Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2) Read online

  “So he could mope the whole time?” Krista asked.

  Sean shrugged.

  “And what is the deal with his disdainful interest in gay men?” she persisted as they all filed through the bedroom door.

  “He thinks this place is full of, and I quote, ‘queers.’ I think he thinks I am gay, too, but he hasn’t said.”

  “That you are gay?” Krista asked, incredulous.

  “I’m an actor, and also, he hasn’t seen me with a girl.”

  “Until now,” Ray said.

  Krista eyed Ray, who was looking at her with a knowing smile.

  “I liked it better when you were quiet and in the corner, Ray,” Krista said in mock hostility. He just laughed.

  “But,” Krista said, getting back to the point. “He hasn’t seen you with a dude, either, so why would that make you gay?”

  “I think the acting part was enough.”

  “Yikes. Seems homophobe-ish, doesn’t it?”

  Sean shrugged again. Keith wasn’t his problem.

  Once they were all in to the large bedroom, Sean looked to the far wall, where, lo and behold, Ben’s painting hung.

  The world fell away as Krista stared, incredulous, at Ben’s representation of Krista and Sean’s struggle to coexist hanging on the wall near Sean’s bed. She turned her widened eyes on Sean. “How long as it been there? And why there?”

  No one else existed but her as he said, “Since the day I got it. And because I spend all my time in the office or my bedroom. I wanted to see it every day. This was the only place I could accomplish that.”

  Ray and Mary walked forward, leaving Krista and Sean to themselves. As Krista looked up into those lush green eyes she fell in love. Deeper in love, maybe. She entwined her fingers through Sean’s and leaned into him, tilting her head up to be kissed. He complied eagerly, wanting nothing more than to wake up and see the real thing every day. Starting tomorrow.

  “Ben did that?” Ray asked in a hushed voice, cutting through Krista and Sean’s moment.

  “Yes,” Sean said, turning to the painting and putting an arm over Krista’s shoulders. “I’ve seen some other paintings and some graphic art he’s done. He’s gifted.”

  “Yes, I see that. This is a neat picture.”

  “Painting, honey,” Mary helped, patting Ray’s arm.

  “Oh, right, painting.”

  “Are you having him do design for the presentation?” Ray asked, turning back toward Sean.

  “Yes, but technically it is Judy’s call. So far she wants to use mostly what she came up with.”

  “Is it better?”

  “Not even remotely. I showed Ben what Krista put together, what I wanted to spin, and the software and supplies he had to work with. The next day he showed up in my office with…” Sean shook his head and focused on Ray. “It’s genius Ray. Original, unique--it… I can’t even describe it. It’s better than anything we had. Much better. We have a dream team.” Sean gave Krista a one-armed squeeze.

  Krista was only half listening. Her libido was firing up again. She was looking around the bedroom in interest. He had a queen-sized bed in the middle of the room with a wire headboard. He had a bookcase with a few books, most crooked or leaning, a dresser and two nightstands. He hadn’t put much effort into the décor of this room, except for the painting. It was the only thing on the wall. Krista had the feeling the rest of the house, or the living areas anyway, got remodeled, but this room wasn’t bothered with. It screamed bachelor.

  “Was it a fluke?” Ray was saying, moving toward Sean and Krista.

  “It was hastily done, as a matter of fact.” Sean snorted. “The next day he had better. More polished. He actually apologized for the earlier stuff.”

  “What are you going to do about Judy?”

  “Wait until she has all she’s going to give, and show her Ben’s stuff. I’m hoping she’ll do the right thing.”

  “She won’t,” Krista said, crossing to the dresser to look at a few pictures of him and Cassie or older people—grandparents?

  “Why do you say that?” Ray asked.

  “She’s already jealous of Ben. Actually, not jealous. That’s the wrong word. She’s… wary.”

  Krista turned around to lean against the dresser before realizing it wasn’t the most stable of furniture. She pitched forward and caught herself right before she fell on her face.

  “Wow, clumsy,” she said, waving away a frantic Mary. “Anyway, she’s worried about her job. Ben is inexperienced but obviously way more knowledgeable. Judy won’t want his stuff getting seen.”

