“Yeah, I could probably use a break from the car for the night too.”
Smiling, Jenson reached over and rested his large, warm hand on her knee. As he drove, Lucy thought again about Megan and what she was going to tell her when they arrived in Boston. She’d already decided to wait until after the wedding, so she could focus on her big day. It might also give her and Jenson a bit of extra time to work out what was happening between the two of them.
The motel wasn’t anything special, but neither of them cared as they waited to check in at the tiny, cigarette-smoke filled office.
“I should call Megan to let her know where we are, but my phone’s still dead.” As Jenson began to approach the reception desk, Lucy touched his arm to stop him. “Can I use your phone to call Meg, give her an update?” She hadn’t even finished her question when his phone was in her hand, unlocked and ready for her to use. Their fingers grazed one another’s, causing wide smiles to split both of their faces.
“Tell her I said hi.” Letting go of her hand, he strode over to check in. With a smile on her face, Lucy looked down and started to dial Megan’s number. Panic set in as she remembered what happened earlier in the day in Jenson’s car as it was parked by the side of the highway. Telling her brain to simmer down, she listened as Megan’s voicemail kicked in. Breathing a sigh of relief, Lucy left a message.
“Hey, Meg, it’s me. Long story short, my phone’s dead. We’ll be arriving tomorrow afternoon. I’ll tell you all the gory details then. If you need me, call your brother. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She decided that a voicemail message wasn’t the ideal way to inform her best friend about the break-up with Matthew.
Turning back to look for Jenson, his phone vibrated with a text notification. Automatically, without thinking, Lucy looked down, and tore her eyes away from the screen when it was too late. She didn’t even see who sent it, but it didn’t matter. The damage was done. The words were seared onto her heart.
I can’t imagine my life without you.
By the time Lucy found an empty seat outside the office, the message was hidden away behind the lock screen. She hadn’t meant to invade his privacy; he’d handed her the phone and the text had popped up practically in front of her face.
I can’t imagine my life without you can only mean one thing…
She looked up and through the office door at Jenson, who was leaning up against the desk, still working on booking their room; just one room this time. The female receptionist looked dazed by the good-looking guy towering over her. Her face was flushed a pretty pink and she couldn’t stop smiling as she spoke to Jenson.
There must have been someone else in his life. What else could it mean? It was none of her business, but the two of them hadn’t discussed what they were, or exclusivity. She shouldn’t be expecting anything from him. If there were other relationships that he was involved with, that was on him, not her. She’d only just come out of a relationship and, despite their past history, shouldn’t have been thinking about anything long-term with Jenson.
Maybe she should have just treated it as nothing more than a fling, a fun rebound from Matthew, and to feel like she mattered completely for once; it was probably what Jenson had planned. She needed to keep her heart distant; she didn’t want to get hurt again.
She watched as he approached her, room key in hand.
“Everything good?”
Lucy merely nodded, handing him his phone. “Thanks for letting me borrow it.”
“Our room’s ready.”
Lucy stood and followed him back out to the car where they both grabbed their overnight bags, and then they walked to their second-floor room. As Lucy stood outside the room, waiting for him to unlock the door, Jenson’s fingers wound around hers, pulling her closer to him. His eyes glanced over her, frowning.
“Is everything okay?”
“Megan didn’t answer. I don’t think we should say anything to her.” She waved her hand back and forth between them. “About this.” She waved her hand further around them, indicating the hallway, and he seemed to get what she was saying.
“Okay.”
Lucy noticed he agreed quickly. Was he happy to hide what they were doing? Why did the thought of that upset her? She continued talking.
“She’s the bride, and I don’t want any attention being paid to anyone but her.” Jenson nodded quietly, his blue eyes boring into her own. “I’ll tell her later, if it comes up, when she gets back from her honeymoon.” She was rambling.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You’re acting strange.”
