by Mandy Morgan
“He’s out like a light,” I whispered to Jenna, hoping the desire in my voice wasn’t too obvious. “I hate to miss what happens next with our waddling friends, but I’m going to carry him up to bed.”
Jenna nodded and gave me a smile that lit me up inside. I had to take a deep breath to steady myself before standing up and lifting Noah gently into my arms.
“I’m going to grab some more water,” she said softly. “And don’t worry, I’ll pause it, so you won’t miss anything.”
I grinned at Jenna and then carried my son up the stairs and got him tucked in for the night. He’d had a long day, but it had ended up being a good one, and I was happy to see him so content.
The living room was empty when I came back downstairs, but the light was on in the kitchen, so I followed the glow and found Jenna. She was sitting at one of the stools in front of the island, staring at a bottle of water that was clutched in her hands.
“You doing okay?”
She looked up and gave me a sad smile that just about broke my heart. I moved closer and took the stool next to hers. I wanted to wipe the sadness from her face any way that I could, but sometimes just listening was the best thing you could do.
“I was just thinking about how much I’ve loved spending time with Noah,” Jenna said softly. “And how much I’ve lost in my life by staying with Ray. I could have been a mother by now, but I would never want to bring a child into the world where I was living just a little while ago.”
I reached out and placed a hand on Jenna’s shoulder. “I can understand why you’d feel like you’ve missed out, but you’re still plenty young enough to live the life you want, Jenna.”
I watched as a tear slid down her cheek and she flicked it away with an impatient swipe of her hand. “I just hate where I’ve ended up! I’m so damn angry at myself, Tyler, and I don’t think you can understand, to be honest.”
“Oh, sweetheart,” I sighed. “I can understand being driven into a rage by love better than you could ever know, sad to say.”
Jenna turned to look at me in surprise. “You can? What happened to you?”
“Yep, I sure can.” I nodded and searched her face. “Do you really want to hear about my troubles? It seems like you’ve had plenty of your own.”
“Yes, I really do,” she replied with a smile that was slightly less downhearted than her last. “You just seem so perfect. I think it might make me feel better to know that someone who seems to have it all can be a fellow wounded warrior on the battlefield of love.”
“Alright, if you think it might help you, I’m game. But Jenna, I’m going to want to hear more about you in return.”
Her face grew thoughtful for a few moments, and then she nodded. “Fair enough. But how about we have some of that wine you mentioned earlier before we get started? I think we’re going to need it…”
∞∞∞
An hour later, we’d each had two glasses of Chardonnay, and I’d filled Jenna in on my own heartbreak with Natalie. I hadn’t talked about the whole thing in awhile, and she’d been right about needing the wine.
“So, that’s pretty much that,” I said and drained my glass. “I never heard from her after she snuck out in the middle of the night like some kind of thief. I hired a private investigator to search for her at first, but when they didn’t come up with anything, I let it go. I’m just glad we didn’t get married the way we’d talked about.”
I saw anger in Jenna’s eyes and that made me like her even more. It was nice to have someone empathize with your pain. It was even better when they shared in your righteous indignation.
“I can’t believe she could leave that precious little boy! What a raging bitch of a woman she must be.”
“You’ve got that right,” I laughed and poured more wine into both of our glasses. “Now, it’s your turn. That was the deal, after all.”
Jenna took a long swallow of her topped-off glass and set it down with hands that trembled slightly. “Oh, I’m just your typical case of poor, small town America. My parents got hooked on heavy drugs and died before I finished high school.”
“That’s horrible, sweetheart,” I said with a sad shake of my head. “And that’s when you got mixed up with this Ray asshole?”
“Sad but true,” Jenna agreed with a smirk. “He showed me a little bit of attention, and I fell right into his arms and stayed there. Hell, I didn’t even move out of the trailer park where I grew up.”
She gave a brittle laugh to indicate how she felt about where her life had ended up. I knew I couldn’t let her beat herself up for her mistakes. We’d all made them, including myself.
“But you’re on the right path now, it seems like,” I said and took her hand in mine. “You mentioned you were taking college courses, and you got away from that creep before he could put you through a wall or ruin any more of your life.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Jenna replied. “I just wish I’d never let myself get into this mess in the first place, you know?”
“But then you wouldn’t be here with me,” I said softly. And before I could stop myself, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers.
Chapter Eleven
Jenna
The shock of feeling Tyler’s mouth on mine quickly turned to pleasure, and I melted into his arms when he brought them up around my sides.
I could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and that sent the fire that had been building inside of me into overdrive. I moaned softly in between his open lips and let them move silkily against his.
Tyler slipped off his stool and slid between my thighs. He’s so tall, that brought our faces to the same level, and he pulled back from our kiss long enough to look me in the eyes and ask me a question that only served to make me want him more.
“Are you sure about this, sweetheart?” His words are gentle, but his gaze is filled with heat. “I would never make you do anything you don’t want to do, so I need to hear you say you’re sure.”
He brought one large hand up to my face and softly brushed a stray lock of hair behind my ear. I sighed and pressed my cheek into his touch.
