The Opposite Attractions (New Hampshire Bears Book 13)

by Mary Smith

  As their turn came when they got to the front counter, they quickly ordered, and he paid for it all. Still close together, they strolled to the other end of the counter. Jarvis waited for the food while Mikayla grabbed the cups to get their drinks. Standing at the counter, Jarvis felt giddy.

  Giddy?

  Men didn’t feel giddy.

  Or do they?

  Picking up the tray, he searched out Mikayla. When he found her, his giddiness went into overdrive. It confirmed men could feel this emotion. He made his way to where she sat at a table in the middle of the room.

  “This was the only open table I could get,” Mikayla commented, taking her sub from the tray.

  “Wonder why it’s so crowded?” Jarvis knew the deli was a hot spot in Manchester but not this much.

  “Maybe something is going on downtown?” Mikayla opened her sandwich paper. “I see a lot of people wearing lanyards.”

  Glancing around, he noticed the same thing. “A convention?”

  When she hadn’t answered him, he glanced over at her. Her eyes were locked behind him. Unsure if she was furious or in pain, surprise was definitely written across her face. Turning, he followed her line of sight and it landed on her sister. Facing Mikayla again, he asked if she was okay.

  “Great,” her response deadpan as she took a bite of her food.

  “We can leave,” he suggested.

  Mikayla shook her head. “Nope, I’m not going to let her run me off. She doesn’t own Manchester.”

  She held a stern expression. Jarvis knew her tone showed the actual hurt she felt. In the rare times he and Joy fought, it killed his soul. According to her, Mikayla and Jenessa were very close, but since the death of Shade and Jenessa’s son, the entire household broke apart. As would anyone’s.

  “How’s your sub?” Mikayla inquired. “You’re not eating it.”

  “I was thinking.” He picked up his massive meat-filled sub.

  “About what? Sex?”

  This made him smirk. “Normally, you’d be correct. However, I was thinking about Joy.”

  “She okay?”

  “Today is her first therapy appointment, which has me concerned. And I thought about when we would fight. You must be in a lot of pain.” He searched her face to see what reaction he’d receive.

  “Where is she going for therapy?” She breezed by Jarvis’s comment.

  “Someone named Frankie.” The name made his eyes roll. “Doesn’t sound very professional.”

  “Wow!” Mikayla’s jaw dropped. “Someone is judging a book by its title.”

  “That’s not the correct saying.”

  “In this scenario it is. Just because their name is something unique, you’re assuming they don’t have the competence to handle Joy’s issues. Therefore, you’re judging a book by its title,” she explained before taking another bite of sub.

  “True.” He conceded. “She’s my sister though. I want her to have the best I can afford. I’m certain I could have found the world’s leading therapist for rape survivors.”

  Mikayla held up her hand halting him from going any further. “Yes, you could have, but you have to let her do this on her own.”

  The words made him mad. “I hate it.”

  “I’m certain you do. I get it. Joy went through a nightmare. One she doesn’t even remember, but you can push her too far.”

  Jarvis nodded. “I know. Still fucking makes me mad. This asshole got away with it. Probably doing the same thing to other unsuspecting females.”

  Laying her hand over his, she gave it a gentle squeeze. “You’re a good brother. Just be there for her.”

  Again, he nodded. After several moments of silence between them and holding each other’s hands, they went back to their subs. As they finished, Jarvis cleaned up the empty wrappers and empty cups. Jarvis noticed Mikayla staring at her sister before taking his hand, once more, and leaving the deli.

  “Where to next?” Jarvis asked.

  “Oh, don’t try to act like you don’t know what’s next.” She gave him a seductive stare.

  He knew exactly what she meant. Slamming his foot on the gas pedal, his tires squealed, and he raced the car back to his place.

  Joy had texted Jarvis telling him she wouldn’t be home until later. This gave him and Mikayla almost two hours of alone time. He hoped they would be spending every available moment with their bodies slapping together.

