Mr. Roche quickly handed over his phone, to Jesse’s surprise. He got in the car and gave him an escort to Ellie Mayberry’s house.
Sure enough, when Mr. Roche let himself in with a key – which again, surprised him since Allie had never mentioned his father dating – they discovered Ellie lying in her kitchen floor with a goose egg on her head the size of ping-pong ball and blood matted in her hair. One of her legs also lay at a weird angle and was significantly shorter than the other. Jesse immediately took out his walkie-talkie and called for an ambulance.
“I spilled some water,” Ellie was saying. “I thought I had gotten it all but apparently not.”
“Just hold tight,” Mr. Roche was saying. “Ambulance will be here in a minute and they’ll take good care of you. You’ll be just fine.”
Jesse knew right then that Mr. Roche had a thing with Ms. Ellie. Funny how the two had never popped into his head as being compatible until this moment. Mr. Roche with his head hung low, murmuring into Ellie’s ear, drying her tears with his aged thumb. Ellie calmed considerably at his touch and gave him a tentative smile.
“Thank you for coming,” she whispered and leaned her forehead against his.
Jesse smiled. Would he and Ally be their age one day and love each other?
When the ambulance finally pulled out, Mr. Roche went to his car to follow it to the hospital.
Jesse shrugged. “If I catch you again…”
“You won’t. I’ll be the model citizen. Good to see you again, Jesse. Have you given Ally a call yet?” He gave Jesse a knowing smile and then drove slowly out of the driveway.
Jesse just narrowed his eyes at the man and then shook his head in disbelief as he drove away.
How did he always have an excuse?
****
Ally smoothed her sweater against her frame and turned sideways. Had she gained some weight? She made a mental note to eat salads for the next few days and pick up her normal jogging schedule that she’d left behind before she’d witnessed a murder.
She remembered from high school when she’d gained a little weight during the summer, Jesse had seemed to love her new figure. Maybe he would this time, too. He seemed to appreciate the way she looked no matter what.
Behind her, the bedroom door creaked open and Lana poked her head in. “Almost ready? I just let Jesse in.”
Ally drew a deep breath. “I think I’m ready.”
Lana stepped inside and pushed the door closed. “He looks as nervous as you do.”
“I don’t know why,” Ally mused out loud. “It’s not like we’re strangers.”
“But you guys have been through a lot.” Lana sat on the edge of the bed. “When Lucky and I first got married, we went on a nice honeymoon to the mountain so we could enjoy some quiet time. Maybe you and Jesse should go away for a weekend.”
Ally thought of her and Jesse alone, in a small space, for the span of an entire weekend. She’d either wind up knocked up or locked up. It truly was a toss up at this point in their relationship. “I don’t think that’s a good idea right now. I still have to talk to Michael.”
She grabbed her purse and sat next to Lana. “I don’t want to mess this up, Lana. I still love him. And I’ve always dreamed about a second chance to do it right.” The admission caught her off guard, but she realized right after that it wasn’t a confession of something she’d once felt. Those old feelings had never really gone away, but rather she had suppressed them so they only appeared to have vanished.
“You’ll figure it out. Your situation isn’t nearly as complicated as mine was with Lucky. I mean, I was pregnant with another man’s baby and he married me just to help me out. Don’t you think you guys have a better shot than we did? Look at us! Lucky and I love each other so much, Ally. I can’t live without him, and I hope I never have to.”
“You guys are amazing together. I love the way he looks at you.”
“You mean the same way Jesse looks at you? If Lucky didn’t still look at me that way, I’d be jealous.” Lana smiled and nudged her with her shoulder. “Go have fun. And be safe.”
Ally stood to go, but then stopped. “Was that a veiled sisterly warning? You didn’t sneak condoms in my purse, did you?”
“No! Daddy taught us better than that. I expect you’ll be on your best behavior. I wouldn’t want Jesse on the business end of Daddy’s shotgun. We both know how trigger happy he’s been since the incident with James.”
