My Neighbor is Bad News

26: New Routine

Cade was in love with her.

Jenna played with her wedding band as she stared at the waters as they rode the ferry into San Francisco with Anna and Nikolai. The couple were having a double date as the two men were inside the ferry getting a drink and Jenna wanted fresh air. "I see there may have been some development." Anna said as she passed her a mixed drink.

"What do you mean?" She asked accepting the drink and watching the brunette as she glanced towards the waters as well. "I mean, something must have happened between you two because you don't look at your husband. Did you two fight?" She asked and Jenna took a sip before frowning. "Our marriage was one of convenience." she told her and Anna laughed. "My engagement was a lie."

At the look on Jenna's face she elaborated. "My parents are how do I say-"

"Famous?" Jenna interjected and Anna smiled. "Yes, they threatened to cut me off if I didn't marry some guy my mom wanted me with so I sort of hired Nikolai to be my fake fiancé." She said leaning on the railing of the boat. Jenna's eyes widened as she looked to Anna. "Sounds like my dad, so what happened? You both seem to be happy." She asked and Anna winked at her. "Sometimes the world works in wonders, we've been happily married for two years now. So tell me what happened between you two?"

***
The car ride home was quiet as the two didn't say anything to each other, letting the music play in the background. Cade hadn't mentioned anything about love nor did she ever bring it up. Truly, Jenna didn't know how she felt about Cade.

She liked him that was for sure. She found him attractive and they had great chemistry in and out of the bed. She was attracted to him the first time she had met him but she never thought to go deeper into feelings just because he was convenient and they were married to each other. If anything she felt that they were good friends as he did what he could to ensure she was as independent as he possibly could get her to. In the interim, she did what she could to make sure she stayed out of his way and with his work.

She wasn't sure if he truly gave up on his revenge but the attacks have definitely cooled down. He was home more often than not, and they hung out. Eventually they got their furniture and they would sit together as they watched movies together, sitting closely on the couch. She did start school and went about once a week on campus with her new female guard who was only three years older than she was. The young woman guarded in the morning and left at night.

"You got a package." Cade said as he put the box on the kitchen counter. Jenna moved over to grab the box but he put his hand on it, inspecting the label. "What'd you buy?" He asked as he pushed it over to her. She blushed as she grabbed the box possessively close to herself and he eyed her carefully. "Nothing." She said curtly and he made a face at her as he grabbed a cup from the cupboard. "I could just check the order." He said.

Jenna huffed at him as she went to grab a box cutter. "If you really need to know, it's female products." She said and he made an "oh" with his mouth. "We could've gone to go buy some if you needed it." He said pouring juice into the cup. "Yeah well...I just don't want you to see what I'm buying." She replied
to him and he laughed. "I know what tampons are jeez." He said grabbing chips to munch on as he moved over to the seat that the laptop was next to. 
"They're pregnancy tests." Jenna blurted and he stopped laughing to watch her. "Are you?" He asked, his face serious.

"I was supposed to start today but I haven't felt anything." She told him. She'd almost forgot until she opened the cabinet and saw her feminine products a few days ago remembering it should be the time in which she had her monthly visitor. Except the usual feeling hasn't come and she was worried. They had used protection by at the same time hey had not. Cade was careful in pulling it and surely he would have told her if he had came inside her. She should have felt it, right?

"When do you check?" He asked as moved over to open the package. They pulled out two boxes of pregnancy tests and he looked at the box, his heart in his throat. "You don't know?" She asked him. Considering his track record, he should know what usually happens when people don't use protection.

"Not exactly. I always use protection and if the condom broke, well I'd take her to get a morning after pill and make sure she takes it. I'm not chancing any unwanted pregnancies." He said, his voice cold. "I'm sure we're fine." Jenna said not really believing her own words.

***

That next morning, Cade passed her the box but Jenna shook her head. "It's too early. I'm only a day late." She said as she watched him move away from her. "This is such a bad time to get pregnant." He said as he pulled out eggs from the fridge along with bacon. "Maybe you should get on birth control." He said as he grabbed a pan from the cabinet.

"Why do I have to do it? Why can't you use a condom?." She asked him. "Last time I was on birth control it did things to me. Along with weight gain." She told him and he nodded his head. "Yeah, I guess. We just need to be careful from now on." He said as he cracked the eggs into a bowl. "Takes two to tango Mr. O'Donnell." Jenna said as she watched him make breakfast.

"Do you want kids?" Jenna asked him to his turned back and he flipped bacon and he looked to her. "Yeah, eventually. But not right now. Plus, you don't love me. Yet." He said to her and Jenna blushed. "I never said I didn't love you."

"No. You just didn't say anything." He said moving back to check the bacon.

"I- I was taken back. I didn't expect you to be the one to confess and well...I'm not sure how to love. I just gained my independence and we were forced into a marriage. Do we even like each other?" She asked him and he laughed.

"I fell in love with you once we lived together. I already liked you when we were neighbors. Why do you think I kept cock blocking your dates? When I knew you were out on the porch, I purposefully went out to smoke just to see you and bicker with you. When have you seen me smoke ever since we got married? Add me breaking into your apartment more than once." He told her and Jenna sat up straight. "So you were undoing my locks? I totally knew it, you creep." She laughed throwing a wrapped up paper towel at him. "If I wasn't slightly flattered I would think you're a stalker."

He moved the bacon around and turned to her, laying his palms flat on the island counter, leaning slightly forward as he said, "I'm not forcing you to feel anything. I'm just saying that I love you. It freaked me out at first but once I chose you over finding out who was really responsible for my mother's death, it spoke volumes. I was so consumed with hatred and wanting to kill whoever did it to her, but I couldn't risk you. It's not me anymore but us." He said as he watched her face before turning to check the bacon once more.

Jenna moved from the chair she was sitting in to walk up next to him as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Just give me time. I like you, I really do and I don't know why because you're so irritating and you get on my nerves, but I want our marriage to work even if we're going backwards." She said, her fingers feeling his muscles move as he laughed.

"Can breakfast wait?" She asked him and he turned to look at her right after turning off the stove and moving the bacon onto a plate. He turned in her arms but she was not planning on letting go as he looked down into her face, cupping her cheeks as he bent down to kiss her soft lips. Jenna closed her eyes, waiting for his kiss but he moved back from her and she opened her eyes to look at him. "I don't want a pity fuck." He said slightly sarcastically and Jenna chuckled at him.

"Who said anything about pity sex?" She asked him trying to push against him but he wrapped his arms around her shoulders as he wasn't planning on letting go of her anytime soon. "It's usually what happens when people try to change the subject. I feel kind of rejected." He told her and she smiled at him. "I did not reject you. I'm still here obviously." She answered him.

He smiled at her as he said dramatically, "I don't know. I feel slightly rejected. I think I'm sad. Yeah, maybe I do want that pity fuck you're offering." He said looking into her eyes.

Jenna shook her head as she moved up to kiss him on his lips as he growled softly. "No pity fuck. I just want you." She said as she moved down away from him and he groaned as she moved her hips to wiggle on his half mast erection. "You're killing me woman." He said as he put his hands to rub over her buttocks. "Is that so?" She said, his head dipping low to interlock their lips with one another.