Free IcySeduction by Shara Lanel

flight. Dean had shoved his ear buds deep
into his ears the moment they sat down. Jake enjoyed the silence. They hadn’t
checked either bag so they wouldn’t have to wait at the retrieval belt. They
did, however, have to go to the car rental counter.
    “It’s so weird not to be in my cab,” Jake commented, mostly
to himself as he steered the rental car away from the airport.
    Dean snorted. “I bet it is. You need a hobby or something.
Get yourself a life.”
    He was about to get a life in spades.
    “So where’s the hotel? Nearby?”
    “Actually, we’re not staying in a hotel.”
    “We’re staying with her?” Jake didn’t need to see his son’s
scowl to know it was there.
    “It’ll be fine,” Jake said as he fiddled with the GPS. He
hated not knowing his way around a city. Still shaking his head, Dean donned
his headphones and ignored him the rest of the journey.
    They reached Christine’s and Jake parked along the curb. The
whole block was dark except for the occasional security light. She didn’t even
have her door light on. Did they not have crime here? Lights were the cheapest
and most obvious form of security. All she had to do was flick a switch.
    “Is she here, Dad?” His son looked up at him as they started
walking up the short drive. “Does she even know we’re coming?”
    “Oh yeah, I told her.” It didn’t matter that she hadn’t
agreed. He’d told her.
    “Did you tell her what time we’d get in?”
    “No, I didn’t do that.”
    “That was stupid.”
    “No shit.” Steeling himself for the coming confrontation,
Jake stepped up to the door. “Why don’t you hang back there until I talk to
her, okay?”
    “Dad, you told her I was coming, didn’t you? Come on. I don’t
want to stay where I’m not wanted.”
    “Don’t worry about it.” He rang the doorbell, heard it chime
clearly in the room beyond but heard no rustle of movement. With his hearing,
he’d know if a blanket moved or a foot hit the floor. None of that. Just deep,
slow breathing, the sign of someone in REM sleep. He knocked, maintaining what
he thought was a polite volume, but if she didn’t get her ass out here, he’d
bang down the door. He heard a gasp, rustling, and foot falls, but she seemed
to stop at the other side of the room. He knocked again.
    “Jake, if that’s you, go to a fuckin’ hotel! Then get your
ass back on a plane to New York!”
    He didn’t answer, hoping curiosity would prompt her to open
her door. It did. The door light flared. “Damn you,” she said in a much lower
voice as she checked the street for neighbors. “You can’t stay here.” She was
wearing PJ pants with a Disney design on them and a button-down shirt that was
actually unbuttoned. She had it tugged across herself, making Jake think she
hadn’t worn it to bed, she was just covering up her other top.
    “It’s the middle of the night. Just let me in.” He gave her
what he hoped looked like puppy-dog eyes. Finally, she took a step back and
opened the door wider. Jake turned and gestured to his son, who was rolling his
eyes so hard he must’ve been staring at his skull.
    “Well, what are you waiting for?”
    Dean reached his father’s side. “I can’t believe you didn’t
tell her.”
    Christine’s eyes widened. “You brought your son?” She met
the boy’s eyes and softened her look with a smile. “Dean, right?”
    “I didn’t want to come.” God, he had sulky down pat. “He
made me.”
    “I can believe it. Well, come in before the bugs of the
night eat us alive.”
    “Is that why you leave your light off?” Jake’s astute son
asked.
    “You bet, or they’ll spend the night slapping into my screen
like an invasion force of aliens.”
    Dean laughed.
    “Whoa, you’re a miracle worker. I can’t remember the last
time I heard him laugh.”
    Dean rolled his eyes again and stalked, with his backpack,
past Christine. Jake tried to follow. Instead, Christine pushed him, calling
over her shoulder, “Make