Free Jamie Hill Triple Threat by Jamie Hill

Jack said gently. “I’m doing everything I can to help her out, but I have to go easy. She’s a proud woman.”
    “She is that,” Moe nodded agreement, and they both watched her return to the dining room with two clean boys in tow.
    “Ready to go?” Jack spoke up.
    “Almost. Could you help them put their homework in their backpacks, please? I’ll just clean off the table.”
    “Oh, sure.” He sorted out who belonged to what, and zipped everything securely into their bags. Crystal wiped off the table, said goodbye to Moe, and they were set. Jack gave him a friendly wave, and led his little family from the diner.
     
    * * * *
     
    “I’m never letting you go shopping with me again.” Crystal scowled at Jack as they hauled bag upon bag up the three flights of stairs. She deposited her armload on the table and tried to make room for his stuff. They could hear the boys one flight below, dragging up their own loads. “Jesus, Jack, just because I gave you my pay doesn’t mean I planned to spend it all on food.”
    “I know that.” He pulled the pay envelope from his jacket and returned it to her uniform pocket, unopened. He patted her pocket securely and left his hands on her hips.
    “Jack, I intended to pay for—” She attempted to protest, but he pulled her toward him by her waist.
    “I know that, too,” he cut her off. “Now kiss me real quick before that last load of groceries makes it up here.”
    She grinned and they kissed quickly, leaving them both breathless and wanting more. “What happened to the distraction factor?” she whispered.
    He wiggled her hips and shrugged. “I figure we’ve already kissed. At this point it’s more of a distraction not to kiss you.”
    “Oh, thank God. So there will at least be kissing.” She batted her eyes and he patted her butt as they went to relieve the boys of their burdens.
    They made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner, all four of them, working in the kitchen together. Crystal realized that the "family" feeling she kept experiencing was becoming normal to her, as though that was the way things were supposed to be, and might always be in the future. That scared her worse than anything. She knew how heartbroken she’d feel when it was just her, on her own, again.
    “A penny for your thoughts.” Jack slipped behind her as she stood at the sink washing the dishes. He slid the last plate into the dishwater and planted a kiss on the nape of her neck.
    “I was thinking I need a cigarette,” she admitted.
    He chuckled. “God, my thoughts exactly. We are so in sync, it’s scary.”
    Crystal laughed and turned to face him, holding her wet hands up in the air. “Okay, maybe I was thinking it’s awfully nice to have you here.”
    He glanced back over his shoulder and saw the boys were watching TV. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. “Now that… that is exactly what I was thinking.” He kissed her gently at first, and when he heard the little moan escape from the back of her throat he deepened the kiss.
    “Jack,” she breathed into his mouth. “This is lovely, but I think you’re wrong. I think kissing is a distraction.”
    “I know, damn it!” He kissed her hard one more time, then released her. “I always think just one taste of you will satisfy me. And I continue to be very, very mistaken.” He ran his finger along her cheekbone. He cleared his throat and picked up the dish towel. “I guess we should finish these, and get a bed made up for the boys. You can’t go next door anymore.”
    She cleared her throat as well, and attempted to compose herself. “I suppose they can sleep on the sofa.”
    “I thought I could bring one of their mattresses over here. Mark’s bed didn’t seem to get cut up as badly. If we flip the mattress, it’ll work for the time being. We can put it on your living room floor, and they can both sleep on it.”
    “The sofa sounds so much easier.” She yawned.
    “Yeah, but I’m going to be