Chapter 21 – Jennie
This is my fantasy come to life—Chris, all mine. As I undress him, he undresses me. It’s almost a race to see who can finish first. When he’s naked, I push him, gently because of his arm, onto the bed.
He falls on his back, grinning, and scoots up the bed so his head is on a pillow. “Go easy on me, honey. I’m injured.”
“Trust me, I am going to go easy on you. In fact, I’m going to do all the work this time, so you can just lie back and relax. Remember I told you I’d show you what my fantasy is?”
He swallows hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing sharply. I think I have his attention.
I open the top drawer of my nightstand and retrieve a condom packet. I tear it open and toss it on the bed beside him. “We’ll get to that in a bit. Just relax for now.”
I crawl over to him on the bed and start kissing him. Not surprisingly, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me to his chest, so my breasts are pressed against him.
Also not surprising, he winces and groans—and not in a sexy way. His shoulder is hurting him.
“I told you to leave the sling on. Now you’re going to overuse your arm.”
“Don’t care. I want my arms around you—both of them.” He pulls me close and kisses me. His mouth is hot and hungry, like he can’t get enough. I guess, like me, he’s waited a long time for this.
I rise up on my hands and knees so I can maneuver better.
I crawl over him and lean down to kiss his throat.
He arches his neck to give me better access.
I trail kisses along his good shoulder and down his arm.
His biceps are rock hard. Everything about him is lean and firm, quite a contrast to my body, which is pretty much the opposite.
I never have time to exercise, and I taste way too many of my pies and donuts.
He moans when I kiss my way across his chest. When I flick one of his flat nipples with the tip of my tongue, he cries out, arching his back off the mattress. He fists the sheet beneath him, straining to lie still.
“Careful,” I remind him. “Your shoulder.”
He gasps. “Fuck my shoulder. Honestly, I couldn’t care less about it right now.”
I chuckle. “You will tomorrow morning.”
He chokes back a laugh. “You’re assuming I’m going to survive tonight.”
My tongue follows the path of his happy trail, that thin line of dark hair that leads to his groin. That’s where I’m headed.
When I finally wet my lips and take him in my mouth, he swears a blue streak. He pets my head, his fingers alternately burrowing into my hair, gripping, flexing, and gripping again. “Oh, God, baby.”
I glance up at him. His teeth are gritted, his eyes tightly closed.
I taste his precum on my tongue, savoring the warm, salty tang. I feel so safe with him, so free, like I can do anything I want, and it’ll be okay. I won’t be judged or criticized. That was all David ever did—criticize me.
I shake all thoughts of my ex from my head. He’s out of the picture now. I have a restraining order against him. Surely that will be enough to keep him away from me. He’ll have to go find his pot of money at the base of some other rainbow.
I reach for the condom packet and open it the rest of the way. As I roll it onto his erection, I realize it’s a good thing he bought extra large.
“I promise to be gentle with you,” I say as I throw my leg over his hips.
When he realizes what I’m about to do, his eyes widen. “God, you really are trying to kill me.”
I position myself over his hips and reach between my legs to wrap my fingers around him and put him where I need him. When I sneak a peek at his face, I see that his gaze is locked on my hand. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so intense.
“It’s been a while for me, so don’t expect much,” I say. It’s true. I haven’t been with anyone since David. “It’s like starting all over again, right?”
He grips my thighs with both hands. “Honey, you couldn’t do it wrong if you tried.”
Bolstered by his encouragement, I start to lower myself, stopping abruptly when I feel the broad head of his cock right at my entrance. I know I’m wet. I’m so aroused, I’m aching. My body is so ready for this. But he’s on the big side, and my body has been in hibernation for a long time.
Slowly, I sink down, driving the head of his erection into me. I feel a delicious stretch and a slight burn that makes me gasp. His hands clamp down on my thighs, squeezing so strongly, a pained whimper escapes me. He releases me immediately and pets the area in apology.
I rise up and lower myself, over and over, each time sinking a little farther down on him, taking more of his length into me. His chest rises and falls hard, as if he’s struggling to catch his breath.
