A Reason to Stay by Delinda Jasper Read Free Book Online Page A

swelling in his chest. He couldn’t put words to it, but it felt good, and scary. He wondered if this was how women felt when they made love with a man that they loved.
     
    He didn’t want this feeling to end. Heck, he didn’t think it could end. But he had a feeling it could turn agonizing if she left. But what could he do? He didn’t want to stand in the way of her happiness. If moving to Chicago would make her happy, he had to stand back and let her do it. Maybe he should move to Chicago too.
     
    The thought was not appealing. He was a small town boy through and through. Cedar Grove was where his job, his home, and his life was. But if Ellie moved to Chicago, his house would just be an empty shell, his family would be missing the most important member, and his life would lose its spark. Ellie was his spark.
     
    Giving his head a good shake to empty it of those thoughts, Jake wrapped a towel around his waist and padded into the bedroom. Ellie was standing at the window, looking out. Her hair was tousled; curls flying about all over her head and trailing down her back. The sheet wrapped around her body clung to her curves, emphasizing her plump, round ass. Jake felt himself harden instantly, causing the front of the towel to protrude slightly. God, she was beautiful.
     
    Quietly he stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. To his great pleasure she back into him instantly. Her softness collided with his hard chest and her crazy hair tickled his nose as she snuggled into him. He was so consumed with the feel of her that it took him a moment to realize what she was staring at out the window. But when it finally registered a bubble of happiness exploded in his chest.
     
    It was raining. No, it was storming! It was a huge, thunder and lightning, wind blowing so hard it was raining sideways, can’t see three feet in front of you, there is no way a moving company will work in this weather, kind of storm.
     
    He couldn’t believe his luck. Someone upstairs was looking out for him today. Okay, so maybe to most this bad storm would be a cause of worry, but to him it meant one more whole day with Ellie. A whole day of lovemaking, if he could convince her. A whole day to try to figure out where he fit in her new life. A whole day to figure out how to tell her how much he loved her.
     
    Jake took a deep breath before speaking in an effort to keep the joy out of his voice. "Looks like you won’t be moving today."
     
    "Nope."
     
    "I guess we’ll have to find something else to do, won’t we?"
     
    Jake leaned in and nuzzled her earlobe with his lips. The hard shaft pressing into the soft flesh of her ass made it clear what he thought that something should be. But it seemed Ellie had something else in mind.
     
    "Yeah, eat." She turned in his arms and laughed at the abashed look on his face. "Don’t look like that! I used a lot of energy up last night; I need sustenance!"
     
    Jake grinned. "Well, I guess if it will keep you from passing out on me later. I like my ladies to have plenty of energy and spunk in bed."
     
    The moment he said it he wished he could take it back. How could he be so stupid? She was going to think she was just another fuck to him. He knew she thought he slept around way too much, that women were little more than playthings to him. And he had just put her in that category. But she was so much more than that. Why the hell did he have to open his big mouth?
     
    "Oh God, Ellie, I didn’t mean it that way."
     
    Ellie smiled, but her expression had lost the fun of moments ago. "I know you didn’t, Jake. But we do need to t—"
     
    Jake placed a finger over Ellie’s lips, silencing her. "Shh, don’t say it. I know we need to talk, but it can wait. There is no way you’re going anywhere in this weather, so you’re stuck here until at least tomorrow. There will be plenty of time for talk; can we just enjoy being together for now and analyze all this later?"
     
    His stomach was