Full Moon (8 page)

She released a harsh breath when the toy was lodged to the hilt.

Jake studied her face. “Okay?”

She nodded, unable to speak. Her body was writhing, searching for something more.

Jake read the response. Leaning down, he took her clit between his lips and sucked. Josie cried out when he moved even lower, his tongue entering her pussy, filling the empty space.

“Yes.” She clenched his hair as Jake fucked her with his tongue. One hand pressed against the plug, mimicking slight thrusting movements in her ass, while he rubbed her clit with the fingers of his free hand.

It was too many sensations at once and they ganged up on her, taking her down hard. Fast.

She came loudly, calling out Jake’s name as he continued his ministrations, wringing every last mind-blowing pulse out of her.

Josie lay boneless on the bed while Jake removed the plug. He tossed it to the foot of the bed, then donned a condom.

She lifted her arms, welcoming him inside her, loving the way his hard cock filled her pussy.

Jake lay on top of her, his weight resting on his forearms. He made love to her gently as he pressed soft, warm kisses on her cheek.

Josie wrapped her legs around his waist and they groaned in unison as the slight change in position allowed him to sink deeper.

Jake never sought to speed up the play. Instead, he took her leisurely, as if they had all the time in the world. When they came, it wasn’t a whirlwind, rather it was as comforting as a warm summer’s breeze.

Josie fought not to cry at the beauty of the moment.

Jake slowly withdrew, went to the bathroom to clean up and dispose of the condom, then he returned with a warm washcloth. He pressed it between her legs, washing away the sticky gel.

Taking care of her.

Tossing the cloth aside, he crawled into bed, dragging them both beneath the covers. He pulled her close, his strong arms encasing her, making her feel safe, protected.

Jake kissed her. “Stay the night.”

Josie had never been more tempted by anything in her life. She was pleasantly drowsy, warm, comfortable. All that was waiting for her at home was an empty house and a cold bed.

“I want—” The sound of her phone ringing from the living room caught her attention.

Jake lifted his head. “What’s that?”

“My cell.” Josie looked at the clock by Jake’s bed. It was nearly eleven. Too late for anyone she knew to call for a chat.
Tommy
. What if something had happened to him? She sprang from the bed. “I have to get it.”

The phone stopped ringing.

Jake sat up. She left the room and walked naked down the hallway to retrieve her purse. Tony’s number flashed on the screen and her heart began to pound. Shit.

She quickly redialed, her fingers trembling slightly. “What’s wrong?” she asked the second Tony said hello.

“Why didn’t you answer your phone?”

She didn’t have time to play the jealousy game with her ex. He’d only called her one other time on his Saturday dates with Tommy and that was to tell her their son had fallen off his bike and needed three stitches in his elbow. “Tony.”

“Tommy’s got a fever.”

“How high?” She walked to the table and hastily started pulling her jeans back on. She’d never bothered retrieving them after their shower.

“It’s 102.5. Should I take him to the doctor? I’ve got him bundled up under a bunch of blankets and in bed, but it keeps going up.”

She juggled the phone as she attempted to button her shirt. She stuffed her bra in her purse. “Bundled up? Uncover him. You need to cool him off, not warm him up. If the temperature creeps much higher, he could have a seizure. Get a cold washcloth for his forehead. I’ll be right over.”

Tony sounded relieved to hear help was on the way. He’d never been good in an emergency or when someone was sick. “Okay, good.”

“Where’s Janice?” It pained Josie to speak the other woman’s name, but she really didn’t want to come face to face with the home wrecker. She’d only seen the woman on two other occasions and both of those times were from a distance.

“She’s out with some friends.”

Tony didn’t seem too happy about that, but Josie was relieved. She’d pick Tommy up, make sure he was okay, then either take him to the doctor or home. “I’ll be there soon.”

Josie disconnected the call just as Jake came out of the bedroom. He’d pulled on a pair of sweatpants that hung low over his hips.

“Problem?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I need to leave.”

“Anything I can help with?”

God. She could imagine the drama she’d face if she showed up at Tony’s house with Jake. “No. It’s fine. I just need to get home.”

