Jordan

I’d kept my eye on Destiny all night. Even when she didn’t realize I was looking at her, I knew exactly where she was. I’d gotten shit from both Shawn and Ryan for being a lovesick fool over her.

I didn’t care what they thought, although I suspected their ribbing wasn’t as good-natured as they tried to make it. They were worried she’d take off and rip me up all over again.

I wasn’t all too sure yet they were wrong, so when I saw her gather her nerve and go to Christa and they disappeared, it had taken everything in me not to go to her then, to be with her when I suspected the conversation she was about to have would be difficult. One wrong move, one explosion she couldn’t handle, and she still had a home waiting for her back in Texas.

Like hell that was going to happen.

So I gave them a few minutes, then I followed.

And I’d listened outside, so damn proud of Destiny for confronting Christa, for not giving in and accepting her apology too easy. But never, never in a million years would I have guessed I’d have heard what she threw down.

“Are you shitting me?” I crossed my arms over my chest to prevent myself from grabbing Christa. A weak man put his hands on a woman in anger, and that wasn’t me. But I remembered that day. The day of prom when I’d been at the florist picking up Destiny’s corsage, fighting against my teenage dick going hard all day at the anticipation of how slamming hot she’d look in whatever dress she was going to wear when she called me, sobbing so loud I couldn’t understand her.

Until she’d told me she wasn’t going to prom with me.

“You did that shit?”

“I’m sorry, Jordan. I’m really sorry.” Christa’s voice wavered, shook like branches in a thunderstorm. I couldn’t find an ounce of sympathy for her. She turned back to Destiny. “I’m so sorry. I understand if you’re so mad you can’t forgive me, but I want you to know that if I could go back and do it all again, I would never treat someone like that. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough to do it then.”

Tears rolled down Destiny’s cheeks. Christa sniffed back some of her own and swiped her cheeks. I quit paying attention to her and went to Destiny, pulled her to my side. She collapsed into me like it’d taken all of her strength to stand up for herself.

Outside of being so damn pissed at a girl I never knew had a crush on me, I was so damn proud of the girl in my arms for finally doing this.

“I should go,” Christa said. Her gaze flickered between both of us, standing against her. “But really, I’m sorry. I hope you can forgive me. Both of you.”

She licked her lips and hurried out of the guesthouse.

I turned and wrapped both my arms around Destiny. “I’d ask if you’re okay, but I imagine you’re not.”

Her hands slid from my chest where they’d been captured when I hugged her and slid to my sides, down to my hips, around to my back. She dug her fingers into my shirt, tightening them into fists and held on to me for dear life. “I hated her. I hated her so much.”

“I don’t blame you.” I smoothed down her hair at the top of her head, pressed my lips to that same spot. “I never knew it was her, or that she was involved. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“What good would it have done, Jordan?”

Maybe you wouldn’t have left.

After that day, I’d finally convinced her to go to prom, but the night hadn’t been enjoyable. I’d spent half the night trying to make her smile and wipe that nasty memory and event from her brain, I’d spent the rest of the night trying to figure out who would pull such a shitty move. That very night was when she started pulling away from me. She’d told me she was nervous about graduating, a lot on her mind with getting ready to leave Tillie. But she grew distant, a vacancy appeared in her eyes and often I caught her staring off into space with fear.

“You learned you were pregnant shortly after that, didn’t you?” I asked. Pieces I hadn’t yet put together flashed in my mind. The day we’d fought, while she screamed she’d drag me down. Then how she’d avoided me until I showed up at Tillie’s, demanding to see her. The pitiful look in Tillie’s eyes. Destiny’s red-rimmed eyes when I went to her room. She’d claimed she had the flu but would be better soon.

I saw her twice more, stilted conversations, awkward laughs, her refusing to hold my hand in public and she’d barely even kiss me.

“I couldn’t take it anymore.” She choked over her cries and I squeezed her tighter. As if I could squeeze the memories and her pain out of her. “I just couldn’t. What would they have said? What would they have done?”

I’d always thought it was some assholes on the football team being dicks to her. Or Gavin Thompson because he and I had always hated each other. I’d never considered Christa. Jenni, sure. And yeah, they’d been friends, but I always assumed Christa had more sense.

