by A. D. Ryan
“Nice shirt,” Dad said with a smile as he read it.
“Thanks!” I said excitedly. “Jensen gave it to me.”
“No, he didn’t,” Jensen corrected as he walked in just then, balancing not two, but three plates and handing one off to Dad before he handed me mine. “Jensen let you borrow it.”
“You know,” I began, smirking at him as he sat next to me on the arm of the couch since Dad had taken the seat next to me, “you should really stop talking about yourself in the third person. People might think you’re crazy.”
Jensen chuckled at my teasing and took a bite of his breakfast. I followed suit and enjoyed the first bite. I don’t know what the heck he did to those eggs, but I swear they were the best eggs I’d ever eaten. Jensen was a great cook. His stock just kept rising as I made all these tiny discoveries.
While we ate, Dad and Jensen talked shop about what all had to be done around the ranch, and it made me a little sad that I wasn’t going to be out there helping. I was just supposed to stay in the house, sit on my ass and do nothing. Jensen and Dad also forbade me from doing anything slightly physical. I tried to remind Jensen I had laundry that needed to be rewashed, but he assured me he’d worry about it when he got home from work.
When his breakfast was gone, Dad stood up and kissed the top of my head. “Remember, take it easy. I need you back in one piece sooner rather than later, kid.” He made his way to the kitchen to put his dish in the dishwasher. “I’ll see you out there, Jensen?” he called from the front door.
“You bet. Just let me make sure Madison’s all right and I’ll head right out.” Jensen stood, taking both of our plates and leaving me alone with my television. I still hadn’t really decided on anything to watch. I was so bored already, and I had weeks of this.
Jensen finally reappeared with the phone in one hand and another glass of water in the other. “Okay, here’s the phone. Your dad and I will have our cell phones on in case you need any help. I just want you to take it easy, okay?”
“I’m bored already,” I pouted, repeating my previous thoughts and jutting my bottom lip out.
“Then have a nap.”
“I just woke up. I’m not tired,” I argued, sounding more and more like a child as I refused to relent.
“Well, just wait for the Oxy to fully kick in. That’ll knock you right on your ass.”
“Oooh,” I groaned, wrinkling my forehead. “I don’t think that sounds like fun. My ass already hurts.”
Jensen laughed, shaking his head. “Okay. Remember, call if you need anything. We’ll all be eating lunch here. You won’t be cooking though, so don’t even think about it.”
I released an exasperated huff. “Fine.”
“Good,” Jensen said, happy with my finally giving him what he wanted. “All right then, I’m heading out.” He started to leave the living room before turning sharply and pointing at me. “You … stay.”
“Woof,” I barked softly, causing him to chuckle as he left.
With Jensen gone, the house was too quiet. Yes, he had only been here a few days, but in that time I had become accustomed to once again having a roommate. And even before that, I was rarely home, so the quiet never bothered me. I guess the truth was I really just liked having him around.
“Bored, bored, bored!” I cried out, letting my head fall onto the back of the couch. How the hell was I going to pass the hours?
Unable to take much more of this, I stood up and decided I needed to do something. Anything. Yes, Jensen and Dad both told me not to, but I was going bat-shit crazy here. I went out to the kitchen, but Jensen had left it spotless. Deciding maybe I would turn on the washer and at least re-wash my laundry, I went into the laundry room to find the washer already on. Jensen beat me to it. Again. The man was two steps ahead of me.
So, that left my bedroom. I walked to my room, and upon entering, my jaw fell. “That jerk made my bed!” The question was, when? “When he grabbed my blanket,” I whispered to myself as I turned from the room, because I had no one else to talk to.
With nothing to do around my house, I decided to go and lie back on the couch and watch TV until I fell into a drug-induced slumber. I carefully lowered myself onto the couch and laid on my right side in order to get comfy, turning on last weekend’s episode of Saturday Night Live. I maybe made it fifteen minutes in before I passed right out with visions of a naked Jensen dancing in my head. Okay, well maybe he wasn’t dancing … because dancing naked? Nah, it was never pretty … or maybe he could have made it pretty? Food for thought, I suppose.
