No, it wouldn’t, Duncan whispered in the back of her mind and horribly, Emma sensed he was right. It would give her energy, because to sever a bonding meant taking energy away from the couple. When she cemented a bonding, she gave energy back. She shuddered and clenched her fingers together, missing Jake and Duncan even more.
“Okay, I’m going to see if I can talk to your parents again. Maybe if I explain to them how bad it is for you to be kept apart, they’ll reconsider.”
Samantha was shaking her head. “They’re not going to listen. My dad was freaking out this morning, ranting about witchcraft, of all things. It’s like he’s completely lost his mind. We’re Christians, but he’s never been this crazy.” Emma frowned, wondering what religion had to do with it. Samantha continued. “He was yelling at me about not having sex before I got married. I tried to explain how much it hurt but when he found out that Jonathan and I had slept together, he went insane. The only reason I’m at school today is that my mom convinced him it would look bad to keep me home.”
Emma looked at Jonathan. The young man was pressing his lips together as if he wanted to say something but didn’t dare. “Did your parents act like this?”
He shook his head. “I’m older than Samantha. And my parents aren’t that conservative. I’m really worried about Samantha’s dad. I tried to look up some information about this bonding thing on the internet to try and use to convince her dad that this was real, but even the stuff I was able to bookmark last week has disappeared. It’s really weird.”
Emma nodded. “I know. I wondered about that myself.”
“It’s really cool that Duncan and Jake came out in that interview today. There’s no way they’re going to be able to keep that off the internet, not with a famous singer like Duncan,” Samantha offered.
“I don’t think Duncan planned the interview,” Emma said, ignoring the way Jonathan looked at her speculatively. She pushed her sleeves back down and looked at the clock. Almost time for the next bell. “Okay, I’m going to give you my cell phone number. Have your parents call me, Samantha. I’ll try and set up a time to meet with them, or just talk with them on the phone. Maybe it’ll help. I don’t know what else to do.” Emma jotted down her number and handed it to the girl.
Samantha nodded and took the paper. Jonathan got out his cell phone and programmed the number into his contacts list. “What now?”
Emma sighed and stood up. “I don’t know. Just hang in there. And please, don’t tell anyone about my bonding, okay?”
“Why not?” Samantha asked.
“I don’t know how people are going to react to a teacher bonding to two men. It’s not exactly the traditional route into a relationship, you know.” Emma smiled and walked towards the front of the office. Just as she was about to pull up the shades Jonathan spoke.
“You bonded to Duncan and Jake, didn’t you?”
Emma froze and turned around. She was about to deny it, but then saw the looks on their faces. She nodded shortly.
“Damn,” Jonathan said, quietly. “That’s how you know all this.”
“Oh my God, you’re bonded to Duncan Green?” Samantha said, the first hint of excitement Emma had felt since they came into her office coloring the girl’s voice. She had to grin at the girl’s awe.
“Please don’t mention it to anyone. We haven’t figured out what we’re going to do yet,” Emma asked them.
Both students nodded. “We won’t, Ms. Bell,” Samantha said. “Still. Duncan Green! And Jake Mackenzie! I love his music. And he’s hot.”
“Samantha!” Jonathan protested, but she just grinned at him.
“What?”
Emma shook her head, smiling too. “Try not to upset your parents, okay? Maybe they’ll let you spend more time with each other if you can fly under the radar a bit.” Jonathan nodded but Samantha avoided Emma’s gaze as they filed out of her office. Emma knew the girl was worried, with good reason. She remembered meeting with the girl’s father. He was a big man and not particularly happy about his daughter dating, let alone bonding. She sighed and wished she were anywhere but here.
Chapter 8
“We have to go back to Emma tonight. I don’t think we’ll be able to stand it if we stay in Brooklyn.” Jake shifted in the car, dropping his head against the soft leather of the seat. Duncan nodded, sensing his lover’s weariness. He looked at the long line of Jake’s jaw, wishing he could kiss him.
You can, you know, Jake thought to him, opening his eyes. They were so green, Duncan’s breath caught. He closed his eyes, trying to resist temptation, only to find Jake laughing at him in his head. Don’t be such an idiot, Jake thought. We just came out in front of a dozen video cameras. You think this isn’t all over the world by now?
Duncan laughed. “You’re right.” He caught the knowing look Lisa shot him as he unbuckled his seatbelt and shimmied over to Jake’s side and flushed slightly. He ignored the eye roll from their bodyguard, Charlie, who sat facing the rear of the vehicle. The big man wasn’t impressed or upset about the bonding, thank God. Dave, Lisa’s bond-mate, sat in front with the driver. Good thing we’re in a limo again today, Duncan thought. At least there’s enough room to maneuver.
“Yeah, that’s more like it,” Jake sighed as Duncan pressed against him, the long line of Jake’s thigh snug up against his own. Duncan let his head fall to Jake’s shoulder, inhaling the other man’s clean scent—cologne, soap, a hint of the cinnamon bun he’d eaten for breakfast. Jake smiled and put his hand on Duncan’s thigh. Duncan tensed, his cock leaping to attention as Jake kneaded the muscle.
“Are you trying to kill me?” Duncan murmured into Jake’s sleeve.
Yup, Jake thought, slipping his hand up further. Duncan gasped as his erection throbbed in his jeans. A quick look showed that Jake wasn’t faring much better. He noticed Lisa eyeing the two of them from her seat next to Charlie, who made gagging motions. Jake snorted, amused.
“Guys, seriously?” Lisa said, a hint of laughter in her voice.
Duncan smiled and snuggled closer to Jake as the car lurched forward again. “At least we’re almost at the venue.”
“Mmmm,” Jake replied.
How do you expect us to sneak into the Nokia like this? Duncan thought, his mental voice expressing his exasperation.
Jake shifted as he caught Duncan’s mental image of the two of them trying to duck into a side entrance, paparazzi everywhere. He removed his hand and took a shaky breath. Yes, exactly, Duncan thought at his friend as he unsuccessfully tried to will his erection away. The two men’s eyes met and then they felt Emma’s presence in their mind, her frustration with them evident. She was standing in front of a class of students trying not to let on how aroused she was. The both winced as they felt her mental slap. Then, thankfully, the car pulled to a stop and the driver rapped on the window dividing the front of the car from the back. Jake and Duncan looked at the driver.
“I’ll get out first. There’s a ton of people out there, probably because of your impromptu interview from earlier,” the big man said, opening his door and getting out. Dave followed him out the passenger side. The four people in back waited until the two men made their way to the back door. He opened it, and Charlie stepped out, holding back the paparazzi.