by C. Lymari
“Are you on the pill?” he murmured against my lips.
If it were any other guy, I would make him wear a condom, but I was as selfish as Jake. I wanted nothing between us, not anymore. My age, Abigail, my husband…they’d all stood in our way before, and right now I just needed to feel him.
“Yes.”
“You trust me?” His gaze bored into mine, searching for an ounce of hesitation, and I knew that if he found it, he would stop. But there was none on my part.
“Jake,” I pleaded, and that was answer enough for him.
Jake filled me with one thrust, and my head thrashed back, his name leaving my lips in a tortured moan. I felt filled like I never had before, every thrust opening me up for more of him, more of this.
“Fuck, baby, you feel so fucking good,” He grunted as he fucked me harder.
My nails were clawing at his back, asking for more.
“Jake.” I moaned his name over and over again as he ravished me.
I couldn’t do anything other than let him have his fill of me. His kisses, the sway of his hips, were building me up again slower, but more intense.
“I’m so close, baby,” I panted.
I looked into his eyes, and his eyes blazed with the endearment. He grabbed my hips and started fucking me so hard the creaking of the bed matched my moans.
“Oh, fuck, Jake!”
The orgasm overcame me; it felt like a mantle of vibrating tension all over my body. My pussy gripped Jake’s dick with the convulsions taking him over the edge.
“Juliet,” Jake growled as he pumped his cum inside me. He collapsed on top of me, both of our breathing jagged, our hearts frenzied and beating to the same beat.
“Are you okay, babe? Did I hurt you?” He moved to the side, his hand coming to my cheek.
I shook my head, not able to formulate a coherent thought. “That was… wow.”
“Yeah,” he agreed, his eyes softening, and I wanted to remember the way he was looking at me right now. Like I was everything.
Ask me how many times I’d woken up in Chad’s arms naked. The answer was none. My marriage was nothing but a piece of paper. My home was a cage, and I was a commodity. And here in this tiny apartment with furniture that didn’t match, in the tight embrace of a man, I felt free. I felt liberated like I never had in my whole life.
“You feeling better, babe?”
That voice I could get used to. It was raspy from just having woken up. I knew it could easily become a habit to wake up in Jake’s arms, and that scared me.
When I turned up to look at him, memories from last night came, and I blushed. “Yeah.”
Instead of smirking like I thought he would, he stared at me, his tongue peeking out to lick his lower lip.
“You look beautiful like this,” he said.
I thought he meant me in his arms naked from the sex we had last night—lots of sex. But then his mouth came to my nose and roamed over my cheeks down to my neck.
“I don’t know why you cover them up.”
He meant my freckles. Unlike my brother Max, my face was covered in them, thanks to my genes. I hated that Chad was invading my moments with Jake, but I couldn’t help it. Jake slayed me with the sincerity in his voice. He didn’t think my freckles made me look ugly or dirty—he really liked them.
“Jake.”
I said his name because I didn’t know what else to say. He did things to me that he didn’t even know he did, but they meant more than my two-carat engagement ring ever did.
“Do not ‘Jake’ him anymore. You two know we have thin walls, right? Seriously for a second, I thought Jake was fucking me!”
I brought my hands to my face, covering the shame as if Jess could see, while Jake started to choke on his saliva.
“That’s so wrong.” He shook his head.
“No, what’s wrong is you two not thinking of me in your fuck fest.”
“Oh, my God, I forgot about sharing a wall with Jess.” I sat up, my duvet wrapped around me. I was whispering so only Jake could hear.
“I didn’t know you shared a wall. You think Rosie heard?”
“No, she slept with my mom.”
Jake was getting dressed, glaring at the wall. It was funny, and when I laughed, he glared at me too.
“Would you like to join us for breakfast, Jess?” he asked.
“Last night was more than enough.”
I started to smile when I realized Jess was teasing Jake. She rarely did that to people, but having her dad gone for the night was good for her, and I hoped with my whole heart it stayed that way.
“We’re spending the day with my mom. Thanks, though.”
“Sounds good. Come see me later. I miss you,” I answered as Jake shook his head and headed for my bathroom.
“Surrrre, you do. It wasn’t my name you were shouting last night.”
I got dressed and banged on the wall. I threw on jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. I heard the door to the bathroom open, but Jake didn’t immediately come back.
“Babe, you’ve got nothing to eat.”
“We were supposed to go grocery shopping yesterday.”
Jake’s good mood seemed to dampen with the reminder of what happened yesterday. Instead, he told me to put my coat on.
When he said we were going out for breakfast, I thought we were going to Emma’s. I was looking forward to it; I could have used some greasy food. Jake parking in front of his store wasn’t my idea of breakfast. When he said he’d be right back, I relaxed again, and then he came back holding a box with clear Christmas ornaments.
“Tree decorating is next week. I grabbed these before we sold out.”
Sunny Pines always put a huge Christmas tree by the kiosk, and the whole town participated in decorating it; then at night they lit it up along with all the shops around Main Street. My family usually bought expensive décor, but everyone else designed their own. It looked like so much fun. We used to do it in grade school, and it was one of my favorite times of year.
