Summer Vows (Arabesque)

by Alers, Rochelle

  During the drive to Boca Raton Jacob and Caleb engaged in a lively conversation about sports. The ex-SEAL who was born and raised in California favored the West Coast teams, while Jacob’s loyalties were definitely East Coast. The discussion ended when Caleb, following the navigational map, turned off onto the road leading to Ana’s condo. The beachfront building shimmered like a jewel along Florida’s exquisite Gold Coast, a residence befitting a Cole. But then Jacob reminded himself that Ana was no longer Ana Cole, but Ana Jones. They stopped at the manned gatehouse.

  Ana, rolling down the window, removed her hat. “Good afternoon, Louis. It’s me, Ana Cole,” she added when he gave her a puzzled look.

  His jaw dropped in surprise. “Ms. Cole, I didn’t recognize you. How have you been?”

  “Wonderful,” she half lied. Being away from home had been torture, but falling in love was indeed wonderful. “Can you please let us through?”

  The security arm lifted and Caleb drove slowly along the path to where Ana told him to park. Each resident had two reserved parking spaces. “You can pull in next to the sports car with the Serenity plate.”

  Shifting on his seat, Jacob lifted questioning eyebrows. “You drive that?”

  Caleb whistled under his breath when he maneuvered next to the two-seater. “That is some scary-fast sh...” His words trailed off when he realized what he was about to say.

  Ana’s dimples deepened when she flashed a grin. “Zero to sixty in three point five seconds.”

  Getting out and coming around to help her down, Jacob’s hands tightened around her waist. “Are you going to tell me you went that fast in three point five seconds?”

  She smiled up at him frowning down at her. “Of course. I had to confirm what it said on the sticker.”

  Jacob knew the Ferrari to cost more than a quarter of a million dollars but he’d promised himself he would never broach the subject of money with Ana again. It was her money, not his and she could do whatever she wanted with it. If she decided to donate every penny she had to charity, then who was he to say anything?

  He angled his head, pressing his mouth to her ear. “It’s as sexy as its owner,” he whispered.

  “Once I get the keys back from Daddy you can drive it.”

  “Bet,” he said, smiling. “Now it’s time I get you inside.”

  “You and Caleb have to come inside with me, then you can go back for the luggage.”

  “Wait until I get my duffel.” Punching a button on the fob, Caleb opened the hatch for Jacob to retrieve the bag. Then they made their way to the entrance.

  The beauty of the spectacular lobby was jaw-dropping. No expense had been spared with the elegant furnishings. Crystal chandeliers, imported rugs, large Chinese-inspired vases filled with a profusion of fresh flowers and leather seating groupings screamed opulence. A doorman greeted Ana by name.

  “I’ve been away and I left my keys with my parents. I need someone to open my apartment, and I’ll also need assistance with my luggage.”

  The doorman spoke to the concierge and within seconds a valet and another uniformed young man appeared. Jacob walked half a step behind Ana as she followed the valet to a bank of elevators who inserted a card key in the slot; the doors opened silently. They stepped into the car, it rising quickly and silently after he’d punched in the floor on a remote device. Their footsteps were muffled in the deep pile of the carpet lining the hallway.

  “Is there anything else you’re going to need, Ms. Cole?” the valet asked when he opened the door to her apartment.

  “Let the concierge know I need a duplicate key. And my driver still has to bring up my luggage.”

  “I will let them in.”

  She smiled. “Thank you, Carlos.”

  He back away and she closed the door. She hadn’t been given enough time to adjust the thermostat and heat slapped at Ana, making it hard for her to breathe. Walking over to a wall in the foyer, she touched a switch and the sound swooshing through the vents was followed by a rush of cooling air that filled the cavernous space.

  Jacob caught her arm. “Please stay here while I look around.”

  Still gripping the handles to the duffel, he walked into the living room that was large enough to fit his entire apartment. It held a gleaming black baby grand piano and a media area with a wall-mounted flat screen and electronic components. The wall sconces and twin chandeliers appeared to be what his interior decorator mother identified as Art Deco. He made his way through the formal dining room and into a bathroom with a free-standing shower, garden tub and a dressing area. Jacob left the bathroom and made his way along a narrow hallway to the master bedroom with a sitting area and en suite bath comparable to a spa. Ana had revealed she didn’t do housework, yet everything was immaculate. Even the refrigerator was clean and free of leftover foodstuffs.

  Now he knew why she’d wanted to return home. Floor-to-ceiling windows dominated every room, bringing the outdoors inside. Her residence was high up enough for ultimate privacy. The stylized furniture and accessories harkened back to a more glamorous era. Somehow he’d thought Ana would favor a more contemporary style, and he wondered just who was the woman who’d become his wife.

  He returned, finding her sitting on a chair in the foyer. “Does your cleaning service come even when you’re not here?”

  She nodded. “Yes. Someone from management will usually let them in.”

  “That’s not going to happen again until we take care of your problem.”

  Hunkering down, he leaned in close. “I don’t want you to say anything until I give you the signal. I need you to trust me on this,” he whispered when she opened her mouth. “Nod if you understand.” She nodded. Jacob brushed a kiss over her parted lips. “That’s my baby.”

