CHAPTER TWO
My plan had worked. I took Max to the park each day, and he and Alex played until they were worn out. I sat at the closest picnic table with my laptop fully charged and worked on my designs. Even when I didn't have a pressing job to work on, I would find something to make me appear busy to keep Jack from talking to me. I wanted someone in my life, but at the same time, I wasn't ready.
Two weeks and six play dates later, Jack sat at the table across from me, folded his hands, and laid them on top of the weathered wood. My eyes slowly lifted, and I found him staring at me.
"Yes?" I asked, vexed by his presence.
"Let's go out," he said bluntly.
"Excuse me?" The annoyance was very evident in my voice, as I had planned.
"You, me, and the kids. Let's take them to a movie. Bedtime Stories opens this weekend and Alex has been begging me to see it."
I looked into his eyes, and something caught my attention. He didn't look at me like Max had. That special look that a man reserves for someone he likes was not reflecting back. I had been so hung up on my own issues that I hadn't even noticed. With this new bit of information, my attitude toward Jack Thornton changed.
"Okay," I finally answered.
Jack's eyes lit up and a smile spread across his lips, and I instantly regretted my answer. But it was too late. I had agreed to go and I'm not one to back out, especially when it came to my son. The plans were made, the kids were informed, and we would meet at the theater that Saturday afternoon.
At least it wasn't at night.
And that's how it all started. The play dates became more frequent, as did the movies. And one evening, two months after that first day at the park and without the children in tow, I met Jack at the theater. Just the two of us.
When the movie was over and we walked toward our cars, I felt his hand brush against mine. And that same jolt of energy that I'd felt that first day in the handshake, flowed through me like a current through a high voltage powerplant. He must have felt it, too, because a few seconds later, my hand was in his and our fingers naturally interlocked as if they'd been made for each other.
He walked me to my car, and we fell silent as if we were teenagers on a first date, worrying about that terrifying first kiss. As I reached for the handle to my door, Jack stopped me. He slowly turned me to face him, and that's when I saw it. That look in his eyes was there. The one that told me what he thought of me as if he'd opened his private journal and handed it to me to read.
And to my surprise, the same look was in my eyes.
Jack took a step forward and I felt his body press against me, pushing me against the cold metal of my car. His lips were soft and warm as they covered mine. The cool night air was nonexistent with our bodies smashed together. My heart raced, and I was pretty sure I could feel his as it attempted to pound out of his chest. His hands moved to my cheeks, and they were warm. They weren't as smooth as Max's, but they were just as nice. I hadn't realized how much I needed this until that moment. His hands were in my long, brown hair now, pulling me closer to him. His tongue swept across mine as my lips parted.
"I've wanted to do that since the day we met," he informed me.
I couldn't say the same, so I simply gripped the back of his hair and pulled him to me again. His actions were growing in eagerness as we kissed in the middle of the parking lot. I could feel his body beginning to react and he took a step back.
"Do you want to come to my house?" he asked nervously.
I could see that his chest was heaving with deep breaths and the longing in his eyes had intensified to something you'd see in a movie just before the lead characters fell into bed together. It was then that I noticed my own heavy breathing. My body longed for his, and I was feeling undeniable pains in certain parts of my body. It was against my better judgment and in every way, I wanted to say no. But I wanted to feel normal, I wanted to feel loved in a way that only a man could show me. And the word that came out of my mouth surprised us both.
"Yes."
"Yes?" Jack scanned my face, clearly trying to read me.
"Yes."
He took my hand and led me to his red Jeep Wrangler that was parked four spaces from mine. He unlocked it, opened the passenger door, and held it until I was inside. My eyes were locked on him as he hurried around the front of the Jeep and into the driver's seat. Once inside, Jack's gaze locked on me, and he leaned across the vehicle and kissed me. The urgency was there. I felt it...and returned it.
With the Jeep started and in gear, Jack looked both ways before pulling out into the street. Within ten minutes he was turning into a driveway of a modest cottage style house with a large front porch. It was painted a muted blue with beige shutters and was quite beautiful.
My heart pounded so hard against my chest that it ached. I thought for sure Jack would be able to hear it. If he had, he showed no signs of it. He rushed around the front of the Jeep, opened my door, and held his hand out to assist me down. The Jeep was tall, and I had struggled getting inside, so the helping hand was much appreciated as I lowered my feet with my high heels to the ground. Jack didn't move though, and he was close enough that I could smell his breath laced with the scent of the Junior Mints that he'd eaten during the movie, along with his cologne.