Until we got to high school and my mom would buy our ornaments. You know we have to have the best, even on Christmas.
33
Jake
“We’re having breakfast with Jana?” Juliet turned from the Haywards’ house to me.
My ideal morning would have been staying in bed and fucking Juliet a couple more times to take the edge off and then make her breakfast. Sadly, that didn’t happen. For one, Jess had to kill the mood. Two, Juliet had no food in her fridge. And three, I had forgotten we were supposed to get together today to decorate. Another one of Freya’s bonding experiences. Honestly, I think she was trying to make up for lost time, but it made Rusty and Max happy, so here we were.
“Yeah, and decorating.”
“I could have stayed home, you know. I wouldn’t have been mad or anything. You don’t have to bring me along just because we’re—you know,” she mumbled.
“No, I don’t know. Why you don’t enlighten me?”
Juliet huffed and rolled her eyes at me. “Just because we’re dating or whatever we’re doing.”
Not going to lie, her blasé attitude kind of pissed me off and turned me on at the same time.
“Babe…”
I waited until she met my eyes. I loved her face clear like this. I could kiss every freckle until I committed them to memory.
“We’re past dating. You’re my woman. That means you’re mine, Juliet.”
She bit her lip to stop her pleased smile.
I grabbed the box with one hand, and with the other, I took Juliet’s. Everyone was there already, except for Freya and Max.
“You guys made it,” Emma greeted us.
Juliet waved shyly and pressed herself against me.
“You’re right on time, and food’s all done. How are you, honey?” She hugged Juliet.
“I’m fine.”
“I would be too if Jake spent the night with me,” Emma mumbled.
Dex, who was now behind her, heard too.
“Oh really?” Dex growled, causing Emma to jump and shriek. And that caused Faye, who was sleeping on the sofa, to cry.
“Are you okay?” a concerned Juliet turned to ask Emma.
She seemed to relax now that she noticed her brother and Freya weren’t here. Dex arched a brow at Emma, and she glared at him.
“May I hold her?” Juliet looked at Jana for permission.
“Of course,” she replied, and Emma handed the baby to her.
I stood there staring at her, and I should have been scared, but fuck me, I must have lost my damn mind. I liked looking at her holding that baby for a second. I wondered what it would be like if she were mine in every way. The thought didn’t scare me at all.
“After you got married I kept an ear out to see if you had kids,” Jana said.
And just like that, the fantasy got taken away. It was hard to remember that Juliet had been married, and I knew it was irrational, but I got jealous of her ex-husband. Got jealous he got to experience many firsts with her. We hadn’t talked much about why her marriage ended, but I was going to change that. I knew I couldn’t give her the type of life she was used to, but I could take care of her.
“It wasn’t for us,” she replied.
“You don’t want kids?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” she said.
I knew I wasn’t the only one who wanted to prod, but now wasn’t the time. For someone who wasn’t sure if they wanted kids, she was good with them. The baby was in her arms when Freya walked in.
“Your favorite person has arrived,” Freya announced.
I craned my neck so I could watch Freya throw her coat and purse on the couch.
“Aw, she’s going delusional,” Rusty joked as he helped Jana set out plates.
That was when we all moved into the kitchen. I helped Juliet with her chair, then I sat down.
“Aw, you be nice to me or you’ll end up sleeping at the auto shop,” Freya yelled back. “Bear!”
Juliet kept cooing at the baby, pretending like she wasn’t hesitant toward Freya.
“Freya,” I greeted her, but I didn’t get up to hug her like I usually would.
Freya was my friend, but Juliet was important to me, and I wanted my friends to treat her with respect.
Freya gave me an understanding nod before turning to Juliet. “Juliet.”
“Freya.” Juliet raised her stare to meet Freya, both of them acknowledging each other with an icy tone.
The table seemed to quiet down, but no one dared say anything.
“Where’s Max?” Rusty, asked, oblivious to the stare-off that was happening moments before.
Freya seemed to look uncomfortable answering. “He had to go into the office.”
“On Sunday morning?”
“You know Prescott always says he’s going to do something, and he never does it.”
It was fast and barely there, but I saw the moment Juliet’s lips wobbled. I wished I could fix all her problems for her. I realized that was what I had been doing all along without realizing it. First, her paint problem—I could have just shown her the way, but I wanted to be the one to help her. It had happened every time she came in the store. I’d been doing more than what I would have done for most customers. Since the beginning, I was trying to help her, but she was Juliet Dunnett, and I doubted there was much she couldn’t get on her own. I still didn’t know what exactly was going on with her family, but it was hurting her.
“I’m fucking starving. Juliet didn’t have shit in her fridge,” I told them as a way to break off the tension.
“Oh, no. Did that get stolen?” Emma whispered from across the table.
Juliet’s face went beet red, and she cast me a look that told me there was going to be hell to pay later. I was looking forward to it. Juliet pissed got my dick hard.
“Who got what stolen?” Freya turned her attention to Juliet and me.
