Chapter Eleven
Jason propped one shoulder against the wall and glanced at Gabrielle and Amber as they walked down the hallway. Even to Lauren’s untrained eye, the two women looked guilty, looking everywhere but at Lauren or Jason.
“Tell them,” Mike instructed, staring at his wife.
“We…umm…we did a few things to the house,” Gabrielle said. She glanced down at her colorful Emilio Pucci rain boots, which Lauren loved.
But now wasn’t the time to discuss fashion. Lauren’s stomach churned as she asked, “You did what to the house?”
“And why?” Alert and wary, Jason straightened and stared at the women in confusion.
Amber stepped forward. “It’s like this. We were having a Ladies’ Night at The Wave. It’s something we do once a month, Gabrielle, myself, Sharon and sometimes Clara.”
“And we’d very much like you to join us next time.” Gabrielle treated Lauren to a wide smile.
Derek rolled his eyes. “Quit stalling.”
“And trying to soften her up,” Mike said. “Just tell her.”
Amber sighed. “I’m getting there. Anyway, it was right after the fall festival and we already knew you two had sort of hooked up.”
Lauren’s cheeks flared hot but she forced herself not to touch her face and call attention to her embarrassment.
“We immediately saw the potential for the two of you,” Gabrielle continued. “It was obvious how different Jason seemed after that night. So we figured we’d just help Cupid along, so to speak.”
Jason narrowed his gaze. “Help how?”
Gabrielle swallowed hard. “Well, we didn’t want to do any harm. We just wanted to keep you two together. So—”
“We bought pet mice at Petco and snuck inside—did you know the locks are pretty flimsy? Easily picked.” Amber’s words rushed together quickly.
“Then we let the mice loose in the house.” Gabrielle stared at a point over her husband’s shoulder, unwilling to meet anyone’s gaze.
“Actually I let the mice loose,” Amber admitted.
Mike muttered a curse.
Derek said something about stupidity and meddling women.
Jason’s jaw merely hung open.
And Lauren couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “The mice are pets? As in people actually want to own them?”
Gabrielle nodded. “They spend hard-earned money on them.”
“Hold on!” Derek said. “That’s what’s bothering you about all this? Aren’t you upset that they broke in and meddled in your life?”
“Hey!” Amber said, sounding affronted. “That’s a really negative spin on things. We were just trying to help!” She placed her hands on her hips and glared at her husband’s cousin.
Gabrielle walked over to Derek and calmly stroked his arm. “We just wanted to give Jason a reason to have to stick close to Lauren. Most normal women who see a mouse would freak and not want to be alone.”
“It worked,” Lauren admitted, shaking her head in disbelief.
“But she’s petrified of rats and mice!” Jason exploded. “And for good reason, not that it’s any of your business! Do you have any idea how stupid your plan was?”
The women winced and neither male Corwin cousin stepped in to protect his wife from Jason’s anger. They obviously agreed with his assessment. And though Lauren should as well, she just couldn’t manage to get upset with them. All she could think about was that, unlike Jason’s father and uncles, these women didn’t mind her relationship with Jason. She wasn’t sure where his cousins fell on the Perkins scale, but they seemed more upset with their wives’ behavior than Jason and Lauren.
“Jason, they meant well,” Lauren said, standing up for Amber and Gabrielle. “And they apologized. That ought to count for something.”
Jason frowned, clearly unwilling to forgive and forget just yet. “Why are you confessing now?” he asked, shooting his cousins a look of pity for having to deal with these two women.
Amber groaned. “Because I was in town and I heard the fire was deliberately set—which means we weren’t the only ones doing things in the house. So we wanted you to know we were responsible for the mice—” She hesitated. “And gluing the windows.”
“That would be me,” Gabrielle admitted with a wave of her hand.
Jason shook his head hard. “For the love of God, why?”
Gabrielle and Amber glanced at each other before Gabrielle answered. “I’m not really sure. We tossed around ideas to keep Jason working for Lauren that didn’t amount to more than a nuisance. We didn’t touch the wiring or the fuse box or anything dangerous!”
“The mice worked and Jason started staying over,” Amber said. “And that should have been enough, but I felt since I’d done the mice, it was only fair Gabrielle dirty her hands, too. So I pushed her into doing the gluing.” Amber lowered her eyes, embarrassed.
“We are so sorry,” they said at the same time.
Gabrielle walked over and put a hand on Lauren’s shoulder. “I realize how ridiculous it all seems now but I assure you that at the time—”
“And over drinks—” Amber added.
