"It'll scare the kids."
Like her deranged husband breaking into her house wouldn't scare them worse? She counted to ten. "Doug will scare them more if he gets in your house. And aren't the kids sleeping?"
"They woke up when they heard me walking around."
Helen took a deep breath. She knew the psychology of abused women. And she knew how much Melinda needed to protect her children. "The best way to protect Andrea and Linc is to call the police."
"Okay, I'll call them." Melinda's voice shook.
"Call me back when they get to your house."
"Okay."
She clicked off, and Helen drew her arm back to throw the phone at the wall with frustration.
Jamie walked in and lunged for her hand, prying the phone out of her grasp. "The police are on their way to her place."
"God!" She shoved her hands through her hair. "She doesn't want to scare her kids. Doesn't she realize what will happen if Doug gets into the house?"
Jamie pulled her into his side. "She isn't thinking about herself. She's thinking about her kids."
"Yeah, but what happens to them if she's dead? Or in the hospital?"
"She's not thinking about that," he repeated. He stroked his hand over her back. "She's doing what she thinks is right to protect them."
Helen closed her eyes and curled into Jamie's side. "Sometimes I wonder why I focus on custody cases. Why didn't I go into something less stressful, like corporate law?"
"You're trying to protect children," he murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Because that's who you are."
She stood up and grabbed her robe off the back of a chair. "I need some tea. You want some?"
"Not really a tea drinker," he said, standing and pulling on his pants. "But I'll put some water on if you want to get dressed."
Jamie was doing exactly what she needed, Helen realized. He was calm. Steady. Letting know he was there, letting her vent, not telling her what to do. "Thank you," she said, leaning over to kiss him. "I'll be out in a minute."
After the tea was made and poured, they sat at the kitchen table. The clock on the wall ticked loudly in the silence. She had one hand curled around the mug, the other entwined with Jamie's hand. "This would have been a lot harder if you weren't here," she said after awhile.
"Glad I was here, then." He nodded at the mug in her hand. "Better not get any ideas about tossing that at the wall, though. Trying to smash your phone was bad enough. If I step between that mug and the wall?" He shuddered theatrically. "Hot tea could do some serious damage to a guy."
"Not going to throw the mug," she said, her mouth curling up. She wouldn't have bet on smiling after that phone call. "Too much clean up."
His hand tightened on hers. "You have a lot of clients like this?"
"I have my share, but Doug is the worst in a long time." She shook her head. "No one is at their best during a divorce. And when kids are involved..." She took a sip of hot tea. "It's bad."
"You make it less bad," he said. "And you know it. That's why you do it." He shook his head. "God, Helen. How do you do this when you're here alone?"
He closed his eyes. "Wait. Don't answer that. I don't want to hear about anyone else who's been here with you."
"Jamie." She nudged his foot with hers until he opened his eyes. "There hasn't been anyone here for a while." She hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "No one since that night."
"Which night?"
She rolled her eyes. "Do I have to spell it out? That night we met at the club."
"I wasn't digging for information," he protested.
"Of course you were, but it's okay." She sighed. "I seem to be telling you all my secrets tonight."
"Then I guess it's only fair to tell you one of mine." He drew her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm. "There hasn't been anyone for me since that night, either."
"Really?" That was...amazing. Scary as hell. "That's...wow."
"Yeah."
They stared at each other for a long time. She finally leaned across the table and kissed him. "I'm glad I waited for you."
"Me, too."
This was getting too heavy. She jumped up and opened the back door. The evening had cooled down, but the air was still warm. She stepped outside and breathed in the scent of Chicago, watching the moonlight glint off the new plants in her garden.
Jamie stepped out behind her, wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck. "Is that your garden in the back yard?"
"It is. I love fresh tomatoes in the summer. Nothing tastes as good."
"Mmmm," he said against her skin. "I can think of something."
"You're delusional." She smiled, staring down at her tiny tomato plants. "We'll do a taste test in August."
"Sounds good to me," he said lazily.
Wait. August was two months away. She'd given herself a month with Jamie.
The thought of not seeing him in August, not sharing her tomatoes with him, made her chest tight and her heart ache. "Maybe..." Her phone began to ring, and she fumbled it out of her pocket. "Hello?"
"It's Melinda." The woman took a deep, shaky breath. "The police are here. They're looking for the car. An officer is going to park on the street tonight, too."
"That's good, Melinda." Helen relaxed her shoulders. Had she tensed because of the phone call? Or was it realizing Jamie wouldn't be with her in August? "Call me in the morning, okay? We need to talk about your options." She couldn't do it tonight. Not when Melinda was still so rattled and upset. "The police will find Doug," she said briskly. "When they do, I'll push for him to be held without bail."
"Thank you, Helen." Melinda took another breath. "The kids are asleep. I'm glad you made me call the police. I feel safer now."
"Good. Try to get some sleep yourself, Melinda. I'll talk to you in the morning."
She turned off the phone and slipped it back into her pocket. "The police are looking for him. A squad car will be outside her house tonight."
"That works for tonight. But she won't be safe until that guy is locked up."
