Page 26 of Needing Your Love
I’d finally gotten a glimpse of the real man behind the facade, the total lack of the tough front he’d always worn as a kid, and couldn’t think about much else. The last time I’d seen past his walls was that September afternoon he’d been crying on the front porch of a house that hadn’t ever been his safe place.
He’d called himself a worm, and over his teenage years, I’d heard him whisper the word as though it played on repeat in his head. Made me wonder what else his dad had said to him when he’d been a child.
I expected he hid his true self because he didn’t like who he was beneath.
The person under the veneer Jimmy Riley wore like a shield intrigued the hell out of me and was ten times as magnetic as the sassy flirt I struggled to say no to. After that glimpse of the realJimmy, I’d been even more intent on burrowing into his brain and heart, sifting through the bullshit for the gem of a man I expected he could be given the right support and edification.
After that breakthrough we’d had, I’d felt sure he would reach out and allow me to help, offering me the opportunity to get to know him better even though the idea scared the hell out of me.
He didn’t call or text, which suggested he didn’t want me around.
I didn’t have his number, so I allowed him the space he seemed to want.
Daily, I drove by his neighborhood but stayed far enough away he wouldn’t see me or be able to accuse me of stalking his fine ass. Twice, I’d seen Mary’s grandson DJ working alongside Jimmy to clean out the house, tossing shit into the dumpster and chatting as though neither had a care in the world. Flashes of a true smile curved his lips while with DJ, and while I was happy to see him lighter in spirit, jealousy roused in me over his easily sharing that part of him with a young boy. My brain acted like a petulant child because I wanted to be the sole reason for those glimpses of truth he unveiled.
Even from a distance, he was sunshine, and I could imagine the sparkle in his baby blues, the hint of peace in them even if only for a moment. Considering all he’d endured as a kid, he deserved to find contentment and happiness in living without a mask of protection.
We often caught sight of each other in passing while downtown, and I’d soaked in his stare, my body restless as he checked me out, that smirking facade firmly in place.
I’d expected him to hang at Frenchie’s, but he kept a low-key profile rather than get into trouble by drinking too much like he’d done as a teenager. Mostly, he was with Mary, accompanying her to get groceries at The Market, taking her toDig-In, and talking to our town’s sole realtor around her shop and his dad’s house. I’d heard he’d driven Mary and DJ to the apple orchard, and I’d seen him with the young boy at Scone Haven and the ice cream shop more than once.
Jimmy had been nothing but self-centered and selfish before leaving Pippen Creek, and I had difficulty trusting his intentions that appeared innocent and loving. I hated that my mind immediately went toward deception, that he only invested in Mary’s grandson to gain my attention. No doubt, he wished to prove he was a changed man.
I relived every glance we’d exchanged downtown, his smirks and winks, how his gaze trailed over my body, making me heat up and wish for things I hadn’t enjoyed in far too long. From a distance, the boy was on his best behavior as he claimed he would be, but I knew it was only a matter of time before his manipulative little ass attempted yet again to get my dick inside him.
The thought of his smooth hands on me, his body teaching me how to please a man when I’d only slept with women, made me shift in my office chair.
“Dad.”
Blinking, I turned toward my office door, grinning at my son who held takeout containers from Dig-In. My stomach growled loudly, reminding me the lunch hour had passed without my realizing it, and I appreciated the distraction from my obsession.
“Perfect timing.” I stacked folders and shoved them to the edge of my desk as Jamie settled into the chair across from me.
He slid one Styrofoam box to me, and I flipped the lid, breathing in deep, my mouth watering.
We hadn’t gotten much time together since his graduation and first day on our tiny force here in Pippen Creek, so I looked forward to sharing our lunch break. As one, we ripped into the ketchup packets, creating piles in the corners of our box lids.
“You seem to be settling in just fine,” I said before sinking my teeth into my burger.
He’d already beat me to it and chewed, lips firmly closed, while nodding. “Yeah,” he said once he swallowed, grabbing two fries and smearing them through ketchup. “Figured I would since I’ve known everyone on the payroll for most of my life.”
Officer Davidson was the only new hire since Jamie had left for college. He was the single ladies’ man around town and was easy to get along with. Like Jamie, he fit in as though family, a perfect addition to the no-drama station I appreciated having.
“Been meaning to ask you about something,” I said, wiping my mouth with a napkin.
One of his eyebrows popped up, but he continued eating as though he hadn’t a thing to hide—which I would usually believe considering he rarely lied or kept the truth from me.
“What trouble did you get into while down in Boston that came rushing back to haunt you the second Jimmy walked into Frenchie’s?” I’d been suspicious over his reaction and had guessed what had caused it but wanted his admission rather than accuse him.
Red flushed up Jamie’s neck and stained his cheeks. “Shit.” He huffed, uncapped his water, and took a swig. “It’s uh…a little embarrassing.”
“I figured that from the color on your face, but I won’t judge.”
Jamie hesitated before speaking. “First, I have to ask what all you know about Jimmy and what he’s been doing since leaving here?”
“Everything,” I admitted without hesitation.
Jamie’s brow rose again.
