Misty Reigenborn Romance Boxed Set (215 page)

"Wow.”

"Yeah, wow.  So you're not the only one whose parents aren't perfect okay?  The only thing mine are is perfectly stubborn."

"I'm sorry Daylin.”

"My Dad's going to be the one who's sorry when my Mom dies a really painful death.”

She stopped and put her arms around him.  He let her hold him for several minutes and then pulled back and gave her a slow, soft kiss that left her wanting more. 

"We're going to shut up about all of this shit for the rest of the day today and just enjoy being together, okay?  What do you want for dinner?  We'll go to the store and get anything you want."

She was half afraid that they'd run into one of his old lovers at the grocery store, but said nothing.  "I don't care."

He sighed.  "You'll decide when we get there then.  You want to rent a movie?"

"Sure."

"Okay."  He gave her another quick kiss and then put his arm around her waist and started back towards the car. 

When they were back at the car he pressed her against the car and gave her what was not a quick or a slow kiss.  It was rough, almost forceful.  It took her breath away. 

"I think I could love you Jess.”

She said nothing as she moved back from the door.  He opened it for her.  She slid in, lighting a cigarette without really thinking.

She started to put it out but he said "Don't worry about it.  Lucy borrowed my car for a few days when her overpriced piece of shit broke down.  It's smelled like smoke in here ever since."

He was silent as he drove them to the grocery store.  He pulled into a parking spot in the mostly empty lot and was around the car and opening her door before she could start to get out. 

Once they were in the store, he pulled out a cart and slid it her way.  "I'm following you.  Get whatever you want." He was kissing the back of her neck when a female voice said "Daylin?"

"Hi Aunt Hannah.  I figured you'd still be with Cameron and Lucy planning a wedding."

"My future daughter-in-law is craving ice cream and we didn't have any in the house.  Do you and your friend want to come over for dinner Daylin?"

"It doesn't surprise me Lucy's already using her pregnancy to get what she wants.  About dinner, thanks but no thanks Aunt Hannah.  I'm making dinner at home tonight."

"Be nice to Lucy.  She's a nice girl."

"Lucy is not a nice girl.  She'll tell you so herself."

"But my son has loved her for a very long time and that's enough.  She'll straighten out now hon.  She has no choice."

"Yeah.  Aunt Hannah, this is Jess."

Daylin's aunt smiled at her.  She was a beautiful woman with long dark hair pulled back into a braid that trailed halfway down her back.  "You must be the one that Cameron was telling us about.  He didn't do you justice when he said you were pretty Jess.  Is that short for something?"

"Yes, Jessica."

"Aunt Hannah likes to use everyone's full name Jess, as you can tell.  Lucky Lucy's just Lucy and not Lucinda or something.  And you know that Cameron's too blind to see that anyone besides Lucy is beautiful."

His aunt laughed.  It was a musical sound.  "Is there something wrong with that?"

"Nope.  You'd better get back or Lucy's ice cream is going to melt."

"Yes dear.  It was nice to meet you Jessica.  You must come for dinner sometime soon."

"It was nice to meet you too," Jess said.

As his aunt walked away Daylin said "She's going to hold you to that."

Jess did her best to ignore him as she wandered aimlessly down the aisles of the grocery store.  She had no idea what sounded good for dinner.  Daylin noticed that she was wandering. 

“Since you seem to be undecided, let me throw out some suggestions.  I can make tuna casserole, pretty much any kind of meat like steak, burgers, or chicken.  Spaghetti, meatloaf, pretty much anything that comes out of a box or a bag."  He grinned.

"Chicken sounds good.”

"Fried or baked?  And what kind of vegetables do you want?"

"Baked, and I'm not the greatest at vegetables.  Salad is as close as you'll get me most of the time and that's only once in a while."

"Wonderful.  You smoke, you drink diet soda, and you don't eat vegetables.  How about corn and potatoes?  And we'll get some biscuits."

"You really are trying to make me fat Daylin.”

"I have plans to work it off," he said suggestively.

"Pervert.”

"Guilty as charged."  He laughed. 

He bought three pounds of chicken breasts, a huge box of instant potatoes because he said he was feeling too lazy to make them the old fashioned way, six ears of corn, two packages of biscuits, and a cherry cheesecake for dessert.

When they got back to the house, he again refused her offer to help him cook, his only condition that she didn't mind if he turned up the music.  He turned on classic rock.  It reminded her of her father, something he used to listen to when he'd be out in the yard or in the garage on the weekends, something that her mother had listened to until Ned had come along.  Then she'd started listening to country which Jess detested.

She logged back into her e-mail because there was nothing on TV and she didn't want to start the movie without him, checking to see if there was anything from her stepmother.  There was.  She opened it and read ‘Jess, it was very good to hear from you.  It tore your father apart that he never got to see you before his death.  He loved you very much and never stopped thinking of you.  It hurt him sometimes to look at your sister.  She looks so much like you.  There were a lot of things that he and your mother should have done differently sweetheart, but don't think for one minute that any of it was your fault.  Don't be ridiculous about the money.  Your father would never forgive me if I didn't make you take it.  Don't worry about Craig Jr. and Chelsea.  They have plenty of money for college.  Your father wanted to do so much more for you than he ever could.  I would be honored to meet you when you’re ready.  Your sister has been talking about you nonstop.  If you need anything do not hesitate to call.  Please promise me that you won't stay out of touch for so long.  We've all been so worried about you.  Your father’s grave is at the Cliffside cemetery in Welton.  It's 2515 W 8th St.  All my love, Selana’

She signed out of her e-mail, thinking that she could at least visit her father’s grave before she left town.  She picked up a magazine off of Daylin's coffee table and lit a cigarette.

