BREAKING NEWS: California Attorney General Andrew Gray Arrested in FBI Raid.
“Oh my God, turn it up.”
Jared flicked me a look but did as I asked.
“Last night, California Attorney General Andrew Gray was arrested on suspicion of international child sex trafficking. Sources reveal Gray has been under investigation for more than two years while the FBI gathered evidence against him. His home in the Hollywood Hills and his offices in Los Angeles were raided simultaneously last night. Gray has served as attorney general for three years and was public in his aspirations to advance to the Senate. The US president has yet to make a statement … In other news …”
“Fuck.”
Jared frowned. “Am I missing something?”
Heart racing, I grimaced sadly. “Andrew Gray was Ashton’s stepdad.”
Understanding dawned and Jared crossed the room to pull me into his arms. “I’m sorry.”
I clung to Jared. “It’s okay. This is good. This means Ashton’s finally getting the justice he deserves.” I trembled thinking about all the kids Gray had most likely hurt over the years. “I hope he rots in jail for the rest of his life.”
Jared rested his cheek on my head and just held me. We stood there for a while, and I knew he would stand there holding me for as long as I needed. But I also knew he had work to do.
Reluctantly, I released him and gave him a reassuring smile.
My husband cupped my face in his hands. “Why don’t you spend the day with me?”
“I don’t want to get in the way.”
“I want you there.” He brushed a thumb over my cheek. “I’ll just worry about you otherwise. That”—he gestured to the TV—“is a lot to take in.”
Actually, the thought of some physical work keeping me distracted and busy sounded like exactly what I needed. “Okay. But no coddling me.”
“I’ll coddle you just enough,” he promised. Then he smacked my ass playfully, making the hem of my short dress flutter. “Let’s feed the chickens first.”
“Hey, no touching my ass if you don’t intend to follow through,” I grumbled as he led us out of the house to the chickens.
Jared shot me a wicked smirk and I decided right there and then that tonight I was going to torment the hell out of him until he broke and made love to me.
Realizing he’d already distracted me from the news about Ashton’s stepdad, my annoyed glare turned to a tender smile. It was a beautiful day, the breeze a little cooler now that summer was on its way out, and on this farm with this man (who was good down to his soul), I was as far from the darkness of my pastas I could get. The news about Andrew’s arrest didn’t change that.
This here was my future, and it was everything pure and real and true.
Jared glanced back at me from the henhouse and paused at whatever he saw on my face. He swallowed hard and took a shuddering breath. Then he strode to me. When he reached me, he took my face in his hands. Leaning his forehead against mine, his breath puffed against my lips.
Then he whispered raggedly, “I love you so fucking much. You have no idea. I’m sorry it took me so long to say, but those words just didn’t seem big enough for what I feel for you.”
And just like that, somehow, miraculously, my life got even better.
I leaned back to meet his gaze. “I love you too.”
His lips crashed over mine, his kiss hungry and desperate and filled with all that love he’d just confessed. I stumbled back as he moved us toward the house without breaking the kiss. My back met the brick wall near the mudroom door as Jared’s hands coasted frantically over my body, like he needed to touch me everywhere and all at once.
I wanted him to.
I never wanted him to stop.
The need to connect was so intense that we didn’t make it past the wall or out of our clothes. On that cool morning with late-summer sun cast out by the shade of the building, my husband and I had hot, frantic sex against our farmhouse.
It was perfect.
I whispered as much as Jared bowed his head in the crook of my neck and shuddered through the aftermath of his orgasm.
