Page 29

“ B aby? What are you doing up?” Jenner asked as he walked into the office.

Immy let out a startled cry and the book she’d been reading slid off her lap onto the floor. He walked further into the room and picked it up.

“ The Spell Book: A Book of Dastardly, No-Good Spells ,” he read. “Good title. Tells it to you straight.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought too.”

“What are you looking for?” he asked.

“Oh, you know. I thought maybe a spell to make someone’s hair fall out. Or an itching spell.”

“And who are you going to aim those spells at?” he asked.

“I don’t know. Someone.”

He studied her closely. “Someone?”

She wouldn’t look him in the eyes and she was shifting around on her seat like she needed to pee.

Clear signs that she was lying. Immy always needed to pee when she lied.

“You’re lying to me, Immy,” he said in a quiet, stern voice. “I didn’t think we lied to each other.”

Her gaze rose to his. “Sorry.”

He settled next to her on the sofa and placed the spell book on the coffee table. All of the drapes were pulled and she had the lights on.

Jenner drew her close, wrapping his arm around her and drawing her scent into his lungs. God, it felt like he hadn’t been this close to her in so long.

He’d been working so hard to make sure they were secure, but he was starting to wonder if it was worth it.

Not when it meant he barely got to see her.

Everything he did was for his girl.

Even if she didn’t know it.

Even if she could never fully be his. But became someone else’s.

That was a bitter pill to swallow.

Grabbing the soft blanket she had over herself, he drew it over his legs.

“Tell me what’s going on, baby,” he murmured.

Immy would always be his baby. No matter what.

God, he loved her. He loved her with everything he was. But he couldn’t trust himself with Immy.

“I was looking for a spell that might show who the new Deity is.”

Jenner stiffened. Shit. He’d thought that he’d managed to allay most of her fears. But he should have known.

Fear like that didn’t just disappear.

The Deity had been the bogeyman in their lives for a long time. Unfortunately, that had continued even after he’d died.

Sometimes it felt like he always would be.

“We’re gonna keep you safe, Immy. No one will touch you.”

She shifted around so her legs were bent up against her chest and stared at him incredulously. “I’m not worried about me!”

Of course she wasn’t.

His girl would put the world before herself.

“I’m worried about Maeve. What if someone else comes after her? Or Cat? Or what about one of you? You’re all so focused on protecting us, what about if one of these guys comes after you?”

“First of all, both Cat and Maeve are well-protected.”

He knew that Sampson would prefer that they were all under one roof so that he could protect them. But Jenner thought it was better this way. Gray wouldn’t let anything else happen to Maeve. And Alejandro had Cat protected. Cat was a wildcard. No way they could keep her safe here.

Immy had always been more cautious. She would listen to their orders.

Mostly.

Sometimes it seemed that all he did was worry about her.

Day and night.

His thoughts were constantly filled with his girl.

“And we’re going to keep you safe. And ourselves. You’re safe here. In the house.” Isaiah had bumped up their security.

“I can’t stay in the house all the time.”

“Sure you can.”

“Jenner, I’ll go crazy.”

“You like staying at home, though,” he pointed out.

“Not all the time. Besides, you have some more concerts coming up.”

“I’m thinking about canceling them,” he admitted.

“You can’t cancel them. They’re booked out. Jenner, you’ll disappoint your fans.”

He knew that. And he hated to do it. But he couldn’t imagine going to these concerts while there was this threat hanging over their heads.

“I think you and Tobias should stay here,” he told her.

“You don’t want me there?”

Shit. Fuck.

Why didn’t he think before he said shit like that?

Jenner cupped the side of her face and tilted her head back. “I always want you with me. Understand? Always. You’re my light. The sweetest thing in my life. And I can’t be without you.”

Shit. He needed to be careful.

“But what I want most in this life is for you to be safe. More than I want my own happiness and safety. You have to be protected, Immy. And if that means staying here, then here is where you’ll stay.”

Immy didn’t like that at all.

Not that he didn’t want her to be safe. But that he prioritized it above everything else.

Including his happiness.

He shouldn’t do that.

“I want you to be safe and happy, though,” she whispered.

Jenner gently brushed her hair off her face. “I’ll be fine, baby. You’re what’s important. It’s always been you.”

Immy sucked in a breath. Was this what she’d been waiting for? Was he going to make a move on her?

Maybe you should make a move on him.

“Jenner,” she whispered, sliding onto his lap and facing him.

“Yeah?” He stared up at her with half-lidded eyes.

Was she really going to do this? She cupped the side of his face and then leaned in. She heard his breath hitch and she pressed her lips to his.

Oh. God.

It was everything she’d ever imagined. And so much more. She ran her tongue along his lips. Immy didn’t have a lot of experience with kissing. Bob had tried. That’s when she’d realized he wanted more than friendship and she’d run out on him.

But she’d read about kissing. And this had sounded hot. She’d always wanted to try it. She moved up onto her knees so she was looming over Jenner. He smelled so good and his lips were soft and warm and everything she’d ever wanted.

