“How’s that for being good?” he asked.
“That… was… incredible,” Alice said between pants.
“Oh, Babe, I’m not finished yet.”
Flipping her on her back, he positioned himself between her legs. She stared up at him, unable to resist him. His silver necklace clung on every ripple in his muscled chest. Alice wanted to trace it with her tongue. Closing his eyes, he let out a low hiss between his teeth as he rubbed his erection against her, slow, tracing her.
“You’re so damn sexy, Alice. You’re too good to me.”
With that comment, he slid inside, every inch, his hips meeting up with hers. He didn’t pull out, but stayed there for a few seconds, his fingers running through her sweaty hair. “You okay?” he whispered.
All Alice could do was nod. She had never been better.
Her answer was enough for him, and he moved, almost completely out, before pushing all the way again. Closing her eyes, Alice saw a rainbow of color as she was close to finishing again. Jack must have been going for a record on how many times he could give her an orgasm, and she wasn’t fighting it. It was better than she imagined at dinner, and she wasn’t sure what had changed. They had made love many times. This time seemed more heated, more passionate, and more intense.
Jack growled deep in his throat, and sent one final plunge into her, finishing just as she did. “Alice… Alice…” he said, his jaw clenched. “Thank you, Alice.”
She smoothed her hand down his damp hair and neck, missing him immediately when he pulled out. “Jack…” He’d be asleep soon and she relaxed into the curves of his body as he hugged her from behind. His breath calmed and from the sounds of it, he had passed out.
Glancing over her shoulder, she was shocked to see he was still awake. His arms released her and he got out of the bed and went to the bathroom. The room was cool and she pulled the covers up around her, still amazed at how incredible that had been.
A few minutes had passed and he still hadn’t come out. Kicking her legs off the side of the bed, she was already feeling sore from the physical workout she had just endured.
Tapping on the door, she asked, “Jack, everything okay?”
“Yeah. I’ll be out in a minute.” He seemed distracted, but she tried to push it aside. She worried too much. He was probably just trying to grasp his bearings.
Sitting on the bed, she draped the covers over her, unable to stop smiling. The sight of his clothes all over the floor, along with her lingerie would show anyone the type of night they were having. The door creaked open and Jack stood in the threshold, now in boxers as he crossed the room.
Sitting beside her, he draped his arm over her shoulders. He was quiet and Alice wasn’t sure if she should break the silence or not. Nudging him, she tried to be playful to gauge his mood. His face was serious and it made Alice nervous.
Scooting off the bed, he kneeled in front of her, his brow creased. His fist was balled up, and her heart skipped a beat when he opened his hand to reveal a ring.
“Alice, I know this is a strange time to do this, but I can’t wait any longer. Especially after what, you know, just happened.” He looked at the same mess she had just observed. “Will you marry me?”
Without even hesitating, Alice blurted out, “Yes, of course I will!”
Jack’s brow relaxed and he smiled. “Yeah?”
“Yes! Yes I’ll marry you!” She pulled him in and hugged him.
“I’ve had the ring for a while. I knew I wanted to do it on this trip. It’s been tearing me up inside. I know you probably wanted to be all dressed up and out, but like I said, I couldn’t wait any longer.”
He slipped the ring on her finger and it fit perfectly. “Jack, I don’t care where you proposed. I’m just glad you did.” She admired the ring. The diamond shimmered and she couldn’t take her eyes off of it. “It’s beautiful.”
Getting off his knee, he sat beside her again, pulling her in for another side hug. “I’m so glad you like it.”
“I love it, Jack. I love you.”
Kissing the top of her head, he replied, “I love you more than you’ll ever know, Alice.”
***
Alice stared down at the ring on her finger. She couldn’t take it off. Even after all this time, it was part of her. Admiring it, she loved how it still held the same glimmer it had the night that Jack had given it to her at the hotel. The wedding band fit against it like a puzzle piece, and the small diamonds in the band were just as bright as the bigger one.
Tracing her finger over it, she felt the tears well up again. The very thought of taking it off made it feel like someone had punched her in the stomach. There was no way she could even stomach the thought of tucking it away out of view. It made her think of their beautiful wedding day, planned almost a year to the date after the proposal.
It was a small one, with his family and hers. His firefighter brothers were there and several of her good friends. The day started out stressful but ended perfect with a reception and a send off to the airport before their honeymoon in Ireland. How Jack was able to pull enough money together to afford something so extravagant still made her wonder, but being there with him, married, were some of the best memories she still held dearly.
“Say it. I wanna hear you say it.”
“Jack, you’re so funny. Alice Turner. There, I said it.”
“My wife, Alice Turner. Sort of rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?”
Their conversation echoed in Alice’s mind. Turning the wedding band on her finger, she smiled, remembering how much Jack loved saying she was his wife. How he loved saying her name over and over again. Taking his name was the best thing she had ever done, and now she carried it like a badge of honor.
Their wedding day made them feel invincible, like nothing could touch them. Oh, to be that naïve again – Alice longed to feel the way she did at that very moment, when Jack pulled her veil up and kissed her for the first time as Mr. and Mrs. Jack Turner.
