The Truest Thing: Hart's Boardwalk #4

by Samantha Young

  I nuzzled against him, inhaling the masculine scent that was all Jack.

  While my lips journeyed down his chest, his hands stroked me—caressing my back, my breasts, my sides, my stomach, and coasting down to cup my buttocks. “God, your ass.” He squeezed it hard.

  I lifted my head from his nipple. “You seem to have a thing about my ass.”

  Jack grinned wickedly. “You have no idea.”

  Laughing a little giddily, I returned my attention to his nipple and sucked it between my teeth. His cock jerked against my stomach. Feeling his patience strain as my mouth continued its downward path, tasting every inch of his sculpted stomach, I was a little smug. I liked being in control.

  I pulled back to unbutton his pants and shuffled off the bed to yank them down. I stood, taking a moment to drink him in, now only in his boxer briefs. His impressive erection made me a little nervous; his strong, lean, hard body made me shudder with need. “You’re beautiful, Jack.”

  “No one has ever called me that.” Humor tremored in his words. “But I’ll take it, Em.”

  Then Jack hooked his fingers into his boxer briefs and pushed them down, his erection springing out. I studied it a moment. Thankfully, it wasn’t overly long, probably just a little above average. Longer than Tripp. And thick. Much thicker. Worryingly girthy. It had been a long time for me, and I was a little concerned about the fit.

  “You keep staring at it like that, I’m going to lose my mind,” Jack teased.

  The best thing for the unknown was familiarity.

  Decision made, afraid if I didn’t move now I’d lose my nerve, I crawled back onto the bed. Over his body, I came to a stop at his erection.

  Without a word, I lowered my head and took him into my mouth.

  His groan echoed around the room.

  I wrapped my hand around the base of him and fisted it while I sucked. I found my rhythm quickly, growing more and more turned on as Jack’s pleasure intensified. I hadn’t done this in a while, and it was different this time around. It had never turned me on before, made me slick between my legs, but watching how much Jack appeared to relish my mouth on him made me hotter than I could have imagined. His chest heaved and his thighs were taut as his hips pumped upward, thrusting in and out of my mouth and fist.

  “Emery,” he gasped, and I squeezed my thighs together, desperate for my own relief. “Stop … Em … stop.”

  But I couldn’t. I wanted him to lose control completely. I wanted to watch that.

  Suddenly I was hauled up his body until I straddled him.

  “I need inside you.” He dipped his fingers beneath my panties. His eyes flashed. “And you’re so fucking ready, sunrise. You’re beyond ready.”

  I pressed down on his fingers as they slid easily inside my slick heat. “I liked doing that to you, Jack.”

  He looked pained. “I can tell. Fuck, I can tell. God, I can’t believe you’re real.” He kissed me hard as he increased the strokes of his fingers inside of me, pushing me toward climax.

  I dislodged his fingers and pushed my panties down, leaning on my side so I could slip them down my legs. Once they were gone, I straddled him again and wrapped my hands around him, bringing him to my center. Mindless with want, with need, with desire, I didn’t think about anything else but feeling him inside me. I pushed down on him and pleasure-pain caused a ripple of shivers all over my body.

  “Uh, fuck!” He grabbed my hips, his fingers biting into my skin, and my eyes flew open at his touch. “You’re so tight, Em. You feel so fucking good.” He muttered endearments and desires and expletives as I took a minute to adjust to his thickness inside me.

  Our gazes held as I slowly began to ride him.

  There was nothing else in the world but Jack’s eyes gazing into mine, the feel of his heated skin beneath my touch, his hands gripping my hips, guiding me up and down him, the sounds of my pants, his groans, the smell of sex in the air …

  The tension coiled tighter and tighter inside me, and I didn’t think of anything beyond chasing ecstasy. My rhythm changed and I slammed down harder.

  “Em,” Jack grunted, his grip almost bruising. “Emery!”

  “I know, I know, I know,” I panted as I clung to his hips for balance.

