Jane's Long March Home

by Susan Lute

  And here she was breasts to manly chest with the very man she was trying desperately to get out of her system. Unfortunate for her, the look in his heated eyes made no secret of his desire for a repeat performance. God help her, she wanted it too.

  Fighting for breath, and the space to get her mind working again, she pushed him away.

  “Miss Jane. Look!”

  Jane forced her wobbly legs to take her to Abby, where she squatted next to the child. Hypersensitive to Chase’s movements, she knew the minute he made himself comfortable on the far side of the little girl.

  She frowned. Didn’t he have anything better to do than to keep her senses misfiring in random abandonment?

  “Aren’t they beautiful?” Abby breathed reverently. “Can I touch one?”

  “Sure.” Chase gently placed a marmalade kitten in Abby’s outstretched hands.

  “Oh.” The word was drawn out in breathless delight.

  He passed one over, before picking up the remaining furry ball, cuddling it close to his chest. Before he could see how moved she was by the picture they made, man, woman and child mooning over the little animals, Jane buried her face in the dark gray tabby fur.

  Don’t be stupid! The Corps needs you.

  This is not your home. Not your man, either. And, this sweet little girl isn’t your daughter. Don't pretend otherwise.

  “Can they come live with us in the house?”

  “They have to stay with their mommy for a while longer.”

  “What if their mommy goes off and leaves them?”

  Jane sucked in a breath. Innocent children shouldn’t have to worry about their mothers leaving them.

  Chase brought his kitten up to his face until he was nose to nose with the little fella. Her heart lurched. Suddenly, she was as eager for his answer as Abby.

  “Well, the mommy is a barn cat, so she won’t leave them until she teaches them how to hunt and take care of themselves.”

  “But, if she did, could we bring them in the house and adopt them?”

  He put his kitten next to the anxious mother cat, took Abby’s and lined it up with its sibling. His gaze met Jane’s over the child’s head. “Yes, I guess we could.”

  Her fragile control splintered. How in the hell was she ever going to leave if every time she turned around she was tempted to join this pseudo-family he was making?

  She handed over her kitten, taking care not to brush her fingertips along Chase’s hands, opting for another distraction instead. “Who wants to go to town and get an ice cream cone?”

  “Me. I do.” Abby jumped up, her cast conking Jane on the knee. The sharp rap wasn’t near as painful as knowing soon she’d be leaving this astonishingly irresistible man behind.

  A grin spread across his handsome face. “And, I know just the place.”

  Argh! Not again!

  *

  At Sam’s Scoops, an old fashioned ice cream parlor on the main drag running through Lone Pine, Jane and Abby sat on one side of the booth, and Chase and Zach on the other, licking away at the tallest vanilla cones she’d ever seen.

  The quaint shop smelled of homemade waffle cones, root beer and sugary sweet ice cream. The black and white checkerboard floor was pleasantly offset by a brightly colored mural on one wall - families enjoying ice cream treats, the men in top hats, the women in long, spring dresses, sitting around ornate tables in a bustling courtyard filled with blooming flowers.

  In deference to the hot day, on the way into town, Chase had stopped at the local department store to buy flip flops for the kids.

  When was the last time she’d worn flip flops? Jane couldn’t remember, and so when she’d come across a pair with bright red sequins, she couldn’t resist. Even the man now running a bare foot over her ankle, sending enticing shivers up her leg, had picked out a pair to replace the worn boots he’d been wearing that morning.

  She rolled her eyes, scooted her foot under her seat where she hoped he couldn’t reach. Slowly, she licked her ice cream, ignoring the flicker in Chase's eyes.

  She wasn’t falling for the guy. There was no question in her mind. No matter how tempted she was to stay, when it came time for her to go, she was headed back to Parris Island.

  It could be the man was doing her a favor, showing her that life didn’t have to be all spit and polished. Maybe it was time to do some things she hadn’t done in a long time, or even ever.

  Just because she had her duty, didn’t mean she couldn’t occasionally take off her uniform and have a bit of fun. Not that being a Marine wasn’t fun.

