Hers for a While

Hers For A While

By Danica Chandler

This book is a work of fiction and is for your personal enjoyment only. Any similarities to names, places, or events are coincidental. This book may not be resold or given away to another person.  It may not be transmitted in any way without written permission from the author.

Copyright © 2015 by Danica Chandler

Cover art by Danica Chandler

Reader discretion is advised - contains adult content.

Alice Mills wasn’t looking for love. When she meets Jack Turner in a bar one random night out with her friends, she’s hit blindside by his charm, personality, and smoldering good looks. The feelings she experiences with Jack have her wondering if he’s the one. Their chemistry is perfect and Alice knows it’s right. Passion ignites and they are both physically and emotionally connected in ways neither has ever experienced with anyone else.

Life hits hard and Alice and Jack are thrown a curveball, veering them off of their path to happily ever after. She wants to spend eternity with Jack, but with bad news lingering, their relationship is tested. Alice is left questioning what the future will hold and if things will get back on track. She never knew how strong she was until strong was the only choice she had. Time is priceless and moves fast, pushing Alice to limits she never knew existed. Will she lose the only man she has ever loved?

Jack is hers for a while, and nothing can ever change that.
Nothing.

Prologue

It happened on a chilly autumn day. A day that Alice didn’t want to think about. A day that she knew she’d one day have to dig deep into the recesses of her memory to relive for the sake of those around her.

Staring out of her kitchen window, she pulled her cardigan tight around her midsection, watching the autumn foliage that fell to the earth below, cascading across the yard like a painting that her husband would have loved to look at.

It wasn’t that she wanted to forget – part of her journey was to make sure that the story was told. It was important, but at the same time, a bittersweet situation. After all, it was the best and worst day of her life. Closing her eyes, Alice blinked back the tears, forcing a smile as she turned back toward the kitchen table. Sitting down, she intertwined her fingers in the handle of her coffee cup, sipping on her drink that was now too cold to stomach.

The patter of footsteps pulled her from her daydream. Looking up, she forced a smile.

“Alice, dear, what are you doing in here all alone? We’re all in the living room. How about you join us?”

Standing up, Alice poured the coffee down the drain. She loved her family, but this time of year, it felt as if they smothered her. What would she do without the support? She just hated all of the attention. She hated being viewed as a delicate flower on the brink of breaking down. She had to be strong, especially today.

“I’ll be right in there, Mom. Let me tidy up a few things and then we can get started.”

A lump formed in her throat. She heard laughter. She heard her family gathering around the fire. She heard happiness. Again she wondered – what would she do without their support?

Turning toward a shelf, Alice took a long, hard look at a picture that always caught her attention. Tracing her index finger over it, she felt a solitary tear trickle down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away. Her memory flashed to everything, bringing up things she hadn’t thought about in a long time. Before she could face her family, she needed some time alone. She had to get it all organized in her head.

Walking up the stairs to her room, she sat on the edge of the bed and began to recollect everything. No holding back. Even if it was painful, she had to rehash every detail. It’s the way he’d want it. Her family would have to wait. This was her moment to do the man she loved justice.

“This is for you, Babe. Help me tell your story.”

Chapter One

“You like him, don’t you?”

Alice eyed the tall, dark, and handsome stranger from across the room. She didn’t want to be at the bar, but against her will, her friends had brought her out. She noticed the beer in his hand and the way he interacted with several guys, standing around a pool table. Her eyes caught his, and though she had never spoke one word to the man, her heart skipped a beat. He paused, holding the bottle to his lips before taking a long pull off of it. Her cheeks heated up, and she looked away.

“How could I not? He’s gorgeous.”

“Go talk to him!” Her friend gave her a shove, but she resisted, her confidence quickly wavering.

“Are you kidding me? He wouldn’t give me the time of day. No! You go talk to him, Mandy!”

“I think he’s interested in you.”

Alice ignored her friend and ordered another Chilton from the bartender, drinking it too fast. She needed it. How would she be able to walk up to a guy like that? To even consider having a chance with him was laughable. Before going back to her group, she took another glance in his direction, feeling a twinge of disappointment when he was no longer there. Had he already left? Why did it matter? She didn’t know him from Adam. He wasn’t the first handsome man she had seen and wouldn’t be her last.

Pushing through the crowd, she tried to fight her way back to Mandy and everyone else when she ran right into someone, spilling most of her drink down her arm.

“Damn it, I’m so sorry!” Looking up, she felt her breath literally get pulled out of her lungs. There he was, right in front of her, his wide smile causing her heart to thump so hard that she was certain he could see it through her shirt.

“Don’t worry about it. I’ve had worse spilled on me.”

Finally getting a good look at him, Alice noticed that his eyes were green.
Holy crap
. So green that they stood out, even in the dark bar. Maybe his tan complexion was helping accentuate them, or maybe it was his dark hair that curled up around the brim of his baseball cap. It should be illegal how attractive he was, and she hoped she wasn’t being too obvious with her infatuation with him.

He stuck his hand out and said, “I’m Jack. What’s your name?”

“Alice. Or idiot. Whatever you wanna call me for not watching where I was going.”

Smirking, he latched onto her hand. His palms were sandpaper rough. A workingman. Damn, did he have any flaws?

“Forget about it. It’s nice to meet you. What are you drinking? I’ll get you another one at the bar,” Jack replied as he helped guide her back through the crowd.

“You really don’t have to do that. I probably shouldn’t have any more to drink anyway. I’m already a tad bit tipsy.”

Arching his thick eyebrow, he squinted as a small smile crept on his lips. The subtle look melted Alice’s heart. “Hard to tell with how gracefully you pushed through everyone. Or is it falling with style?”