“It all seemed rational,” Gabrielle concluded.
Derek pinched the bridge of his nose. “I swear these two shouldn’t get together,” he muttered.
“It’s okay,” Lauren said. “As crazy as it sounds, with everything going on in my life, I needed a laugh and you’ve given me one.”
“So you’re not mad?” Amber asked.
Lauren shook her head. “I’m not.”
“Jason?” Gabrielle asked.
He glanced heavenward. “I’m stupefied.”
Mike grinned. “It’s a state I’ve become used to.”
“So you forgive us?” Gabrielle looked unconvinced.
Jason slowly nodded. “If Lauren’s not mad, then neither am I.”
Gabrielle’s shoulders slumped in relief.
“Thank you! We’ll make it up to you,” Amber promised.
Lauren grinned. She knew exactly what she wanted in return. “How about you tell me where you got those gorgeous boots!”
“Bloomingdale’s,” the other woman said. “Do you want to plan a shopping trip?”
“Thursdays are my day off,” Amber said. “So if not today, next week?”
Lauren shook her head, wishing she could take them up on their offer. Not only did she love clothes and shopping, but a girls’ day out sounded like a treat. One she couldn’t afford, not in time or in cash.
“I’d love to but I need to spend my free time here.” She gestured around the house. “It’s got to be finished by December first.”
Amber perched her hands on her hips and surveyed her surroundings. “Can we help?”
Lauren shook her head. She’d never impose. “No, thank you, but I really appreciate the offer.”
“How are things going?” Derek asked.
“Other than the fire damage? It’s coming along slowly but surely,” Jason said. “I’m tackling things room by room so at least there’ll be finished components by the deadline.”
“Where did the fire start?” Mike asked.
“The fire department said the wires in the electrical panel were tampered with,” Lauren said.
Mike let out a slow whistle. “Any suspects?”
“Plenty of people with access. Nobody with motive.”
“If you need any help, don’t hesitate to give me a call,” his cop cousin offered.
“Now that you mention it,” Jason said, “if I give you a list of people, can you run simple checks for me? See if anyone had any connections to Lauren’s grandmother or sister? I’m looking for a motive. A reason for someone to want to sabotage this house.”
“Anything I can do,” Mike promised.
Jason slapped his cousin on the back. “Thanks.”
“Same for us,” Amber reminded Lauren. “If you change your mind and decide you need any help cleaning out the house, give us a ring.”
Goodbyes said, Mike and Derek ushered their wives out of the house, leaving Lauren with the impression they weren’t finished lecturing the two women. But despite the anger, there was plenty of love between these couples, as well.
Lauren envied them.
Lauren had been right about the police confiscating her grandmother’s papers for evidence, and since her sister had taken many of the notes, they’d kept things for a potential trial. Even the small cabinet in her grandmother’s closet had been emptied. Just when she’d given up finding anything helpful, Lauren had remembered that her grandmother’s night table drawer had a secret compartment. When she was a little girl, Mary used to leave surprise gifts for Lauren and Beth there. So many bad memories had taken place in recent years, she’d almost forgotten there had been any good ones.
Inside the secret compartment, Lauren found an old diary. The book was small, bound in tan leather with dog-eared pages. Since she probably wouldn’t find anything recent or relevant to her problems inside, Lauren placed the diary on her pillow to look through after she’d finished her work for the day.
Hours later, she finally curled up in bed with the diary. Jason eased in beside her. “Anything interesting in it?” he asked.
She flipped through, taking care with the thin, often cracked pages. “I’m not sure. I don’t even recognize the writing.”
He propped himself against the pillows and headboard and she scooted backward, curling into him so they could look together. As she scanned the pages, she realized that something liquid had spilled on the old pages. Although the paper had long since dried, it was yellowed and the writing had smudged.
What was clear, however, was that the entries had been made by one of Lauren’s ancestors.
“It looks like it’s written by another Mary Perkins,” Lauren said, excited. “Not my grandmother, but an earlier one.”
“Interesting,” he said, nuzzling her neck in a blatant attempt to distract her with sex.
And oh how she wanted to be distracted. In a few minutes. After she examined the diary a little longer.
He ran his tongue up and down her throat, but receiving no response, groaned, “I’ll wait.”
“Thanks. I’ll make it up to you.” And she had every intention of keeping her word.
