by Nicole Vidal
“Sergio is likely teamed up with his youngest sister, Rosita. We just don’t know which side of the equation they’re on.”
“Right, the only thing we know for certain is Sid and Carlo were sent by Sergio. We don’t know who abducted Stan and Delores.”
“Blaine will figure it out. How about some breakfast before we work more?”
“Sounds good to me.”
She follows me into the kitchen and makes two fresh cups of coffee while I tackle some pancakes. After breakfast we clean up and spend much of the day in my office, Norah searching through her billings for the last few years for any indication that she missed something. I suspect she’ll come up empty. She’s diligent and conscientious. She didn’t miss anything. I check in with Jill about my plans for tonight.
Jill: Everything is set for 6 pm. The gorgeous flowers are on the porch.
Me: Thank you so much for your help.
Jill: She’s wonderful, Jake. I’m glad you finally let someone in.
Me: Thanks. Me too.
I just need to tell her. Connor’s words truly shook me. Not about two women loving me, although that was a shot. Coward. He called me a coward. He’s absolutely right.
“How much more time do you need to finish that file?”
“I’m pretty much done, why?”
“Perfect, we’re going on a date.”
She turns her head to look at me. “We are?”
“We are.”
“Let’s get ready.”
As difficult as it is, I keep my hands to myself while we get ready. When I finish, I start to leave the bedroom.
As I approach the door, she asks, “Jacob, can I have my necklace?”
I reach into my pocket, pulling out my wallet. I cross the chain in front of her as she pushes her hair to the side. After clasping it together, I press a kiss to the back of her neck. A soft sigh signals it’s time for me to step away or we’ll never leave the house.
“Thank you.” She turns to face me.
I press a kiss to her forehead and walk out of the bedroom.
Just before six, I step out the front door and pick up the flowers I ordered for Norah as she comes out into the kitchen. I have no idea what type of flowers Norah’s likes, only that her favorite color is violet. I opted for Picasso calla lilies, blue moon roses, and white roses. I hurry back outside and ring the doorbell. Laughing, Norah lets me inside, accepting the flowers.
“Thank you. These are beautiful.” She kisses me high on my cheek near my ear. “Do you have a vase?”
I smirk because there’s one on the front porch. I’ve got to hand it to Jill, she knew I didn’t have one. I open the door, grab the vase, and give it to her. Shaking her head, she moves to the sink, adding warm water before setting the vase on the island.
“Ready?” I offer her my arm.
“Yes.”
I grab our coats and head out the front door, leading Norah to the barn. I couldn’t check out the setup before now, but I’m impressed. String lights hang around the huge door as well as along the interior of the barn. There’s a table set up with a small heater warming around it. A large screen hides the second part of our date. I glance up to the loft which appears to be prepared exactly as I asked too. Jill is a rock star.
“How did you pull this off?”
“I enlisted a little help from Jill for the execution, but the idea and planning I handled myself.” Some of it cost more than normal due to my time frame, but I don’t care. I have been saving most of my earnings for the last decade. A little extra cost to make this date happen exactly as I want is worth it.
“Thank you.” She leans over to kiss me softly.
I nod and pull out her chair. After sitting, I open a bottle of her favorite wine and pour two glasses.
“Isn’t that your last bottle?” she asks.
“On hand, yes. I ordered more. It will arrive in a few days.”
“You don’t have to go to all this trouble for me.”
Setting my glass down, I place my hand over hers before bringing it to my lips. “I want to.”
I watch her chest rise and fall slowly as if she’s afraid to believe I want her. She’s afraid I will crush her heart. I completely understand. I haven’t been clear. My words and actions don’t match, I own that. I will fix it tonight.
Rising from my seat, I move over to the side of the barn where Jill informed me our food was set up.
“Where are you going?”
