by Lisa Shelby
Just as he shuts the truck off, he gets a text and reads the gist of it off to me.
“Mick says that Kayla got scared and confessed to the whole thing. Since she’s been eighteen for the last six months, she will have some serious charges to face. To sum it up, she won’t be bothering you anymore, Em.”
Jonathan hops out of the truck and comes around to my side. He opens the door and takes my hand. I think he’s going to take me for a walk, but instead he opens the back door on my side.
“Get in, babe, I want to hold you in my arms, and that just won’t work up front.”
“Jonathan Kelly, are we parking? Are you trying to get me in the back seat to take advantage of me?” I ask in mock horror.
“Oh, Miss Jacobs, nothing would please me more, but I am not sure today is the day for that. Right now I just want to hold you, and celebrate your safety and peace of mind. Now get in, baby.”
I do as I’m told, and true to his word he holds me and we talk. He apologizes for not taking a shower before coming to get me, but I don’t mind a sweaty, salty Jonathan at all. He doesn’t try to take advantage of me. He is the perfect gentleman. I can tell he’s afraid to make any moves that might push me further than he thinks I’m ready for, and this just makes me love him even more.
After a couple of hours in the back of his truck, we agree it’s time to go.
Just as we’re about to move to the front seat, I get a text from Austin.
Austin: Miss J, I just want to say how sorry I am. I had no idea what Kayla had been doing. If I had known, I would have stopped her or told you. I hope you are okay?
Miss Jacobs: I’m fine, Austin. Thank you so much but it’s not your fault.
“Poor kid. I knew he would feel bad,” I sigh.
“He’ll be okay, Em.” Jonathan tries to assure me.
“I know he will, but I still feel bad for him. I feel like I did something somehow to cause all of this.”
Jonathan opens the truck door and jumps out onto the pavement to help me out. “All you did was care and offer support. You didn’t do anything wrong, and I don’t want you to dwell on it.” He opens the passenger door, and as I walk in front of him to climb in he slaps me on my ass. “Now, get that sweet ass of yours in my truck!”
I don’t know why, but in that moment I have the most random thought.
I let out a gasp at my thoughtlessness and ask, “Jonathan, I can’t believe I never asked!”
“What are you so excited about?” He asks entertainingly confused.
“Your truck…don’t you always name your trucks?”
He gives a sly little smile and says, “I do. Is that what you’re so excited about?”
“Well, what’s her name?” I squeal.
He throws his head back and burst out laughing.
“Well?”
“Oh baby, you are too cute.” He leans in and kisses my temple. “Helen, her name is Helen.”
“Helen?” I say perplexed. This is not what I expected.
“Yes, Helen. She’s sexy and silver. So I went with Helen for Helen Mirren. There’s no denying she’s a sexy older woman; a female version of a ‘silver fox’.”
I can’t help the fit of giggles that escapes me. He never ceases to surprise me—I think that’s why it tickles me more than it should. He’s strong, supportive and silly all at the same time. He’s perfect. It’s in this fit of laughter that I realize it’s time to let him know that he doesn’t need to remain a gentleman. I’m ready to be taken advantage of.
“Hey, Georgia?”
“Yes?”
“Can we go back to your place?”
He just looks at me with a smile on his face and one eyebrow raised, and I know he knows what I’m asking with my request. To confirm that he understood just what I’m implying, he grabs me by the waist, places me in my seat, stretches my seat belt around me and buckles me in. He doesn’t say much on the way home, but I don’t think I have ever seen him drive so fast.
Walking into Jonathan’s house reminds me of the last time I was here. That day was so full of joy and passion. Jonathan did everything he could to bring back what we had in California. That was also the first time he really talked to me about Matt and his mom. He opened up to me that day, and even though in the back of my mind I knew that I belonged to him, that was the night that it became concrete. I remember being afraid to speak those three little words to him that night.
