Chapter 15

Melissa

I woke slowly and with a happy smile on my lips. The happiness was purely to do with the fact that I'd just slept better than I had in months. The good sleep was probably because I was more tired out than I had been in months, but I had to chalk some of it up to my sleeping companion. Some of the happiness too.

Jack was still passed out next to me, one long leg tossed over mine and his face turned to the wall. He looked different when he was sleeping, and I rolled onto my side to observe him for a little while.

The sun had passed over the window, which meant it was sometime in the afternoon. I didn't want to check my phone to find out what time exactly because I was worried of what else I might find, and I wanted to extend this pleasurable mini-vacation from reality as long as possible. Before long I would have to face the decision I made last night.

And the fall out.

Jack's lashes were long for a guy's, something I hadn't noticed until I saw how they swept his cheekbones while he slept. His hair was rumpled and his jaw unshaven, but he still looked like he belonged in a cologne advertisement or something. The tattoos that ran up both his forearms blossomed over his shoulders and chest, and I reached over to trace the outline of a skull, wondering what all of his tattoos meant. I'd never had so many questions about a person before.

That thought reminded me of how little I knew about Jack. I knew he had a sister and that he grew up in Bell Springs. I knew that his mom had passed away a few years ago, and I knew without him having to tell me that it had been a truly devastating loss. He was kind and compassionate, but Donnie had seemed that way to me too at first.

What was I doing?

I pulled my hand back but stayed watching him, listening for the rise and fall of his breathing in the dimly lit space.

How did I know that this guy wasn't just using me too? We'd never talked about what this was or what we wanted, and I was in serious danger of having my heart broken by him. He waltzed into my life out of nowhere, magically possessing every quality I longed for in a partner, and that was dangerous. It wouldn’t take long for me to fall for him, even if I hadn’t already begun the process. And make no mistake, I had. I was one stiff breeze away from tumbling right down that crevasse and I knew better than anyone that falling was a helluva lot easier than climbing back out.

I turned onto my back and stared at the ceiling, frustrated. I wanted to trust Jack. I wanted to let myself want Jack. I felt this profound connection to him that I couldn't put into words, and I wanted to think that he felt that too. Bad experiences had taught me that pinning your hopes on a person only ever ended in disappointment.

"Good morning," came a gravelly voice from beside me.

I let my head fall to the side, where Jack was looking over and smiling at me. His eyes were warm and I couldn't help but return his sleepy smile.

"It's definitely not the morning anymore."

He laughed, grunting as he reached over me to grab his phone from the bedside table. He sighed and lay back. "It's 1:30."

That wasn't so bad. I didn't have to start my shift until four.

"Go back to sleep if you're tired," I told him. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't, crazy girl." Jack slipped an arm under my shoulders and rolled me, bringing my face to his chest. I was careful not to prod his injured rib, though he seemed like he was able to deal with the pain.

Me, on the other hand, I couldn't deal with pain. Not of the emotional variety, anyway. And this felt too good. Being with Jack felt too fucking good for me to deal with.

"I should go." I tried to pull out of his hold but he held me tight. "Jack, let me go."

"No."

"Why not?"

I looked up at him. He was smiling down at me, those lips curled into a deliciously devious smirk.

"I'll let you go if you can tell me that you honestly want to go," he offered. "Say the words and mean them and you're free to leave."

That wasn't fair.

"This isn't a good idea," I said. Those were words I could mean. "It was fun, but I need to get back to my life now. What's left of it, anyway. I've got lots of work to do if I'm going to set out on my own."

"I can't disagree with you there," he replied, stroking my head with his gigantic hand. "These next few days are going to suck. I disagree about this not being a good idea, on the other hand."

I opened my mouth to fight him on it, to find some way to communicate what I was going through without having to admit how deeply I felt him in my bones and how much that scared me, but he silenced me with a chaste kiss on the lips. My body liquefied.

"It's crazy," he whispered, lips brushing across mine in a feather soft touch. "This whole thing is crazy, but there's something between us, sweetheart, and I want to explore that. Don't you?"

How could I argue with that? I literally didn't even have the power to speak and so just kissed him back.

"I feel that too," I admitted afterward. "And it scares me."

"I know." He was quiet for a moment, and I listened to his heart thump in his chest. Jack reached over and tipped up my chin until our eyes met. "Why don't you come with me?" he asked. "You can leave all this drama behind. No strings."

