A Reclusive Heart

by R. L. Mathewson

  Oh god…….

  He was now pushing sugar on her. This was going to be very bad. She just knew it.

  “What’s wrong, Nick?” she asked, dreading his next words.

  “Nothing’s wrong,” he said, smiling as he reached over and took her hand into his.

  “Then why are you pushing sugar on me?” she demanded.

  “I just thought you’d like a milkshake,” he said, linking their fingers together.

  “But if you don’t want one then you don’t have to get one.”

  “Oh, I’m getting one, buddy, and you should know that I know that you’re up to something.”

  When he sent her a wink she decided that she was going to make that milkshake a double and watch how he reacted. Nick Quinn was a sneaky man and as long as she remembered that she”Hello,” a warm feminine voice said, “Catherine told me that you would like to speak with me. My name is Aubrey and I…..I……oh my god,” the woman ended in a harsh whisper that somehow managed to draw Jamie’s attention from the impressive list of milkshakes.

  She really hoped the woman didn’t start crying and screaming for joy. That happened to her a few times and she’d die happy if it never happened to her again.

  She looked up to find a middle aged woman with kind eyes and beautiful blonde hair staring at her. Her skin was pale and she looked seconds away from passing out.

  “Are you okay?” Jamie asked, actually preferring the woman’s screaming and crying to this. This frightened her. She quickly scrambled out of the booth and took the woman’s shaky hand into hers and helped her sit down in her freshly vacated seat.

  Once the woman sat down she refused to release Jamie’s hand as she stared up at her. It was really starting to freak her out. She threw Nick a pleading look only to find him watching them intently. Really helpful, she thought dryly as she turned her attention back to the trembling woman.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, forcing a smile as she looked into the woman’s pretty face.

  “No, I mean yes,” Aubrey said weakly, still holding Jamie’s hand tightly.

  “Aubrey, are you okay?” a man at the next booth asked, looking as concerned as she felt.

  “I-I’m fine, John,” Aubrey said, giving him a watery smile even though her eyes never left Jamie’s. “I’m perfect in fact.”

  “Are you the man I spoke to last week?” Aubrey asked and it took a few seconds for her to realize that she was speaking to Nick.

  “Yes,” Nick said, surprising her.

  This was planned? Why? She didn’t know what was going on or why Nick would plan something like this. It certainly wasn’t easing her anxiety.

  “Jamie, I would like you to meet Aubrey O’Shea,” he said before adding, “Your mother.”

  “What?” Jamie asked, well, nearly shouted, startling the people dinning around them. “What are you talking about?”

  Her mother was dead. Her father said so. Plus this woman didn’t look old enough to have a child nearing thirty. She didn’t. There was no way, she thought even as she noted the woman had her eyes, nose and smile.

  “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hold you again,” Aubrey said, choking back a sob as she dropped Jamie’s hands and pulled her into a hug that Jamie was too stunned to refuse, but once she found herself in the woman’s arms she was helpless to fight it. It felt…..

  Right. Perfect. God help her but it felt like she belonged. For the second time in her life she felt like she belonged to someone.

  “I am so proud of you,” her mother whispered fiercely against the top of her head as she pressed a kiss against her hair. “So proud, Jamie.”

  She didn’t realize that she was crying somewhat hysterically until she felt Nick kneel behind her and run a soothing hand down her back. “Shhhh, Jamie, it’s okay.”

  It really wasn’t okay, she thought as a loud sob rocked her body. She was so happy, but at the same time she was scared out of her mind. She was afraid that this was a dream or a sick joke and any second now she was going to wake up or the woman in her arms that was holding her tightly was going to pull back and tell her that it was a mistake.

  Please don’t let this be a mistake, she prayed as she tightened her hold around the woman she prayed was her mother. Until that moment she didn’t realize just how badly she needed this woman, a mother. For years she’d accepted the fact that her mother, father and sister didn’t want her and pretended that it didn’t hurt, but it did. She never realized how badly she needed a reassuring smile, a pat on the head or a kind word from her family until that moment.

  “I never wanted to let you go, Jamie,” her mother said, sniffling. “I was so young, Jamie. I quit school to have you and worked two jobs, but it wasn’t enough, sweetheart. It wasn’t enough. When I had to choose between putting food in your stomach or a roof over your head I made the biggest mistake of my life and gave you to your father. I shouldn’t have done that, Jamie. I should have worked harder and found a way to make it work, but you were so small and I just couldn’t watch you suffer another minute. I’m so sorry, Jamie, so sorry,” she said, squeezing Jamie tightly against her.

