I Swear Read online

  “Oh, really? Anything to do with our little bout on the couch?”

  His smile was almost as big as hers. “Well, yea. But…there’s something else going on.”

  “Oh, really. Like what?”

  She made a face. “I don’t know whether I should tell you or not. Not yet.”

  “Uh-uh. Not fair.” He bent to kiss her neck. Blowing raspberries, nipping her skin, sucking just enough to give her a tiny hickey.

  “Hey. Hey.”

  “I’m marking you. I can’t wait to make you mine.”

  His words almost made her swoon. “Oh, you’re not playing fair. You’re appealing to my heart.”

  “I sure am.” He kissed her soundly. “Now, spill the beans. What’s got you bubbling like a brook?”

  “I’m not sure yet, but I plan on talking to John’s doctor.”

  “About what?” Now she’d aroused his curiosity.

  “I don’t think he has Alzheimer’s.”

  “What?” He dropped his hands, stepped back, and looked her square in the eye. “What do you mean?”

  She began to explain to him about what she’d learned. “This revelation about Kristofferson impressed my grandfather so much that he talked to me about it in depth. I’ve looked it up and I talked to John. He remembers getting bitten by a tick. There’s a chance he has Lyme Disease, not Alzheimer’s.”

  Jonah sobered. “I don’t know what to say. That would be a miracle.” He shook his head. “Sounds impossible to me.” Walking away from her, he stuffed his hands in his pockets. “I don’t want to get my hopes up.”

  “Well, don’t.” She wished she’d never mentioned it to him. Not yet. “Just let me worry about it. I could be wrong.” Yes, she could be wrong but she didn’t think so. This just felt too right.

  “Yea, that’s what I’ll do. Not think about it.” His insides were shaking at the thought as he changed the subject. “I talked to Cady McCoy.”

  “Oh?” She felt so letdown by Jonah’s response, Delaney had a hard time showing interest. “What did she say?”

  “She thinks Claudette wants an apology.”

  “Really?” Delaney thought for a moment. “I can see that. How do you intend to handle this?”

  Jonah exhaled. “I don’t know.” He took off his hat and raked his hand through his hair. “Let’s think about it tomorrow.” Turning, he headed away. “I’ve got to get ready and go to Hardbodies for the competition? Are you coming?”

  “Uh. No. Your Dad hasn’t had a good day. He’s napping now, I don’t want to wake him.”

  “Great.” He was disappointed. Taking two steps, he stopped and turned around. “Come here.” Holding out his arms, he welcomed her to come close. “I’m not mad at you.”

  “I know. This is a lot to process and the chances I’m right are…uncertain. I shouldn’t have sprung it on you.”

  “No, we should be able to talk about anything.” Framing her face, he kissed her tenderly. “I appreciate you so much. Your heart is so big.” Whispering in her ear, he told her a secret she already knew. “I can’t wait to make love to you. When you’re ready, please let me know. If you’ll give me the chance, I’ll show you the gates of heaven. I swear.”

  Delaney stood where he left her for a good sixty seconds before she was able to move.

  Chapter Twelve

  On the way home from Hardbodies, Jonah couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. No, he wasn’t drunk – he’d limited himself to two beers. The first place trophy sitting next to him wasn’t the reason either. He was just glad to be going home.

  Pulling into his driveway, he was glad to see the porch light shining. Delaney made a habit of leaving it on for him. “Delaney. Delaney.” So much had changed in his life since Delaney. She’d created a new normal for him and he didn’t think he wanted to go back to the way things were before.

  As he left his truck, Rufus was there to greet him. “Down, boy. Down.” He put a hand on the pup’s head to keep him from jumping all over his britches. “Why aren’t you in the house with Delaney?”

  “Cause I’m outside waiting on you.”

  The unexpected sound of her voice made him miss a step. “Dang, baby. Since I found out we live in the Amityville house, I’m a little jumpy.”

  “Things have been quiet tonight. Did you win?”

  Jonah stepped out of the shadows and lifted the trophy high. “You bet your sweet ass we won.”

  “Do I have a sweet ass?” Yea, she felt like teasing him.

