The Rock'n'Roll Romance Box Set (Pam Howes Rock'n'Roll Romance Series) (37 page)

***

  
Nick and Jess were on the floor when Jon rejoined Helen. ‘Let’s dance.’
Jon pulled her to her feet and held her close. She was a decent looking girl
and felt good in his arms. She’d take his mind off Nick shagging Jess, for now,
anyway.

  
‘Doesn’t Jason like dancing?’ Helen’s voice interrupted his thoughts. He
smiled at her.

  
‘Not really. He looks happy enough with your mate though.’

  
‘Ronnie’s not a dancer either. She’s happier just to sit and talk.’

  
‘They should get on well then. Meet me in front of the pier tomorrow
night at seven.’

  
She nodded. ‘I’m so glad we came into Brighton
tonight.’

  
‘Yeah, me too.’ Jon looked up and caught Jess staring at him. He
wondered if Nick had told her what he’d said. He bent to kiss Helen. When he
glanced back Jess was still looking and he saw something in her eyes that he
hadn’t seen before. She gave a forced smile and turned her attention back to
Nick.

***

  
Nick crossed his fingers as he and Jess went indoors. They flicked on
the lounge lights and found the room deserted.

  
‘Yes, all quiet on the western front.’ Nick sniffed the air as Jess
hooked her fingers through the belt loops of his jeans and pulled him close.
‘They’ll be out for the count.’ He pointed to an ashtray, where tell-tale joint
ends remained. ‘You can’t leave ’em alone for five minutes.’

  
Jess stifled a giggle. ‘They’re worse than us. Go and find Jon’s clock
and I’ll get into bed. But for God’s sake be quiet.’

  
They crept upstairs, hardly daring to breathe as they passed their
parents’ bedroom doors. Jon’s warning came back to Nick and he half expected
Jess’s dad to appear at any moment, demanding to know where he was going. They
turned onto the second staircase that led to the attic and Jess slipped into
her room. Nick was with her in seconds, clutching Jon’s clock. He set it for
six.

  
‘God,’ Jess groaned. ‘Why so early?’

  
‘It’s either that, or I go back before we fall asleep. I want to hold
you all night, so there’s no choice.’

  
Jess smiled and peeled off her clothes. She tossed them onto the floor
and pranced around naked.

  
Nick laughed and pulled her onto the single bed. He kissed her while she
unbuttoned his shirt. He wriggled out of his clothes and threw them down with
hers. Jess kissed him and ran her fingers through his hair. For the next half
hour they kissed and explored each other. Nick was desperate to enter her, but
held back because she liked lots of foreplay. As Jess moaned that she needed
him, a noise outside on the landing made them jump.

  
‘What was that?’ Jess whispered.

  
‘Don’t know,’ Nick began as someone tapped lightly on the bedroom door.

  
‘Shit, what if it’s Dad?’ Jess held her breath, the door opened
slightly, and Jon popped his head in.

  
‘Nick, your mum’s downstairs making a cup of tea,’ Jon whispered.
‘Didn’t you hear her get up?’

  
‘Fuck! She’ll go nuts.’ Nick leapt out of bed. Jess tried to pull him
back, saying it would be okay if they just kept quiet.

  
‘I’d better go,’ he said, throwing her a kiss. ‘I’ll come back later.’
He wrapped a sheet around his middle, tripping over a dangling corner. He
pushed past Jon as he hurried from the room.

***

  
Jon felt a surge of heat as he looked at Jess; her lips swollen from
kissing, face flushed with arousal. He averted his eyes from her naked body as
she pulled a sheet over herself.

  
‘Sorry about that,’ he began, sitting on the edge of the bed. ‘But Sammy
saw me and Jason come in and asked where you two were. I told her you left the
club before us. I was worried that she might pop her head in our room to say
goodnight to Nick.’

  
‘It’s okay.’ Jess touched his arm and he jerked away as though she’d
bitten him. It was all he could do to keep his hands off her. He stood up as
she looked at him, a bewildered expression in her eyes.

  
‘Jon, what is it?
 

  
He shook his head. ‘Nothing. I’m off to bed. See you in the morning.’ He
pecked her cheek quickly and hurried from the room. Outside on the landing he
leant against the door and sighed. He felt like crying and swallowed hard. He
heard footsteps on the stairs and peered over the banister. Sammy was on her
way up. She went into her first-floor room and closed the door.

  
Nick, draped toga-style in the sheet, was seated on the edge of his
camp-bed and looked up as Jon walked in. ‘Is Mum back in bed?’

  
Jon nodded, unable to speak. The thought of Nick going to Jess again was
overwhelming and he felt he might throw up any minute.

  
‘See you in the morning then,’ Nick said.

