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The sadness in his gaze broke her heart. Little did he know she’d considered going to the police at least a hundred times, especially after she learned she wasn’t their first victim, and this was a sick little game they played. But every time she thought she worked up the nerve, she chickened out. She just couldn’t bear the thought of everyone knowing what happened to her, and how stupid she was for falling victim to them.
Joe’s shoulders slumped. “I wish I could fix this for you. I feel so helpless, I wish I knew what to do to make it better for you,” he said as his eyes filled with tears. He turned away from her and lowered his gaze to the floor.
She reached over and placed her fingers on his chin and turned his head back in her direction so she could make eye contact with him. “You have made it better for me. You couldn’t have handled it more perfectly for me. You’ve been here for me, even when I haven’t treated you so nicely. You’ve stuck by my side...so far.”
––––––––
“There’s more, isn’t there?” Joe asked, noticing her watery gaze.
“I need to go to the doctor.” Tears spewed from her eyes.
He swept her back onto his lap, hugged her tightly, and rocked her back and forth as she cried and clung to him. His heart bled for her.
“I’ll go with you, sweetheart. You don’t have to do this alone. Just tell me when and where, and I’ll be there.”
As he held her, his head nearly burst from the anger that swelled within him. He wanted so badly to hop a plane to New York and kick the shit out of Mr. James.
She cried herself to asleep in his arms.
Holding her as she slept, he wondered what to do with her. He certainly didn’t want to send her home, and knew he couldn’t have her in his bed. It crossed his mind to just let her sleep on the couch, but he feared the kids would wake early and interrupt her sleep.
With her in his arms, he rose from the couch. She didn’t seem to realize she was being moved. He carried her to his bed and gently slid her under the covers, and then he sat on the edge and watched her sleep for a while longer as he weighed his options.
When it came down to it, he loved her, and no matter what happened that wouldn’t change. Someday she would be his and he would marry her, and if that meant taking a child into his heart that wasn’t biologically his, so be it. He loved every part of her, and he could love a child made by her.
He grabbed a pillow and blanket from the hall closet and attempted to make himself comfortable on the futon in his office. He tossed and turned until the early morning hours, at which time he finally drifted off to sleep.
* * * *
Elizabeth opened her eyes to find herself in an unknown bedroom, but it didn’t take her long to realize where she was. Joe’s scent radiated from the sheets and pillows surrounding her.
I could get used to waking up to this smell every morning.
She pulled the sheet up and inhaled. Glancing around the room, she wondered how she’d gotten into his bed, and she couldn’t help but wonder where he was. God, she was hot. She was still fully clothed, covered up, and sweating. She glanced at the alarm clock and saw it was only 2:00 a.m.
A rocking chair with a T-shirt flung over the back sat in the corner of the bedroom. She rose from the bed, stripped off her sweater, bra, and jeans, grabbed the garment, and pulled it over her head. She wrapped her arms around herself and pressed the material to her weary naked skin. Joe’s scent lingered in the fabric, both soothing and comforting her.
As quietly as she could, she tiptoed across the squeaky floor toward the door. She peeked down the hall to see if there was any activity. No kids in sight. She padded down the hallway toward the living room expecting to find Joe.
The living room was empty.
She headed back down the hall toward the bedrooms and peeked inside Max’s room to find him alone, and then she glanced inside Molly’s room and saw she was alone. Her attention turned toward Joe’s office. He was sleeping on the futon. She tiptoed inside, shutting the door behind her, and she continued lightly on her feet toward the futon.
Reaching downward, she carefully lifted the covers, and was just about all the way in when his eyes popped open.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you. I just wanted to be close to you,” she whispered as she snuggled against his warm, firm body. She rested her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. The beating of his heart relaxed her.
God this feels good. She drifted off to sleep.
––––––––
Joe wasn’t as lucky as Elizabeth. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t fall asleep. He grew hard and ached with need. He shifted his position. It didn’t help.
Somewhere along the line, he’d fallen asleep, only to be woken by the sunlight now streaming through the blinds. The spot Elizabeth occupied earlier was empty, but the indentation in the pillow was still present. So it wasn’t a dream, she had really come to him in the night. He smiled, pulled the pillow to his nose, and inhaled. He’d never tire of her tantalizing ‘fresh spring morning’ scent. But where was she now?
Suddenly, voices radiated down the hall from the kitchen. He rose from the futon, slipped on his jeans and T-shirt, and headed in the direction of the sound where he found Elizabeth, Max, and Molly seated at the kitchen table eating oatmeal.
“What’s this?” he asked, drawing their attention.