That cologne. It had driven me wild since the first day I'd met him. I recognized it right away. Obsession for Men. Max rotated through a few different scents and that had been one of them. It was also my favorite.
I looked up into his eyes and felt as if he'd devour me right there if he could. His lips covered mine and oh, how I loved his lips. I knew I'd been missing the intimacy of having a husband, but until this very moment, I hadn't realized exactly how much.
A lot.
My hands moved up along his back as his fingers tangled in my hair. He was a few inches taller than me, but the heels I had chosen to wear that evening brought us close to eye level. I stared into his hazel eyes as he stared into my baby blues and no words were needed between us. He took my hand and pulled me from the Jeep, closing the door behind me. We walked side by side along the sidewalk to his front door. I watched him as he fumbled with his keys to unlock it. Once he succeeded, he pushed the door open and stayed back until I entered in front of him.
Always the gentleman.
I had tried to restrain myself, act like the respectable lady I portrayed myself to be. But as soon as he closed the door and locked it, I spun around and pushed my body against his. My sudden eagerness caught Jack off guard, and he gripped my shoulders and looked into my eyes. But it had been a long time for Jack as well, and like me, he was in desperate need of adult contact.
He pushed my shirt off my shoulders before I could get the buttons undone, popping a few free and they hit the floor.
"I'm sorry," he gasped with his eyes wide.
I didn't care. It was just a shirt. "It's fine," I said, then proceeded to attempt the same with his.
A trail of clothing lay along the floor as we made our way to his bedroom. By the time we crossed the doorway, my black lace panties were the only thing between us. We stood frozen at the foot of his bed. His eyes scanning my body, my eyes scanning his. He was magnificent. My mind had not done him justice when I looked him up and down at the park that day. His polo kept more hidden than I'd thought. Including most of his tattoos. He had a full sleeve on his left arm, something on his upper right arm, and possibly more. I would have to find that out later and inspect them more closely.
I felt self-conscious next to him and folded my arms across my chest. I had no idea what a man like this would see in me.
"Don't," he said tenderly. "You're so beautiful." Jack gently pulled my arms to my side and released a hard breath as he looked at me. "Absolutely perfect."
With his hands on the sides of my neck, his fingers curled into my hair, and his body slowly moving closer to mine, he covered my lips with his. He moved an arm around my lower back and eased me onto the bed. Then he lifted me and pulled me up the mattress with ease as if I was light as a feather.
His back was quite muscular, and it excited me. Max was in great shape but nothing like this. I could feel each muscle and tendon flex as he moved, the hills and valleys across his shoulders shifted as he lowered his body over mine.
We gave each other what we'd each desperately needed that evening. I lay in his arms as he softly hummed a tune and stroked my hair. The experience hadn't been better than Max, but different. Very, very different. And just as wonderful.
It was time for me to get to my parents' and pick up Little Max before going home, and I sat on the edge of the bed and strapped my high heels on. Jack sat in an oversized cushioned chair across from me and watched, his eyes constantly scanning my body. I straightened, and for the first time, I looked around the room.
His house was quaint and clean. I stood and walked around while Jack remained in the chair and watched me. He was always watching me. He was wearing only a pair of black athletic shorts and his legs were just as muscled as his arms. I touched each item as I passed it, picking up a few, inspecting them, and returning them to their homes. Everything appeared to have its place and I didn't want to disrupt that. My fingers brushed along the edge of his antique dresser as I crossed the room, and as I neared the closet, I stopped dead in my tracks.
It was at that moment in time that I realized my mistake in the past few months. In my attempts to not begin a relationship with this man, I had never asked him about...him. And it was in this very second that I learned what his job was.
Hanging in front of me was a freshly pressed police uniform and bulletproof vest.
My heart stopped!
Jack noticed my reaction and was quickly at my side. "What is it?" he asked with concern.
"You're a cop?"
"Yes. I mentioned that one day at the park," he informed me.
My head snapped to face him and the dumbfounded expression on my face obviously alerted him to the fact that I had not been listening to him.
"And you didn't hear me." he said as his eyes dropped, along with his voice.
"I'm sorry. I...I had no intention of having a relationship with you. With anyone for that matter."
"It's fine," he stated and returned to the chair on the other side of the room. "I get it."
What? Had I just used him? Had I turned into everything I hated about most men? No, no way. He wanted it, too. We both did. Why hadn't I listened to him at the park?
