by Daniels, J.
Nathan’s expression hardened. “What the fuck, Jenna? Who are the men you’ve been hanging around?”
“Um…like, lately? You. My brother. Travis…”
“Stop. Forget I asked that.” He sighed in frustration, then bent lower until our foreheads touched. “It’s been a while for me…I might word this wrong.”
“You could never word this wrong. I promise.” I fidgeted on my feet, shifting my weight around. “I’m so excited,” I whispered.
Nathan chuckled. “I can tell.” He stared deep into my eyes. “I want to be with you so fucking badly. Will you be my girlfriend, Jenna?”
“OhmyGodIwouldlovetoyes,” I answered in a one-breath rush, smiling so big, my cheeks ached. He grinned and we kissed.
“Thank you for telling Oliver you’d go with him,” I said. “That means a lot to him, and to me.”
“I’m happy to do it. Honestly, it’s not a big deal.” Nathan’s phone beeped twice from his pocket.
I let go of him so he could get to it. I yawned and rubbed at my face. “God, I’m so amped up and tired at the same time. I feel like I could run a marathon but also pass out at any second.”
“You and me both,” he said, looking at his phone. He immediately began to smile, reacting to whatever message he was reading.
“What is it?” I asked.
“It’s my dad…Marley misses me.” Nathan studied the screen in disbelief, his forehead wrinkling in confusion.
“Of course she does. Why do you seem surprised?”
“I don’t know—Marley’s close with my parents. Closest, actually.”
“Maybe she used to be, but would you really say that now? Look at the two of you…I’d argue you’re the person she’s closest with.”
“No, she unfortunately has more history with my parents than she does with me.” He lowered his phone and looked at me then. “You should’ve seen her. She couldn’t wait to go over there last night. She didn’t mind me leaving her either.”
“And now even though she has them, she misses you.”
Nathan nodded tightly, like he couldn’t fully believe what was happening. “My dad said she’s been asking to come home since she got up. She keeps watching for me out the window. I…” His neck worked with a swallow. “I wasn’t expecting that at all. I figured she’d fight me when I went to pick her up on Monday.”
I reached out and took his free hand in mine. This meant something huge to Nathan. I could see it. And God, I couldn’t be happier for him.
I smiled. “What are you going to do?”
His answer came without the slightest hesitation. “I think I’m going to skip work and go pick her up.” He looked at his phone again, rereading the text. “She actually misses me,” he said.
“So, don’t make her miss you another second.”
Nathan nodded at my suggestion and shoved away his phone. He patted his pockets, making sure he had everything he came with, then lowered his gaze to my shirt—his shirt. “I have an extra one in the truck,” he said, grabbing my face and kissing me.
I was beyond happy not to part with his shirt. It had this clean, masculine scent that was so purely him. If it had once smelled like soap or laundry detergent, it didn’t any longer. It smelled like Nathan, my boyfriend.
Oh my God. He’s my boyfriend. Oh my God.
I walked behind Nathan to the door, where he surprised me by pressing his lips against mine again. I figured the kiss we’d shared in the bedroom had been our goodbye kiss.
Olivia gasped behind me. “They’re doing it again, Ollie,” she whispered from her seat on the couch.
“Let me know when they’re not doing it.”
I laughed against Nathan’s mouth.
He pulled away, smiling, and lifted his hand to wave at the kids.
“Bye!” they both yelled.
“If you guys aren’t busy later, maybe we could meet up for dinner or something?” Nathan opened the door and stepped outside.
I leaned my shoulder against the doorframe, fighting the smile of my life. “We’ve never met up for dinner before…Would this be a date?”
He grinned, answering quietly, “You bet your sweet fucking ass it’s a date. Do you have any idea how badly I’ve been wanting to take you out? Seriously, Jenna, I plan on dating you so much, you’re going to get sick of it.”
“Doubt it.” I winked at him.
His hands flew dramatically to his chest. “Is that what it feels like to be winked at?”