I lean back from behind the door and grin at her. She laughs as I bring out our food. I set hers down and then mine. She waits to pick up her fork until I’m seated. I watch as she savors the first bite of her dinner. Her plate has pasta with chicken, bacon, peas, and a carbonara sauce. Mine has a steak with mashed potatoes and asparagus. “This is delicious. Is the restaurant local?”
“I’ll tell Jill you thought her food is restaurant worthy.”
“Jill cooked? I thought you said she was a teacher.”
“She did and she is. Cooking is her way to deal with chaos. The steps, the order, the beginning and end of a recipe are calming to her, at least they were when we were younger. Now it’s her passion hobby.”
We finish our meal in companionable silence. Not awkward, just quiet. This isn’t a typical first date. We have learned a lot about one another since her text. That doesn’t factor in any of the time before that. True, we didn’t really talk about anything important, but we spent time together. Plus, I’m sure talking about work isn’t high on her list of ideal topics right now, considering the reason she’s here in the first place revolves around her professional life imploding.
“How do you feel about winter sports?” I ask her.
“Like skiing and sledding? Not a fan of skiing but tubing down a ski hill is fun. Why?”
“We’re just getting started.” I stand, offering her my hand. I peek around the screen to orient myself. There’s a bench on the other side of the screen with skates and a speaker connected to my phone. “Close your eyes.”
Reluctantly, she closes her eyes. I guide her around the curtain, telling her to step over the edge of the ice. Gripping her hips, I step in front of her and lower my lips to hers. I intend a short kiss, but instead I savor her lips, mouth, and tongue until we’re breathless.
“There’s a bench behind you, please sit.” Slowly she lowers herself to the bench, I reluctantly remove my hands from the perfect curve of her hips as she sits. “You can open your eyes.”
“Jacob, wow! How did you know?”
“Know what?”
“I love ice skating.”
“You do?” I had no idea. Sheer stroke of dumb luck.
“Yes!” She stands, throws her arms around me, peppering kisses all over my face and neck.
I lift her into my arms, accepting the feel of her lips on mine and her soft hands cupping my face. During a brief break in her kissing, I set her down.
“There is a pair of skates under the bench for you.” I join her on the bench, tugging off my shoes and shoving my feet into my old hockey skates. “When is the last time you skated?”
“Last winter. A park in the next town floods the tennis courts every year.”
Once she finishes tying her skates, she pushes off the bench and is across the barn before I even stand. Apparently, she has skating skills too. She glides back to me as I stand. I pull out my phone and select the playlist I created. If I can’t say the words, at least one of these singers can convey my deepest thoughts for me, share how I feel about Norah. I included “Must be doin’ Something Right” by Billy Currington, “Sinning with You” by Sam Hunt, even “In Case You Didn’t Know” by Brett Young. The music fills in the empty space around us.
“Are you rusty?” she asks me.
“Don’t think so, but I’m not nearly as graceful as you.”
I slide my hand into hers, and we move around the ice in a circle, laughing and having fun. At one point, she is a few lengths ahead of me. As hard as I try, I can’t catch
her until I cut across the middle and cut her off. Surprisingly, I’m still able to skate backwards. I haven’t worn these skates in years. Connor and I played recreational hockey in the winter between football and baseball season to keep busy. I slow down enough to bracket her waist with my hands. Inch by inch, I draw her closer to me. She sets her hands on my chest as we spin around the ice, the twinkling string lights overhead casting our shadows on the wall.
Once she is safe, we could live carefree every day. I could take her on an actual date with other people around. Although, if I’m being completely honest, just us is incredible. I feel a buzz against my thigh; Norah does too.
“Do you need to get that?” There isn’t a thread of anger in her voice, but I would never answer during a date.
“No, that’s Jill’s reminder that dessert is ready.”
“Your sister is amazing.”
“Funny, she said the same thing about you.”
A slight blush reddens her skin. “What did she make?”
“I don’t know. Want to find out?”
“Not yet, let’s skate a little longer. I like skating with you.”
