Dawn of Forever (Jack & Jill 3)

Their embrace intensified as if he could squeeze every last drop of doubt and insecurity from her.

“It was hypothetical.”

“What if it wasn’t? Hypothetical questions are oftentimes reality in disguise. I have this ‘friend’ who might be pregnant. What do you think ‘she’ should do?”

Luke pulled back a fraction, brows arched as he peered down at her. “Baby, are you pregnant?”

She pinched his sides until he buckled at the waist, chuckling.

“I’m not pregnant, you dimwit. I’m trying to be serious.”

“So Kelly is pregnant?”

“Luke!” Her pinch turned into a gut punch.

He grabbed the back of her neck and kissed her so hard breathing became an afterthought. Walking her back into the wall of his dress shirts that hung from hangers spaced evenly apart, he lifted her up until her back pressed to the wall. A few perfectly-starched shirts surrendered, falling to the floor.

Jessica gasped for air as lips devoured every inch of skin along her neck. “I love the way you love me. It’s … everything.”

“It’s forever,” he whispered in her ear, sliding her T-shirt up her body and over her head.

Their bed waited twenty feet away. Luke deemed it too far as he laid her on the floor of the closet, several dress shirts trapped beneath her.”

“Your shirts—”

“Fuck the shirts.” He smirked, eyes hooded as he removed her shorts and then his pants.

“Dr. Jones is going to be pissed at you.”

Luke settled between her legs, rubbing his erection against her clit as she closed her eyes on a soft moan. “Not when he smells sex with Jessica on them.”

“Oh … God …”

He pushed into her and she let him control her body, dominate her thoughts, and erase all doubt.

*

“So when did you make your decision?”

Luke reached for the shared red sweatshirt wadded on the floor a few feet away and draped it over Jessica’s back. She seemed content sprawled out on his chest, but he felt goose bumps along her skin.

“What decision?” he asked.

“The one where you had to choose between orderliness and me. Surely you knew you couldn’t have both.” She teased his nipple between her teeth so he pinched her ass, eliciting a squeal and the release of his hostage nipple.

“The first time we kissed. Orderliness doesn’t turn me on like you do.”

Jessica giggled. He loved that giggle. Every day she seemed to reclaim a piece of her innocence, and he felt honored beyond words to be the one to help her put those pieces back together.

“I bet you get at least a semi from a spotless mirror and perfectly-folded hand towels.”

He shrugged. “It may twitch a bit.”

The most beautiful lips ever planted a soft kiss on his shoulder. “I love you and I would never cheat on you. You’re it for me. If a runaway cable car flattens your ass tomorrow, I’ll never be with another man.”

“Don’t say that.”

“It could happen.”

“I’m talking about you not moving on if something—probably not cable car related—were to happen to me. You’re young and you have so much love to give. It would be a crime for you to not share it with someone.”

“Nope.”

He scooted out from underneath her until they sat facing each other, holding hands. “I want … I need you to promise me that you’ll love again.”

She shook her head. “It wouldn’t matter. I’d never find someone to accept me the way I am.”

“The way you are? You mean strong, resilient, beautiful, smart, funny, sassy, kind, giving, thoughtful … I could go on all day. But I see what you mean. No man would want that.”

“Luke,” she whispered, staring at their interlaced fingers holding on for life, just like their two souls.

If he’d had one wish, it would have been for her to see herself through his eyes for just one moment in time.

“I want to be your everything, but only while I’m here. If the day comes that I’m not, then let me go. Let me be your greatest memory.”

She looked up at him with the eyes that served as a looking glass into his entire existence. Luke didn’t want to think of them looking at another man the way they looked at him, but if it meant someone looking back at her the way he did, then it made the thought bearable … just barely.

“And you? If I die will you love another?”

No. The world’s biggest fucking double standard ever, but he wouldn’t. She needed love. He had enough to last his entire life.

“I’d try.”

Jessica nodded slowly, but it didn’t feel like a nod of agreement, more of the nod someone gives when they’re trying to process something.

“I need to apologize to my mom.”

The change in subject was fine by him. “We’re not your parents or Cathy and Daniel, we’re not even the crazy skinny dipping couple from Tahoe. I know you’ve used them as a litmus test for your own chance at happiness, but you … we don’t need them. I got you. I’ll always have you.”