Imperfect Justice

by Olivia Jaymes

  He waited there, not moving and she realized he was waiting for a sign from her. She dug her fingers into the hard muscles of his back and lifted her hips, slightly letting them sway right and then left. Shivers of pleasure ran straight to her clit and she repeated the motion, drawing a moan from her own lips.

  This was what people read and talked about.

  Jared began to move, slowly at first and then faster as her sighs and moans urged him on. Pleasure rushed through her like a waterfall with every stroke and thrust of his cock. He grunted and buried his head in the crook of her neck, his teeth nibbling the flesh there. The combination of pleasure and pain was too much and Misty tumbled over the edge, her body tightening on his.

  He growled her name as he too climaxed, and she closed her eyes as the room tilted and swirled around her. Nothing could come close to how she felt with him at the moment. She’d given control of her body over to him and had no regrets. She wouldn’t have missed this – him – for anything. Maybe she’d never feel this again but she would always know what was possible.

  “Are you okay?” His lips brushed the top of her head. “That was amazing.”

  She nodded, her cheek rubbing his chest where she could feel the steady thud of his heart. “I’m okay…exhausted. Isn’t that what you said I should be?”

  He chuckled and she felt it rumble under her ear. “That is what I said. Why don’t you close your eyes and get some rest? We can talk about this later.”

  Her lids floating closed, she didn’t argue. Her limbs felt heavy and she just needed a little sleep. Just a few hours.

  And then she’d want to do this all over again.

  Misty hadn’t known how to act the next morning. She’d expected it to be awkward between her and Jared but he’d gone out of his way to make her feel at ease. It was hard to put aside the intimate things they’d done to one another only hours before. He’d encouraged her to explore her sexual curiosity and the results had been mind-bending. She’d been suppressing her sensual hunger for years but with Jared it felt safe to give way to those urges.

  Now it was almost morning, the sky a charcoal gray waiting for the sun to rise and paint it with vivid colors of daylight. Jared was in her bathroom getting dressed and she was brewing a pot of strong tea. She poured the hot dark liquid into two mugs and added lemon and sugar to hers. Tightening the tie on her flannel robe, she leaned against the counter and sipped her tea in the silence.

  A click and the bathroom door was open, Jared stepping into the main room. He wore last night’s clothes and his jaw was covered with dark stubble, but he’d tamed his hair that had been disheveled from her fingers winding through it as his tongue had done naughty things to very private places.

  “I guess I should be going.”

  Jared picked up his coat and shrugged it on, his expression giving nothing away. Was he happy to leave or did he wish he could stay? She was confused herself so she wouldn’t blame him if he didn’t know. Part of her wanted him to leave so she could be alone with her thoughts but another part of her wanted him to stay and continue the sensual exploration they’d started the night before.

  “I made tea.” She pointed to the mug but he shook his head. “Sorry I don’t have any coffee.”

  “I need to get on the road. I have to get back to my place, shower, and change for work today.” He paused and smiled. “Listen, I hope you don’t regret what we did. I know I don’t. But you’re still planning to leave, right?”

  She placed the mug on the counter. “Yes, that hasn’t changed. I guess our timing sucks.”

  “Yeah, it kind of does, doesn’t it? If you weren’t leaving…”

  “But I am,” she said quickly. Making love to him was amazing but she wouldn’t be deterred from her plans. “So you know more about this than I do. What happens now?”

  “Usually one night stands don’t end well because one of the parties wants more. But this is different.” He held out his hand. “How about we shake and be friends? I like you, Misty, whether we sleep together or not. I think you’re a good person. I’d like to be able to call you my friend.”

  She placed her hand in his larger one, the skin warm and comforting. “I’d like that. I think you’re a good person too. So we’re friends now?”

  His hand fell away and she felt a sense of loss. “We are. If you ever need anything you just let me know.”

  “You too,” she replied as he stuck his hat on his head and fished in his pocket for car keys. “Drive careful.”