"No. She won't." She shivered in the warm night air. "Maybe...it might be time for Melinda to disappear with her kids."
"As in run away?" His voice was calm. No judgment. No disapproval.
She nodded "I'm afraid of what could happen. Doug is losing it – he attacked me, twice, because I'm representing her. He violated the order of protection and repeatedly drove past her house. I don't want Melinda to be a story in the newspaper – the one where everyone knew the guy was dangerous but the police couldn't stop him from killing his ex."
He smoothed his hand up and down her arm, as if soothing her. "With everyone so connected these days, disappearing isn't easy."
"No. But there's a group..." She turned to face him. "I can't tell you any details. But they help women disappear."
"Do you think Melinda will agree?"
"I have no idea. I hope so. All I can do is give her the option and hope she takes it."
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her close. His skin was warm against hers. Comforting. He smelled like Jamie – like wood and coffee and the outdoors. "You have a tough job."
"Yeah." She shivered, and he hugged her against his side. "There are times when I'm almost glad I can't have kids," she said, her voice wobbly. "That's what I couldn't tell you earlier. I've seen so many horrible things – the way parents turn their children into weapons they use against their spouses. The way kids are bargaining chips in a divorce. All the ways parents hurt their kids. Damage them. I guess...I guess I'm not sure I want to be a parent."
"You'd never do any of those things to your children," he murmured into her ear, kissing her temple. "And you wouldn't get involved with a guy who would. I saw how you were with your family. How important they are to you. You'd never hurt a child that way." He turned her to face him and kissed her, and she found herself leaning into him. Deepening the kiss.
He finally separated from her, one inch at a time, as
if he couldn't bear to let her go. "You can't let your job bleed into your life that way," he murmured. "You're not your clients. People like you are the ones who should have kids."
Jamie would help her keep her head on straight. He wouldn't let her brood about her clients and worry that she'd become like them. She cupped his cheeks with her hands. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you for saying that."
Jamie was good for her. His upbeat, positive approach to life was the perfect antidote to her serious nature. To her worry and brooding.
She wanted to hold onto him and never let go. She wanted his lightness in her life, his joy, his ability to make her laugh.
But she couldn't give him what he wanted. She'd have to let him go.
Just not today.
"Let's go back to bed," he whispered. "You need a distraction, and I have some ideas about that."
"Yeah?" She nudged him with her elbow, already smiling. "What kind of ideas?"
"Hmmm." He tugged at the sash of her robe. "First, this thing has to go."
"On the back porch? In front of all the neighbors?"
Even in the darkness, she saw the flash of arousal in his eyes, the color that swept over his cheekbones. "I didn't say anything about where it would come off." He nipped at her collarbone, nuzzled aside the lapel of the robe. His tongue drew lazy circles around her nipple. "You like it when people watch?"
She shivered. "Only you, Jamie. I only like you to watch."
"Do you want to take this inside, then?" He moved lower, tracing her ribs with his mouth, swirling his tongue into her belly button.
She arched against him, sliding her hands down his back and into his jeans to squeeze his ass. "It's the middle of the night," she murmured against his neck. "No one's out here."
He sucked in a breath. "You sure, Helen?" He spun her around and backed her against the wall. Now they were hidden in the shadows, but if anyone looked closely, it would be obvious what they were doing.
"Am I sure about this?" she said, easing her hands out of his jeans and undoing the button at his waistband. "I thought you wanted to distract me."
"Hope it's working for you," he muttered. "Because it's really working for me."
She pressed her mouth to his chest, felt the muscles tense beneath her lips. When she swirled her tongue around his flat nipple, it drew into a hard, tiny bud and he arched his hips into hers. "Fuck, Helen," he moaned.
Pleased with his response, she shoved his jeans down his thighs and curled her fingers around him, sliding her thumb through the liquid that beaded at the top. "I want to taste that," she said, bending to take him into her mouth.
"Oh, God, Helen." She swirled her tongue around the sensitive tip, and he bucked helplessly into her mouth. "I don't give a damn if the whole city is watching," he groaned. "Don't stop. Please don't stop."
"Mmmm," she hummed, knowing he'd feel the vibration, and his hips twitched.
When she finally released him with a tiny pop, he grabbed her head and kissed her. There was no finesse to his kiss. It was all tongues – hot and dirty and rough. As if he wanted to devour her.
His hand fumbled at the sash of her robe, and the short silky garment fell open. The warm air hit her overheated skin, and she moaned at the sensation. He palmed her ass to lift her, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. The next moment he was inside her, thrusting wildly.
"Can't stop," he said, wrapping his arms around her to cushion the wall against her back. "Can't slow down." He bent his head and took her nipple in his mouth. "You're wrecking me, Helen. Destroying me."
"No more than you're doing to me," she gasped. He was winding her more and more tightly. So fast. So high. He changed his angle and thrust once more, and she exploded.
She muffled her cries against his shoulder, and he shuddered as he followed her over. When they finally stopped moving, he pressed his forehead to hers. "Helen."
That was all he said. Just her name. But he said it as if she was everything. All he wanted. All he needed.
