Jake had made sure to have the washer and the dryer put in a laundry room that was beside the kitchen. Claire never had to go down into the cellar if she didn’t want to.
The day that Jake had brought her down the cellar stairs, the first thing that she noticed was how bright it was down there and how the soft, yellow color that painted the walls was welcoming and cherry. Stepping down the stairs that were more like a formal staircase than a cellar stairway, she was shocked to see the warmth of the room that Jake had created.
It was as if she had stepped into a preschool. The entire room was filled with learning stations. Puzzles, building blocks, drawing pads and markers, toy cars, and stuffed animals filled the room. It was welcoming and fun. Claire no longer saw it as a cellar. She saw it as a loving play area for their children. Jake had made that transformation in the room as well as within her mind. He had told her that the room would go through a series of changes as their kids grew to match their ages and likes.
His thoughtfulness touched her heart. His obvious love for the children that he hoped to have with her gave her a true picture of their future. She couldn’t have dreamed up a better mate.
One of the things that Jake had done was to arrange with her boss Jordan to block off an hour every Friday at the end of Claire’s work day. Claire couldn’t help but laugh as she remembered how she had waited for her patient only to find that Jake had a long-standing appointment with her every Friday. He had somehow gotten Brody Walters to be his partner in crime by having him write an order that Jake should have a weekly therapeutic massage done on his back to facilitate the healing after his tumble off the ladder. Jake certainly enjoyed his massages, but so did Claire. She loved making Jake feel better.
He took over all of the cooking and the cleaning in the house, ordering her in his most dominant voice to go and lie down while he did everything. He also made her boneless with pleasure and gave her great happiness when he massaged her feet and legs every night. She couldn’t even sigh without him asking her what was wrong.
He took great pains to ensure that Claire was rested—often sending her to their room when she came home from her shortened work day. That was what Claire enjoyed the most because he would often join her in bed for the small amount of time that he had on his lunch hour. There was never anything sexual in those times. Claire cherished every second of them. Her husband held her, whispered how much he loved her, and shared in the moving of their child as he always had his hand on her belly whenever he held her.
“Claire!” Jake’s voice called out from downstairs.
“I’m in the nursery!” she called back, laughing softly as she heard the thudding of Jake’s feet as he raced up the stairs to get to her. He was in the doorway of the nursery in no time, a wide grin on his face as he looked at her.
“Hello, little mother,” he said happily, walking over to her and gently taking her into his arms to kiss her lips quickly. “How’re you feeling, angel?”
“I’m good, just a little tired,” Claire told him, letting out a squeal of surprise when she was suddenly lifted into her husband’s arms and cradled against his chest as he carried her through the opened connecting door that led into the master bedroom. “Jake! You’re crazy!”
“Be quiet, woman!” he demanded, trying very hard not to smile.
“Oh, you’re going to be sorry for that, buster,” she warned him.
Jake placed her in the center of their bed, framing her shoulders with his forearms as he hovered above her. “What’re you gonna do about it, Mrs. McKade?” he asked her quietly, his blue eyes sparkling with happiness.
Claire laughed despite her determination to remain serious. Feeling Jake over her, pressing against her lightly, she couldn’t help but give in to the complete joy that he gave her. She reached up and threaded her fingers through his hair, tugging on it firmly.
“How about if we make love?” she suggested.
“What do you have in mind?” he asked her, smiling down at her.
“Well…” Claire said slowly.
“What is that devious little mind thinking?”
“I thought I was your angel! Now I’m devious?”
Jake laughed softly, leaning down to kiss her lips lightly. “You’re my devious little angel,” Jake told her softly. “And I count myself a lucky man that you’re mine.”
Claire’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Jake,” she whispered, sniffing softly.
“I’ve made you cry,” he said, his voice filled with worry. “I’m so sorry.”
Claire laughed through her tears, wrapping her arms around Jake’s back and pulling him closer. “You’re just going to have to make it up to me, husband.”
She kissed him slowly, licking at his lips and sucking on his tongue the moment he swept her mouth with it. She ran her hands up under his shirt, scraping her nails down his back, cupping his ass cheeks, and pulling him close against her as she spread her legs.
“I don’t want to think, Jake. I just want to feel. Please.”
Jake knew exactly what Claire needed. Easing away from her, he took hold of the bottom of her blouse, pulled it up and over her head, and tossed it to the floor. He nuzzled into her neck as he pulled her up slightly and released the hooks of her bra to slowly peel it from her body.
“Lift your sweet ass, angel,” he whispered, smiling when she immediately did as he asked.
He slipped his hands into the waistband of her black lounge pants and slid them down, exposing her belly. His heart filled with pride and happiness as he saw the proof of their love. He touched her belly reverently, caressing their sleeping child then leaning forward and kissing the warmth of Claire’s belly.
“Do you know how beautiful you are, angel?” he whispered, rubbing his cheek across her belly. He kissed his way up the hard swell of her baby bump to her full breasts that were swollen in preparation of nursing their child. He circled the darkened areola of her left breast with the tip of his index finger. “I never knew that a woman’s nipples darkened during pregnancy.”