  Opening the door, he stepped outside the apartment, and tapped his cell’s speed dial for the number Caleb had given him. “Where are you?” he asked when Caleb answered.

  “I just finished unloading everything. Why?”

  “We may have brought back some insects. Do you have anything to get rid of the critters?”

  “I think I have something. I’ll bring it up.”

  He didn’t have to wait long for Caleb. Jacob gave the bellhop a tip, closing and locking the door behind him after Caleb unloaded the cart. Shrugging out his jacket, Caleb motioned to Ana not to speak.

  Ana couldn’t speak even if she wanted to. The decoratively carved handle of a powerful handgun was displayed in the holster strapped to his waist. Caleb wasn’t tall, but he was powerfully built. He took a wand from the jacket’s breast pocket and began a slow, methodical search of every inch of her condo. No object or space was ignored. Not the pantry, refrigerator or trash compactor.

  He smiled, tiny lines fanning out his light brown eyes. “It’s clean.”

  Jacob shook his hand. “Thanks.”

  “No problem.” Caleb’s gaze shifted from Jacob to Ana. “I know you two are going to stick close to home, but if you need anything I’m only a phone call away.”

  “I’ll walk you out,” Jacob volunteered.

  Ana sat in the bedroom’s sitting area, staring out the window and remembering how she got up every morning to swim laps in the fitness center; she then came back to her place to shower, prepare a light breakfast, dress and leave for the office. She did the same thing five days a week with little or no deviation until that fateful day when someone decided she didn’t deserve to live.

  When she’d asked Diego about Tyler he told her Tyler, his wife, children, Tyler’s mother and her mother were staying at his Jupiter Island estate until the madness was over. This was one time when she needed her family around her: mother, father, sister and brothers. Tears filled her eyes and Ana brushed them away before they fell. She may have come home, but she still felt estranged.

  The telephone rang, startling he
r. It rang a second time, and she picked up the receiver. “Hello.”

  “Hey, baby girl. Diego told me you were home.”

  Her pulses were racing when she heard the familiar voice. “Yes. We just got in.”

  “When you say we I assume you’re talking about your husband.”

  “Yes, Daddy.”

  “Your mama went to Jupiter Island with Parris and Dana.”

  “I know. Diego told me.”

  “When am I going to see you, baby?”

  “Come over tonight. I’ll order dinner—”

  “Don’t bother. We’ll bring something.”

  “Daddy?”

  “Yes, baby?”

  “Is Jason coming?”

  A soft chuckle came through the earpiece. “Do you actually think I’d come and not bring him?”

  Ana felt an emotion of hope welling up inside her. “Daddy, I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  “I’ll see you later.”

  Jacob walked into the bedroom before she could replace the receiver on its cradle. Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. “That was my father. He and my brother are coming over later.”

  “Good.”

  Ana stared at her husband as if he’d grown a third eye. “Good?”

  Crossing his arms over his chest, Jacob angled his head. “Of course. I’m looking forward to sitting down and talking with my father-in-law.”

  “When am I going to meet your mother?”

  “Soon, m’ija,” he drawled.

  Pushing off her chair, she closed the space between them. “You plan to introduce me to your mother when we both know this marriage isn’t going to last?”

  Resting his hands on Ana’s shoulders, Jacob pulled her close. “It’s not going to last because you don’t want it to.”

  “Why are you blaming me?” Ana knew she sounded defensive, but it was Jacob who had issues with her wealth.

  His hands went from her shoulders to cradle her face. “Under another set of circumstances if I’d met you I would’ve asked you out, and hopefully dated you long enough to convince you that my intentions were honorable when I asked you to marry me.”

  “What about love, Jacob?”

  “What about it?” he asked.

  “You mention dating me, being honorable, but not once have you mentioned love. People who marry usually declare their love for each other.” His expression changed, his eyes searching her face as if reaching into her thoughts.

  “What have we been doing, Ana? What have we been saying to each other? When I call you mi amor do you think I was just mouthing the words? When I make love to you I give you all of myself—something I’ve never done with any other woman. And the one time we made love without a condom I selfishly prayed you would become pregnant so I would have something of you to hold on to. When Diego asked if I was enjoying my honeymoon my response was ‘I love my wife.’”

  “You told my cousin you love me before telling me?”

  “Ana, Ana, Ana. You’re not listening to me. How many more ways can I tell you that I love you?”

  A single hot tear rolled down her cheek. “Dígame otra vez, mi amor.”

  “No, I’m not going to tell again. What I’m going to do is show you later on tonight.”

  “What about my money?”

  The deep-set dark eyes in an equally dark face caressed her face. “What about it, m’ija?”

  “Shouldn’t we talk about it?”

  “No. Talking about it will not change anything, and I’m not willing to risk losing you over something that won’t change or which I have no control over.”

  Anchoring her arms under his shoulders, Ana pressed her face to his chest. She didn’t know what made Jacob change his mind and didn’t care. “You’ve just made me the happiest woman in the world.”

