Loving Jared: A Mafia Romance Novella Read online

  Jared backed her out of the bathroom and into the bedroom where he swept her off her feet and up into his arms. She squeaked as he dropped her on the bed, then came down on top of her. It was amazing. She could feel every inch of his naked body against hers. The rough hair on his chest, arms and legs rubbed against the softness of her skin, making her heart race with excitement.

  "Doesn't mean I can't make you come while I'm getting ready for round two." Jared's voice was gruff and sexy.

  "Oh." Her voice was small, but her body tingled with excitement as she imagined him making her come. It wouldn't be the first time. They'd been making out for two weeks now, sometimes heavy, sometimes light. Whenever he stimulated her clit, she shot off like a rocket, melting in his arms. She was so ready for some real action, some skin on skin contact.

  Jared sat back on his haunches and swept her body with a long look.

  "You are so fucking hot, you blow my mind, baby. I want to do bad, bad things to you."

  It wasn't the most romantic thing he'd said to her, but it made Amy grin. "You're not too bad either." Her eyes drifted over his torso, which was so inked she could barely see the skin underneath. One of his arms had a full sleeve of tattoos, while the other was bare. He had some tattoos on his legs as well as his neck and his hand.

  Amy had never really had an opinion about tattoos on guys before, but she was starting to realize that she loved them. Especially when they were on Jared.

  He ran his hands over her body, starting at her breasts, squeezing and playing with them. She giggled as she realized what he was doing was more for him than her, but eventually his hands drifted down, toward her pussy. He nudged her legs wider and then crouched down between her legs. He pulled her labia apart and traced her inner lips with a finger, his gaze never straying.

  Amy moaned, loving the feeling of his hands on her, loving the feel of his gaze on her. Now, she just needed his tongue.

  He didn't disappoint.

  After he looked his fill and touched his fill, he dove in face first. At first, he licked her leisurely, exploring every facet of her vagina. Frustrated, she wanted to shout at him to pick a rhythm and stick with it. She was starting to wonder if this man was all talk, when he finally got serious.

  He plunged a couple of fingers inside her, filling her with his thickness, as his tongue flicked against her clit in alternating rhythms. He would drive her higher and higher, then force her to fall back to earth, then do it all over again. She was a moaning, sweating, hot mess before he finally let her come.

  He lifted his face, grinned at her wickedly. "Come for me now, baby."

  Then he bent over and flicked his tongue against her clit, once, twice, three times, with hard, fast strokes. She shot off like a rocket, letting out a high-pitched scream that he smothered with his hand. She writhed underneath him, rocking her hips into his face and gripping the pillows behind her head.

  Jared reached for his nightstand, grabbed something and reached down to his cock. Amy heard a tearing sound and then he was crawling back over her, condom in place.

  She barely had enough time to take a breath before he was hovering over top of her, his face up above hers while he lined his cock up against her pussy. Amy stared up at him, helpless to move. She could do nothing other than watch as he plunged into her.

  She let out a short yelp and then wrapped her arms and legs around him, drawing him deeper into her body. It hurt, but in a good way. It'd been several months since the last time she’d had sex. Though she’d only had a few partners in the short time she’d been sexually active, Amy knew she was a sexual creature. She hadn't taken on the phone sex operator job just because it paid well. She'd also taken it because it relieved some of the tension that coiled up inside her when she went too long without sex.

  Jared moved over top of her, finding a rhythm that was easy for her to follow. Together they rocked in each other's arms, their eyes locked, lips locked, and hips locked. The moment was both sexy and emotional. As her body began to tighten around his cock, tears sparked in her eyes. She didn't know why. Maybe this moment was significant. The first time she had sex with her forever partner.

  Yeah, that was it. This was their first time with Jared and it meant something.

  "Jared…" she whispered to him.

  He reached out to touch her forehead, running his fingers over her face and then wrapping his big hand over the top of her head. He didn't once lose rhythm as he held her.

  "I got you. I always got you. Never letting you go."

  They were the exact words she needed to hear. She sighed and held him tight as he pushed her over the edge into another orgasm and then followed close behind.

