Page 34 of Hidden Desires

Autumn laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. Jackson closed his eyes, wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her neck. She made everything bad, disappear by doing nothing at all. That was something to hold on to.

* * * *

“My sister’s in love with you.” Jeffery hadn’t spoke to Jackson the entire time they worked at the clinic and instead waited until the very moment Autumn left with Kristin to drop this bomb on him. “She told me herself she loves you, and she wants a relationship with you.”

When Jackson kept quiet, he added, “Don’t you have anything to say?”

“I know you love your sister and want to protect her, but our relationship is our business.” Jackson waited for a retort and was granted silence.

After a few minutes, Jeffery finally asked, “Is she just another fuck for you, Jack? Are you just having your fun like you did before? I need to know because I’ll be the one to clean the mess up.”

Jackson pushed the mop along the floor in the waiting area. “She was never just a fuck. Even back then.”

“Then what is she? Special?”

Jackson pursed his lips. Autumn was special. He couldn’t even begin to count all the ways. “You know she’s special.”

“Then why the hell did you crush her heart?” Jeffery sat the paint brush down. “She went after you. We spent two days looking for her, and when I finally found her, she wasn’t herself. She was bitter with anger, much like this morning when the two of you were going at it. She cried on my shoulder that night, confessing everything that happened between the two of you.”

Jackson thought back to that night when she came to his house. He’d only been gone a month, and when Autumn showed up on his doorstep, it scared him a bit. He didn’t know how to deal with women beyond taking them to bed. He’d admit it to her that he was scared of what she proposed. He wasn’t ready for a relationship. Hell, he barely knew how to take care of himself, much less a girlfriend—or wife, like she’d hinted. So he did the most brash thing he could think of and felt like shit for it now.

“Autumn is an intelligent woman. She’s free to make her own choices, but she is still my little sister and always will be.” Jeffery wiped his hands on his pants. “She has a tender heart, and I don’t want you or any other punk screwing it up. It took a while before she became herself again, the sweet, loving Autumn we all know. Don’t fuck with her feelings, Jack. I’m serious. There will be repercussions this time, and none of them are in your favor.”

Jackson wrung the mop out and pushed the bucket toward the front door. “Don’t threaten me, Jeff. The last person who did wound up dead at the end of my gun.”

* * * *

Autumn and Kristin spent most of the day at Greensburg Mall picking out stuff to buy. Kristin was a huge help. She told her what kind of colors to have and what styles. When she got her clinic up and running again, Autumn knew it be much nicer than before. And most of the stuff they picked out was within her budget.

“Thank you for coming with me,” Autumn said on the drive back. I really needed some girl time away from the guys.”

“Anytime.” Kristin sat in the passenger seat staring out the window. “I don’t mean to pry, but are you and Jackson okay?”

Autumn shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Kristin turned in her seat. “Are you romantically involved?”

She held back her grin. “Yes.”

“Is that what it was about? Jeff gets cranky when I turn him down, and we usually have a big fight about it.”

Autumn bit her tongue. She really didn’t need to know about her brother’s sex life, even if Kristin was her friend. “Sex is the least of our worries.”

“You said some pretty mean things to him.” Kristin bit her lower lip. “Jackson’s a good guy.”

Autumn didn’t know what she was getting at and left it alone. They pulled into the clinic parking lot around three. Both of the men outside working on the graffiti. Both men had lost their shirts since they’d been gone, and sweat now coated their backs as their muscles contracted with every movement. Autumn smiled to herself. This is ridiculous.

She parked the car and grabbed her purse. “We’ll leave this stuff in the car and unload it later.”

They climbed out and made their way to the men.

“You guys are actually working well together. What gives?” Autumn rubbed her hand down Jackson’s sweaty back.

“We’ve been busy.” Jackson wiped the sweat from his face on his arm. “What did you girls buy?”

“Plenty.” Autumn smiled. “I need to talk to you alone. Follow me inside.”

Jackson glanced toward Jeffery and Kristin and then back at Autumn. “Am I going to get yelled at?”

---