His Brother's Wife by Michelle Love (4)

“Hey, girl!” His deep voice meets my ears.

My stomach gets a little wobbly. “Hi, Reed.”

“Way to go on the math test. How are the other classes going?” he asks.

His voice is so deep and smooth and very sexy. It gives me chills and sends desire straight through me. I shake that off and say, “I’m doing great in all of them. I’m trying hard to make you glad you gave the scholarship to me. I don’t want to disappoint you.”

“You could never disappoint me. So how’s everything else going?” he asks.

“Fine.” I go to the window as I hear something and pull the curtain back and see Rod pulling into the driveway three hours early. “Shit!”

“Something wrong, Jenna?”

“Rod’s home early. I have to go and hide the computer. I’ll text you sometime. Thanks again, Reed.” I haul ass to grab the computer.

Reed says, “Delete this phone call and the texts, Jenna. Hurry. Bye.”

I stop and do what he’s said to. I manage to get that accomplished when Rod throws the door open. I put the phone down on the coffee table just in time, but his eyes are on the laptop.

“What’s that?” he asks as he nods toward it.

“Oh, that? Uh, well, my parents gave it to me. No big deal. I was just on this little social media thingy. A lot of my old school girlfriends have accounts and I was talking to them. Kind of like exchanging notes.” I pick it up and start to walk to the bedroom with it when his hand takes my shoulder and pulls me back to him.

“Let me see it.” His words are sharp, and I hold it to my chest like a sacred book.

“Rod, it’s really fragile.”

His eyes narrow. “Let me see it.”

With a heavy heart, I hand it to him and he pulls it open. “I don’t want you on social media. Bad things happen on any of them. And no good ever comes from having one of these things.”

Horror fills me as he snaps the lid back and the cracking of the screen screeches as he breaks it. I fall to my knees in front of him. “Rod! How could you? That was mine. It was expensive!”

I start crying as the pieces of the computer fall on the pea green shag carpeting from the seventies that covers our living room floor. “Stop crying, Jenna, or I’ll give you something to cry about.”

He walks away as I pick up the broken pieces of what would’ve been my future. His voice is loud as he shouts, “Beer, Jenna! Now!”

I stand up with what’s left of the computer and walk into the kitchen and toss it into the trash as I don’t even attempt to stop crying.

He’s gone too far!

Getting a beer, I walk back to find him sitting in his chair. He’s looking straight ahead and I move the beer in my hand and throw it like a football, straight at the side of his head.

He moves just in time to avoid it hitting him and then he’s up and has me by my hair. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” he screams.

I fight as he drags me to the bedroom and rips the dress off me. Then he goes my panties and I fight him as hard as I can. He never lets go of my hair as he drags me over next to the dresser and grabs the bungee cord.

Then he has me face down on the bed and sits on my back as he pulls my hands over my head. I kick and thrash under him. He binds my hands with the cord. Then he lifts me up and hooks the cord over the hook on the wall.

I’m shrieking and crying and trying to kick backwards and trying to move myself in a way that will get me off this hook.

“Stop crying!” he yells as the belt slices through the air and lands on my ass.

I shriek louder with the lash, but don’t stop crying. I’m not crying from the pain of the strike. I’m crying in absolute anger.

I don’t think I’ve ever been angrier in my life. “Fuck you, Rod!”

Another hard hit has me screaming louder. “Stop crying, Jenna!”

Then my body falls limp against the wall and I sob like I never have before. I can barely breathe as he hits me over and over and every time he shouts for me to stop crying.

I don’t feel any pain at all. I’m numb. My brain is numb; and my body is numb; and I finally stop crying.

I close my eyes as he takes me down and throws me onto the bed. He leaves the room and comes back with the ointment and rubs it all over my ass.

It doesn’t matter. I can’t feel it anyway. I lie there on the bed and know I can’t do this anymore.

Then I hear something I’ve never heard before.

I turn over and find Rod on his knees beside the bed. His face is in his hands and I think he’s crying.

I sit up and blink, as I can’t believe what I’m seeing. There are no words. And there is a flash of something that shoots through me.

“Rod? What are you doing?”

When he lifts his face out of his hands I see the first tears I’ve ever seen come out of his eyes, and my heart breaks into a million pieces.

What have I done to him?

I go to him and wrap my arms around him as he sobs. “Jenna, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

He stands up, pushing me away from him. Then he pulls open the drawer of his nightstand and pulls out the paper which binds us together.

Our contract!

“What are you doing, Rod?”

My body is trembling as I watch him hold the paper up. His eyes are rimmed red and his deep voice is shaky as he says, “I’m tearing this up. You can leave if you want to.”

Something snaps inside me. I get up and reach out for the paper. The paper I’ve lived my life by for the last few years. “No.”

He looks at me with tears running down his face. “I have to, Jenna. I’ve worked on you for over two years and you came at me like a tiger. I don’t know what I’m doing.” He takes the paper and begins to tear the top of it.

“Stop! Don’t. I was wrong. I’m sorry. Please, don’t let this be the end of us, Rod. Please.” I fall to my knees and wrap my arms around his legs. “Please, Rod. I’ll do anything. Don’t end this. I’m begging you.”

“Jenna, this isn’t working, and you know it.” His hand runs over my head. “You were not cut out for life the way I want it.”

“I can be. I’ve come so far, Rod. Don’t quit on me now. Please.”

I look up at him and it kills me to know I’ve made him cry. He sits on the bed and I climb onto his lap and we both take the paper in our hands.

It’s all we have. There is no marriage. There is no talk of love. This is it.

I gently take it from him and put it back in the drawer. My lips touch his cheek then I tell him, “Forever. Remember, Rod? That paper binds us forever.”

I move off his lap and take his boots off as he looks down and seems so sad and somewhat broken.

After I get his boots off, I take off his shirt and then undo his pants and pull at him to stand up. “Come on, baby. Let me give you a bath and then I’ll rub you down with some oils. After that I’ll make you some meatloaf.”

He follows me, but I feel something missing. The cockiness, the control, the strength.

And it makes me sick to my stomach that I did this to him.

What’s wrong with me?

Chapter 8

JENNA

The months have passed since our fight and things haven’t been the same. Rod’s been passive, and I feel like it’s only a matter of time until he ends this.

I broke something in him that day and it looks like no matter how hard I try to get things back to normal between us, I can’t.

I told Reed about the broken computer and he said to use one at the library so that won’t happen again. He told me to be very careful as he’s afraid if Rod catches me doing this then he might hurt me physically.

He told me to tell him if he does.

It made me feel bad for not being truthful with him. He’s doing so much for me and I’m lying to him. It feels wrong.

On a good note, I’m acing my classes and was able to take a few tests that gave me credit without having to take the actual classes.

Seems I am smart!

As I close out the tab for my English class on the library’s computer, my cell rings. It’s Rod, so I hurry to answer it. “Hey, sweetie.”

“Where the fuck are you, Jenna?” He sounds pissed.

I hurry out of the library as the librarian looks over her glasses at me with a scowl on her wrinkled old face. I try my best to ignore her and hurry out. “I’m on my way home. I took a walk. I was feeling kind of cooped up and needed some fresh air.”

And as I go around the corner, I see him standing there, looking at me. I put the phone in my purse. He puts his in his pants pocket. Then his arm goes around my shoulders.

“In the library. Not out for a walk in the fresh air.” His words are controlled and tight. “Lies, Jenna.”

“I wanted to find a book to read too. I was doing a few things on my walk, Rod.” I laugh and try to act cool about things.

“Someone, your mother, I suppose, left a letter for you taped to our front door. A letter from Arizona State University. Seems congratulations are in order, Jenna. You managed to gain six credits for classes you tested for. How wonderful is that news?” He stops and turns me to look at him.

“I was able to get into the college’s online program. I got financial aid to pay for the classes. I was going to tell you. I wanted to surprise you, Rod. I wanted you to be proud of me.” My words are coming out very fast and my heart is racing.

“Did my brother talk you into doing this behind my back?”

“Reed?” The name comes out high and shrill. “No! I don’t talk to him.”

“Then who?” His arm leaves my shoulder as we get to our little house and he moves his hand up into my hair.

“I did this on my own, Rod.”

Then he has me by the hair and lifts my feet off the ground. Then he puts me back down so hard I fall. Then he drags me through the yard.

I don’t fight or scream. I try to get my feet under me so my body doesn’t drag any more than possible. My knees are burning as the ground scrapes the flesh from them.

The old woman from next door looks outside and shouts for him to stop. But Rod seems not to hear her. He lets my hair go and I fall to the ground. “Get up, bitch!”

I try to get up and, as soon as I do, he pushes me back down. “Get up!”

I scramble to my feet once again and keep my head low. I stand still.

“Come here,” he says with a low and firm tone.

I go to him and he pushes me back so hard, I fly a few feet, then fall on my ass.

Sirens fill the air as one of the three cops we have in this tiny town skids to a stop at the front of our house. He jumps out of the car and takes his gun out and points it at Rod. “On the ground, Rod!” he shouts.

The fall on my ass knocked the breath out of me and I struggle to get my wind as I watch Rod fall to his knees with his hands behind his head. Then he slowly goes to his stomach and lies face down in the dirt of our front yard.

The officer walks up to him and holsters his handgun, then takes out a set of handcuffs.

With a cough, my breath returns and I shout, “No! Don’t do that to him!”

I get up and stumble over to the officer. He looks up at me from his kneeling position behind Rod. “Look, I’m taking him in. Your knees are bleeding and a few other places on you are as well.”

“Please, let him go. This is my fault. I was lying to him. I’ll take what I have coming to me for that.” I give the cop a pleading look.

He shakes his head as I see the dirt move near Rod’s mouth. “Let him take me away, Jenna. My heart is broken. I may as well sit in jail after what you’ve done to me.”

I break down crying hard and go to my bloody knees in front of him. “Please, don’t take him, sir!”

Tears pour out of my eyes as the cop just shakes his head. He looks at me. “You sure about this?”

I nod. “Please, sir. I am sure.”

He stands up and says, “Okay, Rod. She saved your ass. I hope you repay the favor. If I get called back out here for any domestic situation, I’m taking you both in.”

Rod rolls over on his back as the cop walks away. Tears fill his eyes again, only the second time I’ve seen this.

Then he holds out his arms and I go into them.

Right there in the front of the little home we’ve made, he takes me into his arms and we cry together. He keeps murmuring to me that he’s so sorry and I say it right back to him.

“Let’s go inside, baby,” he says, and I climb off his lap and hold out my hand for him.

He takes it and I help him to his feet. Then he picks me up in his arms and carries me inside. In the bathroom, we both get washcloths and wet them and I clean the dirt off him and he cleans the dirt and blood off me.

He puts some antibiotic ointment on my knees and kisses the bandages after covering the scrapes. Then he picks me up and carries me to the bed and sits me on it.

I watch as he goes to the top dresser drawer and he takes out all the devices he has in there and the leather belts and carries them out of the room. I hear the squeaking of the trash can lid and then he comes back in with a screwdriver and takes the hook off the wall.

My stomach is tight as I think he may be about to tear up the contract. I don’t say a word as he comes back and touches my chin. “No more punishments.”

My eyes go wide. “What does that mean?”

“It means your training is over. When it came down to it, you kept your head and told the cop to let me go. You know who you belong to. You know how to keep my dick out of other women and out of jail and in your life. You’re done. And now we can move on to the next step.” He climbs onto the bed, pushing me back as he does.

I fall back as he straddles me, then leans over and kisses me. Soft and easy. Different.

We both stink like sweat, blood, and tears and never have I felt more comfortable with a person. I can taste the salt of our combined tears on his lips, and I know he can taste them on mine.

Our relationship has seemed a little like a level of hell. But it seems that level has been passed and the sweet taste of victory is ours now.

Somehow our clothes are removed and we’re nothing but flesh against flesh and it feels freeing and amazing. His hands move over my skin like water over pebbles.

His muscles ripple with every stroke and his mouth coaxes my tongue to slip further into his mouth than I ever have before. His cock moves further into me as he takes my ass in his hands and pulls me up to him.

Short strokes have our bodies connecting in a way we haven’t before and, in no time, I can feel the wave building in me as his body pushes against my clit.

Faster and faster he makes the little pumps and then it hits me and I moan with the sweet pleasure. He keeps doing it until I’m a writhing mess beneath him.

Then he stops his kiss and looks at me as he cums. His liquid heat fills me as our eyes remain locked.

If I wasn’t on the Pill, this man would’ve just gotten me pregnant. Of that, I have no doubt. And I have never felt closer to him than I do now.

His lips quirk to the side. “You are mine, Jenna. You will always be mine.”

I press my fingertips to his full lips. “I will always be yours, Rod.”

Staying on top of me, he reaches over and picks something up. It’s the letter from the college.

I wait to see what he’s going to say or do and he touches the tip of my nose with the envelope. “I want you to know that I’m proud of you for this. Keep going if you want. I think it’s cool to have a smart old lady.”

