Halo Ch. 04

"I'm going to go sit in the lounge room for a while," Ren said and walked towards the doorway. Janey stepped backwards and Ren smiled as he moved closer to her rather then moving through the doorway. "Want to come into the lounge room with me?"

Janey felt goose bumps form as the husky timber of his voice washed over her. She found herself nodding wordlessly and following him into to lounge room and seating herself on the lounge beside him.

The noisy arrival of several sets of boot clad feet at the front door broke the spell and Janey hurriedly got to her feet and moved away from the lounge as 'Tanaya hurried up the hallway.

Janey refused to look at Ren as she heard Brad's voice as he greeted 'Tanaya; then Matty said something and Brad laughed but the sound was quickly muted as 'Tanaya spoke firmly.

"Hey Janey, I'm glad you and Nicky could make it today," Brad said warmly as he walked into view.

Janey smiled in reply and walked over to place both hands on his chest and stand on tiptoe to brush a quick shy kiss on his cheek.

"Happy birthday," Janey said.

"You call that a birthday kiss?" Brad asked with a grin. Before Janey could react he cradled her face in his hands and lowered his head to kiss her squarely on her lips. The kiss was firm but brief and he was releasing her before she realised he had intended to kiss her.

"It only counts if the sheila kisses you, not the other way around!" Brent said as he shoved Brad good-naturedly.

Janey stepped back away from him hurriedly; the kiss had been nothing more than a kiss shared between friends but she was left feeling shaken and unsure of herself. For so long she had shied away from unnecessary physical contact and Brad's matter-of-fact manner in kissing her had shaken her.

She realised with a start it wasn't the fact he had kissed her that had startled her but the fact she didn't feel threatened by him. Nervously she darted a quick glance his way only to find him glancing her way. She met his eyes levelly and when he smiled she smiled in return.

"So where is my birthday kiss from you 'Tanaya?" Brad asked gruffly.

'Tanaya laughed as she moved close and slipped her arms up over his shoulders. As she leant close' she pulled his head down so their lips met and those standing close to them could nearly feel the electricity crackling in the air as 'Tanaya kissed Brad deeply while grinding her body against his.

"Someone throw a bucket of water on them!" Ren said with a chuckle as he appeared at Janey's side. He took a steady look to see that Brad had not upset her and she smiled faintly at him.

"I think we'd need a fire hose," Matty piped up.

Brad finally freed himself with a groan and 'Tanaya grinned back over her shoulder at him as she headed for the kitchen.

"Who wants a cup of coffee? No cold beer for you lot, I can taste it on Brad," 'Tanaya said with a smile.

"We only had one. I wanted to get here to spend time with you," Brad told her as he followed her. "And Nicky of course."

"I'm just going to peep in on my boy first, then I'll have a coffee," Brad said as he headed for the bedroom.

Janey found herself watching uncertainly as all but Brad headed for the kitchen. She hesitated a moment then followed them into the room and stood back near a wall trying to keep back out of everyone's way.

"You having a drink of some kind Janey?" Matty asked when he noticed her standing back away from the table.

Janey flushed self-consciously as everyone looked her way. She fidgeted and glanced down at her feet as she shook her head slightly. "I'm right thanks," she said softly.

"You sure? I'll even give you some of my tim-tams if you want some," Ren said with a grin.

Janey felt the heat rise in her face as she remembered exactly how Ren ate the tim-tams the last time she had been with him; she looked away and then darted a quick look towards him from under her lashes.

He was watching her with a hungry look on his face and Janey felt her nipples become sensitive as they pebbled into hard buds while heat settled low in her stomach causing an empty ache between her thighs.

Ren smiled as Janey looked away and crossed her arms over her breasts but he had already seen how her nipples had puckered under his look. He watched as she ducked her head and moved from foot to foot restively before glancing his way once again.

Ren reached for a tim-tam from the packet on the table, looked at it hungrily and then looked at Janey. He dropped his gaze from her lips to her breasts and then down to the apex of her thighs where he knew she tasted sweet.

He watched as her face flushed and she licked her lips before looking away with a gasp. He smiled to himself as he took a bite of the biscuit and thought how much better it would taste on Janey's lips.

"Look who was sitting up in his cot chewing on his teddy's ear," Brad said as he walked into the kitchen carrying Nicky while the child chewed his toy determinedly.

"His teeth are worrying him," Janey said as she went to take her son.

"It's fine. I can look after him and let you have a break. You almost look as if you're ready to fall asleep on your feet," Brad said gently.

"I'm fine," Janey denied but she stepped back happy to leave Brad holding Nicky.

"Why don't you stay here tonight and let me look after Nicky and give you a break?" Brad suggested.

"But you work tomorrow," Janey protested.

"I got tomorrow morning off. I have to go see my parole officer," Brad said with a shrug.

"Janey can have the spare bedroom. I can doss down in the lounge room for the night." Ren said.

"You'll stay?" Brad asked hopefully.

Janey looked at him uncertainly then glanced at 'Tanaya.