Lucy wished she was brave enough to ask him about the text message, but she decided to keep quiet; it wasn’t the only thing she was unsure about. With a fake smile on her face, she crossed her arms and leaned into him.
“I’m perfect.” It was then that she realized how good she was at pretending to be happy; she’d managed to fool herself for six years. Jenson was the only one to see through some of her act. His responding grin was sexy, turning her knees to Jell-O, but his gaze was laced with worry. She smiled at him to reassure him; it seemed to work.
“Good.”
Jenson handed the room key to her as he clamped his hands on her hips and bent to nuzzle at her neck, sending shivers throughout her entire body. Lucy couldn’t help but laugh breathlessly as she unlocked the door. Bending his head, Jenson rewarded her with a quick kiss that left her wanting more. Backing into the room, Lucy took no notice of anything other than Jenson – his sheer size taking over her every sense in the best way possible. Without warning, he stopped kissing her and picked her up, striding over to the bed and dropping her directly in the center of it. Without breaking eye contact with her, he returned to the door and locked it.
With a smile that made his eyes twinkle, he climbed up onto the bed and knelt beside her, his eyes darkening, looking over her as if she were a goddess about to be worshipped. Soon, his shirt and Lucy’s clothing landed on the floor. His mouth was everywhere, leaving a burning trail wherever it touched her skin.
Not caring what would happen once they got to Boston, Lucy never wanted this moment to end. Jenson’s hungry gaze locked onto her face as he used his fingers to bring her body to the edge of a white-hot inferno. Jenson curled his fingers inside her and used his thumb to circle her clit. Her body arched off the bed, fists clutching the blanket as she moaned at how well he was playing her body.
“Let go, Lucy. I got you.” Jenson’s voice was husky, and it was as much that as the way he was stroking, licking, and nibbling at her skin that caused her to give in to him. With a loud moan of his name, her body shuddered against the bed as Jenson devoured her with his mouth as his fingers worked her through her orgasm.
Pulling himself up, he settled on top of her, his bare chest flush against her breasts which was just as intoxicating to Lucy as what he’d just done.
“Where did you learn to do that?” she asked, breathless. “Actually, no. I don’t want to know.”
Jenson laughed, and he kissed her.
It was at that exact moment Lucy realized she would let Jenson do anything to her body, would follow him anywhere. She was his, wholeheartedly; she always had been, but was unsure whether he was hers. Words were easy to say, actions easy to do, but there was no way to know if he was being honest with her. She hated the idea of him cheating on someone with her, and she hated herself for wanting to get as much from him as she could.
Suddenly he jerked as his phone buzzed in his pants’ pocket. Lucy felt it against her thigh as his full length was stretched out on top of her. She felt like reality was closing in on them while Jenson closed his eyes and rolled off her.
“I’m sorry… I need to get this.” Lucy wondered what could be so important about the call, wondered if it was the same person who sent the text earlier. Although it was none of her business, she needed to know as…
Realization hit her like a ton of bricks. Some time in the last six years – but most likely within the past few days – she had fallen i
n love with Jenson Phillips. Her breath hitched at the thoughts running around her mind as she watched Jenson sit up at the end of the bed, facing away from her. She could see the tension in his shoulders as he lifted the phone to his ear.
“Hello?”
Lucy slid off the bed and grabbed her backpack from where Jenson dropped it on the floor. Without looking at him, she walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind her. With her arms braced against the sink, she studied her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were flushed, her hair was a mess, and her chin was quivering. She couldn’t believe what was happening to her. She’d never felt this way about anyone before. In fact, the last time she felt like this was at the cabin, with Jenson.
She’d thought she could have a quick fling with Jenson, but it was too real and bigger than she had ever expected it to become. More than anything she’d ever experienced before. She was in love with him, and she didn’t know if her heart could handle it. While she was hiding in a motel bathroom, he was sitting on the other side of the door, talking to a woman who couldn’t live without him. Lucy wanted answers, but she needed to distract herself first. She decided to take a shower.