  She looked up from her cone just as his clever foot found her pant leg. His gaze fixed on her mouth, arousal simmered in clear brown eyes.

  Jane blushed, her imagination taking off more than her uniform for him. To break free of the breathless tension simmering in the air-conditioned air between them, she glanced out the window. Across the street was a bookstore. The Book Nook. It gave her an idea.

  Finishing her cone in a hurry, she scooted out of the booth. “I’ll be right back.”

  Chase raised an inquiring dark brow. She gave him a cocky grin for an answer.

  Later that night, when dinner was finished and she was done with the dishes, Jane settled on the couch with her purchase. A small fire flickered in the fireplace.

  Gus had gone out on a mysterious date for the evening. Chase and Zach and Abby were playing Monopoly. The mouth-watering smell of freshly popped buttered, popcorn filled the room.

  “Miss Jane. Look. I’m the dog.”

  Jane couldn’t help it. She’d never been this close to feeling like she was part of a real family. “Lucky you.”

  “Do you want to play?” Chase’s deep voice was inviting.

  She held up her book. “No thanks, I think I’ll read.”

  Abby came to stand by the couch, leaning against Jane’s legs. “What are you reading?”

  The wistfulness in the little girl’s eyes pulled her heartstrings. “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”

  She’d heard of the Harry Potter books of course, but never made time to read any of them, or even to see the movies. When she saw the first book in the bookstore, she decided it was about time she got on board the Hogwarts Train.

  “It’s your turn.” Zach grouched at his sister.

  Abby ignored him, looking up at Jane with bright, expectant eyes. “Will you read to me?”

  “Sure, but don’t you want to finish your game first?”

  “No.” She handed the playing piece over to Chase, then crawled up beside Jane on the couch. “I want you to read to me.”

  “Okay.” Surprisingly, she was a little nervous about reading out loud into the suddenly quiet room with only the crackling fire for backup.

  Glancing first at Chase who raised both brows, then rolled the dice, with a little flutter of excitement in her belly, she opened the book. “Chapter One. The Boy Who Lived.”

  Chase could see Zach would much rather be listening to the story about a boy wizard than playing a game with him, so he stretched his arms over his head and yawned. “If you don’t mind, I’m too tired to finish playing. You guys wore me out today.”

  Zach’s chin jerked up. “Are you sure?”

  Chuckling he began gathering up game pieces. “Yes. Go listen to the story. I’ll put all this away.”

  Glancing over at him, Jane's smile took Chase on a roller coaster ride. Despite all that had happened he was still glad she’d fired him.

  He put the game away, then divided popcorn into smaller bowls, one for each of the kids, one for Jane and what was left for himself. He stoked the fire, then stretched out on the floor near her feet. Propping his head on one hand, he let himself be drawn into a story about a boy who’d lost his parents and never fit into the inflexible family in whose custody he’d been left.

  Jane gave each character a different voice, drawing him in further. Her British accent had him drooling.

  Abby crawled into her lap. Zach leaned against her shoulder.
There she was, his warrior woman, telling a tale of survival to two kids trying to get along in a ruthlessly unpredictable world.

  That was the moment Chase truly realized this was his family - Jane, and two kids totally engrossed in a story that mirrored their own lives. Except for the magic, of course, but maybe they could find some of that, too. They were going to need it to make it so they remained together.

  So taken by the sound of her voice, she was in the middle of the second chapter before he realized Abby had fallen asleep, and Zach was valiantly losing his own fight to stay awake.

  Wrapping his hand around her slim ankle to snagged her attention, he tilted his head toward her two dozing listeners. Reluctantly, he stood, lifting Abby into his arms. “I’ll put them to bed.”

  He nudged Zach’s foot. “Come on, buddy. Time for bed.”

  Zach yawned. “I’m not tired.”

  Chase shared a grin with Jane. “Time to go to bed, anyway.”

  His eyelids at half mast, Zach didn’t argue further, but followed Chase up the stairs, flopping onto his bed without changing into pajamas.