Chapter Nine
After the honeymoon, things seemed to get back to normal. Jack went back to working double shifts and long hours, and school started was hectic, from lesson plans, to meetings, to dealing with juggling their personal life with work.
Sitting at her desk, she noticed a couple of texts from Jack. He was off that day, and she had plans to make him a huge dinner and to relax on the couch with movies after. He mentioned he would be doing some errands and work at his mother’s place, but would be home before she got there and that he couldn’t wait to see her.
Smiling, she replied with an I love you, and focused back on her calendar. The kids had already gone home for the day, but she stayed a bit after to get things in order. It was the only time of day she could have a moment of clarity. Packing up her things, she grabbed her purse and headed for the door, the principal stopping her in the hallway.
“Mrs. Turner, you’re still here?”
“I’m just headed home.”
“You’ve been putting in some hours. I just want you to know it’s not going unnoticed. I’ve had several parents stop by my office and sing your praises. Keep up the good work.”
A sense of pride rushed through her. “Thank you, Mr. Wiles. I appreciate that.”
She couldn’t wait to tell Jack, but when she pulled onto their street, she noticed several vehicles out in the street. They were some of his friends from the firehouse. What were they doing there? Clenching onto her keys, she yanked them from the ignition and slammed her car door. Stepping through the door, she saw Jack, along with three other guys at the table, playing cards and poker chips scattered on the surface.
Jack puffed on a cigar, his smile quickly fading. Alice didn’t say anything. Instead, she slammed her purse on the counter and walked through to the living room. Feeling his hand on her, she pushed it away.
“Babe, they’re just here for a little bit. We all had the day off so we wanted to play a few hands.”
She didn’t want to be mad. Jack deserved to
spend time with his buddies, but it felt like they hadn’t had any time alone. “They planning on staying for dinner?”
Jack looked at his watch and she went to the bedroom, not wanting their guests to hear their argument. “Shit, Hon, I didn’t even realize how late it was.”
“You go to your mother’s today?”
Nodding, he took another puff from cigar. “Yeah, this morning. They came over about two. I can tell them to go home. I know you had this evening all planned out for us.”
Alice crossed her arms over her chest. How could she be bad at him? The look on his face was enough to tell her that he felt bad about them being there. “I don’t care that they’re here, Jack. Sorry. It just hit me wrong, I guess.”
“It’s okay. I’ll make them leave.” He began to cough and she noticed it was dry and unproductive. Bending over, for a second it seemed like he couldn’t gain control of it.
“Are you okay?” Stepping forward, she took the cigar from him.
After a few more seconds, Jack took a few deep breaths and the coughing subsided. His face was red and his chest rose and fell as if he had just got done running. “Yeah. I think I’m coming down with something.” His voice was raspy and he reached for the cigar, but Alice took it in the bathroom and extinguished it in the sink.
“Might wanna lay off of these.”
“Thanks. I’ll let them out. I’d rather look at you over their ugly mugs anyway.”
Smirking, Alice tossed the butt of the cigar in the trash. “I guess the honeymoon’s over.”
Walking into the kitchen, she had to make sure the guys didn’t view her as the villain. They were packing up the mess and she nudged one of them.
“I’m sorry guys, I hate to be the bad guy, but I’m sure Jack didn’t tell you guys that we already had plans. I’d love for you to stick around, but with as much as he eats, there probably won’t be enough food for all of you.”
Billy pulled her in for a side hug. “It’s all good, but Jack knows this tournament isn’t over. To be continued, right, Jacky Boy?”
Jack nodded and tossed him a box of the cards. “I don’t know. I’m already in too much debt. Don’t think I should give you any more of my money. Hell, I been looking at Sam’s cards all afternoon and I still can’t beat his ass.”
Billy patted Jack’s cheek. “What’s that they say? Stick to what you know. Fighting fires. Not cards.” Turning, he winked at Alice as they stepped out onto the porch. “See ya tomorrow.”
Alice prepared the meatloaf and potatoes. Jack had been quiet in the living room, and when she went to make sure he wasn’t mad, she noticed he had dozed off watching the news. He had been more tired than usual lately. Maybe he had a lot to do at his mother’s.
Grabbing his hand, she gently pulled his arm. “Jack, dinner is ready.”
He opened his eyes, confused at first. “Ah hell, I didn’t mean to fall asleep. I’m sorry. Need me to set the table or anything?”
“No. It’s all ready to go.”
Jack sat next to her and served himself a slice of meatloaf and sides, but Alice noticed he barely picked at the food. He usually devoured it in a matter of seconds – a habit he picked up from being on call, but tonight he didn’t seem very interested.
“Everything taste okay?”
He took a small bite. “It’s delicious, Babe. Thank you for going through the trouble.”
Suddenly her appetite had faded. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah.” He put his fork down and leaned back.
“You just barely touched any of it. You won’t hurt my feelings if you don’t like it.”
“You kidding me? I love your meatloaf. I’m just…” he trailed off. “Like I said in the bedroom – I think I’m coming down with something.” Pushing away from the table, he tossed his napkin on top of his plate and left the kitchen.
