“Yes, but it’s not funny after the fortieth time. That’s all Anthony wanted to watch.” She shook her head. “We always had to watch what he wanted to watch. I don’t think I’ve seen a chick flick in over a year.”
Jayden gave her wary look. “How do you feel about Olympus Has Fallen?”
“I love that movie.”
“But it’s not a chick movie.”
“But it has action and Gerald Butler. Those two things I can handle.” She smirked.
“Gerald Butler. huh?” Jayden aimed the remote and the movie started playing. “I would have figured you for a Brad Pitt kind of guy.”
“Definitely not.” She reached for the popcorn bowl off the coffee table and set it between them on the couch. “Let me guess, you’re a Megan Fox kind of guy.”
“Nope, wrong.” He smirked before munching on some popcorn.
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’m more into blondes.” He gave her a long look.
So he liked blondes, did he? That was good. That was very, very good.
#
Jayden reached for the remote and turned off the TV. He glanced down at Haley asleep and snuggled against his chest. Her blonde hair fell over her eyes as her lips parted slightly. Her hand was pillowed under her face and rested over his heart
He didn’t want to move. He wanted to stay like that and watch her sleep until the sun came up.
She was breathtakingly beautiful. And she was so much more. She was strong. He’d known that from the first time he laid eyes on her when her abductors had tied her to that filthy bed.
After what she had been through, Jayden saw a strength inside her that made her want to keep going and not hide forever.
And when he was with her, he felt something he wasn’t sure he had ever felt.
He felt whole, like she’d been the glue to mend what had broken inside his chest.
That singular thought rocked him to his naked soul. Haley wasn’t for him. She deserved someone who wasn’t fucked up like him.
He closed his eyes and laid his head back, staring up at the white textured ceiling. Even when they were getting each other off in bed, he had made sure to keep himself covered. He didn’t want her to see his scars. He didn’t want her to know.
He breathed out a heavy sigh, hugging her closer.
When the time came, he’d let her go. He had to. But for this moment, he just needed to hold her just a little while longer.
#
Haley blinked against the morning light streaming through the window. She glanced to the right, but Jayden wasn’t there. She knew he wouldn’t be. She used to have nightmares all night, dreaming about the one man that threatened to harm her. When Jayden slept beside her, she slept soundly through the night. He had somehow kept the monsters at bay.
She flung back the covers and padded into the kitchen. Jayden, dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt, sat on a barstool with the cell phone pressed to his ear and his face fixed in a scowl.
Her heart hitched. Maybe it was Barrett with bad news.
“Granny, I’m sorry I didn’t call. I’ve been busy with this new job.” Jayden ran his hair through his hair.
Haley breathed out a sigh of relief and headed for the coffee pot. Jayden looked up and met her gaze.
Her heart melted as his lips quirked up.
“You know I can’t tell you where I am.” Jayden rolled his eyes and then sobered. “Please tell me you haven’t been harassing Barrett about my location.”
Whatever Granny said next had Jayden’s scowl back in place. Haley bit her lip and wondered at the dynamic between the two. She knew that Granny was his only living relative and that when he’d moved to Arkansas, Granny moved with him. But that day at the party she sensed that things between them were strained.
She doctored her coffee with sugar and creamer before heading over to the bar stool and sitting.
“Fine. I’ll tell her.” Jayden hung up and gave Haley a look of disbelief.
“What’s wrong? Is Granny okay?” She took a tiny sip of her coffee. The hot liquid warmed her as it slid down her throat.
“Granny told me to tell you that your order is in.”
Haley felt her face blaze. She had forgotten all about that damn vibrator she had let Dana talk her into buying at Granny’s sex party.
“What I can’t figure out is how the hell she knew I was with you?”
Haley cleared her throat, thrilled he wasn’t going to ask her exactly what she had ordered.
“Are you sure Barrett didn’t tell her? Maybe she was worried and Barrett wanted to put her mind at ease.” Haley placed her coffee on the island counter.
“Maybe.” Jayden’s blue eyes narrowed on her. “Guess what else I didn’t know?”
“What?”
“That you ordered something.” He reached across the island and ran his finger across her wrist. She knew he could feel her pulse jumping under his finger.
Haley shivered and she pushed her coffee mug away. She was suddenly hot all over and no longer in the mood for coffee.
“I need to go get ready for class.” The words came out as a whisper. Her heart pounded in her ears like a drum and warmth crawled around in her stomach.
“No, you don’t. It’s Saturday. You don’t have class today.” Jayden leaned over the island, dangerously close to her cheek.