  
Jon closed the door as Nick left. Jason, already asleep, was snoring
lightly on his bed in the corner. Jon threw off his clothes, lay down and
stared at the ceiling for a long moment. His stomach was in knots. Jess, naked,
was far more beautiful than he’d ever imagined.
 

***

  
Nick whispered Jess’s name over and over as he thrust into her, their
hurried lovemaking quickly reaching an explosive climax. He clamped his hand
over her mouth to stifle her screams.

  
‘Shhhh, you noisy, wild woman. You’ll wake the bloody dead, never mind
the parents.’

  
‘Sorry,’ she whispered. ‘I couldn’t help myself. I love you, Nick.’

  
‘Love you too, Jess.’

  
‘Don’t go to sleep, Nicky,’ she pleaded, reverting to his childhood name
as he closed his eyes. ‘I want to do it again, without any interruptions.’

  
‘Jess, don’t you ever get enough?’ I’m just resting. I’ll cuddle you
first then we’ll do it later.’

***

  
As she lay in Nick’s arms, Jess’s thoughts turned to Jon’s earlier
unfathomable expression. Why had he snatched his arm away? She also wondered
why she’d felt a sudden, and unexpected surge of jealousy when she saw him
kissing Helen. Then she thought about last night’s dream and what it meant. Why
did she keep having it? Was it a premonition?

  
At least she wasn’t alone tonight if she had the dream again. Nick was
snoring softly now, drained after the long day. He usually had bags of stamina,
but the late night yesterday had taken its toll, too. Never mind, she thought
and cuddled up. They had a whole lifetime of loving ahead. She closed her eyes
to picture Nick’s handsome face, but it was her brother’s intense green eyes
that she saw and a strange unsettled feeling came over her.
  

***

CHAPTER
THREE

  
Sammy stared with amusement as Roy
and Eddie, sportily attired in navy designer shell suits and top-of-the-range
trainers, slipped out through the front door. They wore natty blue sweatbands
around their heads, Mark Knopfler style.

  
She joined Jane, who was in the kitchen, trimming the rind off several
rashers of bacon.
 

  
‘They spent a fortune on those bloody shell suits, so I suppose I
shouldn’t mock their efforts to keep fit.’
 

  
‘They do their best.’ Jane tossed the bacon onto the grill. ‘Hope this
old cooker can stand the pace of the next few days; otherwise we’ll have to eat
out all the time.’ She wiped her hands on a tea towel and looked around. ‘I’ve
been thinking, this kitchen could be really fabulous if it was fitted with new
units and given a fresh coat of paint.’

  
Sammy nodded and glanced at the dated olive-green cupboards and orange
walls. ‘It’s huge. I don’t recall it being this big when we came down for the
Bank Holiday. Then again, the size of the kitchen was the last thing on our
minds.’
  

  
‘Hmm,’ Jane said. ‘I was more interested in the size of something else.’

  
Sammy laughed. ‘You were always a hussy, Jane Mellor. But yeah, waxed
pine units and buttermilk walls, like yours at home, now
that
would look lovely.’

  
‘Oh it would,’ Jane agreed. ‘But I don’t think Ed’ll change anything.
This place holds a lot of memories for him. He spent every summer down here
until his teens. If he can’t sell it as it is, then he’ll have to think again
and get it updated.’
   

  
‘We should ask one of the antique dealers in The Lanes if they’d be
interested in making an offer for the furniture,’ Sammy said. ‘Coffee?’ She
picked up the kettle as Jane nodded.

  
‘I made a few enquiries yesterday. Ed and Roy can go out later to
organise a dealer. Meantime, we can box up the china and coloured glassware.’

  
‘Is there anything
you’d
like to keep, Jane?’
 

  
‘Yes, the framed photos. Ed wants to keep Celia’s wartime letters. I
might take the brown furry rug from the lounge,’ she added, almost as an
afterthought.

  
‘Why on earth do you want that moth-eaten old thing? It’s seen better
days.’
    

  
‘It’s sort of sentimental to me and Ed.’

  
Sammy frowned, and then nodded. ‘Ah, so that’s where the pair of you got
up to tricks that afternoon. Roy and I wondered why you never followed us
upstairs.’

  
‘That rug could tell you a tale or two. It’ll do for the dog to lie on
in the back porch if anyone asks why I want it.’

  
Eddie and Roy arrived back, red faced and coughing like consumptives. As
they collapsed to their knees in the hallway, Sammy showed no sympathy.

  
‘Get up, you pair of posers. It’s all very well dolling up in that gear,
pretending to keep fit. What you
should
do is give up smoking, or at least try.’

  
‘I want to, love,’ Roy
gasped. ‘But it would kill me.’

