when did he arrive? Had she fallen asleep? Last she remembered she’d been reading out of boredom…she must have passed out. The book she’d been reading was still open on the desk. Subtly, she lifted her fingers to brush the corners of her lips, checking for drool. Thank God, she was dry.
“Are you with me now, Jaycee?” Lee brushed his hand over her soft hair. “You were having a nightmare. Care to tell me what about?” Placing two fingers under her chin, he gently lifted her head so her eyes met his.
“I don’t remember.” She felt confused. She didn’t want to remember the bad dream, but she felt sorry she couldn’t confide it to him.
“It’s all right. At least it’s over now. Just let me hold you awhile longer.” Lee wrapped his arms tighter around her, it wasn’t exactly a request, but Jaycee knew he’d put her down if she asked. She decided to play along. It felt too nice to be held by him. She felt safe and after the morning she’d had, that wasn’t a feeling she would take for granted anytime soon. Not that she’d felt safe at her foster homes. She wasn’t exactly accepted at homes one and two, and home three…well, Roger would make any young girl feel scared. Not for her life, but for her privacy and purity. The boy did not know boundaries. Why did she attract people like that? Was there something wrong with her? Jaycee hadn’t realized she’d been frowning, till Lee smoothed the wrinkle in her brow.
“Don’t frown, flower, you’ll get wrinkles,” Lee teased her.
“I’m eighteen, I’m not worried about wrinkles. Remind me when I’m thirty,” she said, managing a small smile. A thought occurred to her, “I don’t know how old you are…or any of the guys. Except Alec, no one’s told me their ages. Why is that?”
“No reason, I’m sure. It probably didn’t occur to them to tell you, is all. We’ve all know each other so long, they probably just forgot you wouldn’t know. I’m the oldest at twenty-two, Ma—Mr. Model is twenty-one. Jonathan is twenty. Alec, Garrett, and Sean are all nineteen. Well, Alec will be twenty in a few days.”
“When’s his birthday?” she asked.
“January 26. It’ll be here before we know it. When is your birthday, honey?”
“May 22. I’ll be turning nineteen this year.” Jaycee felt awkward being several years younger than Lee. Just then, the door opened, and Garrett walked in. His eyebrows rose as he took in Jaycee still cuddled up in Lee’s lap.
“Well, isn’t this cozy? Mind if I take a turn?” Garrett didn’t wait for a reply before sitting down in Jaycee’s chair, and reaching for her. Lee rolled his eyes, and muttered something under his breath, but still he handed her over to Garrett. “How are you feeling, gorgeous? I hope Lee here minded his manners.” Garrett sent Lee a searching look. The conversation that ensued was conducted entirely with facial movements. He seemed satisfied by what he’d discovered. “As much as I’d like to hold you all day, we should decide what’s to be done next.”
“The guys and I talked. We don’t think you should stay in that dorm room anymore,” Lee stated matter-of-factly. Garrett nodded in agreement.
“I have to,” Jaycee said reluctantly, she seemed to realize something. “I’ve already paid the allotted fee. Besides, this close to term, I won’t be able to find another roommate. My dorm is already booked and—”
“You won’t need to stay in a dorm. You can live with us,” Lee declared.
“I couldn’t. It wouldn’t be right. You guys have been so kind, but—” She argued.
“Think of it as doing us a favor. We need some estrogen in the house. To quote Alec, it’s a sausage fest in there.” A surprised giggle popped out of Jaycee, the guys just smiled, and Garrett continued. “You could have your own room. We can figure out the details later.”
“The point is you can’t stay in a room where you don’t feel safe, and after what we heard happened
“Are you with me now, Jaycee?” Lee brushed his hand over her soft hair. “You were having a nightmare. Care to tell me what about?” Placing two fingers under her chin, he gently lifted her head so her eyes met his.
“I don’t remember.” She felt confused. She didn’t want to remember the bad dream, but she felt sorry she couldn’t confide it to him.
“It’s all right. At least it’s over now. Just let me hold you awhile longer.” Lee wrapped his arms tighter around her, it wasn’t exactly a request, but Jaycee knew he’d put her down if she asked. She decided to play along. It felt too nice to be held by him. She felt safe and after the morning she’d had, that wasn’t a feeling she would take for granted anytime soon. Not that she’d felt safe at her foster homes. She wasn’t exactly accepted at homes one and two, and home three…well, Roger would make any young girl feel scared. Not for her life, but for her privacy and purity. The boy did not know boundaries. Why did she attract people like that? Was there something wrong with her? Jaycee hadn’t realized she’d been frowning, till Lee smoothed the wrinkle in her brow.
“Don’t frown, flower, you’ll get wrinkles,” Lee teased her.
“I’m eighteen, I’m not worried about wrinkles. Remind me when I’m thirty,” she said, managing a small smile. A thought occurred to her, “I don’t know how old you are…or any of the guys. Except Alec, no one’s told me their ages. Why is that?”
“No reason, I’m sure. It probably didn’t occur to them to tell you, is all. We’ve all know each other so long, they probably just forgot you wouldn’t know. I’m the oldest at twenty-two, Ma—Mr. Model is twenty-one. Jonathan is twenty. Alec, Garrett, and Sean are all nineteen. Well, Alec will be twenty in a few days.”
“When’s his birthday?” she asked.
“January 26. It’ll be here before we know it. When is your birthday, honey?”
“May 22. I’ll be turning nineteen this year.” Jaycee felt awkward being several years younger than Lee. Just then, the door opened, and Garrett walked in. His eyebrows rose as he took in Jaycee still cuddled up in Lee’s lap.
“Well, isn’t this cozy? Mind if I take a turn?” Garrett didn’t wait for a reply before sitting down in Jaycee’s chair, and reaching for her. Lee rolled his eyes, and muttered something under his breath, but still he handed her over to Garrett. “How are you feeling, gorgeous? I hope Lee here minded his manners.” Garrett sent Lee a searching look. The conversation that ensued was conducted entirely with facial movements. He seemed satisfied by what he’d discovered. “As much as I’d like to hold you all day, we should decide what’s to be done next.”
“The guys and I talked. We don’t think you should stay in that dorm room anymore,” Lee stated matter-of-factly. Garrett nodded in agreement.
“I have to,” Jaycee said reluctantly, she seemed to realize something. “I’ve already paid the allotted fee. Besides, this close to term, I won’t be able to find another roommate. My dorm is already booked and—”
“You won’t need to stay in a dorm. You can live with us,” Lee declared.
“I couldn’t. It wouldn’t be right. You guys have been so kind, but—” She argued.
“Think of it as doing us a favor. We need some estrogen in the house. To quote Alec, it’s a sausage fest in there.” A surprised giggle popped out of Jaycee, the guys just smiled, and Garrett continued. “You could have your own room. We can figure out the details later.”
“The point is you can’t stay in a room where you don’t feel safe, and after what we heard happened
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