y unbuckling his belt buckle.

“You have that glint, Red,” he said, his tone a warning. “Starting something here and now is not a good idea.”

I sat down on the edge of my bed, noting Mom

had purchased some new lilac colored sheets for me, and crooked my finger at him. A war waged in his head; I could see it play across his face, but it didn’t take him long before he prowled closer me.

“You shouldn’t tease me.” His words were a mere whisper as he placed his hands on the bed on either side of my hips. I had to lean backward in order to see his face, realizing he’d gotten me exactly where he wanted. Jonah crawled up my body and hovered over me; his blue eyes glinting playful y.

“I wasn’t teasing. I was just beckoning you closer so that you could see the thread count of my new sheets.”

“Not buying it,” he chuckled, skimming his nose across my jaw.

I stroked the back of his neck; my fingers toying with hair. “My mom is going to adore you, you know that right?” He tensed as I placed a light kiss on his lips. “I know you have trust issues, but she just wants to get to know you

– to make sure you’re good enough for her only child.”

“I’m not good enough,” he whined, flipping onto his back. “She’l see that when she knows the truth.”

“You have to stop feeling like this.” I moved onto my side, placing my hand on his chest. “I understood, and I know my mom wil too. No one in this house is going to condemn you for what happened ten years ago.”

“Is this where that trust thing you’re always tel ing me about comes into play?”

The side of his mouth was tilting up, lightening the conversation, even though the subject was serious. I shifted closer and began nibbling along his rough jaw. The stubble was harsh against my lips, but the contact shot sparks in one direction: to the apex of my thighs. Staying in this room with Jonah over the next week, and remaining quiet, was not going to be easy. I started to question whether staying in a motel would have been better, though it would have upset Mom if I’d done that.

“So...” Jonah drawled. “Am I the first man you’ve had in this bed?”

I swal owed, knowing he wasn’t going to like the answer.

“Your silence worries me. Should I be hunting for notches on the bedpost?”

I shoved at his chest, but squealed when he

began tickling at my sides. I begged him to stop, rol ing around the bed in an attempt to get free from his torturous ministrations.

“Tel me and I’l stop,” he laughed, but there was a need underlining his words.

It was important to him. I giggled, pul ing away and shouting a response. “Two! Just two!”

A solitary brow rose as he asked who. The

atmosphere turned serious.

“I don’t think it matters
who
, but I’l give in. One was a boyfriend, James, when I was twenty-one, the other was Nathan. I don’t bring every guy I’ve ever slept with home.”

He nodded, rol ing onto his side and stared out of the window. I stroked my knuckles down his cheek and asked, “What’s wrong, Jonah? No one else matters. They are the past. Why are you jealous?”

“I don’t know,” he uttered. “I guess being here is already making me homesick. I can see how much you and your mom love each other. I don’t mean to be miserable. Sorry, baby.”