From This Moment

“Please talk to me, Elise. I don’t want you keeping anything inside, no matter how you think I’ll react. I can only help you if you let me.”

“I’m okay,” she whispers as a tear trails down her face. “It’s just that Rona got hurt because of me. She’s going to hate me now.”

“Babe, Rona isn’t going to hate you. Also, from what I’ve heard, her ex, Nick, was involved with Tom in some way. So they’d have gotten to Rona with or without you.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. Seriously.”

“But . . .”

I seal her mouth briefly with mine. “Seriously, babe. Stop worrying about Rona. I’m more concerned about you. No matter what happened recently, you were still engaged to Tom.”

She looks everywhere but at me.

“Elise. It’s okay.”

Elise

I can’t hold the tears at bay and I give in to them finally, after fighting them all day.

“Babe, come here,” Jake whispers.

He lies on his side and pulls me into his arms. I feel loved when he wraps himself around me. Surrounded by his heat, I know I can say anything to him.

“I remember how Tom used to be and I’m sorry that man is dead,” I admit. “But the man he became frightened and hurt me. A part of me is glad he won’t be able to come after me again. It’s that last part that makes me feel like a bad person. I’ve never, in my life, felt relief at someone passing, like I do with Tom.”

Jake slides his fingers through my hair and massages the back of my head. “It’s a natural reaction to feel the way you do after being attacked. I’m pissed that I won’t get to punch the bastard, but I’m also relieved you won’t be worrying about him sneaking up on you in the future. I feel better knowing he can’t get to you again. I’m not going to apologize for the way I feel either. And neither should you.” He kisses my forehead. “I’m here for you, Elise. No matter what you want to say, I’ll always listen to you.”

“That means a lot. Everything has happened in such a short time and my head is spinning. One minute I’m engaged to Tom and the next, you’re home and wanting me again.”

“I never stopped wanting you,” he chuckles. “Let’s not get that part wrong.”

“You’ve always been full of yourself.” I pinch him on his firm ass.

“You’re asking for trouble doing that.”

“The good kind, I hope.” I slip my hand inside the back of his jeans and shorts to pinch his naked ass this time.

He growls in my ear, “Elise. As much as I want you to carry on, I’m not sure it’s such a good idea tonight.” He drops his face to the crook of my neck as I caress over his firm bottom, and he shudders when I trace the crease between his buttocks with my finger.

He rolls me over onto my back, and pushes his hips against the juncture of my thighs as he settles over my body. My fingers thread through his hair to hold him close.

My lips are a breath away from his mouth when I plead, “Make love to me, Jake.”

For a split second, I see doubt cross his face before his eyes fill with lust. I’m not trying to forget everything by using Jake. I just want to feel as close to him as I possibly can, and to thank God that it wasn’t Jake who died today.

Trembling at the thought, I apply pressure to the back of his head and bring his mouth down to mine. The minute our lips meet, Jake groans and takes control of the kiss. His tongue invades my mouth, seeking and finding mine as they entwine.

My legs wrap around his hips as I push against the long, hard length of him; wanting, needing, to feel him in my core.

Breaking the kiss, I draw a few deep breaths as Jake continues his assault on my senses by trailing wet kisses along my jaw and down my neck.

“You have too many clothes on,” he whispers as he shoves my tee shirt and sweater up over my head, baring my naked breasts.

I’d wanted to give Jake easy access during the course of the day, except with everything that happened, we hadn’t found an opportunity for any messing around.

But that’s being rectified.