“I get it,” I finally said. I hated it. I hated what she’d done. I still hated she kept my kid from me. I at least understood the fear she had that made running seem like a good idea. “I know you’re hurting, sweetheart. I know that was really hard for you, but I also want you to know I’m so damn proud of you.”

She sniffed, and her cries turned silent. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. It’s been a long time. And I’m not standing up for Christa, but I suspect she’s regretted that for a long time, too. Still, you earned that conversation and I’m really proud of you for standing up for yourself. You did good, honey.”

A shiver rolled through her body and her fingers dug into the small of my back. “She looked like she felt really bad.”

I’d known Christa a long time. Knew her well enough to know she definitely wasn’t the girl she’d been in high school. Still, there was no way in hell I was defending her.

“Want to get Toby and get out of here?”

She nodded against my chest. “I think I’m all partied out.”

“Know it’s been a long night. Know Toby hasn’t slept in his bed for a night. But I want you both to come home with me. My home.”

“Jordan—”

“I want to show him the room I fixed up for him this week. And I want you in my bed.” I’d spent all day thinking of tonight, when I could get her into my bed, touching her more than we did last night. That wasn’t going to happen, now, but I wasn’t leaving her. And I wanted them in my home. “Nothing has to happen, but I want to hold you.”

She sniffed and tilted her head back, shimmering eyes filled with tears and a wicked little gleam in them peered up at me. “Well, maybe a little bit could happen?”

***

“So I take it you like it?”

Toby’s eyes scanned his room again, settled on the life-size cut out of his favorite basketball player for the Houston Rockets. Other than that, I hadn’t done much to the room but throw a navy-blue comforter on the bed with some matching sheets. I’d also bought a bookshelf and a dresser for him to hopefully, fill someday.

“You have James Hardin on my wall.”

The thing had been a pain in the ass to install, and I’d wanted it to be perfect. All the cussing I’d done the other night putting it up after hating watching them leave my house was now worth it. Seeing his face light up with joy, and Destiny’s matching one after the night she’d had made every cuss word, every frustrating minute, absolutely worth it.

“How about we hit the hay,” Destiny said, moving toward her son.

I gestured toward the hall bath. “I’ve got the bathroom stocked with everything you should need.”

Destiny’s stuff was in my bathroom. I’d gone to the store and stocked up on items I’d seen in her bathroom the other night. Yeah, I’d snooped. Wouldn’t apologize for it, either.

If Toby thought anything of them spending the night at my place, he didn’t show it. He grabbed his overnight bag he’d packed for Rebecca’s the night before and took it with him to the hall. “Thanks, Jordan. I’m good, though.”

I waited until the door closed in the hallway and turned to Destiny. Before I could say anything, she had her hands at my cheeks, pulling me down, and planting her lips right on mine.

“Thank you.” She yanked back and grinned up at me. A smile so large and free I didn’t think I’d see that after what happened earlier. “Thank you. You’re the best man I’ve met. You know that, Jordan?”

My jaw clenched tight. “I’m glad you think so.”

“I do. I always have.”

I slid my mouth over hers, softly, slowly, soaking in the silky feel of her lips, the quickening of her breath, but pulled back without taking it further. The last thing Toby needed was the visual of me and his mom making out in his bedroom right before he went to bed.

“I’ll go make sure the house is closed down while you get Toby settled. Meet you in my room?”

“You got it.”

I kissed her cheek and hurried out of there. Downstairs, I double checked the locks on the doors and ensured I’d closed the garage door. I took a few extra minutes and prepared the coffee for the morning and by the time I was back upstairs, the door to Toby’s room was open. A hint of light showed from beneath telling me he was in bed, ready for sleep.

A strange emotion pulsed through my veins.

My son was in my house, in his bed, for the first night ever.

Before I debated further, I went to his door and pushed it open. He was on his side, staring at the image of James Hardin, and turned to me as I walked in. “This is really cool.”

“I’m glad you think so. You have fun tonight?”

I went to the side of his bed, sat at the edge like I’d done it every night. He still froze occasionally when I touched him and this close moment would give him reason.

