by Nicola Marsh
“Yeah, but she’ll understand.”
While his nephew’s happiness meant everything to him, he couldn’t help but feel frustrated he wouldn’t be seeing Sara tonight. He hadn’t been this horny for a woman since his teen years and all he could think about was Sara, naked and warm and pliant in his arms.
She might’ve been coming over for supper but he’d planned on walking her home with the intent on getting some much-needed one-on-one time with her.
He hadn’t planned on this setback and immediately felt guilty for seeing Rose’s text as such. His sister had made amazing progress. He should be rejoicing, not trying to hide his disillusionment at not getting to spend time with his girlfriend.
“Why don’t I take Olly to visit Rose?” Cilla stretched out her legs and wiggled her toes. “I’d love to reconnect with her. See if she wants to come stay when she gets out?”
Jake’s heart leaped but he tried not to appear too eager. “You sure?”
It wouldn’t be such a bad idea if Rose heard the invitation from Cilla. He’d already tried on the phone and she’d been less than enthused. Having it come from their aunt, who’d been nothing but welcoming since he’d arrived, might sway Rose in a way he couldn’t.
It would also ensure his plans with Sara tonight didn’t change. A purely selfish reaction to Cilla’s offer but he’d be a fool not to contemplate it.
Cilla nodded. “Absolutely. I’d love to see her.”
Jake wavered. As much as he wanted to see Sara, Olly was his responsibility. Rose was his sister. He should be the one to take Olly.
“You’d really be helping me out,” Cilla said. “I’d like to get out of town for a night. Do some thinking. This would be a perfect opportunity.”
When Cilla put it like that, how could Jake refuse? If Cilla needed thinking time to eradicate the sadness that hung over her like a pall, he’d facilitate it. And maybe get what he wanted in the process.
Did that make him heartless? He’d prefer to think of it as making it easier for everyone.
“Okay. A cleaner comes in once a week so my apartment should be spotless and if you can’t find something, call me.”
“We’ll be fine,” Cilla said, looking relieved he’d agreed. “Olly’s a sweet child and I can’t wait to see Rose again.”
“Try to convince her to come stay, okay?”
“I’ll do my best.” Cilla glanced out the window, a faraway glint in her eyes. “This place is good for healing.”
He couldn’t agree more.
The next hour flew by in a blur of getting a very excited Olly ready to visit his mom, packing overnight cases and ensuring Cilla had directions from the recovery center to his apartment.
When Cilla and Olly left, Jake sank into the armchair in front of the fireplace and breathed a sigh of relief.
He loved Olly and adored his aunt but this would be the first night he’d have to himself since he’d arrived here.
While the prospect of yet another night alone would’ve made him maudlin back in New York City, he now cherished the silence that enveloped the house.
Though if he had any say in it, he wouldn’t be alone tonight.
He should cook a meal, set the table, uncork some wine, put some music on. But all he could think about was having Sara all to himself and he didn’t want to waste time doing any of that other stuff.
He texted her to come over and she responded almost immediately in the affirmative. Hopefully that was a sign she wanted this as much as he did.
As dusk descended, he strolled around the house, closing the curtains, switching on wall sconces and lamps, casting a cozy glow. Cilla had a lovely home, as warm and welcoming as she was, and he hoped it put Sara at ease.
He wasn’t big on seduction. Had never had any use for setting moods or false promises. Not being emotionally invested in any of his previous lovers had served him well. But the way his heart bucked in his chest like a wild thing while he waited for Sara told him he was far more invested in her than was good for him.
A knock on the back door had him swiping sweaty palms down the sides of his shorts. Damn, he was nervous.
As was she, if her wide eyes and pale face were any indication when he let her in.
“Cilla’s car’s missing,” she said, slipping past him before he could kiss her.
“She’s taken Olly to visit Rose,” he said, flicking the back lock and pulling down the blind. “Won’t be back ’til morning.”
Sara stilled, her gaze riveted to his. “So it’s just us tonight?”
“Is that a problem?”
He sent a silent prayer heavenward that she wouldn’t say yes.
It took her what seemed like an eternity to answer.
“Not at all.” Her mouth curved into a coy smile that made him combust on the spot.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” He advanced on her and she backed away, into the living room where a single lamp cast shadows. “Because I’ve been thinking about doing this all day.”
Her back hit the mantel and she stopped. “Doing what? Chasing me around a room?”
“This,” he said, vaulting the coffee table to land in front of her, grab hold of her, and haul her into his arms before crushing his mouth on hers.
There was nothing tender in the kiss and he couldn’t help it. He wanted her too damn much. He should apologize, should take it slow, but Sara didn’t give him the chance as she fisted her hands in his shirt and dragged him closer, plastering her body to his.
She matched him for frustration and passion, consuming him with hot, open-mouthed kisses that had them gasping for air.
He palmed her butt and she hooked a leg around him, bringing her heat in tantalizing contact. He groaned as she writhed against him, making soft, mewling noises that fired his libido into the stratosphere.
“You sure you want this?” he managed to say with his last ounce of chivalry when she trailed kisses along his jaw, down his throat.
“Absolutely.” She eased back to look him in the eye. “I want you.”
