A Little Bit of Trouble (25 page)

    “Considerate? I’m the one that works twelve fucking hours a day and then I come home and look after the girls.” Now I’m really pissed off. “All you care about are your stupid fucking photos and your stupid books.”

     “Fuck you Lucas!”

     “That’s the problem,” I grip her arms. “You won’t fuck me.”

     “So fucking l
eave me, go find a whore to mess around with. It’s not like you haven’t before.”

     I nod and pull the car door open, “Yeah. You’re right. I will.”

    Her mouth drops open in horror, “You wouldn’t. Don’t bullshit Lucas. We both know you wouldn’t leave me.”

     “Like you’ve said,” I tug my seatbelt across and secure it. “I’ve changed.”

     “So you want a divorce?”

     I shrug, “Right now, I’m not responding. I’m angry, you’re angry, we’re always fucking angry. I love you but sometimes I really fucking hate you.”

     “And right now?”

    “Right now I wish you’d just fuck off,” I bite out angrily. Tears instantly fill her eyes and spill down her cheeks.
Ah shit. “Babe, don’t cry.” I pull her to me over the console, she sobs into my neck. “Please babe. I’m sorry.”

     “Can we just stop arguing? It’s not healthy for the girls,” she sniffs. I nod in agreement. “I’m sorry
too.”

     “I know,” I whisper. We set off after five minutes more of cuddling. “I love you
Crystal.” I kiss her temple and relax back into my seat. “And you’re really sexy when you’re mad.”

    She giggles and it happens.

     CRUNCH!

     “SHIT!” I shout and sit bolt upright.
Vomit immediately fills my throat, I race into the bathroom and splash water on my face. Please don’t hurl. That would suck. After a few moments the feeling vanishes. Shit, why’d I drink that whiskey? “Loryn?”

     I step into the bedroom, what’s she doing?

     “Loryn baby, what’s wrong?” I watch as she pulls her shoes on and her jacket. “Loryn?”

     “Just don’t,” she wipes away tears from her cheeks I didn’t even realize were there. “God… I wish… I wish I’d fucking left.”

      What the hell have I done now? “Loryn,” I snap and grip her arms.

     “Let go of me!” she shrieks. I don’t, I’ve never been good at following demands. I pull her to me. “Dammit Lucas. Please.”

     “No.”

     “At least you got my name right this time,” she hisses. “Do you think of her when you’re with me?”

      “Not this again,” I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose. “Don’t start this Loryn.”

      “Don’t you mean Crystal? I mean… that’s what you just called me five minutes ago.”

      Ah, shit. “I’m sorry, I was dreaming.”

     “Of her…”

     “Yes.”

     Her face falls, “You thought I was her.”

     “No, I thought Crystal was Crystal.”

     “That makes no fucking sense.”

     I run my hands through my hai
r, “I was asleep, in my dream I was arguing with Crystal, we hugged and made up. You must have hugged me at that point or something. I can’t help it if my mind plays fucking tricks can I? This is like me blaming you for punching me in the jaw in your sleep the other week!”

     The tension drops from her body, “You’re right… I’m sorry.”

     “I’ll give you a ride home.”

     “You’re taking me home?”

     I nod, “I need a break.” And I do, after her revelation last night, her declaration of love my head is so messed up I’m dreaming of the fucking accident. I only dream of it when I’m with Loryn.

     Her face falls, “From me?”

     “Just a couple of days,” I sigh and rub my eyes. “It’s nothing personal. We’re just moving too fast.”

     “Umm… how exactly are we moving fast? We’re moving at the pace you’ve set. Last night was perfect! Yesterday was perfect! And now… what? You suddenly don’t want me?”

     “Don’t be an idiot of course I want you. I just want a break.”

     “We just had a break!” she laughs and takes a step back. “You know what? Forget it. Have your fucking break. See if I care.”

    
“What do you want me to do Loryn? Every single time the going gets tough you run, you fucking run. You asked me last week, if I could ever fall in love with you. Tell me honestly, could you fall in love with someone who constantly walks away from you so fucking easily for the tiniest things? We argue, fine scream at me, shout at me do whatever the hell you want but do NOT walk away from me.” I don’t realize I’m practically shouting in her face until I feel her breath touch my lips. “You drive me crazy. You crazy fucking lady.”

