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Tabitha Ch. 01

By: LaLaLady



"My flight leaves in four-and-a-half hours," Tabitha Riley said throwing another pair of jeans into her suitcase that lay open on the bed. She frowned when she saw how frayed they were at the bottoms and took them out again. 

Her brown curls hung loose around her shoulders...undone just as she seemed at the moment. Her honey-brown skin was flushed and she paced around her bedroom, wearing a path in the carpet from bed to closet to dresser and back to bed. The cornflower blue dress she wore swirled around her knees as she kept making sudden changes in direction. Tabitha was certainly not the most organized packer.

Wes watched as she slammed hangers from one side of the closet to the other, frowning at every piece of clothing she saw. "How long will you be gone?" he asked.

"Six weeks." Tabitha huffed and pulled a pair of dark-wash jeans from the closet. She threw them in the direction of the bed but they landed at his feet. After a moment's hesitation he picked them up, folded them, and put them in the open suitcase.

"That's a pretty long time." Wes was having a hard time figuring out exactly what he wanted to say about this situation. Well, he knew what he wanted to say...he wanted to ask her why she'd sprung this on him. She'd mentioned going to see her sister, but she hadn't mentioned that it would be for over a month. 

"Uh-huh, well, I've finally got the money to buy my own ticket and the vacation time saved up at work. So, I'm going to spend a month in England with my family. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

"No, of course not!"

"Then what's with the face? You look like I just told you that your dog died." She stopped her frantic search and studied him. Her hands were planted on her hips and she studied him with her head tilted to the side. She narrowed her hazel eyes and frowned.

Wes rolled his eyes and set his jaw. "I'm not making a face. I just don't get why you're suddenly so anxious to leave. I thought we were having a good time."

"Oh," Tabitha sighed. "We've been having fun and I really like you and everything, but this isn't going to be anything serious. We can just continue on with our lives...as they were before...and when I get back we'll see if we can start hanging out again. Maybe we can have a friends-with-benefits-thing if you're not dating anyone."

"Is that what you want?"

She shrugged. "Sure, it's cool. Isn't that every guy's dream? No strings, no commitment." She turned back to the closet.

Wes frowned. "Yeah, I guess that is every guy's dream."

"Cool," Tabitha said flashing that captivating grin over her shoulder, "now, will you give me a ride to the airport?"

"Of course," Wes sighed, "but first I have to give you a proper goodbye."

"Oh, Wesley, no. I have to pack!"

He walked forward until he was right behind her. "How long have you had this trip planned?"

"A while," Tabitha admitted.

"So, you've waited this long to pack, what's another hour or so?"

Tabitha's hands stilled, no longer moving through her clothes. "Make it twenty minutes and you've got a deal."

"Deal."

"Plus, you've got to help me pack and you can't take advantage of me while I shower afterward." 

"Damn, Tabby," Wes muttered into her hair, even as his hands traveled from her hips and up to cup her breasts over her white t-shirt. "You drive a hard bargain."

"Yeah, but all you have to do is agree to my terms and you can drive something hard."

Fuck if he didn't love her dirty mind. He couldn't help but smile when he said, "You know, you've got me."

Tabitha turned in his arms and went up on her toes. All she had to do was turn her face up to him and he finished the rest. Wes leaned down in order to bring his six-foot-two frame closer to her five-foot-three. As usually her lips were soft and warm; they parted easily for him. 

She moaned and pressed herself closer to him and he was lost in her. The softness that was Tabitha Riley never failed to make him hard. He pulled her closer and not even light could get between their bodies. Her soft hands moved up his bare arms, and he immediately missed the feel of them when she wrapped her arms around his neck. 

A deep groan vibrated from his chest. Six weeks without this...without her. How was he going to make it? He felt her lips pull back and knew she was smiling. He was about to ask what was so damn funny, but Tabitha bounced on the balls of her feet, making his erection rub up and down her stomach.

"You play too much," he grumbled as he picked her up and walked toward the bed. 

Tabitha only giggled. 

In one smooth motion he pushed the suitcase over the opposite side of the bed and planted her on top of the duvet while simultaneously pinning her beneath him.

"Wes-leeey!" Tabitha moaned when he reached under the hem of her sundress and pushed aside her panties.

"You're the one putting me on a time limit, Tabby. Are you ready for me?"

"Yeah," she whispered, lifting her hips off the bed to encourage him. 

"How can I be sure?" teased Wes.

Tabitha fisted his long black hair in both her hands and tugged his head forward. Their noses were almost touching. "You can fuck me, and then you'll know for sure."

Her lace thong didn't stand a chance when he tugged. The thin blue string ripped on the sides but Wes didn't even pause. He couldn't bother pretending to be remorseful for ruining yet another pair of her overpriced panties. At this pace she would have to start buying underwear in bulk from a warehouse store...along with toilet paper and liquid soap.

"That's another one," Tabitha hissed.

"Put it on my tab, Tabby," Wes whispered plunging two fingers into her soaking wet pussy.

She clawed at his shoulders as she cried out. "Damn it, Wes! I didn't mean with your fingers!"

"Just testing," he whispered. "Don't worry Tabby, I'll fill your kitty up."

"Ooh," she purred. "Yes, please!"

They both worked on his belt, then his button and zipper. He barely got the jeans past his knees when she took a fist full of t-shirt and yanked him back down. Their mouths crushed together. 

Tabitha screamed when he slid home. 

"Fuck, baby, you're so tight."

Tabitha groaned and locked her ankles behind his back. "Hard Wes, go hard!"

He slammed into her, and she screamed his name. The sweetest sound in the world. 

Tabitha didn't need to tell him anything when they were connected. He knew her body better than he knew his own. Every freckle was committed tattooed on his brain, as was her scent...without any soap or perfume...just the scent of her...like lilac and lavender after the rain. So when her fingernails got through the sleeves of his cotton t-shirt as she gripped his upper arms, he knew exactly what to do. She was close, so close and there was one thing guaranteed to push her over the edge.

His hands had been roaming her body, greedily taking one last feel of her lush curves and soft, sweat-dewed skin. Immediately, he stopped grazing and fisted both hands in her hair...not too rough, he would never dream of doing anything to hurt her. One quick tug and he felt her shatter. Her pussy clenched and creamed, her eyes rolled backward, and she screamed so long and loud that the sound tapered off, raspy by the end. She'd lost her voice, but it would only be for a short while. 

He brought her to a second, even more intense orgasm and let her pussy milk his cock. Once they were both sated, they collapsed onto her bed and folded into each other.

"That was amazing," Tabitha whispered her voice hoarse. She trailed slow circles through the sparse dark hair across his pectorals. 

Wes watched her light brown hand move along his pale skin and smiled. She was his, she belonged with him and no matter how hard she tried, she wasn't going to escape that fact. Tabitha could put an ocean between them, but there was no doubt that when she came back home...back to him...he wouldn't settle for a friends-with-benefits situation. 

They'd been together over four months and so much had happened. They were tested and tried, and they were still together. He could see plain as the nose on her beautiful face that they were meant to be together, and soon she would see that too.

Her breathing changed, it grew slower and as tempted as he was to let her fall asleep in his arms and miss her plane, he knew he couldn't do it. She was going to England to visit her family. He had to let her go...so she could come back to him.

"Tabitha," he whispered. When she didn't respond he shook her shoulder, trying not to make her full breasts jiggle too much or his hard-on would insist on nailing her to the bed again.

"Hmm?" she sighed.

"You've still got to pack and shower."

"No, we've got to pack and shower," she muttered.

"Yeah, okay, so that means you can't fall asleep." She didn't move. "Come on, you've got to get up."

She yawned and didn't bother opening her eyes. "But I like it here," she said with a hint of a smile.

"Me too, baby, but your flight leaves in less than four hours."

"Oh, shit!" she gasped sitting up and scurrying off the bed. "I've got to get out of here! You start the shower and I'll start packing."

Wes smiled and moved slowly off the bed and toward the bathroom. "Yes, dear."

She stuck her tongue out at him, but still smiled. 

He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. He'd sure as hell miss that smile.

***

Tabitha thanked the ticket counter clerk and glanced at her suitcases as they were conveyed away from her. She silently hoped that they would meet her at Heathrow and not come up missing. She adjusted her carryon and glanced down at the ticket and passport she had clenched in her hand. 

This was it, her first trip out of the United States. She had never felt more adult in her twenty-six years. Sure she'd been through college and worked her nine-to-five, but this was an honest-to-goodness vacation abroad! Well, sort of a vacation. She wasn't going to be a tourist; after all, she would be staying with her family and not in some hotel. However, between playing with her nieces and nephew and spending time with her sister and brother, she would be on her own, exploring a foreign land.

"Are you ready to go to your gate?"

Tabitha looked up at Wes and smiled. He looked so out of place...but he usually did, unless they were at a club or concert. His tattered black jeans were frayed at the bottoms and the black t-shirt he wore clung to his solid frame. His jet black hair hung loose around his face, still a bit damp from the quick shower they'd had less than twenty minutes before. His eyes, usually bright gold were dark at the moment.

"Not really, but I should go ahead."

"Yeah," he said with a shrug. He uncrossed his arms and enveloped her in a hug. 

Tabitha bit her bottom lip to stop the tears she felt forming. "You still have a key to my place right?"

She felt him nod.

"Don't forget to water my plants and don't let the mail pile up in the box in the lobby." He knew all this, they'd been over it on the ride to the airport, but she had to talk or she'd cry. She didn't want him to see her cry. She was happy about this trip, he'd know that she was crying over leaving him, and that just wouldn't do.

After what felt like an eternity, they stepped apart. Tabitha nervously smoothed her hair back into the ponytail, completely unnecessary, but another nice distraction. "Okay, I'll call you when I get there so you know I'm safe...and I'll see you in six weeks."

His dark eyebrows came together and he nodded. 

"Tell Alton I'll take a picture of Jim Morrison's grave just for him." She was rambling...like a moron. She really needed to stop. "I'll get you something too, something totally clichéd and touristy like a Big Ben magnet or something."

Wes smiled the slight smile he'd given her when they'd met for the first time in the music store. "Just lift something from the palace while you're having tea with the Queen."

She laughed. "My sister would never forgive me if I got arrested over there."

She glanced at the line waiting to get past the security clearance checkpoint. It was getting pretty scant. She really should get in it before it got long again.

"Hey," said Wes. 

The smile was gone when she looked back. His face was uncharacteristically serious. "I...I..." He took a deep breath and let it out slow. "I'll miss you."

Tabitha smiled and caught one of his hands in hers. She laced their fingers together and squeezed. "I'll miss you too."

She wasn't surprised when Wes bent down and gave her a long, lingering kiss. In fact, she was expecting it. What she wasn't expecting was the lump that formed in her throat when she turned and walked away from him. She also didn't expect him to watch her go through the security line. She stood on the other side and waved to him, after she got her flip-flops back on and repossessed her carryon. 

He blew her a kiss and she laughed at the way he managed to still look cool while doing something so damn corny. Finally, she turned and walked to her gate. She refused to look back because if Wesley Roberts was still standing there she wouldn't be able to stop herself from crying any longer.

***

Once Tabitha was settled into her business-class seat, the tears came. She turned her head to the window and tried to distract herself by watching other planes taxi the runway. It didn't work. She couldn't get around the fact that she'd given Wes permission to start dating someone else.

She had managed to sound aloof about it, but the idea that when she came back, he could be doing to someone else what he'd done to her a few hours before, made her stomach hurt. She hadn't intended to fall so hard for him, but it was too late now. It was just her luck that she'd fall in love while she was busy having fun with a great guy. What the hell happened to just friends?

She pulled the novel that she'd bought specifically for the eleven hour flight and wiped away the tears. She really needed to occupy her mind. Maybe reading would keep her mind off Wes. The plane began to taxi and she glanced out the window. There were no clouds in the sky and it was the same color blue as the shirt Wes wore at work. The shirt he'd been wearing when they first met.

Tabitha Ch. 02



Five Months Earlier:

Tabitha Riley gripped the steering wheel and yanked her gray Toyota Camry into a parking spot. She checked the dashboard clock before pulling the key from the ignition. Dion was cutting it really close. Her sister had called while she was en route to Middleton Academy, her nephew's private school that was practically in the next town over. That's why it was named after the city west of Hillsdale. Kids from both towns went there, Hillsdale had two public schools and Middleton only had one. Only a select few families from either town could afford to send their children to The Academy. If she didn't get the mouthpiece her sister said Patrick needed for the recital in less than ten minutes and get back on the road, she was going to be late.

Luckily, she remembered seeing a music store two doors down from her gym: Life Sounds. She'd never been in there, but she had her fingers crossed that she could get what she needed and get out without incident. 

She was so grateful that even though it was after five, the store was still open. Once inside, she glanced around at the floor displays; drum sets, half-a dozen pianos, tops open—of course, and guitars of all shapes and sizes. The entire front wall was windows, so the lighting was great, but there were still soft lights recessed into the ceiling above every instrument on display. 

Behind a gleaming white counter in the middle of the store was a tall guy. His clothes automatically reminded her of someone that worked at Best Buy, but she shook off that impression. His pale blue button-up shirt wasn't the same shade as the uniforms at the other store. He also wore dark khaki pants, and black loafers. Initially, the outfit as a whole seemed geeky, but then he came out from behind the counter and approached her. She noticed the three-inch-thick black leather wrist bands with silver studs on each wrist, they way his black hair was combed, but still messy, falling into his eyes just a bit. He got closer and she noticed two skull earrings in each ear, and peeking out from the rolled up sleeve on his left arm was a bit of blue and black ink. 

"Can I help you?" he asked and she finally focused on his face. His eyes were liquid gold, framed with long, ink-black lashes. His jaw was square, his cheekbones were high, and his nose was a blade. He was all-together gorgeous. He was white, but his features were so unique she couldn't help but stare. Usually she found herself attracted to guys with darker skin and eyes, closer to her own honey-brown complexion and darker. This guy was making her reconsider exactly what her type was, though. Especially the way his full lips turned up at the corners when he smiled.

Tabitha glanced around. He was speaking to her and he was smiling at her. She took a few seconds to collect her thoughts. Why was she here again? Oh—yeah, Patrick's recital.

"Uh—hi," she stammered.

"Hi," he said, smile getting wider. 

"I need a piece." No, that wasn't right. 

One of his black eyebrows lifted. 

"To blow," she amended.

Both eyebrows went up.

Tabitha shook her head hard, causing her brown and bronze curls to bounce. "What I mean is; I need a mouthpiece for a trumpet." She held out her hand. The guy took the Target receipt she'd used to jot down the model number while driving and on the phone with Dion. Hopefully it was somewhat legible.

He laughed. "Okay, let's see what I can do."

Tabitha was pretty sure her face was just as red as the dress she was wearing. 

"Could you hurry, please? The recital is in a half hour and I still have to get across town."

"Sure thing," he said with a dazzling smile, that she tried not to notice.

She decided to wait for him to return by the cash register to speed things along. When he came back with a small white box in his hand she let out a sigh of relief. 

"Fifteen seventy-five," he said.

Tabitha pulled her bank card from her wallet and handed it to him. He studied the card for a second before he swiped it and handed it back. She scrawled something of a signature on the receipt, grabbed the bag from his hand, and hurried toward the door. 

"Thanks for your business!" he called behind her.

She stopped her retreat and turned back to face him. "Thanks, you really helped me out today."

He nodded and waved. "Don't be late!"

She smiled and momentarily wished she had the time to at least flirt with him. She really did hate to be rude. Her phone began to ring in her purse. Just the ring was enough to remind her that she was in a hurry, but her sister reminded her of it as she.

***

Tabitha didn't find his card until the next morning. 

She was getting in her car, preparing to drive home from her sister's house where she'd spent the night. After the concert had finished, they'd had dinner out, a rare treat for her nephews and nieces. Not that they suffered from having to eat home-cooked meals on a regular basis. The family employed a wonderful chef. Her two-year old niece, Lily, was so distracted by the passing strangers that she barely ate a thing. Rose and Patrick, seven and ten respectively, ate the sloppiest burgers Tabitha had ever seen. Dion, her sister, was once again pregnant and could barely stomach the sight of her two older children devouring their meaty, messy meals. She picked at a green salad, but mostly consumed dry crackers. Meanwhile, her brother, Rick, spent most of the meal trying to coach Lily into eating "just one more bite" and laughing when she pressed her pink lips together and shook her head. 

Tabitha loved her family and hoped that one day, she would be as lucky as Dion. They had come from the humblest of beginnings, but had both grown to be educated, successful women. Dion was a financial genius. She may have looked like just another PTA mom, but in reality she held dual degrees—Business and Accounting—and was just as much a force behind her husband's financial success as he...not that Rick Solomon wasn't already wealthy before he'd met or married Dion. He was from old British money, after all. 

Tabitha had her own room in their eight bedroom house on The Hill. She was a constant visitor, a more-than-willing babysitter, and never more than a phone call away. The family split their time between their home in Hillsdale and a multitude of other houses in which they lived or vacationed. 

It was after ten when Tabitha decided to leave the comfort of a house full of warmth and noise. Her sister would be leaving soon. Her pregnancy was getting far along and she had to make the flight back to England before it would be medically unsound to do so. Tabitha was sort of weaning herself, getting used to spending more time alone so when her family went back to England she would be used to the solitude again. 

The small plastic bag that the salesman had given her the night before was in the driver's seat. She picked it up and tossed it to the passenger's seat and the small white card slipped out. It landed face down, but there was something scrawled on the back in blue ink. She picked it up and smiled when she read it.

This is my job, but music is my life. Call me anytime. Wes

Underneath was a phone number. She automatically reached for her cell, but reconsidered. Sure, this Wes guy was cute, but how much could they possibly have in common? Besides, he probably just wanted to offer her some kind of music lessons or something. She certainly didn't have time for that...and even if he was offering something else...like a date...she didn't have time for that either!

Tabitha crumpled the card and shoved it back into the plastic bag. She couldn't imagine any instance that would bring her back in contact with Wes...or the store in which he worked.

***

Wes spotted the gray Camry with the Coexist bumper sticker and the psychedelic peace frog and stopped. He recognized it immediately since he'd watched her get in it and then drive off like a bat out of hell only three days before. Maybe the girl in the red dress had come back to the store for something! Tabitha, he remembered the name on her bank card. Since she hadn't taken the subtle hint of his cell phone number on the back of the business card, this would be the perfect opportunity to ask her out. 

He jogged through the parking lot and into the store. The bells on the door jingled loudly when he used a bit too much force to pull it open.

His boss, Mr. Dennis looked up and smiled when Wes entered. He shoved aside the paperwork he'd been going through and walked toward Wes. "Come to pick up your paycheck or work for free, Wesley?"

"Just the paycheck," Wes said glancing around the store. No customers...and definitely no Tabitha. 

Mr. Dennis laughed and clapped Wes on the back. "Go ahead and get it...on my desk in the back office."

Wes nodded and smiled. Mr. Dennis was such a nice guy. It had been his dream to open a music store, teach lessons and record in the back, but lately it seemed no one was interested in buying pianos or taking voice lessons. Why bother when everything was mixed and synthesized to death anyway? Even the yowl of an alley cat could be made to sound decent with the right mixing technology.

Once back in the tiny office, Wes glanced over the small pine desk. His paycheck was on top of a pile of blank sheet music. Wes picked up the white envelope with his name scrawled across it and something peeking out from beneath the lined papers caught his eye. He pulled out the red envelope and frowned. It was from a bank. Red envelopes from a bank meant one thing: the store was not in the black.

Frowning, Wes slipped the mail back into its hiding place. Mr. Dennis would be hurt if he knew that Wes was aware of any financial difficulties. He was nice and all, but he was also proud.

Wes walked quickly out of the store, just waving to his boss. 

Distracted, he started back toward his car, but caught sight of the gray car again and frowned in frustration. Where was she?

He glanced to the right, there was nothing that way but a Fantastic Sam's and a Chinese takeout place. She definitely didn't look like the type of girl that got her hair done at a chain store and if she'd been having Chinese for lunch, she'd have already left. He turned in the other direction. There was a gym two doors down from Life Sounds. He headed that way, glancing in the window of the travel agency just in case. It wasn't even open. When he reached the gym, he saw multitudes of skinny women on treadmills. They took up all the machines close to the window. He wondered if they wanted to be ogled like they were in a fish bowl. That was the feeling he got as he stood there glancing from one face to another. He frowned at the bulky men toward the back of the building heaving weights while they watched the women on their treadmills. Maybe he should be in there putting some tone in his arm muscles. He was about to give up when a woman on one of the machines closest to the window hopped off. The hole she left gave him a chance to see the machines further down that same row. He saw a flash of curly brown hair and without thinking, rushed inside.

The receptionist, a slender blonde dressed in a sky blue sports bra and Capri pants that fit like second skin, stood when he entered. He blinked at her. The huge smile she wore stretched her face a little too much. He was reminded of the music video for Black Hole Sun where everyone had those creepy, unnatural smiles. 

"Can I help you, sir?" she asked in a voice that was much too bubbly and squeaky.

"Uh...yeah...I was thinking about switching gyms and I figured since I work next door, this place would be really convenient. Can I get some information?"

She smiled even harder and he fought the urge to wince. Her face had to hurt by the end of the day. "Sure!"

That wasn't going to get him anywhere close to Tabitha, not when the receptionist was reaching beside her for the application, already on a clipboard. "Oh, and a list of classes and any available trainers."

Her smile slipped a little. "I'll have to look for the trainers schedules."

Wes nodded. "Take your time...mind if I have a look around?"

"Go right ahead." 

Wes made a beeline for the only piece of gym equipment that held anything of interest to him. She was so fluid and graceful as she jogged. Only her ponytail was out of sync. While her arms and legs went back and forth, her hair went side to side, locks of it clung to the damp skin on her neck, shoulders, and back. 

"Hi, Tabitha, right?" Wes said when he got around to the front of the machine. 

She smiled. "Hi! Music store guy, right?" She painted with her thumb in the direction of Life Sounds.

"Yeah...Wes...so is this your gym?" Lame question, dumb-ass!

"Yup. I keep coming here but no matter how much I run these things..." She slapped her palms against the outside of her thighs. "...don't go anywhere." 

Wes's gaze went to the vision that was her thighs in a pair of gray yoga pants. Nice.

She kept talking in his silence. "I've got what you call: child-bearing hips. So does my sister and that's probably why she's pregnant with her fourth kid right now." She chuckled and he noticed that even though she was jogging at a pretty good clip, her voice was even and not at all winded.

He spotted the little blonde in Lycra coming his way from the corner of his eye. That extra large smile was back. Crap. He was so not in the mood to be a customer...semi-stalker, yes...customer, no.

"You never called me," he said, deciding to get straight to the point. "I guess you lost my card or something."

Tabitha shrugged. "I don't play anything but CDs."

"Call me anyway," he said sticking a card in the circular space meant for water bottles. "We can hang out."

She smiled at him again. "Okay."

Wes rushed to meet the receptionist. "You know I should really look over the early cancellation clause at my current gym and get back to you." He pulled the blue folder from her hands. 

The creepy smile went away and was replaced by a look of stunned confusion. 

"Thanks, later!" He hurried back out the front door and into his car. He really hoped that Tabitha called him this time...otherwise he might just have to join the gym. He looked down at the blue folder he'd snatched from the receptionist. Could he really work out at a place called Body Dynamic? Just the thought of it kind of made him want to throw up.



Tabitha Ch. 03



That Friday afternoon, Tabitha sat with her sister at the kitchen table. Dion was nursing a cup of chamomile and Tabitha was obsessing over whether or not she should bother calling Wes.

"Do you have something against dating a cute guy?" Dion asked rubbing her hand in slow deliberate circles on her baby bump. 

"No."

"Then what the hell is your problem?" Dion snapped rolling her eyes.

Tabitha sighed, but didn't answer. She just watched her sister sip her tea. Dion was beautiful. She had shoulder length black hair—relaxed straight, and milk chocolate brown skin and dark eyes. The two sisters looked completely different. They had different fathers; Dion had taken after their mother, but Tabitha looked like her father. 

"Well?" Dion probed. "Are you going to answer me?"

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "I hate it when you get all high and mighty."

Dion laughed but didn't let the subject drop. "You said he's cute and he's obviously likes you if he asked you out while you were huffing, puffing, and sweating on the treadmill."

"I'll have you know I look totally hot when I work out."

"I'm sure, just like every other second of every day." Dion's usual good humor faltered for a second.

"What does that mean?" asked Tabitha.

"Nothing," Dion dropped her gaze to the table and worried her bottom lip.

"Gosh, Dee I know I pick on you about always being pregnant, but you won't be pregnant forever. You'll be back to normal in a matter of months."

Dion chuckled. "I know that. I don't have issues with being pregnant. I love it." She placed both hands on her belly and smiled.

"Then what's up?" Tabitha leaned and added her hand to Dion's bump.

"Maybe its just hormones," Dion muttered, "but ever since Posie's visit, I've been wondering if Rick is blind...and if he's not, what could he possibly see in me?"

"Wait a minute," said Tabitha, "are you saying that you're jealous of your sister?" Posie Solomon had been in town for a three day visit the week before. She'd attended Patrick's concert, but had left after curtain call to catch her flight back to London. Posie was a bonafied bomb-shell. She had long blonde hair, sparkling sapphire eyes, delicate bone structure, and a slight figure. Even her coloring was dainty, flawless pale skin with a natural pink blush along her cheeks. She looked a lot like her brother, Patrick had the same coloring, hair, and eyes, but he had a masculine build and a better sense of humor.

"Yes," Dion sighed, "You saw her! I mean, between her arched eyebrows, flawless complexion, and model-perfect body, all I can think is, 'he grew up with someone like her, he shouldn't be attracted to someone like me.'"

Tabitha's head jerked back as if she'd been slapped. "But you're beautiful."

Dion rolled her eyes. 

"You know you're gorgeous," Tabitha pressed, "You look just like mom!"

Dion frowned and shook her head. "All mom ever talked about was 'Thank God Tabitha got her father's good hair, and height, and skin color. She never needs a relaxer, her eye color is so unique, and she's got that nice, light skin.'" 

Tabitha felt herself shrink. She pulled her hand away from Dion's stomach and tucked it into the other one on her lap. She felt tears pricking at the backs of her eyes and cast her gaze down to her hands. "Growing up I wanted to look like you. You and mom could see yourselves in each other. I was the odd one out."

"You were special."

Tabitha felt sick. Dion Marie Solomon was not just her sister. She was her hero! Dion got married before she had kids...to a man that treated her like she was the only woman in the world. When Rick went out of town on business, he always brought her a gift...not because he'd been unfaithful, but because he'd missed her. He took the kids on an outing every weekend so Dion could have private time to herself after five days of being an amazing mother to their three beautiful children. Rick took her out to dinner and a grown-up movie once a month. He surprised her with concert tickets every now and then and Tabitha had caught him marveling at his wife while she wasn't looking. That wasn't exactly the caliber of men Tabitha and Dion had been exposed to growing up. Their mother dated men that used her for one thing or another, barely concealing the fact that they didn't give a shit about her or her kids.

What was most amazing about her brother was the fact that the impression he made was his true character. He didn't pretend to be a nice guy while his family cowered in fear when he got home from work. Dion never had to dress strategically to cover up bruises. Rick didn't drink himself numb. He didn't spend weekends on the golf course. He never went to a bar or club unless Dion was there with him.

The Solomon family took weekend trips and family vacations. The kids had everything they needed—dozens of pairs of shoes, more than one winter coat, their own rooms full of toys, a playroom in every house their parents owned. They took tennis, ballet, and karate lessons, and had the opportunity to participate in any team sport they wanted from soccer to lacrosse. 

Dion had done well. She'd managed to break the pattern set by their mother and grandmother. She'd had a successful career, wonderful kids, an amazing husband, and she'd yet to have to compromise herself for any of her achievements.

Yet, in the middle of her spotless kitchen at the ornately carved table in the breakfast nook, Dion was saying that she fell short...in looks! That was ridiculous. She had black eyes that sparkled with excitement and humor, warm brown skin with red undertones, and thick black hair. Tabitha had always admired her older sister...mainly for the patience she'd shown her twenty years before; when she was a petulant child—the same patience she now showed her own children.

"Doesn't Rick tell you that you're beautiful?" asked Tabitha.

Dion smiled. "Yes, of course, but he has to tell me that. He's my husband."

"He tells you that because he means it, and because it's true. I'm your sister; I don't have to kiss you're ass. Trust me, you're beautiful! Your kids are friggin' gorgeous and they got half their genes from you!"

"They look like their dad," Dion said with a shrug.

Tabitha glared at her. "They look like the both of you. Rose has your ears, Patrick has your eyes, Lily has your chin, and they all have your nose...which I also have because it's just like mom's."

"Okay, okay," muttered Dion as she dabbed at tears that were beginning to slip down her cheeks.

"Mum! Mum! Mum!" a small voice sang over the baby monitor on the table between them.

"My niece is awake!" squealed Tabitha as she pushed away from the table.

"She's calling me," Dion teased.

"That's just because she doesn't know that her Auntie is here!"

"Fine," said Dion waving a hand dismissively, "you climb those stairs and get her."

When Tabitha got back in the kitchen, Lily was tucked against her chest, still a bit groggy from her nap. Tabitha reclaimed her seat and began rubbing Lily's back so she could wake up slowly.

"So, when are you leaving?" she asked when Dion settled back at the table armed wit a sippy-cup full of apple juice.

Dion set the cup on the table within Lily's reach.

"Five weeks, just before I'm too pregnant to fly."

"Which house?" The question made sense considering they had a flat in London and a townhouse in Bath.

"The house outside Birmingham," Dion answered. 

"Ah, the biggest one."

"I'll need the space," Dion said indicating her protruding belly. 

"This time I'm going to fly over to witness the birth of my niece or nephew. It would be nice if I could just drive to the hospital instead." Tabitha gave a long, drawn out sigh.

"I want my kids to have dual citizenship."

Tabitha looked down at Lily who returned her gaze for a few seconds before reaching for the cup of juice.

"Funny," said Tabitha, "she doesn't look like a foreigner."

