Burned

by Gabrielle Gibson

  After eating, they watched a Disney movie while the snow fell steadily outside… the first white Christmas in over twenty years. It had snowed a good five inches by the late afternoon and Jack bundled Kennedy up in a pink snowsuit, hat, boots, mittens and a scarf and took her outside to play. They built a snowman and had a snowball fight, and then he built her an igloo while she made snow angels.

  For dinner, they ate hot dogs and macaroni and cheese and huge bowls of ice cream for dessert. He never imagined he could have such a fun day hanging out with a four-year-old.

  He kissed her goodnight before she snuggled into her new princess bed and whispered, “Goodnight, Daddy. This was the best Christmas ever. I love you.”

  His voice was gruff when he replied, “You too, kid.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “WOW.” JACK LOOKED AT THE dinner Jessie had prepared for them. “Looks great.”

  The small table at the beach house was overflowing with food that smelled delicious. Beef tenderloin, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, roasted brussel sprouts with bacon and cheese, and homemade biscuits.

  Jessie smiled proudly. “Well, I hope you like everything.”

  Jack tried each dish and raved over them all. Jessie was such a good cook. He’d put on five pounds since she’d started hanging out at his house regularly. He often persuaded Jessie to cook rather than go out, since the meals she prepared were better than anything they could get at a restaurant.

  Kennedy and Jessie kept up a steady stream of chatter during the meal.

  “Do you want to go for a walk on the boardwalk tomorrow?” Jessie asked her, reaching over to spread butter on a biscuit for her.

  Kennedy nodded her head excitedly. “Can we take Cody and Libbie?”

  Jessie nodded. “Of course.”

  After dinner they sat together on the couch watching Christmas movies, Kennedy stretched out between them, quiet for once, focused on How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

  The fireplace roared, giving the room a warm, cozy feeling which made them all a little sleepy. Kennedy’s head was in Jessie’s lap and she was smoothing her hand over her blonde hair softly as the little girl’s eyes grew heavier and heavier.

  Jack watched them.

  This.

  Jessie being here. And Kennedy.

  This just felt… right. The three of them. Together.

  It felt like home, like family.

  When Kennedy fell asleep, Jack carried her upstairs to the room that she had claimed as hers and put her to bed.

  He put more wood on the fire and then sat back down in the chair next to the couch.

  Jessie was flipping through the guide looking for something to watch. She put on Die Hard, knowing Jack considered it to be his favorite Christmas movie, went to the kitchen to get a snack and then flopped back down on the sofa.

  Jack let his eyes slide over her.

  Her breasts, so full and perky, obviously no bra, those pretty little nipples hard and poking through the thin fabric of her long sleeve pajama top. Thin leggings over that perfectly shaped ass that he couldn’t stop thinking about. And that pussy… fuck. He would never forget how fucking soaked she had been that night he got her off with his hand through her clothes.

  Without Kennedy there as a buffer between them, he felt like he needed some distance. Jessie looked sexy and sweet, her long blonde hair tumbling over her shoulders. Her blue eyes lighting up with excitement as she watched the movie she’d seen a hundred times already.

  So goddamn pretty. Too tempting.

  The only thing that could make this day more perfect would be lying on that couch with her and wrapping his arms around her. Hold her close to him, feel her body pressed against his, bury his nose in that golden hair that always smelled so fucking good.

  But he was a live wire around her and he couldn’t trust himself to do that without his cock taking over and doing inappropriate things with her. She had told him to leave her alone. He was trying so hard to respect her wishes. The last thing he wanted was to ever put that hurt look on her face again, as he had done that night he had almost let things go too far. Yes, Jessie was far better off with one of those of nice guys her parents kept introducing her to.

  THE BEACH WAS MOSTLY DESERTED the next day, as was the boardwalk. The shops were all closed and they wouldn’t be back open until the season picked back up in late spring.

  Kennedy ran ahead with Libbie on a leash, circling back when Jack called to her to slow down.

