About Last Night...

by Michele Dunaway

  “We have good sex,” Lindy said.

  “That we do,” Shane admitted. “Which is why if you won’t marry me, I still want you to move in with me.”

  Lindy stared at him. Surely he wasn’t serious. How could she live with Shane Jacobsen? She tried to lighten the moment. “Have you been watching the Disney Channel too?”

  His brow furrowed as he tried to place her statement. “Disney Channel? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Two parents live together to raise children separated at birth, it’s a show. Oh, never mind. I’m sure we’ll get enough of Disney Channel as junior here grows up.”

  “And I want to be there for that,” Shane said. He kissed Lindy’s cheek. “Don’t shut me out, Lindy. We could be good together, and we’ll be good parents. If you won’t marry me, live with me. If it doesn’t work out, then you can always leave. But it will work.”

  “You’re forgetting one small factor.”

  “What?”

  “Your mother and father. Can you see the headline? Prodigal son living in sin with knocked-up PA.”

  “I don’t care what the papers say,” Shane said. “I care about what you say. I want to be there, Lindy, for every moment.”

  “I’m not going to marry you and I’m not going to live with you, either,” Lindy said.

  “Why won’t you marry me?”

  Was it really that easy? How she wished. “You don’t love me,” she said. “I want to marry for love, Shane.”

  “So did I,” he said simply. His hand, which had been on hers, now fell away. “I always thought it would be romantic. Bells. Whistles. Flowers. Something. Maybe that’s why I never found it with any of the women I dated. Maybe it doesn’t even exist.” He shifted.

  “But, Lindy, we have a baby to consider. A child who needs two parents. We get along. We don’t fight, well, we didn’t. We have great sex. And Lindy, I don’t want to be one of those dads who hangs out at a fast-food place on the weekends. I want to be home with my child, and with my child’s mother.”

  Lindy shifted to look at him. “Fast food?”

  “Yeah, you know, pizza and playland for children. Where all the divorced parents take their kids for quality time. I found it a parental meat market.”

  Lindy was still trying to grasp the reference. “How do you know about those places?”

  “Bethany has children, you remember my nieces and nephews? She says they’re packed with people, all tolerating the noise of kids running amuck in playland, and when I was there for Bradley’s birthday party I saw it for myself. Not only that, but no less than four single mothers gave me their phone numbers.”

  “Oh.”

  His eyes pleaded for understanding. “Don’t make that my fate, Lindy. If I have to go to a place like that, I want you with me. We’ll tolerate the parental bliss of it all together.”

  Her fingers relaxed on the sheet a little, but she didn’t lower it. “Shane, marriage isn’t about fast-food places.”

  He shook his head, agreeing with her. “No, it’s about partnership. We’ve always had that from day one, when you first came to work for me. We have a history of working well together. That tells me that we can make this,” he gestured around, “work.”

  “But love…” Lindy began.

  “Doesn’t have to factor into it. Don’t you read those men-are-from-Pluto books?”

  “Mars,” Lindy corrected.

  “Whatever. It’s all about people and their miscommunications about love. We won’t have those problems, which means that we’ve got a better chance of our marriage succeeding than most people do. And I won’t cheat on you, Lindy. I swear it. And it will let us explore this chemistry as long as we both want.”

  He reached over and ran a finger down the side of her face. Her skin prickled, and she realized that she already wanted him again.

  “Don’t turn me out in the cold, Lindy. Let me be the one to make love to you at night. Let me help you with baby feedings.”

  She stared at him, wondering. She’d seen Shane argue in business, and he’d often persuaded her as well. But lately she’d stood up to him. She could stand up to him again, but it was hard to use your backbone when it was naked and turned to a noodle with just one of Shane’s kisses.

  He must have sensed her weakening. “Lindy, I want you. I want to be a family with you. Do you want some other woman to reap the benefit of three years of your influence?”

  No! Jealousy flared through Lindy, and she twisted the sheet between her fists. He’d pulled out the final weapon, and Lindy suddenly knew that this was it. He’d never ask again.