Jake looked like he wanted more of an explanation, but Josie wasn’t ready to give him one. She’d let things go on too long between them. Her emotions were becoming too engaged. Better to make a clean break. Rip off the Band-Aid.

“I have to go.” She hastily pulled on her shoes, and then reached for her jacket.

“Yeah. I can see that.”

He sounded upset. Josie couldn’t blame him. Three times he’d shown her the time of her life, offering little pieces of himself along the way, and every single night she’d taken everything she could, then run off like a thief in the night. Guilt assailed her.

“I’m sorry.”

He lifted one shoulder. “You’ve never lied about the rules of the game. But I’ll tell you what. If you come back again, we’re going to up the ante.”

She stood at the door, her purse in her hand. “What do you mean?”

“Next time we’re together, we’re sharing last names and phone numbers. Deal?”

“What makes you think there will be a next time?”

Jake stepped close to her, cupping her face in his hands to kiss her. The gentle pleading in his touch was almost her undoing. She forced herself to pull away.

Tommy was sick. She had to go. She belonged there. Not here.

“Come back.” Jake’s demand was laced with entreaty, but she didn’t refuse him, nor did she nod.

Instead, she left.

Josie carried a drowsy Tommy into the townhouse, her mind reeling over the hours spent with Jake and her tense conversation with her ex. Tony had opened the door, taken one look at her disheveled state and frowned.

“Hot date?” he’d asked.

She dodged all his questions as she gathered up Tommy and his things. Tony, sensing her anger, had calmed down a bit, helping her carry their son to the car. Once he’d been buckled in, Tony had opened the driver’s side door for her. Then, much to her surprise, he’d given her a kiss on the cheek, and thanked her for taking such good care of Tommy.

He was playing with her head and she didn’t like it. She didn’t have time for a Tony mindfuck. The asshole had dumped her, left her alone to raise their son while he trotted off to live with his new girlfriend.

She forced thoughts of Tony from her mind as she recalled Jake’s hurt face when she left him without an explanation. Jesus. She was messing with Jake as much as Tony was screwing with her.

“Mommy.”

She glanced down at her son. She’d just lifted him out of the car, thinking he was asleep. “Yeah, baby?”

“Can I sleep in your bed tonight?”

She’d already planned to put him there, wanting to have him close in case he needed her in the night. “Of course you can.”

“Will you sing to me?”

She grinned. “If you really want me to.” Her voice was nothing to write home about, but apparently all her young son heard in her lullabies was a chorus of angels. It was nice to be loved so much. When Tommy looked at her, he saw perfection, not flaws. It warmed Josie’s lonely heart.

“Daddy sings bad.”

Josie carried her son upstairs to her room and laid him on the bed. She pulled off his shoes and jacket—she and Tony had left him in his pajamas—and tucked him into her bed. She walked to the bathroom for medicine and a cool washcloth, then put on her own PJs. Returning to the room, she crawled in next to him and felt his forehead. He was still hot, but she didn’t think it was anything to worry about.

Placing the cloth on his head, she gave him a dose of bubble gum-flavored medicine and curled up next to him.

Tommy lifted his arms, wrapping them around her neck and placing a soft kiss on her cheek. The same cheek his father had kissed less than half an hour ago, the same Jake had pressed his lips to two hours earlier.

Three men, three kisses.

God. She was fucked up.

Chapter Four

Josie’s Howl List—April

1. 1.      Sex with a stranger
   
2. 2.      Sex in public
   

3. Anal

4. Bondage

Josie looked at her phone. She’d found the number to Blue Moon in the phone book nearly half an hour earlier and since then, she’d been holding a stare-down with her cell. He’d warned her last time that if she came back again, he’d want more from her.

And she’d truly left Jake’s apartment last time swearing that was it. The end.

Then, as usual, she’d spent the last few weeks thinking of nothing but him. She’d started the New Year, feeling so optimistic, hopeful about her future. Instead, all she’d found was a mess of confusion, self-doubts and unending horniness.

