“Bed,” he said in a barely controlled, husky voice. His eyes were on fire, his body slick and wet.
Silence hung over the night as they closed the door to their room. They fell into the bed, Jenna’s legs wrapped around Josh’s middle, begging him to enter her. He did without reservation, taking what was his. What would always be his, even after drifting away physically. He’d changed her. He’d softened her in places, and made her crave his touch.
Josh held on to her as if he was afraid to let go, as if the world would come apart if he lost his grip. He thrust into her in one smooth motion and then held, his body shaking, his arms tightly wrapped around her.
She sighed with the feeling of him, clutching his shoulders and holding on tight. She kissed him, fervent and desperate. He broke apart from her long enough to look into her eyes. They were wells of emotion, fathomless. They were soft and tender, so loving it hurt.
“I love you, Jenna,” he said softly, rocking into her.
She moaned, closing her eyes against the loving thrust of his body. Against his omission. But the feeling wouldn’t be denied.
“I love you, too, Josh.”
She hadn’t meant to say it. She’d never wanted to feel it. But there it was, falling out of her mouth at the same time as it soaked up her heart.
With his eyes locked on hers, he deliberately, laboriously drew out his full length. Then slowly, oh so slowly, he pushed back in until he was fully inside her, grinding for more depth. Out he went again, painfully slow, then back in, his eyes on her, claiming her, loving her. He was connecting with her so deeply she would never be able to break it.
She wanted to relent, to tell him to come with her, to sidestep all her fears, and just keep this feeling forever. Keep him forever. She’d opened her mouth to say it, eyes still tangled with his, when he kissed her again.
Her thoughts unraveled, swept away with the emotion. Heat coursed through her, pleasantly burning her skin. Still slow, but gaining momentum, they strained into each other. Trying to get closer. Savoring the feeling of each other’s bodies.
Jenna moaned, gyrating her hips up to meet his downward thrust. Faster now, she rolled her hips in a circle, taking in that friction. Her core wound up, the delicious sensations making her eyes flutter.
Josh thrust, hard, rocking her body forward.
“Oh, Josh.” She groaned and then kissed him, deep and sensual. Pleasure unfurled, pounding into her with each thrust. The bed started to squeak. Jenna’s moans were amplified. “Yes, Josh!”
A blast of pure, sweet orgasm rocked her body, making her tremble beneath him. He shook over her a moment later, clutching her and digging himself in deep.
“Oh!” Jenna squeezed her legs around him, her core vibrating, his last thrusts making her shake. “Oh…” She let her body fall limp, pleasantly strung out.
She was going to miss this. Miss him. She knew it.
She just wished she could accept the change. To accept these emotions tearing down the life she’d built for herself in Manhattan.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jenna woke up in the twilight as Josh entered the room, a towel hugging his hips. A sheen coated his delicious body.
Her stomach tightened up and she looked away. “What were you up to?” she asked sleepily as she got out of bed.
Josh stopped in surprise as she got up. It was clear he wanted to slip back into bed with her. It was also clear he read her intentions, as his face closed down into that hard stone mask.
“I had to take care of last night,” he said in a guarded tone.
“Ah. Were there any police calls or anything?”
“No, we’re clear. The only thing that could bring us down would be someone tracing those guys here.”
“Don said they were expendable. Their boss, whoever it was, won’t take any credit for them, and he certainly won’t go looking for them.” She stretched and yawned. “The guy I saw was an addict. I’d bet most of them are. Were. Even their friends won’t miss them, if they had any.”
“That’s what we were thinking. We found substances on both of them.” He watched her for a minute. “You have about two hours until you need to leave for the airport.”
“Great. I need to get ready.”
“Understood. You might check in on Erika. I think last night is weighing heavily on her. She knew what Jax was, but it didn’t really sink in until now, I think.”
Jenna nodded. She was afraid of this. Erika loved the idea of guys that ran around killing people, capable of protecting her at all costs. Coming face to face with it, though, was a whole different thing. It was scary, it was raw, and it wasn’t something that normal people had to deal with.