  “The sweetest.” He joined her on the porch. “Is Dad asleep?”

  “Sound and snoring. He and Tommy are sharing a pillow.”

  “Good thing he’s not allergic.”

  “Yea. So, did you have a good time?”

  They sat down on the steps side by side as he set the trophy down gently. “Yea, pretty good. I have an idea, Wednesday is Halloween. How’d you like to go out? They’re having a party at Hardbodies. A costume party.”

  “So, we’d have to dress up?”

  “Yes, we’re supposed to. We could either take Dad with us or see if Cletus would come sit with him.”

  “When is his doctor’s appointment?”

  “Damn. Let me look.” He pulled out his wallet to see what he’d written on the doctor’s buisness card. “Oh, it’s Wednesday at 10 in the morning. We should be able to make both. Right?”

  “Maybe. What would I wear?”

  “Hmmm. I don’t know.” He grinned at her. “How about a harem outfit?”

  “I don’t think so.” She snapped her fingers. “I know who you need to be.”

  “What?”

  “That crazy doctor from Back To The Future. You can wear your coveralls. All you’d need is a crazy wig. What was that actor’s name?”

  “Christpher Lloyd. You know, I don’t think I was even five years old when that movie came out. Were you even born?”

  “Probably not.” She nudged him with a shoulder. “So, what? It’s a classic.”

  “All right. Fine by me.” He let out a contented breath. “Anything weird happen tonight?”

  “No. Everything was quiet.”

  “Good.” They sat there for a few moments in the black velvet night. “This is one of the things on the list isn’t it?”

  Delaney knew exactly what he meant. “Yea, we’re here. Together. Under the stars.”

  “Getting to know one another.” Jonah stood and moved toward the door. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.”

  Delaney didn’t have long to wait until he showed up with an afghan and some sofa pillows. “Might as well be comfortable. The air is nippy.”

  “This looks fun.”

  “Yea. It will be.” He settled beside her, making her comfortable on the cushions, then covering them with the blanket. “Even though I was with my friends, I missed you tonight.”

  “Oh? Really?” Hearing this made her happy. “We missed you too. I missed you.”

  “So, this is your idea. Laying out here like this. What do we do now? Watch for UFO’s?”

  “We could. Or…” Okay, yes. She’d been thinking about this all night. “We could do something else.”

  “Like what?”

  Delaney pushed any doubts from her mind. “Lie back on the blanket and pull your pants down, Jonah. I want to kiss you.”

  “Kiss me?” It took a second or two before he realized what she meant. When he did, Jonah wasted no time. He unbuckled, unzipped, then pushed his jeans and underwear to his knees. “Out here? Delaney, are you sure?”

  “Too shy? We’re in the dark. No one can see.”

  “Right now. I don’t care if they do.” He was so excited, he didn’t know what to do. “You don’t have to do this, you know.” Jonah had no idea why he was arguing.

  “You took care of me last night. And I want to do this. I want to try, at least.”

  He understood she’d never done it before, and he was humbled. “I’ll love
anything you do for me, don’t ever doubt it.”

  For a heartbeat or two, Delaney didn’t know how to start. She’d been out in the dark long enough for her eyes to adjust. The moon wasn’t full, but there was enough light for her to see the shape of him.

  Seeing she seemed nervous, he touched her hair. “Come here.” Jonah tugged her down for a kiss. “I never knew how lonely I was until you came alone. You make my days’ worth living.”

  Accepting his kiss, she lost herself in the magic of the night. Finding courage, she let her hand wander down his chest, tracing meaningless patterns. When she arrived at a point below his waist – she hesitated. As her fingers hovered near her goal, she realized he’d stopped breathing. “I’m going to touch you now.”

  “I know.” His whisper was harsh with anticipation. “It’s like I’ve never been touched before.”

  His sincere admission seemed to put them on even ground. Closing her eyes, she placed her hand over him. “Oh, Jonah.” She let her fingers move – feeling of him, caressing him, learning his shape. “You’re so big.”

  Pride swelled in his chest. “And getting bigger.”

  Delaney could hear the hunger and need in his voice. “I hope I don’t disappoint you.”