  As soon as they strolled into his condo, Mikayla made her way straight to his bedroom. She’d been in there numerous times and Jarvis wanted her to be the only one in there from now on.

  Following her like an obedient horny hound he stopped at the doorway. He watched as she took off her shirt and jeans, setting them to the side. He loved her curves. She’d told him once before she thought of herself as fat, but she was far from being overweight. Thick, yes, but not fat. He studied her breasts through her lace bra, and she wore a matching thong. Placing herself on the edge of the bed, she told him to come in and shut the door.

  He did as he was told.

  “You said you have some submissive traits, right?”

  Jarvis nodded. “I’m not—and never will be—a full-on submissive. Just like you’re not a full dominatrix.”

  “True.”

  His heart raced and cock grew hard in his jeans waiting for her to tell him what to do next.

  “Strip. All of it,” she commanded, resting back on the bed on her elbows.

  He did as he was told. His body seemed thankful to be released from the restraints of his clothes.

  Smirking, Mikayla bit down on her bottom lip and gazed up and down his naked body. Laying flat on her back, she maneuvered herself out of her thong, tossing it away. Spreading her legs wide she exposed her most intimate part of her body.

  Jarvis remained frozen in place but wanted nothing more then to drop to his knees and devour her silky, delicious juices. He felt actual pain where he stood. Especially his cock. It throbbed for her.

  A deviousness appeared in her gaze as she inserted two fingers from her right hand into her mouth. Slowly, sucking on them, she moved them in and out of her mouth, wetting them fully. His knees grew weak wishing it was him in her mouth. After several seconds, which felt like an eternity to him, she removed her fingers from their current position. Still eyeing him, she began to move them lower down her body. It took a millisecond to release her next intention. He couldn’t surpass the moan growing in his throat. His eyes followed her long fingers as they began to play with her clit.

  Balling his fist, his rigid body shook as she put a show on for him. She continued to circle herself and her panting grew. The natural light from the sun glowing outside bounced off the wetness leaking from her. His breaths matched hers. Watching her arch her back, she placed her fingers inside her. Thrusting in and out, she called out his name.

  He couldn’t handle it for another second. He enjoyed the show in front of him better than any porn he ever watched, but he needed to be inside her. In one long stride, he gripped her thighs, yanking her body to his hardness. Immediately, she moved her fingers just in time for him to enter her with one thrust of his hips.

  In unison, they both let out a long sigh of relief. Pausing for the briefest of seconds, Jarvis savored the tightness around his cock. This was where he belonged. He could die at that moment, and he would die a happy man.

  “Fuck me,” she told him breathlessly.

  Without a nanosecond of hesitation, he did just that. He knew her body well enough that the earlier show she had put on placed her closer to the edge of coming. Digging into her milky skin, he pounded into her. The moans leaving his body were not out of frustration but pure happiness. Before he hid his feelings from her, but now with everything out in the open, he felt the love between them.

  Mikayla’s higher-pitched pants were followed by Jarvis feeling her wetness soaking him. Her body laxed, slightly, as he continued to pound in and out of her. His muscles tightened as he emptied himself inside her. With a fe
w jerking aftershocks, his body collapsed on top of hers.

  Realizing he was probably crushing her, Jarvis rolled off and laid on his back. The only sound in the room was their heavy breathing echoing off the walls.

  “That wasn’t exactly how I had planned.” Mikayla giggled regaining normal breathing.

  “It was perfect,” Jarvis added feeling the most relaxed he had been in several weeks.

  “Agreed.” She sat up and moved toward the bathroom, still wearing her lace bra.

  Like a magnet, he moved in the same direction as she did. His cock jerked, surprisingly, watching her bare ass. He’d figured he wouldn’t be hard for quite a while considering the quick romp they just had.

  Wrapping his arms around her waist as she reached the door, he whispered in her ear, “What would you do if I bent you over in the shower?”

  Wiggling out of his arms, she faced him. Her answer was a smile and a wink before shutting the door in his face.

