Whenever

Chapter 12

Rob and I both walked out of the woods and to my car, his arm around my waist the whole time. You have no idea how happy I was right then.

Once I was safely in my car, Rob said, "Okay, well, I gotta go take Wendell back to Chick's. I'll...see you tomorrow?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "How many beers have you had?" I asked.

He just rolled his eyes at me. "Just the one that you saw me drinking. The other bottles were Wendell's. Seemed like he had more problems than me."

I sighed. "Okay, I was just making sure." Neither of us moved for a few moments. "So, um, yeah. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Actually..." He looked out across the road where a street light was flickering. Then he looked back at me. "You wanna come to my house with me?" he asked really fast.

I took in a breath. Was he really asking me what I thought he was? "I...I don't know. I mean, I do, but...I don't know if it would be okay with my parents." I laughed. "I mean, I already borrowed my brother's car without asking him," I said, as if that explained everything.

"Well," he said, "if you can, then call me and I'll come pick you up. If you can't...then I will see you tomorrow." He leaned in the car and kissed me again. It wasn't really that quick of a kiss either, if you know what I mean.

When he pulled away, he smiled at me. Then he started on back to wherever his truck was, I guess.

- § -

When I got back home, I noticed my mom and dad were home. Mike wasn't since his car was not there. But I knew Douglas was. I just had that feeling, you know?

And needless to say, when I got in, I was hounded by him.

"You took my car! WHY did you take my car? You could have crashed it!" was all I heard from him. And then I showed him that I did not get one scratch on his car and he just huffed and said, "Well don't take it again without asking me."

As if he would let me borrow it anyway.

I seriously need to get my own car.

I heard my mom calling me from the kitchen. I groaned and went to go see what she wanted.

"Yes?" I said as politely as I could when I got in the kitchen.

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Where were you?"

She didn't seem as mad as I thought she would be, actually. And, well, I decided to tell her the truth. I would like to say that Joanne is officially dead.

"I was out with Rob."

Her eyes practically bulged out of her. So not a good look for her. "What? What were you doing with him, Jessie? He broke up with you, remember?"

I rolled my eyes. "Of course I remember, Mom. But I'd just like to say that his decision was...influenced by someone else."

She just looked at me. "What are you talking about? Influenced? Jessie, he was the one that did it."

"I know, Mom. But the Feds were behind it the whole time! They were planning on moving me to Florida! Florida, Mom!"

"How do you know he wasn't lying and just telling you that?" she asked haughtily. "He could very well just be pulling your strings."

I narrowed my eyes at her. How dare she say that. "Oh, yeah? Well, would it explain the fact that I saw the Feds over his house one day? Allan was talking to him. Threatening him is more like it."

She just shook her head. "He could still be lying."

That got me mad. It really did. "What would he gain by lying to me, Mom? I believe every goddamn word he said, okay? I love him, whether you like it or not. AND I am going to spend the night at his house." And that's when I turned on my heel and walked out of the room.

Looks like I didn't even have to ask.

I ran up to my room and locked it. Then I called Rob from my extension.

"Hello?"

Oh, good. It was him.

"Hey, it's me. Yeah, I'm allowed to go." Okay, so I was lying. Whatever.

"Really?" He seemed shocked. "Wow. I didn't think your parents would say yes."

I shrugged, even if he couldn't see it. "Neither did I."

"Okay. Well, I'll come pick you up. See you in a bit."

"Yeah. Okay."

He was about to hang up when I said. "And Rob?"

"Yeah?"

"...I love you."

I was kind of apprehensive to see what he would say after that. After everything that had happened.

"I love you, too, Jess." And that's when he hung up.

And I was grinning. I didn't care if my mom was pissed at me and yelling, "Jessica, if you leave this house, you are grounded for a year!" at the bottom of the stairs.

Rob and I were together again. I love him and he loves me.

And that's the end of that.

- § -

Just walking up the front steps of Rob's house was making me feel better. Because I knew what I would find inside and what I would be doing inside with him.

It was a very comforting thought, I assure you.

As soon as we got inside, I heard, "Rob? Is that you?" It was Rob's mom. Although, I don't know who else she would think it was. Gary, maybe?