"Don't be an ass," Dion said with a chuckle. "Tell me about this guy already."

Tabitha groaned. "I thought we were done with that topic of discussion."

"Since when do I let a subject drop when I haven't gotten the answers I'm seeking?" 

"Never."

"Damn right," Dion said with a nod.

"Okay, well, you already know he's cute. He seems pretty cool; he's got some interesting tattoos."

"Oh, hell, Tabitha, is this another one of those wild party boys to which you love to attach yourself?"

"I wouldn't know," Tabitha said.

"You can't keep dating these worthless, tattooed, chain-smoking, half-dead creeps. When are you going to get serious about settling down and starting a family?"

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "First of all, who says I even want to have kids?"

Dion quirked an eyebrow and glanced down at her youngest daughter, safe and happy in her sister's arms.

"Second," Tabitha continued. "Wes is not a party boy. He works in a music store for Pete's sake. He's probably nice, and reliable. Hell, he probably has health insurance!"

"So call him, already," snapped Dion. "Now give me my daughter unless you want to change her diaper."

Tabitha wrinkled her nose. "You can have her!" 



Tabitha Ch. 04



Their first date was that night. They'd agreed to meet at a chain restaurant downtown. Tabitha wasn't exactly a big fan of their cuisine, or the corny uniforms the staff wore, but everyone knew where the place was so she was sure he'd be able to find it.

She was inexcusably late.

"I'm so sorry," she said rushing up to where he sat at an outside table. 

Wes stood and seemed surprised to see her. "You look amazing," he said.

"Thanks." Tabitha ran a shaky hand over the blue and green trapeze dress she wore. The satin material cascaded from a choker style collar to hang just above her knees. She'd pinned her hair back and actually put on make up. She'd even bought a pair of gold strappy sandals to complete the ensemble. 

She sat when Wes pulled out her chair and started in on the apology again. 

"Don't worry about it," Wes said with a shrug.

"Did you already order?" She picked up the menu and pretended to look over it.

"No, I didn't really see anything I wanted so I thought I'd just wait for you and take your lead."

"To be honest with you, I don't really eat here. I mean, the choices are a salad, a burger, or a crappy cut of steak. I might as well tell you up front that I'm not one of those girls that pick at a salad in front of a guy and then go home and shovel ice cream into my face."

His loud laugh surprised her and a few diners at neighboring tables. She couldn't help but giggle when they turned to look. 

"Sorry," said Wes leaning into her. "You just caught me off guard."

Tabitha blushed. "That's okay."

"Hey, why don't we get out of here?"

"Excuse me?" she asked pulling back a bit.

"We don't want to eat here. There's no sense in choking down crap and making small talk when we could be out doing something fun." He grinned at her, his gold eyes flashing mischief. 

Tabitha hesitated.

"Here comes the waitress, it's now or never."

"Let's go!" she said grabbing her purse.

She hesitated again at his car door. The charcoal gray Honda Accord didn't look like a serial-killer-mobile. She gave Wes the once-over. He wore a pair of faded jeans and a collared shirt under a black leather jacket. His hair was the same color as the coat and had the same sort of shine. Now that he wasn't at work, it wasn't as coiffed and fell into his eyes and around his face. Her hands itched to push it back, but such an intimate touch wouldn't exactly be appropriate on a first date.

"Where are we going?" Tabitha asked.

He crossed his arms and studied her a moment. "There's a private concert in the park tonight...interested?"

"What kind of concert?" 

"It'll be good, trust me."

Tabitha frowned. "You don't even know what kind of music I like, what makes you think I'd like this band?"

"They're good, if you like music, you'll like them."

"What's the name?" she asked as he opened the passenger door for her.

"Sickly Sweet," he said shutting the door.

Tabitha was immediately worried. Her taste in music was pretty tangential. She listened to every genre, except Polka. Her CD collection ranged from symphonies to present day; from Jimi Hendrix to Keyshia Cole. If she didn't like this band, she'd have to tell Wes and that meant no chance at a second date. If she even wanted a second date...

The ride was short, as the park wasn't far from downtown. They stopped just outside the entrance and bought hotdogs from a concession stand that was about to close. They walked along the path slowly, not really in a hurry. They made easy conversation and Tabitha thought that it had been a long time since she'd felt this comfortable with a guy. 

The band was amazing. It was an eclectic mesh of styles; Hip-Hop with a Rock n' Roll chaser. The lead singer had dark features, and a good voice, but the other singer, a woman was incredible. She sang the chorus of four out of the nine songs they performed. During one song, the band dropped the beat and she sang a-capella. She had a voice that wouldn't quit, a cross between Mariah Carey's voice—back in the nineties—and a bit of Janis Joplin's heart wrenching melodies. It all depended on the tempo of the song. The instrumentalist, all males were easily just as talented as both singers and looked like they were actually enjoying themselves.

"That was awesome!" Tabitha said when they band walked off the rickety stage and started shaking hands with people in the crowd. 

Wes just smiled.

"I can't believe there aren't more people here!" She glanced around at the thirty or so people around them. 

"Wes, dude!" the lead singer said grasping Wes in a man-hug, "Glad you could make it. I thought you had a date!"

"He did," Tabitha said propping a fist on her hip. "He still does."

The singer's gaze turned to her and he smiled. Tabitha's breath hitched a little. He was beautiful...there was no other way to describe him. His hair was black, but short and spiked on top. His blue eyes were so pale; they were practically transparent in the moonlight. He had a silver lip ring in the corner of his bottom lip with a large ball closure. When he smiled the vertical dashes in his cheeks made him even more attractive...it was almost painful. "Feisty," he said, "I like you already."

"You don't even know me," Tabitha said rolling her eyes.

"I can fix that," he said, making the dashes deeper by smiling bigger. "I'm Clay Hanover."

"Tabitha Riley," she said extending her hand. "You were really great up there." She jabbed a finger toward the stage, now being dismantled.

"Thanks—all in a night's work. Does that mean you're going to buy the album when it comes out next week?" 

"I think I will," Tabitha said with a shrug. "I've spent money on worse."

Both men laughed. 

"You're cool," Clay said letting her hand slip from his. "Wes is bringing you to the listening party this weekend isn't he?"

Tabitha glanced at Wes who shrugged. "He hasn't asked me."

"Well, it's just like this," said Clay jabbing his thumb toward the stage, "except in a smaller space and with corporate big-wigs instead of actual fans."

Tabitha wrinkled her nose. "That doesn't sound as fun."

"It's not," Wes interjected, "but the food is better."

Tabitha shrugged. "I guess that would be okay."

"Cool," Clay said brightly. "I'll see you Sunday night then." He winked.

"Okay," Tabitha giggled. It turned into a cough when she caught the look Wes was giving Clay.

"Later, Clay," Wes said shrugging off his jacket. "Tell everyone I said hi."

Clay nodded and headed toward a group of girls that were positively vibrating with excitement when they noticed his approach. Tabitha was watching him walk away when she felt the warmth of the leather jacket around her shoulders. It smelled so good.

"I'm not cold," she said turning back to Wes.

"That's not what your goose bumps say...and did you notice Clay staring at your chest?"

Under the coat, Tabitha ran a hand over her breasts. Her nipples were tight and hard, definitely visible through the dress. It was over sixty degrees outside, but evidently, the night air and the skimpy dress were working against her. She felt herself start to blush. What a first impression Clay must have of her! "Good thing I didn't give him a hug," she muttered.

Wes chuckled. "Are you ready to go?"

Tabitha slipped her arms into the sleeves of the jacket. "I think its best, before I put someone's eye out with one of these things."

She slipped her hand into his as they walked back to the car. He glanced at her, obviously surprised, but she kept her eyes forward. 

He took her back to her car, still parked in the restaurant lot. He opened her door and walked her to the driver's side of her Camry. 

"I had fun," she said starting to shrug off the jacket. 

"Keep it," said Wes gripping the lapels and pulling them back together. "I can get it on Sunday when I pick you up for the party."

"Isn't that a bit presumptuous? I don't remember saying that I wanted to go to the listening party with you."

Wes shrugged. "Do you have other plans?"

"None that I can't change..."

"Eight o'clock then?" He was leaning forward, and she couldn't help taking a long, deep sniff of his scent. He smelled warm and manly, just like his jacket. 

"That's cool."

He leaned closer and she held up a hand. "I was taught to never kiss on a first date."

She laughed at the look of confusion on his face. 

"Wait," he said leaning back. "Are you serious?"

"Yes!" Tabitha said pressing her upheld hand into his chest. Her breath got short at the feel of the hard planes under the fabric. "I'm very serious. No kissing on the first date." Some of the conviction had gone out of her voice.

He took a step back and smiled when she let out a long, slow breath and ran her hands over her throat. 

"Okay...that's cool," he said pitching his hands through his dark hair. "Call me so I know you got home safe?"

"Umm...why don't you just follow me?"

"Follow you?" he repeated.

"Yes, follow me home. You'll know I got in safe and you'll know where I live when you pick me up on Sunday."

Wes agreed to the idea and followed her to her apartment building. They parked and he accompanied her up the elevator and to her door. She wasn't in the penthouse, but she was on one of the higher floors of Executive Apartments. 

"Thanks for walking me," Tabitha said once she'd gotten her key into the lock. She didn't want to give him any indication that she'd be inviting him in. 

"No problem," he said watching her fidget.

"I guess you can have your jacket back since I'm inside now."

"Keep it," he insisted. "I'll get it from you later."

"Don't think that you're going to get a second date out of me just because of this jacket," Tabitha said rolling her eyes. "I won't feel that guilty if I were to keep this jacket and never see you again...even if it is leather."

Wes laughed. "I wouldn't dream of blackmailing you into a second date."

"Good," she said pushing her door open. "Oh," she said turning back to him. "By the way; best first date ever."

"Definitely," Wes said with a wink and a wave; smooth as he pleased. Once inside, Tabitha locked the door and slid down to the floor. She decided that Clay Hanover may have been the most beautiful man she'd ever met, but Wesley Roberts was so much hotter.

***

The next morning, Wes had to work. He stopped by Chubbs, a fifties style place, for breakfast. 

"Finally," Clay mumbled when Wes took the seat across from him at the booth. "It's almost eight, I was about to give up on you and go home to bed."

"I said I'd be here, and I am," Wes said with a shrug. The elderly waitress came over and Wes ordered coffee and waffles.

Clay nodded, his eyes were at half-mast and red-rimmed. "So, are you coming from that girl's house? Did you guys make a night of it?"

Wes rolled his eyes. "I'm on my way to work."

Clay groaned. "I can't believe you're still working at that store, pushing pianos."

"Everyone can't stay out all night, every night. Some of us have to work during the day."

"Who are you, dude? It's like I don't even know you."

Wes laughed and started adding sugar to his coffee. "Where'd you guys go after the concert?"

"Into the city, we hit like three clubs."

Wes watched his friend slump against the wall. "Jazzy went with you?"

"Yeah, found a babysitter she trusts." Clay barely smothered a yawn as the waitress set the food down on the table.

Wes dove into his waffles as Clay slowly started eating a pile of pancakes. 

"You're not soaking up alcohol with those, are you?"

Clay shook his head. "Hell no, I'm not drunk. I'm just tired as fuck."

"Maybe you're getting too old for partying all night." Wes ducked the spoon Clay launched at his head.

"Twenty-nine isn't too old for anything!" Clay said glaring at his friend. 

"I'm just saying, you look like you need your mommy to tuck you in right about now. Maybe you should come over to the dark side." Wes held up his hands as if in surrender.

"Fuck off," Clay growled. "I'll never be a day-walker."

"You're hardly keeping up that night-stalker routine."

Clay swallowed the bite he'd just taken. "If I hadn't agreed to meet you for breakfast, I'd have been in bed an hour ago. Just so you know."

"So sorry," Wes grumbled.

"Dude, don't even. I owe you more than anyone will ever know. Don't ever apologize to me. I'd meet you at high noon if you asked. You know how it goes."

Wes smiled. Clay was one of the most talented people he knew, but he was also a real friend. 

"Now, tell me about the girl already before I go face first into my flapjacks."

"She came into the store last week and I asked her out." Wes tried his best to sound nonchalant.

"Fuck that," Clay grumbled. "This girl ended your drought; you haven't been on a date in..."

"Three years," Wes supplied.

"Three years? Damn, that's a lot of time to be spraying the shower walls! Anyway, this girl snapped you out of that funk and...you didn't go to hookers did you?"

Wes rolled his eyes. "No, dumbass, can you make your point before I'm late for work?"

"Yeah, yeah," said Clay blinking his eyes. "My point is; she's got to be special to get you to sit up and take notice, plus she's got a wicked mouth, and she's hotter than Satan's sauna. Tell me you hit that last night."

"I didn't hit anything, but I'm about to hit you in the face if you keep talking about her like that."

Clay laughed. "Right, I'm done. Just don't fuck this up, dude. The runner-up line starts behind me, if you do."

"Fuck off," Wes groused around his last bite of waffle. He was only half-sure that his friend was kidding.



Tabitha Ch. 05



Tabitha grabbed Wes by the front of his black button-up shirt and tugged him toward her. He took a large step forward, across the threshold and into her apartment. He had barely a second for the surprise to register on his face before she tugged on his shirt again, bringing his mouth flush against hers.

Her tongue teased his mouth open. His hands gripped her waist and he pulled her to him. Her breasts crushed against his chest and he moaned pitifully. She was soft and smelled sweet...like flowers; not perfume or lotion or hairspray, a subtle floral scent that could drive him out of his mind. 

Wes tried to pull back, exerting what little self-control he still had. She wouldn't let him; she went up on her toes to bring their lips back together. His hands began to wander up and down her sides. His knees buckled and they sunk to the floor. Tabitha didn't seem to notice they were both on their knees; she was so involved in the touch and go of their tongues. 

His hands slipped over the flimsy charcoal gray dress she wore. It was low-cut, leaving much of her cleavage exposed. The tips of his fingers brushed along the exposed skin and she winced. 

The small sound made his dick hard.

Tabitha gasped when she felt it against her stomach.

Wes, brought back to reality by the sound of her surprise, pulled away. He gazed over her face; eyes shut, lush lips still parted face flush. She was gorgeous. He stood and pulled her to her feet before she had a chance to open her eyes. 

"You've really got to work on your self-restraint," Tabitha whispered as she fanned herself with her hand.

"You're still fully clothed with both feet on the floor...which means my restraint is well in-hand."

"Sweet-talker!" she giggled.

"Seriously, though," Wes said adjusting his erection, "What the hell was that?"

Tabitha smiled and dropped her gaze. "It's our second date; I figured we'd get the kiss out of the way so we won't be all awkward and nervous at the end of the night."

"Well, now that we've got that out of the way," said Wes, "lets get to this party before I need an ice bath."

"Sure," Tabitha said with a wink, "I'll just get my wrap and reapply my lips...I mean lipstick."

***

"Wesley, it's been ages! I'd hoped to meet you again in more of a business capacity that social." 

Wes turned toward the familiar clipped British accent and sighed. "I'm out of the business, Logan."

"Yeah, I heard," Logan said with a smirk, "but come on, Wes, you're made for this business. You see notes where the rest of us hear sounds. Just because some slag used you for your money and dropped you as soon as she made her way to someone better doesn't mean you walk away from all this." He held his hands out in a manner that reminded Wes of a picture of Jesus in his grandmother's old house. The shaggy chestnut brown hair creeping over the stiff collar of his shirt and dark blue eyes only added to the similarities. "You just have to wash off your dick and move on."

"Woah, I think I walked into this conversation at the most wrong moment possible."

Wes turned to see Tabitha's wide eyes. His face flushed. Why did Logan have to be such an ass?

"Tabitha," he said by way of introduction, "this is Logan Burke, Sickly Sweet's A&R."

Logan's grin could be described as predatory. "Pleased to meet you, my dear."

Tabitha wrinkled her nose. "You can turn down the Brit-speak. You're not impressing me any...I can't even pull off singing in the shower."

Wes snorted out a laugh and Tabitha took the final sip of her champagne.

"Allow me," said Logan taking her empty flute.

Once he was a safe distance away, Tabitha leaned against his arm. "That guy is awful full of himself," she whispered.

"He's full of other things too."

Tabitha nodded. "He looks like the slippery kind."

"What gave it away?"

Tabitha glanced through the crowd of attractive, well-dressed people making small talk. "At first it was the hair, all moussed up to look messy...then I saw those Berluti loafers—over a thousand bucks a pair—and the classic Burberry print tie...vain, yes, overcompensating, maybe. All those things would have been enough, but I think it would have to be the general air of crafty, uselessness about him."

"Smart and beautiful," Wes whispered into her hair. "Unbelievable."

Tabitha giggled, but straightened when Logan approached with a fresh glass of champagne. "Thank you," she said forcing a smile. "Please excuse me, I actually see someone I know!"

The two men watched her walk away in reverent silence until Logan spoke. 

"I see you've got the moving on part done."

Wes was suddenly bored. "Uh-huh."

"She's a looker, eh? Tell me, are those knockers real?"

Wes rolled his shoulders...bored was quickly turning into angry. "Don't," he growled...a warning.

"It's an honest question, mate. I mean, if they are real, you're one lucky S.O.B.; it's not ever day you come across a pair that fine that haven't been in a surgeon's hands at some point."

"Fuck off, Logan. Don't talk about my..." The sentence died on his tongue. What was she, exactly? Two dates didn't constitute a girlfriend, but she was something...something special. "Just watch your mouth."

Wes didn't give Logan a chance to respond. He turned on a heel and walked in the opposite direction. 

***

"Lauren, hi!" Tabitha said walking up to her coworker. 

"Tabitha?" the raven-haired woman said, surprise obvious. "What are you doing here?"

Tabitha tried not to be insulted by her tone. "I was invited, by Clay."

"You know the lead singer?"

"Kind of...we met on Friday night."

Lauren's eyes were round. "I would have never imagined you would hang out with this sort of crowd."

Tabitha was just shy of insulted. "Why not?"

"Well, considering who your sister is..."

"How do you know my sister?"

Tabitha made a point of keeping to herself at work and she certainly wasn't going around telling people about her sister, or any member of her family.

"Google."

"You Googled my sister?"

Lauren rolled her eyes. "I was looking for information about you, when you first started and her name came up."

"Okay, well, what does my sister have to do with my social life?"

"I just thought you'd be more into gala balls and society mixers, not this kind of thing."

Tabitha was officially insulted but she took a sip of champagne to squelch her anger. "Obviously, you assumed wrong and you don't know my sister very well at all. Please excuse me." She saw Wes headed her way and didn't feel like introducing him.

"Let's get out of here," he said slipping his arm around her waist.

Tabitha polished off the champagne. "Its like you read my mind."

***

"Leaving so soon?" a voice said when they were just a few feet from the front door. The party was being held in a rather gaudy mansion. In Tabitha's opinion, the entire home looked like something out of Architectural Digest...nice to look at, but not exactly livable.

"Jazzy," Wes said extricating his arm from Tabitha's waist and hugging the small, curvy woman. She went up on her toes to wrap her arms around his neck. 

Tabitha was just about to feel uncomfortable when Wes turned to her. "Tabitha, this is Jazzy—I mean Jasmine."

Jazzy was cute. She had black hair, cut short and curled in all directions, hazel eyes and a slender face. She had an amazing figure, made obvious in black leather pants and a sage green halter top. She had a peaches-and-cream complexion, a sapphire belly ring, and a warm smile.

Tabitha shook her hand and then realization hit her. "You're the singer...from the concert in the park!"

"Yes I am!"

"You're really good."

"She knows," said Wes, interrupting Tabitha's gushing.

"Shut up," Jazzy directed at him. "You can call me Jazzy," she said to Tabitha. "You have no idea how nice it is to meet you."

"Uh—thanks."

Wes was blushing when she turned to him. 

"Wes is my brother," Jazzy explained. "It's been a while since he's introduced me to a girl he's seeing; probably because it's been a while since he's been out on anything resembling a date."

"That explains the kiss," Tabitha said to Wes.

"Huh?" said Jazzy tilting her head and raising an eyebrow.

"Never mind," muttered Wes. "Its getting late and some of us have to work tomorrow."

Jazzy smiled. "Fine, have you seen Clay?"

"He's doing an interview with Spin in the office upstairs."

"Wonderful," Jazzy grumbled rolling her eyes. "If he gets the cover we'll never be able to deflate his head. I'd better go see what's up. See you later, Tabitha." Jazzy waved and started up the stairs.

***

"You're sister is really pretty," Tabitha said once they were in his car headed back home. 

"Thanks, I guess. I can't really take credit for that."

She giggled. "I know that. I just thought you should know."

"We went to the same high school, I was made aware of my sister's attractiveness by any boy that bothered to take the time to try and get to her through me." 

Tabitha looked at him, curious about the cold tone his voice had taken. 

"Did that happen a lot?" she asked.

"Only once a week or so."

"Sounds like you were pretty popular."

He laughed. "Not even a little bit. I was a band geek that watched too much television and was too concerned with making good grades to be concerned about his pimples. I was scrawny and socially awkward."

"That's why it took a few tries before I realized that I was being used. At first I thought the Lacrosse captain and the quarterback were actually interested in hanging out with me."

Tabitha leaned close and tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. After giving his bicep a squeeze, she said, "You filled out nicely."

"You're just trying to get in my pants," he said on a sigh.

"From what your sister said, I'd need a crowbar and an auto dialer to get into your pants."

"I think I can make an exception for you," Wes teased.

Tabitha laughed. "Don't make it too easy for me," she said, "because I'm not going to make it easy for you."

"A challenge, eh? I'm up for a challenge."

"I believe I know exactly what gets you up, Wes."

He laughed, loud. "Only you," he whispered patting her bare knee. "Only you."

He walked her to the door again that night and their parting kiss was only slightly less passionate than the one she greeted him with at the beginning of their date.

***

"What do you mean you're not coming over for dinner?" Dion squawked over the phone on Wednesday afternoon.

Tabitha sighed. "I've been over for dinner two nights in a row."

"Yes, but you missed Sunday dinner."

"I told you I had a date."

"You know how I feel about Sunday dinners."

"I know, Dee-Dee, but let's face it; you'll be gone in a few months and..."

"You'll be back to eating Ramen over the sink," her sister finished.

Tabitha winced at the accuracy of that comment. "Maybe, maybe not. Point is, I have to get back into my single girl groove."

"Don't give me that," Dion snapped. "Just the image of you on the couch watching television until you pass out makes me so sad."

"I'm not going to be on the couch tonight, I promise."

"You better not, or I'm going to pack you up with my household goods." Dion sighed. "Sometimes I miss you the most when you're right down the street."

"Don't get sappy on me, Dee-Dee," Tabitha warned. "Don't get me involved with your psycho pregnancy hormones."

Dion laughed on the other end of the line. "Okay, I'm turning down the hormones now. I promise."

"Thanks, now I'm going to get off here and finish this report, okay?"

"I thought you were going to give me the details of that party you went to on Sunday!" Dion protested. 

"I can't talk about it here," Tabitha sighed glancing at her office door, slightly ajar. "Evidently this girl I work with is keeping tabs on our family."

"Say what now?"

Tabitha laughed. "She Googled me and found out about you...and Rick."

Dion was silent a few seconds. "Well, if she was any kind of real woman she would have come to your face and asked you what she wanted to know."

"My thoughts exactly," muttered Tabitha. "Unfortunately, she doesn't have the balls or personality to do that."

Dion laughed. "Pay her no mind, my love. She thinks she knows us, but no one could ever imagine what we've been through...the retched series of events that's made us the crazy, wonderful women we are today."

"Who are you calling crazy?" Tabitha grumbled. 

Dion laughed. "I'll excuse you from dinner tonight, just call me after your date, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am." Tabitha said in mock salute.



Tabitha Ch. 06



Tabitha walked into La Bella Noche and hurried up to the hostess stand. She muttered sorries to the patrons waiting to get a table as she made her way between them.

The slender dark-haired man quirked an eyebrow at her. He was probably wondering who the hell she was and why she had burst into the eating establishment like a bat out of hell.

"Reservation under Wesley Roberts," she said yanking down the hem of the dress she'd purchased only an hour before. She still couldn't believe she'd let the sales girl talk her into buying a half-size too small. As if she didn't have a hard enough time squeezing her ass into clothes that were the right size.

"Yes, yes, follow me," he said with a smile. Tabitha was so glad Wes had agreed to dinner at this place. The listening party had been fun, but the whole night had felt like a blur, from the moment they pulled up to the mansion to the moment she fell into bed. It had been fun drinking and talking and listening to music, but she was definitely in the mood for something more intimate. 

Wes stood when they approached the table. 

"Wow," he breathed as he pulled out her chair.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Tabitha started.

"Forget about it," said Wes reclaiming his seat. "That dress is amazing."

Tabitha had stopped into a small boutique after work and picked out a bold blue Michael Kors sheath dress. To say the thing was tight would be the understatement of the century. She'd paired it with black pumps that went nicely with the black piping through the dress. "Thanks," she said pushing her brown curls over her shoulders. 

"Okay," she said once the waiter had given her a menu and left. "Let's get something straight up front."

Wes waited.

"Just because this is our third date, doesn't mean you're going to get some," said Tabitha. "I was completely serious when I said I'm not easy."

Wes laughed. "You sure know how to start off a date, don't you?" 

Tabitha laughed. "I'm just being honest."

"Honesty is good," Wes said, "trust me."

They ate their meals in comfortable silence, interrupted by easy discussion. At the end of the meal, the waiter put the check on the table and Tabitha reached for it. "Don't worry," she said, "I got it."

Wes frowned and snatched the check out of her grasp. "I don't think so."

Tabitha stared at him. "What's the big deal? This place is expensive and I haven't paid for anything yet."

"I. Don't. Think. So."

Tabitha grasped for the check and Wes pulled it further away.

"You think I'm broke, don't you?" he said incredulously.

Tabitha blinked, taken aback by his tone. "Well, I mean, you're a salesman right? You work on commission so..."

"Actually, I forego commission," he said leaning back in his chair.

"Okay," Tabitha said, "you're a salesman on salary and we're at the most expensive place in town."

"Just so you know, I'm not broke," Wes said pulling out his wallet and sticking a few large bills in the check.

"I didn't say that!" Tabitha cried.

"You didn't have to," he said waving for the waiter. 

"We should at least..."

Wes glared at her. "We're not splitting it."

The finality in his voice made her jaw snap shut. Did he just lay the law down on her like that? 

The waiter took the check and they were out the door before she could think of a way to save face.

***

Tabitha felt like she'd exhaled for the first time in hours when Wes unzipped the hidden zipper at the back of the dress.

"Thanks," she breathed, turning to smile at him. "I'll be right back."

"Are you sure you don't need anymore help?"

Tabitha laughed. "No, I'm good. Just make yourself at home."

A few minutes later she emerged from her bedroom in an oversized black t-shirt and gray satin shorts. 

"Do you want a drink?" she asked standing beside the couch where he was lounging.

"No thanks, I don't really drink."

"Neither do I; the only thing I have is a half bottle of Riesling that came in a gift basket when I moved in. It's been in the back of the refrigerator for two years." Tabitha settled in beside him.

The couch was a Heather-brown pillow back, royal sleeper so there was plenty of room for them both to lie side-by-side. Once Tabitha tossed the larger pillows onto the floor in front of them, the couch was the size of a full size bed. Wes rolled toward her, blocking her view of the television. 

"What are you doing?" she asked when he slid his hand under her shirt.

"I can't touch you?" he whispered swirling his fingers over her stomach.

Tabitha's breathing quickened. "Just stay above the waistband," she whispered.

"I'll try," he responded before dipping his head and nuzzling her neck.

Tabitha's giggle turned into a moan when his tongue flicked against that special spot behind her ear. The one that made her whimper and flood her panties.

His mouth found hers warm and willing. Tabitha's brain went fuzzy at the feel of him. Her hands slid over his chest, broad and hard, before splaying across his back. The corded muscles moved under her palms when he leaned closer. 

Lord, she prayed, don't let me play myself with this guy. Don't let me go out like that! 

Wes couldn't still his hands. They seemed to be all over her, from caressing her bellybutton to setting fire to every nerve on the way up to let his thumbs graze the underside of her breasts.

Tabitha hadn't bothered to put on a bra since she hadn't been wearing one in the first place. The tight dress had rendered even her more-jiggly parts immobile. Her nipples were impossibly hard, aching for his attention but his mouth was otherwise occupied. He swept his tongue across hers and she whimpered again. Her hips jerked upward, tucking against the erection straining against the front of his slacks. 

A groan rumbled from somewhere deep in his chest. The idea that she was affecting him just as much as he was her spurred her on. She dropped her hips, only to bring them back up immediately.

"I can't keep any promises when you tease me like that."

"Try," she whispered parting her thighs and wrapping her leg around his waist.

He groaned again. "Are you kidding me?" His lips slid further down, trailing fire from her special spot down to her collar bone. 

Tabitha lifted a shaky hand and pressed her fingertips to her kiss-swollen lips. "You can't take a little tease?" she panted.

She felt his smile against her skin. "You play too much," he muttered.

Before she could respond his hands were pushing up the shirt, revealing her honey-brown skin. She thought she should protest, but couldn't bring herself to do it. She felt that she was coming out on the losing side of the battle to be true to her upbringing. She wanted to be a lady...she wanted to stick to her principles; but his tongue was doing magical things in the valley between her breasts. 

She was almost a D-cup, a gift from some grandmother or great-aunt that she'd never known. Her own mother was small-chested and Dion had found herself somewhere in the middle. Tabitha had always had a problem with guys being unable to bring their gazes up to her face. After spending years trying to downplay the damn things, she'd given up and accepted them. If they were going to get so much attention, they might as well make her look good and better yet, make her feel good.

"Ooh," Tabitha cooed, lacing her fingers through his thick black hair. His teeth clenched a nipple and she screeched; her hips driving upward again. 

"Can't you take a little tease?" he asked before licking the slight injury. 

"Fuck you," she laughed.

"Ah," he said moving to the other breast, "you already said you don't want to do that."

Tabitha chewed her bottom lip to keep from confessing just how badly she did want to fuck him.

