by A. D. Ryan
Looking down at my attire, I remembered that it wasn’t much of anything as I hadn’t actually intended on going out after my bath. Nervous, I cast my eyes between him and Jensen, whose eyes were now looking up and down my near-naked body; it was the second time in the last fifteen minutes that I had caught him eyeballing me. A breeze picked up, and I pulled my arms tight across my chest to hide the telltale sign that the temperature had dropped a few degrees.
Remembering why I was out here, I glared up at my father. “So, guess who was shocked to find out she had a new roommate?” I said firmly, nodding my head in Jensen’s direction—who shook his head, finally removing his eyes from my barely-covered ass. When Dad didn’t respond, I got angry. “Me! What the hell is going on?”
Dad grabbed my bicep gently and tugged me away from our audience. “Why are you so upset by this? You agreed when I said he should stay on the ranch.”
“You didn’t tell me where he’d be staying!”
Dad gave me the dad-look. “Madison, where else on the ranch would he stay? My place?”
“For one,” I fired back.
Dad cocked an eyebrow and grumbled. “I live in a one-bedroom guest cottage. I’m not going to have him sleep on the sofa. You have two extra rooms in your house. I thought you understood that when I discussed it with you.”
I dropped my eyes to the ground. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea after what happened last time.” I was too disappointed in my past actions to look him in the eye. I opened my mouth to say more, but Dad nipped it in the bud. “I can understand your apprehensions, Madison. But Jensen, he’s …” Dad paused, looking over my shoulder at Jensen and considering something before making eye contact with me again. “He’s a good guy. I’ve known his parents a long time.”
There were so many reasons that my father should have known better than this. Okay, well one. Dane. True, it was my own fault for getting involved with him when working relationships rarely worked out. But still! Dad continued to stare me down, and I knew that I was fighting a losing battle. Ultimately, he was right. It did make more sense for Jensen to stay on the ranch, and my house was the only place with enough room.
“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. “But do me a favor? Next time you’re going to bunk me with someone, don’t be so cryptic when asking me if I’m okay with it, all right?”
Dad laughed and rubbed the top of my head, messing up my wet hair even more than it already was. “Whatever you say, kiddo. Now, get inside before you catch a cold. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight, Dad.” With my teeth now chattering, I turned back to Jensen, who was smirking at me knowingly. “Come on, I’ll show you to your room.”
“That would be great,” Jensen said sincerely, making me want to believe that was the person he was … but I was sure he would say something in the next three seconds to screw up my perception. His personality kept switching from hot to cold … or, maybe that’s just how I was seeing it.
As soon as we walked through the door, my phone was ringing, so I quickly undid my boots and kicked them off so I could go answer it. When I picked up the handset, I didn’t recognize the number. I never answered numbers I didn’t recognize just in case it was Dane, but I also didn’t want Dane leaving a message that Jensen would overhear over my dinosaur of an answering machine. So, I hit the on button and held the phone up to my ear.
“Hello?” I inquired nervously.
“Hi, is Jensen in, please?” a woman asked in a soft, delicate voice. I think I even detected a bit of a British accent.
Flirting with Jillian, being all mysterious and flashing those bedroom eyes at me … and he’s got this woman hanging by his every word. Jensen was a piece of work. I let out a disgusted breath as I turned to find him standing in my kitchen with me.
“Yeah. Hold on.” I held the phone out to Jensen with a scowl. “It’s for you.”
When he took the phone from me, his fingers brushed the back of my hand and sent chills running up and down my spine. It irritated me that every time I was ready to label him a prick, all he had to do was speak in that smooth tone or touch me in some completely innocent way, and I melted like butter before him—after a day.
I quickly retreated to the living room where I remembered my sandwich was waiting for me. Flicking on the TV, I sat back and was quickly engrossed in an old episode of True Blood. I was barely ten minutes in when I heard Jensen’s hushed voice growing louder.
“Yeah. I know. I’ll call you tomorrow … I love you, too.”
