Free Jane's Gift by Karen Erickson Page A

all right.
    …
    Jane had never been kissed so thoroughly before in her life.
    She stood in front of the entrance to the movie theater, waiting for Chris to bring the car around and pick her up. When they’d left the building, she’d been startled at the chill in the air, immediately wishing she’d brought a coat.
    Chris had solved that problem by offering her his jacket, still warm from his body. It enveloped her, hung from her shoulders practically down to her knees, and she hugged it close, breathed deep his scent that lingered there.
    Her lips still tingled from his ardent kisses. She pressed her fingers to them, noticed they were fuller, swollen even. She skimmed her fingertips along her cheeks, noticed they felt scratched by the faint stubble that covered his jaw.
    She felt…alive. The blood sang in her veins, whirled and pumped through her body as if on a wild waterslide ride, and she shivered. Not from the cold, either.
    No, more like from her intense reaction to Christian Nelson.
    He’d seemed almost angry when she called their kissing nice. It had been a bad choice of words; she knew it the second it flew out of her mouth. And his reaction had only proven it. That last kiss he’d given her, it had been as if he was trying to prove something. Like he wasn’t as nice as she thought he might be.
    And oh boy, it had been a doozy. Left her weak in the knees and mind, unable to make out the words he’d spoken to her as they’d left the theater.
    Who knew a kiss could leave you weak and incoherent? She’d never experienced anything like it.
    She wanted to experience it again.
    Despite her earlier speech, despite the fact that she was worried about her children. She knew she should feel guilty. That she should put them first, as she’d been doing since she got out of the hospital. Working so feverishly to attend to their needs, forgetting about herself in the process.
    She’d never felt as alive as she had when she’d been in Chris’s arms, his mouth on hers. Until he’d touched her face, her scars. That had freaked her out, almost caused her to ruin the moment. She needed to realize the scars were a permanent part of her. But it was so hard.
    “Jane? Is that you?”
    Jane whirled around to see a woman around her age standing before her, a black down coat engulfing her body. Jane squinted, knew the woman’s face was familiar, but the name wasn’t coming to her.
    “Jane, that is you. It’s me, Audrey Daniels! How are you?”
    Audrey wrapped her arms around Jane and hugged her tightly, and Jane had no choice but to hug her back. She remembered Audrey dimly from school—she’d been two years ahead of Jane and hadn’t paid much attention to her, really more a part of Mindy’s crowd. Jane had always been just the pesky little sister.
    “I’m good,” Jane finally said once Audrey released her. “How are you?”
    “Oh, you know. Life’s okay. I’m in the middle of a divorce.” Audrey scrunched up her face. “I’ve had some custody trouble with the ex, but we’re going back to court next month, so we’ll work it out, I’m sure.”
    That’s right. Jane forgot how big a gossip Audrey was. And how she had no problem airing her own dirty laundry, either.
    “I’m sorry about that. It must be tough.”
    “Oh, not as tough as what you’ve gone through, I’m sure.” Audrey waved her hand as if to dismiss her troubles. “I’m so sorry to hear about your husband and what happened to you.”
    “I’m okay; it was almost two years ago, and we’re getting through it.” Jane stood straighter, not in the mood for pity tonight. Not in the mood for reminders of Stephen, either. “It’s been hard, but I’m doing much better.”
    “I’m sure.” Audrey tsk ed her tongue against her teeth, the look on her face clearly stating she didn’t believe Jane whatsoever. “I bet your children have suffered so, so much.”
    Why did Jane get the sense that Audrey wanted her children to suffer? So strange.