River's End (River's End Series, #1)(88)

Ben’s eyebrows dropped. “You mean like you and Joey?”

Erin’s eyes met Ben’s. Then she looked at Jack. Silence hung between them for a long moment. When she answered, her voice was strong and sure. “Yes, Ben. Like Joey and me. It never occurred to me that he would like me without doing that. That’s what it’s always been like for me. But that isn’t your uncle’s fault. And I’m not Marcy. I’m an adult. I knew better.”

Ben glanced at Jack. “Then is that what it’s like with my dad too?”

Jack tensed and looked up at Erin, but she didn’t look his way. She held Ben’s gaze. He had to give her credit; she was made of steel. She didn’t flinch, or look away, or tell Ben that it wasn’t any of his business.

“No. That’s not what it’s like with your dad.”

Ben wouldn’t look at Jack. “Then what is it like? Aren’t you two sneaking around?”

Erin shook her head. “No. We don’t sneak around. We were friends. Until tonight. I’m sorry you found out like this, and I’m sorry if it makes you uncomfortable. But your dad is a good man. Someone you should strive all your life to be just like. He always treats women with respect, whether they deserve it or not. And he doesn’t use them.”

Ben looked at his hands again. “I didn’t mean to use Marcy.”

Erin’s tone softened. “I know you didn’t. But you need to understand what you’re doing. I hope you don’t do it now, or try to copy your stupid friends. Believe me, very few of them are having all the sex they claim to be having.”

Jack was too shocked, uncomfortable, and bewildered to have a clue what to say next. His most recent lover and son were discussing his sex life. It had him blushing and twitching in his chair uneasily. Yet unbelievably, it seemed Erin’s honesty, as well as showing Ben the other side of the coin, managed to accomplish much more than Jack’s mere threats.

“So… are you guys like a couple now?”

Jack felt like two hands were being wrapped around his throat and twisting as Ben first looked at him with big eyes before Erin turned hers on him. Her face was far angrier than the expression she showed Ben.

“Well, we’re more than friends now. Does that bother you, Ben?”

Ben shrugged. “I kind of wondered if you, you know, liked her or something. You always act weird around her. But I’ve often wondered what you do about sex. You act like it isn’t a factor or has any significance in your life.”

“You’re my son, and not the ideal person with whom I enjoy discussing such things. It’s not appropriate.”

“I’m not Charlie’s age, Dad. I’m not a kid anymore. When will you see that? You did the same thing to Joey. Why do you think he had to leave here?”

Jack felt the constricting hands choking him again. “I think Joey left because he needed to see more than just ranch life. And you’re barely sixteen. In two more years, we can easily discuss you being an adult, okay?”

Ben finally nodded. “Okay, Dad.”

“But you’re still not getting your license until December; and you get to pay the fee now, along with your own insurance.”

“Ahh, Dad. But…”

“Ben, you disobeyed several rules. Not feeling so grown up now, are you? Be an adult and accept responsibility for your actions.”

Ben shut his mouth. “Okay, Dad. I’ll earn the money.”

Ben got up and left the room with his shoulders slumped, leaving behind the silent living room where Erin now glared at Jack.

Erin stood up. “I lied to your son for you. You owe me for that. But it was worth it if it teaches him to care about his potential sex partners.”

She turned to leave, her hair whipping around behind her. He had to stand and reach out to catch her before she could fling open the front door. They both froze when they saw the headlights in the driveway.

“Ian’s home,” Jack said with a long sigh. God, there was no end to it. He always had someone right there, in his space, watching him, judging him, and deciding his life for him. He couldn’t even figure out what was happening between Erin and him without his damn son picturing his father buck naked on the beach. “Come to my room. We need to talk.”

She stiffened when he took her hand, but finally turned and started down the hallway. Jack had the original master bedroom of the house. It was the same room his parents once shared, along with his wife and him until she died. Lily died in that very room. It was behind the stairs on the first floor of the house.

Erin followed, he tried to brace himself for whatever happened next.





Chapter Twenty-Four


Erin preferred to be anywhere else, but there, in Jack’s house, and Jack’s room. Tomorrow, the entire Rydell household would know what occurred between Jack and her. The only difference between now and when she used to sleep in there with Joey was that now she gave a shit what they all thought about her. However, with Jack, everything was far different than it had ever been. The sex was different, and the way she felt was different, and the urge to keep it all private was different.

Jack’s large bedroom was dominated by a king-sized bed with a pastel blue quilt atop it. Two lamps and matching nightstands stood like sentries on each side, with a long dresser on the opposite wall. There were pictures of horses and his kids framed on the dresser. The thing that Erin noticed most was that Jack didn’t decorate this room. She knew that as well as she knew her own hand. It had to have been Lily. She walked forward and spotted a freestanding jewelry box. Lily’s also. Atop it, on a lace doily, was their wedding picture. Erin stared at the eight by ten of a young Jack and his bride. She had no expectations about Lily, who was quite tall, only inches below Jack’s mouth. She had auburn-colored hair, which was long and curled beneath her veil pinned over it. She wore a long-sleeved, traditional wedding dress and appeared to have wide shoulders, and a sturdy build. Lily was more handsome than traditionally beautiful. She looked like she was built to ride any horse on the ranch.