by Lee Rose
“I wanted to see you, even if it was for a moment,” he explained in his soft voice. “I get lonely with just Mama and me. You’ve been so nice to me. I saw you go into your house one day when I was out for a walk. I started peeking in just to see what you were doing. After I scared your sister, I swore I wouldn’t do it again.”
“But you couldn’t help yourself?” Jessy guessed, feeling sorry for him. He was just a lonely man whose only relative was dying. Since he was so shy and quiet, no one noticed him or befriended him. Now she wanted to get up and go to him. Not to hit him but to hug him. This time it was Lincoln hanging on to her arm and preventing her from moving.
“I’m sorry, Mike. I feel bad for your mom’s illness,” Abel spoke up. “What you did is a crime though, and very wrong.”
He looked at Sam. “Take him to the station and I’ll deal with him later.”
Mike gave her one last glance, looking like he was going to cry. “I am sorry, Jessy.”
Sam led Mike out of Jessy’s house while reading him his rights.
Lily and Melanie came running in the door. Lily ran straight to Jessy, her face filled with fear. She hugged Jessy tight so Jessy couldn’t breathe.
“What is going on?”
Jessy explained what happened.
“How creepy to want to spy on you like that.” Lily shuddered, not understanding.
“I feel sorry for him. I had you to keep my spirits up when Mama was in her last days. He has no one,” Jessy said tearfully, making Lincoln hug her again. He laid his chin on her head and let her cry.
“You are too soft, Jessy.”
Melanie handed Jessy some tissues. “That is such a sad story. What is going to happen to him?”
Jessy looked at Abel, pleading on Mike’s behalf. “He can’t go to jail. Who will take care of his mom? You heard him, he wasn’t intending to hurt me.”
Abel sighed, shaking his head as he looked at all the women’s sad faces. He let out a frustrated sigh. “I’ll talk to him and make sure he knows how wrong this is. I’ll have a talk with the judge.”
Jessy sighed with relief. “Thank you.”
She looked up at Lincoln with her red-rimmed eyes. Great, his last memory of her would be her puffy red eyes and red nose. She never looked good when she cried. “Thanks for getting here so quick.”
“You can’t leave town, Jessy. Jagger will never quit looking for you. Make a stand with us besides you.”
Jessy looked around the small house. For a short time, it had been paradise but paradise never lasted. Lily gave her a pleading look. She liked her new life here, too. She had no idea what to say or do, but she felt the spotlight on her. If she made the wrong decision, these people could be caught in the crossfire.
* * * *
Lincoln felt like his throat was closing up. Letting her leave town would mean he could go back to his calm orderly life. Jessy made him feel so many things at once, that he didn’t know of he was coming or going. But how boring would that be? He didn’t want his old dull life. He wanted Jessy. He knew he was going to have to open himself up with his sibling and hers looking on, and not even trying to hide their interest.
“I know I fucked up being so suspicious of you. I have a quick temper, but once I calm down I am willing to work things out.”
She looked like she was going to interrupt but he had to get this out once and for all. “Please, Jessy, don’t go. Don’t leave Brook Hollow or me. Give us a chance.”
Her lips trembled and all he wanted to do was hold her and kiss her. Her pretty green eyes were filled with doubt and lost hope. She didn’t even have any expectations from him and that made him feel so much angst. Lily was right. He proved he was unreliable in hard times, but if she gave him another chance he would stand by her side no matter what.
“I am falling in love with you,” he blurted out. The words sounded right and he knew it was the truth. He had been too afraid to admit it, but now it was out there. It was time he made a stand. “You will take my heart with you if you go, Jessy, whatever your last name is.”
Her smile was soft and filled with sorrow at the same time. “It’s Fallon. Jessy Marie Fallon.”
He walked up to her and lifted her chin up. Her beautiful green eyes were shining with tears and felt bad for giving her another example that men ran in times of trouble. He placed a soft tender kiss full of promises on her lips and he tasted a tear. It was salty.
