Page 51 of Mr. Naughty List
RJ unbuckled his seatbelt.
“I’ll just wait here,” Aaron said, but two little kids spilled out of the house, running for the parked SUV. “Oh, God.”
“They won’t bite,” RJ said, laughing. “C’mon. It’s not that bad. They’re just kids.”
He opened the door and the little voices rose in a clamor of excitement, both of them shouting, “RJ!” and variations of, “Where were you? Are you staying? Please stay!”
Then a lovely woman appeared at the front door. She was tall, like RJ, and long-limbed like him. Her blond hair was held back in a messy ponytail, and she looked harried despite her attractive face. She crossed her arms over her chest, shook her head, and rolled her eyes.
“At least you texted this time,” she called out. Her eyes caught Aaron’s where he sat frozen in the car. “Oh. You brought someone home?” She grew flustered, and then smiled nervously. “I, uh, hello. Welcome.”
Aaron climbed out of the car and waved awkwardly. “Hi, I’m Aaron, Mrs…” He didn’t know how to end that greeting. RJ hadn’t said if his mother shared his last name now that she’d remarried. His own mother had never changed hers.
“Just call me Betsy,” she said, smiling widely, her gaze darting from him to RJ and back again. “Come on in, both of you.”
“We’re just here to grab my guitar and go. I’m meeting Chip at the studio to talk about that demo.”
“Oh, right. Of course. Well, you can stay a few minutes, surely. I’ll make coffee. The kids saved you those cookies you asked for.” She shot Aaron an anxious glance. “You can share them with your…friend.”
Lover, Aaron corrected in his head, surprised by the fierceness of his attachment to the term.
Loud rap music played loudly from upstairs, but Aaron didn’t recognize it. Betsy ushered him into the kitchen. RJ followed at his heels, one hand on his lower back, reassuringly. The kids ran in past them, the boy making a helicopter noise with his mouth, and the girl yelling, “I’ll get the cookies, RJ! We saved four for you.” She gave Aaron a skeptical look. “I guess you can split them with your friend.”
“That’s Perri,” RJ said. “And the other one is Beau.”
“Ah. I thought you said you had three?” RJ had mentioned that tidbit on the way over.
“I have a stepbrother.” He pointed up at the ceiling where the beat of the rap music pounded. “I doubt we’ll see him.”
“He’s in a mood,” Betsy said. “I never know what to expect from him these days. When Doug and I married, he was a cherub. Now?” She shrugged. “He’s a teenager. I suppose it’s to be expected.”
“Hormones,” Aaron offered. “They make a moody monster of them all. I teach middle schoolers, so I know.”
She laughed. “Great. So happy I’ll be dealing with it two more times. I’d hoped RJ and my stepson were outliers.”
Betsy put Aaron in a chair by the window facing a lovely winter garden. It was well-tended, and he enjoyed the choices that kept the colors popping even during the dreary month of December.
He chatted with Betsy about the garden (it turned out it was maintained by her husband, who was at work). He kept everything relaxed and easy, hoping to erase the occasional speculative look sent his way.
Yes, I let your son fuck me blind last night, Betsy. And, no I don’t regret it.
Thankfully, it wasn’t long at all until RJ returned from upstairs with his guitar case slung over his back.
“Don’t go again, RJ!” Beau called, running to cling to big brother’s leg. “You said you’d stay for Christmas! You said!”
RJ ruffled his brother’s hair and then squatted to meet his eyes. “I’ll be here for Christmas. I’d never break that promise. I’m just going out for the day, that’s all.”
“But you were gone last night, and you just got home, and wemiss you,” Perri said, coming to RJ’s other side and wrapping her arms around his opposite leg.
“I know. I miss you too. But I might not be home again tonight,” he met his mother’s eye and she lifted a brow but didn’t seem actually annoyed. “It depends on how my show goes.”
Aaron tried not to squirm with embarrassment. Was RJ’s mother now imagining the reasons why RJ wouldn’t be home? And RJ doing those things with Aaron? Becausehewas. Fuck. Why did RJ have to be so sexy? Even with two kids clinging to his legs?
RJ went on. “But I’m still here in town, and I’m going to be right here at home for Christmas Day. Got it?”
“Yeah.” But neither kid seemed happy, and both shot Aaron suspicious glances like it might be his fault. So much for making a good impression on his lover’s siblings. Good thing this wasn’t going to last more than a few weeks, tops.
Oh God, had he already decided on letting it go on for a few weeks? That seemed risky as hell. But could he really give it up any sooner? He didn’t think so. Or maybe he just didn’t want to.