Part 2 (1/2)
”Okay.”
”To call Jeff, I mean.”
”Yes, I know.”
”I'm going upstairs. For privacy.”
”Okay.” He raised an eyebrow and waved. ”'Bye.”
”'Bye.” She stumbled, turned, and darted toward the stairs.
Lauren spent the rest of the evening in the guest bedroom, too humiliated to face Drew. And too scared.
Talking to Jeff didn't help. She couldn't answer his questions and didn't care to hear his demands.
”When will your sister stop these crazy games and grow up? Her wild impulses interfere with my life as well as yours. They already ruined tonight's dinner with my parents. Aren't you tired of putting up with this kind of nonsense?”
”Yes, I guess so.”
”You guess so guess so?” Jeff's annoyance came through loud and clear.
”It's just that I'm not sure it's nonsense. Meg asked me to come, nearly begged me. She should be here. But she's not, she's missing, and she doesn't even answer her cell phone. No one knows where she is. I can't help thinking something might be wrong.”
”What's wrong is that you've let Meg's problems affect our lives again.”
Lauren's brows puckered with irritation. ”I don't see how Meg's disappearance affects your life, Jeff.” Unless he was missing their Thursday night s.e.x date, too. The possibility took her by surprise. She liked to think that wanting her more would make him irritable, but she wasn't sure, since he'd always been uncomfortable talking about s.e.x.
”Lauren, are you listening? I want you here. Do I have to spell it out for you?”
Bingo! She chuckled, relieved that she'd figured it out. Relieved, too, that the secret doubts she'd had about their relations.h.i.+p might be so easily solved. ”No, you don't. I understand. You think we need more quality time together, and I couldn't agree more. In fact, I'm in the mood for some quality time with you right now.” She chuckled, relieved that she'd figured it out. Relieved, too, that the secret doubts she'd had about their relations.h.i.+p might be so easily solved. ”No, you don't. I understand. You think we need more quality time together, and I couldn't agree more. In fact, I'm in the mood for some quality time with you right now.”
”Good.” He sounded happier already. ”Then you'll come home right away?”
He was more eager to expand their s.e.x life than she'd thought. ”As soon as I can.” Trying for an appropriately playful mood, she asked, ”Do you have something planned already?”
”I will, just as soon as we get off the phone.”
Trust Jeff to plan everything, even s.e.x. He'd never do anything kinky, but she had to admit to some curiosity. ”Give me a hint. Is it something we've never done before?”
”Sure, if that's what you're in the mood for. I can probably find someplace we haven't been.”
”That shouldn't be hard.” Jeff wasn't good at thinking outside the box, and the box was his bedroom.
”Well, I suppose if we drive to another town...”
She actually frowned at the phone before putting it back to her ear. ”Another town? What are you talking about?”
”I'm talking about rescheduling our dinner with my parents. What are you you talking about?” talking about?”
”s.e.x! I'm talking about our s.e.x life, Jeff.”
Silence filled several seconds. Then several more. ”Excuse me?”
She sighed, feeling defeated before she began, but unwilling to back down. ”Our quality time together-get it? I think you should take me to bed more often.”
She waited through another long pause. ”I thought you were happy with our s.e.x life.”
She couldn't help noting that he hadn't jumped at the chance for more s.e.x. ”I just thought I would enjoy having more. That I might be even happier with more. Is that too much to ask?”
”Um, no. It's fine. What night of the week were you thinking of?”
That wasn't the level of enthusiasm she'd been hoping for. She was fairly certain if Drew's girlfriend demanded more s.e.x, he wouldn't ask her what night of the week. He'd probably do it right then and there.
Don't think about that.
”It doesn't matter when, Jeff. For G.o.d's sake, just pick a night.”
”Fine. Um, fine. How about we discuss it during our vacation?”
”Fine.” She didn't mind putting it off. The idea was already beginning to lose its charm.
”You will be back in time to salvage our trip, won't you, Lauren? You only have two weeks off work, and we've already lost one day we can't make up. Maybe two.”
It was a valid complaint, but somehow it sounded petty when Jeff said it. ”I don't want to talk about it tonight, Jeff.”
”What will you do tomorrow if Meg doesn't call?”
”I don't know. Why don't we wait and see what happens?”
”You need to change your plane reservations as soon as possible, Lauren, or it'll cost you a fortune.”
Lauren usually found Jeff's frugal common sense admirable, but it didn't seem to be the most important consideration right now. ”I know, I just don't want to think about it now.”
”I need to know your itinerary so I can schedule our dinner with Mom and Dad.”
Lauren squeezed her eyes shut. ”I have a splitting headache, Jeff. I'll call you tomorrow.” She hung up before he could reply. A minute later she realized the headache hadn't been a lie and searched her purse for aspirin before crawling into bed.
Incredibly, she slept a full nine hours. With the early spring sunrise still a gray line in the eastern sky, she made as little noise as she could, was.h.i.+ng and dressing.
It didn't matter. When she padded silently downstairs in stocking feet, lights blazed in several rooms. She heard the low rumble of Drew's voice from the kitchen, followed by Gerald's softer tone.
She found them standing at the granite-topped island. Lauren took in Drew's disheveled hair and Gerald's tie-less s.h.i.+rt, with open collar and rolled sleeves.
”Have you two been up all night?”
They exchanged looks, as if her question required consultation. Drew came up with the answer. ”Yes.”