  Jacob buried his face in her hair. “I know we haven’t had a traditional courtship or marriage but I intend to make up for it. I’m going to call you up and ask whether you’d like to go out with me. Then we’ll have to establish date night where we stay home and I’ll cook for you or you’ll cook for me.”

  “I like candlelight dinners.”

  “Hold up, baby, I’m getting to that. We’ll dance, flirt, and if we’re not too full or tipsy we can share a bath before retiring for bed.”

  Ana swayed back and forth to the song in her head. “I’d like for us to go down to the Keys to hang out when most of the tourists have gone home. I want you to teach me how to bait a hook and catch a monster fish.”

  “What else do you want, darling?”

  “I want a baby.” She felt the muscles in his arms tighten.

  “When do you want to start trying?”

  Leaning back, Ana met his eyes. “New Year’s Eve.”

  A slight frown creased his forehead. “Why then?”

  “I’d like for us to renew—or say our vows for the first time on New Year’s Eve. It’s a tradition that Coles marry between the week of Christmas and New Year’s. Then we could say we had a wedding night.”

  Jacob nuzzled her scented neck. “Now who’s being traditional?”

  “I never denied wanting what most women want. We want romance, love and marriage, the house with the picket fence, children and family pets.”

  “Are you allowed to have pets here?” he asked.

  “No. I guess that means we’ll have to look for a house.”

  Jacob knew he would have to compromise again. There was no doubt he would have to do a lot of compromising in his marriage, but he knew Ana was more than worth it. He’d spent years holding back with women, pushing them out of his life when they attempted to get too close. There were ones he saw because of sex, and others he could care less about if they did or did not sleep together.

  The determining factor with Ana had been his protective instincts. The need to take care of her was so strong it was palpable and had nothing to do with his promise to Diego. He also had to admit that he wasn’t completely immune to Ana. When he’d noticed her at his godson’s celebration he hadn’t been able to keep his eyes off her. He’d been so enthralled by her haughty attitude that he actually felt sorry for her hapless date. She’d admitted to liking a challenge and so did he because he never knew what to expect from her.

  “How many dogs and cats do you want?”

  Ana couldn’t control her burst of laughter. “No more than two dogs and two cats.”

  “What? No birds, fish, rabbits or gerbils?”

  “No!”

  “Just asking,” he teased. “I’m going to get those bags out of the foyer before your family comes.”

  “I’ll help you. We can store them here and off the pantry.” The words were barely off her tongue when the doorbell rang. “That’s probably management with the duplicate card key.”

  “Stay here. I’ll get it.”

  Ana watched him walk away. Was that the way it would always be? She having to hide out while Jacob checked and rechecked doors, the interior of buildings, and their surroundings when he helped her into and out of a vehicle? It was then she was reminded that as a U.S. deputy marshal he’d been trained for witness protection.

  * * *

  The intercom rang and Ana rushed over to pick up the receiver. “Yes?”

  “Ms. Cole, this is the booth. Mr. David Cole is asking for you.”

  “Please let him through.”

  Her pulses racing uncontrollably, Ana smiled at Jacob. “They’re here.”

  Wrapping his arms around her waist, he rocked her gently from side to side. “Try to relax, m’ija. Everything looks wonderful.” They’d moved all the bags, storing them where they weren’t visible. Although the master bedroom had a wall-to-wall, walk-in closet, there still wasn’t enough roo
m to store all of Ana’s clothes and shoes. He’d held his tongue when he wanted to suggest she go through the closet and donate anything she hadn’t worn in two years.

  Dozens of lighted votive candles flickered on flat surfaces in the foyer, living and dining rooms. Even though Ana revealed her father was bringing food, she and Jacob decided to use up the perishables in the refrigerator, freezer and pantry to make deviled eggs, chilled shrimp and potato salad. They’d worked comfortably in the large kitchen, talking, stopping to dance if a selection on the satellite radio proved too infectious for them not to move.

  She’d explained to Jacob her motivation for purchasing the condo and not a house was extreme security. The manned gatehouse and the semiprivate elevators served only two residences per floor, and the incomparable amenities included beach cabana service, two oceanfront pools, each with a bar, state-of-the-art fitness center with Olympic-size pool, a private café and elegant club room.

  When he saw the excitement in his wife’s eyes Jacob knew he didn’t want Ana to have to choose where she wanted to live. Purchasing the condo had been a high point in her life not only because she’d purchased property for the first time, but also because no one knew about it until after she’d closed on the property. Owning property had become her rally cry for total independence—something she’d craved since adolescence. The excitement in her eyes told Jacob he couldn’t force Ana to give up a lifestyle that afforded her the security that made her who she was.

  Ana clasped the larger hands pressed to her belly. “Thank you for helping with the cooking and setting up.”

  “There’s no need to thank me. Aren’t we a team?”

  “Of course we are.”

  “I’ve made a decision as to where we should live.” Jacob felt Ana go completely still. “It’s not what you think.”

  “What am I thinking?”

  He smiled. “That I want you to move in with me. But, that’s not going to happen because I’m willing to move here and commute to Miami.” Her body slumped slightly and he tightened his hold on her slender frame. “Once we start a family we can then decide where we’d like to buy a house. If I’m going to live here, then I’m going to need some closet space.”