“No. It … it really won’t,” he breathed. His disclosure provided me with infinite joy, and I closed my mouth back over him before he could dislodge us from our current position.
“Kathleen,” he panted.
I raised an arm and determinedly placed my palm against his chest, pushing him back against the cushions of the sofa. I pulled back again to add, “I want this more than anything else. Relax. Enjoy.”
Jack offered no objection. Underneath me, he began to cooperate with my movements and within several heated moments, he was lost in desire. His hips moved in perfect synch with my own body. As his orgasm drew near, my pace became more frenzied. All the while, Jack’s hands in my hair remained loving and delicate.
His increasing sighs, his tightened muscles and his tender hands were magical elements of an erotic chorus. All combined, I was thoroughly satisfied and when his release overtook him, I received it with utter joy. I only withdrew from him when my continued touch became too sensitive for him to endure.
He was still attempting to catch his breath when I rose from his lap, drew him close and whispered my appreciation and assurances in his ear. Once he came back to his senses, I sat back and watched as he clothed his body. Together, we stood up from the sofa and he pulled me into his strong arms.
My eyes closed within his embrace and I clung to him. Nights away from Jack Evans were becoming increasingly painful, but I was anxious for him to return to Heide’s bedside.
“I love you,” he said, pulling me to him even closer.
“I love you so much.” I bit my lip to keep my tears hidden.
He continued to hold me, and I realized he wasn’t going to let me go until I was ready. I was far from ready, but I patted his back to signal the end of our evening together. He withdrew, but took me by the hand and led me inside the suite and back to our bed. Jack pulled back the duvet and looked over his shoulder to meet my gaze.
“Come, lie down.”
I did as requested, and he pulled the covers back over me before turning down the lights and the fire outside. Before he left for the night, Jack sat down on the edge of the bed next to me.
He stroked my face as he said good night. He leaned down and ran his nose along my cheek before moving his lips next to my ear. “Get a hold of me in the morning as soon as you’re awake. I want to shower with you.”
“I will.”
Jack kissed me on the forehead. Then he rose from the mattress and returned to the hospital.
“GOOD MORNING.” My text to Jack was a simple greeting often used with so many it was automatic. For once, however, I understood a deeper meaning behind those two words. After everything I’d watched Jack and Allison go through, it was a relief to wake up knowing that Heide was conscious.
I sent him my message that Sunday morning, and then I prepared an impromptu breakfast as I waited for his response. He did not keep me waiting for long. I was standing at the foot of the bed, still dressed in my nightgown when Jack entered our suite. He made his way right into my arms, almost as though we hadn’t held one another in days.
“Good morning,” he whispered, our foreheads touching.
“How’s Heide? How did things go last night?”
“She’s doing well. She dozes on and off, but she always knows we’re there.”
I caressed Jack’s cheek, noting his tired eyes. “Did you sleep at all?”
“Not much, but Allison and I decided to split the day. I’ll rest here for a couple of hours and then she’ll come back to the hotel for the afternoon. We don’t want Heide left alone for the time being.”
“That makes sense. Is there something I can do to help?”
Jack’s eyes lit up with determination. “You can help me now.”
“How so?”
“First, we’ll help each other from these clothes so I can return your favor from last night. Then we’ll help each other in the shower.”
Jack eagerly tugged at the material of my satin gown while I raised my arms in compliance. Within a heartbeat I was standing naked before Jack and assisting him with his clothes. As I undressed him, I wondered about his uncharacteristic impatience.
It had been a long weekend filled with little sleep, much fear and an onslaught of obstacles to manage. The only moments of peace for Jack had revolved around the few private ones we’d shared since arriving in Portland. Although I was perplexed over his insistence, I wasn’t about to deny the man I loved his much-needed dose of serenity.
We tumbled onto the bed as soon as we were both naked, and Jack brought me to orgasm with his mouth twice before sauntering into the bathroom to turn on the water.
Show off.
During our shower we shared passionate kisses, all the while massaging one another’s tired muscles. Although we’d shared some loving encounters since arriving in Portland, we hadn’t succumbed to our truest urges since the afternoon in my living room more than two weeks before. We couldn’t stand the separation any longer, so we devoured each other.
Jack pressed my back against the shower wall. The cool tile on my skin kept me from overheating as steam drifted all around us. He curled his fingers around mine and pinned my arms above my head. Our wet bodies pressed tightly together, my heavy breasts flattening against his chest and his thighs straining against mine. Jack crashed his mouth into mine, his tongue caressing my own in rapturous frenzy. We remained in this pose, kissing and rubbing against each other until my arms began to tremble underneath Jack’s restraining hold.
He released my arms and I wrapped them around his waist. I wasn’t ready to let him pull away. Our kisses continued, but slowed to a luxurious pace. Jack brought a firm hand up to my neck, and I dropped my fingers to Jack’s strong backside and squeezed. He pulled back with a smile, and I was relieved to see that the more intense edges of his thirst were quenched.
“I’d let you do this to me all day, but you need to rest,” I reminded him.