  But she also knew that he’d never love her. Was the sacrifice worth it? She’d hated the past two weeks without him. He’d invaded every part of her life. Was getting most of him better than having nothing?

  Sensing her indecision, Shane said, “Take some time to decide. My offer of marriage still stands, but right now I’ll admit, I can’t concentrate on anything else but you.” He leaned over and reached for her hand. Her sheet slipped. “If I may be so bold as to show you, this is what you do to me, Lindy Brinks.”

  And as he placed her hand on the part of him that bulged and strained, Lindy knew exactly what he was talking about. “Talk’s done, and the decision can wait. But I can’t. Kiss me,” he murmured. He left her hand there, and threaded his free hand into her blond hair, pressing her face toward his lips.

  Immediately his kiss swept Lindy away, and as the roller-coaster of his body and hers began again, Lindy knew she would ride it over and over until it finally stopped. And it would stop.

  That thought crept in, worming its way through the delightful decadence of Shane’s mind-drugging kisses. Could she handle that day? The one where Shane walked out of her life?

  He’d promised he wouldn’t. But in her experience with relationships, promises were easily made and more easily broken. His hand had lowered to her breast, and she knew that without a doubt she wanted the chemistry to explode between them. She wanted his lovemaking, again.

  She’d always wanted it.

  And she knew she’d take it until the ride closed down, until Shane Jacobsen discarded her like a worn toy. Her fixation on her principles and her future faded into oblivion as he placed a line of kisses along the side of her neck.

  She tried once again to focus. She knew she loved him. She knew he would never love her. Could it be enough? Would it be fair to the baby? Would it be fair to her? Could she live that way, waiting without a hope of love until the day he left her?

  His lips found her breast, and thoughts of the future fled from Lindy’s consciousness. Her body began to quake as the passion between them took over. She’d worry later.

  Later.

  Later, around five in the morning when Shane told her he had to get home. “It’s a work day tomorrow. You have about two more hours of sleep.”

  “I’m tired,” Lindy said. She rolled over and Shane began running a forefinger across her back.

  “Call in sick,” he teased.

  That thought was so tempting. She’d slept little all night. And at the same time, his finger on her skin felt oh so good. “I can’t,” she managed to say. “It’s only my second day.”

  Shane kissed her skin, and she shivered with frustrated anticipation. “I’ll fix it with the boss. I think he’d agree that making love with one of his vice presidents, who happens to also be his grandson, is much more important than doing some mindless paperwork. Want me to call him? He’s an early worm. He’s always up by six.”

  Those words woke Lindy up. She jolted, and this time Shane managed to get out of the way of her upward movement. “What? You’d call your grandfather? You wouldn’t dare.”

  Shane’s grin was wicked. “Try me. You’ll have to do something quick to prevent me from calling.”

  “Uh! You’re not playing fair.”

  “Open lips,” he mused, and he swept his down. He broke the kiss a few minutes later. “I never play fair, but in your
case I’ll try. If I keep kissing you, I’ll never leave.”

  “Go,” Lindy commanded.

  “Going,” he said. “But have lunch with me today.”

  Doubt plagued her. It was one thing to make love where no one knew about it. But to be public at work, even as friends? “I don’t know if that’s a—”

  Shane lifted her fingers to his lips and kissed the ends before replying. “It’s a boss’s order. My office. Twelve-fifteen sharp.”

  “I’ll have to see and…”

  “Don’t make me come get you,” Shane teased. “Your little cubicle doesn’t have a door.”

  This time Lindy knew he was joking. “You wouldn’t.”

  He leaned and kissed her again. “I might. Right now I want to call both of us in sick and roll you over and bury myself deep. I want to hear you cry out my name, and claw at my back.”

  “Shane!” Despite herself, his talk had aroused her. She was definitely wide-awake.

  “What?” He was tempting her, sucking on her fingertips again.

