Chapter Twenty Five

“Hey…..” Jon’s voice was croaky with sleep, his bleary blue eyes struggling to focus on the vision of Rachel smiling softly at him from the crumpled pillows around them.

“Good morning……” Streams of sunlight spilled across her face, illuminating the tousled tresses of her blonde hair. “You sleep like the dead!”

Yawning Jon smiled lazily, his arm that was still draped around the smooth plane of her abdomen pulling her closer so he could murmur in her ear. “Well you my sweet hog the bed!”

The roughness of his fingertips sent shockwaves zipping through her belly, flutters of excitement making her curl her body in delight against his firmness. They had spent most of the night getting reacquainted with one another – forgiving one another. 

“I do not! Every time I tried to scoot over, you and your third leg would wake and assault me again…I was afraid to move!” She shifted up the bed, supporting her head on an elbow and cocked an eyebrow mischievously at him. “What’s up with that? We’re having more sex than any teenager in the entire state of New Jersey!”

Chuckling Jon’s eyes glinted with amusement, his fingers tracing slow circles around her belly button.

“I don’t know if we’re having more sex than any teenager but we’re definitely having better sex than any teenager! Who knew it would be better in your forties than in your twenties?”

Rachel sucked in a breath when his hand slid lower leaving an invisible scorch mark on her quivering skin. “Hmmm…….well if this level of activity keeps up we may just have to reinstate your other women.” When his fingers began to follow the natural downward curve that led to her satiny soft centre she sighed happily and arched her body into his touch. “Don’t get rid of that little Black Book you must keep somewhere just yet…….. I'm not sure I can keep up!”

His morning arousal strengthening Jon nibbled cheekily on the tip of her dainty nose. “Nope….no other women for me anymore – I’m a changed man!” Breath warm against her cheek, he alternated soft kisses between his murmurings. “A deal is a deal……we made a pinkie swear………so I guess that means your morning chores are about to start, my sweet…..little……..California….girl.”

As one roughened finger slipped between her slippery folds Jon’s mouth finally laid claim to her lips, his teeth scraping slowly across the already tender flesh. Squirming when she felt a second finger ease inside her pulsing core, Rachel moaned with appreciation and hooked a leg over his hip willingly inviting him deeper. Gently teasing and probing Jon slowly continued his infliction of a sweet torture, his fingers and lips working in unison to build an unyielding tension until she could take no more. With surprising strength she hoisted her slender frame up from their still slumber some positions until she straddled him, her lips curving in a satisfied smirk at the surprise on Jon’s face at her lightning quick action.

“And just like that – the hunter becomes the prey!”

Placing her palms flat on his broad chest, she slid her fingers through the scattering of peppered hairs that blanketed the firm muscles, balancing her weight on her forearms until her hips hovered just inches above his proud erection.

“Now you’re all mine Jersey Boy!”

Strands of her loose hair fell forward over her shoulder, tickling his skin with feathery sweeps. It had been years since she had felt so sexually empowered, so intoxicated by the feeling that she alone was responsible for the excitement of the man beneath her in all his glorious masculinity. Tantalisingly slow she rotated her pelvis lower and lower until he was nudging at her entrance, the contorted grin on his face just enough for her to know she was exacting a torture of her own.

“Jesus Rachel……….”

“Close but not quite!” Sitting up she finally allowed him to slide between her legs, a satisfied smirk of pleasure spreading across her face when her walls closed around his thick girth that was becoming so familiarly comfortable. They fitted one another – completely.

Writhing in a slow dance of pleasure they intertwined fingers, each supporting the other as waves of slow ecstasy burned through their most intimate parts. Eyes locked they matched their rhythm, a harmonious melody building in crescendo until sparks shot to Rachel’s tightly curled toes and a tumultuous surge of blood pushed Jon over the edge.

