Jon’s mouth dropped open for a moment before he started laughing. He’d never had a woman talk to him or treat him the way this woman did. He had to admit, he still liked it better than the fawning. He turned his head so his nose bumped against hers and smiled. “I’ll protect you,” he said half against her cheek, more towards her ear.
Fighting not to be ridiculously turned on she let go and pushed him forward. “The charm is wearing thin,” she muttered.
He turned around and slid his hand into her jacket until he found a warm body covered with a bulky, long sweater. The heat of her, mixed with the sass left him with little choice really. He hauled her up, flattening her impressively generous, and thank you God, natural breasts, against his chest. “You know it’s not,” he said and hovered there on the edge of a kiss. He wanted it, wanted to crush her in close and find out if she tasted like cinnamon as well. Everything about her was warm and soft and made him want.
Want in a way that was unlike anything he’d felt in a very long time, but right then wasn’t the best time. He let her ease back, the mahogany dark of her eyes was nearly black as she watched him carefully, her breath just a soft puff of air along his lips, just before she stepped back. Sliding his hand back into hers, he headed to the back of the auditorium with a strangely silent Izzy in tow.
The hallway was filled with milling parents and excited kids from kindergarten through fourth grades. He spotted the kids and Dorothea making their way to the drinks and cookies display that always seemed to accompany a holiday play. Dot was attempting to control his over zealous middle child and juggling a half dozing Romeo. Jon slid through the throng of people and lifted Romeo out of her arms.
Startled, she turned around. “You’re still here?”
“Of course I am,” he said trying not to get riled. The divorce had been less than easy and the peace between them was strained at best. Romeo curled into his chest and he winced when he twisted a clump of chest hair beneath his turtle neck. He sensed Izzy to his left and smiled as she waggled fingers at his boy with a sweet smile.
He looked up and gave an inward sigh at the daggers coming from his ex. Hoping to discharge the uncomfortable silence he rubbed Romeo’s back and caught Dorothea’s eye. “So on Christmas day, is four o’clock okay to take the kids to my Mom’s house?”
The arctic chill lessened as Dot nodded. “Yes, I’ll take the kids over to my Mom’s house and we’ll do Christmas Eve and morning.” She reached and detangled Romeo from Jon’s arms. “Okay guys, say goodbye to Daddy.”
Bella watched as Jon squatted down and hugged Jake, stood and did the same with Steph. Jesse was at the uncomfortable male bonding stage and grudgingly accepted the clap of Jon’s hand on his shoulder. “I’ll see you guys on Christmas, okay?”
Romeo buried his head into his mother’s shoulder and whimpered. She could see the pain in Jon’s eyes as he waved goodbye and Romeo’s hand grasped his forefinger for a second longer before he let go.
Following instinct she curled her hand around his wrist and didn’t say a word as he pasted a false smile on his face when he turned to her. Before he could say a word, she held up a hand. “No need for false cheer here, Jon. It’s gotta be hard to say goodbye to those kids when you’re used to going home with them.”
“Funny, I should be used to being away from them with my job and all of that.” He turned toward the door that they left through, “But it kills me every time she takes them back to our-“ he stopped, “My old house, and I can’t go with them.” Shaking his head he sucked back the hurt and the unusual need to share. “I’m sorry. I’ve given you one helluva first impression,” he said with a rueful smile.
Bella stood on tip toe and pressed a kiss to his slightly scruffy cheek. “No worries. You can’t say it was a boring evening, right?”
The light press of her lips was enough to stir his thoughts away from the loneliness and the ache of what he’d lost. “No, I have to say…things are looking up for a change.”
Her heart stumbled and she was pretty sure she heard a suspicious thud or two that had his name on it.
1 comment:
Aww loved the ending. Very very sweet. I loved that she saw that fake smile of his, and she understood that it is hard for him to let the kids go and his little admission around that just giving her a little taste of his real self... she understands him well... they are very alike these two.
I loved the first installment, she's fiesty and hilarious and I can't wait for more.
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