  Sixteen

  The next day Jared moved Amy and the kids in with him. Amy had tried to protest, but it'd been weak. The reality was, she didn't want to stay in her family home anyway. And now that she and Jared had sex, she was even more convinced that he was the man for her.

  Super hot. Check.

  Sexy as hell. Check.

  Good with a barbecue. Check.

  Fucking phenomenal in bed. Check.

  Protective. Check.

  Had an ass that she could bounce a quarter off. Check.

  Yup, the man checked off all of her requirements for long-term boyfriend. He didn't even seem to mind that she worked part-time as a phone sex operator. She'd be willing to give it up for the right guy, but even better if she didn't have to. She made decent cash at it and it fulfilled the secret dirty part of her soul.

  Vincent, Jenna and Enrico showed up to help with the move. Jenna mostly hung out with Amy, helping her unpack over at Jared's house, while Vince and Enrico helped Jared move boxes, furniture and toys. Enrico was starting to grow on Amy, even though he didn’t do more than politely grunt in her direction. She’d taken to calling him Rico, which Jenna wholeheartedly endorsed.

  They hadn't talked about what Amy was going to do with the house yet. She just wasn't sure. Somehow, it didn't feel right to sell. She didn't know if it was because her mother had died in that house and it was the only connection she had left. Or, perhaps she couldn't let it go because it was the only home her two younger siblings had known.

  "You must've been so terrified when you walked in the door and found everything tossed." Jenna and Amy talked while they unpacked boxes in the living room. Jenna continued, "The same thing happened to me. My ex-husband went through my place when I wasn't home. Thank God Jared was there with me or I would've completely freaked out."

  "I didn't know that," Amy said softly. "Did you lose anything important?"

  Jenna's eyes misted over and she nodded. "A few keepsakes from my parents. At the time I hadn't any contact with them, so I cherished those items. But now, I see my folks all the time. My mom loves coming to town to spend time with the children."

  A shaft of pain, and a tiny amount of jealousy, went through Amy at Jenna's words. Amy would sell her soul to have her mother back, but she didn't blame Jenna for talking fondly of her own mother. In fact, Amy liked hearing about relationships between other people. It helped her feel more normal, less like her family was one big dramatic story for the media.

  They moved on to other topics, chatting more generally. Amy suspected that Jenna had been sensitive to her pain and quickly changed the subject. Amy was grateful. She hoped that her friendship with Jenna would continue to blossom, as she really liked the other woman.

  They moved upstairs to the guest room and were unpacking for Millie and Sarah, when Amy's phone rang. It was Teagan.

  "Just checking in. Heard from Jared that you guys are moving in with him."

  Amy bit her lip, pondering what to say to her brother. Their relationship had been slowly improving over the weeks that Jared had been in their lives. She didn't want to say anything to screw that up and she couldn't tell by Teagan’s tone of voice whether or not he was pleased with this new development.

  "Yeah, he thinks it's safer, and to be honest, I feel better living with him right n
ow. He's not moving everything over, just the stuff that we need." She took a deep breath and said the next part hesitantly, worried about what Teagan would say. "He's prepared a room for you too. He put it in the basement. He thought that's where you’d prefer to be. More space and all that. I hope that's okay."

  There was a long pause that made Amy cringe with worry. Then Teagan spoke, erasing all of her concerns. "That's awesome! I can't wait to see it. I'm getting a little sick of being over here with Keith. His mom's a shit cook and he plays too many video games. I'm not getting any sleep or homework done."

  Amy burst out laughing and then clapped a hand over her mouth. Jenna looked over at her with wide eyes and a tilted head.

  Amy uncovered her mouth and said, "Make sure you watch your language when you get back over here. It's not polite to call someone's cooking shit. But we're looking forward to having you."

  She meant it. She’d been on such bad terms with her brother for so long that it felt like a miracle to have him speaking to her in a civil tone. Even though she wasn't sure what kind of magic Jared had cast over the teenager, she was grateful. Very grateful.

