Trusting Jack (13 page)

             
“Who’s next?” he asked when the song ended.

             
“Me!”  Anna stood and wobbled her way to the front of the room.  “
Like a Virgin
.”

             
“Not for a good, long time would be my guess,” Norah whispered to Emma.  Emma snickered.

             
James had his turn, and Roger and Janet sang a duet.  Thomas entertained them with his rendition of
Moves Like Jagger
.  Norah demanded a performance from Emma and wouldn’t take no for an answer.  Resigned, Emma studied the options and settled on
Something to Talk About
.

             
The music began and Emma sang,  “People are talkin’, talkin’ bout people…’”  Her boot heels clicked in tandem with the beat.  She grinned when the rest of them began clapping along.  She made it to the chorus and held the mike out to Norah.

             
Norah stood and swayed as she screeched the chorus out with her.  Emma managed not to laugh as she helped her back into her chair and moved away to finish the song. 

             
They partied into the early hours.  Emma had switched to water halfway through the night so she was sober enough to pour Norah into a cab.  She and Jack climbed in after her.

             
“I had a good birthday,” Norah announced as Emma helped her up the stairs.

             
“I’m glad.”  She turned back the comforter and eased Norah onto the bed.  “Do you need help with your clothes?”

             
“No, I’m not that far gone.”  Norah yawned.  “Emma?  Thanks for brushing my pillow.”  She toppled backwards and closed her eyes.  Emma smiled and gently closed the door.

             
“She’s going to pay for this later,” Jack observed.

             
“She’s going to be a bitch when I get her up for

work.  She always is after a night like this.”  She eyed Jack.  “Are you staying?”

              “Depends.  Can I bunk with you?”

             
She flashed him a wicked grin.  “Depends.  Will you promise not to keep your hands to yourself?”

             
Jack laughed and followed her into the bedroom.

Chapter 15

             
It was after twelve o’clock before Emma surfaced.  She wiggled out from under Jack’s arm.  He squinted at her.  “’S’wrong?” he muttered.

             
“Nothing.  I’m just going to take a shower.”

             
She ran the water as hot as she could stand it and stepped under the spray.  She stood still for a minute, and some of the fog lifted.  She shampooed her hair, and tilted her head back to rinse the suds away.

She started violently when the shower door was jerked open.  “Jack,” she squeaked.  “What are you doing?”

              “I thought we’d share.”  He stepped in and winked suggestively.  “I’ll wash your back.”

             
Desire licked at her.  She wordlessly handed him the bottle and turned.

             
Jack poured some of the peach scented soap into his hands.  He started at her shoulders and trailed his fingers to the small of her back and up again.  He kneaded her neck and she felt tension melt away.

             
“Such knots, darling.  Let’s see what we can do about that.”

             
He spun her around and savaged her mouth.  Emma grabbed his shoulders to keep her balance.  She fisted her hands in his hair and he growled as he shoved her against the shower wall.  He skimmed his lips down her throat.  He nipped at her, then soothed it with his tongue.

             
Emma moaned as his hands closed over her breasts.  She gasped as those hands slid to her hips and he slid to his knees.

             
“Jack?”

             
“Shhh.  Let me…”  He traced the outline of her

navel before dipping his head lower.

              Her breath caught as the wave of sensations washed over her.  Her head fell weakly back and her hands slid as she sought purchase on the slick wall.  She didn’t know if the steam came from the hot water or their scorching skin.

             
Jack continued to work magic with his mouth and tongue and fingers.  Emma felt the rising crest and could only think
God, my God
before her mind emptied and a long, low moan escaped.  The orgasm ripped through her and her legs went weak.

             
Jack stood and grasped her waist.  He boosted her up and lowered her until he was inside her completely.  Emma wrapped her legs around him as he started to move with long, sure strokes.  She moaned again, surprised to feel the pressure build again so quickly.  She buried her face in his neck as the tremors started.

             
His thrusts became erratic.  He stiffened and let out a strangled groan as he came.  He kept her suspended for a moment before lowering her back to the floor.  They simply held on to each other because they were too weak to stand alone.

             
Jack rubbed her cheekbone with his thumb.  “Are you ok?”

             
“Mmm-hmm.  Not sure I can walk yet.”

             
He chuckled weakly and dropped his forehead to hers.  “That was amazing.  You’re amazing.”

             
“You’re pretty amazing yourself.”

             
The water began to cool, so Jack quickly turned it off.  He grabbed a towel and wrapped her in it before tying one around his waist.  He watched as she dried herself and began to rub lotion into her skin. 

             
“I can help you with that,” he offered and made

Emma laugh.

