Tarnished Soul: A Nine Minutes Spin-Off Novel

by Beth Flynn

  There was a murmur of agreement from the women.

  “I’m not going to lie. I’ve had it bad for Brooks.” She gestured to the rest of the ladies. “A lot of us do.” She tilted her head. “I don’t know what it is you have or what it is you’ve done to him, but I hope some of it rubs off on me.” She took another drag of her cigarette and smiled before adding, “Because there is still one decent prospect left, and I, for one, am not giving up.” She motioned toward X before offering her hand to Lucy. “Just like Christy, you’re one of us now. Welcome to the family, Lucy.”

  The next fifteen minutes passed in a blur as Lucy was greeted with hearty congratulations, awkward hugs, and invitations to return. She overheard snippets of conversation while engaging with some of the camp regulars. One in particular had caught her attention. A certain woman, who hadn’t offered her congratulations, was comparing Jonas to someone named Grizz. It aroused Lucy’s curiosity and she would ask Jonas about it later. That is, if he was still speaking to her. She’d yet to get a read on him, but time would certainly tell.

  Seeing Jonas and Anthony towering above the crowd caused her thoughts to wander. Lucy didn’t think herself above anyone she’d met and was grateful they’d welcomed her but had no desire to return to Camp Sawgrass. She couldn’t measure their level of genuineness and it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Christy had promised her a drama-free wedding, and she’d delivered. It was at that moment Christy reappeared and whispered, “Time for your honeymoon to start. Anthony and I plan on leaving too. The booze and drugs have been flowing freely and at a rapid rate. It won’t take but a few more minutes for this crowd to get totally riled up.” She took Lucy’s hand and led her in the direction of their men. “I hope you don’t mind that you’re not getting a traditional reception, Lucy. No toast or cutting of the cake or first dance.”

  Lucy stopped and yanked Christy’s hand hard enough to spin her around. “You’ve already given me exactly what I want, Christy. You gave me Jonas Brooks.”

  Both Lucy and Jonas were escorted to his truck by Christy and Anthony. Christy gave Lucy an encouraging hug before she climbed in and closed the door. Christy then walked over to the men who were having a serious conversation out of Lucy’s earshot.

  Lucy swiped at her eyes. The contacts were starting to irritate her. She watched through blurry vision as Christy gave Jonas a fast hug goodbye. She held her breath as Jonas climbed into the driver’s seat, and without looking at her asked, “Where to?”

  “They didn’t tell you?”

  Staring straight ahead, Jonas started up his truck and said, “No, they didn’t, Lucy. They said I should hear it from you.”

  Lucy clipped her seat belt and said, “We’re going back to where this started.”

  “You want me to take you to the hospital?” Jonas’ voice contained an edge of mockery.

  “No need for sarcasm, Jonas. We’re going to your cabin.”

  Without saying a word, he put the truck in gear and pressed on the gas. The hour-long trek was met with stony silence. Lucy couldn’t read anything in his demeanor. He kept his eyes forward the entire ride. She refused to be intimidated by it and hummed their wedding song for almost the entire way. They finally pulled up to the cabin, and the first thing Lucy noticed was the industrial-sized generator on the side of the structure. After sharing with Christy how much Shasta and her sister had helped get the cabin in order for Jonas, Christy had contacted them for one more job before Shasta left for college. If the huge electricity-producing generator was part of Christy’s plan to whip the cabin into shape for their honeymoon, Lucy couldn’t even imagine what they would find inside.

  Jonas climbed out first and slammed the door closed. He reached into the bed of the truck and pulled out the same duffel bag he’d used before. Wow, Lucy thought. Christy did think of everything. Even going so far as to have someone gather some of Jonas’ belongings without him knowing it. Before he could open her door, she let herself out of the truck and walked toward the clearing where Jonas had stashed her old car during their first stay at the cabin. He followed closely behind her.

  “I don’t know what you hope to accomplish with this charade, Lucy.”

