Page 67 of The House on Blueberry Lane

Intense pleasure consumed her, taking over her mind and body. Not holding anything back, he propelled her right into another orgasm. After she screamed his name for probably the fourth time, he lowered his mouth to hers, capturing it with one deep tongue-penetrating kiss.

Her body should have felt tired, worn out, but it felt even more energized. She wrapped her legs around his waist so he could lift her up. “Now for our shower, Velvet.” He carried her the rest of the way up the stairs.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

“THE ROCKING CHAIRS are simply beautiful, Jaye,” Velvet said, truly meaning it.

She knew Jaye had spent most of his evening hours working on them. On those days she hadn’t taught gymnastics after school, she had joined him and even helped him paint them. She could honestly say it was a project they had done together, and she’d enjoyed it. He had told her he would spend the weekend looking for cushions that would complement the color. What he’d chosen were perfect.

She had resumed jogging with him every morning and it was like she hadn’t stopped. She enjoyed hearing updates about the new bank in Birmingham, and sharing any news she had about her days at school. She told him about her conversation with Lenny and his passion for art. Like her, Jaye thought it was unfair for Allen Bordeaux to place so much pressure on his son.

She had spent the weekend in Phoenix, at Ruthie’s bridal shower, and returned home before noon on Sunday. The moment she drove into the yard, she knew she’d find him in the backyard. When he saw her, he turned off his electric saw, set aside his safety glasses and gloves, and opened his arms to her. She walked right into them and they shared the kiss she had definitely needed. And from the way he devoured her mouth, he had needed it as well. Then he held her and whispered that he had missed her. He showed her everything, including his new project. He was building a couple of wooden planters that would hold blueberry bushes on the porch as well.

She had selected the color blue but he had chosen the perfect shade that blended in well with the house exterior. She also noted, while she’d been gone, he had painted the floor of the porch a dark gray. “Why are the rocking chairs on the back porch instead of the front?” she asked as they stood side by side with his arms around her shoulders.

He looked down and met her gaze. “I built these chairs for us, Velvet, and I doubted you’d want anyone to see us rocking together on the front porch. I put them back here so we’ll have our privacy.”

She held his gaze, slightly confused. He’d told her he was making the chairs to complement the style of the house. “You made them for us?”

“Yes. I recall you once telling me how your parents had rocking chairs on their porch at your childhood home in Seattle, and how they would sit together in the evenings to watch the sunset.”

She blinked in surprise. “You remember me telling you that?”

“Yes, and I figured we could do that in the evenings when we get home from work. That way you can unload and tell me how your day went and I’ll tell you about mine, as well as anything else we want to talk about.”

What he’d said was a shocker. “Why? You never wanted that before, Jaye.” She recalled she’d tried countless times to get him to sit on the patio with her at his place or hers and just talk. He’d said they could talk just as well in the bedroom. Only problem was, once there, they never really had.

“There are a lot of things I didn’t do before that I want to do now. I’ve discovered it’s not good to have no one to talk to, especially when you have a lot on your mind.”

She nodded. “You’ve always had Mercury.”

“Yes, he’s always been my best friend and still is. I can talk to him about some things, but with a wife and a baby on the way, Mercury is busy these days.”

And Mercury’s outlook on life has changed, Velvet thought. Again, she couldn’t help wondering if the reason Jaye was making all these changes in his life was not because he honestly wanted to, but because he felt compelled to do so because those he’d been close to for years had made changes. When she had suggested that to him, he had denied it was the reason for any changes he was making in his life.

“Well, I just wanted to let you know I’m back. I don’t want to keep you from your work.” She moved away from his side.

He reached out and pulled her back, bringing her even closer to his side. “Now that you’re back, we can grab something to eat and then later, we can try out our chairs.”

Our chairs. Three years ago, she would have given anything to hear him refer to anything as theirs. “Okay. I have a taste for ribs.”

“Had I known I would have fired up the grill and had them ready when you got back.”

“That’s a sweet thought, Jaye, but you had enough on your plate with the chairs.”

“How was the bridal shower?”

“It was great. Unlike the one we did for Vaughn and Sierra, it was the traditional girls-only. The Suns played and Todd and the guys went to the game. Everyone was happy they won. You still have season tickets?”

“Yes, I still have them. How about if I pick up ribs from The Shack.”

She turned, wrapped her arms around his waist and tilted her head back to look into his eyes. “Barbeque ribs aren’t the only thing I have a taste for.” She wasn’t sure why at that moment she decided to tell him what she wanted. A part of her was a little overwhelmed by his comment that he’d built those rocking chairs for them. She knew how much time he’d spent over the past weeks working on them.

He held her gaze for a long moment. “And what else do you have a taste for, Velvet?”

“For you, Jaye.”

She saw the potent look of desire in his eyes when he said, “And I have a taste for you, too.”

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