Page 49 of Love Unbound
“Yeah, Mom got me a porch swing as a gift when I moved in. I just haven’t had the extra pair of hands to put it up,” Jodilaughed.
Standing from where he sat on one of the porch steps, he waved his hand to Tris. “Come on, show me where it is. Jodi, where do you want it?”
“You really don’t have to—” Jodi protested, but was cut off when Free leaned down to press a kiss to her mouth.
“Shush. Where do you want it?” Free asked.
One corner of Jodi’s mouth tilted up and Free’s eyes glinted with humor when he saw just where her filthy mind had taken her.
“Later,” he husked quietly before straightening. Tristan and Freeman sauntered off toward the shed, where the swing was currently stored. The two came back a few minutes later, the large wooden porch swing suspended between them. They carried it up the porch steps, and Jodi retrieved the metal hooks from the drawer in the kitchen, bringing them out to Free. He walked over to his truck, reaching into the backseat to retrieve a well-worn bag of tools.
While Shaun started on the Jeep, Tristan and Free went to work hanging the swing where Jodi instructed. When it was suspended from the rafters of the covered porch, Free gestured toward it and Jodi laughed before sitting down, testing it out. The sun was beginning to set over the treetops in the distance, and Jodi smiled over at Free and her brother. “Thank you.”
Tris nodded and grinned widely before heading down the steps toward Shaun, who had just called from where she was under the Jeep for a specific part. As Jodi’s two siblings worked, Free came toward her and sat down on the swing next to her sighing appreciatively before draping his arm across her shoulders. “This is nice.”
“Yes, it is. Thank you, again,” Jodi murmured, settling into his side. He pecked a quick, chaste kiss to her lips. His booted feet pushed them back and forth gently. She was more content thanshe’d been in a long time. Happier than she’d been in a long time. She knew it was because of Free.
Love was blooming in her heart for him, just as she’d known it would, as she’d secretly feared it would. It had been a protected bud for so many years, she wasn’t surprised it had finally begun to blossom under the warmth of his smile and inherent kindness. Slowly, but with each petal that unfolded, Jodi knew her heart would forever belong to the man sitting beside her. And it was going to break like hell when he left again.
“I swear to God the next time this man touches your car I’m going to murder him myself,” Shaun called angrily from beneath the Jeep, her voice muffled. “I’m getting really tired of replacing perfectly fine car parts!”
Jodi and Free laughed, and Tris turned to them, asking, “Are you going to Gram and Pops this weekend?”
Jodi nodded, but it was Shaun who answered, her voice still muffled from under the vehicle. “I think Mom and Gram both would disown any one of us for missing a family BBQ.”
“You’re probably right,” Jodi laughed.
“Should we bring anything?” Free asked, looking over at her, his arm still draped over her shoulders. His foot continued to push them back and forth gently.
Tris, Jodi, and Shaun all laughed. Shaun poked her head out from beneath the Jeep and called, “Are you kidding? Don’t you remember any of the family gatherings you went to before you left? A BBQ at Gram and Papa’s is an all-out shindig. They’ll have enough food and booze for an army, lawn games, a bonfire, probably a band. Gram would be offended if you brought anything.”
“Alright,” Free laughed again, holding up his hands, palms out. He took a drink of his beer, then pointed to Jodi’s. “Do you want another?”
Jodi shook her head, smiling over at him. “No, thank you. Ifyou’re going inside, I will take a water, if you don’t mind?”
“No problem,” he said, rising from the swing. Calling down to the other two, he asked, “Shaun, Tris, you guys want anything while I’m inside?”
“I’ll take another beer,” Shaun called.
“Me too,” Tris joked.
“Come talk to me in about four years,” Free chuckled. Then, winking over at Jodi, he said, “Three, if you don’t tell your parents or Jodi.”
“That would mean you have to stick around that long,” Jodi quipped lightly. The weight of the words hung in the air between them, and Jodi wished she could take them back as soon as they left her mouth. She felt her cheeks warm with embarrassment.
“Maybe that’s my plan,” Free murmured with a grin before disappearing into the house.
Chapter 36
“Ready to go?”
Jodi nodded, taking one last look in the mirror, doing a half turn to check her reflection. She fussed with a stray curl that had escaped the loose braid she’d fashioned to the side so that it draped over one shoulder, but decided to leave it to frame her face. Sliding her freshly pedicured feet into leather sandals, she turned to find Free watching her from the doorway. His gaze was smoldering.
“No,” Jodi laughed, pointing one finger at him. “We don’t have time for that.”
“I was ready ten minutes ago,” he drawled from where he was leaning against the door frame, his hands in his front jeans pockets, pulling the fabric tight across his hips. Jodi swallowed hard, and he grinned wolfishly.
“Looking this good takes time,” she teased, doing a mock curtsy. She wore a pair of light wash jeans that were well worn and molded to her shape, and she had cuffed them just above her ankle, capri style. A white racer back tank top left her tanned shoulders and back bare. A pair of cobalt blue Goodr sunglasses were perched on the top of her head, and they almost matched the blue of her eyes. A small, brown leather purse was on one shoulder.
