Page 71 of Mr. February

Jenny stared at him agog as he grabbed a couple of bottles of water, the diet soda she liked, a bag of nuts, a banana, and some wrapped cereal bars.

“Will this work?” he asked as he stood in front of her with his bounty.

Flabbergasted, Jenny couldn’t control her smile as Wade took control when she once again stared at him without a word. He found a reusable bag the picked up from one of the swag tables the day before and added all the snacks and drinks.

“Will this work for you?” he repeated when he was done.

“Yes. It’s too much, but it’s wonderful. You’re amazing. Thank you so much. I’m sorry I didn’t know what to say and just stood there like a lump.”

He gave her a confused look as he moved her things to the credenza by the suite’s front door.

“It’s no big deal. I don’t want your big day ruined because they didn’t give you guys a real break before the workshop starts.”

“It was a big deal to me,” she said softly.

Wade stopped in his tracks and moved to stand in front of her.

“Jenny.” He stared at her, a serious expression on his face. “Let me take care of you. Not because you’re incapable, but because you deserve it. You’re a nurturer. I see you taking care of other people and doing things for them all the time. But that doesn’t mean no one can… care for you.”

He reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, and her knees wobbled.

“I want to be one of the people you can rely on for small things and the big stuff. I know you’re not ready for more, but you matter to me. Let me show you.”

Jenny’s heart lodged in her throat. No man had ever tried to take care of her. They always expected her to be the caretaker. Even with her friend groups, she was the mom-type who took care of everybody else, made plans, and organized everything.

“I’d like that,” she said, her voice tremulous.

Wade stared at the tears she blinked back but made no comment.

“Then let’s eat breakfast and get this show on the road. We’ve both got a big day ahead of us. Oh, and what about the off-site event? Do you still want to go?”

“Do you?”

“I want to spend time with you, so if you’re still interested in the escape room, then I’m excited. If you’d rather do something else, I want to be where you are. The real world will be here soon enough, so I want to steal every minute with you I can while we’re in this alternate reality.”

Jenny giggled at his words.

“I am interested in the escape room,” she said shyly, “but I also had something in mind for this evening. Something special. That involves just you and me.”

Wade looked at her in surprise before a smile broke over his face.

“Something special that’s just you and me?” he asked.

Jenny pressed her body against him. She enjoyed the flare of his eyes, which gave her the confidence she needed to take this step.

“I thought we might do some more exploring tonight,” she said in a flirtatious tone. “Maybe we could play a little. I’ve even got a few toys we could use.”

Her voice shook as she spoke, but she didn’t drop eye contact, so she was proud of herself despite the quaver in her voice. She let out a squeal when Wade clutched her hips again and ground his erection into her belly.

“You naughty minx,” he said, his voice deeper. “I’m going to be useless today because all I’m going to think about is what you might have in your bag of tricks. “

Jenny blushed, but he wasn’t done.

“I know we’ve alluded to it, and maybe I shouldn’t bring it up now, but I heard you before. When you were in your room with something buzzing. And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since.”

She flushed scarlet.

“I thought the walls in this place would be thick enough that you wouldn’t be able to hear,” she mumbled.

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