Russ and Brad had driven back to the softball field to get Josie’s car and took it back to the hospital. Then Russ made sure Brad got home. Russ was every bit as tired as Josie had claimed to be. After a quick visit with his mother and father, he planned to head home, take a hot shower, drink a cold beer, and get a good night’s sleep.
He hadn’t heard from his mother today, which hopefully meant Baron had enjoyed a good day. At least there were still plenty of them, thank God.
But the bad days were sometimes really bad.
What kind of future was Russ offering Josie?
He thought again about getting the genetic test his father’s doctor had offered. The stronger his feelings for Josie grew, the more he wondered if getting the blood draw was the right thing to do, to find out if he potentially faced disaster.
How would she react if he had the gene?
How would I react?
For the first time since they’d discussed it, he wondered if her inability to have children might be a good thing. While he loved her and would enjoy raising a family with her, Russ knew that if he could pass along the early-onset Alzheimer’s gene, it would be reckless and cruel to have kids.
But what if he didn’t have the gene? And what if Josie discovered that her leukemia hadn’t left her sterile?
It was stupid to keep questioning the future when he didn’t have any answers.
He pulled into his parents’ driveway still debating with himself. A glance to their porch found his father and mother sitting on the swing, Baron’s arm around Yvonne’s shoulders.
The picture of contentment.
Out of his SUV, Russ joined them on the porch, taking a seat on one of the Adirondack chairs. “How are you two?”
“Five by five,” his father replied. “Did you win the game?”
At least Baron’s memory was trusty today since he remembered the softball game. Russ shook his head.
Baron shot him a glare. “Why not?”
“A guy got injured before it ended,” Russ replied. “Had to hang it up to get him to the hospital.”
With a concerned frown, Yvonne said, “What happened?”
“Line drive to the face,” Russ said.
His mother’s frown intensified.
“It was Leslie’s—our chef’s—brother,” he explained. “Josie rode with him to her hospital and was taking care of him when I left.”
“I hope you know that girl’s the best thing that ever happened to you, Russell,” Baron said.
“I know, Dad.”
“So when are you going to propose?” Yvonne asked.
Since Russ asked himself the same question at least ten times a day, he smiled at his parents’ enthusiasm. “It’s kinda early in the game.”
Baron shook his head. “Nonsense. The moment I met your mom, I knew.”
“She’s been mighty good to us,” his mother added. “Comes around or calls pretty much every day to see how we’re doin’.”
That frequency was news to Russ, although he wasn’t truly surprised. Once Josie made a commitment, she gave it her all.
“Well?” There was a sharp demand in Baron’s voice.
“Well, what, Dad?”
“When are you gonna stop fightin’ what you feel for her?”
“I don’t fight it,” Russ replied. “She does.”
“Then it’s up to you to make her realize how great the two of you are together.”
* * *
Joslynn sat behind the wheel of her car and started the engine. She was so damn tired. Seemed she felt a little less energy every day, and she hoped once she got her days and nights straightened out, her fatigue would improve.
Despite being tired, she found herself hoping Russ was there when she got home. There was just something right about sleeping at his side, something she would be able to do more often with her new schedule.
As she opened the door, she could hear the strains of a guitar—not a recording, but Russ playing an actual guitar he must’ve brought from his house. Putting her keys on the hook, she kicked off her shoes as she listened to him play. She hadn’t realized how talented he was.
He glanced up and smiled at her, one of those heart-stopping smiles. “Hi, sweetheart.”
Sitting down next to him on the sofa, Joslynn gave him a quick kiss. “I’m happy you’re playing for me.”
“I am, you know. Playing for you, I mean.”
“No, I don’t know what you mean,” she admitted.
“Just listen for a minute, okay?”
She nodded.
He began a song. It was unfamiliar to her, but Joslynn was quickly captured by the haunting melody—so clean, so clear, yet stuffed full of emotion. But it ended rather abruptly.
“Is that one of Brad’s new songs?” she asked. “Savannah told me he’s working on a new album for her. I’d like to hear the rest.”
