Chapter Eleven
CASEY HUDDLED AGAINST the passenger door as Jack wound his way through Oak Grove on the way back to her house. She hadn’t thought this through very well. Being in the truck alone with Jack, the awareness arcing between them as it had been all day. She should have gotten another ride home or driven her own car. Anything to put a little distance between them and deal with the out of control feelings coursing through her.
She should have never let herself get carried away with Jack and allowed him to get close to her again. He wasn’t here to stay, and she’d set herself up for her heart to be broken. Again. He had a life in Boston, and while she’d heard him promise his dad he wouldn’t wait ten years to visit again, the stark reminder that he didn’t live here, that he’d be leaving soon, was a bit too much. So as soon as he pulled into her driveway, she’d thank him for taking her today and send him on his way.
And by no means would there be any more kisses.
He’d thrown a heated look at her when Riley had run off with Mark. A promise of something she didn’t want to want. She’d been drawn to Jack from the day she’d met him. He was older now and his eyes held a wisdom that hadn’t been there when they were kids. And that was really all they’d been when they’d lost Travis—two kids not equipped to handle the loss and grief. She’d forgiven him a long time ago for not staying with her when she couldn’t leave. How would she feel when he left this time?
Jack pulled up to the curb and shut off the engine. “Casey, are you all right?”
“What? Yeah, I’m fine.” She fumbled for the door handle, struggling when it wouldn’t open.
“Hold on a minute, I’ll come around.”
Her fingers wrapped around the lock and pulled it up just as Jack reached the door. She extended her hand for him to help her out, but he grabbed her around the waist and lowered her slowly to the ground, her body brushing against his on the way down.
He threw a wolfish grin at her, the stinker. That was no accident. Desire swirled in his eyes and he leaned in as though he wanted to kiss her. But before his lips touched hers, he shook his head and backed away. Perhaps he was as conflicted as she was.
His hand landed at her lower back as he escorted her up the walk and onto her porch.
An awkwardness grew between them and she shuffled her feet.
“Invite me in.” Jack’s eyes deepened to a rich, evergreen color as his gaze bored into her.
“I don’t know, Jack. I’m not sure this is such a good idea.”
“Oh, I think it’s a very good idea.” His arms came around her. “And I know you do, too. I see you fighting it. You’re clenching your jaw to keep from doing something you think you’ll regret. But I promise you, honey, you won’t.”
“But what about later?”
“What about later?”
“You’re still leaving.”
He raked his hand through his hair and sighed. “Yeah, I still have my business in Boston. But maybe we can work something out. For so long, I was afraid to come home. Afraid I couldn’t handle the memories assaulting me at every turn. But I was wrong. It’s been good to be here, to talk about Travis. You were right to stay. I wish I had been strong enough to see it at the time. But I’m here now and I’ll bust my ass to find a way to make this work.”
He was talking about a long-distance relationship. Could she handle that? She’d never been to Boston, and she couldn’t help but overhear Jack tell his Dad he wasn’t waiting years before he came home again. Wasn’t it at least worth a shot to explore what could be between them?
“I’m staying until Christmas, and then after the holiday, we’ll figure something out.”
Christmas was still a couple of weeks away. The chance to be with Jack for the rest of his time here was too tempting to pass up. She was overthinking this. Where had the girl who lived in the moment gone?
That girl left when they lost Travis. They’d both been forced to grow up way too fast.
She wanted more than anything to get back some of the youthful love that she’d had with Jack. “You promise?”
His eyes brightened. “I promise.” He then lowered his mouth and sealed his promise with a searing kiss before opening her door and backing her into the house.
That was good enough for her. They fumbled their way into her living room, stripping hats and coats while he continued to kiss her. He toed off his boots, yanked his sweater over his head, and worked the buttons of his shirt. She finally got her own boots off just as he stripped his flannel shirt over his head. Her sweater went next and then his T-shirt, and she got her first glimpse of his sculpted chest.
She traced each hill and valley, taking her time enjoying being with Jack again after all these years.
He kissed her again, this one deep and intense, his tongue tracing her lips before plunging into her mouth. Her knees buckled and he pulled her tighter against him, his erection thick against her belly. She liked that he made no secret about how much he wanted her. His hand slid down to her butt and he lifted her easily into his arms.
“Bedroom?” he gasped against her lips.
“On the right,” she said just before he kissed her again, striding confidently down the hall, never breaking the kiss until he stepped into her room. In all the years she’d lived here, she’d never had a man in her bedroom. She hadn’t wanted to confuse Riley by introducing him to someone who wouldn’t be around six months later. So what was she doing now?
“Stop thinking so hard. It’s going to be okay.”
He lowered her to the bed and followed her down, his jean-clad thigh pressing right where the urgency was building in her core. He drew back a moment, his gaze locking on hers, as he slid his hand down and cupped her breast. She relaxed and closed her eyes, allowing herself to feel what she hadn’t in so long.
He brushed over her nipple and coursing sensations shot through her body. Oh God, it was too much. He’d always known exactly how to turn her on, what she liked, and he was pulling out all the stops now.
He reached between them, flipping the clasp on her bra. Cool air blew over her nipples, making them even harder. He lowered his head and took a bud between his lips and she was gone. Everything else fell away and it was just the two of them, together.
Jack lavished the other with attention.
She fumbled with the button on her jeans. “Off. I want these off.”
Jack chuckled. He slid down her body and slowly—dang, this was taking forever—lowered her zipper.
“Hurry.”
He quirked his brow but only dropped to the floor and grabbed her foot. Without taking his eyes off her, he slid her sock down. Why was he torturing her like this? He then did the same to the other and finally gripped the cuffs of her jeans and pulled. She lifted her hips and helped, dragging her panties off with her pants.