Wrapping my arms around him, I bury my face in his chest. “Thank you! You have no idea what your approval means to me.”

“Your happiness means everything to me, Jenna.” His lips press against my temple and he rolls over, keeping me with him.

I look down at him and see a difference in his blue eyes, a little softness I’ve never seen before.

I lay down on his wide chest as his dick is still inside me and his arms are holding me to him. My eyes close and his breathing steadies.

We fall asleep in a position we’ve never fallen asleep in before and things feel different.

Things feel better!

Chapter 9

JENNA

Greens and reds leave the Manning’s living room in a Christmas colored hue. Lights flash on the huge Christmas tree which is strategically placed by the new bay window in the front of the room.

Christmas evening is set aside for only immediate family. This is the first year I’ve attended the dinner with Rod. I suppose I’m getting to be like family in his eyes.

Since the incident, that’s what we all call it, Rod and I have gotten along better than I ever expected. He no longer goes out. He comes home right after work and takes off his own boots, gets his own beer, and takes his own shower.

I’m usually still busy with schoolwork when he gets home. In the corner of the living room, I’m usually at work where I’ve set up a desk and use the laptop he bought me to do my classes.

It’s normal now. A great normal.

Sitting in the living room on the sofa, I gaze at the tall tree and think about one day having a house big enough to have a real tree for our own Christmas.

We have a tiny fake tree that sits on the kitchen table. The house is just too little for anything grander than that.

Rod and Reed are cleaning the kitchen and refused to let me help after their mother and father prepared a very yummy Christmas dinner of not-so-traditional sausage and potatoes with green beans mixed in with them. A side of cornbread rounded out the filling, yet inexpensive, dinner.

I found out it was the very first Christmas meal Sue and Jason had in their first year of marriage when they were both broke college students living in a tiny efficiency apartment in Tempe, Arizona, where they both went to college and met each other.

Jason’s family was from here. Jerome, Arizona, had always been his home and when they graduated, they moved back here and started teaching.

So this little odd meal is a tradition and as we were eating Rod made mention that he’d like us to carry the tradition on with our family, once we have one.

I noticed Reed’s eyes cutting at me when his brother said that. He looked a little unsure for some reason. Like Rod and I making a family isn’t ever going to happen, a thought which seems ludicrous to me. Of course Rod and I will have a family someday.

Sure, he still won’t let me say the word love, and he won’t use it either. But I can see it in his eyes. And feel it in his touch.

He’s different now. A great different.

I think he could break down and say the word anytime now. And if for some reason it’s a thing which can never break free from his lips, then I can accept that.

Reed comes into the living room, wiping his hands with a dishrag and running his deep blue eyes over me as I sit here. “So, how did you like your first Manning family Christmas dinner, Jenna?”

“It was great,” I say with a smile. “When will you be bringing a woman home to join us, Reed?”

He looks away. “Not anytime soon. I just can’t seem to find Mrs. Right. There are plenty of Mrs. Right Now’s, though.” He laughs and Rod comes in behind him.

He claps Reed on the back. “Still playing the field then, little bro?”

Reed nods. “For now, I am. I’m only twenty-three. No need to rush. I’m not an old man like you are, Rod. At twenty-six, you’re nearing the terrible thirties.”

Sue and Jason come in from the backyard. They wanted to take a Christmas night dip in the swimming pool Reed bought them.

Clad in matching, fluffy white robes with their names embroidered in royal blue, they smile like newlyweds as they come in. Sue shakes some water from her silver, short curls. “Thanks to Reed, we swim every night. It gets the old blood pumping. Adding in the heat to it was genius, son.”

Jason sits down in a chair and pulls Sue to sit on his lap. “Can’t thank you enough, boy.”

Reed gives them a smile and a nod and Rod comes to sit next to me. He takes my hand then moves to the floor in front of me as he takes something from his pocket.

The fact that he’s only on one knee has my heart racing. A quick glance at his parents shows me his mother is covering her mouth with her hands and his father is smiling.

My eyes roam over to find Reed looking at his brother with what looks like a clenched jaw. His body is tense and his eyes are a bit narrow.

Then I look back at Rod and see the diamond in the middle of the ring shining in alternate green then red lights as the Christmas lights reflect off of it.

His hand is shaking as he holds the little black box. “Jenna Foster,” his words come out very soft and quiet. So quiet I can barely hear him. “Will you marry me?”

For some reason, I look away from his glistening eyes for a split second and see Reed still staring at his brother. Then I look back into the man I love’s steely blue eyes and say, “Yes, I will marry you, Rod.”

I hold out my hand and he slides the ring onto my finger and lets out a breath. “It fits! I was so worried it wouldn’t.”

A laugh comes out of me and I blink back tears. Out of the corner of my eye I see Reed leave the room. It makes me feel bad, for some reason.

Rod stands and picks me up in his arms. He hugs me and then kisses me. A soft kiss. A kiss that tells me more than he can say.

He loves me!

When he lets me go, I find his mom and dad waiting to hug us and his dad grabs him up as his mother grabs me. Then they exchange us and I feel like a real part of their family.

“This is so fantastic,” Sue says as she holds Rod back and looks at him with tears in her eyes. “You couldn’t have found a better woman for you, son. Since you’ve been with Jenna you’ve come such a long way from the moody child and teenager you were. She’s been a very good influence on you. Congratulations.”

And with her words I see a flash of anger in his eyes. “Well, I wouldn’t give her all the credit, Mom.”

Then Jason adds, “I’d give her most of it.” He laughs, but it doesn’t soften what seems like a blow to Rod.

Then his eyes cut to me. “Is that what you think too?”

I laugh and shake my head. “It’s Rod who has been the influence on me, in my opinion. He’s made me into the woman I am today.”

The smile returns to his face. I guess as long as I see him as the hero, that is all that matters to him. “Thanks, baby.”

Sue pulls Rod toward the kitchen. “Let’s grab that bottle of pink champagne I picked up for New Year’s Eve and open it. This is more special than that day, anyway.”

Jason follows along and I go to the bathroom to make sure I don’t have mascara running down my face from the tears I shed when he asked me the big question.

After dabbing a bit of water on my face and wiping away the streaks the tears made down my pink cheeks, I walk out of the bathroom and find Reed leaning against the door of his bedroom.

“Hey,” he says. He wiggles his finger at me, gesturing for me to come to him.

I go and ask, “What’s up?”

After he looks down the hallway, I suppose to make sure no one is there, he asks, “Is this really what you want, Jenna?”

“Of course, Reed. Why wouldn’t I? You know he’s changed. You know he’s okay with me getting my education now. He’s really different. I told you this.”

My body feels like it’s been zapped with electricity as his hand touches my shoulder. “Jenna, this is always how Rod’s been. He can be very good for a year or two at a time. But never any longer than that. He will go back to the way he was. He always has.”

“I haven’t always been a part of his life, though.”

“You’re great and all, but there is no one who can keep him from the self-destruction he’s always been known for. Not even a little angel like you, Jenna.” He moves his hand off me and the energy he sent through me starts to go away.

“I’m going to try, Reed.” I look into his eyes and see so much he’s not saying. “Is there any other reason I shouldn’t marry him, Reed?”

He takes in a deep breath and runs his hand over my cheek and my knees go weak. “I don’t see him getting married, Jenna. You’ve said it yourself; he doesn’t believe in marriage. I know he made the grand gesture, and I think you’ll be waiting forever to get him down the actual aisle.”

I don’t know why my body reacts to this man’s touch the way it does. I know I love Rod. I absolutely know it. But when Reed touches me, I heat and melt inside.

I can’t stop looking at his lips. They’re perfect. A slight dip in the top lip makes it look a little like a bow. And the cleft in his strong chin is a thing I’ve never really paid that much attention to before.

It’s so cute. I say, without thinking, “I hope one of our children has that dimple in their chin like you have. Does it run on your mother’s side of the family? I’ve never seen one on anyone of your family members from around here.”

With a smile, he answers, “My maternal grandfather had one.”

I touch it with my fingertip and smile as I feel heat flow through me. But I fight the feeling. “Good. Maybe one of our kids will get it then.”

“Maybe one of our kids will,” he says, then winks at me.

I hear Sue calling for him and turn. “We better go drink to the impending nuptials, don’t you think?”

“Tell Mom I’m going to bed.” He turns to go back in his room.

“Reed?”

He turns back. “Yeah?”

“I think everything is going to be okay. I don’t think you’re right about him.”

His smile is weak. “I hope you’re right, Jenna. I’d hate to see you hurt.”

I turn and walk down the dark hallway to the kitchen and find Rod has downed his first glass of champagne. “Yuck!” he says, then puts the empty glass down. “If I would’ve sipped that like you said to, Mom, I’d never have gotten it down.”

Sue hands me a glass full of the pink bubbly stuff and I take a sip. “I have to agree with Rod. Yuck!”

He pulls out a couple of beers from the fridge and opens one and hands it to me, then opens his and taps the tops together. “Here’s to me and you, baby.”

“To me and you, Rod.” I tap the tops again and take a drink as I look into his eyes.

I see it there. The commitment. The change.

Reed’s wrong. I know he is. He has to be.

And Rod will stay this way. We will get married. We will have a family.

And I will manage my body, and eventually it will stop responding to Reed the way it does.

I love Rod!

End of story. He and I are the ones who are meant to be together. Reed will be my brother-in-law and nothing more than that.

Rod pulls the bottle from his lips. “Where’s my brother?”

Sue starts to leave the kitchen to go find him, so I say, “I saw him as I was leaving the bathroom. He said he’s going to bed.”

Jason looks at his watch. “At ten. Is he feeling well?”

I shrug my shoulders and take another drink. Rod puts his arm around me. “He’s just jealous.”

My body goes tense. “No.”

Rod nods. “He’s always been jealous of me, baby. No big deal. Whatever I had, he wanted. My big wheel, my G.I. Joes, my first car.”

“He doesn’t want me, Rod.” I take another drink.

The laugh that comes from deep in his chest rattles my body and he tightens his hold on me. “The hell he doesn’t. But you belong to me and always will.”

Sue interrupts him, “Stop talking like that, Rod. Your brother doesn’t want to take your girlfriend away from you. He’s being silly, Jenna. Don’t listen to him. And, Rod, what have I told you about saying Jenna belongs to you? She’s a human being; she belongs to no one.”

He levels his eyes on me. “You do belong to me, don’t you?”

I nod and love the smile I see go all over his face. His lips touch mine and I lean into the kiss.

I hear Sue say, “Don’t give into him, Jenna. Stand firm. You’re a human being, not a possession.”

Rod used to treat me like that. Not anymore, though. Not since that day. And I don’t see him going back to that.

When Rod tells me I belong to him, it hits me as if he’s really saying he loves me. That’s how I take it, anyway.

As he lets the kiss end, I look at Sue, “It’s okay. I know what he means when he says it.”

Rod moves his arm off my shoulders and takes my hand. “It means you belong to me. Just like I said. I think it’s time to hit the road, baby. It’s been a long couple of nights. I’m still kind of nursing that hangover I woke up with this morning.”

“Bye,” I say as he pulls me to the front door.

His parents say their goodbyes and wave. As we move through the living room, I see Reed in the dark hallway. I lift my hand and wave and he waves back.

I can’t see his expression; he’s merely a shadow in the dark at the end of the long hallway. But I can feel his emotion from here.

And it’s sad.

What if Rod’s right? What if Reed really does want me?

Then I push the thought out of my head. It doesn’t matter, anyway. I am with Rod. I am marrying Rod.

So what if Rod doesn’t bring out the same heat in my body when he touches me that Reed does?

Rod brings out other things in me. Things like compassion and empathy.

Those are good things too!

Chapter 10

JENNA

Sun streams through the curtains that have been left open for some reason. I don’t recall leaving them open, but I don’t recall much about last night, to be honest.

Rod and I had way too much to drink, it seems. And it seems like I’ve slept most of the morning away.

My head aches as I turn to the side to pick up my cell phone and see what time it is. When my eyes finally focus, I see it’s nearly noon.

I turn back over and run my hand over Rod’s pillow, still dented where his head was

The poor man had to get up and go to work!

Dragging myself out of bed, I make my way to the bathroom, where I start the shower. Brushing my teeth as the water warms up, I notice some things are missing.

Rod’s toothbrush is gone from the holder.

I look in the trashcan to see if he tossed it for some reason. But I don’t see it in there. I rinse my mouth out and look around and notice his deodorant is also missing from its usual place on the shelf.

As I open the medicine cabinet, the new package of razors I bought him the other day is gone, and so is the bottle of acetaminophen.

My heart starts pounding hard as I walk out of the bathroom and go to the closet. Half his clothes are gone. The work uniforms are all that are left. His work boots are placed neatly on the floor, but his other shoes are gone.

I kind of fall backward until my legs hit the side of the bed, then I fall onto it.

He’s left me!

After a few minutes, I shake my head to try to clear it. “No, he wouldn’t just leave me.”

I jump up and run to the bathroom and turn the water off, go to grab a dress and pull it on, then open my drawer and pull out a pair of panties. Slipping on my sandals, I run out of the house to go to the garage he works at.