She knocked lightly on Erika’s door.
The door opened quickly, revealing Jax with tight, haunted eyes and a mask of agony.
“What’s up?” Jenna asked, stepping back so he could come out.
He glanced back into the room before following Jenna’s lead. The door closed with a soft click.
“Erika doesn’t want me to go with her anymore.” Jax’s voice was tight with worry. He dragged his fingers through his hair, glancing down the hall. Jenna could read the desperation in his bearing.
A smile touched her lips on behalf of her friend. Jax was in it for reals. He obviously loved her—couldn’t think of life without her. It was sweet.
And a bit silly that he thought Erika could stay firm. There was only one headcase in this house—her.
Or maybe two. The general was a doozy.
“I’ll take care of it,” Jenna said, shooing him away.
“She cancelled my flight.”
Jenna held back a laugh. It shouldn’t be funny, but a dude who’d killed someone last night and buried a body this morning shouldn’t be this helpless. “Do you not know how to work a computer? Can you not go buy your own ticket?”
“I know, but… I mean, if she doesn’t want me there—”
“Jax, don’t be a dumbass. Go buy a ticket. Email or text me all the information. I’ll make sure you’re picked up from the airport and have a place to stay until I bring her around. And I will bring her around. She just needs a stronger dose of reality to override the fear and shock from last night. The fact that you two can just kill people without a second thought probably freaks her out.”
“But you’re okay with it?”
“I am a rare brand of screwed up. Me being okay with it should tell you that much. I’ll talk to her.”
Jax nodded.
Jenna stepped through the door and was met with Erika’s puffy eyes, one with a large bruise around it. Oh yeah. Jenna had almost forgotten about that little incident.
“Hey,” she said as she sat down.
Erika looked away.
“Sorry about your face.”
Erika shrugged.
“You do realize that if I’d let you tromp through the woods, we’d both be dead, right?”
Erika silently folded in on herself. “I know. I’m not mad at you. It’s just…”
“It’s a lot to deal with. It’s scary, I know. You’ve done really well. You need to let Jax comfort you—help you through it.”
Erika raised herself straight with anger in her eyes. “Do you know what Jax and Josh were doing this morning?”
“Yes.”
“They were burying bodies, Jenna. Burying bodies!”
“I said I knew. It had to be done.”
“And that missing gunman?”
“Will hopefully never be found.”
“How can you be so calm about this? They killed people then buried them! Like the mob, Jenna. Like bad guys. Who does that? I can completely understand why you want nothing to do with Josh.” She spat out the words as if they tasted vile.
“My issue with Josh has nothing to do with that. In fact, I’m thankful that they could handle the messy details. Josh saved my life. I will forever be thankful. More so because I didn’t have to help dig.”
Erika looked at her in s
hock. “Jenna, you can’t be this callous. They were people. I slept with someone that kills people. With his bare hands! Snaps their necks like in the movies, only he’s not an actor. How can I be close to someone like that?”
“He’s been trained for it. He did it to protect this country. He did it last night to protect the one he loves. You. If you think this way about him, what must you think about me?”
“No comparison. You’re not running around killing people, Jenna. Give me a break.”
“Except for that missing gunman, you mean?”
Erika rolled her eyes. She had obviously made a different connection than she was supposed to.
“You thought Josh did that?” Jenna asked.
“Wait—” Erika blinked at her, a shadow crossing her features.
Jenna filled Erika in on what really happened—the nitty-gritty of it. “I am a murderer,” she said, purposely bold. “I did it out of self-preservation. Jax did it to protect you. You are alive because we did the hard stuff so you didn’t have to. Maybe instead of breaking up with him, you could say thank you.”
Jenna rose from the bed. “I’m going to go get ready to leave. We have an hour and a half. Use that time to think about what I’ve told you. Think about what you have, and what you are about to lose. Remember that you have that luxury because you are alive.”
