He could think what he wanted to think, because suddenly I felt like I would die if I stayed in there one more minute. I couldn’t take being in the same space with Jesse and not wrapping myself around him to comfort him with my love. So I took the coward’s way out. I didn’t look back as I pulled my suitcase behind me.
“Thanks for everything, Jesse. I’ll see you at work, okay?”
He didn’t respond, and I didn’t wait for him to. I grabbed my keys and my purse off the counter and headed out to my car, tears falling harder as I tossed my suitcase in the trunk, climbed into the driver’s seat, started the car, and pulled away from Jesse’s house.
CHAPTER 10
I turned around the corner and then pulled to the side of the road. My tears were coming harder now, faster, and as they streamed down my face, I knew it wasn’t safe for me to drive. I needed a minute to compose myself. I held my hands over my face, sobbing into them, the ugly kind of cry that you only do when you’re alone. I couldn’t take that look I’d seen on Jesse’s face as I turned and walked out of his life. The haunted look was haunting me, and I didn’t know what to do to erase it. I took off my seatbelt so I could lean forward. I put my arms against the steering wheel and cradled my head in my arms, waiting for the sadness to ease up enough to allow me to pull away.
It wasn’t working. Sobs racked my body and I wasn’t sure what to do to get the ache to stop.
A knock at the window caused me to take in a shuddering breath. I’m sure the neighbors were wondering why a car was parked outside on the street, the motor still running and the driver passed out over the steering wheel.
And then whoever was knocking on my window suddenly opened the door, and I was being pulled out of the car and into the warmest, most comforting arms I could possibly imagine. His lips crashed down over mine, and whatever the hell Richard had said didn’t matter anymore because I was just exactly where I was supposed to be.
Jesse’s mouth opened to mine as one hand gripped the hair at my neck and the other wrapped around my waist, pulling me against his hard body.
The tears magically stopped as lust and desire took over every single thought and feeling in my body. His kiss was the only cure I needed as suddenly everything was set right in my world again.
He pulled away. “Don’t leave me,” he whispered, and as my tear-stained eyes gazed into his, I saw an emptiness that I knew could only be filled with my love. I wanted to give him everything I had. I wanted to be the one to make him happy.
My fingers caressed his soft, rough, perfect scruff as his eyes burned into mine.
“Come back home, V,” he murmured, and then his lips pressed to mine once again. “I need you.” He leaned his forehead to mine.
I pulled back this time, and I gaped at him. I glanced behind us. His truck was behind my car, still running with the driver’s door open.
He’d come after me. He’d chased me down, not knowing how far I had gotten but willing to go as far as he needed just to get to me and bring me back where I belonged. With him.
“Okay, Jesse,” I whispered, and he ran a hand through his hair.
I got into my car, and he got into his. I pulled a u-turn and he followed, and then we both pulled into his driveway.
I took a deep breath as I exited my car, and he came around to my driver’s side and took my hand in his, pulling me behind him into the house.
He led me to the kitchen table, and we both sat in our usual seats.
“Talk to me,” he said, his voice that deep, low rasp that made me tingle everywhere.
“Richard told me I couldn’t live with you.”
“Fucking dick.”
I nodded.
“Babe, don’t worry about him. He can’t make you move.”
“He said it wouldn’t be a no fault divorce anymore if I stayed with you because I’d be cheating on him.”
Jesse sighed in frustration. “A, we haven’t done anything that would constitute cheating, although don’t think that the thought hasn’t crossed my mind. And B, Veronica, Arizona is a no fault state. His threat is meaningless.”
What?
“What?” I voiced my thought.
“He can’t hit you with fault because Arizona doesn’t place blame.”
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
Holy shit. That meant that I could live wherever the hell I wanted. Richard wouldn’t be able to take everything from me.
Well, maybe. He still had those friends in high places, but suddenly I knew that Jesse would find a way past that. He was smart and sexy and apparently my savior.
“Didn’t you read that paper I printed for you?” he asked, his brow furrowed.