I lower my mouth to hers, pushing off slowly. We glide along the ice, our lips locked. As we near the edge, she slows us down and pushes off, sending us back across the ice. Following that pattern, we cross the ice repeatedly, lost in one another. A while later, we sit on the bench removing our skates.
“Jacob.”
“Yeah?” I turn to face her.
“This was fantastic! Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, but we’re not done yet.”
A small smile graces her gorgeous face. After we remove our skates, I grab the wine and our glasses from dinner and lead Norah around the ice. “Up you go. Trust me, it will be worth it.” I watch her climb. I’m always turned on when she is near me, but this view is tempting.
I owe my sister a huge debt for helping me pull this off. As I crest the top of the ladder, I find the loft ready for dessert. The hay was already up here. Jill brought blankets, pillows, and a small fruit crate to act as a table and opened the loft door to the backyard, allowing the moonlight to shine in.
“This is a very close second to star gazing in your favorite spot.”
“Up here or the whole evening?” I ask.
“This is by far the best date I’ve ever been on. As far as spots go, the loft is second to your favorite spot.”
“Fair enough. Let’s see what Jill made.” I open the basket near the crate and find two dishes of something chocolate with raspberry garnish, two spoons, and fresh napkins. “I can see your mouth watering. You don’t have to wait for me.”
She dips the spoon into the ramekin and offers the first taste to me. I want her in my life. I reach up, holding the spoon with her. A look of concern crosses her face.
Chapter 49
Norah
Holding the spoon near his lips, he draws it into his mouth. He reaches his hand up taking mine.
“Jacob, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“Want to try again? You’re shaking.” I have only seen Jacob vulnerable twice—when he shared about his third tour in Afghanistan and when he told me about Mara for the first time.
“Nothing’s wrong. Everything is right. I don’t want to wait anymore, Norah. I have so many benchmarks. I always have. A list that must be complete. I need to accomplish this before that. This needs to happen before…. I’m not making any sense, am I?”
“Not really, but you’ll get where you need to go. You always do.” My heart hurts with all the possible scenarios of where he is going with this.
He kisses me tenderly before adding a bit of space, so he’s looking into my eyes, his hand around my jaw. Inhaling deeply, he pauses before saying, “I’ve fought hard to get where I am today, both professionally and personally. You make me believe that I’m worthy of a second chance. My head is telling me to wait until you’re safe to choose me, but you already have. My heart is telling me to wait until I know you’re safe, but none of that matters anymore. I’m giving myself permission, Norah. I need you. I want a life with you. I love you.”
A single tear falls down my right cheek. He kisses it away, waiting for me to respond with words.
“When we’re together, we can conquer anything. Your touch makes me feel protected and cherished. Your lips on mine make everything else fall away. When we’re tangled in each other, I know we’re meant to be together. I love you, Jacob.”
After a moment to compose himself, he threads his fingers into my hair, luring my lips closer to his. The moment his lips touch mine, everything quiets. I only hear his heart and mine. I surrender completely, knowing here is where I belong. He is where I belong.
Dessert forgotten, I open his shirt button by button followed by open-mouth kisses from his chest to his abdomen. With excruciating precision, he lifts my shirt overhead, pressing his mouth to my exposed skin. Immediately, his hands find the front clasp of my bra, baring my breasts to his needy tongue. While he laves my globes with his mouth and teeth, I work to remove his jeans. Once I successfully strip him naked, I stand and push my pants to the bed of hay below me.
“You’re stunning,” Jacob murmurs, beckoning me closer.
One step forward and his mouth is teasing me up the front of my thigh. As I lower myself with one leg on each side of his hips, his tongue grazes my swollen nub, the tip of his length teasing my core. Looking directly into his eyes, I impale myself. His eyes widen as I take him deep into my center. He drags his calloused hands down my chest and over my belly before gripping the flesh of my hips. He rocks against me. As he lifts, I push down. A spiral of need tightens at the base of my spine. The closer I get to release, the harder he thrusts into me.