Juliet shifted in her seat, playing with Faye’s hair. “Someone broke into my apartment yesterday.”
Freya bit her lip, her brown eyes becoming unguarded. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
“I’m glad.”
“Thank you.”
My eyes, as well as everyone else’s, ping-ponged between both women.
“That’s what sucks when a town grows: so does crime. I don’t remember the last time we had a robbery,” Freya added sadly.
“That’s easy. When you stole Mr. Riordan’s cows and put them in the school,” Emma replied between bites of waffles.
“Dude! Your boyfriend is a cop. He can’t be trusted!” Freya threw a strawberry at Emma across from the table.
Emma ducked in time.
“He’s your brother, stupid.” Rusty smacked Freya’s head.
“I only speak to the part of him that’s my brother. We don’t acknowledge his blue side.”
Dex, who was seated next to Juliet, shook his head. “For the millionth time, it doesn’t work that way.”
“Whatever.” Freya rolled her eyes.
Between everyone’s else chatter and baby Faye’s laughter, we ate and started to work on the decorations for the tree. The table had been cleared of food and instead was filled with glitter, beads, glue, glue guns, strings, twine, and paint—basically, everything you needed to make this shit.
“Babe, what is that?” I leaned into Juliet, looking at the blobs around her sphere.
“They’re poinsettia flowers,” she answered, baffled I even had to ask.
A booming laugh erupted from me, and I was glad that after all these years some things hadn’t changed. Juliet’s eyes were narrowed at me, her bitch face on, and I swear I even liked that look.
I did what I wished I could have done years ago in art class.
Wrapping my arm around her, I gave her a chaste kiss. “Still can’t draw for shit, babe.”
“You’re just jealous.” She’d said the same thing many years ago, and I gave her a small grin.
“Nah, I got what I wanted. There’s nothing to be jealous of.” I gave her another kiss, the kind that started slow and made you want to get naked fast.
“Um, guys…” Freya snapped her fingers at us. “It’s not fair to flaunt your sexual tension in our face.”
“Sorry,” Juliet whispered.
“I was kidding. On the bright side, I don’t have to keep making friends at the gas station with every woman that comes into town.”
“Why would you do that?” Dex asked.
“Trust me, you don’t want to know,” Emma whispered.
“I was trying to get Bear a girlfriend, but he did that all on his own.”
“Oh my God!” Emma shouted.
The glitter she’d been holding had fallen on the floor along with her decorations. On the table in front of her was a clear round ball containing a message written in black Sharpie: Will you move in with me?
34
Juliet
No one said a word. Even our breathing seemed to have stopped working. Dexter had just asked Emma to move in with him.
“Was planning to do this at the tree lighting, but I couldn’t wait another day, Ems. You took my breath away the first time I saw you, and you were a ray of sunshine in this dull town.”
“That’s because I wasn’t back yet.” Freya’s voice wasn’t as low as she thought.
“Sunshine, you spend most nights at my place anyway. Your mom said she’d happily kick you out. That way you’ll have no place to go.”
“Say yes already!” Freya shrieked with excitement.
Emma was speechless, staring at the ornament like it was the most precious thing she had ever beheld. Dex dropped to one knee next to her and started to whisper in her ear. Emma, with tears in her eyes, nodded yes.
Later, after toasting on “Dex’s win,” as everyone was calling it, Jake was out in the garage with Russell. Emma and Dex had gone home to “celebrate,” which we all knew was code for them getting it on.
It depressed me a bit that I didn’
t get it on after my engagement, but then I remembered I got it more than good last night and I was fine again. The moment Jana got up to put baby Faye into her crib, I started to panic a little.
Freya and I were left alone in the house of my ex-best friend, who was now practically her sister-in-law. Power shift was a funny thing—hell, at this point it was karma.
Well, here goes nothing.
“I’m sorry for not telling Max about what my father did sooner.”
Freya raised her eyebrows, looking me up and down. “Well, that’s behind us now. Anyway, your father can be a real dick.”
I didn’t say anything because she was right, and it didn’t matter if my parents thought that now they had accepted Freya, she should be grateful. The echo of my dad’s hatred would remain.
“He didn’t come because of me.” I addressed the elephant in the room.
It wasn’t a question when I knew the answer. My brother didn’t go into work on a Sunday, not when he could spend it with Freya and their friends. Jake’s friends were a tight group and as soon as we stepped foot together they would have told Max and Freya. Not only did I ruin his life, but I was also ruining his outings, and that made me angry.
“Can you blame him?” Freya answered, her haughty voice expressing justification.
“Yes, I can. I was a child back then, and he could have gotten his act together a long time ago. But you can tell my brother that I won’t cross his path ever again.”
Freya’s face paled, her brown eyes filled with concern.
“Juliet, just give him time, okay?” She then reached out and touched my hand. “Give me time too. You’ve changed. You’re not as bitchy as I remember, so I think we’ll get along. I love your boots, by the way. Tried getting them last year, but they sold out so fast.”
I gave her a tiny smile. It was my hope that after our past and all our sins, we could find a happy balance.
“Ready to go home, babe?” Jake called for me.