Jinx crossed the small yard. “Yup, he’s great like that. Kind of like Santa Claus.” But if thinking about someone every other waking minute counted, E. J. was exactly what she’d ordered. She set down the bag and eased onto the top step beside E. J. She took in the sadness still evident in her features, then leaned in and pressed her lips lightly to E. J.’s. She held the kiss for a long, luxurious moment.
When they parted, E. J. sighed, her face close to Jinx’s. “You feel so good,” she whispered. She motioned to the bag. “Look at you, so environmentally conscious.”
Jinx continued watching her. “Sparkle gave it to me. She told me to use it.”
Something flickered in E. J.’s expression, but she remained silent.
Jinx kissed her again, just a touch of lips, just another little taste. “What are you doing here?” she asked gently.
E. J. hesitated. “I had a horrible, horrible day,” she said. She rested her head in the nest of her arms. “And this was the only place I wanted to be.”
Jinx drew up her knees and mimicked E. J.’s position. “What happened?”
E. J.’s eyes misted with a veneer of tears. She blinked rapidly. “I had to fire a friend and file charges against him for sexually harassing a sixteen-year-old employee.” Her voice broke slightly, but she maintained control. She stared at Jinx as though waiting for something.
Jinx sighed. “What can I do?”
E. J. gazed at her. “Make me laugh.” Her voice was barely audible.
Jinx sat up and thought for a moment. “Okay. A priest, a minister, and a rabbi want to see who’s best at their job. They each go into the woods, find a bear, and try to convert it. Later, they get together to compare notes. The priest goes first. ‘When I found the bear,’ he says, ‘I read to him from the Catechism and sprinkled him with holy water. Next week is his First Communion.’ The minister goes next. ‘I found a bear by the stream and preached God’s holy word. The bear was so mesmerized, he let me baptize him.’ Then they both look down at the rabbi, who’s lying on a gurney in a body cast. ‘Looking back,’ says the rabbi, ‘maybe I shouldn’t have started with the circumcision.’”
E. J. burst out laughing. Her eyes were still moist, but a new light sparked in them. “That’s kind of appropriate for the situation, isn’t it?”
Jinx chuckled. “I thought so.”
E. J. sat up, giggling. “Do you know another one?”
“Do I know another one?” Jinx asked incredulously. E. J. had no idea how many hours of Jinx’s life had been whiled away with shared joke books. “When a zoo’s gorilla dies, the zookeeper hires an actor to put on a costume and act like an ape until the zoo can get another one. In the cage, the actor makes faces, swings around, and draws a big crowd. He then crawls across a partition and onto the top of the lion’s cage, infuriating the lion. But the actor stays in character—until he loses his grip and falls in. Terrified, he screams, ‘Help me! Help me!’ But it’s too late. The lion pounces, opens its massive jaws, and whispers, ‘Shut up! Do you want to get us both fired?’”
E. J. laughed again. “Okay, more. This is working.”
“What did the bartender say when Charles Dickens ordered a martini?”
“I don’t know.”
“Olive or twist?”
E. J. laughed harder.
“Why shouldn’t a lawyer play hide-and-seek?”
E. J. shook her head.
“Because no one will look for him.”
E. J. snorted.
“What do you call a potato that’s gone over to the Dark Side? A Vader Tott.”
E. J. chortled and kicked her feet.
Jinx laughed, enjoying her responses. “Why can’t you hear a psychiatrist using the bathroom? Because the P is silent.”
E. J. threw her head back and cackled. She clutched her sides. “Oh God, stop. I need air.”
Jinx laughed and waited for her to get control.
As E. J. calmed, chuckling now and then, she took Jinx’s hand. “Thank you. You always make me laugh.”
“You’re welcome.” Jinx smiled. “Is that really the reason you’re here?”
E. J. made a noncommittal noise. “One of them.” She glanced down to their intertwined fingers. “Is it okay? That I’m here?”
Despite the fact E. J. hadn’t actually answered the question—or maybe she’d asked the wrong one—it was so okay E. J. was there. Jinx grinned and nodded.
E. J.’s manner eased, and she squeezed Jinx’s hand before eyeing the bag. “What’s in there?”
“Ah. Hungry?” Jinx caught sight of Kenny shuffling down the sidewalk in front of the house. She waved.