Her eyes fell shut and she focused on the feel of him feasting on her breasts. His tongue and mouth were almost as hot and wet as her pulsing pussy. Her fingers pulled though his hair. He was so close to making her cum just from the attentions he was paying to her nipples.

Tabitha's eyes popped open when she felt him pull away. She opened her mouth to ask what he was doing but snapped it shut again when he tugged her shirt down. He dropped a kiss on her lips when she was once again modest.

"I think I'd better get home now, before I take it further than you want."

Tabitha's fingers clamped around his wrist; effectively halting the hand that was stroking her hair. "You don't have to leave," she said, "I trust you."

Wes laughed. "That's good, but I don't trust myself. Walk me to the door?"

She nodded and followed him to the door. 

Wes pulled on his shoes and jacket before gathering her in his arms. "Call me," he said after a long, gentle kiss.

"Okay," Tabitha whispered tracing her fingers along his angular jaw.

***

Mr. Dennis waved a hand in front of Wes. "Are you listening, Wesley?"

"No," said Wes, blinking away the image of Tabitha the night before. "Sorry."

"At least you're honest," the older man said laughing. "What's got you so distracted, son?"

Wes hesitated to answer. He should have been focused on the fact that the store was empty, as usual, and he knew how close they were to having to close the doors...for good. Instead, he was giving himself a chubby by picturing Tabitha on her back, underneath him. "I'm just distracted."

"A woman," Mr. Dennis said matter-of-factly. 

Wes nodded.

"I can read you like sheet music," Mr. Dennis said with a chuckle.

"You've known me too long, I guess." Wes dragged his finger through a box of guitar picks.

"You're just like your father. He had that same lost look on his face when he was dating your mother."

Wes wrinkled his nose. "Ew."

"You wouldn't be here if she hadn't put that dumb look on his face!"

"I know that. I just don't like being compared to my dad." Wes rolled his eyes.

"Your dad is a good guy."

Wes didn't really feel like discussing his parents, least of all his father. His dad had been the one person that told him he was being silly by pursuing a career in music. He was supposed to go to college, become an accountant or something equally boring and soul-crushing. His father had even been upset when Wes encouraged Jazzy to sing...something she'd loved to do since they were kids.  

"What's going on with the books, Mr. Dennis?" Wes asked.

He was met with silence.

"I know we're not in the black."

Mr. Dennis shrugged. "We'll be just fine."

Wes pitched his hands through his hair, mussing it a bit. "How about you hold my paychecks?"

Mr. Dennis set his chin stubbornly. "That's not necessary."

Wes groaned. "I don't need the money, Mr. Dennis. How could I take your money knowing that you're having trouble keeping the lights on?"

His boss huffed. "This isn't the first time the store has been in the red. Before Martha died we were about to take out a second mortgage on the house to stay open."

At the mention of his wife, Mr. Dennis' shoulder sagged a bit.

Wes sighed. "I can help you."

"I've always helped myself," Mr. Dennis said shaking his head. 

The bell above the front door chimed and Wes looked up. "You're three o'clock piano lesson is here."

Mr. Dennis smiled; obviously glad the conversation was over.

*** Friday afternoon, Tabitha found herself back at her sister's kitchen table. She'd left the office early and changed before hand. She stared into the large cup of Earl Grey Tea in front of her. 

"Have you heard from mom?"

"Not since last month," Dion muttered taking a bite of her apple-crumb muffin.

"Figures," Tabitha mumbled.

"On to happier subjects," said Dion. "Where are you guys going tonight?"

"Nowhere," Tabitha sighed. "I haven't called him since Wednesday. He texted me a few times and I responded, but I'm not trying to see him yet."

Dion groaned. "This guy..."

"Wes," Tabitha offered.

"Wes seems really cool. Why are you trying to keep him at arm's length?"

Tabitha tugged on the braid hanging over her left shoulder. "I just want to slow things down," Tabitha said with a shrug. "I've never dated someone that wore down my defenses so quickly. I'm telling you, I almost had my ankles by his ears the other night." 

Dion laughed. "He put it on you like that?"

"It wasn't just the kissing stuff. We just match up and it's kind of scary." 

"You're being an idiot," said Dion.

"I'm serious! You know I don't want any serious relationships. I don't need that kind of stress."

Dion dropped her head into her hands. "You're transferring."

"What does that mean?" snapped Tabitha.

"You're not mom and he's not one of those assholes she dated. You've got to stop using her bad decisions as a compass for your questionable decisions." Dion picked up the baby monitor from the table between them. There were a few grunts coming from the other side.

"Easy for you to say Mrs. Solomon; you found the perfect guy."

Dion pushed herself to standing and sighed. "We found each other and if I had been a chicken-shit like you, I would have missed out on him and our kids."

Tabitha shrugged. "Point made; point taken."

***

Tabitha smiled when she heard Wes knock on the door. Then she glared at herself in the mirror. "It doesn't matter what Dion says," she muttered as she walked to the door. "This is just fun."

Her resolve weakened when she opened the door and he smiled. Wes wore a white t-shirt under his leather jacket and dark-wash jeans over black Timberland boots. 

"You're overdressed," he said walking past her.

Tabitha looked down at her aquamarine floor-length dress and frowned. They hadn't arranged the date until that afternoon and the last-minute aspect had thrown her off. Even if it was her own fault.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"It's a surprise. Go change." 

"But..."

Wes shook his head. "I've never seen you out of a skirt and heels."

She frowned. "You have too! You saw me at the gym."

"Do you own a pair of jeans?" he teased.

"Five minutes!" she said rolling her eyes. 

Wes sat on the couch to wait.

He almost swallowed his tongue when Tabitha walked back in to the room. She had taken off the dress and painted on a pair of light-colored jeans. She wore a crimson cropped ballet top over a white spaghetti-strap shirt. She hadn't changed shoes; she still had on a pair of gold wedge-heel sandals.

"You're going pale," Tabitha said walking up to him. "Can you breathe?"

Wes let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. "I could ask you the same thing!"

Tabitha laughed. "You scared me! I thought you were asthmatic or something!"

Wes shoved his hands in his pockets. "You just surprised me," he muttered.

"Uh-huh, didn't think I could change in five minutes did you?"

Wes just smiled and followed her to the door. She grabbed a light jacket and purse and they were on their way.

"Where are we going?" Tabitha asked when they were in the car.

"I told you it was a surprise."

"Why are you being a hard-ass? Just tell me, already!"

Wes laughed. "You're just going to have to wait, Tabby."

She pretended to pout.

Tabitha was surprised when they pulled into the parking lot of a bar she'd never been in before. Rock Hard was a small bar, just outside Hillsdale's business district. It was relatively close to her apartment, but she'd never been interested in seeing what was going on in there. She got the feeling that it was geared too much toward the college students whose dorms were only a few miles away.

"Don't be scared," Wes said when she hesitated to get out. He had opened her door and extended his hand. 

Tabitha took his hand and frowned at a trio of skinny young blondes in barely there outfits. "I guess I really was over-dressed," she muttered.

"I know this place isn't what we usually get into, but there are some people that insist on meeting you."

"What people?" Tabitha asked.

"My friends."

She tipped her head and wrinkled her nose. "You have friends?"

"Funny," said Wes dryly. 

"Kidding," Tabitha said with a shrug. 

"Its not a big deal...Jazzy and Clay are here."

"Well, at least I'll know someone." Tabitha sighed. "This whole meet-the-friends thing isn't really necessary," she said. "It's not like we're going to get married or something."

"You don't know that," he whispered.

Tabitha stopped short. "Wait...wait...wait."

Wes stopped walking and turned to look at her. 

Her hazel eyes darted around nervously. "We're just having fun here, right. I mean, I'm not one of those girls on the fast track to marriage and kids. I don't want anything serious and if that's what you're looking for..."

Wes framed her face with his hands. "Calm down. We've been on four dates; I'm not trying to walk you down the aisle. We're just hanging out with my friends, okay?"

Tabitha smiled, immediately relaxed. "Okay. That's cool."

As soon as they walked in, Tabitha spotted Clay. He must have been watching the door for their arrival because he turned as soon as Wes opened the door. He had already started walking toward them when Tabitha walked in and saw him. Clay was easy to pick out of a crowd. First of all he was one of the tallest people in the bar. Then, there was the way he smiled when he saw her. 

"Hello again, beautiful!" Clay said with a charming grin.

"Nice to see you too," said Wes.

Clay ignored his friend's sarcasm. "Please tell me you play pool, Tabitha. Wes sucks and I'm trying to get a partner that can help me win."

Tabitha smiled. "I don't play often, and I'm not very good, but I guess I could give it a try."

Wes rolled his eyes. "Isn't Jazzy your usual partner?"

Clay finally acknowledged Wes with a hug. "She's still at home. She's having a hard time putting Blake down."

"My nephew being stubborn? Never!" Wes chuckled.

They made their way over to a crowded table and Tabitha was introduced. She met Spencer, the drummer for Sickly Sweet, and his girlfriend Nora. Spencer was short, with buzzed blonde hair and dark eyes. Nora was even shorter than him and of Asian-descent from the slant of her black eyes and her long, straight, black hair.  Then, there was Derrick, Mario, and Peter, all three single and obviously looking. Derrick was black, slightly darker than Tabitha and stocky. Mario was white with dirty blonde hair and Peter looked like a shorter, less attractive version of Wes, same shaggy dark hair, but with dark brown eyes.

The only other female there was Becca, a petite bottle blonde. Her brown eyes swept over Tabitha in a matter of seconds before her face settled into a look of apathy. 

Wes partnered with Clay to play a game of pool against Derrick and Mario. Tabitha stayed at the table with Peter and Becca. She and Peter fell into easy conversation about the recently-released Porsche concept car. Peter was a mechanic and car-enthusiast and Tabitha had just seen the car online.

Becca yawned before she interrupted them. "So, Tabitha, are you a singer or something?"

Tabitha, half-way into a sentence, turned and looked at her. "Uh—no, I'm not. I'm actually an urban planner at a firm downtown."

"What does that mean?" Becca asked after a sip of her martini.

"We work with the local government to improve Hillsdale and a few of the surrounding cities."

Peter nodded. "So you're the one that throws up new buildings?"

"Not exactly," Tabitha explained. "We get a request...like if the mayor wants to update City Park...we brainstorm and put together ideas. We present the ideas and then get with the architects on the project to make it happen."

"So, what's the deal with you and Wes?" 

Tabitha didn't like that question...it was totally loaded. "Uh...I don't really know. We're hanging out...having fun."

Becca tossed her hair and frowned. "How much fun?"

"Back off, Becca!" 

Tabitha turned around to see Jazzy right behind her. She was wearing a dark green tube dress that hugged her curves and spiked black heels. "We all know you're waiting for Wes to fall in love with you, but it's not going to happen."




Tabitha Ch. 06



Even in the dark bar, Tabitha could tell that Becca was blushing.

"I'm not..."

Jazzy held up a hand. "Save it! Peter, could you please get me a margarita?"

"Of course," he said starting for the bar.

Jazzy took his empty seat and smiled at Tabitha. "Good to see you again."

"Uh...you too." Tabitha said, still surprised by the way Jazzy had come in and commanded everyone around.

"Don't pay any attention to Becca," Jazzy said motioning with a wave of her open hand to the frowning blonde beside her. "She's had a crush on Wes since they worked together at the music store."

"Oh, you work at Life Sounds?" Tabitha asked Becca.

"Hell no," Becca said wrinkling her nose. "I don't work there anymore. I get paid way more working as an office temp."

"Oh," Tabitha said, wind officially out of her sails. This girl was hard to crack and probably not worth the effort.

Peter arrived with the margarita at the same time the rest of the guys finished their game. As soon as they were all once again around the table, Tabitha was surrounded by loud, raucous conversation and after three group shots of Quervo, she couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun.

The only ones that didn't drink were Wes and Jazzy. 

It was one in the morning when their party broke up. When Tabitha stepped outside, she immediately missed the heavy metal background music that had been inside the bar.

"Do you want to see my place?" Wes asked once they were settled in the car.

"I'd love that!" Tabitha said excitedly.

She almost fell asleep while they were driving, but she perked up when they passed the mall. That wasn't good. They were on Lexington Avenue, passing the mall and heading south. The south-side of town wasn't exactly the safest place to live...or visit after dark. The only people there after dark that didn't already live there were usually going into or leaving the strip club, Top Shelf Dolls.

She relaxed when Wes took the first right after the mall. "You live in the suburbs?" she asked.

Wes chuckled. "Yeah, I do."

They pulled into the driveway of a ranch-style brick house and Tabitha was even more confused.

"Are you married? Did I forget to ask that before?"

Wes laughed. "No, I'm not married."

Tabitha glanced at the gnomes in the front yard and back to Wes. "Do you live with your mother?"

"Definitely not."

They were out of the car and inside the house before Wes clued her in. "I inherited this house from my grandfather when he died a few years ago."

Tabitha walked around the living room taking in the old-fashioned furniture and family photos on every wall. The rug under her shoes was almost threadbare and the walls were in need of a fresh coat of paint.

"You're grandfather gave you a house?"

"Yup."

"Awesome," Tabitha breathed.

"He was pretty awesome."

Tabitha glanced around the room again. "Were you planning on redecorating at some point?" She pointed at the paisley-print couch with an afghan folded over the back.

"I hadn't really thought about it. When I moved in, I didn't know how long I would be staying," said Wes as he hung up their jackets.

"It's been a few years...I think its time to commit."

Wes laughed and ran his hands through his hair. "You might be right."

Tabitha sunk onto the couch and toed off her shoes. "If you got this house, what did your sister get?"

Wes sat beside her and pulled her feet into his lap. Tabitha moaned when he started rubbing her insteps. "I got the house and enough money to cover the inheritance taxes. Jazzy got the rest of the money and our grandmother's jewelry."

"He must have really loved you guys." Tabitha yawned.

"Gramps was great. He was always encouraging Jazzy and me to do what we wanted, not what our dad wanted."

"What did your dad want?" 

Wes didn't take his eyes off her feet while he talked. "He wanted us to get suit jobs."

Tabitha frowned. "Like mine?"

"Yeah, but you actually like your job, don't you? Imagine if you had to do something forty hours a week that didn't fulfill you or give you any sense of accomplishment. Would you want to do it?"

"No."

Wes sighed. "Exactly. My dad grew up in this house, in this town; firmly lower middle-class. A couple less hundred dollars a month and he would have grown up five blocks south of here."

Tabitha frowned. 

"He and my mom married right out of high school and moved to Detroit. He got a suit job that made him miserable but got us everything we could ever want...including music lessons...but not time with him. He had a fifty minute commute both ways and was always dead tired. Maybe if he'd spent some time with either one of us, he would have figured out that we wouldn't actually fit in with the crowd around the water cooler."

Tabitha grabbed his wrist and tapped the black inked into his skin there. The plug-in jack was just beneath his elbow and the cord went from there, around his forearm and up his bicep where it ended in a set of noise cancelling headphones. "I don't know, I think you'd fit right in."

Wes chuckled, but grabbed her wrist and pulled her close. He moaned at the feel of her soft lips against his. Tabitha smiled when he pulled away. 

"'Will you walk into my parlor?' said the spider to the fly," she said in a sing-song voice.

"'Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy," Wes continued. "The way into my parlor is up a winding stair, and I have many curious things to show you when you are there.'"

Tabitha blinked, surprised. "'Oh no, no,' said the Fly, 'to ask me is in vain; for who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again.'"

Wes laughed.

"I can't believe you know that poem," said Tabitha.

Wes shrugged. "I know a lot."

"Can't tell by looking at you," Tabitha said sticking out her tongue. 

Wes made a point to look hurt, which only made Tabitha laugh.

"So, how did I do tonight?" she asked tucking her head onto his shoulder. 

"All the guys are officially in love with you. You make a great first impression...but I already knew that." 

"Becca wasn't too impressed."

"Becca isn't easily impressed, especially if you're not a six foot tall dude with a dozen zeros in your bank account," Wes muttered.

"Then all I'm missing is the right plumbing and a few bucks? It's not impossible." Tabitha laughed when Wes glared at her.

"I don't give a shit what Becca thinks, I like you just fine."

"You're such a sucker," Tabitha muttered against his neck. "Now I've got you right where I want you."

"Wait a minute," he said, "I thought I was the spider in this scenario."

Tabitha let her hand drift across his chest. "Whatever you need to tell yourself," she muttered. Tabitha laced her fingers through his and dropped a lingering kiss on his neck. "Show me your room," she whispered.

Wes led her through the living room and down a hallway. Three doors down, he tugged her into the room. The bedroom was small, obviously not the master. The walls were hospital white, but covered with posters of various rock bands; Sublime, Seether, Avenged Sevenfold, Pink Floyd, Van Halen, Bob Marley and the Wailers, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chile Peppers, Nirvana, Credence Clearwater Revival, Tool, and The Cure. The bed was a queen-sized, neatly made with a green and black comforter. There was a small computer desk in the corner covered with papers on top and another table with a beat machine on it and more papers. 

Tabitha walked over to the corner by the computer. "Is this your office?"

"You can call it that," Wes said with a tight smile.

"Cool," she said pulling off the ballet top. She heard Wes gasp when she undid the button of her jeans. "What?" Tabitha asked. "I said I'm not a third date girl, but I'm not a prude. You do have a condom, right?"

Wes nodded.

"Good," she sighed. "Now that you've got me in your parlor, Mr. Spider, you can do more than just stand there staring at me."

Wes swallowed. "But I like it."

Tabitha got the jeans off with a few hard tugs, dropped them to the floor, and stepped out of them. "I bet we can find something you'll like better."

"You're not drunk are you?" Wes said after pulling off his t-shirt. 

Down to her under things, she walked up to him. She couldn't stop staring at his chest. It was an array of art. On his right shoulder was a sun, the thick rays stretched all the way to his back and chest. Under the same arm, was the word 'famous,' in bold letters, vertical, and in all caps. 

She went up on her toes and kissed him. "You've waited so patiently," she whispered against his lips.

"I'm a glutton for punishment; most comfortable in cold showers, thinking about baseball."

She ran her palms over his chest; stopping to study each tattoo in turn. "I'm bossy, but I'm worth it."

"And so humble." He gripped her wrists, causing her to look up, into his face. 

Tabitha was lost when she looked into his eyes. Their usual gold had darkened, more copper now and his heated gaze was unwavering. She went up on her toes and he met her halfway. Their lips connected and so did their tongues. Wes pulled her close, walking her backward until they fell on the bed together. 

She was pinned under him and he was settled between her splayed legs. Tabitha curled her fingers through his hair. She cried out when his fingers slid into her panties. They weren't doing her any good anyway considering they were already soaked through. 

Tabitha winced and trembled when he rubbed her engorged clit. 

"Let's get these things off."

Tabitha nodded and lifted her hips as he tugged them off. He tossed them to the floor and inhaled her sweet musk, his nose less than an inch from her manicured pussy. His tongue snaked out and grazed her swollen clit.

Tabitha gasped and tried to bring her knees together. Wes stopped her with his hands on both thighs. He moved further up her body, using his tongue to make Tabitha gasp and wriggle. 

"Fuck," she cursed when he sucked a stiff nipple into his warm, wet mouth. Wes nodded, still suckling. 

Tabitha couldn't remember the last time she'd been so turned on. Her hands trembled in his hair. He'd pulled off his own pants while worshipping her body with his tongue and she could feel his erection against the inside of her thigh. 

She felt on fire, for him. Her skin was flush, her tan nipples tight, and her pussy weeping. The cream was escaping her swollen lips, running down her thighs. 

Wes smiled when her gasps turned to moans. He pressed her fingers into her wetness and she began to beg.

"Please, Wes, I want you inside me."

Wes was more than happy to oblige. He reached over to the nightstand and pulled a condom from the drawer. In three deft moves, he had it out of the foil and covering his erection. 

Tabitha's breathing was starting to slow and she was almost embarrassed by the way she'd begged for his dick...until he pressed his cock against her opening and she looked down at where their bodies were about to connect. Her heart began to pound. Wes was huge. Easily the biggest she'd ever seen and...she glanced at the bed beside her. What the crap? Did that package say Magnum?!

She automatically put her hands on his chest and pushed away from him.

Wes froze. "What's wrong?"

Tabitha's mouth was dry. She swallowed a couple times before she could speak. "You're big." She dropped her gaze from his to the latex covered monster between her legs.

"Oh, yeah...I guess."

Tabitha let out a breathless laugh. "I've never...it's just...a little scary, is all."

"Scary?" Wes repeated.

"No, not scary, exactly...just..." Tabitha swallowed again. "Big."

Wes brushed her parted lips with a tender kiss. "I'll be gentle."

"Okay," Tabitha moaned. She really couldn't put up much of a fight when he was turning her on so much.

Wes pressed his manhood against her again and Tabitha tensed. "Relax, Tabby. I won't hurt you."

He fed her his dick slowly. Tabitha felt like she was losing her virginity all over again. She hadn't been with very many guys...only four when she counted the questionable decision to sleep with her Physics tutor during her junior year of college...also known as a bad lay resulting in a good grade. A half hour in the sack and he was more committed to Tabitha getting a good grade than she was herself. 

Wes was only half-way in when Tabitha groaned long and loud. 

"Are you okay?" he whispered.

Tabitha raked her gaze over his face. The tension of being considerate of her comfort was on his face. She brushed her fingertips over the lines in his forehead. "Now who needs to relax?" she teased.

Wes smiled and nuzzled her neck. "You're so tight."

"Yeah," Tabitha whispered. "It's been a while."

Wes made a noise between a sigh and a groan. "Such a good girl," he whispered as he slammed his hips forward, burying himself to the hilt inside Tabitha.

Underneath him, she bucked, nails drawing lattices across his back. She screamed but he muffled it with a long, slow kiss. Wes didn't move. He forced himself still so she could adjust. 

"Damn it, Wesley," Tabitha huffed when he stopped kissing her. "Are you trying to break me in half?"

He laughed against her neck. "Did you change your mind?" He pulled back...almost completely out.

Tabitha's breath came out in a whoosh, but her ankles locked behind his back...pushing him inside again. "No, no, no," Tabitha moaned.

"You don't seem so scared now," Wes teased, picking up the pace.

Tabitha was panting, but managed, "Feels...so...good."

Wes grabbed her hair, fisting her brown curls. "Sweetest pussy," he growled. "Just as sweet as you smell...and taste."

Tabitha was losing it. Wes had established a frantic pace and she was so close to an orgasm, she could hear it whispering her name. His cock filled her completely. Wes nuzzled her neck and licked that sweet spot behind her ear.

"Oh God," Tabitha screamed as the orgasm overcame her.

Wes rode out her orgasm whispering sweet words under the fervent curses streaming from Tabitha's mouth. She didn't realize that she was crying until Wes swiped his thumbs across her cheeks.

"Are you hurt?" he whispered.

"No," she sniffled. "I think I was just overwhelmed...did I mention that it's been a while."

"Sounds familiar," he whispered against her temple.

Tabitha cried out when he began moving in and out of her again. Wes could move faster now that she was fully relaxed and adjusted to his size. She began moving her hips, meeting him thrust for thrust, which quickly brought on a set of orgasms like she'd never had before. After the third, she was shaking. Wes called her name as he came, filling the condom.

They kissed for a long while afterward, him still inside her. His hands smoothed her wild curls; hers pulled through his. That was how Tabitha fell asleep; tucked against his chest with her hands in his hair. She didn't even feel him leave the bed to get rid of the condom.

***

The next morning, they lay together, legs tangled. 

Tabitha was tracing the outline of a star tattoo on his hip. There were two black and red nautical stars, one on each hip, right above the bone. 

"I like your tattoos," Tabitha confessed.

"Thanks," he said pulling her even closer against his chest. "I kinda like the fact that you don't have any."

"Really? When I was younger, I thought about getting a tramp stamp, but then everyone started getting them and I'm not one to follow trends. Every so often I think about getting inked, but I don't know where to put one that won't seem gauche or overdone."

Wes pushed her wavy brown hair away from her face. "I love your blank canvas...when you're naked all I can think about is how soft and innocent you look. I feel like a big, bad wolf preying on you...making you pant and growl the way I do whenever I'm close to you. You're like a lost little girl that I've corrupted."

Tabitha wrinkled her nose. "I'm not a little girl."

She gasped when his calloused thumb brushed against her nipple. "Trust me, I know that. Some things you say and do are very NC-17...but, come on; you walk into the store in a red dress and flat shoes. How am I not to think of you as Little Red Riding Hood? I wanted to launch over the counter and take you on top of the Steinway."

Tabitha covered her blush with her hand. 

Wes tugged her hand away from her face. "Then you do things like that and I'm not to think you're innocent?"

She blushed harder and he kissed her forehead. 

"So far you're the spider and the Big Bad Wolf. I don't know if it's a good idea for me to spend so much time with a known predator."

Wes laughed into her hair. "It's too late. I've already written my name on you. You're mine."

Tabitha glanced down at her thigh where his hand was resting. "What the hell?" She sat up and rubbed her leg. "Did you write on me?"

"It's just pen."

"I can't believe you wrote your name on me!" She giggled.

"It'll wash off. Get in the shower with me and I'll wash it for you."

Tabitha glowered at him. "You'd love that wouldn't you?"

Wes ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. "I'll make sure you love it too."

Tabitha slid out of the bed and planted her hands on her hips. "I hear a lot of talk, get out of that bed and give me some action."

Wes grabbed a condom from the nightstand and followed her down the hall to the bathroom.



Tabitha Ch. 07



"Auntie, why are you walking funny?" Rose asked tilting her head and frowning.

Tabitha gasped. Dion and Rick laughed which made Lily laugh. Patrick, thankfully, didn't notice because his ear buds were in. The family was in the media room. It wasn't exactly a theatre. The room was in the basement, with no windows and three black walls, the fourth wall had a large white projection screen. There were leather couches and recliners for sitting. Rick had just put in a movie and Tabitha was walking in from the kitchen with two large bowls of popcorn.

"My Pilates class was strenuous this morning."

Dion clamped a hand over her mouth to smother her giggles. 

Rick accepted one of the bowls from Tabitha. "Maybe you should yoga instead," he offered. "Get a bit of a stretch."

She gave the other bowl to the Patrick and Rose before glaring at their father. "Maybe I will."

She tugged the ear buds out of Patrick's ears and tousled his hair. "Movie's starting," she explained.

Lily slid out of Rick's lap and toddled over to her brother. He lifted her onto his lap and they cuddled together as the movie started.

Tabitha couldn't concentrate on the family movie taking up almost an entire wall of the room. In fact, it seemed than the only ones that could were the kids. Rick and Dion were snuggled together stealing kisses. Tabitha noticed the way Rick splayed his hand over Dion's slightly rounded stomach...he was always thrilled when they had a new baby on the way.

Tabitha lounged on the loveseat and pulled a throw over herself. She stared at the screen, but her mind was full of images of Wes. The way he'd looked the night before, so naked and...blessed. She could still feel his strong arms around her as she slept. She could still smell his distinctive male scent. She'd had a time of it leaving this morning...especially after he'd served her a Western omelet in bed. They'd made love on more time before he'd taken her home.

Now, even after a long soak before she left for her sister's house, she was impossibly sore. Her thighs screamed every time she went from sitting to standing and vice versa. 

Rick shook her awake later. The lights were on and the room was empty except for them. 

"Wake up, Tabitha. It's dinnertime!" 

She frowned at him. Usually his British accent was adorable, but at present, in her drowsy state it was grating on her last nerve. "How long have I been asleep?"

"I don't know exactly when you nodded off but the movie was finished two hours ago."

"Crap," she groaned sitting up, "Why did you let me sleep so long?"

Rick snorted. "I've tried waking you before, you're grumpy and violent."

"No, I'm not!" she snapped.

"Of course you're not, my dear. Will you need any help to make it up the stairs?"

Tabitha shook her head. "I'll be fine."

"Maybe you should call that guy Wes."

"Why do you say that?" Tabitha asked rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

Rick smiled. "You were saying his name in your sleep."

Tabitha blushed red. "Mind your own business," she grumbled. "I just need to freshen up; I'll be up in a minute."

***

Wes felt like he was driving aimlessly. He was, in fact, on his way somewhere specific, but he didn't feel like grocery shopping. He considered taking a detour to visit his sister's house. Playing with his nephew, Blake, was usually a great distraction, but Jazzy would be all over him for details about him and Tabitha. He wasn't ready to share that just yet. 

Once parked, he pulled his cell from his pocket. He'd gotten two texts on the drive over. The first was from Tabitha, asking if he wanted to come over and hang out. Wes let out a long slow sigh. There was nothing he wanted more.

The next was from Becca. The message said to call her as soon as possible. 

"Wes," Becca sighed when she answered. "I didn't think you'd call. I thought you'd be too busy for me."

Wes rolled his eyes. If Becca hadn't been one of the first people he'd befriended when he'd moved to Hillsdale, he would have stopped associating with her long ago. Becca could be manipulative and immature sometimes, but he still considered her a friend. 

"I'm not busy, what's up?"

"Don't you want to tell me something?" she sing-songed.

Wes swallowed a sigh. "I don't know."

"Oh my gosh, Wesley! It's my birthday!"

"Happy birthday, Becca."

There was a short pause. 

"Aren't you going to take me out to celebrate?" Becca chirped.

Wes frowned. "What about that dude you're seeing? Should he be taking you out?"

Becca didn't miss a beat before she said, "He's out of town, besides, he's too cheap. He won't take me anywhere good. Why don't you come pick me up and we can go to La Bella Noche?"

"I ate there recently," said Wes, "I'm not really in the mood."

"Oh, did you take that girl there?"

"Her name is Tabitha and I was with her when I ate there, yes."

"I don't get what you see in her, Wesley. I mean, you spent all that time single and end up with this girl. She's nobody and she's got a fat ass." 

Wes felt his shoulders tense. "I like her ass, Becca. I've got to go. Have a great birthday."

Wes was half-way across the parking lot when he hung up on Becca. He turned around and jogged back to his car. Before he started it, he texted Tabitha. 

On my way.

***

"What's up?" Wes said when Tabitha opened the front door to let him in. 

He walked into her apartment and shrugged out of his black hoodie. 

