Page 41 of Love Unbound
“Mmmm,” Jodi murmured, even as his fingers continued to finesse her nipples. “I have to get ready…”
“I’m not stopping you,” he teased, his lips brushing her ear.
“Free,” Jodi moaned, finally stilling his hands. “If you keep doing that, we’re never going to make it to the store.”
“I think I like my suggestion better.”
“As much as I would love to stay in bed all day, I need to pick up some things for the shop for tomorrow,” she laughed, turning and wrapping her arms around his neck, reaching up to peck a kiss to his lips. “We need food. I’ve worked up an appetite after being thoroughly ravished for the last fifteen hours.”
“Thoroughly ravished?” he chuckled, his hands settling on the sloping curve over her bottom. “I’m still not done with you yet.”
“I would hope not,” Jodi murmured. “A girl could get used to this.”
Slapping his ass cheek with the flat of her palm, she winked at him and walked toward the door, exiting into the bedroom.
He came out a couple minutes later, dressed in the jeans and shirt he’d arrived in that morning. She was pulling on a royal blue high-low skirt, the front reaching her knees, the back dipping down to brush the backs of her ankles. She pulled on a flowy white tank top, tucking it into the high waistband before cinching it with a brown fashion belt. White slide-on sandals came next. Her make-up was simple, and as her hair began to dry, her curls rioted over her shoulders and down her back.
“Ready?” he asked, reaching his hand out to her.
Nodding, she smiled as she put her hand in his. Picking up her purse as they walked through the house, Free continued to hold her hand as they walked down the porch steps, leading her to the passenger side of the truck. Helping her up into the seat, he closed the door and walked around the hood to the driver’s side, climbing up next to her and starting the rumbling engine and driving them to the grocer. Having parked the truck, Free exited and came around to open her door, as always.
Jodi’s face flushed and her hand felt hot where it was clasped in Free’s as they walked through the doors of the grocery store. She was acutely aware of the two women standing just inside the doors, their eyes watching Jodi and Free as they walked in.
A snorted laugh reached her ears and Jodi steeled herself for what she knew was coming. Free looked down at her quizzically, and she shook her head just slightly, squeezing his hand gently.
“Didn’t take her long to move on, huh?”
Jodi bit her tongue, staring stonily ahead as they made their way into the store past the two women. She felt Free’s body tense as he heard the mutterings himself, and again, Jodi squeezed his hand.
“I heard she was sleeping around the entire time anyway, so I’m not surprised.”
Losing her inner battle and whipping her head around toward the two women, Jodi snapped, “Seriously, Beth? That’s rich coming from the woman that pretended to be my friend while sleeping with my husband, while you yourself were engaged. Or how about the fact that you invited just my husband to your own wedding, because you had uninvited me, while still sleeping with him? Does Todd know about that yet?”
The woman’s lips tightened, and her pale blue eyes narrowed on Jodi’s face. She tossed dull, reddish-brown hair away from her face and muttered, “You’re a bitch.”
Jodi felt Free’s body stiffen next to her, and she squeezed his hand tighter in her own, pulling him with her as she continued to walk. Jodi smiled with false sweetness, and said softly, “I’m okay with that. At least I’m not a backstabbing, home wrecking hussy.”
The small blonde that stood next to the redhead let her mouth fall open, and then the two of them turned and walked out the doors toward the parking lot, as Jodi and Free continued into the store.
Jodi released Free’s hand and scrubbed her shaking hands over her face, pushing her hair back away from her face and blowing out a tense breath. Free walked beside her silently, and she was grateful for him letting her have a moment to collect herself. He stopped to pull a cart from the carousel, and they made their way toward the baked goods.
As they walked, Free bumped his shoulder into hers and whispered, “Remind me not to get on your bad side. You’re kinda scary.”
Jodi laughed, ducking her head self-consciously. “I hate that woman.”
“I can tell,” Free chuckled, pushing the cart in front of him.Jodi stopped at a display stand and picked out several bags of croissants, placing them in the basket of the cart. “Your ex-husband sounds like a piece of work.”
“You have no idea,” Jodi muttered sourly, but shook her head dismissively when he glanced down at her. She smiled, reaching up on tiptoes to kiss his lips, and said, “I don’t want to talk about that right now.”
“You don’t have to hide anything from me, you know that, right?” Free said gently, straightening after kissing her back.
Jodi nodded, choosing a package of assorted muffins and placing them in the basket with the croissants. “I know. I promised I would answer any questions you have. I just want to enjoy your company for now, please.”
Free nodded, though Jodi could tell he was curious. She dreaded the conversation that would come.
Completing their shopping and heading back out to the truck, Jodi glanced over at him when his phone rang. He fished the cellphone out of his pocket, and she saw the name ‘Red’ come across the screen before he declined the call and put it back in his pocket. He smiled over at her. “I’ll call back later.”
“Who’s Red?” Jodi asked.
