by Jojo Brown
Panic had blinded her until that moment.
Now she saw the very real pain in his eyes. Pain that she had caused. Pain that she never wanted to see there.
"Do you really?” he repeated.
"No."
That one tiny word could cause so much joy, nearly knocked him over.
As their lips met, rain began to fall.
Standing beside the cars they held each other until they were both soaked through to the skin. Neither of them spoke for a long time, they just stood there holding each other as though they were afraid to let go of the moment.
Finally, they decided to go into the truck stop to dry off, have a coffee and talk.
"Are you going to tell me what the phone call was about?"
As the question hung between them, Lance wasn't sure he really wanted to know the answer. He knew that it was important, though.
"How did you know about that? Oh let me guess, Mr. Helpful at the front desk."
"Yes. Let me tell you, it came as a real shock, I didn't even know you had a phone with you."
"I know, and I didn't hide it on purpose to upset you. I just thought that it would be a good idea to have in case something happened with the girls. Anyway, it was my best friend, Lyla. The girls are staying with her and I told her not to call me unless it was important."
"So, I take it something big happened."
"It's Dan, my husband. He is in jail for nearly killing Lyla's husband."
He reached across the table to take her hand in his. “Oh, my God! Tell me what happened baby! You know I will be here for you, no matter what."
Chapter Ten
She spent the next half an hour explaining to him about Dan. Things she had never told him before. Dan had a terrible temper, especially when he had been drinking, which happened a lot.
He was also extremely jealous, of everything.
If a man even spoke to her in the grocery store, she would have to answer a barrage of questions. If he wasn't happy with how she answered, he would start hitting her.
If she ended up with nothing more than a black eye or bruised ribs, she considered herself lucky. He had put her in the hospital twice in the past year.
At the time, she had told Lance that she had just not been able to get on line for those days. Now it seemed important that he know the truth. All of it!
She tried to explain the fear that she had lived with throughout her marriage.
Unable to really explain why she had stayed with him, she begged Lance to just try to understand.
"The phone call from Lyla had been to let me know what happened last night. While we were lying in each other's arms, enjoying extreme bliss, my children were going through hell. Dan came home from his trip early. When he found the house empty, he went over to Lyla's. Knowing it was where I hid from him. Grant answered the door and tried to stop him from coming into the house. I guess he was drunk, like usual. He started fighting with Grant in the doorway and he pulled a knife. Lyla grabbed the phone and dialled 911."
"Where were the kids?"
"They woke up from all the noise and saw their father stabbing Grant. By the time the cops got there, Grant was laying on the front porch bleeding to death and Dan was trying to make the girls get in the car with him."
With her hands over her face, the sobs shook her shoulders. “I don't even know all of the gruesome details and it terrifies me. I can't imagine how they must feel!"
Lance moved into the seat beside her and slid his arm around her.
He whispered, “Let me help you and the girls."
"Don't be ridiculous! If it hadn't been for you none of this would have happened!"
"What?!"
"I was a selfish fool to think that I could have one weekend of pure happiness. If I hadn't come here, Grant wouldn't be in the intensive care struggling for his life and my girls wouldn't be traumatized!"
"No, only you would be."
"Well I would rather it be me!"
"Yes, I know you would. That's just one more thing that makes you so special. Let me stay and help out, I can make sure you all have some place to stay that is safe. I can help with the hospital bills. Whatever you need done, let me help you."
"You can't. You have a job and a wife to get back to. One of our lives being ruined is enough of a burden for me to deal with. I can't handle the thought of ruining yours too."
"Now it's your turn to listen! I can run the business from anywhere as long as I have a phone and a computer. There is no wife for me to go home to. Not anymore. She left me months ago for another man. She'd been having an affair for a long time and just decided that he gave her what she wanted."
"Why didn't you tell me?” she asked, staring at him in disbelief.
"I was going to tell you this morning, but you were gone when I got up. I didn't say anything before, because I didn't want it to affect our weekend. Josie, I love you. I thought I did before, but now I know I do. I want to help you and protect you and be with you. I want you to let me love you."