“Oh, I’m sure,” I whispered and then leaned in to rekindle the kiss he’d started.
I swore I could see sparks behind my closed eyelids when our lips met again, and I wrapped my arms around him to pull him in closer.
I could feel the hard heat of his need pressed against my inner thigh, and I wrapped my legs around his, closing the final gap between us. His bulge felt like living steel on my flesh, and I groaned deeply into his mouth.
“Please, Tyler,” I whispered when he moved his lips from mine and began pressing hot kisses into the sensitive skin of my neck and collarbone. “Please, I want you. I need you, please!”
With that, he lifted me up into his arms and carried me out of the kitchen, down a dimly lit hallway, and into a bedroom that’s obviously been reserved for any guests that might visit.
Tyler closed the distance between the doorway and the bed in several long strides. I braced myself for being tossed onto the bed, but he lowered me down gently. I watched as he looked down at me with smoldering eyes, and then began peeling off his shirt.
His muscles rippled as he moved, and I moaned again as I got to see them bare for the first time. He has the body of a god, and when he dropped his pants to the floor, my moan deepened into a groan at the sight of the length and girth of his erection.
He joined me on the bed and kissed me before smiling and tracing a finger down my cheek to the open neck of my shirt. Just that small touch sent shivers coursing through me, and I writhed against the soft sheets.
“Now it’s your turn, sweetheart,” Tyler rumbled. “I want to see every beautiful inch of you.”
I closed my eyes and reveled in the feeling of his big hands carefully removing my clothes. I could feel every move he made, and everywhere he touched me cried out for more attention from him.
When his caresses stopped, I popped my eyes open to see what’s wrong, and find Tyler s
taring at me. His gaze raked me from head to toe, and I could feel my skin flush from the pleasure of him drinking me in with his eyes.
“Sweet Lord, you’re perfect,” Tyler groaned. “I can’t wait to taste every little bit of you.”
He reached out and cupped my breast, sending shockwaves of desire through me. I couldn’t wait another second to feel his mouth on me again, so I reached out and took his hand to pull him down next to me.
I pressed my naked frame against Tyler’s, and for a sweet but brief moment, we simply enjoyed the feel of each other, skin to skin and heart to heart.
But then Tyler pressed his hard length into the wet heat at my core and I gasped. His face is pressed into my neck, and I could feel him smile.
Before I could beg for him to continue, he began kissing his way down my body, and I gave a long sigh of contentment.
His lips set tiny fires alight as he made his way down to the vibrating flesh between my thighs, and when his tongue slipped in between my slick lips, I couldn’t stop my cry of pleasure.
Tyler sucked, nibbled, and licked at the tingling skin at the very center of me until I thought I might lose my mind from need and excitement.
Just as I was about to beg him to slip himself into me, I felt a crescendo of passionate tension, and I crashed into an orgasm so intense.
All I could do was call out his name and hold on for dear life as I clamped onto his head with my thighs, practically hysterical with the thrill of release.
Tyler kissed my delicate flesh and slid his body up and over mine. His face was blurry with satisfaction and he smiled at me before bringing his cock to the eager heat between my legs.
He teased me with gentle circles, never taking his eyes off mine, and when I opened my mouth to cry out for him to fill me up, he brought his mouth down and pressed a hungry kiss to my lips.
I could taste myself on his kiss, and I groaned with delight as I sucked his lower lip into my mouth and lifted my hips up to meet him.
Tyler slid into me with one smooth motion, as if we’d made love hundreds of times before, and as he began to move inside of me in careful but confident ways that no other man ever had, I could feel tears of joy slide down my cheeks.
I looked up to find Tyler watching me intently as he brought me closer and closer to another mind-blowing orgasm, and I smiled as he spotted the tears on my face and kissed them away.
And then I let my eyes close and arched my back, feeling myself drifting away on waves of satisfied delight…
Chapter Twelve
Tyler
I watched Jenna sleep in my arms for at least an hour, just thinking about what a whirlwind this day had been, and enjoying the view.
So much for not getting involved with my “guest” and only helping someone in need…
But what could I do? Deny my feelings for Jenna and pretend as if I wasn’t drawn to her in every way possible? I might be a tough guy in a lot of ways, but I wasn’t made of steel.
Finally, I sighed and climbed carefully out of bed, leaving Jenna sleeping peacefully. I gave her one more lingering look before making my way up to my own bedroom.
I didn’t want Noah to wake up and not find me where he expected me to be, but it was damn hard to leave the soft curves that had been pressed against me.
Just try and get some sleep, I told myself as I closed the guest room door quietly behind me. There will be plenty of time to think about what this all means for you in the morning.
I made my way upstairs, trying to write this off as just another one-night stand, but failing miserably. I didn’t know what Jenna would have to say about our night of passion, and that worried me a bit.
She couldn’t possibly deny there’s something special between us, though—not after what we just shared. Or could she?
∞∞∞
I somehow managed to fall asleep, and awoke to Noah standing next to my bed, poking me gently but insistently. I groaned and rolled over, but he wasn’t about to let things go at that.
