Page 124 of Eight Years Gone

“Are you sure?”

She was sure she would be keeping the bombshell she found in her mother’s journal to herself for the time being. He wouldn’t go if he had any idea that her life was a mess again. She nodded. “Definitely.”

“Will you have FaceTime dinners with me?”

She smiled. “Every night.”

He steamed out a breath.

“I’m good,” she whispered, touching her lips to his.

“I’ll let Jason know later.” He trailed kisses from her temple to her jaw. “I took the pizza dough out of the fridge when I got home.”

She trailed her hands along his arms. “I saw that.”

His lips found their way to her ear. “It’s probably still cold—not ready to be rolled out just yet.”

She smiled, understanding where this was going. “You’re probably right.”

“Can I take you to bed—get you all naked and crazy before we eat?”

Her lips curved again. “I’d like that.”

He stroked his fingers along her cheek, searching her gaze. “You’re sure you’re good?”

She nodded, aware that he knew her too well. He’d always been able to tell when things weren’t right in her world.

“We don’t have to have sex, Grace.”

“Yes, we do.” She nipped at his chin before she stood and grabbed his hand, determined to be in the moment. She only wanted to think about Jagger—not what she’d read in the journal.

He went after the buttons on her blouse as he walked her backward, stopping with her against the hallway wall. “We’ve got a lot of work to do—time to make up for. There are four potential days that I won’t be able to touch you.”

She rubbed her palm over his erection, eager to get lost in the heat they so easily brought to each other. “It seems like you’re ready.”

“Absolutely.” He devoured her mouth with a greedy kiss.

She tucked the latest round of shock and disillusionment away as she moaned, pulling him toward the bedroom.

Twenty-Nine

Grace hurried the last-minute arrangement out to the van, handing the pretty vase off to Asa as he finished securing the rest of the deliveries in place for travel. “Thanks for waiting.”

“A frantic call for a dozen red roses ten minutes before our last run of the day. Cooper must be in the doghouse for something.”

Grace laughed as Asa grinned. “I was thinking the same thing. Hopefully, you can help him smooth things over with Josey when you drop these off—use your Asa charm the way you have a knack for doing.”

He winked. “I’ll see what I can do. You’ve got the shop handled for the next little while?”

Grace nodded. Jen had left early to take the twins to the dentist, and Maggie was volunteering at a Rotary event for the rest of the afternoon. “I’ve got things covered.”

Asa headed for the driver’s seat. “Call if things change.”

“I will.” But instead of going inside, Grace followed him to the front of the van, seeing her chance to get some of the answers she desperately needed.

She’d lain awake for most of the night, unable to stop her mind from racing as the gravity of her mother’s last words truly sank in.

When Jagger had pressed his lips against hers for a goodbye kiss at four in the morning, she’d only been asleep for an hour.

---