His lopsided smile raced through her like an electrical charge. “I can’t play the rest.”
“Why not?”
“I haven’t written it yet.”
Surely she’d heard him wrong. “Wait…you wrote that song?”
He nodded and set the guitar aside. “I started writing one for shits and giggles. It didn’t really go anywhere. Then I started this song. There are lyrics.” He shrugged. “They’re not ready to share yet.”
“You wrote a song.”
“I wrote a song for you.”
Joslynn was having a hard time wrapping her mind around what he’d told her. How could she possibly inspire a man to compose such a beautiful piece of music?
Because he loves you.
For the first time, she believed it—she believed that Russ loved her.
And you’re falling in love with him.
In the past, her realization would’ve been a reason to put as much distance between the two of them as she could. Not this time. This time she wanted to put her arms around him and never, ever let go.
Standing, she took his hand and pulled him to his feet. Although he gave her a puzzled tilt of his head, he didn’t say a word as she led him to her bed.
What was there to say? She understood now—understood his jealousy. If another woman approached Russ, Joslynn would be inclined to attack. Russ was hers.
He belongs to me!
Oh yes, now she understood.
And she needed to feel him deep inside her body.
As though he’d caught her desire, he kissed her while their hands scrambled to remove clothing. Finally naked, he stared down at her, pulling the tie from her hair to let it spill around her shoulders.
She tried to take charge, but he wouldn’t allow it. Instead, he backed her up to the mattress so that she sat on the edge. He pushed her to lie down with her knees hanging over the side.
Russ knelt as he draped her legs over his shoulders. She let out a surprised gasp as he pressed a kiss to her core. He licked between her folds, and she surrendered to the passion. When he gently sucked on her sensitive bud, she almost came off the bed.
“Easy there, Josie,” he said.
She hadn’t realized that she’d been squeezing her legs together so tightly. Relaxing her muscles, she stroked his head as he went right back to bringing her closer and closer to climax. When her release raced through her, she called to him to join her. Instead, he sent her flying a second time.
Joslynn tried to catch her breath as he grabbed a condom from the nightstand and tossed it by the pillows.
Russ crawled up on the mattress as she backpedaled to get to the middle.
Rising to her knees, she clutched his shoulders and turned him until he was flat on his back. “My turn.” After brushing her lips against his neck, she worked her way down to his chest. She swirled her tongue around each nipple. A couple of kisses to those ripped abs, and then she grabbed his cock and licked him from root to tip. His hissing breath made her smile.
He laced his fingers through her hair as she stroked him with her tongue. “Josie…”
The way he said her name made a thrill race through her, and she took as much of him as she could into her mouth.
* * *
Russ wanted the feelings Josie sent pounding through him to last forever. The heat of her mouth on his cock. The silkiness of her long hair brushing against his skin. The sweet taste of her still on his lips.
Before he could tell her he was insane to get inside her, she rose over him. After rolling on the condom, she straddled his hips and guided him home.
He couldn’t hold back, thrusting into her tightness again and again, showing her with his body everything he felt in his heart. The moment he felt her clench around him, he surrendered to his orgasm, letting the fire rush through him as he poured himself into her. Through choppy breaths, he told her how much he loved her.
With what little strength remained, he rolled away and managed a quick cleanup. Josie ran into the bathroom when he was done and came back out in one of the oversized shirts she liked to sleep in.
“Are you staying the night?”
Russ loved how her voice was full of hope. “I’d like to if you don’t mind.”
“I’d love for you to stay.” As he held up the sheet, she slid back into bed beside him before snuggling up to his side and draping her leg over his thighs. “That was amazing.”
He kissed her nose. “It was more than amazing. I’m not sure there’s even a word that can describe how good that was.”
A lusty yawn made her whole body shake. “I’m done.”
“I imagine you are. Get some sleep.”
Holding her close, Russ tried not to be disappointed when she fell asleep almost as soon as she closed her eyes. After what they’d just shared, he’d hoped she might admit that she loved him too.
Josie did love him.
She had to love him.
Because he would be utterly lost without her.