Unfortunately, it took his shooting for me to finally confess my love to him. I learned a valuable lesson sitting there in that hospital, waiting for him to wake up. That lesson was to never hold back, and to always let those you love know what they mean to you. I don’t plan to let any more days go by that Jonathan doesn’t know how much I love him.
When we walk into the house we’re greeted by a very excited Frances. I squat down and give her the attention she’s looking for while Jonathan slides his truck keys onto the counter. Once I’m standing back up, he gets her attention and opens up the back door for her. He says he wants to take a quick shower, and asks me to let Frances back in when she’s ready.
She’s an old gal, and it takes her some time, but she finally comes back to the door so I can let her in. I’ve just finished drying her wet paws off when I turn around and Jonathan is in front of me, already showered and dressed in clean clothes. That must have been the fastest shower in the history of all showers.
“I’m so glad to have you here again, Em,” he says as he walks toward me.
Wasting no time, I take him by the hand and lead him to his bedroom. When we enter, I flip the switch for the fireplace and walk over to turn on his low lit light next to the bed, just like he did the last time I was here. I stand him next to the bed and continue to take the lead.
“Jonathan, I know you’re trying to take it slow and ease back into things after our time apart.”
I grab the hem of his fresh shirt and lift it over his head.
“You are being a total gentleman, and you didn’t even make any moves while we ‘parked’ today,” I add, as I kick off my flats, and then unbutton his jeans. He’s barely breathing and hanging on my every word. My every move.
“I appreciate that and it means the world to me, but just because we can’t have any sleep overs doesn’t mean that we need to take everything slow.”
I pull his jeans down his strong thighs and gently push him back onto the bed. He falls back, but sits up on his elbows to watch the rest of the show. I pull his jeans the rest of the way down his legs and drop them to the floor. He seems to have been in a rush to get dressed because he’s going commando and is now completely naked.
To see this beautiful man laid out before me is a sight to see. He is a perfect specimen, and I could study every lean muscle on his body, but we’ll save that for later. He still hasn’t said a word, but his eyes haven’t left mine once, and I can tell he’s listening intently to every word that I am saying to him.
From my standing position in front of him, I pull my shirt over my head and make sure that he’s looking at me when I say, “I’m here Jonathan. I’m not going anywhere. I don’t want to waste any more time away from you or hiding how I feel about you.” I tell him this with all the conviction that I feel in my heart. I pull my pants off and stand before him in just my bra and panties. “I have only been in love with one person in my entire life, and that person is you. I know how lucky we are to have a second chance. I’ll do whatever you need so that you know just how much I love you.”
I crawl onto the bed, rest my body on top of his and kiss him with everything I have. I pour all the love that I can into this kiss so that he has no doubt how I feel about him. After a few glorious minutes, I whisper in his ear. “Make love to me, Georgia.”
Without words, he spends the next few hours showing me just how much he loves, wants and needs me. I have never felt so cherished.
Chapter 44
Jonathan
It’s the night before Thanksgiving and I couldn’t be happi
er. I have my girls here with me in my hometown of Savannah. To top it all off, we’re sitting in the Fanuas living room. Emily sits next to me on the love seat while Ireland snuggles up to me on my lap. She’s tired from the long day of travel, and I have a feeling she’s going to be asleep sooner rather than later. I have everybody I care about in the world in one room. The only people that are missing are Devon and Gabby, but we’ll chat tomorrow, and I’ll spend part of Christmas with them.
Emily and Ireland seem to be a perfect fit with the Fanua clan. This doesn’t surprise me at all because these two are special. They light up any room that they walk into and always seem to bring a smile to everybody’s face. I am so proud both to introduce them to my family, and to have these amazing people in my life to share with the two of them. I just wish my mom was here. She would love them both. This I know for sure.