Jack maintained his hold on me and gave me a final kiss while I shut off the water. I stepped from the shower and grabbed a towel. When he followed, I began to dry him off.
“Are you hungry?” I asked. “I have some oranges.”
“Perfect.”
“I could run downstairs and get you something from Starbucks.”
Jack shook his head. “Later. I need you. I want to make the most of our time.”
I began to wrap Jack’s towel around his waist, but he stopped my efforts with a touch of his hand. Instead, he pulled the linen away from his body and dropped it to the floor. He then reached for another clean towel and wiped away the beads of water from my own skin.
“No clothes for now,” he requested as he completed the task at hand.
“So I guess breakfast on the terrace is out of the question,” I teased.
“For today.”
After he dropped the second towel to the floor, I left the bathroom to retrieve a small bowl of orange slices from the mini fridge. When I turned back to the bed, Jack had stretched out across the mattress, and I paused to admire his form.
Jack was an attractive man but there was something particularly sexy about him in that moment. Perhaps it was the contrast of his olive complexion against the bright white of the comforter. With the morning sun streaming into the room, Jack’s unclothed body was striking to me in a whole new way.
He was the man of my fantasies come to life. He was long, lean and firm with just the perfect amount of hair over his chest. Even though he’d been blessed with natural good looks, he took care of himself, and by the subtle definition of his muscles, it appeared as if he always had.
He caught me watching him, and although he smiled, he was the one to drop his gaze first. He was suddenly preoccupied with the bedding, and this unpretentious reaction elevated his sex appeal.
“You really are gorgeous,” I said.
“Are you sure?” he asked with surprising timidity, his eyes still riveted to the sheets.
“What do you mean?”
H
e shrugged and I knelt on the bed next to him. I took an orange slice from the bowl and brought it to his mouth. He allowed me to feed him, establishing eye contact with me in the process.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything, Jack.”
I kissed him and savored the sweetness that lingered on my lips after.
“I’m not exactly young anymore,” he murmured while looking at my shoulder.
Normally Jack was the one offering me assurance. I was unaccustomed to his vulnerabilities and wondered once again what was going on in his mind this morning. It seemed the most logical explanation was the fatigue wearing on his emotions.
“You’re incredible,” I replied. “In every way. The stars have aligned for us. I believe this was meant to be our time and, aside from Heide’s accident, I’ve never been happier.”
“Thank you,” he whispered.
“When do you think we should go back to the hospital?” I asked, opting to spare him from more ogling.
A muscle twitched in Jack’s jawline. It was yet another uncharacteristic reaction, but his face remained otherwise impassive. “We should be there around noon. Allison hasn’t had much rest since this whole thing began. She’s stubborn and digging in her heels. I know better than to talk her out of things when she’s this tired, but I have to convince her to sleep at the hotel tonight. It won’t be easy.”
“Maybe you should remind her of the night Heide was born. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
“I’ll try.” Jack’s short answer made me wonder if I was treading into unwelcome territory. I glanced at the clock as I fed him another orange slice.
“We have a good hour of downtime. I’ll help you figure out a plan for Allison when we leave the room. Until then, let’s just enjoy ourselves.”
Jack grabbed the bowl of fruit and rolled over to place it on his bedside table. I remained on my knees and when he rolled back to me, he closed the distance and kissed my breast.
“We don’t have much time,” he mumbled as he navigated from one side of my chest to the other. “We better get started.”
We arrived at the hospital on time, and I brought my gift for Heide. When we entered her room, Allison was standing at her daughter’s bedside, holding her hand. She looked up and a visibly hostile frown overtook her features.
Jack ignored his ex-wife and spoke to Heide. “Hello, beautiful. Were you able to sleep for a little while?”
“She woke up an hour ago,” Allison retorted without looking in his direction.
“Why don’t you gather up your things?” he suggested in a cool tone without looking away from his daughter. “Get ready to go back to the hotel.”
“Don’t be so anxious to get rid of me,” she huffed.
I remained frozen to the spot where Allison’s glare had landed on me. I was stunned by her change in demeanor from the evening before and confused by Jack’s sudden aloofness upon seeing her. I had expected both of their moods to be lighter now that Heide was awake, but there was no indication of that. Heide’s parents were both exhausted. Their strain rose rapidly to the surface, and they both needed sufficient time to rest.
“What is that?” Allison nodded to the gift bag I held. She sounded testy.
“A present for Heide. I wanted her to have it now that she’s awake.”
Allison rolled her eyes without attempting to disguise her annoyance. “It’s nice you had time to do a little shopping.”
I was speechless and struggled to find an appropriate response, but it was Jack’s reaction that stupefied me.
“Stop.” It was the same word, spoken in the same tone that Jack had used when Robert had become so upset at Widgi Creek. Jack was furious with Allison, but it was the ease in which he expressed this in front of Heide that brought my hackles up.
Allison glared at Jack in silent, seething anger, and he matched her scowl. It bothered me that they were doing so within their daughter’s line of sight.
“Don’t start again,” he warned her in a low voice. His entire body was tense. “We’ve already dealt with this.”