I took an angry bite of my sandwich, my nose scrunching up in disgust as he hung up the phone and walked over to set it on the coffee table.
“So, how does your girlfriend feel about you shacking up with a woman you just met?” I asked before taking another bite of my sandwich.
Jensen smiled crookedly. “I don’t know. I’ll have to jump off that bridge when I come to it,” he said with a flirtatious tone in his voice. He must have sensed what I was going to say next, because he spoke first. “That was my mother. I haven’t had a girlfriend in a very long time.”
“Oh,” I responded quietly, my cheeks instantly warming with embarrassment.
“Look, it’s been a long day. Would you mind showing me to my room and then the shower?” Jensen requested coldly. Clearly I had insulted him, and it made me feel terrible. Which made no sense at all; he had been nothing but rude and bossy all day. So why did I feel bad?
“Um, yeah. Sure.” I stood from the couch and walked toward him as he continued to watch me.
When I reached him, I was forced to brush past him in the narrow doorway to lead the way to his room. We walked down the hall, and I showed him each room as we went.
“This is my room,” I said, stepping inside so he could see. It was pretty basic; bed, dresser, desk, closet. The linens were gray, and the walls white. I then showed him the two other rooms in the house, one of which was bigger than the other, and let him take his pick.
“What’s this?” Jensen asked.
I turned around in time to see his fingers tracing the huge dent in the drywall between the bedroom and bathroom. I shook my head, unable to look at the cracks for too long before I felt nauseous.
“Nothing,” I told him, not wanting to get into it. Pushing the resurfacing memories aside, I forced a smile. “So which room do you want?
He chose the one across from mine, which was the smaller of the three. The master bedroom at the end of the hall, which was my grandparents’ room, remained empty for guests. I preferred it that way, because then they had their own private bathroom.
From the doorway, I watched as he set his bags on the bed and opened them up before removing several articles of clothing. He must not have realized I was still standing there because he lifted his used-to-be-white shirt over his head and stood half naked with his back to me. My eyes raked over the muscles on his upper body as they rippled and flexed with each move he made, and I let out a tiny groan. Jensen turned quickly to see me gawking at him from the doorway of his room.
“See something you like, Madi?” he inquired with a cheeky grin.
“You said you wanted a shower. It’s this way,” I told him, flustered and a little bitchy because I got caught. I walked down the hall and stood by the open bathroom door, waiting for Jensen to catch up.
He emerged from his room, and I found myself gawking at his near-nakedness again before reminding myself that he was a cocky ass in order to keep my thoughts in check. Jensen stepped into the bathroom and eyed everything before turning to face me. He was close—so very close—and he smelled good. Like cologne, and man, and horses and … man. I had to fight the urge to close my eyes and inhale deeply as we stared into each other’s eyes.
“Thanks, but I think I’ve got it from here … unless you were hoping to join me?”
My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open in shock. “Ugh! You’re … I can’t even … UGH!” My inability to form a coherent sentence seemed to amuse Jensen,
and I rushed back to the living room to watch my show.
“What are you watching?”
Startled, I nearly choked on the bite of my sandwich when I looked up to find Jensen in a pair of plaid pants and a fitted, white T-shirt. His hair was dripping wet, and he ran his fingers through it as he walked to me.
“True Blood.”
“I don’t get it. What’s the draw?”
After calming my racing heart from nearly jumping out of my chest, I spoke. “If you’re not a fan, please feel free to watch the thirteen inch black and white TV in your room,” I offered glibly.
“Well, it’s got to be better than … holy shit! Are those tits?” He flopped down next to me and relaxed into the couch.
We sat in an oddly comfortable silence and watched the rest of the show. When it ended, I stood up to take my plate to the kitchen, wincing as I straightened my body against the increasing ache in my left side.
After placing it in the dishwasher, I grabbed a glass of water and took a sip while I walked back to the living room. Jensen had his feet up on the table and was busy flipping through the channels on my flat screen. I set my glass down and stretched with my arms above my head, grimacing as the pain in my back and ribs continued to remind me of my stellar day.
