Nonstop (Open Skies #3) - Becca Jameson Page 0,32

“You want to bake with me?”

“Yep.”

“Gotta say, even though I never really visualized myself dating someone for any length of time, I certainly didn’t picture him wanting to spend the day doing my favorite thing—baking.”

“I can’t believe I met a woman who agrees with me that baking is the best pastime. We’ve won the dating lottery.”

Two hours later, Bracken was grinning from ear to ear as this amazing woman worked next to him in his kitchen. Her side was far messier than his, but he didn’t care if she threw the flour up in the air and let it snow down around them. It was so much fun working with her.

His mind started running ahead of him, thinking of the possibilities. He needed to broach the subject of her switching careers again. He knew she didn’t see it as a viable option, but she was wrong. And he intended to talk her into it. Maybe not today but soon.

After months of boredom that made Bracken feel lazy and old, Bex was like a fountain of youth. She was making him think about the future and what it could look like. He didn’t have to spend the rest of his life lounging around working part-time. Maybe, just maybe, he could start a new venture, with her.

It was too soon to bring it up, and he still needed to wrap his head around their age difference and what it would mean to them long term, but he felt hope.

His grand plan for the moment was to convince her to sleep in his bed every night and cook in his kitchen every day. Hopefully, within a few weeks, he could get her to see how damn good they were together and how feasible her career change could be.

Meanwhile, he needed to somehow manage to get her to talk to her therapist and open up to him. Little things. Nothing insurmountable. He hoped.

Chapter 14

Two weeks later…

Bex was on cloud nine. Somehow, she had slid into a new normal. She hadn’t been back to her condo except to pick up more clothes, check the mail, and spend a few minutes touching base with Shayla every few days. She’d slept with Bracken every night for two weeks. Slept. No sex.

They’d had some amazing make-out sessions, including several repeats of the hot tub scene, but she had worn her usual nighttime attire to bed every night and Bracken hadn’t made a move to change things.

Surprisingly, she had only woken up gasping twice. Both times on the nights after she saw her counselor. Dr. Rawlins said it was normal. Fridays were the day Bex had to face her demons and doing so left her a bit raw.

Today was Saturday and Bex woke up to find Bracken staring at her. He was also stroking her shoulder.

She winced as she remembered bolting upright in the night, gasping, confused, sweating, stressed. “Ugh,” she moaned at the onslaught of memories.

He smiled. “You knew it might happen. It was Friday again. It just means you’re working through things with Dr. Rawlins.”

She sighed. “I don’t think it means that at all. The only thing I’ve told her is that I don’t think I can go back to work in a week.”

He nodded. “But seeing her stirs up memories, whether or not you share them.”

“I guess.”

“If nothing else, you’re working through the feelings you have from the trafficker.”

“Yeah.” She sighed. Was she though? Did that really matter?

Bracken cupped her face and slid closer to her, their bodies aligned. His expression was intense. “I want to ask you something, and you don’t have to answer if you don’t want.”

“Okay.” She pursed her lips, bracing herself for the unknown.

“Who’s Jenny?”

Bex stopped breathing. For a moment she simply stared at him, unmoving, unblinking. Her mind seemed to stop. Finally, she closed her eyes and rolled onto her back.

Bracken leaned over her and kissed her shoulder. “You don’t have to tell me, baby. I was just curious. All three times you’ve woken up gasping, you’ve mentioned her.”

“I don’t want to talk about her.”

“Okay,” he whispered, snuggling closer, wrapping his arm around her so that his body pressed into hers. He really was the kindest man she’d ever met. “Have you talked to Dr. Rawlins about her?”

“No.” Bex gritted her teeth and forced herself to breathe steadily. Inside she was having a panic attack.

Bracken lifted up, hovering over her. He cupped the side of her face again. “Look at me, Rebekah.”

She met his gaze, but she was struggling to breathe.