Shaking her head at her sister and laughing, Ally left the room and descended the stairs. Jesse was on the floor helping Lily build a tower with her blocks. Just as she put the top block on, the whole tower fell down and she let out a big belly laugh. In return, Jesse laughed too and tweaked her nose.
“Fall down!” Lily clapped with delight.
“Yup, the tower fell down. Wanna see how high I can build a tower?”
Lily’s sweet curls bounced as she nodded. Ally sat on the bottom stair quietly watching the pair. Jesse built his blocks at an awkward angle and only made it to the fifth block before they fell. Lily doubled over with giggles.
“Guess you’re better than me,” Jesse said with a shrug.
“Jesse silly!” she said between fits of laughter. Ally remembered back in high school that she’d loved watching him with the younger kids. He’d had too many credits in school and decided to volunteer tutoring the elementary kids. Occasionally, Ally had to go get him for lunch, he’d be so immersed in his duties. He was going to be a natural, wonderful father one day. The thought warmed her to the bottom of her toes.
Just as she shifted her weight, Jesse caught her gaze and winked. He wore a button up plaid shirt with double pockets and a white undershirt. His black hair was combed back in a controlled chaos. The glasses she’d noticed on New Year’s Eve were perched on his nose, but it only added to his charm.
Ally stood and tugged at her shirt. His eyes raked over her slowly with a heat she hadn’t expected. It was going to be a long night for sure.
“If you don’t mind, I need to drop by my house and grab a few things after dinner. I meant to do it earlier, but I didn’t have time.”
“Not a problem.” In one elegant motion, he stood, leaving Lily and Ally standing there watching him, practically drooling. At least Lily had an excuse.
“Ready?” Ally was suddenly in a hurry to leave, but at the same time, she was in a hurry not to leave because she couldn’t be trusted. Not with Jesse looking like this.
As they backed out of the driveway, Jesse took her hand and threaded their fingers together. “I thought out of respect for you, we’d go down to Buford and have dinner. I know people here talk.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Respect for me? You hate Michael. I figured you’d take the opportunity to rub it in his face.”
“Hate’s a strong word. He’s just my least favorite person on the planet. And I don’t want to give you a reason not to trust me again.”
Ally’s heart tugged within her. After living their whole childhood together, it had to have hurt hearing that she wasn’t sure she trusted him to keep his word. But here he was, seemingly willing to make a go of it.
“Thank you, Jesse.”
His lips quirked and he winked. “Anything for you, beautiful. By the way, I ran into your dad today.”
“Yeah? What did he have to say?”
“He was on his way to Ellie Mayberry’s house. She apparently called him because she’d fallen and couldn’t get up. I gave him a police escort and called the ambulance while he helped her sit up.”
“Oh, no! But why would she call Daddy?”
Jesse shifted. “He uh… kinda had a key to her house, Ally. I think they might be together.”
“No, Daddy would tell me if he had a girlfriend.”
“You might want ask him. They were pretty… uh… tight.”
“Nah, there must be another explanation. I’ll ask him later… So after dinner, what will we do?”
“I thought maybe we could go back to your place
and watch a movie. Like old times. You game?”
Ally hesitated. Could either of them be trusted? Would it be the best idea to go to her house and be alone with him?
“Or not. No pressure. Maybe that’s too forward for a first date.”
“No, no,” she rushed to say. “I’m just thinking about whether or not we could be trusted together… alone.”
His eyes fell to her breasts. “Good point. It’s cold but maybe we could go for a walk over the river downtown.”
Bringing his fingers to her lips, she placed a chaste kiss across his knuckles. “That sounds perfect,” she whispered.
****
Jesse was at a loss. Ally didn’t want to be alone with him, yet she kept sending him mixed signals. He was pretty sure if they managed to get alone with one another, clothes would fly. Hadn’t they every other time they’d been together since he came back? It was the one thing he could count on: Their attraction.