"Yeah, Mom," he said back. And then he looked at me and smiled.

I smiled back. It's good to be back, I thought.

Rob led me into the kitchen, where, undoubtedly, Mrs. Wilkins was cooking. "Oh, honey, you're back," she said when we came in, without turning around, of course. So she didn't see me. Yet. "What kind of pie should I make? Cherry or—"

That's when she turned around.

"Oh," she said. "I didn't—I didn't know you had company, Rob." Even though the way she said it was all nonchalant, I heard the happiness and pleased tone in her voice. She was happy that I was back with her son.

And so was I.

Rob smiled at her. "Well, I didn't know I would, either," he said. "Now, about that pie...I think cherry is good. What do you think, Jess?" he said, turning those foggy blue eyes to me.

"Cherry," I agreed. "Definitely cherry."

This seemed to make Mrs. Wilkins really happy. She started bustling around the kitchen, clamoring pans and stuff. "I'll make this just for you, Jess, honey. I'm so glad you're back." And that you took my advice. I knew that's what she wanted to say, but she didn't. It was unspoken, but most definitely understood.

I gave her a big grin back. "I'm glad to be back," I said happily.

"Come on," Rob said, grabbing my hand and dragging me out of the kitchen. I heard his mom calling from the kitchen, "I'll call you when the pie is done!"

I smiled to myself and let Rob lead me up to his bedroom, which I had no objection to, by the way.

When we got in his room, he shut the door. I walked over to his bed—which was unmade, but whatever—and lay down on it. I folded my arms beneath my head and looked over at Rob, who was still by his door.

He was looking back at me with a smile on his face. I could tell what he was thinking. Really, it wasn't that hard. I mean, considering what had happened in the woods less than an hour ago.

And, well, I was up for it.

I mean, God, I wanted him. SO badly. He was, like, a God, or something. With that face and that body...

Okay, I am getting way turned on now.

And when Rob started walking toward me, I was getting even more turned on.

He climbed on the edge of the bed and soon enough he was on top of me. And then he leaned down and kissed me, and I kissed him back. Boy did I kiss him back.

I snaked my arms around his neck and his hand came to my face, caressing my cheek. Our legs intertwined at the foot of the bed; the smoothness of my freshly shaved legs rubbing up against the fabric of his jeans.

When he pulled away, I smiled up at him, completely content with the situation. He smiled back down at me, tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear.

And I knew then that I was most definitely ready to do it with him again. I was a little hesitant before, but after that there was no doubt in my mind.

"Rob," I said softly. "I'm...I'm ready. You know, to, um...yeah." Yes, I was embarrassed to say the 's' word. Well, out loud, at least. In my head it was okay.

He chuckled lightly. "Well, that's good news." And then he was back to kissing me. His hands were every so subtly sneaking up my shirt, one of them reaching around the back to unclasp my bra. Once my bra was unclasped, he took the liberty of taking my shirt off me and throwing both my bra and shirt on the floor.

And soon I felt his hands working at the waistband of my jean shorts, unbuttoning them. After they were unbuttoned he helped me wriggle out of them, his hands lightly brushing against the skin on my inner thighs. That didn't make me shudder (in a good way) too much.

Then I realized that the score wasn't very even, if you know what I mean. So I tugged at the bottom of his shirt, hopefully hinting that I wanted it off. Very badly.

Rob got the hint and, with my help, of course, pulled his shirt up and over his head, discarding it onto the bedroom floor, where my shorts, bra, and shirt lay.

It was as I was beginning to unbutton his pants that I heard his mother yell, "Rob!"

I stopped immediately and Rob groaned. "Oh, shit," he said with a slight growl to his voice (which just made him all the more irresistible). "I completely forgot."

That kind of made me nervous though. "Wait, is she...she's okay with us, um...you know, in the house, right?"

"Well, where else would we do it?" he asked with a slight hint of humor.

"No, I meant—"

He chuckled a little. "I know what you meant, Jess. But my mom just prefers to not be here when that happens, you know? I was just caught up in the moment."