I sat on the corner of the mattress as I stared at that uniform. The symbol of someone that may not come home one day. That's what it meant to me, anyway.
"Do you have something against cops?" Jack finally asked.
I rotated on the bed and faced him, shaking my head. "No. I don't. I respect them and everything they do and sacrifice."
"Then what's the problem?"
"I can't be involved with one." My heart sank as the words passed over my lips.
"Why not?" he asked as he moved to the edge of the chair and rested his elbows on his knees. "I thought we had something special happening here. I don't usually bring women home. You're the...the first since JoAnn..." his voice trailed off.
"And you're the first since Max," I assured him. "You're..." I started to add another bit of information then changed my mind.
Jack stood and crossed the room, taking a seat on the bed beside me.
"I'm what?" he asked. His voice was so tender and soothing that it made it impossible not to be open with him. "Please don't shut down."
"You're the only other man I've ever been with besides Max."
"Really?" he asked with surprise.
"Yes, really. Why? Do you think I sleep around with every man I meet at the park?"
"No. That's not what I meant at all." Jack lifted his hand and tucked my hair behind my ear. "I just didn't expect that from, well, anyone."
I relaxed my body and laid my hand on Jack's knee. He was just as sweet as Max, just as kind, and possibly, just as loving. But he was a cop.
"You didn't answer my question," Jack reminded me.
"What question?" I already knew what he was referring to, but for some reason I played dumb.
"What do you have against cops?"
"I've already lost one husband. I can't get involved with someone that I could possibly lose. I barely survived losing Max."
"That's it?" he asked with a smile.
"What do you mean 'that's it'? Do you plan on retiring young?"
Jack shook his head, but his smile never left his lips.
"Do you find this funny?"
"Not at all. I find it...what's the word...salvageable."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that I can remedy this problem that you have in your head about my profession. I have just as much a chance of being killed in a car accident on my way to work as I do while on the job."
"That's not true," I argued.
"It is," he reiterated.
"I just can't. I can't be sitting at home every day wondering if you would come back to me. I can't do it."
"Beth," Jack said and moved his hand along my cheek.
I loved it when he touched me like that, and I loved it when he called me Beth. The way my name rolled off his tongue sent chills down my spine. I stared at his lips, unable to look away. "Say my name again."
"Beth," he repeated.
My name floated off his tongue like a wisp of air. I slowly lifted my eyes to meet his, and his gaze drilled right into my soul, taking my breath away.
What is it with this man?
Jack leaned forward and kissed me. I had nothing in me that was strong enough to resist, and I moved around him until I was sitting on his lap, straddling his legs. Jack gripped onto my hips, lifted and spun us around until his body was pressing mine into the mattress again.
...
When I finally made it to pick up Max, he was already asleep in the spare bedroom. My mom asked me if he could spend the night so they could take him to the toy store the following day. I agreed, spent a few moments with my mother, then headed home.
I sat in my car in my driveway, my hands on my steering wheel, and stared at my unopened garage door. I couldn't take my mind off Jack. I could still smell his cologne on me, closed my eyes, and drew in a deep breath.
Remembering the feel of his hands on my body, I brushed my thumb along my bottom lip, trying to remember the taste of his. I looked at the clock and wondered if he was still awake just as my phone notification went off. I picked it up and saw it was a text from Jack.
I had a great time tonight. I hope I can see you again sometime soon.
I laid the phone on the seat, put the car in reverse, and backed out of the drive. Fifteen minutes later I was parked in the street in front of his house. The car was still running, the lights were still on, and I sat staring at my steering wheel again.
What am I doing? I can't do this. I leaned forward and rested my head against the wheel. I can't do this.
A knock on my window caused me to jump out of my skin and I hit the horn with my hand by accident. Jack stood outside my window clearly trying to hide his laughter and pointed at my door lock. I unlocked it and Jack opened the door.
"What are you doing out here? I thought you went to your parents'."
"I did, but Max was already asleep, and my mom wanted to keep him."
"So...," Jack started and looked at me sideways. "Why are you here?"
"I'm not sure," I answered as I looked up at him from my seat. The car was still running, and the seat belt was still buckled. I was half tempted to throw it in gear and drive off. But I didn't. There was such a strong magnetic pull when I was around him, and I couldn't pry myself from his gaze.
Jack took a step back and held his hand out. "Then, come on in," he said with a smile.