I noticed Jensen’s eyes go wide as I relaxed my body. “What?”
His eyes froze on the bare sliver of my abdomen, and I felt every inch of my flesh heat as I blushed. My heart fluttered wildly behind my ribs as he continued to gape at me … for the third time since I answered my door.
“Madi, your body—”
As soon as he spoke, I snapped back to reality. “Holy crap! Get a hold of yourself! I’m not now, nor will I ever be, looking for you to jump my bones,” I said, momentarily forgetting about my injuries and flopping back down on the couch.
Jensen laughed and tossed the remote on the table. “Lean forward and lift your shirt,” he instructed smoothly.
Had I not been in my right mind, I’d have felt compelled to do anything he asked me to. Based solely on just how liquid-smooth his voice sounded.
“Ex-excuse me?” I stammered, furrowing my brows.
“Just do it,” he commanded with a little smirk while rolling his eyes. When I refused to move, Jensen huffed exasperatedly. “I saw the way you flinched, not to mention the bruising that was visible between your shorts and shirt. Please, let me look?”
I sighed in defeat—and, if I was being completely honest, disappointment—and sat forward on the couch, lifting the back of my thin tank top so he could see what I knew was already there. I felt the couch dip as Jensen scooted over, lifting his left leg so he could slip in behind me. My heart started to beat nervously when I felt him shift closer to me, a heavy pulse working its way between my thighs.
Pulling my bottom lip painfully between my teeth to keep from whimpering as his flannel pajama pant-clad groin pressed flush against my ass—which, remember, wasn’t covered by much fabric itself—I closed my eyes tightly. With my hands clenched together in fists as he shifted again, I had to fight with myself to stay still. There was something about him sitting behind me, though, that just felt so damn right. I suppose it could’ve been that I hadn’t had sex in months, and being this close to a good-looking, available man reminded me of that fact.
I felt desire roll deep in my belly, swelling and joining the heavy pulse between my legs. Shit, it’s been so long, I thought, suddenly enjoying the tender attention of the opposite sex—even if it wasn’t meant to be sexual.
Jensen sucked in a quick breath, and I wanted to imagine the look on his face to be the same one I wore as his hands lightly touched my ribs. His eyes would be hooded with lust as he fought with himself to rip my sorry excuse for a shirt from my back and ravage me on the wide leather couch, the sweat from our bodies would cause us to slide against one another …
I moaned as Jensen touched my ribs with a little more pressure, shying away from his hands. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, pulling his hands back quickly. “Does it hurt?”
“A … a little,” I confessed shakily, my head still kind of foggy from the vivid images I had conjured up moments ago.
Jensen’s hands ghosted over my flesh, occasionally grazing it with the very tips of his fingers. “I have to touch. It might hurt, okay?”
Pulling my bottom lip between my teeth again, I nodded and waited for the blinding pain. I was pleased when he only pressed lightly, causing a very minimal sting to shoot through my chest. However, as soon as he touched my bottom rib, I sucked in a sharp breath. Seeing white, I cried out and slapped my hand down on his thigh to grip onto something.
“Okay, that’s it. Get up, let’s go find you some clothes,” Jensen said, placing his cool hands gently on my hips.
“What? Why?” I stammered. It was a stupid question; I knew what his answer would be.
Jensen helped me to my feet, keeping his hands on my waist as he pushed me gently toward my bedroom. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”
I shook my head and turned around to move away from him. “Don’t be ridiculous,” I said, holding my left arm tightly to my side to keep the pain at bay. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine, I just need to relax and let it heal. I swear.”
“It’s just a precaution.” Jensen paused and looked at me with resolve. “Let’s just go and make sure you’re okay.”
“Like I said, I’m fine. I’ve fallen off my horse before. This is nothing, I swear.” It was sweet how concerned he seemed, but it was misplaced. I knew I would be okay with a little rest. “I’m tired; I think I’m going to turn in. I’ll see you in the morning?”
