Chapter 13

UNEDITED

The whole car ride home, they fought. "You could have killed him."

"Who's fault would that have been?" He didn't yell. He was sternly trying to make her see his point. "If you would have listened to me and left when I said, none of this would have happened."

"Are you seriously blaming me? And why do I have to listen to you anyway? We're not together anymore."

He tightens his fist on the steering wheel. Her back-talk was irking the crap out of him. "Do you not think about our kids? When Alyssa's friends ask her about the things they read, how do you think she will feel?"

"All I was doing was dancing Jacob."

"You forget how the tabloids like to add details?"

"You're being unreasonable."

"No, you're being a child." He manoeuvres the car up the driveway and parks it in front of the dark house." He jumps out and goes around to open her door. "Come on."

"I don't need your help." She jumps out and almost falls.

He rolls his eyes as he saves her from busting open her knees. "Oops..." She giggles as she grabs his shoulders and uses them to hold herself steady. Their faces meet inches from each other and their eyes lock. Surprising Jacob, Clarissa leans her head in and gives him a quick tap kiss on his lips. When she pulled back, her lips grew a large smile as if she was teasing or joking, but the humor wasn't what he was feeling.

He was stunted. The fact that she did that and how it was making him feel. He stood there frozen for a few seconds after she turned away and tried to take the stairs on her own. He clears his throat to collect himself and goes near her before she loses her balance.

Once inside, he puts on the coffee machine and manoeuvres around the kitchen to get the sugar and other things like he still lived there. Then rinses two mugs and he turns to her leaning on the kitchen island that was diagonal across from the sink. "Clair." He breathes out with stress.

She was holding on to the island strongly. With her unsteady step and sloppy balance, she needed to. Her vision was slightly blurry as well. She moves her hair from her face in hopes of clearing that somehow.

"What are you doing?" He questions. "This isn't you. I know it isn't. I... I know you don't want this. You don't behave like this. What has gotten into you?"

"Nothing. What's wrong with you? Why are you punching people in nightclubs?"

"This is not a joke Clair." Instantly he stalks before her. His strong grasps were around her shoulder and his intense gaze was beating down on her. He seemed to have the world to say but was saying it with his eyes only. He looks over her entire body slowly. "This dress." He whispers.

"What about my dress?"

"Revealing." He glides his hands down her slender arms and cups her waist. "I don't like it."

"You don't like me in general." She looks away from his gaze only for him to nudge her head back towards his.

"What's all of this for?" He makes a subtle glance at her appearance. "The hair change, the makeup?"

"I don't think how I dress should bother you."

"If you're planning on bringing a step-father for my children it does."

"Because I wear something a little revealing it means I'm looking for a man?"

"It means you're looking for attention." He fires back. "You've got mine. What are you going to do with it?"

She gasps as his hand splashes on her lower back and pulls her close to him.

The mood shifted dramatically.

His touch, his familiar smell, and his affection all had her falling into his spell. Suddenly her knees were weak. Her heart soared and her self-control depleted. It was a good thing he was holding her so tight or she would fall into a puddle.

"Tell me." He whispers in her ear. Then tripping her up, even more, he kisses her neck. She gasps again. Her heartbeat with excited and her stomach fluttered. She forgot what this feeling felt like. She forgot what it felt like to be touched and wanted by him. It was exhilarating. Her hands reached up and curled around his neck. It was like they grew a mind of their own.

He takes a deep breath, inhaling her scent, remembering their days and nights together. He curls the next hand around her and coaxes her into a hug.
His eyes roll back into his head. How could a hug give him so much relief and so much pleasure? It was like it was what he needed. He couldn't remember the last time they simply hugged. Clair was vulnerable in his arms. It felt so good he never wanted to let go. He adds another kiss on her neck.
This time she moans. A simple sound made him weak.

He carefully lines kisses up her neck and onto her cheek and temple. His hands come up and cup the sides of her face. The urge to touch her mouth was more overcoming than ever. He stares down at her beautiful features in awe but also in contemplation. He couldn't kiss her. There was too much history and they had kids to think about. Things were much too complicated between them to make it worse. That was his mind. His body, on the other hand, holds her still and leans down to taste.