Dinner was quiet and understated. They held hands the entire time they weren’t eating, and Jesse felt like luck had finally found him. Sure, he’d fought going back to her at first, but look at him now, with the woman he’d always dreamed about, longed for. She was with him, and if he had anything to say about it, she’d stay beside him for many years to come.
So far, he wasn’t regretting his decision to try again with Ally. He was more mature now, and he could see how his proposal had overwhelmed her and had caught her at the worst possible time. Lana had been in trouble and her father was alone. Ally was essentially the glue that had held their family together back then. For her to leave would have devastated Mr. Roche as well as Ally herself.
And he liked to think that all things happened for a reason. Looking at her now, with the spark back in her eyes and the life simmering just beneath the surface, he was happy that he’d been the one to bring it out of her. She deserved to be happy.
As they left the restaurant and headed to the bridge that went over the river, Jesse tucked her hand with his in his coat pocket. She’d put on a cute little bean hat and a winter white coat that made her look like a snow angel. He kissed her temple.
“What was that for?” she asked, smiling up at him.
He gave a half shrug. “I don’t really know. You know me. Spontaneous. Reckless. Fun.” He sent her a half-grin. “Hot.”
Throwing her head back, she let out a laugh.
He wasn’t sure if he should laugh or be insulted. “What’s so funny?”
“You’re so full of yourself,” she managed as her mirth died down.
“I am not! I’m just honest.” He flexed his biceps. “Wanna feel my muscle? I’ve been working on it for months now.”
Ally squeezed his biceps and squinted into the night. “I’d say you’re still about six months out from anything truly impressive. I’ve seen teenagers with bigger guns.”
Jesse bit his cheek then narrowed his eyes on her. “I’m your ride back home, lady. You better tell me what I want to hear. Six months my foot. That’s pure 1985 Swarzenegger right there.” He flexed again, but she only rolled her eyes. He could read the smile in her brown eyes, though, so he quit talking and enjoyed their companionable silence.
Christmas lights still adorned the bridge, casting a warm white glow all around them and down into the water. They came to a stop in the middle of the bridge at its highest point and watched the boats disappear beneath them. A gentle breeze played with Ally’s hair and her sparkling eyes smiled up at him.
“This is nice.”
“It is.”
“Remember the night of my graduation?”
“When you tried to make me jealous by air humping a bunch of guys at a party?”
“You were just sitting in the corner watching me. What was I supposed to do?”
Jesse shook his head, remembering that night vividly. It was the night he’d realized there was more to them than watching movies and being jogging partners on Saturday mornings. Of course, he’d always thought somewhere deep down that was how he felt, but it was better to bury those feelings than risk rejection.
“You were trashed that night.”
“It was the first time you kissed me, Jesse. And I remember it like it was yesterday, trashed or not.”
“You must since we spent the rest of the summer together doing things we probably shouldn’t have.”
“Definitely shouldn’t have done. I’ve been ruined ever since.”
Jesse cocked his head. “How so?”
Ally looked away and sighed. “Because no one ever measured up to you.”
“Measured? That’s a lot to tell a guy who’s already apparently full of himself.”
She smiled and looked down at their threaded fingers. She seemed at a loss for words, so he took charge. He grabbed the lapels of her coat and gently pushed her against the railing with his body. “I thought we were done with this, Ally.” His voice held unyielding power that was sure to ruin their peaceable mood, but it was necessary.
“I just can’t help going back and wishing I could do it all over again.” She still refused to meet his eyes and that bothered him. In his line of work, it indicated guilt or shame. Either one wasn’t allowed right now. Not tonight.
“Ally, look at me.” It took her a moment, but she did. Her eyes were full of the past, pain, and sorrow. “You have a chance to do it all over again, baby. I’m right here. With you. Now the question is, what are you going to do with me?”
This brought a full smile to her lips, wide and happy. “I can think of a few things,” she whispered.
“Oh yeah?”
