Free Penalty Clause by Lori Ryan Page A

Connecticut meant I could drive to the beach and the mountains and take advantage of all four seasons. I do want to start traveling now, though.”
    Andrew’s jaw hit the floor. He couldn’t believe anyone could look at Jill’s photographs and not see the incredible talent in them. Not want to support that talent, to help it grow. “You’re kidding, right?”
    Jill grimaced. “No. Sadly, I’m not. I didn’t really see his lack of support as an issue when we were married. I had blinders on to all these faults Jake had. After we separated, it was like coming out of a fog and realizing how one-sided our marriage was. He controlled everything and our whole world was about him.”
    “Wow. You married an ass,” Andrew said bluntly. “Sorry, I guess that’s rude, but you really married an ass.” He couldn’t stop himself from saying it again. Her ex-husband couldn’t be described as anything other than a first-class jackass.
    Jill smiled ruefully. “I know. I thought we had this perfect marriage and perfect life but when I look back on it I realize I was fooling myself the whole time. All that mattered to him was his career and how I looked on his arm as his wife. I was an accessory. You know what’s sad? He didn’t even know how I took my coffee. After seven years of marriage, he didn’t even know the most basic information about me like whether I take cream or sugar in my coffee.”
    Cream. Two sugars.
    Andrew couldn’t understand how the Jill Walsh he remembered let this happen. Maybe the fifteen-year-old Andrew had put her on a pedestal. Maybe she hadn’t been as strong and independent and smart and funny and confident as he thought. She’d let this guy treat her like shit.
    “You do realize you’re lucky he left you, right?” Andrew finally asked Jill.
    Jill winced but then gave him a small smile. “I know. I really do, but it doesn’t make me feel like less of a fool. Sometimes I just feel so stupid.” Jill blinked back tears. She looked so vulnerable.
    “Oh, Jill, it wasn’t your fault.” Andrew felt helpless watching her.
    “I know. Intellectually, I know it wasn’t my fault he cheated, but I can’t help feeling like maybe I...” Jill let the thought drop off, as if not able to voice her fears to Andrew.
    “Ah. That’s where the rebound guy comes in.” Andrew smiled, bringing them back around to her drunken confession of her rebound plans for Andrew.
    Andrew watched as Jill’s face flushed and he smiled at her embarrassment. Jill was really cute when she was bashful. Andrew set his plate down on the coffee table in front of them. He took Jill’s empty plate out of her hands and set it down as well. Andrew turned to face Jill and placed his hands on her thighs, squeezing just enough to get her attention. He buried a smile when he saw Jill squirm under his gaze.
    Andrew leaned forward and brushed his lips against Jill’s cheek. He pulled back and locked eyes with Jill. Then, slowly, giving Jill a chance to stop him if she wanted to, Andrew let his mouth graze her delicate jaw line. Then he dipped his head to her neck and nuzzled her soft skin. He heard Jill’s gasp and felt a corresponding hitch in his own breathing. Andrew stopped and held his forehead against Jill’s, then spoke quietly.
    “Then we have a problem, Jill. Because I don’t think I can watch you do that with another guy, Jill.”
    Jill pulled back, her eyes rounded in surprise. The look only lasted a second before she blushed and tried to look away but Andrew placed his hand under her chin and tilted her eyes to his.
    “I’ve tried to resist this, Jill. God knows I’ve tried, but I just can’t. When I’m with you, it takes all I have to keep my hands off you. When I’m not with you, all I’m thinking about is how and when I can get back to you. I want to make you understand how wrong your husband was. I want to be the one to give that to you. To give you back your confidence.”
    Andrew watched a rush of