  “I will. Let me know if you need a ride back to the garage.”

  It was sweet of him to offer but it was better if she didn’t see much of him from here on out. He made her normally logical thoughts fuzzy. She’d ask Rayne for a ride.

  “I’ll be fine. Thank you. I mean…for the ride home last night.”

  He smiled a little wider at her stammer. She didn’t want him to think she was thanking him for the terrific sex although she probably should. He’d shown her a side of herself she hadn’t even known existed.

  Or maybe she did and that’s why she’d worked so hard to suppress it.

  He leaned forward and dropped a kiss on her forehead. His male scent surrounded her and she had to force her arms to stay at her side instead of wrapping around his waist.

  “Take care, Misty.”

  “Bye, Jared.”

  Then he was gone. She watched from the window as he drove away, his taillights finally disappearing in the distance. Sitting down on the rumpled bed that still smelled like sex she lifted a pillow to her nose and breathed in deeply of the woodsy citrus scent that would always remind her of Jared. She wrapped her arms around it and pulled it close to her chest.

  It was one night and it was over. She needed to concentrate on her future. Outside of Fielding. And away from Jared Monroe.

  Chapter Seven

  “Are you coming down with something?” Rayne asked Misty as they sat in the diner. Misty had been busy with preparations for moving – packing, turning utilities on in Seattle, among other things.

  She and Jared had kept to their bargain. Neither of them had called the other since that night. She’d seen him once at the pizza place but they’d simply smiled and nodded. Just as casual friends might.

  Misty didn’t want to think about how she’d reacted. Her pulse had sped up and her palms started to sweat. Even her stomach had gone fluttery when he was near.

  She couldn’t get their night together out of her mind. She thought about it constantly, torturing herself in the middle of the night. She needed to move on and packing her apartment was a good start.

  “I think I might be,” Misty admitted. “All I do in the evenings is lie on the recliner and fall asleep in front of the television.”

  Rayne wrinkled her nose. “Is your throat sore? That’s usually how it starts. Body aches? Fever? Stuffy nose?”

  Misty shook her head. “Just tired. Maybe it’s stress from the move or something.”

  Rayne sighed, her mouth turned down. “I’m going to miss you so much. I swear you’re the only person around here I can talk to. You know, really talk to.”

  “What about your sister?”

  “I love my sister but she and I are different people. I want to be there for her now that she’s pregnant but she’s not making it easy. Her hormones must be on the rampage because she’s been having these tantrums. When she wants something she wants it now, and she expects all of us to drop whatever we’re doing and run and it get for her while she sits back like Jabba the Hutt. Even Mike has about had it and he’s in love with her.”

  “What does your mom say?” Misty asked. Rayne was close to her mother even though she lived in Florida.

  “My mom says Camy is using her pregnancy as an excuse to act like a bitch and that we all need to take a stand or she’ll be even worse when the baby comes. She mentioned doing some sort of dance in the moonlight for the Goddess.” Rayne rolled her eyes and groaned. Rayne’s mother could only be described as eccentric.
“I can’t imagine her getting worse but Mom might have a point. I’m not too worried about it though. She’s planning to fly up here when Camy has the baby, and if you know my mom you know she’ll put my sister in her place within five minutes. I can’t wait to see it.”

  Misty had never met Rayne’s mom but she sounded like a formidable woman despite her mystical air.

  “It sounds like you’ll be too busy with your sister to miss me but we can Skype. I hope you’ll come visit soon too. Maybe in the summer. That’s supposed to be a nice time of year in Seattle.”

  Rayne waved to get the attention of the waitress. “I’m already tired of the cold and snow. Every winter seems longer than the last. That reminds me. How’s your car doing since you got it out of the shop? No problems?”

  Did everything have to remind Misty of Jared? If her car hadn’t broken down he wouldn’t have given her a ride home. And if he hadn’t given her a ride home…

  “No problems, although I’m glad I won’t be needing it so much after I move. Eventually I’ll have to save for a new one.”