I’m only halfway there when he says, “It’s okay if you can’t—”
“Shh! I’ve got this.” And sure enough, with a few more tries, he’s all the way in. I pause for a moment and just breathe as my body accommodates the intrusion. When I raise myself, he sucks in a breath, flexing his fingers on my thighs.
“Oh, God, sweetheart.” He groans, low and long. “You feel—it’s so—holy shit.”
My body continues to soften, like it knows how this is supposed to go.
I raise and lower myself on him again, several more times, until it becomes easier.
I’m so wet, he’s sliding in and out of me perfectly.
The stimulation and the friction are sublime, and I angle myself so that the head of his cock brushes me in just the right spot.
He reaches up and cups my breasts, gently squeezing and molding them. He plays with my nipples, tweaking them, gently pinching and rolling them, with just the right amount of pressure. I feel a connection between my breasts and my pussy. When he tweaks the one, I feel tingles in the other.
Pretty soon, I’m moving easily on him, rocking myself.
He’s touching me, all of me, my breasts, stroking my thighs, threading his fingers into my hair which hangs down around my face like a dark curtain.
At one point, he leans up to kiss me, and our lips cling together as we both try to catch our breath.
When he lies back down, he grits his teeth as he watches me move on him. I think he’s trying to hold off his climax, waiting for me.
“This is my fantasy,” I confess. “Riding you like this.”
Instantly, he explodes. His cock bucks and throbs inside me. His expression tightens, his whole body does as he shoves himself into me, gritting his teeth.
And suddenly, watching him come triggers my orgasm. My vagina clamps down on his erection, squeezing him so tightly. He groans harshly and grips my thighs hard as he keeps bucking his hips up into me.
Even though he’s wearing a condom, I can feel him ejaculating. I can feel the throbbing and the pulsations deep inside me.
He pulls me forward so that our chests are touching. He kisses me like he’s starving for it, his chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath.
Eventually, I collapse on him. He catches me and rolls us so that we’re lying on our sides facing each other.
He brushes my hair back from my hot face. “You are so incredibly beautiful. I always knew you were the prettiest, nicest, and smartest girl in school. Now I know you’re also the sexiest.”
I close my eyes and drink in his kisses, his words, his gentle touches. I waited a long time for this. I guess that’s because we save the best for last. When I finally get around to opening my eyes, he’s watching me, smiling.
“I love you, Jennifer Lopez,” he says. “And if you let me, I’ll love you for the rest of our lives.”
And that’s when I burst into tears. Ugly, soul-sucking sobs.
“What’s wrong?” He sounds truly alarmed. “Are you hurt? Did I do something?”
I’m crying so hard I can’t even form a coherent statement. All I can do is shake my head.
“Jennie, please. Talk to me.”
“I’m—sorry!”
“Sorry for what?” He props himself up on his good elbow and leans over me. “Jennie—”
“It’s all my fault!” I struggle to talk as tears clog my throat and nose. I can hardly see past the tears. “All those wasted years! Saying no to you when my heart was crying out yes.” I press my face against his chest and let years of longing and pain pour out.
He wraps his arms around me and starts rocking me gently. “Shh, no, it’s okay, sweetheart. It’s not your fault. None of it’s your fault.”
“Yes, it is.” I know he’s just trying to be kind, but it’s true, and we both know it.
“It’s really not, sweetheart.”
I realize he’s shaking. When I pull back and gaze up at him, I see the glimmer of tears in his eyes.
Knowing he’s hurting, too, breaks something wide open inside me.
“I was afraid,” I say through my own tears.
“All the hateful things the kids said to me. The bullying—I didn’t want that to rub off on you, too.
You were already the object of so much bullying because of your mom.
I couldn’t add to it.” I blow out a shaky breath.
“I was afraid you’d grow to resent me, and I’d rather have stayed your friend forever than risk losing you altogether.
I was a coward, Chris. All these years, I wanted you, but never believed I deserved you. Not after what I put you through.”
Chris leans over me and opens my nightstand drawer. I wonder what he’s doing when I hear him tear open another condom packet. I watch as he removes the first one, sets it aside, and then sheathes himself all over again.