As we all sit around and talk, I keep getting knowing smiles from Fiona and winks from Robert. I can see the joy that they have for me in their eyes. It’s just as obvious to them, as it is to me, that I have found the one. Emily is it for me, and this little girl slowly falling asleep in my arms brings me so many different emotions all at once. There is a fierce protectiveness that I feel for her that is different from what I feel for her mother. Knowing that the things I help Emily teach her will mold her into the person she’ll grow up to be is a huge responsibility, but one that I hope Emily will continue to let me take on alongside her. She also brings me a peace that I never knew children could bring. After years of not feeling much at all, this has been a big change for me, but in only the best of ways.
Emily looks at Ireland—who has her head tucked into my neck so that I can’t see her face—and mouths, “She’s asleep.”
Quietly, I announce to the room that it’s time to put Ireland to bed. I rise from the love seat as smoothly as I can to try not to wake her.
“We’ll be right back,” Emily says as she gives a little wave and follows me down the hall, while holding on to one of the belt loops of my jeans.
Bliss.
These simple moments with them bring me pure bliss. I know that makes me sound all girly, but I just can’t think of another word to describe it.
Fiona has put Emily and Ireland in Liam’s old room that now serves as a guest room. Traditional as always, Fiona has me sleeping on the fold out couch. It’s not ideal, but I get it. Emily and Ireland are sharing a double bed as it is. There isn’t really room for me anyway. And there is still the no sleep over rule. We haven’t been perfect at sticking to this rule. Cami and Alex have both hooked us up several times over the last month, and have had Ireland over for sleep overs. Thank God for Cami and Alex!
Emily and I work together to get Ireland out of her clothes and into her adorable Thanksgiving pajamas that Mick got her.
Who would have thought that Mick Jacobs would be a part of my day to day life? If you had told me that the bad ass, frat bother, player that I work with, and occasionally drink with, would one day become family, I wouldn’t have believed it. It turns out he’s a pretty good guy and not just the comedian, and sometimes asshole, that he lets us all see. His family comes first to him, and he has been incredibly good to Emily and Ireland. Never once has he made them feel like they are an inconvenience or in his way. He treats his mom like gold, and would welcome her into his home to live with open arms if she asked. He really is a good dude. He has been nothing but cool about Emily and I seeing each other. We had one talk—shortly after Kayla was arrested—where he gave me the typical big brother lecture. He told me that her happiness comes first, and that I better not get too close if I didn’t plan on this being the real deal. There were two hearts in my hands, and not just one. I assured him I was in this for the long haul and that on my part, there wouldn’t be any heart breaking going on. Since that little chat, my relationship with his sister has never been a topic of conversation.
Looking down at Ireland all tucked in with her stuffed bulldog—that she of course named Frank Junior—I can’t help but smile. She is so stinking cute with those big brown eyes and those blond curls. I never knew what a button nose was until this kid came along and proved to me that they do exist. She has one and it’s perfect. Right now, her cheeks are a bit rosy from the warmth of being cuddled up with me, and her hair is sticking to her sweaty little face. Perfect.
Even when she has those brief episodes where she actually acts like a four-year-old and gets whiny, she is still perfect and stubborn just like her momma.
After she’s all tucked in, I walk around the bed to Emily and pull her to me and give her a soft kiss. Much to my pleasure, this doesn’t seem to be enough for her as she grabs my ass with both hands. I love it when she gets feisty, she is sexy and adorable all wrapped up in one. She pulls me as close to her as she can get me, and she deepens the kiss. Her hands roam up my back and then back to my ass. Our kisses become fevered and frenzied and she starts to moan. She moves her hand to the front of my pants and grabs onto my rapidly hardening cock. God, this sucks. All I want to do is push her up against the wall and make her scream because I’ve made her black out in ecstasy. But that isn’t possible with Ireland a few feet away and a house full of family waiting for us in the other room.
I put my hand over her very busy one, and move it back to my ass and whisper in her ear. “Baby, we have to stop. We’re gonna wake Ireland up, and I really cannot go walking out there with a rock hard dick. You aren’t playing fair, Em.”
