Chapter 40
forty
. . .
Brynnlee
“Hello,”I holler through the partially opened front door, as I knock once more.
The smell of fresh paint fills the space, as I carefully step inside. The small entryway opens up into a large living room with a fireplace and beautiful hardwood floors.
Closing the door behind me I holler out once more, just as Jensen steps through the arched door into the living room. “Hey,” he offers me and smiles.
“I brought you lunch.” Lifting the bag I hold in one hand and then the two drinks in the other. “Figured you might be hungry.”
“Um.” He walks in my direction and I’m just about to ask if everything is okay when a familiar blonde walks out from the same direction he’d come from.
His wife, or ex-wife, hell I’m not sure what exactly to call her.
“I’m not even completely moved out yet and you’re already moving in as a replacement.” She sneers and I notice the glare Jensen tosses her.
“Chrissy,” he warns and suddenly I feel stupid for showing up. He’d not invited me though he did give me the address and tell me where he’d be.
“I’m not moving in,” I announce. “Just brought him something to eat.”
“How nice of you.” Her voice oozes sarcasm.
“I should’ve called.”
Chrissy says yes you should have and at the same time Jensen says no need to call. I’m suddenly stuck in a very awkward position.
“I’m gonna go.” I set the food and the drinks down on the bucket and turn toward the door but don’t make it far. One arm hooks my waist and I’m dragged off to the kitchen where Jensen pins me in a corner, using his body to block mine.
“You’re not leaving.” There is no question in his tone. “She is.”
“It’s no bi—” He kisses me, halting my words and I lean into him.
“You’re staying,” he replies, looking directly into my eyes. “She came to pick up her last few boxes. She checks into rehab on Monday. I didn’t know she was coming, but I did hope you would.”
The sound of the front door slamming echoes throughout the house and Jensen chooses to not comment on his soon to be ex-wife”s fit. Instead he offers one last kiss and then threads his fingers through mine, pulling me along with him.
“Let me show you around.” As he guides me through the doorway of the kitchen and back out into the living room, he grabs the bag and drinks I left behind. As he walks through the house I look around, listening to him talk about all the things he’d love that had made him buy it to begin with.
“Two bedrooms, but this could be used as a third.” He steps into a large room. It has a built-in shelving unit along one wall. “I’ve used it as my office, because of all the shelving.”
“This place is beautiful.” And it is with all its details and open space.
“Here.” Jensen pulls back a large canvas, exposing a gorgeous mahogany desk. “It was my father’s,” he states, sitting on the bucket and pulling around a chair for me. “I don’t know if I ever told you but he was a surgeon.”
“No.” I join him realizing that besides what he’d already known about my family, there’s been very little the two of us have shared.
“Cardiologist,” he adds, pulling the contents from the bag. “He was older than my mother, getting himself through all his schooling and things before settling down. They met when my mom came in with her own mother for a consultation.”
I smile playing out the story in my mind.
“He used to tell us kids that from the moment she entered the room it was like he’d been hit so hard he’d been knocked off his feet. She smiled at him once and it was over for him. He knew she was the one.”
“That’s actually very sweet,” I say, grabbing a breadstick and tearing it in half.
“To us it was cheesy, and he’d love to make all us kids whine about not needing to hear the details. Now looking back I’d give anything to have him right here telling you the same stories.” Jensen offers me a smile while taking the other half. “I have no doubt he would have loved you.”
“Oh yeah,” I challenge him with a smile.
“Definitely, he loved strong, confident, take no shit kind of women.”
I shrug, as I take a bite and look around the room. Hearing the bucket scoot against the floor I look back just in time to see Jensen slide in close reaching out to grip my legs he pulls me closer. “I’m really happy you stopped by.”
I hold his stare, noting dry paint in his hair, and smeared on the side of his neck. He’s wearing a sleeveless shirt showing off his strong arms and a pair ofbasketball shorts that are all equally covered with dry paint.
“I took off the next week so I can get things done around here, so feel free to do these pop ins any time, day or night.” Jensen wags his brows making me laugh.
I lift my hand, drag the tips of my fingers over his jaw and brush my lips over his. “So if I wanted to show up wearing a long coat, with lots of silk and lace beneath.”
“I wouldn’t complain,” he interrupts me, taking the chance to kiss me. “In fact do that, please.”
I smile, when he attempts to pull back I fist his hair and hold him closer. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“I got the beer.”Connor holds up two twelve packs as he steps up onto the curb.
“And we brought the pizza,” Marco announces when he and Taylor join Connor and I.
I’d gathered them all, asking if they wanted to spend their evening painting. Connor is the only one that complained but Taylor took over and fifteen minutes later he told me that he’d be there with the drinks.
I don’t want to know what it took, I shiver at the thought.
We climb the front steps to Jensen’s place and I knock.
A few minutes later he pulls open the door, looking pretty much the same as I’d seen him earlier, only now he’d gotten rid of the shirt.
“Damn,” Marco whispers from over my left shoulder and I can’t even laugh because I’m thinking the exact same thing.
“We’re here for the painting party,” Connor announces, breaking the trance and barges through. The guy is a menace.
Slowly everyone piles in, carrying the food and drinks, leaving me and Jensen behind. I can hear both Taylor and Marco going on and on about the beauty of the house.
“Babe.” Jensen steps closer, closing the door behind me and kissing the space just below my ear. Pausing there his hot breath fans over my neck. “You said lace and silk, this isn’t what I had in mind.”
Turning my face enough that it brings my lips only inches from his, I tell him, “I’ll show you later what I have on underneath these clothes.” He growls, I laugh and without kissing him I step past him and offer him a little wink.