He backed away and left without another word. “Oh, thank God.” She scrambled to her dresser pulled out a new pair of panties and a clean bra, then headed for her closet for some jeans and a t-shirt. At this point, she only had time for a quick wash off from the sink. She scrubbed herself as best she could, rinsed and toweled off. She pulled her hair in a messy knot on top of her head, got dressed and headed out to her car.
Derek and Jack were just pulling in as she put the key in the lock. As soon as they pulled into the space next to hers, Jack jumped out and headed for her. He jumped into her arms giving her a huge hug, melting her heart. Now this little boy she could love.
“Hi, Miss Lissa, can I ride with you? My dad said it was okay if I did.”
“Well sure, Jack, I don't mind if your dad said it was okay.”
“I did, as long as I get one of those hugs too.” Derek made his way around the truck to her car and took her into his arms. In a very quiet whisper he lowered his lips to her ear, “I want a lot more, but I'll take what I can get.”
Her nipples went hard pressed against his chest. God, she wanted this man like no other. How could she not want him? He was like Mary-friggin-Poppins, practically perfect in every way, shape and form. He was her fantasy and then some. Him she feared she could love too. She just didn't want to get her heart broken.
He looked down between them, noticing her hard peaks.
She shrugged. Not much she could do about it. The bad thing was now Jack would probably see. She craned her neck in his direction and he was busy with a game, thankfully. “Alright, Jack we need to get going. Hop in and buckle up.” She felt like his mother when she said that. She wanted to be that for this perfect little boy so bad, she couldn't stand it. All of her maternal instincts seemed to kick in with him. She wanted to nurture and protect him.
“Yes, Ma'am.” He trotted around the car and plopped down in the passenger seat, pulled his belt around and clicked it. “I'm ready.”
“He's ready. I guess we should get going.” He hugged her again rubbing his groin against her. She could feel his erection against her belly. Her eyes went wide at his boldness. “Derek! Not in front of Jack.” She quickly opened her door and he made a hasty retreat to his truck.
“Are you excited about having gooey, cheesy, yummy pizza?”
“Yes. And I'm happy to be having it with you and daddy. Are you going to kiss him?” He waited patiently with his big blue eyes staring up at her.
She
so
didn't know how to answer this question. And what was it with him and kissing? But she didn't want to lie to Jack either. She figured his mom and dad must have kissed in front of him a lot for him to be so obsessed with it.
“Yes. Jack I want to kiss your dad.” There she said it.
He did a quick air pump. “Yeah, I knew it.”
She didn't understand what he was so excited about, but was happy he didn't seem to object. She checked her rearview mirror and saw Derek's truck following along behind her. She was tempted to blow him a kiss in the mirror. She knew he would see it as close as he was.
Out of nowhere, a silver car cut Derek off and slid in behind her. A silver car she knew. It was Rex. He'd followed her.
Shit!
He was weaving side-to-side trying to get up alongside her to no avail. She looked at him in the rearview and he had crazy eyes. She had never seen him this livid before and feared for hers and Jack's safety. The light ahead was turning yellow. She floored it and went under just after it turned red. That's when she saw the blue sports car on a collision course with Jack's side of the car. She let go of the steering wheel and dove over Jack's body hoping to take all the impact for him. She felt the jarring force of impact and held on to Jack for dear life. His door crumpled in and that was the last thing she saw before everything went black.
Derek watched in horror at Lissa and Jack both careening sideways as the blue car connected with her. He yelled for them and his heart sank. “Oh god, I can't lose you too.” Memories of his wife being killed came back with a vengeance. He stopped his truck and jumped out while dialing Nine-one-one. He ran to them to make sure they were okay. Jack seemed fine but he was crying.
Lissa, on the other hand, lay in Jack's lap, unconscious. Then there was a second man on the scene shouting Lissa's name. It was the jerk in the silver car that cut him off. But how did he know Lissa? Was he the reason Lissa had run the light?
“Lissa? Lissa? Jack, are you okay?” Derek asked, trying to get to his son. He wasn't getting a response from Lissa, which scared the shit out of him.