  Jarvis begged her to stay with him, but after they cleaned themselves and redressed, her phone dinged numerous times. Jean had been sending her sketches of his designs.

  “If I knew I’d be cock-blocked by Jean, I wouldn’t have suggested you for the job,” Jarvis commented pulling up to the curb outside her house.

  Mikayla laughed, leaned over, and planted a kiss on his lips. “Maybe next time you’ll enjoy yourself in my mouth,” she teased.

  Groaning, he put the car in park and pulled her closer to him. “I love being in any part of your body.” He noticed a slight blush cross her cheeks. “I love you.”

  She kissed him once more. “Love you.” With those words, she left him in the car alone.

  He didn’t pull away from the curb until she was safe inside. When the door closed, he drove away. Hitting the phone button on his steering wheel, he said Joy’s name.

  “Hey,” she answered softly.

  “Where are you?” When he and Mikayla left his place, Joy wasn’t there. He waited for a response. When none came, he said her name to get her attention.

  “I’m in the park,” she finally said.

  “Why?” He couldn’t possibly figure out why she would be there.

  “I’m having a bad day.”

  “I’ll be there in ten minutes.” He punched the gas, speeding to his little sister.

  In less than the time he told her, he parked his car. Joy sat on a bench nearest to the lot. Slowly approaching her, he noticed her makeup-free face. Her cheeks were red and blotchy, matching her eyes when he saw them up close. Tears crept up on him seeing her pain spread across her face. It matched the same one he remembered when she told him she was going to have an abortion. Joy always talked about being a PTA-soccer-cupcake baking Mom but with someone she loved. Not after being unconsciously raped.

  Streaming down her freckled cheeks were fresh tears. Jarvis gently sat next to her as if she was a fragile doll. Curling into him, she cried on his chest as he held onto her. He’d pay whatever amount of money to take this pain from her. His heart broke more and more every time he saw her this way.

  When her tears seemed to calm, he managed to ask, “Do you want to talk about it?”

  Still clinging to him, she shook her head.

  “Okay.” Taking Mikayla’s advice, he didn’t push the issue. However, he really wanted to. He held her until she finally let go of him and sat up.

  “Sorry, I cried all over your shirt.” She sniffled, wiping at his chest.

  “I don’t care about this fucking shirt. I care about you and making sure you’re okay.” His tone was a brotherly one but with concern.

  “I tried, Jarvis. I tried so hard to remember the smallest detail.” She wiped at her cheeks. “I remember Marta calling me and inviting me to go with her. I remember every detail of the apartment I was at. I remember the guy handing me the second wine glass. I can see his face and hearing him say he was a friend of Marta’s. Then…” The tears began to flow again. “I walked down the hallway…then…” A sob left her, and Jarvis reached for her again, holding her.

  “What does this Frankie guy say?”

  “Frankie is a female,” she corrected him. “She said to give it some time. Some rape survivor’s memories come back years later. I don’t know if I can wait that long.”

  Jarvis didn’t have any words of wisdom to help her through this.

  “At least the police still have his DNA,” Joy finally said. “Maybe. Someday.”

  “It’ll happen.” Jarvis tried to reassure her. He understood her desire to know immediately. He did too. Once this guy’s identity was figured out, Jarvis will put him in the ground. No matter the consequences.

  Joy took a deep breath, wiped her cheeks again, and gave him a small smile. “I’m fine.”

  “You lie,” he called her out.

  “I’m fine for now,” she corrected. “Thank you for coming.”

  “I will always come for you. No matter where or when,” he vowed.

  “Want to grab some food?”

  He ate only a few hours before with Mikayla, yet he’d gladly eat with her anytime. “Come on, I know the perfect place.” He stood and held out his hand. Like she did when they were children, she took his hand and let him lead her to the car.

  He took her to a local bar with some of the best greasy food ever invented. When they walked in, the bartender gave a head nod to Jarvis and pointed to a small corner booth, and he guided her in the direction to sit down. A young waitress came over and Jarvis ordered a pitcher of strawberry daiquiri, a basket of mild wings, a plate of cheese fries, and jalapeño poppers.