My pace is fast as I walk down the street. The place is about a mile away, and I don’t want to show up all sweaty and panicked.

He has to be there!

I can’t remember so much about last night. Maybe he told me he had to go somewhere for his job and be there overnight.

But why are so many of his clothes gone, and none of them work related?

After turning a corner, I can see far enough down the street the garage is on and usually, I can see his old Ford from here. But I don’t see it now.

My feet start moving faster on their own and now I’m running as fast as I can. I run into the parking lot and the smell of oil hits my nostrils. Then I see his truck is not here.

One of the guys he works with sees me and comes out. “Hey! Where the hell is Rod?”

I can barely breathe. “He’s not here?”

He shakes his head. “We’ve been calling him since eight this morning and sending him texts. He hasn’t answered. I was going to come over to your house when I got off for lunch to see what the hell’s wrong with him.”

I have to lean over and put my hands on my knees and try to catch my breath. My heart is pounding, and my head is going very light.

Once I’ve regained my air, I stand up. “He’s gone. He left. Has he told you anything?”

The man I’ve never really been introduced to but know as Craig looks at me and shakes his head. “Rod is a quiet man. No one knows anything.”

“I have to go. If I can find him, I’ll let you know,” I say, then turn to go back home.

As I get into the house, which seems very empty now, I go back to the bedroom and get my phone. Calling his mother seems like the next logical step.

“Hi, Jenna,” Sue answers.

“Sue, do you know where Rod is?”

I cross my fingers, but her words let me down, “No. Why?”

“His things are gone. And he didn’t go to work. He won’t answer their calls or texts.”

“Did you two have a fight?” she asks.

“Not that I know of. I mean, we drank a lot last night, and much of it is a blank. But we haven’t fought in a long time, so I can’t see why we would’ve. Can you try to call him?”

“Yes. I’ll tell Jason and we’ll see if we can’t find him, dear. I’ll talk to you soon.”

I call Rod next and it goes straight to voicemail. I text him. Baby, where are you?

My hand is shaking as I place the phone back on the nightstand and stare at it as if it’s a magic looking glass that will tell me where the man I love is.

An hour passes as I stare at the phone. Then it rings and I grab it without taking the time to see who it is. “Rod!”

“It’s Reed, Jenna. What’s happened? Mom called me and said Rod’s left you.”

“Did she talk to him? Did he tell her that?” I ask as I fall back on the bed.

“No. She just said you told her he was gone and his things were gone and he’s not answering their calls. I tried to call him too, and he’s not answering me either.”

“Reed, I got very drunk last night. I can’t remember much at all.”

“Damn, Jenna. I’ve never even seen you get tipsy. Have you two been fighting?”

“Not at all. It’s been three months since we got engaged and we haven’t fought even once.” I feel my bottom lip beginning to quiver. “Reed, I feel lost.”

“Jenna, everything will be okay. This isn’t the first time Rod’s disappeared.”

“It’s not?” I sit up and wipe my eyes, as a few tears have slipped out.

“No, it’s not. When he was eighteen, he left for six months. No one knew where he was, and the man refused to tell anyone where he’d been. When he was twenty, he left and came back a little after his twenty-first birthday.”

I met Rod six months after that. And now I do recall him not being around for about four months when he was twenty-two as well.

“Reed, what is it he does, do you think?”

“I’ve always thought drugs were involved in it. And that’s what our parents think too. Is he doing drugs at home, Jenna?”

“No. He drinks and smokes cigarettes, but that’s all. Do you think he has a secret drug problem?” I hold my stomach, as it aches so badly.

Reed’s voice is shaky as he says, “I’m pretty sure he does, Jenna. I’m sorry. I tried to get you to understand he’s not a reliable man. You deserve better.”

“But we’ve been together a little over three years, Reed. That’s a long time to be stable. How could he do this to me?” And then the tears take over and I can’t even see, as there are so many.

“I’m sorry, Jenna. I really am,” he says. “Keep up your schoolwork. Don’t let this stop you or slow you down. I’ll keep it all paid for. Just don’t let him doing this stop you from going on and doing what you need to do to be the person you want to be.”

“I have to go,” I say, then put the phone down and cry into Rod’s pillow.

The apple scent is still there from the shampoo. I take in jagged breaths as I try to get what’s left of him into my body and into my soul.

I don’t know how I can go on. I don’t know how I can live not knowing if he’s okay.

How will I ever be whole again? How will I ever trust again?

 

The day turns into night and back into day again before I can pull my weak body out of our bed.

I have soaked his pillow with my tears, so many more than I knew I had. I can hear someone knocking at the front door and manage to get to it.

Sue and my mother are standing on the other side of the screen door. Both wear sorrowful expressions. Mom pulls the screen open and they come inside.

I try to turn and walk away, but they have me in their arms then, and I start crying all over again. “I can’t do this.”

Their hands run through my hair and over my back as they murmur things like, it’ll be okay, and, you will get over this.

I won’t get over this!

Not ever!

Then anger spreads like a wildfire through me and I pull out of their arms. “Sue, how could no one have ever told me that Rod disappears like this?”

My mother looks at me with a confused expression. “Jenna, this town is tiny. You knew he did this kind of thing. Why are you asking her that question? The man had a bad reputation. You knew he was into questionable activities. It’s the main reason your father and I cautioned you so much about moving in with him.”

Sue takes my hand. “Jenna, I told you he was difficult. I didn’t know you were unaware of his past.”

“How did you make it when he disappeared those times, Sue? I have to know how I’m going to be able to live not knowing if he’s okay.” My hand shakes in hers.

“Prayers. That, and hope.” Sue pulls me to sit down on the sofa with her and my mother takes the other side and runs her hand over my leg. “It nearly killed me the first time. He left right after his graduation ceremony. We thought he was coming to meet us at the party we threw him at the gun club out on the old Freeman ranch.”

“Let me guess,” I say. “He never showed up, and when you went home, his things were gone.”

She nods. “Then we at least knew he wasn’t kidnapped or something awful like that. We reported him missing and the police never found out a thing. One day the door opened and in he walked. When we asked where he had been, he told us to lay off him or he’d leave again. So we shut up.”

“I can’t live like this,” I say.

My mother pats my leg. “And you shouldn’t. Even if he comes back, Jenna, you shouldn’t take him back. No one should have to put up with this kind of thing.”

I look at Sue, who nods at me. “I hate to say that. But what your mother is saying is for the best. You deserve better, Jenna. Rod is a destructive man. He’s always been hard to get to. And damn hard to understand. I can’t blame drugs for it all. He was an odd little boy.”

“But I felt like we were connected. I felt like I did understand him. I feel like an idiot,” I say, then put my face in my hands. “How can I show my face in this town? Everyone knows we were going to get married. It was in the damn newspaper.”

Sue’s hand rests on my shoulder. “It’ll be okay, Jenna. Time will heal you. You’ll see.”

“Come home with me, Jenna. Let’s get you out of this house. It’ll only keep you upset without him here,” Mom says.

“I can’t leave. What if he changes his mind and comes back home?” I pull my face out of my shaking hands and look at her.

“Why would you want to go back to life with him? After what he’s done, why would you do that to yourself?” Mom asks me with a frown.

“I love him. Maybe he got scared. Maybe this marriage thing is too much for him. I never had to have the marriage. He and I had our own thing.”

Then it hits me.

The contract!

I jump off the sofa and run to the bedroom and pull open the drawer he keeps it in. “No! No! He took it! No!” Sue and my mother come into the room.

Mom’s arms come around me. “He took what, baby?”

“Our paper. He took the paper that said we would be together forever. Why would he not even leave that?” I turn to look at them. “Maybe it means for me to wait.”

Sue looks at me with so much sadness in her light blue eyes. “Jenna, you shouldn’t sit around and wait to see. This isn’t right, what he’s done. He shouldn’t even be able to come back and have you again. Your mother’s right. You have to move on. Even if he comes back. He doesn’t deserve you.”

“Sue, you know how much I love him. I can’t stand to move on. I’ll wait. I’ll wait forever if I have to.”

“Did he leave you any money, sweetie?” Sue asks me.

I shake my head. “He kept all the money. He’d give me some when he needed me to buy things. But he kept it all.”

My mother takes me by the chin and makes me look at her. “Sweetheart, how are you supposed to wait for him here with no money?”

“I guess I have to get a job. I’ll get a job and keep this place and when he comes back he’ll know I waited and that I love and accept him for who he is. He’ll know he can trust me to always be his. Then he’ll change for good. Then he’ll know someone cares for him so much they’ll just wait for him.” I look into his mother’s eyes for a sign.

That has to be what this is, a test to see if I’ll wait for him!

No matter how hard they try to get me to leave, I will wait here and keep this home for him until he comes back to me. He’ll see; they’ll see; we will all see then that he does love me and this is just his way of testing my love for him.

I can’t think any other way. It’s what I have to do.

I swallow hard and look back at the women who think they know what’s best. But Rod and I have secrets they know nothing about.

He’s tested my limits before. It may seem harsh what he’s done, but I get it. I get him in a way no one else ever has.

“I can do this. I’m okay now. I can take care of myself. Don’t worry about me. I can handle this.” I walk into the living room and go to my desk. “I’ll talk to you guys later. I have to get my classwork done. I’m starting late on it and I don’t want to get behind. Rod would be disappointed in me if I did that. I want him to come back and see how self-reliant I am and capable of being the woman he needs me to be.”

Sue takes my mother by the hand and pulls her to the door. “Let this settle into her head, May.”

Out of the corner of my eye I see my mother nod. Then she says, “We’re only a phone call away, Jenna. Don’t hesitate to call. I love you.”

“Love you too, Mom. He’ll be back. You’ll see. You will all see. This is just a test. A test I will pass.”

“I love you too, Jenna. I’ll be here if you need me, sweetheart,” Sue says, then they leave.

With a shake of my head, I feel better and clearer about things now. Opening my laptop, I get to work.

He’ll be back. I know he will!

Chapter 11

JENNA

An entire year has passed and still there’s been no sign of Rod Manning.

I moved out of the house when the rent came due and I didn’t make enough money from the tips I made at the very small café I managed to get a job at in Jerome.

After a couple of months living at my parents' home, back in my childhood bedroom, I decided to move to Tempe and go to the real Arizona State University at Reed’s prompting.

He’s called me once a month to see how I’m doing and to check on my grades. He always lets me know he’s proud of my achievements and knows his company’s scholarship money is going to good use.

Truth be told, though, his voice always leaves me full of sorrow. But there’s no way I’d stop taking his calls. Not after all he’s done for me.

But it does hurt when I’m reminded of Rod. I try very hard not to think about him and our time together. And I find I have no trust in people.

No matter how many guys have asked me out, I can’t seem to make myself give any of them a chance. That’s a thing my dorm roommate doesn’t understand about me.

Of course, I haven’t told a soul about what Rod and I did or how much trust I put in him and how badly it hurt to know he did all that to me and left anyway.

Somewhere deep inside me, I know he’s a man with deeper problems than I ever understood. And that alone helps me sleep at night.

Sure from time to time I wake from some nightmare where Rod has shown up and wants me back. He tells me I’m his and drags me away with him.

I’m sure it’s an unfounded fear. But it’s there.

And if I was to have some guy with me when he did show up, I have no idea what he would do to both of us. So it’s best to stay alone.

It seems I have more than a few reasons not to date.

As if on cue, the door to the dorm room opens and my roomie, Lane, comes in. “Still in the same place you were when I left to go out with Jeremy. When are you going to come out with us, Jenna?”

“Never.” I look at her, then back at the book in my hand. “I’m here to learn, not mingle.”

“All work and no play, Jenna. Have you heard that little saying?” she asks as she pulls her tight T-shirt off.

“I have, and I don’t care what others say. I’m on a mission to graduate and get out of Arizona and on to a life far away from my past.”

“Tell me about this past of yours.” Lane drops her jeans, pops her bra off, and climbs into her little bed across the room from mine.

“Nope.” I look at her over the edge of my book. “It’s a boring story.”

“It can’t be. It has you a near recluse.” She pulls her red blanket up to cover her bare breasts. Then she wiggles around and her panties are thrown to the floor.

She likes to sleep naked. Says it’s more comfortable.

I know it is. That’s how Rod and I slept every night for three years. But now I wear pajamas and I don’t sleep that well anyway.

I ignore her and go back to reading. But she won’t stop. “Jenna, you know that really gorgeous guy from our child development class, Cam?”

I nod. “You like him now, or what?”

“Or what,” she says. “No. I saw him tonight at the club and he asked where you were.”

“So?” I say, as I really don’t care.

“So, he asked for your cell number and I gave it to him.”

I put the book on my lap and glare at her. “I gave you that number in case you ever needed me to come rescue your ass from either a rapist or a kidnapper. Not to give out to men. I’m pretty mad at you right now, Lane.”