“Feeling’s entirely mutual, sweetheart.” Not breaking eye contact, he hoisted her into his arms and took the stairs at a reckless speed.
Her wild peal of laughter made him nuzzle her neck, tickling her with his stubble until she was breathless from laughing.
Her laughter died when he laid her on the bed and towered over her, reaching for the first button on his shirt.
“I promised you real slow, remember?” He slipped the button through the loop. “So first I’m going to strip and then I get to watch you do the same.”
The tip of her tongue darted out to moisten her bottom lip. “You know the wait’s killing me, right?”
“It’ll be worth it.”
Sara couldn’t breathe as she watched Jake slip his shirt off his shoulders. He was magnificent. Broad chest. Strong pecs. Smattering of hair. Tanned.
She wanted to run her hands over every inch of him.
The moment “inch” popped into her head her gaze automatically dipped to the bulge in his shorts.
“Do you want to see all of me?” His fingers snagged the zipper and her mouth went dry.
She nodded, gnawing on her bottom lip as he slid the zipper down, grating metal the only sound in the room apart from her ragged breathing.
When the shorts fell to the floor, air whooshed out of her lungs.
When the boxers followed, her jaw dropped.
Now she could understand why Jake was so confident.
“Your turn,” he said, holding his hands out.
She took them, allowed him to pull her to her feet.
“I want to touch you,” she said, not waiting for permission as her palms skated across his chest, his abs, his hips.
She heard his sharp intake of breath as her hand slid lower, heard his muttered curse as she wrapped her hand around him and stroked.
He stilled her hand. “You know how I wanted to take this slow? You keep that up and you’ll be disappointed.”
His rueful grin tinged with pride made her laugh and she released him.
“One of us is way overdressed,” he said, reaching for the zipper on the back of her sundress. “And if you won’t strip for me, looks like I’ll have to do the honors.”
“Be my guest.”
He eased the zipper down as far as it could go, then pushed the straps off her shoulders. She shivered as the cotton slid down her body and pooled at her feet, leaving her breasts bared.
“Holy hell.” He stared at her like she was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen and it empowered her to hook her thumbs into the elastic of her white cotton panties and slowly push them to the floor.
As Jake’s hungry gaze slid over her body, Sara had never felt so exposed. Yet strangely, she didn’t feel vulnerable.
This was Jake.
The man who’d helped her confront her demons. Who’d been gentle and supportive. Who hadn’t pushed or judged, but had been there for her while she healed in this town.
This was Jake.
The man she wanted more than she’d wanted anything in a long time.
When he took her into his arms, she came alive, as if waking from a long slumber. Every touch, every caress set her alight, making her crave release with every heartbeat.
He loved her with his tongue and his mouth and his hands, until she shattered into a million floaty pieces.
Still wanting more.
Wanting it all.
He gave it to her. This wonderful man thrust into her, filling her, completing her, making love to her until she was mindless and boneless and shameless.
Sara didn’t care.
For the first time in a long time, she felt alive.
35.
Jake woke to the first slivers of a cool dawn peeking through the blinds and an armful of hot woman snuggled into his chest.
Disoriented, he blinked several times and glanced at the woman.
It all came flooding back.
Sara.
Over him. Under him. Satisfying him in a way he’d never thought possible.
They’d had an incredible night. How many times had they done it? Four? Five? It didn’t matter. What mattered was the fact she was here, right by his side and he liked it. A lot.
For the first morning in nine months, a smile crept across his face. At last, he had something to smile about.
He had no idea how they’d make this work. He hadn’t planned on staying in town beyond Rose’s rehab stint. Hell, he couldn’t even enter the local airfield without freaking out. Then there was his apartment back in New York City. And a host of contacts he’d built up over the years in the industry, should he ever need a change of direction in his career.
If there ever was a time he needed a change, that time was now.
But then there was Sara. Sweet, sassy, seductive Sara.
He couldn’t see her leaving Redemption. Not after she’d left her pain behind and seemed comfortable in the house she’d inherited. But it was more than that.
This town had saved her.
He’d watched her at the fair, had seen her deep in conversation with many of the locals, the joy on her face when she sold her pieces. She’d even appeared comfortable around the kids from her art class who’d stopped by her stall, a far cry from the woman who’d bawled when she’d first laid eyes on Olly.
No, he couldn’t see her heading back to the city. Which meant he had some serious thinking to do.
He hadn’t needed the phenomenal sex last night to cement what he already knew.
He’d fallen for Sara.
And he wanted to explore what that meant for the both of them.
She wriggled a little and sighed, her eyelids fluttering. The corners of her mouth curved a little and he hoped she was dreaming of him.
His cell buzzed on the drawers next to the bed and he froze. Dawn phone calls couldn’t be good and his fears immediately focused on Olly or Cilla or Rose. He prayed to God they were safe as he carefully slid his arm out from under Sara, who appeared to sleep in a catatonic state and couldn’t be roused despite him shifting to reach for his phone.
He grabbed the cell, padded into the bathroom, slid the door shut and allowed himself a deep breath before glancing at the screen.
Rose.