  “Really?” Joy smiled—a real one. “Strawberry daiquiri?”

  “What? Isn’t that what the young, hip college kids drink?” he joked, causing them both to laugh.

  “Today was a rough one, Jarvis.” Her smile faded.

  “I know, but do you feel as if you’ll go back?” He worried about her mental well-being.

  “I told her about our parents too.”

  The words made him stiffen.

  “Have you talked to them?” she questioned.

  Jarvis thought back to Joy’s eighteenth birthday. He walked into the horrific childhood home, picked up her one duffle bag, and they walked out without so much as a second glance behind them.

  “For me, I spoke to them ten years ago and that was it. The last time I laid eyes on them was when I came and got you. What about you?”

  “My birthday when you came and got me.”

  “Do you want to talk to them?” He’d never asked her that question before.

  “No.”

  “What did you say about them?” He wondered if she told Frankie everything or only some parts.

  “I said we raised ourselves because our parents were druggies who were in and out of jail.”

  He nodded. “That pretty much sums it up.”

  “Do you miss them?” She stared at him, waiting to gauge his reaction.

  “You can’t miss something you never had,” he responded. “Why do you ask?”

  Before she could say anything, the waitress came back with the pitcher and two glasses. He poured the frozen concoction in the glasses and waited.

  “Does it bother you?” Her voice came out in a whisper.

  “What? Not having parents? Nope,” he said matter-of-factly.

  “No.” She shook her head. “Being my father, my mother, my big brother, my best friend, my…bank.” Her eyes began to water again, and she cast them away from him.

  “I love every one of those roles. You’re the most important person in my life besides Mikayla.” He leaned closer to her, keeping his voice low. “I was almost eight when you were brought home. Mom put you on the couch and just left you. You were crying so loud, I thought the windows would shatter.” He paused as the vivid memory flashed in his mind. “I searched the bag and found the formula and diapers. I figured out how to change you from following the one I took off. Then I fixed the bottle by reading the directions. I burped you because I’
d seen other moms do it. But when you opened your eyes and looked at me…” He swallowed a lump in his throat. “I knew I would protect you until my last breath.”

  Now, he had to look away from her. His heart twisted in pain.

  “And I failed.” Somehow he managed to say the words.

  “What?” Joy breathed out.

  “When you left to go to college in Boston, I had never been prouder. Maybe I should have sent you security, but I wanted to give you freedom. You were hurt because of me.” The tears he held back threatened to fall.

  “I was raped because of you?” she questioned the absurd words. “Don’t even think that, Jarvis. You are the greatest man I’ve ever known. You are the one person I can always count on. I am the burden in all this.”

  Jarvis gaped at her. “I don’t ever want to hear you say you’re a burden. You. Are. Not. Do you understand me?”

  Slowly, she nodded.

  “Joy, besides Mikayla, you’re it for me. You’re my only family. We’ve been a team for a long time and will remain so until the end. Do you understand?” he repeated the question with a firmer tone.

  “Okay. Okay.” She held up her hands defensively. “I’m not a burden.”

  Silence fell between them, but Joy still hung onto his hand until the food arrived. They ate a large portion of the food with only sounds of the bar between them.

  “Frankie wants me to see her a couple of times a week,” Joy confessed.

  Jarvis thought that was a lot for therapy. “Do you feel you need to go so often?”

  “I’m lost. I need someone to help me find my way back to some sort of normalcy. I believe professional help could get me there.”

  He saw embarrassment washing over her face. “That’s a brilliant idea, Joy. If you trust Frankie, then you need to follow her advice.”

  The words made her smiled. “I love you, big bro.”

  “I love you.”

  “You’re a big ol’ softie.” Mikayla’s voice came through her car speakers. He wanted to take her to school, but she insisted on driving her own car. Instead, he settled for a morning phone call as he drove to the arena. He told her about the dinner with Joy.