Page 13 of Deserving Maisy
When he lifted his head, she licked her lips as if mesmerized. Then she took a deep breath and said, “Come on, we really do need to get up.”
Jack let her slip out from under him and he followed.He swayed a little when he stood, but Maisy was there, putting an arm around his waist. “You good?”
“A little light-headed, but I’m all right.”
“Come on, I’ll walk you to the bathroom. I think there’s an extra toothbrush in there. If not, you can use mine.”
“You’ll let me use your toothbrush?” he asked.
“Well, no. I’ll let you have it. Sharing toothbrushes is gross,” she said with a small smile, looking up at him as they walked.
Jack laughed out loud. “So sharing toothbrushes is gross but you want me to use yours?” he asked, still grinning.
She blushed a little. “Right. Sorry, didn’t think that through.”
She wasn’t really giving him a ton of support. At a good five inches shorter than his five-eleven, she didn’t have the proper angle or strength to keep him from falling. But Jack liked the feel of her against him all the same.
“I mean, is sharing a toothbrush any different from sharing…other bodily fluids?” he asked, still smiling.
To his surprise, she blushed a fiery red.
“Yes. Now, don’t go falling and hitting your head again,” she warned as they entered the small bathroom.
“Maybe you should stay and shower with me,” Jack teased.
The blush on her cheeks didn’t abate. “Whatever. I’ll shower in the bathroom down the hall. I’ll see if I can borrow a pair of sweats from Jason for you to wear until he gets you other clothes today. Is that okay?”
“That’sperfect,Stellina.”
She stared at him for a long moment before taking a deep breath and heading back into the bedroom.
“Maisy?” Jack called, reluctant to see her go for some reason.
She stopped and turned back toward him. “Yeah?”
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For being so good to me. For marrying me. For being willing to marry me again after I neglected you. For being you.”
Tears filled her eyes once more. Then she turned and left the room without a word.
Instinctively feeling as if something was very off, Jack frowned and closed the bathroom door. He stared at himself in the mirror above the sink. It was an odd feeling to see a stranger looking back. He didn’t recognize himself. His glasses were still out on the table next to the bed, but he could see his reflection well enough. He had a small scar under his chin, and his beard was a little too long to be comfortable. His skin was tan, as if he spent a lot of time outdoors in the sun, which made sense if he was a bounty hunter who liked to hike.
Ifhe was a bounty hunter? Did he doubt his wife’s story about what he did for a living? He had no reason not to trust her, but deep down, he couldn’t see himself spending his life chasing down bad guys. He wasn’t sure why, but that didn’t feel like something he would enjoy. Not to mention, he didn’t think he was the kind of man who would neglect his wife.
His head throbbed as if a memory was desperately trying to surface, but no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t bring it to the surface.
Frustrated, confused, and in pain, Jack abruptly turned away from the mirror and reached for the knob in the shower. He felt grubby, still had blood in his hair, and he needed to get clean. Maybe the day would bring more clarity to his situation. If nothing else, he’d get a chance to get to know his wife better.
Jack didn’t understand the tension between Maisy and her brother, but he remembered the way Jason had spoken to her before he’d known Jack was awake, and he didn’t like it one bit. His wife needed a champion, and he may not have been there for her before, but he was now. If he discovered that Jason didn’t respect Maisy, as soon as their renewal ceremony was over, Jack would look for a new place for them to live. He might not know who he was, or anything about his past, but he wouldn’t stand back and let someone he cared about be abused in any way, shape, or form.
And Maisy Smith was definitely someone he cared about. For better or worse, in sickness and health, he’d vowed to stand by her side, and he’d do just that. He’d protect her from himself, her brother, and anyone else who dared try to hurt her in any way.
Where his fierce protectiveness was coming from, Jack didn’t know. But he assumed it was a product of being her husband. Memories of loving her in his unconsciousness.I’ll do right by you,Stellina, this I vow.
Satisfied by his internal promise, Jack stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower. Today was literally the first day of the rest of his life, and he was ready to get on with it…with his wife by his side.