  “How do you know this?” Sean asked skeptically.

  “Tommy told me,” Krista said, crossing to the closet.

  “I think you’re making Sean nervous,” Ray said lightly.

  Krista looked over in surprise, stopping still. Seeing Sean’s guarded expression, and realizing that he probably didn’t often have women over for anything other than sex, she took two steps back to him as she exclaimed, “Oh my God--sorry! How rude! I was just half bored. You have nothing in this room, Sean, seriously. It’s weird. Sorry about that, though—you should have said something!”

  Sean relaxed, “I don’t often leave people to their own devices in my bedroom. Haven’t often, I should say. Not a big deal.” He smiled, stirring Krista’s insides again, and flicked her hair. “But yeah, I haven’t really put much time into decorating.”

  “It shows.” Krista slipped her hand into his back pocket comfortably as she said, “Anyway, I guess Ben has got Judy seriously nervous. Especially because he is Marcus’s new favorite. She’s watching Ben like a hawk.”

  “Huh,” Sean said, furrowing his brow. “That might hinder Ben.”

  “Nah,” Krista replied, on the move again, now meandering toward the hall and leaning against the door. “I talk to Ben about it often. I’ve got damage control down pat on this one.”

  “Judy can get aggressive at times, though,” Sean countered.

  Krista shrugged. “If Ben can’t ignore it, I’ll mention it to Kate and Jasmine. One of them will sort it out right quick. They don’t allow people to pick on Ben.”

  “They don’t allow people to pick on anyone they know.” Sean smirked.

  “I know. They’re good—AH!” Krista jumped into the room, spinning around quickly.

  Keith was standing behind her with a sullen expression.

  “Jesus, Keith. Creep around much?” Krista spat, walking directly for Sean and sliding an arm around his middle.

  Cassie walked in in a temper. She spared a glance around the room before turning to Keith. “It’s settled.”

  Keith ignored her.

  She turned back to everyone else. “What’s up?”

  “Besides Krista looking in all my drawers and jumping three feet when Keith snuck up on her, nothing much,” Sean said with a grin.

  Cassie smiled, too, and looked at Krista, “Find his collection of porn?”

  “Cass—“ Sean scolded.

  “I didn’t—but I haven’t checked his computer yet.” Krista laughed, giving Sean a pat on the back.

  Everyone filed out, heading back to the living room. Krista bounded ahead with Cassie, the two of them already thick as thieves.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “They get along,” Ray said to Sean quietly.

  “I have a feeling Cassie is going to be a bad influence.”

  “Until she meets Kate. Then she’ll get influenced.”

  “True.”

  “You patched things up, then?”

  “Disappointed that Krista finally gave in?”

  They stopped in the entryway of the living room as the women filed into the kitchen for snacks. Keith trudged off to a corner by himself.

  “No,” Ray said, looking at him openly. “I think you’ve earned her trust, and I think she’s earned yours. Finally. You two are a good match.”

  Sean was taken aback. Ray had never given a green light for a girl. He’d never thought the girl was goo
d enough, or the other way around. He said so.

  Ray smiled and looked at the women, chatting and laughing. “You’ve changed. So has she. You’re more…laid back. Secure, I might say. She’s more open. Less guarded. I think you’ve brought her out of her shell.”

  “And she’s tamed me?” Sean huffed.

  “She’s shown she won’t put up with anything less than excellence, which is what you are capable of, but only just now realizing.”

  Sean shook his head, “I don’t know about that, but I like her. A lot. This last couple of weeks has made me see that. Thinking I lost her drove me out of my mind.”

  “Yes. Your whole team has noticed. Judy has passed it on. Marcus, for a wonder, has not.”

  Sudden dread pierced Sean. “What are people saying?”

  Ray shrugged. “The usual. You only like her because she won’t give it up. She is trying to tease you but she’ll get it in the end—same old stuff.”

  “Same old for all girls, or her in particular?”

  “Her.”

  “That’s not as bad as I thought.”