As Jenna left the room, she ran into Jax, waiting around like a lost puppy. “Jax, leave her alone. Keep your distance. She has a lot to sort through right now, but I made sure to group us together. It’s us against her. She doesn’t like being the odd one out. Consider that payback for the manipulation situation the other day.” Jenna tucked her hair behind her ear to get it out of her face. “Anyway, get that flight. I’ll send a car for you. I’ll put you up in a nice hotel near her apartment until she misses you. That work?”
Jax had a funny expression on his face, part respect, some adoration, and befuddlement. “Who are you?”
Jenna laughed. “I’m jarring, I know, but I take care of business, dear boy. Time to go back to my life. No more crying for this little lady.”
“Maybe Erika isn’t the only one that needs to come to grips with things—combine different parts of life, huh?”
“Don’t get philosophical on me. I have a good grip, and don’t plan to let go, back down, or take any crap. Business as usual.”
“Back in control.”
“Exactly. It feels good.”
Jax shook his head. “New York City women are backward. You don’t know up from down but you think you rule the world.”
“No thinking about it. And backwoods boys like it, I think.”
Jax snorted and shook his head.
Josh was absent as she showered and made herself up, gearing herself up for home. When it was almost time to leave for the airport, Jenna descended the stairs, hardened and ready, both for the excruciating goodbye and for her return to normality.
Josh, Jax, and Dick were all sitting around the kitchen table. Josh was in the middle of telling Dick, in a calm, even voice, how he could have been responsible for her and Erika’s death by not listening to his command. It was all very military and factual, but the underlying tones of power and leadership stuffed the room with malevolence. Jenna ignored it and them as she went for a cup of coffee. The men quickly fell silent.
“Quite the change, Miss Anderson,” Dick said. “It looks like you’re ready to go?”
Jenna noticed three plates of breakfast out. One was obviously hers, another was Josh’s, and she imagined Erika hadn’t come down to eat.
“I am, yes. Josh, eat. I won’t be eating here and I don’t want you to wait on ceremony.”
Josh nodded but made no move to get up for the Saran Wrap-covered plate.
Jenna sighed. “Josh, this is the last time I mention it. You need to eat.”
“So do you.”
“Suit yourself. Should Erika and I take a cab to the airport?”
Silence met her question, all three men wearing calm faces with disapproval in their eyes. That meant she’d said something stupid.
She certainly wouldn’t miss the prickly egos.
“Okay, who is taking us and when do we leave?” Jenna asked before taking a sip of her coffee.
“Can’t get out of here fast enough, huh?” Jax asked as he glanced at Josh.
“I like to be organized and on time. I have a million things to do at home before tomorrow.”
“Understood.” Josh turned away. “My father will be taking you in twenty-five minutes.”
“Let’s go now,” said Erika from the doorway. Like Jenna, she was wearing as near to business casual as she could probably find. Her hair was pulled up, and a light dusting of makeup accentuated her natural beauty.
Erika was always pretty, but with only a little effort, she morphed into striking. Jax, having frozen, must’ve thought so too. His eyes roamed her body before sticking to her face. Pain crossed his features. He thought he was losing her.
Jenna rolled her eyes. It was a testament to how little he actually knew her. One look at the halo of sadness floating around her friend, and Jenna knew Erika was already cracking. She wouldn’t last long.
“Great. Dick?” Jenna said crisply, walking from the room and expecting him to follow.
It was Dick’s turn to blink a few times. He probably wasn’t used to getting orders, and he’d risen halfway out of his chair to follow them before he had the customary indignant reaction.
She smiled inwardly. Female or not, she could still play the alpha.
After Dick made a show of moving at his own pace, with snickers from Jax, the whole group moved out to the large black Cadillac that screamed money and self-importance. Dick dropped the bags into the trunk before settling into the driver’s seat. Erika followed quickly, not sparing a glance for anything—not Jax, not the house—nothing.