“Get the fuck away from my woman!” Rex shouted, running up on the car. Other bystanders were now approaching the scene too. Derek just wanted to hear Lissa's voice. And for the jerk too go away, whoever he was. He touched Lissa's leg and called her name and she started to move. “Lissa, stay still ,love.” Jack continued to cry and stare down at Lissa.
She moved around and held her head. “Jack? Ohmigod, Jack, are you okay?” She sat up and hugged him and he stopped crying almost instantly.
“I said get the fuck away from my woman.” The jerk yelled again. Derek was ready to deck the sonofabitch. The sounds of distant sirens were getting louder by the second, bringing back even more memories. He'd already lost one woman he loved, he wasn't prepared to lose another one. And yes, he realized he did love her in that very moment. He loved her and wouldn't let her go.
“Maybe you didn't hear me. I said get the fuck away from my woman. Lissy is mine.”
Bullshit.
The other man rushed him, trying to get him to the ground. Spectators just stood around them like watching a schoolyard brawl.
Derek fell back, but stayed on his feet.
The littler man swung wildly, not hitting anything but air.
Derek held him off at arm's length evading swings.
“Let go of me, you sonofabitch.”
“Hell, no. What the fuck is your problem?” Derek just barely evaded another wild swing. Whatever his problem was it was a big deal to the shorter man. There was no way Lissa could be attracted to this man. He wouldn't believe it in a million years.
“Rex, stop it! You crazy jerk, stop it!” There he had his answer. Now he could deck the crazed lunatic and be done with it. He let go of the smaller man taking a wild swing to the gut. He flinched in pain, but quickly shook it off and punched the man in the head so hard he swore he'd broken his hand.
The man went down with a thud to the pavement.
Derek went to Lissa, He held her gently not wanting to hurt her, but he wanted to take hold and not let go.
“I thought I lost you. What the hell were you thinking, going through the light like that?” The urge to kiss her was overwhelming.
The ambulance and the police showed up and Derek let go of Lissa long enough to check on the other driver, who appeared fine, just a little shaken up.
The medic attended to Lissa determined she had taken a knock to the head when the door caved in. Although she had a nice sized goose egg on her head she refused medical care, but Derek insisted she go to the hospital and get it checked out.
“I can't go. I can't afford it.” She pushed away from the medic.
“You were unconscious. You might have a concussion.” He placed his hands on his hips and flinched when his fist screamed in pain.
She looked down to his hand. “You need to get that looked at. It's swelling.” She gently grabbed the hand in question and kissed the knuckles.
That small act of tenderness just reaffirmed his love for her. Jack joined them at the back of the ambulance.
“Daddy, did you see what happened? Miss Lissa, saved me. She covered me up when the other car hit us. It was neat.”
That explained why she was lying across Jack. She had thrown herself over him to protect him. He wasn't a man for tears, but he felt the sting of wetness forming in his eyes. He had a lump in his throat he had to swallow. She had almost been killed by saving his son. All he wanted to do was hold her and get her to agree to marry him. He was sure of this, more so than anything else. Jack loved her and so did he. He just didn't know if she would say yes or not. He still had to find a few things out about her. Like who the unconscious creep was and why he tried to claim her. And, more importantly, why she was so afraid of love.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The police questioned Lissa about the accident and about the man lying on the ground.
“He's an ex-boyfriend who is stalking me and threatening me.” Now he wished he had killed the bastard. The police picked him up and searched him. He had a gun tucked in the back of his pants, no doubt intended for Lissa. They arrested him and handcuffed him to the stretcher. He had to be checked out for a concussion, as did Lissa.
Derek arranged for a tow for Lissa's car and followed the ambulance to the hospital.
After leaving the hospital, Lissa, Jack and Derek went to Marcello's Pizzeria and had dinner. Jack excused himself to go to the restroom, giving Lissa and Derek time to talk.
“Thanks for paying for my medical care. I'll pay you back as soon As I get paid.”
