Chapter 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Blakely was using the tablet to write her thoughts down. She needed to go to the store and buy a computer or something that was hers instead of using the tablet Jump had shown her.
She wasn’t really writing, at least she wasn’t typing.
Instead she was using a voice-to-text application on the tablet to get her thoughts down.
At first, she’d felt silly talking to no one, but then she got used to pacing around the house, telling the tablet how she felt, and how things had gone wrong, and how some things had gone right.
She knew she would have some heavy editing to do before she let anyone else see her work, but she felt better.
It was late, and she needed to get to bed soon.
She’d already set the alarm and was in a pair of shorts and a T-shirt she liked to sleep in.
All she needed to do was get this next part down.
The neighborhood was quiet, like usual in the evenings. She was almost done with her thought when a car pulled into the driveway. She froze as fear filled her. What if Grayson had found her?
She glanced around, unsure where to hide when she heard someone approaching. Then she heard a key in the door. Relief slid through her.
There was still a thread of fear, so she stood in the hall as she watched the door open. When Jump stepped through, she let go a small shriek.
His head whipped up, and he went from concern to smiling as she raced toward him. She was about to jump into his arms when she saw that he had his arm in a sling. Concern filled her as the reality of his situation hit. He’d been injured.
T was right behind him, carrying his stuff. He stepped past Jump and dropped his pack before Blakely could come up with anything to say.
“I’m okay,” Jump said.
T snorted. “He’s fucking lucky it hit his arm.”
She reached up, almost touching his arm, but not wanting to hurt him so she kept her hand off his arm. “What was it?”
“A knife.”
“A very wicked knife that tore the shit out of him. If it had hit a little higher, it would have been lights out.”
Blakely gasped as she stared at Jump, trying to make sure he really was okay.
“T, shut up. I’m fine. The doctors said I should heal fully.”
“Just trying to give her a realistic view of what’s going on.” T met her gaze. “Don’t expect a lot from him right now. He’s also pissed that he’s injured.”
Blakely put her hand on Jump’s chest, wishing she could take the hurt from him. She wrapped her arm around his waist and held on.
“I’m so sorry you were hurt.”
Jump met her gaze and she could see that his eyes looked a little fuzzy. He’d probably taken a pain pill. She needed to get some food in him and get him to bed.
“Whelp, I need to head home.”
“I’ll take care of him,” Blakely said.
“Thank you,” T said before he stepped out and shut the door
She started to lead Jump to the couch, but he stopped walking.
“I need to shower, but my arm can’t get wet.”
She studied him then made her mind up. “We can wrap your arm in plastic and tape it down. I’ll help you get clean.”
Though it was obvious his brain was swimming in a haze of pain and pain meds, he raised his eyebrows. “You’ll help? Are you sure?”
Helping him shower would mean getting naked with him. They had only kissed, and here she was telling him she wanted to get naked with him.
The idea of sex with Jump was exciting, but he was injured and drugged up. She wouldn’t take advantage of him like that.
“Jump, I think you’re sexy and I like when we kiss, but I’m not going to take advantage of you while you’re in this state.”
“I won’t mind.”
“No. I’ll help you, but I’m going to wear my clothes.”
“You make me hard even with your clothes on.”
She let go a sigh. “Tomorrow, after you’ve had some sleep, we can discuss sex and the things we want to do with each other. Tonight, I’m going to help you get clean, and then I’m going to feed you then put you to bed.”
“God, you’re a good person. Seriously, few people would be able to say no to the temptation.”
“I’m not sure how good I am. Now then, let’s get your shirt off and get you cleaned up.”
She would be lying to say she didn’t want him.
While he’d been away, she’d thought about what it would be like to have sex with Jump.
Thinking about how he would hold her, how he would kiss her had gotten her so hot at night that she’d had to touch herself.
That part of herself made her embarrassed, but she had a suspicion that Jump wouldn’t find it embarrassing.
It was hard getting his shirt off because he had to lift his arm and that caused him pain. She thought about cutting the shirt off, but he said not to.
She did her best to ignore the desire running through her as she took in his muscular chest and back. He was very fit, and she wanted to touch him, but not like this.
