Hers for a While (6 page)

Alice caressed his callused hand. Any doubts she had about their relationship growing stale seemed stupid now. By the way he couldn’t keep his hands off of her and the way her heart fluttered when he looked into her eyes proved it.

Facing her, he gripped her hand, his brow creased. “With all this time apart, it has me thinking.”

“Yeah?” Oh gosh, what was he going to say? Maybe she was right. Damn it, she had to stop second-guessing herself.

Biting his bottom lip, he took a pull off his beer. “I don’t want this to scare you, but what do you say about moving in together?”

Was she hearing him right? Did he just suggest moving in together? Talk about a huge step, but one that she was willing to take. “I like the idea, for sure.” Tucking her hair behind her ear, she did have a few hesitations. “I’m not sure what my parents would think of it. They’re pretty old fashioned about things.”

Jack nodded and stood up, grabbing his beer bottle. “I get it. You’re daddy’s little girl. I’m just thinking about it being practical, you know? I’m renting this place and you’re renting yours. We’d save money with one rent payment. And we’d get to see each other more often. I don’t know about you, but it’s hard to get by on phone calls. I need to hold you. I need you here.” He pointed his index finger down at the floor as a smoldering hunger flashed on his face.

Alice adored his pleading. He had good pros as to why they should do it. Staring up at him, she tried to hide her admiration. He
wanted
her here. This was
his
idea. That made it even more desirable.

“I think you’re right, Jack. We’re adults. My parents will get over it.” Standing up, she joined him by the window. “I’d be more than happy to move into this place with you.” There were cons to the suggestion too, but they didn’t outweigh the reasons Jack had mentioned.

“Yeah? You’re willing to do that?”

Alice shook her head yes. “And it’s perfect timing. My lease is almost up on my place.”

Cupping the back of her head, Jack kissed her forehead and down to her lips. She leaned into his body, as close as possible, but still not as close as she’d like to be. Jack’s hands trailed down her side, resting at the waistband of her pants. Ending the kiss, he smirked, his eyebrows dancing in the facetious way he flirted with her.

“Wanna take this to the bedroom?” He thrust his hips forward, and she felt the bulge in his jeans.

Alice’s hand moved from his neck, fanning down his chest, over his stomach, and finally resting between his legs. He was ready for her, and he let out a moan as she gently massaged him over the denim fabric. He rested his head on her forehead, his eyes closed as she stroked him, his breathing labored, his hands working wonders where she needed them.

“We better take care of this before I bust right through these pants,” Jack whispered, his green eyes now open, staring down into hers. The look on his face, with such passion and desire, made Alice melt. There was no way to resist him, even if she wanted to.

Halfway down the hallway, it hit her blindside.
She was moving in with Jack.
She had thought it so many times before – things couldn’t get any better and there was no way she could love the man more than she did right at that moment.

***

Alice thought about the old rent house that her and Jack had shared. It was their first place they called home together. She reminisced about the day she had announced to her parents that she would be living with him. To her surprise, they had taken it better than she had expected. Of course, she couldn’t dodge the lectures about how they were doing things in the wrong order, but it didn’t matter. Her parents knew how much she loved him, and when a love that strong was felt, there was no changing her mind about her decision.

Moving in with him was a good decision. She had learned things about him she never would’ve known otherwise. Some of his habits grated on her nerves – like the way he would leave wet washrags balled up in the corner of the shower. It was a constant battle to get him to throw them in the hamper. On the other end, he couldn’t stand the way she hogged the covers at night and left her fuzzy socks all over the house.

Walking into the bathroom, Alice slid the shower door open. Two washrags were in the bathtub, right in the very corner Jack always left them. It was funny how she had picked up the habit, maybe because she missed him. She wasn’t sure why she started doing it. All she knew was that she wished it was him that had left those. If it meant having him around again, he could leave as many damn towels where he wanted and she would have no problem with it.

Chapter Seven

“I’m working a double tonight, so I won’t be home until late. Probably after seven.” Jack hugged Alice from behind. Their bed was so warm that she didn’t want to think about getting out of it, but the mention of work pulled her from her light sleep. “One of the guys ended up with the flu so there’s no telling how many tours we’ll have to cover.”

Alice relaxed against him, glancing at the clock. It was five-thirty, which meant she didn’t have much more time in bed with him. “That’s nice of you to take his shift.”

He nipped at her neck and she shivered under his stubble. “We need the money and I’m sure he’d do it for me if the tables were turned.”

Closing her eyes, Alice began to doze, imagining a day where they could lounge around together with no commitments or responsibilities to get to. It was hard to believe they had been living together for over a month.

“You know, I was just thinking…” Jack muttered against her, his breath warm on her skin. “I was thinking how our plan was to spend more time together when you moved in.”

“Yeah?” Alice didn’t open her eyes. It took most of her energy to even answer him.

“Seems the only time we have any chance together is in bed. And we’re both too tired to, you know…” His hand trailed down her leg. “We need a vacation from life.”

“A vacation,” she repeated. “What the hell does that word mean?”