She gives me a kiss on my nose then steps away from me and says, “Okay,” then walks out of the room. Leaving me there to deal with the tent I’m currently pitching, all on my own. She knew exactly what she was doing. Wicked woman.
After taking the time I need to get my shit together, I walk back out to the family room and it’s happening. The damn photo albums are out, and Emily is at Fiona’s side on the couch as they go through my childhood, picture by picture. Not only does Fiona have all of her family albums—that include me almost as much as her own kids—but she has all of my mom’s too. Well, I guess in all actuality they’re mine, but wasn’t ready to bring them with me when I left for Portland.
As I stand in the middle of the room with my arms crossed over my chest, Fiona and Emily both pretend I’m not in the room, but I see Emily peek up at me and try to contain her giggle that wants to break free.
From his perch on the arm of the couch Liam says, “Dude, it was just a matter of time. You should never have left them alone together. They’re gonna be at this all night. Wanna beer?”
All night ends up only being about thirty minutes and Robert, Liam and I use this time to catch up and talk sports while nursing our beers. After the ladies have finished up, they join us at the kitchen table just long enough for Fiona to give out her to do list for the morning. After her marching orders have been delivered, she says her good nights since she’ll be up early to put the turkey in. Robert follows on her heels, and since Kate is out with her boyfriend, that just leaves Emily, Liam and myself.
“So, Emily, tell me something.” Liam says as he leans towards her like they’re planning some sort of conspiracy together.
“Liam…” I warn.
“Yes, Liam?” Emily says as she leans back in her chair with her eyebrows raised. She has a grin on her face and her arms spread out on the back of my chair and the empty one to her left. Her whole demeanor says, ‘bring it on, big man’. God, I love this woman!
“So tell me the truth. How do you put up with this pretty-boy shit-head?”
Keeping a straight face, she replies. “Love and hard work, Liam…love and hard work. If I’m honest with you, I ask myself that same question every day. The only thing I can come up with is that I love him and I’m prepared for a lot of hard work.”
As I sit there with my mouth hanging open she reaches a hand to my face and strokes it tenderly.
“Like you said, he is very pretty, Liam. Sometimes it takes everything I have to leave the house and go out in public with him, knowing that ever
y woman he passes by will be staring at him and thinking that they want to have his babies. It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it.” She stops and uses both hands to turn my face in Liam’s direction so that she can say, “I mean look at this face, for God’s sake. He just wakes up…and looks like this…every freakin’ day! Do you know how much work it takes to be worthy of being seen on his arm? It’s exhausting; having arm candy like this. It really is. As for him being a shit-head, do not get me started…”
Putting my arm gently around her neck, I pull Emily against me like I am going to give her a noogie. But I just kiss it instead and put an end to the bullshit that is spewing from her mouth.
“Enough already! You guys think you’re pretty damn funny, don’t you? Well, you aren’t.” Pushing Emily back a bit, I look at her and say, “You’re cute, but you aren’t funny. And you…” I say moving my attention to Liam. “…You aren’t funny or cute, so just shut your face if you know what’s good for you.”
Liam stands to leave, and Emily and I stand with him.
“Whatever dude, I’ll see you in the morning. You better be careful. I think I’m starting to like her more than I like you. Emily, you’re good for this moron. Thanks for keeping his ass in check.”
“Keeping his ass in check is my pleasure, Liam,” she says as she holds her hand up. Just like they’re long lost friends, he gives her the high-five she’s looking for.
Emily and her damn high-fives. It should get old but it doesn’t. I love that she loves them.
It’s fucking adorable.
“No sneaking into her room tonight, Johnny Boy. Keep your stupid self on the couch or mom will kick your ass. You know she will,” Liam snarks as he walks out the front door and shuts it behind him. Of course he had to leave with some smart-ass, older brother type comment. That’s the way it’s always been with us. Best friends and brothers to the end. To be honest, I would expect nothing less from him.