“Do you know him?” E. J. asked, leaning a little closer to Jinx.
“His name’s Kenny.”
“He was sitting across the street watching me earlier. It made me nervous.”
Jinx rested her arm around E. J.’s shoulders and stroked her neck with her thumb. “You don’t need to worry about Kenny. He was just making sure you didn’t break in and steal my good silver.”
E. J. smiled. “So, he’s security?”
“Well, you know.” Jinx shrugged. “I don’t have a guard dog.” She tightened her hold and pulled E. J. closer, inhaling the light scent of jasmine left from a long, busy day. “You want some dinner?”
“Mmm.” E. J. brushed her lips across Jinx’s. “I’d love some dinner.”
As Jinx unpacked the groceries, laying the fresh vegetables out on the counter beside the cans of baby corn and water chestnuts, E. J. surveyed the scene. “What can I do to help?”
“Nothing,” Jinx said, folding up the bag and sliding it into a drawer. “You had a bad day. You get to be pampered and taken care of. Isn’t that the way it works?”
In truth, Jinx didn’t have a clue how it worked. She’d never been in a relationship in the real world. Oh God! Is that what this was—a relationship? It felt like it. It felt like E. J. had been in her life forever at moments like these. But no, this wasn’t a relationship. It couldn’t be. She was still trying to piece together a life on the outside, as well as make peace with Andrea. She had her hands full. And E. J.? She didn’t want a relationship. She didn’t want anything that might reveal the lie she was living, and Jinx was done lying. Besides, E. J. didn’t even know her, and as soon as she did, whatever this was would probably be over.
E. J. stepped into Jinx’s arms and sighed. “Where have you been all my life?”
Jinx shifted nervously. If you only knew. She’d have to tell her, though. This was the third time they’d seen each other, their third date in their own odd little way. And yes, each time, Jinx had truly believed they’d never see one another again, but E. J. kept coming back. If Jinx let it go on much longer without coming clean, it would turn into an actual deception, and Jinx had promised herself, this time around, to live authentically. No more lies or dishonesty. No more breaking laws. No more hurting people. She had to tell her the truth about her past, about her time in prison and the reason for it—but first, food. Jinx smiled. “You just relax. Freshen up, if you want. Dinner will be ready in about a half hour.”
As Jinx started the rice and began chopping vegetables, E. J. retrieved her suitcase from her car and disappeared into the bathroom. Jinx heard the shower turn on and paused to listen. She remembered how natural it’d felt the morning E. J. had been there drinking her coffee as Jinx had made sandwiches. Jinx had been so comfortable. Now, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel E. J.’s presence, the sense of companionship, of connection, and not only was E. J. there again now, but Jinx had more than an inkling that somehow, even though it’d been unspoken, they’d already agreed she would be staying the night once more. Jinx smiled to herself, but the knowledge of all she had to reveal to E. J. settled like a stone in the pit of her stomach.
What if E. J. bolted? What if her reaction was to put as much distance between them as she could, as fast as possible? Could Jinx blame her? That might actually be for the best, for E. J.�
�s sake as well as her own. E. J. was already worried about her son finding out she dated women. What would his response be to her sleeping with a felon? And Jinx’s feelings for E. J. grew stronger every time they saw one another, every time they touched. If her past was going to be a deal breaker, which it had been with the two other women she briefly dated since returning home, wouldn’t it be less painful for things to end sooner rather than later? Torn between not wanting to take the risk and knowing she must, she returned her attention to the meal.
When E. J. emerged from the bathroom, Jinx was scooping the stir-fry over two plates of rice. She’d bought enough for three servings, but they’d been for her and Kenny’s dinner and leftovers for her lunch the next day. The same had happened the last time E. J. had shown up unexpectedly, but Jinx didn’t care. She’d loved her PB&J the next day, given it reminded her that E. J. had come back and she’d gotten to spend another night with her. Tomorrow’s PB&J would be just as delicious for the same reason. She’d gladly eat PB&Js every day until her next paycheck for more time with E. J. She glanced over her shoulder to ask if E. J. had found everything she needed, but the words never made it out.
E. J. stood there, hair damp, eyes bright, wearing tan, loose-fitting athletic shorts and a yellow tank top with, clearly, no bra.