"Nothing, I was just hanging out."

Wes chuckled. "What are you wearing?"

Tabitha looked down at herself. She had on an ankle-length, white cotton halter dress and flip-flops. "A house dress," she explained.

"That doesn't look like any housedress I've ever seen. My grandma's house dresses were flower-print tents with arm holes."

Tabitha giggled. "It's comfortable. That's the whole point."

Wes shook his head. "What about sweatpants?"

"I don't own any."

"Figures," said Wes. 

"I didn't mean for you to just come over, when I sent you a message. I was just trying to find out if you were busy."

"I was on my way to the grocery store when I got your text," said Wes taking a seat on the couch.

Tabitha frowned. "You should have gone shopping first."

He shrugged. "I don't need to eat. I'd rather see you."

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "Corny."

"So what's going on over here?"

"I was just playing video games and I thought maybe you'd like to join me," she said falling onto the couch beside him.

"You play video games?"

Tabitha sighed. "Yes, I'm a girl that knows how to work a controller. Do you want to play or do you want to go pick up milk and eggs?"

"I'm up for a game," Wes said as he accepted the Wii controller she held out, "if you're up to getting your ass kicked."

***

"I can't believe you beat me," Wes said putting down the controller an hour later. 

Tabitha shrugged. "I can't believe you didn't take me seriously when I told you I'm the master of Super Mario Brothers 3. I'm classically trained okay...Nintendo, the original, made in the eighties, just like me!"

"From the way you just kicked my ass, I don't think you did anything other than play Nintendo growing up."

Tabitha smiled. "I think I went to school a few times, and had some meals here-and-there Do you want to play Mortal Combat?" She got off the couch to search the media stand for her favorite one-on-one combat game.

"Don't tell me you had a Sega too."

"Yup," said Tabitha, "my sister bought it for me for my eleventh birthday. I only had two games, Sonic the Hedgehog and Mortal Combat. I can teach you some finishing moves!"

Wes shook his head. "I don't know if my fragile male ego can take any more loss today."

"Don't be scared," Tabitha said turning away from her search to face him. "I'll be gentle...at first."

Wes was about to say something completely unrelated to video games when her cell phone rang on the coffee table between them. Tabitha winked and picked it up before it vibrated off the table. Wes watched the smile slip off her face when she saw the caller ID. Whoever it was on the other end of that call had brought their perfect afternoon to a screeching halt. 

***

Tabitha frowned when she heard her mother's voice...scratchy from years of smoking and slurred from as many years of drinking. 

"Baby girl!" Mary Riley exclaimed with a bark of a laugh. "It's been a month since I've heard your voice."

"It's been six months," Tabitha corrected.

"Oh, no...that can't be right. I called you for your birthday."

"Yeah, six months ago...my birthday is November fourth. Dion's birthday is in April. Derrick's birthday is in August." 

"Uh-huh, that's nice. Listen Baby Girl, I really need you to help me out with some money. Pete's got himself in a mess and his bail is more than I can afford."

Tabitha set her eyes to the ceiling and chewed her bottom lip. She went to the State Department of Corrections public website once a week to check for her mother's name. She knew for a fact that "the mess" her mom's boyfriend was in stemmed from the domestic assault charge that he'd been booked on the week before. He'd been arrested for beating her ass and now he was leaning on her to get him out of jail. 

"Mom, I don't have any money right now." 

Tabitha glanced at Wes who was looking around the room. No doubt he was taking in the sixty inch LCD, the blue-ray disc player, and surround sound set up. Not to mention the teak furniture and Oriental rugs. Yes, she was lying to her mother, but both she and her siblings knew that lying was the only way to keep her away from them. If Mary Stone caught a hint of a dollar that she could get her hands on, she'd be on the doorstep every day, with a new problem, or a new excuse, and with her hand open. 

Once, while they were growing up, she'd told her daughters that they would owe her for the rest of their lives. They were to be forever grateful that she'd decided not to abort them. Tabitha had seen the anger coming off Dion in waves after their mother said that and continued to eat her chicken...that Dion had made for dinner...as if she'd made a comment about the weather. Neither Tabitha nor Dion could finish their own meals that night.

Tabitha shrugged when Wesley's gaze met hers again. 

"Okay then, what about your sister? She's got a husband with a job."

Tabitha hated the way her mother said "husband" like it was the stupidest word in the English language...or like it tasted sour on her tongue. She knew it was just because her mother was jealous that she'd never gotten any of her male "friends" to marry her. If she gave them sex, they stayed around until she started nagging for a more serious commitment. If she got pregnant they hauled ass. Only one ever came back...Derrick's dad...Dion was two and Tabitha wasn't even born, but he only returned for his son. 

Tabitha sighed. "Dion is pregnant with her fourth kid. You know money gets tight when a baby comes in the picture...hospital bills and stuff." Mary didn't know that Rick Solomon was a patron of the hospital in Birmingham where all their children would be delivered. Those kids might as well be born with solid gold pacifiers. Their medical care was top notch...and most likely always would be.

"Damn, she's pregnant again? That girl needs to close her legs. Kids don't do anything but..."

"Ruin your life, I know." Tabitha rolled her eyes and clenched her jaw. There's nothing like the constant reminder of being an unwanted pregnancy to foster feelings of love and devotion between mother and daughter. 

"Exactly, what's she going to do when that man leaves her? I'm not helping her raise those damn kids. I did my time."

Mary's sudden coughing fit gave Tabitha enough time to swallow the hateful comment that was sitting on the edge of her tongue. "Dion can take care of her children just fine, mom...with or without a husband."

"Have you talked to your brother?" Mary asked, completely ignoring Tabitha's confidence in her sister.

"Yes, he doesn't have any money either. His wife moved in with some guy in Hartford and left him with both kids. He's got a good job, but now he has to pay for daycare." Tabitha felt guilty putting Derrick's business out there like that, but it was for his own good. 

"Damn," Mary swore.

"You know what, mom, if you need money that bad, I can call Derrick and tell him that you'll babysit and he can pay you instead of the daycare." Tabitha almost couldn't hold back her laughter.

"Oh, hell no...didn't I say I did my time?" Mary retorted.

"Sorry, then, I don't know what to tell you."

"Talk to you later," her mother sighed and clicked off the line.

Wes was staring at her when she hung up. "How many times in that conversation did you lie to your mom?"

"One."

He smirked.

"Well, one complete lie. I do have money. One half lie. Babies are financially overwhelming, unless their parents are fiscally secure like my sister and her husband. One truth because my brother's wife did leave him a few months ago and he's pretty taxed right now with work and being a single dad."

"Wow."

Tabitha shrugged. "Don't think I'm some sort of pathological liar. I really hate doing it, but with her you have to put up walls. The only way to keep that specific kind of crazy out of your life is to make her think that you've got nothing she can use. All she wants from us is money."

"So you guys never give her money?"

"Don't get it twisted, we send her thousands of dollars a year between Mother's Day, her birthday, and Christmas. In fact, Dion used to send her money every week when we first moved out. I think she was afraid that mom would call Child Services and have me taken back home to her, so Dion was kind of paying for the privilege of raising me. It's just that all three of us have wised up to her game and we know that the money is going to be used for liquor, cigarettes, or given over to whatever guy she's living with at the time. Personally, I can't go to work every day and then throw the money I worked for away. 

"So together we decided that we'd stop giving her money whenever she asks for it. She thinks that I'm working some shitty admin job and she's never been to my apartment. She thinks that Dion is married to a British car salesman who has to continually return to England because he doesn't have a U.S. citizenship. Needless to say, she's never been to any of their houses. As far as Derrick, she knows where he lives because when we can get her to go to Thanksgiving, we have it there. He's firmly middle class with a decent job, and a house in the suburbs, but she won't ask him for money often because she didn't raise him. He never taken on all the guilt trips Dion and I did."

"Wow," said Wes getting off the couch and slipping an arm around her shoulder.

"I know. We're a special brand of dysfunctional." She leaned against him and inhaled deeply. 

Wes tipped her chin up and dropped a kiss on her lips. 

"What's this?" Tabitha muttered, "I haven't scared you off?"

"Not yet," he whispered against her cheek. 

"My, but you're brave," she said slipping her arms around his neck. 

"I've been known to slay a dragon here and there," he said.

"Nice," Tabitha cooed. "I think Excalibur is poking me."

Wes chuckled. "Once freed from the stone, it's pretty much impossible to control."

Tabitha slid her hands down his front and cupped his erection. "Let's put it to work then."

Wes groaned. "There's nothing I'd rather do, Tabby, but I don't have any condoms on me."

"Oh," she said letting him go. "I don't have any either."

"We can go to the store."

She glanced at her watch. "Damn, I can't. I'm due at my sister's for dinner in an hour."

Wes frowned. "This really makes the case for getting tested together."

Tabitha stepped away from him. "That's a big step," she said. "That's usually reserved for long-term, serious relationships."

Wes nodded. "There's that and then there's the spontaneity aspect. Any time, any place, we'll both know we're safe...as long as you're on birth control."

Tabitha worried her bottom lip with her top teeth. "I've been on the pill since I was in high school. Did I mention my sister is a baby factory? I know all about those pregnancy preventative measures."

Wes laughed. "Okay, so lets get tested and by this time next week, we'll know for sure that we can make love whenever we want."

Tabitha knew he was making perfect sense, but a condom was one of the best barriers between a purely physical relationship and a real relationship. Then again, he had put it on her like no other and having the option to get some of that any time she wanted was too tempting to pass up.

"Okay," she said with a shrug. "Let's do it."



Tabitha Ch. 08



"Ma'am?"

Tabitha started and gasped. "Yes! What? Yes!"

"I'm so sorry," the pretty brunette flight attendant said when Tabitha awoke so violently. "We served dinner while you were asleep and this is my final pass."

"Oh, okay. I'll have the chicken."

"What would you like to drink?"

"Water, please."

Tabitha glanced around her. The cabin wasn't very full, but the few passengers she could see were sleeping. The meal may have been good, for all she knew, but even the chicken tasted like water to her. The flight attendant cleared away the meal and came around again with a large pillow and a dark blue blanket. Tabitha wasn't sleepy anymore. She rooted around in her carryon and pulled out her portable DVD player and an album full of options. She cuddled under the blanket, popped in the earbuds and hit play on season one, disc one of True Blood.

***

Wes hugged Jazzy and she kissed his cheek. He hesitated to pull away because he didn't want to see the look she'd inevitably give him. That face full of pity and remorse, the same one she gave Blake whenever he skinned his knee or bumped his head. She grabbed his arms to pull back and look up at him. There was the look.

Wes sighed.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Jazzy. Can we not talk about it?" He hadn't been home ten minutes after dropping Tabitha at the airport when the door bell rang.

She narrowed her eyes at him and frowned. "We came over here so you wouldn't have to be alone. We don't have to talk about anything if you don't want."

Clay entered the living room from the hallway that led to the bedrooms. He'd just put Blake down for a nap in a guest room.

"What are we drinking?" he asked dropping onto the couch.

Jazzy and Wes both glared at him. 

Clay shrugged. "I thought this would be the perfect time to get blackout drunk and wallow in misery."

"Shut up," Jazzy said rubbing her brother's arm. "Wes has no reason to be miserable, it's not like someone died."

Wes folded himself onto the couch on the opposite end from Clay. 

"Wes went years with no pussy and no prospects. He comes across the perfect girl for him and lets her keep him at arm's length. Now, she's on a different continent, single, and hot as hell."

Wes had never wanted to punch his best friend more.

Jazzy shook her head. "You're not helping, Clay."

Wes glanced between the two people in the world that knew him best. He couldn't help but remember when Tabitha had learned just how much the three of them meant to each other.

***

"Beautiful!" Clay exclaimed when he opened the door. He swept Tabitha up in a hug, lifting her off her feet. 

"I'm going to start thinking that's my legal name," Tabitha muttered into his chest.

"I'm going to start taking this personally," Wes grumbled behind her.

"I love you too, dude. Do you want a hug?"

Tabitha laughed when Wes rolled his eyes. He thrust the gift he'd been holding into Clay's open arms. They'd been seeing each other a couple weeks and Tabitha was getting used to Clay's flirting and Jazzy's take-no-shit attitude.

"Thanks for coming, Tabitha," Jazzy said hugging her after she'd given Wes a kiss on the cheek.

"Happy birthday, Jazzy," said Tabitha.

"Thanks, I plan on making it count!"

"Just make sure you can remember it tomorrow."

"Oh, I will. I don't' drink so—no worries."

"Yeah," Tabitha said glancing up at him over her shoulder, "neither does Wes."

"Our grandmother was a functioning alcoholic. She had cirrhosis of the liver and died of pancreatic cancer," Wes explained.

"I'm sorry," Tabitha gasped turning back to Jazzy, "I didn't mean to bum you out on your birthday."

"It's fine, sometimes everyone needs to be reminded why they make certain choices."

"Mommy!" a little boy said running between them and grabbing Jazzy's legs. She bent down and scooped Blake into her arms.

"Say hello to Tabitha," Jazzy told her son. "She's your uncle's special friend."

"Hi," the little boy said looking at Tabitha from under his dark lashes.

"Hi. Your uncle talks about you all the time. It's nice to meet you." Tabitha couldn't help but stare at the little boy. He was beautiful. His hair was ink black and his eyes were cornflower blue. He was pale, but had a natural blush across both cheeks. 

"Daddy is being mean," Blake told his mother.

"What's daddy doing to my baby?" Jazzy cooed.

"Tickle monster!" Blake said indignantly.

"Do you want mommy to get him for you?"

"Come on Jazzy, you're going to make him a mama's boy!" Clay exclaimed walking up and reaching for Blake.

"No daddy!" he screeched giggling.

Tabitha gasped. Wes smiled. 

She whirled around. "Clay and Jazzy are—uh."

"Blake's parents," Wes offered.

She studied his face, not amused that he was making light of her shock. She turned back to the trio. "I didn't know you guys were married."

"We're not," Jazzy said handing Blake to Clay.

"Oh." Jazzy blushed.

"Clay and Jazzy are in a relationship, its not public knowledge."

"Female fans like to think they actually have a chance at him," Jazzy explained.

Clay kissed his son's round cheek and set the boy down. Blake promptly ran off toward the back of the house. Tabitha's eyes went wide when Clay slid an arm over Jazzy's shoulder. "We'll make it official soon," he said kissing Jazzy's forehead.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Tabitha asked turning back to Wes.

He shrugged. "Not my secret to tell."

Tabitha studied him for a moment. 

"Come on," said Jazzy tugging on Tabitha's arm. "You guys are the last to arrive. Let's get my birthday party started."

The party was loud and raucous. All the members of Sickly Sweet were there, as well as some people Jazzy worked with at her day job. Wes had met them all before and introduced Tabitha. She looked a bit overwhelmed by the time she'd met everyone. She held the Smirnoff Ice that Clay had given her, but he'd yet to witness her take a drink. The background music was Alternative music from the 90's, the songs his sister had loved growing up. The CDs he'd stolen from her room and listened to. Most of them were songs that had influenced his taste in the music he wrote, listened to, and played. 

Wes grabbed Tabitha's hand and pulled her out the back door. Jazzy and Clay lived in a two-bedroom condo with an unfenced back yard. Behind the row of houses was a steep hill, just over it were rows of cookie-cutter houses on streets and cul-de-sacs. Blake loved to climb half-way up the hill and roll down it. Jazzy hated when he did it, because by the time he got back down to their back yard, he was dizzy and stumbling. 

Wes took the bottle from Tabitha's hand and set it down on the small wrought-iron patio table beside them. 

"Are you okay?" he asked gazing down into her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just really loud in there. I'm not used to being around so many people in such a small space...plus the music."

"Rock stars must to have decent sound systems," Wes offered.

She laughed and glanced through the French doors at the other party guests. "Becca isn't here."

Wes nodded and pulled her into a hug. "Jazzy and Becca aren't exactly best friends."

"I could pretty much tell by the way Jazzy talked to her at the bar."

Wes laughed. "Yeah, Jazzy is kind of a bitch to Becca. She wouldn't have anything to do with her if Becca and weren't friends."

He felt Tabitha stiffen in his arms. He silently hoped she wasn't the jealous type. Becca was no threat to Tabitha and his friendship with her was strictly platonic.

"Becca won't be upset about not being invited? I mean, absolutely everyone else is here." 

Wes shrugged, pulling her closer against his chest. "Becca probably wouldn't come if Jazzy invited her."

"There's something I don't get," said Tabitha stepping back and out of his embrace. 

He stayed silent, waiting for her to continue.

"That night at Rock Hard, Jazzy said that Becca is waiting for you to fall in love with her. What's that about?"

Wes sighed and turned away from Tabitha. He watched his sister through on the other side of the glass doors for a moment, she was in deep conversation with Nora, Spencer's long-time girlfriend. He thought about yelling at her for saying that shit in front of Tabitha...but it was her birthday and he didn't want to be the one to piss her off on her birthday.

When he turned back to Tabitha, she was looking uncomfortable...as if she regretted saying anything about it.

"Do you want the whole story?" he asked.

"Why not?" she shrugged.

Wes huffed out a breath and pitched his hands through his hair. "Okay, Becca worked part time at Life Sounds when I first started there. She had just graduated from Adam's University and was working there until she found a real job. We started hanging out because I didn't know anyone in town besides Mr. Dennis and Jazzy. We didn't date or anything, we were just friends for almost a year...even after she quit the music store."

Tabitha nodded.

"Well, somehow she found out that I used to be in a band that did pretty well. Suddenly, she starts flirting with me and asking me out on actual dates. I was pretty shocked because she'd been adamant about wanting us to stay friends. She got drunk one night and told me that she wanted to marry a man with money. It didn't matter if he worked for it or inherited it. It didn't matter if she was a first wife or a fifth wife. She just wanted someone to give her the means to do whatever she wanted. She still doesn't remember telling me all that. Anyway, I wasn't comfortable with the idea of dating her since she didn't want anything romantic with me until she found out that I might have some change in the bank.

That's Jazzy's beef with Becca. Jazzy thinks she's shallow and makes no qualms about telling her that whenever possible."

"So," Tabitha said slowly, "am I in Becca's way here?"

"She might think that," Wes said crossing his arms. "Thing is, I know for a fact that she maintains our friendship in hopes of catching some musician friend of mine unaware and getting him down the aisle."

Tabitha smiled.

"You should have seen her face when she met Clay. She couldn't form words for about an hour. Then she went into full flirt mode and Jazzy almost murdered her on the spot."

"Does she still want you?" Tabitha asked.

"Becca is a mystery. She ignores me when she's got a man and she makes lame attempts to get my attention when she doesn't." Wes slid an arm around Tabitha's waist. "You don't have anything to worry about, though."

Tabitha frowned up at him. "Who says I'm worried?" She rolled her eyes. "If she wants you that bad, she can have you."

It was his turn to go rigid. Wes let his hand slip from Tabitha's waist and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Okay. I'm going to get back inside and get some cake."

He saw her eyes go wide, as if she realized that she'd said something wrong, but Wes didn't feel like giving her a chance to apologize. He was well-aware of what she thought about their relationship, which wasn't much. Instead of letting her feel guilty for the rest of the night, he forced a smile. "Should I bring you a piece of cake?"

"Uh...no," Tabitha sighed. "I'll be right in."

***

Tabitha stared into the Subzero and bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. It looked like one of the refrigerators on MTV Cribs. Every shelf was full of food. There were countless cans of soda, juice boxes, lunchmeat, and vegetables. Tabitha stared into the vegetable drawers. They were stuffed with produce: carrots, celery, leeks, broccoli, tomatoes, and bell peppers. Dion had come a long way. They'd grown up with a box of baking soda and crisper drawers full of pudding cups. 

"Are you going to stand there letting the cold air out of the refrigerator or are you going to come over here and drink this tea I took the time to make?" Dion called from the table.

Tabitha shut the door and glowered at her sister. "Tell me again why growing a baby in your uterus makes your ass get fat...well fatter."

"You're such a bitch," Dion grumbled.

Tabitha smiled. "I learned from the best."

"I did study at the feet of the master."

"Speaking of the master," Tabitha said tapping a nail on the side of her teacup, "your mother called last week asking for money to get Pete out of trouble."

"Ech." Dion wrinkled her nose. "She's back with that jerk?"

"Domestic assault charges...so, yes."

Dion's jaw tensed and she didn't say anything for a few minutes.

Tabitha put her hand on Dion's arm. "What's the deal, Dee? You seem to hate Pete more than any of the other men mom dated."

Dion ran her hand over the high-polished table and frowned.

"Come on, Dee, tell me."

"Besides the obvious?"

"Yeah," said Tabitha. "Besides treating us like shit or ignoring us while using our mom for anything she had."

"Yes, the obvious. He used to do his best to catch peeks of me naked."

Tabitha recoiled, but grabbed Dion's hand in a vice grip. "Omigod."

"Yeah," Dion sighed, "Pete is the reason he moved out. One night, I was getting in bed and he opened our room door. He just stood there and stared at me for fifteen minutes. I pulled the covers up to my chin and closed my eyes. I'd never been so scared in my life. When he left, I cried myself to sleep."

"Holy crap, Dion! Where was I?"

"I put you to bed early that night. You had the fifth grade placement tests the next day."

"Did he touch you?"

"No. The next day, I moved out. I went to live with my friend for a couple weeks until I got in touch with Derrick. He was still living with his dad and going to Community College, but he got me in touch with a really nice social worker. I was legally emancipated in a few months and I came back for you." Dion gathered both Tabitha's hands in hers and squeezed. 

"Months?" Tabitha repeated. "You were gone for months?"

Dion nodded.

"No, but I remember you being there. You were always there."

"I would get to school to pick you up and walk you home. I helped you with your homework, made dinner, and waited for mom to get home. Since I wasn't there to babysit, she couldn't go out as much. She was not the best mother, but even she knew not to leave your badass at home alone!"

Tabitha smiled and tried to blink away the tears that were forming. "Why, Dee? Why did you come back for me? I never understood that. You had your freedom and you gave it up to raise me."

Dion sighed. "If Pete the perv could even think about doing something with a seventeen year old, he wouldn't hesitate to do something to a nine year old. You were all alone and she sure as hell wasn't going to protect you."

"Thank you, Dee. I can't say it enough. I know you sacrificed for me, but I never knew how much. I still don't understand how you got Rick to marry you with an obnoxious teenage sister in the picture."

"I think it was my name Dionysus, he probably thought I was the bastard child of some Greek billionaire."

"I had no such ideas," Rick said walking into the kitchen and kissing the top of Dion's head and rubbing her baby bump. "I saw a beautiful woman that didn't fall for my crap, and had a seemingly endless capacity to love."

Dion mouthed, "Full of shit." 

Tabitha giggled.

"Don't listen to her," Rick said kissing Tabitha's cheek. "Besides, you weren't that obnoxious."

"Thanks," she said rolling her eyes.

"Will you be staying for dinner?" Rick asked.

"No. I'm having dinner with Wes tonight. I'll leave after the kids get their homework done."

"You and this Wes guy are pretty serious, huh?" Dion said with a knowing smile.

"No, we're not," said Tabitha defensively. "You know I don't do serious."

Dion frowned. "This is the longest relationship you've been in since..."

"Ever!" Rick offered from behind the refrigerator door.

"Yeah, ever. Almost a month for you is serious." Dion said with a nod.

"No, it's not serious!" Tabitha snapped, "And how come he doesn't get lectured about leaving the refrigerator door open?"

Dion shrugged. "He bought it and the contents therein, and pays for the electricity that keeps it running."

"Fine, next month I'll pay the electric bill in this gargantuan house just so I can stand in front of the open door letting the appliance bulb give me a tan."

"Cool," Dion said, "I'll send you the bill when it arrives."

"Oh, shut up, you know I'm not paying the electric bill."

"Of course I know that! I also know that you're trying to change the subject and I'm not going to let it happen."

Tabitha heaved a sigh. "Please, Dee, I don't feel like hearing a lecture from you and your sidekick about finding the right guy and settling down. Just because the two of you found each other, doesn't mean I'm on some perpetual manhunt."

"Good!" said Rick shutting the refrigerator and popping the tab on his soda. "I don't want to think of you hunting for a man. It's so desperate."

"That's right," Tabitha said crossing her arms. "One thing I'm not is desperate."

Dion just rolled her eyes.

***

Wes was nervous on the elevator ride to Tabitha's office. They were supposed to meet for lunch, but Mr. Dennis closed the shop early. Wesley suspected it was to save on electricity since they hadn't had a customer all morning and there were no lessons scheduled that afternoon. So, he'd showed up to Tabitha's office, nervous about surprising her. 

He hadn't had time to go home and change, so he'd put his leather jacket to cover up his work shirt. He didn't want to embarrass her by letting all her desk jockey co-workers know that she was seeing a salesman.

Tabitha smiled when he walked into her office. That relaxed him right away. Then, she got out of her chair, rushed to him, and kissed him long and slow. She was definitely happy to see him, and parts of him were a bit too happy to see her. He pulled away.

"What are you doing here?" Tabitha asked. "I thought we were meeting at one."

"Closed early," Wes whispered touching his forehead to hers. "I wanted to surprise you."

"Well, it worked." Tabitha stepped back and frowned. "It's June, aren't you hot in that thing?"

Wes shrugged. "I'm still wearing my work clothes."

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "Take that off. I don't care if everyone thinks you're a dork that tucks in your shirt. I know the truth."

Wes laughed but took off the jacket that was indeed a bit smothering at high noon on a summer day.

"Much better," said Tabitha with a wink. "Give me ten minutes and I'll be ready to go."

Wes took a seat and gazed around her office. The decorations were professional, but he could see her personality in there. For example: the bright orange vase on the floor beside her desk and three Jack Vettriano prints on the walls. The colors were bold, just like Tabitha. 

"Done!" she said after a few minutes. 

"Tabitha!" Laura sang from the door way.

Both of them turned to look at her. Tabitha bit back a snarky comment and smiled. "Yes, Laura?"

"We have a lunch meeting in a few minutes; oh...I didn't realize you had company."

Tabitha rose from the high-back office chair and glared at Laura. "Not even when he walked right past your desk?"

"I don't pay attention to strangers wandering around the office."

"Well I won't count on you to raise an alarm if someone decides to go on a murderous rampage one day."

Laura didn't respond. She was staring at Wes.

"Besides, I can't make the meeting. It wasn't on my schedule and I have prior plans." Tabitha pulled her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk and went around the desk.

"Oh, really?" Tabitha was still watching Wes, tracking his movements as he rose and put a hand on Tabitha's lower back. Her eyebrows went up when she noticed what he was wearing.

"Yes, really Laura. Now could you stop loitering in the doorway so we can leave?"

"Are you guys dating?" Laura asked, not even pretending to budge.




Tabitha Ch. 08



"That would be none of your business!" Tabitha snapped putting both fists on her hips.

"Okay, okay," said Laura waving her hands in surrender. "We'll miss you at the meeting."

"I'll try to miss you while I'm at lunch, but I can't make any promises."

Wes snorted a laugh. Laura swept another look up and down his form before turning on a heel and leaving.

"Let's get out of here before the gossip mill starts churning and we're accosted in the elevator," Tabitha muttered.

***

Wes was frustrated. Something had to give. Everything in his world had somehow turned upside down. He wiped the display windows at the front of the store in large, slow circles. Another day with no customers, at least there was a piano lesson on the books that afternoon.

The job he'd had for years was looking tentative and the sabbatical from dating he'd taken for just as many years was over. He was getting laid on a regular basis: good. Mr. Dennis was in danger of losing his store: bad. Sickly Sweet had their first album out and it was actually selling with a single on local radio: good. The band was going to have to go on tour soon and Clay had never had to leave Blake before: bad. 

A month and a half since Tabitha had knocked him for a loop. She never ceased to amaze him; the way she was blunt and totally up front about absolutely everything. There was the way she felt under him, and on top of him, and asleep beside him. 

She really shouldn't be attracted to him. 

Tabitha Riley was the exact opposite of him; he put off haircuts as long as possible, while she had five hours set aside every week to get coiffed. She was gorgeous and what his mom would call a "sharp dresser," she was a professional, with a degree, and a corner office. Meanwhile, he'd forced himself to graduate high school so his parents and sister wouldn't be disappointed in him...not that he wasn't intelligent, he just had music on his mind. None of his clothes ever needed to be dry-cleaned, while most of her wardrobe needed to be cleaned delicately. Tabitha was smart and fun, and she was equally happy hanging at home or eating overpriced Italian food.

That's why it made perfect sense that she didn't want to get in too deep. How the hell long could this go on?

"Fuck," Wes hissed when his phone chimed in his pocket. The text was from Vance. "Fuck," he swore again. He hadn't heard from Vance in almost four years...and according to the text, he was in town and he wasn't alone.



Tabitha Ch. 09



"Thanks for agreeing to this," Vance said as he slid into the booth across from Wes. "I didn't think you'd want to see me."

Wes studied Vance. His old friend looked rough. Vance was usually pale, but his eyes weren't usually red-rimmed with bags underneath. His red hair was spiked in every direction and died black at the tips. There were silver rings on almost every finger, a couple hoops in both ears and a few new tattoos on both arms. "I don't have anything against you," Wes said with a shrug.

"I know but...after what happened, I figured you wouldn't want anything to do with any of us."

"There was a year or two when I wanted all of you to burn in hell, but I'm not holding a grudge against you."

Vance nodded. "True."

"So, why are you in town...hell, why are you in America?"

Vance scrubbed his face with both hands. "I need some coffee," he mumbled. "This time difference is a bitch."

Wes nodded and waved over the waiter.

They ordered lunch and Wes remained silent when the waiter left. He'd asked a question that was yet to be answered.

"Logan set up some meetings with a sponsor. We took the meeting yesterday, in the city. While we're over here, Logan decided to set up some concerts. I guess we're working on increasing our American fan base." 

Wes nodded. At this point, the conversation was getting too close to the old wounds. A tattoo on Vance's neck caught his eye. Chaos Paradigm was written in Gothic lettering around one side. Wes looked away quickly.

"I brought you some passes," said Vance pushing the laminated squares across the table. "It's this Friday."

