Page 18 of Jilted

Amy sucked in a breath and opened her legs a little wider, loving the way he touched her, stroking her desire to an out-of-control level. Then again, simply being around him had that effect on her. He didn’t have to tease her to get her to beg. She was willing to do that at any given time.

She groaned when Brett stopped touching her. “Two can play this game, y’know?”

He put his hands on the counter on either side of her legs, put his face inches from hers, and said, “Let the games begin.”

Brett’s ringing cell phone prevented Amy from responding. He pulled it from his back pocket, looked at the screen, smiled, and then answered. “Hello?”

“Are you dead in a ditch somewhere or did you forget how to use that fancy cell phone of yours?”

Brett’s mom. From the tone and level of her voice, Amy knew Ginny wasn’t happy with Brett. Amy smiled. Mrs. Hudson was funny when she got angry with Brett. She was also feisty as hell.

“No, Mom, I’m fine.” He put the call on speaker and held the phone away from his ear. “There’s no need to yell.”

“Brett Matthew Hudson! Do not tell your mother not to yell when you promised to call and haven’t.

One minute you’re in the basement of the church and the next you’re on a plane flying across the country with no warning at all.

And before you say anything, leaving a message on our answering machine is not acceptable.

What the heck is wrong with you? Why on earth would you go on your honeymoon alone?

You should be with people who care about you, who can help you through this. ”

“I’m sorry,” he said, fighting to suppress a smile.

Amy eyed him curiously. What was he up to?

“I should’ve let you know that I was leaving, and I should’ve called to let you know I was okay,” he said.

Amy leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. He wasn’t a momma’s boy, but he did love and respect his mother – a quality Amy always admired and loved.

“Damn right you should have.” Ginny sighed. “So, how are you? Are you doing okay? You’re eating and taking care of yourself right?”

“Yes, Mom.” Brett rolled his eyes.

Amy smacked him on the chest and mouthed the words, “Be nice.”

“I’m fine, I promise. I’m eating and relaxing and taking care of myself,” he said.

“Are you sleeping?” Ginny pressed.

Brett looked at Amy and winked. “Not as much as I should be.”

Amy felt her face flush with warmth. She hoped to God Brett didn’t tell his mother about them. Not yet anyway. Amy was still adjusting to the idea, and she wanted to keep Brett – and their new relationship – all to herself for a little bit longer.

“You shouldn’t be alone, Brett. Please, come home. You can stay with me and your father for a few days. Your brother is still here, too.”

“Mom.” He laughed. “I’m not alone.”

“You’re not? Well...who’re you with?” Ginny paused for a brief moment, and then added, “Oh, Brett, please don’t tell me you met someone.”

He laughed again. “Relax, Mom, I’m here with Amy.”

“Amy? What...how...? You put her on the phone right now.”

“Okay, hold on.” Brett turned the speaker off and held the phone behind his back.

Then he captured Amy’s lips in a kiss that took her momentarily by surprise. She closed her eyes and leaned into him, savoring the taste of his tongue probing her mouth, of his soft lips working against hers.

He broke the kiss and whispered, “Don’t tell her about us, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.” She knew why she didn’t want to tell Ginny, but why didn’t Brett want her to know? He handed her the phone and she took it. “Hello, Mrs. Hudson.” Amy hopped down off the counter and walked into the living room.

“Oh, Amy, dear, I’m so glad to hear you’re with Brett. Tell me, how’s he doing? Honestly.”

Amy turned to look at Brett, who was leaning against the counter and smiling at her. “He’s doing just fine, Mrs. Hudson, I promise. I’m taking good care of him.”

“You have no idea how happy I am to hear that. Whatever you do, do not let him go back to that horrid woman.”

Amy laughed. “I don’t think that’s going to be a problem.”

“Good. When you get back, Dean and I want to have you over for dinner.”

“Sounds like a plan.” She glanced at Brett. He had a look on his face that said, “What are you getting me into?” Amy waved her fingers at him and then turned her back on him.

“Okay, you two take care and have fun. Be sure my son calls me tomorrow.”

“I will.” Amy hung up, then handed the phone back to Brett.

“So? What did she say?”

“That I was to take care of you, make sure you don’t go back to that horrid woman, and that I had to come over for dinner when we got back.”

Brett laughed. He took the phone from her hand and pulled her into his arms. “I have to agree with my mom’s orders this time.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.” He closed the short distance between them and slanted his lips over hers, kissing her with a soft determination. “At least I don’t have to worry about my parents liking you.”

Amy laughed. “You really are such a dork.”

“Okay, well this dork is going to go get us some food. What do you want?”

“Surprise me.”

He winked. “You got it.”

He headed toward the door and then stopped. Turning around and walking back to her, he slid his hand over her cheek and into her hair.

Brett kissed the top of her head and said, “I’m so sorry, Amy.”

She turned her face up to look at him. “For what?”

“For not seeing what’s been right in front of me all this time.”

“Don’t be sorry. You had no idea how I felt about you,” she whispered.

He put his hands on either side of her face and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. “You’re my best friend. I should’ve known.”

She pressed her lips to his and answered him with a kiss.

He wrapped his arms around her back and held her tight to his body.

Kissing him, being in his arms would never get old.

Amy was exactly where she always wanted to be, and she would do whatever it took to keep things just as they were right then.