Chapter Twelve

Bridget stared at her phone and willed it to chime. Or ring. Something. Anything. She’d sent Jack a text a few hours ago and she hadn’t heard a peep since. What had possessed her to ask him to stay the night? Couldn’t she have invited him for dinner and let things unfold naturally? No, instead she had unloaded in a text that Gran and Sarah had moved back into the apartment and did he want to come over tonight.

She dropped her face in her hands with a little groan. What had she been thinking? Way to seem desperate. She was, but he didn’t need to know that. Yet they hadn’t seen each other in a couple of days and all the making out plus the memory of that one long-ago Sunday in her bed had her primed and ready for the real thing. She wanted to know if the sex would be as good as she imagined. Maybe it would be even better…

A shiver traced down her spine as her hormones spiked once again. God, she wanted Jack like she’d never wanted any man before. She was practically on edge with need. The door chimed with the arrival of a customer and Bridget exhaled a sigh of relief. This would provide a good distraction from her thoughts and fantasies.

“Welcome to Three Sisters Apothecary. How can I help you?”

The woman smiled. “I heard about you from a friend so I decided to pop in. She says you have the best lotions and my skin gets so dry it flakes in winter.”

“I’ve got a perfect option for you.” She stepped over to the shelves at the front of the store and plucked up a jar. “This has oatmeal and lavender and should keep your skin super soft and moisturized. No flaking at all.”

“Wonderful! I’ll take two.”

Bridget grinned and rang up the sale. As the woman waved and walked out, her phone dinged. Bridget pounced and almost dropped her phone in her haste. A new text icon taunted her and she punched her finger at the picture.

 

Would love to see you tonight. Should I bring dinner?

 

Her heart pounded as she reread the words. Jack was coming over tonight. He was going to stay. To spend the night. With her. In her bed. She squealed and did a little dance. Laughter pealed from behind her. Bridget spun to find her sister walking in from the back room where the apartment stairs emptied.

“What was that about?”

“Nothing,” Bridget mumbled, refusing to make eye contact.

Sarah continued to stare in silence, a smile playing around her mouth.

“Fine! Jack is coming over tonight.”

“I knew it! I knew you wouldn’t hold out, you little hussy. Good job, sis. You moved fast.” Sarah bumped her shoulder into Bridget’s and grinned.

“Since you defected and moved in with Gran, I might as well get some benefits for myself.” Bridget grabbed up her purse and coat. “In fact, you can close the store tonight. Oh, and I think I deserve the weekend, too. You can cover the festival in Clear Creek, right?”

Sarah stood with her mouth hanging open. “Who are you and what have you done with my sister?”

She shrugged. “I’m just taking the advice from you and Gran and Becca. I’m putting myself first for once.” She waved and headed out. “Enjoy your evening watching Jeopardy with Gran!”

After she swung by the store to pick up the supplies needed for tonight, Bridget showered and put on a matching bra and panty set. It wasn’t some bright, racy color, but a soft peachy-pink instead. Then she threw on a shift dress and waited. Thankfully, Jack had seemed as eager as she was.

He knocked on her door at six pm on the dot and her breath caught when she opened it. He was so damn gorgeous and he was here for her. How in the world had she gotten this lucky? Or rather, was about to get lucky? Her inner teenager laughed at her mental joke, but the grown-up part of her leaped to attention. “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself.” His gaze drifted over her form, then he looked back at her with a warm appreciation. “You look beautiful.”

She flushed and waved him in. He followed her into the kitchen and set down the takeout he’d brought.

“Are you hungry? Should we eat now?” Jack asked.

Bridget stepped closer and twined her arms around his neck. “Later, lumberjack. We should have dinner much, much later.” Kissing, they stumbled back toward her bedroom. His shoes were kicked off along the way and she had his belt and jeans undone before they made it through the door. Her whole body was alight with desire for this man. She ached between her thighs and pressed against him to try to get any kind of friction between their bodies. Gasping, she pulled back and let him lift her dress over her head.

“Fuck, you’re so gorgeous.” He bit his lip and yanked his shirt off while she shoved at his jeans. Then they tumbled to the bed and she gave herself over to the sensations of his hands and lips and body pleasuring her. When they joined together it was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before. The peak of her orgasm hit hard and the waves of her ecstasy washed over her again and again and again. When at last they were both exhausted and sated, she curled up against him in bed. Jack stroked his fingers over her hair as she listened to the steady rhythm of his heart beneath her ear. Three more orgasms and a few hours later, she and Jack got around to eating the food he’d brought over before heading back to her bedroom for round four. It was the best sex and best night of her life. Bridget fell asleep wrapped in strong arms with bone-deep contentment.