When he comes over me, I automatically open my legs for him, and he settles between my thighs. He guides himself into me, so carefully, even though there’s no need because my body is so wet and slick after my orgasm.
He begins to move then, so gently, every action tender.
He gazes down into my face and brushes my hair back.
“No more tears. No guilt, and no blame. We’re starting over right now.
We’re starting fresh.” He kisses me sweetly.
“I love you more right now than I ever have in my life. And I’ll love you even more tomorrow. ”
He thrusts slowly, in and out, over and over, in no hurry. Time stops for both of us, and we just exist in this moment. Slow strokes, soft kisses, gentle flutterings in my belly and between my legs. This is so achingly delicious.
This is making love in a transcendent way I’ve never experienced.
When an orgasm gently sweeps through me, I gasp in surprise. He comes right after me, bowing his head as he rests his forehead against mine.
I’m exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Chris disappears into my bathroom to dispose of both condoms. He returns with a warm, wet washcloth, which he wipes tenderly between my legs.
A moment later, he’s back in bed with me, and he wraps himself around me, spooning behind me, holding me safe and secure.
I exhale a long, shaky breath and let sleep overtake me.
* * *
Tuesday is a quiet day. Chris and I stay home in the morning with Granny, helping her fold towels and wind another skein of yarn into a ball.
Granny and I sit on the sofa watching an old rerun of the original game show The Price Is Right, while Chris sits on the floor at my feet, with his sling back in place, playing fetch with Pumpkin.
Yes, Pumpkin is a cat who likes to play fetch. Go figure.
That afternoon, I get a call from the health inspector, who asks me to come to the diner to discuss his final assessment.
I call Dawn and ask if she can come over for a little bit to stay with Granny while Chris accompanies me to the diner. Once she’s here, Chris and I head over to the diner.
He’s dead serious about me not walking anywhere alone while David’s in town.
We walk through the rear entrance and find the health inspector in the kitchen.
The machines that draw out the smoke are still running. The rehab crews are still at work cleaning the kitchen equipment and appliances, as well as the tables and chairs in the dining area. Everything looks—and smells—clean to me. That awful smoke smell is gone.
Chris introduces me to Denny Haskins, the health department inspector.
“So, what’s the verdict?” Chris asks.
“It’s looking good,” the inspector says. “Fortunately, there was limited damage outside of Jennie’s office. The restoration crew has done a thorough job. Everything looks as it should. You can re-open for business as usual tomorrow.”
“Wonderful!” I say. “My customers will be thrilled.”
After we return home, I call all of my employees to let them know they can resume their regular schedules tomorrow.
“I guess I’ll be back bright and early tomorrow morning,” Dawn says.
I hug her tightly. “I can’t thank you enough, Dawn. I couldn’t work if I didn’t have you to watch Granny.”
We invite Dawn to stay for dinner. After we’re done eating, and Dawn has left for the evening, Chris and I clean up the kitchen together and then go hang out with Granny in the living room until her bedtime.
Once she’s tucked safely into bed, I return to the living room to spend a relaxing evening with Chris.
“I’ll be so glad to be back in the diner tomorrow,” I say. “I’ve missed making the pies and donuts. I’ve missed my early morning chats with Maggie and seeing you and Micah come in for lunch.”
“I’d say it’s time for me to get back to work, too.
” He peers down at his sling. “Well, I can do paperwork at least, and other administrative tasks. Maybe some light patrolling.” He lays his good arm across my shoulders.
“From now on, until this situation with Braggart is resolved, I’ll drive you to and from work. Promise me you won’t walk home alone.”
“What about the times I come home between the meal rushes to spell Dawn a bit? I can’t expect her to watch Granny for twelve hours straight.”
“Not a problem,” he says. “I’ll time my patrolling around your break schedule so I can drive you. And if for some reason I am delayed, I’ll have Jace or Ricky drive you. Okay? No walking home alone.”
“Okay.” I sit on his lap, straddling him, and lean in to kiss him. “I never realized you were so protective.”
He kisses me. “I never had something so precious to protect before.”
“Oooh, that’s a good one, Sheriff. You just earned yourself a blow job.”
He grins. “Damn. I should have used that line on you a long time ago.”