  Jessie and Jack walked slowly with Cody, enjoying the ocean air and view, despite the very cold weather. Jessie breathed the icy air into her lungs and shoved her gloved hands deep into the pockets of her coat.

  “Zoey called me earlier. Chris proposed!” Jessie couldn’t stop the smile that spread over her face. She was so excited for her best friend.

  Jack nodded.

  “You knew?” Jessie asked, not really surprised.

  “Yeah.” Jack glanced at her. “He told me. Showed me the ring a couple of weeks ago. Only thing he was still worried about was asking her dad.”

  Jessie nodded. “Yeah. Zoey says they have some issues. They don’t get along very well. Chris is so easy going and her dad is so intense. They kind of clash.”

  Jack nodded. “Yeah, he’s mentioned it.”

  “Did you tell him he was crazy to settle down?” Jessie teased.

  “Nah, told him it was a good move.”

  “Really?” Jessie’s face registered surprise. “Thought you were so anti-marriage?”

  Jack shrugged. “For the most part. But I think it can work for some people.”

  “I think they’ll be really happy together,” Jessie said quietly.

  “Yeah, I think so, too. So what did Dane say when you told him you were coming to the beach with us? Was he cool with it?” Jack asked casually, stopping for a moment to let Kennedy investigate a blow up Santa Claus that was decorating the Boardwalk. He reached down to give Cody a few pats.

  Jessie hesitated and then looked away briefly. “He… actually, he thought it was kind of strange at first. But I explained that you’re one of my best friends and how close I am to Kennedy. Not sure he was thrilled about it but he didn’t say anything else.”

  Jack was quiet for a moment. “I guess I can’t blame him. Probably just wants to make sure he gets you all to himself.”

  Jessie smiled. “I guess so.”

  Jack wondered if that meant she had slept with him. He wanted to ask but he didn’t. It was none of his business. If she wanted him to know, she would tell him.

  “He asked if you were gay,” Jessie blurted out.

  Jack laughed. He would probably think the same thing. It was hard to believe that any guy would be able to resist a sexy little sweetheart like Jessie. Jack was sure if Dane knew how often he jerked his dick off imagining doing dirty things to Jessie’s hot body he would be more resistant to Jessie spending time with him.

  “Doesn’t he know that we…” Jack trailed off.

  Probably shouldn’t bring up the times they had fooled around.

  “No,” Jessie admitted. “I mean, there’s really not that much to tell. And I think it would make him uncomfortable. I feel kind of dishonest not telling him, though. What do you think?”

  Jack shrugged. “I really don’t know, Jessie. I’m the last person you should ask for advice about relationships. I don’t know shit about that.”

  “I don’t want him to be uncomfortable about me spending time with you guys. I mean, there’s absolutely no reason he should. I just don’t know if he’ll see it that way. When I try to imagine the situation in reverse, I’m not sure I would be okay with it.”

  Jack nodded. This was foreign territory for him. His relationship with Tara hadn’t been very typical so even that hadn’t taught him much about the ins and outs of dating. Before the brief time they lived together, he and Tara had been very off and on. He had enjoyed many other women during their “off” times. Even
when they were together they had engaged in the occasional three-way. Tara had gone out with other guys during their break-up periods and it had never bothered him.

  In fact, he had never been bothered by the thought of any of the girls he hooked up being with another guy. Until now. When he thought of Jessie with someone else, it annoyed him. The possessive feeling was new to him, and he didn’t like it. He did his best to shake it off. He knew he had no right to put a claim on her whatsoever. Not on her time, her heart, certainly not her body. But fuck if the idea of Jessie getting close to someone else didn’t rattle his cage.

  “Let’s go find something to eat,” Jack said, trying to change the subject and shake off the irritation that was starting to cloud his head. “What do you feel like having for lunch, kid?” He reached down and gently patted his hand over Kennedy’s pink winter hat.

  “Pizza!” Kennedy called out excitedly.

  He turned his head to look at Jessie. “That work for you?”

  Jessie nodded and smiled. “Sounds perfect. Let’s go to Dough Roller. I love their pizza. Plus they’re always open, even off-season.”