"I don't know about this," Wes sighed nodding at the passes.

Vance nodded. "I thought you don't hold grudges."

"I said I don't hold a grudge against you. I'm not exactly ready to play nice with everyone."

"You know we haven't been the same without you." Vance accepted the coffee and took to drinking it without any sweetener or cream. 

"I'm sure Chaos Paradigm will go on without me."

"We haven't written a decent song since you left."

Wes snorted. 

"You know what I mean," Vance continued. "Sure we're coasting on what we were before, loyal fans that keep feeding the pig, but creatively, the past two albums are garbage."

Wes smiled. "I wasn't going to say as much, but..."

Vance chuckled. "Asshole."

"You knew that already," said Wes just as their lunch arrived.

The two ate in companionable silence. There was no catching up or going on about the last three years. Since Wes had left Chaos Paradigm and England as a whole...for good measure...he hadn't spoken to any of his former band mates.

Once they were finished, Vance dropped a hundred dollar bill on the table and smiled. "You look good, man."

Wes laughed. "You look like shit."

"Nothing a few nights of free drinks won't fix." Vance tapped the passes, still on the table between them. "I'm not going to insist, but I'll give you as much hell as I can if you don't show. We've got to let the bad blood wash, man."

Wes shrugged, but it went unnoticed because Vance was already out of the booth. "Later."

Wes nodded his good bye.

***

It was that time. 

Tabitha had been too distracted by Wes to dread it the way she usually did, but the day had come for her family to go back to England. She'd taken the day off work and slept over at Dion's. They'd stayed up late packing and talking. Rick knew better than to interrupt them. He'd put the kids to bed and gone to sleep early so he could stay up with Lily on the flight. She cried when she woke up that morning. It would be the last time for a long time that she'd wake up in a house full of people. There was something comforting about the sound of laughter and talking when she was used to waking up alone.

She cried for a few minutes before she got out of the bed.

"Auntie!" Rose called from the other side of the door. "Chef Walter wants to know if you're having breakfast! The rest of us have already eaten."

"Tell him I'll be right down, hon!"

"Okay!"

Tabitha listened to her niece's footfalls as she hurried down the hall to get downstairs and tell their cook that Tabitha would indeed be down for breakfast. 

Walter Fields was the family's cook when they were in the states. He was a young guy, barely older than Tabitha that had an impressive resume even before being taken on as the Solomon's family cook. He had his own business, a mobile chef. He had clients that he visited a few times a week to prepare lunches and dinners. When the Solomon family was in England, they had Cookie, a chef that stayed in the house with them and traveled with them around the country and on vacation if he wanted. 

Walter Fields may have been a part-time hire, but that didn't hurt his business any. He was on a very specific schedule when Tabitha's family was in their home. He showed up around five in the morning to prepare breakfast. He'd leave at nine to visit the other homes in which he worked, and then he'd return by noon to prepare lunch. He'd leave again to do shopping and any other errands needed, return at five to prepare dinner. Once dinner was done, he'd leave again to visit his other clients or execute the occasional catering job. He took on more clients and events when he didn't have to cook three meals a day for Tabitha's family, but even if he only worked for the Solomon family, he'd have more than enough money to live well.

Tabitha did her morning routine and hurried downstairs to eat whatever Walter had prepared that morning. She knew it would be something special, since it was his last day.

"I was about to give up on you!" he said sliding a plate of silver dollar pancakes, fluffy scrambled eggs, and turkey bacon in front of her, followed by a large bowl of fruit with whip cream on top. 

"Never give up on me," Tabitha said picking up a fork. 

"Rough morning?" he asked.

Tabitha nodded, since her mouth was full of pancakes. 

"I'll get your coffee," Walter said patting the table in front of Tabitha's plate.

Walter was nice, he was suspiciously thin for a chef, but his food was magnificent. He had buzzed blonde hair, bright green eyes, and a lop-sided grin. He also had arms full of tattoos from his years as a cook in the Army.

"Thanks," Tabitha said when the mug was placed in front of her.

"It's never for very long," Walter said placing a large hand on her shoulder. "Mr. Solomon said they have to get back because of Mrs. Solomon's pregnancy and the children's school term starting."

Tabitha eyes filled with tears as she nodded. "I know. I'm just being selfish."

"I must be selfish too because I'd prefer it if they stayed."

Tabitha patted Walter's hand. "I'll miss you, Walt."

"You could hire me and we'd see each other all the time!" he joked.

Tabitha smiled. "I don't eat at home enough to make it worth your wile."

"Damn you skinny, single women."

"Aww," said Tabitha, "you called me skinny! I'm tempted to hire you just because of that!"

Walter laughed as he walked off to clean the kitchen.

The airport shuttle arrived right after Tabitha showered and dressed. She threw her bathroom essentials into a gym bag, no sense in wasting the body wash and toothpaste. It would just sit in the bathroom untouched for the next few months if she didn't take it home with her. Tabitha kept a dresser full of clothes at her sister's house, mostly medium-length skirts, blouses, and a few sweaters. The house staff would pack them up and have them delivered to her apartment in the process of closing up the house. Tabitha put all her shoes in the gym bag, though. They did not deserve to be left alone or neglected. They were going home safe in her care.

"Tabby!" Dion called up the stair case just as she was shutting her bedroom door behind her. "Everyone's loaded in, let's go!"

Tabitha didn't have time to be sad. She ran down the stairs and out the front door. She put her bulging gym bag in the passenger seat of her car, locked it, and rushed into the airport shuttle where everyone was waiting.

To Tabitha, the ride was long and loud, but not long enough.

That afternoon when she finally made it back to her apartment, it was too quiet. She put away her shoes slowly, lining them up and setting them straight. By the time she was done straightening her closet, it was dinner time and she hadn't eaten since breakfast. She was sorting through the takeout menus in the kitchen drawer when there was a knock at the door.

"What the hell," Tabitha muttered. She couldn't imagine who it would be. Sadly, her best friend had just gotten on a plane back to England and she hadn't spoken to Wes since the night before when she told him that she was spending the night at her sister's and seeing them off at the airport.

Wes smiled when she opened the door. Tabitha didn't. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought you'd be down about your sister leaving, can't say I know how you feel. Jazzy seems to always be around, but I can tell that you miss her when she's gone."

Tabitha bit back the urge to break into blubbering sobs and tell Wesley that she wished Dion would stop leaving her on the continent alone. Sometimes she wished she still lived with Dion and Rick, like when she was in high school.

"So," Wes continued in her silence, "I brought over Tai food and a few movies that might distract you."

Tabitha stepped aside and let him enter the apartment. She followed him into the kitchen and watched him set out the white boxes.

"You know what," Tabitha said putting a hand on his arm. "I'm not really hungry."

"Okay," said Wes dropping a set of chopsticks onto the kitchen counter. "We can start with a movie first."

"No movie either," Tabitha said, "let's go to bed."

Wes frowned. "I didn't come over for that. I came over to cheer you up."

Tabitha smiled. "I know you didn't come over to take advantage of me, that's why I'm offering."

Wes slid his fingers around her wrist and started for her bedroom. Tabitha giggled at the look of determination on his face.

"I thought you'd be depressed and you're throwing yourself at me!" he said when they'd entered her bedroom. He let go of her wrist, so she was able to slip off her dress and work off her underwear. Meanwhile, Wes pulled off his t-shirt and made quick work of his jeans. 

"There's no sense in dwelling on what I can't change," Tabitha sighed reaching behind her to unhook her bra. The straps were still sliding down her arms when Wes pounced on her now freed breasts. He pulled the left nipple into his mouth, licking and suckling. Tabitha was so thrown off by his sudden act that she stilled and her eyes drifted shut. Wes had to pull the bra from her arms and toss it aside himself. He moved to the right breast and gave it the same treatment, Tabitha moaned in appreciation. Her fingers pulled through his dark hair.

"I've been thinking about you," Wes whispered when he'd stood to full height. 

Tabitha opened her eyes and smiled. She let her palms drift over his bare chest. Wes wasn't going to win Mr. Olympia any time soon...but his body was perfect. He was thin, but muscular, with firm abs and strong arms. His legs were long and strong and Tabitha had no doubt that he could carry her and the fifteen or so extra pounds she was holding onto. The tattoos didn't interrupt or deter from her appreciating his body. He had quite a few. Besides the microphone on his arm, the sun on his shoulder, the word famous going down his rib cage, and the nautical stars above each hip, there was also a tattoo on one pectoral that read, "Man of Mettle" in bold, black letters. Tabitha licked it.

"Fuck, Tabby," he hissed grabbing the back of her head and fisting her brown curls in his hand. He pulled her head back, angling her face up to his and took her mouth.

"That's what I'm trying to do, Wesley!" Tabitha gasped when he released her, lest they both suffocate.

Wes grabbed her around the waist and brought them both down on the bed. In seconds he was on her, one hand in her hair, teeth on her throat, the other hand under her thigh to hook her foot around his waist.

Before Tabitha could form a complete thought, Wes was sliding into her. Instead of thinking, she let out a long, low groan.

Wes seemed to know exactly what she needed. He took her hard and fast, making her cum within five minutes. It took longer for him, just as she was in the throws of a second orgasm; he cursed and filled her with his seed.

He withdrew from her slowly, kissing her the entire time. "Fuck Tabby."

"We did that already, Wesley. Now, its time to eat!" She kissed his cheek before slipping out of the bed and searching out her underwear.

"I feel so used," Wes grumbled as she picked through their discarded clothing.

"Aw," Tabitha said turning to him. "Did you want to cuddle?"

He laughed. "As long as we're naked."

She pulled a face and stuck her tongue out at him.

"That would work too."

She huffed and waved the comment away. After a few minutes, she recovered her underwear and tugged them on. Then she went straight for his t-shirt. 

"I'm going to collect that later," he warned once she had it on.

"You can try," she teased. "Get out of bed, I'm distracted already! Let's go eat!"

Wes shrugged, got out of bed, pulled on his jeans and followed her into the kitchen where they'd left their lunch.

***

"What's this?" Tabitha asked taking a magazine from Wanda's outstretched hand.

"There's a stack of them on Laura's desk." Wanda said flatly.

Tabitha looked up at her co-worker and frowned. Wanda was an older woman and always looked tired for some reason. Maybe it was the fact that her bun was always falling out, no matter what time of day. Maybe it was the fact that her ankle-length skirts were always rumpled. It may have been the dark bags under her gray eyes. Whatever it was, Wanda heaved a sigh when Tabitha looked down at the magazine, already open to a page in the middle.

There was a quarter page picture of her family at the airport. Dion and Rick were fussing over Lily. Rose was looking through her backpack. Tabitha and Patrick were hugging goodbye. Tabitha felt anger rise from the pit of her stomach. What was she doing in a magazine? What was her family doing in a magazine? 

"I thought you should know," Wanda said turning to walk out of Tabitha's office.

Tabitha read the caption below the picture. "The notoriously private Lord and Lady Solomon with their children (L-R) Lily, Rose, and Patrick Nelson Solomon the Fifth, at JFK airport, sources say the unidentified woman (far right) is a close friend of Lady Solomon."

Tabitha's hands were shaking. Who had taken this picture? She took a few deep breaths to calm herself. At least Dion had been holding Lily so her pregnant belly wasn't obvious. At least the magazine hadn't picked up on that. She slammed the rag onto her desk, slid away from it and stormed out of the office. She made a beeline for Laura's desk, and she was praying for the serenity to not kill that woman.

Laura's eyes went wide when she saw Tabitha approaching. Her shock delayed the reaction she should have had in the first place because by the time she reached both hands out to grab the pile of magazines on her desk, Tabitha had slammed her open hand down on it. 

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Tabitha hissed.

Laura had the grace to look sheepish. "I just thought..."

"You thought you'd pass these out to everyone in the office and have my business in the street. If you think I'm going to sit by and let you embarrass me or my family, you've got another thing coming!" Tabitha picked up the top magazine and shook it in Laura's face. "Are you proud of yourself? You're no better than the asshole that snuck these pictures! You're a fucking parasite and I'll end you before I let you hurt my family."

Laura actually teared up. "I'm sorry, I thought you knew. I mean, I've never known anyone personally that was in a tabloid."

"Bitch, you still don't!" Tabitha gathered the armful of magazines and walked back to her office. It took her twenty-five minutes to tear that page out of every magazine she'd confiscated. Then, she calmly took the pile of magazines and dropped them back on Laura's desk. 

"Never again," she hissed before turning on a heel and returning to her office.

Tabitha was useless for the rest of the day...even after she'd run the pages through the cross shredder. The idea that people were buying the magazines and able to see such an intimate moment she'd shared with her family made her skin crawl.

***

"Mr. Dennis, I don't think this is a good idea." Wes looked down at the paper in his hand and frowned.

"Don't be silly, son. This is a great opportunity for you."

Wes had barely gotten through the door that morning when his boss walked up to him with an application for guitar lessons. The kid was thirteen; a boy named Alton Russo, and had some musical experience. He played saxophone in the school band since fifth grade, typical kid stuff.

"This is for after school lessons in the store," Wes said putting the paper down on the counter in front of him. 

"The store isn't going to be open in the afternoons any longer." Mr. Dennis said matter-of-factly.

Wes was jolted out of studying the paper. "What? Why?"

"It'll cut the utilities in half if we're only open half a day," sighed Mr. Dennis.

Wes frowned. That explained the guitar lesson.

"Look," Mr. Dennis said slumping forward so he was leaning over the counter. "It's not fair to you to only have a job half the time. This mother is serious about her son getting to learn the guitar. The kid is interested and driven. I have my piano lesson clients, so it's only fair you have a way to supplement the salary you'll be losing because I can't keep the lights on in here."

Wes frowned. "Okay. I'll give the lessons, but I can't start until next week. I've been told my house needs some redecorating."

Mr. Dennis just smiled and walked toward the front of the store. He was holding a cloth to buff the already shiny Baldwin piano closest to the front window.

***

Wes massaged his stiff dick through the rough denim of his jeans. Tabitha was doing her best to kill him. She was scurrying around her apartment before their date, doing some kind of magic to her hair that secured the curls on the top of her head. It was the dress that was doing him in...he'd seen it before in the closet. It had been tear-drop shaped then, but now it was clinging to her curves, showing glimpses of her tits, her entire back, and more leg than should be legal.

"I don't know if I can handle you in that dress while there are other people around," he groaned when she bent over to secure a shoe strap around her ankle. 

"You're the one that offered to take me to this concert. Is it the dress? Do you want me to change?"

Wes adjusted again. "It's most definitely the dress, but I don't want you to change a fucking thing. I wanna fuck you in and out of that dress."

Tabitha blushed prettily. "You can do that later...just wait until we get home."

"You want me to wait? You're not the one standing here looking at you in that dress. I don't know if I can wait."

Tabby slid her hands down her sides and over her hips. "You can be good for a few hours, can't you?"

Wes squeezed his dick again and groaned. "I'm not making any promises Tabby."

***

"I can't wait!" Tabitha squealed once they were in the car and well on their way. "Dravyn is so pretty! She's got that blonde hair and those big blue eyes, even though she goes heavy on the eye makeup, and she's got that sultry voice. She reminds me of Kerli, except less ethereal. Maybe more like a blonde version of Dolores O'Riordan...you know the lead singer of The Cranberries...of course you know that. No, no, maybe a punk rock Leigh Nash."

"Now that's a name I don't know," interrupted Wes.




Tabitha Ch. 09



"She's the lead singer of Sixpence None the Richer. They did that song in the nineties...Kiss Me."

"Doesn't sound familiar."

"Maybe it's a girl thing."

"Must be."

"Anyway, she's great."

"Did I mention I played drums in the band for about seven months?"

"Oh, I forgot. That's so cool...what was it like?"

"Loud and fuzzy."

"What's she like?"

"Loud and pushy."

"Are you seriously not going to tell me anything about Dravyn?"

Wes sighed. "Not much to tell. I really didn't think you'd be that into her or Chaos Paradigm."

"Ah, you thought because I'm black I don't listen to Alternative music?"

"No, I thought because you spend three quarters of your life in heels and consider dressing down a skirt fresh out of the dry cleaner's bag, you don't listen to Alternative music."

"Fair enough," Tabitha said with a shrug. "Now you know how very wrong you were."

"Obviously," Wes said patting her knee. "If I'd known you were a fan of Chaos Paradigm, I'd have told you that the first day we met."

Tabitha laughed. "I didn't say I was a groupie...I'm just a fan."

"Damn."

"So was this band the only one for you?"

"No, actually, I was in another one while I lived in England. I played for both, Chaos Paradigm got more commercial success but the other one...I don't know. It meant more to me. They were both on the same label, but with a lead singer like Dravyn...there was no competition."

Tabitha gazed out the window at the passing lights. This would be her first real concert. To say she was excited would be an understatement. 

***

The woman wearing red leather sleeves attached to her middle fingers by two rings with quarter-sized rubies on top. Her platinum blonde hair hung almost to her waist, her blunt bangs were cut just above her eyebrows, emphasizing the thick black eye makeup, and mile long eyelashes. 

The black eyeliner and mascara along with the hint of red eye shadow made her blue eyes more so. Under her left eye was a cluster of three red jewels.

She was almost as tall as Wes and dressed in a red satin mini dress with black leather corset over it. The skirt came to mid-thigh and left the longest legs in the world on display. She wore a pair of black leather thigh-high boots with spiked heels and red bottoms.

"Dravyn," said Wes, "This is Tabitha."

Dravyn cast her blue eyes up and down Tabitha's form, which didn't take long since Tabitha wasn't anywhere close to Dravyn's height. She stuck out her right hand, the rhinestones on her black nails glinted. "Nice to meet you."

"It's a pleasure," breathed Tabitha. "I'm a fan. I played your LP, Love in Spite until my CD player broke. Then I put it on my MP3 player and kept on going."

Dravyn laughed. "I like you!" She turned to Wes and grinned. "I like her! You've got great taste, but that's nothing new."

Tabitha could feel Wes tense beside her.

"Uh, yeah, that LP was my favorite. That was years ago, though. I guess that's why you didn't perform any songs from that album."

Dravyn pressed her shiny pink lips together. "The record company doesn't want us performing any songs that weren't on an album they released. We have to play the fan favorites...the money-makers."

"That sucks for the rest of us," Tabitha sighed.

Dravyn smiled and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'll tell what: you two come to the after party and we'll do some songs from Love in Spite....just for you."

Tabitha smiled, but Wes shook his head. "I don't think so. We just came to the concert because Vance invited us, we don't really want to hang out."

"But I do want to hang out," Tabitha muttered so only Wes could hear.

"Come on, Wes. Your girl looks like she wants to hang out with us. Don't tell me you ran off to the 'burbs and got lame. You two don't have a litter of kids waiting for you to tuck them in, do you?" Dravyn's narrow nose wrinkled in distaste.

"No," Tabitha said quickly. "We don't have kids!"

"Perfect," Dravyn said with a wink. "We'll see you at Red Zone, it's off Third. I'll make sure your name gets on the list."

Wes frowned, but Tabitha thanked Dravyn.

"How cool is that?" she hissed once the tall blonde had walked away. 

Wes rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me you're already star struck."

"Not star struck, I don't think, but seriously, she's so tall and pretty...and she invited us personally. I know you're used to this kind of thing, but I'm not."

Wes frowned. 

"What's the deal with you two? Why don't you want to go to the club?"

Wes glared at Dravyn's back, but didn't answer.

Tabitha studied Wes for a moment. "Did you guys date while you were in the band? Was there a bad break up?"

Wes chuckled. "I can honestly tell you that I did not date Dravyn. She doesn't date, as much as devour."

Tabitha's eyes went round.

"Besides, I'm not her type."

"Oh, please," Tabitha mumbled. "You're every woman's type, tall, artistic, and brooding."

Wes snorted a laugh, but Tabitha was distracted by the approach of a tall, pale man with spiked red hair. He wore a leather vest, tattered jeans, and worn-looking Vans. His arms, chest, and even his neck were covered with tattoos. 

"Vance," said Wes when the red-head approached. "This is my...uh...this is Tabitha."

Tabitha held out a hand and shook with Vance. 

"Tabitha, this is the bassist, Vance Collins. He's the one that gave me the tickets."

"Thanks for that," said Tabitha smiling up at Vance. "This is amazing."

"I hear you guys are invited to the after party." 

Wes cleared his throat. "I don't think we're going to ..."

"Come on man, it'll be awesome. We're doing a couple sets."

"I thought you're above club gigs these days."

Vance laughed. "You know how it is, book big venues so the label and every other fucker can get a piece of the profit. Club gigs are real...you get on stage, rock out, and get free drinks for the rest of the night. Those fuckers can't get their hands in your pocket on that shit."

Wes laughed. Tabitha fidgeted nervously. A crowd of groupies was clamoring past them, all showing midriff and ass. She looked away when a woman that was only wearing a micro mini and a bikini top passed. Unfortunately, she looked right at Vance, who was using Tabitha's moment of distraction to take inventory of her own outfit. She was suddenly embarrassed. She'd worn the dress for Wesley, not for this stranger. 

Vance's eyes met hers and he smiled. "I was just admiring your outfit."

Tabitha purposely kept herself from rolling her eyes. "My sister told me that a girl should always have a little black dress on hand."

"That's a dress?" Vance asked with an eyebrow raised.

Wes chuckled and placed a hand on Tabitha's waist. He moved it up and subtly grazed the side of her breast with his thumb. Tabitha gasped and glared at him. Wes winked. 

"So you two are just friends?" Vance asked Wes with a slight smile.

Tabitha nodded. "We're good friends," she glanced at Wes who smiled down at her.

"I'll give you my number later, Tabitha. We can make some things happen, tonight if you'd like."

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "No thanks, I was taught not to sleep with guys I've just met. You might want to catch up with the chick in the bathing suit. She's probably on that level."

Vance laughed. "You're not impressed by me at all, huh?"

She smiled at him and shrugged. "Not really."

"I would say my feelings are hurt, but I think Wes may have given you some advance warnings."

"Not really," said Tabitha, "It's not the first time I've met a man that's used to getting his way."

Vance smirked. "This should be fun. See you guys later."

Tabitha watched him disappear into the crowd of stagehands and groupies. She was starting to think all the guys Wes called his friend were shameless flirts. 

"What's his problem?" Tabitha asked once they were out of the backstage area. 

Wes held her close with an arm around her waist. "Vance doesn't have a problem, but he thinks I might."

"What problem would you have? Seriously, is there bad blood between you and the band? Is that why you don't want to go to the club?"

Wes dropped a kiss on her neck. "Don't you know what curiosity did to the cat, Tabby?"

She poked him in the side. "I'm nosey, not curious...get it right."

"I'll tell you everything once we get in the car, if you must know."

"I must," she said. They got in the car and waited for the heat to kick into full gear.

Wes rubbed her arms with his large hands over her bare arms. "I told you to wear a jacket," he muttered.

"A jacket doesn't do this outfit any good. Why don't you warm me up another way?"

Wes didn't have to be asked twice. He moved his hands from her arms, around to her bare back and pulled her against him. His mouth crushed against hers and they kissed until neither could catch breath. Tabitha's face was flushed and her nipples stiff. One side of the dress had slipped off her shoulder and Wes was taking advantage by thumbing the nipple on her exposed breast.

"Okay, okay," she gasped. "I'm warm. Now you have to tell me everything."

Wes straightened from where he'd been nibbling her neck. "But..."

"You said!" Tabitha said batting at his hands.

"Fuck, Tabby," Wes groaned pulling himself back into the driver's seat.

"Later, Wesley."

"Fine, okay. Just give me a minute to get some blood back into my brain."

She waited not so patiently. 

"Okay, years ago when I was the drummer in Chaos Paradigm, I was dating this girl Marie. She was French, a painter, she spoke three languages and she thought I was cool. She was everything I could have imagined. We were together for over a year and I was planning on a proposing. That's when Chaos Paradigm's first global hit blew up. We got caught up in the press and the shows."

Tabitha nodded her encouragement.

"Well, we did a lot of touring and Marie went with us. She loved every minute of it. Well, after a few months I was kinda over it so I told her that I really wanted to focus on working with the other band. She was supportive at first, but when we started auditioning new drummers to take my place, she pulled away."

Tabitha had a bad feeling that she knew where this story was going.

Wes sighed. "One day she came to the apartment and started packing. When I asked where she was going, she said she was going on tour with Chaos."

Tabitha gasped.

"I asked her why she was so determined to continue being involved with the band when I'm wasn't in it. She said that she was in love."

Tabitha slipped her hand in his. "Vance? How could he do that to you? How can you see him again without punching him in the face?"

Wes laughed. "She wasn't in love with Vance. She was in love with Dravyn. She was fucking Dravyn."

"Oh," Tabitha said, "I didn't know Dravyn is a lesbian."

"It's not something that the label wants out there. Dravyn is eye candy for men and they want to give them the idea that she is sex and pulling her off the male market won't help record sales."

Tabitha nodded. "Pretty much the same reason your sister has to hide her relationship with Clay...so he'll seem available."

"Exactly. Needless to say, I was crushed. When she was gone I could barely stand the fact that I was left behind. So, I split. I left England, I left the other band; I just couldn't do it anymore. I moved back here because I had the house and Jazzy moved here with me so I wouldn't be alone."

"I'm so sorry, Wes. I had no idea. No wonder you didn't date for so long...and I don't blame you for not wanting to get into another relationship."

"Don't feel sorry for me, Tabby. I'm good. I just don't know if I'm up to sitting in the VIP area while Dravyn flirts with every man and woman in the building."

Tabitha nodded. "I understand completely. Whatever happened between Dravyn and Marie?"

"Drevyn got bored with her after a few months and Marie flew back to England. She got in touch with me after she came home to an empty apartment."

"Awesome," Tabitha muttered. "What do you say, we go home and you help me get out of this dress?"

Wes laughed. "Nah, I don't think so. I think we should go hang out with Vance for a while."

Tabitha couldn't hide her surprise. "Seriously?"

"Its' like you said, Tabitha. I've done the VIP, hanging with celebrities thing, but you haven't. So we'll hang out for a while. Besides, Dravyn seems to like you."

"So, what you want to show me off to her or dangle me like a carrot?"

"You don't mind playing my trophy for a night?"

Tabitha laughed. "Not at all."

***

"So, Mr. Dennis told me that you were in a band back in the day."

Wes watched Alton remove the guitar from its case and settle onto the couch. The kid reminded him so much of himself it was unreal. Alton wore his brown hair in a long shag that almost eclipsed his pale, narrow face. Large round blue eyes avoided his own, glancing around the living room that looked for all purposes like his grandparent's home. Tabitha was right. He should redecorate the place...get rid of some doilies, at least.

"Yeah, but that's not important. Why don't you show me what you know and we'll pick a music book to start."

Alton nodded and began plucking the strings as he called out the chords. His thin fingers moved along the instrument and Wes could tell by the way he cradled the thin bodied acoustic guitar that there was a healthy respect for it. The guitar itself was maybe a hundred bucks brand new and it was obviously not bought new, but Alton caressed the neck instead of fisting it. He'd pulled it from the case as gentle as if he was handling Les Paul's own instrument.

"Good, that's great. I think we'll start with this book," Wes said picking a booklet from the pile on the end table. Mr. Dennis had given him plenty to borrow for his lessons. Now that he'd gauged Alton's skill, he knew they could jump right in.

The hour went by faster than Wes realized. He was actually surprised when he heard the doorbell that indicated Alton's mom had arrived. He said goodbye to them both, then fell heavily onto the couch. After a few minutes of staring up at the ceiling, he glanced over to his grandmother's piano. She'd taught him and Jazzy to play it during their summer visits. She'd made a good living giving lessons to kids of all ages. Now he could see the draw...it was way more fulfilling to help someone draw out their talent than taking inventory. He'd get the piano tuned...as well as tuning up the rest of the house.

***

Tabitha laughed at the sound of Dion fussing over the mess Lily had made while eating dinner. She'd been on the phone with her sister for almost an hour after work. Her jaw dropped when she pulled into a driveway filled with trucks and guys going in and out of the house. "What the hell?" she muttered. "Dee, I'll call you tomorrow. Kiss the kids for me."

"Of course, I have to get this one in a bath anyway."

Tabitha climbed out of her car and made her way past the men and to the front door. She didn't bother knocking since foot traffic was already heavy. 

"Oh!" she exclaimed when she entered the living room. Everything was gone, except for something under a large white sheet. There was no furniture, no carpet, and no pictures on the walls. The room was completely gutted. As was the kitchen from what she could see through the doorway. 

"Tabby!" Wes exclaimed walking in from somewhere down the hall. "I'm glad you're here, but there's all kinds of dust with all the construction. Let's get out of here."

"What are you doing?" she gasped as he took her arm and led her back to the front porch.

"I'm taking your advice and doing some redecorating."

Tabitha froze. "I meant some new furniture, a coat of paint. You've got walls exposed in there."

Wes nodded. "Some of the sheetrock was weak from old leaks, so I'm having all the walls done. I'm knocking one down between the kitchen and the living room. I'm knocking down another one so it'll be a four bedroom instead of a five...the last one was too small anyway."

"This is all so sudden," Tabitha said as she started her car. "You didn't mention it the other day on the phone."

"I was still interviewing contractors then, I wasn't sure what I wanted, but now I know. I just need your help to decorate it. There's no sense in having an honest to goodness, grown up house and turning it into a giant dorm room."

Tabitha laughed. "We don't exactly have the same tastes, Wes."

"I trust you," he said patting her leg. "You won't put me in paisley and pastels, will you?"

"Of course not!" Tabitha laughed. 

"Good," said Wes kissing her hand. 

"It's just so expensive, a project like that. Most people do it one room at a time."

Wes shrugged. "I'm not most people. The living room and my room are all I really need. It's been a week and the living room is almost done."

Tabitha laughed. "Do you want to stay at my place until it gets less messy in there?"

"Jazzy already put me up, but thanks." 

Tabitha tried not to look disappointed. The idea of Wes staying with her was appealing for some reason. She hadn't lived with another person since she moved out of Dion's house. Her one-bedroom apartment, or flat as her sister liked to call it, was cozy enough but whenever Wes left, she felt a tug in her gut that ached for him to stay. Best not entertain it too seriously won't do either of them any good.