He moved her hair out of the way. She was beautiful and strong, but he wanted her to lean on him. He wanted to build a hedge around her so no one would ever hurt her again.
“Stay. I will protect you. I will stand by you. I promise, Jessy.”
“We will protect you!” Abel shouted from the other side of the room. He heard Melanie and Lily whispering to each other. Lincoln rolled his eyes. “Brothers are a pain in the ass, I swear.”
“Are you sure, Lincoln? I can’t blame you for walking away. This trouble is mine not yours.” She looked like she yearned to accept what he was saying as the truth. He understood her fear. No one had ever taken care of her. She’d given all of herself to her family. He needed time to prove he was being for real.
“Ours, Jessy. You’re not alone in this,” Lily added firmly, but loudly from across the room.
Lincoln wanted to pump his fist in the air for all the support he was getting. Abel nodded, looking serious. “If Jagger dares to step in my town he will be sorry. Kicking ass is my favorite thing to do.”
Jessy didn’t look fully convinced, but after an eternity of silence her eyes softened and he swore he saw love in them. He didn’t care if he was imagining it. He felt his heart melt into a mushy goo.
“Guess we’ll be staying then,” she announced, tears rolling down her pale cheek.
Everyone cheered and he lifted her off her feet and swung her around. He was too full of happiness to speak. He kissed her instead, in front of his siblings and hers. They have to get used to it. He planned on doing a lot of kissing with Jessy.
Chapter Nine
Jessy entered Lincoln’s apartment, feeling a little apprehensive. They hadn’t even gone on a date yet, and here she was alone in his place. He had shown up at her place bright and early, wanting her to spend time with him. He had just clocked out of his night shift and headed straight to her house.
“Don’t you want to sleep? We can make plans for a day we’re both off,” she asked him, feeling awkward and nervous. She had thrown on some black denim shorts and a yellow tank top. It was too hot to leave her hair down so she pinned it up.
“Eventually we will have a date, Jessy. I just wanted to have breakfast with you and get to know more about you.”
When he suggested she come with him so he could shower and change, Jessy had felt a mixture of nervousness and excitement.
“I might be boring,” she warned him.
He chuckled and shook his head. “You may be a lot of things, sweetheart, but boring isn’t one of them. You have kept me on my toes from day one.”
Jessy felt her cheeks heat up at his very sincere words. She took a good look around. The walls were white but blank. He had a huge TV, a black leather recliner, and a couch in his living room. A sad looking plant sat by the window on a small iron stand. A typical bachelor pad, she mused. She couldn’t help but wonder how many women he brought home with him.
Lincoln threw his keys on a breakfast counter that separated the small kitchen from the living room area. He had a bowl of fruit on the counter. There were two gray metal stools against the counter. She assumed that is where he ate since she didn’t see a dining room table.
“This is my place. Small but comfortable.” He looked around the apartment as if trying to see it through her eyes.
Jessy nodded and looked at him. “Don’t believe in decorating?”
“Men don’t decorate, sweetheart.” He snorted with an amused shake of his head. He pointed toward the large window where a sad looking plant was drooping to one side. The window was covered b
y white blinds but no curtains. “My mom gave me the plant, but I keep forgetting to water it.”
Jessy chuckled and sat on the couch. His couch was soft and comfortable. He had a coffee table with a few sports magazines lying on it. She eyed the plant, wondering if water would save it. “Poor thing.”
“So you want to help me change?” He wiggled his eyebrows playfully. He took off his plain white t-shirt and threw it on one of the bar stools.
Jessy felt her cheeks heat up. She hated that she wasn’t as experienced as the women he dated. It made her feel insecure and gauche. If she told him she was a twenty-six-year-old virgin she was afraid he would laugh in her face. It was unheard of these days.
Lincoln grabbed the remote and turned the TV on, letting the subject go. “Just kidding. I know you’re not ready to be intimate yet. I promised to take things slow with you and I will, even if it kills me.”
Jessy grabbed the remote from him and waved him away. His words made her feel like he truly cared about her as a person. “Go away before I get on the home shopping channel and order you a bunch of household decorations. In pink.”