The water warmed and soothed her body and its pleasant aches, but it did nothing to settle her thoughts. As she closed her eyes under the spray, she heard the bathroom door open. A moment later, Jenson was standing in the shower behind her, pulling her against his tall, hard frame. Lucy turned to face him, aware of the few inches of space between their bare, slick bodies.
“Who was that?” she asked. His expression was conflicted, and his eyes pleaded with her not to ask. “Who was on the phone, Jenson?”
He cleared his throat and reached around her to grab a complimentary bar of soap.
“It was my mom.”
“You’re lying.” Lucy ripped the shower curtain to the side, unable to be confined to the small space with him and his lies. She grabbed a large, fluffy towel and angrily wrapped it around her body. Jenson mimicked her actions, grabbing another towel and following her. He grabbed her arm to spin her round and looked her in the eye. His blue eyes were stormy, proof of his anger building.
“I don’t lie.”
Lucy’s frustration, jealousy, and insecurity boiled over, words flying from her lips without her thinking about what she was saying.
“Is she the one who ‘can’t imagine life without you’?” Jenson’s expression hardened as he realized what she was saying.
“Exactly.”
Lucy closed her eyes, trying to collect her thoughts. By the time she opened them, he’d left the bathroom. She recollected the hurt and angry look on his face and wondered if he’d told her the truth. Quietly, she followed him into the bedroom and found him sitting on the bed, hunched over with his head in his hands.
Did I hurt him that badly?
She rushed over to him. Gently, she climbed onto the bed beside him and wrapped her arms around him, running her fingers through his hair.
“I think my dad’s having an affair.” Jenson blurted out. The desperation in his voice made it clear he couldn’t keep it quiet anymore.
“What?”
“Meg doesn’t have a clue, which is why I didn’t want you to know.” His voice became hoarse, shredded with misery as he confessed to Lucy. “I didn’t want to put you in a position to have to lie to her, but please don’t tell her.”
Understanding the heavy burden he’d been carrying for God only knew how long, Lucy let her hand drop from his soft hair, and took his hands in hers. He gripped her tightly, still looking down at the floor.
“It’s such a cliché. Dad turns fifty, and all of a sudden he’s ‘working late’, taking more care with his appearance, and spends his evenings in his study rather than with mom. He was always a bit of a workaholic, but this is all too… convenient, I guess.” As he took a deep breath, Lucy squeezed his fingers, raising his hand to her lips to kiss his fingertips, urging him to continue. It was obvious he needed to get this off his chest, to speak about it out loud.
“Mom’s a mess, but is too scared to ask him outright what’s happening. I was going to, but she made me promise to not say anything until after the wedding.” His voice trembled. “I’ve never seen her like this.”
Lucy was shaken by what he was divulging to her. The Phillips’ were a large part of her life for years, and she’d always assumed they were solid. She’d thought they would be the couple to stay together forever. She raised one hand and ran her fingers through his hair again, trying her best to soothe him.
“Megan doesn’t know any of this?”
“No.”
“I don’t know if keeping it from her is a good idea. She’s going to work it out the moment she sees them. She’ll sense it.”
“That’s what I keep telling Mom, but she’s stubborn. Mom thinks that they’ll be fine, but honestly, I’m just waiting for everything to fall apart.” He pulled her onto his lap, sad blue eyes searching her face. “Promise to never lie to me, Lucy.”
“I promise.”
Jenson took her face into his hands, looking deep into her eyes.
“Thank you for listening to me.” Needing to take his pain away, Lucy couldn’t stop herself from kissing him gently. His lips opened underneath hers hungrily, and it soon moved from gentle to rough and passionate as need took over him. Lucy let him take control as she decided he could have whatever he wanted from her.
Slowly, he lowered her back onto the bed and unwrapped the towel from her body. Murmuring about how beautiful she was, he held himself above her naked body. His gaze burned her skin as he raked it over her before nudging her legs apart with his knee. Without saying anything, after rolling on a condom, he lowered himself and entered her with a single push.