Jack’s statement confirmed everything I suspected. Jack and Allison had argued sometime during the night and things had not yet been resolved between them. I understood enough from my own family dynamics to theorize that their conflict had something to do with me. Until Jack was willing to share the details, anything I did or said would fuel the anger and resentment between them.
The three of us turned at the sound of a light knock on the door behind me and discovered Robert standing in the open doorway.
Allison set Heide’s hand back down on the bed and turned away to collect her personal items.
“Hi, Dad,” I said, mostly to inform Allison who he was. Whether she would remember my father was also Jack’s boss was another matter.
“Allison,” Jack called across the small room. He was struggling to find a calm demeanor. “You remember Robert Brighton? He owns the firm.”
I swallowed as Allison took in a breath before flashing my father a polite smile.
“Yes, of course,” she said. “It’s good to see you again. Jack explained to me all the wonderful things you are doing to support Heide’s recovery. It’s amazing of you. Thank you so much.”
Robert strolled into the room to shake Allison’s hand while Jack joined the duo to form a conversational circle. I stepped aside and approached Heide.
Her eyes were open and her attention was more focused than when I had last seen her. She looked at me and lifted her hand, reaching in my direction. I took her small fingers in mine and grinned down at her.
“Good morning, Heide. It’s good to see you awake.”
She squeezed my fingers in return.
I lifted my gift bag up so she could see it. “I brought you a present. Do you want to see it?”
Although her face was pale, she nodded. I set the bag down on the bed and reached inside. When I pulled out the Minecraft Zombie Plush, I watched as happiness filled her eyes. Heide reached for the stuffed creature, and I placed it in the crook of her arm.
“Did I pick out a good one for you?”
Heide nodded, the smallest hint of a smile trying to break through her physical discomfort.
I reached into the gift bag once more, this time retrieving a replacement pair of Minecraft Creeper socks. I was nervous about this offering, uncertain if they might trigger a bad memory for her. My fears, however, were put to rest. Heide raised a foot from the covers, inviting me to put the new apparel to immediate use.
I moved down the length of the bed and dressed Heide’s feet with the new socks. As I did so, I risked a glance at the small group assembled nearby. Allison was watching me attend to her daughter.
“I’m going to head back downtown and get some rest,” Allison announced. “It’s been a long few days, and I think it’s catching up to me.”
“I’d be happy to give you a lift,” Robert offered. “I’m on my way out of town, so it’s no trouble.”
“That’s kind of you, Mr. Brighton, but I’ve already called a cab. I should probably get downstairs to see if it’s arrived.”
Confusion flashed over Jack’s already strained features, and I wondered if Allison’s declaration about the taxi was true. She detached herself from the small talk with Jack and Robert and finished collecting her things. She then approached Heide’s bedside and commented about her new gifts before kissing her daughter on the cheek.
“Dad and Kathleen are going to sit with you for a while, and I’m going to get something to eat and rest up. But if you need me for anything just have Dad call me, okay?”
Heide nodded.
“You’re doing so well. Pretty soon we’re going to get that tube removed, and you’ll be talking up a storm again.”
Heide offered a thumbs-up to her mother, and all the adults gathered in the room chuckled in relief.
“At least allow me to walk you downstairs,” Robert offered.
“Sure,” Allison agreed. “That would be nice.”
>
Robert angled his body in my direction. “Is there anything you need me to check on when I get back home?”
“Maybe just call Don Taylor and thank him for the meeting. I didn’t get a chance to brief you on it yet, but I’ll put something down in an e-mail.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll explain to Don what’s happened and he can catch me up.” My father turned to Jack. “You always do a good job of keeping me up to speed on your work, so I’ll take it over from here. You just focus on your daughter.”
Jack nodded. “Will do.”
Allison made her way to the doorway and waved to us, but nothing more. I opted to keep quiet while Jack waved back. I wanted to pull him aside and ask about what had happened during the night, but before I could, Jack had returned to Heide, offering his full attention.
Instead, I took a seat nearby. I attempted to corral my mounting concerns and failed miserably.
THE SUMMER drifted by and over the weeks Heide’s condition improved. Each achievement in her recovery was celebrated, but her progress was slow. Two weeks passed before the ventilator was removed, and it took several more for the gaping hole in her neck to seal itself. Her ability to endure simple physical tasks proved to be a consistent challenge. With a significant portion of one lung removed, Heide was easily fatigued and often frustrated.
As a result, tensions between her parents and me continued to rise. It was difficult for Allison to accept me into her intimate circle, and she was dealing with the stress far away from her comfort zone in Maryland. She was often tired, and continued to treat her ex-husband with contempt. One afternoon, after I voiced my concerns to Jack, he was forced to admit what had Allison so upset.
“She was mad because my breaks away from Heide were taking longer than expected.”
“I don’t understand?”
“She confronted me when I returned to the hospital. After our encounter on the terrace.”
“How so?”
“It occurred to her that we were having sex away from the hospital. It pissed her off.”
Constellation Page 25