  “Impossible.”

  “Okay. I’ll just have a good time then.”

  “Good idea,” he muttered hoarsely as her hand began to move.

  Delaney rubbed his thighs, enjoying their strength, their hardness. Moving down his body, she couldn’t resist scattering kisses all along their length.

  Jonah moaned. “I won’t last. I’m going to come before you even begin.”

  “We can’t let that happen.” Taking him between her palms, she licked her lips. He was so thick. “You’re beautiful.” She wished she could remember more details from those romance novels she’d read. Needing to be as near to him as possible, she laid her cheek tenderly against this vulnerable part of him that was quivering in her hand. Rubbing her cheek over the velvet covered steel, she could hear his harsh breathing.

  “Delaney, please,” he begged. “I need you so.”

  “Patience, Jonah.” Turning her head, she teased him with her teeth and tongue. Really, she didn’t know what she was doing – she just hoped it felt good. Reaching the large head of his cock, she opened her mouth and took him inside.

  “Oh, dear God,” he groaned. It’d been so long. He’d forgotten this could be so good.

  Not having anything to compare this to, Delaney just resolved to love him. With tongue and lips, she gave to Jonah. Opening her mouth wider, she sucked deep, taking as much of him as she could into the warm recesses of her throat. When he wound his fingers in her hair and began to move his hips, she knew she was doing something right.

  Pumping him with her hand, she moved her mouth up and down his length. Jonah wasn’t still, he stroked her hair and rubbed her shoulders, reaching down to fondle her breasts through her clothes. But what made her heart miss a beat were the sweet sounds of praise coming from his lips – voicing his appreciation, telling her how she made him feel. “Oh, that’s right. Feels so damn good! Harder, love. Suck harder. Oh, yea. Just like that.”

  Delaney was entranced. She’d heard the old saying that giving was better than receiving and now she knew it was true. With renewed determination, she bestowed upon him the gift of her fantasies. Kissing, sucking, touching, she worked until he stiffened, his body arcing, his hips raised. “Love, you need to move. I’m about to…” Jonah attempted to push her away, but she refused to go. Keeping his hand at bay, she held him in her mouth as he came. Even through the haze of ecstasy, Delaney knew this wasn’t sex. For her, this was an act of love.

  Jonah was blown away. Talk about an out of body experience. He felt as if he was weightless, floating away. Keeping his eyes closed, he surrendered to the amazing feelings washing over him. After a few more moments, he became aware that Delaney was up and heading for the door. “Wait. Don’t go.”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  “You’d better.” He was still panting, marveling at what he’d just experienced. He’d had blowjobs before – but this was different. Delaney was different. Truthfully, he couldn’t even remember the names of the others he’d shared this act with.

  “Here I am.”

  In the dim light, he saw her kneel beside him. “What are you doing?”

  “Taking care of you.”

  To his surprise, she’d returned with a warm washcloth and a towel. He held his breath as she washed and dried him tenderly. “What am I going to do with you? I promised to take you to the gates of heaven tonight and you take me so far beyond I…”

  “Shhh. We’re not keeping score. This isn’t a game.” The moment she finished that sentence, Delaney realized the truth of her words. This wasn’t a game. Not for her.

  “I know, but it’s my turn now. I want to hear you scream my name.” He stood, pulling his jeans up over his hips. “Let’s go to bed.”

  “Jonah, not tonight.”

  “No?” He couldn’t keep the disappointment out of his voice if he tried.

  “I want to take things slow.”

  “Slow. Yea. I know.” He shook his head. After what she’d done for him, he didn’t have any right to complain. “It’s fine. You set the pace. Just know one thing.”

  “What?”

  “I lay in the bed and long for you. I go to sleep with you on my mind. I dream about you.”

  His whispered words made her vibrate with longing. “Hey, you’re not playing fair.”

  “I thought this wasn’t a game.”

  She could hear the teasing in his voice, but her feelings were all over the place. “It’s not. Not for me. I just need to make sure. Okay? I don’t want to be hurt.”

  Jonah was quite for a moment, then he knelt to pull her close. “I’d never hurt you. Not intentionally. Do you believe that?”