     She sags and runs her hands through her hair. “You’re right, you’re right. I’m sorry… I just… Christ Lucas. Look at you! You’re gorgeous, you turn every woman’s head as you pass. Your wife, equally as beautiful as you and then suddenly you’re interested in me.”

     I walk into the kitchen and rummage through the drawers until I find what I’m looking for.

     “Are you listening to me?” she asks as she follows me in.

     There’s a ripping sound as I tear the clean dishtowel in half.

     She stumbles backwards, “Lucas… what are you do…” I cut her off by flipping her around, quickly wrapping the towel so it sinks into her mouth and tie it at the back of her head. “
Mph, oomph.”

     I kiss her nose, “Much better.” Then I lift her over my shoulder, give her ass a slap and carry her back to the bedroom. “Babe, you’re stunning. Absolutely gorgeous. Don’t ever speak like that again.”

     “Mph, oomph,” she starts trying to untie the cloth. I bat her hands away and pin her to the bed with my body. Her eyes go wide. “Umph, mmph.”

     “Will you stop talking?”

     She nods.

     “Good,” I kiss her nose and fall onto her. “Let’s nap.”

     “Mmph, umph.”

     “Shush.”

     She makes a growling noise and huffs but her arms come around me. She mumbles something that sounds suspiciously like the word douchebag. I don’t comment, I do laugh a little though which seems to infuriate her as she growls again like an angry pup. So, effectively crushing her with my weight I snuggle on top of her and fall into a light sleep.

Stubborn Lucas

     Things are genuinely great. There’s no denying it. Even I have nothing to moan about. Loryn and I see each other often, Amelia loves her, and my friends love her. Something is going down with Marie and Jacob but neither of them are opening up about it. And yes, even four weeks later, Jacob is still here.

     At present I am sat with Loryn, Marie and Jacob whilst Marie and Loryn discuss plans to move in together. Operation turn Loryn’s apartment into a place suitable for private waxing and spray tans is in place so she needs somewhere to live. I’m half tempted to offer my own apartment but realistically that would be moving far too fast too soon. Don’t get me wrong, Loryn is great and she makes me feel good, I’d miss her if she left but I’m not in love with her.

     What makes this whole thing worse is the fact I know she’s in love with me. Yet I’m still stringing her along. I just can’t bring myself to ask her to leave yet.
Of course I care about her, I want to move forward and Loryn is amazing. I just can’t. She doesn’t deserve all of my baggage, yet I want her to carry it with me.

   
She looks so happy, I don’t want to ruin that. During the times we have hot sex, or go to the park with Amelia, or spend the day monitoring the shit at her store, or argue over the remote, or everything in between I can honestly say I’m happy. She makes me feel… feelings, she just makes all that numb inside vanish.

     “Jacob, Jacob,” Amelia says and climbs up his back like a monkey, he doesn’t mind. The dude has a knack for kids. He flips her over his shoulder and roars whilst tickling and biting her. My daughter unfortunately has a crush on an older man. According to the females of our group of friends and family, it’s adorable. According to her father, meaning me, it makes me want to punch him and lock her away until she’s forty.

   
He’s great with Evelyn too, but then again he is her godfather, as am I. Marie and Summer are Evelyn’s Godmothers’. That was an awesome Ceremony of Baptism. Especially when James fell in the pool with Evelyn in his arms and Maya, after tending to Evelyn of course, handed the baby to me and proceeded to beat the hell out of James with one of those thin plastic sticks that you stick a balloon on. It was fucking hilarious. Especially when he dove back in the pool to get away from her, still fully clothed.

     According to Sylvia they made up in the bathroom later on.
How she found that out I have no idea.

     I hear the unmistakable ringing of Loryn’s cellphone coming from the bedroom where it is no doubt charging. Loryn hasn’t noticed, she’s deep in conversation with Marie, so I stand and head to the bedroom. Nobody bats an eyelash as I leave. Nice to know I’m noticeable.

    After looking around the nightstand I realize it’s not there so I pick up her bag and start rummaging through it. Christ she’s got a lot of shit in here. A stick of some sort touches the back of my hand. Probably mascara or some shit like that. Still no phone. So I do what Loryn does on a daily basis and tip her bag out onto the bed.