“No, you won't. You don't owe me a dime. I wanted to pay for it. I wanted to take care of you. You were lucky you didn't have a concussion.” It was on the tip of his tongue to say ‘I love you,’ but he caught himself. It was still a couple of days till Christmas, so he thought he might be able to make headway with her by then. He already knew she was having money trouble, otherwise she would never have agreed to play Santa's sexy helper. Not his Lissa, she was too classy for that.
“I feel obligated to you now.” She took a bite of her pizza, closed her eyes and moaned.
Derek went hard instantly. He wanted to see that look on her face as she was under him.
“Alright, then agree to spend another evening with me.” He would find out all he needed to know.
“Mmm, I've been looking forward to this all day. This and some sleep.”
“Yeah.” He nodded his head. “Me too. Somebody kept me up all night last night.” He winked at her then picked up a slice and bit into it.
She rolled her eyes at him. “Yeah, I wonder who that could have been. I remember it quite the opposite. I was the one who was woken up twice.”
“Will you spend another night with me?” He was on the edge of his seat, waiting for her answer.
“I'm back, Miss Lissa,” Jack climbed in next to her.
She took another bite of pizza and didn't look at Derek.
Dammit, he'd screwed up asking her about love. If he could kick his own ass, he would. He knew she wouldn't say anything in front of Jack. He'd have to get her alone again somehow and he knew just the trick. The restaurant had two video games by the restrooms and he'd give Jack a stack of quarters.
“Excuse me, for a moment. I need to get a refill on my drink.” He didn't need a refill, but he did need quarters. He stepped up to the counter where a freckled faced teenager stood texting on his phone. He noticed Derek standing there.
“Can I help you, sir?”
“Yeah, I need change for a five. Could you give me three dollars in quarters please?”
The boy made change and went back to texting. Derek refilled his drink and returned to the table. Jack had finished his slice of pizza.
“Hey, sport, you want to play those video games?” He pointed to the game machines over by the restrooms.
“Yes!” Jack did an air pump and hopped up and down. Derek pulled a pile of quarters out of his pocket and handed them to Jack. Jack filled his little pockets full and skipped off.
“Don't you think you spoil him a bit?” Lissa shook her head.
“He deserves it. He's been through a lot.” He looked fondly over at Jack.
“I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I need to learn to keep my big mouth shut.”
“I rather like you with your mouth open.” He adjusted in his seat and leaned forward.
She blushed a nice rosy color. “Hush, we're in public.” She looked around to people at nearby tables.
'I believe I've asked you a question twice this will make the third time. Do I need to punish you? Now will you spend another evening with me? It's a yes or no answer, love.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, what? I need to punish you or you'll spend the night with me?” He moved closer to her looking her in the eyes. He saw a flash of arousal when he mentioned punishing her. He didn't need an answer now, but wanted to hear it anyway.
“Yes, Sir, I will spend the night with you. And yes to the other thing too.” She smiled brightly at him.
Lifting the corner of his mouth, he smiled back. “I'm happy to hear both answers,” he lowered his voice to a whisper, “I plan to have you screaming by the night's end.”
His cock pressed painfully into his zipper as he sat at this tiny table in a wooden chair. He pulled his shirt out of his pants to try to cover his hard-on and thought of all the ways he could take her. He had to get her to trust him enough to open up to him. Now he needed to get Jack to have another sleep over. He thought about Mrs. Sanders, but she had already been more than generous. The only place left gave him a headache. Billy Jeffries's, house. God, what else would Jack learn from Billy's sister? He hated to think about it.
“Derek? Hello, earth to Derek.” She waved her hand in front of his face.
“Sorry, I was just thinking of all the things I could do to you.” He gave her a wicked smile and waggled his brows.
The rosy color was back in spades. “I can't believe you're doing this here.” She looked from side to side then took another bite of pizza.
Where else should I do it? I had to get you alone to talk to you. I still need to talk to you more. And I promise you we will. I could have lost you today. The same way I lost my wife and it scared the hell out of me.”
“I'm so sorry. I was just trying to get away from Rex. He scared me. I certainly didn't mean to put Jack at risk. I thought I would make it through. He told me if I wasn't there when he came back there would be hell to pay.”
“He was in your apartment. Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped you, Lissa. You're not alone anymore. You have me and Jack.”