  The two women continued chatting and unpacking until it was time to go pick up Millie and Sarah at their friend’s house. Amy had planned to go by herself, but Jenna insisted on driving her. Amy was starting to suspect that between Jared, Jenna, Vincent and Enrico, there was a plan that she and the kids never be alone.

  As they drove, the two women continued to chat. "So, when is your last day at the factory?" Jenna asked, her tone casual.

  "Last day?" Amy asked. "No, you have it wrong. I still work there. I go in tomorrow at 5:00 AM."

  "Oh, I'm sorry. Jared told me you wouldn’t be working there anymore. I assumed if it hadn't already happened, that your last day would be coming up soon."

  Amy frowned. Had Jared really said that? She doubted Jenna was lying, but maybe she misheard. Then again, Jared could be a little high-handed. He tried to couch his arrogance in protective attitude, but he still sometimes overstepped. Amy was okay with him doing whatever he wanted for the girls, they could only benefit. But when it came to her, she liked to make her own decisions in life.

  "No," she said stubbornly. "I still work there. I'll set Jared straight."

  Jenna burst out laughing and shook her head. "That man is exactly like Vincent, which means you're not going to win that argument. Prepare for a whole lot of free time coming up, sweetheart."

  Amy wanted to be offended. She even looked deep inside to try and decide if she was offended, but she really wasn't. She knew what Jared was all about. He was big, pushy and used to getting his own way. Amy was smallish, easy-going and flexible. She could already tell he was going to win the argument.

  Amy and Jenna picked the girls up and quickly switched gears into child mode. They listened all the way back to the house with rapt attention while the girls outlined their entire day. When they got back to the house, Jenna suggested going to pick up Lola and Vincent Junior and having a big family and friends dinner to treat the guys for moving Amy's stuff. Amy enthusiastically agreed and sent Jenna out the door to pick up her kids while she cleaned the kitchen.

  A few hours later, Vincent, Jenna, Lola and the baby, Enrico, Amy, Jared, Millie, Sarah and Teagan all gathered together at Jared's house. They ate ridiculous amounts of burgers, hot dogs, chips, vegetables and sliced fruit. The kids each had an ice cream for dessert and went to play in the backyard. Teagan stayed inside with the adults. Amy was amused to note that his eyes lingered on Vincent and Jared with a kind of hero worship. Having spent time with the two men, Amy had come to realize that they had a deep sense of honour and friendship. Her brother was in good hands.

  Later, after everyone left, Amy and Jared cleaned up while Teagan offered to help get the girls ready for bed. All in all, it was the best family gathering Amy had experienced since her mother died.

  The thought left an ache in her chest, and she froze where she was standing, her hands half in the sudsy dishwater of the sink.

  "Everything okay?" Jared asked from behind her, curving a hand over her shoulder and squeezing.

  Amy nodded and tried to smile, looking up to reassure him, but the moment their eyes locked, the tears began to trickle down and her lips trembled.

  "Baby," Jared said with concern, turning her around. Ignoring the water streaming off her hands, he pulled her into his embrace. He smoothed the hair down her back and kissed her forehead. "Talk to me."

  She tried, she really did. She tried to put into words everything she was feeling. Grateful, fulfilled, sad, aching, hopeful. Nothing came out.

  As if he understood, Jared held her close and let the silence fill the kitchen. Finally, when she was able to, Amy lifted her head and looked at him.

  "Thank you for everything. Honestly, you’ve changed so much about our lives. I don't deserve you."

  Jared slid his thumbs under her eyes, gathering the moisture. "You deserve everything good in the world. You are everything good in the world."

  She took a deep tremulous breath. "I think I'm in love with you."

  She hadn't meant to say it. At least, she hadn’t meant to say it like that, but she didn't regret it. Amy was an open and honest person, she tended to wear her heart on her sleeve. She had no problem with Jared knowing how she felt. That way there would be fewer misunderstandings. But she’d planned a more romantic moment for actually verbalizing her feelings.

