A Lesson on Love

by Sharon C. Cooper

There was something she saw in his eyes—empathy, compassion, something. It was enough for her not to question him. Instead, she allowed him to help her out of the truck.

  “I just want to hug you,” he said. “Is that okay?”

  Rayne studied him, moved by his words. Her heart opened a little more for him, and she nodded, still feeling a little choked up. “That’s always okay.”

  “Good to know.” He pulled her to his body. “I am so sorry for all that you’ve gone through. No one should have to experience any of that. I’m glad you made it through.”

  “Because of Stormy. She saved my life,” she said against his scented neck. “I had to keep going…to keep fighting…for her.”

  Rayne didn’t know how long she and Jerry stood there, holding each other, but her soul sang with joy as peace settled over her. She had no idea what the future held, but for the first time in a long time, she was looking forward to the possibilities.

  Jerry eventually pulled back but didn’t release Rayne, placing a feathery kiss on her lips.

  “How about if we tweak our plans tonight?”

  Rayne narrowed her eyes, especially when he flashed that sexy grin. “Exactly what do you have in mind?”

  He glanced down at her feet. “How comfortable are your shoes?”

  Her gaze dropped to her four-inch heels. “They’re pretty comfortable. Why?”

  He smiled and opened the passenger door of his truck. “You’ll see.”

  Chapter Twelve

  “I think Dave & Busters is my new favorite place,” Rayne said, grinning like a kid in a toy store as they strolled hand in hand through the huge arcade, circling to find another game to play.

  God, she was beautiful. This was the first time that he had seen her pretty face perfectly made up and her clothes fit her sexy, curvaceous body as if they had been tailor-made for her. All evening he’d been trying not to focus only on how hot she was looking, but it was hard not to. The woman was fine as hell.

  During dinner, their conversation flowed easily and he stayed away from personal topics about her past. But he couldn’t help staring into those alluring eyes all through their meal as they feasted on bacon cheeseburgers and fries. Each time their gazes met, she captured more of his heart. And all Jerry wanted to do was wipe out the bad memories of her past and replace them with good ones.

  Changing their plans and going to Dave & Buster’s was the best idea he’d had all day. The fact that Rayne had never been to the restaurant and arcade was an added bonus. But throughout the night, bits and pieces of her past invaded his mind. He had grown up in a loving family, a family he could count on for anything. Finding out she had grown up in foster care gutted him, making him want to hold her and never let her go. He didn’t know anyone who grew up without at least one of their parents, and his imagination had gone on a wild ride when she revealed that part of her past.

  But what really pissed him the hell off was her late husband. Rayne was one of the sweetest women he’d ever met. To know her asshole of a husband had practically destroyed her life made Jerry want to dig his ass up and kill him all over again. He hated feeling like that, but it was the truth. No one should have to go through what the man put Rayne through.

  “I can’t remember the last time I played video games, but this has been fun,” Rayne shouted over the high volume of game sounds and people talking and laughing.

  They had spent the last hour going from one game to another, and it amazed him how good Rayne was at every one she played.

  “I’m glad you’re having a good time,” Jerry said close to her ear. “How are you in basketball? Wanna shoot some hoops?”

  She smiled up at him, her light-brown eyes glittering with excitement, and Jerry’s heart kicked inside his chest. Damn. He had it bad for this woman. And whether she knew it or not, their relationship had made a turn tonight. Even now, the fact that she was letting him hold her hand spoke volumes. Her guard was slowly lowering, and Jerry had no intention of screwing up the progress he was making with her.

  When they made it to Super Shots, one of the basketball games, there were two open bays. They claimed them, barely getting them before two teenage boys walked up.

  “I’ll go easy on you since you haven’t shot hoops in a while,” Jerry said.

  Rayne waved him off. “Unlike you, who plays basketball every week, it’s been a while since I’ve played, but I can hold my own. Get ready to get whooped by a girl.”

  Jerry laughed and swiped the power card in the machine to get the game started. “I see you’re talking trash now, huh? Well, let me see if you can back up those words.”

  The game started and they each shot the basketballs quickly, trying to make as many baskets as possible before the time was up. Jerry effortlessly made one basket after another while keeping an eye on Rayne, who indeed was holding her own in between giggles.

  When the time was up, Rayne huffed out a breath and leaned over to see his score. He had made almost three times as many baskets as her, but she’d done well.

  “Can I play one more time? I was too busy watching you, which threw off my focus. I know I can do better.”

  “You can play as much as you want.”

  He stood in front of her bay and swiped the card to get her machine going. Several basketballs rolled toward her.

  “I’m not gonna play this time. Then you can’t say I distracted you, even though I kinda like knowing that I have that effect on you.”

  She rolled her eyes, but he didn’t miss the smile playing around her enticing lips. “Whatever. Let me show you what I can really do.”

  Once the time started, Rayne picked up one of the balls, shot it and grabbed another. She was moving faster than before and made the first few baskets effortlessly. By the time the game was over, she had almost doubled her previous score.

  “Okay, I’m impressed. If I’d known you could shoot hoops like that, I would’ve tried harder to get you out on the basketball courts by now,” Jerry said.

