Page 56 of Love Unbound
She walked forward until she stood directly beside the bed, looking down into the tiny face of a newborn child. The beautiful baby had a head of dark hair that lay against the woman’s naked breast.
A strong, work roughened hand reached out to touch the baby’s soft cheek, a silver ring glinting in the aura of light surrounding the woman and newborn. A wedding band. Those familiar, work roughed fingers moved upward to twine into the woman’s vibrant hair. The woman looked up, smiling radiantly into the face of the man standing beside her.
She looked up too, following the line of the man’s arm until she could see his face.
The look of undiluted love on his face as he looked down at the new mother and child was enough to suck the air of her lungs like a vacuum. She cried out, but there was no sound,and she took an involuntary step back as if she’d been dealt a physical blow.
Free leaned down to press a tender kiss to the woman’s lips, whispering adoringly, “I love you…”
Those shadows from the hallway swallowed her as she fell backward, a silent scream of terror escaping her as she passed through the floor and fell and fell and fell, the picture of pure bliss on Free’s face haunting her as she tumbled endlessly through nothing…
Jodi jackknifed upright in bed, a strangled cry tearing from her throat. Tears streamed down her face as she gasped in lungful after lungful of air. The sheets were twisted around her legs, her body naked beneath the sheets. Free woke, startled, and he sat up, reaching for her in the dark.
“Jodi, what’s wrong?” he asked, anxiety making his voice crack, as his hands scoured over her body, as if searching for a cause for her alarm. She was drenched in sweat, and she shivered from cold. Jodi’s body shook as sobs wracked her. Panic tinged his voice as he beseeched, “Jodi, sweetheart, talk to me.What’s wrong?”
“Ohhh,” Jodi sobbed wretchedly, reaching for him blindly, burying her face in his chest as he gathered her into his arms, rocking her there gently. He scooped her close, moving her so she was in his lap, continuing to run his fingers over her hair, her face, her body. She cried into his chest for long minutes as he held her.
“You’re okay, sweetheart,” he whispered gently against her temple. His voice was a soothing balm against the terror and heartache that had flooded her. “It was just a nightmare. I’m right here. You’re okay.”
“Don’t go,” Jodi whimpered, tears still trailing down her cheeks. “Don’t leave me. Please.”
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m right here,” Free whispered back, smoothing her hair away from her face. “You’re okay.”
Jodi shook her head, turning in his arms. Frantic, she wanted—needed— to assure herself he was there and that he was still hers, at least for now. She reached for his mouth with her own. Her body was tired and deliciously sore from earlier. Her legs ached and the junction of her thighs was tender, but she didn’t care, she needed him now.
Free’s mouth settled on hers, gently at first, but he must have sensed the urgency behind her kiss, because within a heartbeat he growled and twisted her around so that she could place her legs on either side of his hips. Jodi felt him, already hard, against her belly. Raising herself up, she moved over him and impaled herself on his steely length. Jodi felt more than heard the savage groan as it rumbled through his chest as she began to move, riding him. He grasped her hips, his hands none too gentle, as he delved deeper into her.
It was quick and almost brutal in its intensity. He used his strength to pound upward into her, and Jodi’s arms locked around his neck, her legs burning, but still, she didn’t stop. His mouth ravaged hers, and when she threw her head back in rapture as she came hard around him, that magical mouth ravaged her throat, leaving love marks on the tender skin there. Jodi sobbed his name, holding on as tightly as her unravelling body would allow. A growl caught in Free’s throat, and he shuddered a heartbeat before hauling her off him, groaning as he came, jetting onto her skin.
Jodi slumped against him, her hair cascading over his shoulder where her head lay against his sweat slicked skin. She pressed kisses to the side of his neck, her fingers trailing along the smoothness of his chest, playing with the hair that dusted his upper chest and torso. One of Free’s hands sank into the curls at the back of her neck, cupping the back of her head gently even ashe panted raggedly into the darkness. The other hand squeezed the meaty part of her hip where it connected with her ass, then soothed, feather light across her skin.
As their breathing returned to normal, Free turned his head and pressed a lingering kiss to her temple, then tipped her face up to kiss her mouth tenderly, belying the ferocity of their coupling from moments ago. They exchanged breaths and fleeting, air light kisses, staring into each other’s eyes, the only light a sliver of glittering moonlight that filtered in through the window across the room. Jodi ached to say the words she felt on the tip of her tongue with every fiber of her being, but lacked the courage.
Instead, she drew the words with her fingers along the skin of his chest, directly over his heart. It was all the courage she could muster in the inky shadows of the room.
Jodi swallowed hard and whispered so quietly it was merely breath, her lips still grazing his, “I need you.”
Pressing another achingly tender kiss to her lips, Jodi could barely hear him when he whispered back through the night that surrounded them like a cloak, “I need you, too.”
Chapter 41
The Tuesday after Labor Day was pure chaos at the bookstore, just as Jodi had guessed it would be. They had closed for the holiday, allowing Jodi, Tessa, and Kit to each spend the day with their families and friends. Free had driven Jodi to work, insisting on making sure the shop was secure after the long holiday before the three women went in.
Jodi had carried in the beverage tray of coffee and tea while Free checked the entire interior of the building, Tess right behind her with a large box of freshly baked goods. They had immediately gotten started unboxing the treats, and Kit came flying in through the door moments later with breakfast sandwiches from down the way.
Free’s phone rang, and Jodi watched him answer it, frowning when no one responded on the other end. He hung the phone up and tucked it back into his pocket. He ducked his head and kissed her quickly, then took his leave.
The three women sipped their beverages and ate the breakfast sandwiches between tasks and conversations about their weekends.
Tessa was in the front of the shop with a customer, and Jodi and Kit were unpacking a box of new releases when the other woman stopped and stared at Jodi for a long moment. She straightened and Jodi looked up, wide eyed. “What?”
“You’re in love with him, aren’t you?” she whispered quietly.
Jodi rolled her eyes, but her heart fluttered at hearing the words out loud. She hadn’t allowed herself to say them, even toherself, out loud. “I like him.”
But Kit shook her caramel-colored hair, her soft honey brown eyes keen as always. “No, this is more.”
Jodi straightened, though she ducked her head, fidgeting with the row of buttons down her blouse. “I know,” she whispered forlornly.
