Chapter 20
Chapter 20
Blaise
NOW
Over the next two weeks, Jack and I fall into the habit of having dinner together every night. Sometimes he cooks. Sometimes I do. Other times we go out. I like him more with every passing day. We have the best time together, laughing, talking, kissing. There’s been a lot of that. The kissing, I mean. We make out like teenagers, or like I imagine teenagers do. I never did that. I’ve never had anything like what I do with him, and as October slips into November and the days start getting chillier, all I think about is how I can make this moment with him last forever.
And then Wendall will call me with some unreasonable request that’ll send my day spiraling out of control, reminding me I have a job and a life four hours from here, which is my reality. This interlude with Jack isn’t real life, even if it feels better than anything ever has.
“When will you be back in the city, Blaise?” Wendall asks for the third time this week. “It’s getting harder all the time to manage things here without you. I don’t want to pressure you while you’re dealing with family stuff, but I need you.”
“I understand, and I’m working on resolving things here.” That’s a lie. I’m working on the most exciting romance of my life and haven’t seen anyone from my family since the lunch with my mom a couple of weeks ago.
She did as I asked and didn’t tell the others I’m home and has been checking in every day to see how I’m doing.
We’re waiting to hear from the AG about the grand jury. Until then, I’m enjoying the break from my regular life. I didn’t realize how burnt out I was until I got away from Wendall, his endless demands and the relentless pace of the city.
“I want you to know, Blaise,” Wendall says, “I appreciate you so much. I know I don’t always show that, but I really do. You make everything run so smoothy for me, and I’m lost without you.”
His kindness continues to floor me. “Thank you, Wendall. That’s nice to hear. I’ll try to get you an ETA for my return to the city in the next week or so.”
“That’d be great.” He sounds relieved. “I hope everything is getting better with your family.”
“It is. Thank you. I’ll be in touch in the morning with your schedule.”
“Very good. Talk soon.”
After I end the call, I see a new text from Jack. Come visit me. I’m lonely.
You’re working.
I’m on a break that might last the rest of the day for the right incentive…
What about your deadline?
My what?
Jack…
Blaise… Fenway misses you.
I’ve never felt anything like the giddy excitement that floods my entire system any time I see him or talk to him or even flirt with him by text. I have a million things I should be doing for Wendall, but I can’t bring myself to care about any of that when Jack wants me to come visit.
I brush my teeth and hair, pull on a sweatshirt and head out the door.
The grass on the path across the yard from my little cottage to his house has begun to be worn down from the many times we’ve gone back and forth in recent weeks. The time here has been the most exciting and relaxing of my life. No matter what happens with the grand jury, I feel free and unencumbered for the first time since that long-ago night.
When I walk through Jack’s back door, I find him in the kitchen holding a cup of coffee. He smiles when he sees me and pours a mug for me, adding the cream he bought for me.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Where’s Fenway?”
“Out cold on the third floor. I snuck out so she wouldn’t know I was leaving.”
I sip from the mug. He makes the best coffee. “Why aren’t you working?”
“Because I have better things to do than stupid old work.”
“You love your stupid old work.”
“Yes, I do, but it’s not as much fun as you are.”
It’s a heady thing to have a wildly talented and successful man say such a thing to me. He comes to stand in front of me, putting both our mugs on the counter so he can kiss me.
Smiling, he tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. “Hi.”
“Hi there.”
“How’d you sleep?”
“Like a dead woman.” Since my first meeting with Houston, I haven’t needed medication to sleep. “You?”
“I tossed and turned a bit.”
“How come?”
He runs his fingertips lightly over my cheek, and goosebumps erupt throughout my whole body. That hint of a touch is more of a turn on than sex has been with other men. “You left me in quite a state when you insisted on going back to your cabin.”
“Did I?”
“You know you did.”
“I was in a similar state.”
He leans in and kisses my neck.
My hands land on his hips as I try to keep my knees from buckling.
“I have a secret.”
“What’s that?”
“I know the cure to this problem we both seem to have.”
My eyes close as my head falls back in complete surrender to what he’s doing to my neck. “There’s a cure?”
“A very pleasurable cure.”
“I thought we agreed to keep things casual since I’m not sure where I’ll be in a week.”
“Did we agree to that? I don’t recall.”
I poke him in the belly, making him gasp and laugh.
His head lands on my shoulder. “This isn’t feeling casual for me, Blaise.”
“No?”
“Not at all.”
“What should we do about that?”
“I have a few ideas.”
The press of his erection against my abdomen has me pulling him closer.
He groans. “Blaise…”
“It scares me.”
His head comes off my shoulder so fast, I nearly stumble. Only because he’s holding me so tightly against the counter do I remain in place. “What does?”
“All of it.”
“Sex?”
I have a feeling that sex with him wouldn’t be like anything I’ve had in the past. “That, but I’m more afraid of the big feelings.”
“You’re having big feelings for me?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s the best thing I’ve ever heard.”
“It’s scary.”
“No, it’s amazing. I feel like I’ve been waiting for you for my whole life.”
“Jack…” I sound as breathless as I feel.
I used to think it was preposterous that someone’s breath could be stolen by a romantic partner. Now I know it’s not preposterous at all. I just needed this man to show me how it’s done.
“Yes, Blaise?”
“I, um…I can’t talk when you’re doing that.”
