Jack Part One and Two (The Elite)

by KB Winters

I reached for the back of my neck and took a few paces away. “I—I don’t know. Okay? I guess I fucked that up too. Is that what you want me to say? This isn’t easy for me, Holly. Six months ago, we were moving into this house, you were reading bridal magazines every waking minute, and we were talking about things like school districts for our future kids, where we’d vacation, what kind of food to serve at the wedding reception! I mean, shit! I’ve barely wrapped my mind around the fact that we’re not…you and me…anymore. I got lost, caught up in the past, and kissed you. It was a—”

  “Don’t!”

  I snapped back, surprised by the sheer force of her voice.

  “Don’t say it was a mistake, Jack. Please, whatever you do, don’t say that.” Her voice cracked and tears filled her eyes.

  My heart twisted in my chest so sharply that I reached for the back of the couch to steady myself. “It wasn’t a mistake,” I said softly. “I wanted you, Holly. Hell, I still want you. Do you know how fucking hard it is to come over here every day and see you and not reach out and touch you? Kiss you? Hold you in my arms? I don’t want to be your friend, Holly. It hurts way too damn much. Why do you think I moved to New York after we broke up? I couldn’t be here, in this town, seeing you at the store or gas station, driving by this house, knowing you were inside.”

  Holly nodded, her tears freely splashing down her cheeks. Now, I really felt like shit. Doesn’t she know how crazy I am about her?

  “I do know, Jack. That’s what I’ve been living with. This town is haunted by all of these memories. The place on the beach where we met, this house, even Carly’s shop. All of it is tainted by the way things used to be.” She drew in a shaky breath. “The reminder that it can’t be that way again.”

  I rounded the couch and took the seat beside her. “What do you want, Holly? You want me to leave? Stay? What?”

  She lifted her tear-filled eyes to mine and for a long moment just stared, her eyes on mine, as if wondering whether or not she could trust me with the truth. Or maybe wondering if I could handle it. Which I wasn’t sure I could. If she told me to get the hell out of town and never darken her door again… No. I knew I couldn’t make that promise.

  “I want you, Jack,” she finally whispered. “I want things to go back to the way they were before the world went to shit. I want to wear your goddamn ring on my finger and call you mine and go to sleep in your arms.” She shifted her hands to cover her stomach and glanced down at the small bump. “I want to be by your side for the rest of my life. I hate not being with you.”

  I moved closer, breathing her in, and tipped her chin up so her eyes locked on my teary eyes. “I love you, Holly. I never stopped loving you.”

  Tears slipped down her cheeks and I brushed them away with my thumb. “I love you too, Jack.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Holly

  Each kiss was hotter than the last and even though I could barely catch my breath in between each one, I couldn’t stop or pull back. I needed his lips on mine more than I needed air. The cast on my arm made it difficult to pull him closer, but he lowered himself to me so I could feel his body against mine.

  “I don’t—want to hurt you,” he panted, looking down into my eyes.

  “You won’t,” I said, pressing my lips back on his. I coaxed him with the tip of my tongue and he relaxed against me. I’d healed up most of the way and while certain things made me pause, I was ignoring any protests from my ribs and giving into the heat and aching need between my thighs.

  I wanted Jack. Seeing him all week and having to endure his skittish act was enough to make me crazy. On top of that, every night was filled with steamy dreams. I often woke up in a cold sweat, wishing his warm hands were on my body, only to find myself all alone.

  I was ravenous for him. I tugged at his shirt like a wildcat—albeit a clumsy one thanks to the cast. Jack sat back just long enough to tear if off of himself, and I squeezed my thighs together at the sight of him, feeling the wetness there.

  He smirked at my lazy grin. “What are you thinking about?”

  “Naughty, naughty things, Lieutenant McGuire,” I replied, reaching for his belt buckle. “Care to complete the picture?”

  He groaned as I pulled at his jeans. He popped the button and I reached my left hand in, slipping down the front of his boxer briefs, and sighed when I found his stiff cock. “Fuck, Holls, you trying to kill me?”

