Page 102 of Jessica's Hero
A moment later, Kane flies into space with me. Thickening. Pulsing. Filling me with heat.
I peel my eyes open to look at him, memorizing every detail.
His taut features, like a gorgeous sculpture carved from stone.
His eyes, filled with a depth of emotion I’ve never seen before.
His chest, thickly muscled, glistening with perspiration.
The lock of auburn hair falling over his forehead.
My Kane.
My love.
And though I never really believed in it before, my soulmate.
As the aftershocks move through both of us, Kane carefully rolls us over and drapes me across his body. He pulls a blanket from off the back of the couch and covers us both with it, conscious as ever of my comfort.
His lips press to the top of my head. After a few seconds of silence, he says quietly, “I love you so fucking much, Jess. Words aren’t enough to explain it.”
My heart swells. “I know. Love isn’t a big enough word for how I feel.”
“Jess.”
“It’s true.”
Kane’s arms tighten around me. In an almost uncertain tone, he asks, “Are you really happy, Jess? Being here? Is there anything else I can do?—”
I jerk my head up, nearly smacking it into Kane’s chin. “Am Ihappy?”
“Yeah.” He pauses. “I know there have been a lot of changes over the last month. Moving all your stuff here, putting your mom’s place on the market, finding a new job… I just want to make sure I’m supporting you enough.”
“Of course you have. How could you even ask? You’ve done everything for me.”
While it’s true there have been a lot of changes in the month since my abduction, Kane’s been right by my side through all of them. Interviews with the police and the FBI, avoiding the media until a new story came along to capture their interest, moving into his house for good, making the decision to put my mom’s house up for sale, not to mention deciding to find a new job…
Itcouldhave been overwhelming, if not for his support.
But he’s been amazing, anticipating my every need. And surprising me with the most incredible things, like the office for my gaming, this little winter igloo on the patio, and the four-poster bed that suddenly appeared in our bedroom last week, along with a fresh supply of scarves in a rainbow of blues.
Honestly, though I’m still working through things with my counselor and have the occasional nightmare, I couldn’t be happier.
My mom’s house is going to go to a new family, one with a baby on the way, and they can create new memories there.
I’m starting a new job as lab manager at a medical practice in town, which I’m really excited about. Not only is it more money, which is always nice, but when I went in to meet the staff yesterday, everyone was so friendly. They told me about weekly happy hours and monthly potluck lunches and not once did I feel like anyone was judging me.
It wasn’t my intention to leave my old job, at least not in the beginning. But I found it was a lot harder to go back there than I thought. I couldn’t walk into my officewithout fighting a panic attack. There were just too many bad memories there.
Then Scarlett mentioned that the practice she works at was looking for a new lab manager, so it just made sense to look into it. One interview later, I had the job. Now I’m going to be working just around the corner from the police station, so Kane can stop by to say hi whenever he wants.
And the biggest thing contributing to my happiness is Kane, of course. Living with him, not just as a temporary thing, but permanently.
It’s like I told Hazel the other night while we were playing. “I think you’re right. About deserving something good. Something special. I didn’t agree with you for the longest time, but now I do. I deserve to be happy just like everyone else.”
“I just want to make sure,” Kane replies. “I know you don’t like asking for things. But if you want anything… a new kitchen, one of those she-sheds, a trip to the Caribbean…”
“A she-shed?” I giggle. “Why would I want one of those?”