“Doing what?” He cups my breasts and runs his thumbs over my nipples. “This?”
I’m on the verge of begging him to take me to bed when Fenway comes running down the stairs from the third floor, barking her head off.
Jack pulls back from me to look out the window. “Houston is here.”
I feel like a balloon that’s been stuck with a pin as desire is replaced by anxiety that has my brain pinging from one thing to another so quickly I’m left a bit dizzy. It takes several deep breaths to get myself together enough to feel like Houston won’t be able to tell exactly what he interrupted.
“Do you want me to come with you?”
“Would you mind?”
“Not at all.”
“I’m sorry about…”
“Don’t be. It’ll keep.”
The promise in those four little words propels me forward, out of the house to the yard where Houston is playing with Fenway.
Houston immediately notes that Jack and I were together in his house. “Sorry to drop by without calling first.”
“That’s okay,” I tell him. “What’s going on?”
“I heard from Spurling. The grand jury has voted to indict.”
Jack’s hand lands on my back in a private show of support that I deeply appreciate.
“What happens now?”
“Ryder will be arrested and charged. He’ll be held until an arraignment at which he’ll probably be released on bail and asked to surrender his passport. The AG’s office will hold a press conference this afternoon to announce the case has been reopened due to new evidence.”
“Will they say what that evidence is?”
“No, they won’t want to tip their hand yet, but it won’t be long before they’ll be required to turn over discovery to Ryder’s defense attorney. That discovery will include your sworn statement.”
I swallow hard. I have a matter of days, maybe not even that long, before everyone will know the case is being reopened because of me. Sienna knows I’m home in Rhode Island. She won’t see this as a coincidence.
“I received a threatening text.” I’d debated whether to tell him and had decided not to bother him with it. But now that shit’s getting real, I’m worried.
“From whom?”
“Sienna Elliott.” I show him the text. “She knows I’m back in town. When the case is reopened, she’ll know why.”
“I’ll increase patrols around here today.” He hands my phone back to me. “Was she the other witness?”
“I can speak only for myself, but that was the first text I’ve received from her in fourteen years.”
“Understood. Would you like me to have a word with her?”
“I don’t think that’s necessary. She’ll find out soon enough that her threats didn’t have any effect on me.”
“Because the crime took place at a party at my house, I’ve asked the State Police to handle the arrest. I’m taking every precaution to make sure no one can impugn the reopened investigation.”
“Thank you, Houston. I know this is complicated for you.”
“It is, but I don’t want you to worry about that.”
“When will I be needed? My boss in New York is making noise about me getting back to the city.”
“In the next two weeks or so for the preliminary hearing.”
“I’ll be there.”
“See you then.”
“Thanks again for coming by.”
“No problem.”
It seems like there’s something else he wanted to say, but he turns back to his SUV, giving Fenway a pat on the head before he gets in.
After I wave him off, I turn to Jack. “So.”
“So. How’re you feeling?”
“Anxious but determined.”
“What’s this about your boss wanting you back in New York?”
“He’s been great about me being here this long, which is wildly out of character for him, but I have to go back eventually.”
“Do you?”
“What do you mean?”
He rests his hands on my shoulders. “Do you have to go back to the city?”
“I live there. My job is there.”
“But I’m here.”
“Remember when we said this was casual?”
“Remember when I said it’s not casual for me anymore?”
“Since when?”
“From about the first time I ever talked to you.”
“Jack…”
“Blaise… Don’t go.”
“I need to work. I have an apartment. I have—”
He kisses me, and I forget what I was going to say. “I’ve never felt like this.”
“Like what?”
“Like if I let you go, I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.”
I’ve never felt like this either. There’s nowhere else I want to be than wherever he is, but I’m not ready to decide anything more than that. “I don’t have anywhere to be today.” I put my arms around him. “Maybe we could go back to what we were doing before Houston arrived?”
His hands slide down my arms to take my hands. Walking backward, he leads the way inside and upstairs to his room. I haven’t been in there before. I want to look around, but he has other ideas as he unbuttons my top and pushes it off my shoulders.
“Softest skin in the whole world,” he whispers as he kisses my neck.
Fenway comes barreling into the room and crashes into us, sending us sprawling onto his bed.
We crack up as her tongue goes on a mission to lick anything she can reach.
He gently pushes her away. “Thanks for moving things along, girl, but I’ve got it from here. Go lay down.”
She acts like he didn’t say anything.
“Fenway,” he says more sternly. “Go lay down in your bed.” He gives her another push to get her moving.
The dog finally jumps off the bed and lands with a thump and an indignant grunt.
“Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?”
I want to focus on this moment with Jack, but all I can think about is what’s happening across the river in Hope where Ryder will be arrested. The word will get out that the case is being reopened and Sienna will know why.
“Hey,” he says as he kisses my face and lips.
I shift my gaze to meet his. “I’m sorry. My brain is racing.”
“I know.” He gathers me into his warm embrace. “What can I do?”
“This helps. I’m sorry to check out on you.”
“It’s okay. Things are tense, and you can’t help wondering what’s happening.”
“Or when it’s going to explode in my face.”
He caresses my cheek. “I won’t let anything explode anywhere near this gorgeous face. Don’t worry.”
“Thank you, Jack. I really need a friend right now, and I’m thankful for you.”
“I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”
There’s nothing he could’ve said that would’ve meant more to me.