Step-Lover

I think we deserve that.

~*~*~*~

“Aria?”

I blink, confused.

“Aria honey? Wake up.”

Huh? I shift and realize I’m wrapped in a wall of hot, hard male. I smile remembering last night, and slowly untangle myself from Blade’s arms.

“Aria?”

Shit.

I jerk upright remembering the voice. Mom. Oh god, Mom is at my door. I spin quickly, yelling out, “Ah, one second, Mom.”

“I’m coming in.”

No. Oh my god.

“No,” I cry out so loud Blade jerks awake. “I’m, ah, naked. Let me get changed.”

“Okay, five minutes.”

I turn to Blade and rasp, “My mom is here, which probably means your dad is here.”

“Fuck,” he mutters, throwing himself out of the bed.

I only get a moment to enjoy the amazing view that is Blade naked before Mom knocks again. “Come on, honey, it’s exciting news.”

Please tell me she’s not pregnant. I’d shoot myself.

“Coming!”

I turn to Blade. “You have to leave!”

“You’re two stories up. What do you think I’m going to do? Jump out the window?”

Shit.

“Go into the bathroom. I’ll get rid of her.”

He runs about, getting his clothes, then he ducks into the bathroom, shutting the door quietly. I dress and run my fingers through my hair, before doing a quick scour of the room. Then, I open the door. Mom is standing in the hall and when she sees me, she smiles big.

“Morning sleepyhead.”

“Ah, hey Mom,” I murmur. “How did you get in?”

“Melanie let me in. She’s making coffee. Come out here. I want to tell you something.”

“Please tell me you’re not pregnant.”

She snort-laughs. “Honey, I’m far too old for that.”

Yes, yes you are.

“Then what is it that was so important that you had to wake me?”

She scoffs and wraps her arm around my shoulder. “Stop that complaining and give your momma five minutes of your time.”

“You’re lucky I love you,” I grumble.

We step out into the kitchen and I see Jack sitting at the counter while Melanie chats happily to him. When we step out, they both turn. “Morning sunshine!” Melanie chirps, taking me in. She stops at my neck and her eyes widen. She rushes over, shocking me by throwing her arms around my neck. Then she whispers. “You have a mega hickey, pull your hair down.”

Shit.

I let her go and quickly rearrange my hair. Mom doesn’t notice but Jack, oh, he’s staring at me with an expression that tells me he totally saw my hickey. Crap. I turn away and look to Mom. “So, what’s the big news?”

“Jack and I bought a house!” she squeals.

I blink.

“P-p-pardon?”

“A house,” she cries. “We bought a house.”

“But . . . you have a house.”

“This one is amazing, Aria,” she smiles. “It has five bedrooms and paddocks. Paddocks! For horses.”

Well yes, that’s usually what paddocks are for.

She looks so happy, so damned happy that I can’t help but smile. “I’m happy for you, Mom.”

She beams and hugs me. I hug her back and meet Jack’s eyes. He mouths we’re going to talk and I swallow. Eek. I pull back and beam at her. “When do you move in?”

“In a month! We’ll have a big party. It’s right down the road from Jessica. I’m so happy.”

My guilt swarms me. Jessica is her best friend; she’s also a judgy bitch when she wants to be. It’s not that, though. It’s her smile. It’s her happiness. It’s killing me, because what Blade and I are doing could bring it all to it’s knees. I push the guilt away and keep a smile on my face all the way through a coffee.

Then I lie that I have to go to school and rush back to my room after saying goodbye to them.

Blade is sitting on my bed when I slip in and he looks up at me. “I heard what she said.”

I flop down beside him. “I feel awful, Blade.”

He takes my hand. “We’ll work it out, just . . . give it time.”

“And until then?” I say, meeting his eyes.

“Until then, it’s just me and you, Tulip.”

Great.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

“Have a good afternoon, everyone.”

We all stand from our chairs and make our way out of the classroom. It’s been a long day; I’ve had four lessons and I’m buggered. Usually I’d go home, but today I’m feeling a special kind of anticipation. I’m feeling it because I get to see Blade. We’ve effectively managed to keep our relationship hidden for one week, and it’s been an amazing seven days.

I smile just thinking about how amazing he makes me feel.

I hurry towards the parking lot but stop when someone calls my name. I turn and see Yates hurrying down the hall towards me. Dammit. I’d had a coffee with him, told him things were good and I’d moved on, but he isn’t taking that hint. He stops when he reaches me, and he smiles, and I can’t help but feel a little sorry for him. He is a good guy; I’m just not the right kind of girl for him.

“Hey, Yates.”

“How was class?” he asks.

He falls in step beside me as I walk towards the doors. “It was great. Yours?”