“Is she still here, Dad?” he stage-whispered and I couldn’t help but smile. I wasn’t the only one who’d been won over by our houseguest, it seemed.
“Yes, Jenna is still here,” I replied in a groggy voice. “She’s sleeping downstairs, and needs her rest, so we need to be quiet this morning, okay?”
I rolled back over to look at my son. He nodded and zipped a finger across his closed lips. I grinned, tossed the covers off, and held my hand out for Noah to take.
We headed downstairs and went about our morning routine as quietly as we could. Once we’d both had some cereal, cleaned up, and gotten dressed, we piled into the 4Runner and made our way to Noah’s school.
I pulled through the drop-off line and waited for a teacher to open the rear passenger door. “Make it a good day, buddy.”
Noah gave me a thumbs up and climbed out of the backseat. But before the teacher could close the door, he turned and looked at me. “Please, promise that you won’t let her leave, Dad.”
The sad look on his face just about broke my heart. I knew that he was thinking about his mom leaving, and I felt a sharp jolt of anger at what Natalie had done to him shoot through me.
“Everything will be fine, Noah,” I said softly and gave my son the brightest smile I could manage. “I can promise you that much. Now go on and learn some cool new stuff.”
Noah nodded and headed toward the entrance of the school, his little shoulders slumped until he saw a friend and perked up a bit. I waited and watched until he disappeared through the open door.
I did my best to clear my head on the way back to the house. I didn’t know if Jenna would be awake when I got there, and the last thing I wanted was for her to feel the rage pouring off me that my son’s sad but hopeful face had ignited.
I was glad I’d cooled down on the drive back. Jenna was in the kitchen pouring herself a cup of coffee from the pot I’d made before I left. She looked adorably rumpled and I felt the last bit of my anger fade away.
“Good morning, beautiful,” I said. “Sleep well?”
Jenna smiled shyly and nodded. “I was out like a light after our evening together. Sorry I slept so late.”
“Don’t be sorry a bit. You’ve had a rough go of it lately, and I take it as a compliment, to tell the truth.”
“So, what now?” Jenna asked with flushed cheeks.
That was a loaded question, but I took it at face value, figuring it was too soon and too early to discuss our future together. One day at a time, and all of that.
“Well, I know you didn’t take much when you left, so I was thinking our first step should be to get you some essentials.”
I pulled out my wallet and tried to hand her a credit card. But she just looked at like it was a poisonous snake that might strike at any moment.
“What’s that for?”
“I have to get to work, but I thought you might want to get some new clothes and personal items before you come in and start learning the ropes.”
“I don’t take charity, Tyler,” she said icily. “Never have and never well. From anybody.”
“Call it a loan. You can pay me back when you start getting a paycheck, if that’s what you want to do.”
I tried to pass her the credit card again, but she made no move to take it. I sighed and smiled. “I’m just trying to help you, Jenna,” I said softly. “Like I told you before, I really am a good guy, and you can’t go on wearing the same clothes forever.”
Jenna frowned and dropped her eyes, but then she nodded and took the card. “I guess you’re right on that one. Thank you, and I promise that I’ll pay you back.”
I reached out and lifted her chin with one finger. “I don’t expect anything from you, sweetheart. That’s not what any of this is about, alright?”
I saw her eyes dampen, but she nodded and smiled at me. “I’ll try to make it quick, so I’m not too late for my first day on the job.”
“Speaking of that, it might help if you know where you’re going
,” I said with a laugh, grateful for the lighter mood. “If you give me your cell number, I’ll text you the address to the construction site.”
Once we had that all squared away, I gave Jenna a gentle kiss, and turned to leave for work. “I’ll see you soon, sweetheart. Try to not be too hard on yourself, pretty please?”
Jenna favored me with a sweet smile, and I was pleased to see her give me a wink. “I’ll certainly do my best. But just for you.”
Those words left me feeling as if I was floating on air as I headed out of the front door, and I worried again for a moment about the walls that I’d placed around my heart.
Thanks to Jenna, they were in serious jeopardy of crumbling completely…
Chapter Thirteen
Jenna
After Tyler left, all I could do for a little while was stand at the kitchen counter, sip my coffee, and think about how close I was to putting my full trust in him.
I hadn’t let my guard down with anyone in a very long time, let alone with a man, so he was really throwing me for a loop. Could this guy be the one I’d told myself didn’t exist? Someone who genuinely cared about me, and wanted nothing in return but my love?
I decided to put that line of thinking on hold and get my butt in gear. I might have no idea what would happen in the future with me and Tyler, but I did know that he was my new boss, and I wanted to impress him by working hard.
Otherwise, you might wind up right back where you started, I thought to myself with a shiver as I grabbed my purse and headed out to my car.
I wasn’t happy about having to finance my fresh start with Tyler’s credit card, even if it was just for some clothes and toiletries, but I knew I didn’t have much of a choice at this point. Especially if I didn’t want to keep wearing the same outfit every day.
I reminded myself that it was just a loan and pointed my car in the direction of the grocery store where I’d met Tyler and Noah.
There was a Target in the same shopping plaza, and I figured that was as good a place as any to jumpstart my new life with some new clothes.