  Then I let out a surprised squeak as I found myself flipped onto my back. Jack pinned my hands at either side of my head.

  “My turn.”

  He released one of his hands to dip it between my legs. His thumb pressing down on my clit while he was still thick inside me felt amazing. I moaned, throwing my head back on the pillow.

  “Fuck, look at you. You kill me.” He held still, not moving.

  “Jack, please,” I begged mindlessly.

  My plea was swallowed in his deep, passionate kiss, and I reached up with my free hand to curl my fingers in his hair, kissing him back like I needed his kiss to breathe. His thumb continued to circle my clit, and I gasped into his mouth. Jack took over the kiss while I sighed and panted and murmured his name, my hips pushing into his touch.

  My thighs trembled.

  My stomach tightened.

  I was close.

  So close.

  Jack’s thumb slicked over me and took me right over the edge.

  As my body succumbed to the powerful orgasm, Jack took my free hand and pinned it again. I cried out as he slammed inside me, my inner muscles clamping around him as he thrust deep.

  “Emery.” His eyes flashed with something I couldn’t even contemplate in that moment.

  He pumped harder, his fingers lacing with mine and holding me down so I was completely at his mercy. To my amazement, the pressure grew inside me again.

  I moved my hips against his thrusts, and this seemed to lead to his complete loss of control.

  He released my hands and got onto his knees, gripping my thighs, opening them wider. And then he pounded into me. I could feel him kissing my womb.

  “Take me, Em.” His words were guttural, rough, husky, sexy. “I’m yours. All of me is yours.”

  My heart lurched at his words while my body built toward a new release. Watching Jack pump his hips against me was the hottest thing I’d ever seen. When his hips stuttered, the muscles in his neck corded and his teeth gritted. I came seconds before he did.

  “Em, sunrise, darlin’ girl.” His chest heaved and he released his bruising grip on my thighs to collapse over me. His body melted against mine as he tucked his face into the crook of my neck. He ground his lower body into me like he didn’t want his climax to end.

  Our chests moved against each other’s as we tried to catch our breath, and Jack’s warm hand coasted down my left side and then curled around the back of my thigh. He gently pulled on it and then the other until I wrapped my legs around his back.

  Sated, replete, moved, and overwhelmed, I closed my eyes, breathing him in, feeling him breathe against me.

  The utter satisfaction, peace, and contentment lulled me to sleep.

  22

  Jack

  As Jack got dressed, his eyes never left Emery’s sleeping form.

  The sheets tangled around her, revealing one long, gorgeous leg and the rise of her breasts. She barely made a sound as she slept, a hand resting near her cheek, her glorious hair spilling across the pillow.

  He loved her so much, it was almost painful to look at her like this. Jack wanted to crawl back into bed and make love to her until neither of them could move.

  However, guilt rode him to hell as he buttoned up his shirt with quick efficiency.

  Last night he had been a selfish bastard. Desperate to have her, to feel her beneath him, to know she was safe and he could be with her through the night, he’d taken advantage of Em.

  She’d made it clear until yesterday that she did not want a relationship with him.

  A woman didn’t change her mind that quickly.

  Jack expected to spend weeks, if not months, convincing Em to give him another shot.

  And he’d pounced when she was at her most
vulnerable. When she was shaken by the incident with his father. He knew her defenses were low, and he’d jumped on the chance to be with her.

  Fuck, it was such an opportunistic thing to do. He tried so hard to be better than his father … but he’d dragged Jack down in the mud with him. He feared maybe a little too much of Ian had rubbed off on him.

  Feeling sick with the guilt, Jack drank in the sight of Em. He needed to give her space. He needed her to know he wasn’t a total bastard.

  But he was a total bastard because the primal urge to get back into that bed with her was so strong, he actually took a few steps toward her. Cursing inwardly, Jack caught himself and strode quietly out of her bedroom. He’d wait for her downstairs because staying in here with her was too much temptation.

  Images from last night flashed through his mind, making him groan.

