The Only Constant is Change Ch. 02

"I hope so," Jeremy said. "If I'm being completely honest, I don't know what came over me back in January. I've never talked to a girl like that. I'm just praying that I don't come across like an arrogant jerk or some sort of sleazebag that your sister would never have anything to do with anyway. Still," he said, "it's kind of exciting, wondering if I've 'got it'." Just as he finished that thought, the doorbell rang.

"That's probably the pizza guy," said AJ. "Mom hates coming home to a dirty kitchen. When she knows she's going out, it's always pizza night here."

Just the thought of pizza made Jeremy's stomach rumble loud enough for them both to hear it. "I guess you know what I think about pizza," he laughed. Heading down the stairs with AJ he asked, "Did you remember to get me some Italian sausage?"

AJ's response went unheard as Jeremy laid eyes on Hannah for the first time since her birthday party. She was just coming in the house as the pizza delivery guy was leaving. It was hard to reconcile the January and March versions of AJ's sister.

When he'd seen her last, she'd worn her hair long and bleached a medium blonde color. Now, she'd gone back to her natural, milk chocolate brown, but added caramel highlights. Her hair looked shorter, but it was hard to tell since it was swept back in a ponytail. Framing her face were loose, chin-length strands, bringing attention to her bright green eyes. She'd clearly been putting in some time at the gym as well. If she'd succumbed to the "freshman 15 curse," Hannah had also been successful at reallocating her weight. From Jeremy's perspective, the "girl" he'd flirted with at New Year's had emerged from a cocoon as all woman. The jeans and sky-blue peasant top enhanced a softer, curvier body than Jeremy remembered as well. The vision before him momentarily froze him in place.

Snapping out of his trance, he realized that he'd been staring. Not only that, Hannah saw that he'd been staring. When their eyes met, she looked away first, which surprised him. "Hey Jeremy," she softly said.

"Here goes nothing," Jeremy thought as he stepped towards her. "Hannah...wow," he said. "You look fantastic," he continued, grabbing her in a hug before he lost his nerve. "58," he whispered softly in her ear. Releasing her, he stepped back and continued "College looks good on you."

The stunned look on her face was worth the price of admission, but seeing the color creep up her neck was even better. It was confirmation that he hadn't imagined things in January. Maybe she really did like him a little bit. Realizing that made Jeremy realize something else: he really liked her. He'd found her a little intimidating before, sure, but now her self-confidence enticed him rather than putting him off. Seeing the effect that he was having on her, he was rethinking the entire plan.

"Thanks," Hannah said. "Uh, you're looking good too. Maybe you can give my brother some fashion tips...God knows he needs'em."

"Hey! I'm right here!" AJ exclaimed.

"That's why I said it," she teased. "I'm going to put my bags away. And," she said, pointing at her brother, "there better be some sausage left when I get back. I'm looking at you, Adam."

He protested, "It was one time! Let it go..."

Later, as they ate, Jeremy reflected on how much the Jordan family was like his own. It was clear that this was a house filled with love. It was times like this that Jeremy wished he'd had a brother or sister. There was a healthy amount of ribbing between the siblings, but Mrs. Jordan played referee well enough that things never got out of hand.

Jeremy had deliberately chosen a seat across from Hannah, which gave him ample opportunity to watch her; a couple of times he'd caught her checking him out, too. He was enjoying the subterfuge so much that he almost missed a turn in the conversation.

"So, Jeremy. Adam tells me that you're dating Jess Harper." Damn, Mrs. Jordan caught him off-guard with that opener.

"Yeah," Jeremy said, unable to read Hannah's face. "We've gone out a couple of times, but we're still getting to know each other. I'm honestly not sure what I think about her, yet."

"Well, I think you should be careful with her."

"Mom!" Hannah exclaimed.

"What? I'm not saying she's a bad girl or anything, but you and I both know that she's learned to use that cute exterior to get exactly what she wants. What she wants isn't necessarily the same as what others want, that's all I'm saying."

"Don't you think we should let Jeremy decide what to think about the girl he's dating, though?" asked Hannah.

"Actually," Jeremy interrupted, "I appreciate the insight. Jess is the first girl I've dated since we moved here, and it's not like I know her history." Looking at Hannah, he said "I'm not usually one to jump into the unknown. The thing with Jess just sort of happened, but I'm already wondering about her. I'm not looking for my wife right now, obviously, but I want the girl I'm dating to be serious about us. I don't know if Jess is like that."

AJ jumped in, "Is this about the bowling alley the other night?" Jeremy nodded.

"What happened at the bowling alley?" asked Hannah.

Before Jeremy could speak, AJ said, "Colby Walters tried to stake a claim on Jess right in front of Jeremy. Obviously, that didn't go over well."

"Jess and Colby were there at the same time?" Hannah asked suspiciously.

AJ nodded, but it was Jeremy who responded. "They weren't there together. Jess and I were out with a group of our friends. I went to get some food and I was gone for a while. When I came back, Jess was in the arcade playing pinball, and Colby was standing right behind her, kind of pinning her between his body and the machine, whispering in her ear. She wasn't encouraging it, but she didn't really discourage it either.

