Page 100 of Hiding from Hope

“So… we’re going to have a big house on a lake with a wraparound porch?”

“Build it myself if I have to.”

I couldn’t stop the giggle if I tried. “I knew you had ‘I could build you a house’ kind of muscles.” Jessie’s booming laugh almost makes me cry again as I bury myself back in the comfort of his chest.

“I really thought it was over. I didn’t think you—” He shuts me up with a firm kiss and shakes his head, pulling back to lean his forehead against mine.

“Don’t say it. You’ll break my heart, and holding you is the only thing keeping me together right now.” he says quietly and then whispers against my lips, “Promise me.”

“Promise what, Jess?” I whisper back through my stuttering breath as I try to slow my crying. Brushing the pieces of stray hair off his forehead, I admire all of his handsome features.

“Promise me forever. No matter how complicated or messy it gets. Promise to stay, and I promise to make it worth it.”

When he refuses to open his eyes, I pull his face to mine, placing a delicate kiss to each of his eyelids, then the strong line of his nose, then his lips. Lingering for a moment, I whisper back, “I promise.”

Casey

“Thank you so much, ladies! That was a great session, and you should all be so proud of yourselves,” I say gently to my last class before Christmas. It is officially my birthday, too, and a happy buzz is keeping my smile firmly in place as I count down the minutes to tonight. Jessie has something planned that he said was a surprise, and I am literally bouncing on the ground in excitement to see what it is.

“Tell me, tell me, tell me!” I had pestered him last night and this morning. Following him around his apartment as he shook his head and laughed at me. I even waltzed around naked, refusing to let him touch me unless he told me his secret. The bastard was still too strong-willed and managed to get me to fold. Pulling out that magic dick, stroking himself while staring hungrily at my body. I relented, of course.

“Have you filled any of those trainer spots yet for the self-defense classes?” Elle asks as she follows me out of the studio.

“I have a friend who has volunteered to help, so I might be able to get classes up and running first thing in the new year.” I fill her in on Ethan’s offer.

“Oh, that is so exciting!” She claps her hand, and when we round to reception, my heart does a little happy dance in my chest. Unable to stop any of my excitement, I skip through the waiting area and leap into Jessie’s arms with a squeal, planting my lips on his.

His big lumberjack arms catching me with ease, and he laughs into our kiss.

“Happy to see you too, sunshine.” I cover his face with kisses because it still shocks me that this guy is still around after the way I ragdolled the crap out of his trust, but he looks at me with those eyes, and says things with that delectable mouth, and then it no longer shocks me, because I feel the love Jessie has for me deep to my bones. The one thing I know I never have to be unsure of in my life is how much he wants me, how important I am to him. That I am a priority and always will be.

“How come you’re here? I thought I was seeing you tonight?” He drops me back on my feet and gives me an incredulous look.

“You eat your lunch?”

“Yes,” I lie.

“No, she didn’t.” Elle, that traitor. I hit her with a look over my shoulder and she winks at me, disappearing into the studio for her next class.

“Okay, in my defense, I assumed your plans tonight involved food. I didn’t want to spoil it.” And I bought a new set of incredible lingerie and I didn’t want to be bloated, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. He narrows his eyes at me and pulls a paper bag from his pocket, grabbing my wrist and forcing me to take it from him.

“Eat it.” Shivers run down my spine, and I have to bite my lip. In an effort to distract him, I reach up and push his messy hair from his forehead.

“Mmm, I like it when you boss me around.” He groans, his eyes rolling until they’re closed, and then he grips the front of my sweater and pulls me against him, slamming his lips onto mine.

I relax against him, twirling my arms around his neck and melting into his delicious lips. Before I can get too lost in them, he pulls back slightly and says against my lips, “Eat. Your. Lunch.”

“Or else what?” I challenge, and the stupid sexy man hits me with a grin that has desire ruining my panties.

“Or else I won’t eat you later.” He winks, and I almost combust from how hot he makes me.

“No fair.” I smack his chest but turn and head for the staff room. I feel him hot on my heels, and when I spin to question him more about tonight, the studio entrance opens and the words die on my tongue.

“Grace?” Jessie spins, and I feel him go rigid next to me, bless his soul. He knows what had happened last time she was here, and he was ready to storm over to her place and set her straight. So that he doesn’t do or say anything stupid, I walk ahead of him and stand in front of her. Ready for a fight, if that’s what she came here for. Except the closer I get, the smaller she looks, sunken in on herself, dark circles under her eyes.

“Grace, what’s wrong?”

“Can we talk?” she whispers, her eyes still avoiding mine. I turn to look at Jessie and his frown pulls deeper, but he nods. Taking a few steps up to me, kissing the top of my head with a cheeky slap to my ass, he takes the lunch bag. “I’ll wait in there,” he says and points to the staff room.

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