Chapter 75

Hal

Hal was at war with his mind. His fists clenched at his sides as she kissed him, and he worked hard not to respond to her. In spite of what the dark parts of his mind were insisting, he couldn’t help the way his body responded to her, which was exactly what he had feared would happen if he let her touch him.

He warred with himself, fighting between tearing himself away or succumbing to her. More than that, though, he longed to know who was telling the truth, the demons in his mind or the woman who they told him had betrayed him.

A more rational part of him realized that Jesse was right, and this behavior was not him. Indeed, it was a part of him that he thought had been buried when he made his movie. A part of him that was depressed and anxious, a part of him that he pushed to the farthest reaches of his mind.

It was a part of him that delighted in latching onto his deepest fears and convincing him they were his reality. Right now, he was horrified of losing Jesse, and it was only logical that he would panic at the thought of him deceiving her.

Jesse pulled back from him and looked up into his eyes. Hal returned her gaze, staring deep into her clear eyes. He could see no hint of deception there and slowly but surely the rage burning in his stomach began to dissipate into a small smolder.

“Jess?” Hal said weakly, looking up hopefully.

Jesse nodded and gave him a smile, gently stroking his face with her fingertips.

“Hal,” she said softly. “I promise I’m not trying to manipulate you or get a story out of you. I am here because I want to be alone with you. And because I love you.”

Hal took a deep breath as he took in her words. Slowly, he felt the anxiety that had been brewing in his stomach let up, and he realized that Jesse was being honest with him, and he had blown this whole issue out of proportion. He felt suddenly weak all over, and he slowly sank down the wall.

Jesse knelt down in front of him, concern once more crossing over her features.

“I’m sorry, Jess.” Hal shook his head, hearing the weakness in his voice as well. “That question just really caught me off guard … I didn’t know why you would ask something like that, and it just took me back to a really dark place …”

Hal knew that was the understatement of a lifetime, but it was the best he could come up with. Jesse simply moved to kneel between his legs and rest her hands on his torso, looking down deeply into his eyes.

“I know that you’ve been through a lot of heard things,” Jesse said. “And I know there are a lot of people … people like Elaine and like my coworkers … who would be able to do something like what you thought I was doing. But me? I … I just don’t think I could ever commit to that kind of deception.”

Hal listened as Jesse spoke, and he clung to each of her words, still eager to hear her deny all his accusations.

“I know that probably means I won’t make a very good journalist.” Jesse sighed. “But nothing like that ever crossed my mind. I really am out of a job. The article that I wrote is the only article on you I will ever write. If I have to put a complete halt on my journalism career to prove that to you, that’s what I’ll do. I will do whatever it takes to make you believe me.”

Hal was silent as he took in her words, letting her wash away all of his fear and doubt about her integrity. There was one more thing, though, that he desperately, desperately needed her to say.

“I believe you,” Hal finally spoke, feeling his anxiety begin to creep back in. “But … tell me again.”

Jesse paused, looking more than a little confused.

“Tell you what?” she asked, and he could tell that she was eager to deliver what she needed.

“Tell me you love me,” he urged her softly, his voice tense and his throat sore from the lump that had formed there.

Jesse’s face formed a mask of sincerity.

“Hal Roberts,” she said, raising her hands to take hold of his and pressing a kiss to his knuckles. “I love you.”

Relief flowed through Hal’s body, and he could no longer sit still. He lurched forward and took Jesse’s face between his hands, gently holding her there as he peppered kisses all along her face. Finally, he pulled her in closer to his chest, wrapping his arms around her and tucking her head under his chin.

“I’m so sorry, Jess,” Hal said softly and felt a tear running down the side of his face. “I was so scared that you …”

Jesse shushed him as he trailed off, running the flats of her palms up and down his back comfortingly.

“I know,” Jesse said, her voice vibrating softly against his chest. “It’s okay; you’re okay …”

Hal took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He forced away the last lingering bits of anger and anxiety that had risen up inside of him and assured himself that Jesse really was here because she loved him. She had said as much repeatedly and had given him no reason not believe her.

“I love you,” Hal said softly.

“And I love you,” Jesse said as she moved in his grip, shifting her head to press a hot kiss against his neck.

Hal drew in a sharp breath and felt heat rush over his body. Suddenly, he needed her, and desperately.

Without preamble, Hal rose and scooped Jesse up, heading straight for the bedroom, needing to feel her closeness and the heat of her skin against his.

Once there, neither of them wasted any time in stripping off their clothes, and Hal didn’t bother with foreplay before he maneuvered himself between Jesse’s legs and sank into her, relishing the wet heat of her inner walls around his hardness.

Hal delighted in Jesse’s soft pants as he immediately set up a steady rhythm. He looked down into her eyes and felt himself shudder at the connection he felt there. He felt their togetherness deep in his gut and knew it was far more than physical or mental, but transcending into the spiritual realm.

It didn’t take long for either of them to finish, and Jesse’s walls clamped around his erection just as he began to shoot his load inside of her, panting as he found his release.

Hal then laid down beside her and held her closely, needing her closeness more now than ever. He could feel her placing soft kisses along his neck and chest, and he allowed the soft feeling of her lips against his naked skin to calm him and lull him into a deep sleep.