I looked down at our clothes that were still on the floor. We hadn't moved at all from his bed. "So should we..."

He nodded. "Yeah," he said. But when he saw my disappointment, he kissed my lips quickly and said, "Don't worry. We'll get a chance when she's asleep." He grinned mischievously and grabbed his jeans off the floor, slipping them on over his legs.

When he looked back at me I noticed his gaze was not exactly on my face. Flustered, I grabbed my clothes off the floor and said, "Turn around."

He just rolled his eyes, but he did turn around. And, I swear, that was the fastest I had ever gotten dressed in my life.

"Rob, honey, come down here!"

Rob looked curiously at me. "That can't just be pie," he said. "She knows well enough to leave us alone."

I shrugged. "Whatever."

And then we walked downstairs and into the kitchen, where we saw Mrs. Wilkins...

...and two FBI agents eating her cherry pie.

MY cherry pie. You know, the one that she made especially for ME?

Yeah, THAT one.

The agents turned their heads when they saw us come in the kitchen. Oh, God. You have GOT to be kidding me. Seriously. Why now? WHY?

"Jessica," said Special Agent Johnson. "Funny seeing you in Mr. Wilkins' house. I thought you two had broken up." And I saw him giving Rob a glare.

I was giving Allan a glare of my own. "Actually, it's funny seeing you here. And...since when do you follow up on my love life? I'm pretty sure that kind of thing is off-limits to you guys."

He dropped the Mr. Nice Guy demeanor. "You told her, didn't you?" he said to Rob accusingly.

Rob just shrugged. "She had every right to know what you guys were planning for her."

Allan and Jill exchanged glances. This time Jill spoke up. "What you were told, Mr. Wilkins, was confidential information—"

"Oh," I cut in, "so the person who would be involved didn't even have a right to know? Or, you know, even have a say in the matter? Because that is so a violation of my rights. Seriously."

I noticed Mrs. Wilkins was subtly trying to make her way out of the kitchen. Good for her. I really didn't think this would be all that pretty.

"Oh, and next time you think about threatening him with life imprisonment, or something, think about the fact that a) he is my boyfriend and you won't gain a thing by threatening him and b) I am working for you and I could quit right now."

"Jessica, relocating you is for the best—"

"Bullshit!" I said. "For the best! Right. I think the best for me would be for you guys to just leave me alone. I'm working for you now, aren't I? I'm doing whatever you say. I'm giving you the names and whereabouts of these missing people, okay? But I will definitely NOT move. I am staying RIGHT where I am, got it? And if you pull another stunt like this again, I will quit. No 'if's, 'and's, or 'but's."

I think I got my point across.

"Now, if you'll kindly excuse Rob and I. We were watching a movie upstairs before you so rudely interrupted us."

Neither of them moved. Well, if they won't, then I will.

So, grabbing forks and pieces of pie for both of us—Rob and I—I grabbed Rob's arm and made my way back upstairs. When we were safely in Rob's room, I let a breath loose that I had not realized I'd been holding in.

"Wow," Rob said in awe. "That was awesome what you did down there. You really showed them."

I smiled at him. "Thanks. It felt kinda good, actually." I took one of the forks that I had gotten in the kitchen and dug it into the pie.

I looked back at Rob and he was looking at me. "Close your eyes," I said.

He looked confused now. "What?"

I smiled. "Close your eyes." He rolled his eyes and did as I said. "Now open your mouth..."

"Jess, what the hell are you—"

He opened his eyes back up and looked at me. He chewed the rest of the pie that was in his mouth and swallowed.

I grinned. "Was it good?" I asked.

"Of course it was," he said. "But you know what would taste even better?"

I raised my eyebrows. "What?"

"This," he said, and he grabbed my hips and pulled me toward him, his lips crashing down on my own.

I think I have to agree with Rob on that one. No cherry pie in the world—even Rob's mom's—could beat the taste of Rob Wilkins' kiss (unless, maybe, he had just eaten some garlic—but I'm sure that's nothing a breath mint couldn't cure).

Finally—FINALLY—things were back to normal around here. Well, as normal as things can be when it concerns me.

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