Concealed Hearts (Hometown Jasper #4) - Nicky James Page 0,48
intense and erotic. It went on for a long time before we broke apart, breathless and shivering with our residual orgasms.
“This summer is never going to be enough,” he said. “I can’t see a day where I’ll ever want to give you up.”
Those few words lingered ominously in the air between us. He was right. What we’d shared was something I’d never allowed myself to have before. How could it come to an end? But how could it survive when neither of us was prepared to live an honest life?
* * *
The following few weeks were filled with dinners out on the back deck, long walks in the mountains, watching the sunset, stargazing, and chatting about life and our jobs. The one topic we never discussed was the future. Every night turned into a sweaty mess of tangled sheets and intense orgasms. When we slept, we were always touching or snuggled together.
We were lost in our own bubble, separate from the rest of the world. No one knew what we were about, and if we had it our way, that was exactly how it would stay.
The downfall was, I grew bored. There wasn’t much to do other than enjoy the mountain air or work on the few things I’d brought with me. Restricting myself to the cabin was proving tiresome, but heading into town was impossible. It made that restless energy inside me insufferable. When Windsor worked, my days dragged.
As much as I could tell he wanted to take more time off, his job didn’t permit it. The Jasper police force had minimal staff, and they worked everyone to the bone, trying to cover shifts and keep up with calls.
A few short weeks in Jasper had proved that two closeted men, known by everyone in the community, would be hard-pressed to carry on a secret relationship for any substantial length of time.
Chapter Eleven
Windsor
A steady buzz on the bedside table made me bury my head under the pillow. I’d been asleep for all of an hour, and I was not ready to take on the world until I’d tacked on at least four or five more.
My phone fell silent, and my muscles unfurled. I groped the other side of the bed, looking for the warm body who’d been curled up beside me not that long ago, but Tomi was gone. If I strained, I could hear him moving about in the kitchen. The scent of coffee drifted down the hallway, but even that tantalizing smell wasn’t enough to encourage my eyes to open.
I rolled over and pulled the covers tighter around me, floating back into the peaceful abyss that was sleep.
Until my phone started up again.
I groaned and slapped a hand in the general vicinity of the assaulting noise, trying to find it without opening my eyes. It crashed to the ground, landing on the hardwood floor and skidding away. I didn’t have the capacity to care, leaving it where it landed. At least it had gone quiet again.
The racket alerted Tomi, who came to investigate.
When the irritating buzzing started again, I heard him cross the room, pick up my phone, then move to the bed. I still refused to unearth myself from my pillow.
“It’s John, and he’s called six times. Maybe you should answer it.”
I grumbled something unintelligible.
The bed dipped as Tomi found a seat beside me. His soothing hand rubbed up and down my back between my shoulder blades. “Could be important.”
“I was on call all night. Just got home. Whatever it is, he can handle it.” My words jumbled together.
John disagreed, and my phone rang again.
I growled and shot a hand out from under the covers. “Gimme here.”
Tomi chuckled and fit the phone into my palm.
I cracked an eye wide enough to find the button to answer it then held the phone to my ear. “What?”
“Good morning, sunshine. Were you sleeping or getting laid?”
A spark of adrenaline surged through my bloodstream before I realized John was talking about the mysterious woman he was convinced I was seeing. He’d been razzing me about it for weeks.
“I’m sleeping, jackass. I just got home. What the hell is so important you have to call me ten times?”
“You did not just get home, you liar. And it was seven times.”
“John, I’m ten seconds from hanging up. One, two…”
“You need to get your ass to the high school.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Yeah, you do.”
“Why?”
“Because there’s something there you’ll wanna see.”
“Pretty sure you can handle it. I have faith in you. Now let me sleep.”