Alice watched as he went down the hallway, disappearing behind the bathroom door. Jack rarely got sick. In the time she knew him, she could remember a few colds, but nothing that kept him down for too long. She wanted to follow him, but decided to give him some time alone. Rather than immediately act like a mother hen, she cleared the table and put the food away. He loved the meatloaf leftover. Maybe his appetite would be back tomorrow.
After about ten minutes, she decided to check on him. Knocking on the door, she said, “Jack, you okay?”
The door cracked open and he was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, his head in his hands. Looking up, Alice noticed the bags under his eyes. “Yeah. I’m sorry I didn’t eat much. I know you worked hard on it.”
“It’s okay. I put it in the fridge so it’s not going to waste.” Reaching out, she skimmed her hand over his. “Need to go to the doctor?”
“Nah. Enough about me. We were supposed to spend some time together.” Pushing off of the tub, he clenched her hand in his and pulled her toward the couch. “What do you wanna do?”
Sitting beside him, she ran her fingers over the silver chain that peeked out on top of the collar of his shirt. Her hands moved around his shoulders, massaging into his muscles. There was so much tension and she pressed hard, watching as Jack closed his eyes and enjoyed it.
“That feels good, Babe…” he said as a small groan vibrated through.
She traced her fingers up his neck and back down between his shoulder blades. Sliding down onto the floor, he sat in front of her, her massage relaxing him. Bending closer, she kissed the top of his head, taking in his musky scent.
“I hate when you don’t feel good.”
“You’re making me feel better.”
Looking up, he lifted off of the floor and kissed her. His arm wrapped around her, pulling her down to where she was laying in his lap. She couldn’t help but giggle as he stared down into her eyes. The chain dangled and she curled her index finger around it, gently guiding him closer to her. Their kiss grew more intense, but just as it was getting heated, he pushed away and stood up as another coughing fit erupted.
This time, it took longer for it to stop, and Alice ran to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water. He chugged it down, and finally, the coughing stopped again. He couldn’t even look at her and went to the bedroom.
“I’m sorry, Alice. I think I’m gonna get to bed. I need to rest for work tomorrow.” He kicked his jeans off and hunkered into the bed, leaving her standing in the doorway. Glancing at the clock, Alice couldn’t believe he was ready for bed just a little after eight o’clock.
“Jack, promise me one thing.”
“Huh?”
“If this doesn’t get better, please go to the doctor, okay?”
“Uh huh…” It was muttered and Alice wasn’t sure if he was awake enough to realize what he had agreed to. Watching him a few more seconds, she went back to the living room. She wasn’t ready for bed yet. She had too much on her mind.
***
The next few weeks were a blur for Alice. If Jack wasn’t at work he was asleep on the couch or in bed early. He tried hard to stay up with her, but the exhaustion won and it was normal to see him dozing not long after dinner. And the fact that he still wasn’t eating much made it where she wasn’t eating much either. The coughing wasn’t getting any better and his clothes were starting to hang off of him from weight loss.
Saturday’s when he had a tour made for long times spent alone. She wanted to get the house cleaned up. Maybe that was a factor – maybe there was something making him sick. She gathered up her cleaning supplies and went into the bathroom. Gathering up the trash, she dropped the liner and it went everywhere across the floor.
“Damn it.”
She bent over and picked it up, pausing when she saw several pieces of toilet paper balled up in the bottom of the trash bag. Was that blood? It was disgusting digging through it, but she had to know. There were about three different blood splotches on it and a wave of heat overtook her. What in the hell was going on? She was no doctor, but was Jack coughing up blood? Why didn’t he tell her?
She
felt angry. She felt sympathetic. But most of all, she was completely scared. She put all of the trash back in the bag, but made sure to keep the bloody tissue on the top. How would she even confront him? He was definitely sick with something.
Washing her hands, she grabbed her phone and tried to call him. After a couple of rings, it went to voicemail. Why was he ignoring her call? Did he know something she didn’t? Why was he betraying her?
Sitting on the couch, she buried her face in her hands. She wanted to cry, but the tears didn’t come. She was either too tired or too infuriated to do it. The mixed emotions felt odd. At least his tour would be over in about an hour, that is, if he came home right after. He might know she was on to him and avoid her, but how would he know that? It wasn’t odd for her to call him while he was at work.
To her surprise, she heard the backdoor kick open. Jack pushed through, his skin pale, his brow sweaty. His eyes were sunken in and the bags were darker than she could remember. He looked worse than just that morning, and her heart sank.
“Jack?” Standing up, she met him in the hallway. “Babe…” Any anger she felt dissipated at the sight of him. Her nurturing side kicked in, and she grabbed his arm and helped him to the bedroom.
“Chief sent me home early. Said I looked like…” he paused to catch his breath as he sat down on the bed. “Said I looked like the walking dead.” Though he was having a hard time breathing, he still managed to smile. “I hate leaving… leaving early.”
Should she confront him about the bloody toilet paper? She fought with her conscience on that one. What good would it do? But at the same time, she wanted him to know that they shouldn’t keep secrets. “Jack, I was cleaning the bathroom and I saw the trash.” It fell out of her mouth before she had a chance to retract it.
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