  “No, not yet. You might nip it in the bud, though, with Judy and Marcus. You two will be noticed.”

  “I guess.”

  Sean noticed, belatedly, that Keith was looking at him. Sean met the glare and intensified the look, until Keith looked away.

  “What did Cassie ever see in him?” Sean wondered, shaking his head.

  Keith got up and skulked out, meeting Krista in the dining room as she was making her way to Sean. She looked at him warily and said, “Back, Satan!” She crossed herself. Keith scowled.

  Sean couldn’t help but laugh, wondering if he would have to comfort Cassie’s hurt feelings.

  The question was answered immediately as Cassie yelled from the kitchen, “Keith! Don’t annoy the hired help!”

  “Make me some popcorn, wench!” Krista yelled back, reaching Sean.

  The front door opened and closed.

  Sean was happier now than he could ever remember. Sharing embarrassing stories from one’s youth was something a person did among their loved ones, which was exactly what had happened. Sean had all the people he cared most about in the world, besides Ray’s two kids, in one room. It made his heart swell with emotion he’d always hoped, but never thought he’d experience.

  “Damn it!” Cassie exclaimed, cutting through his reverie.

  “Cass, language,” Sean said automatically.

  Cassie shot him an irritated glare across the counter.

  “Leave him, Cassie,” Krista called, standing next to Sean but not putting her arm around him for some reason. Sean got a spark of insecurity out of nowhere. “He’s probably just going to get high.”

  Cassie froze. Mary did, too. Everyone looked at Krista.

  “What?” Mary said with wide eyes.

  Cassie walked into the living room. “High?”

  “Five?” Krista answered with a raised hand. To Cassie’s straight face, she said, “Not funny?”

  “How do you know that?” Cassie was focused entirely on Krista. Sean wasn’t sure what was happening.

  Krista put a hand on her hip, “Seriously? Dude stares at inanimate objects, he hides in corners, he creeps around all the time, and he wants to escape to the beach on a cold and miserable night alone? He’s getting high. Bet you.”

  “That asshole!” Cassie said, then glared at Sean, daring him to say something about her language. “He promised he would stop.”

  “That was probably before you dumped him,” Krista snickered.

  “Huh.” Cassie looked back at the door. “Good point. I’ll put on some music.”

  Krista shrugged and turned back to the guys, who were looking bewildered at Cassie’s quick and indifferent change of mood. They both decided that they would never understand women, plain and simple.

  ~*~*~*~

  In a couple hours they all had buzzes and everyone was deciding to head to bed.

  “Is everyone staying here?” Krista asked Sean, swooping her hand low on his stomach.

  “Yeah, it’s a three-bedroom,” he said quietly, looking at her fixedly.

  “We don’t get away from the kids much,” Mary slurred. “Even when we do we aren’t as wild and crazy as we once were, I’m afraid.” She got up and moved purposely to the stairs. She was a little beyond buzzed, it looked like.

  Ray moved to go with her, looking pretty steady. “G’night,” he muttered.

  So…not as sober as he looked.

  Cassie got up, too. “I better go and get that lunatic.”

  Keith still hadn’t returned from his forays.

  “I’ll go with you,” Sean said protectively, rising.

  Cassie stopped suddenly, “Why? Is it dangerous here?”

  “No,” Krista said, staying seated on the love seat where she and Sean had been sitting. She had a half-glass of wine to finish. “Sean thinks all darkness is dangerous, but you’ll be fine. It will probably be a ghost town out there. But take Sean, in case I’m wrong and you find the only ax-murder in the city wandering around on the beach.”

  Cassie smiled and patted Sean’s arm. “Thanks big bro, but it would be better if you weren’t around. Last thing I need is my big gay brother showing up to marshal in my homophobe ex-boyfriend.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked, walking with her to the edge of the living room.

  “Go sit down. You’re being rude to your guest.” She pushed him back toward Krista. He didn’t budge of course--pushing a six-foot pile of muscle wasn’t easy or effective--but he got the hint and let her go on her hunt for her stoner boyfriend.