  “She tried to come back for you, sweetheart,” Nick said softly near her ear as he continued to rub her back. “She saved every penny she could and when the time came she went back for you, but your father wouldn’t give you up. I don’t think he wanted to deal with people asking too many questions. Your father convinced her that you were being taken care of and that she would only confuse you and hurt you by getting involved in your life, sweetheart, but she’s been keeping an eye on you.

  She loves you just as much as I love you, Jamie,” Nick said, pressing a kiss against the back of her head.

  Sniffling, she pulled back and looked into the caramel eyes that matched her own. “Is that true?” she asked, hoping like crazy that it was. It would mean that her mother hadn’t given her up because she was unlovable or a nuisance, but because she really did love her and wanted her happy.

  Her mother smiled warmly as she cupped her face. “I’ve always been your biggest fan, Jamie.”

  Epilogue

  One year later……….

  “Is this the line for the bathroom?” the cute guy who’d been eying her since she stepped onto airplane an hour ago asked as he stepped up behind her.

  She smiled up at him as she nodded.

  “My name’s Vince. What’s yours?” he asked in a charming tone as he continued to smile down at her.

  “Jamie,” she said, shaking his hand.

  “Are you going to Pennsylvania for business or pleasure?” he asked, releasing her hand as he leaned a shoulder against the gray wall.

  “A little of both,” she said before reconsidering it. “Well, I guess I’m not really going there to work since I’m just tagging along. Mostly I’m going so that I can spend a few days with my mother,” she said, smiling hugely at the thought.

  She didn’t mention that she made this trip once a month or that her mother stayed with her for a week every month as well. Even after a year she still found herself excited and giddy at the prospect of spending time with her mother. Most people would probably think she was being silly, but she had a lot of lost time to make up for.

  “I guess that means I can’t offer to show you around,” he said, giving her a boyish smile that was rather cute.

  “Her husband might have a problem with that,” Nick said as he stepped up behind the poor guy.

  Vince noticeably started as he looked over his shoulder and up at Nick, who was glaring down at him. She watched as Vince swallowed hard. “I-I thought you were with the other woman,” he said, referring to Patti, the blonde knockout who was one of Nick’s clients and the reason that they were traveling to Pennsylvania.

  She was attending a sci-fi writer’s convention while Jamie visited with her mother and hit Hershey Park, again.

  It didn’t bother her that he thought that Nick was with the gorgeous woman.

  A lot of people actually
made the same mistake. She didn’t care because she knew that the man looking close to killing the poor guy absolutely adored her so it didn’t matter what anyone thought.

  “Asshole,” Nick grumbled as Vince made a hasty mistake.

  “He was just being nice,” Jamie said, secretly pleased by the attention. Not that she enjoyed making her husband jealous, well, she kind of did, but she would never do it on purpose. It was just nice to get noticed instead of being treated like wallpaper and she really didn’t think she’d ever get used to it.

  Nick snorted his disbelief as he stepped up behind her and put his arm around her. “Yeah, real nice,” he said tightly as he pointedly raised her left hand and looked at the wedding band and engagement ring on her finger.

  With a soft chuckle and an eye roll she pulled her hand away. He was just so damn cute when he got all jealous. She stood up on her toes and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek that only made him grumble more. She ignored him as she turned around. Not even a minute later the bathroom was freed up and she was closing the door on Nick, but not before she caught the murderous glare he was sending Vince’s way.

  The whole thing was rather ridiculous, she thought as she washed her hands.

  Like she’d ever want another man. He really should know better. She was his whether he wanted her or not. He’d married her and she was never going to let him go. She loved and adored the grumpy man, she thought with a smile as she opened the door only to find herself suddenly backed up into the room and the small space suddenly smaller as Nick closed and locked the door behind him.

  “What are you doing?” she asked even though she had a pretty good idea what the sexy grin he was giving her meant.

  “What do you think I want?” he asked, backing her up impossibly farther into the small space until her back hit the plastic wall.

  “I’m not that kind of girl,” she said as she spread her legs and made a show of raising the skirt of her floral summer dress.

  “Are you sure? Because I have this list that I could a use a hand with,” he said in a husky voice that sent a shiver through her body.

  “What kind of list?” she asked, licking her lips hungrily as he hooked a finger in each side of her panties and pulled them down until she was able to step out of them.

  “It’s a very naught list,” Nick said, reaching for his zipper. He never took his eyes off her as he pulled the zipper down.

  “What exactly is on this naughty list that you need my help with?” she asked, watching in anticipation as he reached into his pants and pulled out the large erection that still managed to make her body tremble and tighten in need.

  “I was sort of hoping you’d let me have my naughty way with you in this bathroom,” he said, slowly running his hand over his shaft as he slid his hand between her legs and traced her already wet slit.

  “What’s in it for me?” she asked, panting as she fought against the urge to roll her hips against his hand.

