Free Five Alarm Lust by Elise Whyles Page B

glanced up at movement from the door. “Barbara, how are you?” He stared at the older woman standing, palm pressed against her chest, an appraising look in her eyes.
    “Jack, darling, I’m quite well. I’m sorry, I couldn’t help but overhear. You surely can’t be talking about Gillian Rebecca.”
    “Yes, we were.” Lenny rose to press a kiss to her powdered cheek. “I’m sorry. I thought I’d be done a lot faster.”
    “It’s quite all right, worse places to be stuck.” Barbara’s tinkling laughter filled the room. “Sit, sit, dear. Jack, you’re Lenny’s friend and as such I consider you my friend. Please don’t fall for Gillian’s fake persona.” She sighed, her eyes widening. “That girl has never done a thing to help anyone but herself. Why, she cast a good man aside all for the sake of a little fun. Accused him of some horrid things before moving on to greener pastures. Even now, she’s living off of my generosity. Mark my words, she’ll eat you up and throw away the bones.” She sniffled, dabbing at her eyes with a tissue pulled from her purse.
    “Now, Barbara, don’t get yourself all worked up.” Lenny patted her arm, concern written across his face. “Just talking is all. Jack isn’t Gillian Rebecca’s type.”
    “Goodness, I hope not.” Barbara reached over and squeezed Jack’s hand. Her long nails dragged across his palm.
    Suppressing the shudder of revulsion, Jack pulled his hand away and stood. “Thank you for your input, Barbara, I have to run. I promised Luke I’d help him with some lumber.”
    “What’s Luke doing these days?” Lenny asked.
    “Getting ready to take his new counterpart up north. You know him, if he can’t have what he wants, he throws himself into his work.”
    “Just hope this partner is more tolerant.”
    “Man won’t even know.” Jack pulled on his coat. “See you around, Lenny. Nice seeing you again, Barbara.” He swallowed, his throat burning with the scald of bile.
    How can a woman be so cruel and unforgiving to her own child? What sort of woman is Barbara she’d turn on Gillian such as she has? Jack didn’t like the answer flashing in his head.
    Jack tapped impatiently on the steering wheel as he drove across town. Irritation raked through him at the callousness of Gillian’s mother. Granted, the woman seemed attractive, but her tone, her manner toward her daughter irked him. There was no excuse for the cold-hearted attitude, none. His parents had both been loving and generous, parents he could be proud of. Briefly he debated calling his mom, talking to her, but discarded the idea. Better she met Gillian first, and then he’d see how it went.
    “Hey, you’re early,” Luke called out, his dark hair disheveled, shirt askew as he pounded down the steps of his small, two-bedroom house.
    “Yeah, well, needed to get away from the bitchfest happening.” Jack slammed the truck door. “You met the new kid on the block? What’s his name? What’s he like? You think he’s going to be okay to work with?”
    “Yeah, he’s a real dish.” Luke chuckled. “Wouldn’t mind sharing my sleeping bag with him, but he’s straight as an arrow.”
    “Too bad, man, it would have been a helluva ride, or so you tell me.” Jack chuckled at Luke’s joking. The camaraderie had come easy to them, and he was glad of it. If there was one thing he hated, it was dealing with tension among those who didn’t approve of Luke’s lifestyle.
    “How ’bout you? Your sheets getting any action?”
    Instantly, his mind filled with images of Gillian spread out over the bed, her hair a tangled mess around a flushed face. Breasts heaving, thighs trembling with need. Her sweetness on his lips. Breathless little whimpers and gasps echoed in his head.
    “They must be for you to look like that. So tell me all about her.”
    Jack felt a wave of heat crawl up his face. Luke had met more than one of his “dates” and hadn’t liked any of them. “She’s different.