  Sean came back and sat beside Krista again. He turned his body toward her and leaned over, lightly nuzzling her neck. The heat was there from earlier, but it was softer. It was a contained wildfire.

  “Touch me,” she said.

  “I don’t know if that is such a good idea,” he whispered hoarsely in her ear.

  “It is definitely not, no. Why?”

  “I need to take things slowly, Krista. All sorts of new issues come with sex. We can still call what we are doing friendship. Friendly friendship. As soon as sex is in the picture, things get real.”

  “And real messes with the head.”

  “Precisely.”

  “So, if we pretend I am a virgin and not ready for sex, would that work?”

  Sean’s lips curved into a smile as he kissed down her neck to her chest. “Are you sure you’re that good of an actor?”

  “Har har.” She slipped her dress strap over her shoulder so he had more access to flesh.

  He took advantage immediately. His hand went back down to her inner thigh and began to inch up. Krista opened her legs slowly and leaned back, allowing him more access, wanting that clever hand where she needed it most.

  Before he reached her sweet spot, or her nipple for that matter, the front door opened again. Sean languidly straightened up and brought her with him, content with the teasing.

  “You look fine,” he said as they heard voices arguing. She continued to smooth out her dress, not believing him.

  They listened for a second before Sean said, “Okay, let’s head to bed. That is—do…uh, would you like to stay?”

  “Is this the part where we get all insecure about what the other wants?” Krista asked with a lazy smile, feeling up his muscled arm.

  He answered with his lopsided, boyish grin that lit up his features and made Krista’s heart thump. “Might be.”

  “Well, let me clear the air. I would like to spend the night here sans clothes, if that can be arranged?”

  He leaned into her again, running his lips along her jaw line as he scooped his hand under her dress and up the back of her leg, cupping her butt. All he said was, “Hmmm.”

  Krista waited while Sean checked on Cassie and that clown Keith, and then she followed him to his bedroom. He lit a couple of candles, opened the curtains and closed the door.

  “Mood lighting, huh?” she asked a she crossed t
o the big picture window overlooking the limitless ocean.

  In the flickering glow Sean came up behind her and put his arms around her waist. “Don’t bother trying to find Japan, it’s too dark.”

  “Spoil sport.”

  “I’m glad we could find this peace together, Krista. It is what I always wanted with you.”

  “Me, too, you hippy. Very glad. I really missed you the last couple of weeks.”

  “I missed you, too. More than I wanted to admit. There came a point, though, where I couldn’t do anything but admit it. It killed me when I thought you had found someone else. Especially because there was nothing I could do about it. Hard to play the hero when you’re afraid you’ll just end up jerking around the princess.”

  “There is always that risk. Even with two normal people--or two married people--there is always that risk. Life is anything but certain. But sometimes the pleasure outweighs the risk.”

  He gave another “hmmm” as they looked out at the black ocean before them.

  “Did you put the painting in the bedroom because of the story behind it, or just because you really liked the look of it?” It had to be asked. Krista wasn’t as confident as she portrayed.

  Sean was quiet for a moment. Then, “I loved it the first second I laid eyes on it. The very second. I didn’t know why, I just knew I had to have it. Then, after Ben explained it, it made sense. I had a real connection to it. To…” Sean switched gears suddenly. “Ben is… he’s out of this world, that Ben. He’s…”

  “You have a bromance going, I get that.” Krista laughed easily, knowing Sean was going to say something else, but unsure what. She didn’t want to push. Not yet.

  “I only befriended him to get close to you! I…”

  Krista broke away from Sean, fuzzy thoughts fracturing. She faced him, genuinely angry on Ben’s behalf, because Ben really liked Sean. He trusted him. You didn’t jerk Ben around—he was too sweet of a guy for that.

  With heat, Krista said, “You what?”

  Sean froze, realized what he’d just said, and immediately backpedaled with hands raised in defense. “Before I even met him, Krista. I decided to befriend him before I even met him. I gave him a chance where normally I wouldn’t bother, that’s all. Turned out he was… He’s…”