              “Oh, no,” she replied.  “We’d just end up back in bed and I don’t know if I could survive another round right now.  Besides, I’ve got things to accomplish today.”

             
“Pity.”

             
“I know.  I’d much rather spend the day lazing in bed with you and your hands.  But the set awaits.”

             
“Pity,” he said again and looked on as she tugged on jeans and pulled an orange sweater over her head.

             
“You don’t film today, do you?” she asked.

             
“No, not for a few days, actually.  I’ve a dinner meeting with my agent this evening, to look over some offers.”

             
Emma’s eyes grew sad again as she pulled on her shoes.  “Norah has a couple of projects she’s thinking about.”

             
“She’ll be on set for most of the night I think.”

             
“Yeah, tonight and tomorrow night.”

             
“Well, then.  Since I won’t have the pleasure of your company I guess I’ll have to make due with James.”

             
“I hope he’s recovered from Anna.  I wonder where he found her.”

             
“Most likely the same place he finds all of them.  The cad,” he said and made Emma smile a little.

             
“Norah will be free for a few days after this while Roger is in Wrexham getting his escape scenes in.”

             
“Maybe you’d like to come with me to visit

Alison,” he suggested.  “She and baby Jake came home

yesterday.”  Jack noticed the same look she’d had in her

eyes the night before.  He cupped her cheek.  “What’s

troubling you?”

             
She looked away.  “Nothing.”

             
Jack dropped his hand.  “I won’t push you.  But please, Emma, know I’m here when you’re ready to talk to me.”

             
Emma looked back at him with big eyes and bit her lip.  “I’ve been thinking,” she began and heard the clock chime three.  “Oh, damn it, damn it!  Norah’s due at four!  I’ve got to get her up and dressed and shove Tylenol down her throat.”

             
Jack felt a stab of frustration.  She’d been so close to telling him what was wrong.  “You’ve got your work cut out for you.”

             
“You got that right.  We’re talkin tears, threats, and curses.  Mostly mine.”

             
He couldn’t help but laugh as he finished dressing and went to hail a cab.

***

              “Action.”   As the cue to begin sounded, Edward II began berating Isabella for speaking ill of Huge Despenser. 

“It is not your place to question my friends or my motives.”

              “As Queen, it is my place to question your loyalty to me, and to the subjects of your realm.  They are not happy, my lord.”

             
“Silence!” he thundered.

             
Norah opened her mouth, and then closed it, looking bewildered.

             
“Cut!” Thomas yelled.  He gave her a disgruntled look.  “Problem?”

             
“I’m sorry, Thomas; I forgot my line.”  She rubbed her temples.  “God, will this headache ever leave?”

             
“Fine, let’s take a break.  Pop some more medicine and be back in thirty minutes.  I want this shot tonight.”

             
Norah nodded and went to sit down.  Emma appeared with three Tylenol, a piece of toast, and a bottle of water.  She accepted them gratefully.

             
“Maybe these’ll knock it out,” Emma said with sympathy.  She still remembered the morning after the bonfire.

             
Norah grimaced.  “I hope so.  I’m never drinking like that again.  At least not until my next birthday.”  She raised the water to her lips and spilled some down the front of the red taffeta dress she was wearing.  “Fuck.”

             
“It’s ok,” Emma soothed. “I’ll go find a hairdryer.”

             
They dealt with the water spot and Norah went back to the set.  Thomas gave her a knowing look and hid a grin.  He had a headache, too.  He gave the signal to begin again.

             
“Silence!”

             
“Pray, do not speak to me in that fashion, my lord,” Norah, as Isabella, replied stiffly.  “I come before you today to ask for the return of my children.”

             
“No.”

             
I am their mother.  I miss them.”  Emotion thickened her voice.  “I would have them with me.”

             
“The children are well cared for.  As your holdings here have been seized, you have not the proper housing for them.”

             
“If you would but restore—“

             
“Will you swear allegiance to the Despenser family?”

             
“Never.”

             
“Then I fear the children will remain where they are.”  He gave her a chilling smile.

             
“So be it.”  Contempt dripped from the words.  She curtsied, turned, and walked away.

             
“And cut!”  Thomas beamed.  “Finally!  And in only six takes.”

             
Roger took off his crown and ran his fingers through his hair.  “Took you blasted long enough.”  Before Norah could snap back he grinned at her.  “I understand, though.  Both Janet and I woke up rather worse for the wear.”

             
“I want to get in one more scene tonight,” Thomas told them.  “We’ll wrap up after that and start up again tomorrow night at eight.”                           

Norah sighed with relief and went to change her costume.