Zach
I step into the winery on the hunt to find Mich to go over some last minute additions Max asked for. Structurally, it’s sound. And honestly, there’s really no need for me to be here other than to give Mich the thumbs up, which I could’ve done over the phone after going over everything. But, this is still my project and Max is still a friend who I’m trying to break down. He can’t get over it if I’m not in his face.
Mich tips his chin toward me when he spots me, his large burly frame twisting my way. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a familiar beauty and it stops me in my tracks. Jade’s eyes are wandering the room, smiling as she takes it in. No doubt complimenting him over the splendid design I created.
Max notices me first and mumbles the word fuck just seconds before I lock eyes with Jade. Her face slacks as her view travels my body, down to my boots and back to my gaze. My feet start moving and I stalk to her, determined to find out why the fuck she’s in town and failed to tell me.
“Behave, Max.” Her uttered words grant me a raged filled glare from Max.
“What are you doing here?” I ask with irritation creeping into my tone.
Max grunts like an asshole. “Don’t you have other things you should worry about?”
“Max…” she hisses at him.
I level my view on him and smirk. “At this particular moment, no.”
Max’s chest is all puffed out in a testosterone fury, but I ignore him, blinking back to Jade. “Is everything okay?”
“I don’t pay you to stand here and talk.”
“Excuse us.” I take Jade gently by her arm and pull her away from the asshole. “I wasn’t looking forward to coming here, but I’m damn glad I did.” I smile at her. “What are you doing here? Is everything okay?”
She lifts a shoulder. “Yes. No.” She lolls her head from side to side. “I got laid off today.” Those five words were a strain for her to say.
“Shit. I’m sorry. Why didn’t you call me?”
She locks her view on her feet and ignores my question. “I asked Max for a job.”
My lips twitch. If she asked Max for a job, that means she’ll be closer to me, which means it’ll be easier to see her. “When do you start?”
“I have to get everything sorted out first.”
“You know…that’s a pretty long drive. I have a beautiful home you can move into.” I flash a megawatt smile.
She averts her view again. “Actually, I asked Max if I could move in with him.”
Fuck. I clench my teeth and bite out an easy smile. “Well, you’d be closer to me.”
She stares at me like I’m stupid.
Taking her hand, I offer what I’ve got. “You know you don’t have to work. I can take car—”
She rips her hand from mine. “Don’t. Don’t play husband.”
My lips pull up at the word. “I’ll pay for a moving company. Just let me know when.” She starts to say something but I hold my hand up. “No arguing with me either. It’s not up for discussion. Are you in town tonight? Have dinner with me?”
“Don’t play the lines on my sister in front of me, asshole,” Max snaps, glaring at me.
Frustrated with his bullshit, spiteful malice settles on my smile. “I’m not running lines. I’m asking the mother of my child on a date.”
His nostrils flare and I swallow my chuckle.
Jade sighs, rolling her eyes toward her brother. “Could you give us a moment? Please. I’ll meet you in the hall.”
He and I share a venomous glower before he strolls away.
I grab her hand, running my thumb over her fingers. “Come for dinner. I’ll make mashed potatoes.” Straight for the jugular…and her stomach of course.
It grants me the sweetest giggle. “You’re begging.”
“I’m not afraid to hit my knees,” I say.
With the tip of her toe, she kicks my boots. “I haven’t seen you in these in a long time. I forgot how they make you look sexy.”
“Opposed to me being sexy any other time? I don’t need boots, or clothes for that matter, to look desirable.”
She purses her lips, tilting her head to the side, and then I see her answer before she says it. “I’m going to stay with Max tonight. Maybe tomorrow, okay?”
“Tonight,” I’m straightforward. “Let me make your bad day better. Please.”
“I’ll call you.” But the answer is there. Mashed potatoes for the win.
I bend to drop a kiss to her cheek, but she pulls back hesitantly. “Not here.”