  I arched an eyebrow at him. “Would you prefer I broke you in slow?”

  “You’re still healing—” he broke off with a hiss.

  I looked up at him through my thick lashes and tightened my grip on his cock. “Just fuck me already.”

  “Sure thing, baby…” He growled, lowering back to suck on my lips. One hand slipped up the front of my tank top and under the built-in bra to tease my nipple. His thumb brushed against me and I was surprised by the heat and flurry of sensations. It wasn’t like it was the first time he’d touched me. We’d made love hundreds of times before. But each touch, look, and kiss felt new and intense.

  Jack stripped off my tank top and bent his head to suck a nipple in between his lips. “Jack…” I breathed. He sucked a little harder, adding an ounce of pain to the pleasure. “I don’t know how much longer I can wait. I want you inside of me.”

  “Baby, I’ve missed every inch of you,” he said, glancing up at me before flicking his tongue back around my tight nipple. He looked sexier than ever. He drank me in with wonder in his eyes as he dropped from sucking on my nipples to apply a soft kiss to the swell of my belly. “You look sexy as hell pregnant.”

  I laughed softly and ran my fingers through his hair. “Oh yeah? You still gonna say that when I waddle?”

  “Especially when you waddle. You know I can’t get enough of you.”

  I dropped my head back and laughed. “Well, you’ll be relieved to know that doggy style is a very pregnant-friendly position then,” I teased.

  “You’ve been researching?”

  My cheeks warmed and Jack laughed against my skin. “Damn, baby, I missed you so much.”

  “I missed you too.”

  His eyes sparked. “Apparently.”

  I slapped his ass. “Just kiss me.”

  “I have a better idea,” he said, dropping to his knees in front of me. I sucked in a breath as he peeled away my thin yoga pants, revealing that I wasn’t wearing anything underneath. I was bare naked in front of him and didn’t dare breathe as he studied my new shape. When his eyes trailed down below my bellybutton he glanced up at me, his eyes dark and full of lust and heat. “Spread your legs, baby. I need to get a taste.”

  I did as he said, slowly opening my legs and exposing myself for him. It was dark outside and a few lamps were lit in the living room. The curtains were drawn but so thin that it felt dangerous—exposed. The thrill of being seen added a new layer to the sensations dancing over my skin and when Jack lowered his face to my pussy, I was already on the verge of coming.

  Jack worked slowly, taking his time as he licked all the way down, from end to end, and then back again. He moaned against my pussy lips and the vibrations, though gentle, had me hanging onto the arm of the couch for dear life. He slipped a finger inside me and immediately stroked my g-spot. He knew every sweet spot and just what it took to get me off. It was clear he was dragging it out as long as possible, savoring every second, but I was so on the edge I couldn’t hold back for long. I shuddered and came while his face was still buried between my thighs, sucking and teasing my clit with little circles that made stars dance behind my closed eyes.

  When I relaxed back onto the couch, feeling boneless and pliable, Jack pushed up from the floor and slid up my body to steal a kiss while I was still catching my breath. “You’re so damn beautiful, baby.”

  My skin warmed as he ran his hands back up my hips, curves, and over my breasts. He cupped my face with his hands and kissed me again. “Come on, let’s go upstairs.”

  I wrapped myself in the throw blanket on the back of
the couch and went to the stairs. At the base of the stairs, Jack reached around me from behind and pulled me back against him. I shuddered at the feel of his hard cock pressing into the small of my back. “You gonna let me carry you this time?”

  I could do it on my own, but I nodded and let him gather me into his arms. He hurried up the stairs, only letting me go when we reached the bed. After setting me down carefully, he stepped away and shucked off his shoes, jeans, and boxer briefs and stood in front of me, grinning as my eyes went wide.

  I leaned back on the bed and he lowered to me. His cock teased my soaking wet pussy and I pulled him down for another fierce kiss. His lips were so warm and soft. Jack rocked into me and I gasped into his open mouth. He moved slowly, timid almost, but when I stretched around him, he lost his cautious edge and thrust into me fully. I clung to him with my uncasted arm and arched back. My hard nipples brushed against his solid chest and I was ready to crash into another orgasm.