When I asked her about it, she blew it off and told me not to worry. Said she could handle Colby, but I know that guy knew she was there on a date with me. He was basically daring me to make a scene, the way he was looking at me. I definitely wasn't happy about it, but she seemed relatively innocent in that situation, so I figured I'd keep an eye on things and go from there."

Hannah looked uncomfortable. "Maybe Mom's right. Maybe you should take things slow with Jess."

"Now you guys are really making me nervous. What don't I know?"

With a deep sigh, Hannah started talking. "Look, I like Jess. I've known her for a long time, and her sister's my best friend. You've got to promise that what I'm about to say stays between us. That goes for everyone, okay?" she said as she looked around the table. She was greeted with nods all around.

"Here's the thing. It's no secret that Lanie is gorgeous, and she can have anyone she wants. It can be a little intimidating for other girls to be around her, because you know everyone's eyes are going to be on her. I know I've felt that way. But at least I don't live with her.

Like Mom said, Jess is cute. She's not in Lanie's league, though, and she knows it. I think she's made it her mission to force guys to see her through sheer willpower. It's like she's competing against this impossible standard, so she flirts a little harder, and pushes the envelope all the time where guys are concerned, just to prove something. And Colby...he's spoiled. His father's rich and arrogant, and he's taught Colby and his brother that they should expect others to bow down to them. That includes girls." She paused for a second. "Did you know that Lanie broke up with her boyfriend a few weeks ago?"

Jeremy did. "Jess said that her boyfriend cheated on her. What's that got to do with me and Jess?"

"He did cheat, but did you know that her boyfriend was Colby's brother, Ryan?" Jeremy had not known that. "They dated off and on in high school, but it was never serious. As beautiful as Lanie is, she can have her choice of guys. That means she doesn't have to put up with any guy's crap if she doesn't want to, and Ryan dishes a lot of crap. But he's also good-looking and a smooth talker; no matter how many times he's screwed up, Lanie has always taken him back. This time, though, he's gone too far. He's been pushing for Lanie to sleep with him, but she's been putting him off. I guess he got tired of waiting, so he started dating this other girl on the side. When Lanie found out, she flipped.

Now you're telling me that Colby was hanging around Jess? I wouldn't be surprised if Ryan was egging Colby to go after her. I also wouldn't be surprised if Jess sees this as an opportunity to show up her sister."

"Thanks for telling me all that," Jeremy said. "I really hope that things don't go down like you suspect. I told Jess the other night that I'm not big on second chances. If something happens between her and Colby, I'm not going to be very forgiving. My parents raised me to treat women with respect and honor, and I hope that I always do. But I also expect those things in return; there're few things that will piss me off more than someone cheating or lying in my relationship."

After dinner, Mrs. Jordan left to meet her girlfriends. AJ put away the leftovers, while Jeremy and Hannah retired to the living room to see what was on TV. Hannah begged to watch the latest episode of her favorite sitcom; Jeremy wasn't into the show, but he figured it would give him a chance to hang out with Hannah and acquiesced. AJ made a big stink about it when he saw what was on, but declared that he would get to pick the movie, which seemed to even things out.

Jeremy's attention was divided. On the one hand, he was thinking about all that Hannah and her mother had said about Jess and Colby. Was he setting himself up for a disaster? Was Jess even worth it? She was cute, true, but she wasn't really his type. If she was playing him...

On the other hand, he was trying to be stealthy as he watched Hannah. Her new look had really captured his attention. Over the short time since he'd last seen her she seemed to have matured significantly. Despite a difference of only about 18 months' in age between them, she seemed much more mature than most of his classmates. Was he naïve enough to think she might be interested in him?

As he watched her, he noticed that every so often she'd work her shoulder, rotating it like she had a pain. It gave him an idea, which he was hoping to implement as they started the movie.

Between the TV show and the movie, Hannah went to change into lounge clothes. AJ was in Jeremy's ear immediately. "How're things going? Do you think you're having any effect?"

"I think she's definitely interested in me, but she's trying to not be obvious about it. She was quick to dish on Jess, though. I've got an idea, but I'm going to need you to be oblivious if I've got my hands on her during the movie, okay?"

AJ was surprised. "What makes you think you're getting your grubby paws on Hannah?"

"I noticed that she's been working her shoulder like she has a pain. I think I can get her to let me massage it, which I will try to work into something more. But it will only work if she thinks you don't know what's happening."

"Okay, but if I see skin, I'm going to be very uncomfortable."

Jeremy laughed. "I don't think things will go that far."

AJ left to make some microwave popcorn, so Jeremy was alone when Hannah came back. She was wearing an old t-shirt and shorts, showing just how nice her legs were. Jeremy took advantage of AJ's absence. "Uh, Hannah? I just wanted to say thanks again for warning me about Jess. I hope you're wrong, but if you're right...well, I don't think most girls would have been straight with me like that. That makes you pretty special in my book."