And finally, I find her phone!

      I answer it, “Hello?”

     “Hello, is Loryn there?” male, male, male. Alarms go off.

     “Who’s calling?”

     The male chuckles, “You could just look at the screen.” Shit. “It’s Greg.”

     “I’ll get her for you,” I open the door to the bedroom. “LORYN! Phone!”

     I wait a minute clicking my tongue like the sound of a clock until she finally pads into the bedroom, frowns at the mess on the bed, frowns at me and then frowns at her phone in my hand. She puts it against her ear. I close the door and lean against it.

     “Hello?” she says with a small smile on her lips. “Just one second Greg.” I hear him say something as she looks at me. “A little privacy would be awesome Lucas.”

     “Sure,” I turn around and face the door before winking at her over my shoulder. She huffs with an eye roll but says nothing.

     “What’s up Greg? Yeah, no he’s settled fine. No… yes… really? Oh… wow, no that is awesome. I’d love to. When?” When what? I turn back around, I’m not liking the smile Greg has put on her face. “Definitely, I’ll be there!”

     Be where? She hangs up and starts th
rowing her stuff back in her bag, “Who said you could go through my bag?”

     “The same person who told me I could wear these shoes.” She looks confused so I shove my thumb into my chest. “Me.”

      “You’re incorrigible, stay out of my bag.”

      “No.”

      Her eyes narrow, “Stay off my phone.”

      “Nope.”

      “Ask me first.”

      “Not gonna happen. Hungry?” She inhales
deeply, attempting to calm herself. I smile smugly, “What did he want?”

      She looks around the room, “Who?”

      Sigh, “Greg you dufus.”

      “Don’t call me a dufus!”

      “Then don’t act like one. Now go make me some lunch woman.” I slap her on the ass and push her towards the kitchen. “We’ll talk about Greg when you come back through. With food.”

     “You’re such a douchebag
.”

      Jacob pops his head around the kitchen door, “I’m starving.”

      Loryn smiles sweetly, “Of course. What would you like?”

      To say my mouth drops open would be an understatement, my chin hits the fucking floor, “What the hell! You’ll make him food?”

      “I’d love a meat sub,” Jacob pretends to be completely oblivious to our disagreement. “I’m sure Lucas would like one too.”

      She giggles and starts pulling things out of the refrigerator. My phone beeps as I head back into the room. It’s from Summer.

Summer
: Can you come tomorrow and give Chris a hand with the stuff that needs doing? We’re finally moved in!

Lucas
: I’ll be there at ten tomorrow. Will you be okay watching Amelia?

Summer
: Do you even have to ask? We’ll play outside on the tire swing! I might even let her have a turn ;)

Lucas
: Sigh… I’m guessing you want me to bring her Barbie dolls?

Summer
: Nope, I bought some.

Lucas
: Not even gonna ask…

     My friends are weird.

     Loryn walks back in the room with a tray in her hands, she passes Lucas a meat sub, passes Marie a bowl of fruit and yoghurt, she places a meat sub in her spot and disappears with the tray. Where’s mine?

     “Catch,” she calls. Instinctively I grab at the air and miss whatever it is she’s thrown. It bounces off my head. Fuck that hurts. “Enjoy.” She sits and bites into her sub.

      Whilst I stare at a god damn apple, “What the fuck is this?”

     “Your lunch.”

     I narrow my eyes on her and her huge sandwich, “That better be for sharing.”

     “Nope.”

     Fucking bitch. “Give me the damn sandwich.”

     “Let me think,” she taps her chin, takes another bite and smiles at me. “No.”

     “Right,” I smirk and roll up my sleeves. “If that’s how you want to play it.” I grab her wrists whilst she’s mid bite, and with the skill of a wolf I sink my teeth into the opposite end of the sub. “Oh my god. Why don’t I have one of these?” I groan, that’s fucking beautiful. “Oh wait… I do have one.” I straddle her stomach and grip her arms in place with ease.

     “Get off me,” she giggles, attempting to bite her side of the sub. “Lucas!”

     I take another bite and smile at Marie and Jacob who are laughing and… filming this little display. Whatever. “Oh my god. This sandwich is better than sex.”

     “Please, nothing is better than sex.”

     I shake my head, “No baby, nothing is better than sex with me.”

