Connections of the Mind (15 page)

Allison didn’t feel the least bit guilty about leaving Rebecca. She had enough of crazy eights, too. Besides there was something much more interesting waiting for her, and she wasn’t wasting any more time. They had eight years to make up, and she was taking advantage of every minute they spent together.

She could hardly wait until tonight when she put on the black sexy nightie. She couldn’t suppress a giggle.

“What’s so funny?”

“Hmm. Oh nothing.” Nothing she wanted to tell him about now. “So what do you think of Jeremy?”

“He seems okay. Nice guy actually. I still don’t like the idea of Rebecca staying here, but like you said, she’s a big girl. She makes her own decisions. I have a funny feeling, she’s not coming back to Cleveland. At least not for anything but to pick up her belongings and clean out her apartment. What do you think of him?”

“I like him. I have to agree with you, though. I don’t think she’s coming home. I’ll miss her, but she’s obviously happy with Jeremy. Can’t take that away from her.”

Allison put the card key in the lock and opened the door. Before she had the door all the way opened, Lester swooped her off her feet, carried her through the doorway, and kicked the door closed with his foot.

Allison giggled and put her arms around him. Once in the room, she slid down the length of his body to the floor and brought his mouth down to meet hers. Already she could feel the hardness of him. Snuggling her body close against his, she slipped her hand under his shirt and pulled it up over his head, breaking their kiss long enough to pull it off. She slid her hands down to his chest and raked her fingernails across it gently.

The moan that came from deep in his throat spurred her on. She unbuckled his belt, pulled down the zipper, and slid his jeans down past his hips. He kicked them off and unbuttoned her blouse, slipped it off and fondled her breasts. She backed up and pulled him across the room to the bed.

Chapter Twenty

Lucky ducks
. Rebecca closed and double locked the door behind them, glancing at her watch again.

Wonder when Jeremy will be here.

No more had the thought come out of her mind, and someone knocked on the door. She jumped half way out of her skin. She tiptoed to the door and looked through the peephole. Jeremy! She pulled the door open and flung herself into his arms.

“Whoa! What brought that on?” Jeremy dropped his suitcase. “Did you miss me that much?”

“I did. Get in here.” Rebecca pulled him into the room and closed the door. She didn’t know what came over her, but something about the fact he was safe and standing there and looking oh, so sexy.

“Wait.” Jeremy opened the door, bent down, picked up his suitcase, and stood there grinning at her. “I have a new assignment.”

Rebecca’s heart sunk. “You’re...uh, you’re not leaving are you? You don’t have to go out of town again?” Not now. Not when she was just getting used to having him around.

“Nope.” He walked into the room and set his suitcase on the luggage rack. “I’m assigned to stay with you.”

Rebecca’s heart skipped a beat. “Here? With me?” Was he kidding? “You’re going to stay here in my room? What will people think?”

“Yep, right here in the same room, sleeping in the same bed. Do you really care what people think?”

Rebecca laughed. Staying with her all night. He wouldn’t be sneaking out in the wee hours of the morning. Did she care what people thought? “No, not really.” Except for one person. “But your mother. I mean... Oh hell.”

“Don’t worry about my mother. Dan smoothed it over. Besides, she thinks I’m sleeping in the next room.”

“Oh great. And how long before she finds out the truth?”

“Don’t worry about it. By that time, she’ll love you as much as I do.”

“Get real, Jeremy. She’ll know the truth by tomorrow morning.”

“Ah, but she won’t. I dropped off enough stuff to make it look like I’m staying there. After I unpack, I’ll take the suitcase back and leave it there. I left extra shaving stuff there, and I already rumpled the bed and made it look like I used the shower. I left the notice to save the trees, so they don’t have to change my sheets, or give me clean towels.”

Rebecca grinned at him. “You have a devious mind. Are you going to do the same thing every day?” She ran her hand across his cheek. “And how are you going to hide your stuff here?”

“That must be what you love about me.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “I’ve been dying to do that all day,” he whispered into her hair, ignoring her last question.