Jenna took a deep breath while trying to ignore her thundering heart and the sweat under her arms. She approached Jax first. “I’ll hear from you soon?”
He patted her back as she hugged him. “Yes.” He backed up, spared a glance for the back seat of the car, and then dug his hands into his pockets.
“It’ll work out.” Jenna rubbed his hard shoulder.
With her stomach rolling uncomfortably, Jenna faced Josh.
He was calm, of course, looking at her steadily, calculating. He thought he knew her so well, but he hadn’t encountered the ice queen—unless he’d been paying close attention during those first couple of days of the woods tour, and she doubted that.
Would this be the last time she would see him?
No, she thought. If Erika stayed with Jax, which would probably happen, at least for a while, then she would see Josh again. But he’d probably be with someone else. She could tell that she’d shaken something loose. He was easier to be around now. He smiled more; he viewed the world with less hostility and regret. She had primed him for someone else. Some other lucky girl.
A twinge of sadness stung her, threatening tears.
“Well, I guess I’ll see ya around,” Jenna said.
“Kiss, hug, or shake?” Josh replied.
Jenna didn’t trust a kiss. Feelings had a way of emerging and bubbling over with kisses. “Hug.”
She slipped her arms around his neck and felt his answering touch low on her back. She closed her eyes and exhaled, feeling his solid strength. His safety. She breathed in deeply, wanting to remember the intimacy of his smell.
Heat welled up in the back of her eyes. Pressure sat heavy on her chest, the emotion fizzling up. She backed off, needing to walk away before she changed her mind again. Like she’d almost done last night. Like she’d almost done a million times that morning.
“Okay. Well. Uh, I guess this is goodbye.” Why did she sound so lame?
He nodded, stoic.
Annoyance flared through her. She was nearly crying—the least he could do was gush a little. Hardening her eyes, not preventing the scowl, she felt her eyebrows lift i
n expectation.
As if reading her mind, the corners of his mouth lifted a little. It wasn’t gushing, but at least it was her Josh. The guy that lived a little. That smiled and joked.
Today sucks.
Without another word, desperately trying to keep the tears at bay, she slid into the car, refusing to look at him again. Now or never.
“Ready?” Dick asked.
“Yes.” Jenna pulled the seatbelt over her, not looking out at Josh as they pulled away. She couldn’t bear to see the distance growing. Of knowing that it was forever.
Halfway to the airport, or near enough, Dick said, “So there was quite a change from the Jenna I saw last night to the Miss Anderson I see before me now. You’ve donned your battle armor, it seems.”
“Yes. Time to get back to business.”
“Business, yes. Just be careful. Sometimes when we wear armor for too long, it can chafe.”
“It doesn’t seem like you’ve taken your own advice.”
“No. Which is how I know it’s accurate.”
“We each survive in different ways.”
Dick was quiet for a minute. Then he said, “You never asked why I was at the cottage.”
Jenna stayed quiet. She assumed he brought it up to tell her, although her patience with this man was wearing thin.
“I was there because I heard someone got shot on one of the tours. I was concerned for my son. I don’t have the best relationship with him, I don’t approve of his lifestyle or his choices, but he is my son. I look after my own.”
“Fair enough.”
“My son is very like his mother. I see him and I miss her. But he does have some of my traits. Looking after his own is one of them. He has decided you fit that bill. I approve of his choice.”
“Thank you, general.” Normal people would’ve probably said more, but it was time to close the book on emotion. Jenna had to move on.
Once at the airport, Erika and Jenna gave Dick a handshake goodbye, thanked him for everything, and walked away.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Josh and Jax sat at the kitchen table in a strangely quiet house. There were no chatting and laughing girls outside. No hum of disapproval from the general. No cooking. No eating. Hell, not even any fighting. The silence was a blank canvas, and neither man had any artistic skill with which to paint.
Unexpected Danger (Skyline Trilogy Book 2) Page 19