“Christ…………you’re a bad, bad girl!” Eyes closed, Jon gulped in great breaths of air, a slight sheen of sweat coating the expanding measure of his chest. His heart pounded mercilessly in a staccato that any drummer would have been hard pressed to match as he felt a sated Rachel settle herself on his groin, her heat and wetness flooding the space between them.

Breathlessly she smiled down at him from her perch before leaning lower to graze her lips against his morning stubble. The softness of her skin melted against him, the slight weight of her frame fitting neatly between the arms that he raised to wrap around her back.

“This bad girl done good……..” Rachel purred against his throat before rolling gently from him to grab her robe from the floor and offering him a cheeky wink. 

“And now she wants coffee! Come on rock star – up and at ‘em!”

Chuckling Jon watched her lazily from his comfortable nest amongst the sheets. It was a long time since he’d woken up with a woman that made him feel so……..content. Life was real good right now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twenty minutes later and freshly showered, Jon padded down the stairs scratching at his grizzled jaw. Pausing in the grand hallway to gaze appreciatively at a magnificent oil painting he hadn’t seen before he heard Rachel chattering into her phone in the kitchen.

“Oh great! I’ll be in within the hour to pick it up. Thanks so much Mr Roberts.”

The welcoming smell of freshly brewed coffee greeted Jon as he shuffled in yawning with his hands shoved deep in his pockets. Rachel finished with her call tossed the phone into her purse and turned to him with a steaming cup and a chirpy grin.

“About time you got down here! Coffee?”

“One of us has a little too much energy this morning and it ain’t me!” Accepting the coffee from her, he eyed her suspiciously over the rim of the mug as he took a tentative sip of the hot liquid. “Where are you going within the hour?”

Filling her own cup from the pot Rachel stirred in some creamer. “Oh just down to Roberts Jewellery……they repaired my necklace and it just came in but they’re only open until noon so I want to run into town and get it.” Turning to him she motioned outside. “How about you come with me and we grab some breakfast while we’re out?”

Confusion clouded Jon’s brain. “Your necklace?”

“Yes! Remember….my necklace that broke while you were having your wicked way with me?”

An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of Jon’s stomach. “Right……the one with the wedding rings. You had that repaired because……?”

Grinning Rachel laughed playfully at him and began to wash out the coffee pot.

“Um…….because it was broken…….” Rolling her eyes at his obviously moronic stupidity she left the jug to drain beside the sink and picked up a towel to dry her hands. “That is generally why people get things repaired Jon!”

Silently Jon took another slow swallow of coffee. That necklace was gonna haunt him but they were in such a good place right now he’d do almost anything to avoid another argument.

“Uh….I need to go back to my place to shave and change into some clean clothes…..”

“Oh please! If I can put a hat on and go out without makeup I think you can be seen in public without that perfect head of hair of yours, my little beauty queen!”

Giggling Rachel tossed her keys at him before turning to grab her purse. “C’mon I’m STARVING – you can drive big guy!”

Nimbly catching the keys in one hand, Jon sighed and set his coffee cup down on the island. There was nothing else for it, he was just going to have to say it.

“Rachel…………shit………I hate to be a wet blanket but I gotta tell you – the whole wedding ring thing? It kinda throws me for a loop………I mean it’s a little weird to be making love to you and seeing your late husband’s ring dangling from your neck in front of my eyes…….”

In an instant the fresh faced delight that had been dancing across Rachel’s face clouded over. Irritation flashed in her eyes and she blew out a somewhat resentful sigh.

“You know what Jon?………..I wish we could have just ONE drama-free day.” 

Tucking her purse under one arm she held her hand out for the car keys. “I told Mr Roberts I’d be in shortly…….I have to go.”

Stunned Jon handed them over as she brushed by him, he’d known that was never going to come across right but he hadn’t expected that reaction. Hell he didn’t even deserve that reaction!

“Hey! Hold on just a damn second will you?!” Spinning on his heels he watched her look back across her shoulder at him. “Are you gonna walk away every time there’s a bump in the road?”