 

* * * *

Jack stirred and nestled closer to Bridget’s warm, soft body, curled up like a little spoon against him. He peeked open his eyes and almost pushed himself off the edge of the bed. It took all of his effort not to jolt at the surprise of a small furry black head with glowing green eyes staring unblinking at him.

“H-hey, Candle,” he whispered in an attempt to not wake Bridget up. The cat continued to watch without moving and Jack wondered if he was about to be gouged in the face by a tiny ball of fur he’d thought was his friend.

With painstaking slowness, Candle climbed over Bridget, who mumbled nonsense and rolled onto her stomach, then nudged her head under his chin. He shifted on his back and the cat settled onto him, purring loudly and deeply. Stroking Candle’s head, he relaxed again as a sensation of rightness settled into his bones. With a glance at the still-sleeping woman next to him, he smiled. She was adorable, even in her sleep. Her hair was splayed out across her shoulders and pillow and her face revealed an openness she hid from the world. His honeybee’s life had been a hard one, and Jack hoped he could ease her path even if it just meant walking beside her.

With a small shake of his head, he twisted his lips to the side. Was he really thinking this far ahead so soon? Long-term commitment with only a little over a month of knowing her? How could he be feeling this much this fast? Maybe he should take a step back and get some perspective, but to hell with that. He didn’t want space or time or even thinking. He wanted to rouse Bridget with kisses and love her awake. He wanted to confess this deep, burning emotion inside him that he’d thought he’d felt before, but that had been nothing compared to this ocean of passion and devotion and complete and total infatuation. He was in love like he’d never been before and that scared the shit out of a small part of him. But the majority of him reveled in it and wanted to jump all in. She was caring and kind and pure and good. Her heart was made of gold and he wanted to protect and cherish her gentle, sweet spirit.

She rolled over and snuggled into his side with her eyes still closed. He wrapped his free arm around her shoulders and continued to pet the cat with his other hand. If he could wake up like this every morning, he’d be the happiest guy on earth. He wanted this. All of this. The girl, the cat, the small town, her shop and his logging job. Jack had thought he liked the business side of things, but the daily pressure and stress had been getting to him. Not to mention the notoriety he had in Seattle.

He couldn’t go anywhere without being recognized since that asinine article about the wealthiest bachelors in the city that had come out last year. He was still pissed at his mother for ambushing him with that interview. Her desperation to have him “settled in life” had driven her to some very low levels. What would his parents think of Bridget? How would they blend their lives together? He raked a hand through his hair and Candle let out a plaintive meow.

“Sorry, little bit,” he murmured, resuming his scritches behind her ears. Her purring doubled in volume and the vibrations tickled his chest.

“Mghrfp.” Bridget grunted and sighed heavily. Her lids fluttered and lifted for a moment or two then drifted shut again. Her body stretched against his and his blood stirred. He couldn’t lie—sex with Bridget was the best he’d ever had and he wanted more. Lots more. Every day more. Multiple times a day more if he could somehow make that happen. Every touch and kiss and plunge of his body into hers had showered sparks along each nerve in his body. When she had come, it had been damn near transcendental and had dragged him under the waves of ecstasy along with her.

Her naked, pliant body rubbed against his again and she peeked up at him. “Morning.”

Color bloomed in her cheeks as he smiled lazily. “Hey, honeybee.”

Her lips curled up. “I see Candle kept you company this morning, too.” She reached out and rubbed her fingers over the cat’s fur.

“Let me take you away for a weekend.” His own words surprised even him, but as soon as they were out of his mouth, the idea caught within him. He wanted to take her away from all of her responsibilities, if only for a couple of days. The softness in her face when sleeping was something he wanted to see in waking life.

Wrinkles appeared between her brows. “I’m not sure I can do that. I dumped everything this weekend on Sarah, Gran and Becca spur of the moment. I’m booked every Saturday between now and Halloween with festivals. I can’t put it all on them again. It would need to be after that.”

A disappointed sigh passed his lips. He wanted to get away with her sooner than that, but he did understand her shop meant everything to her. “Okay, let’s see what we can work out.” Maybe he could work a little magic of his own and surprise Bridget. “How do you feel about omelets?”

She grinned. “Love them. You sure you’re up to that task?”

Humming, he nudged the cat away and rolled to hover over her warm, naked body. “Definitely, but I’m eating first.” Then he ducked his head under the blankets and enjoyed her embarrassed, breathy laugh as he kissed and caressed his way to settle between her thighs.