  She huffed out a breath and leaned on the console, visibly winded. “Gosh, that’s a lot harder than it looks.”

  “Well, you made it look easy, baby. I guess you still have some skills from when you were a kid.” She once mentioned playing basketball when she was younger and being one of the best players in the neighborhood.

  “Yeah, I was kind of a tomboy back then. Loved doing anything that wasn’t girlie, from climbing trees to digging up worms. I stayed outside as much as I could.”

  “Yet, you’re raising a girlie-girl who is afraid of spiders and hates getting dirty.”

  Rayne laughed, something she’d been doing a lot of since they arrived. All Jerry wanted to do was keep that gorgeous smile on her face. As a matter of fact, he was going to make it his mission to do just that. And now that he better understood why she was hesitant to get involved with him, he wasn’t giving up on them one day being a couple. He would show her that not all men were like her late husband, and he planned to do whatever it took to win her trust.

  Jerry already knew that it wouldn’t be easy, especially after their dinner conversation. She blamed herself for everything that happened with Kirk, claiming she should’ve known the signs and shouldn’t have been so trusting. Her biggest regret was that Stormy had to endure the drama right along with her after Kirk’s death. Even though her daughter showed no signs of being traumatized, Rayne was afraid of what Stormy might remember during those few years.

  Jerry didn’t care how long it took. He would wait for Rayne. He already knew she was worth it, and more than anything, she deserved a happily ever after and he wanted to be the man to give it to her.

  Good thing he was a patient man, and if he played his cards right, his patience would pay off.

  *

  Rayne followed behind Jerry as he carried Stormy up the stairs to her bedroom. She didn’t know what all her child had done over Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins’ house, but whatever it was had worn Stormy out. She hadn’t stirred during the trip home. Rayne
already knew that her little talker was going to have a lot to tell her in the morning.

  Once they tucked Stormy into bed, Rayne kissed her daughter before they silently left the room.

  “I’ve heard my cousins talk about their kids climbing into bed with them in the middle of the night. Does Stormy do that?” Jerry asked as they walked back down the stairs.

  “Not since we moved here. We used to have to share a bedroom. Now that Stormy has her own room, she rarely sleeps with me unless there’s a storm. On those nights, she’s quick to climb into my bed.”

  Jerry nodded, and Rayne felt even more grateful for their current home. There had been plenty of times when their living quarters hadn’t been the best. Times when she’d been afraid to close her eyes for fear they weren’t in a safe environment. But she had done the best she could with her limited funds, and it was by the grace of God that they’d survived.

  She strolled into the kitchen and washed her hands in the sink. “Want something to drink?”

  “Water would be good.”

  Grabbing the water pitcher from the refrigerator, Rayne poured them both a glass. “Tonight, was fun,” she said.

  “I agree, and I’m glad you had a good time. Does that mean you’ll consider going out with me again…and again after that?” He flashed that sexy grin that sent heat rushing through her body.

  Smiling, Rayne shook her head. She didn’t dare tell him that the thought had popped into her head on the way to his parents’ house. Even though she knew it was just fear keeping her from dating anyone, she still couldn’t seem to get past her experience with Kirk. But what she did know, was Jerry was nothing like him. He was a good man, and Rayne was lucky to have him in her life…even as a friend.

  “I don’t think you should wait on me, Jerry. Find someone you can have a future with.”

  “That someone is you.”

  “That someone needs to be a person who wants to get married. Someone who can make you happy, because I already know you’re going to be a wonderful husband.” Those words left Rayne’s mouth dry. The thought of him with another woman made her stomach hurt, but she was still too damaged for a relationship…and scared.

  Jerry gulped half the contents of his glass before setting it on the counter. “That someone could be you.”

  “We’re not doing this back and forth dance tonight,” she said, a little disappointed in herself. Here she had this great guy who wanted to get to know her even better, and she was pushing him away, again.

  Jerry brushed the back of his fingers down Rayne’s cheek, and her skin tingled from the contact. “I thought you wanted a family.”

  “I do…I did,” she added quickly. “Actually, I have a family—Stormy.”

  Rayne lowered her eyes and stared down at the floor, but felt the heat of his gaze. Her desire to have a big family hadn’t diminished. She just couldn’t see herself getting married again. Trusting had never come easy, and after Kirk’s deception, Rayne had vowed never to rely on a man again. But she’d be lying if she said that Jerry didn’t tempt her to do just that. Spending time with him, she’d felt special, treasured. Feelings she hadn’t experienced in years, if ever.

  He tilted her chin, forcing her to look at him, and their eyes locked on each other. He really was a gorgeous man with smooth, dark skin and those penetrating eyes that Rayne could easily get lost in.

  But then her eyes dropped to his full, kissable lips, and she swallowed hard. She had told herself that their outing tonight wasn’t a real date. It was just two friends hanging out and celebrating his birthday, but she really wouldn’t mind kissing her friend again.

  “You’re right,” he said. “Stormy is your family, but don’t you want to build upon that family? What happens when she goes off to college? I’m sure you’re not going to want to spend your life alone.”