She turned her attention back to the small book in her hand. The more she read, the more she wondered if the book belonged to the Mary Perkins, the woman who had placed the original curse on Jason’s family. Unfortunately the entries weren’t dated.
Lauren’s heart beat rapidly in her chest as she studied the fragile pages. The beginning was like a window into a woman’s thoughts and longings, making Lauren uncomfortable. She didn’t appreciate feeling like a voyeur, but before she could turn the page, something caught her eye.
The word curse had been written in capital letters at the end of the entry. “Jason, look!”
He leaned over her shoulder, his breath warm against her skin. “What does it say?”
“Before the smudging, the entry mentions an offering of some kind. After that the only clear word is curse. I think this book belonged to that Mary Perkins!”
He glanced at the diary warily. “If it did, I’m not sure I want to know.” He shuddered, then met her gaze, his turning heated. “Besides, do we really want to revisit our family history when the present is so much more interesting?” He slipped his hand under her nightshirt and settled his palm flat on her belly.
So much for his willingness to wait.
“But—”
“No buts. We can’t figure this out ourselves. Talk to Clara tomorrow. I’m sure she’ll know how to help you decipher it.” His gruff tone indicated his mind was on anything but ancient history.
“Hmm. That’s a good idea. And while she’s at it, maybe she can exorcise the demons from this place and make the whole project run smoother.”
He shook his head. “Whatever floats your boat.”
She grinned. “That would be you.”
He lifted the book out of her hand and placed it on the nightstand, effectively ending the conversation. Then he turned to her, pulling her into his arms and sealing his lips against hers. His mouth was as hard as his body, his kiss every bit as compelling. He kissed her, making love with her, swirling his tongue inside her and drinking her up.
Every inch of her body tingled in anticipation, needing more and wanting it now. “Wait.”
She left him only long enough to undress, tossing her underwear and shirt onto the floor. He took her cue and stripped quickly, meeting her naked on the center of the bed. Every time they came together like this, she wanted to stop and look at him, savor every inch of his skin. But the urge to join with him won out.
She rolled toward him, and when his bare skin touched hers, the world seemed to stop spinning. Nothing existed except them. He urged her back against the mattress. With his knee, he parted her legs and positioned himself over her, his sexy gaze boring into hers.
She already knew she was ready for him, but he surprised her by not reaching for the condoms they’d placed in the nightstand drawer. Instead, he propped himself up on one arm and stared into her eyes.
She glimpsed a wealth of emotion as he lowered his lips back to hers, kissing her more gently this time. But he didn’t stop with her lips. He moved over the curve of her cheek, across her jaw, then down her neck and shoulder, pausing at what she thought of as his favorite spot. He nuzzled the sensitive area between her neck and shoulder, alternating soft love bites with longer laps of his tongue.
She shivered in delight and moaned aloud, her skin growing more sensitive. The rest of her body reacted, her nipples puckering tight against the cooler air.
The need for him to touch her there, to pull her breast into his mouth and ease the building ache, was strong. She also had an overwhelming urge to reach out to him, but he stopped her, placing her hands back on either side of her body.
“You can have your turn later. Right now you’re mine.” His eyes darkened at the prospect of having her at his mercy.
“You’re a tease,” she told him.
“And you’ll love every second,” he promised. Then, as if he’d read her mind and discovered her deepest desire, he dipped his head, catching one turgid nipple in his mouth.
She sucked in a sharp breath, exhaling slowly as he focused all of his attention on that single breast. But the wicked man wasn’t happy with just one. With his hand he cupped her other breast and simultaneously worked on them both, intensely sucking and teasing one nipple, while plumping and kneading the other.
Sensations built and collided inside her. Nothing mattered but Jason and the deliberate attention he paid to her breasts until she writhed on the mattress, her lower body bucking upward and begging for relief.
“Is this what you want?” he asked in a gruff voice, firmly cupping her mound.
Lauren leaned her head back and groaned, thrusting her pelvis against his hand.
“I’ll take that as a yes?” he asked, chuckling.
She forced her heavy lids open to find him staring at her, his own eyes dark with desire.
“You can take that as, it’s nowhere near enough.” She needed him to thrust hard inside her and fill the growing emptiness.
“All you had to do was say so.” He dipped one finger inside her. “So wet,” he murmured. Using her own moisture, he glided his fingertips over the delicate flesh, up one side, down the other, until finally he took pity on her and thrust his finger deep inside once more.
