What Mother Doesn't Know Read online

  “Huh,” Rick said.

  “Huh? That’s it? What did she mean by ‘It’s about time’?”

  “Well, she’s said several times that I wear my heart on my sleeve, and thinking back, I believe you were always around when she said it. I didn’t even realize until about six months ago, how deeply I’ve come to care for you. How much my feelings have progressed.”

  Gabby wasn’t sure she was ready for a deep conversation about Rick’s feelings. She took the easy way out and didn’t respond to his declaration. “So,” Gabby said, still kneeling on the floor in front of him, “Where were we?”

  Her lips were mere inches from his. They were begging to be kissed, and he wasn’t going to say no. “Right about here.” He leaned forward to close the gap until their lips touched softly. He wanted to savor her, drink her in. He wanted her to fill his entire being, and he tried to convey all of that in his kiss.

  He must have been successful, because Gabby’s hands came up to softly cradle his face, as she sighed against his lips. “Oh, Rick.”

  That ‘Oh, Rick’ could have meant she was touched or that she didn’t feel as moved as he did. He pulled back and ran the backs of his fingers down her right cheek.

  “Was that a good ‘Oh, Rick’? Or was it a we have to talk, and I don’t want you ‘Oh, Rick’?” He wasn’t sure he wanted the answer, but he knew he needed it.

  “That was an ‘Oh, Rick’ that meant, I really like kissing you. I like being able to feel that I mean something to you. I can feel that, you know? I can feel it when you kiss me. I just—I’m just not sure what to do with it all yet.”

  Rick got up to give her some space before he went too far with her again. But he couldn’t stop himself from telling her what was in his heart. “I’m glad you can feel all that in my kiss, Gabby. I do care about you. So much. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I want a relationship with you.” He paused to watch her body language, but couldn’t accurately read her so he continued. “I don’t just want sex. You’re too important and special to me for that. Do you understand? This isn’t casual for me, sweetheart. I love you too much.”

  Gabby reached out to him, and he helped her come to stand in front of him. “I know, Rick. And I appreciate you telling me. It’s just kind of hard, you know? The whole situation is a bit awkward. When I’m thinking about it, I know it’s probably wrong, but when you touch me, I really don’t care about it being wrong; I just want more of you. Maybe I’m not such a great person after all. What girl takes her mother’s husband, for God’s sake?”

  “No, Gabby. Don’t do that. Don’t even bring her into this. She and I have been done and over with for a good two years. You know that. Our first three years were good, but …well you know how it’s been since then. I’ve only stayed for you. If you think it’ll make it easier, I’ll leave tonight. I can stay here until I find another place to live. Hell, I could build myself a new house.” He’d do anything for her.

  “I’m going to be looking at apartments myself after work. Do you want to go with me?”

  “I’d love to. We could grab some dinner first.” His phone was vibrating in his pocket for the third time since they’d been in his office. When he pulled it out, he grimaced. “It’s Sophia again. I guess I better call her back.”

  “Okay. I’m going to run home after work to change out of my work clothes. I’ll see you at the house.”

  Before she could walk out, Rick grabbed her and gave her a quick kiss. Her bright smile would hold him through his dreaded phone call to Sophia.

  ***

  Gabby walked in the front door to hear Sophia screaming at someone and tossing things around. She tried to walk out before anyone noticed her presence, but she wasn’t quite quick enough.

  “Rick? Is that you? It’s about time. I need the money you said you’d give me. I’ve been waiting for over an hour! Give Ben his fucking money, will you?” Sophia came running into the foyer where Gabby was standing, Ben hot on her heels.

  Ben looked her over with a lecherous grin on his face. “Well, well, what have we here?”

  “That’s just my daughter. She doesn’t have any money.” Sophia turned away from her and tugged Ben’s arm. “Come on, my husband will be home soon, now that she’s here.”

  Ben caught on to her insinuations and immediately got an even more interested look in his eyes. “Oh yeah? Keep it all in the family, do you? Mind if I take a crack at her? She looks like she’d give a good ride. Nice, bouncy tits and ass.”

