Chapter Seven
Jinnie
––––––––
“J UST A SECOND,” JACK says and hops out of bed.
“What are you doing?”
“Hold on.” He grins.
I hear him in the living room. He returns with several candles. I watch as he lights them and then puts a small speaker on my dresser. A second later, Celine Dion is crooning.
I get what he’s doing. He’s setting the mood. It’s romantic and sweet and I decide to ignore the sadness hanging over this moment. He’s trying and I appreciate his effort. I reach for the remote and turn off the TV. The room is plunged into darkness except for the candles flickering on the dresser.
I watch as he pulls off his shirt and drops it to the floor.
He crawls back into bed with his gaze locked on mine. His fingers trace the outline of my body under the thin sweater. He kisses me again, his touch making me shiver. I want to believe that this isn’t our last night together. That it won’t be so different once he leaves. But I know it will. I roll onto my side and press my body against his. His hands move up my thighs, under my sweater. He pulls me on top of him. I sit up, straddling him. I pull off my sweater and toss it over my shoulder. His hands immediately reach up to cup my breasts. I drop my head back, arching my body as he squeezes my breasts. His fingers tweak my nipples. He rolls his hips against me. A small moan escapes me making me hungry for him.
“You’re so beautiful,” he says. “I’m going to miss looking at you.”
“And I, you,” I say back to him barely able to breathe as he continues to tease me.
He sits up with nothing but his ab muscles. His mouth closes over one breast and then the other. My body trembles as he suckles on me. I grip the sheets tightly as he rolls us over. He begins to kiss down my stomach, and it only takes him a second to pull off my shorts. I’m breathing heavily now as he reaches for my panties. He pulls them off and tosses them over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off of me the entire time. His fingertips circle my entrance, and then he slips a finger inside me. I grip his shoulders tighter as he adds another finger and slowly thrusts them in and out. I bite my lip to keep from moaning too loudly, feeling him stretch me out for him.
His mouth finds my neck, and he nips at it gently, kissing, nibbling ,and then licking while his fingers work inside me. His jeans are rough against my skin, but I irritation only heightens the pleasure. His fingers continue to work their magic, stretching me wider and curling inside me. I’m lost in the sensation. Jack kisses his way down my stomach, across my hipbones, and then further still until his tongue flickers across the thin strip of hair above my sex. Heat pools between my thighs. A groan rumbles from deep within him.
He parts my folds with his thumbs, exposing the slick, pink flesh hidden beneath. With careful, deliberate movements, Jack takes me into his mouth, swirling his tongue around my clit and flicking it hard with his thumb. I throw back my head and gasp, legs shaking uncontrollably as he pushes me towards the edge.
“Jack...” My voice is little more than a pleading whisper. “Please.”
He hums against me in response, sucking gently on the swollen nub with just the right amount of pressure. My hips jerk forward, desperate for more contact. Jack pulls back teasingly before pushing two fingers deep inside me once again. I cry out at the exquisite fullness and tension coils so tightly I’m afraid they might snap.
“Jack,” I whimper this time, needing to be heard. “I need you.”
His eyes meet mine in the flickering candlelight, full of desire and longing. He pulls back slowly. He rolls off the bed and quickly shucks his jeans. His underwear drops to the floor and I take a moment to admire him in all his naked glory.
I hold out my hand. He crawls over me, allowing his erection to slide between our stomachs before positioning himself at my entrance. With one final glance at me, he pushes forward and buries himself to the hilt inside me in one swift motion that makes us both gasp.
He doesn’t move for several seconds. His stomach presses against mine, his hard chest expanding with his heavy breathing.
Our bodies move together instinctively, finding a rhythm that sends us both spiraling closer to the precipice. Every thrust sends sparks of electricity shooting through me from my core outward until all thought is lost in a haze of passion and lust for this man who holds me so completely in his arms.
The room echoes with our moans as Jack’s fingers dig into my hips while he thrusts deeper into me with each stroke. The world disappears except for him. He fills me up completely until there’s nothing left but joy and pleasure rushing through me.
“Don’t,” he whispers against my lips, “Don’t forget me.”
“I could never forget you,” I whisper back between kisses, “not even if I tried.”
My body feels electrified as Jack thrusts deeper inside me. He kisses my neck, nipping at the soft skin just below my ear. It’s a mixture of pain and pleasure that makes me moan louder. I feel like he’s trying to brand me and I don’t mind a bit.
He increases the pace, his movements becoming more frantic as we both race toward the edge. He nibbles on my earlobe and whispers hot words of encouragement in my ear that send shivers down my spine. With one final thrust, Jack’s body locks against mine as he finds his release. I cry out as my own orgasm shatters me.
He rolls off me slightly so we can look into each other’s eyes. “That was incredible,” he says.
I can’t find the words to respond; all I can do is nod my agreement as we lie there panting in the afterglow of our lovemaking. The truth sits heavy in my stomach as I look into his eyes.
