Chapter 62

The ride out to East Hampton was slow and quiet, and gave Jon too much time to think. The more he thought about the scene in her kitchen and her breakdown on her stairs, the angrier he got with her ex-husband and the more he worried about Cilla. He looked over at her and stroked her cheek lightly with his fingers. She was still wearing the clothes he had bought her; that she had worked all day in. She hadn’t wanted anything to eat when they stopped for dinner either.

Glancing over at her again, he wasn’t surprised to see her sleeping. The day had certainly taken its toll on her. The circles under her eyes and the puffiness around them had his anger rising further. She didn’t deserve the misery she had suffered through at the hands of her ex-husband. No one did.

She opened her eyes to look at him and found his face stony with anger, his jaw clenched. When he pounded his fist against the steering wheel she laid her hand over his. “I’m okay Jonny, really.”

He wasn’t sure he believed her, but he didn’t say anything, he just gave her hand a squeeze and turned his focus back to the road.

It was late when he turned the car into the drive that curved around to the front door of his house. Cilla stretched as she got out of the car and couldn’t quite contain the ‘wow’ that escaped her lips.

Jon chuckled as he sidled up next to her, “it’s just a house babe.”

She rolled her eyes, “and I suppose next you’re going to tell me that the Titanic was just a boat, right?”

“Come on now” he chuckled “the Titanic was definitely not just a boat.” He grabbed their things and headed toward the door, he wanted to get her inside, help her relax. Help her try to forget today and show her that she mattered, that she was worth so much more than what her asshole ex-husband had made her believe.

The door swung open and a small plump woman Cilla thought to be about her own age stood in the yawning bit of light. “Mr. B,” she smiled broadly, her eyes getting lost in the squint, “I was beginning to wonder if you were going to make it tonight.”

“Traffic was a bitch” he said as he ushered Cilla in ahead of him. Setting their things down by the stairs he turned to Cilla. “This is Jo. She takes care of things around here and keeps me in line.”

Cilla smiled and held out her hand, “it’s nice to meet you Jo.”

Jo studied her for a moment. Behind the tired sad eyes, Jo could see that this Cilla must be someone special; she was the first woman Jon had brought here since he had been divorced. She took Cilla’s hand and smiled warmly, “if you need anything, you just let me know.” She turned to her boss, “Mr. B, I have some snacks set out in the kitchen if you’re hungry.”

“Thanks, but I think we’re just going to head upstairs for right now.”

Jo turned to head down the hall, “I’ll wrap it and put it in the fridge in case you change your minds. Good night.”

“She seems very nice” Cilla said as they climbed the stairs.

“Yeah, she’s great and the kids just love her.” Jon set their things down and flipped on the light.

The room was decidedly beach-like. The blue and green hues of the ocean adorned the windows and bed and stood out against the cream of the walls and light honey tone of the wood trim. The floor was the same light honey tone wood with an area rug spreading out from under the massive king size bed.

The curtains moved slightly in the breeze as Cilla wandered the room. There were pictures of his kids on the highboy dresser and there were fresh flowers on the small table near the French doors. “It’s a beautiful room.”

Jon took her hand, kissed her fingertips, “thanks. But it’s just where I sleep.”

Cilla shook her head and turned from him to look out the window. She slept in a four room apartment that would fit at least twice in this room alone. How could she possibly be enough for him? How could she be worthy enough to share this exquisite space with him?

“Don’t” he said as he closed in behind her.

“Don’t what?”

He knew what she was thinking. “Whatever Charles told you, whatever he made you believe, he was wrong. You’re more than worth it babe, so just stop thinking you’re not, please?” He pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck. She was worth everything. “Just stop.” He rubbed her shoulders lightly, his thumbs skimming across her soft creamy skin before running his fingers up to the knot of her hair. Unwinding it he let it fall down her back in dark heavy waves.

Cilla closed her eyes when she felt his hands in her hair. Was there anything better than having your man play with your hair? She let out a little moan when his fingers massaged her head lightly.

“Feel good?” he whispered.

“You have no idea.”

She moaned again as his thumbs caressed down her neck and across her shoulders. She could feel her tension easing, slowly seeping out of her with each pass of his fingers. When those fingers slid down her arms, Cilla took his hands and turned to face him. She needed to see him, needed to see what was in his eyes. She needed to believe what he said. She needed to be able to believe. Reaching up she pressed her lips to his. "I need you Jonny" she whispered, "please."

Looking down, Jon could see her eyes; the gray was stormy and unsettled. He wanted to calm the storm, settle her fears. Wordlessly, he scooped her up and settled her gently on the wide ocean of his bed. With quiet kisses and soft hands he showed her just how much she mattered to him. With gentle fingers he stripped away her clothes, with an eager and gentle mouth he showed her how much he wanted her. Showed her just how much he loved her.

When she trembled beneath him, he slid over her, into her, making her forget all that had happened, making her see only him, hear only him, feel only him. As he pushed her toward the release that was threatening to take her, she let go of the demons that had haunted her and clung to the one that had seen past it all and loved her anyway.

When the storm had passed, when they were sated and sleepy and wrapped up with each other in the dark, Cilla pressed a kiss to the base of Jon’s throat. “Thank you.”

He tucked her in closer, resting a cheek against her head. “For what?”

“For tonight, for understanding, for everything.” She looked up into his handsome face, “for loving me.”