  Her heart thundered as she waited for his response. At first, his gaze was shuttered, almost frozen as he looked down at her. Then he surprised her by whooping out loud, so loudly that Amy jumped back. He grabbed her by the arms, lifted her off the ground and swung her around. Amy laughed and reached down to grip his shoulders until he set her back on her feet.

  "Since the moment I set eyes on you, I've been waiting to hear those words." He bent over and kissed her, taking her lips in a stinging kiss that had her gasping for air. "I love you so fucking much, baby."

  Seventeen

  Amy and Jared did end up having a conversation about her factory job and it ended pretty much as Jenna had predicted.

  Jared told her that she'd have to quit her job and she didn't have a choice, that he didn't think she should be working at a job like that anymore. With the long, painfully early hours, the poor pay and lack of advancement opportunities. He wanted her to consider going back to school. Which all did sound wonderful, but Amy had to make him see he couldn't just map out her future for her. Especially not after only a few weeks of dating and a day after the I-love-yous were said.

  When Amy tried to argue with him, Jared stood firm. When Amy finally relented, Jared took her to bed. A satisfied Amy lay sprawled across the mattress, heaving for breath and wondering where her backbone was. She’d just been dicked into compliance and she didn’t even care.

  She glanced over as Jared was putting on his clothes, getting ready for work. "Aren't you going to be late?" He usually went to work much earlier.

  He sat on the edge of the bed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, before bending over to kiss her. His lips lingered against hers, then he trailed some kisses down her throat toward her breasts. She clutched his head and arched up toward him. He groaned, his face smashed squarely between her breasts. Then he pulled back and said, "You aren’t the only one making changes. I won't be going into work as early as usual and I won't be working as late either. I have a family now, gotta be around to take care of them."

  A warm glow spread through Amy. Her own father hadn’t been around much when she was growing up, preferring to spend time at work and with his buddies.

  "And what does your boss think about that?" she asked curiously. Vince didn't look like a guy to mess with, but then again, the two men were best friends.

  Jared shrugged. "He'll understand it's what's good for me and my family."

  Amy rolled up onto her knees and flung her arms around his shoulders, clinging to him. Then she placed a smacking kiss on his cheek.

/>   "Well, if you're not pulling your weight around there, I'd be happy to step in and take your place. I'm looking for a new job now. Let Vince know."

  Jared burst out laughing, then he flipped her over and smacked her bare ass, hard enough to make the flesh bounce. Amy rolled onto her side and scrambled away from him, also laughing.

  "You sure as fuck aren't going to be looking for a new job. I wanted you to quit the factory for a reason. You need more spare time."

  "Spare time for what?" she demanded. "I don't do much during the day anymore."

  "I don't know. Do whatever women do. Work on your tan, get your nails done, cook dinner for your man." He must've known what was coming, because he flinched away from her as her hand sailed harmlessly past his chest without landing the smack she'd intended.

  "Okay, I like to tan and sometimes I like getting my nails done, but I'm not going to do that all day every day. I’m not a beach babe cliché, Jared."

  He looked like he was going to say something smart-ass, so she hit him with a pillow.

  "We'll talk about it," Jared assured her, grabbing the pillow. "I put those college brochures on the island for you. Have a look at them, see if one of the programs catches your eye."

  Amy nodded. He'd set them there two days ago, but she hadn’t touched them yet. She wasn't sure why. The idea of going back to school did appeal to her, especially after working the factory job. But she supposed she enjoyed living in their happy bubble. She didn't want to mess that up by adding something that could be significantly stressful.

  "I'll have a look."

  As if reading her mind, Jared said, "You can go part-time. In fact, I would prefer it. Just take a couple classes a semester, something you know you'll enjoy. Think about it."

  She looked at him curiously. "Why is this so important to you? Do you prefer your women better educated?"

  Jared chuckled. "Not a chance. I don't want a woman who can talk circles around me and potentially win all the arguments. I definitely prefer barefoot and cooking in my kitchen." When it looked like she was going try to smack him again, he continued, "But, I don't want you missing out on that experience. It's what you would've done if your parents were around. Now I'm here, and I'm gonna make sure you get everything you ever missed."