  She turned and gazed up at him. Putting her left hand to her brow to block the sun, she told him, “The same thing you hoped to accomplish when you first brought me here.” With that, she held up her right hand and showed him the set of keys he’d left in the ignition. She’d swiped them as soon as he’d gotten out of the truck. It appeared she’d been practicing all her life when she drew her arm back and pitched them over his head. It was obvious they’d found their mark when a memorable and distinctive plop broke the silence. She watched his jaw tighten before delivering the same words he’d thrown at her over the summer. “You. Me. Here. For thirty days. Whether you like it or not, Jonas.”

  Chapter 57

  Lucy thought she saw his jaw relax, but after he turned away from her and stomped toward the cabin, she was certain she’d imagined it. She followed him and waited as he opened the door and without looking in, waved her in ahead of himself.

  Lucy took one step inside and stopped so short, Jonas bumped into her. They both stood in stunned wonder as they gazed around the small space. She didn’t know how Christy accomplished it in a few short weeks, but she’d managed to have the cabin transformed without losing the charm of its quaint history. New appliances surrounded the homemade cabinetry, which had been given a fresh coat of paint. Even though there was a small electric oven, the ancient woodburning stove still sat in its place of honor in the corner. Two fans graced the front room ceiling along with rows and rows of twinkle lights that had been stapled to the wooden overhead beams. There was a new couch and a rustic coffee table. The corner table that previously held a lantern now boasted a small stereo system. There was a crate filled with albums. That’s why Christy asked me what kind of music Jonas and I liked, Lucy thought. The kitchen table was covered by a dainty lace tablecloth and showcased a small two-layer wedding cake with a motorcycle on top. The cake was flanked by two champagne flutes and a bucket of ice. A bottle of Dom Perignon peeked out over its rim.

  But none of those things were what stood out the most. Lucy left Jonas standing at the front door as she deliberately made her way to the back wall that separated the two rooms. She lovingly ran her hands over the books that were displayed on the floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that took up the entire space. She couldn’t fathom why she was so touched by the hundreds of volumes and found herself fighting tears that had been bravely hiding in a place of hope behind her eyes. That’s when she felt him.

  “All these books,” she heard him grumble from behind. “Total waste of time and money on Anthony and Christy’s part.”

  Lucy swallowed thickly before turning around to face him. Straightening her shoulders, she swung around and asked a little too arrogantly, “And why is that, Jonas?”

  He grabbed both her shoulders, the intensity of his gaze burning through her red-rimmed eyes and shooting straight down to her heart. “There won’t be any time for reading because I’m gonna be too busy making love to my wife.”

  He lowered his mouth to hers, and Lucy’s thoughts scattered everywhere. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, awakening to the hardness of his muscles beneath her hands and the scent and taste that were uniquely his. She’d been right. Jonas wanted her. He loved her. She could feel it in the way he gently but urgently became reacquainted with her mouth while his hands explored her aching flesh.

  Just as swiftly as he kissed her, Jonas pulled away. Time seemed to come to a halt while he fixated on her face. “There’s something we need to get straight.”

  She gazed up at him, and with a slight bob of her head replied, “Okay.”

  “I’ve already maimed and killed for you, Lucy.” He scrubbed a hand down his face and added, “Damn, I’d even die for you.”

  She interrupted him. “I disagree. You didn’t do those things for me. You did them for yourself. As out
landish as this sounds, I think you use it as a form of expression. Instead of admitting how much you loved me, you thought you were showing it by coming to my defense with Davey and protecting me from Mike Kelly. Or something like that. Can you admit that I might be right about this?”

  He narrowed his eyes. “Doesn’t matter. It’s all I know.” He allowed a moment to pass before continuing. “Which is why you need to understand now that the one thing I won’t or can’t do is change who and what I am for you.”

  Forgetting they were in her purse, Lucy robotically lifted her hand to push her glasses up her nose. Instantly, her hand took a detour as she reached for Jonas’ cheek and softly stroked his beard. “Considering I never asked you to maim, kill, or die for me—and never will—why would you think I would ask you to change who or what you think you are for me? I fell in love with the man who I know is in here.” She lightly tapped the place above his heart. “Yes, he’s the same man who does those things, but I don’t see that man when I look at you, Jonas.” She gave him a playful grin when she added, “Not even when your teardrops are a constant reminder.”