Laying her head on his shoulder, the words he desperately needed to hear finally came, “I love you too."
Over the next six months, Lance spent a lot of time on planes.
It wasn't as easy as he thought it would be to run his business long distance. It was worth it all in his eyes though.
Grant had been in the hospital for six weeks and was still recovering at home. Lyla couldn't thank Lance enough for all of the extra help he had given them. Paying for private therapists and whatever else Grant needed.
Josie and the girls had moved in with Lyla to help out. It was a large old farmhouse, so there was lots of room for everyone.
Knowing that they were safe now had brought about a huge change in Josie and her daughters.
Josie got a job in a local bookstore and the girls were excelling in school. Life had become something that Josie looked forward to each morning rather than something she dreaded.
There were only two things she dreaded now, Lance going away on business trips (the bed was too empty without him) and Dan's trial.
Thankfully, the trial had been fast.
He pled guilty to attempted manslaughter.
Lance was away on business, but Josie and Lyla both attended, to testify and to see it through to the end. He hadn't looked at either of them once, until after the sentencing.
Then he looked right in Josie's eyes, “You did this, you bitch! It's all your fault, you slut!"
The guards dragged him out of the courtroom, kicking and screaming.
He would be spending the next fifteen years in prison.
Josie held her head high and kept her shoulders straight. She knew he was wrong; it was entirely his fault. If he hadn't been the way he was, none of this would have happened.
Josie had filed for divorce the day after she got home from Niagara Falls.
Due to Dan's arrest, it would be an uncontested divorce.
She would have willingly asked for it on the grounds of her adultery, but the lawyer told her it wasn't necessary. It would be coming through soon.
Everyone was looking forward to that wonderful day. Even the girls said that they would be relieved to not have to worry what he was going to do next.
Many hours were spent with Josie's and Lance's heads together over sheets of paper. Her artistic talent had proved to be an asset to his business. They were becoming a team in many ways.
A whole new world had opened for the two of them and they were ready to meet it head on.
Their last night together before Lance had to leave for two weeks on business; Josie found him sitting on the edge of the bed that they shared.
When he looked at her, his eyes were filled with so much love, her heart melted.
Without saying a word, he picked up a blanket and led her by the hand out into the back yard. In the back corner of the yard he spread the blanket out under the huge oak tree.
Sitting beside her on it, he slowly slid the thin cotton nightie over her head.<
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Standing he removed his boxers.
Moonlight glistened on their skin as they came together. As they touched the same old flame leapt to life.
His cock grew between them with instant need.
Her nipples hardened to push against his chest and her pussy became hot and wet.
He rained kisses down her throat and shoulders. Lowering to enjoy her breasts. Feeling her fingers close around his hot shaft, he moaned against her breast.
Even though they were together as much as possible, it still amazed them both how well they fit together. Their lovemaking was still as perfect as the first time.
With the stars as their witnesses they made love. They went slow, enjoying the now familiar curves of each other's body.
While they were lying in each other's arms, basking in the feel of the breeze against their glistening skin, Lance turned to face her. “I need to ask you something before I leave."
"Okay."
"Your divorce will be final soon. Mine came through last week."
"I know that, silly!"
"Hush woman!” Lance chuckled, “I am trying to be serious here."
"Oh okay. Sorry."
"I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. Will you make me the happiest man alive and become my wife?"
Pulling a ring box out from under the blanket, he showed her the ring he had been carrying around for a week.
Through her tears of joy she whispered, “Oh my sweet secret, yes I will marry you!"
As he slid the sparkling diamond onto her finger he looked into her eyes, “This really was a risk worth taking."
The End
About the Author
Jojo is a happily married, 43 year old mother of three daughters. Living in a small town in southern Ontario gives her lots of quiet time to spend on her writing. She is a natural story-teller, and devout lover of sensual fantasy. So, it seems only natural that erotic romance should become her genre.
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