“Mmm hmm.” She pulled his head down to hers and her lips worked their magic over his. Her tongue teased him, lined his lips until he finally gave in to his desire and plunged into her, desperate to take away her pain and hurt.
Her groan left him weak. Her hands speared through his hair, tugging, pushing, until he wasn’t sure where she ended and he began. The kiss started out sweet but quickly turned feral and bordered on out of control.
He was the first to come to his senses. With a chuckle, he brushed a knuckle against his lips and glanced around. “We might get arrested for public indecency here in a bit if we don’t cool off.”
“Good thing you’re a cop.” Ally bit her lip and studied his mouth again.
“Uh uh. No more of that until we’re alone. I’m going to have a hard time walking as it is.”
Ally giggled and turned in his arms until her back was against his chest. “This feels so good, Jesse.”
He nipped her ear and hugged her. “Try being in my shoes.”
Chapter 6
Ally and Jesse walked through the doors of her home with an air of expectation between them. Ally could feel the need radiating off him and the second the door clicked shut she heard his strained voice.
“Ally.”
His hands found her shoulders and spun her around, wasting no time bring her legs up to encircle his waist. The wall behind her anchored her against his touch.
“Jesse,” she whispered, but his mouth was on hers. And if she wasn’t careful, she’d be naked in four point two seconds before she could tell him how much she loved him. But was it wise to go through with that plan? With him not questioning her response and his drastic need written all over his tense body, she wasn’t sure if she could get a word in before he was on top of her.
“Ally, which way is the bedroom?” His hands were everywhere. Her hips, her face, cupping her butt, his palms smoothing over the back of her legs.
“Jesse,” she whispered again, but before she could say anything more, he started walking in the dark toward the stairs.
“You feel so good,” he said hotly against her lips. “I remember what feels even better though.”
And for the love, she remembered too… too well. Skin to skin, lips on lips, bodies straining for the inevitable outcome. She wanted that. She wanted Jesse.
Without warning, Jesse tripped over something in the floor, bringing him down hard on his knee. H
e promptly dumped Ally in the floor and her hip struck something hard. What in the world? She’d left her house spotless.
“Are you okay, Jesse?”
“Not sure.” He plopped down on the floor and rubbed his knee, his face twisted in agony in the moonlight. “You okay? What was that?”
“Let me get the light.” Ally pulled herself up and fumbled for the light switch. When they could see, Ally had to blink several times to make sure her eyes weren’t betraying her.
Everything was in shambles. Her kitchen table lay in splinters, which was what Jesse had tripped over. Cabinets hung open and everything was either missing or broken, strangely enough none of it was on the floor. It was like the intruder had done it to…
Prove a point.
“He knows, Jesse.”
“Clearly.” His lips were pressed in a tight line, whether from pain or the sudden knowledge she’d been burglarized, she didn’t know.
Jesse tried to stand but his face indicated his pain.
“Do I need to call an ambulance? You’re bleeding!” Ally eyed his jeans as the dark stain slowly grew bigger.
“Just a scratch.” He whipped out his cell phone as he stood against the wall with his weight on one leg. “Lucky,” he called out in a loud, ruffled voice. “Ally’s house has been destroyed. It’s clear the perp knows she’s involved. We need a squad car here, stat. And I don’t think it’s safe for her to stay with your family anymore. This is getting serious.”
As if a murder wasn’t serious enough. It touched Ally that he felt like it was more serious now that she was directly in the killer’s path.
She felt a strange numbness settle over her. Would he find her? If he did, would he do to her what he’d done to that poor man in the ally?
Numbness turned to cold, and Ally sank down against the cabinet and slid to the floor. Shivers racked her body and her teeth chattered.
Despite his own pain, he settled down next to her and pulled her in his arms. Then a sudden thought had her sitting up and alert. “What if he’s still here?”
“You’re safe, Ally.” The light gleamed on silver metal in his hand.
“You’ve been packing all night?”
Jesse's Girl Page 6