Jacked Up (Bowen Boys #4)(91)

He still had the keys to her place and he had no qualms about a little home invasion, but at this time of night she was at the restaurant, and waiting until her shift ended wasn’t an option.

He glanced at Rosita’s windows.

There she was. Elle. His pet.

She was so beautiful. She’d cut her hair short, which made her even more beautiful if that were possible, her features on display without the mane of hair taking any attention from them. So starkly gorgeous in her simplicity. Just a black pencil skirt and a white blouse. No heavy makeup, just some lip gloss on her luscious mouth.

Jack missed her so f*cking badly. Her sweet smiles and her sarcastic comebacks. The way she always found an opening to touch him. How she soothed him with just a glance. He missed everything. Every-f*cking-thing.

He took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. He couldn’t live without her. Time to man up and bite the bullet.

As luck would have it, Rosita’s was full, and not only with patrons. All the Bowens were there, kiddies included. Whatever. That wouldn’t derail him. Nothing would derail him.

Elle was at the back and didn’t see him coming in. James and Max did, and they walked to him.

“You sure you want to do this here?” James asked.

Sure? Not in the least. Nevertheless, he nodded curtly. He didn’t have any other option; he wasn’t leaving without talking to her.

Tate hurried to him and hugged him. “Go to her,” she whispered. “Before she sees you and bolts.”

Right. Very reassuring.


ELLE WAS TAKING Mrs. Copernicus’s order when she noticed the old lady was looking behind her, waving and smiling. Elle turned and froze.

Oh God. Jack was in front of her. The need to envelop him in her arms and kiss him was so strong, she had to fist her hands and lock her legs to stop herself from jumping at him.

“I need to talk to you, pet,” Jack said, his voice husky.

She glanced around. “I’m working.”

Jack didn’t move a muscle. “I’ll wait as long as I have to. Or talk in front of them. Don’t care.”

The patrons didn’t seem to mind either. Mrs. Copernicus, as a matter of fact, had turned around and was snacking on the bread sticks as if she were watching a movie.

“Go. I’m taking over,” Tate told her, realizing they were going to need privacy.

Jack and Elle stepped to the side.

He looked good; a bit skinnier and paler than his normal self, but she guessed that was what a hole in your insides and four weeks in a hospital did to you.

“You okay?” she whispered.

Jack nodded. “I was released the day before yesterday.”

“I know.” She’d been fighting herself not to go to him.

“You didn’t come to visit. Didn’t answer my e-mails,” he said, his tone dripping with bitterness.

She latched on to the last part. The first part she didn’t even want to delve into. “What e-mails? I haven’t been checking them.” She’d been trying to wean herself off the Internet, so she’d kept away from her laptop. “Have you been writing me?”

He nodded, yet he remained silent.

She was dying to ask about that, but she stopped herself. “I’ve reduced my cyberactivities.”

“So I heard,” he answered. “I’ve decided to reduce my activities too.”

That caught her by surprise. “Really? Because you didn’t have many to begin with.”

“The life-threatening ones.”

“Your schedule is wide open, then.” He shrugged, looking uncomfortable. Her attempt at joking had backfired and the following silence was so heavy she couldn’t breathe. “Was there something you wanted?”

He drew a deep breath and locked eyes with her. “I f*cked up when I walked out on you. You were right. I was being a coward. I’m here to correct my mistake.”

“I appreciate you saving me, but you might have been right; we aren’t a good fit. You’d better go.”

“Not going anywhere. I know I f*cked up, but you’re going to forgive me and I’m going to stay here until you do. And afterward I’m not going anywhere either.”

There it was, the obey-me-or-else Jack she knew. It figured being near death hadn’t mellowed him. She crossed her arms over her chest, her chin up defiantly. “Really? And why is that?”

“Because you’re the one.”

“Not the one. You were very clear about that. I offered you my heart and you stomped all over it. I’m the same person you rejected. I haven’t changed. Well, I have; you taught me something very important, that it doesn’t pay to love someone. You let them in, they break your heart.”

Before she could react or fully comprehend what was happening, Jack enveloped her in his arms and took her mouth.

God, he felt so good, and she’d missed him so much. Elle fought the overwhelming need to give in to the kiss.

“I’m still mad at you,” she said the second she managed to break away. “We are in the middle of an argument. What are you doing?”

“Continue to be mad, pet. I’m kissing you.”

“Why? To shut me up?”

“No. You said you loved me. I couldn’t stop myself. I need you. I need to be as deep inside you as I can. As close to you as humanly possible. I guess f*cking you now is out of the question.”