There was a good possibility the drugs had kicked in.
Anyway, as the dream progressed, it found Jensen and I alone. I was unclear where we were—somewhere outside—but we were together and alone. That was all that mattered. Oh, and he was no longer naked. Dream Jensen (that’s what I called him) wasn’t like that all the time. His soft blue eyes looked down into mine and he smiled softly before cupping my face in his hands and lowering his lips to mine. I moaned as our lips moved together, allowing his tongue to trace my lower lip insistently.
“Oh, God, Jensen,” I mumbled against his mouth as he continued to kiss me, his hands twisting delightfully into my hair as he pulled my face closer to his.
“Yes, Madi?” he whispered back as I moved my hands to his chest and clutched the awesome Star Trek shirt he was wearing—wait, when had he stolen it back? Shit. Of course, as our tongues slid against each other, I couldn’t be bothered to think about a shirt.
I hummed softly
“What do you want?”
“You,” I told him breathlessly between kisses. “Just you.” I released my hold on his shirt and snaked my arms up around his neck, pulling our bodies impossibly closer to one another’s. The way our bodies fit together was so unbelievably right.
“I’m here,” he told me. “I’m here.”
It wasn’t until I realized his lips and tongue were too occupied with my own to allow him to speak that I realized something wasn’t right.
Chapter 9. Playing House
My eyes snapped open, and my hand shot out like a rocket, connecting with a solid wall of muscle. My gaze locked on Jensen. “Jensen?” I sighed, confused. Still slightly hazy from sleep and my meds, my hand clutched his shirt softly before drifting up to move along his rugged jaw.
“I’m here,” he said, just like in my dream. Wait …
“Um,” I said in a strained voice, still trying to separate fantasy from reality. “H—how long have you been here?”
“Not very,” he assured me. “I came to check on you and start lunch before everyone arrived. I heard you mumbling something in your sleep, so I came to see if maybe you needed anything.”
I could feel the blood rush to my cheeks as I remembered my dream. “Oh. Oh!” I cried before narrowing my eyes at him. “You made my bed!”
Jensen laughed. “Yeah. I told you to relax.”
“You know, that’s gonna cost you,” I informed him as I relaxed my head back onto the soft, pillowy arm of the couch.
“Is that so?” he asked. The inflection in his tone indicated he wanted me to continue and tell me exactly what it was going to cost him.
“Yup. It’ll cost you one kickass Star Trek shirt.” It was a long shot, but who could blame me for trying?
“Dream on,” he retorted. “This …” he placed the tip of his forefinger to my sternum directly above my heart, pointing either at me or the shirt—I wasn’t entirely sure “… belongs to me.”
“Okay, come on, let me help you up. Everyone will be here soon. Are you hungry?” he asked, holding his hand out for me to take. I nodded.
Very carefully, he helped me to my feet. “Um, I’m going to go to the bathroom,” I said quietly.
“Sure, you’ll be all right?”
I cocked an eyebrow at him as he released his hold on my hand and waist. “Yes. I think I remember how to pee.”
“Fair enough,” he conceded with a laugh. “I’ll be in the kitchen.”
“Okay.” We turned to go off in separate directions before I stopped and turned back around. “Jensen?”
He faced me with a look of curiosity. “Yes, Madison?”
“Thank you.”
“I told you, you can borrow the shirt—”
I shook my head and cut him off. “No, not for the shirt. For being so nice and taking care of me. Sure, it’s kind of annoying, but I get it. I just wanted you to know I appreciate everything you’re doing—just in case I become a pain in the ass in the next few weeks.”
His lips turned up into a smile. “It’s what friends do.”
“Yeah,” I agreed softly as Jensen continued on to the kitchen. “Friends.”
Closing myself in the bathroom, I took a moment to register Jensen’s use of the word friends. It kind of put the kibosh on my rebound idea, but it was a little comforting to know where we stood with one another.