Slowly she turned back to face him, “You know Jon…….roller coaster rides are fun……..the FIRST couple of times. But then they just make you sick and you want off. It’s a beautiful day – a day I’ve actually been looking forward to! I finally have a sense of being at home in this place and I want to enjoy it without the constant loops and corkscrews that come along with YOU.”

Ouch! Jon winced inwardly and took a deep breath as he listened to her continue. Count to ten Jon, count to ten.

“Jon I don’t like to be told what to do or how to act. I’m a competent and successful woman – with or without you. Or any man for that matter. The other night when I was such a wreck? That’s not me! That was ONE weak moment and it won’t be happening again.”

When Jon made to speak she cut across him, her voice cold and unyielding. “Nick was my husband for twenty years, the father of my children. If the time comes that I choose not to keep our wedding rings close to me then that will be MY decision – not yours.”

Anger pursed her lips in a thin line and she gave him one final glare before marching out the door.

“Rachel! Don’t you dare!” An indignant rage coursed through his veins as he shouted after her. “Get back here and at least give me the courtesy of having an adult conversation!”

Pausing half way out the door, Rachel spun hard around, her face contorted in disbelief at his tone.

Taking full advantage of having successfully captured her attention Jon threw caution to the wind and let loose.

“I don’t know how to compete with the ghost of St. Nick the Perfect! I did NOT ask you to put the rings away.” He shook his head willing his words to get through to her, to register somehow. “I simply explained how my seeing them around your neck makes me feel. I’ve told you I was wrong for the way I treated you the other day but YOU are wrong now – I’m entitled to feelings just like you are. Those rings? They’re a symbol of your commitment to another man and while you’re wearing them he is LITERALLY between us!”

Rachel stared at him for a moment until she dropped her head, shame and regret weighing her down. She was torn between two places, loyalty to the man who’d been her husband or the willingness to leave it all behind and step forward with the man who stood before her.

“This is new Rachel……that’s all this is and we’re working out the kinks.” Closing the space between them Jon pulled her into his arms and held her close.

“Remember last night? Nothing more from the past?”

Tipping her chin up to him, he brushed his lips to hers. “Baby we gotta be able to communicate with each other without it turning into a battle ground every time.”

Quietly Rachel nodded. “Jon, it’s been the better part of twenty five years since I had a new relationship to navigate……” Moving away from him she sank onto a stool at the kitchen island. “Nick and I had very clear boundaries with each other. He always likened me to the wild horses in the deserts of Nevada…..have you ever seen them?”

When Jon shook his head she smiled slightly. “They’re beautiful creatures – when left wild. But if you try capture them and put them in a corral they buck and fight and bite. That’s why he said he knew never to try put me on a leash or corral me because no matter what I’d always fight for my freedom.”

Shrugging she studied her fingernails. “Nick said he was better off to let me run wild so to speak……if left to my own devices I’d stay close to the ranch because I wanted to……….not because I was forced.”

“Rachel baby, I would never force you to do anything – you know that right?”

Nodding Rachel smiled tiredly at him and glancing at her watch slid off the stool. “I do know that….”

Picking her purse back up she walked back to where he stood leaning against the counter. “I’m gonna go into town……….” Taking his hand in hers she gazed up at him and spoke softly. “I’m not dismissing you………I heard everything you said – just give me some time to work this through on my own okay?”

When Jon looked down into her eyes, he could see nothing but a quiet desperation swirling in their depths. As much as this killed him, he knew she wasn’t pushing him away on purpose. Lifting a hand he tenderly pushed the strands of hair off her face.

“Come over to my place later?

“Okay.”

A soft kiss and a reassuring squeeze later and she was gone, leaving Jon in the empty kitchen with nothing but his thoughts. Moving to the window he gazed out at the freshly mowed lawn, his brain slowly absorbing what had just taken place. He’d dealt with plenty of his own demons before but he wasn’t quite sure how to deal with someone else’s and it scared the hell out of him.