Jackie Collins, page 20
"Hi." Her soft voice was almost a whisper.
Who needed this? "What're you doin' here?" he asked Jeer!
roughly.
She got off the desk and came toward him. "I made Joey bring me."
"Good for him."
"I came as soon as I could."
"A few weeks late," he said coldly, "but I s'pose you were busy."
"My parents wouldn't let me out. I had no idea what happened."
She moved closer. "Nick, I'm so sorry to hear about your brother. I
didn?t know. I thought I'd see you in school today and when I didn't
She trailed off, shrugging helplessly. "You've got to forgive me -it
wasn't my fault."
It sounded logical. Only why had both her parents sounded so sincere
when they'd informed him she had no wish to speak to him and would he
kindly stop bothering her? Still . parents . those fuckers could lie
better than anyone.
He made one last effort to back away. "Hey, I'm cool. You don't have
to feel sorry for me.
Her eyes filled with tears. "Sorry for you? Is that what you
think?"
"Listen, it's-" "I love you," she interrupted, her voice breaking. "I
honestly love you.
Her words melted the ice, and suddenly she was in his arms, soft and
sweet-smelling. There was no way he could resist her. There was no
way he wanted to.
They talked for over an hour, clearing everything up, and by the time
she left, they'd worked things out. Joey would be their liaisonhe'd
deliver notes and set up meetings.
"One of these days Il talk my parents into meeting you," Lauren
promised, "and then we can be together as much as we want."
Yeah, he thought. Don't bet on it. Parents and him-not a good mix.
She kissed him before leaving.
couldn't wait to see her again.
"Soon," she promised.
He wasn't so sure it would be as easy as she thought.
nd that's how they handled it-as carefully and secretly as possible.
Of course, there's no such thing as a secret once more than two people
know. Joey knew, and Cyndra and Harlan. And George-who confided in
Louise and Dave.
As the months passed and they grabbed furtive meetings here and there,
Lauren began to show the strain of lying to her parents. She'd become
an expert at inventing elaborate excuses that wouldn't rouse their
suspicions, but still it was tough.
Nick felt it too. He didn't want to pressure her, but being with her
in short sharp bursts was doing him no good. He wasn't a kid, and he
was beginning to think he couldn't take one more evening of groping and
fumbling-he needed more. He needed to be as close to her as two people
can get.
As the weather improved and spring took root he came up with the ideaof
bringing her to the trailer. Harlan was at school, Cyndra at work, and
Primo never stirred.
The trailer was hardly the ideal place-but it was a lot better than the
old abandoned car in the back of the gas station where they'd been
forced to spend most of their time together.
He set it up, arranging for Joey to bring her to meet him at the gas
station.
She wasn't even gone and he
She was excited about the plan, and on the appointed day she told her
parents she was doing community service after school and would be home
later than usual.
The day of their meeting dawned crisp and sunny. Lauren had settled
into a stilted polite relationship with her parents. They thought
she'd forgotten all about Nick Angelo-the bad boy who'd come to town
and disrupted her life. Little did they know.
She left for school at the usual time, entered through the front,
avoided roll call and exited through the back. She knew she was living
dangerously, skipping school was full of risks-the wrong word in the
wrong place and she could be busted, then what?
The risk was worth it.
Fortunately she didn't run into anyone likely to question her. The
close friendship she'd had with Meg was long over. Meg was part of
Stock's group now, and Stock refused to speak to her.
How her life had changed over the last few months-and yet she was
happier than she'd ever been.
Joey was revving up his bike in the parking lot, ready to go. "Come
on," he said. "Jump aboard an' let's get the fuck outta here."
At first it was awkward-the trailer being such a dump and all. Nick
had tried to clean it up-shoving all the clothes into a corner,
smoothing out the worn blanket on his mattress, but there wasn't much
he could do to improve twelve square feet of space shared by three
untidy people.
He could see Lauren was shocked by the shabby conditions, but she
covered it well.
"Okay, so it's a pisshole," he said with a cocky grin. "But who
promised you the White House?"
She pretended to look solemn. "I'll have to leave then."
"Yeah?"
"Maybe."
