by Xondra Day
Chapter Fifteen
One week later
“I breezed through it in three nights,” Marilla gushed from the other end of the phone. “And the ending was great. I’m thrilled with it.”
Jayne had to admit that it was one of her best works, and she too was proud of it. “Everything fit together nicely. I’m pleased with the way the storyline worked out.”
“Start on the next one. You’re in high demand,” Marilla continued. “Damn it. There’s someone on the other line. Excuse me for a minute.” Before Jayne could reply, Marilla quickly put her on hold. She waited, and then her agent came back on the line. “I’m sorry about that. It was another client. So things are looking wonderful on this end. I’ll step things up and will call you early next week.”
“Sounds good,” Jayne replied. She hung up the phone and looked dreamily out the window in front of her. Her thoughts were elsewhere than where they should have been at the time, on her latest finished book. She thought about Keith and Tom. She hadn’t heard from either man, but hoped that both were doing okay. She was unsettled leaving Pine Bluff under such circumstances, but it was best to try to put her kidnapping behind her. She was safe back in the city, and she hoped eventually that Keith would call.
****
Nothing in Pine Bluff had changed since the incident up at the camp. Keith was thankful for that. Tom had done as he’d promised and sent the money back to the Leone brothers. It was a step in the right direction. It showed that he really did want to clean up his life and get away from his unsavoury past. If Tom had not agreed to do that, Keith feared that he would have had to walk away from him. He couldn’t have someone in his life like that who basically couldn’t be trusted. Trust was important in all relationships. Without it you didn’t have much to work and grow on.
He stood outside on his front step and watched as Tom walked around the expanse of his property that edged the woods that surrounded it. Tom reminded him of someone who was lost and trying to find their way in the world. Hell, he’d been like that for most of his life too. The guy needed a break and someone to be there for him. Maybe he was just the man to step in and be there for him. He’d pondered the thought since things had slowed down. Jayne had left and gone back to the city to resume her life. He wanted to see her again. Tom also wanted to see her. A trip to visit her was forthcoming.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked, after he’d walked to where Tom was leaning against a tree with a faraway look in his eyes.
“I’m thinking about life.”
“That’s pretty vague.” Keith smiled and raised one brow. “Things are good,” he reassured.
“Maybe, but who’s to say that those guys won’t come after me even though they have their money back? I think about that a lot.”
“We’ll leave Pine Bluff tomorrow. Jayne’s invitation still stands. I’ll give her a call. We both need to get away from here. I can take a few weeks off from work. It’ll still be here when I get back. It isn’t like it’s a busy time of year or anything.”
“I’m not so sure that Lucky would be pleased with the bar being closed. I’d have to look into that first.”
“Then call him and work it out.”
Tom nodded. “You like me, right?”
Keith sucked in a deep breath and stuck his hands into the side pockets of his jeans. He shrugged and looked down at the ground in front of him. “I do. If I didn’t, I’d just tell you to go away. That would be the simplest thing to do, but I can’t do that. I think that you and I have a lot in common. More so than you probably think. Since you’ve come to this town, things have looked up for me. I’m looking at life differently, and I think that it just might be possible for me to be me. I know that sounds strange, but it’s how I truly feel.” He’d said a mouthful…More than he’d intended to.
“I knew there was more to you than that handsome brawny exterior,” Tom kidded as he grinned a little. “You’re a stand-up guy. You’re up front with everything, and there are no backdoors. Nothing beats that.”
****
The attraction Tom felt for Keith was stronger than ever. The sex between them was out of sight, but it had turned into something else. “The way you put your life at risk for Jayne, I don’t think many guys would do that.”
“I did what I thought was right. She’s a fine woman like you’re a fine man. We’re all bonded through that experience, like it or not,” Keith said.
Tom hadn’t thought about it like that, but Keith was right. They were connected. Their shared experience would forever bind them. He looked to his side and then back at Keith. “I don’t regret coming here. Even with all that crap in my past I’m glad I did. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have met you and Jayne. I needed to connect with others. I needed that desperately.” He took two steps, and there he was, face to face with Keith. This man had not only saved Jayne, but had also saved him from himself and a potential life of misery. “Let’s do this,” he started. “Let’s go to the city. Let’s go visit Jayne.” His lips brushed against Keith’s. They kissed and their tongues met. It could only get better from this day on.
Epilogue
Six months later
Jayne was thrilled with the deal that she signed with a new publisher. Things had changed so much since she’d met Keith and Tom. Most importantly things had remained quiet in Pine Bluff. Keith kept her informed about all the happenings up there. Tom stayed with her after their first visit to see her. Keith had been back and forth frequently, and together they were forging a strong relationship that ventured into new territory for them all. Her next book was going to be a ménage. She’d write it taking from her own personal experience of course.
“That feels nice,” Jayne purred, rolling over onto her front. Tom was a master at massaged, and she desperately needed to relax after hours of writing and sitting at her desk. “You’re going to completely spoil me.”
“And he’s going to spoil me,” Tom added, casting a backwards glance over his left shoulder at Keith who sat behind massaging his shoulders. “A three way massage…imagine that!”
“Sounds delightful if you ask me,” Jayne replied. “Before you two came along, I thought that kind of stuff only existed in the books like I write. Did I mention that I plan on writing you two into my next book?” A sly grin crossed her lips.
“Us?” Keith asked. “I can’t speak for Tom, but I’m nothing exciting to be writing about. You’ll bore your readers to tears if you base one of your characters on me and my life.”
“What he said,” Tom added. “Though I could easily picture Keith being a hero.”
Keith slipped off the bed. “You’re both too much. I’m going to take a shower.” He flexed a little before dropping the towel that encircled his waist.
Jayne sat up quickly and pulled Tom towards her. She looked wickedly at him. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“I’m thinking exactly what you’re thinking.”
Hand in hand they both went to the ensuite. It was time for more fun. This was only the beginning. There would be many more days and nights like this to come. Jayne smiled as she stepped into the shower with Keith and as Tom saddled up behind her, there was no other place in the world that she wanted to be.
The End
Other Books by Xondra Day:
www.evernightpublishing.com/pages/Xondra-Day.html
If you enjoyed this book, you may also like:
Alison’s Story by Diane Thorne
The Bad Boy’s Biggest Mistake by Sam Crescent
Dominated by the Billionaires by Jenika Snow
Evernight Publishing
www.evernightpublishing.com
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