  He strode over to Gabby and tried to grab her, but this was not the first time she’d had to play keep away with one of her mother’s acquaintances. She’d learned her lesson. Out of the corner of her eye, she spied a sparkle coming off the candlestick on the table by the door. Knowing she couldn’t get there quicker than he could grab her, she tried to outsmart him.

  “Now, now—you don’t get me that easy.” She tilted her head down a bit to show submission and slowly walked around him, as if checking him out. When she got to the table, she grabbed the candlestick and threw it at him as fast as she could before she took off running to her bedroom, thanking God Rick had put that extra lock on her door.

  “You little cunt! Get back here.” He followed her to her room, rubbing his head, but Sophia dragged him back.

  “She’s not worth it, trust me. She’s probably slept with half of Rick’s company. Just leave her be. I’ll get money from Rick, and we can go meet up with the gang.”

  Gabby heard them moving down the hall and assumed they would be going into the kitchen to raid the liquor cabinet. All of the fight in her vanished like dissipating smoke, and she slid down the door to the floor. Despair hit her and she gave into it.

  Why couldn’t her mother love her? Why did she pick drugs over her own family? Rick was so good to Sophia, and in return, she stomped on his heart. Gabby had loved her, too, but when she turned forty, two years before, she went completely wild. Rick was only five years younger than her, but she seemed to think that it was a lifetime, even though it didn’t seem to bother her when they had gotten married. Instead of embracing her experience in life, she threw it away and embraced a new, reckless life that made her feel like a kid again. Why she wanted that feeling was another problem entirely, which Gabby and Rick were helpless to understand.

  Most of the time it didn’t bother Gabby that her mother was essentially gone from her life. She’d gotten used to not having her around anymore, but sometimes, every once in a while, it still hurt deeply. And when those times hit, they were hard to get over. Watching her mother stand by, knowing that Ben would force himself on her, broke her heart all over again, just as it did when Phil had attacked her. As she sat there thinking about how she’d so thoroughly lost her mother, her flood gates opened, and she cried until all that was left were dry, hiccupping sobs.

  ***

  There was a not-so-unfamiliar car sitting in the driveway when Rick pulled up to the house. He could actually feel his happy bubble bursting. He wasn’t sure which one it was, but he was sure it was one of Sophia’s many new ‘friends.’

  Running up to the door as quickly as his feet would take him, he called out Sophia’s name. She was on him before he fully cleared the threshold.

  “Finally! Do you have some money to give me?”

  “Yeah. Here’s the last of it.”

  Sophia took the money and started to walk out the door when his words registered.

  “The last of it?”

  “Yeah. I’m done, Sophia. I’m leaving.” Rick reached into his back pocket and unfolded a stack of papers. “Here are the divorce papers. You can read them over or take them to a lawyer. The settlement is more than fair, so I’d suggest you sign them, and thank your lucky stars that I’m a generous man.” He’d had them for months now, sitting in his desk at the office. With Gabby looking for a place of her own, the time was finally right. He wanted out.

  Sophia drew back her hand to hit him, but Ben grabbed her before she got a chance. “Now
let’s not be hasty, Sophia. Take a look at what those papers say.”

  Knowing she was too drunk to read them, and Ben would just take them from her if she didn’t, Rick told her what was in them. “I’m letting you have the house, and one quarter of my savings. I’ve already started the paperwork to get my name off the deed. When that’s done, you can sell it and keep all the profits or continue to live here. I don’t care. The only reason I’m even giving you that is because you’re Gabby’s mother. She’s by far the best thing that’s come from you.”

  Sophia screamed and threw the papers back at Rick. “Gabby, Gabby, Gabby! It’s always fucking Gabby! Is that why you married me? To be near Gabby? Well, I needed a husband as much as she needed a father!”

  “Jesus, Sophia. Do you even hear what you’re saying? You know I loved you. Yes, I loved Gabby, too, as a teenager. I love her still as a woman. You, though? You took my love and stomped on it years ago. I’m not doing this anymore. Take the papers and go.” Rick was tired. All he wanted to do was grab Gabby and get the hell out of there. Forever.