  Every time he closed his eyes, he could see her. Mouth around him. Getting off on sucking him. Riding him. Getting off on riding him. Her hair brushing his chest, her breasts bouncing with her undulations. He could see her beneath him, her face flushed, her mouth parted to allow the moans to escape as he thrust into her.

  Fuck, he was getting hard again.

  Striding into the living room, Jack sat on the sectional.

  He’d wait for Emery to wake up and he’d apologize, and he’d promise to never take advantage of her again. That he would wait. He wanted her to know her own mind. To know that she was ready to trust him. It wouldn’t last between them otherwise, and Jack wanted forever with this woman.

  A half hour passed. Jack made coffee and fiddled around with a stupid puzzle game app on his phone, waiting for Emery to wake up. At around 5:45 a.m., his phone rang in his hand, and Rebecca’s name appeared across the screen. He answered quickly because (a) it was early for Becs to be calling, and (b) he didn’t want to wake Em before she was ready.

  “Becs?”

  “Jack.” His sister let out a shaky exhale. “Jack, I’ve been with Mom and Jamie all night. Mom’s not good. She’s … she’s a mess over what happened to me and she’s freaking out about being fodder for the town gossips. She’s locked herself in the bathroom and I’m terrified she’s going to do something stupid.”

  Jesus Christ.

  Jack pushed off Em’s couch. Rosalie Devlin had always dealt with life with a quiet dissociation. She bottled up everything. Jack had attempted to talk to her about his father and brothers, but Rosalie clammed up. He’d known that one day, all those bottled-up feelings would need a release.

  “I’m on my way.” Jack hung up and glared at the staircase.

  He didn’t want to leave Em like this. He didn’t want her to think he’d abandoned her. But his family needed him right now.

  Jack searched for a notepad and pen. He eventually found one in the sideboard but he saw her Glock in there too. The memory of her facing his father, expertly clutching the Glock, hit him. Em had shot a hole through Ian’s hand with startling accuracy. The knowledge that she used to shoot competitively made Jack’s lips twitch. It shaved at his terror when he remembered the sight of Ian training his gun on her.

  Em really was full of surprises.

  He sighed as he leaned on the sideboard to write her a note.

  Em, I wanted to stay but stuff with my family has come up that I need to take care of. I’ll explain later. Just know I’m really sorry. I feel like I took advantage of you last night. I’m a selfish bastard.

  I’ll give you some space—

  Jack’s phone beeped midsentence. It was a text from his sister.

  Hurry, Jack!

  Goddammit.

  He scribbled his name at the bottom of the note that didn’t say all he wanted to say and left it on her island where she’d definitely see it. Regret, guilt, and worry pursued him as he hurried out and got into his car to race to the Devlin mansion.

  23

  Emery

  Seven weeks later

  My pulse raced as I lowered myself into the seat across from Jessica in her office.

  Word was out that Jess was pregnant. Her bump was now too significant to hide. Her morning sickness had lasted longer than average, and she’d assumed she would struggle with it for her entire pregnancy. But miraculously, it stopped about a week ago. Unfortunately, she wasn’t sleeping well, finding it difficult to get comfortable at night.

  Despite her exhaustion, I’d never seen her happier.

  And knowing what she was about to tell me, I wished I could say the same.

  Jess took my hands in hers, leaning into me, concern creasing her brow. “You’re pregnant, Emery.”

  I wanted to be brave.

  I wanted to be cool, calm, and collected.

  And maybe I would have been if it hadn’t been Jess in the room. The one person I trusted.

  I burst into tears and caught a brief flash of tears in Jess’s before she enveloped me in her embrace.

  “Oh, it’s okay, sweetie, it’s okay,” she soothed, rocking me.

  However, it wasn’t okay. I’d always imagined that the day I found out I was pregnant, it would be the happiest day of my life. That I’d be sharing the moment with the man I loved.

  Instead, I’d gotten knocked up by Jack Devlin.

  And I kind of hated him.

  I sobbed harder.