  “You fit like a fucking glove, baby,” he groaned as he pulsed into me. “Fuck!”

  I slid my hand down his back. I loved the feel of the smooth muscles contracting and moving as he fucked me. When my hand slid to cup his ass cheek I gave him a playful slap. “Harder, baby, show me what you can do.”

  Jack’s eyes flashed and then went a shade darker as he plunged into me again.

  He came inside me and I moaned as I released seconds later, the pulsing of his thick cock sent me over the edge. He stilled inside me and I gripped his hip with my hand, holding him as tight to me as I could while we each rode the waves of pleasure and relief.

  We collapsed back on the pillows, breathing heavily and grinning like a couple of teenagers. “Damn!” Jack said with a heavy sigh.

  I laughed and then rolled over to my less bruised side and waited for him to gather me in his arms. I smiled when he slung an arm over my waist and scooted himself to my side of the bed. His lips went to my ear and nibbled at the sweet spot on my neck he always knew to find. A soft moan slipped from my lips and I felt his cock pulse back to life between my ass cheeks. “Oh really?” I said with a wide grin.

  “What can I say, I need to make up for lost time.”

  ****

  When I woke up, it was still dark outside. I glanced at the clock and saw it was nearing two in the morning. I rolled to my back and smiled when I remembered that Jack was beside me. I listening to him breathe and then realized that he wasn’t asleep. I rolled over to my other side. “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah. I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately.”

  “Even after all that,” I said lightly.

  He chuckled and reached over to brush my arm. “I’m all right, baby. Go back to sleep. You and baby McGuire need it.”

  “Do you have to work tomorrow?”

  “No. I have a flight in the morning,” he said into the darkness. “I’ll have to leave in a couple of hours.”

  A flutter of panic turned my stomach as I turned to him. “What?”

  “Just for a couple days. I’m going back to New York to pack up my rental and talk to my boss. I’ll be back by Wednesday so Aaron and I can finish up the details for the pitch meetings next week.”

  I rested my head back against his chest, relieved at his explanation. “Are you staying here when you get back? You’ve been at Aaron’s this whole time.”

  “Well, tonight, I had a room at a hotel by the airport, but looks like I won’t need it,” he said with a laugh.

  “You don’t know that. I could kick you out any time,” I teased, smiling at him even though he couldn’t see it in the dark room.

  He shifted away. “Oh yeah? Well, I guess I’ll just show myself out then.”

  I tugged on his waist. “Okay, okay. You can stay.”

  He laughed and pressed back up against me. I snuggled into him and breathed deeply. “What happens after that? When you get back, I mean.”

  “I hadn’t figured that out yet. Aaron doesn’t care how long I stay, but damn their couch is uncomfortable. But if you want me here…”

  I smiled. “I do want you here.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah.”

  Jack raised my hand to his lips and kissed the back of my knuckles. “Then I just have one condition.”

  “Okay?”

  He rolled over and gathered me into his arms. “You have to put your engagement ring back on.”

  “Really?” I whispered.

  “Holly, letting you go was the biggest fuck up I’ve ever made in my life. I don’t know what the hell was wrong with me, but I can assure you that I’ve never been more clear about what I want, and you, my love, are at the very top of that list. I want you to be my wife. What do you say? You willing to forgive this idiot?”

  “What about Busty bitch at the museum? Are you finished with her?”

  “Holly, honestly, I was never with her. It was just a few drinks—”

  “—Promise? Because I never, ever want to feel that way again.”

  “I promise, baby girl. You are all I’ve ever wanted. Forgive me?”

  I smiled and nodded my head. “Yes, I do.”

  “Thank God.” Jack’s lips found mine and kissed me slowly. He ran a hand down the front of my body and came to rest on my baby bump. “This is really happening,” he said.