  The small room had two twin beds. Smiling at the absolute rightness of putting the kids to bed, he settled Abby on the other twin, removed her shoes, and tucked them both in.

  Stopping at the door, he looked back at the slumbering kids. Who would have believed when Jane first came to him, that one day in the near future, he would be Jonesing for the four of them to be one big happy family.

  Down there in the living room with Jane reading to them, passion ringing in her sweet voice, he’d wanted the woman more than ever. If he didn’t find a way to convince her to stay, his life was going to be more empty than when he’d walked away after failing his brother.

  Except for the kids. He’d still have Zach and Abby, and he was more determined than ever to give them the loving home they deserved.

  When he went downstairs, he found Jane in the kitchen, cleaning up the remains of their popcorn. “They’re sound asleep.”

  She looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes moody, kissable lips pressed mutinously together. Tension snapped around her slender frame.

  He loved the look of her, the feel of what was suddenly crackling between them, and decided it was about time to prod her just a little. See if he could edge her closer to finding a good reason to stay.

  “That was a fine performance you gave tonight.”

  She gracefully lifted one shoulder and let it fall. Turning back to the sink, she sank her hands in the soapy dishwater to pull the plug. “It’s a very clever story.”

  He stepped up behind her, close enough she couldn’t spin around. Plucking a dishtowel off the counter, he wrapped his arms around her, captured one of her hands, thoroughly wiping it dry.

  He spoke next to her ear, his breath brushing the ends of her short, spiky hair. “My favorite part was when the glass enclosure vanished and Dudley fell into the snake pen.”

  Jane went perfectly still. “He deserved it.”

  When she went to scoot away, he grabbed her other hand, drying it with equal attention. “My second favorite part was your British accent.”

  She turned her head, smiling lips coming within centimeters of his. Her breath was sweet, like the peppermint she liked in her coffee. Stormy eyes locked on his mouth. Her voice was a husky whisper. “I was stationed in England for awhile.”

  He tossed the towel back on the counter, then turned her into his arms. The sound of the house settling for the night surrounded them. The smell of melted butter lingered.

  A need for more than basic, relieve-the-itch sex slapped at his nerves. The hell with it. Tugging her against his chest, he fused their lips with a punishing hunger that she quickly took over.

  Efficient, long fingered hands grabbed his shirt front, ripping it open, popping buttons across the floor and counter. Those hands found and tested the strength of his chest, eagerly making their way south. When they got to his navel, he sucked in a hard breath, pounding desire making him rock hard.

  He grabbed her exploiting hands. “Wait a minute.”

  “I believe you started this, Doc,” she said, breathless.

  “And, I want to be with you at the finish line, Marine.”

  Her lips quirked, her watchful eyes focused, very cool. “Sure you have the stamina?”

  That did it. Chase lifted her onto the breakfast bar. His hands burrowed under her shirt, pushing the cotton up until he could flick open the front latch of her bra. He palmed each heavy globe in turn; ran his thumbs over pebbled peaks.

  When he replaced his hands with mouth and tongue, great shuddering breaths racked her. She arched into him, her fingers furrowing through his hair, dragging him closer still. Her skin was soft as silk, her scent hot, destroying whatever strategy he’d started out with.

  Who was giving whom a reason to stay? Chase could no longer think straight. She had him panting. Tugging the shirt over her head and tossing it to the side, he brought his hands to her face, holding her there, while practically drowning in the aroused depths of her eyes.

  He pulled her to him, nipped her bottom lip, took advantage when they parted. Tongues danced together. His breath caught in his chest. Greedy hands skimmed over her shoulders, down her arched back to take handfuls of her luscious bottom. He scooted her until her heat was right up against his.

  “I want you in my bed.”

  She huff out a breath, her beautiful blues clouded over with unmistakable arousal, her lips quivering with it. “I won’t lie to you, or make promises I don’t know how to keep. I can’t stay.”

  “I know.” Then he lied to her. “It doesn’t matter.”

