Read Online Protecting Jessyka (SEAL of Protection) (Volume 6) by Susan Stoker - Free Book Online
Authors: Susan Stoker
Ads: Link
your part as well. Think how annoying it’ll be if we go around thanking each other all the time.” Benny tried to lessen the blow of his words by smiling.
Jess grinned back. “Okay. I’ll try. I’m just not used to anyone doing anything for me like this. Brian never did.”
“Well, one, I’m definitely not Brian. And two, you better get used to it.”
It was obvious Jess was going to ignore his words from earlier, and that was okay with Benny. He didn’t want to rush her, but he’d do whatever he could, say whatever he needed to say, to erase the hurtful words she’d most likely heard too many times from the jerk she’d lived with.
He put a glass of orange juice in front of her and turned back to the stove to flip the eggs.
“What time do you go into work?” Jess asked.
Benny turned back to her resting his palms on the edge of the counter behind him. “I’m not going to work for a couple of days. I’m taking some leave.”
“You can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Well . . . because.”
Benny laughed at her. “That’s not an answer. Look. You can’t possibly think I’m going to just leave you here by yourself the day after I took you to the emergency room do you?”
“Uh . . .”
“Not happening, Jess. We’ve got shit we have to do. First up, Dude’ll be bringing some of your stuff over. At some point we have to go over there and get the rest of your things packed. I’m not letting you go back there without me or one of the guys with you. We need to find out the details of the funeral for Tabitha. I won’t allow you to be harangued by Tammy or Brian, so if I need to arrange a time for you to say your good-bye to Tabitha in person, that’s what I’ll do. You need to call the women’s shelter and tell them you won’t need the room you arranged with them. You also need to talk to your boss and tell him what’s going on and figure out your work schedule. On top of all that, the girls will want to come over and see for themselves that you’re okay. I’ve bought you some time with that, but I expect that will only last for a day or two, so you have to brace for the onslaught.”
“I don’t understand,” Jess whispered, completely overwhelmed.
“What don’t you understand?” Benny came over to the bar and leaned on it, giving Jess his complete attention.
“I can do all those things, you don’t have to stay home from work.”
“Jess, it’s what friends do for each other. You aren’t alone anymore. I’ve got your back. My friends have your back.”
“I don’t think it’s what friends do. I mean, I’ve never had friends that have done anything like this before.”
Benny reached over the bar and put his palm on Jess’s cheek. “You have friends that do that kind of thing now, gorgeous.”
Jess couldn’t help it, she leaned her head to the side and brought her hand up and put it over his on her face. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Smiling, Benny teased, “What did I tell you about saying ‘thank you’ all the time?” He put his other hand on the back of her neck and pulled her gently across the bar, kissed her on the top of the head then let go. “Do you need to take a pain pill?”
Jess had only a moment to feel disappointed Kason had removed his hands before he’d changed the subject. She thought about it for a moment. “No, I think I’m all right.” At Kason’s frown, she quickly added, “But if I hurt later, I’ll take one. Promise.”
“Okay, I was just going to suggest that it might be good if you took it with food. Here you go, omelet with tomatoes, green peppers, onions, red peppers, chorizo sausage, a little bit of bacon, and of course topped with a ton of shredded cheese. I have sour cream and salsa if you want to add a southwest flair to it.”
“Are you shitting me?”
“Nope, dig in.”
“I’ve never met a man who can cook.”
“Well, you’ve met one now. Eat.”
Jess picked up the fork and looked up at Kason. “What are
Jess grinned back. “Okay. I’ll try. I’m just not used to anyone doing anything for me like this. Brian never did.”
“Well, one, I’m definitely not Brian. And two, you better get used to it.”
It was obvious Jess was going to ignore his words from earlier, and that was okay with Benny. He didn’t want to rush her, but he’d do whatever he could, say whatever he needed to say, to erase the hurtful words she’d most likely heard too many times from the jerk she’d lived with.
He put a glass of orange juice in front of her and turned back to the stove to flip the eggs.
“What time do you go into work?” Jess asked.
Benny turned back to her resting his palms on the edge of the counter behind him. “I’m not going to work for a couple of days. I’m taking some leave.”
“You can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Well . . . because.”
Benny laughed at her. “That’s not an answer. Look. You can’t possibly think I’m going to just leave you here by yourself the day after I took you to the emergency room do you?”
“Uh . . .”
“Not happening, Jess. We’ve got shit we have to do. First up, Dude’ll be bringing some of your stuff over. At some point we have to go over there and get the rest of your things packed. I’m not letting you go back there without me or one of the guys with you. We need to find out the details of the funeral for Tabitha. I won’t allow you to be harangued by Tammy or Brian, so if I need to arrange a time for you to say your good-bye to Tabitha in person, that’s what I’ll do. You need to call the women’s shelter and tell them you won’t need the room you arranged with them. You also need to talk to your boss and tell him what’s going on and figure out your work schedule. On top of all that, the girls will want to come over and see for themselves that you’re okay. I’ve bought you some time with that, but I expect that will only last for a day or two, so you have to brace for the onslaught.”
“I don’t understand,” Jess whispered, completely overwhelmed.
“What don’t you understand?” Benny came over to the bar and leaned on it, giving Jess his complete attention.
“I can do all those things, you don’t have to stay home from work.”
“Jess, it’s what friends do for each other. You aren’t alone anymore. I’ve got your back. My friends have your back.”
“I don’t think it’s what friends do. I mean, I’ve never had friends that have done anything like this before.”
Benny reached over the bar and put his palm on Jess’s cheek. “You have friends that do that kind of thing now, gorgeous.”
Jess couldn’t help it, she leaned her head to the side and brought her hand up and put it over his on her face. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Smiling, Benny teased, “What did I tell you about saying ‘thank you’ all the time?” He put his other hand on the back of her neck and pulled her gently across the bar, kissed her on the top of the head then let go. “Do you need to take a pain pill?”
Jess had only a moment to feel disappointed Kason had removed his hands before he’d changed the subject. She thought about it for a moment. “No, I think I’m all right.” At Kason’s frown, she quickly added, “But if I hurt later, I’ll take one. Promise.”
“Okay, I was just going to suggest that it might be good if you took it with food. Here you go, omelet with tomatoes, green peppers, onions, red peppers, chorizo sausage, a little bit of bacon, and of course topped with a ton of shredded cheese. I have sour cream and salsa if you want to add a southwest flair to it.”
“Are you shitting me?”
“Nope, dig in.”
“I’ve never met a man who can cook.”
“Well, you’ve met one now. Eat.”
Jess picked up the fork and looked up at Kason. “What are
Similar Books