It was tempting. The part of me that loathed confrontation would've been quite happy to just never show up for work again, to never have to worry about running into Donnie or seeing any of his goons. What a relief it would be, knowing that I could go the rest of my life without seeing Donnie's watery blue eyes narrowed with hate.

But it wouldn't be real. And it wouldn't be right.

"I know it's not much of one, but I've got a life here," I told him. "I can't run away from that. I've never known anything other than Cannon and the thought of leaving is too much, too soon. I'm sorry."

His face fell a little, but he nodded. "I understand." With a curl of his lip, he added, "Would it be alright with you if I hung around for a while then? I just don't see how I could physically walk away from you."

Something hot bloomed in my chest and I let my face fall against his shoulder, breathing in his manly, musky scent.

"I would like that," I said.

"Maybe you could even stay with me," he suggested. "For as long or as little as you'd like, of course. I don't mean to be too forward, I just know that you probably don't have anywhere else to go."

Reality hit me like a ton of bricks. Shit. I really didn't have anywhere to go, did I? I'd been living with Donnie for so long that I forgot what it was like to be on my own, and I didn't even have a clue where to start in terms of finding a place. If it wasn't this motel room, it would be one just like it but without the benefit of a resident sexy man. My only other option would be going to stay with Naomi and, while I knew she'd take me in like an injured puppy in a heartbeat, I couldn't ask that of her. She had two kids to worry about already, not to mention enough drama with her own exes to fill up a daytime soap.

"That would be great, actually." I kissed his chest and propped my chin up to look at him. "Really, really great."

"Oh yeah?" He grinned and ran a thumb across my cheek. "And how do you intend to pay for your room?"

I bit my lower lip, letting my eyelids flutter over my cheeks. Then, in a husky voice, I said, "Do you accept..."

I swear to god his breath hitched.

"American Express?"

Jack let out a burst of laughter. "Cheeky little minx."

He rolled me onto my back, jamming his body between my legs. He was hard against my stomach and my body responded instinctively, heat flaring in my core. I remembered how hot the sex was the night before and warmth stained my cheeks.

Jack rested on his forearms above me, mouth brushing lightly against mine as he spoke.

"I'm afraid we don't accept American Express," he murmured.

"What about Diners Club?"

His tongue swiped over my lower lip and I shuddered with pleasure. "No credit cards. And before you ask, cash isn't an option either."

"Then how am I expected to pay you?" I asked sweetly. "What is it you want me to give?"

"Everything."

His lips claimed mine, passion unfurling around us like golden starbursts. I sighed and let him take me, let him guide me to new, pleasurable heights. He was a better lover than Donnie ever was, and I couldn't recall ever coming as hard as I did in his arms the last time.

He fucked me slow and gentle. Hard and fast was incredible, but slow and steady made me feel like he was sampling my body like a fine wine. And the buildup of pleasure? Fucking explosive.

By the time we pulled our sweat soaked bodies apart for good, it was nearly time for me to go to work. I couldn't believe we'd spent the afternoon having sex, and what's more I couldn't believe that I still wanted more.

"I don't want to go to work," I said, sitting up. "I don't know what I'm walking into."

"What do you mean?" Jack sat up beside me, pulling me against him as he pressed his lips to the top of my head.

I sighed. "Donnie's Uncle Hank runs the Alibi. I don't think breaking up with his nephew is a fireable offense, but then again everything in this town more or less works the way the Beringers want it to. Labor laws be damned."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Jack asked.

It was tempting, which shouldn't have surprised me. Jack was walking, talking temptation, and if I could have him at my side at all times to chase away the bad guys and hold me close when I was feeling sad, I would be over the moon. That wouldn't solve any of the problems, though. It would just sweep them under the rug.

"Just another one of those things I have to deal with alone," I said regretfully.

"I respect that about you, you know." He kissed down to my shoulder, holding his lips there as he spoke. "Nobody would blame you if you asked for help. In fact, I would rather be with you from now on, just to make sure that nobody fucking touches you. All the same, you're fearless and you've got principles."

"If I was that fearless I would've broken up with Donnie a long time ago," I muttered.

"But you still did it." He nuzzled against my neck. "And you did it on your own terms."

"I guess so," I said. "I just hope I don't end up regretting it."

"You won't."

He said it with such conviction that even though I was doubting myself, at least I could believe in him.