Once she had his arm wrapped, she unsnapped his pants and lowered the zipper. Jump let out a loud groan that vibrated straight through her. She had to ignore the bulge in his pants, or she might just lose her resolve.
He told her he had to use the restroom first, so she stepped out into the hall and waited to hear him flush or the water to start running.
The minutes stretched on and she was about to step in when the water started running in the shower. She cracked open the door, keeping her eyes averted.
“You ready.”
He grunted. “This isn’t going to be pretty.”
“Why don’t you let me decide what I think is pretty?”
“Jesus, Blakely, you’re killing me.”
“You’ve survived being shot at, I’m sure you’ll survive me touching you.”
He grunted again, and she stepped in, her eyes raking over his backside. His butt was muscular, rounded, but the sides dipped in a little, like he had way too much muscle to let his butt curve out.
She had never really seen a man fully naked in person. Of course, once she escaped her parents and had access to the internet, she’d looked at naked men because she’d been curious, but seeing Jump naked was much more intense.
“Wow, you’re very…”
He glanced over his shoulder. “What?”
She looked up and met his gaze. “I really like the way you look. Maybe I shouldn’t say that, but you look amazing.”
“My cock is hard. I can’t do anything about that. And when you touch me, I’m probably going to come.”
“I don’t want to—”
“Listen, Blakely, you aren’t taking advantage of me. I’m clearheaded enough to know that I want you. I’ve wanted you for a while. You’ve been through a lot, though, and I don’t want to screw you over.”
“How would you be screwing me over?”
“One, I don’t know where you want to end up. I know you’re only here because your place burned down and Grayson is after you.”
She shook her head, wanting him to understand it wasn’t like that. “That’s not the only reason I’m here. I’m here with you because I want to be with you. If I didn’t want to be with you, there isn’t anything you could do to make me stay.”
“Where would you go?”
He turned to face her, and she closed her eyes, wishing they were having this conversation at a later time, and when he had his clothes on. After she took a few deep breaths she opened her eyes, forcing herself to focus on his face and not his body.
“I have the money. I could have lived in a nicer place, but I don’t want to spend everything. I need it to last just in case I can’t get a good enough job. If I didn’t want to be with you, I wouldn’t be here.”
“So you want to be with me?”
She’d fought her desire to take in his body with all of her will but lost the battle and let her gaze rake down his very good-looking chest and torso then lower. She swallowed over the sudden lump in her throat.
His chuckle made her gaze flash to his. For her answer she reached out and touched his chest, thinking he looked too good to be true. But he really was there in front of her.
“I’m not experienced, and I don’t know what I’m doing in life.”
“I don’t need you to be experienced, and you can take as long as you need to figure yourself out.”
“I’m serious about never having kids.”
He nodded. “I’m okay with that. I want a partner in life. I don’t have to pass on my genes to be happy.”
She stepped closer to him as she wrapped her arm around his waist. He looked tired, and she knew she needed to move them along.
“Get in the shower and I’ll help you wash.”
“Take off your clothes.”
“I don’t—”
“Please.”
His plea made her heart squeeze. She hooked her thumbs in the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head. Next came her pants. Then she was standing in front of him in only her underwear.
He licked his lips as he stared at her. She liked the way his eyes lingered on her body. She reached back and unhooked her bra then let the straps fall down her arms. She swore his eyes crossed as she let the material fall away.
Jump bit his lower lip and his eyes went wide. “That’s better.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. Absolutely.”
“Are you sure you’re up to this?”
He nodded. “I absolutely am up to this.”
She had her doubts, but she did like the attention. She also liked his body. He reached out and put his hand on her waist then pulled her closer. His arms were wrapped around her, their bodies pressed together. He let go a heavy sigh and seemed to relax against her.
“Thank you. Thank you for accepting me. I’m not at my best right now. Thank you for not turning me away.”
She hugged him tighter. “I think I should thank you. I’m a mess and you’ve been so helpful.” She leaned back and met his gaze. “We should shower now. Then you need to eat and get some sleep.”
She pulled her hair up into a messy bun then turned on the water. He stepped in then held out his hand so she could get in, too. He was very hard, and she wasn’t sure if he wanted her to touch him, but she really wanted to touch and she wanted him to touch her.