  Jessica tightened her hold on me. “Oh, Em, sweetie.” She choked up. “Talk to me. You have me so worried.”

  After a moment or two, I pulled myself together and out of Jess’s hug. She reached for a box of tissues on her desk and handed them to me.

  Five weeks ago, I’d missed my period. I was ashamed to admit that in the aftermath of sleeping with Jack and finding he’d abandoned me, again, I’d also completely forgotten that we hadn’t used protection. Jack probably assumed I was on the Pill, but as a longtime single woman with no menstrual or hormonal issues, I’d never had to be on it. Still, we should have used a condom.

  Because Jack wasn’t exactly a monk.

  This realization only hit me when I missed my period.

  I’d had hope that it was stress. That had happened to me in the past, my period delayed because of stressful events in my life. I didn’t purchase a pregnancy test. I was in complete denial.

  Until the morning sickness.

  I’d gone to Jess as my doctor but also because she was my best friend.

  “What about the other thing?” I waved my hand at her computer screen. I’d asked Jess to give me a pregnancy test and a sexual health check.

  “We’ll know soon enough about those tests,” she assured me. “Now, talk to me before I assume terrible things.”

  Remembering her past with her sister, I hurried to assure her. “Oh, Jess, no. It was consensual.”

  She exhaled. “Okay. Excellent. Big relief.” Tears shimmered in her eyes and her lips trembled. “I’m sorry, sweetie, I don’t mean to get emotional.”

  I laughed through my own tears. “Oh, I understand.”

  Jess gave me a sad, watery smile. “We’re pregnant together.”

  A flicker of excitement cut through my fear and disappointment that this was happening so differently from how I’d imagined. I was going to be a mom. I had someone coming into my life that I could give all my love to. This little person. And I was determined to do a hell of a lot better than my parents did with me.

  It didn’t change the fact that the circumstances were less than ideal. “Yeah.” And then I blurted, “I slept with Jack.”

  She didn’t look surprised by this. “Emery.”

  “He left me,” I sobbed before I could stop it, curling into myself.

  He broke my heart.

  Again.

  My best friend hugged me fiercely. For the first time since I’d woken to find that stupid, goddamn note from Jack, I let out everything I was feeling.

  I hadn’t cried, even though waking to find myself alone in my bed was one of the worst feelings in the world.

  I hadn’t cried at all the last seven weeks.

 
I’d bottled up all my pain and humiliation and rejection and fear that I would never be loved by the people I loved.

  Now it was flooding out of me and soaking Jess’s shoulder.

  Jack leaving me like that, deciding he’d taken advantage without even asking me how I felt, was just a reminder of all the times he’d done that. He didn’t treat me as an equal. He decided for us. Time and again. And I’d been stupid enough to believe things would change now that Ian was out of the picture.

  Still, that little kernel of hope lived inside me that Jack would realize what a self-righteous asshole he was being, hope that was smashed to smithereens when the town gossip wave rolled over me.

  Everyone was talking about the murder. About Rebecca Devlin’s rape and the charges she faced for aiding and abetting Stu in accidental homicide. About Ian and Kerr Devlin being charged by the feds for racketeering and more, and that Jack was the one who handed them over to the police.

  And about how Rosalie Devlin was so devastated, Jack had packed up his mother, sister, and brother Jamie and moved them out of town. Word on the street was that Rosalie’s older brother lived in Wilmington and had invited them to stay until they could get set up on their own.

  Jack had left Hartwell.

  He’d left me.

  Without a word.

  Without a goodbye.

  I’d thought he’d left for good, no looking back. I was under that impression for the first four weeks.

  My friends noticed my despondency. No one pushed me about it.

  But one night when I’d joined them at Cooper’s trying to get my mind off it, Cooper had caught me coming out of the ladies’ restroom. I’d sensed him watching me cautiously all night. I knew why when he told me he’d been in touch with Jack. That Jack hadn’t left Hartwell permanently. He was just making sure his family was situated before he returned.

  I thought that would make me feel better.