“Every time.”
“Damn.” Nathan looked back at me as he walked to the stairs. He disappeared to the floor below. “I just winked!” he yelled.
“I felt it!”
“Yeah, you did!”
I closed the door and laughed into my apartment.
Chapter Twenty
NATHAN
I stayed true to my word and took Jenna on a date every chance I got. We hit nearly every restaurant in Dogwood Beach (excluding my own, since I wouldn’t be paying for a meal there). And on the evenings I worked late—when she couldn’t hold off on making something to eat for her and the kids—we went somewhere for dessert.
She was happy, so fucking happy—even though the kids tagged along on our dates. We never went out just the two of us. We couldn’t. I felt like every moment I had with her was being chaperoned.
Not that I didn’t like us all being together. I did. I liked Oliver and Olivia a lot, but I wanted to be alone with Jenna. Needed to be alone. Two weeks of practically zero intimacy aside from what could be done in front of our kids led to a substantial amount of daydreaming on my part, and I did that shit everywhere.
At work. Driving around. At home, with Jenna five feet away from me…
“Are you listening to me? Nathan…”
I lifted my head, dragging my gaze off the granite countertop I had zoned out on, and met Jenna’s curious stare. She stood right across from me. “Mm? Of course I was listening. I always listen.”
“Yeah?” Her brow lifted in challenge. “What did I just say?”
“Something about the kids…” I was guessing.
“What specifically about them?”
I tugged at the knot in my tie, loosening it as I glanced into the family room. The three of them were huddled together on the couch, watching something on TV. They hadn’t moved since I got home—however long ago that was. I’d completely lost track of time, and my focus.
In my head I was trying to remember how Jenna moved beneath me.
“You have no idea what I was saying. Just admit it.”
Jenna was smiling when I looked at her again. Her hair had been in two braids this morning before I left for work, but it wasn’t now. It fell past her shoulders in thick, dark curls.
“I like your hair like that,” I said.
“Thank you.”
“You’re too far away from me. Come here.”
She walked around the counter, watching me closely as she moved. “Do I need to be over here next to you to get that admission?” she asked, stopping in front of me.
“I’m not admitting to anything, aside from wanting you over here.” I gently held her waist with one hand. Two and I’d pull her against me. I couldn’t do that. I wouldn’t bet on my own restraint at this point.
“You know, I can tell when you’re thinking about other things. It’s okay if you weren’t listening.” Jenna popped the top button of my shirt, flicked my collar open, and sighed as her fingertip grazed my throat. “I miss you,” she whispered. “So much, Nathan. God, how long has it been?”
I pinched my eyes shut and groaned. “We’re on day thirteen.”
“It feels longer than that.”
“Tell me about it.” My eyes flashed open, and I grabbed her wrist when I felt her touch move down my chest and reach my stomach. “Don’t,” I said. “I’ll admit to anything right now. Just please, keep your hands above my waist.”
Jenna laughed. “I wasn’t going to go any lower than your belt.” Her green eye
s narrowed, and in the quietest voice she said, “Admit you want me to go lower.”
My voice echoed hers in volume. “I want you to go lower.”
“Admit you thought about me at work today and got hard.”
I cocked my head.
She cocked hers, losing most of her smile when I remained silent. “Okay, I totally wish I wouldn’t have said that now…sorry.”
“I thought about you at work today and got hard.” When she grinned up at me, I added, “More than once.”
“I think about you constantly,” Jenna admitted, sounding a little shy all of a sudden. “Especially when I’m trying to get something done. I was reviewing this document today for my boss and I completely lost my focus. I had to restart the same paragraph six times. It was so frustrating.”
“I need to be alone with you, Jenna.”
“I know. Trust me, I know.” She gripped my shirt, rolled up onto her toes, and kissed me. “I’m working on it,” she said against my mouth.
I watched her sink back onto her heels. “Yeah?” I asked. Hope quickened the pace of my heart.
