Chapter 5 #2
Tommy didn’t look too fussed about spending any more time with his father.
She had been blessed with an independent son who enjoyed playing alone.
He didn’t need constant companionship or entertainment.
She’d talked to other parents and realized this was a lucky thing indeed.
Was Tommy already tired of his newly acquired shadow?
For some reason that thought pleased her.
Besides, Tommy was extremely bright and she had no doubt he could sense the tension any time she and Tony were in the same room together.
While the first night’s sleepover had been fun and new, the novelty had already seemed to wane.
Tommy was like her that regard. They were both creatures of habit and very set in their ways. Tony was a fly in the ointment.
Tony pointed to her outfit. “You’re awfully dressed up for a night with Shelly. You sure you’re not going out on a date?”
Josie’s eyes widened at the unmitigated gall of her ex. She ignored Tony because the only other option for her was to walk across the room and kick him in the balls. “Tommy, come here, baby.”
Tommy rose and Josie led him into the kitchen, grateful to have her son all to herself after two long days. She took one look into his worried blue eyes and caved. “I’ll be back later, but you’ll be asleep, so I’ll say good night now.”
Tommy’s face cleared. “Okay. Night, Mommy.” Her son wrapped his arms around her neck and she wondered if she imagined that he squeezed her just a little bit tighter than usual.
She’d given him a kiss on the forehead and driven here with such a weight on her chest it made it hard to breathe.
Though she’d spoken to Jake briefly last night, she hadn’t told him about Tony’s new living arrangements. She wondered what he’d think of it.
“He’ll hate it,” she muttered. Maybe she should just pack it in. Call Jake to beg off and go home. The night was ruined.
Jake opened the door before she made a move to leave. He gave her a confused grin. “Are you familiar with the concept of knocking? It’s the way you let people know you’re standing outside. Should we practice?”
She released a short burst of laughter, then felt tears spring to her eyes. “Shit.”
“Hey.” Jake reached for her hand and dragged her into his apartment, shutting the door. “I was just kidding.”
Josie sniffled and determinedly fought against crying. There was no way she was going to fall apart in front of him. “I’m fine,” she said several times, blinking away the tears. “I swear I am.”
Jake nodded slowly. “Yeah. I can see that. You want to talk about it?”
She shook her head. “No. I really don’t.” She’d started this damn Howl List because she needed an escape from the dreariness of her everyday life. Jake had provided her hour after hour of sheer bliss. Bringing the ugliness of the real world to this would ruin it.
Jake studied her face. “Fair enough. What do you say we order a pizza and watch a movie?”
She hadn’t expected him to let her off so easily.
She’d been so emotionally overwrought on the way here—fluctuating between anger and anxiety.
Furious with her ex-husband and worried about how she could explain the latest events of her fucked-up life to Jake.
God. She wasn’t even sure what to call him.
Was he her lover? Her boyfriend? Just a guy she was dating?
“Jesus. Put it all away for a little while, Josie. Too much more thinking and your head will explode. Come on.” He took her hand and led her to the couch.
Once she was seated next to him, he pulled her legs up, placing her feet in his lap.
He removed her shoes and started rubbing her feet.
For several minutes, the room was silent as he gently massaged her toes, then pressed his thumbs into the soles of her feet in a glorious way that made her eyes drift shut and her mind go to mush.
“Better?”
Her eyes flew open when his softly spoken question shattered the quiet. She considered it. “Yeah. Much.”
He lifted one of her feet and placed a quick kiss on the bottom of it. “Good. Trouble with the new job?”
“No.”
“Ah, personal stuff then. Offer still stands if you want an ear.”
She smiled. “Thanks. I think I’d like to forget about all of it for a little while.”
Jake’s hand drifted along her leg, stopping when he reached the top of her upper thigh. She wanted to urge him to keep going. “Then you came to the right place. I’m an expert at helping people forget.”
She narrowed her eyes. “People?”
Jake looked chagrined. “Women.”
She released a long sigh. “I don’t want to know about any other women you’re comforting.”
Jake laughed. “Let’s just say all the conversations would be in past tense. You’re the only girl in my life right now.”
The tightness in Josie’s chest constricted even more. She longed to be able to say those words back to him. But she couldn’t.