“I’ll let you know when I find out.” Propping himself up on his elbow, he groaned when he saw the time. “Shit, I gotta get up. Fires to put out. Little helpless kittens to save from trees.”

Alice missed his warmth next to her. Sitting up, she turned the lamp on and admired him as he walked across the room in his boxers. She wanted to pull him back into bed and take complete advantage of him. What was it about him that was so damn sexy, even just out of bed in the morning? The way his dark hair stuck out in every direction drove her imagination wild. The way he squinted from the sudden brightness tugged at her heartstrings.

“What are you staring at?” Jack asked, glaring at her through one open eye, his face crinkled as he adjusted to the lamp.

“I was just thinking.”

“About?”

Shrugging, Alice pulled the covers up around her. “About how much fun I’d have with you on a vacation. Just think of all the things we could do.”

Arching his eyebrow, Jack shook his head and laughed. “Somehow I think you’re not meaning sight seeing, are you?”

“Depends. From my vantage point, the view is pretty damn good.”

Scoffing, Jack stared at her, his playful grin adorable. “You’re gonna have to stop that talk before you make me late for work, Alice.” Sitting on the edge of the bed, he dipped his head and kissed her. “Seriously, let’s consider a vacation. School is almost out for summer. I’ve got some time saved up. It’d do us both some good.”

“Where would you like to go?”

“Anywhere with you.”

Alice gently pushed his shoulder. “Look at you Mr. corny.”

“It’s true.” He glanced at the alarm clock. “And on that note, I’m getting in the shower. Think about it. We’ll discuss it tonight when I get home.”

Since it was Saturday, Alice fell back to sleep after Jack had left. It was one way to not think too much about what could possibly happen to him, and she was exhausted from the school week before. Around ten AM, she decided to get up and make coffee. There was a note by the pantry, and she unclipped it.

Have a good day, my love. There’s nothing I’d want more than to spend time away with you. I’ll think about you all day today. Love you more than you’ll ever know.

-- Jack.

Folding it up, she placed it in her journal in her nightstand and took a long sip of coffee. His random notes, even if they were short, always made her happy. She couldn’t part with any of them, and her notebook was starting to get thick with them.

To keep busy, she went for a long run, bought groceries, and cleaned the house. It had killed several hours and before she knew it, it was almost time for Jack to be home. It was likely he’d be too tired to do anything, so she made something simple for dinner and found a good movie he’d hopefully want to watch, if he could stay awake long enough. It was after seven, and it was rare he ever got home right after shift, but it was later than usual.

Walking to the window, Alice looked out into the yard. The sun was setting, displaying a beautiful sunset just above the trees. It was only thirty minutes after. Often times he’d stay after and chat with some of the guys. She didn’t want to be the nagging girlfriend, but something was bugging her.

Grabbing her phone, she double-checked to make sure he hadn’t called or texted. Nothing. There wasn’t anything on the news. Flipping through the channels, she stopped on an old episode of
Emergency.
It was a show that she sometimes caught with Jack. How she wished times were as innocent as the show portrayed.

Trying hard not to obsess over the clock, she noticed it was after eight. Usually he’d have at least called by now if he was going to be late. She couldn’t resist it anymore. Dialing his number, she began to pace again as it rang.

“Hey, Alice.”

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah. We’re uhh, we’re just finishing up on a call. I’ll come straight home when we’re done. I gotta go.”

Without giving her a chance to say anything else, the line went dead. Staring down at her screen, Alice tried hard not to read into it. He sounded different – not his usual upbeat self. She wasn’t stupid. The job took its toll on him. He tried hard not to bring it home, but sometimes a bad day came through in his attitude. She tried to be there for him, but sometimes it didn’t feel like it was enough.

The rumble of his truck pulled her from her thoughts and she met him out on the porch. He was covered in soot and his posture was slumped.

Keeping his head down, he said, “Sorry I didn’t call.”

“What… what happened, Jack?”

He looked up, his eyes red. Had he been crying? “Bad call.”

Alice followed him inside and shut the door. “Wanna talk about it?”

Jack shook his head no. “I need a shower. I didn’t even wanna do it at the station. Just wanted to get home.”

“You don’t want to talk about it?” Alice reached for his hand, but he pulled it away.

“No.” His gaze was harsh.

“Why? You know I’m here for you.”

Heaving a deep sigh, Jack looked down at the floor. “Because I don’t want you to freak out on me. You already worry enough. If I talk about it, you’re just gonna be up half the night thinking about it.”

“It doesn’t matter if you tell me or not, Jack. I’m going to worry regardless. I want you to be able to vent to me. I want you to get it off your chest. Don’t feel like you have to keep it bottled in because of me.” A man who was hurting replaced the carefree guy who talked about vacation that morning. It killed Alice to see him this way.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “You don’t deserve to be yelled at. This isn’t your fault.”

“It’s okay, Babe. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but please don’t keep quiet because you don’t want to hurt me, okay?” Her voice shook and she blinked back the warmth forming in the corner of her eyes.

“It was a bunch of kids.” Again, his posture slumped and he wasn’t able to make eye contact with her. “A bunch of kids, Alice.”