“You can talk on the phone, can’t you? He’s nice and good looking and I think he’s also loaded. I saw him get into a fancy sports car when we were leaving the club.” She sits up in the bed and the blanket falls off her ample tits as she does.

With a roll of my eyes, I say, “You know, Lane, it’s chicks like you who give female college roommates the stigma of us all being bisexual.”

I catch her holding her boobs and squeezing them together and shaking them. “Oh, am I enticing you with these little things? Has it been so long since your vag has had any action that you’re getting interested, Jenna?” She laughs, and I look at her with a blank face.

“Really, Lane? Go to sleep.”

She turns over and leans her head on her hand. “Come on, Jenna. Tell me about the guy who ruined you.”

Rod’s face flashes in my mind and I find tears spring forward. She spots them and says, “Jenna, it will help to talk about him. No matter what you believe, it will help.”

I push his face out of my mind. “You have no idea, Lane. Talking about him would only bring up wounds which have closed and rip them open again. I have a hard time even talking to his brother once a month like I have to. Talking will only hurt me, not help me.”

“What did he do to you?” she asks.

I look at the book in my hands, but don’t see the words. How do I explain to anyone what Rod Manning did to me?

How would they ever understand why I’m just so thankful he left and I don’t have to live that way any longer?

“Nothing, really. He just made me believe things that weren’t true. Hence, my issues. Not a big deal. Now go to sleep. You have a nine o’clock class and you’ll be in no condition for the pop quiz I overheard the professor say he was giving you guys.”

“Fuck!” She turns over and pulls the blanket over her head. “Thanks for springing that on me. Good night.”

“Good night,” I say, then put my book away and turn off my lamp and try to go to sleep myself.

But she’s put Rod back into my head and now I’m afraid sleep will be hard to find.

I can feel his rough, calloused hands running over my body as I close my eyes. His hot breath on the back of my neck as he pulls me close to him.

Then I recall the way he’d blow smoke at me when I got onto him about smoking in the house or the truck. The way he’d look at me with no emotion in those steel-blue eyes and make me call him Master.

Even though we had a whole year of not doing any of that, I have this fear that he’s going to come find me, demand I go back to him, and start the whole thing over.

He’ll condition me to bend to his will again. Train me to accept the pain he dishes out. Beat me into submission again.

When I look back and see myself, I shudder, remembering being on my knees in front of him, waiting to see what things he was about to put my body through.

My body jerks as I hear in my mind the sound of the leather belt flying through the air before it slammed against my skin. A sound I’ll never forget.

It’s a sensation which fills me with shame. The burn of the strike would send my body into such an odd state of pain and excitement.

I always became so wet as he hit me over and over. And when he pulled me off the hook and threw me onto the bed or the floor and took me like he owned me, because he did, it made me quiver with desire.

A desire to belong to him. To make him the center of my universe. To hand myself over to him so he could do anything he wanted to me.

And the shame goes all over me.

Why did I allow that?

I wasn’t raised that way. I was a good girl once, and I’m a good girl again. But now I’m one who has these dark secrets.

Secrets of enjoying the pain and the intense pleasure he’d follow it up with. Secrets of feeling elated that he kept me as his own. Secrets of knowing other women wanted him and most times he stayed away from them because I allowed him to do whatever he wanted to me.

I was young back then, stupid, naïve, and thought that was love.

That was control. That was manipulation. And that was unhealthy.

I can see it all very clearly now. Age and getting away from it has helped.

And I do thank God nearly every day that Rod left me. I’d still be right there in that if he hadn’t.

After he left, and when I was anywhere in town, I’d hear people talking about me saying how they thought I was smart and how they never saw me messing up my life with someone like Rod Manning.

I just thought I’d be humiliated by the whole town knowing he left after we were supposed to get married. How wrong I was.

I should’ve been humiliated before that. Once I heard how people thought about me even being with him had me thinking more about myself.

That’s why I decided to get out in the world, go off to college, and try to grow a lot more than I had allowed myself. Or than Rod had allowed, anyway.

And maybe Lane is right. Maybe I should date. But God knows, I’m afraid to.

I’m afraid there’s a weakness inside me I can’t see but others can, a weakness which allows others to control me. A weakness I’m not sure I’ve overcome yet.

Without being sure of myself, I can’t risk getting myself into a similar situation. Alone is best. For now, anyway.

My phone lights up as it buzzes and I pick it up and see a number I don’t recognize has texted me.

Involuntarily, my body tenses.

What if it’s Rod?

I swipe my finger over it and read the message. Hope you aren’t mad. Lane gave me your number. It’s Cam, from one of your classes. I know you keep to yourself and I want you to know I respect that. But I also want you to know I’m a good guy. And I’d like us to get to know each other. So how about I bring you a coffee to our class and afterward we can talk? Just talk, Jenna. I swear. I see a sadness in you that actually hurts me. I don’t think I can fix you or anything. But I’d like to be your friend. You seem to keep people away. As you well know as we’ve learned in our child development class, keeping away from the group is unhealthy. And, as teachers, we’re expected to not only notice these kinds of things but help the person who needs it. I’m here to help, Jenna. That’s all. No pressure. Some coffee and conversation. That’s it. So tell me what kind you like.-

I wait for three minutes while I contemplate this. He is right. We have studied this very thing, and it’s an unhealthy way to be.

Can I believe he wants only friendship from me?

Friends are a thing I let go for Rod. They’d never have understood our relationship, so I cut them off.

It was stupid of me back then. And refusing a friend now is just as stupid. So I text back, Mocha, caramel, and thanks. I’ll take you up on the friend thing.

Great! See you tomorrow.

I put the phone down and feel like I’ve just taken a huge step forward out of this mess I’ve made of my life, a good step toward a normal future.

Rod Manning is my past, a past best left in the dark shadows of my memory. It’s a thing I need to learn from, but not let cripple me.

So I close my eyes and hold my breath for as long as I can as I let the memories flood my mind. This is it. This is the last time I’ll allow myself to be held back by Rod Manning.

His face, his muscled back, his tight abs, his ash blond waves, his steely blue eyes, his smell, his voice, and his essence flash through my head.

They’re all put away in the recesses of my mind, along with the leather belts, the collars, the nipple clamps, the bungee cords, the hook and all the other things I associate with Rod Manning.

No longer will I allow that to be at the forefront of my mind. It’s over. I throw the fear and shame, and the fact there will never be any closure, in there with the rest.

It’s time to start fresh and become who I am meant to be. I want to be a teacher of young children, and I need a healthy mind if I am to be the right kind of influence on them.

It’s a big responsibility, and my college days are nearly over. A year away from graduation and becoming a real teacher, I have to work as hard on myself as I have my studies.

So I’m going to drink some coffee with a member of the opposite sex. I’m going to leave the shit with my first relationship where it belongs, in the past.

I’m going to stop thinking of myself as a weak, idiotic female with no will of her own.

Nope, that young girl is gone. She’s grown up, and now she will be influencing young minds. And with such a responsibility she has to come to terms with life now, not then.

I take in a deep breath to replenish the air my body has used up and stop thinking about myself in the third person.

I am going to be better than okay. I am going to sleep tonight as the Jenna Foster I am now. I am waking up with a new attitude and outlook on life.

All men are not trying to control me. All men are not assholes. All men are not a thing I have to fear.

I will not give power anymore to the man I’ve been so afraid will show up and use a piece of paper to take me back to a place I don’t want to be any longer

Four years is enough!

Chapter 12

REED

The last two years have been hard on my mother. With Rod still missing in action, she’s just not herself. So I’ve taken the summer to come and stay with them and try to bring some kind of normal back into their lives.

The New Year’s parties and Christmas parties were forgotten the last two years. She claimed she wasn’t feeling well for all those occasions. Even the traditional Christmas evening dinners were canceled.

I had them flown into Los Angeles last year and they joined me at my place.

They didn’t ask about how much money I’ve made when they saw the mansion in Bel-Air. I think they understand why I’m not advertising it to anyone.

It’s the first weekend since I came here at the beginning of the week, and I’m going to barbecue for them. I sent them off to the car lot to buy new cars.

I swear they make me insane with wanting to hold onto cars past their prime. I told them you get more for the trade if you do it every two years. But Mom claims a love for her car and so does Dad.

But I made them take them down when I told them the money had already been paid. It hasn’t. I’ll go down and negotiate later, but the sales guy wants the commission, so he lies to them for me.

The tiny supermarket in Jerome always leaves me yearning for something better in this tiny town. The meat looks like crap, and I think I just might make a run to Prescott to get the steaks I wanted to cook tonight.

I turn my basket around to check out with the bag of potatoes and the salad that will be fine, but I have to look elsewhere for the meat.

A pair of red heels catches my eyes as I turn and then they move up the long, perfectly formed legs they’re attached to. Those legs end in a tight black skirt which hugs some demanding curves.

A slender waist is accented by a thin red belt, and I find a white silk blouse tucked into the top of the skirt. It billows out over a pair of voluptuous tits. A gold chain with, of all things, a cross, hangs between those perky puppies, and my eyes keep on going up as my dick grows long and hardens.

“Hey, you,” comes the sweetest voice I’ve ever heard. “What are you doing in town?”

Silky blonde hair hangs to her shoulders, and her green eyes have tiny wrinkles at the outer corners from the smile covering her gorgeous face.

I haven’t seen her since that Christmas …

“Jenna,” I say, and the sound comes out all breathy.

“Reed,” she says, and my name sounds so damn good when it comes from her sweet red lips.

She takes two steps toward me and then I’m in her arms or she’s in mine. I can’t tell which as we hug, and I inhale her.

I smell a nice perfume, with some cinnamon and honey. And her.

Jenna.

I don’t want to, but I end the hug, then move my hands to her arms and hold her back as I look her over. “My, my, you have grown up.”

Her hand moves over my shoulder and I feel the heat and electricity her touch has always given me. “So have you. How can you have even more muscles, Reed?”

I let her go and kind of kick my foot at the floor and look down, as she’s making me feel all odd. “Don’t know. I work out and stuff.” Then I look back at her. “And you look better than I’ve ever seen you look before.”

She palms her hair and smiles. “I’ve learned a bit about style. And thanks to the scholarships you gave me, I’m a proud graduate of Arizona State and will be taking the certification test in September to become a real teacher, kindergarten through third grade.”

She moves in close and her lips touch my cheek for only a moment. Then she pulls back. “Thank you for that, Reed. I really do appreciate it.”

“You never sent me a graduation invitation, Jenna,” I say as I trail my hand up her arm.

“I didn’t want you to feel obligated. I know you’re a very busy man.” She takes a step back, and my hand falls to my side.

“So you’re home for how long?” I ask.

“The summer. Then I’m going to go to Tempe and take the test and get the hell out of Arizona. I’ll be looking for somewhere to teach in the meantime. Anywhere other than Arizona.” Her lips stop moving and I become acutely aware of just how much I’m looking at them.

I look back into her green eyes. “I’m also here for the summer. Trying to talk Mom and Dad into moving. This place is so far from everything. And Mom isn’t doing well. She’s felt bad every time anything comes up. You know, not like her at all.”

Her eyes grow a little dark and droop a bit. “Well, that’s to be expected, I would guess. When your kid goes missing I don’t think it’s an easy thing to take.”

I immediately feel like an ass for bringing up my family at all. “Jenna, I’m sorry. Let’s not talk about them. Hey, I was going to cook out tonight, but the meat here is terrible. I’m going to head on over to Prescott to find some decent meat. So I’m switching the barbecue to tomorrow night. Wanna come with me?”

She looks at me for a moment and I see conflict in her eyes. Her mouth opens and the word I want to hear comes out, “Yes.”

I nearly fall backward with relief. I had no idea I was holding my body so tensely. “Great. Oh! What were you here for? Do you need to grab something?”

She blushes and looks away. “Um, yes, I do need to grab something. Want to meet me in front when you’re done? I can leave my car here. If my parents knew I was going anywhere with you, they’d get their lectures written up and I’d get to hear them all summer long.”

I think the same about mine and nod in agreement. “Sure.”

“See you outside then.” She walks away, and I turn to watch her go.

My God, the girl has grown into the sexiest woman I’ve ever seen!

I watch her pull a phone from her red leather purse and put it to her ear and say, “Mom, I met an old girlfriend in the store and will be spending the evening with her. I have my house key. No need to wait up.”

No need to wait up!

My cock jerks, and I hurry to check out. My heart is pounding in my chest. I can barely function as I put the two things I bought on the counter and the young girl rings them up. I hand her my card and she runs it. I leave, carrying the bag of potatoes in one hand and the prepacked bag of salad in the other, and realize I didn’t even allow her to bag them.

I’m kind of giddy, I realize as I go to my car and get in, then decide to drive up to the front of the store so Jenna can get in without anyone realizing she’s leaving the parking lot with me.

Thank God I got the rental with tinted windows!

She comes out carrying only one small bag, shoving it into her tiny purse. I roll the passenger side window down and call out at Jenna, “It’s me!”

She smiles, pulls her sunglasses out of the purse, and gets into the car. “Nice,” she says. “A rental company that rents Mercedes, Reed?”

