Teacher: The Final Act (A Hollywood Rock n' Romance Trilogy #3) by R. L. Merrill Page A

had to stay still for a moment.  He was so gentle with me. It was the most tender lovemaking I’d ever experienced with him. When my energy started to flag, he pushed me over onto my side and entered me from behind. It was perfect. I didn’t feel trapped, and Danny’s whispers in my ear kept me grounded. I tried to fully relax, but I couldn’t. Not this time. After a bit, Danny noticed I was getting frustrated, so he rolled me onto my back and laid next to me.
    “Honey, I know it might take time for you...”
    I slammed my fist down on the bed and cursed...then the sobs came. Danny held me through it all. My determination to be over it and move on wasn’t enough to convince my body. I was going to need time.
    I woke up sometime in the middle of the night feeling restless. I gently extricated myself from Danny’s grip and used the restroom without turning on the light. I heard music coming from the room past the kitchen while I was getting myself some water, so I peeked through the door.
    Bronson was playing an acoustic guitar quietly and staring out the window. He noticed me hovering and stopped, offering a smile. “Can’t sleep?”
    I shrugged. “Just antsy. What’s your excuse?” 
    “The same. I’m like Danny. I don’t sleep much.” He gestured for me to sit across from him.
    “I can’t sleep. I can’t sit still.  I’m tired, but I don’t want to go back to bed right now.”  
    Bronson strummed a few more chords, and then spoke without looking up.  ”Shortly after Julian and I met Danny, I dated a girl who was a bartender at the Roxy.  She was drop dead gorgeous and would never go out with anyone.  When I say I dated her, she went out to dinner with me once, and I went back to her apartment after.  She was a spitfire, you know?  Full of spirit.  I totally thought sex with her was going to be phenomenal and I was so ready to get it on.  When I was ready to make my move, she freaked out.  She started screaming and beating the shit out of me. I just held onto her and tried to get her to calm down.”
    He cleared his throat and played a few more bars before he spoke again.  ”When she looked up at me, she was absolutely terrified.  I thought I had done something, but she was finally able to get a hold of herself and tell me that it wasn’t me. Some jackass had attacked her in the parking lot after work one night and raped her.  I never would have known. I never guessed.  Anyway, we spent the rest of the night talking about it. She said she’d never told anyone and hadn’t been with anyone since.  She hadn’t even called the fucking police, which pissed me off.  It had been about six months and she thought she was over it.”
    I took a deep breath and asked, “Did she ever move on?  I mean, did she get better?”  
    He laughed.  ”Yeah, she did. Unfortunately, not with me. She ended up falling for the owner of the bar, who was like twenty something years older than her, and they got married.  She’s had babies, the whole thing.  I see her around every once in a while and I know she’s happy now.”  He stopped and finally looked at me.  ”I don’t know why I’m telling you this other than I know you’re strong and you’re going to get over it.  But it’s not going to just go away.  So don’t beat yourself up, you know?  Try to just allow yourself to feel what you’re feeling?”  
    I smiled at him and laughed.  ”Who’d have thought you’d be the one giving me sage advice?”  He blushed a little and looked down at his guitar.  ”No!  I’m serious, Bronson.  Of all of you, I feel like I’ve probably talked to you the least. I’m seeing a whole other side of you tonight.”  
    He smiled, strumming softly.  ”I know.  Danny and I don’t have the best track records when it comes to each other’s ladies. You know what I mean?  So I stayed away a little, probably.  I respect the hell out of you, Jesse, and I love Danny like a brother.  I’m just