Cupping the back of her neck to hold her head still, I kiss her cheek. “Fuck your brother. The only respect I’m giving him is I’m not ramming my tongue down your throat. Dinner will be ready at seven.”
I wink and walk away, of course, with an extra confidence.
She’s standing at the end of the counter watching me load the dishes into the dishwasher. She’s wearing a scowl because I won’t let her do it since I cooked, but it’s a fucking dishwasher—a one-man job. It isn’t complicated.
Shutting the door, I lean back on the counter to finish the conversation we were having over dinner about her moving here. “What about finding a doctor here? Have you looked?”
“My doctor has a secondary office here. She rotates weekly. I’ll have a new nurse practitioner, but I’ll still be still under Dr. Shultz’s care. But I’ll have to cancel the appointment until I have insurance.”
“Don’t cancel it. I’ll pay for it,” I tell her.
“I don’t—”
“I’ll look weird as fuck sitting in the waiting room without you. Surely, you won’t make me look like a perverted creeper in a room full of women.”
She blinks, the corner of her lips ticking. She’s actually thinking about it and it makes me laugh.
“You being here will make it easier for me to come to your appointments,” I say, running my hands down her arms. “Please don’t stress about insurance. I can afford it. Besides, stress isn’t good for our pumpkin seed.”
I scoop her up in my arms and start down the hall.
“Put me down,” she tries fighting it.
“Nope. You’re going to get a good night’s sleep after the day you’ve had.”
“I need to go home.” Her words grate my spine. I would’ve given my drawing hand for her to move in with me.
Placing her down on the bed, I go to my dresser and pull a t-shirt out and toss it to her. “You realize you’ll be here more than Max’s. Might as well move in.” I yank out of my shirt.
She puffs, fidgeting with her fingers. “I’m sure that won’t be the case. You have your own things to do.”
I move across her, grabbing her shoulder and simultaneously twisting her toward me and laying her on her side. I prop up on my elbow. “Define things.”
“Women,” she says all nonchalantly. “I don’t want to get in the way.”
It causes me to laugh. “Jesus, you’re blind as hell. Apparently you haven’t noticed, which by the way I find that hard to believe, I’m off limits. I have a sexy as fuck, beautiful as ever woman I’m working extremely hard for. She’s got my full attention and I’m desperately trying to prove myself to her. She’s hardheaded as hell. You wouldn’t like her,” I jest.
Her light brown eyes glimmer and it does something great to my chest. “Does she share your bed?”
Oh, my grin is wolfish. “Sometimes.”
Jade drops to her back, staring at the ceiling. “You’re right. I won’t like the bitch then.”
I laugh and then press a kiss to her lips. “I’m not seeing anyone else, but you, Jade.” I’m serious as hell. “I’ll work a lifetime for you.”
She blinks, still not looking at me. “We won’t ever work.”
“Not if you keep fighting it.” I kiss her nose. “Go to sleep. I have a few things to do before I can.”
The alarm blares and I reach out, quickly turning it off. Her warmth beside me makes me smile. I could definitely get used to this day in and day out. Slowly, I sneak out of the bed trying not to disturb her. As much as I’d love to stay wrapped up in the covers with her…work calls.
Turning on the shower, I step in and instantly the hot water wakes me. Last night, after finishing up with a small project, I came back into the room to find Jade curled on her side, sound asleep. I watched her for the longest time, her side rising and falling as she breathed, lost in her dreams and unaware I was subconsciously begging her to give me a try. One shot. One chance. It’s all I ask for. It’s all I need.
I feel her presence, and it causes my entire body to come alive. “Good morning,” I say toward the spray before wiping the water from my eyes and grinning at her.
Her hair, fuzzy and slept on, frames her face, flowing over her shoulders. Remnants of her stress trickles into the puffiness under her eyes. She’s still alluring as ever, standing with her hands at her side in my t-shirt, her nipples hard and her legs bare.
“Did you sleep well?” I run the wash cloth across my chest.
