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Jewell nodded and led him through the front room to a loveseat positioned in front of a double window that looked out onto the front porch. A cool draft squeezed in through the frame of the old window, helping to balance against the intense warmth thrown off by the fireplace. He slipped his arm across the back of the settee, and Jewell shifted to sit close to his side.
"Thanksgiving. Christmas. Easter. Everyone in the family comes here if they're in the area. It's been that way as long as I can remember."
"It's amazing," he spoke, not wanting to take his arm from around her to sign. "I—we—Victoria and I never had anything like this." He looked down at her, accepting and enjoying the warmth that spread through his chest at her open smile. "I wish I hadn't asked you to leave with me this afternoon."
"Mama and Daddy understand."
Benjamin shook his head. "No. I want you to stay."
She pressed her finger to his lips and shook her head. "No, Benjamin. Today is about family, and your sister is waiting for you. And I want to be with you if you want me there."
Benjamin nodded and kissed her finger. "Okay."
"Do you want to stay for dessert? We usually wait an hour before we break out the pies."
He turned his wrist and looked at his watch near her ear. "I'd hoped to leave before then. It's a long drive, and even now we probably won't see her tonight." He focused on Jewell again, hoping his grin came across as lecherous as his thoughts. "Besides, if we leave soon, it won't be too late when we get to the hotel." He bobbed his eyebrows.
Jewell smiled slow and sexy, tilting her head to kiss him. He crooked his elbow, cradling her head to deepen the kiss, wishing as a thrust of heat hit him that they weren't in a room full of her family and friends…and impressionable young children. Garnett walked by the couch with Jackie, and kicked the leg, making the whole thing shift. Benjamin smiled and chuckled against Jewell's mouth before looking at her brother. Garnett just dismissed them with a flip of his hand and headed into the hallway, Jackie's hand in his. He was probably the smart one, finding a less crowded room in the house.
Opal stepped into the parlor from the doorway leading to the kitchen and scanned the crowd of family and friends, smiling wide when she spotted them. She wove her way around chairs and scattered children, holding up a brown bag. As soon as she reached them, she handed Jewell the bag.
"I know you two need to leave, so I packaged up some desserts. A little bit of everything. You might be able to snack on the cookies on the ride, but I included some forks for the pies that you can eat when you get there. I also made turkey sandwiches, in case you want something other than sweets."
Jewell stood, kissing her mother on the cheek. "Thank you, Mama."
Benjamin stood beside her and laid his hand on Opal's elbow, leaning in to kiss the other cheek. "Yes, thank you so much for opening your home to me."
She laid her warm hand on his cheek, and her smile wrapped around him. "You and your sister are welcome here any time, Benjamin. We'll set a table for both of you at Christmas."
* * *
Rapid pounding nudged Jewell from the deep, sated sleep she'd slipped into a couple of hours after they arrived at the Hartford Crowne Plaza. Benjamin had kept to his implied promise and had made love to her until they both curled up together under the blanket of heavy, sweet exhaustion. She thought at first it might be thunder, and opened one eye to look at the hotel room window, but saw nothing but darkness. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that thunder in Connecticut in November was highly unlikely, but she wasn't awake enough to process the fact. She closed her eyes and snuggled back into the soft hotel bed.
The pounding came again and yanked her fully out of her sleep. As her senses came to the front, one by one, she realized the rude cadence was too fast and insistent for thunder. Jewell tried to turn over and sit up, glancing around the suite bedroom, still feeling disoriented at waking in a different place. She smiled as Benjamin's strong arm tightened around her waist and pulled her against his chest.
Sleep settled back down over her, as sure as the warm blanket Benjamin pulled closer to them. She drifted again into his comfort as Benjamin settled his chest against her back and spooned his body with hers. Jewell sighed and hummed her content.
The next thump shot her up off the mattress. For a moment, her heart pounded faster and a cold wave rushed over Jewell's heated skin. Benjamin came awake and sat up beside her. She fumbled to find the switch for the wall lights at each side of the headboard. He didn't wait for her to find the switch before he pulled on her arm for her attention. The faint moonlight coming through the window was enough to light his face.
"What's wrong?" he asked, a bleary haze in his eyes.
"Someone is pounding on the outer suite door."
Benjamin swung around in a fluid motion and pulled on his boxers and jeans before he stood. Barefoot, with the top button of his jeans still undone, he headed for the bedroom door. Jewell looked furtively around the room and grabbed one of the fluffy white hotel robes from a chair near the bathroom door. By the time she slipped it on over her cotton shorts and tank top and made it to the bedroom doorway, Benjamin was already at the suite door leading into the hotel hallway.
Jewell padded in bare feet across the carpet. Benjamin stood at the door, his hand on the wood. The next round of pounding made her jump, and he yanked his hand back. Who could be pounding on Benjamin's door at three o'clock in the morning? Benjamin opened the door, and Jewell gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
Benjamin and his father faced off through the open door. Jewell clutched together the front of her robe and pressed her other hand against the wall. She took in a quick, sharp breath.
Jon Roth turned his head slowly to bring his stony gaze down on her. A chill sank into her bones, and Jewell's eyes burned as she found herself unable to blink or look away. At least two days’ worth of stubble peppered Mr. Roth's cheeks, and his dark hair spiked out in disarray about his head, some falling forward over his brow. The stench of stale alcohol and two-day body odor wafted in on the evening air and assaulted Jewell's nostrils. The stories Victoria had shared with her, about the violent combination of Jon Roth and alcohol, churned Jewell's stomach.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Benjamin snapped.
"I'm here to kick your bastard ass," Jon Roth boomed.
Benjamin's jaw was set and the muscle across his cheek bounced. "I'd like to see you try."
He tried to shut the door, but his father's palm slapped against the thick wood. Jon's other hand came up with one extended finger, which he wagged in Benjamin's face. It was quickly slapped away. The hostility was tangible and hung in the air like a veil.
