Rebecca stared at the phone for a few seconds before placing it back in her pocket.
“One of these days, I will be the one to hang up on you,” she mumbled to herself.
“Well,” Lily said as she perched on the breakfast table. “I have waited and waited for this handsome man to come home, but I guess he isn't,” she pouted.
“Actually,” Rebecca smiled. “He will be here at six. But he is not coming alone. He is coming with Shona.”
Lily rolled her eyes, “please! I don't want to cause a catfight up in here! I better get going.” Reaching forward, she pulled Rebecca into a hug. “I am so glad I came here today! I got to drive a brand new car!”
Rebecca gave Lily's hair a friendly tug. 'And here I was thinking you came for me! And it's not like you have never driven a new car in your life. If I remember correctly, your car was brand new, straight from the dealers.”
Lily stuck her tongue out before turning and running out of the kitchen and the house as well.
Jeremy walked into the house, Shona behind him. He had been caught up with work, forgetting about what he had told Rebecca until Shona showed up at his office. And even then, he had made her wait for another hour before he was done. As he entered the darkened house, his thoughts were not on the girl who still owed him a face-to-face thank you but rather the vixen in his arms.
Shona moved in front of him, placing her hands on his neck, and rubbing herself on him, “how about we skip dinner and go straight to dessert?” she whispered as she placed kisses on his neck.
Jeremy pulled her closer, his hands on her hips, stilling her movements. “I am hungry though.”
Shona laughed a little, “Does that mean I am not going to be enough to appease your appetite?” she slipped her hands on his chest, opening up the jacket he was wearing before removing it from his body and letting it slip to the floor. Her fingers then worked on his shirt, opening the buttons slowly before pulling it free from his trousers.
“My mother always told me never to eat my dessert before the main meal,” Jeremy mumbled on her neck, placing a gentle bite on it as his finger gently pushed aside the thin strip of her dress. He quickly did the same to the opposite strip of material, exposing the black bra she was wearing and smiling as Shona stopped her dress from falling to the ground with her arms.
“And do you do everything your mother tells you?” Shona whispered on his shoulder, kissing it, before moving back to look at him.
Jeremy chuckled a little as he moved his hands over to Shona's back. “Well, not everything. Like I would get into trouble if my mother knew what I was thinking about right now.” He slowly walked her towards the sofa by the darkened lounge area, pushing her down only to have her jumping back into his arms with a scream.
“What the heck!” Jeremy pushed Shona behind him, reaching for the side lamp. Switching it on, he came into contact with Rebecca's scared eyes. “What the hell are you doing sleeping here?”
Rebecca blinked at him, pulling the throw that was covering her tightly on her chest. “I-I was waiting for you,” she swallowed as she looked at his half-opened shirt. Her eyes skidded to Shona, whose dress was pooling on her arms. Blushing, she looked down on her thighs, knowing that she had disturbed something.
“Why would you do that?” Jeremy asked, his voice cold.
“Y-you had said to prepare dinner for you and Shona by six," Rebecca started to explain. “It's now to ten. I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I didn’t know what time you were going to be back.”
Jeremy narrowed his eyes on her, “I do not pay you to keep tabs on me! This is my house! I will come and go at any time I please! Do you understand me?” He had moved close to her, his face inches from hers.
“Jeremy!” Shona exclaimed as she took hold of his arm, stopping him from moving further.
Rebecca cleared her dry throat and nodded. Standing up, she collected her throw and started for her bedroom. “I am sorry, I'll never do that again. Dinner is in the oven. I have kept it warm. Good night.”
“You really didn't have to shout at the girl,” Shona waited until Rebecca was safely in her room before she chastised him, folding her arms on her chest and studying him.
“She had no right to stay up and wait for me. Who does she think she is?”
“Someone who cares,” Shona shook her head. “She was probably worried about you, and like anyone who knows what it is to care about others, she just wanted to make sure you were safely home before she headed to sleep. Was that so bad of her?” Shona asked him. “ You told her you were going to be here by six.”
“I have my mother for that,” Jeremy replied, pushing his hair back carelessly. “And why are you taking her side? She interrupted us,” he said as he reached for her.
Shona pushed his hand away as she righted her clothes, “so no one else should care for you except for your mother? Are you being serious right now?”
Jeremy frowned at her, “What is that supposed to mean?”
“When I tell you to meet me at, oh, let's say, seven in the evening and I am three hours late, you'll not bother to find out what has happened to me?”
“Of course I will!”
“So why is Becky caring if you got home safe different?” Shona crossed her arms. Her eyebrows went up in challenge.
“She is not my girlfriend!” Jeremy shouted, throwing his arms up into the air with frustration. “Why were they even having this conversation?”
Shona shook her head, her brown eyes shining. “But neither am I, Jer. I am just a fuck buddy, remember? We had this agreement, so do not complicate it.”
Jeremy narrowed his eyes on her, “is this still about Becca?”
“Figure it out!” Shona turned on her heels and started collecting her things.
“You are leaving,” Jeremy's voice was full of incredulity.
“I can't do this tonight,” Shona said as she walked to the door. “I'll call you.”
“Don't bother,” Jeremy called after her, talking to a closed door as Shona banged it close behind her. Walking to the liquor cabinet, he poured himself a shot of whiskey before downing it. Reaching for the bottle, he poured himself another and did the same. After that, he stared at the glass below, throwing it to the nearest wall, shattering it into pieces.
This evening did not end as he had planned. He looked in the direction of Rebecca's room, thinking of heading there and demanding an explanation of why she waited and, simultaneously, thinking about apologizing to her for how he had handled the situation.
Truth be known, he was pissed but not at Rebecca, but at himself. Seeing her in that white vest and a throw held tightly around her, her eyes shining with apprehension, his first thoughts were to reach down and take her in his arms, kiss the fear of finding someone standing over her when she woke up from an interrupted sleep. But he had known he could not either, not with Shona standing there and definitely not with Rebecca not being his type.
With a curse, he walked to the stairs, taking two at a time. He really needed a cold shower before he tried to sleep that night.