Chapter 8 #3
The coat rack at the front of the building only held two coats, confirming who was inside.
As Jenna got her gloves, scarf, and hat off, Jack got his jacket off and hung it up.
Then he reached for hers, taking it off her shoulders and down her arms. She smiled over her shoulder at him.
There was something to be said for being pampered.
Jenna had never thought she would want such attention from a boy.
Though she had a feeling, were it anyone else who tried to treat her so, it would annoy her.
But from Jack? It was like her soul craved that extra little bit of unnecessary attention from him.
The bright lights of the overhead fluorescents buzzed slightly as they made their way past the front desk.
Mrs. Faulkner waved to them over her jeweled cat eye eyeglasses.
The older woman had a rounded face and tended to purse her lips like Betty Boop whenever she thought someone with a penis was looking her way.
As far as Jenna knew, the woman was divorced, not widowed, but she was unsure if ‘Faulkner’ was her married or maiden name.
As Jack led her up the large staircase to the second floor, where the stacks of non-fiction books were, Jenna allowed a thought that had been simmering in the back of her mind since the day they’d met. She just hadn’t given it a voice before now.
Jack Duncan.
Jenna Duncan.
Jack and Jenna Duncan.
Mr. and Mrs. Duncan.
The Duncans.
Jenna thought back to dinner the previous night at the Zarins’.
She loved how seamlessly the couple worked together and complimented the other.
While Mr. Zarin had smoked the meat outside and Mrs. Zarin had cooked the side dishes inside, there hadn’t been specific roles in their household.
Mr. Zarin had helped to clear the table and wash the dishes while Mrs. Zarin had sat in the living room talking with Lilly, Carolyn, Jack, and Jenna. They’d been a team.
She admired that. More than love and trust, that was what she wanted out of a relationship.
When they reached the landing, Jack took her hand.
He was leading her down the hall of tall bookstacks to a private room.
Normally they were reserved for academic studies, but this early on a Saturday, they were empty.
While they’d been upstairs before, they’d never gone into one of the private rooms before.
With Lilly with them, there hadn’t been a reason or a point.
The walls had long windows that gave no privacy inside, however the door gave the illusion of such. Each small room had a table, two chairs, and a trash can.
Rather than leading her to the table once the door was closed, Jack pulled her down to the floor. They sat under the large windows with their backs against the wall. Jenna’s head touched drywall whereas Jack’s taller head touched glass.
Jenna crossed her legs in front of her. She was wearing leggings under jeans for insulation, fur lined boots, and a cashmere wool sweater. Jack was in the same jeans and t-shirt from the day before. However, there was a bulge under his shirt she only just now noticed.
“What is that?” she asked, curious. She knew enough about the male body to know what it wasn’t.
Jack reached inside his shirt and pulled out an old sock with holes. It didn’t take a genius to clue her in to what was inside it. The shape of the stack of cash was too easily defined, and she could see the corners of some of the bills sticking out of one of the small holes.
Her jaw dropped. “Where did you get that?”
Jack placed it on the floor next to his leg and by her knee. “It’s mine. My life savings. Everything I’ve worked for and towards. The sum of all my blood, sweat, and pure stubbornness.”
Without knowing the denominations of the bills, there was no telling the total, but that stack was big enough for Jenna to think several hundred, maybe even a thousand dollars. “That’s a lot of money, Jack. Why are you showing it to me?”
“Because I’m torn and my decision in the next few days drastically affects my future.” He looked up at her, catching her eye. “And since I plan for that future to include you, I wanted to talk to you about it before I made my decision.”
Her heart swelled. Jenna reached for his hand. “You have no idea what that means to me. That you would even consider talking to me about such a big decision.”
“I wasn’t kidding, Jen.” He turned his palm over to lace their fingers together. “I need you in my life. I need to know that you’re in this for the long haul. No matter what we face, it’s you and me.”
She nodded eagerly. “You and me.” Carolyn’s words from their talk the night before came to the forefront of her mind, but she pushed it aside. Now was not the time to be worried about such things.
“We’ve only been dating a month—”
“Almost two,” she corrected.