As soon as I heard Dad, Jeff, and Tom’s loud voices, I ran a brush through my hair and brushed my teeth before heading out to join them. The pain in my left side was starting to return. I could feel it with every step I took. So, I held my left arm tight to my body and entered the kitchen.
“There she is!” Tom exclaimed. “How are ya feelin’, Madison?”
“I’ve had better days,” I replied, making my way to the fridge for something to drink. I was just reaching for the apple juice when I felt a warm hand on mine.
“Hey, go have a seat. I’ll get you whatever you need,” Jensen assured me, his voice too low for anyone else to hear. As our eyes locked, I swore I saw more than mere friendship reflecting back at me—felt it in the way he touched me, even. The look disappeared just as quickly.
“It’s ok. I can grab a glass of juice.” As I grabbed the carton, Jensen retrieved a glass from the cupboard for me.
“Are you in pain?” he asked, once again being sure to use a voice too low for anyone but me to hear.
“It’s not so bad,” I told him, pouring my juice before taking a small sip.
Jensen shook his head and reached for my pills. It had been almost eight hours since my last dose, so it seemed right that I’d be feeling this way already. Jensen dropped the pills in my hand, and I took them before he ushered me to the table and out of his kitchen.
I sat in my chair, sipping my juice as Tom and Dad talked about going fishing the next weekend. They tried to go fishing every weekend, but this summer had been so busy with the ranch’s expansion that they hadn’t had very many opportunities. So, they planned to go now that the new barn was complete. Which meant it would be Jensen and me alone on the ranch. Jeff was going to be spending time with his friends that weekend, and Jillian had no lessons because she was going on a girl’s trip to Vegas. Yup, just the two of us.
Jensen arrived at the table with a plate of freshly cut vegetables, causing my dad to groan and carry on about “rabbit food.” “Relax, Wayne,” he simply said with a chuckle before looking over at me. “I’m making soup and sandwiches, too.”
I reached across the table and grabbed a handful of broccoli and cauliflower to munch on until lunch was ready. I didn’t have much to contribute to the conversation because talking about fish guts and worms wasn’t really my thing. Why did fishing have to be so gross?
In an effort to get the new, disturbing thoughts of torturing worms out of my head, I looked over at Jensen. He stood behind the island, facing me, and was making sandwiches. Every once in a while, he’d look up and smile at me, which made my tummy do a little cartwheel and a back flip. I no longer tried to pretend I wasn’t staring at him, because I was fairly certain I didn’t want to hide my feelings from him anymore. Hide it from my father? Most definitely. From Jensen? Nah, I didn’t think so—not that I was particularly good at lying to him, anyway.
A few more minutes passed before Jensen returned with a couple of bowls that he started placing in front of each of us. He sat next to me at the table, our knees forced to rest against one another due to the fact that my small, circular table wasn’t meant for five people. Not that I was complaining. Every time he touched me—even in the most innocent of ways—I felt a spark of desire between us that I couldn’t ignore any more.
I finished my vegetables before I started eating the soup and sandwiches.
“So, Tom,” I said, breaking the silence. “Do you have someone to help you out with training? I know Jill would in her down time.”
“Actually, Jensen’s going to help me out while you’re out of commission,” Tom said, shocking me completely.
My head snapped toward Jensen as he made his way back to the table with Dad’s the sandwiches. “You are?”
Jensen sat in his seat, his knee rubbing mine again and making my stomach flip-flop all over like a fish out of water. “Yeah. Tom, your dad, and I were talking about it, and I offered to help out.” I was just about to thank him again—he truly was going above and beyond for me—but he spoke again in a teasing tone. “Plus, those horses won’t get worked if you can’t manage to stay on.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, really wanting to tell him my falling off the first two times was his fault, but I knew that would just go to his already swollen ego. Seriously, though, if he hadn’t come onto my ranch and distracted me, none of this would have happened.
Then, as if his teasing words weren’t enough, he winked. The asshole winked at me, his head turned just enough that no one else would see it but me.