  “Okay, Dough Roller it is, then. Anything to make my favorite girl happy.” He was talking to Kennedy, but as he spoke, his eyes were still on Jessie.

  Chapter Twelve

  JACK GLANCED AT SEAN, WHO had stopped talking mid-sentence. He followed his gaze to see what he was looking at.

  Sarah had walked into the room with Jessie, giggling together about something like school girls.

  “What’s Sarah doing here? I haven’t seen her since… fuck I don’t even know how long it’s been.”

  Jack watched Sean’s eyes rake over his sister in the little black dress she was wearing. He briefly recalled that Sean and Sarah had dated in high school. He hadn’t thought about that in years. Of course, Sean was just a kid then and hadn’t yet developed his proclivity for the sadistic shit he was into now. Thank God.

  “Don’t even fucking look at her,” Jack warned him. “This isn’t high school and my sister is off limits to you now.”

  “She wasn’t off-limits before,” Sean reminded him. “You didn’t mind me going out with her back then.”

  “That was different. We were just kids and I’m pretty sure you were both virgins.”

  Sean smirked. “Not after we got together we weren’t.”

  “Christ, dude, I don’t need to be reminded that you popped my sister’s cherry.”

  “Sorry. Truth hurts.”

  “Yeah, well that was a long time ago. You weren’t into all the twisted shit you do now. You fuck women like whores… it’s what you get off on. Think I’ve forgotten about that sex club you took me to, where I watched you pound that chick in her ass while you called her a filthy fucking slut? You think I want someone treating my sister that way?”

  “Yeah, and while I was doing that you were watching us while her friend sucked your dick. Pretty sure you get off on that shit, too.”

  “So what? Doesn’t mean that’s what I want for my sister. She’s a sweetheart, not some whore. No way would I let you anywhere near her again.”

  Sean laughed bitterly. “Don’t worry. Sarah and I were over a long time ago. Ancient fucking history.”

  He tossed back a shot of Fireball and poured another one.

  “Make me a drink, Jack?” Sarah was suddenly standing in front of the bar.

  She glanced at Sean, surprise and displeasure spreading across her pretty face.

  “Hey, Sarah. It’s been a long time,” Sean said, his face steady.

  “Not long enough,” Sarah said simply, accepting the drink that Jack handed her and walking away.

  Jack laughed. “Wow. What the fuck was that all about?”

  Sean shrugged. “There’s a question I’ve been asking myself for twelve damn years. Who the fuck knows?”

  “TEN-NINE-EIGHT-SEVEN-SIX-five-four-three-two-one! Happy new year!”

  Jessie looked shyly at Jack as he glanced around and then back at her, before shrugging and leaning in. His lips were inches from hers.

  “Happy new year, Jack,” Jessie said softly, anticipating the kiss she was sure he was getting ready to plant on her waiting lips.

  For all her big talk about wanting him to leave her alone, she wouldn’t mind a New Year’s Eve kiss. So what if she was seeing Dane? They were just dating casually. Nothing had gotten serious yet.

  “Happy new year, Daddy!” Kennedy jumped in between them, launching herself into Jack’s arms, planting a big kiss on his cheek and wrapping herself around him. “It’s good luck to get a kiss at midnight.”

  “Oh yeah?” Jack laughed, patting her back and kissing her. “Who told you that?”

  “Beth. Plus everyone knows that, Daddy.” Kennedy turned then, giggling, and reached for Jessie.

  Jessie held out her arms and hugged the little girl, snuggling her close and kissing the top of her silky blonde head.

  “Happy new year, baby girl.”

  “Happy new year, Jessie. Did you get a good luck kiss?” Kennedy asked.

  Jessie shook her head. “Not yet. How about you give me one? That’ll bring me all the good luck I’ll ever need.”

  Kennedy gave her a loud smacking kiss on her cheek and giggled again.

