BeForeplay Read Online Free Page B

turns
around and I begin to wash him. This isn’t sexual. This is me
taking care of a broken man that I care deeply about. When I reach
his feet the tears have subsided.
    He startles me a little when he speaks, his
voice is deep and sad. “I had to tend to that sorry piece of
shit.”
    “I’m sorry, Jack, that must have been very
difficult. But it doesn’t mean you condone anything he did.” I
stand and he rinses off while mumbling, ‘you have no idea.’
    I shut the shower off and grab the towels. I
wrap one around myself and start to dry him off. He tries to stop
me but I tell him, “Let me do this for you.” He does and when I’m
done he hugs me tightly to him.
    He kisses the top of my head, lays his cheek
on it and says, “Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me.
I don’t know what I would have done if I had to go home to an empty
house.” He starts rubbing his hand up and down my back. “Are you
doing okay? I noticed you already had a cake made and were working
on some cookies. I remember you telling me you bake when you get
upset.”
    “You’re welcome and I’ll be okay. Are you
hungry?”
    “Not really but I need to eat something. Do
you have anything light? Or I could order something to be
delivered.”
    “It’s too late to order delivery, besides I
have plenty to choose from. Come on let’s get dressed.” Last month
he brought over a few things and left them here so he didn’t have
to worry about going home and packing a bag if he was coming after
work.
    While we’re getting dressed I tell him, “I
have a few things that’ll be light. Grilled tuna steak with some
greens. A salad with grilled chicken, egg, and feta cheese. Or a
spinach and feta quiche. What sounds good?”
    We’re walking towards the kitchen when he
laces his fingers through mine and kisses the back of my hand. “Any
of it sounds good. Whatever is the least trouble and I can help
make it.”
    I smile at him and point at a bar stool for
him to sit at. He does and I turn the oven back on to finish up the
cookies. “I have everything cooked already I only need to assemble
it. Drink?”
    “Water, please. What do you have a taste
for?”
    “Any of it but I asked you to decide.”
    “How about the tuna and greens.”
    “Coming right up.”
    We have dinner and I finish baking the
cookies. When I have everything cleaned up and put away we go to
bed. While we’re brushing our teeth I ask what time he has to be to
work tomorrow. He has to be there by six so I set the alarm for
five. He lays down so we’re face to face. He starts stroking my
hair, looking at me like he wants to say something, leans in and
gives me a tender kiss.
    “I’m going to be holding onto you tight
tonight.”
    I nod my head and roll over. He pulls me to
his front and his arm tightens around me. With a kiss to my head he
tells me thank you and sleep good.
    I put my hand over his, squeeze it and tell
him sweet dreams.
    Every time I shut my eyes I see Sophia, her
tiny body on the gurney covered with bruises. I keep my eyes open
and just lay there. When Jack’s breathing evens out and I can hear
him lightly snoring I lift his arm up, move out from under it and
put a pillow in my place. I quietly shut the bedroom door when I
leave. I’ll be in the kitchen baking and the last thing I want is
to wake him up. He needs his sleep. I have the next two days off.
Hopefully I’ll never have to go back. I can’t do it. That was too
much for me to handle. I’m resigning tomorrow but I’ll stay as long
as they need me to. I’m hoping Tasha can pull some strings so I
don’t have to though.

Chapter
    7

    I make the frosting for my crème cake, frost
and decorate it. I don’t want to take the chance of waking Jack but
I need to occupy my mind so I grab my kindle and head out back to
my favorite reading spot, the hammock. I turn the bug zapper on, so
I don’t get all bit up, and climb in.
    I love, love, love The Men of Steel series by
MJ Fields. I’ve