Jinx’s breath caught. She’d seen E. J. in her work clothes, classy, professional, head-turning. She’d seen her, and felt her, completely naked, the curves of her hips and breasts and the slight roundness of her belly, her skin warm and soft to the touch. In either circumstance, Jinx could barely take her eyes off her, but this—the sight of E. J. so casual, so at ease, the expanse of bare flesh that teased the memory of the rest concealed beneath the light fabric—was far more than simply beauty or sexiness. This, Jinx was sure, was a side of E. J. very few people got to see, and her body responded to the realization that she was one of those few. Some of E. J.’s guard appeared to be down—not all, Jinx could tell, but some—and a different E. J. peeked out.
“What’s the matter?” E. J.’s smile faded. She looked down at herself. “I’m sorry. You said to relax. Is this too—”
“Uh…no.” Jinx cleared her throat. “Not at all. You look…very…relaxed.” She turned back to the plates to quell the desire pulsing through her. She tore off a piece of plastic wrap from the roll and started covering Kenny’s dinner.
E. J.’s arms snaked around Jinx’s waist and the full length of her body pressed against her backside.
Jinx stilled, a quiet moan escaping her throat.
E. J. rose onto her toes and lifted the hair off the back of Jinx’s neck. She kissed the bare skin. “Dinner smells good,” she whispered.
Jinx turned in her embrace, Kenny’s meal in one hand. “It’ll be just a sec.” She looked down into E. J.’s eyes, their green darker with arousal.
E. J. glanced at the covered plate and stepped back. “Okay, you have to tell me what that’s about.”
Jinx chuckled at the abrupt shift in focus, but she was grateful for the reprieve. “It’s for Kenny.”
E. J. looked up. “Kenny? The guy outside?”
Jinx nodded.
E. J. blinked, looking confused.
“He’s homeless,” Jinx said. “He doesn’t have anything.”
“So, you feed him?”
Jinx shifted, uncertain of E. J.’s questions. “Just dinner.” E. J. couldn’t be one of those people who wouldn’t give a homeless person money because they’ll just spend it on booze or wouldn’t give them food because it’ll just encourage them to hang around. Could she? If she was, Jinx was fairly sure an ex-con wouldn’t be in the picture long. Again, better to know now. She waited.
E. J. hesitated. “Every night?”
Jinx nodded again. She looked away, then back to E. J.’s bemused expression. “He won’t take anything else. But he doesn’t have any food. And he—”
E. J. pressed her fingertips to Jinx’s lips, silencing her. Then she replaced them with her mouth in a deep, fervent kiss.
Jinx struggled to hold on to the plate. She gripped E. J. around the hips with her free arm and pulled her against her. When E. J. finally drew away, they were both panting.
E. J. stared into Jinx’s eyes. “Every time I see you, you amaze me in a new way.”
“What do you mean?” Jinx wasn’t even sure she’d heard correctly. All she knew was one more kiss like that and she’d have E. J. down on the kitchen floor.
“That’s so kind.” E. J.’s breath was still uneven. She traced Jinx’s jaw, then slipped her fingers into Jinx’s hair. She started to lean in again.
“No, no.” Jinx caught her by the waist and eased her away. “Let me take this to Kenny.”
“Of course.” E. J. smiled a little sheepishly. “I’m sorry.”
Jinx waved to Kenny from the doorway, then set the plate and thermos on the porch as she did every night. They rarely spoke, but every once in a while, she’d find a small bundle of wildflowers beside his empty dishes the next day. When she stepped back inside and closed the door, E. J. still watched her.
“Okay.” Jinx felt herself blush a little. E. J.’s attention, what she thought of her, the intensity of her desire, was so incredibly unbelievable, sometimes it overwhelmed her—and, already, the potential loss of it terrified her. “Okay, now, what would make you happy? Food or…”
“Both,” E. J. said without hesitation. She shot Jinx a burning gaze. “In that order and very close together.”
Jinx grinned. “I have the perfect plan, then.” She retrieved a pair of chopsticks she’d saved from takeout and grabbed the remaining plate. This had actually been her plan all along. She took a bottle of water from her fridge and held it out to E. J. “White wine?”
