At least she had Margie and Roz, along with Ananda and Isaiah, she consoled herself. Both couples had always been surrogate parents to her and she knew without having to ever ask that they would always be there for her. She had a few other casual friends, people she knew from the coffee shop or school or her catering gig, but she’d been careful not to get too close to any of them.
And then there was Jackson. Her boyfriend, lover, significant other, whatever the appropriate term might be. Their relationship was still very new, they were still in the getting to know each other better phase, and were both intent on keeping things between them casual and low-key. But despite the newness of it all, Scarlett couldn’t help feeling at times that this man was her soulmate. He understood her in ways no other person had ever done, even though his own upbringing and family life had been as different from hers as night and day. She sensed that there were things about her past and about her that he just knew somehow, as though he could read her mind or see into her heart. Admittedly, she’d felt resentful and antagonistic towards him the first few times they had met - though she had always been physically attracted to him (‘I mean, who wouldn’t?’ she asked herself drolly).
Now, though, she was pretty much captivated by him, definitely in love as well as in lust, and she’d even begun to think of him as her best friend. Not only hadn’t there ever been a real honest to God boyfriend in her life before now there also had never been anyone she could have truthfully called a best friend. She blamed herself for that, of course, given all of her issues with trust and her prickly, off-putting personality. Plus, she thought with a wry grin, she had never really been the sort to bond with other girls over stupid crap like fashion magazines, cute celebrities they had crushes on, or what boy they liked. As small and scrawny and raggedy as she’d been in middle and even high school, she’d also appeared a few years younger than her classmates, and nobody had wanted to hang out with her.
It had been better once she’d started at the charter school, mostly because a lot of the students there also had emotional or behavioral issues or had come from rough backgrounds like her own. She had never been made to feel like a weirdo or outcast there, and knew that getting into that school had turned her whole life around. She would definitely not be starting her senior year at Berkeley if she hadn’t been so fortunate to transfer to that high school.
Her phone buzzed then with an incoming message and she grabbed it hastily, grinning as she realized Jackson was Face Timing her.
“Hey, gorgeous,” he greeted, his eyes twinkling at her. He hadn’t bothered to shave, as she knew was his habit on the weekends, and she thought faintly that he was really the one who deserved to be called gorgeous.
“Hey, handsome,” she teased in response. “I’m going to guess from your wet hair that you just got out of the shower. And probably already hit the gym this morning.”
“Right on both counts. It’s supposed to be something hellish like a hundred and fifteen here today. There’s no way I’d work out after nine in the morning on a day like this. I’m plunking my butt in front of my computer the rest of the day, drinking a gallon of iced tea, and feeling grateful that this condo has great air conditioning. What are your plans for the day?’
Scarlett grinned. “Pretty similar to yours, I’d say. Except I hate iced tea so I’ll be guzzling water or maybe lemonade. I want to tool around with a couple of those software programs you had installed. I made a few sketches earlier this week and want to see if I can re-create them on the computer.”
“I want to see those when you’re finished, okay?” he told her, and she knew that his interest in her projects was genuine.
“Sure. I’d love your opinion on them. Though they aren’t necessarily for school, just stuff I’m doodling with. And,” she warned teasingly, “don’t even think of stealing my ideas, Mr. Gilmore.”
Jackson snickered. “No worries there, babe. I build stuff, not design it. I might be good with a hammer and saw but not so great with a sketchpad and pencil.”
She batted her eyelashes at him flirtatiously. “I’d be willing to bet you’re good at most anything that involves using your hands. I mean, I haven’t had any complaints so far.”
He laughed deeply. “Maybe you’re just easy to please. And, by the way, you have very talented hands, too. Among other, uh, parts of your body.”
Deliberately she ran her tongue across her lips before sucking on her index finger. She watched his eyes widen in stunned arousal before asking sensually, “Really? Like what, for example?”
Jackson growled warningly. “You little witch. You know damned well what parts. That sexy mouth, those long legs you like to wrap around my waist, those sweet tits that I wish were filling my hands right about now. And let’s not forget that perfect ass of yours. Soft and high and tight. Speaking of tight, if you were here beside me right now I’d be shoving my cock as deep inside of that pussy of yours as I could reach. Being inside all that tight, wet heat is like having a vise around my dick.”
She gasped, her mouth falling open now of its own accord. “Oh, God! Are - are we having, um, phone sex? Because I’ve never, uh, done that, just so you know.”
He chuckled. “Neither have I, actually. Though I’d be willing to give it a try if you are. Especially since I’ve got a hard-on the size of Arizona right now.”
“Oh, geez.” Scarlett closed her eyes briefly, not wanting to admit that the mere idea of phone sex intimidated her beyond belief. “Um, actually, if it’s okay with you I think I’ll pass. Not because I’m a prude or anything,” she assured him hastily. “It’s just that - well, as mind blowing as it’s been with us, I don’t think I want to settle for anything less than in person, full body, flesh on flesh sex. With surround sound, of course.”
“Well, when you put it that way,” he replied teasingly, “I guess I’d have to agree. Besides, as you know I’m pretty loud when I come and I can’t vouch for the soundproofing here in the condo. Wouldn’t want my neighbors to wonder what’s going on.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. Like you’ve never had women over to your place before. Pull the other leg now.”
He shrugged. “I wouldn’t say never, but honestly, more often than not I would go to her place. I sort of cherish my privacy as you know. Plus,” he added wickedly, “I can’t remember a time when I was quite as loud during sex as I am with you. You bring out the beast in me, babe.”
“Wow, you are really coming up with some zingers this morning, aren’t you?” she asked sarcastically. “Good thing you gave up that dream of becoming a stand-up comic.”
Jackson’s grin deepened. “Yeah, not to mention the paralyzing stage fright would have become a real problem before too long,” he joked. “Think I’ll stick to building stuff, that’s what really makes me happy.”
“Except it doesn’t sound like you get to do all that much of it,” she reminded, her tone of voice sympathetic. “Too much supervising, dealing with permits, the sort of administrative crap that would drive me mad. When I eventually get a job all I want to do is create and let someone else deal with bringing my ideas to life.”