I hesitated for only a short moment, then turned the car off. With the keys in one hand and my free hand in his, I stepped from my car and followed him into his home. Jack locked the door behind us, slid his hand into mine, and led me to the kitchen.
"Cheesecake?" he asked as he held the refrigerator door open.
"Sounds perfect."
"Alexandria is with her grandparents for the weekend, so there were no worries of being interrupted," he said while he slid the plate across the counter toward me.
"Oh." My eyes dropped to the plate, and I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks. What is wrong with me. I'm acting like a stupid teenager. I took a bite of the cheesecake and gasped. "This is delicious. Where is it from?"
"Kitchen de la Jack," he answered with a smirk.
"What? No way you made this."
"Why not?"
"Because..."
"Because I'm a guy?"
"Well, yeah."
"I baked this from scratch, I'll have you know," he stated as he held the container in the air before returning it to the fridge.
"Seriously?"
"Yes, seriously. Why are you having such a tough time believing that?"
"My dad can't boil water and Max could barely burn toast."
"That's your entire census?"
"Well, yeah." I felt like a fool and utterly inexperienced with the human race by that point.
Jack moved to the seat beside me and pulled his plate in front of him. "It's alright," he said softly. "And, just so you know, my mom is a chef."
"Oh," I responded with my fork upside down and held between my lips.
I caught Jack staring at me, his eyes were locked on my mouth. I slowly pulled the fork away and Jack was on me like a bear to honey. He pulled my knees around and straddled my legs with his, then pulled my stool forward as far as he was able. With his hand behind my head, he drew me in and kissed me. Hard.
After several minutes of this, Jack stood, pulled me to my feet, gripped my waist and lifted me onto the island. This was where the differences between Jack and Max took a drastic leap. Max would never do anything in the kitchen, no matter how many times I tried to urge him to. We always ended up in the bedroom. I was okay with that, but this...this was hot as hell.
Jack's hands rested on my hips as he pulled me to the edge of the Formica. He pressed his pelvis into me, and I could tell that he was as aroused as I was.
Jack stopped and straightened as he looked me in the eyes. His breathing was heavy, as was mine, and he moved his hands to my face, cupping it in a way that would make any woman swoon.
"I know this is soon, but I have to get it off my chest."
"What, Jack?"
"I haven't felt this way in a very long time. My heart was broken, and I never thought I could love again. But these past few months have opened my eyes...and my heart...to the possibility that it could happen. And after this evening, alone with you, I am falling hard."
"Jack," I said in a whisper.
"I don't expect you to feel the same. I know your life was different. I just wanted you to know how I felt."
I nodded slightly as I stared into his eyes, and the seriousness of his words was evident. This man wore his heart on his sleeve, and he'd shown it to me that night.
I gripped onto the waistband of his shorts and pulled him back to me. Our lips met with a hunger that hadn't been fed in a long time, even though it had only been a couple of hours. Jack made quick work of my shirt and I heard it land on the floor as the plastic buttons clicked against the ceramic tile. He pushed my skirt up and reached beneath it, pulling my panties off quickly, as if we were lovers that had been separated for months.
"I want to make love to you," he whispered in my ear.
As a chill flowed through me to the tips of my toes, I nodded and clutched onto his hips.
...
For the first time in five years, ten months, and thirteen days – but who's counting – I woke up in someone's arms. And it felt wonderful. My back was against him as we spooned. We were a perfect fit together, and that had not gone unnoticed by me. I carefully rolled over, trying not to wake him, but when my nose met his, Jack's eyes were already locked with mine.
"Good morning," he said, then kissed my nose.
"Good morning, Jack." I smiled and felt a flood of joy warm my soul. I hadn't felt this warmth since Max, and it began to take its emotional toll on me. I buried my face in his chest in an attempt to hide my tears, but my body gave it away.
Jack gripped my shoulders and pushed me back until he could see me. "What is it?" He moved his hand to my face and wiped my cheeks until they were dry. "Talk to me, Beth."
"I haven't felt this happy in so long. Sorry, I'm so emotional."
Jack wrapped me with his strong arms and held me until I was done. He didn't try to stop me, he didn't ask any more questions, he simply held me. And it was perfect. It was all that I needed, and the tears cleansed my inner being, washing me free of the sadness that had been residing within.
"Thank you," I said with my face still pressed to his firm chest. Geez, it was so firm. I had never dated a guy that was this built and I was fascinated by his shape.
"What do you want to do today?" Jack asked as he pushed my hair off my shoulders.
