Sharing Jack’s Bed: Part 1

I climbed up to the window as I had done countless times, though not for a few years. Being that the window was on the second story, it had its complications, but luckily for me this particular window looked out on the roof of the patio in the back. Jack’s form came into the room, and he slid the door shut behind him. Within a second, his shirt was off, and he was starting for his jeans.

Jack, easily, is the kind of guy girls would go crazy over. 23 years old, he had a perfect smile – pearly white teeth, perfectly straight and even, the whole nine yards. It was coy, charming, mischievous, and heartwarming, sometimes all at the same time. He had a few scattered, subtle freckles stretched across his face, only adding to the overall charm.

His hair was a huge focus of many. Brown with a slight hint of blonde highlights, it did whatever he wanted it to, and looked good longer with the just-rolled-out-of-bed style or short with a bit of spike in the front. It was the kind girls just wanted to run their fingers through, and currently was set in the former style.

The deep rumbling voice was a mark in his favor, giving him a bit of a mysterious/bad ass edge. He stood a bit over six feet and sported a perfectly chiseled body-six pack abs, strong arms, but he was lean rather than bulky. A few tattoos found their place on his arms and torso. Finally came the eyes. They were bright green and full of emotion. The kind of eyes that could get a girl in trouble, and they only lit up further when he smiled.

I was more of what might be considered pretty in a plain sort of way – if you could even count me as pretty at all. My blonde hair reached past my shoulders, almost mid-back, with subtle highlights and a slight wave. I was only about 5’5” and a bit underweight, on a good day maybe reaching 110lbs. I was a little curvy, but mostly in proportion to my small frame. My eyes were my favorite feature, icy blue and always full of life, and I had been told more than once that my smile could light up a room. It was just a little past my 19th birthday.

Since I was still perched outside his window and he was still undressing, I decided I did not want to be taken for a peeping Tom and tapped on the window. Jack looked up from his undone jeans and squinted towards the window. Even knowing he wouldn’t be able to see me until he turned the light out in his room, I waved, thinking how funny it was that he didn’t instantly know who would be perched on a rooftop in the middle of the night- on a night in the middle of winter no less. Finally, he turned off the light and was able to get a good look at me. One of his charming smiles spread across his lips causing me to smile in return.

After refastening his jeans, he rushed towards the window, unlatched it and threw it open; I fell through it and straight into his arms. “What are you doing here?” He asked in his deep rumble. “Aren’t you freezing?”

“Damn right I am.” I responded with a bit of a laugh. “Close the window.”

He reached behind me and slammed it shut while I rubbed my hands together for heat “Come here.” He turned to me and wrapped his arms around me again. It had been years since I felt a hug from him, and it was a sensation I missed every day. Even better, his body was warm against my cold skin. Jack let out a sigh. “It’s so good to see you, Kellie.”

“You, too, Jack. I still can’t believe you left this town without me, you jerk.” We both laughed, pulling out of our hug as I gave him a playful punch to the arm. “How are you?”

His smile faltered, and what was left was habit without a hint of truth or joy. “I’m good. You know, just good.”

“Don’t lie to me, Jack. I didn’t just climb on top of a frozen rooftop for that. There’s no way you’re okay.” Jack’s adopted mother had been gunned down in a robbery-gone-wrong less than a week earlier. He was the youngest of four adopted brothers and easily the most fragile, though he tried to play it off that this wasn’t true and was constantly trying to live up to Bobby’s- his oldest brother’s- “accomplishments” and tough guy attitude.

Jack sat on the bed, looking down at his hands. After a few quiet seconds, I sat down next to him, resisting the urge to curl into a ball or wrap his blankets around myself. The bitter cold was clinging to my clothes. I put my hand on his arm, trying to be comforting. He pulled away sharply, with a slight gasp. “Sorry.” He chuckled a bit. “You’re hands are freezing. Get out of that coat, it’s keeping in all the cold air.” Jack glanced around, then picked up a fleece blanket. “Here, take this blanket.” I shook out of my snow covered coat and pushed my shoes off my feet. He wrapped a blanket around my shoulders as I curled into myself. I guess I didn’t have to resist that urge for too long.