Trying to stay cool, he hit the answer button. “Hey Rosey-Posey, everything okay?”
“No.” Her voice was barely above a whisper and his heart sank.
“What’s wrong?”
“I need to see you, Jake. Now.”
Hell. “I can be there in an hour if I leave now.”
Jake wanted to ask a million questions but she sounded so lost, so forlorn, that he didn’t want to be responsible for tipping the balance. So he focused on the one topic guaranteed to put a smile on her face.
“Olly must’ve loved seeing you yesterday.”
“That’s what I want to talk to you about,” she said, her tone bordering on shrill. “Get here as fast as you can.”
She’d hung up by the time he’d said, “Okay.” Not good. He hadn’t heard her sound so desperate since the night she’d called him, hysterical, to say that Olly’s father had been found dead of a drug overdose.
He got dressed at record speed and tiptoed back into the bedroom to scrawl a quick note for Sara. She hadn’t stirred and he allowed himself the luxury of watching her sleep peacefully for a few seconds before writing a brief explanation, then slipping out the door.
He tried to focus on their night together on the drive to the rehab facility but instead, a variety of scenarios, all of them bad, kept flashing across his mind.
Had Rose had a relapse? Had she checked herself out then realized her mistake? Had Cilla said something to put her in a funk? What would happen to Olly if Rose couldn’t get her act together?
The sixty-minute drive took him forty-five at this early hour and he found himself holding his breath as he waited to be admitted to Rose’s ward.
The night nurse on duty, about to clock off, shot him a compassionate glance that did little to settle his nerves. What the hell was he walking into?
Thankfully, Rose appeared alert and calm as she sat by the window in her room, dressed in yoga pants and a hoodie. With her hair in a ponytail, she looked like a teenage waif.
She turned as he entered the room and leapt to her feet. “Thanks for coming so quickly.”
He crossed the small room and hugged her, wishing he could infuse her with some of his strength. For that’s how he felt these days, like Redemption had made him stronger. He wasn’t the same guy who’d left New York a few months ago in search of help for his nephew and had ended up helping himself in the process.
“You’ve got me worried, Sis. What’s up?” He perched on the side of her bed, hoping that whatever had upset her he could fix it.
“I need to get this all out in one go without you interrupting, okay?”
“Okay.” Foreboding strummed his spine. This sounded bad.
“I’m a lousy mom and seeing Olly with Aunt Cilla yesterday reinforced it. He’s like a different kid. He looks healthy and happy in a way he never did with me.”
She started pacing, taking three steps and turning back, and when he opened his mouth to respond she held up her hand. “Let me finish. I know you want me to recuperate in Redemption when I get out of here, and Cilla put forward a strong case too. So I’m considering it. But Olly’s better off with you for a while. I’m not strong enough to leave here yet and . . . honestly? I won’t be for a while.”
“How long?”
She hesitated, as her shoulders sagged. “I don’t know.”
This was worse than he expected. Olly was Rose’s life and if she didn’t want to get out of here ASAP to be with him, she must be in a bad way.
“Did you relapse?”
She snorted. “How? You think they have a mini-bar stocked full of vodka in these rooms
?”
He bit back the logical response: If she was allowed visitors now, any one of her friends could’ve snuck alcohol in.
“Olly adores you, Rose. You’re all he talks about—”
“That’s not true. He kept mentioning Sara, like she hung the moon and stars.” She resumed pacing. “Aunt Cilla said she’s great.”
And she’s my new girlfriend, Jake wanted to say. But now wasn’t the time and place to get into the logistics of his love life. He needed to find out what was bugging Rose.
“Yeah, Olly took a few art classes with her.”
She nodded. “He told me. He also said she’s your girlfriend and he saw you kissing.”
Rose’s smirk reminded him of the way she used to tease him when they were kids. He liked it.
“Kids are blunt,” he said, smiling. “Sara and I are . . . involved.”
Could he sound any more pompous?
Predictably, Rose screwed up her nose. “Involved? That’s a new one.”
“I really like her. She’s incredible.”
Now he sounded like a sap. But he didn’t care. Like Redemption, Sara had helped him come alive again. Not that he felt only gratitude for her. Oh no. He felt far, far more.
“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen you like this.” She shook her head, but not before he’d glimpsed the sheen of tears. “I’m happy for you. You deserve it.”
“We both do,” he said, and to his horror, she burst into tears.
Not just tears. Sobs. Gut-wrenching sobs that made him want to slay whatever demons haunted her. For now, all he could do was hold her and comfort her and wait until she was ready to talk.
When the sobs petered out to sniffles, they eased apart and sat on the bed.
“You’ve been through some tough stuff and you’ve always come out on top, Rosey. You’ve got a stronger backbone than me. So why are you talking crazy, saying Olly’s better off without you?”
“Because I’m not blind. I can see how well he’s doing.” She looked away, swiped a hand under her nose. “I want you to have custody of him—”
“What the—”
“He’s better off with you.” She raised her tear-stained face to eyeball him. “He’s a different kid now, Jakey, and that’s because of you. You did that. You’re more capable than me. You can handle the hard knocks when I can’t. Plus, you can give him everything, and Olly deserves the best in life—”