  “Yea, I do.” She rested against him, loving how being so close to him made her feel. “I just need a little more time. This is a big step for me.” A nervous laugh bubbled from her lips. “What we did tonight was a big deal for me.”

  He started to make a joke, but on second thought decided it wasn’t the best time. “For me too. You gave me an amazing gift. I loved every second of it. I love being with you.”

  Delaney trembled at how his words danced around saying what she realized she wanted to hear. More than anything. “I need to go in and check on your father.”

  “Of course.” Jonah held out a hand and they stood to their feet. “It’s getting late. Maybe we can do something together tomorrow. All three of us.”

  “I’d like that.” Going on tiptoe, she gave him a quick kiss. “Goodnight, Jonah.”

  “Goodnight, Delaney. Sleep tight.”

  Hurrying inside, she ran up the stairs. There was no doubt where her dreams would take her tonight.

  * * *

  “Come on. It’ll be fun. We can grab some breakfast on the way. We’ll take the wrecker so if the going gets rough we’ll be fine.”

  Jonah’s enthusiasm was contagious. “Okay. Fine. We’ll go. Just let me get your Dad a thermos of coffee. He gets grouchy without his caffeine.”

  “Don’t we all. I hope we’re not too late. The bats usually begin migrating to Mexico in late October.”

  “Don’t want to miss the bats.” She couldn’t believe Jonah talked her into such a wild excursion. “So, what’s this place called?”

  “Old Tunnel State Park. It’s one of my favorite places. I used to ride my bicycle there when I was a kid.”

  “But I don’t like bats.”

  “This time of day the bats are all in the cave. We probably won’t even see one.”

  “Then why go?” Delaney didn’t know why she was being difficult. She had no special plans for today and spending time with Jonah was her favorite thing in the world. Still…after last night’s epiphany, she needed a little time to think.


  “Because the park is beautiful, and we can take a hike together. We’ll put Rufus on a leash and take him with us.” He gave her a wistful look. “Please?”

  “Yes! Okay!” She laughed with him. “Let’s stop at a Dollar General to see what I can find to make a Halloween costume.”

  “Great.” He rubbed his hands together. “You get the coffee and I’ll load up Dad and Rufus.”

  Delaney did as he asked, grabbing a jacket apiece for her and John. “I’m ready!” She joined them on the porch, and they loaded up. John and Rufus in the back seat and her in the front seat with Jonah.

  “Here. I’ve been meaning to give you this.” Jonah held out his hand, holding something in his fingers.

  “What is this?”

  “Money. What I owe you.”

  Delaney almost hesitated to accept it. Taking money from him felt odd. But…there were times when she needed it. “Thanks.”

  “Okay. Here we go!” Jonah laughed and started the truck, backing out of the drive.

  As they started down the road, Delaney noticed a car parked at the edge of the woods. A black car. She jerked her head around to get a better look at it.

  “What wrong?”

  She really couldn’t tell the make of the car. “Nothing.”

  “Dad, you’re awfully quiet,” Jonah observed.

  “Yea, I’m thinking.”

  “What about?” Delaney asked.

  “The future.”

  “That’s a big topic, Dad.”

  “Yea, it’s a scary topic too.”

  Afraid he was about to become morose, Delaney tried to cheer him up. “Guess what, John? You’re going to visit Cletus on Wednesday. He said something about a poker party.”

  Jonah made eye contact with her. “You called him.”

  “I did,” she nodded. “After our conversation last night, I thought I’d see if he was free and willing. And he was. He just had one request.”

  “What’s that?” Jonah asked with a smile. “I bet I can guess.”

  “Food. I have to cook for them.”

  John was all smiles. “Yea, we need plenty to eat. And I need to find my cards and poker chips.”

  “I’ll help you hunt for them. I think I saw them in your desk in the office.” Delaney felt at peace as they traveled north of Comfort. Glancing from one Callan to another, she could admit to herself that she no longer felt like a visitor. Or an employee. She felt like a member of the family. “Whoa,” she whispered as this revelation settled in her mind. Grasping the side of the window frame, she eased over to allow the cool air to hit her face.