  “A life altering orgasm?” he suggested as he slid his finger inside of her.

  “My husband gives me at least five of those every day,” she explained as she gave in and rolled her hips against his finger.

  His lips twitched up into a cocky grin as he watched his glistening finger slide in and out of her. “He sounds like a very generous guy.”

  “He is,” she agreed on a moan.

  “How about a body massage later tonight?” he asked, stepping forward as he removed his finger. She spread her legs further until her right foot hit the side of the bench that held the toilet and decided to place her foot on the edge since it worked so well last month when they flew to Florida and did this.

  Nick growled approvingly as the new position opened her up more and gave him a clear view of her sex. He pressed the tip of his erection against her open slit as he continued to stroke himself. She loved it when he teased her and he darn well knew it.

  “My husband gives me those every night as well. What else do you have?” she asked, running her hands over her stomach and dress covered breasts as he continued to tease her.

  “How about a bar of Belgium chocolate, hmmm?” he asked, cupping the back of her neck as he moved in to kiss her. “I happen to have a bar of my wife’s chocolate in my carryon bag. It’s all yours if you let me slide inside of you right now,” he said, brushing his lips against hers as he continued to tease her.

  “Won’t your wife be mad that you’re giving away her chocolate?” she asked against his lips as she moved her hips against him, desperately trying to get him where she needed him, but the stubborn man pulled back just enough to deny her what they both wanted, needed.

  “I have another one in my suitcase that she doesn’t know about. I’ll give her that and she’ll never have to know about this,” he said, emphasizing “this” by rubbing the hot velvety tip of his erection around her sensitive nub, coating it in her juices.

  “I want both,” she said against his lips.

  “Greedy,” he said approvingly against her mouth seconds before he stopped playing around and deepened the kiss.

  She fisted his hair in her hands as she held him right where she wanted him.

  He suckled on her tongue as he slid inside of her, knowing how wet and crazy the move would make her. When she started to moan loudly he stopped kissing her to cover her mouth with his hand as he continued to thrust inside of her.

  He kept his eyes locked with hers as he took her slowly, deeply and so darn perfectly that it wasn’t long before she was screaming her release against his hand.

  He licked his lips as he watched her find her moment and when she was done he removed his hand and took her mouth in a hungry, wild kiss that had her wrapping her arms around his neck and clinging tightly against him.

  “Love you, Jamie,” he groaned against her mouth as he found his release.

  She was still clinging to him when the banging on the door started. Nick simply chuckled as she struggled not to die of mortification. That mortification only intensified when Nick picked up her panties and pocketed them.

  When she arched a brow in demand and held out her hand he chuckled.

  “Sorry, sweetheart, but I need these for another item on my list.”

  “Planning on wearing them?” she asked teasingly.

  He shook his head good naturedly as he fixed his pants. “No, I’m planning on having my wife wrap it around my cock later and stroke me off,” he said with a wink as she struggled not to jump him again as the image of doing just that set her body on fire. That was definitely going on the list, she decided as she followed him out of the bathroom and past the short line or irritated passengers.

  She stepped past Patti to get to her seat and ignored the woman’s pout. It wasn’t too hard to guess the reason behind the pout. She wanted Nick, but then again most women that met him did. As long as the woman respected the ring that Nick wore proudly on his finger then she was fine with the woman’s obvious crush.

  Nick was hers and she never had to worry, because he never gave her a reason to worry. He loved her and she never had to question that. She also knew that he hated to be apart from her which was why whenever he had to go on the road he always brought her along. Rick didn’t seem to mind since she stayed out of Nick’s way and whatever author he was promoting. It also didn’t hurt that her book sales were still off the charts and of course she was working on a second book with Dana Pierce since the first one had broken sales records.

  Life really couldn’t any better, she thought as Nick put her tray down and placed his laptop in front of her, already on the online Scrabble game. He placed his hand on her knee, gently caressing her skin as he spoke with Patti. As they went over the next week’s schedule she kicked some serious butt at Scrabble.

  A little while later when he slipped her the chocolate bar he’d promised her she couldn’t help but smile. She had her dream job, a great mother, an incredible guy who spoiled her with chocolate. What more could a girl want? she thought as she leaned over and kissed N
ick’s cheek. He immediately stopped talking to Patti to turn his head and brush a quick kiss against her lips before returning his attention back to Patti, picking up right where he left off.

  It really didn’t get any better than this, she decided as she slipped another bite of chocolate in her mouth and took Nick’s hand into hers. She changed her opinion a moment later when Nick turned to whisper something in her ear.

  “I love you, Jamie.”

  Maybe being plain old Jamie wasn’t so bad after all, she thought with a smile.