Author: Priscilla
Chapter 5: Complications?
The cops left Janet's house after hours of badgering her with questions that she had no idea how to answer: What was he wearing? Did you see his face? Blah, blah, blah. In the mean time, they told Jane to "Lock everything up tight for her trip." Her trip. Gerry. She found herself looking forward to escape the memories of the nightmare she'd lived through the night before.
Within two hours she had her bag packed and herself ready to go. She locked all the doors and windows in the house before she left. Following the directions that Gerard had given her, Janet found the well, mansion actually. It was beautiful. The two-story Victorian beach house had been built so close to the water it literally was only a couple of steps down wooden stairs to the sand and a few more steps brought you to the dock. Zapping herself out of the hypnotism she'd just been in she beeped her horn until a blonde girl with blue eyes and shoulder length blonde hair walked out towards her with a radiant smile on her face.
"Hi. You must be Janet. I'm Sarah." She said sticking out her hand towards Janet.
"Nice to meet you." Janet replied taking her hand.
"Let's go inside." Sarah said as she helped Janet with her bag. Janet had expected, she didn't know....a bachelor pad maybe? But this blew her mind. There were Persian rugs on the floor guiding them into the living room. A chandelier in the middle of the hall ceiling, white walls with pictures of Gerard's loved ones and friends. Tall green plants in pots at odd corners and the ever present smell of flowers and ocean.
She had just walked in and already was in love with the house. They walked into a room that was probably the living room. Big, plush couches bursting with people. No doubt the friends Gerry had mentioned when he was trying to convince her to come. They looked like family as they joked and messed up each other's hair. It felt awkward to be there. She would have stayed in the background staring at them forever if Sarah hadn't shoved her forward and further into the room.
"Janet! I'm so glad you came." Gerard said when he finally noticed her entrance into the room.
"Hi." And a smile was all she could manage to choke out as all conversation around them ceased and she literally could feel all eyes on her. On the stranger that had breached their little family gathering.
One by one Gerard, introduced her to his closest friends, led her. First came one of the hottest young actors in Hollywood today, Paul Walker, baby blue eyed, dirty blonde hair, the poster boy for California. Vin Diesel. She almost dropped dead when Vin opened his mouth. His voice was a direct mix between Barry White and a V-8 gas car engine and let's not even goes into detail about his physical attributes. Then she was introduced to the 3 young women in the corner. Alicia Silverstone, Jordana Brewster, and Rebecca Gayheart.
They were all beautiful, Janet felt she had just stepped into a beauty contest dressing room, feeling extremely inept in her flowing flower print dress and heeled sandals, but she smiled at them anyway. She had expected snobyness, indifference, in their eyes even if their lips were smiling and greeting her, but she found none and chastised herself for it. Then she was introduced to the gorgeous siblings of Russell and Terry Crowe.
"Pleasure to me ya, luv." They both said at the same time and Janet couldn't help the giggle that escaped her. She'd always loved accents, and their Australian baritone was about the most charming she'd ever heard.
"So you're the Janet Gerry's been babbling about all day. You should have heard him, Janet this and Janet that." Terry joked.
"Yeah, we were all about ready to hit him over the head with a bloody chair." Janet looked back at Gerry where he was trying to hide the hint of color in his cheeks as they all shared a laugh at his expense. After all the introductions they all sat around the lounge chairs in the upper deck of the house and joked and talked. It was fun watching them act like little children, and for once she felt part of something new, and exciting. It was a fun night.
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The next day, it was around 6 p.m. when Janet decided she'd had enough of the book she was reading and went out to see what everybody else was up to. She found them setting up white lines in the backyard grass.
"Hey Janet, we were just about to come get you." Said Alicia from her place on the grass.
"For what?"
"We're playing the boys for rights to the television." Jordana informed her with a mischievous grin on her face.
"Playing for what?"
"Well if we win, they have to watch whatever we want to and if they win we have to sit through whatever they want."
"Sounds fun, what are we playing?" Janet asked, her interest at an all-time high.
"Flag football." Said Sarah and Janet's heart leaped, it was one of her favorite pass times as a child.
"Let's do it." Janet said as they painted their faces, ready for the showdown. A couple of hours of rummaging and slipping and sliding in mud, the women immerged victorious wining the game 3-2. Now they sat in the living room again, the guys patiently awaiting the "chick" flicks they were about to be put through. All the ladies chose one movie they really liked. Sarah picked "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", Jordana chose "Little Women" to much protest from the boys....
("Wha're ya tryin' to do to me woman?"
"I don't know a man alive that can sit through two hours of this 'female bonding' crap."
"I can't sit through two hours of that!"
"God, strike me down now.....")
Still holding their stomachs from laughing so hard, Rebecca and Janet decided to give the guys a break by choosing "Dude Where's My Car" and "Sleepy Hollow." After a couple of hours of more whining from the guys, and laughing from the girls, mostly everybody had fallen asleep. Janet hot up from her position between Terry and Russell, who seemed to have become really attached to her, and walked out to the deck for some fresh air.