  Jack watched them with a small smile, a feeling of warm affection coming over him. It was a fairly new feeling for him, but one he had been having more and more often, as Kennedy became the most important part of his life. As he got to know her and realized what a special and amazing little girl she was, he was overwhelmed. He had helped create this beautiful, kind, funny and unique little person. Who would have thought such a sweet kid could have come from a dickhead like him? Unbelievable.

  And Jessie… well, he wasn’t sure how she factored into the equation. He only knew that she did somehow. As a great role model for his daughter, certainly.

  But she was more than that. More than his friend and coworker. More than the star of his favorite jerking off fantasies.

  He had to admit to himself that he cared about her more than he had ever wanted to care about any woman. She had been there for him when he needed her. She had helped him so much with Kennedy. He wasn’t sure he could have done it without her. And in the process they had gotten to know each other on a deeper level and become very close.

  “Happy new year, Jessie.” Their eyes locked briefly, while Kennedy watched them.

  “Daddy, you should give Jessie a New Year’s kiss, too,” Kennedy said, grinning.

  “Think so?” Jack smiled, reaching for her to tickle her belly.

  Kennedy nodded as she giggled.

  He leaned over and brushed his lips lightly against Jessie’s cheek, resting a hand gently against her lower back.

  “There. Happy?” Jack asked Kennedy, but his eyes were on Jessie’s.

  Jessie blushed and turned away.

  Kennedy stifled a yawn.

  “It’s bedtime,” Jack said, taking her from Jessie and putting her down. “Go put your pajamas on and brush your teeth.”

  “But I’m not tired yet,” Kennedy protested.

  Jack raised an eyebrow at her. “I told you that you that you could stay up until midnight but right to bed afterwards.”

  He had felt bad because Beth was spending New Year’s Eve with her father in Florida and Kennedy had seemed lonely. He had agreed to let her stay up for the party.

  “You still want to go to the movies tomorrow, don’t you? You sure you want to give me a hard time?”

  Kennedy shook her head. “I’m going.”

  TWO HOURS LATER EVERYONE WAS gone, except Jessie.

  Sarah was passed out in her bed upstairs, after getting uncharacteristically wasted.

  Jack walked into the game room and found Jessie cleaning up.

  “Leave it,” Jack said. “I’ll take care of it in the morning.”

  He poured two shots of Fireball and pulled her down beside him on the couch. He handed her one of the shot glasses and lifted the ot
her one up. “One more.”

  “I shouldn’t. I’m already pretty drunk.”

  “Then you’re crashing here anyway, so what’s one more?”

  She shrugged and did the shot.

  “So… what happened with that guy you were seeing? What’s his name?” Jack asked, stealing a glance at her cleavage in her sparkly little dress.

  Fuck. That was some dress she had on. He’d been trying not to stare all night, but he kept finding his gaze drawn to her in spite of his attempts to keep his eyes to himself.

  He was lit up like the fucking Christmas tree thanks to way too much Fireball and he couldn’t stop imagining slipping that dress off of her and finally getting a good look at what was underneath. His cock, on alert most of the night whenever Jessie was within his line of sight, was painfully hard as the greedy bastard decided to have a fucking tantrum until he got what he wanted.

  “Dane? He’s working tonight. I told you he’s an emergency room doctor. The interns almost always get stuck working holidays,” Jesse explained.

  Jack nodded. “Well, he missed out. That’s a hell of a dress.”

  “You like?” She stood up and twirled around.

  His eyes darkened as they watched the glittery material swirl around her thighs, lifting slightly to give him a peek of perfect ass cheeks underneath, not to mention black lace panties.

  Jack let out a hard breath. “Wow.” He laughed shakily and stood suddenly. “You’re such a little tease.”

  He needed to put some distance between them before he did something he would regret.

  Since that night a couple of weeks before Christmas he had not gone near her. She had told him she wasn’t a toy for him to play with. He was determined to treat Jessie with the respect she deserved. And that didn’t mean putting his hands and mouth all over her, making her think there could ever be anything more than friendship between them.

  Jessie laughed. “Yeah, right.”

  “Going to go get ready for bed. I’ll just be a few minutes and then my room is all yours.” He slipped away quickly.