Claire blushed at his silent appraisal of her body, but she knew that he was truly amazed by the changes that her pregnancy had brought. He had been loving and gentle, accepting every change with excitement and love. It seemed that his passion and love for her intensified each day. She was glad because it was the same for her with him. Loving Jake McKade was so easy. Loving him more and more each day was even easier.
“I’m going to blindfold you,” Jake whispered against her neck.
“Okay.”
Claire’s voice was almost trancelike as Jake’s touch brought her to a place that was beautiful. She knew that the blindfold would help her block out everything but his touch, and she wanted that.
Jake reached for the bedside table, pulling open the drawer and taking out the blindfold. He quickly slipped it in place and tied it securely, completely blacking out any outside stimuli to pull Claire’s focus. He loved the way the vibrant red blindfold looked against her creamy skin and black hair.
“Okay, angel?”
“Yes.”
“I’m right here.”
“I know, Jake. Don’t worry.”
Jake stepped off the bed, pulling off his navy T-shirt and throwing it onto the chair beside the bedside table. Quickly unfastening his belt buckle and unzipping his jeans, he pulled them off, along with his underwear, and tossed them onto the chair, as well.
Reaching into the open drawer of the bedside table, he pulled out the silk scarves that Claire had gotten from Deuce so many months before. His little angel had made a plan of seduction that she loved to repeat often. Giving herself to him in this way fed his need to keep her as his, and her need to find the peace that his shouldering of her worries and fears gave her.
Taking the red silk, he held them above her and allowed the soft ends to drag across her body, starting with her feet and traveling up her legs. He loved the soft gasp she released at the initial touch, then watched the slow smile that came across her lips
as she realized what he was using and settled back to enjoy it.
“Spread your legs for me, Claire,” he told her, watching as she drew her legs up and spread them wide. “So pretty.”
Dragging the scarves along her inner thighs, he slid one scarf along her lower lips, following its path with his fingers. Claire’s deep moan and the clenching of her hands in the sheets below her showed him that she was doing her best not to move. Jake didn’t need to restrain her. She naturally fell in to the needs that she could trust only him to meet.
Leaning forward, he lay between her legs, carefully easing them up onto his shoulders. He breathed in deeply, loving the scent of her. He nosed her folds slowly, dragging his tongue through the pinkness and licking at the sweet cream that was already dripping from her. He hummed slowly, opening his mouth and latching on to her sweet button. Drawing it into his mouth, he flicked at it quickly then suckled and pressed his tongue against the already throbbing clit.
Claire gasped and held her breath, tensing her body as Jake sent shockwaves of pleasure through her. She felt her body coiling tighter and tighter. When Jake hummed against her core, she couldn’t help but move her hips to increase the stimulation.
Jake pressed two fingers inside of her, moaning as her wetness dripped down his fingers onto the palm of his hand. He curled his fingers slightly and dragged across her G-spot, loving the way Claire cried out his name and her hips shot up as pleasure shot through her.
Moving up her body, he pressed against her, his cock dragging through her wetness and slipping inside of her easily. He held his breath as her velvet heat surrounded him, and he buried himself deep inside of her. He loved being inside of her. He loved sharing his heart and his body with his wife.
“Are you okay, Claire?” he asked her when she starting moaning.
“Jake. Please take off the blindfold.”
He removed it so quickly, Claire’s hair was pulled forward and covered her face. He reached up and brushed her hair away, looking at her in concern. He waited as she blinked her eyes and opened them, relieved when he saw her beautiful brown eyes looking up at him with such softness. His heart actually ached with the intensity of the love that she showed him.
“I needed to see you,” she whispered. “I needed to see your face as you filled me. I love looking at you when you make love to me. I love the pleasure that fills you. I love the way you look at me.”
“How do I look at you, angel?” he asked her gently, rubbing the pad of his thumb across her left cheek.
“Like I’m your whole world,” Claire said softly.
Jake smiled, leaning forward and taking her lips in a tender kiss.
“You are,” he whispered against her lips.
He moved his hips slowly, pressing deep inside of her over and over again. He pulled her closer, slipping his hands beneath her and holding her shoulders tightly as his cock slid home, his pubic bone pressing against her clit with each surge inside of her. Claire buried her face in his neck, biting down on his shoulder as her body reached for completion.
Jake moaned as Claire’s body clamped down on his cock as she found her pleasure, squeezing so tightly he could barely move. It didn’t matter, though. The pulsing of her inner walls was all the stimulation he needed to come. He held himself tight against her body as his cock erupted and his seed filled his woman.
Claire held Jake close. She loved the feel of the pulsing of his shaft deep inside of her. His labored breathing against her neck was warm as he fought to draw oxygen into his lungs. When he tried to pull out, she pressed her heels against his thighs to hold him exactly where he was.
“No, Jake. Don’t move.”
“I don’t want to crush you and the baby,” he whispered, kissing her neck lightly.
“You’re not,” she assured him. “Besides, the doctor said that making love and having orgasms would help me start labor.”
“What?” Jake pulled back to look down at her in shock. “Claire! Are you in labor?”