  The waitress finally made it to their table, pad and pencil in hand. “Anything else or just the check?”

  “Refills for both of us,” Rayne replied. “And maybe a slice of that apple pie with ice cream on top.”

  The woman scribbled something down and smiled. “I’ll have that right out to you. Good choice, by the way. The pie was freshly made this morning and smells wonderful. How about some caramel sauce on top?”

  “Perfect,” Rayne agreed, mirroring the woman’s smile. “I love apple and caramel.”

  The waitress bustled back to the kitchen and Misty’s gaze went to the front windows and Main Street. The sheriff’s station was only a block down. It was Saturday but Jared might be working. Misty didn’t know much about law enforcement but she’d heard they worked strange hours.

  Just stop.

  She was doing it again. Daydreaming about Jared when she should be doing something else. Anything else.

  “You know, you’ve been acting weird lately. Is there anything you want to talk about? Are you second-guessing your decision to move?”

  Misty hadn’t told Rayne about her night with Jared. She didn’t know what to say or how to explain what made her do it. And she sure as hell didn’t know how she felt about him now. Until she was clear in her mind she didn’t know how to talk about it.

  “No,” Misty said firmly. “I’ve been waiting for years to leave. This is absolutely the right thing to do. And I haven’t been acting weird. I’ve just been preoccupied with all the things I need to get done before I leave. I have a bunch of packing still to do.”

  “I’ll help you with that. We’ll have it done in no time.”

  The waitress slid the slab of caramel apple pie in between them. Two scoops of vanilla ice cream melted on top leaving a milky pool on the plate. The strong aroma of apples and cinnamon wafted around Misty’s nose and her stomach heaved in her abdomen. Eyes watering, she tried to pretend she wasn’t bothered.

  She failed.

  “Holy crap, are you okay? You look positively green.” Rayne looked down at the plate of apple pie and ice cream. “Since when does apple pie make you sick?”

  “It’s not,” Misty denied, although she couldn’t even look at the plate. The ice cream had melted even more and was mixing with the caramel into some sort of milk soup that turned her stomach until bile was in the back of her throat. “I’m fine.”

  “You’re not fine. You’re the color of a Martian from outer space.” Rayne’s gaze never wavered from Misty’s face. “You really are sick, aren’t you? I think we need to get you home and into bed. The sooner you start resting up the sooner you’ll get better.” Rayne signaled for the check and began to gather her purse and gloves. “Let’s head home and I’ll make you a nice cup of herbal tea. That should settle your stomach. You must be coming down with the flu.”

  A feeling of dread settled in Misty’s chest. She’d been staring at her calendar every single day since that night with Jared. Waiting.

  “Can we make a stop first?” Misty asked, her voice quavering with emotion.

  “Sure, where do you want to go?” Rayne paid the bill – it was her turn – and pulled car keys from her purse.

  “A drug store. Preferably one out of town where no one knows me.”

  Rayne’s brows were furrowed but then understanding crossed her features. “Oh God. Are you sure?”

  “No.” Misty shook her head, feeling miserable but not from the smells any longer. “It’s just a hunch. It’s early yet. But apple and cinnamon has never made me nauseous before.”

  “The sooner you find out for sure the better. Let’s go,” Rayne said brusquely. “Everything is going to be alright.”

  If Misty’s suspicions were true, nothing would ever be the same again.

  Lindsey Hicks looked completely different from the woman Jared had seen in the courtroom five years ago. Then her hair had been long and lifeless, her body stick thin, and her face pale and gray. She’d had a perpetually sullen look that had struck Jared as almost petulant as she’d sat there during Boyd’s trial. When the verdict had come down, she’d walked out of the courtroom without a look back at her husband.

  The woman before Jared today didn’t have much in common with the former female. Dark hair was trimmed and styled so it curled around her chin. Her face was carefully and skillfully made up and her body was no longer emaciated. In khaki pants and an argyle sweater she looked every inch the happy housewife in a middle-class suburban neighborhood.