He made love to her slowly, and each kiss he pressed to her skin shared his sorrow and desire with her. As their movements built up to a frantic pace, Lucy could feel the tension leave his body. Faster and faster, harder and harder, Jenson pumped into her, bringing them both to the edge. Lucy’s orgasm hit her first and she arched her body into him, raking his back with her nails. As she clenched her thighs either side of his hips, he let out a roar, her name mingled with expletives as he let go.
Pulling out of her and rolling on to the bed next to her, he pulled her into his arms and rested his head on top of hers.
“I won’t say anything to Megan,” she whispered to him as she felt sleep pulling at her. The only reaction she received was Jenson tightening his exhausted arms around her in thanks.
Jenson
It was still dark when Jenson woke up, tangled up in Lucy’s arms. Although he was content to stay where he was, he carefully got out of bed without waking Lucy and checked his phone; it was just after three a.m., and he was glad to see there were no new messages from his mom. Quietly, he padded into the bathroom and stared at his reflection in the mirror.
Dark circles sat under his eyes, and he knew he looked ill under the tan to his skin. Regardless of how bad he looked, he felt better than he had in months. Ever since he’d seen his dad cozying up to his secretary, who was closer to his age than his dad’s, he’d felt like he was walking on a knife edge. He’d planned to confront his dad after he’d spoken to his mom, but she’d begged him to keep it to himself until after Megan’s wedding. She didn’t want to run the risk of ruining his sister’s special day. Jenson couldn’t fault her logic and agreed.
He hated the thought of his mom having to live a ‘normal’ life, pretending everything was okay, having to hide her heartache from her friends and family and put on a façade. Jenson couldn’t wait until Meg was on her honeymoon with Elliot so he and his mom could confront his dad and start getting the truth from him.
Not able to look at himself any longer, he went back into the room where Lucy was still sleeping soundly. Feeling like a creep, he stood over the bed and watched her for a few moments. He couldn’t work out what it was about Lucy in particular that had him acting like a hormonal teenager again. It wasn’t as if h
e’d been celibate all these years, holding out for her to find him again; far from it. But, from the moment she opened the door to her apartment, he’d been attracted to her the way he had been when they were kids.
Jenson wasn’t the sentimental type when it came to relationships ending, and even though he and Lucy hadn’t had a relationship, he’d been able to move on when he’d left for college. Although he’d had a crazy crush on her, one he’d hidden, he hadn’t pined over her, but whenever he’d gone home for holidays or a weekend visit, she was always there. It became harder and harder to avoid her with Matthew, acting like the perfect couple, when he knew it should have been him. When deep down he knew it was impossible.
Sitting in the chair next to the window, Jenson thought about how things could have been different if he and Lucy had made a go of things six years previously, but couldn’t picture it. In some ways, he was glad. He’d had a lot of growing up to do and it seemed as if Lucy had needed the time to reassess her life. With a sigh, he looked out into the darkness outside. He was just debating getting back into bed when he heard her stirring and waking up. He got up and moved over to the bed where he sat on the end, waiting for her to wake up fully.
Jenson’s side of the bed was cold when Lucy opened her eyes; it was still dark outside, and he was nowhere to be seen. In a panic, she sat up and spotted his shadowy outline sitting on the end of the bed, making her breathe a sigh of relief.
“Did I wake you?” His voice was soft, still tinged with a hint of sadness.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“Four in the morning, go back to sleep.” Lucy could tell something was bothering him, despite how relaxed he seemed after his confession before they…
She moved to the end of the bed, sat next to him, and rubbed his back. “Is something wrong?”
“Nah, not really.” He hesitated and turned to face her. “I’m going to ask you a question, and I want you to be completely honest with me.” He took a deep breath. “How have I ever made you feel like an idiot?”
Her Best Friend’s Brother Page 13