Her heart swelled and her breath caught. She was in this with Jamie too deeply. She should be worried. But right now, all she wanted was to hold him tight and stand on her back porch with him forever.
Chapter 11
The next morning, Jamie lounged on her bed and watched as she dressed for work. He was naked, which wasn't helping her concentrate on dressing, and his gaze drifted over her like a caress. She tried to ignore all that golden skin and smooth muscle, but she couldn't tear her gaze away.
When Jamie was nearby, she had a hard time focusing on anything but him.
Now she was trying to hurry, but having him watch her made her hands shake. She dropped her shirt on the bed as she tried to slip it on.
They'd spent way too much time in the shower this morning. By the time they got out, the hot water was gone and her body was limp and boneless. It was ridiculous to be thinking about jumping his bones again.
He must have read her mind, because his cock twitched and began to swell. "When do you have to be in court?" His voice had gone all rough velvet and his eyes glittered.
"Too soon to do what you're thinking about."
He shifted and sat up, grinning at her. "Spoilsport." He lifted his arms over his head and stretched, highlighting his washboard abs and impressive chest. She froze as arousal rushed through her, hardening her nipples and bringing a flush to her chest and neck.
His eyes darkened and his cock swelled even more. "Seriously, Helen? You've got 'fuck me, Jamie' written all over your face and you expect me to get dressed and head off to work?"
"Suck it up, Jamie."
"I was kind of hoping you'd take care of that for me."
His teasing broke the spell that had frozen her in place, and she laughed as she threw a pillow at him. "That was completely lame. Get moving or I'll be late for court."
He stroked his cock twice, as if apologizing for neglecting it, then stood and reached for his shirt. His cock bobbed against his belly, and she glanced at the clock. Maybe...
No. They were leaving. No clothes were coming off.
Fifteen minutes later, she'd eaten a bowl of yogurt and strawberries and filled her travel mug with tea. Jamie had declined to join her, telling her he'd lose his man card if he ate yogurt for breakfast.
As they headed down the stairs, her boot clunked on each step. "I'm going to be so glad when I can drive again."
"What? You don't like riding in my truck?" he teased.
"Your truck is very sexy," she said with a grin. "Just like its owner."
He slung an arm around her waist at the bottom of the stairs and nuzzled her neck. "Then what's the problem?"
"You can't drive me to work every morning."
"Why not?" He paused with the door half-way open. "I'm planning on being here every morning. Or you'll be at my place." One side of his mouth curled up. "So sharing a ride is environmentally responsible. Right?"
They wouldn't be sharing rides forever. But she wasn't going to think about that now. "What happens after you're done with my office?" she said lightly.
"We'll figure it out," he said, stroking her side. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, Helen Brody."
Her heart began thumping as he pushed the door open. The sun was shining, but that wasn't why her skin was so hot. Jamie smiled at her as if he knew what she was thinking and he wasn't going to let her get away with dumping him.
Time to change the subject. "Do you mind if I call Melinda on the way to the El stop?"
"Not at all."
As soon as she was in his truck, she stuck her tea in the cup holder and dialed Melinda. Her client's voice wobbled when she answered. "Hello?"
"It's Helen, Melinda. Was everything peaceful last night after we talked?"
"Yes." The woman on the other end of the phone drew in a shaky breath. "He didn't come back, and Andrea and Linc went right back to sleep."
"How about you?"
She didn't answer for a long moment. Finally she said, "I slept
."
Which meant Melinda hadn't slept much. "I have court this morning," Helen said. "But I'd like to get together with you this afternoon and run some ideas past you. There's a coffee shop down the street from my office. Could you meet me there at two?"
"I'll have the kids with me."
Damn. She didn't want to talk about sending Melinda into hiding in front of the kids. "Could you find a sitter?"
"I'm not letting them out of my sight," Melinda said in a fierce voice. "Doug would love the opportunity to grab them."
Helen closed her eyes. All that sex in the shower this morning must have softened her brain. "You're right. I don't know what I was thinking. Bring them to my office, and we'll go from there."
When she hung up the phone, she realized they had gone past her El stop. "Where are you going? You missed my stop."
"I'm taking you to the Daley Center." His hand settled on her knee and headed north beneath her skirt. Her skin burned as if an electrical current ran through his fingers. "Figured it was only fair, since I made you late."
"I think we were equally to blame for that," she managed to say, trying to ignore the arousal that made her heart pound and blood pool between her legs.
His finger brushed over her panties and lingered for a long moment, then he took his hand away. "Here we are."
She took a deep breath, then another, trying to clear the lust from her brain. "Thanks for the ride," she said, knowing her voice was breathy and aroused. "I'll come to the office when I'm done here."
Jamie twisted and leaned against his door. "I heard what you were asking Melinda. You want me to take her kids to the park or something?"
"Thanks," she said, reaching for his hand and twining their fingers together. "I'll see what Melinda thinks. She doesn't want them out of her sight."
"You don't want them to hear what you're going to say, do you?"
"No. I think it's better if I talk to Melinda alone."
"That convenience store in the strip mall across from you has slushies. I'll take them there and she can watch from your office."
Love Me (The Donovan Family Book 1) Page 8
