You're Not Broken (18 page)

              “You rented a room for
me?”
she asked, surprised.

              Jason nodded.

              He really had been waiting for her. Too tired to argue, she followed him down the street to a small inn. Jason led her inside and up the stairs to a room. Opening the door, the bed was still made immaculately. Nothing in the room looked touched. So he had booked the room, but hadn’t slept in it.

              He hadn’t been waiting by his truck for her this whole time…had he?

              “Why don’t you get some rest? I can go get some food for you so you can eat something before you go to bed.” It was clear Jason meant for her to have the bed to herself.

              Kat lifted a hand to him, reaching her fingers for him. “Come here,” she said.

              Jason stared at her hand before taking it. His entire hand completely swallowed her own. She pulled him towards the bed and he came without resisting.

              As he sat, the bed sank heavily towards his end. Kat was pulled closer to him.

              “Jason,” she said, too tired for preamble or pretense. “I love you. And I want to be with you. And if you respect me as a woman and an adult, you’d know that I can make my own choices and take my own risks.” She looked up at him, brushing a hand against his coarse stubble. “And you’re no risk. You’re a sure thing. You’re a good man and someone I want to be with.”

              Jason’s eyes had closed briefly at her touch. He then had stared at her, clearly also too exhausted for more arguing. “I’ll bruise you,” he said quietly. “I might hurt you.”

              Kat shook her head. “Don’t you think I might do the same to you?” she whispered.

              Kat felt the heat of their bodies grow between them. “Nobody is perfect and I don’t expect you to be an exception,” she said slowly. “I just want
you.
”

              Her words hung in the air as their bodies sat frozen next to each other. Each of them felt the other wrestling with their heart, knowing what they want and wanting to act on it.

              Finally Jason cupped the back of her neck, tilting her head up towards him. “I love you, Kat Ryans,” he said quietly, his low voice sending a ripple of pleasure through her.

              Immediately peaceful contentment burst through Kat’s heart. Her whole body felt so at peace with itself. The stress of the last two days with Dillon and Jason melted away from her body.

              “I love you, Jason Daniels,” she whispered.

              It was the last thing she was able to say before Jason took her in his arms, burying his tongue within her. Kat melted against him, wanting nothing more than to be with him.

              She welcomed his mouth, stroking his tongue with her own. She shuddered at the difference in his kiss. She could feel him now exploring and owning her mouth a sense of something akin to…permanence. He meant to keep her. She was his and he had lost all his restraint. He wanted to explore all of her.

              With one arm around her waist, he leaned her back and lifted her up the bed. With urgent hands, they quickly undressed each other, feeling as if this was actually their real first time coupling. There was a beautiful weight of permanence and reality between them. This was for real.

              Jason’s rough hands grabbed and squeezed her breasts, making Kat cry out as sparks of pleasure shot through her. Jason’s hands traveled over her, marveling over every curve, every softness, until finally his fingers found her growing wetness.

              Kat gasped as his fingers expertly played with her swollen wet tissues, teasing and urging her down deeper into the spiral of heated passion. Her world became full of touch and fire, nothing more.

              With firm strokes, his fingers slipped down her pussy. Every so often, his thumb would brush over her clit, making her shake with anticipated need. And just when she didn’t think she could take it any longer, Jason plunged two thick fingers deep into her.

              Kat threw her back and cried out as she felt him plunge into her again and again.

              “Baby, you look so beautiful as you’re coming,” Jason muttered hotly into her ear, as he continued to plunge into her, milking out every last shudder and shake from her orgasm.

              Kat turned in his arms, searching for his lips. His rough stubble scratched against her as he took her lips, kissing her fiercely.

              “I want to feel you,” she whispered against his lips. “I want to feel you inside me.”

              Jason groaned at her words, his cock hardening against her thigh. Quickly, he rolled over her, pinning her down with his body.

              Pulling her wrists above her head and capturing them with one hand, he lowered his head to take in one of her nipples, laving it with his tongue. Kat moaned, pleasure shooting straight from her breasts to her pussy.

              He made sure to give her other breast the same attention. So lost in the haze of pleasure, she didn’t feel Jason wedging himself between her knees. And with quick power, he thrust his sizeable cock deep into her warmth.

              Kat arched her back but had no place to escape with her arms pinned above her. She cried out as Jason’s cock impaled her completely. Its thickness deliciously pulled out of her, inch by inch.

              He plunged in again, hard and deep. Kat could hardly keep herself from floating out into the ether of ecstasy. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him even deeper in her.

              Jason groaned as he thrust in again. “Sweetheart,” he breathed above her, “you feel so fucking good.” He thrust in again. “I never want to go a day without feeling you.” He thrust in hard. “Like this.” Kat cried out again as his cock stretched her without mercy.

              He sped up his rhythm, letting the pleasure intensify. Kat tried to pull her wrists free but Jason held fast, keeping her prisoner. And feeling his powerful hold on her only made her pussy clench in desire.

              Kat felt her entire body rising to each of Jason’s thrusts. With every deep plunge of his cock, she felt her body drowning deeper and deeper into the waves of passion. She was standing right on the precipice of release and Jason was standing right behind her.

              “Ahhh!” Kat cried out, arching her back as release shook her entire body. It felt as if a taut rubberband had come undone and she was slowly shriveling into herself as pleasure deflated and exhausted her. Her body twitched and shuddered with the aftershocks of pleasure.