She nodded, peering out into the family room. “Just give me two more weeks…”
“What?” My vision vibrated. I blinked her into focus. Is she insane? “Jenna, I can’t…I won’t make it that long. I know I won’t. Please tell me you’re joking.”
“I’m joking.” Her smile was full and satisfying. “You were so panicked.” She giggled, throwing her arms around my neck.
I fake glared at her. “Well, guess who wasn’t listening to you at all earlier? Me. I have no idea what you said.”
She dropped her head against my chest and laughed. Her entire body shook. “You’re my favorite,” she said. She was slow to peer up at me.
“Yeah?”
She nodded. “I mean that in a lot of ways…not just favorite person to talk to, like you said about me. I’ve never laughed so much with anyone before. I want to be around you all the time, Nathan. If I had to choose one person to do something with, it would be you.” Her teeth scraped across her bottom lip. “Say something.”
I said the only thing I wanted to tell her in that moment, aside from giving her a flat “ditto” in response, which would’ve covered how I felt and fallen short in the same breath.
“I think you’re my best friend.”
When did this woman become so important to me? I didn’t just desire Jenna physically. Yes, of course that played a huge role in this longing to be near her all the time, but it went beyond that. I wanted to be the first person she thought of at any given moment, because she was quickly becoming mine. I wanted to know her better than anyone else, and I wanted people aware of it—everyone. I wanted it recognized that I had that privilege and they didn’t. This relationship stretched into new territory for me. Again I felt completely unprepared for what this was turning into or, let’s be honest, what it already was, which didn’t make any sense.
I had been married to Sadie for four years. I took my relationship with her farther than anyone else I’d ever been with. I’d shared a life with her…
So how could this feel bigger?
Jenna pressed her body against mine, slid her arms around my waist, and pulled me into a hug. “You’re my best friend too,” she mumbled against my chest.
I dropped my head and held her.
I expected to feel terrified, or at the very least, hesitant. I’d never felt this way about anyone before. I waited for uncertainty to pull me away from Jenna, one worrying thought, something, anything to slow us down.
It never came.
* * *
Two days later, I was passing the time coloring with Marley while we waited for Jenna and her kids. I was off today. Last night we’d talked about possibly heading down to the beach and getting in the water if the weather was nice.
I didn’t know whether that was still the plan, so I hadn’t mentioned anything to Marley about it. Right now she was just eager for Jenna, Oliver, and Olivia to get here. She always was.
“Daddy, where awre they?” she asked for the fourth time in the past five minutes. Maybe less than that. Her fist holding the purple crayon moved furiously over the page.
“They’re coming. They’ll be here soon.” I held her steady on my lap with one hand and leaned over, swiping a crayon off the floor. “Here.” I showed it to her. “You want to throw some pink in there?”
“’Kay.” Marley dropped the purple crayon and grabbed the one I was holding. She scribbled in sharp lines. “Daddy, they here now?”
I smiled and kissed the side of her head. “Almost.”
The doorbell rang. Marley gasped and wiggled out of my lap, crawling underneath the table and popping up to stand once she cleared it. “They’re here!” she hollered, her little legs carrying her quickly into the family room.
I scooped her up before she could reach the door and smiled against her cheek when she squealed in surprise. “Ready?”
“Ready!” she answered, wrapping her arms around my neck.
I pulled the door open, eyes lowered to greet the twins, since they typically barged in first, but Jenna stood alone on the porch.
“Hey,” I said, lifting my gaze.
She was wearing this shirt/shorts combo thing. It was one solid piece, navy blue, and sleeveless. A tie cinched the waist.
I didn’t know how the fuck she got it on, but she looked good wearing it. Even in clothing I did not fucking understand, she looked good.
“Jenna!” Marley reached out with both arms, tipping forward.
Jenna smiled at me, then gave it all to Marley as she took her, balancing my daughter in the crook of her arm. “Hey, sweet girl.” She kissed her cheek.
