Free My Once and Future Love by Carla Krae Page A

it’d come to this. She was the only girl he’d
ever trusted into his life, his secrets. Didn’t know when it
happened, really, but it all made sense at the time. They needed
quiet to study, so they went to his room. She was good at English,
so he asked her opinion of his lyrics. Their mothers hit it off, so
they ate dinner together often.
    Family.
    Except you weren’t supposed to want to shag
your sister. Good thing she hadn’t occupied that space in his mind
for a long time. Spring break of senior year killed that
notion.
    Now, well…he understood how love had inspired
millions of works since the dawn of time.
    “Ah, Jacob, there you are.” An older lady
approached him, her hair mostly white.
    “Evenin’, Mrs. Haversham. Have you seen my
mother around?”
    She was a longtime friend of the family.
“That’s what I was going to tell you, dear. Your mother went home
with a headache, but she said not to be concerned and to have fun
as long as you like.”
    “Oh. Thanks, then. Goodnight, Mrs.
Haversham.”
    She smiled. “Nice to see you again, Jacob.”
Message delivered, she wandered off.
    Well, with his mother gone home, all they had
to do was wait for the car to return, if it hadn’t already. He went
to the nearest restroom to find Beth. A short line of ladies stood
outside.
    “Looking for me?”
    He turned around. “There you are. Mum went
home, so it’s just you and me.”
    “Is she okay? How are we going to get
back?”
    He steered her toward the front door. “She’s
fine, love. Just a little headache. As for the car, he’d come right
back.”
    “Oh. How long ago did she leave?”
    “While we were outside. Might have to wait a
bit.”
    She sat on a chair in the foyer. “Why didn’t
she say goodbye?” Her shoulders slumped. “I’m a rotten guest. She
asked me to come to keep her company.”
    He crouched down in front of her and took her
hands. “Hey, you are not. You didn’t ignore her through dinner, did
you?”
    “No…”
    “I guarantee she wasn’t offended by you
dancing with me.”
    A smile tugged at one corner of her mouth.
“Okay.”
    He pulled her up. “Let’s check on the car.
It’s stuffy in here.”
    Luck on their side, the chauffeur showed up
just as they came down the entry steps. Jacob opened the door for
Beth.
    “Where to, sir?”
    He glanced at Beth. “My flat.”
    “Yes, sir.” The car pulled out of the
driveway.
    “Your place?” she asked.
    “Unless you want to go home. Are you
tired?”
    “No. I can’t ride the bike in this dress,
though. Wait, did you ride to the house?”
    Blast. “Uh…” He tapped on the glass partition
separating them from the driver. A panel slid open. “Second
thought, take us to my mother’s house, please.”
    “As you wish, sir.”
    She tried hiding her smile in her hand.
    “Quiet, you.”
    “Hey, I didn’t forget where I left a vehicle.”
    He slid her closer on the leather seat and
poised his index finger to dig under her ribs. “Persons who are
extremely ticklish should be nice.”
    She looked up at him with wide eyes. “I am
nice.” Her hand slid up to his neck, her thumb stroking the soft
skin behind his ear. “I can be very nice.”
    His eyelids drooped, her touch relaxing him
into jelly. If he was a kitten, he’d purr.
    “No fair…”
    “Stop threatening to tickle me,” she
said.
    “How ‘bout I kiss you instead?” He leaned in,
the tips of their noses brushing before he made contact with her
lips.
    She exhaled into his mouth, wrapping her arm
around his neck. This was fast becoming one of his favorite things
to do in life. His girl was lovely to kiss, her lips having just
the right fullness, her responses always equaling his. They matched .
    He pulled away before they got too hot, not
wanting to give the driver a show.
    “I’m glad you came.”
    “Me, too.” She laced her right hand with his
left. “Tonight, or…”
    “To England. Hopefully for more than a
week.”
    “I’m meeting your friend,