  Her daughter going off to college was the last thing Rayne wanted to think about right now. She had cried like a baby the first time she’d taken Stormy to pre-K. Had it not been for the teacher who insisted that they’d take very good care of her daughter, Rayne would’ve walked back out of the building with her child.

  And then there was Stormy. The moment she saw the other children in the classroom, she left Rayne at the door and walked into the room like a boss. All Rayne could do was look on as her daughter started introducing herself to her classmates.

  Rayne smiled at the memory, but it slipped when she thought about what Jerry said. College. She would never want to hold her little girl back from doing something she wanted to do, but it wouldn’t be easy to let her go.

  “How do you know she’ll want to go to college?” Rayne asked, moving to her right to put some distance between her and Jerry. Between the enticing scent of his cologne and the intense desire to kiss him, they were a little too close for comfort.

  “I have no doubt that Ladybug is going to college. She’s too outgoing and sociable not to want that type of experience. And hell, as intelligent as she is, she’s going one day even if I have to pay for it myself,” he said with conviction. Rayne grinned, loving how much he cared about her child. “I predict that she’ll major in something centered around caring for people like pre-med or maybe she’ll attend nursing school or become a psychiatrist.”

  “Hmm…interesting you should say that. I majored in psychology during my two years of college. Well, almost two years.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  Rayne carried her glass of water to the table and sat down. Jerry claimed the chair next to her.

  “Yeah, after I had Stormy, I stopped going to school but intended to go back when she was older. And after Kirk died, I couldn’t keep up mentally or financially.” With her finger, Rayne wiped some of the condensation from the side of the glass. “I was so lost. I hadn’t realized just how dependent on him I had become. I wanted to give up, but I couldn’t. Stormy was counting on me, and I knew I had to get myself together for her sake. All I kept thinking was that I didn’t want her to grow up in foster care like I had. I couldn’t let her down the way my parents had done to me.”

  Jerry rubbed her back in a slow, soothing motion. “I’m so glad you didn’t give up. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have the pleasure of having you and Ladybug in my life.”

  That was one of the sweetest things anyone had ever said to her. Rayne studied his profile as he stared down at the table, lost in thought. She prayed that their friendship continued to blossom despite the anxiety creeping in at the thought of them getting closer. It had been easier to fight the attraction before they had kissed. Now, after spending quality time with him, Rayne longed to get to know him better.

  But fear was a powerful emotion.

  She had been abandoned one too many times in her life, and Rayne didn’t know if she could survive that type of heartache again. Yet, she had a feeling that anything she experienced with Jerry would be different…better. But still…

  “Do you think you’ll ever go back and finish your degree?”

  “I’d love to, but I’m still trying to…I’m still trying to create a stable life for me and Stormy. One day, though, I’ll finish my education.”

  “I think you should. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to make that a reality.”

  Rayne nodded. He was always offering to help her in one way or the other, which she wasn’t used to, at least not since before she and Kirk had married. But either way, that was one goal she planned to accomplish.

  Then I can get a better job and give Stormy the type of life I always dreamed for us.

  That was her number one goal—to give her daughter a better life than she had.

  Jerry glanced at his watch. “It’s late. I’d better let you get to bed.”

  Rayne wasn’t ready for the night to end, but instead of telling him that, she followed him to the door.

  Jerry stopped and turned. “I understand being afraid to trust again. I just hope you remember that I’m not him.”

  When he placed his hand on her hip
, urging her closer, Rayne went willingly. Her defenses were no match for this man. They were getting weaker by the minute, especially when he looked at her with concern in his eyes. He was slowly chipping away at that wall of defense that she had carefully constructed around her heart.

  “I think it was fate that you moved in next door to me. This attraction vibing between us is something I have never felt with anyone. Ever. But now that I know what you’ve been through, I don’t blame you for being hesitant to get involved with someone again.” He cupped her cheek, brushing the pad of his thumb over her skin as he continued to stare into her eyes. “Just know that when—”

  Rayne placed her finger on his lips. “I know.”

  Jerry had been a lifeline for her. A lifeline that she had desperately needed when they first moved to town. Since then, he had become someone she could truly count on. And someone she was seriously attracted to.

  Then why am I afraid to take a chance on him…on us?

  An overwhelming desire to kiss him forced Rayne closer, and without second-guessing herself, she snaked her arms around Jerry’s neck and covered his mouth with hers. She put everything she felt for him in the kiss as desire pulsed through her body, and he matched her stroke for stroke.

  She might’ve started the kiss, but Jerry quickly took charge, tightening the hold he had around her waist backing her against the front door. Heat rippled under her skin as the flush of sexual desire, that she hadn’t felt in years, consumed her.

  Heaven.

  That’s what it felt like being in his strong arms.

  Pure heaven.

  Jerry expertly freed the hairpins from her hair and ran his fingers through her tresses.

  God, that’s sexy, she thought, enjoying the feel of his hands against her scalp.

  “I love your hair,” he said against her lips, then held her head in place as he continued devouring her mouth.

  The kiss was urgent, yet exploratory, and she was no longer surprised by the way her body responded to him. They’d had a connection from day one, and she was so tired of denying herself.