“Hmm, I’ve been waiting for it all day.” Rebecca ran her fingers along the collar of his shirt until she reached the front. She unbuttoned his buttons, pulling his shirt out of his pants. She ran her fingers along his chest down to his stomach and unbuckled his belt.

Jeremy groaned, and unbuttoned the three buttons on her blouse, breaking the kiss long enough to pull it over her head. He found her breasts and cupped each one, squeezing her nipples with firm pressure, but not enough to hurt. She leaned into him, felt the bulge in his pants as she nuzzled up against him. Damn, he excited her. He eased her down onto the bed, stroking her stomach. She wanted him now.

Rebecca lay back more satisfied than she’d ever been in her life. She liked the idea of Jeremy staying with her. Waking up next to her every morning. Someone pounding on the door brought her back to awareness. A clanging noise, like a fire alarm, sounded in the distance. She looked at the clock. Damn, six o’clock already. She eased out of bed, careful not to wake Jeremy. Why, she wasn’t sure. He’d have to get up for dinner anyway. She threw on her robe.

Only Lester knocked like that. What would her big brother think when he found out she had a roommate?

Lester pushed his way into the room before Rebecca had a chance to speak. “We have to get out of here; there’s a fire!” He grabbed her arm.

Jeremy slid out of bed and pulled his pants on. “What’s going on?”

“There’s a fire in the hotel. Smoke’s already filtering through to this hall. Grab your stuff. Let’s go.”

Sirens sounded in the distance. Rebecca threw on her clothes, buckled her boot, grabbed her suitcase, and tossed her stuff into it. Jeremy threw his stuff on top of hers. “I’ll meet you outside. Go!”

Billows of smoke trailed down the hall toward her room. The acrid smell filled her nostrils while she followed Lester out the back door. “Where’s Allison?”

“She’s already outside.” Lester pulled her through the parking lot toward his car.

Fire trucks screeched to a stop in front of the hotel just as Rebecca slid into the back seat of Lester’s car. “Now what?”

“Looks like you’ll have to come home with us.” Lester turned and looked at her. “No way you’re going to stay here.”

“I can’t go home. I have classes.” Not to mention Jeremy. No way was she leaving. She’d figure something else out. She’d stay in the other motel if she had to.

Jeremy ran out the back door toward them. Rebecca got out of the car. “Stay here; I have to see if I can help,” Jeremy yelled.

Three squad cars pulled up behind the fire trucks. Rebecca started to follow. She’d keep her distance, but she had to see what was going on. People ran out of the hotel from various doors. She watched for a minute and then went back to Lester’s car.

A few minutes later, Jeremy came back. “Small fire in the utility closet, but it looks like someone started it.” He ran his fingers through his hair. He wasn’t about to tell her about the bullet and jewelry they found. “Sorry, guys, you’re going to have to find someplace else to stay tonight. You’re welcome to come to my house. We have a couple extra guest rooms.”

“Thanks,” Lester said. “What about the other hotel? It’s only for one night. We’ll be renting a cabin tomorrow.”

Jeremy nodded. “Fine for one night. But I want Rebecca to stay with me. Someone started that fire, and I don’t have a good feeling about this.” Someone wanted him dead and didn’t seem to care who they took with him. Although the chief said they got an anonymous tip, so maybe it was another warning. No one was hurt, and the fire did minimal damage.

“She’s going with us tomorrow.” Lester threw Rebecca a look that said no arguing.

Uh,oh
, Jeremy thought.
Here comes a fight
.

“I’m not going with you. I have classes,” Rebecca said. “You forget, Lester, I’m a big girl. I don’t have to listen to you anymore.” She turned to Jeremy. “How long do you think they’ll be closed?”

“Not a lot of damage. Mostly smoke. Maybe a week, two at the most.” He loved her spunk, but no way was he letting her stay in that other motel. Damn it, someone already broke into her room there.

“You can stay at our house until they reopen.” Let her argue with that. He’d show her who was boss soon enough. Hell, he’d lock her up to keep her safe. As long as she was with him, nothing would happen to her.

