Page 48 of One More Time

McKenna

The following morning

After a steaming shower with Jack, I went to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee for us. The coffee was better at Spill the Beans Café, but I wasn’t ready to face the world yet. I felt too raw, physically and emotionally.

Jack was in my bedroom, making a few calls. He was arranging flights to the medical center for his brother and confirming the travel schedule for his niece.

I savored this time with him and needed a few minutes to gather myself. Last night had been beyond intense. We’d reached for each other more than once in the darkness. The last time we had made sleepy love, I’d woken in the dark with him curled behind me. I was already aroused and felt him come awake. He’d dusted a kiss on my neck, asking, “Are you awake?”

My answer had been to rock my hips back on his velvety hard arousal nestled against my bottom. A moment later, he filled me from behind and fucked me, lazily and sensually, teasing me to a shuddering climax with his fingers.

I’d never been so physically sated in my entire life. Now, I feared I was in way too deep. I was barely treading water in the depths of my feelings.

I puttered around the kitchen like I usually did in the mornings. All of a sudden, he was right behind me, saying, “Coffee smells good.”

I nearly jumped out of my skin. I spun around, my eyes wide and my heart pounding in a panicked beat. He looked as surprised as I felt and studied me for a moment.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he finally said, his tone calm and level while he looked at me like I was some kind of feral animal. “It seems like I’ve said that too many times with you.”

“I forgot you were here,” I explained in a rush.

Jack’s curious eyes coasted over my face, but he nodded without adding anything. I wanted to smooth things over and started babbling about coffee and whether he wanted anything to eat.

A few minutes passed, and we were sitting at the counter. After he took a swallow of coffee, he asked, “Has anyone hurt you?”

My jaw went slack as I stared at him. Literally nobody had ever asked me about my wildly unmeasured startle reflex, not even my family. I wanted to lie but didn’t, yet I only shared part of the truth.

I took a long swallow of coffee to fortify myself. “If you haven’t heard from the rumors in town, you will eventually. Our dad died when I was little. After he died, my grandparents helped a lot. Our grandfather was abusive, mostly verbally, but he used to get physical with Rhys and Jake.” I took a quick breath, ignoring the sickening feeling I felt whenever I said Jake’s name. “He never hit me, but he yelled.”

Jack stared at me for a long moment. “I’m really sorry.”

“It’s okay.” I shrugged. “It’s life, I guess. Everybody’s got something.”

“I guess so. You don’t need to apologize for startling easy. Now that I know, I can be careful not to startle you. I can maybe just say something sooner when you don’t see me.”

A rush of emotion crested inside. “You don’t have to do that,” I said, thinking that seemed ridiculous to expect.

He held my gaze. “McKenna, I want to.”

I didn’t even know what to do with that.

A few weeks later

Time was quickening, but that was how it always felt in spring. I’d met Derek’s daughter. Hannah was friendly and seemed understandably emotionally shell-shocked about her situation. Meanwhile, Jack stopped by every third or fourth night to stay with me.

I wrestled with myself because I was in love with him, and I knew it. I wanted all sorts of things I’d never sought before. Meanwhile, I kept my feelings quiet. Jack was tied up with his brother’s treatment and helping his niece adjust.

I was an expert at this. I knew how to keep my shit together, no matter what was going on around me. Given our messy family, I’d had to learn to do that.

It was locals’ night at Fireweed Winery, and Jack had brought Derek and his niece along. My mom sat with Derek and Hannah while Jack chatted with Griffin about something. Wyatt appeared beside me where I stood nearby.

“So you’re in love,” he said matter-of-factly.

“What?!” I turned to face him fully.

“Sis, I’m pretty sure you are. What are you gonna do about it?”

“Nothing! We’re not serious,” I insisted.

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