This time, she was able to intertwine her fingers in his. His palms were moist and dirty, but she didn’t care. He latched on tight, almost like he was scared to let her go.

Jack continued, “You know that warehouse down on Ninth Street?” He looked up, his eyes bright against the black on his cheeks.

“Yes.”

“They were goofing off inside. Someone was storing fireworks in there. I don’t know all the details yet, but I’m sure you can figure out the rest.”

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry, Jack.”

“Four dead, two in critical condition.”

He clenched onto her hand again, sliding against the wall, down to the floor below them. Pulling her with him, he sat her on his lap and hugged her tight. The pungent smoke odor was strong, but Alice gladly embraced him. Whatever he needed, she was there. His body quivered against hers, and the warmth felt through the fabric of her shirt confirmed that he was crying.

“It was like a damn warzone, Alice. Bottle rockets shooting off. Black Cats exploding like bombs. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I’m glad you’re okay.” The very thought of him in the middle of something like that made her crazy, but she wouldn’t admit that out loud. He already feared freaking her out. “I’m sorry those kids weren’t. You guys did what you could.”

Releasing the hug, he looked up into her eyes. The moisture from his tears had smeared the soot. “Let’s take that vacation, Alice. The sooner, the better.”

Alice nodded, looking deep into his eyes. “Whatever you want, Jack. As soon as school is out for summer, I’ve got nothing but time.”

After a quick supper, Jack had fallen asleep on the couch. Realizing he wasn’t comfortable, Alice helped him to the bedroom. She wasn’t sure if he even woke up during the walk down the hallway, and with the way he fell into the bed with a low murmur, she was certain he hadn’t. She adjusted the covers around him, fluffed the pillows, and flicked the lamp on. She wasn’t tired yet, but she didn’t want to leave the room.

Pulling a book out of the top drawer, she thumbed to where her bookmark was, but her mind wasn’t on the plot. Glancing at Jack, she let out a sigh. She was glad he was sleeping. Alice studied him. His jaw clenched and his eyebrows moved around – he wasn’t relaxed at all. Her heart hurt for him. It killed her just hearing about the bad calls. She couldn’t imagine witnessing what he had.

Jack shifted his weight and turned over, now facing her. His eyes flickered open for a second, but slammed back shut as he said something that was hard to understand. She had learned that he was quite the sleep talker, especially when he was exhausted. At first, it was cute. Tonight it wasn’t amusing.

Scooting in against him, she fanned her fingers through his soft hair. He shivered, and again, his eyelids parted, revealing his eyes for a split second. She nestled her face into his neck. They were safe, they were together, and he had made it out alive. There was no use in crossing a bridge they weren’t at. All that mattered was that moment. Jack was sleeping next to her and they were in love. Alice didn’t want to think of what could be. She didn’t want to freak out about the call.

Closing her eyes, she took every sensation in. Jack’s one day old stubble, his smooth skin, his muscular chest that moved up and down as he breathed, and his strong arms that wrapped around her, pulling her so close to him that it was almost uncomfortable.

“Thank you,” Jack whispered.

Looking up, she saw that he was awake. Wrapping her legs around him, a small smile parted her lips. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, Jack. Get some sleep. We’ve got a vacation to rest up for.”

***

“You sure we’re just gonna be gone a week?” Jack pointed down at her suitcase, a playful grin on his face. “You act like we’re going away from all civilization.”

Alice looked at her heaping luggage. She had always over packed. “I’ve gotta take options for clothes. You know, sometimes I may not be in the mood to wear something, so I need choices.”

Shaking his head, Jack tossed a pair of jeans in his bag. “You women are crazy. Give a man a couple pairs of paints, a few shirts, and a toothbrush, and we’ll be fine.”

“Don’t forget deodorant. We both know how…” Alice snapped her fingers as she tried to think up the appropriate word. “Ripe you can get whenever you get all sweaty.”

“Now that’s just mean.” Jack edged across the room and hugged her from behind. “Are we really getting away for a few days or am I dreaming?”

“Not dreaming, though it does feel like it, I agree.” Alice leaned into him. It had been a few weeks since the bad warehouse call, and though the tension was still there, Jack seemed to be handling the deaths of four children better than she had anticipated. That, or he was good at keeping it bottled up inside. “They’re able to cover you at the firehouse?”

He nodded into her neck. “Yeah. They wanted me to take some time. I’ve got too much saved up. They didn’t want me to lose it.”

Leaning down, she tried to close her suitcase, but it was too full. “I’m glad we’re not flying. They’d probably charge extra due to the weight of this thing.”

Jack tried to zip it up, but he had trouble too. “Well, Babe, anything you might want to part with that we can live without?” He started to pull a few articles of clothing out and stopped when he slid his finger around the one thing Alice was trying to keep a secret from him. Sliding it out slowly, his eyes lit up when he got a good look at it. “Babe…” His voice trailed off. “We obviously can’t part with this. I’d say it’s a necessity.”

Alice couldn’t help but laugh. It was a silky black teddy she had bought right after they had booked the trip. She wasn’t one for wearing sexy lingerie much, but figured it’d be a nice change of pace and something to help relax Jack.