Page 10 of Love’s Patient Journey (The Relinquished #2)

J enna liked the way Ryan took care of her.

She would have never thought that possible since she thought of herself as a woman strong enough to take care of herself and her son.

While Ryan built a fire in the family room fireplace, she grabbed all the letters from Jake and his lawyers.

She also made some hot chocolate with marshmallows.

The late fall always gave Alabama warm days and cool nights.

She loved this weather. She could wear her shorts and t-shirts during the day, but the nights proved chilly.

She had wrapped herself up in a blanket that she kept on her bed, with just an oversized t-shirt on.

Ryan seemed to be warm-blooded and fine in just his boxers.

She loved seeing him sprawled out on her sofa, mostly naked. His big body took up most of the couch.

“I brought in our food and warmed it up,” he smiled up at her, gesturing to the coffee table where their two plates sat. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.” He flashed his sexy smile for her.

“I could eat,” she said, sitting down next to him on her sofa, and snuggled into his body. He handed her the plate and looked so serious that she worried.

“Ryan?” Jenna questioned.

“Baby, I am sorry that I ruined our night out. I wanted tonight to be special for you. You deserve a night out, honey.” He tucked her hair back from her eyes and softly kissed her lips. “I fucked up tonight, and I’m sorry.”

“Ryan, please stop apologizing. I wouldn’t change tonight, even if I could. My life is usually a little crazy. Tonight was wonderful, and the sex was insane.” She could feel her cheeks heat. Ryan gently brushed his knuckles over her face.

“Eat,” he took a forkful of steak, and she opened her mouth.

He fed her for a few minutes until she protested that he needed to eat.

Her food was so good, the steak practically melted in her mouth.

It had been a long time since she had such a nice dinner.

Most nights, she and Zac had mac and cheese or hot dogs.

The steak was a real treat. She knew that she was making all kinds of little noises, appreciating her food, but she couldn’t help it.

“Honey, if you keep making those little sex noises, I’m going to take you right here, on this sofa,” Ryan growled. “And, I want to finish our food, for a change, and I want to talk about this Jake problem. Then, I plan on taking you back to bed.”

She smiled at the promise of more sex. She was hoping that he would say that. “So, you are spending the night?”

Ryan nodded, “Yep, as long as you’re good with that.

I plan on spending a lot of nights with you, as long as you think it’s okay for Zac to see me here.

” Jenna wasn’t sure how she felt about that.

She hadn’t thought about a man being over while her son was home.

But this was Ryan, not just some guy. She knew that he wouldn’t do anything to upset or confuse Zac.

“We’ll take that slowly. As long as Zac is on board, then it’s okay with me. We just—well, we can’t have sex until he goes to bed.” Jenna fidgeted, not comfortable talking about her son and sex with Ryan.

“Then, you’ll be mine,” Ryan leaned in and took her mouth, sliding his tongue in to find hers.

He kissed and licked her lips until they were both out of breath.

There was that word again, “mine”; she didn’t want to get her hopes up, guessing what Ryan meant by it.

She wanted nothing more than to be his, but she wanted him for a long time.

She wasn’t sure that she could trust her feelings, let alone read his.

Ryan smoothed the wrinkles from between her eyebrows, and she realized that she was screwing up her face, thinking too hard.

“Honey, whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably not that bad,” he gave her a quick, hard peck on the lips.

“I don’t say anything that I don’t mean, and honey, I mean that you are mine. ” Jenna shivered at his words.

“Okay, baby, let’s take a look at those papers,” he gestured to the table, where Jenna had put them.

She set her plate on the coffee table and picked up the letters from the lawyers and Jake’s family.

She handed them to Ryan, not sure that she wanted to involve him in her legal business.

But Ryan had known the Ashbrook family since he was a kid, and he might be able to give her some insight into her problem.

“I just don’t know what to do about all of this,” she shook her head as Ryan read them over.

“I’m so worried that the Ashbrook’s will get their hands on Zac and that he’ll turn out just like Jake.

I talked to a lawyer, one time, because that was all I could afford.

The lawyer’s fees would be astronomical to fight them; I’d have to sell my house.

My parents have offered to help, but they can’t afford the fees any more than I can.

I just can’t fight someone with that much money and power.

I’m sure you heard how Mr. Ashbrook hired the best lawyers in the state to defend Jake.

He got off easy for what he did to my family.

” Ryan nodded his agreement, still looking over the papers.

“Jake did get off easy, honey, but I plan on making sure that the Ashbrook’s never touch you or Zac again.

I know a lawyer, Tom Gentry, we were in the Navy together—he’s a good friend.

I trust him with my life. He was a Naval lawyer but left to go into the private sector.

He is a partner in his dad’s firm, here in town.

I talked to him today, and he has agreed to look at your case.

” Ryan set the papers down and pulled Jenna into his lap.

“Wait—” She stiffened in his arms, alarms going off in her head. “You talked to him today? How is that possible when I just told you about this situation less than an hour ago?” Jenna started to climb off his lap, but Ryan gently held her in place.

“Don’t go getting upset, baby. When I went over to Karlie and Drew’s this morning, Drew told me that you were having trouble with Jake and his parents. He didn’t tell me much, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask my buddy to take a look at your case,” Ryan admitted.

Jenna eased a little and cuddled back into Ryan’s chest. “Sorry, I’m just very private when it comes to my and Zac’s personal lives.

I don’t like to ask for help. I feel like such a screw up sometimes because I believed everything Jake told me.

He cheated on my sister with me. I feel like I unleashed all his anger on my family, and that my sister and parents had to pay the price for my screw-ups.

The only good thing, no great thing, which came out of the whole mess with Jake was Zac.

I’d do it all again to have that little boy.

” She felt her eyes well up with unshed tears, and Ryan gently brushed her cheek as they fell.

“But now, I can’t let any of my problems touch my family. Karlie and Drew have Jemma, and they need to concentrate on their little family. My mom and dad are on the verge of being able to retire, and they deserve some happiness after what I put them through.”

“And who do you have, Jenna? Who’s there to stand by you?” Ryan was kissing her face, wiping her now flowing tears with his hands.

“I have Zac, and he has me,” Jenna sobbed.

Ryan pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her.

She felt so safe and comforted in his arms. Jenna knew that she could get lost in him, but that was also her greatest fear.

She didn’t want to ever get so caught up in a relationship that she lost sight of reality.

She never knew if she’d be able to trust a man completely again. Ryan made her want to try, though.

“Now you have me, Jenna. You and Zac both have me,” Ryan all but whispered his pledge to her, and she sighed, wanting to believe him.

“Ryan, you can’t just stop your life for me and Zac. I’m sure that you have a lot to do, now that you are home again.”

“Jenna, I already have a job lined up with the Department of Defense. I am living with my parents, much to my mother’s delight, until I can find a house.

I have the time, but even more importantly, I want to do this.

I told you; I want to take care of the two of you, and I meant it.

I have already arranged a meeting for us, Monday evening, with Tom.

Please, let me do this for you.” Jenna was quiet; she couldn’t decide what to do.

She didn’t want to ask Ryan for help with her ex-husband, but she also didn’t want to give up the chance to have a good lawyer working on her case.

Finally, she nodded, and Ryan blew out a breath that he must have been holding while waiting for her to answer.

“Okay, I’ll talk to your friend and let you help us, for Zac’s sake. But Ryan, I will pay you back for everything.”

∞