But, as I quickly learned, Jameson was a generous lover, and he took delivering a copious number of orgasms very seriously.
With the windows of my Jeep rolled down, my hair danced chaotically in the breeze as the music blasted from the speakers, and I sang along to the radio, terribly off-key, of course. It had been a long time since I’d felt so carefree.
However, my cheerful mood quickly turned somber when I turned my vehicle onto the road leading to my childhood home, and the sight of a dumpster bin in front of my mom’s fire-damaged greenhouse came into view. Heartbreak gnawed at my soul, leaving me choked with emotion as gravel crunched beneath the tires.
Since the fire, I had steered clear of the greenhouse during my visits with my dad. Yet, today, my feet instinctively guided me toward it without a second thought. The bravery that fueled my steps quickly transformed into a feeling of numbness as I crouched beneath the caution tape for a closer look inside. It was a miracle that any part of the structure remained intact, considering the materials used in its construction.
While my dad and I had yet to speak of that night, from just looking at the scene, I knew the fire originated in the back corner where the flowers were planted. Aside from the soot and shattered glass from the ceiling above, which covered the lettuce, kale, carrots, and broccoli, the vegetable section was relatively unscathed, minus the fact they were no longer safe for consumption at the local farmers market.
“Arizona, you shouldn’t be in there; it’s unsafe.”
My dad stood outside on the grass with his cane, his new sidekick, until he felt steadier on his feet.
“I know, I just couldn’t help it.” I walked gingerly over the glass underfoot to his side, where he tucked me under his arm.
“Everything will be okay, I promise, I’ll rebuild and?—”
“Can we just not, right now, Dad?”
“Arizona—”
“My logical side recognizes that it’s just a structure and that I need some time to process and accept the situation because while it makes me sad, I’m also incredibly grateful that you’re safe and that no one else was hurt.” I tightened my arms around his waist.
“Me too, sweetheart, me too.”
“What even happened that night? Do you remember anything, or did you see anything strange?”
“I’d just gone to bed when I heard a loud crashing sound. I looked outside and didn’t see anything unusual until I went to use the washroom and saw a glow of orange light out in thegreenhouse from the window. I ran outside and grabbed the garden hose; after that, I needed the gaps filled in.”
“Thank goodness the fire station is nearby. I know I don’t have to tell you how incredibly lucky you are that smoke inhalation was only the worst of it.”
“Oh, I know.”
“Who pulled you out?” I asked, suddenly realizing it had completely slipped my mind to ask earlier.
The way his eyes widened for a flash before his brows knitted together as if to question how I didn’t already know silently revealed the answer to me. Thick, unspoken words hung in the air, peeling back another layer as the weight of my awareness brought me to my knees.
Chapter Eighteen
Jameson
Ihad just cracked open a beer from the fridge when someone began urgently knocking on my front door.
“Holy moly, where’s the fire?” I muttered aloud as I opened the door and barely had time to react before I caught Arizona’s weight as she threw her arms around my shoulders and buried her head in my neck.
“I know I’m irresistible, but I have to say I’m loving this added layer of enthusiasm, Red.” I chuckled.
She squeezed me even tighter, prompting my hands to run down over the curve of her buttocks until I gripped her thighs, lifted her off the ground, and pressed her back against the door.
It wasn’t until she pulled her head away from my shoulder that I realized I’d gravely misread the situation, and my heart dropped.
“Ari, what’s wrong? What happened?”
Her eyes were puffy with fresh tears that didn’t match the affection of her joyous smile.
With my hips anchoring her weight, I moved my hands to cradle the sides of her head in my palms as my thumbs brushed away the steady current of tears cascading down her rosy cheeks.
“Ari, baby, you’re scaring me.” Her body had a slight tremor, and her breathing was ragged while her eyes were pinched closed.
