He picked up the towel from the floor and wiped his mouth. 'I need to get a condom.'
She stared at him as if she didn't know what he was talking about. Then she said, her voice heavy with passion,'How long has it been since you've had sex without a condom?'
So long he couldn't remember. 'Probably the last time I was with you fifteen years ago.'
She smiled as she grabbed the towel from hint and tossed it aside. She grasped his shoulders, then she put herfeet on the low rung at the bottom of the chair and stood. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed herstomach. 'I had my period last week,' she said as she lowered herself over his lap. 'I won't get pregnant thistime.'
He might have protested. He might have questioned her more, but the head of his penis touched her slick crotch,and he slid inside her hot wet body. There was no thought of protesting anything after that.
A groan tore into Jack's chest. Her hot flesh surrounded him and a shudder worked its way up his spine. Her lipswere parted. Her breathing shallow, and her cheeks were flushed pink. The hunger in her brown eyes wasfocused on him as if he were the only man who could give her exactly what she needed.
She squeezed her muscles around him and he felt every ripple of her fight passage. He had to fight to keep fromcoming right then and there. Every cell in his body was focused on her. On the way she felt inside. On thewarmth of her contracting muscles. On the sharp pain and dull ache twisting his groin.
'Goddamn,' he swore and he moved his hands to her hips. 'You feel so good.' He lifted her and brought herback down. It was like white-hot liquid enveloped him, and he didn't think he'd felt anything as good as theinside of Daisy.
She raised her hands to the sides of his head and brought his mouth to hers. 'I love you, Jack,' she said as theymoved together, building a slow and steady rhythm that turned into a fever. He grabbed her behind and broughther down hard, again and again. Driving up as she pushed down, and everything got a whole lot hotter andwilder. Their breathing became ragged with the punctuating thrust of his hips. She grasped his bare shouldersand clung to him as the walls of her body pulsed around him. It went on and on faster, harder, pumping into heragain and again until the air whooshed from his lungs.
Daisy moaned and squeezed him fight, pulsing and constricting around hint. The strong contractions of herorgasm wrung a release from him that he felt up into his chest. He came deep inside where she was hot andslick, and even as he pumped into her one last time, he knew he wanted more.
He wanted it forever.
Daisy didn't burst into tears this time. She almost did the next time, though. Jack took her hand and led her tohis bed where he made love to her again. He was so sweet and loving and drew out the torture until she'd had amultiple orgasm. The first of her life, and that had her feeling kind of weepy.
She lay on her stomach on blue sheets. The rest of the bedding was in a tangled heap by her feet. Jack lay halfon top of her; his arm around her waist, one leg between hers. His groin pressed into her behind and hip. A lampflooded the bed with warm yellow light, and the only sound in the room was of heavy, spent breathing. Theirskin was glued together and a warm fluttery afterglow settled on her flesh. She hadn't felt this happy andcontent in a very long time. Jack loved her. She loved him. Things were going to work out for them this time.
She thought Jack had fallen asleep until he moaned. 'My God, it just keeps getting better. I didn't think anythingcould top the chair.'
Daisy smiled.
'Damn, did you just come twice?'
'Yes. Thank you.'
'You're welcome.'
His hand stirred at her waist, as if he tried to lift it but didn't have the energy. Carefully, she turned onto herback and looked at him. His hair was stuck to his forehead and his eyes were closed.
'What time is it?' she asked.
His lids fluttered open and he lifted his arm from across her stomach. He looked at his watch and said, 'Early.'
She grabbed his wrist and looked at the digital face. 'I have to get going before Nathan gets home.'
Jack rolled on his side and spread his fingers wide on her stomach just below her breasts. 'Don't leave,' hemurmured as he kissed her shoulder.
'I have to.' She sat up and pushed the hair from her face. 'But I'll come back for breakfast.'
'Don't leave Lovett.' He lay on his side and raised onto his elbow. 'You and Nathan should move here.'
She'd been thinking along those lines too. She just hadn't known he had also. 'When did you decide this?' sheasked and looked down into his green eyes.
'Probably when we were fishing, but I got serious about it yesterday when we were swapping spit in yourmomma's front yard and I didn't care who was watching.' He sat up and took her hand in his. 'I wanted peopleto watch. I wanted people to see us together. I wanted people to see us kissing today. I want everyone to knowthat you're mine.' He kissed her fingertips. 'I want a life with you and our son.'
It was exactly what she wanted too. Hearing him say it made it less scary.
'I love you, Daisy Lee. I've loved you all of my life.'
She looked into the pain and passion in his gaze. 'I love you too, Jack.' But, a little voice in her head wondered,was it enough this time? It hadn't been last time.
She excused herself to go to the bathroom, and when she returned, Jack had pulled on a pair of jeans. Whileshe'd been in the bathroom, he retrieved her dress and panties and they lay on his rumpled bed. She stepped intoher panties and he helped her with her dress.
'So, what are you going to feed me for breakfast?' he asked as he adjusted a strap on her back.
'I'll think of something good.'
'Something with whipped cream?'
She fled the strap at her side. 'And a cherry'
He placed his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest. 'I love cherries,' he said against the side ofher neck.
His bare chest warmed her skin and she had to fight the urge not to turn and kiss his neck. If she did that, shewouldn't make it home before Nathan. 'Jack, I want this to work between us this time.'
He squeezed her tight. 'It will.'
He sounded so confident she almost believed hint 'Let's talk to Nathan about it together.'
'Whatever you want.'
'I don't know how he'll feel about moving to Lovett, and I don't want him to think we're moving too fast.' Shestepped out of his embrace and smoothed her hands over the wrinkles on her dress. 'It hasn't been a year sinceSteven's death, and I don't want him to be uncomfortable with you and me together.' She looked about the floorto see if he'd remembered her shoes. 'I don't care what other people think, but! don't want Nathan to think we'retogether just to replace his dad.' Her shoes must still be in the kitchen, and she returned her attention to Jack.
The loving man who'd just held her and assured her everything would work out this time turned to stone rightbefore her eyes. His shoulders straightened. His jaws clenched and his gaze hardened.
'What's wrong?'
He walked across the room, passed the yellow light that spilled into the gray shadows. 'How long do we have tocall Steven 'Nathan's dad'?'
Daisy watched his bare back and said, 'I thought you might be getting over that.'
'I thought so too.' He yanked open a dresser drawer and pulled out a T-shirt. 'But I don't think I'll ever get overwhat that bastard took from me.'
She closed her eyes for several painful heartbeats. 'Don't talk about Steven like that.'
He laughed without humor. 'That's rich.' He shoved his arms through the short sleeves. 'You defending StevenMonroe to me.'
'I'm not defending Steven.'
He pulled the shirt over his head and down his stomach. 'Then what are you doing?'
'I loved Steven for most of my life. He was not only my husband; he was my best friend. We laughed and criedtogether. I could talk to him about anything.'
