Chapter 55

CHAPTER 55

JESS

S late and I got back to the house a little after noon. So exhausted I could barely move, I'd thought I would fall asleep in his car on our way back to Firefly Grove, but it turned out I was still on a high thanks to the immensity of my relief.

"Well, isn't that just a sight for sore eyes?" I murmured as he parked in front of the porch, our glasses from last night still sitting on the coffee table between the two chairs overlooking the land. "For a while there, it felt like we were never going to come back here and have it feel like home."

"I know what you mean," he said, pulling up his emergency brake and shutting off his engine. "Only twenty-four more hours and we'll be pulling up here with her, though."

"It's crazy, right?" I opened my door, climbing out and pulling in a deep breath of air, smiling at the familiar scents of home before I turned back to him. "A twenty-four-hour observation period after heart surgery? Obviously, the sooner we can have her home, the better, but that seems a little too soon."

He chuckled, meeting up with me at the hood of his car and slinging an arm around my shoulders but pulling away to give me an amused, pointed look. "It's minor surgery. They didn't actually do anything to her heart."

"No, I know, but it just feels like it all happened so fast and now they're not even keeping her at the hospital for more than another day after she almost died ."

Slate dragged in a sharp breath but quickly relaxed again, pulling me with him as he started to the steps. "The point is that they've fixed the problem and she's going to be fine. We'll take care of her once she gets home."

My heart soared at the warmth and genuine caring in his tone. I smiled, resting my head against his shoulder. I still hadn't told him that she knew about us, but in light of everything else that had happened, I figured I should at least let the guy get some rest before I spilled the beans.

"I like how you said we ," I murmured as he opened the door and motioned for me to precede him. "You really have grown to love her, haven't you?"

"Of course, I have," he replied easily. "Have you met your mother? It's impossible not to love her."

"True." I breathed in deep once more when I was inside, feeling like a huge weight lifted off my shoulders when I blew it back out again. "What time do I need to get back on the road?"

Slate followed me into the house, checking the fancy black watch on his wrist before he shrugged. "When you've rested. Austin and your dad have got her for now. We literally just walked in. You can't possibly already be worried about leaving again."

"I'm not worried," I said, catching a glimpse of the spot where we'd found her on the floor last night as I turned toward the stairs. "I'm just trying to be proactive. You know, I think I'll go do my chores before I take a nap."

Slate stepped into my path as I made for the door, his eyes locking on mine and his hands coming up to rest on my shoulders. "You need to go back to relieve your dad and Austin in just a few hours. Rest is more important than chores right now. Can I make you something to eat? Get you some water?"

I shook my head slowly from side to side, my tongue swiping across my lips as nerves fluttered in my stomach. "I'd really rather steer clear of the kitchen right about now."

"Ah," he murmured, bringing me to him and sliding his arms around my waist. "I thought that might've been what just happened."

I sighed, looping my arms around his neck, and despite the circumstances, I felt a tiny little thrill shoot down my spine over the fact that, after so long, I could touch him like this right here in the foyer. Sure, none of my family was home and no one would be anytime soon, but still. It felt like a small victory after I'd had to fight against touching him in the public spaces of our home for so long.

"Look, Jess." He bent his knees, looking right into my eyes. "Your kitchen is still your kitchen. I understand that you don't want to go in there right now, but you will have to eventually. You can't keep running to do your chores and never see that spot again."

"But I can try," I said, my mind wandering to that moment I'd seen her lying there and the soul-destroying, agonizing minutes that had followed. I sighed, rubbing the tip of my nose against his before cocking my head. "If I promise I won't avoid it forever but only for right now, can I go do my chores?"

"If you really want to, but I might have a better idea."

I frowned. "Like what?"

He arched a dark eyebrow at me. "Well, we have the house to ourselves, so maybe we could play cards or something."

I narrowed my eyes, running my hands along the broad planes of his shoulders to his arms. "If you're looking to distract me or to use up the last little bit of energy from my high, playing cards might just not quite cut it."

"I guess it's a good thing I didn't really want to play cards, then." Without warning, he slid his hands around the backs of my thighs and lifted me against him, laughing as he carried me up the stairs to my bedroom. "Next time we have the house all to ourselves, we can play cards."

"If not that, then what?" I asked jokingly, hanging onto him for dear life and wondering how the hell he'd carried me up the stairs as if I weighed nothing. "Are you planning on taking advantage of me, Mr. Spieres?"