Lincoln laughed and headed down the hall where she assumed the bathroom and bedroom was. When she heard the shower turn on, she stood up and looked out the kitchen window. A small covered patio was out there. It looked so cozy. A tall wooden privacy fence made it private. She saw a grill and a few chairs. She could picture some white lights around the fence, making it romantic. Despite all the drama of the last two days, one good thing to come out of it was that Lincoln confessed to having feelings for her. She honestly never thought this would happen. Part of her was still expecting to wake up and discover it had all been a dream. Also, the fear that his attention wouldn’t last crossed her mind often. After all, he switched dates often and she was not even close to those fancy women he dated.
Lincoln came out of his bedroom twenty minutes later wearing only jeans. His hair was wet, making it appear darker. Jessy’s mouth watered at his hard sculptured chest. He was carrying a gray t-shirt in his hand.
“All done?” She could hear the tremble in her own voice and hated it. She wanted to be bold and confident. Suddenly, all her inner insecurities took over. She looked away from him with a loud sigh.
“What’s wrong, Jessy? Don’t you want to spend the day with me?” She felt his presence right behind her. She smelled the scent of his shampoo.
“Why do you want to get involved with me, Lincoln?” she asked softly, biting her lower lip. She hated feeling so insecure. “I have seen all those sophisticated women you date. I can’t even hope to compete with them. Honestly, I don’t want to. I am me, and I am comfortable with that. I also come with baggage and you admitted you were content in your calm orderly life.”
She tensed briefly when she felt his hands squeeze her shoulder, then she forced her body to relax and lean against him. She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. His heart beating was a wonderful sound.
He wrapped his arms around her, making her feel like she was sheltered by his strength. It felt good to have someone to lean on for once. “I don’t want you to compete with them, Jessy. I like who you are. I fought my feelings, but they were because of my own issues not because of you. I know I am not laid back and easygoing like you. I live by a set of rules, and I like things my way, but my life was dull. You make me feel alive.”
She turned toward him and lifted her chin up. “Lincoln, I’ve dated a few men here and there in college, but never seriously. You are older, more experienced. I’m scared you will get bored quickly and I won’t deal with it quietly. I would be the type to be blunt and not at all polite. I’d give you hell, and if I saw you with another woman, I wouldn’t just walk away politely. I’d scratch her eyes out and probably kick your ass, too.”
Lincoln laughed, a genuine laugh that made his chest shake. “You are refreshing, Jessy, and real. I like that and I would never want you to act like anything but you.”
He lost the smile and caressed her cheek with his hand. Such a simple touch, yet she felt it to her very core. Lincoln always made her feel more than she wanted to feel.
“I messed up by going out on so many dates, but all they did was prove that you’re the only women to hold my interest. I wanted to ignore the attraction between us, Jessy, but none of them stirred up my soul. They were nice, fun companions, but not you. This is real.”
He led her by the hand to the couch and sat down pulling her on his lap. She was wearing a pink summer dress Lily had given her from the clothes store where she worked.
He kissed her lips briefly and she wanted more. She wanted a deeper kiss. Suddenly the thought of talking went out the window. Lincoln was a sexy man, especially with his bare chest. She couldn’t help but run her hands over his hard flesh and lick her lips. His hands caressed her bare arms and she felt her body shiver.
She leaned down and let her lips touch his. He quickly opened his mouth and she felt the heat of the kiss all the way to her pussy, which was throbbing with want and need. Damn it, why had she not taken him up on his offer to help him shower? Her virginity could have been long gone by now.
His hand went to her neck and he took over the kiss. His tongue dove deep, exploring her and making her melt into goo. His kiss was no comparison to the sun’s heat. He squeezed her breast and her nipples hardened like little pebbles. She thought she heard herself moan. She squeezed her thighs together, knowing her panties were wet. His thumb pulled at her nipple through the shirt, but it wasn’t enough. His hand went under her t-shirt and bra. He caressed the tip of her breast, making her shake and moan. Her desire for this man only deepened each time he touched her.