Lauren lifted her knees and squeezed her flesh around him, contracting and seeking relief from the unrelenting waves pushing at her body but never offering her real release. She knew she was close, just as she knew he was intentionally prolonging the combination of pleasure and agony. Watching her as she moaned, writhed, even begged him for more.
In the far recesses of her mind, she knew he must be sacrificing his own pleasure for hers, but she couldn’t focus. Didn’t want to.
Jason had never been more turned-on in his life. All his energy and thought went into pleasing her, and it was the most incredible high, watching her face contort with pleasure, viewing her body craving his and listening to the heavy, breathy moans as she came closer and closer to release.
“I need you,” Lauren pleaded with him, and he nearly came right then.
“What is it you need?” He wanted to hear her say it.
“Inside me. I need you inside me.”
He groaned and dove for the nightstand, pulling a condom out with shaking hands. He yanked it on and moved over her, drawing her hands above her head, and sealing his lips to hers.
He broke the kiss only to look at her face as she spread her legs and he thrust deep. Her body shuddered around him and she exhaled hard, her breath warm against his neck.
He felt her. Every dewy moist part of her surrounded him. Jason wanted to draw the sensation out, make love to her for hours, but the minute he felt her wet heat, he knew he wouldn’t last.
Especially when she pulled her legs back, urging him deeper. Jason lost control, pumping in and out as Lauren met him thrust for thrust. Her soft sighs punctuated the sound of their bodies joining, grinding, making love.
The thought came to him suddenly in a blinding burst of light, as clear as any finish line. He pulled out and thrust back deep. He loved her, he thought, as the most intense orgasm of his life washed over him.
Jason collapsed on top of her. Their heavy breathing intermingled with what should have been satisfied silence. Except he was far from satisfied.
The sex had been incredible. Fantastic. Beyond anything he’d ever experienced. He now understood the difference between having sex and making love. Because until now, sex had always been about him. His wants. His needs. His satisfaction. Of course he’d always made sure his partner had been pleased, too, but his heart had never been engaged in the act.
This had been all about the woman lying beside him. She’d fallen asleep already and he got out of bed, pulling the covers over her to keep her warm. A quick trip to the bathroom and he returned, climbing back in beside her.
She woke long enough to snuggle in the crook of his arm, mutter something unintelligible and fall back to sleep. He pulled her close, toying with her long hair.
He appreciated everything about Lauren. She’d taken on the huge burden of this house all alone. She never complained as things went wrong and expenses piled up. She dug in and worked hard without expecting others to do it for her. She was beautiful inside and out. Sexy in ways that went beyond things he could see.
In Lauren he’d found everything he hadn’t known he was looking for. Unfortunately he faced losing it soon. All he could do was make the most of their time together instead of counting down the days until the end.
Thomas had planned on visiting Clara in her shop. He saw it as his duty to guide Edward in the right direction—into Clara’s arms—and he still was convinced his plan had merit. If he could persuade her to date him, or at least get her to pretend an interest in him, Thomas believed jealousy would force Edward to confront his feelings. Yet instead of driving to Crescent Moon, Thomas found himself pulling into Edward’s isolated street.
Thomas knew why he’d driven here instead. He’d been unable to shake the look in Jason’s eyes when he and Hank had refused Lauren Perkins’s invitation to come in for coffee. Thomas had allowed the past to affect the present, much as his brother Edward had been doing his whole life. As a result, he’d hurt his son badly. Thomas didn’t like what he’d done, but his actions forced him to admit he wasn’t as immune to the curse and the Perkins family as he’d like to believe. Which led him to a deeper understanding of Edward’s troubles.
Judging by the way Jason looked at Lauren, he wanted her around for a long time to come. Which meant Thomas needed to get his act together and deal with the past.
There was no better place to start than by reaching out to his brother. He should have done it sooner. And he shouldn’t have tried to put Clara between them as a buffer because he was a coward. Afraid of having to have a real conversation with his brother for the first time in way too many years. Having driven by Crescent Moon first, Thomas knew his brother would be here alone.
He headed down the long driveway, pleased to see the jujus that used to hang from the trees and line the road as a form of spiritual protection against the curse were gone. Surely that had to be a sign Edward was moving in a more positive direction. That his medication and psychiatric sessions were working.
Thomas parked the car and stepped into the cool air, heading for his brother’s front door. Before he could reach out and ring the bell, Edward greeted him, walking out onto the porch, skunk in hand.
“Go away,” Edward said, dangling the skunk in front of him like a shield.
