The Truest Thing - Hart's Boardwalk

As I was talented at doing, I drowned out the TV and fell into my book.

I didn’t know how much time passed before I realized I needed to use the bathroom. Uncurling myself from the sectional, I glanced over at Jack and faltered.

I’d missed him stretching his long body on the couch and he’d fallen asleep on his side, his head on an oversized cushion. My sectional had deep, wide seat cushions, and the urge to tuck myself in beside him was real. He’d taken off his suit jacket and tie when we’d come into the house. The buttons of his collar were opened, and he’d rolled up his shirt sleeves, revealing his tan, corded forearms.

I felt more than a tingle of need in all my good places and glanced away guiltily. The last thing Jack deserved was me ogling him. With a sigh, I got up quietly and went to the restroom. The art deco clock on the wall above the dining table said it was only eight forty-five. It was still fairly early and yet, it might as well have been midnight for how tired I was. On my return, I yawned as soon as I looked at Jack.

That urge to curl up beside him and sleep grew stronger.

My hand automatically moved to my stomach.

The three of us cuddled up together sounded so nice, tears pricked my eyes.

Scoffing inwardly at my nonsense, I put the emotion clogging my throat down to the difficulty of the day. Being pregnant, I did find myself in need of more naps than normal. There was absolutely nothing wrong with taking a nap with Jack. It would be my way of offering him comfort, even in his sleep.

Mind made up, practically itching to feel him pressed against me, I switched off the television and tentatively laid down beside Jack. I held my breath, worried I’d wake him. But Jack must’ve been completely out of it because he barely even moved as I pressed my back to his front and rested my head on the cushion beside his. His chest pushed gently into my back as he breathed.

It was nice.

More than nice.

I closed my eyes and listened to Jack breathe and followed him quickly into sleep.

35

Jack

It took awhile for the warm, soft body pressed against Jack in his dreams to pull him out of unconsciousness and gradually into waking.

Before he opened his eyes, he felt the soft curves of her ass against his groin. His arm was settled over a slender waist, his fingertips touching what he discerned was the lower curve of a breast.

Her scent invaded him.

Emery.

Jack’s eyes flew open, adjusting to the dark.

Where am I?

Then it hit him. Crashing at Em’s after the trial because he was so exhausted.

His lips and nose were settled in Emery’s soft hair. Her shoulders rose and fell with light breaths as she slept.

He remembered lying down on her couch as he watched rugby. He must’ve fallen asleep.

Which meant Em had deliberately curled up beside him.

Feeling her breast sit heavily on his fingertips, her magnificent ass against his pelvis, inhaling her, memories of their night together flooded him.

Blood rocketed to his dick and his erection pushed against his suit pants and into the crest between Em’s ass cheeks.

Jack turned his head into the cushion to muffle his groan of need.

Then he heard it.

The swift intake of breath, seconds before she pushed her ass into his dick.

“Em,” he grunted, cupping her breast in his hand and squeezing the full, lush globe.

She whimpered and clutched his hand, drawing it away from her breast and down her stomach. If it was possible, he hardened even more at the feel of the gentle rise of her belly where their baby was growing. She moved his hand over and down to the tight gap between her closed thighs.

Euphoria and arousal made his voice hoarse. “Is that where you need me, sunrise?”

She tensed. And then Jack felt a cool breeze waft over him as Emery flew to her feet. She swayed as she whirled around to glare down at him.

“What the hell are you doing?” Her cheeks were flushed hot.

Indignation rushed through him. “Me? I didn’t fall asleep with you next to me, darlin’, you did that.”

“That wasn’t an invitation to stick your”—she gestured to Jack’s still-visible erection—“in my ass.”

God, the very thought of doing just that only made him harder. He sat up and pressed his fingers to his eyelids. “Fuck, Em, could you not?” Then he dropped his hands and glared up at her. “Why do I feel like a bad guy here? I woke up, you were in my arms, that tends to make me hard, yeah … but I wasn’t the one who rubbed her ass into my dick or put my hand between her legs.”

In the moonlight spilling through the windows, he could see she was bright red with mortification. “I was asleep! I thought I was dreaming!”