"Where are we going?" asked Wes.

"There is a concert in the park today...not exactly your usual venue, being daylight and the symphony, but I brought a checked blanket, food, and wine."

Wes laughed. "The symphony, huh?"

"Yes, and if you don't like it, too bad."

"I can appreciate classical music. My grandmother made me read about Chapin, Handel, Wagner, Verdi, Brahms, Vivaldi..."

"Okay, okay; I get it. You're educated, but do you like it...I mean really, like it?"

"Of course."

Tabitha smiled. She couldn't stop picturing them in the orchestra pit at the annual performance of The Nutcracker. "Good."

The concert was wonderful. There was something peaceful about sitting in a crowd but only being with Wes. She had brought fruit, grilled chicken salad, and a bottle of Pinot Grigio that they drank from clear plastic cups. The sun was beginning to set once the concert was done but neither one of them made a move off the blanket. Tabitha was settled between his legs, with his arms around her. They continued their conversation as the other spectators disbursed. 

"I can't believe my sister is going to deliver in two months. I'll actually be there to see my nephew born."

Tabitha felt his arms go a hair tighter. "I don't know if you really want to see that. I saw my nephew born and still have nightmares."

"I think I can handle it. Don't tell me anything about it either, let me be scarred for myself." 

Wes laughed. "I want you to meet my student."

"Alton? Why?" Tabitha knew Wes had taken up teaching guitar to some high school kid. He'd told her how talented Alton was and how much he enjoyed it."

"How have you been giving him lessons with the condition of your house?"

"His mom agreed to let me come to them for a couple weeks. He'll be at my place on Tuesday at five-thirty."

"I'll come by then." Tabitha settled against him and watched the last few orchestra members leave the stage. She wondered what it was like to have the kind of musical talent that seemed to surround ever since she met Wes...to be good enough at something you loved to get paid to do it. 

She was so distracted by her thoughts; she didn't realize she was humming the spring portion of Vivaldi's Four Seasons. The chest she was leaning against moved with silent laughter. She poked his firm thigh. "I know I can't sing. You shut up."

Wes dropped a kiss on her shoulder. "It's okay; you can't be good at everything."

Tabitha laughed and snuggled closer to his lean, warm body. 




Tabitha Ch. 09



***

Tabitha walked into the living room and stopped short. Wes was sitting on a dining chair beside a young man in another chair. Alton was strumming an acoustic guitar. 

"Sorry," she said when they both looked up at her. "The front door was open. Is there are there any workers in the kitchen? I can hang out there until you're done."

"No, no," said Wes, "Come in and sit. I actually wanted to play something for you. Alton, you don't mind, do you?" 

Alton shrugged. Tabitha took the chair that Wes vacated to go to the piano bench. His long fingers scuttled across the keys, slowly at first. Tabitha watched him in awe. The sounds he eased out of the instrument were nothing like the awkward pings and bangs she made whenever she tinkered on the piano at Dion's house. The music picked up tempo and she grinned. She knew that song. Tabitha tried to hide her laugh with a hand over her mouth, but Wes picked it up and looked at her.

His voice was strong and clear when he began to sing They Can't Take that Away from Me. He sounded almost as good as Fred Astaire. Tabitha laughed out loud again when he finished the line, "The way you sing off key." Wes winked at her and stilled his hands over the keys. 

Alton watched her from behind his hair but she didn't care. She laughed and clapped and blushed when Alton chuckled. 

"Why don't you hang out a while?" Wes asked after she stood up and gave him a hug. "Alton's mom will be here in a few minutes."

"Okay, I'll go get us all something to drink." Tabitha went into the kitchen and Wes fell back into his chair. He lifted an eyebrow at Alton who laughed.

"Dude, I guess you're right. Girls are into music like that."

"I told you. Don't pay attention to those guys. You could be the next Synyster Gates...then they won't have anything to say. So you miss a couple trips to the mall and you take band instead of Auto Shop. I took band and home ec."

Alton laughed. "You must have gotten ragged on like crazy."

"A guy said something once...I swelled his lip so big, he couldn't get his helmet on for football practice. Nobody said anything after that."

"Cool."

"Not that I'm telling you to fight. You won't be able to practice if you bust your knuckles."

Alton smiled. "Thanks, Wes."

"No problem."

He winked at Tabitha again when she came back into the room with three cans of soda. The picture she made, still in her office clothes, hair loose, in his newly renovated living room was almost too good to be true. It was even harder to believe that he was looking forward to picking out furniture with her.



Tabitha Ch. 10



My apologies for the long hiatus, I never abandon my characters before their story is finished...they won't let me. Thanks for reading. DW

*

Tabitha pulled the gold-tasseled cord that opened the blue velvet curtains. Light flooded into her room, over the antique armoire, the Persian rugs, and the four-poster canopy bed. Her room faced the front of the estate so she could take a moment to appreciate the perfectly manicured lawn. There were topiaries shaped as dolphins in mid-jump, meticulously landscaped trees, flowers along cobbled walk paths. 

Tabitha had known that the Solomon estate outside Birmingham was impressive—Rick was from old money after all—but this sprawling, picture --perfect mansion was more than she'd ever expected. The house itself was over thirty thousand square feet. The family only used part of the home; the rest of it was used for guided tours. 

At first, Tabitha didn't understand how Rick and Dion could raise curious kids in a house that was half untouchable, but the kids didn't miss the other parts of the house since they never even saw it. The older ones knew the curator by name and they understood that the part of the house that was for show generated income. It was as if that part of the house didn't exist.

Tabitha had taken the tour out of curiosity. The rooms were incredible—her favorite was the ballroom with ornately carved moldings, six crystal chandeliers, heavy oak floors, and a domed ceiling. The eight foot tall portraits were enough to keep her attention for hours. 

Tabitha dressed and made her way downstairs for breakfast. The kitchen was one of three; the one included in the tour was twice as big and the one in the guest quarters was half the size.

"Good morning!" Dion said kissing her cheek. 

"I'm going to need you to have someone include coffee on the breakfast menu."

Dion shook her head. "It's tea or nothing."

"Fine, then I want an extra big cup."

"We'll pour yours into a soup bowl with then, you can drink it with a straw."

"Sounds good."

"We have another guest," Dion sang.

"Really?" said Tabitha trying to sound interested.

"Yes. Vick."

"Rick's brother...the soccer player?" Now Tabitha was slightly less interested.

Dion nodded.

"What's he doing here?"

"He has a game next week in Germany and he's stopped here for a visit. He likes the quiet."

"Good for him," sighed Tabitha.

"I think you'll like him." Dion's smile made what she was thinking obvious.

"No!" screeched Tabitha.

"What?" Dion's eyes went wide.

"You are not setting me up with your brother!"

"Why not? When you got here last week you said you'd broken things off with Wes. Why wouldn't you want to spend some time with a wealthy, handsome, funny man?"

"Handsome?" Tabitha repeated.

"Drop-dead," said Dion.

Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to get to know Rick's brother. He'd only be there a week...nothing too serious could happen in a week and she could use something or someone to distract her from all those thoughts about Wes.

As if cued, a tall, broad-shouldered, blonde man walked into the kitchen.

"G'mornin' sis!" he said pulling Dion to him with one arm. He planted a kiss on the top of her head and put a hand on her baby bump. "How's my nephew?"

"He's heavy," Dion grumbled.

"Good thing he has such a strong mum to carry him around. You must be Tabitha!"

Before she could confirm or deny, Vick pulled her into a hug and Tabitha was marveling at the warm, hardness against her cheek.

"It's nice to meet you, Vick."

"You're more beautiful than your photos!" he said with a brilliant smile.

"Thanks," said Tabitha making her way out of his grasp.

"Why don't you take Tabitha shopping at the Bullring? She's been dying to go out but I'm afraid to be too far from home for very long in my condition."

Tabitha rolled her eyes. Dion was subtle like a Mack truck.

***

"I'll be honest, when my big brother told me he was in love with an American woman he'd met in a bar, I was concerned." Dion had left the kitchen and Vick was watching Tabitha sweeten her tea.

Tabitha bristled. "Would it be better if he'd married some heiress with a drug habit and a trust fund?"

"Easy," Vick said holding up both hands. "All I meant was that I was completely mistaken. Dion is beautiful and smart and she's the kind of mum I'd imagined having."

"Dion is amazing," Tabitha agreed, "but I've only heard good things about your mother."

Vick nodded. "My mum is a wonderful woman, but Dion is warm and patient. She's a lot more hands-on. I spent most of my time with the nanny. Dion's nanny is more support staff than alternative parent."

Tabitha sipped her tea. 

"So," Vick said after a beat of silence. "What time will you want to leave?"

Tabitha grabbed a chocolate muffin and smiled. "How about eleven?"

"Right then, I'll just get ready. We'll take the Bentley."

Tabitha sighed after he walked out of the kitchen. She pulled a chunk out of her muffin and stuffed it into her mouth. It was going to be a long day. 

***

They'd been walking around the massive mall for almost and hour. Dion wasn't exaggerating when she said Vick Solomon was drop-dead handsome. He was easily 6'6", with wide shoulders and blonde hair that fell in his eyes. His nose was slightly crooked, but his smile was wide and warm. Unfortunately, Tabitha didn't exactly feel comfortable shopping with him. She'd only gotten a pair of shoes for herself and a dozen outfits for the baby that would be arriving any day now. Dion's doctor insisted she'd go early. It was nice having Vick to talk to but she couldn't stop thinking of how much more fun it would be with Wes. Vick wrinkled his nose when she suggested they go into the Krispy Kreme donut shop and get a dozen hot plain glazed. 

"I'm in training," he said, "best not gorge myself on fried dough and sugar."

Tabitha knew Wes would have split the dozen with her without missing a beat. She shrugged it off and agreed that a sandwich would be a better choice.

"Will you be much longer?" Vick asked when they were standing on line to order a sandwich from a vendor outside. "The limousine is set to pick us up on New Street in less than an hour."

"I want to go to the flea market end," said Tabitha. 

"Why?" Vick asked.

Tabitha smiled. How could Vick understand that she was more comfortable in a flea market than in the upscale shopping arena they'd just left? It was like a giant yard sale, with no snooty sales clerks watching her down their noses. Sure she could afford whatever she wanted these days, but walking through rows of multipacks of socks and knock off purses, was comfortable. "I just want to check it out."

Vick shrugged, paid for their meals and led her to a lounge chair that faced the most incredible view she'd ever experienced. They sat together facing the steeple of Saint Martin's Church, a marvelous piece of architecture. She gazed at it as they ate. "It's beautiful here."

Vick didn't answer. He just grunted and chewed slowly. "Would you like me to take a photo of you?"

"I didn't bring my camera," sighed Tabitha.

"We'll come back another time, then." 

Vick was already done; he waited patiently for her to finish before disposing of their garbage. With an extended hand, he helped her to her feet and they continued to the not-so-upscale retail area.

***

A few days later, Dion had the baby; an impossibly tiny café-au-lait colored boy with wide blue eyes, his father's nose and his mother's full mouth. Tabitha cried and held her sister's hand through labor—completely unable to speak. Thankfully, her seasoned brother held his wife's other hand whispering encouragements. Rick told her she was beautiful, and how happy she was making him by giving him another child, and how lucky he was to have her, and over and over he told her he loved her. That was what made Tabitha cry, Dion didn't seem to be suffering but Rick's words twisted Tabitha's heart into knots. She'd never seen a man let himself be open to a woman like that. Her brother-in-law was so ideal and her sister was so lucky. 

When the nurse put the bundled baby in Rick's arms, he turned to Dion and said, "Thank you, my love."

Tabitha stared at the picture they made, parents with their new, squirmy child so in love with each other and their baby. Her tears streamed faster. 

"Oh, honey," Dion said when Tabitha hiccupped. "Are you okay?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that? You just made a person!"

Dion smiled. "I know. You're not scarred now are you? Did bearing witness to your nephew's birth put you off motherhood forever?"

Tabitha shook her head. "It put me off my lunch, maybe, but I'll be okay."

"Good," whispered Dion as she kissed her sister's cheek. "I want to be an aunt to a child of yours."

Tabitha laughed. "Your kids will probably be out of University by the time I find a man and make a family."

Dion just smiled and turned back to her husband and baby.

Tabitha left the room, making her way through the doctors and nurses still buzzing around. Once in the hall she took a deep breath and pulled her phone from her pocket. She automatically dialed, not even thinking. She listened to the answering machine message and words rushed out before she could sensor herself. "Hi, Wes its Tabitha. I was just calling to let you know Dion had the baby and everybody is fine. It was crazy and messy and the most amazing thing ever! Okay, well, I'm going to go now. Bye!"

She hung up and sank into a hard plastic chair. That was the third message she'd left for Wes, she missed hearing his voice. 

*** 

Four days later, Tabitha woke up from her nap to Dion shaking her. "Get up!"

"No," Tabitha growled still in a sleep-haze.

"There's someone here to see you! Get your black ass up!"

Tabitha peeled her eyes opened. Dion came into focus, one hand was still on Tabitha's shoulder and Ash was secure in the other arm. "Don't be ridiculous, Dee."

"I'm serious, there is someone waiting downstairs for you. Get up, get dressed, and don't be long." Dion started for the door.

"Who is it?" asked Tabitha moving to sit up.

"Just hurry up," her sister said before leaving the room and shutting the door behind her.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Tabitha asked when she got downstairs and into the parlor...where guests were received, Dion had told her before.

"I was in the neighborhood..." Wes said with a shrug. He was standing in front of the fireplace, fingering a photo frame on the mantle.

Her sister snorted from her seat on a plush couch and Tabitha fixed her with a glare. This was so not funny. 

"Seriously, Tabby, why didn't you tell me you were dating Wesley? I wasn't expecting him. Had I known, I would have had the help open a separate wing for the both of you. I don't know how comfortable you two will be in the small guest room you're in right now."

Tabitha sighed. "The baby looks hungry."

Dion shook her head. "He just finished nursing. He'll be asleep for hours."

"Well, stick those massive boobs in your own mouth, then. I don't need any comments from the peanut gallery."

"Ha!" Dion huffed standing up. "I am so not the peanut gallery, I can afford front row seats, bitch."

"If you weren't my sister, I would end you right about now."

Dion chuckled. "I think I hear my daughter waking from her nap. It was so nice to meet you Wesley."

He shook her free hand. "You too. I've heard a lot about you...nice to meet the legend in person."

Dion smiled and winked at Tabitha. "I like him," she said simply before turning on her heel and walking out of the room.

"You can't tell by looking at her that she just had a baby. Jazzy was puffy and miserable after she had her son. Your sister looks so...rested."

Tabitha smiled. "She's good at the baby thing, plus she's got a night nurse that brings him to her when he wakes up in the middle of the night and takes him back to the crib after she's nursed."

"That's quite a setup."

"So," Tabitha said, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"What's the baby's name?" he asked, clearly avoiding the question.

"His name is Ash, well, Ashford DeMarcus Solomon, but we're going with Ash for short."

"That's a great name."

"I know, now can you please tell me what the hell you are doing here?" Tabitha crossed her arms and glared at him. 

"When you left...I...uh...I forgot to tell you something."

Tabitha frowned. "You flew here to tell me something?"

His cheeks colored. 

Tabitha watched him as they stood in silence. Finally she uncrossed her arms and smiled. "Well, are you going to tell me?"

Wes chuckled. "Yes, I had to tell you... I love you."

Tabitha's eyes went round. "You do?" 

"Yes, I really do and I couldn't function thinking that you were over here, under the impression that I was okay with us just being friends because I'm not okay with that. I was going to wait for you to get back home, but then I saw this." Wes pulled a folded paper from the back pocket of his jeans and handed it to her.

Tabitha yawned as she opened the wrinkled mess. "What's this? Did you take a compatibility quiz or something?"

Page fifteen," Wes offered. 

Tabitha flipped to page fifteen in what was actually some supermarket rag. There, in living color, was a quarter-page photo of Vick and her during the trip to the Bullring Shopping Centre. Tabitha gasped. "You've got to be kidding me!"

The caption read: The mystery woman recently seen with Lord and Lady Solomon was been spotted recently canoodling with Lord Solomon's younger brother Vick, a well-known soccer player, during a shopping trip in Birmingham, UK, the woman is obviously smitten and laden with bags from upscale infant clothier Small Steps, we'll keep an eye out for a baby bump!

"Who are these people?" Tabitha muttered. "Is canoodling even a word?"

"I don't know," Wes said with a dismissive shrug. "So were you really on a date with this guy?"

"No!" Tabitha said loudly, "Of course not! I was just buying some stuff for Ash and he was...I don't know...escorting me, I guess. I was shopping! Since when is a person shopping worthy of a tabloid photo?"

"Since you go shopping with a famous athlete and blueblood!" Wes snapped.

Tabitha looked up from the paper and frowned. "Did you fly over here because you thought I was seeing Vick?"

Wes set his jaw but dropped his gaze to the carpet.

"Did you fly thousands of miles to give me the silent treatment over some imaginary date? Wesley Roberts! Answer me!"

He huffed a sigh which made his black hair flutter around his face. "Wait a minute...how did you find me? It's not like my sister's in the phone book! What's going on?"

Wes took a deep, slow breath which seemed to piss Tabitha off even more. 

"Why don't you sit in here and figure out your story while I go find something to eat?" She almost stomped out of the room, but he followed her on much lighter feet and stopped her in the foyer. 

"Wait, Tabby." 

She softened when he called her that. "Are you going to explain showing up here out of nowhere to tell me you love me and then wave some horrible picture in my face?"

"I was jealous," Wes admitted. "I mean, look at this guy. Jazzy showed me this picture and all I could think was how perfect he is for you. He's got family wealth and his own money. He's an athlete, he's famous, he's successful...he's everything that I'm not. The thought of him here with you...with his brother and your sister to vouch for him...it was making me insane. So I flew over here and met with Logan. He knows some people who know some people who can get into some tax records." 

Tabitha didn't know if she wanted to laugh or hit him. "You could have just answered your phone, dumbass. I would have told you everything...I wanted to tell you."

"I missed you too much to hear your voice and know that I wouldn't be able to see you."

Tabitha shoved the paper into his hands and smiled. "You're cute when you're jealous."

Wes frowned. "Can you blame me? You two look perfect together, all poised and shit...you can see in his face that he thinks you're gorgeous!"

Tabitha smacked her hand over the picture. "That picture is horrible. My ass looks huge in that skirt!"

"Shut up, your ass always looks amazing," his voice was low with that statement. He'd moved closer to her and slipped an arm around her waist. 

Tabitha turned her face up to his and accepted his kiss. She'd missed this...missed his hands on her waist, his lips, and the way she fit perfectly against him. She slipped her arms around his waist and went up on her toes to get her tongue deeper into his mouth. Wes groaned and pulled her tighter to him, his cock was hard against her stomach and her body immediately responded. She wanted him, but not in the foyer of her sister's manor. 

Wes sighed when she pulled away from him. They stood there for a few moments, just enjoying each other then, jumped apart when the front door began to open.



Tabitha Ch. 11



“Oh my God!” Rose screeched as soon as she entered the foyer.  “Wes Roberts is in my house!”

Her hazel eyes went perfectly round and her gray backpack slid off her shoulder to hit the floor.

Patrick, earbuds in and head down didn’t realize his sister had come to a complete stop in front of the door.  He ran into her back when he tried to enter the house.

“What the…” he squawked.

He finally looked up and his expression changed to match his sister.  “Bloody hell!  You’re Wes Roberts!”

Wes smiled and gave them a slight wave.

“How did you…when did you…what are you doing here?” stuttered Rose.

“You must be here to see Uncle Vic!’ Patrick exclaimed.

Tabitha opened her mouth to say something but her nephew had dropped his backpack and pumped both fists in the air.  “Uncle Vic is sooo cool!  I can’t believe this!”

“Hello!” Tabitha said waving her hands, “Aunt Tabby here…another person in the room.”

Neither child acknowledged her.  They had pulled their mobile phones from their pockets and began dialing.

“Lizzie won’t believe this!” Rose muttered to herself.

Tabitha was struck.  How did they know Wes and why were they so freaked?

“Lamar is coming over right now!” Patrick laughed.  “He doesn’t believe me!”

“Hey!” Tabitha said with her hands planted on her hips.  “How do you guys know Wes?”

They both gave her incredulous looks.  

“Everyone knows Wes Roberts.  He was the original drummer for Falling Line!”

“I have all their CDs upstairs!”

“Uncle Vic is sooo cool!” Patrick exclaimed again.

“Actually, I don’t know your uncle,” said Wes.

“Huh?” said Rose.

“What?” Wes asked.

“Yeah, he’s here to see me!” Tabitha said crossing her arms.

“What?”

“Huh?”

“Now if you’ll excuse us, we were just headed out!” Tabitha said tugging Wes away from her niece and nephew.

They walked toward the back of the house, through the kitchen and into the back garden.  

“Wow,” Wes muttered when they walked out into the garden.  “That house is unbelievable.”

“Yeah, it’s great,” Tabitha said dismissively as she pulled him into a white wood gazebo.  “Would you mind explaining to me why Rose and Patrick know you?”

“Easy, they’re British tweens.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?”

Wes smiled down at her and moved to kiss her but she stepped back, out of his reach.  “Wesley!”

“Sorry, I’m just so happy to see you.”

She glared at him. 

“Okay, okay.  Have you ever noticed that the people that say, ‘Oh my gosh!  I used to love the Spice Girls!’ are approximately the same age?”

“Not really.”

“Well, they are.  There’s a certain age range that is prime for marketing.  Preteens have a death grip on their parents’ purse strings.  If they want it, they get it, and if a record company can catch their attention, they’ve got the market locked.  So people like Logan pander to the preteens and make money hand over fist.”

Tabitha nodded.  “Falling Line was the other band…the one that didn’t go world-wide.”

“Exactly, they’re still together and a big deal over here.  Most people that know the band when it first started remember me as the original drummer.”

“Oh, wow.  So you’re kinda like a big deal.”

He chuckled and snared her arm, pulling her to him.  Tabitha bumped against his chest and laughed.  

“What’s so funny?”

She put her head on his chest and listened to his heart for a few beats.  “I just realized that can’t really be seen in public with you either.  We might actually make the front page over here.”

“So, just so I’ve got this straight, you’re not sleeping with the rich and famous soccer star, well on your way to joining the ranks of Britain’s most stylish W.A.G.S.?”

“Tabitha snuggled against his chest.  “You can’t believe everything you read.”

Wes leaned down to drop a kiss on her forehead.

Tabitha watched Dion make her way down one of the paths from the house to the gazebo where they stood in comfortable silence.  Dion smiled at them for a moment before she spoke.  “I’ve had your things relocated to the third floor, South Wing.  There is a king-sized bed in there and two armoires, plus a sitting area, and an amazing bathroom.”

Tabitha freed herself from Wes and faced her sister.  “Lady Solomon, shouldn’t you be more concerned with the propriety of our sleeping arrangements?”

Dion rolled her eyes.  “Oh, please…like I don’t know how far he’s gotten!”

Tabitha felt her face heat.  “What if he doesn’t want to stay here?”

Dion turned to Wes.  “Surely you wouldn’t refuse the chance to be a guest in our home?”

“I’d never,” said Wes, “but at present my luggage is in a hotel in Birmingham.”

“Tell me which and I’ll send someone to collect it.”  

He did just that as Tabitha made her way back to the house.  Things were spiraling out of control.  What was supposed to be an extended visit to see her sister and the new baby was turning into a cataclysmic event, Wes had come to tell her that he loved her and she was almost ready to admit the same to him.  Vic was returning in a few days to see her and Wes would be staying at the house.  Things were getting messy.

Tabitha replayed the conversation she’d had with Vick on the phone that morning as she walked back to the house. 

***

“Hello,” she answered after picking up the phone in the kitchen.  She’d been surprised that the customary greeting wasn’t more colloquial, but evidently only the business lines in the home were answered with any pomp and circumstance.

“Well, hello love!” Vick’s voice boomed through the line.

“Hey Vick, how was the game?” she asked as she stirred her tea.  

“Wonderful, it was a win.  I scored three out of the five goals.”

“That’s amazing!” said Tabitha with genuine excitement.  For one player to score three goals in a professional soccer game was quite a feat.

“I know…highest scoring game of my career.  I believe you are my lucky charm!”

She smiled.  “I don’t know about that.”

“I do.  That’s why I’m stopping in for another visit after the game in Turkey.”

“Really?”

“Yup, I’ve got to get all the luck I can before you hop back across the pond.”

Tabitha didn’t know if she was should feel flattered or used.  “Well, we’ll look forward to seeing you...uh…”

“This weekend,” Vick finished for her.  “Oh, and tell Dion that mum will pop ‘round for a visit on Thursday.  She wants it to be a surprise, but its only fair to give warning lest my dear sister be caught unaware and unprepared.”

Tabitha swallowed hard. Lady Evelyn Charlotte Walter-Solomon was going to “pop round” for a visit?  Her insides twisted with anxiety.  How did her sister deal with her ladyship coming over to hang out?

“Ohhh,” she groaned placing the phone in the cradle.  

“You look a bit sallow, Tabitha.”

She grabbed Rick’s arm as he tried to walk past her.  “Your mom is coming for a visit on Thursday.”

He smiled.  “Brilliant, the two of you can finally have a proper introduction.”

“Yeah, brilliant,” she muttered after a sip of tea.  “Now I’ve gotta find something to wear.”

*** 

“Tabby!” said Wes snapping her out of her mind and back into the present.

“Dion’s mother is coming for a visit tomorrow,” she said to him.  “I’ll be expected to be here to meet her.”

“Okay,” he said with a shrug.  “I’ll have to dress for the occasion then.”

“Do you need to go shopping?” she asked.  “We can take a car to the Bullring and find your suit.”

He draped an arm across her shoulders.  “Believe it or not, I do own a couple suits.”

“Oh, um…okay.  Wait…I’ve never seen you in a suit.”

“I’ve never had the occasion to wear a suit around you.”  

“I didn’t even know you owned one…but I guess I should have known, a man can’t live his entire life in t-shirts and jeans.”  Tabitha stopped walking and stepped from under his arm.  “Wait a minute…you were a bonafied rock star.  Why are you working at the music store?  Did you lose all your money, you know, gambling, drugs, Enron?”

Wes chuckled.  “No, I’m flush.  I’ve got plenty.  I wouldn’t give my dad the satisfaction of blowing all my money.”

Tabitha frowned.  “So you work at Life Sounds because…”

“It’s easy and I love Mr. Dennis like a father.  He’s a great guy and his life’s work is no less important than anything I’ve done.”  

“Why did you let me think you were…you know…a salesman.”

“I didn’t let you think anything…I am a salesman.”

“You know what I mean,” snapped Tabitha.

“I told you that I wasn’t broke.  I just didn’t tell you that I’ve got more money than most in my savings account.  I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for what?  I mean, you didn’t tell me something that’s a pretty big deal.  You could have mentioned that you’re famous and well-off.”

Wes frowned, his gold eyes darkening.  “Would that have changed anything?”

Tabitha sighed.  “No.”

“Fine, then,” he said curtly.  “If it wouldn’t have changed anything back then, it doesn’t have to change anything now.”  He turned and walked into the house, leaving Tabitha outside.  

***

That night, Tabitha had been in the bathroom for almost an hour.  She was delaying bed as long as possible.  Wes was in there and as much as she wanted to have reunion sex, his little lie of omission was weighing on her mind.  

She didn’t care that he was loaded.  Did he really think her so shallow?  Why would he let her believe he was a salesman eking out a living while financing the upgrades on a house willed to him by his grandparents?  Bank accounts certainly weren’t first date conversation but a few million dollars would be worth mentioning at some point in the months they’d been together.  

She huffed a sigh and spun away from the mirror.  Marie.  Okay…so Wes had been hurt in the past.  Logan’s comment at the listening party made sense now…but she was nothing like Marie.  For starters, she wasn’t French…and she didn’t go for girls.  For another thing:  she never considered fame or fortune a dating requirement…not that she’d had extensive experience in relationships.

Finally, she took a deep breath and left the bathroom.  She walked slowly to the bed and let out a relieved sigh at what she saw.  Wes was asleep, his ink black hair across the pillow, his chest rising with slow, even breaths.  She slipped into the bed beside him and let sleep take her.

***

The next morning, the house was in a bustle.  The servants had never been more visible.  They were cleaning, rearranging, cooking, and inspecting every room and surface.  Tabitha trudged to the kitchen and brewed her tea.  Lady Solomon’s name was floating off everyone’s lips around the house.  

After her cup of tea and a pile of scrambled eggs, Tabitha showered and dressed for the day.  Wes was still asleep, recovering from jet lag.  Quiet as she could, she dressed in a floor-length summer dress covered with pink, yellow, and green flowers.  After slipping on her flip-flops, she made her way downstairs and came upon Dion’s sister in the parlor.  

Posie was model tall and ballerina slender.  She wore a blue and white paisley tea dress, short enough to show off a set of mile long legs, with cap-sleeves to show her slender, toned arms.  Her skin was fair but with evidence of a slight tan.  She had gold, silver, and copper bangles up one arm, a set of diamond drop earrings that hung to her shoulders, and wide blue eyes.  She favored her brothers with the blonde hair and high cheek bones, but she was feminine and far less imposing.  

“Posie?” Tabitha asked when she entered the room.  “Dion didn’t tell me you were coming.”

At this rate every one of Rick’s family members would be in that house.

“It wasn’t planned.  She told me that Vic was coming and then mum was to come here, along with you and I knew I had to fly straight from Milan to complete this happy reunion!  I can’t believe we haven’t seen each other since the wedding!”  

Posie leaned down to breeze a kiss on both Tabitha’s cheeks.  “I know.”

“It’s my fault; I’ve only been stateside once since the wedding and I didn’t stay very long.”

Tabitha shrugged.  “It’s okay. I know you’re busy.”

“I’m busy dodging playboys!”

They both laughed.  “I’m so glad you came for an extended visit.”

“Thanks, did your mother arrive with you?” 

Posie laughed.  “No, mum is coming in from Paris this afternoon.”

