I put my squad car in park and get out, stepping into the quiet night that surrounds my house. It’s been a long week, and I’m looking forward to having the weekend off. The living room light is on, and I can see the fuzzy outline of Elizabeth sitting on the couch through the sheer curtains.
Several pumpkins and a few pots of mums are on the porch steps, and it looks like she and Edward finished putting up the little graveyard scene in the lawn today, finally decorating for Halloween. She’s been here for two weeks now, and we’ve fallen into a good routine.
A good routine that involves awkwardly avoiding the very obvious fact that we’re both extremely attracted to each other.
We eat meals together whenever I’m home, and on the nights the sky is clear, Elizabeth goes outside to look at the stars. I’ve joined her a few times, but it’s harder and harder to keep my hands to myself and my heart in my chest whenever I&rsqu
“I don’t get it,” I say, cutting apart a piece of chicken. Well, if you can consider this over-processed mess chicken. “If the issue is he wants to get up and walk, then why can’t someone walk with him?” I stab a small piece of chicken on the fork and feed it to my father. “He wouldn’t fall then because someone would be helping him, right?”“Girl,” Corbin says, feeding two patients at once. “We are so understaffed I’m thrilled if we get through our shower list. You’re right, and it’s not fucking fair, but it’s all I can do just to get two aides to cover the south wing with me.”“It’s not your fault,” I say, making sure he knows I don’t hold any blame on him. Corbin works his ass off, as do many of the others here. The problem is there aren’t enough of them. This place is a dump, and nobody wants to work here. Unfortunately, most of the res
I zip up my coat, feeling chilled despite the warm sun beating down on me. Maybe I shouldn’t have ignored the fact that I woke up with a sore throat. But the day is over and I’m looking forward to going home and having dinner with Edward and Elizabeth.I call Maggie on the way and check on Bobby. He’s at their house and has been sleeping it off for hours. I remember the first time Tommy stayed with us while he and Morgan roomed together in college because his brother got himself into trouble with drinking. They’ve been trying to help Bobby get clean for so long. It’s starting to get hard to think he ever will.Elizabeth and Edward are outside when I get home, and she’s chasing him around like a zombie again. He fakes a fall, dramatically rolling through fallen leaves. Elizabeth sees me first and stops dragging one foot with her arms out in front of her. She smiles, and I have to work hard at ignoring the rush that goes through me, ma
The bed frame creaks and I startle awake. I sit up, goosebumps covering my arms, and blink in the dark.“Jon?” I whisper, feeling the mattress shake beneath me. I didn’t mean to fall asleep in Jonathan’s bed. I’m on top of the covers and he’s underneath, and we’re on the opposite sides of this King bed.The sheets rustle and I see the outline of Jonathan’s large body moving. Red hot fear pulses over me and my heart immediately begins racing. I reach for Jon, hand landing on his shoulder.“Elizabeth?” he croaks, throat dry. “What’s wrong?” He sits up too fast and winces. I squeeze my eyes shut, having a hard time blocking out the memory.“I thought you were having a seizure.” A chill rips through me, causing me to tremble. “Why would you think that?”The words want to come out, and the fear I had before of him judging me, of being looked at differen
Fuck. Me. I’m in trouble.It’s Friday night, and while I’m still not at one hundred percent, I agreed to go out with everyone to Getaway tonight. And I mean everyone. Phil and Declan are there already, of course. Morgan and Kara are going, as well as Maggie and Tommy. Maggie invited Elizabeth to hang out with her and her friend Jamie, and I can say Elizabeth’s looking forward to it.“Ready?” Elizabeth asks, coming down the stairs as if she has no idea she looks like a temptress. Swallowing hard, I shift my weight to hide my hardening cock. It’s going to be one hell of a night. She curled her hair and is wearing a simple, curve-hugging black dress and heels. My mind jumps ahead, and I imagine myself pushing her up against the wall. I can almost feel her legs around me as I inch the hem of her black dress up and over her ass.Dammit. Now I have an erection.“Just a second,” I mumble and go into the kitch
If my arms weren’t wrapped around Jonathan’s neck, my weakened knees might have given out. He’s standing before me, with one hand wrapped in my hair and the other planted on the base of my back, fingers inching down my ass. His legs are slightly spread, hips close to mine.I open my mouth to say to him I’ve been ready for him to fuck me, but no words come out. I’m breathless before him, excited and intimidated all at the same time. Tingles are running rampant through my body, and I’m as hot as I am cold from the chilly night air.He steps forward, closing the distance between us. His hard cock pressed against me, and holy shit, that thing is big. I shouldn’t be surprised since he towers over me. Every aspect of Jonathan is big, and his cock is no exception. I bring my hand down, fingers trembling, and feel its length through his pants. Jon grunts, pushing himself forward. It will be a tight fit inside of me, and the thought of
Elizabeth and Edward are back at the house by the time I’m done talking with Mr. Williams. I’m not officially divorced yet, but the process has started. And it feels so fucking good.My heart lurches in my chest and I can’t stop smiling when I step onto the porch carrying a pizza. Edward’s sitting on Elizabeth’s lap on the couch and she’s reading him a book. His eyes are heavy, and he looks like he’ll fall asleep at any minute. They haven’t noticed me yet, and I stop to watch them through the window for another few seconds.Edward rests his head against Elizabeth’s shoulder and she brings her hand up, running her fingers through his hair. His eyes start to flutter closed, making me almost feel bad for coming into the house and waking him up. It’s impossible to sneak in and out with our current alarm system, which is why I have it set up the way I do.I unlock the front door and step in. Elizabeth smiles
I’ve never felt more welcome, more at home, than I do with the Mounts. Everyone was thrilled when Jon told them we were dating. I think I smiled the entire time we ate, the whole way home, and while I straightened up the house when Jon put Edward to bed.“I have to work in the morning,” Jon reminds me when I get into bed next to him.“I know. You’re leaving at seven, right?”“Yeah. And then I have some campaign shit to do.” He turns off the bedside light and takes me in his arms. “I want to stay home with you.”“I’d like that too.” I curl a leg up around him.“Is it presumptuous to open that box of condoms now?” he asks with a cheeky grin. “No. Not at all.”He kisses my neck and moves on top of me. “So, we had sex,” he begins.“We did? When?”“Just now. You didn’t feel it?”&ldqu
“You’re officially a heartbreaker, Jonathan.” Elizabeth turns away from the stove, setting down a wooden spoon. I just got home from work and the house smells amazing. “How so?” I ask, amused. I take off my shoes. “And what is that?” “Spiced cider. We can add rum to ours if you want.”“That sounds good.” It’s a cold and windy day and I spent the last hour and a half of my shift outside in it, dealing with a car accident. No one was seriously hurt, but both people involved had flaring tempers, which made everything take twice as long. I unzip my coat, longing to feel Elizabeth’s warm body pressed against me. “How am I a heartbreaker?”Elizabeth strides over and wraps her arms around my neck. I slip a cold hand under her shirt, making her shriek and squirm away. I hold her tighter, laughing.“Your hands are like ice!”“It’s cold out.”