  He scooped her up in one rapid move and headed for the back room. “First, we get those fucking contact lenses out of your eyes.” He nibbled her ear and growled into it. “I love you, Lucy. I’ve loved you for six agonizing years.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and asked, “What’s the second thing?”

  “What second thing?” he asked absentmindedly as he carefully maneuvered them through the small entrance to the back.

  “You said we were going to get rid of my contact lenses first. So what’s the second thing?”

  He threw his head back and laughed. It felt like music to her ears. “I’ve been waiting too long to rock your world, baby. The second thing is...” There was a hint of mischief behind his eyes when he told her, “I’m not going to stop rocking it until we break the bed.”

  Chapter 58

  The back room had been as lovingly redecorated as the front one, but neither barely noticed as Jonas carried Lucy to the bed. She took her contacts out and flicked them off her fingers.

  “Good,” Jonas told her as he slowly started peeling away her clothes. “You don’t need them. Besides, I love your glasses.” He could feel his own heart, huge and thumping rapidly against his rib cage. The blood pumping through his neck matched the pulses ticking in his wrists as he discarded his clothes as well and settled himself on top of her. Kissing her neck, he whispered, “Thank you for not giving up on me, Lucy. I thought ripping off that bandage and breaking your heart only once was better than hurting you for a lifetime. You loved me too much to let me go, and I loved you too much to pull you down with me. Thank you for seeing the error in that and being brave enough to do what you did today. I love you so much, baby.”

  Lucy drank in a huge breath of air and tugged his face close to hers before admitting, “I wasn’t certain how you would react, so I made sure Hobie didn’t file the paperwork to make our marriage official. We’re not actually married yet, Jonas.”

  She couldn’t suppress a relieved giggle when Jonas replied, “Yeah, we are. Before we left, I told Bear to make sure Hobie did file it.”

  “Oh, Jonas!” She teasingly slapped at him. “Why did you make me think you were unhappy this whole time?”

  His answer was a light nip at her nose followed by, “I’ll explain later.”

  Lucy glanced up at him, and with her eyelids low, she managed to blush and smile all at the same moment. “No foreplay this time, Jonas. I want to feel you inside of me.”

  His hand between her legs confirmed she was ready, but he shook his head. His voice was laced with regret when he told her, “I’m not rushing this. I ruined this moment the first time. I won’t let it happen again.”

  “If you don’t want to ruin it, then give me what I’m asking for,” she pleaded. “There’ll be plenty of time for the rest.” Her eyes were wide and hopeful. “Please?”

  He leaned up on one arm and used the other to swipe the hair away from his face. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, more sure than anything in the world. And like I told you before, I know it’s going to hurt, but it’ll be okay.”

  His voice was low as he settled himself between her legs. “I’ll be as gentle as possible.”

  As she gazed up at him, the trust and need in her expression was almost his undoing. He paused and sat back like he had the first time.

  “No, Jonas. Not again!” she cried as she leaned up on her elbows.

  “It’s not that, Lucy.” With a pained expression, he admitted, “I’ve never done this before.”

  Her brows crinkled. “What? What do you mean you’ve never done this before?”

  “I’ve obviously slept with women before, but I never made love to them, Lucy. Not one of them. Ever. You’re the first, and I want to do right by you.”

  Her smile was so wide it hurt her cheeks. She pulled him back to her and said, “Good. We’re both bringing ‘firsts’ to this marriage. Make love to me, Jonas.”

  He held her face between his hands as he slowly entered her. She was so tight and wet he had to exercise more self-control than he’d ever known. He stopped when he met with resistance.

  Sensing his hesitancy, Lucy wrapped her legs tightly around him. And digging in with her heels against his tight buttocks, tried to force him to go further. When he didn’t, she said, “It’s okay, Jonas. Do it. Now.”