The room fell silent for a few moments more, then Jake asked, “Pepperoni or cheese?”
“Can I have pepperoni, mushroom and onion?”
Jake placed his hand on his chest. “A woman after my own heart. Done.”
When Jake stood up to find the number for the pizza place, Josie walked over to the TV cabinet to peruse his video collection, though her mind wasn’t on the task.
Jake hadn’t mentioned the full-moon fantasy once.
Did that mean the game was over? Was this supposed to be a normal date?
She bit her lower lip, wishing she knew how to handle this.
She’d only seriously dated one other man in her entire life.
The one who was currently squatting in her house, refusing to leave.
No wonder she was such a nervous wreck. Her romance track record was short and not exactly a winning one.
Jake stood behind her, phone in one hand and a flyer in the other. He paused before dialing. “Man. I shouldn’t have left you alone so long. The smoke is coming out of your ears again.”
“My ex-husband’s girlfriend kicked him out and now he’s at my place.”
Jake reared back for just a second. Then in true fashion, he rebounded fast. “Okay. Is he there because the two of you have reconciled?”
“Jesus Christ, no. He’s a fucking idiot. He cornered me. Asked to stay in front of Tommy and trapped me. Now I can’t get him out.”
“Do you want me to go over and have a little chat with him? Man to man?”
Did she? She had to admit the idea had merit.
It would be lovely to let someone else take care of this problem for her since she was definitely striking out on her own.
Unfortunately Tommy didn’t even know Jake existed—an oversight Josie needed to correct somehow.
The last thing she needed was the appearance of a stranger getting into a fight with Tony. God. Tommy would freak out.
“No,” she said at last. “I don’t think that would help.”
“Then I guess I’ll just have to punish you.”
She wondered if she’d heard him correctly. “What?”
“You’ve been a very bad girl, Josie. You let another man move into your house when you’re supposed to be my full-moon lady.”
He hadn’t forgotten her fantasy at all. Tonight’s full moon was spanking. She didn’t know why she’d included it on the list. She wasn’t even sure it was something she really wanted.
“So you’re angry?” She didn’t think he was, but she couldn’t be sure. Her relationship with this man was too new and she felt like she was flying blind.
“I would never strike a woman in anger, Josie. But if she needed me to spank her, then make love to her for hours on end as a way of cheering her up or as stress relief, I would.”
It was all she had to hear. She’d spent five nights with this man and yet she trusted him more than she’d ever trusted anyone.
And while he was definitely offering her escape and happiness and taking away all her anxieties, it also felt like more than that.
Much more. But it was far too soon to start talking about feelings. She didn’t want to scare Jake away.
She recalled his response to the news she was living with her ex. God, he was amazing, self-possessed, calm. And he was offering her a retreat from the hell that was currently her life. Giving her a chance to get away from reality. It was a beautiful gift and there was no way she was rejecting it.
“Even so,” she teased, getting into the spirit of the fantasy, “I have been a very naughty girl.”
Jake’s friendly smile faded as he assumed his role with ease, suddenly adopting a stern face. “Bedroom. Now.”
Josie led the way, ignoring Jake’s quiet chuckle as she all but ran to his room. When they crossed the threshold, he gripped her upper arm and turned her to face him.
“If this gets to be too much or if you don’t like it—”
He didn’t have to finish his comment. Josie knew him. “I’ll ask you to stop.”
He nodded. “And I will.”
She rose up on her tiptoes and kissed him. The action had nothing to do with the fantasy. She wanted to show him how much his words, how much he meant to her.
Jake accepted the kiss, then deepened it. His hands flew to her hair, cupping her head, turning it this way and that as his lips pressed harder to hers. She loved his kisses, loved the way he took control of the moment and turned special into sheer magic.
When they parted, they were both flushed from the heat and panting softly.
“Go to the bed. Take off your panties. Lift up the back of that sexy fucking dress and bend over the mattress.”
Josie moved instantly. Every thought, every worry drifted away as she threw herself into this moment…and Jake’s very capable hands.
Once she was panty-less and in position, Jake crossed the room. She could sense him standing right behind her. He didn’t touch her right away, so she started to look over her shoulder to see what he was doing.
“Eyes forward.” His voice had deepened, hardened.