Wicked Beat

Chapter 28

Eric gave Trey an odd look when he returned to the table. Trey had the hugest, self-indulgent grin on his face. He’d obviously been up to something. This was Trey after all. He was always up to something.

“Where’ve you been?” Sed asked Trey.

“Making room for seconds,” Trey said, his smile broadening further. He patted his flat belly with both hands.

Isaac sat down, wincing slightly as his butt settled in the chair.

He glanced at Rebekah and blushed to the roots of his carefully arranged curls. Except his hair wasn’t immaculate anymore. It looked as if someone had been running their fingers through it. Eric turned his attention back to Trey. Still grinning. And then back to Isaac.

Still blushing.

No way. Those two couldn’t possibly… Eric shook his head to settle his thoughts somewhere other than the nearest gutter. Dr.

Perfect and Trey Mills? It simply wasn’t possible. They had been gone for twenty minutes. Odd that they returned at the same time.

Eric caught Trey’s eye, and he winked at Eric. Eric shot a pointed look in Isaac’s direction, and Trey shrugged as if he didn’t get what he was asking, but his smile never wavered.

Rebekah took Isaac’s hand. “Are you okay? What took you so long? I was starting to worry.”

“Oh nothing,” he said, avoiding eye contact. “I’m feeling better now.”

“Are you sick?”

Isaac glanced at Trey and blushed again. “Probably.”

“Do you want to go?” Rebekah asked. “I can take you home.”

He shook his head. “No. That would be rude. Your mother worked so hard to put this wonderful meal together, and your friends want to spend time with you.”

“Think nothing of it,” Mrs. B said. “If you’re feeling poorly, you should go lie down, dear.”

Eric wondered if she’d ever refer to him as dear. Not likely. Not even if he and Rebekah had still been together. Not that Rebekah would ever dump Dr. Perfect for him. Eric glanced at her, his heart in his throat, and then picked at his mashed potatoes.

“You’re a fantastic cook, Mrs. B,” Brian said. “Even better than my wife.”

It earned him a glare from Myrna, but he hugged her and kissed her temple, and all was forgiven.

“You better eat more than that, Myr. You’re eating for two now.” With his fork, Brian poked a piece of ham on his plate and shifted it to hers. He then rubbed a hand over her flat stomach. She smiled at him, the love between them tangible.

“Actually, I’m eating for one, plus a little bitty future rock god about the size of the tip of your finger.”

“He’s that small?”

Eric chuckled at the astonished expression on Brian’s face.

“Yep,” she said. “For now.”

Brian touched Myrna’s face tenderly, and Eric diverted his gaze so he didn’t have to watch their PDA. “Maybe you’d rather have turkey,” Brian said. “Sed, pass the turkey this way.”

Sed was eating more than enough for two, while Jessica picked at her food and chatted with Mr. B about something political or lawyerly.

Sed grunted an affirmation and passed the platter of turkey in Brian’s direction. Brian forked a large piece of turkey onto Myrna’s plate.

Myrna chuckled. “You’re bound and determined to make me fat, aren’t you?”

“I just want you happy and healthy.”

Her fingertips resting on Brian’s jaw, she kissed her husband tenderly. “Mission accomplished.”

Eric’s attention turned to Rebekah. She stared at her plate with a sad expression. He knew she was thinking about never being able to have kids. Shouldn’t Dr. Perfect be comforting her about now? The jackass. Eric extended his foot beneath the table and touched her instep. She glanced up and he smiled at her. She smiled back, gave Isaac a wistful glance, and lowered her gaze to her plate. Eric wanted to get her alone. Hold her. He didn’t care if she didn’t return his affections. He simply could not stand to see her gloomy. He missed her smile. He’d do anything to see it again. Even make silly faces at her.

She giggled after he’d made several stupid faces in an attempt to cheer her up. He didn’t give a shit if Mrs. B rolled her eyes a hundred times.

After dinner, they retired to the living room to play charades.

Eric’s favorite of all games. He settled next to Rebekah on the sofa.

Dr. Save-the-World sat on her opposite side. Her warmth. Her scent.

Her mere presence drove Eric to distraction. He really hoped she was happy with her doctor guy, because Eric was absolutely miserable.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” Rebekah asked.

For a second, he thought she was asking Isaac. He glanced at her, and she smiled hopefully.

She was asking him. Eric’s heart leapt into his throat. “Yeah.”

She jumped to her feet and headed for the front door. Eric followed at a half-run.

“Rebekah, where are you going?” Mrs. B called after Rebekah with a look of stern disapproval.

“I’ll be back soon.”

Eric took Rebekah’s hand as they walked down the deserted street. It was a little chilly, but he doubted Rebekah would like him to wrap his arm around her shoulders and draw her against his side for warmth.