Tabitha sat on a couch and pulled a book from the nearest end table, History of the British Isles.  

Posie wrinkled her nose at the book.  “Studying?”

Tabitha shrugged.  “I guess.  I just don’t want to be caught off guard.”

Posie sank gracefully into a chair and folded one long leg over the other.  “Don’t worry about discussing the origins of the royal family with mum.  She’s not into such droll conversation.”

The day went on in a similar vein.  She and Posey talked until lunch.  Wes woke up in time to eat lunch but went straight back to bed.  Tabitha was relieved he was so tired.  She still wasn’t sure what she wanted to say to him about…well, everything.  Rose and Patrick were infatuated with him, Dion liked him, but Tabitha didn’t know what the hell to do anymore.  How could she be in love with someone that she didn’t even know…and why was the thought of being in love at all so damn scary.

An eerie stillness came over the house at around three o’clock.  It was as if the entire house drew in a collective sigh and held their breath.  The babies didn’t even cry since they were both down for naps.  Tabitha was in the suite reading when the pewter grey Rolls Royce Phantom pulled in to the estate.  The sound of slamming doors drew her from the love seat to the window.  Tabitha watched as the driver opened the back door.  There was a woman with dark hair rushing around the vehicle to the trunk.  She talked to one of the maids, their heads close together.  A small hand extended from the car and allowed the chauffer to help her out.  The hand was attached to a narrow arm that was followed by a neatly dressed, white haired woman, small in stature, but big in presence.  

Tabitha stepped back from the window so she wouldn’t be caught staring.  This was it, then, the moment of truth.  She hurried over to the vanity to brush her hair and “put on her face” as Dion would say.

Wes walked into the room and she turned to look at him.  He wore a black button up shirt, open at the collar, slim fit khaki pants, and square-toed black slip-ons.  Her breath caught when she saw that his hair was combed back, no longer in his face, leaving his squared-jaw on display.  He was clean-shaven, his eyes traveled over her before he smiled. 

“What are you looking at?” she huffed.

“You look scared as hell,” he teased coming up behind her.  He slipped an arm around her waist and dropped a kiss on her shoulder.  

“I am,” she muttered wriggling from his grip.  “I have to get downstairs, are you coming?”

“I’ll be down soon, it’s not like she’s expecting me,” he said with a laugh.  

Tabitha glared and walked out of their room.  She had to get it together and stop being mad at Wes long enough to make a good first impression on her Ladyship.

***

“Lady Solomon,” Tabitha said as she shook hands with Rick’s mother…Dion’s mother.  The woman was a walking Chanel ad.  Her suit was fitted perfectly to her slim frame, her hair was coiffed, and her makeup was flawless.  She had porcelain complexion, and delicate bone structure.  

She smiled.  “Please call me Evelyn.  I’ve heard many good things about you.”

“All lies, I can pretty much guarantee,” Tabitha muttered before she could stop herself.

Lady Solomon laughed.  “Yes, I was told that you’re quite funny.”

“Just as I thought, my humor is about as dry as a Tyrannosaurus femur.”

Evelyn laughed again.  “Please have a seat.  I was also told that you are a wonderful conversationalist.”

“Now that’s actually true.  I love to talk!”

“As do I, maybe we should have someone join us so there’ll be someone who will actually listen.”

Tabitha glanced around the parlor.  It was suspiciously empty.  “Where is everyone?”

“People have a habit of disappearing when I come around.  Dion has gone to feed Ash.  The nanny has the older children upstairs…making them presentable I assume. Rick isn’t home from work, my staff is unpacking, and Posie has a nasty habit of avoiding me until it’s a hair from being rude.  You’d think I was an axe murderer.  I’m not that frightening, am I?”

Tabitha swallowed.  “I wouldn’t say frightening.”

Lady Solomon lifted a perfectly arched brow.  “What would you say?”

“Intimidating.”

Lady Solomon smiled.  

“Yes, I’ll go with intimidating.”

Wes walked into the room as Lady Solomon laughed aloud.

“Oh my!” she said standing.  “You’re that rock star Patrick and Rose have been gushing about since yesterday!  They’ve sent me at least twenty texts about you being in the house.”

Wes smiled.  “I’m Wesley Roberts, Lady Solomon; it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Tabitha blinked at him.  Why did he sound so…so un-Wes-like?

“The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Roberts.” 

Wes kissed her hand and Tabitha thought she’d swallow her tongue in shock.  Luckily, the children entered at that moment and Lady Solomon was too enraptured by her grandchildren to notice the way Tabitha stared at Wes like she’d never seen him before.

He sat beside her and kissed her cheek.  

“Who are you?” she whispered.

“You know exactly who I am.”

“I’m thinking I don’t,” she whispered.  “You’re freaking me out.”

“Would you rather me show her my tattoos and chase you around this room trying to get your clothes off?”

“You’ll be lucky if you ever get my clothes off again,” she hissed before almost leaping off the couch and walking over to join Lady Solomon and the kids.  

Posie entered the room and gave her mother a polite kiss.  “Mum, Vick has just arrived.”

“I thought he wasn’t coming until the weekend!” Tabitha almost screeched.

Posie shrugged.  “He’s just pulled up.”

Tabitha’s stomach fell to her feet.  She wasn’t ready for Vick.  She’d just gotten over her fear of his mother, and she was hoping Wes would be gone by the weekend so he wouldn’t run into Vic.  Her luck was really going to shit lately.

“Tabitha!” Vick boomed when he entered the room.  He enveloped her in a hug and bussed her cheek.  “My good luck charm!”

Tabitha laughed and patted his arm.  “Hi Vic, congrats on the win.”

“Thanks to you, love!”

Tabitha stepped away from him.  “I’m sure I had nothing to do with it…just a coincidence.”  

“I don’t believe in coincidences.”  

She winced as he turned to greet the rest of the family, including Dion who’d just walked into the room holding the baby.  Vic took Ash in his large hands and looked him over with a serious expression.  He handed the bundled baby back to Dion and smiled.  “He’s perfect,” he said with a nod.  “You never cease to amaze me, sis.”

Dion blushed and handed the baby to Lady Solomon.  

“Whose this, then?” Vic asked walking toward Wes.

“That’s Wes Roberts, Uncle Vic!”

“Oh, right!  The pop singer.”

Tabitha cringed.  

“He’s a drummer,” Patrick said rolling his eyes.

“Sorry.”

The apology didn’t seem genuine.  The two shook hands and Wes set his gaze on Tabitha.  His expression was drawn and his jaw was clenched.  Tabitha tried to ignore the daggers coming from his dark gold eyes.  Vic slipped an arm around Dion’s shoulder and kissed her forehead.

Tabitha was so distracted watching Lady Solomon coo at Ash, that she didn’t notice when Wes got close enough to slide an arm around her waist.  She stiffened, but didn’t pull away…not in a room full of people…especially these people.  He leaned over to whisper close to her ear.

“I’ll see you naked again tonight, bet on it.”

Tabitha gasped and felt her face flush.  

Vic noticed their close embrace and smiled.  “You two look quite cozy.”

“We’ve been seeing each other for months,” said Wes, his voice a low growl.




Tabitha Ch. 11



Dion raised both eyebrows at Tabitha.  Her sister’s subtle gesture made Tabitha blush harder.  A clock on the mantle struck six and Lady Solomon finally looked up from cooing at Ash.  “Is dinner served?”

“Yes,” said Dion.  “It’ll be served in the large dining hall since there are so many of us.”

Everyone filed out, leaving Tabitha and Wes.  She slipped out of his grasp and planted both fists on her hips.

Wes glared at Vic’s retreating back.  

“What the hell was that?” Tabitha hissed.

Wes tried to compose himself when he turned back to her.  “What?” he asked.

She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.  “You might as well have lifted your leg and peed on mine!” Tabitha snapped.

“Look, I’m sorry, okay.  I just…he’s just…ugh.”

Tabitha ran a hand over her hair.  “Okay, okay!  Just stop acting jealous!”

“I’m not acting, Tabby.  I am jealous.  He’s been here with you while I’ve been at home eating my heart out.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I shouldn’t have let you leave under false pretenses.  When he met you, you and I were supposed to be just friends and I don’t want to be friends with you.  I want more…much, much more.  I just need you to know that.  I understand if you don’t feel the same about me.  I let you believe that I didn’t want strings so I wouldn’t scare you off, but I do want strings.  I want lots and lots of strings.  I’ll be a fucking marionette puppet if you ask.”

Tabitha laughed.  “You’re so weird,” she whispered just before she wrapped her arms around his neck.  

“So,” Wes said pulling her closer, “What do you say?”

“I say, we have to go have dinner with her Ladyship, so we’ll have to talk about this later.”

***

After dinner Rick, Wes, and Vic went into the study.  Dion took the younger children upstairs for bath and bedtime.  Evelyn excused herself to go upstairs and get some rest.  The older kids retired to their rooms; leaving Posie and Tabitha in the parlor.  

“You gentleman friend is very attractive.”

Tabitha nodded.  “He’s…he’s nice.”

Posie rolled her eyes.  “You’re over the moon.”

Tabitha wanted to protest, but decided to just stay quiet.  Posie was entitled to her opinions, and she wasn’t going to try to convince her otherwise.  “It’s complicated,” Tabitha sighed.

Posie smirked.  “That’s what people say when they’re not willing to admit the truth.”

Tabitha wanted to walk right out of that room.  What would Posie Solomon know about complicated relationships?  She’d grown up with anything she wanted, and was hot enough to have any man she wanted.  Tabitha set her jaw and became very interested in a painting on a far wall.  Two girls drifted in water, it was a vaguely familiar impressionist painting.  She let her eyes unfocus so the colors bled together.

Posie cleared her throat.  “I know what you’re thinking.  Life is complicated for all of us.”

Tabitha didn’t respond, instead putting the painting back in focus with a long blink.

“For example, while everyone thinks I’m some posh princess that does charity work while waiting for a random prince to notice me and propose marriage, nothing could be further from the truth.”

Tabitha looked at Posie.  She couldn’t be serious.  

Posie laughed.  “I see you don’t believe me.”

Again, Tabitha found herself without a response.  

“Let’s just say, I’d take a princess over a prince any day.”

Tabitha’s eyes went wide.  

“Ah, now I’ve got your attention.”

“Are you serious?” Tabitha muttered.  “You’re a lesbian?”

Posie nodded.  

“But what about…”

“Lady Solomon and the family reputation?” Posie finished for her.  “Between the two of us, she loves it.”

“She loves it?” Tabitha parroted.

“Oh, yes.  She’s the first of her friends to have a kid out of the closet.  It’s like she’s got a couture dress that no one will ever have.  If one of her friends come up with a homosexual kid of their own, it’ll be like they’re copying her!  The media is a horse of a different color, however.  We can’t have those vultures speculating about my sexuality.”

Tabitha nodded.  “Makes sense.”

“Doesn’t it, though?”  Posie laughed.

“You’re the second lesbian I’ve met in the past month.”

Posie’s eyebrow arched.  “Really?”

Tabitha nodded.  “She’s pretty much in the closet to avoid media attention too.”

Posie was quiet for a while.  “You must mean Dravyn, the lead singer of that band.”

“Uh…”

“You don’t have to verify.  I’ve heard rumors and I know Wes was the drummer for that band a while back.  They used to be in the papers all the time.  I just put the facts together.”

Tabitha swallowed.  She couldn’t affirm Dravyn’s sexuality, but she didn’t want to deny it and be a bold-faced liar. 

Posie wrinkled her nose.  “Dravyn’s not my type.  She’s scandalous.  Half the time she’s out with these horrid Pete Doherty types with their pale skin and greasy hair.  I mean what kind of beard is that?  She could at least run them through a wash and comb their hair before the paps snap their photos.  Not to mention her few female associates weren’t much better.”

Tabitha smiled.  

“I’m serious.  The slags she parties with make Lindsay Lohan look like a school marm.”

Tabitha laughed out loud.  “I guess you know about complicated after all,” she told Posie.  “I know I’ve got issues when it comes to men and Wes is a great guy.  I just…I can’t.”

“Can’t what?” Posie asked leaning toward Tabitha.

“I can’t put myself out there to get hurt.  It’s scary.”

Posie nodded.  “Love is scary, isn’t it?  Would you rather be safe and alone forever, then?”

Tabitha frowned.  She didn’t exactly want to be alone for the rest of her life. 

Posie didn’t wait for an answer.  She hitched her narrow shoulders into a very French shrug.  “If you love him, it’s worth the fright.”

Tabitha was still chewing on that thought when Rick walked into the parlor.  Vic followed close behind, but Wes was nowhere to be seen.  “Good news, sisters,” Rick said, his voice booming.  “I’ve decided to have a dinner Sunday evening.  We’re all here and I have some clients that want to come ‘round.  Plus, mother will adore being admired for a few hours.”

Posie jumped up.  “That’s fab!  It’ll be like the ones father used to have when we were kids.  Well-dressed suits drinking scotch and glittering wives pretending to eat solid food.  Meanwhile, is Dion ready to assume mother’s station of hostess while mother is actually here?”

Rick chuckled.  “Dion was born ready.  I discussed it with her after we knew mother would be here and she didn’t even hesitate.”

Tabitha nodded dumbly.  She’d actually get to see her sister in society?  Speaking of scary situations! 

Vic walked over to the fireplace and leaned on it.  “Your friend doesn’t say much, eh?”

Tabitha realized her was talking about Wes and immediately glanced at Posie.  The blonde smiled back at her.  “I’m sure he was nervous just meeting everyone.  It’s very intimidating, I can say from experience.”

Vic laughed.  “Well, he’ll get to know us soon enough.  Good kid, though, not spacey or hazy like most musicians.”

Tabitha nodded.  “If you’ll excuse me,” she said heading for the door, “I’m going to see if I can find him.”

***

Tabitha found Wes staring out the window of their suite.  His back was to her when she entered the room and he didn’t turn around when she shut the door.  

“Ever had one of those days that took you from deliriously happy to murderous and back again over and over?”

She kicked off her shoes and joined him, watching a rabbit hop across the knoll.  “I’ve had a few of those—yes.”

Wes sighed, took a few steps back and dropped onto the couch.  He shoved his hands into his hair and ran them back and forth a few times.  As a result, his hair fell forward again and he looked much more like himself.  “This didn’t work out quite right,” he mumbled.  Tabitha watched his face settle into a look of concern.  He shook his head slowly.  “Yeah, not quite right.  I should probably just go.”

Her heart clenched.  “No!” she said a bit too loudly.  

He looked at her with his eyebrows pulled together.  

She crossed her arms and tried to replicate the shrug Posie had done earlier.  “I mean, you should stay.  Rick is having a dinner party on Sunday.  I’m sure he’d like you there.”

Wes rolled his eyes.  “What about you?”

“What about me?” she said quickly.

“Tabitha,” he said on a sigh.  “Do you want me here or not?”

She nodded.  “Yes.”

“So you’re done being mad at me?”

She sighed.  “I’m not mad about you keeping the being rich thing a secret.  I liked you when you were a salesman in a music store and your past doesn’t change that…neither does your available balance.”

Wes nodded.  “I’m sorry if you thought I was being dishonest or something.  I just…don’t think of myself in terms of decimals and dollar signs.”

Tabitha dropped onto the couch beside him.  “I know that and for the record, I love you too.  I’m not sure if I’m ready to be in love, but it’s too late now.  I love you and I like your sister and your nephew and most of your crazy friends.  I like that you think I’m innocent and that you didn’t even flinch when my family gave you the third degree."

Wes laughed.  “You should have heard Rick after dinner.  I thought he was going to make me hand over a DNA sample.”

Tabitha laughed.  “He adopted me as his second sister when he and Dion were dating.  He’s the father I never realized I wanted.”

“He’s cool,” Wes said smiling.  “I feel sorry for any guys that try to date his daughters.”

She nodded.  “Between Rick and Dion all suitors will have to approach the front door in full armor.”

“Not to mention Vic, he’s an imposing figure.”

Tabitha nodded.  “He seems to like you.”

Wes shook his head.  “I still think you’re the one he really likes.”

“Don’t start the jealousy thing.”

“I don’t have to now, do I?  You finally admitted to loving me.  That gives me the advantage over Mr. Football.”

“You still seem a little green to me.”

Wes gazed at her for a moment.  “Why don’t you put me out of my misery, Tabby.  Slide over here and prove to me that I don’t have a reason to be jealous.”  He patted the space between them on the couch.  

She slid over until their legs pressed against each other, and then decided to climb into his lap.  She put a hand in his hair and began unbuttoning his shirt.  “So you want make up sex?” she whispered, her mouth less than an inch from his.

“I’ll take whatever sex I can get,” Wes groaned.  “I’ve missed you so much, baby.”  His hands drifted down her sides and rested on her ass before giving it a good, hard squeeze.

Tabitha pressed her breasts against his chest and gently kissed his slightly parted lips.  "I missed you too Wesley."  Her hands busied themselves in his dark locks and his eyes slid shut.  She wiggled on his lap and laughed when his raging erection pressed into the back of her thigh.  

He growled and grabbed her waist, lifted her up and settled her facing front on his lap.  "I didn't want to do this on the couch."

"Then let’s go to the bed."

"Can't move."

“What?” Tabitha said trying to get off his lap.

Wes held her hips in a vice grip.  “If I can’t move, you sure as hell can’t.”

Tabitha stopped struggling and stared at him.  “What’s your problem?  I thought you wanted make up sex.”

“If you don’t stop moving on my fucking dick, I’ll blow a wad in my shorts and neither one of us will be having make up sex or any other kind of sex for that matter.”

Tabitha laughed.  “Are you that hard up?”

His bright eyes searched her face for a few moments.  “What you don’t seem to realize, Tabby, is that you’re my wet dream come true.”

She rolled her eyes.  “Shut up.”

“No, I’m serious.  You’re amazing.  You’re ass, your tits, and—holy hell—you have the most amazing fuck face and those noises you make…fuck Tabby.  You drive me insane.”

Tabitha pushed his dark hair out of his eyes and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead.  “You sweet talker,” she teased.  

He grinned “If you could see how amazing you look when you’re on my dick, you would have flown across the Atlantic too.”

Tabitha laughed and leaned back.  She tugged open his pants, plunged her hand into his boxers and wrapped her hand around his erection.  “Don’t go early, Wes.  I want to play with you.”

His laugh was thick, heavy with need.  “Careful with that, its loaded.”

Tabitha’s pussy clenched but she nodded.  She took her hand off his member and carefully unhooked the clasp of his trousers.  Wes shoved them down with one hand, using an arm around her waist to keep her from moving off his lap.  Tabitha was glad the underwear had gone down with the slacks.  His large, rough hands pushed the thin gauzy material of her yellow dress up, past her thighs.  She held her hands up so he could take it off completely.  Down to her under things and still on his lap, Tabitha felt her nipples go rigid in anticipation.  One hand tugged aside her thin lace underwear and the other guided his stiff cock home. 

“Ooh,” Tabitha groaned when he filled her. 

Wes shut his eyes and let his head fall back.  “Home again,” he muttered.  

Tabitha placed both her palms against his chest and began to move on his dick.  His head dropped back, he bit his bottom lip, and growled.  His hands settled on her hips.  

“Speaking of fuck faces,” Tabitha whispered.  

Wes made a sound between a chuckle and a gasp.  His eyes crept open, only half-way.  “What you do to me,” he grunted.

Tabitha smiled.  She was about to say something else but Wes gripped her hips and angled her pelvis forward, his cock began to rub against that sweet spot and she was struck dumb.  Her breathing became labored and her eyes began to drift shut.  The sensations of her tight nipples dragging against the hair on his chest and his dick nudging that bundle of nerves sent spirals of pleasure all over her body.  

Tabitha came with a sharp cry and Wes leaned forward to cover her mouth with his.  Her tongue greeted his hungrily.  Their kiss stole her screams but seemed to drive him over the edge.  He held her hips still as he grunted his release.  Then buried his face in her neck as they both struggled to breathe normally.

“I love you, Tabby,” he whispered against her cool, damp skin.  “Let’s go to bed.”




Tabitha Ch. 12



Tabitha put on her sweetest smile when Logan entered the sitting room. She'd been standing by the fireplace chatting with Posie but quickly excused herself. Logan looked struck. His jaw was slack as he gazed around the room. Not that the room itself wasn't awe-inspiring, but Tabitha was pretty sure the social climber was gawking at the people not the décor. Logan's associates were impressive—a Scottish Kier, a few lords and ladies, and Chief Financial Officer for a British Fortune 500 company. Not to mention that Italian art collector and hotelier. Logan was definitely in good company and she hoped it would put him in a good mood. 

"Hello, Logan!" she forced perkiness into her voice.

"Hello, love!" he said setting his gaze on her chest.

"Could we speak in private?"

"Of course!" Logan leered.

In the parlor, Tabitha got serious. "I asked that you be invited tonight for a reason."

"I'm sure," said Logan, his smile practically reptilian.

"Down boy," she said holding up both hands. "This isn't personal. I need your influence for a good cause. The music store where Wes works is in trouble. I'd like to organize a benefit concert."

Logan quirked a brow. "You want me to get Chaos Paradigm to play for free so your boyfriend can keep his job?"

Tabitha glared at him. "No. I'd like you to arrange a benefit to save the store where my nephew got his mouth piece ten minutes before he had to be on stage...a local business with a proprietor that cares about music enough to give lessons and sell equipment...A place where you can shop with a smile instead of a click!" 

"I don't know, love. I think I've done your boyfriend enough favors this week."

His laugh made her want to get slap-happy. "Wes doesn't know anything about this and I'd appreciate your discretion."

"What will I get out of this favor?" Logan sighed.

"A positive public image for the band and the label."

"It's called the music business for a reason, love. If it don't make money, it don't make sense."

"You're an ass," Tabitha hissed, "and you can leave now. Consider your invitation rescinded."

Logan blinked at her, blue eyes wide. "What?"

"You heard me!"

"Are you really going to put me out on my ear just because I won't have my biggest money-makers put on a show for some old geezer and his little music shop?"

"No," Tabitha said crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm putting you out because you're an unfeeling jerk that puts profit before people." She turned on a high heel to walk out of the parlor.

"Wait! Wait!" Logan sighed. "I'll make some calls, but I can't promise anything."

Tabitha turned to glower at him. 

"Fine. Fine. Fine. I'll make the arrangements."

She smiled. "Maybe there is hope for you yet, Logan. Enjoy your dinner."

Logan caught her arm before she walked away. "Does he have any idea how lucky he is?"

"I'd like to think he does." She pulled away and hurried back to the parlor before Wes missed her.

"Where'd you get to?" he asked when she returned to the crowded room.

Too late, she thought.

"I had a word with Logan; he's very appreciative for the invitation."

"I'm sure," said Wes, "these are just the kind of elbows he likes to rub."

Dion and Rick entered the room. Evidently they'd greeted all the guests and it was time to mingle before dinner was served at six. I heard a lilting laugh from the far left and looked over to see Lady Evelyn Solomon charming the pants off the Kier. He leaned toward her and raised his glass, his white hair didn't move at all. Tabitha could imagine the way his brogue could work chills up a woman's spine. Evelyn was open and charming. Her gaze was level with his and her smile bright. She was not one to be overwhelmed by a wealthy man with a sexy accent! 

"Can you believe this crowd?" asked Wes nodding toward the corner where Logan was approaching a random multibillionaire. I had no idea who the man was, but he was in head-to-toe Armani, his back was stiff and his nose was aloft. Wes put a hand on her elbow and leaned in to whisper. "Some of them asked me for autographs for their kids."

Tabitha giggled. "Consider me impressed."

Before he could answer, the clock chimed and Dion announced dinner was being served in the dining room. Rick led the procession and they all followed him in pairs, like he was some kind of pied piper.

Dinner was a dignified affair, small game birds stuffed with lentils, colorful vegetables, French bread, and wine with an ancient vintage. Dessert was a lemon coconut sorbet but Tabitha couldn't eat any more than a taste. She was too full.

Two hours later, once everyone was full and conversation rolling, the party moved to the back garden. A string quartet was in the lit gazebo churning out beautiful music. Tabitha remembered the classical concert in the park she and Wes had attended a few months before. Wes came up behind her and wrapped her in his arms. "Let's blow this party and go upstairs."

"You can't keep it in your pants for one night?" Tabitha teased.

"I've got some catching up to do," Wes pleaded. 

Tabitha shook her head. "We're not leaving before the first guest does. Why don't you go over there and say hello to Logan. You've been avoiding him all night."

Wes groaned. "Be nice," she said. "Isn't he the reason you're here tonight?"

"Fuck," Wes hissed. "You're right."

"I know," Tabitha said. "Go."

Once Wes walked off, Posie approached. "You look happy."

Tabitha nodded. "I think we're okay. Thanks."

"No problem! So, tell me what you think. Senore Appoli has invited me to his villa in Tuscany. He says we should get to know each other better." Posie's wry grin made Tabitha laugh out loud.

She looked around the crowd and found the Italian hotelier staring at Posie in a way Tabitha would have found disconcerting had he been looking at her. The man was handsome, no doubt, he had ink black hair graying at the temples, tanned skin, and dark intense gaze. He caught Tabitha's eye and gave a sharp nod. She gave him an awkward wave. Posie laughed. "Don't encourage him!"

Tabitha turned back to Posie, who looked especially fetching in a black tube dress and a double strand pearl necklace. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a messy bun, making her pale neck look even longer. "He's cute," Tabitha said with a shrug. "Can't blame the man for trying."

Posie shook her head. "Not the least bit interested, I'm afraid."

Dion picked that moment to join them. "I hear Appoli has been hitting on you all night," she said to Posie. The three of them laughed easily. 

"The two of you are what I always wanted," Posie sighed after a sip of champagne, "sisters instead of idiot brothers."

Dion hugged Posie. "One of those idiots is my husband and we're making him look good this evening remember?"

"That's right," Posie said doing that familiar shrug. "Well, I'm not whoring myself out to Senore Appoli to make your husband look good, but I'll do you one favor. I won't grind the heel of my Zanottis into his testicles."

Dion shook her head. "Thanks for that...very generous of you Posie."

"I know. That's because I'm a fucking lady."

Tabitha bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing. She excused herself from the other women...her sisters and went to find Wes. At least four couples had left, so it would be okay for them to retire upstairs.

***

Tabitha stumbled as they entered their suite. Wes caught her easily in the circle of his arms her back against his chest. His lips dropped to her shoulder. Her nipples tightened at the feel of his breath on her skin.

"Let me help you get ready for bed," he muttered against the soft skin of her neck.

Tabitha's eyes fluttered shut. "Okay." He loosened his grip and she turned in his arms. His palms slid down her bare upper arms leaving goose flesh in his wake.

"I've missed you Tabby." His voice was tight. The sentence spoken through clenched teeth.

"I missed you too, Wesley." 

He slipped the thin straps off her shoulders, kissing each shoulder in turn. He pulled her against his chest, moaning softly when her breasts crushed against his chest. Both hands slid from her arms to her waist, then up and around her back to find the hidden zipper in the dress. One hand held the top of the dress while the other slowly released the teeth keeping her hidden from his greedy gaze. 

The dress fell apart, resting on her hips, he left the fabric pooled there, now that so much of her body was exposed, he wanted to enjoy it. The bra she wore was sheer, black, and fastened in the front. He loved it when she made it easy for him. 

Tabby inhaled as his fingers came back around her bare back to the front of the bra. If she hadn't been in a state of hyper arousal, his light touch would have tickled. Instead, it made her nipples hard and her panties wet. His fingers went over her ribs and her breath caught. He smiled at the way her breasts rose against him. She automatically pulled her shoulders forward when he began to unclasp her bra, allowing some give and room for his large hands to their work.

Wes slid the bra from her shoulders, loving the sound of it hitting the carpet behind them. Then, he kissed the indentations the straps made in her shoulders. It wasn't easy containing such voluptuous tits, and her shoulders bared the mark of that work. His hands cupped her breasts, lifting the weight of them in his hands. His lips opened, as if he was going to take one or both in his mouth, but he didn't. Instead he thumbed her nipples. Tabitha gasped and bit her bottom lip.

Leaving her breasts, he dropped to his knees. Wes slid his fingers beneath the now slack fabric of her dress. He tugged. She shimmied. The dress hit the floor. Now he was truly drooling. Her shaved pussy was encased in a sheer black thong that was not holding up well against her arousal. The fabric clung to the plump lips of her pussy, showing off just how much she wanted him. His mouth opened again and this time he connected. Tabitha cried out when he lapped at her pussy through her barely-there underwear. Wes pulled away again, running the tip of his tongue over the essence of her still on his lips. His placed both hands at the back of her thighs and slid them down her muscular calves. 

"Put your hand on my shoulder," he instructed. She did so, leaning on him as he slid off one heel and then the other.

Tabitha watched him stand up, but his eyes were on every part of her but her eyes. Her hands moved to her waist, to hook her thumbs into the sides of her thong to pull them down.

"No, Tabby," Wes said pulling her hands away by the wrists. "These are staying on, I'm gonna eat you with them on, I'm gonna fuck you with them on." 

Her eyes grew round. "Wes," she whispered.

"Bed," he hissed back.

She turned away from him and he watched her walk. Her voluptuous ass swayed with each step. He didn't know how women could stand to wear a thong, but he sure as hell appreciated the view.

He grabbed his erection through his pants and squeezed. His cock pulsed, two times hard. His dick was more than ready to get back into Tabitha, but he wasn't going to squander this opportunity by rushing through it. He'd watched her all evening, talking and laughing with the guests. She'd been so at-ease, and completely charmed everyone. Tabitha thought Dion's social graces were impressive, but she was absolutely amazing on her own. Even Logan had spoken of her in terms not having to do with her body.

"You're lucky," Logan had declared after dinner. "She's quite clever, and she genuinely cares about you."

Wes had been too shocked to respond.

"Give me a call in a couple weeks. I'm thinking of putting something on that will interest you greatly."

"No reunions," Wes grumbled.

"Nothing like that," pressed Logan. "Just call."