“Where are your kids?” I asked, getting her attention.
“Remember that thing I was working on…”
My brows lifted. Holy fuck. Did she get a sitter for today?
“Oliver is at a friend’s house. They’re bringing him home later tonight,” she said, stepping back a little on the porch and turning sideways to face the driveway. “And Shay has generously offered to take the girls to get their nails painted.”
I stepped out of the house and peered over at the car parked behind Jenna’s.
Shay and Olivia both waved at me through the windshield.
“They could be gone for close to two hours, depending on how picky the girls are about their colors.”
I looked over at Jenna after she spoke. “Two hours, no kids?”
“If you’re okay with Shay taking Marley…”
“I’ll grab the car seat out of your car. It’ll be faster than getting to mine.”
A smile stretched across Jenna’s mouth. She turned her attention to Marley, asking, “What do you think, princess? Do you want to get your nails painted super pretty?”
The second my daughter started nodding her head, I stepped down off the porch and crossed the yard. I wasn’t wasting any more time. We were already on day fifteen, half a fucking month, and that car seat could be the biggest pain in my ass. I needed to move.
“Hey, Nate!” Olivia leaned across Shay’s lap and waved at me out the driver’s-side window.
“Hey, sweetheart.” I stopped at Jenna’s back seat and smiled at Shay. “Hey. Thanks for offering to do this.”
“Desperate times,” she replied coyly.
“What?”
“Nothing.” She dropped her sunglasses in front of her eyes.
Jenna walked over with Marley and jumped into conversation with the girls. I got to work on the car seat, nearly snapping one of the belts in half in the process of getting it out of the car. This shit should not be that difficult. I paused with it at Shay’s hood when she leaned out the window, hollering.
“No need! I got two back here for Sean’s girls. The youngest is still in that stage.” She gestured with a flick of her hand. “We’re good!”
My face hardened. “You couldn’t have mentioned something before I pulled it out?”
Jenn
a laughed, and I turned my head.
“God, I could make the best joke right now,” Shay said.
I stalked back over to Jenna’s car. Securing the car seat took twice as long as removing it. By the time I was finished, sweat beaded on my forehead and the back of my shirt was damp.
“Your car is like an oven,” I said, stopping beside Jenna. I waved at the girls as they backed out of the driveway, then used the hem of my tee to wipe my face.
Jenna groaned, looking at my abs. “Please refrain from any more of that until they turn off your street. We’re almost in the clear.”
I let go of my shirt, laughing. “Shay knows this whole scheme is just us buying time to have sex all over my house, correct?”
The car pulled away.
“Well, I left out the ‘all over your house’ part, but yes. She knows we wanted a little privacy.”
Was it weird having one of my employees help me out in this situation? Yes. Was it weird enough that I wouldn’t capitalize on this opportunity? Absolutely not.
I stared at Jenna’s profile until she slowly turned to look at me. “What?” she asked.
“I’m about to fuck the shit out of you.”
Her eyes widened. Damn. Was that too blunt?
“Romantically, of course,” I quickly added, just in case. “Also, you look really pretty today. Have I told you that?” I adjusted my glasses.
Laughter burst out of Jenna’s mouth. She grabbed my hand and pulled me across the yard, backing up toward the house. “Can I make a request before we begin all this romantic fucking?”
“Go for it.”
“Leave your glasses on for me.”
When Jenna reached the porch, I stepped toward her and bent down, gripping her thighs and guiding her legs around my waist.
She gasped and held on to my neck, breathing sharply against my mouth. “Please,” she whispered.
“You got it.”
I smiled, kissing her, and carried her inside.
* * *
“Oh my God, you should’ve seen your face!” Jenna rolled onto her stomach beside me and dug her elbows into the mattress, propping herself up. Her breasts billowed against the sheet. “You looked so angry at my romper. I thought you were going to rip it to shreds.”