“I’m not sure where to begin,” she said.

He was. “Are you really going to marry Isaac?” he blurted.

She stopped short. “Where did you ever get that idea? Did my mother tell you that?”

“No, you told me that.”

“I did not. He did ask me, but I told him no. I told him you were my boyfriend. That I loved you. And you… You never even bothered to call me after our fight. I thought I meant something to you, Eric.” She planted a fist on either hip and glared at him in the light of a nearby street lamp.

“You mean everything to me. And I did call you, Rebekah. A thousand times I called you, even after you texted me and told me to fuck off and that you were marrying Isaac.”

“What? You liar,” she yelled. “I never texted that.”

“Yes, you did. And then Isaac answered your phone and told me you didn’t want to talk to me and that I should never call you again.”

She hesitated. “Isaac answered my phone? When?”

“A couple hours after I saw you kiss him.”

“I didn’t kiss him! He kissed me.”

“Well, you didn’t stop him!”

“I didn’t get the chance. You punched him before I could retaliate.”

Now Eric hesitated. “You didn’t want him to kiss you?”

“No. I love you, you fucking idiot. Why would I want to kiss another man?”

Eric panted heavily, a mixture of anger and confusion and joy.

She loved him. Sure, she had called him a fucking idiot, but she loved him. He almost believed her, but the hurt of the past few days made him hesitate. “If you love me so much, why did you hang up on me?”

“I would never hang up on you. Never. I wanted you to call, so we could work things out.”

“Then why didn’t you call me?”

“Isaac made me think that you didn’t want to talk to me.”

Eric’s fists clenched. “That little weasel.”

“Did you really call me after our fight?”

“Yes. Like I said, I called you around a thousand times.”

“I think I would have noticed if you called a thousand times, Eric. You never called me. Not once. I even slept with my phone so I wouldn’t miss your call.”

“Maybe there’s something wrong with your phone. I called you, Rebekah. I did.”

“There’s nothing wrong with my phone. I’ve used it several times today.” She pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and flipped through her missed calls. “There’s nothing from you,” she said. “A bunch of calls from an unknown number, but not a single call from you.”

“That’s weird. Let me try now.”

He took out his phone and dialed her number. The screen lit up, but there was no sound. Her display said caller unknown.

“Answer it,” he said.

She answered. “Hello.”

“That fuckin’ jerk,” Eric grumbled into his phone.

“What?”

“Don’t you get what he did?”

“Who?”

“Isaac—who else?”

“What?”

“He changed my ringtone to silent and my name to caller unknown. Programmed it right into your phone.”

Her eyes widened. “What? Why would he do that?”

“To get rid of me.”

“I can’t believe he’d do something like that!”

“Believe it.”

They stared at each other for a long moment.

“I love you, Rebekah.”

“I love you too, Eric.”

They were standing next to each other talking on their cell phones. “Bye.”

He disconnected and then flipped through the messages on his phone. “Did you send me this?”

She read the saved text on his screen: Fuck you, asshole. I never want to see you again. She shook her head, her eyes filled with tears.

“That’s horrible. Don’t you know I’d never say anything like that to you? I love you so much. The past five days have been pure hell.”

Eric wrapped her in his arms and drew her against the length of his body. “I can’t believe how sneaky that guy is. I want to wring his fucking neck.”

Rebekah shook her head. “I’ll talk to him. He’s my best friend.

He must have a good reason to do something like that.”

“Yeah, he’s a selfish prick who wants you for himself. That’s his reason.”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about Isaac anymore.

Kiss me,” she whispered. “Please, Eric. Kiss me and never stop.”

Eric drew her against him and captured her lips in a searing kiss.

She clung to him. He could taste her tears as she rubbed her lips against his desperately. “Let’s never fight again,” she murmured into his mouth.

“Agreed.”

“And if we do, we talk about it face-to-face right away. No phone calls.”

“Agreed.”

“I love you,” she said.

“Agreed.”

She laughed, and he smiled. He stroked her hair away from her face and kissed the tears from her cheeks.

“Why aren’t you wearing the jewelry I gave you?” he asked. It had been another thing that had slashed at his soul every time he looked at her.

“I took it off before we went to the shelter. I thought it would be pretty tacky to wear something that expensive in front of people who have nothing. And then I got so busy helping make dinner when we came home that I forgot to put it back on.”

“That’s all it was?” he asked.

She nodded.

He kissed her deeply. “I thought it meant we were through.”

She shook her head, breaking their kiss, but only for a brief moment. “Let’s go back to your place,” she said.

“What about your guests?”

“You’re the only guest that mattered to me.”

“Shouldn’t we confront Isaac?”

“I’ll talk to him later. Right now I don’t want to even think about him, much less look at him. I’ll probably punch him in the nose.”