“When asked for, yes.” I drive away as she buckles her seatbelt.

The vibe I feel is weird: taboo, danger, electricity, and elatedness.

I have Jenna Foster in my front seat!

I’ve mooned over this girl since she grew tits in high school. Watching her from a distance, I thought I was a little too old for her when she came into school as a freshman and I was a junior.

Who knew I was well within her age range?

Then my asshole brother set his sights on her and somehow convinced the sweet girl to come into his lair of evil. He nearly ruined her.

But as I take a sideways glance at her, I can see she was far from ruined by him.

She has overcome what he did to her. I’d have to say she is more woman than I ever envisioned her being. Confidence radiates off her now.

Jenna was always on the shy side and lacked basic confidence, a thing I blame on my older brother.

When he got his hands on the young girl who’d never been allowed to date until she turned eighteen, he had a naïve girl with no idea about how relationships work.

He controlled every last thing she did. If it wasn’t for me getting her into college, I shudder to think what she’d have become under his tyrannical reign.

The silence between us suddenly hits me as I drive out of town. “So, ready for the future, Jenna?” I ask and feel kind of dumb with that question.

“Um, yeah.” She looks over at me. “I have you to thank for that.”

“You did all the hard work. I merely put the opportunity in front of you, Jenna.” I tap the steering wheel to keep my hand occupied, as I keep having the urge to reach over and take her hand in mine.

A hand which is resting on the tanned skin which looks silky soft, just above her knee.

Then my hand moves off the steering wheel all on its own and my fingertip drifts over the ring finger where Rod put an engagement ring two years ago. “What did you do with the ring?” It just comes out of my mouth, and I bite my tongue because of it.

“Your mom didn’t tell you?” she asks.

My finger is still on hers and I leave it there as I say, “No.”

She moves her hand. “I gave it to her before I left to go to Tempe.”

“Oh.” I place my hand back on the wheel. “I shouldn’t have even brought it up.”

“It’s okay. It’s not like you and I can never talk about that part of my life. You were there, after all.”

“Not for all of it. Do you care to elaborate on anything that happened between you two?” I look over at her and have to wonder if she will ever tell anyone about what all happened between them.

Everyone knows about the incident where their neighbor called the cops as Rod pushed her down in their front yard and dragged her around it. So there’s not a doubt in my mind he did far worse things to her inside the house on other occasions.

“Reed, I’m in your debt for paying my way through college. I appreciate you and your help more than you will ever know. But what happened between me and your brother is a thing I’ve put away. I don’t care to relive any of it. So, if you don’t mind, I’d love it if you and I could build a friendship based on you and me alone. Okay?” She pulls her shades down and looks over them at me.

The word friendship kind of stabs at me, but I say, “Sure.”

“Great,” she says, then puts her glasses back up, covering her beautiful eyes, and looks straight ahead. “So tell me what kinds of things you’ve been up to in California, Reed.”

I grip the steering wheel once again and say, “I’ve been up to doing business deals and making more money. Can I tell you the truth, though?”

She looks at me and takes off her glasses. Her eyes are full of concern, and it makes my heart skip a beat that she seems to care at all. “You better tell me the truth, Reed. Are things going badly for you?”

“Life is not all that great when you live it alone. All the money in the world isn’t enough if you have no one to spend your life with.” Admitting it feels both great and embarrassing at the same time.

But the after effects are phenomenal!

Her slender hand with a nice pink manicure runs up to mine, which is on the steering wheel. She takes it in hers and pulls it to her chest, fractions of centimeters from her perfect breasts.

Her words are soft and sweet. “Reed, that breaks my heart. How is it you haven’t found someone?”

Because I love you and always have …

But what I say is, “I have a certain kind of woman in mind and she’s not in California.”

Her thumb moves over my knuckles as she looks at me and keeps my hand right there close to her heart and, subsequently, her tits. My mouth begins to water as I can feel her chest rise and fall with every breath she takes.

“Reed, you’re perfect. How can you not have found one of the women in California to be a good candidate as a serious girlfriend?”

“I’m perfect?” I ask as I look at her.

She smiles. “Eyes on the road!”

I turn my head and have to smile.

I think she might like me!

“I think you’re pretty perfect too. So have you met anyone interesting at college? You know, a new man?” I glance at her and she puts my hand back on the steering wheel.

“I’ve made friends.” Her arms cross and so do her legs. She looks out the window, and her body language tells me a lot.

“Any that ended up in your bed?” I know I shouldn’t ask, but I’m dying to know.

She looks back at me and her lips part. Then they close tight, before opening again. “No. I haven’t let anyone even kiss me. I did make friends, and I did become social again. And that’s about all I could manage to do.”

What did my brother do to her?

“Think that’s normal?” I ask.

“No,” comes her very quick answer. “I don’t. But normal has never really been something that happens for me. No normal childhood, no normal first love, no normal sex life. Nope, nothing has come normal for me.”

My stomach tightens, as I’ve often wondered about her sex life with my brother. He was heavily into BDSM and, though Jenna never seemed the type, I had to wonder.

“So he hurt you in more ways than one, right?” I ask as I keep my eyes on the road.

“He did, and that’s the past, and I’ve moved into the now. I live every day, one day at a time.” Her legs uncross and her hands go back down to rest on her thighs as she breathes out.

Without really thinking, I say, “You sound like someone who’s survived a tragedy, Jenna.”

She looks straight ahead and says, “I don’t like to look at it that way, Reed. I like to look at things from a different perspective. What I went through did make me stronger. And being stronger is never a bad thing to be.”

I look ahead and have to wonder if this new Jenna is a good thing or a bad thing. Seems Rod’s departure has made my mother weak and Jenna super strong.

Where that leaves me is a mystery …

Chapter 13

JENNA

I cannot believe I’m going out to dinner with Reed Manning. The man was nearly my brother-in-law, for God’s sake.

But this is just a friendly dinner. Nothing serious. Just old friends catching up.

I glance at him as he messes with the radio and finds some country music. “You like this kind of music, Jenna?”

“Sure, it’s fine.” I pull at the hem of my short skirt.

I don’t know why I got all dressed up today. I was just going to the store to pick up some feminine products, was all.

Somewhere inside me resides this person who wants to be seen as anything but the stupid young woman who left our tiny town two years ago after being dumped by the notorious bad boy. The outfit helped in my mind, I guess.

Reed’s head bobs a bit to the music. “You know, there’s this pretty nice place in Prescott where we can eat, and there’s usually a live band on the weekends. What do you say to a little eating and a little dancing?”

“I say that sounds a hell of a lot like a date.” My fingers start to nervously tap my legs.

He pulls one hand off the wheel and takes my left hand in his. “Not a date, Jenna. Just us hanging out together.”

He’s so calm and cool and awesome!

“I know. It does sound nice and fun. So I’m game.”

And just like that, he has my hand in his. Our clasped hands are resting on his thigh, and I’m going all hot, and my insides are teaming with butterflies.

Should I move my hand?

No, I’m going to let him hold it. It feels nice, anyway. And I am a single woman. And Reed has done amazing things for me.

It’ll be fine!

“Besides, you look too good to go to waste. You need to be shown off a bit.” Then he gives my hand a squeeze, and I nearly wet myself.

“Thank you,” I say as I look him over. “You do too. The nice slacks and button up have you looking all GQ, Reed. Were you doing some business today?”

“I was. I visited with a salesman at the Autoplex and negotiated the trade-ins of the cars I got for my parents a few years back. I always like to look like I know what I’m talking about when doing any business deals.” He places my hand on his thigh but lets it go as he reaches up to change the radio station. Then he picks it right back up and my heart skips a beat.

“So your mom and dad are getting new cars then?” I ask, just to hear him talk more. His voice is deep and silky and I’ve always loved it.

“Yes. I like to get them into something new every two years and from now on I will be doing that. It was hard to get them to let go of the ones they had, but I managed, finally.” The sun is setting, and the light isn’t quite so bright, so he lets my hand go and takes off his shades.

I move my hand off his thigh and take my sunglasses off too. He looks over at me and puts his hand back on the steering wheel.

Maybe he wanted to keep holding my hand!

He makes a left turn. “This is the place I was talking about. What do you think?”

It’s very nice and very upscale for Arizona. “It looks expensive, Reed. We don’t have to go anywhere expensive. I can eat at a plain old restaurant.”

He parks and shakes his head. “Not when you’re with me, you won’t.”

I get out of the car as he does, and he jogs around to the passenger side and takes my hand. “I can hear the music already.”

“You have to promise me at least ten dances,” he says with a wide smile.

His shoulder touches mine as he leans close. I smile back. “Ten! That’s a lot.”

The way his eyebrows raise and dance a bit make me giggle as he says, “It’s half as many as I wanted to say.”

And I think he’d like to hold me in his arms for the majority of this purely platonic dinner. Our eyes hold for a moment before the hostess says something, breaking the connection. I look at her. “Two, please. Non-smoking.”

Reed’s breath moves the hair near my ear as he whispers, “I didn’t even notice what she said. Thanks.”

His hand leaves mine and moves to the small of my back as I follow the young woman and he follows behind me. It sends the oddest, most pleasant sensation through me as his fingertips barely touch me.

She gestures to a table near the edge of the dance floor. Reed pulls out a chair and I sit down. Then he sits on the one closest to me.

“Can I bring you something to drink to get you started?” she asks.

Reed says, “Two red wines, please.”

She nods and leaves us alone in the dimly lit area. I look around and see a lot of other couples here. On dates, I would guess.

It seems like a place men would take dates and I look at Reed, who is gazing at me. “This place is nice. But it seems kind of datey.”

“Datey?” He laughs a little. “All that college and you come up with that word, Jenna?”

“You know what I mean,” I say as I bat at his chest.

He takes my hand and wraps his fist around it, then intertwines his fingers with mine and places them on his leg again. “I do know what you mean. And so what if we call this thing a date?”

My smile is weak as I say, “Because us dating would be frowned upon.”

“You know, Jenna, neither you nor I really live in that tiny town any longer. You and I don’t have to follow the rules of that place anymore. You and I can do whatever the hell you and I want to.” He pulls our hands up and kisses mine.

My body goes limp, as it feels like nothing I’ve ever felt before. “Can I ask you something and you be completely honest with me?”

He nods. “Always.”

“When we touch, does it do anything odd to you?”

His dark blue eyes narrow as he looks at me. “It always has. But I don’t call it odd; I call it magical.”

“Yeah, I thought so.”

“And you?” he asks.

“Yes, it always has. But I think it’s because of how taboo this is. You know?” I lean back as the waitress places the glass of wine in front of me. “Thank you.”

She smiles. “Can I get you an appetizer?”

Reed answers, “Oysters Rockefeller, please.”

“Okay. Would you like the half order or the whole dozen, sir?”

“The whole order,” he says and looks at me the whole time.

His gaze is intense and I look down as the waitress gives him a nod and walks away. “That’s a lot of oysters for two people.”

“Bet we eat them all,” he says, then gets up, pulling me along with him.

I bite my lower lip as he pulls me into his arms. “I see you want to dance.”

He pulls me close, one hand holding mine between us and the other wrapped around me, holding my body to his. His lips are so close to mine as he whispers, “Dance, yes. I want to dance with you.” Then he leans back a bit and looks into my eyes. “But mostly I wanted to see what it feels like to hold you in my arms. And you know what, Jenna Foster?”

I can barely breathe, so I just shake my head a little.

“It feels even better than I imagined it would.”

He tightens his arms around me and I put my head on his broad shoulder. It does feel better than I ever thought being held in a man’s arms could feel.

Our bodies touch in all the right places. We move together like we’ve been dancing together forever. Everything feels more than right.

But this can’t go any further than this. We both know that.

But for now, we’re here, and no one knows us in this place. No one knows I almost married this man’s brother. No one knows this would be very bad for our families. No one knows a thing.

And then a chill runs through me. Because if Rod walked through that door for some reason then he would freak.

The song ends, but I don’t want Reed to let me go. He only halfway lets me go as he keeps his arm around me and walks me back to the table, where I see the gorgeous platter of spinach and some kind of white creamy stuff flowing over what looks like very fresh oysters on the half-shell.

Reed pulls the chair out for me and I take the seat as he sits next to me but moves his chair closer. He takes one of the oysters and looks at me as he moves it toward my mouth.

“All you do is swallow it. Don’t chew,” he directs me as he presses the shell to my lower lip. “Open up and I’ll slide it in.”

My eyes go big and my eyebrows go up. “Reed, that sounds more than a little provocative.”

His other hand slides up my leg and stops as he gets it just under the edge of my skirt. “Because I meant it to. Now open up.”

My mouth opens as I watch him watching me and he slides the stuff off the shell and I swallow it. “Mmmm. That was good.”

“Do me now,” he says as he leans back and parts his lips.

I know this is a really bad idea but I do it anyway. I pick up one of the appetizers and place the shell on his lower lip. He opens his mouth and I pour it in.