Edward used Stinky Pete, as he called the animal, to scare away unwanted visitors, but Thomas wouldn’t be deterred. “Put that descented excuse of a pet down and let me inside.”
“Hell no.” Edward met his gaze with more clarity than Thomas had expected. His hair, recently cut, was neatly combed and he was clean shaven.
That Edward felt he needed to use the skunk against his own brother pained Thomas greatly. But he wouldn’t allow Edward to win this battle.
“I have something to tell you and I’m not leaving until I have my say.” Thomas folded his arms across his navy overcoat. “So we can stand out here all day or you can let me in and hear me out.”
Edward frowned.
“The quicker you agree, the quicker I’ll be gone,” Thomas said, grabbing for the only bargaining chip he could think of.
“Come in,” Edward said gruffly. Turning his back on Thomas, he strode inside. He let go of the skunk, who darted out the door, much to Thomas’s relief.
Before Edward could change his mind, Thomas followed him in.
Order. That was the first thing that struck Thomas about his brother’s house. Though Thomas hadn’t been inside often, the clutter of the past had always surrounded him. It had been there as recently as June, when Jason had come home. Not even Clara’s cleaning had cleared up the mess inside. Until now.
“Place looks good,” Thomas said carefully.
“Clara enjoys puttin’ the candles and scented crap around the house,” Edward said.
Thomas nodded. “And cleaning?”
“Some of that was me. You know what they say. Out with the old.” Edward swept his arm around, gesturing to neat, almost empty shelves and tables. “You didn’t come here to talk about my house-keepin’. What do you want?”
Obviously Edward wasn’t going to offer to take Thomas’s coat. “I want to tell you…I’m sorry. For a lot of things.”
“Can’t change the past,” Edward said gruffly.
Thomas inclined his head, once again struck by his brother’s newfound focus.
A kernel of hope grew inside him that maybe he and his brother could come to an understanding. “I agree. But I’d like to change the future.”
“How? By going after Clara this time?” Edward, shoulders stiff, turned away and walked into the family room, placing distance between them.
“No, that’s not what I want,” Thomas said.
“Then what? You want to drive me insane by pretending you still want her?” Edward thrust his hands in his front pockets.
Thomas couldn’t believe the irony of his brother’s question. “I wanted just the opposite. You live with Clara. She cares for you and it’s obvious to me you care about her. You act jealous, but when it comes to admitting you two have a future, you run for the hills.”
Edward shrugged. “That’s my choice. It’s my life.”
“Well, I just wanted to push you in the right direction, that’s all. The other day, when you thought I was interested in Clara, you got all worked up. So I thought if I could get her to go out with me, I’d push you right into her arms.”
Edward turned to face him, disbelief on his face. “Are you sayin’ you aren’t interested in her?”
Thomas knew this moment was critical. Only the truth would win his brother’s trust.
Or turn him away forever.
Thomas couldn’t lie. So he opted for honesty. “I’m saying I won’t ever make a move on her.”
Edward narrowed his gaze. “You’re admitting you’re interested?”
Thomas drew a deep breath. “Only a dead man wouldn’t be interested. I’m saying she’s off-limits to me.”
A sudden flash of confusion crossed Edward’s face. “I don’t understand. Why are you here now?”
A lump rose to Thomas’s throat. His brother was so close to returning to full sanity, but the distrust he’d built up over the years was painful to watch.
To feel.
“I’m here because we’re getting older, Edward, and I don’t want to waste what time I have left estranged from my family, running from an ancient curse.” He drew a deep breath. “Do you?”
“I’m not running from the damn curse anymore. I’m on medication and getting healthy!” Edward spoke too loudly, too forcefully.
“Then why are you running from the one woman who loves you and could make you happy?” Thomas asked, raising his voice to match his brother’s.
Edward grew red in the face. “I’m not takin’ advice from you. I still don’t know if I can trust you.”
Those words took some of the bluster and certainty out of Thomas. “No, you don’t,” he agreed. “You’d have to take my word for it. And my word’s all I’ve got to give.”
Knowing he’d worn out his welcome, Thomas turned toward the door. “But if you don’t trust me, at least trust Clara. You deserve some happiness,” he said to Edward before letting himself out.
Only after he shut his brother’s door behind him did Thomas allow a lone tear to fall. Brushing it aside, he headed for his car, determined to take his own advice. For his son’s sake if not his own, he would try to make peace with the idea of Lauren Perkins and let go of the damned Corwin Curse.