  She looked at him for a long minute. He saw the moment she surrendered. “I need you. Deep inside me. I want you. There. Now.”

  That at least was something they agreed on, Chase thought hazily as he lifted the woman into his arms. Carrying her up the stairs and into his bedroom, he kicked the door closed behind them.

  CHAPTER

  XIV

  When he woke up, Jane was gone. The first sign of sunrise filtered through his bedroom window, which faced the back of the house. It was open, and he could hear the thud of gloved fists pounding furiously on the punching bag.

  They’d slept little during the night, spending most of the dark, intimate hours exploring, discovering. The headstrong woman would make a rock break sweat. He wasn’t near that tough, but he’d given as much as he’d taken.

  Listening to her attack the poor punching bag, he grinned. If the Marine was a little unnerved this morning, she could join his club.

  He dressed, checked on the children, then went down to make coffee. Taking the first cup with him, he watched through the screen as Jane, giving the punching bag a break, did a warmup that rivaled the toughest military physical training.

  He should feel bad about lying to her last night. He had no excuse except he wasn’t ready to let her go. If he’d told her how deep his feelings ran, it would have scared the soup out of her.

  The ache in his chest scared him, too. He'd just had a few more days to get used to the idea of loving the woman, even though she was planning to pack her sea bag, and then head out of his life for good.

  No limp in sight, she took off at a slow jog. At a loss for any ideas on how to convince her to stay, Chase took the easy way out - for the moment, anyway - and retreated to his office.

  A few hours later, when the phone interrupted his paperwork, he was grateful. With his mind running in circles, he hadn't gotten much done after she'd returned and gone straight to the shower. All he could think about was joining her.

  Tossing his pen down, he grabbed the insistent device. “Hello?”

  “Hi Chase. It’s Beth.”

  “Hi yourself. You’re at it early.” He leaned back in his chair.

  “I’m calling about your kids. I have news.”

  “Why doesn’t that sound good?”

  “Their mother filed a missing children’s report on them.” />
  “Zack and Abby Malone?”

  “Yes. I did a search in my database and ran across their pictures.”

  ”Are you sure? They told me their mother died in a motor vehicle accident.”

  “I’m positive. I can fax over what I’ve found.”

  “I’d appreciate it.”

  Chase snapped the phone back onto its receiver. Waiting impatiently for the information to come, and unable to sit still, he paced to the window to stare at the mountains glowing in the early morning sun.

  He was definitely distracted form his fever over Jane now. Anger fought with deep disappointment and won. He couldn’t blame the kids for lying, but he intended to find out why.

  The fax machine activated. Ten minutes later, his temper marginally controlled, the faxed papers gripped tightly in one hand, he found them in the kitchen.

  They were all there. Jane freshly showered, hair brushed off her forehead and drying in appealing wisps, poured orange juice. She placed the glasses on the table in front of the kids. Gus was at the stove cooking French toast. Zach and Abby slouched at the table, obviously just out of bed.

  His heart hurting, Chase stared at the group that had no chance of becoming a family now. Mentally, he kicked himself. He shouldn’t have fallen so deeply in love with the idea. Jane was leaving, and no matter what their home life was like or why they’d run away, no parent who posted missing children reports would sign papers that gave custody of those kids to a virtual stranger.

  “I just got a call from my friend at Children’s Services.” Four pair of eyes swiveled in Chase’s direction.

  “It seems your mother, Goldie Malone, has filed missing person reports on both of her children, Zach and Abby. Do you want to explain what’s going on?” Doing his level best to stay calm, he pinned Zach with a stern look.

  The teenager jumped up from the table, eyes blazing, fists punched down at his sides. “Okay, so she’s not dead. She may as well be. She doesn’t want us, and you can’t make us go back to her.”

  Not sure he believed the boy, Chase didn’t try to stop him when he fled the room. Instead, he turned to Abby, hoping she could shed some light on this comedy of errors. Though her eyes were round and frightened, her baby face held too much weariness, and way too much knowledge of the way life shouldn’t be.