“Let go with me, baby.”
“Don’t stop.”
I feel my walls constrict around his hard shaft plunging in and out of my heat. I grip his forearms and tremble as he explodes inside me. Sliding my hands up his arms, I press my chest to his, my lips against his neck. After catching our breath, Jacob surrounds my waist with his arm and lowers us to the blanket. We spend the rest of our evening intertwined in each other under the moonlit sky.
A shiver wakes me. It takes me a moment to regain my bearings. I turn over, resting my chin in my hands. I gently nudge Jacob. His eyes fly open to meet mine.
“Morning, gorgeous.”
Leaning down, I lower my lips to his. “Morning. Roll over. Watch with me.” He flips over just as the sun peeks above the horizon. The sky brightens, casting rays of purple and pink on the snow-covered grass. A new day is bathed in beautiful sunlight. Jacob presses his lips to the cap of my shoulder.
“We should go inside,” Norah murmurs.
“We will… in a bit. I’m in no rush for our date to be over. Plus, it’s Sunday. No one will be around to bother us.”
“I agree that would be amazing, but you’re forgetting one thing. Nolan is cooking today.”
A momentary frown appears on his face.
“We can sleep out here again next weekend,” I suggest.
“We didn’t sleep very much,” he replies, dragging his finger down my arm, teasing the side of my breast.
“No, we didn’t.”
“Fine, we can go inside.”
I slither backwards to get my clothes. I find my panties, shirt, and his jeans.
“Are you on my jeans?”
He shrugs, pulling me on top of him. Kissing me breathless, he rolls over, caging me beneath his hard body.
Looking over, he nods. “Yes, I was on your jeans.”
I laugh before pressing up to kiss him again. After a long, shared shower, we dress and watch pregame while Nolan starts dinner. Shortly after he arrives, Maia joins him in the kitchen. I cast a look to Jacob who simply shrugs.
“What do you think about today’s games, Nolan?” I ask him.
“I’m never wagering with you about football ever again!” he replies, busying himself with food
preparation.
I laugh and snuggle deeper into Jacob’s arms.
After the rest of the team arrives, Nolan serves dinner—buffalo wings, ribs, mashed sweet potatoes, and coleslaw. I don’t know a lot about Nolan’s background, but I would guess he’s southern born based on his choice of meal. We dig in and chat.
“Great job, Nolan. These ribs are fantastic!” Jacob exclaims.
Nolan nods, returning his gaze to his plate. I feel Jacob’s phone buzz in his pocket.
“I’ll be right back.” He kisses my temple before leaving the table. Maia casts an “I told you so” look across the table. A small smile grows on my face as I move to clear my plate. After washing my dish, I see Jacob has returned to the kitchen.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
He tilts his head to the side. “William sent the photos of the awards. We can look at them later.”
“Keep going.”
He simply shakes his head before continuing. “Someone went through your office at Quinn Sterling.”
“There’s nothing of importance in my office. I was wholly honest with you when I indicated I only needed my necklace.”
“I know, but the fact they’re still looking concerns me. Now they think the ledger is or was in your office. It also means there’s another player involved. Someone we don’t know yet. Someone who gave a member of the Moretti family access to your office without regard for you.”
I hadn’t really thought about it that way. Maybe Robert Quinn is just as dirty as Stan. Shoving my emotions aside, I focus on our guests. The outcome of this mess will remind me of the people of character in my life. I’m certain Stan wasn’t one of them. Hopefully, I’m wrong and Robert is on the good side of this, but that’s still to be determined.
Grabbing a drink, I move back into the living room to watch more of the afternoon game. As the game wraps up, the team leaves one by one. Joining Nolan, I assist in cleaning the kitchen.
“You don’t have to help. You won the bet.”
“I know, but I don’t mind. I need to keep my hands busy. The pace here without my work is considerably slower. I’m not complaining, just getting used to having more time.”
