Part 9 (1/2)
”Hey, pretty lady.” He knelt on the ground next to the marker. ”Gonna be another hot one today. Summer doesn't want to let go, even though it's almost October.”
He stared at the headstone, slowly reading Jana's name, the dates of her birth and death, and the special words he'd had inscribed-You Will Be Loved Forever.
”I lost you and our baby ten months ago today. Sometimes it seems as if it just happened, and sometimes it seems as if it happened years ago.”
He ran his fingertip over each letter of her name-Jana Elizabeth Coleman. ”We didn't get to talk about names, but I was determined to name the baby after you if we had a girl. I would've called her Lizzie, at least until she was older and rolled her eyes at the childish nickname.”
He smiled at the thought. He could picture his daughter so clearly in his mind. ”She would've had your eyes and your smile, and your sweet personality. She would've been mischievous too, especially if she spent a lot of time with her Uncle Dax.” His smile disappeared. ”I wish I'd had the chance to see you hold her for the first time. I wish I'd had the chance to see her grow up.” He sighed heavily. ”I wish so many things, Jana.”
A sudden breeze blew sprigs of gra.s.s and weeds over the headstone. ”I was with a woman yesterday. Emma.” He brushed away the sprigs from Jana's name. ”She's a good friend of Alaina's. It was the first time I've had s.e.x since you died.” Sitting on the ground, he drew his knees to his chest. ”It felt good. Really good. I've missed s.e.x a lot.” He rubbed a hand over his face, unsure how to say the next words. ”I thought of you at first, but then I decided that wasn't fair to Emma and I...pushed you out of my mind.”
The tightness in his chest made it difficult to talk. ”I'm sorry. I promised I'd be faithful to you forever and I broke that promise. But...” He sighed again. ”You're gone and I'm here. I don't want to spend the rest of my life without a woman's company.”
He touched the headstone again, softly caressing her name. ”It's just s.e.x, Jana. That's all Emma wants and that's okay with me. I love you and I'll always love you. Emma will be in my bed, but there could never be another woman in my heart.”
Chapter Nine.
Griff stepped into Rye's kitchen and watched Alaina and Emma moving about the room, much as he had Tuesday evening. This time, a third woman moved along with them as they prepared supper. He a.s.sumed the woman was Kelcey Ewing, Emma's housemate.
He knew Emma and Alaina had gone to Dallas today to have lunch with Kelcey and shop for appliances. Kelcey must have come to Lanville directly from work since she wore pleated navy slacks and a loose white top with a droopy cowl neck. His gaze quickly skimmed over her body. Taller than Alaina and Emma, Kelcey was also much slimmer than her friends, with small b.r.e.a.s.t.s and narrow hips. Her light ash blonde hair fell straight to her shoulders and curled under to caress her chin. Wispy bangs covered her forehead. She was very pretty, but not in-your-face s.e.xy like Emma.
He looked at Emma. s.e.x with her had been hot and pa.s.sionate and exhausting. He'd awakened shortly after one to her mouth on his c.o.c.k. She hadn't stopped licking and sucking until he'd exploded in her mouth. After that, she'd been content to curl up against his side and fall back asleep, even though he'd offered to return what she'd done to him.
Griff had awakened again about five with a raging hard-on. He'd slipped his rod into Emma's p.u.s.s.y from behind, the way he had the first time they'd had s.e.x. This time, though, he didn't come until after she did.
He had all kinds of ideas of the things he wanted to do to her.
Emma turned from the stove. Her movement stilled when she saw him, then she gave him a flirtatious smile. ”Hi.”
”Hi.”
Alaina also turned and smiled when she saw him. ”Hey, Griff. Come meet Kelcey.”
Griff stepped closer to the cl.u.s.ter of women. Kelcey wiped her hands on a dishcloth, then offered her hand. ”It's nice to meet you, Griff. I've heard a lot about you.”
”All good, I hope,” he said, taking her warm hand in his.
Kelcey smiled. ”All good, I promise.”
”Rye and Dax are in the game room,” Alaina said. ”I heard Dax curse a short time ago, so Rye must be winning.”
”I'll check it out.”
He looked back at Emma to see her gaze focused on his fly. She s.h.i.+fted her attention back to his face and slowly licked her bottom lip. His d.i.c.k immediately responded to the invitation in her eyes.
Before he developed a full-fledged hard-on and embarra.s.sed himself in front of Alaina and Kelcey, he left the kitchen. He heard the clatter of billiard b.a.l.l.s. .h.i.tting each other as he walked toward the game room.
”s.h.i.+t, man,” Dax said, ”you're getting almost as good as Griff.”
”No way that's ever gonna happen,” Griff said, stepping into the room.
Both his brothers looked his way. ”About time you got here.” Dax nodded toward the cue sticks rack on the wall. ”Grab a stick. You get to play the winner. Which will probably be Rye, d.a.m.n it.”
”I've been practicing with Alaina.”
”Then you're an idiot. There are a lot more fun things to do with a hot woman than play pool. Unless it's strip pool.”
Rye grinned wickedly. ”No comment.”
Chuckling, Griff went to the small refrigerator and removed a bottle of beer. He took a long sip while Dax lined up his shot. It banked off the side and sailed into the corner pocket.
”Hot d.a.m.n! Maybe you won't win after all, big brother.” He rounded the table, examining where all the b.a.l.l.s were positioned. ”Speaking of winning, I heard Emma spent the night with you, Griff.”
It didn't take news or gossip long to travel in his family. Especially gossip. ”Yeah. So?”
”So nothing. I'm just making conversation.” Dax took his shot, which missed the pocket by an inch.
”I know you, Dax. You don't just make conversation. Say what you're thinking.”
Rye straightened before he took his shot. He looked from one brother to the other, but remained silent.
”Okay. I'm thinking I'm jealous 'cause Emma is really hot. I was hoping to coax her into my bed. But since she resisted all my charm, I'm happy she fell for you.”
”There was no 'falling'. It's only s.e.x.”
Rye stood his stick on the floor and wrapped his hands around it. ”That doesn't sound like you, Griff.”
”Yeah well, losing your wife changes a man.”
”It doesn't have to. You're only thirty-two. There's no reason you can't fall in love and marry again.”
”That isn't going to happen, Rye.” Griff took a long pull of his beer. ”There will never be another woman besides Jana in my heart.”
”Never is a strong word, bro,” Dax said.
”I know how I feel. Emma only wants a good time. That's fine with me.” He set his empty bottle on a table. ”My heart is dead, but my body isn't. s.e.x with her last night was incredible.”
Rye frowned. ”Don't you want more than s.e.x?”
”No. I had the love of my life. I can't expect to ever feel that way again.” He looked from Rye to Dax. ”You aren't interested in anything long-term. Why can't I feel the same way?”
”Because I've never wanted anything long-term. I like my single life. You liked your married life.”
”I lost my married life when that kid shot Jana. End of story.”
”Hey, guys.” Emma breezed into the room, a smile on her face. ”Supper's on.”