Page 82 of The House on Blueberry Lane

Jaye couldn’t believe he was getting advice from his younger brother. “And just what would you do?”

“I’d leave here tomorrow, go back to Catalina Cove and tell her how you feel, and if she needs time to digest it, give her that time. But at least let her know.”

“What about tomorrow morning’s meeting?”

“I suggest you take off right after that. I’m sure you can even get a straight flight to New Orleans and make it there before dark.”

Jaye thought about Dean’s suggestion and the more he thought about it, the more it seemed doable. “That means you’ll be attending tomorrow night’s dinner with the mayor alone.”

“No problem.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive. Now let’s get something to eat.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

VELVET WAS STANDING at her kitchen counter, pouring a glass of wine, when she heard a car pull up outside. She looked out the window, wondering who would be visiting. When she saw it was Jaye, a smile of surprise touched her lips at the same time shivers of excitement rushed through her body. She hadn’t been expecting him back for a week. When they talked on the phone last night, he hadn’t mentioned anything about returning home early.

She nearly jumped when she heard the firm knock on her door. What had he done? Taken her steps two at a time to have made it to her door so quickly? She set the wine bottle on the counter and didn’t waste any time moving through her living room. After looking out the peephole to confirm it was him again, she opened the door.

“Jaye, I wasn’t expecting you back until Sunday.” She smiled and stepped aside to let him enter. This was her first time seeing him since leaving the Keys.

“That had been the plan until I found out I’d need to remain in Birmingham a little longer to take care of a few more issues.” He closed the door behind him. “And I was missing you like crazy.”

She’d been missing him, too. This house had seemed so lonely without him. During the evenings, she’d sat in her rocking chair on the porch, but it hadn’t been the same. Their nightly phone calls had been nice, but there was nothing like seeing each other in the flesh. And speaking of flesh...

She needed to feel his and moved toward him. The moment she’d opened the door, her body had responded to his. Sometimes she wished her body wasn’t so needy and greedy where he was concerned, but it couldn’t be helped. Her body recognized the one and only man who’d ever touched it. Pleasured it.

He pulled her into his arms and, as usual, his kiss made her weak in the knees and his unique scent enveloped her.

She was lifted off her feet and she knew exactly where he was taking her. Instead of placing her on the bed, he set her on her feet beside it. He began removing his clothes and, likewise, she began removing hers. By the time she stepped out of her panties, he had finished undressing.

Easing down to his knees, he rubbed his face against the juncture of her thighs. He lifted his head to look at her. “You are all woman, Velvet. Every inch of you and every part of you.”

The eyes staring up at her were filled with heated lust and seeing that look, along with what he’d said, swamped her entire being with sensuous sensations. “And you, Jaye Colfax, are all man.”

He smiled, then lowered his head between her legs and the instant she felt the invasion of his tongue, she moaned as tremors of pleasure began running all through her. “Jaye...”

Being a thorough man, it was a while—specifically two orgasms later for her—before he stood, picked her up and placed her on the bed. He joined her there and proceeded to take her the way she needed to be taken. It was utterly irrational to want a man this much, and the way he was pounding inside her let her know the intensity of his desire. He might not love her, but he wanted her.

Moments later, orgasms struck them simultaneously. When he threw his head back to holler her name just when she screamed his, she had a feeling it was only the beginning. By morning, they would have given her bed one heck of a workout and then some.

“I LOVE YOU, VELVET.”

Velvet slowly opened her eyes and peered up at him. From her facial expression, Jaye could only assume that she thought she’d misunderstood his words. In that case, he had no problem saying them again. “I love you.”

When he saw tears form in her eyes, he wrapped her in his arms and she buried her face in his chest. He hadn’t expected his words to make her cry.

“Shh, Vel. I didn’t mean to make you cry, but it was something I needed to tell you. I couldn’t keep it to myself any longer.”

She pulled back to swipe at her eyes and shook her head. “Please don’t say words you don’t mean, Jaye. That’s worse than you never saying them at all.”

He reached for her, but she moved back. She stood from the bed and slid into her robe. When she wouldn’t look at him, he said, “I take it you don’t believe me?”

She made eye contact then. “Of course I don’t believe you. I was with you for three years and they were good years. Yet you didn’t love me then, so why should I believe you’d be in love with me now?”

He drew in a deep breath and held her gaze. If she needed a timeline, he would give her one. “We need to talk, Velvet.”

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