After he swallows, he smiles at me. Then he picks up my glass of wine and holds it in front of my mouth and I accept the drink. Then he leans back and gestures for me to give him one.

I do as my body shakes, rattles, and rolls with excitement and desire.

I want to climb onto his lap so damn bad, it’s not one bit funny. Then he gives me a smile and stands up again and holds his hand out to me. “Another dance, my lady?”

I take his hand and can’t wait to be back in his arms again. The song is a little faster than the last and the spinning action he does has our groins connecting. Mine is on fire for him as I can feel his cock against me.

I lay my head on his shoulder and take in his aroma. He’s using a different cologne than he had on the last time I saw him.

That Christmas night.

Then my heart kind of cramps with the memory of how he looked when Rod was down on one knee in front of me.

His jaw had been held tight and when I said yes he left the room. Maybe Rod was right when he said Reed was jealous and wanted me.

When the song ends, he holds me tighter than before and we go to the table. I’m a little dizzy with the spinning and the close contact.

He has another oyster in my mouth before I know it and he downs one himself. Then he’s holding my glass out to me. I take the drink, then ask the question I’ve wanted to for a long time, “Reed, how long have you liked me?”

His eyes dance as he looks at me and takes my hand, lifting it to his lips where he kisses it. “Since you were about fourteen.”

I shake my head and say, “No. No, Reed, that’s not true. You never even looked at me in high school. No, not once.”

“I did. Only I never let you catch me. I knew you were off limits until you turned eighteen. We all knew that.” He holds the glass up and I let him give me another drink.

“You left for college. Were you ever going to make some kind of advance on me?” He holds another oyster up and I take it.

“My plan was to come home for your graduation. I was going to ease into your life very stealthily and make you fall in love with me and get you to go to UCLA with me.” He picks up his own glass of wine and takes a long drink.

“Wow, that was a grand plan!”

“And it was all going to work out too. Until I called home in early May to tell my parents I would be home for the summer. I didn’t let them in on this part as I was going to begin Operation Make Jenna Foster Mine. And that was when I found out Rod was renting a house and you two were going to be moving into it as soon as he could get you to agree.”

I have to look away, as I feel kind of terrible. “So you had never told him or anyone else about your plan?”

“Nope. I kept it all to myself. I was afraid if I told a thing to anyone it would spike an interest in you and I’d have a harder time getting your attention. And the truth is I thought even though Rod was going to come after you with all eight cylinders that you wouldn’t give him the time of day.” He leans up and takes my chin in his hand. “I was wrong, though.”

“Seems so.” He lets my chin go and leans back in his chair.

“Well, who would think the sweet little Sunday school teacher would ever want a thing to do with the devil who was and is my brother? I thought it was a safe bet you’d ignore him and I’d still have a shot that summer.”

“But that isn’t what happened and now it’s too late for us. I mean, it would never work. You know, there’s just too much history now.” I pick up the glass and finish the wine.

He doesn’t say a word, just holds out his hand, and I take it as he moves us out on the dance floor. His hold on me is tight, and the song is fast, and it’s amazing how easily my feet follow his.

Our bodies are molded to one another. When the song ends he is still holding me. Then he turns his face and his lips are on mine.

It’s the best kiss I’ve ever had!

I only thought I had felt my body melt before. I had no idea. My arms go around his neck as his tongue moves past my lips and moves with mine like they’ve always known each other.

My pulse is so rapid and hard, I can hear my heart beating. My mind is gone. All I feel is him. All I can think of is him and now and this moment.

This amazing kiss!

Then he ends it with several soft pecks and looks at me. “What were you saying, Jenna?”

I gaze up at him and it seems like a halo is glowing around the top of his head, as I’m limp in his arms. “Huh?”

“That’s what I thought.”

And now I don’t know what we’re going to do …

Chapter 14

REED

Our first kiss!

And Jenna Foster’s gorgeous green eyes are hazy with, dare I say, desire?

Taking her back to the table. I sit her down, and she kind of floats on the way down.

Being the man of action that I have become has me fighting myself not to tell Jenna how things are going to be now.

I’ve waited a long time for her and had to watch a lot of bad shit I never thought I’d have to. And now she knows how I feel, and that kiss just cemented it all for me. I know it did for her too.

But I know my brother did a fucking number on her, and I’ll have to go as slow as I can without going so slow that I lose my chance with her.

We have the summer, and that’s about all!

So the plan I had for the summer after her high school graduation can come into play now. Only this time I’m very rich and can show her a very good time.

“Reed?” she asks as she looks at my mouth.

“Yes?” I run my hand over her flushed cheek.

“That was amazing.”

“It was,” I say as I move my hand over her shoulder and down her arm.

Goosebumps sprout over her soft tanned skin. Then I move my chair right next to hers and she leans against my chest as I put my arm around her.

The scent of her hair leaves me all tingly inside as I take in a deep breath of the flowery smell.

This is how I always imagined it would be like with her. Like a dream. Like an easy, real life dream.

Her fingertips glide back and forth along my leg as she breathes steadily. I wonder what she’s thinking or if she’s thinking at all. Maybe she’s really letting herself feel for the first time in a long time.

“Is this real, Reed?”

I kiss the top of her head. “It is, Jenna. This is as real as it gets.”

She turns her head up and looks at me. “What are we supposed to do?”

“What any other people do when they know they have something real,” I say and touch her lips gently with mine.

Our bodies migrate towards each other. Her chest goes up against mine and her soft breasts press against my hard chest.

I hold my lips on hers and relish how hers feel even though they’re barely touching mine.

The sheer amount of times I’ve wanted to do this make me insane with how long this has taken. How long we could’ve had this.

“I’m going to order us a couple of juicy steaks and some more wine.” I raise my hand to let the waitress know I’m ready to order.

She comes over to us and lets out a sigh. “So, is this an anniversary date?”

Jenna pulls her head off my chest and blushes. “Actually, this is our very first date.”

The waitress looks surprised. “Really? You two look like you’ve been together a long time. Like you’re in love already.”

I run my hand over Jenna’s shoulder and cup the back of her neck. “Hmm. What do you think about that, Jenna?”

“I think that’s amazing,” she says, then smiles at me.

“Can we have two of your best steaks, medium rare, and some more wine?” I ask as I run my hand up into her silky blonde strands.

“Yes, sir. Coming right up.” She spins around and leaves.

Jenna gets a little frown on her face. “Reed, we’ll have to hide this. You know that.”

“For a while, we can. I don’t want Mom upset, and I don’t want you upset that it upsets her. But I’ll start on my parents and you start on yours. And then when it all comes out it won’t be so shocking.” I pull her back into my arms and she lays her head back on my chest. I think I could just sit here like this forever.

The fleeting image of Jenna freaking out goes through my head, so I make sure to let her know I will not be letting her go. I pull her around to look at me. “Jenna, I’ve waited a very long time for you. I’m not a man who lets opportunities get by me. I want this. I want you. I’m laying my cards on the table. I know this may seem sudden, but it’s anything but that. Now, what do you want?”

Her eyes go a little glassy. “Reed, I thought about you back then. And, truth be told, I’ve thought about you these last two years. There’s always been an attraction to you, one I pushed back when I had to. And I do want you. I do, like nothing I’ve ever wanted before. But your parents will not be happy about this. And if your brother ever does show up, it won’t be good.”

“I’m not worried about him. Mom is the only person who may have a problem with it. But Mom loves me and she loves you, Jenna. And if Rod shows up I will deal with him. I can handle him. You don’t have to worry.” I take her chin in my hand and can see fear in her eyes.

“Reed, my plan was to get a job far away where I’d never run into him ever again. If you and I are together, I’ll run into him for damn sure. And it’s a thing I’ve had many nightmares about. I can’t see him again.” A shiver runs through her body.

“Jenna, what did he do to you?”

“No, I can’t talk about it. And especially not here. Just know I can’t see him again. I’ve come too far to go back.”

I pull her close to me and hug her tight. “I’ll never let anything happen to you again. You’re safe with me. I swear it to you.”

I can feel the tension leave her body as I hold her and her arms wrap around me. Then she pulls herself up and looks at me. “I trust you, Reed. Let’s do this.”

A smile moves over my face and I kiss her again. It’s our second real kiss and her lips part and allow me inside her warm mouth, a place I’ve explored only in my dreams.

The sound of the waitress setting our drinks and plates on the table makes me end the kiss. Otherwise, I think it could have gone on forever or morphed into a make-out session on the tabletop.

Jenna blushes and looks down as the waitress smiles at us. “Sorry,” Jenna says quietly.

“Don’t be. If my husband looked at me like this man looks at you, I’d be hard pressed to keep my lips to myself too.” She leaves the bottle of wine on the table too and leaves us alone.

“See how easy it is to see when someone likes you, Jenna?” I ask as I take her steak and cut a piece for her.

“Well, you have to admit that when I did notice I was not in the position to take you up on it.” She opens her mouth, and I put the bite into it.

“People break up. How hard would it have been to tell him he was an ass, and you were through with him?” I give her a drink and she takes my plate and cuts me a bite then places it into my mouth.

“Very. You see, we had this written deal. And it wasn’t one that could be broken.” She gives me some wine and then she leans in close and kisses me.

My entire body lights up with the fact that she kissed me this time. My hands run over her arms as her tongue twirls around mine.

It ends too soon though, and she sits back. Her breathing is a little on the hard side and I really like that I can do that to her.

“A written deal? But he left, so that means you could’ve too. And that deal was only worth the paper it was written on, anyway. You know you can even walk away from a marriage, Jenna.” I cut her another bite of the delicious steak and feed it to her.

Her hand creeps up my leg as she chews it and it stops once she swallows, merely centimeters from my cock. It twitches in an effort to feel her hand on it.

Every part of me wants her!

Brain, heart, and cock!

“What we had was intense. And, when I look back, it was just wrong on so many levels. I’d like to know how you plan on handling him when he inevitably comes around some family function.” She gives me a drink and cuts another piece of steak for me.

Before she gets it in my mouth, I say, “He’s not so hard to beat, Jenna. And if he was to get physical with anyone in my presence, I could take him down. I have before.” I take the bite as she narrows her eyes.

“The thing which ended his bullying you, right? What did you do to him?”

“Broke his arm.” I look into her eyes to see how she takes that.

They widen, then narrow again. “How old were you?”

“I was ten, and he was fifteen. He was holding me down and punching me because he said I was playing in his room, which I hadn’t been. He just looked for shit to be mad about and punish people and things for.”

“I see,” she says and nods like she knows what I’m talking about. “So how did you switch it up on him?”

“I got mad and turned into the Hulk,” I say with a laugh.

“Really, Reed!” She smacks my arm. “How did a ten-year-old little boy turn the tables on a fifteen-year-old bad ass?”

“That little boy had a bit of bad ass in him too. And that kid had had enough of his older brother beating him up. So I went ape-shit on him. And somehow I got on top of him and turned him face down in our driveway. I held his right arm behind his back and when he told me, when he got back up I would be dead, then I just went for it and yanked his arm back until I heard it pop.”

“Oh my God!” she says and puts her hand over her mouth. “That’s insane!”

“His loud cries had me getting off him and I went to tell Mom he was hurt and that I wasn’t sorry in the least. As they took him to the emergency room I sat in the back seat with Mom to keep us apart. Rod said I was going to hurt him again. He could see it in my eyes, he said.” I take a drink of my wine.

“Were you?” she asks.

“You know, I think if he looked like he was going to do anything more then I would’ve. That’s the one and only fight I’ve ever been in. It ended his bullying, and that’s what mattered to me.”

She nods and looks as if she’s thinking about things. “That’s crazy. You know, I saw pictures of you guys back in those younger years and he was taller and had some muscles already. And you were a normal little ten-year-old kid.”

“And now I do have more muscles than he does, so if he was to threaten you or me with anything physical I’d stop him before he could do any harm.” I pull her back into my arms. “You’re safe with me. I’ll always protect you. You will never be hurt by me, Jenna. You will never be hurt again. I swear that to you. I will never hurt you in any way or allow anyone else to.”

Her eyes dart back and forth, as if she’s searching for something. The truth, I suppose. Then her hands move over my cheeks and she says, “I feel like I can believe you.”

I run my hands up to hers. “You can, Jenna.”

She inches forward until our mouths meet again and I feel as if what I’ve dreamt of for so long is finally going to come true. The way her touch makes me feel is something out of story books.

It’s as if we were made for one another.

And now that I have her, I will have to protect her if my brother ever does decide to show his face again. He was wickedly possessive of her, and I have no doubt that he will hate the fact she’s mine now.

Our mouths part and I find her looking into my eyes. “Reed, how is it that you and your brother both found me to your liking?”

With a shake of my head I say, “You know, my brother has always had sort of a sixth sense about what I want. When we were little I remember wanting a certain train set for Christmas and hoped Santa would bring it to me. I didn’t get it that year, not that I told anyone I wanted it. I thought Santa would just know.”

She smiles and runs her hand over my leg. “How adorable.”

I nod. “Anyway, as Reed’s birthday grew near I overheard him telling Mom and Dad about this train set he really wanted. Guess what? He got the damn train set I secretly wanted.”