His smile was indulgent. “Almost two,” he amended, “and we haven’t even managed to go on an actual date yet.
I know we’re young and things happen, feelings change, but not this.
” He squeezed her to signify what he was talking about.
“Not you and me. No matter what, Jenna. I need to know that this,” he lifted their hands, “will always be.”
Jenna moved up onto her knees, careful of the stack of money between them. She leaned over and kissed him. Really kissed him. Kissed him like this was the first time they were truly alone—because it was. Jack opened up, met her with enthusiasm.
Jenna scooted closer. She’d never taken the lead before, and she found it invigorating, new, and exciting.
Her knees touched his jean-clad leg. She felt his hand on her right hip.
He was neither guiding nor encouraging, yet she felt a surge of womanly confidence at the intimate touch.
Before she lost her nerve, Jenna lifted her right leg over his two and straddled him.
Jack pulled back in surprise. “Jen—”
She kissed him, cutting off her name. Knowing how much she loved when he cupped her face, she released her hold of his hand to bring her palms up to his cheeks.
There was just a touch of scruff there. At fifteen, he could be shaving already.
She wasn’t sure, but she liked the feel of the prickles on her sensitive palms.
His hands encased her hips. Though his grip was tight, he was not pulling or pushing her. While inexperienced in anything like this, instinct told her that he was letting her control what happened next.
Moisture pooled between her legs, making her very aware of just how suggestive a position she was in.
Her butt was back towards his knees. There was room for her to move forward, but Jenna wasn’t sure she had the nerve to do that yet.
It seemed too…sexy. Just being on top of him was intimidating enough.
His tongue swept across her bottom lip. A shiver ran up her spine, making her nipples harden in her bra.
Her lungs protested the lack of oxygen and yet everything in her was encouraging her to deepen the kiss. It was so tempting to ignore the needs of her lungs, but she was starting to get lightheaded.
Jenna lifted her head. Jack was gasping for breath just as heavily as she was.
“’til we’re old and gray.” His words were choppy with his shortness of breath.
“What?” she gasped out.
He opened his eyes to reveal his pupils were huge. She had no idea why the sight of him like that was so hot. His hands gripped her hips tight enough that she wondered if she would bruise. Not that she cared if she did. “I want you to kiss me like that until we’re old and gray.”
She smiled down at him. “Pretty sure our dentures will fall out if we kiss like that when we’re old and gray.”
His eyes flared with heat, warming her skin like she’d stepped into sunlight. “Wouldn’t care in the slightest, so long as you are still mine.”
When their breathing finally slowed, Jenna made to get off of Jack’s legs, but he stopped her. “Stay,” he encouraged. “I like you here.”
She glanced down between their bodies and then back up at him. A blush heated her cheeks. “It’s not exactly appropriate.”
He looked around the empty room. “Who is here to judge?” Though she knew they were alone, her eyes still flicked around too.
“Stay,” he repeated. “But only if you’re comfortable with it.
” He ran his hands up and down her upper thighs.
“You feel good on top of me and we have a lot of things to talk about. When we’re alone, I want us to talk like this.
Even if it’s not a pleasant conversation. ”
Jenna stared down at him for a long moment and then settled herself back down on his legs. “You have a power over me, Jack Duncan. You make me feel caged and energized at the same time.”
He moved his hands up to touch her face. “I know exactly what you mean. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Jenna.”
She understood what he wasn’t saying. The broadness of his statement left it open for interpretation and could be easily abused. Thankfully, she wasn’t the sort to want for much, preferring the simpler things life had to offer. A vow like that could be dangerous in the wrong hands.
Needing to change the subject before her heart either melted or burst, she asked, “What did you want to talk to me about? What decision are you trying to make?”
Over the next half hour, Jack told her about his conversation with Mr. Zarin the night before as well as that morning.
Having only met the man the previous day, Jenna was surprised by the man’s generosity to open his home to two kids that were neither related to him nor known to him. It was…inspiring.
When Jack was finished speaking, he looked at her expectantly. Jenna, though, wasn’t sure what to say, per se. The offer seemed too good to pass up. “Why are you hesitating? The Zarins are offering you a place that’s away from your dad. What’s there to decide?”