Page 97 of Hot for the Jerk

“Come to the station later today when you have a chance and we’ll get things sorted.”She tapped the hood of the truck twice, gave us a reassuring smile, then headed back to her cruiser.

I hit the button for the window to go up again and turned on the engine.“Where to, Elsa?”

Raina checked her watch.“The vineyard, I guess.Marco will be home soon.”

“You got it.”

We didn’t speak the entire way back to the vineyard, and while I didn’t hate the silence between us, I knew she was tense as fuck.I wracked my brain the whole drive about how I could help ease her stress.Take away that constant niggling worry that Soloman would return, and this time when I wasn’t around to kick his ass to the curb.

I pulled onto the vineyard property and shut off the engine, facing her.“You want to talk about how you’re feeling right now?”

She shook her head, her eyes glued to her knitted fingers in her lap.“Mostly because I don’t knowhowI feel.I’m a mix of emotions.I’m relieved he’s gone.I’m angry that part of my life has infiltrated my new life.I’m sad that Marco is probably really confused right now.”She glanced up at me.“I’m also really happy you’re here and that I don’t have to deal with all of this alone.”

Now was not the time to smile as wide as I wanted to.Nor was it the time for the fist pump my super-ego kept telling me to do.So I engaged in some serious self-talk and told myself to react appropriately.I smiled, but not too much.No teeth.Teeth would have been too much.Then I reached for her hands, untangled her fingers and laced them with mine.“You definitely don’t have to deal with this alone.You’ve got your cousins.You’ve got my family.You’ve got the islanders.And you’ve got me.”

“Come over for dinner tonight,” she said, the green in her eyes getting more vibrant as the clouds overhead parted and the sun beat in through her window.“We didn’t have dinner last night, and I’d like to cook for you as a thank you for all you’ve done.”

“No need to thank me.”

Her crooked half-smile was cute.“Come over anyway.”

I leaned forward, cupped her chin with my free hand, and pressed a chaste kiss to her mouth.“Wouldn’t miss it.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Raina

WhileJaggerdidn’tsleepover again, for the next six days, he was over a lot.And it wasn’t just at my request.Marco asked him to come over too.

After Jagger came for dinner on Monday, he and Marco bonded by playing video games in the living room.Luckily for Jagger, his skills with the Nintendo were impressive, and my kid was in awe.He invited Jagger over every night to play, even showed Jagger off to his cousins, Austin and Damon.Then the four of them would play, sometimes all in the same room, other times Austin and Damon were in their own houses, and they all wore headsets and talked smack to each other that way.It was kind of hilarious to be in my office working while Jagger and Marco—who were on one team—tossed PG-rated insults at Damon and Austin.

It was Saturday now, and even though Jagger and I had been having an awful lot of sex during the day all week, I really wanted to spend the night with him properly.I wanted to wake up next to him.I wanted him to casually roll on top of me, slide inside, and help me greet the new day with a wake-up orgasm, just like in the movies.

Our priorities weren’t exactly aligned though.I wanted to have sex all night, sleep in the same bed, then have sex the next morning.He wanted to go on a proper date.He kept saying how bad he felt that all we were doing was having afternoon sex while Marco was at school.Then I’d cook for him before he and my kid bonded over Mario Kart.

Honestly, the last six days were some of the best in my life.Great sex, endless orgasms, and a fantastic new male role model for my kid to look up to.Because Jagger really was a fantastic role model.He was kind, he was patient, he was compassionate.Everything Josiah wasn’t.Jagger embodied all the characteristics of the kind of man I hoped my son grew up to be one day.

“Is Jagger coming over again tonight, Mom?”Marco asked, sitting at the kitchen table eating his Rice Krispies.

With my fluffy red robe around me, I leaned against the counter and sipped my coffee, casually sliding my bare inner thighs back and forth over each other.They were a little tender from Jagger’s relentless attention yesterday.His beard had some serious scratch to it.

“Mom?”

I shook my head and blinked.“Sorry, bud.Uh, no.I don’t think so.”

My kid pouted.“What?Why?”

“I think we’re going to go out tonight.Like we tried to last weekend.You’re going to go hang out upstairs with Aunt Gabrielle, Damon, and Laurel.”

The appeal of that seemed just a step up from liver and onions for dinner.“But Ialwayssee them.”

“And youalwayssee Jagger.Or at least that’s how it feels lately.”

“He’s cool.”

“I agree.He’s also someone thatIwould like to get to know better without my child constantly interrupting us, asking if Jagger is ready to play video games.”

“Can he come back and spend the night at least?”

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