Free ThreeReasonsWhy by Mari Carr

higher, dragging out his orgasm until he became lightheaded.
    As he filled her with his come, he realized he’d forgotten
to put on a condom. Jill trembled slightly beneath him but he could see by the
look of bliss on her face she hadn’t realized his fuckup yet.
    Resting on his elbows, he kissed her softly. “Let me in,” he
whispered once more.
    Jill looked at him with unshed tears. “I can’t.”
    He wanted to argue, wanted to rage against her continued
protest, but something in her face stopped him. It was giving her no joy to
refuse him. Her face was etched with pain. Something was seriously wrong but
until she opened up to him, Wes knew he didn’t stand a snowball’s chance in
hell of claiming her heart.
    He kissed her lightly before moving to the side of the bed
and rising.
    If he’d expected her to protest his leaving, he would have
been disappointed. But he knew she’d offer no complaint. Leaving was the
hardest thing he’d ever had to do, but he knew that this battle was
lost. Better to regroup. The war was far from over.
    “Good night, Jill.”

Chapter Five
     
    Two days later, Jill was home pouring her second cup of
coffee when a loud crash came from downstairs in the diner. “What the hell?”
    She was barefoot and dressed in just her robe as she threw
open her door and nearly collided with Cheryl in the hallway.
    “What the hell was that?” Cheryl asked.
    “No idea. Come on.” Jill led the way down the staircase. A
chilly breeze caught her at the bottom, causing her to shiver. As she entered
the diner, she saw that the plate-glass window at the front of the dining area
had been shattered. Glass covered nearly every inch of the floor.
    Jill stepped into the room, instantly treading on a sharp
piece of glass. “Dammit!”
    “Well, hell,” muttered Cheryl from behind her. “Somebody
broke the glass.”
    “No shit.” Jill hopped back out of the dining room with
Cheryl’s assistance and sat on a chair in the hallway.
    “Lemme see.” Her friend leaned down. “Yep, the glass is
still in there. Hold still a second.” Cheryl pushed on the sole of her foot.
    “Dammit, Cheryl, what are you doing? That hurts.”
    “I’m trying to dig it out. Stop squirming.”
    Jill closed her eyes to block out Cheryl’s poking and
prodding, the sight of the blood making her queasy. She’d never been able to
stomach blood—hers or anybody else’s.
    She hadn’t slept a wink since Wes left her bed two nights
earlier. The defeated look on his face as he’d walked away had eaten at her
soul until she thought she’d go mad. She’d picked up the phone a thousand times
to call him, but she never got beyond the fourth digit before she hung up. What
could she say?
    I’m sorry I hurt you, but this is for the best?
    While her head knew that, her heart didn’t concur. Her main
fear was that he’d answer the phone and she’d beg him to come back. What good
would that do? Better to make the break now.
    “Ouch.”
    “There. I think I got it out. Let me grab a towel and
Band-Aid from the kitchen.”
    “Call Drake while you’re in there,” Jill shouted. She was
careful to specify which member of Madison’s police force she wanted to answer
this call.
    “Okay,” Cheryl called out in response.
    “Asshole vandals, throwing damn rocks at my windows,
clogging my toilets, keying my car,” she muttered. “Damn it, I do not need this
aggravation right now.”
    “Talking to yourself isn’t going to help.” Cheryl bustled
out of the kitchen with a wet towel and bandages.
    “Maybe not, but seeing as how I can’t yell and scream at the
idiot who broke my fucking window, I don’t have anyone else to berate. Ouch,
Jesus, Cheryl! Stick with waitressing. It’s clear you’ll never be a nurse.”
    “Oh hush up. You’re acting like a big baby. It’s just a
little cut. I want to get the blood cleaned up so the Band-Aid will stick. Now
then, that’s good. I’ve got some Neosporin here too. Want me to kiss and