The scene was beautiful, the sunset casting its magical orange glow on everything it touched. Janet walked along the wooden dock absently looking out at the water, never noticing the piece of broken wood that protruded close to the edge on the left side. The wind was blowing her hair into disarray on her head and into her face. Janet pushed it back behind her ears, instantly hearing the "click" of her earring coming off her ear.
She tried to go after it before it fell into the water and in the process, tripped over the exposed wood in the walkway causing her to fall head first into the cold November ocean water. It took a few seconds for her brain to catch up to what had just happened, and turn her body upright to swim back to surface. As her feet began to kick and her arms started swish around, two strong arms wrapped around her waist and propelled her body upward along with them. Gerry lifted her and then himself onto the dock as they both gasped for air.
"What is your problem Butler?" Janet asked unceremoniously.
"What do you mean 'what's my problem'?"
"You mean you don't know!?" Janet yelled, screamed, and then stormed off, leaving an angry and confused Gerard looking after her before following close behind. Janet tried to ignore him as she stomped her way into one of the side doors of the house. The one that led to the housekeeper's quarters. Janet didn't care where she was going; she didn't even know where she was right now. Gerry caught up to her finally and turned her around to face him.
"You know 'fer some one who's just gotten their life saved, ya don't seem very grateful." He stated smartly.
"Oh excuse my lack of manners Mr. Butler, thank you very much for being the reason I lost one of my grandmother's earrings, and heirloom that's been in my family for more than 20 years."
"Nobody told you to wear the damn thing near a lake."
"I didn't know there was a rule against that!" Janet paused and stared at him for a minute then asked out loud, "Why am I arguing with you? I don't have time for this--" She finished as she turned away from him one more time only to be stopped again by Gerry grasping both her shoulders, his gaze steady with hers.
"Why do you have to be so complicated woman?" He asked. His voice a neutral, quiet, Scottish baritone. Janet became instantly aware at the change of temperature in the room. He was too close, too many wishes and dreams she'd convinced herself would never happen, were happening way too fast for her to handle.
She was hardly ready when he pressed his lips to hers. He slid a hand through her hair, the glossy wet strands sifting through his fingers, his kiss smoldering any protest she might have had. The taste of her was sweet. The feel of her body in his arms regenerated his strength. Desire burned away the cold and the kiss burned hotter and wilder.
Janet hung on, her fingers pressing hard into the small of his back. She couldn't find the words to tell him no, to tell him who she really was. All she could find inside herself was need. He bent her back over his arm, his mouth trailing heat down the side of her neck to the V of flesh exposed by her soaken wet sweater. Her eyes on his, he pulled off the sweater and bra. There were no words. There was only this incredible sense of expectation and merging, aching souls. Gerard reached out and ran the fingertips of one hand along her shoulder and down her arm.
He traced the angle of her waist, the graceful flare of her hip, as he slowly slid them down her legs and threw them across the room. He wanted to devour her, to absorb the comfort of her soft warmth into his body--or better yet, be taken into hers. Lose himself. Feel the hard knot of loneliness and pain break apart and melt in the heat of their union.
They sank down on the bed, stretching against each other chest to chest, legs tangling. Janet arched into him, loving the feel of his hard body, the heat of his skin, the brush of his hair against her nipples. She tangled her hands in his hair, kneaded the muscles in his back, angry at the fact that he still had his jeans on. Twisting beneath him, she reached for the button. Gerry allowed her, rising up on his knees as she tugged the zipper down over his erection. Her hands were trembling as she pulled jeans and briefs. Her whole body was trembling with the need to take him inside her. She curled her fingers around his shaft and stroked him gently. He closed his eyes and groaned.
"Come here." He whispered, reaching for her. Janet went to him, welcoming his kiss, pressing her body into his. She put her arms around his neck and let her head fall back as he trailed kisses on her throat. His big hands stroked down her back and buttocks and he lifted her and pulled her onto his lap. Jane reached between their bodies and guided him, held him steady as he lowered her. Her breath left her in a slow hiss as he entered her. Her body tightened around him, on the brink of fulfillment.
Gerry lifted her again and slid her back down on him slowly, inch by inch. Anticipation wound like a spring inside her, tighter and tighter, pounding for release. She began to move on him at her own pace. Hands gripping his big shoulders, her head flung back. Faster and faster, until she was breathless, until the heat condensed into a slick gloss of sweat on her skin, until the anticipation exploded into a firestorm of sensation. They held each other tight as they came back to earth, as their heartbeats slowed, as the real world took form around them. Gerard pulled the quilt at the foot of the bed around them. The heat of passion had waned and the November night chilled them.
Title: Across the Tracks....
Author: Priscilla
Chapter 6: The Plot Thickens
"I love you." The words were out of her mouth before she realized she'd said them. Gerry turned his head towards hers and smiled.
"Some would say it was inevitable that I fall in love with you Jane, I have been since we were kids." He said. Jane's mouth dropped and her heart stopped beating.
