Chapter 3

Jocelyn

I did as I was told, not sure how all of this was going to play out.

I went inside the quiet house, surprised to find it rather empty despite how many people were there. Then again, most had gotten themselves covered in mud. Out of respect and politeness, most wouldn't come inside unless they absolutely had to.

I heard a few muffled shouts as I made my way towards Vince's bedroom. His house was familiar. I had spent some time here before, entertaining clients and business prospects. Other times, I had come by to babysit Vincent's son, Jack. I knew my way around. I had spent time with Vince before today. It had just been ... different somehow.

As I grabbed a towel from the hallway closet on my way to the room, a shadow suddenly morphed out of the guest bedroom. The scream was caught in my throat as Tristan struck. One large, warm hand covered my mouth briefly as he pinned me against the wall with his body. When he was sure I wouldn't just start screaming, he dropped his hand and instantly replaced it with his mouth. There was no chance to get a word in edgewise. His hands caught my wrists and pinned them above my head as his rough assault of my senses continued.

I wanted to be offended. I wanted to be scared and pissed off by his actions.

Instead, a different kind of fire blazed through my veins, igniting an inferno I had never felt before.

He slanted his lips more fully over mine and deepened our kiss. Tongues caressed and danced as our moans collided in the stillness of the hallway. His hands slowly moved down my arms, caressing me in a way that felt like he was trying to commit every nook and crevice of my body to memory. His hands stayed in the safe zones, even if I didn't necessarily want them to. As his fingers curled into my hips, pulling our bodies flush below the waist so I could feel his desire pressing against me, I ever so slowly dropped my hands until my fingertips brushed his biceps, then shoulders and up his neck. It wasn't until I curled my hands around his cheeks and jawline, feeling the stubble of his beard, intending to pull him closer into myself, when he jerked away, as if I had burned him.

The look in his gaze was filled with confusion and turmoil as he gently pulled my hands away from him and broke all contact.

Did I do something wrong?

I wanted to demand an answer, yet I couldn't force anything past my lips.

There was a tick to his jaw as the seconds wore on, while the tensions between us rose. And just as suddenly as he appeared, he was gone.

In a confused daze, I made my way into the master bedroom and took a quick shower. While I stood under the steaming jets of water, I was starting to feel a bit guilty for how I'd acted when Tristan came onto me. I should have pushed him away, especially since Vince and I...

Vince and I weren't anything yet.

We had only shared one kiss.

There had been no lead up to this moment with either man. Both were spontaneous.

It was then I decided I wouldn't feel guilty about this at all. So what if I had a couple of men chasing me? I had been so lost in grief for the past year and a half, I was determined to take my life back. And if this was how it started, then so be it.

After I got out of the shower, I wrapped the towel around me and went into the bedroom. When there was no sign of Vince, I stole one of his shirts and laid down on the bed, on top of the covers and was determined to just wait for him to come back. Whatever had transpired should have already been addressed. He should be coming back any moment.

As the minutes wore on, though, my eyes got heavy and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.

***

I woke with a start, sitting up straight in bed as the remnants of the nightmare lingered at the edges of my mind.

My heart was pounding in my chest, especially when at first I didn't recognize my surroundings.

An arm around my waist tightened, startling me further until Vince's sleep-hazed voice filled the air. "Hey, hey sweetheart. You are safe," he murmured so gently, it caught me off guard. I had heard him speak to his son like that on occasion. It had never been directed at me before. I could feel the tightness in my chest easing as he pulled me back down into the safety of his warm embrace. It was then I realized I was somehow under the covers with him. I had to have been out hard-core if he was able to get me maneuvered under the comforter without waking me.

It took me a moment to process everything. Including the fact that he was half-naked. My hands had absentmindedly started caressing his chest until I realized he didn't have a shirt on. Instantly, I retracted my hands, unsure of what to do in this instance. Unsure of his feelings. Against my legs, I could feel the material of cotton sweatpants and breathed a sigh of relief that at least he was partially covered. "I've got you," he breathed, still caught in a sleep haze, seemingly unbothered by my actions and my own inner turmoil. The arm I was laying on curled around my waist, pulling me closer into him while his other wrapped around my upper body, his hand burying in the hair at the nape of my neck, his fingers expertly massaging my scalp, relaxing me further. I couldn't ignore his growing desire pressing against my thighs.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep," I murmured under my breath, somehow feeling some kind of guilt for not being able to stay awake.

"You needed rest. I'm glad you felt comfortable enough to fall asleep here." His words eased the guilt in my chest and I relaxed, allowing myself to enjoy the warmth and comfort of sharing a bed with another man. I hadn't been with anyone since Caleb's passing and I hadn't realized just how lonely I had been. Or how much I needed this kind of intimacy.

"Are you okay with this?" I asked, still not entirely convinced he was okay with how this was playing out. Not with how we had left things earlier.

He blinked his eyes open, and I lost myself in their inviting dark brown depths momentarily. A curiosity crossed over them as he continued to observe me. I bit my lip in nervousness as the silence continued on. I wasn't good at silence. Especially when there was such uncertainty hanging in the balance.

"I'm sure there is some kind of line I am crossing," he whispered back, as if he was afraid to even utter the words aloud. "But I am beyond the point of caring. If I am being completely honest with you, Jocelyn, I've wanted you since the moment I laid eyes on you back in high school. It is the reason I joined the military. I couldn't stay here when I couldn't have you. I know it's a selfish thing. It was so hard knowing you were his forever when I was secretly in love with you. And that feeling has never gone away."

It was intense. It was raw. And while it wasn't pretty, it was real. I saw it all there in the depths of those eyes. He was laying it all out for me.

"And to know you have some sort of feelings for me too..." I could feel the hope and the deep-seated desire fairly seeping off of him in waves. His fingertips caressed down my cheek and jawline before ever so softly tracing my lips. My eyes fluttered closed at his touch. It was sensual and left me craving more. He recognized my silent cues and continued to touch and caress, becoming more bold in his exploration of my body. My lips fell apart in a gentle moan right before his lips captured mine in a passionate kiss.

I reached up and buried my hands in his hair and tugged him closer, slanting my mouth over his so we could deepen our kiss. He sighed his contentment, one of his hands dipping below the hem of his shirt to trace his fingertips over the sensitive skin of my thighs. I arched into him when he caressed the very center of my sex and made lazy circles around my clit, the touch sending electrical sparks throughout my body. It didn't take much. I hadn't been touched like this in so long, even by myself. The buildup was quick, and I was already right there on the edge of ecstasy.

Again, Vince noticed and he paused, looking down at me with a thoughtful expression."When was the last time you came, baby?"

I wasn't sure how this pertained to the here and now, but I entertained him. "Months," I admitted, feeling suddenly self-conscious.

"Hmm," he hummed softly. "Then we are going to make up for lost time."

What did that mean?

Before I could dwell on it further, he slipped a couple fingers inside of me and ground the heel of his hand against my clit, sending me hurdling over the edge of ecstasy within seconds, capturing my cries of euphoria on his lips.