Page 39 of Love Takes Home

Chapter 13

Ginny

It’s warm.

Where am I?

My eyes jolt open as last night hits me in the face like a truck. Football game. Joker’s house. The mirror. The nightmare. Him trying to soothe me and the conversation after. The realization that Joker is so much more than most give him credit for. His quiet determination to protect the ones he cares for.

He told me he wanted me. He didn’t run away when he saw me in just my underthings. He was hard—while he was looking at me. Could he really mean it? Can I trust him like that? If my life were in danger, sure. I’d trust him, no problem. But with my heart? Is he really different from the other guys I’ve known? What am I going to do? I want him. It’s like a craving that only grows every time I’m around him, but I don’t know what to do.

“You’re thinking awfully hard over there.”

His deep, raspy, morning voice startles me so much I yelp, and jump about three feet off the bed.

“Sorry, sorry,” I say, looking over my shoulder at his sleepy face.

His hand flexes on my hip, and it’s only then I realize why I was so warm. We’re wrapped up in each other, our legs tangled and his arms circling me, holding me to his warm chest, and a distinctive shape pressing against my lower back. He removed his shirt and pants sometime in the middle of the night and I can feel his skin against me. As much as I want to take my turn and look, I’m already trying to calm my racing heart, so I keep my eyes firmly on the wall.

“I didn’t mean to scare you.” He chuckles, but I’m not sure he’s sorry at all.

“It’s fine. You’re fine. Everything’s just fine,” I reply, trying to catch my breath.

“How are you this morning?” he asks, pulling me even closer into his body.

“I don’t know.”

“I’m really sorry about the kid at the game. And that you were there to see it happen.”

“I just feel horrible for him and his parents. His friends, and, oh God, all the kids at school.”

“Want to talk about it?”

“Really? You want to talk about it?”

“I want to do whatever you want to do. Besides, I like hearing you talk. Your mind is a wonderful place to visit, Beautiful.”

My face heats at the name, and my lips tilt into a small smile as I finally look over my shoulder to see a shy grin on his face.

“Umm,” I pause, feeling the early morning needs coming on strong. “How about a bathroom break and then, yeah, I’d like to talk if you’ll listen?”

He sits up, pulling me with him, like he’s unwilling to let me go, but he’s going to have to. No way am I peeing in front of this man. We only separate at the bathroom door, where I go in and quickly do my business. I wash my hands and see a toothbrush still in the package and a tube of toothpaste, and quickly brush my teeth. He might not run at the sight of my body, but morning breath? Probably a deal breaker.

I return to the bedroom and find my jeans. I’ve got one leg in when he returns. “What are you doing?”

“Getting dressed?”

“Nope.” He shakes his head and stalks across the room until he’s standing in front of me. “No getting dressed. It’s still morning. Back in bed with you.”

He pulls me back onto the mattress and we resume our earlier position, just without the need to pee.

“Okay,” he says once we’re settled. “Ready to listen.”

I shake my head at him. Who knew he’d be funny in the morning?

“I don’t really know what to say. I never thought this place would have something that could do that to kids. Or anyone, if I’m being honest. I know the situation with Lottie opened my eyes to some of it, but I thought it was just the old, rich women trying to recapture their youth.”

“Drugs are everywhere, Gin.”

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