Naughty Tonight(14)

Absolutely the best.

But nothing could wash away the images. Kimmy, bowed before him, his name blistered red across her bottom. Kimmy, submitting to him fully, taunting him, begging him for more…telling him she was bad. Kimmy, mewing with delight as he thrust into that slick cunt, that tight ass…

What had he done? He wondered that about this morning as much as last night.

God, he ached inside. He was losing her, hurting her, and the thought made his heart bleed. Never had he felt more raw.

Been more afraid.

All he could think about was his mom and dad. The sixteen years they’d seemed fine together. The ensuing split that came out of nowhere. Dad catching Mom cheating…physically hurling her from the house. The lawyers. The ugly lies.

The horrible things they said to each other.

Slut.

Bastard.

Money whore.

Cheap, no-good father.

Constantly being forced to choose sides. The utter hatred. Being smacked around if he dared stand up for the other one. His dad claiming he’d love nothing more than to put a bullet in his mom’s head.

Knowing Dad had a pistol in the closet.

And now…

The ugly reality that it happened every day, to kids, to parents. On the news, a woman held hostage by the man she’d once loved and now despised. A child kept away from his father, now kidnapped.

Divorce statistics shooting through the roof.

Not him, he’d sworn. Never, never, ever.

The phone in the bedroom began ringing, over and over and over, distantly annoying, and he wanted to holler for her to pick it the hell up. Instead, the front door resonated with chilling finality and the answering machine clicked on, replaying their message.

This is Jackson…

And Kim… her sweet voice joined in, making tears burn in his eyes. Emotion he refused to release, that made his clenched jaw quake. We’re not home right now. You know what to do!

Go Eagles! The little idiot spat at the end, followed by some shuffling—Jackson giving her a hearty shove out the way. Ravens! Ravens!

There was more shuffling—them wrestling to the ground, he bittersweetly remembered—followed by a quick beep. And it was over. They were over.

Right? God, how it hurt.

Then Kimmy’s mom’s voice filled the room, rambling on about plans for her father’s birthday, and in that instant, Jackson knew. Suddenly, with everything in him, he realized that he’d screwed up big-time because, as he tied a towel around his waist and bolted from the room and down the seemingly never-ending hallway, it was not his parents he was thinking of but hers.

Smiling. Happy. An older couple—Kimmy was their youngest. They were strong and steady. Still kissed at sixty. Still held hands. Still laughed, still loved. And always would, Jackson knew with certain finality.

Just as he would always love Kimmy. Forever was possible.

She was more than a potential girlfriend, a prospective wife. She was a friend. His sidekick. His everything and anything.

Hollering at Friday-night football games. Beer and pizza. The woman who swapped cleaning his toilet for him changing her oil and who could devour more hot peppers than any of his male buddies and who made ridiculous bets with money she didn’t have. The woman who made him smile, made him laugh. Made him happy.

Need he mention, officially the best sex of his life?

Having her, Jackson really did have it all. Unless he lost her.

He was losing her. Why would he just throw away the best thing in his life?

The prospect only drove him faster, wet feet plodding across their carpet as he threw open the front door and caught sight of her entering the elevator. Suitcase and bags in tow. “Kimmy! Wait!”





Chapter Five



“Please wait!”

One step. One step and she could walk away from years of aching for him. Cold words, colder heartbreak. She could never suffer silently as he’d asked of her and he was never going to want the relationship that she so desired.

One step and she could put it all behind her. One step. One step and a great future awaited.

But love stopped her short. Love, full of ridiculous hope. Misplaced faith in him.

Kim didn’t turn, didn’t look at the footsteps pounding fast down the hall. She couldn’t, lest she fall to pieces. “I won’t pretend, Jackson, not anymore. I’m going to my parents…I’ll be back for the rest of my stuff later.”

And then he was there, sweeping her into his arms, mouth slamming down on hers, tongue thrusting past hers lips. Making bittersweet promises. Claiming her in that kiss, claiming her as he should have that morning. Claiming her as he should’ve long ago if he weren’t such a stubborn hardhead set in his ways.

But then…what if this was just another last night? What if Jackson was simply confused and would regret their kiss the moment he pulled away?