Her eyes follow the movement—over my pecs, down and across my abs. “I did.” Her teeth sink into her bottom lip and immediately I know what’s on Jade’s dirty mind. “Do you mind if I join you? I need to wash off remnants of last night’s makeup.”
Arching a brow and not believing the excuse, I push open the door for her.
When she steps in, she’s greeted by my dick standing at her attention. Naked and beautiful before me, I can see her baby bump—my child—and it swells my chest. I place my hand on her stomach. “This is the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”
She glances up with something heavy on her mind.
“Spill it,” I say.
“I’m scared,” she whispers.
“Of?”
“Everything. I lost my job. I’ll start another one that I’m completely inexperienced at. I’m moving in with my brother. I’m pregnant,” her voice trembles. “I’m…”
Jade doesn’t do emotional easily. Although honest, she doesn’t open her soul up often. I can count on three fingers how many times I’ve ever seen her scared, one of them being right after watching a horror movie and having to go home alone, the other, having to tell me she was pregnant. And the tears in her eyes…
I wrap my arms around her. “I’ve got you, Jade,” I tell her tenderly. “I can take care of you. You just have to trust me.”
“You scare me too,” she breathes with a soft cry.
I hate seeing her like this—scared and vulnerable. “I’m the last thing you need to worry about.”
“It’s just…you…we’ve been doing our own thing for so long. I just—”
Tucking my finger under her chin, I pull her face toward mine so she can see the sincerity. “I’ve been doing my own thing waiting. Waiting on you to be with me. Waiting on you to get tired of me and leave me. Waiting on someone to come along and somehow make me forget about you. Years. It’s not happened yet.”
She swallows. “I really like you…”
An idiotic grin lights up my expression. “Good. That’s a fantastic start.”
I squeeze her against my body, bending my head to kiss the hell out of her. A little hum from her throat as she scrapes her fingertips up my hair ignites me. I grab her ass and lift her, placing her back against the cold wall as she wraps her legs around my waist. Lowering her down onto my cock, instant warmth wraps me and she moans into the side of my neck.
I thrust, sliding in and out of her. I’m not fucking her. I’m begging her. Silently, driving in my love. Her pants ride the steam around us, echoing off the walls and filling my ears. She’s gripping my neck, her face toward the ceiling and her mouth parted. Her tits bounce as I drive. She moans as I rain hard kisses against her clavicle and neck. A shudder spills down her body and she arches off the wall.
My name tumbles from her mouth, and it disintegrates me. Clenching my jaw, I pump into her as she crumbles around me, mewling.
“I’ve got you,” I rasp, meaning it in every damn way possible. “I fucking got you.”
Lightning blazes the blood in my veins and I plunge deep, causing her to gasp as I blast into the electric ecstasy.
Fuck drunk is what Jade has always called the moments right after sex when the cognitive part of my brain is rebooting. I drop my head to her chin and smile like an idiot. “You’re going to make me late for work.”
I’ve already dressed and am sitting on the side of the bed, putting my socks and shoes on when Jade appears in a towel. I overdramatically groan toward the ceiling. “Why must you be so stunning? I’ll have a hard-on all day with this image ingrained in my mind.”
“Can I borrow a shirt?”
My pointed look is playful. “Whatever you need. Make yourself at home.” I shove my hands in my pockets because I know if I touch her, round two will be in order. “Are you going back home today?”
“Yeah. I need to start packing.”
“Call me and let me know when I need to schedule the moving company.”
“You don’t—”
“Shut up,” I breathe a chuckle. “Just let me know.”
That fucking battle is in her eyes. She’s back to combating herself, nitpicking everything, hating she’s here, loving that she is…
“Jade,” I say softly, bringing her back into the present. She flicks her gaze up to me. “Every time you push me away, you pull me back tighter. And only you can’t see why.” My smile is woeful. “I have to go. Make yourself at home and stay as long as you want.”
I saunter out, not looking back while battling my own aggravation with hopelessness. I can feel everything she can’t see. Her heart isn’t as impenetrable as she thinks. She built the wall up around it with me in it.