“I’d like that.” Eric lifted her into his arms and continued to kiss her as he carried her to the car. “They’ll come looking for us if we don’t tell them we’re leaving.”

“I’ll call them while you drive,” Rebekah said.

He opened the door to Rebekah’s car and slipped her into the passenger seat. “I hope you have keys.”

She flipped the visor down, and a set of keys tumbled into her lap. “Drive like a maniac. I want to get you in bed as soon as possible.”

He had no problem fulfilling that request. While he navigated the streets, Rebekah called her mother. Eric tried not to let her argument bother him, but it did.

“I didn’t call you to discuss this, Mother. I called to let you know that I left with Eric, and I didn’t want you to worry.”

Eric caught snatches of her mother’s tirade. “I raised you better than this… acting like a little slut… I can’t believe you’d just leave Isaac here by himself… You’ll be lucky if he ever speaks to you again…”

“He’ll be lucky if I don’t cut his balls off with a rusty knife.”

Eric chuckled. He caught the flash of Rebekah’s white smile in a streetlight. “I’ll be by tomorrow to pick up my stuff. Tell everyone good-bye for me.”

“And me!” Eric said enthusiastically.

He swore he heard Mrs. B emit a long line of swear words just before Rebekah ended the call.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked, reaching across the car to place a comforting hand on the back of her neck. “I don’t have much experience with mothers, but I think it’s important to keep them happy.”

“I wish she’d think of my happiness. I think she believes she’s doing what’s right for me, but Isaac never made me happy. Not the way you do. He did take good care of me, and I feel obligated not to be mean to him—”

“I don’t.”

Rebekah laughed. “He is being a royal dick, isn’t he? I wonder why.”

“Like I said, he wants you for himself.”

“Well, he isn’t going to have me.” She squeezed Eric’s knee.

“I’m yours.”

Eric’s heart fluttered like a caged bird. “Reb?”

“Yeah.”

“Since we’re back to being honest with each other.”

“Yeah.”

“Why did you change your hair color?”

She sighed loudly. “It’s just a rinse. Dad asked me to make it look normal for our family Christmas picture. I can’t say no to my daddy.”

Eric breathed a breath of relief. “I don’t know why it bothered me so much. Maybe because the first time I saw you, I knew we were destined to be together because our hair was the same shade of blue.”

She laughed. “Really? I thought you were drunk or something.

You were tripping over your feet.”

“I was knocked silly by your perfection.”

She laughed again. “You’re such a ham.”

“Glazed or cured?”

“Will you drive faster?”

“I don’t think that’s possible. You need a better car,” he said.

“How about a ’ Camaro?”

“What?”

“Well, the Corvette is running like a dream, thanks to you, so now we can work on the Camaro. When it’s fixed, I want you to have it.”

“And I suppose if I say it’s too much and decline your gift, you’ll get all hurt and act like I’ve run you through the heart with a spear.”

“Something like that.”

“Okay. We’ll fix up the Camaro. And I’ll keep it.” She did an excited dance in her seat. “I’ll buy the next piece of junk for us to fix.

How about that?”

“That sounds perfect. That way I know I’m going to keep you around for a while.”

“Try forever.”

“Yeah, let’s do that,” he said. “Let’s try forever.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think I want to get married.”

“Why?”

“To have a family.”

“Oh.” She went very quiet. “You know I can’t give you a family, Eric.”

“You’ll be my family. And maybe we could adopt some kids, if you want.”

“Adopt?”

“There are lots of kids out there who need a good home. I know.

I used to be one.”

“Let me think about it.”

He knew she dreamed of having kids of her own, but it wasn’t possible. He’d give her time to adjust to the idea.

“You deserve a woman who can give you kids of your own,” she said after a long moment.

“I honestly don’t want kids of my own. I want to adopt.”

She fell silent again. She still hadn’t spoken when he turned into his driveway. He parked the car and turned to her.

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he said.

She closed her eyes and shook her head.

“Honesty. Remember? It’s the only thing that works between us.”

“I feel so selfish.”

“Why would you feel selfish?”

“Because I want to say yes. I want to marry you. And I want you to give up having kids of your own to be with me. And I would absolutely love to adopt children and raise them with you.”

“How is that selfish?”

“It’s all about me.”

“Us,” he corrected.

“You only say you want to adopt to make me feel better. Don’t you think I realize that?”

He shook his head. “Not true. I want to adopt the most troubled kids in existence. The ones who act out and get into trouble. The ones failing at school and in so much pain you can see it in their eyes. The ones so terrible that no one could possibly love them. I want that for a kid, because no one ever did it for me. I was that kid, Rebekah. Now who’s selfish?”

She reached across the car and wrapped her arms around him.