I tipped my head so I could look into his beautiful eyes, and I smiled.
"Beautiful," he said as he brushed his knuckles along my cheek. "I love to see you smile."
"Can we just talk?" I asked him. "And I promise to listen this time." A giggle escaped me, and Jack rolled me onto my back as he moved above me.
"How do I know that?" he asked, then kissed my neck.
Oh, my neck. That had always been my downfall. As soon as his lips touched my skin, I melted and moved my head, opening the area for him to continue. Jack took the cue and complied. After a minute of stirring up my insides in a wild fury of a hundred tornadoes, Jack moved alongside me and rested on his elbow.
I slowly opened my eyes to find him staring at me and grinning. "Why did you stop?" I asked as I moved to my side to face him.
"I thought we were going to talk."
After I blew out an exasperated breath and rolled my eyes, I replied, "Okay. Let's talk."
"What do you want to talk about?"
"You."
"Me?" he asked. "Why me?"
"Because we've done a lot of talking about me, and...I did a lot of ignoring you at the beginning."
"Oh, I see how I rate. That hurts," he said and slapped his hand to his chest.
"I'm sorry. I tried everything to get you to leave me alone."
"It didn't work," he winked and grinned.
"Nope."
"Okay, what do you want to know?"
"Where are you from."
"Coralville."
"Okay. Your parents? Alive, married, divorced, live nearby?"
"Yes, they are both alive. Yes, they are still married. Yes, they still live in Coralville."
"Well, I know you're a cop. What kind of cop?"
Jack hesitated before he answered as his eyes searched hers. "Patrol officer."
I thought about that for a moment and tried not to allow it to affect how I felt about him.
"Are you okay with that?"
"I have to be, right?" I asked him.
"No."
His response had surprised me, and my expression must have alerted him to that fact.
"I can't make you feel okay about what I do. Only you can do that. And if you never are, that's your prerogative and your right. Who am I to take that from you?"
I liked that answer. I could already see that Jack would never try to pressure me to see things his way. He would give me his opinion, but then allow me to come to my own conclusion.
"Alex is five?"
"Yes."
"When is her birthday?"
"April 4. When is Max's?"
"Valentine's Day."
"Sweet gift," Jack commented with a smile.
"Yes. The most perfect gift. When is your birthday?"
"August 27."
"That's in two weeks. And you'll be 33?"
"Yes. I see you did listen to something I said before," he teased.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm sorry about that."
"When is your birthday?"
"October 16."
"And you'll be 32." Jack said it as a statement, not as a question, because he knew how old I was. He always listened.
"Yes. What's your middle name?"
"Alexander."
"Oh, Alexandria. I get it."
"Yes, it was her mother's idea."
"What was her mother's name again?"
"It's JoAnn. What's your middle name?"
"Anne with an E."
"Ah, Anne of Greene Gables reference," Jack chuckled.
"You know that movie?" I was shocked.
"My mother loves it and made Tom and I watch it with her a few dozen times. I'm quite certain I have most of it memorized."
"I love that movie, too. All of them."
"Anne and Alexander. A plus all around," he grinned.
"Best friend?"
"Plural...Lee and Bill. I work with them. You?"
"Rosemary. She was my roommate through college. Oh, do you have any siblings?"
Jack fell quiet for a moment. "I had a brother."
"I'm so sorry. I didn't know."
"It's okay. It's been a long time but it's still hard. Tom was only thirteen and was hit by a drunk driver as we were walking home from a friend's house."
"And you became a cop."
"And I became a cop. How about you? Siblings?"
"Two sisters. Julie and Viola."
"Wow, three girls. I can't even imagine."
"We were a lot. Especially for my dad."
"I believe that."
I glanced around his room and noticed a photo hanging on his wall. I sat up and pulled the covers around me. "Is that your brother?"
Jack sat up and looked toward the picture. "Yes. That was taken one month before the accident."
"You two look alike. He's your..."
"Yes. We were twins."
I couldn't imagine losing one of my sisters, but a twin. There's a bond between twins that I'd always heard my friends talk about. One that couldn't be broken.
"I am so sorry, Jack. I can't...I just can't imagine."
"I think I still feel his presence at times. I guess it's the twin thing. I don't know."
I had the overwhelming urge to hold him, so I moved closer and put my arms around him. "I'm sorry, Jack," I said as he laid his head against mine.