  
‘It’ll kill you if you don’t, you daft sod. You’re a pathetic pair.
Jane’s cooking breakfast, so crawl through to the kitchen.’

  
‘Sit down, you two. Eggs, bacon and sausages okay?’ Jane said, grinning
as they limped towards her.

  
‘Please, Jane,’ Roy nodded.
‘I need coffee first. I’m hopeless until I’ve had caffeine. My hands shake.
Look.’ He held them out for her inspection.

  
‘Roy, you’re a mess,’
Sammy said. ‘You’ve got to start taking more care of yourself or you won’t make
forty-three.’

  
‘I’m not that bad. I’m not overweight or anything. Perhaps I should cut
down on smoking and drink decaff. But I can only do one thing at a time. I’d be
impossible to live with if I did both together.’

  
Sammy snorted. ‘Too bloody true. We’ll start with the coffee, see how it
goes. We should make the kids get up, Jane, or they’ll sleep in all day.’
 

  
Jane handed Eddie and Roy their breakfasts. She placed a rack of toast
and a pot of honey on the table. ‘Right, tuck in while I go and call the lazy
foursome.’

  
She bellowed up the stairs, ‘Come on, get up. We’ve a busy day today.’
Running up the first flight she yelled again. ‘Jon, Jess, Nick, Jason, up -
now!’
  

  
Jon’s sleepy voice called back. ‘Coming, Mum. We’ll just get ready
first.’

 
‘Don’t bother poncing around with your hair. You can do that later.’

  
‘Alright,’ was the weary response.

 
 
Jane
strolled back into the kitchen, sat down and reached for a slice of toast,
drizzling it with honey. ‘Ed, you and Roy can go out and find a dealer this
morning while Sammy and I make a start on the cupboards.’

  
‘Antique dealer, darling,’ Sammy explained to a frowning Roy.
She patted his hand. The only dealer Roy
was familiar with was his old friend Mac from whom he purchased his cannabis
supplies.

  
‘Ah, of course. I wasn’t thinking.’

  
‘Too early for you,’ Sammy said.

***

  
Jason sauntered into the kitchen, bare-chested, hair standing on end.

  
‘Hi folks.’ He sniffed the air. ‘Smells good. Any left for us?’

  
‘Sit down, son,’ his mum ordered. ‘Jane’s making you some. Any sign of
the others?’

  
‘They’re getting ready,’ he replied, avoiding her gaze. He’d been sent
downstairs half asleep and half dressed to create a diversion while Jon went to
get Nick out of Jess’s room.

***

  
Jon tapped on Jess’s bedroom door and walked in without waiting to be
asked. Jess and Nick were fast asleep on the narrow bed, wrapped in one
another’s arms. Jon’s breath caught in his throat at the sight of her beautiful
body. He averted his eyes and threw a sheet over the naked pair. He fought the
urge to drag Nick to his feet and punch him and shook Jess by the shoulder.
                                      

  
‘Wake up, Sis. Shh,’ he warned as she opened her eyes. He shook Nick.
‘Come on, everyone’s downstairs having breakfast.’

  
‘Whatsamatta?’ Nick began as Jon clapped a warning hand over his
mouth.
   

  
‘Shurrup! Move it, Jess. Throw some clothes on and go. You can get ready
properly later. The alarm mustn’t have gone off, or you slept through it.’

  
Nick sat up, blinking. ‘Fuck! Do they know where we are?’

  
‘Not at the moment. You go down first, Jess. We’ll follow in a minute.’

  
‘Don’t look then,’ she said, not quite meeting Jon’s eye.
   

  
She slid out of bed, pulled on jeans and a T-shirt, fastened her hair
into a ponytail and slipped out of the room.

  
Nick stared after her, a secret smile playing on his face.

   
‘Come on, get ready. That must have been some good time you had. The two
of you slept like logs,’ Jon said, enviously.

  
‘Yeah, it was, but then it always is with Jess. She’s one heck of a
lover.’ Nick leapt up, pulled on his clothes and followed Jon out of the room.
‘I don’t understand why the alarm didn’t go off,’ he whispered.

  
‘Did you pull the button out at the back of the clock?’
  

 
‘No, I don’t think I did.’ Nick yawned loudly.

 
‘Well that’s why, you dope.’

***

  
‘Morning, boys,’ Sammy greeted Jon and Nick as they took their places at
the table. They thanked Jane who handed them laden plates.

  
‘Morning, Mum,’ Nick said and winked at Jess who was buttering a slice
of toast. ‘Sleep well, Jess?’ He held her gaze as she licked her buttery
fingers in a suggestive manner.
   

  
‘Like a baby,’ she said with an innocent smile. ‘And you?’