  Sobbing, Sophia told him what a big mistake he was making. “Fine. You can keep my daughter. You can stay with her, but you’ll be sorry. You’ll see. You’ll want me back. You’ll both want me back, but I’ll be gone.”

  Ben grabbed the divorce papers and shuffled her out the door, Sophia still mumbling about Rick missing her when she was gone.

  Gabby came out of her bedroom and saw Rick still standing in the doorway looking somewhat relieved, but mostly just tired—maybe even a little defeated. She went to him and wrapped herself around him in a protective embrace. He held onto her like she was his own personal savior. This … this is all I need, he thought.

  ***

  Gabby loved the way Rick’s arms held her close. She rubbed his back, and he rested his chin on her head.

  “I’m sorry, Rick. You know you don’t deserve that. You were a good husband to her. She’s one hundred percent responsible for the way things turned out.” Her worry for him must have been written all over her face. Rick smiled and stroked her hair.

  “Don’t worry about me, sweetheart. I can take it. I think maybe she’s right. I always did feel a connection to you, even back then. In a different way, of course.”

  “Well, I’m feeling a different way about you, too.” Before he could say anything else, Gabby took his hand and led him into the kitchen. “Let’s raid Mother’s liquor, shall we? What do you say? Whiskey?”

  Rick kept his grin well hidden. “Well, I don’t know. You’re not twenty-one yet.”

  “Seriously? You’re going to go there?” The glasses Gabby got down where heavy—lead crystal. She knew Rick liked to use them when he drank his whiskey.

  Bending over to get the liquor out of the bottom cabinet, Gabby made sure to bend extra low so that her short skirt rode up nice and high. She heard a satisfying grunt and knew the beginning of her seduction was working.

  “Gabby.”

  “Yeah?”

  Rick cleared his throat. “Uh, I think you forgot to put on your panties.”

  “Nope. Didn’t forget.” She turned around and walked back over to him, whiskey in hand. The amber liquid had a pleasant woodsy scent as she poured some into the tumblers Rick was holding. She put the bottle down on the counter and took one of the glasses from him, lightly clinking the other in the process. “Cheers.”

  “Uh huh.” Rick was still staring at her short skirt.

  Gabby took a sip and accidentally spilled a drop that landed on her breast. Rick was there before she could put her next move into action. He took her glass from her and backed her up toward the counter.

  “You have no idea what you’re doing, Gabby. If you want to play, we’ll play. Are you sure that’s what you want?”

  Gabby twined her hands around his neck and pushed his shirt open to lick his collarbone. “Umm hmm.”

  His hands went to her waist and pushed her back farther so that she was pressed firmly between his body and the counter with nowhere to go. He was already hard for her, as was evident by the bulge pressing against her belly. “We can’t do this now, Gabby. Your mother could find out. She could come home any time. That’s all we need right now. I don’t think we should do anything again until we’re away from her.”

  “Oh, come on, Rick. Mother doesn’t know. She won’t know.” Gabby’s hands moved to the buttons on her shirt and undid them in record time. Her lacey bra barely covered her nipples, and he could see they were already hard with desire.

  “Gabby, we can’t. I told you, when we make love, I want to take my time. I want you completely naked. I want to love every inch of your body.”

  “So, what’s stopping you?”

  “Where, sweetheart? Where are we going to do that? I’m not going to make love to you in your mother’s bed, and I’m certainly not going to make love to you in the bed you grew up in. No, it won’t work.”

  Gabby wasn’t taking no for an answer. “Okay. I understand.” She lowered her hands again, as if to button up her shirt, and Rick took a step back. In two seconds flat, her top landed on the trash bin and her bra was on the floor.

  “Jesus Christ.” Rick’s mouth was on her in an instant, licking at the spilled whiskey. “God, Gabby. You are so damn beautiful. I love your breasts.” He gently suckled one, and then the other, running his tongue around each nipple, driving Gabby wild. When he finally gave her the love bite she wanted, she called out his name.