     “You’re such a pig!”

     “An attractive pig with awesome bedroom skills.”

     “Too much information!” Marie
sniggers climbs to her feet. “That will be Maya with Evelyn no doubt.” She heads to the door.

     Maya comes through moments later and sits in the armchair with Evelyn bouncing on her knee, “Do I want to know what’s going on here?”

     Marie shakes her head, “Probably not.”

     “Daddy, get off Loryn,” Amelia snaps with her hands on her hips.

    
“Bu
t she stole my sandwich.”

     Amelia looks at Loryn, “Stealing is bad.”

     “That it is princess,” I chuckle and swoop down for another bite of Loryn’s sandwich. She doesn’t pull away… she fucking pushes and the sandwich, the meat, the sauce hits me in the face and then she rubs. Crazy bitch. I hop off her, ignoring the laughter in the room and wipe my face on my top. “You just wasted a perfectly good sandwich.” I scowl at her as she laughs and scoop my apple off the floor before taking a bite. I then glare at Maya, “You are a bad influence.”

     “What did I do?”
she chokes out, still laughing as Marie high fives Loryn.

     I stomp into the bathroom and wash my face
before stripping off my tee. This is going to be a long day.

******

     “I’ll do it,” Loryn kisses me on the top of the head and chases Amelia into her room. Bed time.

     I listen to Amelia’s high pitched squeal as Loryn probably tackles her to the bed and wrestles her into her pajamas. It’s the normal routine for the two of them, it’s one of those small things in life that you often forget to appreciate.

    
“Right,” I say once she settles beside me. “We’re going to Summer’s new place tomorrow. Gotta do man shit.”

     She shifts awkwardly and twists her fingers in her lap, “I can’t. I’m going out with Greg.”

     “Umm… no you’re not.” Not a fucking chance.

     “You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

     “You’re mine Loryn. I don’t want anything that’s mine, anywhere near him.” I lean forward to kiss her, definitely sexy time is needed. She places her hand over my mouth and pushes me away. Dammit.

     Her gorgeous eyes narrow to slits, “I am going out with Greg tomorrow. He’s my friend, we’ve made plans. You don’t get to boss me around like that.”

     “You’re coming with me to Summer’s,” I whisper in her ear and suck the lobe into my mouth. “So stop arguing.”

     With two hands to my chest she pushes me away. Fuck.

     “Greg is my friend, he’s asked for my help! I will help him! Understand? I’m not moaning about you hanging around with Summer am I?”

     I roll my eyes, “Totally different situation.”

     “How so?”

     “Summer doesn’t want to get in my pants like Greg does yours.”

     Hurt comes over her features, “You don’t trust me?” Groan. “Of course I trust
you
. It’s
him
I don’t trust.”

     Standing from the couch I watch as she stomps into the bedroom and returns moments later fully dressed. I blink incredulously, “You’re running again? Typical.”

     “I’m not running, I’m not ending this. I am merely going home because I need a damn break,” she whisper shouts and snatches her bag off the side. “Good night Lucas.”

     Not a chance in hell. I grab her around the waist and throw her over my shoulder.

     “Lucas! Stop! Put me down!” her teeth sink into my ass, ouch. “Stop this.”

     After throwing her onto my bed I straddle her hips and tug her shoes off her feet.

     “You’re acting like a psycho.”

     “And you are acting like a bitch. You’re not leaving.” I work on the button of her jeans and tug them down. This proves to be more difficult than expected as she keeps kicking and clawing at my back. “Stop moving.” I finally tug them off and spin around to face her.

     “Get off me!” she practically shouts and wriggles beneath me. I use this moment to rip her sweater over her head leaving her in nothing but panties and a bra. Fuck, I’m hard. “Stop it!”

     I lift her again like a ragdoll and throw her onto the bed in the right position. With speed I didn’t know I had I crawl up her body and lay on top of her, effectively pinning her with my weight before pulling the blanket up to my shoulders and burying my face in her hair. Mm, cherries.

     “Lucas!” she screeches and tries to shove at me. Bless her for trying. “Get off me.”

     “Comfy,” I grumble and quickly kick off my trousers. That takes skill. Then I whip my tee off and press my bare chest to hers. Her lace bra is in the way so I work that off too. “No wait… still not right.”