She was involved in a news story when he sat down beside her.  She almost jumped when he said "You really are transparent Jess.”

"Huh?"

"You're reading about a man and a woman who fell in love at first sight and then got torn apart and spent years getting back together."

She threw the magazine back on the coffee table.  She was blushing again.  She hadn't blushed as much as she had since she'd met Daylin since she'd had a huge crush on her history teacher in eighth grade.  She'd gotten red faced every time he looked in her direction.

"So?"  She felt about as brilliant as she had in Jr. high history.

He laughed.  "It's okay.  At least you're not reading about babies and weddings."

"Shut up Daylin."

He laughed again.  "Not that I'd care if you were.  Maybe we could have a double wedding with Lucy and Cameron.”

"Don't mention that word either.”

"Most women your age have been planning their wedding since they were sixteen."

"You forget that we're living in the twenty-first century Daylin.  Most women have figured out by the time they're sixteen that there's more to life than a white picket fence and 2.5 kids."

"It doesn't mean that it's wrong to want that.”

"So Daylin, how many kids do you want?"

"Three," he said matter-of-factly.

"All boys right?"  She rolled her eyes.

"Nope.  I want a boy first so he can protect his sister from guys like me though."  He grinned.

She nodded.  "Hmm."

"How many kids do you want?"

“We said no talking about this.  And I don't want any."

"Three sounds like a good number to me.  You brought it up.” 

She threw the pillow from her side of the couch at him.  "Stop it."

"Okay, okay.  So how come out of all the movies we looked at the only one you wanted to see was that gory horror flick?"

Because the rest of them that had been left were romantic comedies and the last thing she needed was for Daylin to get any sappier on her Jess thought.  It never ceased to amaze her how the biggest, strongest men could be brought down by a woman so easily.  From what she'd seen from Daylin and Cameron she wondered if their fathers were both hopeless romantics as well.

"I like scary movies.”

"Oh.”

"What?"

"Nothing.  I guess I shouldn't be too upset.  You'll probably jump up in my lap when you get scared."

"Uh huh.” 

She'd hated horror movies and scary stories until she was about eleven then she'd gotten bored and picked up a young adult horror novel at the library.  She'd read and watched nothing but horror since then.  The only movies she'd bothered to see in the past six years had been scary movies.

He leaned over and gave her a kiss.  "I guess I'd better get back to dinner.  You finish your story."  He winked at her.

"I can help you.  I am capable of cooking dinner."

"I am at your beck and call Jess.  You’re not going to lift a finger while you're here."

She lifted her finger to flip him off.

"You promise?"

"No.”

"Tease.”

Daylin took a pan out of the oven.  The smell of the food was mouthwatering. 

"Almost ready," he said. 

"Can I at least set the table?" 

"Done."  He gestured to the table.

She sighed, fighting the urge to stick her tongue out at him. 

He saw the look on her face and laughed.  "Little Miss Independent has to learn to sit back and let somebody take care of her.  I'll bet you don't like going out to eat because you don't like somebody else waiting on you."

"I've been a waitress.  The job sucks.”

"Never mind Jess.  Come eat."

Dinner was nice.  The food was good.  He'd even put candles on the table.  She was stuffed again and could barely finish her cheesecake.  It was so good that she managed to make it through, though.

He surprised her by letting her rinse the dishes and put them in the dishwasher.  When she was finished they retired to the couch.  He started the movie.

It was pretty gory.  She did turn her head into his chest a couple of times, which caused him to get that cocky grin on his face.  She managed not to give him the satisfaction that he could have had by keeping her head there to breath in his scent, though.  She'd never known a man could smell that good.

When the movie was over he said "I wanted something to make tonight special."

"Okay.”  She was afraid of what he meant.

"So I rented porn in my bedroom on pay per view."

"Daylin.  That's gross."

He laughed.  "I'm kidding Jess.  I figured that there was nothing that could make tonight more special than you and me being together."

If she was sixteen, she thought she probably would have burst into tears at the sentimentality.  As it was, she was twenty-four and completely jaded.  She gave him a weak smile and followed him back to the bedroom.

He took it maddeningly slow with her.  By the time they were naked she wanted to say something to him that could have come from a porno.  Still he took his time, touching her, kissing her everywhere until she could hardly stand it, especially since he wouldn't let her touch him.

When he had maddened her to his satisfaction, he lay back on the bed and looked at her with his dazzling hazel eyes and said “Your turn."

"Huh?" 

"A minute ago you wanted to touch me so bad you could taste it.  Have your way with me Jess."

"Daylin.”

"Hmm?"

"I uh.  .  ."

He gave her a kiss that she could feel all the way to her toes.  "Don’t tell me you’ve never been on top.”

“No, and I don't want to.”  Oh yes, she wanted him she thought.  She was just embarrassed at how much.

He shrugged.  "I guess I'll just lay here then."

"Asshole.”

"You want me Jess, I’m right here."

"Daylin please.” 

"You can't have it both ways darlin'."  He brushed her hair back from her face. 

"Don't make me do this Daylin."

He laughed softly.  "You act like I'm trying to torture you.  Come here.” He pulled her down gently on top of his chest.  "See, it's not so bad is it?"

It wasn't, but it wasn't like they were having sex yet either.  A thought occurred to her then.  "You're not going to make me um.  .  ."  She couldn't say it.  She might as well be sixteen.