“Okay, that’s one time. Have anything more reality-based than that?” She smiles at me and I go all soft inside.

“You know how Reed loves trucks?”

“I do,” she says and picks up her wine.

“I was looking through this magazine he had right before he turned sixteen. It was full of cars and trucks and he had three different trucks circled in it. As I was looking through it, I found this old Camaro and loved it. It was all black and really cool. I didn’t say a thing about it. I was only eleven at the time and far from getting a car.”

She stops me. “I saw that picture of him with his first car. A black Camaro. And you know what else I saw in that photo? You in the background with a frown on your cute little face.”

“You know why I was frowning?” I ask, then take a sip of wine.

“You were mad he got the car?”

I shake my head. “I was ecstatic he got the car. I was so happy for him, and I asked him if I could please buy it from him when I turned sixteen. He told me no. He told me he’d drive it off a cliff before he ever even let me drive it. Hence the frown.”

“I guess he was still mad about the broken arm,” she says with a little frown.

“No, he was always like that. He had a pair of Superman pajamas and he outgrew them. He kept those things hanging in his closet for three years and when I could fit into them I asked him if he’d let me have them.” Her hand moves very close to my personal pleasure zone and I pause to look down at it.

It drifts back down toward my knee. “And?” she asks.

“Um, you kind of distracted me there. Anyway, he told me no and that night they fell into the fireplace. On an accident, he said. How he happened to be walking around carrying something that didn’t even fit him anymore is still a huge mystery,” I say, then take a long drink of the wine. “Anyway, in my opinion, Reed changed from the usual trashy-ass women who were his usual female fodder when he felt a shift in the universe when I set my sights on you. And I guess he had to find you. Probably didn’t even know who he was looking for until he saw you.”

Jenna looks away and her eyes go glassy. “Wish you would’ve found me first.”

I run my hand over her shoulders and give them a squeeze. “Me too.”

But I have her now, and I will never let her go!

Chapter 15

JENNA

A week into our secret dating, Reed is taking me back to his place in California for the weekend. He told his parents he had a few things to do, and I told mine I was visiting a college girlfriend.

And we’ve yet to consummate this relationship. No overnighters were possible with us both staying at our parents’ homes, so he decided it was time I see how he really lives. Now we’re flying on a private jet he chartered.

Reed has taken me out somewhere special every night this past week. We talked on the phone once we got back to our respective homes until we fell asleep. He’s the best man I’ve ever met.

Sweet, caring, and completely awesome!

Our hands are clasped and rest on his leg as we fly through the sky. Clouds move past the window at incredible speeds, and I’m starting to see that Reed Manning is a bit better-off than anyone is aware of.

His head lies against the leather headrest and he turns to look at me. “I let a bit of information out to my parents over dinner last night.”

Giving him my full attention, I turn to him. “What did you say?”

“I told them I had seen you in town and you looked fantastic. Better than I had ever seen you look before.”

“And what did they say?” I bite my lip with worry.

He smiles and moves his hand over my cheek. “Dad said you always looked nice, and Mom asked me how you were doing.”

“That’s nice.” I stop biting my lip, as it sounds like they don’t hate me.

Well, not yet, anyway!

“I also said I was thinking about bringing you over for dinner one night next week.”

I tense up. “And?”

“And Mom lit up like a Christmas tree and asked what night I thought I might do that. She said that she was going to make her lasagna you always loved so much. She started making a list of what all she needed and asked if I thought you still liked her.”

My heart races. “I still love her! Are you serious?”

He nods. “So step one is in process and you will be enjoying one of your favorite meals with me at my parents’ house on Tuesday. So write that down on your calendar.”

Dinner at the Mannings’, and this time I’m Reed’s guest. Crazy!

“So nothing was said about it being weird then?” I ask.

“Not one word about it being weird.” His hand tightens on mine.

“Then I’ll tell my parents the same thing on Monday and see how they take it. You did say we’re coming back on Monday morning, right?”

“I did. Unless you decide to stay with me forever in Bel-Air.” His smile is contagious, and I find myself smiling too.

“Isn’t Bel-Air kind of famous for its many mansions, Reed?”

He nods and lays his head back. “Kind of.”

I lay my head back and go back to gazing out the window. The way our hands are positioned feels so natural. It’s so easy being with him, like we’re two peas from the same pod.

I like what he likes and vice versa. We don’t disagree on a thing so far. And tonight we will be testing the waters of a more physical relationship and see how that goes.

Mind-blowing, I bet!

Since we’ve only been together in his car, which is not a place where we can get very physical, we’ve done little more than kissing and touching each other in an appropriate fashion.

And I am dying to see how he touches me when we can get inappropriate with one another!

I suppose since we’ve known each other so long, the week has seemed like a very long time. Like we’ve been dating for a year or something like that.

We’re very comfortable with each other, a thing I wasn’t with Rod most times.

It’s effortless, the conversation, the way we can sit without saying a word and watch a sunset. It’s all so easy, and I find myself very sad I didn’t break up with Rod that New Year’s Eve night when he was all over those women and made me hurt that one.

I shake my head to rid myself of the bad memories and try to think about being grateful this man saw fit to give me a shot after all he’s seen me do and put up with.

The pilot tells us we’re about to land and I tense up. The take-off was easy, but I’ve never been on a plane before so the landing has me kind of worried.

That is when most plane crashes happen!

I think so, anyway.

He must feel my hand go rigid as he says, “Don’t worry. I’ve flown a lot and there’s nothing to worry about. The Los Angeles traffic is more of a thing to fear than this jet landing.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” I close my eyes as I feel the plane start to go down.

“Hey.” His voice comes from right next to my ear.

I turn my face and his lips catch mine and he kisses me. His kiss always takes me away. My hands move on their own to run around his neck, and my mouth opens inviting him inside.

His hand moves up my neck and gathers my hair in a bunch as his tongue runs over mine. And then he moves his mouth off mine and I open my eyes to find him looking at me.

“We’ve landed.”

I turn and look out the window and laugh. “So we have. Well, you were right. That wasn’t bad at all!”

“Thanks,” he says sarcastically. “I thought that kiss was more than not bad.”

He unbuckles my seatbelt and stands up, pulling me up with him. I run my arms around him. “That kiss was not what I was describing. That kiss and every kiss you give me is utterly indescribable. As are you.”

His blue eyes sparkle. Then he pulls me in for another kiss and my knees go weak as I lean into him.

My body just goes limp when we’re standing and kiss. It’s insane, and I’m so ready to find out what my body does when we’re in a bed and lying down to kiss.

Bet it’s going to be something intense!

When he ends the kiss, he turns to leave the jet, holding me tight around my waist. As we go down the stairs I see a black limousine pulling up near us and Reed takes me toward it.

“A limo on the runway?” I ask in surprise.

“This is technically called the tarmac, not the runway. And yes, I called ahead and had a service pick us up. I don’t usually take cabs.”

The driver hurries to the back passenger door. “Hello, Mr. Manning. Good to see you back. It’s been a long couple of weeks since you left us.”

“I’m only home for the weekend, then I have to go back to Arizona.” Reed looks at me. “And, Pete, I’d like you to meet Jenna Foster. I do believe if I have my way, she’ll be a person you see around me often.”

He gives me a nod. “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Foster.”

I nod back. “You too, Pete.”

Reed lets me slide into the dark backseat of the gorgeous car, then he slides in next to me. I must look like a real hick as I look all around the car. “So ritzy.”

His eyebrows go way up. “Are you impressed?”

I nod and smile as he takes my hand. “Very. A jet, a limo. I can’t wait to see what’s next.”

His lips touch my cheek. “Neither can I.”

My insides go hot as I think he means he can’t wait to see what happens when we’re alone at his house with nothing and no one to stop us from really getting to know each other.

In the back of the dark limo, I find his hand moving over my stomach as he runs it around me and pulls me onto his lap, facing him. I straddle his legs as he pulls me around and put my arms around his neck. He looks at me with the most intense look I’ve seen from him.

Then one side of his mouth goes up in a half smile. “I may not let you out of bed the whole two days.”

A shiver runs through me at the thought. “Really?”

He nods and moves one hand up the side of my face. His thumb runs over my cheek and he stops smiling at me and looks serious. “Jenna, I want you to know something. Before I take you to bed I want you to know I really respect what you’ve done with your life.”

“And I respect what you’ve done with yours, Reed.”

His thumb moves over my cheek again, sending a heat through me. “I also want you to know this week with you has been the best time I’ve ever had. Hands down the best time.”

“For me too. I mean that.”

I watch his Adam’s apple move as he swallows hard. Then he says, “Jenna, I love you.”

Emotion floods me as I hear the words come from a man’s mouth about me. Never have I heard them before.

I always thought I could go a lifetime without hearing them. I thought I would be fine with that. But now I know what happens when you hear a man tell you that he loves you and you can see that love in his eyes; it’s beyond imagination.

“Reed,” I say, but his thumb moves over my lips.

“You don’t have to say it, Jenna.”

I pull his hand off my face and hold it. “So even if I mean it, you don’t want to hear it?”

“I want to hear it only if you really mean it.” His eyes are dark and a bit stormy.

“I do love you, Reed. I wouldn’t be here with you if I didn’t. I don’t have sex with men I don’t love.”

“I know that.” He runs his hand over my shoulder. “You are an angel.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I start seeing the giant homes I’ve only ever seen pictures of or on television. My attention is taken as we pass one after another.

“Is this your neighborhood, Reed?”

He stops looking at me and looks out the window. “It is.”

“Wow, nice!”

The limo slows and the driver pulls into a gated drive. Reed moves me off his lap. “You ready to see how I live, Jenna?”

I nod. “Um, a gated community? Very nice, Reed.”

He laughs a little as the driver punches in a code and then the large black iron gates open up and we go through them.

Lush shrubs and gorgeous trees line the road. I look out the window to see what the homes look like in here. We pass a large fountain. “Nice. I suppose you guys pay a pretty penny for living here, huh?”

“It’s not cheap,” he says.

We go slightly left around a bend in the road and out of my window I see a large, what I would call a mansion, up ahead. “Who lives in that? Where are the normal houses? Further back?”

“There are no more houses here. This is it.”

I turn back to look at him. “Shut up, Reed!”

“Okay,” he says with a smile, and we pull to a stop in front of the enormous thing.

The door opens, and the driver is there again. “Welcome home, sir.”

“Good to be back,” Reed says as he gets out and reaches back to take my hand.

I look up at the mansion that has three stories. It’s the biggest thing I’ve ever seen as far as homes are concerned. “Reed, our whole town could fit inside these walls.”

“Probably,” he says.

The front door opens and out steps an older woman wearing all white, like some fancy chef’s outfit. “Mr. Manning, how was the flight?”

He takes me up to the woman with her brown hair in a ponytail. Her brown eyes roam over me as Reed pulls my hand up to his lips and kisses it, then says, “This is her, Maddi.”

The woman, who has to be in her forties, makes a slight bow. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Foster. I’m Mr. Manning’s personal chef and head of staff here. If you find yourself needing a thing you just tell me and I will make it happen. Also, if you have any favorite foods you just let me know and I will make sure we keep those on hand for you.”

“Uh, um, thank you. And it’s nice to meet you too.” I kind of stumble as Reed pulls me along with him up the stairs.

He quickly lets my hand go and runs his arm around me. “It’s a little different than Jerome, isn’t it?”

“Reed Manning, you’ve been keeping some very big secrets, haven’t you?” We go inside and the room is beyond anything I’ve seen except in museums. “This is crazy!”

“This is the entry room. You like?” he asks as he moves me along, and I can’t really feel my feet. I feel as if I’m gliding along at his side and in a different universe.

“I love!”

The next room is filled with leather furniture and the smell is amazing. Dark leather is offset by light tan walls and the giant chandelier overhead makes things sparkle in the large room.

“This is the main living area of the house.” He keeps going, following the Maddi woman.

Then we go into the kitchen. “Oh my God, Reed!” I look at the three ovens in the wall. My eyes move on to one giant stovetop with I can’t count how many burners and grill thingies.

“Now, this kitchen belongs to Maddi. It’s her domain, if you know what I mean. If you feel like cooking something get with her first, because she is a tyrant about this room.” Reed ends with a laugh.

Maddi turns back to look at me. “He’s being a bit dramatic. I don’t allow him in the kitchen as he messes things up. But you are always welcome in my kitchen, Miss Foster.”

“Thank you.” I look around. “But this is so far out of my league, I do believe I will leave it in your hands, Maddi. And, please, call me Jenna.”

Her brows lift some. “Jenna it is.” She looks at Reed. “I like her. You were right about her having a beautiful aura.”

His arm tightens around my waist as he gives me a squeeze. “She is an angel.”

I blush and look away as I place my hand on his chest. “Oh, Reed!”

“Oh, Jenna,” he says, then kisses my cheek. “Maddi, I’m going to show her the rest of the place. Well, not all of it, as that would take too much time. Did you get what I asked for?”