Claire couldn’t help but laugh at the panic displayed on Jake’s face. “Not yet, cowboy. I think you need to give me a couple more orgasms before that happens.”
Jake breathed a little easier and laughed softly, hugging her carefully. “You are definitely my devious little angel,” he told her, shaking his head.
“Oh, cowboy, you do have a way with words,” she teased him.
He looked down at her, suddenly becoming very serious. She reached up and touched his face gently.
“What’s wrong, Jake?” she whispered.
“Not a damned thing, angel,” he said after a moment. “Everything is right—because of you.”
Chapter 42
“Where’re you going, angel?” Jake asked as he pulled his truck into the garage and saw Claire opening the door of her car and throwing her purse onto the front seat.
“I’m going to the craft store,” Claire told him. “I need more yarn. I want to make a hat and booties for our baby.”
“I’ll take you,” he said automatically as he walked toward her. “You shouldn’t be driving.”
“Why not?”
“You’re about to deliver, angel. You should be resting. Let me take you.”
He slipped his hand beneath her pink T-shirt that had the words An Angel Loves You across the chest. He had been touched when Claire had brought it home the week before when she had gone shopping with Gracie and Melanie. She had told him that she bought it just for him. If he was going to wear the tattoo on his chest of her in the likeness of an angel, she was going to wear a shirt declaring that she loved him.
He felt his baby moving within her and had to get closer. He knelt down and pushed her shirt up, placing both of his hands on her belly to caress her gently as he kissed her beautiful baby bump.
“Hello, baby. Are you ready to come and meet us yet?” he asked, laughing when his baby kicked hard against his lips.
Claire laughed. “That’s what you get for telling his mother that she shouldn’t drive.”
“Claire, I just want you to rest.”
Claire slipped her fingers through his hair and massaged his head lightly. “I know.”
“Then please let me take you. I promise I won’t give you a hard time about looking at all the sparkly things in the craft store.”
“Jake McKade, don’t you dare tease me,” Claire warned him, tugging on his hair as she spoke.
He laughed softly, kissing her belly one last time before standing and drawing her into his embrace. “I promise to stop teasing you,” he vowed. “I promise to be a good husband and hold your purse while you shop. I promise to say that everything you look at is nice, even if it is sparkly.” He kissed her forehead lightly, leaning against it and sighing softly. “Please, angel. Let me take you.”
Claire pushed at him, turned away and grabbed for her purse and slammed the door of her car shut. Jake watched her as she walked over to his truck and opened the passenger side door. He was by her side immediately, helping her to step up into the cab. He quickly buckled her seat belt and hurried around the front of his truck to open the driver side door and climb up to take his place behind the wheel.
Starting the truck, he backed it out of the garage and pressed the button to close the garage door. Turning toward the dirt road that led from their home through McKade land, he was smiling as they drove the back road that led to the highway.
Claire opened the window and smiled as the August air blew across her face. It was such a beautiful day. She looked at Jake and saw the smile on his face.
“Don’t be smug, cowboy,” she warned him.
“I’m not being smug. I’m being happy.”
Claire laughed softly, squeezing Jake’s hand as he reached for her. “Happy looks good on you, Jake.”
“Yeah, I think so, too.”
He stopped at the busy intersection that held so many bad memories. This was where his parents had been killed and where he had had his accident. He was careful to look at all roads that met up t
here to be sure that they were safe before he slowly pulled out to take the road that led to the mall.
“How about if we go out to the steakhouse after you finish shopping, Claire?” he asked, happiness filling him at the instant smile that lit his wife’s face.
“Sounds good. I could go for some baby back ribs and a nice cold glass of sweet tea.”
Before Jake could answer, their world exploded as a white SUV slammed into them from the left, spinning Jake’s truck in a circle before it slammed against the guardrail. The trucked rocked and came to a stop amidst the sound of scraping metal and the thunder of the terrifying impact filling the area.
Chapter 43
“Brody, if you don’t tell them to let go of me, I’m going to seriously kill someone!” Jake roared as the attendants tried to keep him on the gurney that was being pushed through the Emergency Room entrance.
Brody was by his side, looking his cousin over and seeing the cut on his left arm that the EMT had bandaged at the scene of the accident. Other than that injury, he didn’t really see any other obvious wounds, but you could never tell about internal injuries. It hadn’t been that long ago that he had taken care of Jake after the accident that had brought him near death. He was glad that the emergency room doctor had paged him the minute he had found out that the accident victim was Jake. He needed to be the one to take care of his cousin.
The doors flew open and the gurney that held Claire was pushed inside. Jack Porter was the EMT at her side. Claire was yelling for Jake. Brody almost laughed. Claire was bellowing just as loudly as Jake often did. Who would have thought that shy little Claire could be so vocal. Brody guessed that mating with Jake had caused them to bond together in more ways than were visible. Actually, Brody admitted to himself that he knew that Claire had always been a strong woman. She wouldn’t have been able to survive her childhood if she hadn’t been.
Jake's Angel [Cowboy Mates, Psychic Connections 4] (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 42