No. That wasn’t true. The horniness was definitely alleviated after a few hours in Jake’s arms. Problem was it came back with a vengeance the next morning, wanting more of the sexy bartender.

Her Howl List lay next to the phone, taunting her.

This weekend’s full moon was bondage.

There was no way she was going to attempt that game with anyone she didn’t know. Unfortunately the list of male acquaintances she’d be willing to play with sexually was woefully short. In fact, it contained only one name.

Jake.

“Fuck it,” she muttered, picking up the phone and dialing before she could talk herself out of it.

“Hello.”

“Laura?” Josie knew there was only one person who would understand what she was going through.

“Hi, Josie. What are you doing calling me? I thought it was full-moon night.”

Josie grimaced. Her friends had told her on more than one occasion that they were living vicariously through her adventures. Their Thursday wine dates following the full moon were saved especially for her. She hadn’t disappointed them, filling them in on the details of the sexual games. But she’d always held back the more personal aspects, Jake’s compliments, the way he was tugging on her heartstrings, making her long for more than a casual affair.

“It is, but I think I’m getting cold feet this time.”

Laura sighed. “I’ll be there in two minutes.”

The phone disconnected and Josie laughed when—true to her word—Laura was standing outside her door one hundred and twenty seconds later.

“What’s wrong? I thought this full moon was in the bag. You said Jake invited you back.”

“He did, but he sort of attached some strings to it.”

“What sort of strings?”

Josie sank down onto her couch, while Laura claimed a nearby chair. “He wants to start dating me.”

Laura leaned back, nodding slowly. Josie had called the right friend. While Shelly would have squealed with delight over such a pronouncement, Laura understood the gravity of the situation.

Or at least, Josie thought she had until Laura asked, “So what’s holding you back?”

Josie reared back, surprised. “Everything. I just got out of the marriage from hell. I—”

“Two years ago,” Laura interrupted. “You’ve been divorced two years, Josie. It’s not like the ink just dried yesterday.”

Josie took a deep breath and forged on. “I really like him.”

Laura smiled. “Yeah. I kind of thought so from the way you light up when you talk about him.”

“Do you know how you meet someone and you just click? I’ve been on a few dates since the divorce and all of them were hard work—to make conversation, to find something in common, to endure a few lousy hours together even after you know you’re never going out with this guy again.”

“It’s not like that with Jake?”

Josie shook her head. “Not even close. I sat down at that bar and we started talking like we’d known each other our whole lives. It was nice.”

“So go out with him.”

“That’s not exactly the answer I was looking for.”

Laura laughed. “You know you’re not the only one who’s been taking some long hard looks in the mirror.”

“Your second chance?”

Laura nodded. “I thought I’d changed during the course of my marriage. I didn’t. Turns out I just forgot how to be happy.”

“And now you remember?”

Laura picked up a Matchbox car Tommy had left on the floor, toying with it absent-mindedly. “I’m getting there. What would make you happy, Josie? And take Tommy out of the equation. I know you want him to be happy, but the fact remains your son is going to leave you in about twelve years. That’s not as long as you may think.”

“Wow. That’s a depressing thought.”

Laura laughed. “But a true one. Tommy will graduate, go off to college or work, meet a girl and there you go. Mason and I built our lives around our kids and when they left, we realized we had nothing in common anymore. I may have been married, but I was still alone. I knew I didn’t want that so I left. I told myself it was because it was easier to truly be alone than to be painfully lonely while lying next to someone in bed. Turns out that wasn’t why I left.”

“Why did you?”

“Because, at heart, I don’t want to be alone. I want to be with someone who loves me.”

Josie was stunned. For so long, she’d thought she and Laura were kindred spirits because of their distaste for the institution of marriage. Apparently that wasn’t what linked them at all. It was their desire for love and happiness.

“There’s nothing wrong with considering Tommy’s feelings, and you should. But what you decide now will determine if you’re alone when he grows up and leaves or if you’re with someone.”

Josie rested her head against the back of the couch. “My mom played the dating game after my dad left and it opened a revolving door of wannabe fathers.”

“Your mom’s remarried, right?”