Wes watched as Tabitha un made the bed. He shouldn't be thinking about Logan at a time like this. He tugged off his tie with one hand and pulled off the jacket with the other. He didn't bother unbuttoning his shirt, instead he tore it open, sending buttons flying around the room. He wasn't planning on wearing it again anytime soon anyway. The shirt joined the jacket and tie on the floor. His shoes went skidding across the rug moments before he stepped out of his pants. With one hand he yanked off his undershirt and threw it onto the pile both of their clothes had made. He hesitated before deciding to leave his boxers on, then strode purposefully toward the bed.

Tabitha had taken down her hair, the soft curls fell over her shoulders. Sitting in the middle of the bed almost naked, she was temptation defined. He wanted her, he always wanted her. Even better, he loved her and she loved him back. He ignored the whispered warning that brought up the last time a woman claimed to love him. Tabitha wasn't Marie. Tabitha was an entity all her own, stubborn, smart, and sexy. She was an adventure, and she was all his.

He stalked to the bed, pushing her onto her back, he feathered kisses down her neck and between her breasts. He sucked her nipples greedily, making her gasp and moan. She almost screamed when he scraped his teeth over the tight, dark nubs. Her hands fisted in his hair, driving him on, until he heard the hitch in her breath. She was close to coming just from his mouth on her breasts. Not yet, he thought.

Tabitha let out what sounded like a relieved sigh when he abandoned her breasts. He dropped a kiss on her lush mouth. He moved quickly down, planting himself between her thighs. The sheer fabric of her underwear clung obscenely to her pussy. He dove in without hesitation, sucking, working her lips apart with his tongue and gently suckling on her clit.

Tabitha's breathing was once again ragged. Her hands tugged at his hair, her thighs clenched and relaxed, her moans became increasingly louder as he continued his explorations. Finally, done with the ineffectual barrier, he pulled it aside and dove in greedily. His fingers stole into her saturated pussy, curving upward and tap, tap, tapping on that spot he knew would drive her over the edge.

"Oh God!" she shrieked at his invasion. Her walls clenched at his fingers and she screamed as she came. Her juices ran down his fingers.

Rising to his knees, he lapped the evidence of her orgasm off his fingers. "So good, Tabby," he moaned. She smiled up at him, dazed and unfocused. He bet she didn't even notice him pushing down his boxers. 

He pulled her down so her thighs lay atop his. That leverage left space between her ass and the bed, so he reached underneath her to pull the string of the thong from between her cheeks. Coming from the back he pulled the soaked black material completely to the side. He pressed his cock into her and she snapped back into focus. Her teeth sank into her bottom lip and she stared down at the junction where their bodies connected. His gaze followed hers.

He'd never seen anything so sexy, the way she opened for him. The sight of her darker skin tone against his made his dick even harder. He was sucked into her tight, hot core, inch by inch. When he was in, balls deep, his favorite place to be, he leaned forward and gave her a rough kiss. "I love you," he said when they came apart for air.

"Ummm," Tabitha purred. "I love you too."

Wes began moving in and out of her. Tabitha's eyes began to roll. Her hips bucked upwards to drive him deeper. Her lips rounded and she made the most sensual sounds. Wes stole more kisses, smothering her lovely moans with his mouth. Finally, when she'd exploded from his slow deliberate attentions, he began to pound into her, like an animal off the leash.

Tabitha's moans turned to screams that could have been mistaken for distress if she hadn't been begging him to go harder, deeper, and struggling to vocalize the one syllable of his name. She came again, hard, her walls milking his cock so he soon followed, filling her with his seed and making it next to impossible for him to see anything but stars, hear anything but the music she was making, and feel anything but completely enamored.

He slumped beside her on the bed. Soon she was dozing in his arms. Wes pushed her hair from her face; he ran his thumb over swollen bottom lip. 

"Mmm," she moaned swatting at his hand. "Leave it, I must look a mess."

"You look beautiful and gorgeous and sexy and covered in after-glow."

She chuckled. "Are you complimenting me, or yourself?"

"Little bit of both," admitted Wes before dropping a gentle kiss on her forehead.

***

Tabitha was awakened by the sound of her cell phone. The musical tone played and it buzzed across the marble top of the night table. On autopilot and still half-asleep, she felt for the phone and answered it.

"Aunt Tabby?" a soft, feminine voice said.

"Nikki?" she croaked.

"Yeah, it's Nikki."

Tabitha pulled away from Wes and sat up on her elbow. To her hazy recollection her brother's oldest daughter had never called her before. They'd spoken on the phone plenty, but Nikki had never taken it upon herself to call Tabitha. "What's going on, sweetheart?"

Nikki didn't answer for a moment.

"Are you okay, Nikki? Is your dad there?"

There was a faint sniffle on the other end. Tabitha was wide awake at that point.

"Daddy is at work," Nikki answered finally. 

"Okay," Tabitha said softly knowing there was more to the phone call than her niece had let on yet. "Are you okay?"

"Mom is here."

Tabitha's heart sped up. Nothing good could come from that.

"How is your mom doing?" Tabitha asked doing her best to keep any negative emotions she felt toward her sister out of her voice.

"I don't know, okay, I guess."

"That's good." Tabitha sighed.

"No, it's not. she's going to take us away from daddy."

Tabitha felt her stomach lurch. "What makes you think that, sweetheart?"

"She got here last night and slept through until we got home from school. I get home before the little kids and I heard her on the phone with someone. She said she was going to do it while daddy was at work." The little girl's voice went tight and Tabitha could tell she was about to cry.

"Okay, Nikki, I'm going to need you to be a big girl right now. D.J. and Gina need you to be smart and strong for them. Can you do that?"

"Yes ma'am," was her teary response.

"Okay, I'm going get there as soon as I possibly can. When we hang up this phone, call your daddy and tell him to come home from work early, tell him that you don't feel well if you need to, just get him home early this afternoon. If I'm not there in the morning, make sure your brother and sister get on the school bus. Go to school yourself and I will be there by the time you get home."

"Okay."

"Nikki," Tabitha said softly, "I love you, okay?"

"I love you too."

"Good. Now call your daddy." Tabitha hung up the phone and bit her lip to keep from crying. Perfect, she was out of the country and Derrick's crazy wife was about to try to kidnap their kids! She scrambled out of the bed and ran into the bathroom. After a quick shower, she pulled on a white linen dress and began dragging her bags from the closet. The thumps woke Wes.

"What are you doing?" he grumbled.

"I have to go," she blurted running past him to get to the things she had on the night stand. 

He ran a hand through his shaggy bed head. "What are you talking about?"

Wes tried to focus on her but couldn't. Tabitha disappeared into the closet and dragged out a large pile of clothes. He slipped out of bed and stepped in front of her. "Slow down."

She glanced at him. "I can't."

"Tabby, what is going on?!"

She dropped the pile on the floor between them. "My niece just called and I've got to get back to Hillsdale before her mom takes them away and we can't find them."

"I thought you said she was living with some guy in Connecticut."

"She was, but she showed up at the house last night and she might be planning to take them while he's at work."




Tabitha Ch. 12



"Why don't you just call him and tell him that?"

"He wouldn't believe me."

"He wouldn't believe his sister...or his daughter?"

Tabitha shook her head. "There's something about this woman that has him completely fooled. He loves her and no matter how many times she fucks up, he'll always see the best in her. He doesn't think she's capable of all the horrible things she does, so she'll get away with it and he won't be able to live without his kids."

Wes nodded. He left her to throw things in her suitcase and after pulling on a pair of shorts, left the room.

A few minutes later, Dion entered the room with Rick close behind her. "What's happening with Nikki?"

"I'm not explaining it again!" Tabitha snapped.

"Well, I'm going with you!" Dion screeched back.

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "You have the babies, Dion! You are not getting involved in this."

"I am going! He's my brother too!"

Tabitha was about to argue when Rick stepped between them. "Let's go down to the office and make some flight arrangements. We'll get someone in here to re-pack this mess you've created. You two can take both babies with you in addition to the night nurse. Mum and Posie are both here to help me with Rose and Patrick."

"I'm going with you," Wes said from behind Dion. 

Tabitha nodded slowly, finally letting tears of panic slip. "We just can't let her take them!"

Dion hugged her. "We won't, I promise, but we've got to be calm if we're going to help them. Let Rick get the flight arranged and the staff can pack all of us, we'll go have a cup of tea and finish getting ready. Okay?"

Tabitha nodded. 

Wes grabbed her into a hug before they passed him. "I'll be ready when you're ready."

***

Wes groaned when he turned on the phone. The private plane Rick had secured for them had landed a half hour before. Tabitha, Dion, Lily, Ash, and Jane—Dion's helping hand—had taken off in the car right away. He'd stayed behind to collect their luggage. While waiting for the conveyor belt to start, he powered up his cell phone and the phone blinked with the waiting messages a whopping thirty-five messages.

He had a sneaking suspicion he knew who'd left most of them. Instead of listening to the messages, he dialed Jazzy's number immediately.

"You have got to get an international plan on your cell!" she practically shrieked when she picked up.

"You knew where I was and could have reached me if you tried hard enough."

"Well, your parents are here and I've been fielding a million questions about where you are, what you're doing to the house, and who this girl is you've chased to England."

"Why do you answer the phone when they call?" he groaned.

"That wasn't my mistake this time; I answered the door when they rang the bell!"

"They're here?"

Jazzy grumbled something inaudible. "Yes, little brother. They're here...at my house...for almost a week now."

"Where's Clay?"

"He's staying with Peter." Jazzy's voice was terse.

"I'm dropping off the luggage; I'll be there in an hour."

"You'd better be here sooner than later or I'll drop them off at your doorstep and go stay at Peter's until they leave."

"Be nice, Jazzy!"

"Be here, Wes, as in five minutes ago!"

Wes muttered a few choice curses as he hung up the phone. His parents were in town, they'd been there for days and Jazzy was obviously at the end of her rope. Jazzy and their father didn't exactly get along. She resented his posturing and judgment. He was still salty about the unwed pregnancy and her shacking up with a musician. Wes tended to be a buffer between the three of them...a bigger loser than his sister, with no adorable grandchild to distract them. 

This would not be a happy family reunion.

***

Tabitha rang the doorbell for a third time. Frustrated, she began to bang on the door. 

"Use your key!" Dion urged behind her.

"I am not just going to walk into the house, what if they're home?"

"What if she's already gone with the children?"

Tabitha looked down at the keys in her hand. Dion was right, best she offend her brother by walking into his house than allowing his children to get too far away. They entered the house, and began to look around. From the kitchen, a sable brown woman crept into the living area. She wore dark wash jeans ripped at the thighs and a red halter top. Her hair was short, but neatly pressed against her head. 

"Waynette," Tabitha said in greeting. "I'm glad to see you're still here."

"Get out of my house," her sister snapped. 

"This not your house, this is my brother's house. I was under the impression that you lived in Hartford these days with...what's his name?"

"Mickey and I broke up."

Tabitha bristled at her matter-of-fact tone. "Oh, so you broke up with your boyfriend and decided to come home for a visit with your husband and children?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm not trying to say anything!"

Waynette's gaze flitted up and down Tabitha's form. "You look like shit."

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "What the hell are you doing here, Waynette? We all know that you're not exactly the world's best mother. You're even worse at being a wife. So why are you here?"

"What do you know about being a mother? I'm here for my kids."

"You're not taking these kids away from my brother!"

Waynette was shorter than Tabitha, and much thinner, but she gave her a look that indicated she planned to start something physical.

"You can't tell me what to do with my children!"

"These are not your children until you decide to be a mother to them!" Dion snapped, coming around behind Waynette. She'd taken a path through the dining room and the kitchen. 

Waynette rounded on Dion, fist clenched. "Don't you judge me you bougie bitch! You think just because you live in England and your husband wants you barefoot and pregnant all the time, you're a better mother than me!"

Dion bristled. "Don't presume to know anything about me. My children know me and they have a home that is safe. You've been upstate for months, then come back here and try to take these kids away from the father who's been busting his ass to care for them without you!"

Tabitha thought of Ash and Lily, still in the car with Jane. Her brother's children deserved the same security as those two and their other siblings. The crux was the mother; the mother that brought them into this world accepted them and cared for them. Tabitha thought of her own mother and winced. How had Derrick ended up with someone so close to the mother that hadn't even raised him? 

"You need to leave," Tabitha informed Waynette. "You need to get out of this house before those kids come home from school."

"I'm not leaving here without my kids."

"That's where we disagree!" snapped Dion.

"Mom?" a small voice said from behind Tabitha. All three women turned to face Nikki. "Mom, we don't want to go with you."

"Oh, baby," Waynette said with a fake sweetness. "It'll be fun! We'll go live in my new apartment and daddy will send us money!"

Dion's face flashed with anger. "You want my brother to pay you to kidnap his kids?!"

"It's called child support. I need the money."

"Why?" asked Tabitha. "Why do you need money?"

Waynette put a hand over her pursed lips and glanced at Nikki. She didn't want to say it in front of Nikki.

Tabitha turned back to her niece and pulled her into a hug. "You were supposed to go to school today," she whispered against her cheek. 

"I know," she answered.

"I can't believe you're already fourteen," Tabitha said with a smile. "Go to your room and wait for a minute. We'll get you back to school soon, okay?"

Nikki nodded and with one final glance at her mother, she went to her room.

"What's going on, Waynette?" asked Tabitha. "Why are you here?"

"I'm pregnant."

Dion was practically vibrating with anger. 

"Why did you come back here? Why can't you just sign the divorce papers and you and Mickey raise your kid without all this drama?" Tabitha waved her hand between herself and Dion.

Dion laughed. "He's dumped her, Tabby. Her boyfriend doesn't want a baby. He wanted sex. He wanted to take her from her husband. He didn't want a family with her. Why do you think he didn't let her bring the kids when she moved out?"

Waynette glared at Dion but didn't respond.

Dion continued. "What happened? Did the relationship start to crap out? Was he about to dump you so you thought getting pregnant would fix everything, like it did with Derrick?"

Tabitha shook her head. The truth was in Waynette's angry eyes and clenched jaw. 

"Derrick married you when you got pregnant with Nikki because he loved you. He still loves you. That's why he let you come back in this house and he would have taken care of that baby too." She pointed to Waynette's still-flat stomach. "But we're not going to let that happen."

"Do you really think you can stop me from being with my kids?"

Dion stepped between them. "I'll give you five thousand dollars right now. You leave here; get a place to live, have that kid and leave Derrick out of it."

"I'll match that," said Tabitha.

"Fuck you!" Waynette yelled moving to slap Dion.

Dion batted the hand away. "Neither one of us are in any condition to fight. I've just had a baby and you're carrying one. Don't put your hands on me and I won't make Tabitha tie you to a chair until you are willing to be reasonable."

Waynette rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Do you think I'm going to walk away from my family if you give me money?"

"You said that's what you wanted!" Tabitha urged.

Dion nodded. "I'm not paying you to leave your family. I'm giving you money to get on your feet. You won't have to rely on Derrick or Mickey or anyone else to live. Derrick is taking care of the kids; don't take them away from their life. The baby you're carrying isn't his responsibility, it's yours. Handle your business. You're about to have four kids, don't you think it's about time to stop thinking of yourself?"

Waynette shook her head. "I can't pay back ten thousand dollars."

"It's not a loan. I don't expect repayment. I expect you to be better than this."

"When can I have the money?" she relented.

"Tomorrow," Dion said on a sigh.

Waynette sunk into a chair and rubbed her eyes. "What will they think when I leave again?"

"They won't think badly of you as long as you don't stay gone forever."

"So I'm just going to raise this one on my own now; a single mother?"

Dion put a hand on Waynette's shoulder. "You won't be the first."

"Alright," Waynette said heavily. "I'll take the money and I'll leave the kids."

Tabitha smiled and hugged her sister. "We'll take Nikki back to school and come back in the morning to give you the money."

Waynette nodded. 

***

"I've got to go to the grocery store," Jazzy said as soon as she opened the front door. She pushed past him as he entered the house. "Blake is down for a nap and I'm about to lose my mind."

"Nice to see you too!" Wes called to her back. She stopped walking and turned around. She looped her arms around his waist and put her head on his chest. "I'm glad you're home safe," she muttered giving him a squeeze.

Wes walked into his sister's townhouse with heavy legs. He wasn't looking forward to seeing his parents again. He knew part of it was his fault; he'd rebelled so hard that he'd created a nice, big rift. His parents were on the periphery of his current life. They existed somewhere outside of his everyday, but now they'd transplanted themselves right smack dab in the middle. Was he even ready to introduce Tabitha to them? 

He sighed. What did it matter? They'd insist on it regardless.

"Wesley?" his mother called rushing out of the kitchen. 

His heart leapt a bit. His mother looked older. Her hair was almost completely white now where it had been salt and pepper the last time he'd seen her. She was also thinner, her face a bit drawn, some new wrinkles around her eyes. Still, she was beautiful.

"Hi mom," he said bending down to hug her.

"You look so good!" Lucy gushed framing his face in her hands. "You do need a haircut, though."

"Thanks." 

He straightened in time to see his father walk in from the living room.

"Wesley," Stanley Roberts said extending his hand.

Wes shook it. "Stanley."

"Don't mock me," his father cautioned. 

"Oh, stop it, the both of you." She glared at her husband. "Shaking hands with your son, Stan; really?"

"I thought you'd bring your girlfriend," Stan said looking around. What's her name, Tiffany?"

"Tabitha," Wes corrected. "She's jetlagged and I'm pretty sure she's not up for all this just yet."

"We'll have her for dinner tomorrow night," Lucy said with a nod.

"I'm sure you will," Wes muttered.

"Where's Clay?" Stan pressed again. "He hasn't been over all week. Has he finally abandoned Jasmine?"

"He loves her," Wes said matter-of-factly. 

His father harrumphed and walked through to the kitchen.

"The more things change," Wes muttered.

"Don't mind him," Lucy said rubbing her son's arm.

Wes pulled away from her. "You don't have to make excuses for him anymore, mom, I've figured him out already."

Lucy pressed her lips together. "I've missed you."

"Not enough to call, though."

She flinched at the biting remark. "I just don't know that you'll want to talk to me," she said quietly.

"Well, I don't want to do it, now." He sighed at the pain on his mother's face. "I'm sorry, okay. I'm just tired from the flight and not in the best of moods right now." He wasn't about to tell his mother that he was more concerned about the problem going on with Tabby's family than making nice with his family. 

"That's fine, dear. Just go have a nap on the couch while the baby is down. Once he gets up, we're all up."

Wes nodded and retreated to the living room. He reclined on the couch, but couldn't sleep. Instead, he shot off a text to Tabitha. 

u okay?

In seconds she responded. 

We're fine, taking Nikki to school, then 

a nap. Call u later.

Wes tossed the phone onto the coffee table and began to drift in and out of sleep. All he had to do was get through a night alone with his parents and he could see Tabitha tomorrow. Once Jazzy had a visit with Clay, she'd be in much better spirits and they could both protect Tabitha from Stan and Lucy Roberts over dinner the next night.



Tabitha Ch. 13



Wes opened the door and swept Tabitha up in a tight hug. He held on to her for longer than just a greeting. He buried his face in her neck and moaned. 

"It's good to see you too," she laughed when he finally released her. She handed him a bottle of white wine she'd picked up on the way over. 

"I'm apologizing in advance. This isn't going to be fun for anyone involved, just remember that I love you and it'll all be over soon." 

Tabitha nodded. She hadn't been nervous about meeting his parents until that moment. Wes seemed to have resigned himself to the evening being a disaster. Were his parents horrible enough to scare her off? She thought about her own mother. Nah, there was no way his parents were worse than her mother. 

"You look beautiful," said Wes. 

Tabitha grinned. She had dressed in a white linen dress with a wide lavender belt and gold flats. She'd worn minimal jewelry, just a pair of gold hoops and a slender gold watch. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. "Thank you."

Wes gripped her hand and led her into the house. 

Clay was walking out of the kitchen when they entered. Wes turned to lock the door just as Clay held out his arms for a hug. Tabitha grinned. "Hi there, beautiful!" Clay exclaimed wrapping his long arms around her.

"Hi, Clay."

"We missed you," he said when he'd let her go. "Some of us more than others." He glanced at Wes and she laughed when a huge grin split across Clay's face. 

Jazzy hurried out from the kitchen and hugged her. "Thanks for not breaking my brother's heart."

Tabitha didn't know what to say. "Uh...you're welcome?"

Jazzy laughed. "If you're still around after tonight, I'll be even more grateful." She kissed Tabitha on the cheek before scurrying back into the kitchen.

"I'll go help with dinner," Clay muttered with a shrug. He accepted the bottle of wine from Wes and they shared a look that Tabitha could only describe as foreboding. 

"Let's get this over with," Wes groused. He slipped an arm around her waist and walked toward the living room. 

The scene in the living room was idyllic. A tall man with almost completely white hair rolled a ball to Blake who grabbed it, clutched it to his chest and giggled. He turned away from his grandfather and hurried over to an older woman with dark hair pulled back into a bun. She patted his head when he buried his face in her leg. After the affectionate pat from his grandmother, Blake went back to playing ball.

"Mom, dad, I'd like you to meet Tabitha, my girlfriend." Tabitha glanced at Wes. She'd never been referred to as a girlfriend before. It sounded strange to her ears. She turned back to the older couple and realized they were both staring at her. She stepped forward and extended her hand to the man on the floor since he was closer.

"This is my father, Stan." Tabitha thought the bones in her hand would crack from the force of Stan's handshake. She moved toward the woman in the chair. "My mom, Lucy." Lucy's handshake was hardly there. Her slim fingers pressed against Tabitha's palm for a barely a second.

Tabitha and Wes sat on the couch, between both parents. There was a long stretch of silence as all four of them watched Blake play with a fire truck a few feet away. 

"So, Tabitha," Stan finally said, "what is it that you do for a living?"

"I work in the city planning office."

"Ah, not a singer, dancer, or painter? So, do you secretarial work?"

Tabitha felt her back go straight, but before she could speak, Wes snapped at his father. "Tabitha is not an assistant or secretary. She has her own office."

Stan's brow went up. "Oh."

Lucy gazed at Tabitha for a moment. "Do you have children?"

Tabitha's eyes flew wide. "No. I don't have any children."

Lucy nodded and returned her gaze to Blake.

"I don't get it," Stan said aiming his gaze at Wes. "She doesn't seem like your type."

"You wouldn't know my type if she sat in your lap."

Stan's dark brows shot up.

"Don't worry, I'm not planning on sitting in your lap," Tabitha muttered.

Wes slipped an arm around her waist. "He's just surprised that you have a career and direction."

"That last girl..."

"Stanley," Lucy interrupted, "Now is not the time."

Tabitha looked from the scowl on Stan's face to the glare Wes was shooting his father. 

"I'm going to go see if I can help in the kitchen," she announced. "I'm sure you can catch up with your parents without me." She gave Wes a kiss on the cheek and smiled when his expression softened. After sparing a second to give him a reassuring pat on the knee, she hopped up and hurried to join Clay and Jazzy in the kitchen.

***

Tabitha wasn't much help in the kitchen. Jazzy was flitting from one thing to another while she and Clay took orders and stayed out of the way. Finally, Tabitha set the table and helped Jazzy set out the food. She took a moment to appreciate the beautiful table setting. Jazzy had created a feast: standing rib roast, garlic mash, sautéed green beans, an endive salad, and fresh-baked rolls.

Wes gave her a kiss as soon as he took a seat in the chair beside her. She could see stress, strain, and worry in his gold eyes. He wasn't happy. 

As they passed the serving dishes around in tense silence, Tabitha had a moment of clarity. Wes and his sister were really no different from her and Dion. Their family situation was different, but the emotional strain was the exact same. She'd grown up wishing she had a mother and a father. She'd thought those kids must have had it easier. However, sitting at the table with what she would have thought to be a "perfect" family and witnessing the tension, was an eye-opener. She and Dion had made their own family; Jazzy and Wes had done the same. The atmosphere when their parents weren't around was happy and relaxed, nothing like the tense meal they were currently having. Tabitha silently thanked God for her big sister, yet again.

Lucy asked polite questions about Clay's band, during which Stan rolled his eyes after every answer. Tabitha couldn't help but notice that Clay had barely eaten a thing; in fact he'd barely spoken a word since he'd greeted her at the door.

Stan met his wife's gaze across the table and cleared his throat.

"Why don't we take Blake home with us for a little while?" asked Lucy, seemingly out of the blue, but obviously prompted by her husband's not-so-subtle signal. "I'll bet you could really use a break."

Tabitha thought the offer was generous but Jazzy rolled her eyes. "We're fine," was her terse response.

Stan laughed; but it came out more like a bark because of the lack of genuine humor. "I don't see how you can say that. Let the boy come home with us. He should at least experience what its like to live with two parents. Somebody should set an example. No sense in my great-grandkids being bastards too."

Jazzy slammed her fork down on the table making her plate jump. The entire table went silent. Her jaw was set and her eyes flashed fire. Clay put a hand on her arm.

"It's okay, babe," he whispered.

"No!" she snapped pulling her arm away. "No, it's not okay. We are married, dad. We've been married since I was three months pregnant with your grandson! If you hadn't been so busy being a dick to Clay, you would have known that...you would have even gotten an invitation!"

Tabitha gasped and gaped, which was the same reaction as Stan and Lucy.

Jazzy stood from the table and proceeded to extricate Blake from his high chair. 

Tabitha glanced around the table. The only people un-phased by Jazzy's outburst were Clay and Wes. The corner of Clay's mouth tugged upward, he was trying not to smile at his wife's mania. Wes avoided Tabitha's gaze, and she almost smiled. Of course Wes knew, he would have stood up beside Clay and probably given his sister away in their father's absence!

"What...what are you saying?" Lucy stammered. 

Jazzy sighed as she settled Blake on her right hip. "What I'm saying, mother, is that I'm married. Your husband and all his opinions and prejudices made it possible for you to miss the one and only wedding of your one and only daughter."

Lucy pressed a trembling hand over her mouth as her eyes filled with tears.

Jazzy turned to her father. "Now you can stop calling my son that expletive you love throwing around because he knows his father and his parents were married before he was born. I don't care what you say about me. Clay doesn't care what you think about him, but you are not allowed to sit in my house, eating the food I made, and talk about my son as if he's lower than dirt!"

Jazzy patted Blake's back because he was feeling her tension and getting fussy.

She turned to Tabitha. "Don't let him scare you, Tabitha. He doesn't come around much, just long enough to pass judgment on people and things he doesn't know. He'll be back where he belongs and out of our lives soon enough."

Jazzy turned on a heel and left the room to take her son upstairs.

"Well," Stan started.

"Shut up," Lucy growled through clenched teeth.

They all turned to stare at her.

"Lucy."

"Don't! Don't say my name like I'm an idiot! My daughter got married without me because I let you push her away. I dreamt about her wedding day...dresses, flowers, I've lost that now. Both of our kids want nothing to do with us—with you, and I just stood by and let it happen! This is your fault. Now you're going to fix it!"

It was Lucy's turn to storm upstairs. Tabitha didn't know what to do. She sure as hell wasn't hungry, and the tension in the room was palpable. Stan's face was going between red and purple. His mouth opened and shut like he was going to speak, but nothing came out.

"Excuse me," Tabitha muttered and left the table. She went upstairs and found Jazzy and Lucy in Blake's room. 

***

Tabitha immediately felt she should have stayed downstairs when she walked into Blake's bedroom. Lucy was in the armchair sobbing silently as Jazzy rummaged through a drawer. Blake sat on his grandmother's lap, yawning. 

"Jazzy?"

"Shit," Jazzy responded. She abandoned the drawer and rushed over to hug Tabitha.

"I didn't know," said Tabitha. "Wes didn't tell me and I won't tell anyone."

Jazzy laughed. "Thanks. Sorry for ruining dinner."

Tabitha grabbed Jazzy's hands. "That was one of the best dinners I've ever had...knowing that you and Clay are married is amazing. You guys deserve to be happy—and be a family."

Jazzy squeezed Tabitha's hands. "I want you to be my sister."

Tabitha gasped.

"I know it's soon and not my place, but my brother loves you...so much. He's been sad for so long—I just want him to be happy."

Tabitha wanted to run out of the room, but how could she avoid talking about her relationship when Jazzy trusted her with an important secret about her relationship?

"Does he make your happy?" Jazzy whispered. 

Tabitha nodded. 

Jazzy grinned. "Good."

"I'm so sorry," Lucy finally said.

The smile melted from Jazzy's face as she turned to face her mother. "It's a little late for sorry."

"I don't know what else I can say."

Jazzy sighed. "There's nothing else to say, mother."

"I just want to start over," Lucy said, her voice strained as if that statement was actually a plea. 

Jazzy shook her head, her black curls had grown out some so they bounced. "There is no starting over, mom."

Lucy's face collapsed, her shoulders dropped, and her breath rushed out of her in a whoosh. 

Jazzy squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. "All those years, the way he talked to us, the way he treated us. He belittled everything Wes and I loved. He insulted everyone we loved. You let him cut us down at every turn. Now, I'm supposed to forget all that? Now that we're both married women, are we going to meet for lunch? Are we going to have tea together on Mother's Day, since I'm an official mother now and not just a 'baby-mama'? We'll be best friends now, right?"

Lucy shook her head. "We can try."

Jazzy rolled her hazel eyes. "I've tried enough, mother. I am done trying. It's your turn to put in some effort. It's your turn to speak up for your children and your grandson."

Lucy's eyes flashed angrily. "He's my husband!"

"We're your children! Love us more than you fear him!"

Jazzy moved away from her mother, pulling out pajamas for Blake. She handed them to Lucy. "You can give him his bath."

Blake stirred and smiled up at his grandmother.

Jazzy shrugged. "I'm sorry you had to witness this fucked up family reunion."

Tabitha laughed. "My sister and I just bribed our sister so she wouldn't kidnap her kids. I'm not one to judge."

Jazzy smiled, appreciatively. "I think we should go out for a drink or ten."

Lucy stood from the chair, balancing Blake on her hip. "Take as long as you want. I'll put Blake down and have a talk with your father."

Jazzy nodded, grabbed Tabitha's hand and led her downstairs where Wes and Clay seemed more than happy to leave the house with them.