  He sucked in a breath before pushing himself inside completely and stopped when she cried out and squeezed her eyes closed. “I’m sorry, baby. I’ll stop if you want me to.” He watched as she opened her eyes and gave him a tentative smile.

  “It’s all good, Jonas. Keep going.” Her eyes locked with his while the thumbs of both his hands lightly massaged the sides of her face. Yet he still didn’t move inside her. “Please, Jonas. I promise it’s okay.”

  Starting out slowly, he allowed her to set the rhythm. And when he was certain she was no longer in pain, he took the lead and expertly brought them to a place of mutual pleasure. He kissed her neck as she threw her head back against the pillow while digging rivets in his arms and shoulders with her nails. He was certain she’d drawn blood. He’d had his face between her legs last summer and hadn’t been able to experience the look on hers when she’d found her release. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed. Her orgasm was the most beautiful thing he’d ever witnessed. A work of art he would never tire of gazing upon for the rest of his life.

  They spent the rest of the afternoon in bed, meticulously exploring each other’s bodies, only stopping once after their initial lovemaking to clean away the evidence of Lucy’s virginity. Despite her objections, he’d refused to enter her again, insisting it was too soon. Instead, they chose to please each other in various ways. Hours later, they lay spent and exhausted. The methodical hum of the ceiling fans kept pace with the sounds of nature coming through the screened windows.

  Lucy snuggled closer to Jonas as he lazily ran his rough and calloused hands up and down the side of her body, stopping to tease her nipple which hardened immediately at his touch. He misread the invitation when he told her, “I think we might need to slow it down a bit. I already told you I don’t want you too sore. We still have a lot of ground to cover, wife.”

  She lifted her head up and teased, “As much as I love your touch, husband, I’m actually feeling a little cold.” It was winter in South Florida and even though it wasn’t cold per se, the setting sun and the ceiling fan that hummed above them brought a slight chill which drifted through the screens and settled on her skin. “Besides, I’m pretty sure we covered all the ground there is to cover over the past few hours.”

  He pulled her closer into the heat of his embrace. Cocking his head slightly, he gently pinched her chin with his thumb and forefinger. Tilting her face up to his, he asked, “So, the woman who has never made love before is certain there’s no more ground to cover?”

  She sat up and looked down a
t him. “Jonas, I may not have any experience, but I can assure you I know everything there is to know about what goes on between the sheets. I haven’t perfected my foreplay techniques, but I will have before this honeymoon is over.”

  He raised an amused brow. “You know everything, huh? How’s that?”

  “I read. I study.”

  “You mean you watch porn,” he humorously accused.

  “Absolutely not!” She rolled her eyes. “I don’t need to watch porn, Jonas. I’m a scientist. I’ve done my research,” she added a little too defensively as she sat up even straighter.

  It took everything in his willpower to suppress a laugh. For as intelligent as she was, his bride was also so naïvely beautiful it tickled his heart. He reached for her then. When her eyes widened and his touch caused a moan to escape on her sweet breath, he asked, “You already know everything, right?”

  “Oh! Oh!” she screamed. “Jonas, what are you doing?”

  “Proving you wrong, Dr. Brooks.”

  Twenty minutes later, Jonas stood completely nude in front of the new refrigerator and dug out one of many catered premade meals Christy had provided. He felt Lucy’s arms encircle him from behind.

  “Looks like our champagne is no longer chilling,” she whispered against his back. “The ice melted.”

  Without turning around, he lifted one of her hands to his mouth and kissed it. “We can drink something else with this meal,” he informed her. Her answer was a sigh. He was surprised that when he let go of her hand, she squeezed him even tighter. He gently detached himself and turned around. Peering down at her, he inquired, “Is everything okay? We can put the champagne in the fridge. It’ll be cold again in no time.”

  She looked up at him sheepishly. “It’s not that, Jonas.”

  “What is it, baby?”

  She wrung her hands. “I’m not hungry yet and was wondering if you might come back to the bedroom?” She wouldn’t meet his eyes. “You know…” She pursed her lips before shyly adding, “To prove me wrong. One more time.”