"Oh, really?"
"I think so.
"Come here."
"Why?"
"You know why.
He fell on the mattress, pulling her down beside him. They started to
kiss, slowly at first-savoring each other's lips-and then faster until
they both wanted more.
He moved his hands under her sweater, feeling her breasts. "I've
missed you so much," he murmured, working his way under her bra, trying
to concentrate on something other than the feeling he was
experiencing.
"You too," she managed.
He pulled her sweater over her head and unhooked her bra, bending to
kiss her breasts-his tongue moving slowly from nipple to nipple.
She sighed-a long-drawn-out sound.
It was too much. The moment of no return was upon them before either
of them had time to stop and think, and even though she'd planned to
ask him to wear a rubber. . . who cared? It didn't matter.
Nothing mattered except the fusing of their two bodies.
He was more aggressive than the time before-entering her with a burst
of energy, riding her like his life depended on it. And now that she
knew what to expect, she responded with a wildness and abandon she had
not known she possessed.
Together they rocked the world-riding the roller coaster until it
peaked on the highest point of all, pausing for several mind-blowing
seconds before cruising smoothly all the way to stop.
"Oh . . . jeer!" he exclaimed. "That was the best ever."
"It was?"
"It was."
"Me too."
"C'mere, me too."
And she curled into his arms wet and sticky and fell into a blissful
sleep.
When she awoke it was afternoon and he was lying on his back beside
her, hands behind his neck. Slowly she traced the contours of his
chest with her tongue-tentatively at first because she wasn't sure if
he'd like it. He obviously loved it-so she really got into it, licking
and sucking, teasing him with little love bites.
"Where'd you learn t'do this?" he asked, groaning.
"Hmm . wouldn't you like to know?"
"Yeah." He reached for her breasts but she brushed his hand away.
"I think I would."
"Lie back and enjoy it," she said, leisurely traveling down his body
until she reached his hard penis.
"Lauren, you don't have to-" "Yes, I do," she whispered, teasing him
with her tongue. "Because I want to."
By late afternoon they both knew they had to make a move. "You'd
better get dressed," he said, wishing they could stay in bed forever.
"Uh . . . where's the bathroom?"
"I don't know how t'break this to you, but we ain t got one.
She thought he was joking and laughed.
"No, seriously-we don't."
"No bathroom?"
"Sorry."
"Where do you shower?"
"Down at the gas station. It's not exactly a shower-but I don't think
you want the details."
She felt bad that she'd asked, she didn't want to embarrass him.
"Maybe we can come here every week," he said, getting up and pulling on
his jeans. "Just you an' me-shut out the world."
"I can't take too many days off school."
"Yeah. An' I suppose George wouldn't be too happy if I ducked work on
a regular" "Nick . . ." She stared at him, her face composed and
serious.
"What if I got-" "Whoa-no way! I pulled out in time."
She was relieved. "You did?"
Course I did. Wouldn't risk it."
"Thank goodness."
"Hey, you gotta learn to trust me. You know that I . . . uh . .
"Say it!"
He grinned. "Love ya.
She smiled and softly touched his face. "Yes, I know" "How was school
today?"
"Huh?" Lauren tried to squeeze past her mother, who was standing in
the front hall blocking the stairs.
"School," Jane Roberts repeated.
If Lauren wasn't so intent on getting upstairs she would have noticed a
tenseness in her mother's voice.
"Oh, the usual-boring math, dull history. And P.E. I hate P.E. In fact
the showers were out of order-I feel all sweaty. Maybe I'll take a
shower now.
Jane did not budge. "Anything unusual happen?"
Warning bells rang in Lauren's head. Something had gone on at school
that she didn't know about.
Gotta play it smart, Roberts. Wouldn't do to get busted.
"The thing is, Mother," she said quickly, "I wasn't going to worry
you-but after P.E. I didn't feel so good. The nurse suggested I lie
down for a while."
"Really?" Jane's tone did not warm up. Usually she would have been
full of concern.
There was a short uncomfortable silence. Since her mother didn't seem
inclined to move, she decided to head for the kitchen. But Jane
followed her in-there was no escape.
