Page 4 of Jessica and the Jarhead
“You and I will share the bed?” I played along. “Like, share the bed. This bed? Right here?” That was probably too much. My acting abilities needed work.
“Yes.” She gave me a look that said she thought I was an idiot. “This bed. Where’s the extra blankets and pillows? I’ll build a wall.” I expected this and decided I would let her haveher little wall. It wouldn’t stay up for long. I gestured to the small closet before walking over to the chair and taking off my boots. I was just taking off my shirt when she turned around, her arms laden with every available blanket in the place.
“What are you doing?” She exclaimed when she saw me.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” I asked as I dropped the shirt to the floor and ran my hands through my snow dampened hair. I played it up a bit to spur on her reaction. Her cheeks turned pink, and the small tip of her tongue darted out to lick her lips. “I’m changing out of my wet clothing. You can stay or go.” I moved my hands to my belt, but didn’t undo it yet. Jess stood staring at me, her eyes dark.
“You couldn’t have waited until I was done?” she demanded when she recovered. She quickly dropped her burden on the bed and turned away from me. The sway of her ponytail made me want to reach out and grab it.Later.
“I’m wet and cold. I thought you would understand that.” Clanging filled the room as I finally undid my belt. She held still, her back to me. It wasn’t until I dropped the belt on the floor that she finally moved.
She huffed, grabbed one of her bags, and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her as she went.
I chuckled to myself and finished changing much quicker now that I wasn’t putting on a show. Jess knocked on the door just as I had pulled on my dry clothes.
“Yes?” I called out.
“I grabbed the wrong bag. Are you decent?” Jess’s sweet voice sounded from the other side of the door, shame coloring her tone. As tempting as it was to tease her, I’d pushed her far enough, for now.
“I think we both know I’m not decent, but I am done.” When I opened the door, she was just inches from it and now me. Her steel-colored eyes stared up at me for a moment before Ibrushed past her, walking as close to her as I could, moving my body along hers as I passed through the doorway. Every inch of her curves brushed against me. The soft give of her heated my blood. She didn’t move.
I was only torturing myself at this point.
She closed the door behind me, and I could hear the light thump of her leaning against it from the other side. I laughed and moved to the kitchen. We would need more than dry clothing to warm us up.
I thought back to the day we broke up while I made us some hot cocoa.
She just stood there with red-rimmed eyes and slumped shoulders. I could hardly believe what was happening. She was my forever. I knew it then. Why couldn’t she see it?
“This just isn’t going to work anymore,” she said as she used the sleeve of my sweater to wipe tears from her eyes. She was wearing it when we broke up and when she walked away, that sweater went with her.
“Please, just tell me what I did,” I begged. “I’ll do anything to make it better. Whatever it is, I’m sorry.” I wasn’t sure what I was apologizing for, but I would do anything to keep her.
Graduation was tomorrow, and I was heading to boot camp not long after that. I had hoped to spend every minute I could with her before I left. I would need to have a steady income and career potential if I was going to ask her to marry me someday. It was going to be tough, but we had a plan. That plan was going up in smoke before my very eyes.
“You didn’t do anything,” she said, her voice thick with tears. “I just can’t do this. I’m so sorry.” She ran away from me after that, ignoring me when I called out her name so I could beg her to come back. Thankfully, she had broken up with me when no one was around to see my humiliation. Even with an audience, Istill would have begged her. I had never been so sure of anything before meeting her.
I still carried out my plan, and now I was ready to finish it and settle down. There was only one woman I wanted to settle down with, and I wouldn’t let anything stand in my way.
When she came out of the room, she had removed her makeup and draped herself in a torn t-shirt and sweats. She had braided her hair, and it fell down her back.
She was so beautiful.
“Do I smell hot chocolate?” She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath in. Her face lit with pleasure.Fuck.
“With a cinnamon stick and whipped cream.” I held her mug out to her. It matched my own. I really liked the idea that we were using matching mugs. God, I needed to get a grip.
“That’s the only way to make it.” She grabbed the mug from me and curled into the chair closet to the fire. “So, what’s there to do up here?” she asked after savoring her first sip.
“No idea. I wanted to make sure we had enough firewood and food to last the weekend.” I took a sip of my cocoa. She was right. Cinnamon made the cocoa taste better. “At the rate the storm is going, we might be stuck here for a while.” I motioned towards the window where the snow was still falling heavy and fast.
“Oh, shit.” She got up and looked out the window. “That’s so much snow. How long is this storm supposed to last?”
“All night, I think,” I said, like I hadn’t followed the forecast carefully.
“Oh no. We aren’t leaving in two days, are we?” She continued to stare out the window as she spoke, dismay in her voice. I didn’t like the tone, but I was already doing everything I could about that. She had to do some of the work, too.
“Probably not, but I’m sure it will clear, and we will be fine to leave eventually.” I shrugged, pretending it didn’t matter. Itwouldn’t do for Jess to realize I picked this weekend, hoping the snow would trap us here. I needed all the time fate could give me to win her back.