Slapping his arm, she laughed at his sarcastic remark. What was she feeling? She had just met this man. She couldn’t be hanging on his every word so fast. Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe he wasn’t really as good looking as she was thinking. She’d made the mistake before – once the beer goggles come off, it was shameful to admit how blind she could be with people.

Jack ordered another beer and her Chilton. “You play pool?”

“If by play you mean knock the cue ball around with no real goal, then yes, I play pool.”

Reaching for her hand again, Jack led her back to a pool table. They were alone, and she wondered where his group of friends had gone, but thankful that she had this time alone with him. As he gathered up the balls, she took a second to step back and admire him. His dark polo shirt looked great, and those jeans – it was like they were tailored just for him, fitting him great in all the areas she couldn’t help but notice. As he reached across the table, she watched as the muscles in his forearms and lower biceps rippled beneath the fabric. Drinking did this to her. She always turned into a horny teenager.

Looking up, Jack adjusted his baseball cap as he gathered two pool sticks and chalked the ends of them. Oh no! Did he catch her staring? Again, her cheeks heated up but he gave no indication that he was on to her.

Handing her one, he smiled again. “Do the honors of breaking them?”

“On one condition, Jack. You can’t laugh at me.”

“I promise not to laugh.”

Alice positioned the pool stick, feeling like a complete fool as she lined up her shot. Without even really aiming, she reared back and hit the cue ball as hard as she could, sending the triangle of balls across the table. Jack counted as three dropped into the corner pockets, his eyes wide as he looked at her.

“You’re hustling me, aren’t you?”

“I’m not hustling you. Just lucky, I guess.”

She saw Mandy approaching them, and waved at her to get her attention. “Mandy, this is Jack! Jack, this is my best friend, Mandy.”

Jack shook her hand and nodded. “Pleased to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Mandy replied. “Alice, we probably should get home. We’ve got finals in the morning.”

“Since when are you the mother hen?” Alice laughed. “I wanna stay and finish this game with Jack.”

Mandy sized Jack up again, not looking amused. “How are you gonna get home? I don’t want to leave you here and I’m ready to go.”

“Listen, Mandy, my name is Jack Turner. I work at the fire station just down the street. If anything happens to Alice, you can come looking for me there. I’ll get her home safe. You’re a great friend to come check on her.”

Mandy bit her bottom lip as she contemplated what Jack had just told her. “You think you can flash around the fact that you’re a firefighter and think it’s all okay? How do I know that you’re really telling the truth?”

Alice stepped in between them. The last thing she needed was Mandy ruining the great chemistry she was having with him. “Mandy, it’s fine. If all else fails, I’ll call a cab. I’m good. Go home and get some rest. I’ll call you if I need anything.” For a second, Alice did question Jack’s honesty. They had only known each other for thirty minutes. What if he was lying? How did she know his name was really Jack Turner? She had never done anything like this. It was usually Mandy wanting to stay. In a way, it was a refreshing change, especially when she saw the look on Jack’s face. She couldn’t let him go so soon. She wanted to know more about the man.

Smoothing her hands down the pool stick, she grinned. “Now, where were we?”

***

“Sorry to get you home so late. I lost track of time with everything.” Jack walked her up the driveway to her front door. “What time are your tests tomorrow?”

Alice looked down at her watch. It was a little after two AM. Had the bars not closed then, she was certain they’d still be there hanging out. “My first one isn’t until ten. I’ll be fine.”

“You don’t need to study or anything?” He looked down at her, his expression concerned. “I’d hate to be the reason you fail a test.”

Shaking her head, Alice leaned in, taking in his scent. There was a subtle smell of beer, but his musky cologne was stronger, clouding her senses. It was too early to decide that he was perfect. With her luck, she’d never see him again.

“If I don’t know the material by now, I’m doomed. I can’t cram it all in tonight. I won’t fail it. I love the class. I’ve retained a lot over the semester.”

Nodding, Jack held her hand in his. His thumb rubbed down her palm, and he lifted it to his lips, kissing the back of it. His five o’clock shadow rubbed against her skin, sending a chill down her spine.

“Can I see you again?” It came out in a whisper, but Alice heard it loud and clear.

“I’d love that,” Alice replied. Was she dreaming? Was he asking her out again?

“When are finals over?”

“My last test is tomorrow afternoon.”

“That’s perfect. I’ll come pick you up about six. Sound good?”

Alice giggled and the sound that escaped her was surprising. She had never sounded like a lovesick kid, but suddenly she felt like it again. “And what do you have in mind, Jack?”

Taking the steps back down to the sidewalk, he glanced at her from over his shoulder, twirling his keys in his right hand. “I guess you’ll have to wait and see, Alice. I’ll see you at six. Good luck on your tests.”

“Thanks, Jack.”

Unlocking her front door, she fell back on her couch and closed her eyes. What was happening? Was she lost in how handsome he was? Lust was a good way to affect her judgment, but this was different. Lots of smooth talking men had come in and out of her life, and none of them had ever made her feel that way. Normally she’d be a basket case on the eve of her finals, but it was the last thing on her mind.

Walking down the hallway, she caught herself smiling in the mirror. Jack Turner. Six o’clock seemed like an eternity away.

***

Alice looked at the clock on the nightstand. From the sounds coming from downstairs, her family was fine. They could wait longer. She was just getting started. Good memories helped, and she lay back on her mounds of pillows, ready to relive every moment. There was no use in stopping it. The time was appropriate, and she closed her eyes, delving right back into her past like it was happening again.