Just Give In by Jenika Snow Read Free Book Online Page A

her.
    ****
    Rory
felt like shit right now, not because he’d taken the job, but because he hadn’t
told Lena sooner, like right the fuck when he’d found out he was leaving. He
stared at her, at the way her brow was furrowed, the stress on her expression.
    “You’re
leaving me, aren’t you?”
    He
shook his head. “Baby, I’m just leaving town. I’d never leave you. It’s you and
me forever.” His throat was tight as he continued to watch her. He knew she’d
see this as him leaving her, that this hurt her. Fuck, this hurt him, too. “I
don’t want you ever to think I’d leave you, because you’re it for me, Lena. I don’t
ever want anyone else.”
    “You’re
it for me, too, Rory, but this is such a shock.”
    “I
know, baby.” He smiled, hoping she’d see the love he had for her, because what
he was about to say would make this harder. “The job requires me to leave town
for the next year, Lena.”
    Her
mouth parted and this little sound left her. “A year, Rory?” He could see the
panic on her face, knew she was thinking about how long a year would feel.
Since they’d started dating three years ago they hadn’t gone more than a week
without seeing each other.
    He
took his hat off and rubbed his palm over his head. “I should have talked to
you about it.” They weren’t married, and they may only be eighteen, but she was
the girl he’d marry one day, the girl he wanted to have his babies when they
were ready, down the road. “I should have told you right away, but at first I
wasn’t sure I’d try and apply, and then when I did and got the job I wasn’t
sure how to talk about it with you.”
    She
swallowed, and he saw the slender line of her throat work from the act. “And I
assume you won’t be able to see me at school?”
    He
shook his head. “The job is going to Colorado for an entire year to help build
a new prison. The work will be grueling, and there will be a few thousand men
working on it off and on.” He gauged her reaction, but other than her picking
at her napkin she just stared at him. “It’s a massive project, and after it’s
said and done what I’ll be getting paid, and until I land another construction
job, which they’d guaranteed me if all goes well and I work my ass off, will
have us set, baby.” He went to grab her hand, but she leaned back and rested
them on her lap.
    “Can
you come see me at all?”
    He
shook his head again. “Because I’ll be working six out of seven days a week,
and the hours, I’m told, are pretty grueling, I won’t have time to go see you
and then get back to the jobsite.”
    She
breathed out loud and looked down at her lap. “This freaking sucks, Rory.”
    “I
know, baby, but once the year is up I can go to where you’re at and have them
hook me up with a job there. We’ll be set. I’ll have a shitload in the bank
from the year’s work that you can live with me and just focus on school.”
    She
didn’t speak for several moments, and when she finally looked up he still saw
the pain in her expression, but she was trying to look happy.
    “It’ll
be good for you to get away from Brian. But God, Rory, I am going to miss you.
A year is so long.”
    “I
know, baby, but it’ll be worth it, I swear.”
    She
nodded. “Will you be able to call me?”
    “Of
course, although I’ll be working pretty much sunup to sundown, but you know
I’ll make time for my best girl.”
    She
smiled, and although it was sad he did see the love she had for him in her
face. When Lena grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze, his chest tightened.
    “When
do you have to leave?”
    He
was silent for a long time, so long he noticed she started to shift on the
seat. “Next month.”
    Her
eyes got wide for a moment. She looked down at the table, her face showing she
was thinking hard. “Next month?” she asked, but really it was as if she spoke
to herself. “But school…” Again she spoke to herself, shook her head once, and
finally lifted her gaze to