Oh, it’s on, like Donkey Kong …
I remained silent for a moment, dropping my eyes to my lunch as I waited for everyone around the table to start talking again. Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to get him back for his little smart-ass comment, I dropped my sandwich on my plate and leaned in to Jensen. Moving to cross my legs beneath the table, I was sure to run my foot up the length of his shin and watch as his eyes widened.
“You must think you’re soooooo funny, don’t cha, Davis? That’s fine. Laugh it up. Your Mr. Perfect exterior will slip away soon enough, and you better believe I’ll pounce when the opportunity is ripe,” I threatened in a low tone. I watched triumphantly as he blinked rapidly before looking around the table to see if anyone else saw our little exchange.
“This …” I pointed at my chest in exactly the same place he had earlier “… will most definitely be mine.”
“You’re evil, Madison Landry,” he told me in a low, gravelly voice before shaking his head with a laugh. Feeling content in my success, I turned back to my meal and giggled as he stood to take his plate to the sink. After finishing my own lunch, I got up to take my dishes over to him, as well.
“Hey,” I said quietly. “Before you go back to work, can you grab me my bread maker from the top shelf of the pantry, please?” I knew him doing me any favors was probably a long shot after my little stunt at the table, but I could at least try.
Apparently there were no hard feelings—quite potentially other hard things, but not feelings. “Madison, you need to relax. Doctor’s orders, remember?”
“I know. But this is just measuring and button pressing. No heavy lifting. I promise. I’m not the type of woman who spends hours making dough by hand.” Pausing, I shrugged. “I just want to make you dinner. You know, to say thanks.”
Jensen took one look toward the table, my eyes following only to see the guys were still caught up in their conversation. He took my hand before pulling me from the room, hiding us from view around the corner. “You said thanks. Right before lunch. The only thing I want from you is to get better.”
“The only thing?” I questioned, allowing my face to fall and see that our hands were still connected, his thumb stroking just below my outer wrist. “We’re … friends?” My breath shuddered, and I looked back into his darkened eyes, licking my lips and taking a step forward.
Jensen’s chest rose and fell with heavy breaths, and his gaze intensified as he met my stride with one of his own. His free hand came up to brush my hair from in front of my right eye before his palm rested on my che
ek, coaxing it up to his. The world stopped moving around us as he dropped his face to meet mine, our lips only inches apart and our eyes focused on nothing but each other.
“Madison, I—”
I started to nod because I wanted this—needed it—more than the air I was struggling to take in right now, but we were very rudely interrupted.
“Madi?” Dad called out, his footsteps indicating he was just around the corner. Jensen and I quickly parted before my dad rounded the corner to find us standing there. “What’s going on?”
I felt my cheeks warm, and I hoped I wasn’t blushing too noticeably. “Um, nothing, Daddy. Jensen and I were just … You see, I …” I was no good at lying, and improv was most definitely not my thing.
“I was asking about Ransom. Tom and I are going to be working with him first, and I just wanted to know what to expect.” His voice was smooth and soft like satin; there was no way Dad wouldn’t believe him.
Dad’s right eyebrow rose skeptically as his eyes moved back and forth between Jensen and me. Oh, he knows.
I held my breath and waited for him to call our bluff. Yes, I was a grown woman, but that didn’t make it any easier for him. Especially not after what Dane had done.
“Madison?”
I smiled wide and tried to give him those innocent doe-eyes I was told countless times could get me out of hot water. “Yes, Daddy?”
After glancing once more at Jensen, he shook his head and smiled. “Just wanted to say have a good afternoon. I have to get back out there because the inspectors are coming by to check out the barn.”
“Oh, okay. Sounds good. I’ll see you later.” I kissed my dad on the cheek, choosing not to look at Jensen until Dad was long gone. It was probably safest that way.
“I should go clean up lunch. We’ll talk later? Over dinner?” Jensen asked quietly.
Turning to him, I nodded and offered him an apologetic smile. “Yeah. I’m going to go soak in the tub. You’ll tell Tom and Jeff I said goodbye?” I asked. He gave a curt nod and disappeared into the kitchen.