He’s leaving.
I push the thought away. I have him right now. He holds me against his chest, his fingers stroking idle patterns along my spine. His breathing evens out, slow and deep. I know he’s drifting to sleep.
I don’t sleep.
I lie there, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart, memorizing the weight of his arm around me, the way his breath tickles my hair. The tears come silently, slipping down my cheeks before I can stop them. I don’t wipe them away. I let them fall, soaking into his skin, hoping somehow he’ll feel them, that he’ll wake up and tell me he’s changed his mind.
But he doesn’t.
I know he’s already gone. I don’t want to sleep. I want to spend every minute I have with him memorizing every details because the truth is...I know I’m in love with him. It happened fast. But this is love. This isn’t the fake feelings I forced with Sam. These feelings developed through spending time with a man who is raw and real. He promises me nothing and asks for nothing. He is just this steady, strong, and supportive man in my life.
And now he’s going to be gone.
The hours pass, the darkness outside the window fading. The candles had flickered out a while ago. By the time the first streaks of sunlight come through the window, my eyes are dry. I ease out of his arms, careful not to wake him, and walk to the bathroom.
The mirror shows me the truth—puffy eyes, flushed cheeks, and evidence of his teeth still lingering on my skin. I splash cold water on my face, pressing my palms against my eyelids until the redness fades.
When I slip back into bed, Jack stirs, his arm reaching for me even in sleep. I curl into him, pressing my lips to his collarbone. He hums, still half-dreaming.
“Morning,” he mumbles, his voice thick.
“Morning,” I whisper back.
His eyes open. He smiles when he sees me. “Hey, you.”
I force a smile. “Hey.”
His hand slides up my side, his thumb brushing the curve of my hip. “Last morning,” he murmurs.
The words are like a knife.
I kiss him before he can say anything else, pouring everything I can’t say into it— stay, stay, stay. He responds instantly, his hands tightening on me, his mouth hot and hungry.
This time is different. Faster, more desperate, like we’re both trying to outrun the clock. When he moves inside me, I cling to him, my nails digging into his shoulders, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. I don’t want it to end. I don’t want this to end.
But it does.
After, we lie tangled together, neither of us speaking. The silence is suffocating. There are so many things I know we should say. But words would only ruin the moment.
Jack kisses my forehead before rolling out of bed. “I should get ready,” he says, his voice too bright.
I nod, pulling the sheets tighter around me as he walks to the shower. The water turns on and I hear him humming before he starts singing. I finally let myself exhale. I sit up in bed, clutching the sheets to my chest. The sound of Jack’s voice fills the small house. Usually, I love listening to him singing in the shower. Today, it feels like a countdown. Every note is a step closer to him leaving.
I slide out of bed and get dressed. I leave my room and go out to make coffee. Max is angry—again. “I know, I know,” I murmur.
I unceremoniously dump food in his bowl. “I’m not in the mood,” I tell him. “Today is going to be a shit day and I don’t want to deal with your bullshit.”
When I hear the shower turn off, I quickly start making coffee. I don’t want him to see me like this—raw and unraveled. I force myself to take a deep breath, to smooth my face into something neutral.
Jack emerges from the bathroom, a towel slung low around his hips, his hair damp and messy. He grins when he sees me.
“Want coffee?” I ask.
“No, thanks. I need to get going. I told Aggie I would be by before Liz picks me up.”
I keep the tight smile in place. “Of course.”
He nods, like he believes me, and starts pulling on his clothes—a pair of jeans, a plain white t-shirt. He looks like he always does, but there’s something different about him today. He catches me watching him and pauses.
“What?”
I shake my head. “Nothing. Just trying to memorize you.”
He crosses the room in two strides and pulls me against his hard body.
“I’ll send for you,” he murmurs against my lips. “First chance I get.”
I nod, because what else can I do?
The next twenty minutes passes in a blur—packing the last of his things.
And then it’s time. My heart is lodged in my throat. I can barely breathe. He hugs me so tight it feels like he might actually break my back.
“I’ll call you when I land,” he says.
I nod.
“And I’ll send you the studio schedule. Maybe you can visit soon.”
I nod again.
“This isn’t goodbye, Jinnie.”
I force a smile. “I know.”
He kisses me one last time, and then he’s walking away, down the porch steps and disappears into the trees. I wave back, my fingers trembling. And just like that, he’s gone.
The tears come fast this time, hot and uncontrollable. I don’t wipe them away. I let them fall because I know the truth.
I’ll never see him again.
I go back inside and close the door. I don’t bother with my coffee. I flop onto my couch and cry like my heart has shattered. I’m so glad I have the day off. I don’t have the strength to make coffee let alone deal with a stream of customers. I’m perfectly happy staying right here on the couch and imagining Jack with Liz on a tiny private plane, drinking champagne and him moving on.