"H-how?" She stammered through the haze of shock that fogged her brain suddenly. She didn't give him time to answer, pulling the covers off her and jumping out of bed. She dressed like her life depended on it.
"What are you gonna do Jane? Walk out on me again?" The guilt hit Gerard instantly and he tried to cover it up by lowering his tone and stating the obvious, "We need to talk about this." His hand grabbing hold of her elbow before she could dash out of the room. Her open palm connected solidly with his right cheek and before he had a chance to register what had just happened Jane spun on her heels and out of the room. Gerry knew he'd messed up and didn't know how to fix it. "And the plot thickens." He muttered bitterly, pulling on the clothes he'd discarded last night.
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Jane shoved her things into the bag, not really seeing what she was doing through the tears that blurred her vision. She angrily rubbed them away. What was the matter with her? She'd completely disregarded any ounce of self-respect she owned within herself to be with Gerard Butler? She didn't even recognize herself as she looked in the mirror and put her bag strap on her shoulder. There was no way she was staying here another minute. Slowly she walked down the stairs and out to the back of the house where her Skyline awaited her.
She got in slowly, her whole body aching suddenly, her emotional disappointment and emotional pain taking on a physical presence. Jane felt....cheap. Like she had opened herself up, for the first time in years and gotten her heart stomped on for it. A slow sigh escaped her as she turned into her driveway. Jane got out of her car and made her way to the front door.
Everything still looked okay, but she couldn't shake the feeling......something was off. "Like I need anymore problems." Jane said to herself. Walking into the foyer, the sense of intrusion hit her like a brick wall. Jane looked around searching for anything out of place and found nothing. Shaking the feeling off as nerves, she walked into her kitchen and into another world.
Her kitchen had been transformed into a green house containing every flower Jane loved. She searched the makeshift jungle for a card......something that told who it was from. Then she found it, a gold card with her name written in big bold Goudy style lettering. Jane opened it warily. It was Jeremy, and damned if she didn't appreciate him for it.
It was a nice gesture from a man who swore up and down that he'd changed since their breakup. Had she made a mistake leaving him? The doubts rose in the surface of her mind like oil on water. Jane shook her head as if to dislodge them and made her way upstairs to the bathroom. After having soaking in the tub for about a half hour she stepped out, dried herself off and wrapped her silk robe around her naked body.
The doorbell rang just as she stepped into her bedroom. Jane cursed under her breath and warily descended the stairs to her front door, swinging it open without looking. Gerard stood outside, leaning a shoulder against the outer doorframe. "What do you want?" Jane asked, too tired to argue or talk for that matter.
"I want to talk. I want to know why you felt you had to lie about who you really were just to sleep with me." Jane gave him a look that has stopped some men cold in mid-sentence.
"If you really believe that, maybe you should leave now, while you still have your face in tact." She said through gritted teeth.
"Can I come in?" He asked. Finally ending their stare down. Jane nodded her head and closed the door behind them as he passed. They sat on the couch, facing each other.
"Why?" He asked in a voice too smooth and calm to be Scottish, let alone his. Jane didn't know where to begin. Trying every diversionary tactic to not meet his probing gaze and failed. She answered the one word truth.
"You."
"What do you mean?"
"Everything that I have done up until this point in my life has been because of you. I left Glasgow, because of you. Changed my name because of you. I-"
"Why?" He asked again, cutting her off.
"Because when you shut me out, I didn't know how to deal with it, except to run away. It hurt too much to have you look through me as if I wasn't even there." She explained.
"I should have tried to make you understand - I - I overreacted. I was consumed by grief and then finding out about you was the last straw. I took my anger out on you and when I realized that I destroyed one of the most, (grabbing her hands in his) meaningful relationships in my life, I tried to apologize, to mend things between us, but you were already gone when I finally got the guts to do it." He said, his Scottish drawl taking on a strained quality.
"Just like me to be late huh?" Jane said with a small chuckle.
"Yeah. Some things never change." He said, glad for the excuse to smile.
"Maybe we should start over Gerry, start fresh?"
"OK." Gerard said getting up and sticking out his hand to her. Jane took it happily. "Hi. I'm Jane."
"Nice to meet you Jane, I'm Gerry."
"Would you like to stay for coffee Gerry?"
"You know, I'd love to, but I have to get ready for a late meeting with my agent." He explained sheepishly.
"Some other time then." Jane said and he nodded. She walked him to the door and half expected him to kiss her when he leaned in close, and he did kiss her.....just on the cheek (HA!) Well Jane, don't you feel like an idiot? She asked herself.
"Goodnight Jane. I'll call you tomorrow." He said hugging her briefly and walking away.
"Goodnight." Jane replied waving goodbye and walking back into the house to watch the six o'clock news.
I saw her with him, the whore
People will miss her when she's gone forevermore
Tonight is the night
When my dreams take flight
They will leak out and cause a flood
All the streets will be covered in blood........