Then he drew her back and she let out a groan of disappointment.

No. No. No.

He couldn’t stop. She wasn’t ready for this to be over.

But instead of stopping, he put his hand behind her neck and pulled her back down. His mouth slid over hers and his tongue slipped between her lips.

Immy let out a groan of approval.

That felt so darn good.

“More,” she whispered. “More, please.”

He twisted her hair around his hand and tugged. Hard.

Whoa.

That was unexpected. The pain brought tears to her eyes and she almost asked him to stop. But, weirdly, that pain morphed into a strange sort of pleasure.

“Ooh,” she moaned.

“You like that,” he whispered.

“Yes. Please. More.”

He slid his mouth down her neck, nipping and licking.

Holy. Monkey. Balls.

She had never experienced anything like this before. There was a small voice inside her that said she should tell him to slow things down. That she needed some time to catch her breath.

But if he stopped, then he might not start again.

She didn’t want to risk that.

So she kept her mouth shut as he cupped her breast through the T-shirt.

He slid his hand under her T-shirt without saying anything. Shouldn’t he say something?

Maybe you need to tell him that you’re not exactly experienced at this.

Then he pinched her nipple and cupcakes! She’d never experienced anything like it. The pain was intense, but then he lightly rubbed his thumb over her nipple and it morphed into pleasure.

More. More. More.

Her clit throbbed and her pussy grew so wet. Even wetter than it did when she was reading one of her sexy stories.

“Jenner, it feels so good. Please,” she begged. “I want you. Please, Jenner. Make love to me.”

Then he froze.

And it was like a cold breeze came into the room. He moved her off his lap, staring at her in . . . in horror.

What was wrong? Why was he looking at her like that? This was not supposed to happen. He was supposed to carry her to bed and make love to her. Or was that what was wrong? Had she used the wrong words?

Dumb, Immy.

“Oh my God, Immy, I’m so sorry.”

“Sorry?” she whispered as she drew her legs up to her chest, covering her breasts.

What was happening right now?

Why was he apologizing?

This was nothing like what she’d read. And she didn’t like it. In fact, she was starting to feel upset.

“I shouldn’t have . . . I shouldn’t have touched you like that . . . kissed you. That isn’t . . . I’m so sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” she whispered. “I started it. I kissed you.”

He shook his head. “Not acceptable. You . . . I shouldn’t do that to you.”

Why not? What was wrong with her?

Did he not want her? But it had seemed like he had.

Then what was the problem?

Immy’s temper started to stir, but before she could snap at him, he stood and started to pace. And there was something in his slumped shoulders that made her hesitate.

“I’m so sorry.” He ran his fingers through his hair and there was almost a . . . a haunted look on his face.

Suddenly, her anger was gone and concern replaced it.

“Jenner, what’s wrong?”

“I am. I’m fucking wrong. I was wrong to do this.”

Yeah. Something was definitely wrong and she stood, stepping closer to him, reaching out for his hand. “Jenner.”

“No!” He flinched back.

Immy’s breath caught in her lungs. Oh no. Had she done this to him? Was he scared of her?

“Fuck, I’m sorry, Immy. I just . . . are you all right? Please tell me you’re all right.”

He sounded so close to the edge that it scared her.

“Jenner, I’m fine.”

“Did I hurt you?”

“No,” she said in confusion. “How would you have hurt me?”

“I don’t know. It was wrong. Shouldn’t touch you. Not Immy.”

“Jenner. You’re scaring me.”

Somehow, thankfully, those words seemed to get through to him and he looked straight to her. "Shit. I'm sorry, Twinkles.”

“I’m fine. Better than fine. I actually liked what we did.”

“It can’t happen again. It won’t. I’m sorry, Immy.”

“I really wish you’d stop apologizing,” she told him. “It’s making me feel a bit weird.”

“Um, yeah. Right. Let’s, um, just get you back to bed. Yeah?” He reached out to take her hand.

Immy had to fight hard to let him. Because she was feeling so weird about all of this. But at the end of the day, Jenner was her best friend and she didn’t want to lose him.

Perhaps this was why she shouldn’t get involved. Why he’d never taken that step with her . . . because he knew it could ruin things between them.

Had she ruined things between them?

Because this was all on her. She’d kissed him. This was all her fault.

So she pushed herself to take his hand and let him lead her upstairs to her bedroom. All of the drapes and blinds were closed like usual. Her bedroom was well lit as he stepped inside and walked her over to the bed.

It was like he was moving automatically, without any real thought as he tucked her into bed and then leaned in to kiss her forehead.

“Jenner?” she whispered as he straightened.

“Yes?”

“We’re okay, right?”

He smiled. “Of course we are, baby. I can’t ever imagine a situation where we wouldn’t be okay. Sleep well.”

He said all the right things. Did the right things.

But she would have felt a lot better if he’d looked her in the eyes as he said that.