When he let her mouth go, they were both breathing hard. She had no idea what to say, her mind was blank. Her temperature was sky high as she locked gazes with him but stayed silent.
“Now I know kissing you leaves you silent and speechless. I like it.” He teased, her making her blush. She hid her face in his neck and inhaled his fresh scent. She liked how his hard body felt against her softer one. He continued to touch her breasts and she wished she had taken off her shirt, too, but now she was too shy.
“I know you’re not ready to make love yet, Jessy. When you are, we are going to burn each other up. That I do know. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else. I like you for who you are. Beautiful, brave and strong,” he whispered as his hand stayed under her bra, caressing her breast.
Her body shivered and she wanted to yell out that she was ready to see his bedroom, but she didn’t. He was right. They needed to learn more about each other. She had to get to know Lincoln the man who would be her lover, not just her dream crush. It was not going to be easy, though. She just wished they did not have Jagger to worry about. She could not lose focus on keeping her and her sister safe, and now Lincoln, too.
* * * *
“Yes. I won again.” Jessy waved her hands in the air while shaking her hips back and forth. The loudness of the other bowlers did nothing to dampen her cheers. The loud noise of the pins being knocked down made her feel more energetic.
“You lied,” Lincoln accused her grouchily. He looked so adorable. She wanted to kiss the surly look off of his face.
Jessy went to sit next to him on the long plastic bench in front of their lane. She linked their hands together, feeling more comfortable touching him every day. He called her often and talked about everything. It built a friendship that made her feel connected to him. They had a few dates that ended with steamy kisses, but not much else. When he suggested they go bowling, she had been hesitant. She had never even been in a bowling alley before. “Did not.”
“You said you never played before.” He frowned.
“I haven’t, but this was fun.” She smiled at him, patting his shoulder with sympathy. He was a sore loser but a cute one. She kissed his cheek feeling the stubble growing on his skin. He smelled so good, too. She felt so aroused, but she didn’t know how to just say let’s have sex without sounding too fo
rward.
“I was supposed to win.” He pouted with a sad shake of his head. “If my friends find out about this they’ll kick me off the league.”
“You’re on a team?” There was so much she didn’t know about him. They had been dating for two weeks, she really liked getting a new view of him. He was still grumpy at times. She had not expected that. She still wasn’t sure if this would last, but for now she was having fun. She wanted to enjoy this time and not analyze it to death.
He sighed loudly as if accepting he lost the game; he kicked off his bowling shoes. He reached for his street shoes. “Losing sucks. I blame you. How am I supposed to focus on the game when you’re jumping up and down every time you hit even one pin? Now I’m hungry. Winner treats, that’s the rule.”
Jessy laughed and changed her bowling shoes for her regular tennis shoes. “Okay. Want a chili dog?”
“No, a steak.” He grumbled. “I’m a big boy, Jessy.”
Jessy looked at the giant clock on the wood-paneled wall of the bowling alley. “It’s midnight, Lincoln. No restaurants are open. If we were in New York there are a million places open all night.”
“And crime and robberies to go with it,” he guessed.
She stood up and held out her hand to help him up. “Come on. I’ll throw in some fries.”
He stood up, ignoring her hand. Instead he reached out for a tight hug. He bit her neck softly, making her shiver. “I guess. No one is to know about this. I wasn’t on my A-game.”
Jessy hid her smile and let him lead her to the small grill located inside the bowling alley where they served greasy junk food and beer. They sat at the counter with other customers and ordered two chili dogs and a beer. Jessy felt like her life was going in the right direction for the first time in a long time. The New York police had informed Abel that they had thrown Jagger in jail for fighting just yesterday. He was released on bail, but it proved he was still in the city and not here in Missouri. She knew he would not give up, but for now she wanted to enjoy her time with Lincoln. They ate silently, listening to the country music playing over the loud speakers. Jessy was aware of their thighs touching and her stomach was filled with butterflies. She was ready to make love with him.