              Jason continued to thrust into her, rough and hard, until he found his own release. He roared with pleasure as he joined Kat in the haze of satisfaction.

              Gathering her up into his arms, he rolled onto his side and held her close. They listened to each other’s heartbeats as they gathered their breaths.

              “From the moment I saw you two years ago, I knew I loved you,” Jason whispered, pressing a kiss onto her forehead. He held her close to him. “I love you.”

              Kat sighed, feeling happier than she thought humanly possible.

Chapter
Twenty Five
Three months later

              “Thank you to those who have loved Doughy Pop’s through all the years! And thank you to those who are falling in love with Doughy Pop’s now. We are so happy to continue filling your bellies and your hearts with our food and love!” Kat smiled.

              The small crowd outside the diner applauded and cheered as Kat cut the ceremonial ribbon. Two photographers snapped photos as Kat cut the ribbon.

              It was just as she had dreamed. Doughy Pop’s had gained traction through online food blogs and critics. This had caught the attention of several newspapers who were enthralled with the idea of a whole town trying to revitalize itself in one movement.

              The journalists had come to Doughy Pop’s grand re-opening to capture the moment and to learn about the new and improved Peytonville.              

              Malcolm grinned cheesily in front of the diner, making sure he was right in front of the camera. Kat laughed and gave him a good shove.

              “Hey!” he protested before fixing his hair and glasses and posing again.

              Dillon stood right behind Malcolm. Still thin from his recent recovery but with a bright healthy blush on his cheeks, Dillon watched with excitement as the town seemed to bustle with a kind of activity he hadn’t seen in months.

              Kat looked out on the town. All the shops had had some kind of work done, big or small. The town looked just like it had always looked through her childhood but just a little more polished, a little more updated.

              Her heart burst seeing the pride and joy on all the faces of Peytonville. They had brought their town back to life. They had worked hard to keep their livelihoods, their homes, and their community. She could see them hardly believing the outcome themselves. And it brought tears to her eyes to see them so happy.

              Her hometown.

              And within her hometown, there was her home.

              She turned and searched through the people standing on the small dais with her. Malcolm, Dillon, Janelle, their new waitress Faye, and their new line cook Linus. And behind them all was her home—Jason.

              She smiled at him and watched with a fluttering heart as he smiled back at her.

              He made a clicking motion with his hands, meaning the cameras. Kat whirled around and smiled some more for the photographers before she was whisked away to be interviewed.

              Opening day was hectic from start to finish. She spoke till she was hoarse with every journalist and townsperson about how happy she was about Peytonville’s return.

              Doughy Pop’s overflowed with people all day. Regular customers admired the new baking display with all her pastries and cakes. They complimented the updated menu and some people declared they had new favorites.

              Within the first four hours of opening, they had completely sold out of her banana walnut muffins and blueberry scones. Janelle flittered from table to table, never having experienced a busy Doughy Pop’s. She clearly was loving the excitement and activity.

              Kat knew her uncle would be so happy to know that his diner, his baby, was back to its old former glory. She knew it had been important to him to keep the place alive. And she hoped she had done good by him.

              For the first time in his life, Dillon got to work at Doughy Pop’s. Kat made sure he stayed behind the counter and mostly just refilled drinks but she could tell by his flushed cheeks and bright eyes that he was loving finally being apart of the family business. She watched as he refilled cokes and coffees while chatting animatedly to customers. She would count her life as blessed if forever after, this could be Dillon’s norm.

              And when the time came to close for the night, it was just Kat and Jason left at the diner, leaning against each other as they sighed in exhaustion at the busy day.

              “I have a surprise,” Kat said, getting up and reaching for something from behind the counter.

              She pulled out a plate with one blueberry scone.

              “I thought these were all sold out,” Jason said, grinning.

              “Well, you get VIP access to all Kat Ryans baked goods,” Kat said, eyes shimmering with love and humor as she pushed the plate forward.

              Jason ignored the fork and picked up the treat with his hand, taking a huge bite. He closed his eyes and hummed in satisfaction. “Just as good as always, if not better,” he said.

              Kat laughed. “Sweet talker,” she chided.

              “Only for you,” he said, winking rakishly.

              Kat laughed again.

              “I have a surprise for you too,” Jason said.

              “You do?” she asked, completely surprised. She leaned across the counter, curious as to what it could be.

              Jason reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Kat sucked in a breath, pretty sure she knew what she was seeing but too scared to say it out loud.

              Jason flicked the top open and pushed it slowly across the counter towards her.

              Kat stared in shock at the sparkling diamond ring that glittered even in the dim lights of the closed diner.

              “I feel like I’ve had you in my life for years already,” Jason said quietly. “From the day I met you two years ago, I’ve carried you in my heart every day since then. You’ve shown me over and over again how brave it is to love so completely.” He reached for her hand. “By that standard and any other, you’re the bravest woman I know.”

              Kat bit her lip, not wanting to cry. Her chest felt tight with her bursting heart. She looked up at Jason with all the love shining in her eyes.

              “Will you marry me?” he asked.

              Her mystery customer. Her brave soldier. Her contractor. Her hero. Her knight in shining armor. Jason had become all those things and more to her and she couldn’t imagine a day where she didn’t have him by her side.

              Kat gave a little emotional laugh as she nodded. “Yes,” she said. “Of course I will.”              

              Jason’s face cracked open into a wide grin as he pulled her further over the counter, kissing her fiercely as he held his fiancée tightly in his arms.

              The soldier had finally come home.