  Lindy had always been a take-charge woman. And now with Shane in her bed she felt empowered, and insatiable. She also knew that this moment was her brass ring, and that she’d need to ride the carousel of Shane Jacobsen for as long as the ride lasted. She let the sheet drop to her waist. “So you can fix it with the boss? Make sure I don’t get fired?”

  “I think so,” Shane said. “If not, you can always go back to work for me. Although we’d never get any work done.” His mouth moved forward hungrily.

  “That’s good,” Lindy said as the waves took over her body once again, “because I think we’re both too sick to work today.”

  “Definitely,” Shane said between kisses.

  “MR. JACOBSEN, this is Alice in personnel. I thought you might like to know that your new hire Melinda Brinks has called in sick. You do know that this is only her second day on the job.”

  “Really?” Grandpa Joe looked at the clock. Just a little past nine. As always, Alice was efficient. After thirty-five years in Jacobsen personnel, Alice still hated it when Grandpa Joe upset the order of her life by hiring or transferring people according to his business whims. Of course, he had asked Alice to personally watch over Lindy.

  “Yes, Mr. Jacobsen. Miss Brinks had several personnel training sessions this morning. Normally I wouldn’t call you, but you asked and…”

  “You did fine, Alice. Just reschedule her appointments and be sure not to give Miss Brinks any trouble about her absence when she returns. I know her personally, and something important must have come up for her to miss today. I’m sure she’s legitimately sick.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Grandpa Joe put the phone down and glanced across his desk. “Problems?” Andrew asked. The two men always started their day with breakfast together.

  “Lindy called in sick.”

  Andrew’s eyes narrowed with concern. “She’s never sick. Do you suspect something’s wrong with the baby?”

  Grandpa Joe smiled. “No. I don’t think it’s anything worrisome like that. I think it’s lack of sleep. It seems my grandson, our newest vice president, has also called in sick.”

  “You’re kidding.” Andrew took a bite of blueberry muffin.

  “Nope. He left me a message about six-forty this morning. The caller ID unit on my phone shows that the call came from Lindy’s apartment.”

  “You old coot.”

  Grandpa Joe shook his head. “It’s not for sure yet, but I’d say within a week we’ll be setting a date for a quick little wedding. In fact, I’d bet on it.”

  Andrew laughed as he reached for his coffee. “Oh, no. I’ve lost too many bets to you in the past few years. I’m not even touching this one.”

  Grandpa Joe shrugged. “Oh, well. But you have to admit I’m right.”

  “I’ve been doing that too many times lately, too,” Andrew said. “Just hope this won’t backfire like it did at first with Harry and Megan.”

  “It won’t,” Grandpa Joe said. “Although at some point we’re going to have to get them out of bed and back to work.”

  “That,” Andrew said with a grin, “is your problem.”

  TINA WAS LONG GONE by the time Shane and Lindy left the bedroom. “Do you think she knows you were here?” Lindy asked.

  “My Corvette’s outside and your car is here. She’s probably figured it out.”

  “Oh.”

  Shane dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Relax. We’re a couple. It’ll be okay.” He opened her freezer. “All you have is frozen pancakes. What about real ones? Doesn’t anyone make real ones anymore?”

  Lindy’s thoughts were still a few paces behind. They were a couple? She blinked. “I like frozen pancakes. They’re better than nothing. After all, I don’t have a cook.”

  “I don’t, either. My parents do.”

  “Same difference. You just call the main kitchen and get room service brought to the pool house. Ha, that’ll stop when you move out. You’ll find yourself eating frozen pancakes. And cleaning up after yourself.”

  “I hadn’t thought about that,” Shane said. “I guess I’ll have to hire a housekeeper. Unless you can make pancakes?”

  “Of course, I can. The frozen kind.” Lindy drew two plastic packages from a box in the freezer. “Two minutes to yum-yum.”

  Shane frowned. “I’ll hire us a cook, too.”

  She opened the packages and put the contents on two respective plates. “You’re making disparaging remarks about my cooking?”