"Hell, yes." He dropped me on my bed, grinning as he hooked an arm behind his head and pulled off his T-shirt in one smooth move. "Unless you have any objections, of course."

"Me? Object to you using your body to distract me?" I shrugged, shooting him a coy smile as he climbed onto the bed with me, his knee making the mattress dip between my legs. "I think I should be okay."

He grinned, bringing his head to the crook of my neck and planting an open-mouthed kiss there. "All jokes aside, you're sure, right?"

"So sure," I murmured, closing my eyes and pushing my hands into his hair. "She's fine, Slate. We're all tired and emotional, but I don't want to be emotional anymore. She's okay. The worst didn't happen, and I want to celebrate that."

I felt his lips curve into a smile against my skin. "I didn't think about it as a celebration, but now that you've mentioned it, it feels pretty damn accurate."

He suddenly lifted his head away from my neck and pressed a hard kiss to my lips, those gorgeous eyes burning intently into mine. "How is it that you always manage to make me see things from a completely different perspective?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you…" He trailed off, keeping most of his weight on his elbows as he stared into my eyes. "A celebration. I like that. Let's just go with it."

When he sealed his lips over mine in another hard, meaningful kiss, I wondered what he hadn't said, but the last sixteen or so hours had been hard enough. Whatever it was, it could wait until we'd both gotten some rest.

If he'd been up to telling me right now, he'd have done it. Instead, he was kissing me like the ship was going down, his tongue sliding against mine and soft groans emanating from deep within his chest. I'd take that any day over a potentially difficult conversation.

Wrapping my legs around his hips, I was more than willing to lose myself in him and I did. Under his passionate kisses and his hard body, I could let all my worries melt away. I'd meant what I said about my mom being okay.

Her surgery had happened a couple of hours ago and it'd gone off without a hitch. She had even been the one who had sent us here, saying that Dad and Austin could take the first shift and that I ought to come home and get some sleep.

Before I did that though, I wanted to do this. With Slate. After everything that had happened, I just needed to be close to him for a little while. Despite my exhaustion, I didn't think I'd be able to get to sleep otherwise.

Slate had really taken control last night, not just in getting my mom to the hospital on time, but also when he'd gotten her a private room, had kept me from falling apart, and had kept my dad calm while Mom had been in surgery.

I felt like I just needed him and me to be us again. To balance ourselves out and immerse ourselves in each other before we went our separate ways again when I had to go back to the hospital later. I just needed him.

As if he'd heard the thought, he slowly lowered himself from his elbows, letting his weight settle on top of me and press me into the mattress. I held him closer, kissing him just a little bit harder. Moaning into his mouth, I angled my hips when he started rocking his own, the bulge in his pants quickly getting harder.

I felt my body respond to his, my nipples peaking and the space between my legs getting slick. Twelve hours ago, if anyone had told me I would ever feel this way again, I never would have believed them, but I supposed it was just more proof of how fast things could change.

Maybe that was another reason I needed him so much right now. This was life-affirming magic.

Reaching for the waistband of his pants, I pushed down, feeling his boxers slide over his ass with his jeans. He chuckled into my mouth, lifting his hips to allow me enough space to push his pants off over his hard cock.

"My shoes," he murmured and my cheeks flushed.

Crap . I'd been so in my head that I'd forgotten about that minor detail. Eyes hooked on mine, I felt his legs move as he kicked off his boots. Then I used my feet to push his pants and boxers to the floor.

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "You have me naked. What are you going to do with me now?"

"Good question," I said, ducking my head under his chin and peppering the skin there with soft kisses. "Would you like to play some cards?"

"Sure, but only if it's strip poker."

"You'd already have lost."

He chuckled, lifting his head to give me better access to his neck. "Have I? Funny, I feel like I've won." Suddenly dropping his hands to the hem of my tee, he slid them in underneath the fabric and cupped my ribs, his fingertips gentle but teasing at the bottom of my bra. "Care to make a little wager?"

"Okay." I panted, my breathing becoming heavier with every swipe of his fingers and tiny roll of his hips. "What's the bet?"

"That I can get you naked without even getting a deck of cards."

I laughed. "That's not fair. I thought we'd established I'd already won. Here I was, ready to claim my prize."

He lifted his head a little bit, an amused smirk on his lips but his eyes full of heat and desire. "What prize?"

Deciding on the spot what I wanted, I lifted myself up and brushed a kiss to his lips. "Today, I make the rules. Hold on to your hat, City Boy. Things are about to get interesting for you."