  Lindsey sat across from Jared in the comfortable living room decorated in green and gold. There were pictures of a small young girl on the mantle which he knew from his research was the daughter Tilly who was currently in foster care. He’d also learned that Lindsey had a court date coming up to try and regain custody of her daughter. Currently she was only allowed supervised visits.

  “So how can I help you, Sheriff?”

  “I appreciate you talking with me, Mrs. Hicks. As you know I’m here to talk about your ex-husband Boyd.”

  “Jackson,” she corrected, her posture going stiff. “It’s Lindsey Jackson now. And as I told you on the phone, I’m not sure how I can help you. I haven’t seen Boyd in years – not since his sentencing.”

  Jared pulled out a small notebook and a pen. “You didn’t talk to him on the phone or visit him?”

  “No, by the time Boyd was sentenced I knew I needed to get clean. I knew I couldn’t do that if I was still married to him.”

  She certainly seemed to have turned her life around. No one would ever need to know about her less than pristine past. Jared had seen very few people overcome addiction and he had a great respect for this woman for doing just that.

  “But you almost died from an OD several months later,” he reminded her. “And you didn’t file for divorce from Boyd for another six months after that.”

  Her hand fluttered to her throat and her composure slipped for a moment. “I’m not sure I can explain how time feels when you are…under the influence.”

  “You don’t have to,” he assured her. “I’m just trying to understand the events of the last five years.”

  “The only thing that is important to me is my daughter. I just want to make sure that Boyd stays away from her. Can you keep him from seeing her?”

  Lindsey’s tone was urgent and she’d leaned forward, her eyes pleading.

  “Do you have any reason to believe that Boyd knows where your daughter is residing?”

  Jared could find out where Tilly was living, but unless there was some credible threat to her life he couldn’t really do anything except warn the foster parents not to let the young girl out alone where Boyd might be able to kidnap her.

  “Well…no. But I don’t want him to have access to her.”

  Jared scratched down a note to check on whether Boyd had inquired about visiting his daughter.

  “I’ll check on whether he’s tried to see her. D
o you think he would hurt her, Mrs. Jackson? Harm her in some way?”

  The woman’s cheeks had turned red and those hands that had fluttered uselessly before were balled into fists. “Just being around her would be awful. He’ll lead her down a bad path just as he led me. My addiction is all his fault and I won’t let that happen to Tilly.”

  He didn’t want to upset her any longer so he changed the subject.

  “What can you tell me about Dale Hicks and his relationship with Boyd?”

  Lindsey’s mouth twisted and her gaze dropped. “That’s complicated.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  She looked back up at Jared. “Dale and Boyd are very competitive.”

  Jared felt the phone in his shirt pocket vibrate but he’d let the call go to voicemail. This was too important to allow interruptions.

  “Boyd said Dale framed him for the robbery. Why would he do that?”

  “They were always angry with each other for some slight, real or imagined. Both of them have a mean streak to boot. If Dale had twenty dollars Boyd wanted twenty dollars too. Plus Dale’s twenty. And vice versa.”

  That sounded like what Jared knew of the two men. Citizens of the year they were not.

  “Do you think Dale actually framed Boyd?”

  “Why would I know anything about that? I’m just as in the dark as you.” She stood, obviously agitated, and walked over to the fireplace where pictures of her daughter sat. “I’m just worried about Tilly. You don’t think they’ll let him see her, do you?”

  He had to be honest. “I honestly don’t know, Mrs. Jackson. I’m not really involved in that type of law.”

  Her fingers glided over a few picture frames lovingly. “I just want to put my past behind me. Are we done?”

  “I do have one last question. When he was sentenced, Boyd threatened the Fielding sheriff’s department because he felt we had helped convict him wrongly. Did he ever talk to you about that?”

  Shaking her head, she walked to the windows that overlooked the front yard. “My husband is home so I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to go now. He doesn’t like reminders of my past. For obvious reasons.”