  
Sammy caught the look that passed between the pair. She raised her
eyebrows, but remained silent. She’d tackle Nick later, rather than create a
scene now. She wasn’t stupid, that intimate look was exactly like Roy
had given
her
so many times
in the past. She excused herself and left the room.

  
‘Anymore toast?’ Jane asked. ‘No? Well in that case bring your pots over
here when you’ve finished and I’ll wash up.’

  
‘That’ll be a novelty for you, Mum,’ Jess said. She handed Jane her
empty plate and cutlery and then poured a mug of coffee.

  
‘
You
should offer to wash up
for Mum,’ Eddie suggested, looking closely at Jess who had never washed a plate
in her life, having been brought up in a home with a kitchen full of gadgets,
including a dishwasher.

  
‘What about my nails. They’ll get ruined.’
  

  
‘Rubber gloves, Jess dear.’ Jane flapped them at her.

  
‘Ugh, God! They’ll make my hands smell.’ Jess shuddered, recoiling in
disgust from the bright yellow rubber.

  
‘It’s quicker if I do it myself,’ Jane said. ‘At least they’ll be done
properly. We’ll end up with salmonella or something if Jess does them. You can
get some groceries from the supermarket later. I’ll write you a list,’ she said
to Jess.

  
‘Okay, I’ll go and get ready then. Bagsy the bathroom first.’

  
‘Don’t take all morning, I want to wash my hair,’ Nick said.

  
‘Me too,’ Jason echoed.

  
Sammy, who had just come back downstairs, said, ‘When you’ve finished
your coffee, Nick, go up to my room.’

  
‘Why?’ He stared at his mother, wide eyed.
   

  
‘You know very well why.’ She’d taken a look in the boys’ room and found
Nick’s sleeping bag still rolled up on his camp bed, as she’d suspected it
would be. A further investigation had revealed his shoes, socks and boxer
shorts on Jess’s bedroom floor.

  
‘What’s going on, Sam?’ Roy
raised a questioning eyebrow.

  
‘Nothing I can’t handle.’
 

  
‘Fair enough. Let’s take our coffee into the lounge, Ed.’

***

  
As they went upstairs Nick whispered to Jess, ‘Mum’s sussed where I
spent the night.’
 

  
‘Oh fuck!’ Jess chewed her lower lip. ‘Well if that’s the case we’ll
just have to brazen it out if she says anything.’

  
‘Oh, she’ll say something,’ Nick said. ‘Making love isn’t a hang-able
offence though, is it?’

 
‘Who knows?’ Jess shrugged and squeezed his hand. ‘Don’t worry, Nick,
we’ll be fine.’

***

  
‘What is it?’ Jane gazed at Sammy over the pile of washing up. ‘Don’t
tell me, I can guess. Well, it’s not as if it’s a casual fling. At the end of
the day,
we
were all guilty of the
same crime.’
  

  
Sammy pursed her lips. ‘Yes, I know, but not in front of our parents, so
to speak. We wouldn’t have dared. Take your coffee into the lounge; we’ll talk
it over with Roy and Ed. Nick can
stew for a while. It serves him right for being so bloody sneaky right under
our noses.’

  
‘What’s up?’ Roy looked up
as Sammy and Jane strolled in and sat down on the sofa.

  
‘I found Nick’s clothes in Jess’s room,’ Sammy said. ‘He spent the night
with her.’

  
‘Not necessarily.’ Roy lit
his third cigarette since breakfast. ‘Granted, he was probably in with her
earlier. Maybe he forgot to pick them up before he left.’

  
‘He
did
spend the night with
Jess. His sleeping bag’s still rolled up on the camp bed. Both you and I know
he isn’t that tidy he would have rolled it up as soon as he got out of it. I
warned him about behaving before we left home. He never listens to a bloody
word I say.’

  
‘Oh come on, Sam,’ Roy said.
‘You can’t treat him like a child. They’re past the age of consent. They know
what they’re doing.’

  
‘Age has nothing to do with it. It’s the sneaking about that annoys me.
Winking at Jess over breakfast. Asking her if she’d slept well, knowing full
well how she’d slept, if indeed she slept at all. Randy little git! He must
think we’re all bloody stupid.’

  
Jane and Eddie laughed at Sammy’s indignant expression.

  
‘You sound almost jealous, Sam,’ Eddie said. ‘I'll call them down; we’ll
talk to them. They don’t need to sneak about. Why are we making a mountain out
of a molehill?’

  
‘You don’t
mind
them sharing a
room?’ Sammy asked.

  
‘
I
don’t mind,’ Jane said. ‘
You
obviously don’t have a problem with
it, Ed?’

  
‘Have you forgotten what it was like to be young, Sam?’ he said. ‘At
least we know who she’s with and where he comes
from. But we’ll have a bit of fun, make ’em sweat first.’