Page 67 of The Sweet Spot
A short while later, looking ragged after a traumatic evening, Jennie walks into the living room. “She’s already asleep. She was exhausted.”
Jennie drops down onto the sofa beside me and bursts into tears.
“It’s okay, honey,” I say as I put my arm around her. “I think you’re exhausted, too. Let’s get ready for bed. Tomorrow morning will be here too soon.”
That night, after we’re settled in Jennie’s bed, she turns to me, cups my face, and kisses me. It’s a soft kiss, a gentle one, and I’m not sure if it’s a gesture of gratitude for helping in the search or an invitation for something more. After what she’s been through today, I wouldn’t want to assume anything.
When her hand travels down my chest, past my abdomen, to my groin, I realize it’s an invitation. “Are you sure?” I ask. I don’t want to take advantage of her emotional state.
Instead of answering me verbally, she wraps her soft fingers around what is now a full-blown erection.
I suck in a breath. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
She laughs softly and then presses a kiss to my throat. I wonder if she can feel my pulse pounding.
We make love then, slow and easy. And if it weren’t for having to get up and dispose of the condom, I would have fallen asleep inside her.
Chapter 24 – Jennie
The morning after her harrowing escapade, Granny is starving when she comes to the kitchen for breakfast. The three of us eat together, and as we’re cleaning up, Dawn arrives.
Dawn seems a bit subdued after the events of yesterday, but Granny is absolutely fine. She doesn’t mention anything about wandering away from the house. I suspect she doesn’t even remember doing it.
Chris drops me off at the diner at six-thirty, and I get started on pies and donuts. I’m still trying to catch up after the fire.
Thursday and Friday are very routine, and it looks like we’re getting back to normal. Chris is still on limited duty because of his shoulder injury. He has a doctor’s appointment in Estes Park coming up soon, and he’s hoping to be cleared to return to full duty.
On Friday evening, Chris comes to the diner at seven, just as we’re closing up, so we can join our friends next door at the Tavern for our weekly meet-up. Mrs. Robinson is on Granny duty this evening.
As we walk into the tavern, I realize it’s the first time we’re socializing with our friends since Chris and I became a couple. I mean, they already know because they saw us together during the search for Granny. They saw us holding hands and hugging, but we really didn’t have a chance to talk about it. It wasn’t the priority at that moment.
But now… as we walk into the tavern, all eyes are on us. They’ve pushed two large tables together so we can all sit together for a change—the guys with us women. Everyone else is already here, and they saved two seats for us, side by side. Wetake our seats, and Chris puts his arm along the back of my chair. His thumb brushes my shoulder.
“All right, spill the beans!” Maya says. “I saw you two holding hands the other night. So?” She gives us a coaxing grin. “Come on! Spill the tea.”
I can feel my face heating up, like I’m in middle school again, and the other girls just found out I have a crush on one of the boys. I shrug because there’s no point in drawing this out. “We’re together.”
To emphasize the point, Chris leans in and kisses my cheek.
Everyone at the table cheers. Jack wads up a napkin and lobs it at Chris’s face. Chris tosses it right back.
Micah, who’s on Chris’s other side, smacks him on the back. “It’s about time, Sheriff! I told you to go for it.”
I look to see Chris’s reaction to all the teasing, and he’s sitting there with a big grin on his face, clearly unfazed by the attention.
Jack jumps up and runs to the bar to grab a tray of pitchers.
Ruth follows carrying glasses for everyone. “Drink up!” she says. “We have a lot to celebrate tonight—Rosie is safe and sound, and these two lovebirds finally got their act together. Food is on the way.”
Owen goes to the bar to get a Coke for Maggie. Ruth, Gabrielle, and Maya fetch platters of hothors d’oeuvresfor everyone to share.
Chris and I field so many questions.
Who admitted their attraction first?
When was our first kiss?
And then the questions get far more personal, leaving me in tears of laughter.
