Page 5 of Punk Rock Reflection
Tommy rubbed his jaw. “Yeah. I guess. But I’m still trying to think of things and can’t come up with anything.” He turned and headed out of the kitchen. “Call me when dinner’s ready.”
Jessi’s shoulders slumped as she watched Tommy walk away. She leaned her elbows on the kitchen island feeling deflated and helpless, and she hated it. She knew Tommy needed to sort things out on his own, but it was hard to stand by and do nothing. As she continued to stare down the empty foyer in the direction Tommy exited the kitchen, Angel sidled next to her. His possessive fingers snaked across her lower back and dominated her waist with their tight hold. Their bodies weren’t touching, but he was standing close enough so that she could feel the heat coming off his flesh.
“What is it, sweetheart? Why do you look worried?”
The corners of Jessi’s mouth bowed into a frown. “I don’t know why he has to overthink everything.” She knew better than anyone how complex Tommy’s mind could be. Nothing was ever black and white for him. He always delved into his subconscious to search for a deeper meaning, instead of just accepting things as they were. His brain was always working.
“He’ll be OK,” Angel said, although the concern in his voice came through.
“I know. It just kills me to know that he’s questioning his life.”
The sound of Metallica’s “Fade to Black” coming from the great room rang through the house. If Jessi needed any more confirmation that Tommy was working through a problem, this was it. The guitar had been Tommy’s solace for as long as she could remember. It was the soothingbalm for his rawwounds. It calmed his anxiety and helped him think. But whenever he retreated with his Les Paul and played a Metallica cover, she knew something was weighing extra heavily on his mind, and he required a potent anecdote. The need to comfort him pulled her toward him, but she fought her instincts, reminding herself once again that he needed to sort out a solution on his own. She only wished he talked about things more often instead of bottling them up all the time. “What can we do to cheer him up?” she asked Angel.
“How about a dinner party? I know we have them all the time, but maybe we can do something special.”
She rubbed her chin and concentrated on how to make a dinner party more fulfilling. “Maybe I can invite Robert over for a surprise visit. We haven’t seen him in a while, and I know Tommy misses his brother.”
“That’s a wonderful idea! I love when Robert comes over. He’s so much fun.” Angel sprung to life at the idea and began to sprout off a suggested menu for the evening, but he stopped when he saw Jessi drifting off. “Do you think Robert will be too busy to attend?”
“It’s not that. I’m sure Robert can figure something out for one night. I know Tommy’ll be shocked and elated to see Robert, but it’s not enough.” She paced the length of the center island, dragging her hand across the marble top. “We need to think of something to shake up his life. What’s the furthest thing he’d expect? Something that he’d be shocked and overjoyed about?”
Angel lowered his lids seductively and stalked toward her. He took hold of her by the hips and pulled her against his body.
She felt his arousal immediately, and it caused her to suck in a breath.Her hands landed on his chest, and she tilted her chin upward to gaze into his smoldering dark eyes.
“What if we gave him another baby?” he asked, his breath on her lips.
At first, she thought he was kidding and almost let out a comical laugh. But she saw the intensity in his eyes, and her jaw dropped. He was serious.
“We could have another little dark-haired, dark-eyed hellion like Tessa to rule the house with her boisterous, extroverted personality. Or we could have another blonde-haired, blue-eyed cherub who could surpass Tommy and Lucas’ talent on the guitar. What do you say, my darling? Do you want to grace us with another hermoso bebé?”
The way Angel asked the question, with his sensual words and husky voice, gave Jessi serious pause for consideration. It sounded wonderful. Until reality broke through, and she envisioned a third child running through the house and ruling their lives, which was already filled to the max. The momentary joy flew out of her head. “Are you insane? We can barely keep up with Tessa and her demands and Lucas and his incredible talent and intelligence. You and Tommy are running off touring. I’m running off to Paris and Milan. We’re stretched so thin as it is just trying to give them each quality time and attention. Not to mention alone time between me, you, and Tommy. I don’t want to cut into any of that.” Her heart sank a little, because the idea of another precious baby made her melt to pieces.
Angel tilted his head and gave her a disappointed smile. Then he nodded. “I know. It was a beautiful thought, but I don’t think that’s really the answer. Let’s just bombard him with distractions. We can get Damien and Jimmy on board too. He’ll have so much fun that he won’t have time to think or worry about what’s next or down the road.
She nodded and felt better. “I’ll talk to Robert too.”
Tommy followed the delicious scents of slow-roasted pork and spicy sauces that floated all the way up to the bedroom. There were a multitude of other savory aromas that he couldn’t distinguish, but they all smelled like heaven. He had no idea why Angel was making dinner so early today. It wasn’t even five o’clock. But the fragrant bouquet opened Tommy’s appetite, and he was suddenly hungry. He bounded down the stairs and hopped off the second to last step, curiosity ticking away.
Jessi was in the dining room putting the finishing touches on the sprawling table, and it diverted Tommy’s attention away from the kitchen. They only used the formal dining room when Angel had one of his famous dinner parties, which typically included the full Immortal Angel family, but he didn’t mention anything, and there were only six place settings on the table. And Jessi was using the expensive china. Not the regular expensive china—thereallyexpensive china. “Why so fancy?”
Jessi looked up from folding a cloth napkin around silverware. “Because it’s nice.” She didn’t elaborate and went back to preparing the table.
“Who’s the extra plate for?”
“It’s a surprise.”
He moved behind her and ran his hands over her hips, purposely skimming her tight buttocks. “Do I have to coax it out of you?”
“Your magic hands won’t have an effect on me this time. I’m sworn to secrecy.” She made the motion of locking her lips and throwing away the key, but never looked up from her task of rolling the silverware in a napkin.
“I think my magic fingers can make you submit.” He gently slid his hands around her waist and dug his index fingers into the front waistband of her jeans.
“I told you. I’m not going to succumb to your touch. I’m a vault.” She tried to sound tough, but a smile was prevalent in her voice.
If he wasn’t going to use sex as a way to make her submit, he was going to use the next best weapon he had, and he began to tickle her mercilessly.
She jumped and twitched as she laughed hysterically. “Stop! Stop it!” She spun around to face him, grabbed at his hands and tried to shove him away, but he was a brick wall.