She nods. “It’s all in the first refrigerator, and the wine is in there too. So whenever you get hungry, it’s ready for you. I let the rest of the staff know they’re off and they’ve all left. If you don’t need anything else, I’ll be out of your hair now. But call if you want anything.”

“Will do, thank you, Maddi,” Reed says, then moves us out of the kitchen and through a monster of a dining room.

“Reed, this may seem rude, but I don’t care.” I stop and look at him. “How the hell rich are you?”

“Very,” he says with a smile.

“Reed!”

“Okay. I don’t happen to have the exact number in my bank accounts or investment accounts, but I am classified as a billionaire.” His mouth closes and mine hangs open.

“How could you have hidden this from everyone?”

He looks kind of sheepish. “You know my family, Jenna. I felt like I had to. Mom and Dad know, since they came here for Christmas last year. But no one else knows anything more than I’m doing all right out here in California.”

“I can’t believe Sue was able to keep her mouth shut about this. And you had all week to tell me. Why didn’t you?”

He takes my hand and pulls me along with him as we go through another large room with several computers and desks. “This is my home office. I have a building downtown where the real work happens. And I didn’t want to tell you about how much money I had because I wanted to see if you liked me or loved me, rather, for me and not my money.”

“Sneaky, but I get it.”

He rounds a corner and we go up a flight of stairs. And then he stops at the first door on the right. “Okay, this is the master wing.”

The word he uses has my head jerking and my heart pounding.

Master?

Chapter 16

REED

A fearful expression covers Jenna’s face. “Reed, what do you mean by that?”

“Mean by what?”

“The master wing?” Her eyes dart around as if she’s looking for something.

“It’s the term people use for the area of a home typically used by the owners. You know, the man and wife. Why do you look like that?” I pull her close to me and hold her.

She lets out a sigh. “I’m just a little nervous, I guess. That was really dumb of me. I know that. Sorry.”

“Are you afraid to be with me, Jenna?” I ask, as I know it’s been a couple of years for her and the only other times she’s had sex were with my asshole of a brother. I can imagine how those times went.

She looks up at me and her expression goes soft. “Not at all. It’s just that every once in a while certain things trigger bad reactions in me. With time, that will stop. I’m sure it will. Now let me see your bedroom, Reed.”

What did that asshole do to her?

I shove everything back and focus on her and how I have to show her love doesn’t have to mean she loses control of herself.

After pushing the door open, I pick her up and carry her inside. “This is it.”

“Oh my God, Reed! That bed is ginormous! It’s gorgeous.”

I put her down on the bed and she lays back and runs her arms out. I laugh. “It’s soft too.”

Her blonde hair is fanned out over the chocolate-colored bedspread and she looks even better in my bed.

“It is so soft. I don’t know how you get out of it.”

I kick off my shoes, then pull her black heels off and lie next to her. “I think that now that I have you in it, getting out of it will prove to be much harder.”

Her eyes sparkle as she looks at me and runs her hand over my cheek. “Reed, this is amazing.”

“You are,” I whisper and rest my hand on her stomach.

How long I have wanted to see this woman looking at me as we lie down together sits in the forefront of my mind. And the scene is better than I even dreamt it would be.

Her tongue runs over her pink lips and the top of her coral colored shirt is gaping open. Her pink lace bra peeks out and I move my hand to the top button and open it.

I hold her eyes with mine as I unbutton her shirt and then my eyes move as I watch it fall to the sides, revealing her covered breasts. They rise and fall with each breath she takes.

Then the thought runs through my head that we’ve never talked about birth control. I lean up and rest my head on my hand as I look down at her and run my fingertips over her stomach. “Jenna, do I need to use a condom?”

“That’s up to you, Reed. I’m on the Pill and have had several check-ups. Even though I know Rod was with other women, thank the Lord, I am disease free. But I do understand if you want to use one.”

“I’d rather not, if you don’t mind.” I look at her and she nods.

“I don’t mind at all.”

She reaches up and undoes the buttons on my shirt and her eyes light up as she sees my bare chest. “You like?”

She nods and bites her lower lip. “I knew you’d have a fantastic six pack and pecs of steel.” Her hands run over my skin and it fills me with heat.

I have to take my time with her!

Her bra has a clasp in the front and I open it, setting her perfect tits free. “Damn it, girl.” I look up at her. “I have to taste them.”

She smiles, runs her hands behind my head, and gently pushes my head down. I lick my lips just before they touch her breast.

My cock jerks as my lips touch it and I moan as I lick the hard nipple. She moans out my name, and it sends me into a spiral.

I’ve had plenty of sex, and this is not sex. This is magical and fascinating and like nothing I’ve ever felt.

One hand moves to caress her other breast as I run my tongue over the one in my mouth. Then I suck it and feel her body go tense as her hands run through my hair. “Reed!”

She arches her chest up to me and my hand leaves her other breast and moves down to push her skirt up. I have ached to feel her like this, and it’s so much more than I thought it would be.

My fingers move up her silky panties and then I feel the elastic at the top and move them down until my fingers touch her folds. Her hot and already wet folds.

She really does want me!

I move one finger into her and flatten my palm out to cover her. I pulse it inside her as her legs pull up to allow me better access.

Her hands move under the back of my shirt and over my back as she moves under my touch. “Reed, my God,” she moans as I continue to please her.

Her moans hit my ears like velvet covered sounds that go all the way through and touch my soul. To hear her like this has been a fantasy for so damn long.

I can feel her walls beginning to tighten as I pump my finger inside her and move my palm over her, making sure to press her clit, and then her body starts shaking. “Tell me when, Reed.”

Her words have me confused and I pull my mouth away from her delicious tit. “Tell you when what?”

“When I can cum. Tell me when,” she says.

“Whenever you want, Jenna. It is your body and you know when you want to do that, right?”

She looks kind of dumbstruck, then smiles. “K.”

I suppose that jackass made her ask permission for that too!

“Jenna, I love you.”

Her smile grows and her eyes get all glassy. “Reed, I love you too.” Her hands move to my cheeks and she pulls me to kiss her.

Moving my hand from her, I move my body up hers and kiss her long and sweet and easy, to let her know she’s precious. More than anything in this world, she is the most important thing to me. And she always will be.

I roll over with her and keep her on top of me as we kiss. Her light weight on me is a thing I’ve always wanted to feel. And it’s better than I imagined.

Everything with Jenna is so much better than I ever imagined it would be!

I was a little afraid I had her up on a pedestal and that I might be disappointed if I actually ever did get a chance with her. But I was wrong.

I didn’t set the bar high enough. She’s like heaven in my arms. She’s my own angel and now I have her home with me where she belongs.

Where she’s always belonged.

Then I realize I haven’t offered her a drink or anything and stop the kiss. “How rude of me. Are you thirsty or hungry, Jenna? I didn’t even offer. I have all kinds of things. Name it and I most likely have it.”

She laughs. “I’d like to keep on doing this, if you don’t mine.”

“I do not mind at all.” I flip over again and move off her. “And I think it’s time to get rid of these pesky clothes we have on.”

“I agree,” she says, and tries to sit up.

I push her back to the bed. “I got it.”

She smiles and lies back. “I see.”

While she gets the rest of the way out of her bra, I get her skirt off and the matching pink panties and marvel at her body as she lies on my bed. “Jenna, you are gorgeous.”

“Thank you. Now drop the pants so I can run my eyes over you too.”

I do as she’s said and watch her eyes go big as she sees what I have for her inside them. “Will this do, ma’am?”

She nods and holds out her arms for me to come into. “Yes, it will, Reed Manning. You are a man who hides a lot. What an impressive gift you have there.”

Moving my body over hers, I look into her eyes. “And it is yours forever, if you want.”

Pushing her hair back, I trail kisses over her neck, then down her shoulder, and keep moving down until I’m at her apex and have her body quivering. My tongue runs over her clit and she arches up. “Reed!”

Her hands fist in my hair as I lick her clit over and over and she wiggles so much I have to grab her ass and hold her still so I can do more. She’s putting out such heat, I know she’s going to cum several times.

I put my mouth on her and lick, suck, and nip at her clit and folds. She’s moaning and making little purring noises and it sends me into a frenzy, trying my best to please her.

She lets out a little shriek and her body goes tense. “Reed! My God! Reed!”

I run my tongue inside her and find her pulsing, so I move my body up hers and ram my throbbing cock into her. It feels so good, I nearly scream with the intensity.

“God, Jenna. Goddamn, you feel so good. So fucking good!” I make a stroke.

Her nails run over my back. “Reed! I can’t stop the orgasm!”

I move and ram my thick and long cock into her again as she holds on tight to me and screams my name again. Over and over, I ram into her, with a need I’ve never had before. And she screams my name with each thrust.

My body is hot and shaking with need. The need to please her. The need to be pleased by her. The all-encompassing need for her.

Her body is shaking and wiggling underneath mine as she continues to orgasm. Her walls are squeezing my dick and it’s nearly impossible not to let go, but I want her to cum for as long as she can before I let mine go.

The poor thing has been without for a long time, after all!

Kissing her neck, I can taste the saltiness of the sweat escaping as her body can’t stop and I won’t let it as I pound into her sweet, wet depths, something I’ve fantasized about doing for so long.

Her tits are squished under my chest, another thing I’ve wanted to feel for so damn long. Her stomach smashes under mine as I drive my cock into her.

My name on her lips as her body comes undone is a thing I never thought I’d get to hear. Yet here she is with me, screaming my name. And then I can’t stop and I flood her with my cum.

My dick can’t stop jerking into her, sending her even further over the edge as she arches up to me. “Yes! Yes! Finally! Reed!”

“Jenna,” I mumble against the skin of her neck. “My Jenna.”

Her body is still shaking as her hands glide over my back. “Your Jenna,” she whispers. “Always yours, Reed.”

“Forever,” I whisper. “Forever, Jenna.”

“Forever, Reed.” Her words fall soft and then she takes my face and pulls it back and she has tears running down her cheeks. “I love you more than I could ever imagine loving someone.”

I run my fingers over her cheeks. “Don’t cry.”

She sniffles. “I have to. I’ve never been a part of something so beautiful before.”

I know she hasn’t. “Neither have I.” I kiss the tip of her nose. “Jenna, this is more than I knew was possible. I can never let you go now.”

“I don’t want you to,” she says. “Because I can never let you go either.”

With a deep sigh, I look into her green eyes and see the light there. A light that has never been there before. I put that there. I helped her become this woman. This beautiful woman.

And I will always strive to keep that light there from now on.

Pulling out of her is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The urge to stay inside her is overwhelming, like nothing I’ve ever felt before.

And the whole way I feel about her is a little frightening. Like if I lost her I would never be the same again.

I shake my head to get rid of the thought.

I’m not going to lose her. She feels just as strongly as I do. I can feel it and see it in her eyes and the way she holds me to her.

This is no dream, no lie. This is real, and she feels it too. I have to have faith this will last forever.

“Reed?”

“Yes?”

“That wasn’t normal, was it?”

“I’ve never experienced anything like that.” I lie back and put my arm around her and pull her to me, then kiss the side of her head. “Ever!”

“I only have the one to compare to and that was beyond comparison.”

The fact I know the only other one was my brother makes me kind of grossed out, but at least she said I was beyond comparison.

“Good to hear,” I say with a chuckle.

“This is so weird,” she says, and I flinch as if she’s punched me.

“Weird? I wouldn’t use that word to describe what this is.”

“I guess weird isn’t accurate. This is just a thing I had a few fantasies about over the years and it happened and it was better than any of them.”

“I had more than a few fantasies about this, and you’re right, it was way beyond any I had too.”

“Think it’ll stay this great?” she asks as she runs her hand over my stomach.

I run my hand up her arm. “I do. And I can promise you I will do my best to make sure it stays this way and that you’re always happy. You’re my angel, and I will always treat you like one.”

I can feel her smile against my chest. “You’re my prince, and I will always treat you like one.”

At least we’re on the same page!

“You want to get up and eat or get something to drink or anything like that?” I ask her.

“I’d really like to stay right here in your arms and fall asleep, if you don’t mind. I’ve never felt more relaxed and comfortable in my life.”

My heart fills with what I suppose is joy that this woman finds my arms the most relaxing and comfortable place for her.

“Then here we shall stay for as long as you want, Angel.”

“Good. I want to stay like this for as long as we can. I want this time to be etched into my brain for all of eternity. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

Me too!

Chapter 17

JENNA

Each one of Reed’s breaths falls softly against the back of my shoulder as he holds me loosely in his strong arms. I fall into the deepest and best sleep I’ve ever had, and it’s all because of him.

With the love we made, I know I have to tell my parents about him and face his own parents. The fact is, I’d face anyone and let them know I am with this man.

I feel like he’s a part of me now. And it makes no sense. That was the first time we made love and I’m ready to marry the man. I’m ready to get on to building a life and family with this man.

Everyone we know is going to freak out and tell us we’re moving way too fast. But the fact is, we’ve had this thing simmering just beneath our surfaces for many years.