Opening the refrigerator she grabbed a carton of milk and turned around
to find her mother staring at her with cold accusing eyes.
She couldn't take it anymore. "Is something wrong?"
"Why do you ask?"
She shrugged, reaching for a glass. "I don't know. You seem kind
of.
. . funny."
She wondered if she could make a dash past Jane and get upstairs
without further questioning.
"Lauren," her mother said in slow, measured tones. "We've always
brought you up to be a good girl. Truthful at all times."
Oh, God, something was definitely up.
She tried to look innocent. "Yes, Mother?"
"You weren't at school today, were you?"
Now she had a choice. Did she continue to lie and take a chance?
Or did she tell the truth?
Dear Mother, I spent the day in bed having sex with Nick Angelo.
bid you, dear? How nice.
Gee, thanks, Mom, you're so understanding.
She bit her bottom lip-there was only one way to go. "I told you, I
was at school, but I didn't feel good."
"The school secretary phoned to inform me you have probably been
playing truant on and off for the last few months."
She managed to look amazed. "What?"
"Apparently you've been absent on several occasions with various
excuses. A sore throat, a cold, a visit to the dentist. And all your
excuse notes were supposedly signed by me. Miss Adams is no fool.
Eventually she became suspicious-especially as this morning you were
seen leaving on the back of a motorcycle."
Oh, God, here it comes. She was in deep trouble.
"We've always trusted you, Lauren, and now this. Your father is on his
way home."
Naturally.
"It's your fault," she blurted out, her cheeks reddening. "You can't
stop me from seeing Nick. We're in love."
"In love?" Jane laughed derisively. "You're sixteen years old, what
do you know about love?"
More than you think, she wanted to yell out. More than you'll ever
know.
Words came tumbling out. "Don't you understand? Nick doesn't have
anybody except me. I can't turn my back on him like everyone else. I
can't do it."
"You'll do exactly what your father and I say you will."
Dread swept over her. This was no idle threat. Somehow she was going
to have to deal with it.
e're outta here," Joey said.
"Huh?" Nick slid from under the Lincoln he was servicing.
"Whatcha talkin' about?"
"I mean we're leavin' town, me and Cyndra."
"You don't have enough money," Nick said, wiping oil off his hands.
"Sure we do," Joey replied. "I been workin' two jobs, remember?
And Cyndra's been doin' time at the factory. We've had it with this
town."
Joey and Cyndra-the two people he was closest to were taking off.
Wasn't it bad enough that he couldn't see Lauren anymore?
"Anyway," Joey said, lighting up a butt. "We did some talkin', an' we
figured if you wanted to come with us it's okay."
"Where you plannin' on going'?"
Joey shrugged. "Chicago. I got relatives there, friends, people who'd
put us up until we find a place."
"You told your mother?"
Joey dragged on the butt, inhaling every last bit of smoke into his
lungs. "Are you shittin' me? I'll leave her a note. She'll freak
whatever I say."
"How about Cyndra?"
"She ain't tellin' nobody, only you." He dropped the butt on the
ground, crushing it underfoot. "We're going' tomorrow."
Nick shook his head. "Jeer! Tomorrow! Like how about givin' me
notice?"
"I know it's kinda sudden, but if we don't do it now we'll never make
the move. You comin' with us or not?"
He was torn. Sure he wanted to go, but how could he leave Lauren?
Even though he hadn't seen her for six weeks he still loved her. It
wasn't her fault she'd been grounded, it was his-he should have made
certain they were more careful.
Things were a mess. They'd really blown it. Her parents had gone
crazy. Phil Roberts had even turned up at the trailer. He'd listened
as Phil attempted to confront Primo-like the fat slob gave a shit.
Some fucking joke.
"I want your assurance your son will have nothing more to do with my
daughter," Phil Roberts had said, standing stiffly at the door.
"What in hell ya talkin' about? Get the fuck outta here," Primo had
replied, a true gentleman.
Phil Roberts had retreated fast.
Nick unbuttoned his greasy overalls. "I dunno what t'say, Joey. I'm
real tempted."
"Look . . . I understand it ain't easy."
"I can't run out on Lauren without seein' her."