E. J. laughed and took it. “Mmmm,” she said, studying the label. “A very good year.”
“Follow me.” Jinx led her to the bed, propped a pillow against the headboard, and settled into it. She opened her arms, the plate in one hand, and patted the hollow of her shoulder. As E. J. snuggled in against her, Jinx’s arousal simmered, but she could get through dinner—she hoped. “I’m sorry if I smell like wet dog. I could go take a quick shower while you eat, if you want.”
E. J. snaked an arm over Jinx’s stomach and a leg across her thighs. “You’re not going anywhere.” She tilted her head up and inhaled deeply. “At least you smell like clean wet dog.” She giggled. She buried her nose in Jinx’s neck. “Actually, you know what you smell like?” She whispered. Her warm breath feathered across the sensitive spot behind Jinx’s earlobe.
Jinx’s pulse jumped. “What?”
E. J. nuzzled closer. “You smell like a well taken care of, clean, wet dog.” She inhaled again. “You smell like the delicious stir-fry you so sweetly made for Kenny and me. You smell like laughter. And kindness. And comfort.” She looked up into Jinx’s face. “And the best damned sex I’ve ever had.”
A flurry of desire caused a tremor in Jinx’s abdomen. Arousal pooled between her thighs, but she managed a grin. She picked up a mushroom with the chopsticks and held it to E. J.’s lips.
With a smile, E. J. took it. “You certainly know how to pamper,” she murmured as she chewed.
Jinx took her own bite.
They ate quietly for a while, the only sound in the room an occasional contented sigh from E. J. as she closed her mouth around a clump of sauce-soaked rice or baby corn, or a low moan from Jinx at E. J.’s hand caressing her stomach beneath her T-shirt.
“Do you always eat in bed?” E. J. asked finally as she tightened her leg over Jinx’s hips and sat up, straddling her.
“Only when I’m feeding a beautiful woman.” Jinx smiled up at her and gave her some bok choy.
“I hear that’s never,” E. J. said with a teasing glint in her eyes. She rotated her hips ever so slightly. “I heard no one ever comes over.”
Jinx jerked as a jolt of arousal shot through her. “That seems to be changing.” She nudged up into E. J. “Just a couple weeks ago t
his gorgeous blonde called me from a bar, and when I went to get her, she came home with me and we ate strawberries right here in this very bed.”
“Hmmm,” E. J. said, accepting the last bite of stir-fry. “She sounds like a floozy.”
Jinx laughed. “Maybe, but a very sexy one.”
E. J. gasped and swatted Jinx’s side. “You were supposed to defend my honor.”
“It’s a little hard when you’re sitting on top of me looking like that.”
“Looking like what?” E. J.’s tone was seductive. She took the plate and leaned over to set it on the nightstand. Her breasts hung loose in the confines of the tank top, and the stiff points that’d been taunting Jinx since E. J. came out of the bathroom moved closer to Jinx’s face.
Jinx cradled a breast in each hand, their weight playing against her palms. She thumbed the nipples.
E. J. moaned and tightened her thighs around Jinx’s hips.
“Like that,” Jinx whispered, wanting to keep E. J. right where she was. Jinx was learning when E. J. wanted to wait and when she couldn’t, when she needed release before anything else. Jinx could always wait, and right now she wanted nothing more than to take her time pleasuring E. J. for as long as E. J. could stand it.
*
As E. J. began to calm from an all-consuming orgasm, Jinx covered her lips with her own.
E. J. moaned softly into Jinx’s mouth as Jinx let her fingers linger with two final strokes, then slipped out. E. J. collapsed onto her, and Jinx took her into a gentle embrace.
E. J. lay quietly for a long time, her breathing slow, her body relaxed. Just when Jinx thought she might have fallen asleep, she spoke. It was almost a whisper. “As I said, you certainly know how to pamper.”
Jinx laughed softly. “I’m not done.” She kissed the top of E. J.’s head. “There’s a lot more pampering to be done.”
E. J. smiled up at her. “Well, there are some things I’d like to do to you, too. Do you think there’s time?” She eased her hand beneath Jinx’s shirt.
Jinx fought to stay focused as E. J.’s nails grazed her bare skin. “I don’t know. How long can you stay?” She’d meant it as a joke, but E. J. sobered.
Embracing the Dawn Page 9