Just then, AJ returned from the kitchen, so any response she'd been about to give was cut off. AJ dimmed the lights, citing the need to create the proper "movie-watching atmosphere," which worked just as well for Jeremy.

He contented himself with looking for the right opportunity to initiate contact with Hannah, and it came about 20 minutes into the movie. He noticed her again working her shoulder, and asked "Hannah, are you doing okay? I noticed earlier that you looked like you were having some pain in your shoulder."

She responded, "I'll be alright. We had this charity volleyball thing on Saturday and I landed on my shoulder a little funny after diving for a ball. It's just a little stiff."

"You know, I tweaked my shoulder doing something similar in baseball last year. It wasn't bad enough to have surgery, but I had some physical therapy. The therapist taught me some massage techniques that helped ease some of the stiffness and discomfort. I'd be happy to massage your shoulder for you, see if it helps."

She looked skeptical. "You don't have to do that."

"You're right, I don't have to do it. But you offered me some help earlier, and this gives me a chance to pay back the favor. Plus, I can't stand the thought that you're in pain when I think I can help."

She stood up and walked over to him. "It has been hurting a lot. I couldn't sleep at all last night, it was so sore. Do you really think it will help?"

"It helped me, but I guess we'll only know if we try, right?"

"Okay, where do you want me?" Jeremy overlooked the entendre of that question.

"Why don't you have a seat here in front of me on the couch? You have to relax, so feel free to lean back against me if you need to."

Hannah took a seat between his spread legs and AJ started the movie up again.

Jeremy hadn't been lying when he said he'd learned some massage techniques. He whispered to Hannah, "I want you to just relax. I'm going to start with your lower back and work my way up to your shoulder. Hopefully, by the time I get there, you'll already be feeling a little bit better."

True to his word, he started low, using his thumbs to work the larger muscles alongside the spinal column. Moving upwards, he shifted to using the meaty part at the base of his thumbs in a circular motion to work the area between the shoulder blades. Then he shifted to working on the injured shoulder area, beginning with the trapezius. He gripped the muscle with his left hand, curling the fingers in from the front and massaging the back with his thumb; at the same time, he pressed his right hand flat against the back of her shoulder, moving the palm in a circular pattern and alternately squeezing and relaxing his fingers. His work here was rewarded with a deep sigh of satisfaction.

He moved on to the affected shoulder itself, laying his left hand over the shoulder joint and squeezing the upper arm with his right, he gently worked the muscles back and forth until he could feel her body relaxing. Here was the moment of truth: he moved to place a hand on each trapezius and encouraged her to lay her body back against his. She shifted her body down as she followed his direction, resulting in her head reclining against his chest. He rewarded her by continuing to massage her shoulders.

The longer this went on, the more he realized a developing situation. The angle she was laying at allowed him to view her breasts as they rose and fell with her breathing. She was fuller than he'd thought, maybe a C cup. Between that sight and the feel of her body pressing against his, Jeremy was desperately fighting against a raging hardon. Worse, he could tell that she knew his situation too.

When AJ left to go to the bathroom, Jeremy took the chance to address the situation. "I'm sorry about...you know. Ever since that night at your party, I haven't stopped thinking about you. Now I've got this beautiful girl in my arms, and I know we can't do anything, but I can't help it. You feel amazing. I don't want to let you go." He made to move, saying "I can shift a little..."

Before he completed that thought, she grabbed his hands and said, "You don't have to move. I feel so good laying here, and it's kind of flattering that I'm having that effect on you. Plus," she sat up and grinned at him evilly, "we can't do anything. You've got Jess, so no matter how much we might want to..." Then she winked at him and settled back into her former position.

Clearly, this girl was pure evil.

The rest of the movie was more of the same, except Jeremy worked his way to gently stroking her hair. By the time the closing credits were rolling, Hannah's breathing was deep and even. He didn't have the heart to wake her, so he continued to stroke her hair as he watched her sleep, until finally his own sleep fell.

As morning broke, Jeremy found that Hannah had shifted her position in the night, with her cheek pressed against his chest and arms wrapped around his stomach. He also found that he had a serious case of morning wood and worked to gently extricate himself from her grip. Returning from taking care of business, he found that his sleeping partner was also now awake.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he apologized.

"I couldn't sleep when my pillow got up and left," she groused at him accusingly.

"Well, at least I don't drool in my sleep," he shot back.

"I do not drool in my sleep!" she protested.

"Au contraire, mon amie." He showed her the wet spot that trailed from his chest across his stomach.

With a twinkle in her eye, she said "Well, that's your fault. Next time, don't be so comfortable."

Not to be outdone, he asked "What makes you think there'll be a next time? You think I just let pretty girls use me shamelessly? I am not a slut, madam!" His indignation was mitigated somewhat by the wink he gave her and the smile on his lips.

"Mmmm...too bad. What's the count now, 57?" Then she pushed up off him and scurried to her room.