Page 18 of Knight

He rolls to the side and pulls me in close to him. He whispers, “Are you okay,” as he peppers my face with kisses.

Tears come to my eyes. “Don’t cry, sugar. I’m so sorry. Was it too much, too soon?”

I turn to him and smile as I softly kiss his lips. “I’m not crying for the reason you think I’m crying. I’m just being emotional over how considerate you are.” And it’s true.

“Thank you for taking care of me.” I thought I would be freaking out about sleeping with a man who isn’t my husband, but I’m not. I’m happy we did this. It was amazing. He’s amazing. I’m happy it was him. He really did take such good care of me.

As I inevitably come down from my sex coma high, it all of a sudden it hits me. We didn’t use protection. I haven’t had to think about protection since my last child was born and Scott had a vasectomy just after I gave birth. Using protection didn’t even occur to me.

“Jackson, we didn’t use a condom. I’m sorry. It didn’t even cross my mind. I was so consumed with what we were doing, that I completely forgot. That’s basically the bad excuse for every teen pregnancy.” I’m so embarrassed.

He laughs hard. “Well, my boys always wanted a little sister.” I look at him like he’s crazy. I’m going to kill him.

“I’m just kidding. I had a vasectomy years ago and I haven’t had sex with anyone in six months. Actually, any sex I’ve had since my divorce was with a condom, but that was for different reasons than preventing pregnancy. This is the first time I’ve had sex without a condom since I was married. I wasn’t worried about you. I know you haven’t had sex in three years. I forgot how good it feels to go bareback. Or perhaps it's just you that feels so good. That’s definitely what it is.” He turns and rubs his hand down my body.

I breathe out a sigh of relief. Phew. Add this to the list of things I haven’t thought about in a hundred years.

“Are you really okay, sugar?”

“I’m really okay. I’m more than okay. That was incredible, Jackson.” I cup his face and kiss his lips.

He smiles. “For me too.” He kisses me again.

After I go to the bathroom and clean up, I come back out and see him lying there in all his naked glory, looking sleepy. He’s definitely a vision to behold.

I’m not sure what’snormalhere. Is he supposed to get up and leave? Is he supposed to stay over? Am I supposed to be the one to ask him to stay or leave? I kind of don’t want him to leave. I’m enjoying my Jackson bubble, and I’m not ready for it to pop quite yet. “Do you want to stay over?”

He smiles again. “I’d love nothing more than to hold you all night, and wake up and do this all over again.”

Sounds like a plan to me. I slip into bed and nuzzle into his big body. This simple intimacy feels so good after not having it for so long. I’ve missed sleeping cuddled up into a man’s warm body. I particularly like Jackson’s big arms. I lay my head on his chest. After four orgasms I’m exhausted, and easily drift off to sleep.

CHAPTEREIGHT

HARLEY

“Skylar, Jason is a dick. You need to be done with him once and for all. He treats you like shit. Trust me, I know what that’s like to be ghosted. You’re better than this.”

“Why, what’s going on with you? Did you meet someone?”

I’m definitely not ready to discuss this with her. “No, just friends with bad past experiences. You need to send this guy packing.”

“Maybe. He doesn’t treat me like shit. He’s amazing when we’re together. He just goes off the grid sometimes. But I agree, it’s pretty sketchy.”

“Damn right it’s sketchy. If it wasn’t sketchy, he’d tell you what he’s doing. We can talk more about Jason tonight at dinner. I’m almost at Mom’s house.”

“No, we have no need to further discuss my love life at dinner. I’d rather spend tonight asking Mom about her date last night. I’m so proud of her for going. Do you think she put out?”

I laugh. I didn’t even think about that. That would be weird. My mom getting intimate with a guy who isn’t my dad.

I’m happy she went out though. She’s been sitting home miserable for three years. She’s been alone for so long. I’m just thrilled she’s doing something besides sitting at home.

“We’ll definitely need details from Mom. I’m here. I’ll let you know if I get anything good out of her. I’ll see you later tonight.”

I end the call and pull into Mom’s long driveway. As I get closer to the end, I see that there’s a strange car there. A really nice strange car.

No fucking way. Does this belong to Mom’s date?

I will be officially living my dream if I get to return the favor and bust Mom with a boy in her bed. This would actually be Reagan’s dream. She got busted with boys in her bed more times than I can count.

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