Jensen nodded once, still eyeing me skeptically.
“Feel free to, um, stay up and watch TV,” I offered as I continued to back away from him. Something flashed in his eyes, sending shivers through me. I had to wrap my arms around myself to try and harness it.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll turn in, too.” Jensen’s voice was low and gruff, and the sound of it spread through me, causing goose bumps to cover my body.
I turned from him with a nervous smile and walked quickly to my room. “Goodnight,” I stammered, closing my door as Jensen stood across the hall in his room smiling.
“Goodnight, Madi.”
That night, I had very pleasant dreams of Jensen Davis.
Chapter 5. Just my Luck
When I woke the next morning, every muscle in my body ached. I sat up slowly, trying really hard not to cry out as I stretched. The pain wasn’t any less, but on the bright side, it wasn’t much worse either. That had to be good for something, right?
Upon exiting my room to wash up, I noticed that Jensen’s door was closed. Even though I knew it probably bordered on creepy, I placed a hand on the solid wood panel and leaned in, debating whether or not I should knock to see if he was awake. When I heard shuffling, I decided against it and continued toward the bathroom.
Once behind the closed door, I lifted my tank top to view my injuries and cringed when I saw the deep purplish-black marks. They started just under my breast and travelled down my ribcage until they disappeared beneath my shorts. Carefully, I moved the waistband of my shorts and looked down in horror when I realized that the bruise reached my upper thigh and covered half of my ass cheek. I tried to touch them gently, but even the faintest touch caused me to whimper.
As much as it pained me to admit it, Jensen was right. I should have gone to the doctor. Unfortunately there was no time for that today. There was far too much to do around the ranch before Jeff left for school in the fall. Telling myself over and over again that I would be okay, I replaced my shirt and brushed my teeth before exiting the bathroom.
The smell of coffee hit me hard when I stepped into the hall and back to my room to get dressed. Seeing Jensen’s open door and his bed made caused those damn butterflies to wake up and flutter wildly in my stomach. It was a feeling I hadn’t had in quite some time, and I rolled my eyes at myself because of the promise I made when I threw Dane out.
After I pulled on my jeans and a T-shirt, I made my bed and followed the heavenly smell all the way to the source. From his position in my chair at the table, Jensen’s stunning blue eyes rose from yesterday’s paper, and he offered me a wide smile. “Good morning, sunshine,” he greeted.
“Hey,” I responded in a raspy voice as I opened the cupboard to find a mug. “Did you sleep well?”
“Like a rock.”
With a laugh, I shook my head, standing on the tips of my toes and reaching for a cup. “I never understood that saying.” I had just grabbed my cup when suddenly I felt Jensen’s presence next to me. The cup slipped from my grip, and Jensen caught it before it hit the rustic wood countertop and broke.
“Thanks,” I breathed, turning to face him. I could feel the blood rush to my cheeks, and I dropped my face, nervously tucking my hair behind my ears.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. It’s just, you were reaching, and I saw your bruise. Would you mind … ?”
I nodded as his words trailed off, and I brought my eyes back to his. They were a soft shade of blue with little flecks of gray and green, and they drew me in. His breath was fresh, which led me to believe he had been up before I stopped outside his door to listen in. Okay, okay: spy.
Completely lost in his gaze, I slowly backed up until the small of my back hit the kitchen island. I lifted my shirt so he could see, but his eyes didn’t leave mine for the longest time. I wondered what he was thinking. I knew what I was thinking, and let’s be honest, it wasn’t entirely innocent. No, it involved pulling Jensen to me until he had me pinned against the refrigerator. His hands would grasp at my heated flesh as he kissed me with so much passion it left us both breathless. Finally, they would glide down my body; I could practically feel them as they roamed across my neck, over the swells of my breasts, trailed over my stomach and then between my legs …
Pulling my lip between my teeth, I closed my eyes and tried to calm my unsteady breathing before he realized just how turned on I was … over nothing. I mentally chastised myself for such lurid thoughts.