pleasures of a carefree lifestyle.
During the few short weeks she and J.D. had been involved, Halee had learned
for the first time in her life how to relax, how to allow someone to take care
of her. It had been terrifying to let go and allow someone else to steer the
rudder. She would never let herself become that vulnerable again.
Her
mind drifted to Ricardo Sanchez and the way he had sneered at her studio
apartment. This place would surely pass his inspection, she thought with some
measure of envy. What would it be like to raise a baby in opulence, without a
care in the world? How would it feel to have a maid bring you fresh flowers in
the morning, cook you a warm meal at night, to have your clothes pressed and
waiting in the closet, your car ready at the entrance in any kind of weather to
whisk you away to important meetings? She sighed and sat down on the edge of
the bed.
J.D.
stirred. “Who’s there?” He struggled to turn, wincing when his bad shoulder
touched the firm mattress. “Halee?”
“Yes,
it’s me,” she said in a near whisper.
“What
happened?” he asked, gripping his head. She could barely discern his features
in the darkened room and knew the night would hide her own. She allowed herself
to stare.
“I’ll
turn that question back at you,” she said softly. “Why would Roudy punch you?”
J.
D. groaned. “That crazy sonofabitch. Pert near broke my jaw.”
“You
two were like frat brothers last time I saw you together.”
“It’s
a long story.”
“I
have all night.”
J.D.
adjusted his pillow and rested his tired eyes on Halee. “I asked his girlfriend
to marry me.”
“I
thought…”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
She breathed deeply and closed her eyes against the pain shooting through her
chest. “The fiancé.” Her tone betrayed her disappointment.
“The
fiancé.”
“Except
all the newspapers think I’m the fiancé.”
There
was a moment of silence, then a low chuckle from the opposite side of the bed.
He reached out his hand to touch hers but she pulled away.
“Why
do I get the feeling I’ve been set up?”
“It’s
a setup, alright,” said J.D. with a grin. This time he was too quick for her.
He captured her hand and brought her palm to his lips. “Don’t worry, Baby. I’ll
settle things with the papers.”
A
shiver ran down Halee’s spine at the touch of his whiskers on her sensitive
skin. He moved his mouth up along her wrist, lingered in the creases of her
elbow, and coaxed her body nearer to his with every kiss. She closed her eyes
in the dark and slowly sank onto the plush pillows by his side, too weak to
resist what she knew she wanted. His warm breath tickled her neck; his tongue
caressed, coaxed, begged. She turned her mouth toward his and drank in the
taste of him. “Does it hurt?” she asked, tenderly touching the swollen bruise
on his chin.
“Not
anymore. I hoped you’d come back,” he whispered in the dark.
A
rush of feelings rose from her heart and lodged in her throat. She sought his
lips hungrily, allowed herself to touch his cheek, his neck, his hair, if only
for one last time. She tried to pretend that they were alone, closed her eyes
against the image of the other woman, but her face remained, laughing, mocking
her.
With
a cry of frustration, she shoved off J.D.’s chest and turned away. “I can’t do
this,” she said. His heavy seductive breathing tempted her to return to his
arms. Gripping the edge of the bed with both hands, she closed her eyes against
her overpowering need.
He
ran his fingers along her back, saying nothing.
“Who
is she?” she asked in the dark.
“Don’t
worry yourself about that.”
“She’s
the same woman I found you with, isn’t she?”
J.D.
didn’t answer.
Halee
released a deep breath and rose to leave. "I wish you the best, J.D. I hope
you like New York. I hope..." her voice broke. "I hope you break
every Federal record."
She
paused at the bedroom door and cleared her throat. “I’m
During the few short weeks she and J.D. had been involved, Halee had learned
for the first time in her life how to relax, how to allow someone to take care
of her. It had been terrifying to let go and allow someone else to steer the
rudder. She would never let herself become that vulnerable again.
Her
mind drifted to Ricardo Sanchez and the way he had sneered at her studio
apartment. This place would surely pass his inspection, she thought with some
measure of envy. What would it be like to raise a baby in opulence, without a
care in the world? How would it feel to have a maid bring you fresh flowers in
the morning, cook you a warm meal at night, to have your clothes pressed and
waiting in the closet, your car ready at the entrance in any kind of weather to
whisk you away to important meetings? She sighed and sat down on the edge of
the bed.
J.D.
stirred. “Who’s there?” He struggled to turn, wincing when his bad shoulder
touched the firm mattress. “Halee?”
“Yes,
it’s me,” she said in a near whisper.
“What
happened?” he asked, gripping his head. She could barely discern his features
in the darkened room and knew the night would hide her own. She allowed herself
to stare.
“I’ll
turn that question back at you,” she said softly. “Why would Roudy punch you?”
J.
D. groaned. “That crazy sonofabitch. Pert near broke my jaw.”
“You
two were like frat brothers last time I saw you together.”
“It’s
a long story.”
“I
have all night.”
J.D.
adjusted his pillow and rested his tired eyes on Halee. “I asked his girlfriend
to marry me.”
“I
thought…”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
She breathed deeply and closed her eyes against the pain shooting through her
chest. “The fiancé.” Her tone betrayed her disappointment.
“The
fiancé.”
“Except
all the newspapers think I’m the fiancé.”
There
was a moment of silence, then a low chuckle from the opposite side of the bed.
He reached out his hand to touch hers but she pulled away.
“Why
do I get the feeling I’ve been set up?”
“It’s
a setup, alright,” said J.D. with a grin. This time he was too quick for her.
He captured her hand and brought her palm to his lips. “Don’t worry, Baby. I’ll
settle things with the papers.”
A
shiver ran down Halee’s spine at the touch of his whiskers on her sensitive
skin. He moved his mouth up along her wrist, lingered in the creases of her
elbow, and coaxed her body nearer to his with every kiss. She closed her eyes
in the dark and slowly sank onto the plush pillows by his side, too weak to
resist what she knew she wanted. His warm breath tickled her neck; his tongue
caressed, coaxed, begged. She turned her mouth toward his and drank in the
taste of him. “Does it hurt?” she asked, tenderly touching the swollen bruise
on his chin.
“Not
anymore. I hoped you’d come back,” he whispered in the dark.
A
rush of feelings rose from her heart and lodged in her throat. She sought his
lips hungrily, allowed herself to touch his cheek, his neck, his hair, if only
for one last time. She tried to pretend that they were alone, closed her eyes
against the image of the other woman, but her face remained, laughing, mocking
her.
With
a cry of frustration, she shoved off J.D.’s chest and turned away. “I can’t do
this,” she said. His heavy seductive breathing tempted her to return to his
arms. Gripping the edge of the bed with both hands, she closed her eyes against
her overpowering need.
He
ran his fingers along her back, saying nothing.
“Who
is she?” she asked in the dark.
“Don’t
worry yourself about that.”
“She’s
the same woman I found you with, isn’t she?”
J.D.
didn’t answer.
Halee
released a deep breath and rose to leave. "I wish you the best, J.D. I hope
you like New York. I hope..." her voice broke. "I hope you break
every Federal record."
She
paused at the bedroom door and cleared her throat. “I’m
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