“I want to adopt that kid too,” she said. She kissed him tenderly. “I want to marry the wonderful man he became.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Glad that’s settled. Let’s go get naked.”

She laughed and let him drag her out of the car through the driver’s side door. He carried her through the garage, into the kitchen, and set her on the table.

“Did you really just agree to marry me?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

“Your mother is going to kill us both.”

“Please don’t mention my mother. I’m all horny and still completely dressed.”

“Let’s remedy that now.”

His fingers moved to the buttons of her blouse and he released them one at a time, slowly revealing her flesh to his eager gaze. She loosened his tie and drew it over his head, before working on unfastening the buttons of his shirt.

“Tomorrow we should pick out an engagement ring,” he said.

“You’re thinking entirely too much,” she said. She slipped under his arm and headed toward his bedroom. He followed, the look in her eyes already stealing his thoughts. She dropped her shirt in the hallway, and instead of entering his bedroom, went into the living room.

“I think I’ll watch a little TV,” she said.

“Huh?”

She unfastened her pants and slipped out of them before sitting on the sofa. When he sat beside her, she looked up and said, “Go sit in the chair over there.”

“I thought we were getting ready to have fantastic makeup sex.”

“We will. In a little while. I’m not in the mood right now.”

She turned on the TV and leaned against the cushions in nothing but her bra and panties. “Go sit over there,” she repeated.

He groaned and moved to the chair across from the sofa. “Do you really want to watch TV?”

She grinned wickedly. “Of course.”

As soon as he sat in the chair and turned his attention to the TV, she began to rub her mound through her panties. So she didn’t really want to watch TV. She wanted to put on a little show. Hell yeah. He was more than ready to watch that.

She propped her feet on the coffee table and slid her hand into her panties. He couldn’t see what she was doing to herself inside those panties. Could only imagine her fingers sliding over her slick folds. Disappearing into her tight pussy. Eric was instantly hard and ready to devour her. He stayed in his chair though and just watched.

Rebekah’s eyes were closed, but her mouth was open as she continued to give herself pleasure just out of sight. Her nipples strained against the lace of her bra. She moved her free hand to massage her breast and pinch her nipple through the fabric.

“Oh, oh, oh,” she gasped. “I’m coming. I’m coming.” Her back arched off the sofa, and she shuddered hard.

Eric winced and pressed a hand against his cock, throbbing inside his shorts. He hadn’t had sex in almost a week, and watching Rebekah get herself off had him on the verge of orgasm. She would have to help him regain his staying power.

“Take off your panties,” he requested breathlessly.

She cracked her eyes open to look at him. “You first.”

“I’m not wearing any panties.”

She chuckled. “You know what I mean. Show me your cock. Is it hard?”

“Have you ever known it not to be hard?”

She grinned. “Not often.”

“Well, it’s behaving in its typical manner right now.”

“I want to see.”

He unzipped his pants and lowered his underwear until his cock sprang free.

“It’s definitely hard,” she said. “Make yourself come and I’ll take off my panties.”

“Take off your panties, and I’l make myself come,” he countered.

She lifted her hips off the sofa and pulled her panties down.

When she removed them, she opened her legs wide so he could see all that she’d kept hidden. He let his mind drift to fantasy. Pictured himself rubbing his cock head in the slick moisture between her thighs, slipping inside her, retreating. His hand began to move over his cock.

“Stroke it faster,” she requested.

He obeyed.

“Harder.”

Yes, harder.

“Faster, baby, faster.”

“I want to be inside you.”

She slid a finger into her pussy. “Like this?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you want to come inside me?”

He bit his lip and nodded, almost ready to explode.

“Come here.”

He moved from the chair and knelt between her open legs.

“Take me,” she whispered.

He rubbed his cock over her opening, teasing her. Making her want it.

“Oh,” she gasped when he slipped the head into her hot body.

He bit his lip and watched as he fucked her shallow, inserting just the head before withdrawing completely and slipping in just an inch again. She wriggled her hips, tempting him to take her deeper, but he refused. He continued to thrust into her a few inches, knowing if he plunged deep he’d come.

Rebekah moved her hand between her legs and stroked her clit, rotating her hips to stimulate his cock head each time he thrust into her.

“That actually feels really good,” she gasped, “but it makes me want you so bad. Ah, God, Eric, just a little deeper. Please.”

He gave her another inch, but still pulled out completely with each thrust.

Her excited cries had him by the balls. Lured him deeper. He lost control and thrust deep. She moved her hand out of the way so he could rub his groin against her clit as he drove himself into her over and over and over again. When she cried out and her pussy clenched around him, he let go, still pumping into her body as he came.

He collapsed against her and nuzzled her neck. “I love you,” he whispered into her ear. “Rebekah.”