"You're welcome to stay," 'Tanaya said with a friendly smile.

Janey glanced at Ren and found him watching her with a guarded expression. Janey wanted to stay so Brad could have more time with Nicky but also she found she wanted Ren to want her to stay. Confused by her yearning for Ren when it was Adam she was engaged to, Adam she was in a sexual relationship with, she hunched her shoulders as she shrugged a non-committal answer.

"My parents are expecting me to return home tonight," Janey said faintly.

"You could give them a call, let them know you're staying until the morning. Relax, enjoy yourself," Ren said quietly.

Janey was silent for a few minutes and Brad finally let out a sigh.

"Well you're welcome here for as long as you care to stay," 'Tanaya said, "No-one will try to force you to stay if you prefer to go home."

Janey sent a startled look her way before giving a slight nod; surely 'Tanaya would be the one who didn't want her to stay if any of them did.

"Sure you don't anything to drink?" Ren asked as he got the milk from the fridge.

"Maybe something cold? Soda?" Janey said uncertainly.

"We got coke, orange or lemonade," Ren said as he looked over his shoulder at her.

"Coke-a-cola," Janey answered softly.

Ren got a can of drink and shut the fridge. He placed the can on the side of the table closest to Janey and turned back to making his own coffee.

"I don't think I got enough nappies with us to do overnight anyway," Janey said quietly.

"We can go down to the supermarket and get some disposables if you like," Ren offered.

Janey glanced at him and found him watching her closely. One corner of his mouth lifted slowly in a smile as she watched him for a few moments.

"Okay," Janey suddenly agreed.

"Shall we walk, take a vehicle or maybe take my bike?" Ren asked as he put his coffee cup down without drinking any of its contents.

"Errr, take a vehicle," Janey said.

"We can go in my 4wd and I can fill the tank up while I'm at it," Ren said as he headed for the door.

Janey hesitated a moment, glanced at Brad who gave a nod and bounced Nicky slightly making the boy laugh around the toy in his mouth. She turned and followed Ren from the room. She grabbed her wallet from the lounge where she had left it then waited while Ren retrieved his keys and wallet from his room.

Janey was slightly nervous as she climbed into the passenger seat of Ren's vehicle and buckled her seat belt.

"All set?" Ren asked before starting the engine.

"Yes," Janey said with a faint smile.

Janey was silent on the drive to the supermarket and sat without moving when Ren parked the vehicle and turned off the motor. She sat watching the busy activity of the afternoon shoppers and suddenly the trip to buy nappies didn't seem like such a good idea; there were too many people she didn't know, especially men.

"...Hey Blondie, Blondie ...is there a problem?" Ren asked gently when Janey looked his way distractedly.

"...I ...ummm, it's busy...I ...ummm," Janey stammered.

"And you don't like a lot of people around," Ren said stating the facts as he saw them. "Is it crowds in general?"

Janey looked towards the people standing around the supermarket entrance with jerky movements. Most of the crowd was the local football team.

"It's them ... all the ... them men," Janey said with a shudder.

"It looks like they're selling raffle tickets," Ren said quietly.

Janey looked harder, concentrating on the activity and soon realised he was right. "Oh, yeah. They are."

"Shall we?" Ren asked as he released the catch of his seatbelt.

Janey glanced his way with a nervous smile and gave a faint nod. Ren was out of the vehicle and around to her door before she could get out; he shut the door for her and was at her side as they headed for the front of the supermarket.

"Blondie, I'm right here beside you if you need me," Ren said soothingly and saw the faint nod she managed.

As they reached the front of the store Ren was careful to make sure that he was between Janey and the football players who were selling raffle tickets. He gave them a friendly nod and kept going into the store.

Ren picked up a shopping basket and carried it as they made their way to the aisle that contained the baby items. He watched as Janey selected the correct size nappies and put them in the basket. He couldn't help noticing the way she kept glancing around nervously and whenever her eyes met his he smiled reassuringly.

At the checkout he waited patiently while they stood in line and when Janey missed moving up to the cashier because she was so nervous he gently urged her forward.

Janey paid for the nappies and headed for the front doors to the store with a nervous glance to make sure Ren was nearby.

"I'm right here," Ren said softly as she glanced towards him nervously. "You're doing great."

Ren was careful to keep himself between Janey and the ticket sellers as they left the store. When one of the players approached them Ren casually reached for Janey's hand and held it as they stopped.

"Can I interest either of you in tickets in our raffle?" the huskily built man asked.

"I'll take a couple," Ren said. "Lets just move over here out of the way," He said and moved a few steps so that they were standing out of the general path of everyone and were a little bit away from the other footballers.

Janey held Ren's hand tightly while the man wrote out the tickets then tore the ends off and handed them to Ren while Ren handed over some coins. She kept hold of his hand as they walked to his vehicle and Ren opened her door for her; he waited until she was safely in the vehicle and had let go of his hand before shutting the door and heading around to his side of the vehicle.