  As Rick was worshipping Gabby’s breasts, she took the opportunity to lose the rest of her clothing—which wasn’t much. Her hands fisted in his hair and pulled his head up to hers. She went after his lips with abandon.

  Rick took over and parted her lips with a rough bite of her plump bottom lip. She groaned, letting him know that she liked his rough play.

  As he ran his hands down her body, he realized she was completely naked, while he was still fully dressed. It was highly erotic. He slipped his hands down over her hips. One hand went to grasp her bottom, and one slipped between them to discover how wet she was for him.

  “You’re so wet, Gabby. I want my mouth on you.” Rick kissed and licked every inch of Gabby’s body as he slid down to taste her. As soon as his tongue hit her, she bucked forward, pushing him closer into her scent. It was too much.

  “Rick. Stop. I want to taste you.”

  Rick stopped dead and looked up at her from his position on his knees. “No way. Not yet, Gabby. I’ll come too fast, and I’m not ready. I need more of you.” He stood suddenly, picked her up in his arms, and walked over to the kitchen table. “Do you trust me?”

  Gabby looked at the table and could picture him bending her over it, maybe smacking her ass. Her nipples pebbled even more at the thought. “Of course. I trust you completely.”

  He set her down on her feet and turned her so she was facing the table. When she heard his zipper slide down, she tried to turn back to him.

  “Don’t turn around; just put your hands on the table.”

  Without hesitation, Gabby did as she was told.

  “Now spread your legs.”

  Again, she did as she was told.

  “Fuck.” He took a deep breath and let go of his cock before he finished himself. “Jesus, Gabby. I wish you could see how incredible you look right this minute.” He walked up closer behind her and let his cock rest on the seam of her ass. Gently rubbing up and down, he reached around and caressed her from pussy to breasts.

  Gabby lifted her hands off the table, springing up to arch back against him, whimpering. “Please, Rick.”

  “Shhh. Just relax and feel, sweetheart.” He gently pushed her back down and told her to grab the other end of the table. “Now I want you to hold on there and don’t let go. Okay?” Rick didn’t wait for her to answer. He positioned himself at her entrance. “Spread your legs a little more. Ah, yeah, that’s it.”

  As soon as she spread them, he pushed his cock in, just an inch or so, teasing her.

  “Oh God
, Rick. More. More!” Gabby was pushing back, trying to take more of him inside her. He pulled out and slapped her ass, making her cry out.

  “Yes! Oh God, yes.” Elated that she liked his rough play, he slapped her a little harder as he pushed inside her again, going deeper. When he pulled out once again, she growled in protest.

  Running his hand down her back, he calmed her. “Shhh, Gabby. Trust me. I’m going to make this good for you.” Rick was doing his damndest to prolong their enjoyment, but he knew, as soon as he started pumping his cock into her, the end would come swiftly.

  Grabbing his cock in his hand again, he held it against her as he rubbed the thick head over her clit, until she was once again whimpering and begging him for release. “You are still on the pill, aren’t you, sweetheart?”

  “Yes. Please. Please, Rick. I want you inside me. I’ll do anything you say.”

  “Since you asked so nicely …” He slid into her as far as he could go and gave her another sharp slap.

  “Holy shit.” She was panting in earnest now. “Please, Rick. Fuck me!”

  Fuck you? God yes, I’ll fuck you. At those words, he couldn’t stop himself from starting to pump in and out of her in a rhythm that had them both hanging on the edge. He slapped her ass again, and it sent her over. He was barely hanging on and tried to slow his rhythm down, but it was too late. His orgasm was already upon him. He leaned down over her, pushing her into the table and put his hands over hers as he pumped his hips furiously. His orgasm burst from him so quickly, he got lightheaded. “Fuck!”

  She was still shuddering as Rick slowly stroked himself in and out of her wet pussy, milking every last drop from him. Still covering her body, he whispered in her ear. “Perfect. You’re perfect, Gabby.”

  “Jesus, Rick. That was incredible.” After another minute their panting subsided, and Rick slowly straightened up, pulling her with him, still inside of her.