12. Jack

Chapter 12

Jack

W aking up in the same house as Courtney but not next to her is awful. Last night was long overdue and I wish I had given her more. But it’s classic us . The banter and the teasing throughout the night, be it a tenth of how we used to be, was such a buildup, I couldn't think until I had her.

It cemented my need to be here. My decision to move here permanently came to me while she was on top of me. I can’t go the rest of my life never feeling again the way I do when she’s next to me, touching me, loving me.

Grabbing my phone, the time reads quarter to six in the morning. I have notification after notification of emails and missed calls. After being with Courtney, I couldn’t concentrate on anything else. I went to my room, knowing she was on the other side of the wall, and laid in bed replaying our moment, still feeling like I was inside her. I palmed my cock and whispered her name, bringing myself to orgasm, hoping it would put me to sleep. All it did was make me burn hotter for her.

I rolled over, forcing myself to sleep .

And now this morning, I see all the work that is waiting for me. I have texts from my assistant asking for details on certain accounts, but upon checking the numbers on the exchange, everything is looking pretty good. I answer his questions, tell him to run through the emails for anything dire, and let him know to call with an emergency, but otherwise, he can handle it.

I think this is possible. My assistant is more than capable, and judging by the email response I received from my junior partner, he’s ready to take on my accounts. I have no doubt the two of them together can handle it.

And I could start fresh in Wintervale with small accounts. Things that are manageable as I become the man Courtney needs me to be. First stop? Dress Me Up.

I get out of bed, throw my sweats on, and trudge across the hall to the bathroom. Then, I make my way to the kitchen for a much needed cup of coffee. While it’s brewing, I look out the window to see the snow is still coming down pretty hard, and we’ve got about two more feet on top of the foot we already had.

“Morning.” I hear her voice and spin around to see her standing there, looking unsure in the middle of the kitchen. Her legs are bare and her short robe is pulled tight around her body. Her hair is up in a knot on her head, and her black-rimmed glasses make her look sexy as hell. And when her eyes linger on my chest, she makes me feel sexy as hell.

I take two steps to her, reaching out for her hand and pulling her in close to me. I kiss her on the head and say, “Good morning to you too.”

She glances behind her. “He’s a late sleeper, but knowing you’re here, he may wake early.”

“Okay. And if he does come out, he’ll see me loving on his momma like he should have seen me doing all along.” She closes her eyes and lets out a breath. I cup her face, stroking her cheeks with my thumbs. “Hey, are you okay? You’re not regretting last night are you?”

She watches me with an unreadable expression before pulling away. “No, I just don’t want to get used to it.” She backs away from me and reaches for two coffee mugs.

“Do we want to talk about this?”

She places the mugs on the counter but won’t turn to look at me, just stares out the window at the snow falling. “What is this , Jack? I don't understand what’s happening.”

I come up behind her, covering her back with my front, and place my hands on either side of her on the counter. “I want to be the man you knew me to be, the one you saw yourself marrying when you were ten years old. You told me to choose, right?” I lace my fingers with hers and lean into her a bit more. “Look how well we fit, Co?—”

“Hi, Mom and Dad.”

Courtney spins around me so fast I’m almost caught off balance, and I chuckle at her but grab the back of her robe, holding her in place while whispering, “He’s such a cockblock,” in her ear. She swats at me, and I drop my hold but not before I give her a smack on her ass.

“Hi, baby, do you want some breakfast?”

“Yes, please. How much snow did we get?” He’s still half asleep, and I sit next to him, pulling him into my lap.

“We got a lot but nothing Santa can’t handle,” I assure him.

He snuggles into me, closing his eyes. Holding him in my arms feels so good, and I hate that I've missed so many years of this. I watch Courtney move around the kitchen, placing a cup of coffee in front of me and pulling out eggs to cook.

When she catches me looking, she asks, “What? ”

“I’m just taking in the moment.”

“I think he fell back to sleep.”

“Did he?” She nods, and I begin to stand. “I’m going to lay with him on the couch. He wasn’t ready to wake up yet.”

“I’ll put breakfast on hold.”

I head to the living room but stop. “Thank you, Courtney. I don’t deserve the second chance, but I’ll prove to you it will be worth it.”