AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I guess we surprised everyone,” Jackson said.
“And now we’re both back here.”
“Yes, we are.” He cupped her cheek. “And maybe we can surprise each other now.”
Isabel’s eyebrows rose. “Does that mean you’ve picked up some new tricks for the bedroom, Doctor Henley?”
He didn’t generally allow people to call him Doctor, but when Isabel said it in a low, sexy voice? Hell. He’d answer to Doctor all day long.
“Stay tuned, Whisabel,” he said.
In one swift move that caused her to let out a squeak, Jackson scooped up Isabel and ran for the bedroom. She wiggled in his hold, but she didn’t really try to get free. When he deposited her onto the bed, she didn’t let go of him. Instead, she pulled him down atop her and caught his mouth in a kiss that made him feel as if they were teenagers again.
“Ready for your birthday present?” Isabel flipped him to his back and straddled his hips.
She was an absolute goddess with that halo of blond hair framing her face as she gazed down at him with those gorgeous green eyes. God, he hadn’t realized how much he’d missed her until this moment right here.
No, that wasn’t true.
He hadn’t allowed himself to miss her. Since that day he left Maplehaven to go to college early, he’d tucked Isabel Perri away. Tucked her away so he could carry on with his plans for his life. He’d always thought Isabel would be a part of those plans, but the day she’d walked away from him at the library had changed all that. When he’d seen her at Brenton Lake the day before he’d left, he’d wanted to go to her, but a voice inside his head—one that had sounded like Uncle Patrick’s—warned him that he wouldn’t leave town if he talked to her. He’d apologize, he’d tell her he couldn’t be without her, and he’d suffer through two more years of high school where he would simply twiddle his thumbs until he and Isabel could go to college together.
Christian had edged him away from Isabel that day. Not on purpose. Jackson honestly didn’t think his brother had seen Isabel and Charlie, but he’d taken it as a sign that he’d been coaxed in a direction opposite from her.
And he hadn’t looked back. He’d plowed ahead with his plans and somehow today, he found himself sharing space with Isabel again.
How did I get so lucky?
He slid his hand under Isabel’s shirt and as he was about to lift it off her, Blaze appeared in the doorway of the bedroom. He licked water off his chops, but his yellow-green eyes stared Jackson down.
“Umm...” He pointed to the dog and Isabel looked over her shoulder.
“Did I forget to mention that while Blaze is a friendly guy, he’s also super protective of me?”
“I don’t recall that coming up.” Jackson rose to his elbows. “C’mon, buddy. You like me. Remember? I’m the dude who got you help when you needed it.”
Isabel patted Jackson’s stomach then got off him. “And that’s why your mama has to thank Jackson, Blazey-Blaze.” She ushered the dog out of the bedroom. She was gone for a few seconds, but when she came back, she closed the bedroom door. “He’ll leave us alone now.” She climbed back on top of him because he hadn’t moved, a little smile on her face. “You don’t care if he chews on your boots, do you?”
He tugged at the end of her shirt, sitting up and pulling it off her when she put her hands up. Though her body was familiar to him, her breasts were plumper than he remembered, her hips a little wider, and her abs more toned. Her skin was still silky smooth and his fingers itched to touch her everywhere.
“Lady, I don’t care if he eats my laptop out there right now.”
****
Isabel could hardly believe she was half naked with Jackson Henley right now, but the way his gaze drank her in made her entire body buzz with anticipation. His fingertips coasted over her stomach and that simple contact heated every part of her.
Especially that part of her that pressed against his arousal straining at his jeans.
Jackson had been her first and she’d been with other men since then, but if she was being honest, none of her other lovers had ever measured up to the man beneath her now. She’d compared each of them to Jackson and they’d all fallen short—figuratively and literally. Henley DNA had been generous and Isabel was more than pleased to be a recipient of that generosity again.
“You’ve somehow managed to get hotter.” Jackson’s index finger traced the edge of her bra. He sat up and pressed several kisses to the curve of her neck. His beard scratched along her flesh and she enjoyed that sensation, having never dated a guy with facial hair.
She cupped his cheeks when he pulled back a bit. “I’m officially putting beards on my list of things to like.” She rubbed his jaw. “This not only looks good on you, but I like how it feels.”
Jackson closed his eyes as she touched him and she loved how he appeared to be savoring every moment, almost as if he’d been dreaming of them being together again.
“I seem to recall you noticing my muscles too,” he teased.
“Oh, yeah.” She licked her lips as she plucked at his shirt sleeve. “Digging is good for the biceps it seems.”