Lester looked at her. “Do you agree to stay with Jeremy?”

Rebecca looked from her brother to Jeremy. What choice did she have? She noticed the silly smirk on Allison’s face. Glad she thought the situation was funny. “Okay, I’ll stay at Jeremy’s until the hotel reopens.” How she’d survive was another story.

Somehow she’d have to figure a way to keep Jeremy at a distance. Left alone, she wouldn’t be responsible for what might happen. Even now the urge to reach out and touch him drove her crazy. Damn, it wasn’t like she was some sex-crazed teenager. Okay, so they hadn’t had sex before, so what. That didn’t mean she had to act like a nymphomaniac.

“Good, that’s settled. Let’s get some dinner.” Lester started walking to his car. “Then Allie and I will go to the motel.”

Rebecca and Jeremy slid into the back seat. She didn’t like it, but what could she do. With Lester and Allie leaving, it left her no choice.

Allison whispered something to Lester. He nodded. She turned and looked at Rebecca. “Since our plan is to rent a cabin for a week, you can stay with us if we can get a two bedroom cabin.”

Rebecca leaned back in her seat. That was even worse than staying with Jeremy’s mother. Like she’d stay in a cabin with them. No way in this lifetime. “I think I’ll pass.”

“Hey, that’s not a bad idea,” Jeremy said.

Rebecca looked at him as if he lost his mind. What was he thinking? She shook her head. “Are you crazy?”

“No, I meant we can rent a cabin, too. That way I can keep an eye on you. You can go to school from there. It’s a little farther than my mother’s, but what the heck.”

Now
that
was a great idea. She couldn’t picture them at his mother’s. Her in one room, him in another. Wouldn’t work. Wouldn’t work at all. She didn’t just want to be in the same house with him. Or even the same room for that matter. What she wanted was to be in his bed. A cabin sounded like the perfect solution.

“You can stay at my mother’s tonight, and tomorrow, we’ll check it out.” Jeremy grinned.

Rebecca laughed. Sounded like heaven to her. Anything to get out of his mother’s house. One night she could handle. More than that would drive her out of her mind. She snuggled against him.

“Hey, maybe we can get cabins next to each other,” Allison said.

Lester groaned. “I love my sister, but that’s a little too close for comfort.”

“Why? A couple of minutes ago, you agreed to let her stay in our cabin.”

“I agreed to let Rebecca stay in our cabin, not both of them. And to be honest, I wasn’t too crazy about that idea. Having my sister and her boyfriend next door is too weird.”

Allison laughed. “You’re kidding, right?”

Lester shook his head.

“Hey, I agree. I don’t want to know everything you guys are doing, coming and going,” Rebecca said. “Lester is right. That’s why I wouldn’t stay in your cabin. I mean seriously, can you imagine staying in the same cabin with me and Jeremy?”

Allison blushed. “Guess I wasn’t thinking of that. Sorry.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Mrs. Marlin met them at the door. “Are you okay? What took you so long? I made dinner.”

“Sorry, Mom,” Jeremy said. “We went to dinner with Rebecca’s brother. I should have called.”

“Well, I guess we have dinner for tomorrow night.”

Shit, what was wrong with him? Why didn’t he think to call? His mother wasn’t thrilled with him right now.

She turned and went into the kitchen. “Put Rebecca’s stuff in the same room as before.”

Rebecca followed Jeremy upstairs. “Your mother doesn’t look too happy. Why didn’t you tell her we were going for dinner?”

“It didn’t occur to me that she’d make dinner. How did she know I was even bringing you here?” Jeremy hit his head. “Of course, Dan must have told her.” He set Rebecca’s suitcase down on the floor and pulled her to him. “Don’t worry about it, she’ll get over it. Mom doesn’t hold grudges. She was probably just worried.”

He nuzzled his mouth in her hair. Damn, she smelled good. He could hardly wait for tomorrow when they checked into a cabin. He could just picture them lying on the couch in front of the fireplace. Somehow they’d get through tonight.