He lifted his chin, bringing his lips to mine, and kissed me with such tenderness. "I love you, Beth. Please don't say it back until you're ready, if you're ever ready, but I love you."
I knew I had fallen for this man, but I was afraid to admit it. I wanted to say the words so badly, because I didn't want Jack to feel rejected. But at the same time, I wasn't sure I was ready. I looked into his eyes, half expecting to see a pleading gaze, but there wasn't one. Only the soft, gentle eyes that had caught my attention when I'd met him. I laid my hand on his cheek and brushed the skin with my thumb.
"I care very deeply for you. But I'm just not ready. Not yet," I added with a smile.
"I understand. And that's okay." He placed his hand on the back of my neck and drew me in until our foreheads touched. "Only when you're ready and not a second sooner."
"Okay." I wanted to change the topic so we wouldn't be left in an awkward silence, and my eyes dropped to his arm. "Can you tell me about your tattoos?"
"Are you okay with tattoos?" he asked first.
"Yes," I said as I ran my hand across his sleeve. "I find them quite sexy when they're done right and not too many."
Jack pulled his left shoulder and arm around and pointed at each section as he explained the meaning. At the top of his shoulder was a tiger's head, and inside his arm was a lion's head. There were four roses and a clock set at 10:10.
"The lion and tiger are me and Tom. Because we were the same, but different. You know what I mean?"
"Yes, I understand."
"They are strong, noble animals. Both big cats, but still their own unique breed. Tom and I might have been identical twins, but we were very different. So, I didn't want two tigers or two lions. I had him put the tiger on my shoulder because Tom was always by my side. The four roses are for the family: mom, dad, Tom, and me. The clock is a reminder that time is fleeting. You never know when your time will be up. The clock is set when my buddy, Eric, was killed while we were trying to take down a meth lab. 10:10 pm was his time of death. And this angel holding the cross is for Tom, as well."
"Wow, you have a lot of symbolism in this." I touched his arm and outlined each area with my fingers. The artwork was amazing, and the eyes of the tiger appeared to be staring right at me.
"Yes. Once I decided I wanted one, I spent two years with an artist, planning and tweaking it, until he came up with this. I loved it and made an appointment to get it started right away."
"This must have hurt. How long does something like this take?"
"Well, you can't get it all at once, and you have to allow it to heal between each session, so it was spread out across almost a year."
"I had no idea the process could take that long. What is this one?"
Jack continued sharing the meaning behind each of his tattoos. His upper right arm was a police shield with a blue raven's wings curling around the edges as if it was protecting it. Their motto was scribed onto vintage style banners, and through the center was a blue line, and below that was written "our fallen officers."
As the clock had, this tattoo made my stomach knot up. Wanting to change the topic, I pointed at a tattoo on his upper thigh. It was an old ship, and it was horrible.
"What's the story behind this one?"
I know Jack saw me try to hide my grin, because he looked at me through his long eyelashes and smiled.
"This here, is a prime example of what not to do when you're nineteen and drunk."
"Oh, I see." I was giggling now. I couldn't help it.
"Yes. You see, I was really into Pirates of the Caribbean, and I had asked the tattoo artist to give me a ship just like Captain Jack Sparrow's, the Black Pearl. Unbeknownst to me, he had no idea who Captain Jack was and didn't bother to share that little piece of information."
I was laughing now as I looked at the tattoo again. It was truly awful.
"I've been wanting to get a coverup tat, but I haven't decided what I want yet."
"Any ideas?"
"Not really. Maybe one will come to me soon." He reached up and pushed my hair back before kissing me.
"Am I your muse?"
"Possibly," he said, then kissed me again.
I breathed in deeply, inhaling his cologne and morning breath. That reminded me of my own and I quickly covered my mouth.
"What's wrong?" he asked me.
"I really need to brush my teeth." After looking at the alarm clock that sat on his side of the bed, I gasped and pushed the sheets. "I need to go. I didn't know it was this late."
Jack pulled the covers back, opening it up for me to get out easier, then followed me out of the bed. "Do you have time for a shower? You can use mine if you need to."
I turned to him to say I couldn't, but the glint in his eye made me say otherwise. "I have a few minutes," I answered.
"Good, I'll share the stories of my other tattoos," he said with a wink.
He slipped his hand into mine and led me into the room. It was larger than I'd expected, and the entire end of the room was a huge shower. A smile took residence on my lips as my imagination ran wild. Jack was exciting, and Lord knows, I needed a little excitement in my life.