“Yeah. The kids are really cool.” He yawned, and I ran my hand over the top of his head. “I like it here.”

“Good.” I could barely choke out the word. He liked it here. In Carlton. At my sister’s ranch. My house. I didn’t know exactly what he was referring to, and it didn’t matter. Hopefully he liked it all and he’d be on my side when it came to convincing Destiny not to return to Friendswood. “Sleep tight, okay?”

“Yeah.” He yawned again. “Night Jordan.”

“Night buddy.”

I squeezed his shoulder and left his room, leaving his door opened a crack like Destiny had done. When I entered my bedroom, the covers on the bed were pulled back, and the bathroom door was open, light on, water running.

White soapy bubbles dotted her hairline as she splashed water on her face when I entered.

I didn’t care. I flipped off the water and wrapped my hand around her bicep, twisting her until her ass was to the counter. Water dripped off her nose, her chin. I didn’t see any of it.

My hands went to her wet cheeks and I slammed my mouth to hers.

“Oh,” she gasped as I slid my tongue into her mouth. With my foot, I kicked the bathroom door closed, pressed closer to her as my tongue invaded her mouth.

I couldn’t get enough of her. Toby liked it here. She was staying, and I didn’t care about her crap night any longer.

The only thing on my mind while Destiny whimpered into my mouth, taking everything I was giving but also giving it back, was the burning, undeniable need I had to be inside of her. To claim her again in every way possible.

Her hands went to my shoulder and she pressed against me. Pressed me off her. I slowed the kiss and when I managed to pull myself back, we were both breathing harshly.

“Let me wash the soap off my face first.”

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t give a shit about soap or water or her not looking perfect. I could give her a few more minutes though. “Fine. But earlier tonight, I planned on bringing you here so I could sleep next to you and hold you all night. You climb into that bed next to me now, and I’m telling you there won’t be a lot of sleeping after all.”

“Funny.” Her gaze dipped to my chest. Her hand followed, trailing down my chest. My stomach. To the waistband of my shorts. Her finger slid in and she tugged me toward her. “I’m not feeling very sleepy either.”

Great fucking hell. I’d taught this woman in front of me everything there was to know about sex and making out and kissing. I was her first. She’d trusted me with everything, asked me what I liked, was honest when she didn’t know if she was touching me right. Never, in our young history of fumbling teenage years of teaching and learning and figuring it out as we went, did she ever display this sort of sexy confidence.

I wrapped my hand around hers, pulled it from my waistband and settled both of our hands over my hard bulge in my shorts. She cupped me, forcing a pleasured groan from my throat. “Fuck.”

“You started this,” she teased. Her gaze was on her hand. On my hard dick. On our hands combined to cover me. I’d let her jerk me off right there and then if she wanted to, face wash remains completely forgotten. Her voice went soft. “I forgot how big you are.”

A strange, masculine thrill shot through me. Poor Paul, not measuring up. I shoved the thought of her ex out of my mind and tugged her hand off me, bending down to kiss her again. Firmly. Harshly. Quickly.

“Hurry up.”

I tugged off my shirt on the way out of the bathroom, tossed it into my hamper in my closet. I was only in my black boxer briefs, still hard as a rock, when she came out of the bathroom, dressed only in a light green thong, which was so small she might as well have gone without, and a matching lacy bra. Her hair was draped over her shoulder, the overhead light making her highlights shine and sparkle. Eyes wide, cheeks pink, lips parted and her gaze on my dick like the small feel of me she’d had earlier had sparked her libido.

Game. Fucking. On. I needed to get ready for bed. She’d tasted like mint toothpaste earlier and I wasn’t kissing her with my beer scented breath.

A few minutes to cool down could keep my burning need to have at bay so I wouldn’t be too rough. She’d always brought out this side of me.

“Get in bed and get naked. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

Caveman. Claiming. Bossy. Dominant. I’d forgotten what it was like, to feel so damn possessive over someone else that as soon as I touched them, I needed them to belong to me.

Only Destiny.

Always Destiny.

I was still in love with a woman who’d shattered my heart and after time, I’d pieced it back together to be good enough, but if she took off on me again, there’d be no stitching it back together.