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Chapter Twenty-Three
Jensen
My lips press against her forehead, rousing Sleeping Beauty from a deep, heavy sleep. When her eyes crack open, I can’t help smile down at her tired, yet stunning face. “Hey,” she whispers, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
“Why are you in here? Did you sleep here?” I ask, my voice carrying the slight concern I felt the moment I saw her lying on the old, leather couch.
“Yeah, I did. I was painting until the sun came up and this is where I fell when the exhaustion settled in. What time is it?”
“Almost noon,” I answer, running a large, calloused thumb along her jawline.
“Shit, I should get up. Emma and Orval,” she starts, but I stop her in my tracks.
“They just left. They wanted me to thank you for the hospitality. Emma says she left you a housewarming gift on the guest bed, but I have to be honest, I’ve heard about some of her gifts, and I don’t think we want to know what it is.”
I can’t help smile at her giggle, thinking about my elderly aunt and the naughty little gifts she likes to give her granddaughters. “I’m sure it’s completely inappropriate,” she replies, smiling widely.
“I see you finished my painting,” I say, nodding my head toward where the finished pieces were set to dry.
“And I did another. I want to put it in the master bedroom, above the bed,” she tells me, glancing to where the beautiful bird spreading its wings flies free. It’s soaring high above the ocean.
“It’s stunning. I can’t wait to see it there. Do you want me to go hang it now? I have a little time while the sprinklers are running.”
“Oh, uh, no. Someone is in there.” My heart taps violently in my chest at her words.
“You have someone in your bedroom?” I quip, but I’m sure she can see the question evident in my baby blues.
“Well, not someone. It’s… Mother.”
I blink several times in disbelief before finally opening my mouth. “Your mother is here? In Rockland Falls.”
“Well, it’s good to see you too, Jensen,” my mother says at the library doorway.
“Surprise,” she whispers, trying to give me a reassuring smile, but knowing that it falls short.
“Mrs. Elliott, so lovely to see you again.” I’m polite, sure, but she can tell my words are clipped and body tense.
“Yes, you too,” Annabelle replies with the flippant wave of her manicured hand. “I’m going shopping. I’ll be back later.”
Suddenly, she’s gone, the scent of her familiar perfume left floating in the air. Kate sighs, closes her eyes, and flops back down on the couch. “How long is she here?” I ask.
“Who knows. She didn’t even tell me she was coming. She just showed up with my final divorce papers in hand.”
“Really?” I ask, a smile playing on my lips.
“Yeah, but only because she wanted me to reconsider, not because she was being polite and delivering them.”
“Fuck,” I grumble. “So we get rid of one set of houseguests and replace with another? Am I ever going to get you alone again?” Bending down, I run my lips along her smooth, soft cheek.
“Yes, definitely. I was thinking…tonight,” she says, gripping the back of my shirt and pulling me the rest of the way down to her lips. She’s hesitant, probably because she’s just waking up, but I don’t care. I just want to feel her against me any way I can, morning breath be damned.
“I’m almost finished here and then I have to run to check out a new job. I’ll be back after six with dinner,” I tell her, hating I have to go.
“Okay,” she replies, stretching and yawning once more.
“Go shower, grab something to eat, and maybe take another nap. After our talk, I plan to keep you up half the night.” I throw a wink her way and then kiss her forehead before forcing myself to exit the room. Having her mom underfoot doesn’t exactly bode well with my plans for later, but maybe having her here to answer any questions Kate may have will be beneficial.
And I’m sure Kate is going to have a lot of questions.
