"What for?"
Her eyes were still shut but she could feel his gaze on her. Turning her head, she opened her eyes and met his. "For forcing you into this."
Jack snorted. "You didn't force me into anything."
"We'll have to agree to disagree on that." She tried to smile but was sure the hitch of her lips fell short. "I need to keep this between us for now. Please. Give me this week."
"You want to keep our marriage a secret?"
"Not a secret… Okay, yeah, I guess that's what I'm asking. We need to talk, and I don't have time to think never mind talk until after Saturday when we move into the new place."
"We?"
She bit her bottom lip, her gaze searching his. Could—should—she let him move in with them? It would be harder to keep their impulsive nuptials quiet if they shacked up together. "That's one of the things we need to talk about."
Jack sighed. "Look I get that this—" A car horn jerked both their gazes to the light in front of them. It was green. He hit the gas and they lurched forward. "Fine. But I'm not staying away. I meant what I said. I'm free to help in any way you need."
Giving in, letting him take on some of the million and one things she had to do this week, was hard. She hated relying on anyone. She'd never had a problem on the job; in spite of her need to be in control of everything else in her life, at work she was a team player. She just couldn't seem to be one in her personal life.
Except she had so much to do this week, and she didn't want to burden Mrs. Alverez with extra work or Penny who was coming up to the end of the school year and needed to concentrate on her studies.
Her sister had had to catch up on a year's worth of classwork in three months and Alyssa didn't want her to be distracted any more than necessary this close to completing the school year.
"Maybe you could take care of dinner on the nights you're not working?" It wasn't much. She knew that. And it probably wasn't as much as he wanted to do. Although knowing Jack, he'd find more ways to help her.
"I'll take care of it."
"Thanks." Turning to the side, Alyssa thought about how much she owed Jack. He got nothing out of their arrangement other than her arguing with him. He'd not only married her to help her keep Penny, he'd offered the help of his friend. She knew nothing about Keaton other than he was a lawyer and would do whatever Jack asked him.
And Jack had asked him to help her—help Penny.
She had to remind herself, as much as she needed to, that Penny was what mattered. If Jack and his friend could ensure her sister's safety, she shouldn't quibble about it. She definitely shouldn't argue about it. Neither man had asked anything of her. Not yet anyway.
God. She was such an idiot. They weren't going to ask for anything. Jack had helped her over and over again and not once had he asked for anything in return. Jeez, he hadn't even pushed her to change her mind about stopping the physical part of their friendship.
She'd waited too. Waited for him to pressure her. To touch her, to hold her hand, to kiss her, or do any of the things he'd done in those months before her sister landed on her doorstep.
But he hadn't. And she'd been grateful.
And disappointed.
If she were honest, she missed their closeness. Missed being able to cuddle in next to him while they watched TV. Missed running together. Missed watching him cook in her kitchen. Missed spending time with him talking. Missed the orgasms.
Fuck, did she miss the orgasms.
Getting herself off didn't deliver the satisfaction a Jack-induced orgasm did. Not even close. Self-delivered climaxes were barely above a sneeze after experiencing one of Jack's.
Dammit. She'd promised herself she wouldn't think about the sex. It wasn't like she couldn't get sex elsewhere. Hell, the guy who had his hands all over her on Saturday night at Davenport’s had tried to talk her into a quickie in the bathroom.
A smile curled her lips. She could only imagine Jack's reaction to that. Good thing the guy hadn't said anything within Jack's hearing. They might not be sleeping together but she had no doubt Jack would have decked the guy for propositioning her.
What would she have done if Jack had marked his territory more than he had? She might not have seen Jack's face, but she'd seen the other guy's and she knew if looks could kill, her would-be seducer would be six feet under.
Why did that make her belly flutter? Her thighs clench?
She hated it when guys acted territorial—controlling—and yet with Jack, she liked it.
Sighing, she rested her head on the side window and watched as he navigated the quiet early morning streets. One more thing she didn't have time—or energy—to think about.
