Chapter Seventy Three

Jesse rolled over when sunshine started to peek though the blinds and glanced at the bedside clock. It was well after the time she should be getting up having promised work she’d be in today. She had far too much work to keep on top of with the launch orders coming in and the trip to Milan to organize. She sat up and stretched her body, her muscles tight from feeling like she’d done a vigorous aerobic workout the night before. God no more sex on the stairs she thought chuckling to herself.

She looked down beside her and saw the man responsible for her delicious aches splayed out on his tummy, his head buried in the pillow and arms spread across the bed. In half a mind to leave him and get dressed the temptation to touch him proved too strong. She traced her finger around the steer’s head tattoo on his arm before trailing it back up across the deep curves of his back.

“God please tell me it’s not morning” he mumbled into the pillow.

Jesse bit back a laugh, he was so hopeless in the mornings “Okay it’s not morning” she confirmed. He managed a soft grunt before rolling over on his side to meet her gaze with a lopsided sleepy grin.

“Liar” he propped himself up on his elbow reaching up to meet her in a sweet kiss.

“I have to go into work baby, no rest of the wicked I’m afraid if I want to get these orders out by Milan” she said going to shuffle across the bed but he reached out and grabbed her hand.

“Jess, I need to talk to you” His blue eyes were now more aware and serious than five minutes ago when they were foggy with sleep.

She sank back into the pillows pulling the sheet up to sit loosely above her breasts “What’s up?” she asked noting his serious tone.

He shifted so he too was leaning back against the pillows bringing his knees up. “I just started to think last night, now that we’re getting married and moving on, we should talk about our living arrangements” he suggested. He knew exactly what he wanted to happen but he had to make sure she was ok with that. Hoping like him she wanted to move past all this and start afresh with him.

Jesse raised her eyebrow “Well yeah, I guess you’re right. What exactly were you thinking?” she knew any minute he was going to ask her to move in with him. Which in retrospect made a lot of sense, the house would no doubt now be sold due to the divorce that she and Jason would get, but something, and just something deep inside her was still so attached to this place. Not because of Jason but it was because it was where she’d poured her heart and soul into for the last five years, everything she’d decorated herself, and made it her own haven.

Jon reached out brushing his knuckles down the soft curve of her breast “I was thinking you should move in with me, there’s so much room there” he added looking back up her to see her brown eyes narrow a little.

“I know there is Jon, it’s just this is my place…I know it was Jason’s too but I’m kind of attached to it” she said fisting the sheet below her chin. Why was it always the woman that had to give up her place? Was there some man code somewhere that said that it wasn’t masculine to offer to move in with the woman?

Jon scooted up further so he was sitting upright “I know baby, I understand that but my place has room for the kids when they come to stay and their stuff is already there plus it’s handy to the city and your work” he said.

She closed her eyes, god the kids. She’d obviously met them but what would happen with them staying when she was there? Would it be weird for them, for her? Why hadn’t she thought about this before.

“Jon, will the kids be ok with us, you know…in the same bed?” she asked knowing how stupid she probably sounded.

He scratched his chin before breathing out “I honestly don’t know but its just something we will have to get through, we’re getting married so it is expected, they just have to get used to things like that, the school plays, teacher parent interviews…” he trailed off.

Jesse’s eyes widened “What? You don’t think they want me there for all of those things do you? I mean, I’m not their” she stopped. Well technically she would be a stepmother to four kids, Jesus Christ why hadn’t this hit home before? They were great kids but it just seemed a little overwhelming right now.

He reached over and took her hand. “You’ll be my wife Jess, obviously I need to talk to Dot about all this, but eventually they’ll get close to you too, and hell they seem to love you already, Steph especially and she’s the hardest one to impress believe me”

She snorted softly “Well it didn’t hurt that my job is her desired career” she teased.

She sighed, so much was changing, she wanted this, more than anything but the small independent bone inside her body just wanted to bring it all to a screaming halt.

Jon frowned “You don’t want to move in with me?” he asked sensing the undertone to her sigh.

She tucked her hair behind her ears and gave him a reassuring smile “Jon of course I do, I love you silly, its just this was harder than I thought it would be, this place will be sold no doubt, but I’ll just miss it” she said honestly.

Jon was trying to decide whether it was wise to say what he was really feeling about this, he took some Dutch courage and spat it out. “I don’t want to live here, when I know you lived here with Jason” he said. It was the truth. He wasn’t a man that liked to share, he respected that she had memories here with Jason but this was a new part of her life now and he didn’t want to share her with that.

Jesse just looked at him. She should of realized that’s what it was, she understood but at the same time she felt a little peeved that he was just asking her to give up everything she had to move in with him. God, you’re being pathetic, he’s the best man you’ve ever met and you’re throwing a fit over where to live. Kia would kick your ass over this, god KIA! Her best friend and she hadn’t even spoken to her through all this craziness. Feeling the guilt pile up she did end up sliding out of bed and walking into the bathroom with no response to his comment.

The hot beads of water hit her soothing her stiff joints from the previous night’s activities. She got lost in the memory of how alluring and rough Jon was last night and almost made herself wet just thinking about it. By the time she’d showered and wrapped herself in a towel she padded back through to the bedroom scooping a bra and panty set from the draw to change into, she’d forgotten about the small niggles of the where to live conversation and impending stepmother hood.

He watched her step into her underwear and dry the rest of her body, she hadn’t spoken since the Jason comment and he just hoped he hadn’t overstepped the mark but hell it was the truth, she needed to know that’s how he felt. He only wanted the best for them and their future. He admired her as she dressed in the sharp charcoal skirt that fell to her knees and watched her zip up the knee high leather boots with those damn heels. She turned and caught his stare and managing a small smile.

“Like something you see?” she teased throwing the white shirt on and thumbing the buttons up.

“Come here and I’ll show you exactly what I like” he purred crawling to the end of the bed.

“Uh uh, I need to go to work, so you can either stay there all day or come with me and grab some breakfast with me before I go” she said giving him the only two choices she was accepting. She smirked and started to walk out the door.

“You drive a tough deal Jesse Adams” he said rolling off the bed and looking around for his jeans. She watched him leaning against the door frame and pointed down the hall.

“First landing I believe” she chuckled knowing their clothes were scattered half way from here to Sunday across the house.

Jon found his clothes and they both ate a leisurely breakfast of bagels with strong black coffee before parting for the day. Jon had arranged to take Jesse out to dinner that night and hoped that Kia and Richie could join them. He’d make sure to call Richie in the day to organize it. His mind drifted back to the conversation of the house’s and the kids. It was a lot of change for her, he had to understand it. He glanced at the clock in the viper and made the decision to see Richie, he’d more than likely get told to fuck off since it was a little after eight but he needed to bounce this stuff off him.