Gently, he convinced her mouth open and laid the most tender kiss. "Hmm." He moans as the pressure of her lips comes back. Both of his hands sprawl out across her open back then he lifts her onto the island.
They explored and sensually divulged themselves to the point where minutes passed and they didn't notice. Jacob kept tugging her closer, wrapping his arms around her tighter wanting her to be as close as possible. His palms roamed her body remembering every detail. Neither realized how in need of each other they were. Then...

Emmie enters the kitchen. "Daddy?"

He pulls away immediately. "Baby girl, What are you doing up?" He quickly scoops her up in his arms.

Dazed Clarissa jumps to the ground. "Come on let's get you back to bed."

Emmie grabs both of their hands and pulls them to her room. Her smile was bright. It was obvious she was happy. She made her self comfortable under the blanket and wouldn't let go of their hands, forcing them to lay with her.

It didn't take long for Emmie and Clarissa to fall asleep. Clarissa was first, Jacob noticed. He watched them, and it brought a sense of peace to him. Knowing that his family was around. He crept his hand onto Clarissa's laying across Emmie's tummy and shut his eyelids.


He was the first to wake the next morning. He savoured the moment he opened his eyes to meet Clarissa's resting. Emmie had gotten up already and was probably watching TV. It was just the two of them left lying beside each other. They wound up close. His arm was stretched out under her head and instead of Emmie's stomach, his other arm lay across Clarissa's.
He didn't know how it happened, he just noticed that she was closer to his side, and that meant she moved closer to him. It warmed him to think about it.

Before the divorce, they hardly slept near each other, sometimes not even on the same bed. Just the thought that she wanted to be in his arms gave him feelings he had forgotten existed. He relished in the moments for a while before his phone rang snapping him back to reality. It was his lawyer. It's obvious that he was front-page news.
His lawyer reported that the man he hit was pressing charges and there now was a warrant out for his arrest.

Clarissa woke to hear the conversation. She listened until he ended the call and turned around. He was surprised to see her awake but didn't bother pretending she didn't hear his phone call. "I'm going to turn myself in."

"Do you see what your reckless anger causes?"

"Oh don't start. If this is a cause of anyone's reckless behavior it's yours."

"I don't think dancing qualifies as reckless behaviour."

He digs his fingers through his hair and shoves his hands in his jeans pockets. "This is hilarious to you, isn't it? You know that this is eating me up. You're doing all of this on purpose, aren't you?"

"What?" Her brows lift and her arms are crossed. "Showing you what you don't have anymore?"

"One text on my phone from Regina has you this bitter Clair?"

She removes the blanket from her and gets off the bed. She was still wearing a very revealing dress. She looked down at herself and suddenly felt half-naked. Maybe it was the way he zoned in on her thighs and behind. She picks back up the blanket and wraps it around herself. She didn't want the kids to see her. She walks to the door but turns before grabbing the door handle to look at him. "I'm bitter and you're jealous. And I know it's for your fatherhood being threatened not because of me. You don't have to worry no other man will replace you as a father."

"So you don't have a boyfriend?"

"If I did, that doesn't mean they would call him daddy. What's wrong with you? Why are you so insecure about this? You see them all the time. It's not like you live overseas."

He knew no other man could take his place in his children's lives but Clarissa's life, hell a man in her vicinity was his problem. He knew he was overstepping but he couldn't really care. "So you don't have a boyfriend?"

Her glare changes. It turns into a challenge. Her arms cross and her jaw pops to the side. "Since we're sharing concerns... Has Regina been satisfying you?"

He smiles. There was a definite change within her. This sass was the sexiest thing he's seen on her.

"I just want to know." She continues. "Since you know, you left me for her."

"Are you crazy? I didn't leave you for her and you know it.

"I know that you told me you weren't seeing her."

"I'm not." He lets out a breath. "Not really. Look."

"Mom!" Dylan interrupts.

She opens the door and finds all four of their kids waiting. Alyssa's smile was so bright that it suddenly pained Clarissa that her carelessness was giving her daughter false hope. Her dad wasn't suddenly going to fall in love with her mom again.

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