What would he think of her body now? She wasn’t the small, thin girl she’d been when they were together before. Her hips were rounder, and no matter how much she exercised, she couldn’t get rid of the little pooch leftover from having Riley. And no amount of lotion faded the marks on her hips.
But none of that seemed to matter to Jack as he kissed his way up her body.
His lips heated the skin behind her knee. “You.” He placed a kiss on her hip. “Are.” He slid up her body, fitting his bare chest against her sensitive breasts. “Beautiful.” Considering the intensity in his gaze, she couldn’t help but believe him.
He climbed onto the bed and wrapped himself around her. His legs tangled with hers. When had he taken off his jeans? She’d been so focused on what he was doing to her that she hadn’t noticed. Now only his thin boxer briefs separated them. She slid her hands into the waistband and grabbed his tight ass, pulling him to her. His cock was hot and thick, and the tip poked out above the band.
“A little anxious, are we?” But that didn’t stop him from shifting, rotating his hips against her core as he thrust his tongue into her mouth. He swallowed her moan and followed with one of his own. “God, you feel so good.”
She broke the kiss. “I want more. I need you, Jack.”
“I thought you’d never ask.” He stood and stripped off his boxers. His erection sprang to life, thick and ready.
Her eyes widened. Had he been that big when they were together before?
Jack grabbed a condom off the bed. He ripped the wrapper and sheathed himself before laying back down beside her. There was nothing between them now, skin to skin, soul to soul.
His lips returned to her neck and his hand slid down her body, brushing through her curls and parting her folds. He stroked her with a single finger and she arched her back, her breasts pushing into him. He circled her core and then thrust two fingers into her, stroking and twisting until she couldn’t stand it anymore. She wiggled her body, trying to drive him further into her, begging for release.
But Jack withdrew his fingers. She couldn’t help the whine that escaped her lips. But her disappointment didn’t last long. Jack settled his hips between her legs, brushed his lips over hers, and just as he plunged his tongue into her mouth, he entered her.
She gasped as he fully seated himself, the tip of him brushing deep inside her. It was like he reached in and grabbed hold of her soul. She wrenched her mouth away and her head fell back as she huffed in a breath. Jack pulled back and then thrust again, quickly establishing a rhythm that urged her higher and higher with each stroke. She wrapped her arms around his back, holding tight as he drove her out of control. Tension built deep within her, spreading to every part of her body. She was so close.
Then Jack stretched between them and rubbed her intimately. White lights exploded behind her eyes and she screamed as the orgasm crashed through her. Every cell of her body cried out with pleasure, and she moaned as wave after wave washed through her.
Jack quickened his strokes, and a minute later, he tumbled over with her, groaning in her ear. Eventually, his thrusts slowed and he withdrew before lowering his body beside her. He lay there while they both struggled to breathe.
“Hold on a sec.” He hopped up to dispose of the condom but came right back to her and gathered her in his arms, pulling her close.
“That was, uh…” She couldn’t put into words how she felt right now. And it wasn’t just the unbelievable orgasm. It was something more—the connection she and Jack shared hadn’t vanished, even after all these years.
“Yeah,” he huffed on a breath, his lips brushing her hair.
A few minutes later, Jack’s breathing evened out. He’d never had a problem falling asleep. She on the other hand was wide awake, her mind racing with everything that had happened. In the few weeks since Sid’s heart attack, her entire life had been turned upside down, and she wasn’t one hundred percent sure all of it was for the better.
What would happen when Jack left? He’d asked her to trust him, but what chance was there that he wouldn’t break her heart like he had last time? Sure, he’d had a great job offer in Boston after school, and he’d asked her to go. But he hadn’t understood how she wasn’t ready to leave their son behind, with no one to visit his grave and tell him what was going on in their lives. She couldn’t go with Jack.
Jack sighed and tightened his grip around her waist. His lips moved to her neck and he nuzzled in close. “What’s wrong?”
She sank back into the warmth and safety of his arms. It wouldn’t do any good to bring up old wounds. “Nothing. Go back to sleep.”
THE SKY HAD just started its transition from the inky black of night to the deep navy of dawn when Jack awoke to the sweetest feeling—Casey’s bottom snuggled firmly against his groin. His arm was wrapped around her and her fingers linked with his where they rested on her breast. He could get used to this. Making love to Casey before falling asleep in her arms and waking up to do it all over again. If only it were that simple. He had his company to consider and she had her son.
Their situation wasn’t nearly as uncomplicated as it had been when their toughest decision was where to go to dinner.
Before she’d become pregnant. Before they’d lost Travis. And before he’d left her behind.
She sighed and snuggled closer to him, brushing against his erection that was growing painfully harder by the minute. With only a slight shift, he could be inside her, making love to her again. But they hadn’t discussed what would happen this morning. What time was Riley coming home? What was she prepared to tell her son about their relationship?
So as much as he hated to, he gently released her fingers and slid out of bed. She sighed again and he froze. She looked so cute sleeping there, her hair tousled on her pillow, her bare shoulder peeking from beneath the quilt. He couldn’t stop staring at her as he yanked his pants on. Her lips were slightly parted, a gentle smile on her face as she slept. She was so beautiful and he was a lucky bastard to be here with her. He just had to find a way not to wreck it.
After tucking his phone in his pocket, he leaned over and pressed his lips to her shoulder. She purred and reached for him. If only he could stay. He slid his lips up her neck and whispered in her ear. “You’re beautiful when you’re sleeping. Don’t wake up.”