  I nodded and felt the familiar sting of tears. Only this time they were happy ones.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Jack

  Getting my shit handled in New York took a few days and then I jetted back to California, this time for good. When the wheels of the plane hit the runway, a lump of emotion lodged in my throat. I was home. After all the years spent running around the world, first with the Navy, then on my own journey after I nearly lost my damn mind, I was putting all of that in my rear view and putting down roots. I had everything I’d always wanted and things never felt more right.

  I grabbed my bag from the overhead compartment and waited in line as everyone shuffled into the aisle and then off the plane. Once past the gate, I broke away from the crowd and picked up my pace. There was a beautiful blonde that I needed to get wrapped in my arms.

  Holly was waiting for me just beyond the security checkpoint, dressed in a grey shirt that hugged her curves with painful perfection. Her baby bump was swollen ever so slightly but hidden under her jacket. I couldn’t wait to strip her naked and run my hand over every last one of her curves, but especially the swell where our baby was growing inside her.

  “Hey, baby,” I said, reaching for her. I lifted her to her tip toes and captured her lips with mine. “Damn, you look sexy,” I told her, grinning down into her sparkling eyes. “You sure you want to go to work today?”

  She laughed and rested her head on my chest. “Yeah, I do. Noah won’t let me stay longer than a few hours. He’s adamant about me staying home for six weeks. I just want to make sure everything is caught up. And I’m getting a little stir-crazy.”

  I kissed her again and then wrapped my arm around her as we made our way to the exit. All of the contents of my condo back in New York were loaded in a truck cruising across the country so all I had was the bag slung over my shoulder. We bypassed the zoo at the baggage claim and went right out to the parking structure.

  “Oh! I see you have a couple of stowaways,” I said with a laugh as we reached the SUV rental the insurance company had given Holly to drive following the accident and two happy faces poked out the back window.

  Holly smiled and stroked Hunter’s head. “You know I can’t say no to them.”

  I greeted both of the eager pups and then went around the front bumper to open Holly’s door. She slipped inside and I jogged back to the driver’s side. She passed over the keys and we were off.

  “How are you feeling?” I asked her when we hit the highway.

  “I’m good. I had a follow-up with my regular doctor and she said I’m healing up. She said I’m a lucky girl.”

  Images of Holly’s car blasting past the guard rail and rolli
ng down the hillside were still ingrained in my brain and haunted my nightmares. There was no question that the outcome of the horrific crash could have been so much worse. I tried not to think about it.

  “I’m glad to hear it.” I turned to grin at her, casting away the dark thoughts from my mind. “Because I have big plans for tonight, baby.”

  Holly grinned. “Is that so?”

  “Uh huh…we have some lost time to make up for.”

  She laughed and I drank the sound in. “I thought we did that the night before you went to New York?”

  “Well I had some time away to miss you all over again.”

  “Aha. I see.” She giggled and dropped a hand to my thigh. It was a soft touch but sent heat over me as if she’d reached down the front of my slacks. “Well, let’s see, I’m all yours after two o’clock. You think your big meeting with Aaron will be done by then?”

  “Oh, I’ll make sure of it.”

  She laughed. “Good. I might have even picked up a little something special to wear…”

  I groaned. “Fuck, Holly. How am I supposed to focus on a pitch meeting when I’ve got that vision of you in my mind?”

  “So, I shouldn’t send pictures?” she teased.

  I grinned at her. “You’ll be in big trouble if you don’t send pictures.”

  “What if I said I like trouble?”

  “How late do you wanna be for work?” I asked, hitting the signal to pull over on the side of the highway. Holly laughed and after a little pit stop to make-out, we were back on the road.

  An hour later, we cruised into Holiday Cove and after dropping Holly off at her office, I headed up the hill to Aaron’s place. I parked in the front of the building and released the dogs from the backseat. All three of us went inside and the dogs tore off toward the doors to the offices. I let them through and then headed back to the shop after buzzing by Aaron’s office and finding it empty.

  “There he is,” Aaron said, grinning from ear-to-ear as he sauntered across the large space, grease rag in hand. “The Prodigal Son has finally returned.”

  I laughed and waved at Nick and the other part-time mechanics that Aaron employed. “I’m back and staying put this time.”