  “Or lack thereof? Yes.”

  “A housekeeper and a cook?”

  “Who else is going to cook and clean? You know I don’t do it. I don’t think I’ve ever used one of those things you call, what is it, a toilet scrubber. And do you want to do it?”

  “No.”

  “Well, then, we’ll hire someone. We can afford it. Besides, that way we won’t fight over who has to do it. We have a baby to think of.” He took the plates from her hands and put them on the countertop. “I’ll make you happy, Lindy. I promise.”

  She looked into his eyes. His Jacobsen blues indicated that Shane meant every word he’d just said.

  And he did make her happy. Even without love. He’d always been her best male friend. He’d been the best lover of her life. Was settling for friendship and passion better than holding out for a love she might never find? If she married him, he would never leave her. Well, at least not physically.

  And there was a baby to add to the entire equation.

  She just needed to remember that she could never change him. She could never make him love her. As long as she remembered that.

  She took his hands into hers and took a deep breath. “Shane.”

  “Yes?”

  The words surprisingly didn’t get stuck on her tongue. “I will marry you.”

  He gave a whoop of joy and swept his lips back down to hers. With a swoop, he drew Lindy up into his arms and carried her back to her bedroom, the microwave pancakes thawing and forgotten on the kitchen counter.

  “ANYTHING ELSE?” Andrew asked as he stopped by Grandpa Joe’s office at four o’clock. Today Henrietta was home, meaning Grandpa Joe left the office at exactly five.

  Grandpa Joe set a file folder down. “Shane called.”

  Andrew stepped inside and closed the door. “And?”

  “He and Lindy are taking the next two weeks off. Something about buying a new car, finding a house and planning a wedding.”

  “I’m glad I didn’t bet you,” was all Andrew said.

  Chapter Seven

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife.” Blake Jacobsen lowered the black leather prayer book and smiled. He closed the missal and drew it to his waist. “Shane, you may kiss your lovely bride.”

  Upon hearing her new father-in-law’s words, Lindy blinked. So all this was actually real—the flowers, the candles, the songs, this whole beautiful ceremony. It was real. She hadn’t been dreaming. Shane’s father had just said the magic words tha
t she and Shane were husband and wife. She really stood here, in Graham Chapel, as a newly married woman. Tina held Lindy’s white orchids and roses, and with a slight nod of her head she motioned Lindy to move.

  The second of time that had passed had been imperceptible to the gathering of family and friends, and Lindy turned and faced Shane. Seeing him, standing there so tall and beautiful in his custom tuxedo, tugged at every single one of her heartstrings. God help her, for in the past six weeks before their mid-July wedding, she’d fallen even further in love with him.

  He stepped forward, leaned over and kissed her, their first kiss as husband and wife. The touch of his lips was soft and sure as his full mouth covered hers. Immediately her heart and head both swam, and she automatically brought her left hand up to touch the side of his smooth face. People would later tell her that her brilliant diamond twinkled in the after-six sunlight that beamed through the stained-glass windows of the church.

  Shane had the control to keep the kiss short, and as he drew back away from her, Lindy’s eyes flew open and she remembered where she was—in a church with over seven hundred in attendance watching her kiss her husband.

  Her husband. She looked at Shane for reassurance, but his baby-blue Jacobsen eyes had turned a dark and murky color, so instead Lindy glanced at Blake’s eyes. His Jacobsen blues remained the normal shade. With a slight dip of Blake’s chin, the organist began to play the exeunt music.

  “I never introduce the couple,” he’d told them several weeks ago. “Everyone came to your wedding, so they know who you are. Too many brides make a big issue about being called by their husband’s name.” Lindy had known what Blake meant, but being old-fashioned herself, she didn’t think she’d mind being called Mrs. Shane Jacobsen. She’d dreamed of it for so long, and being confident in who she was, Lindy knew she’d always have her own identity.

  And now it was time to take their first steps as husband and wife. Lindy could feel Tina behind her, shifting the massive train of the designer dress Sara had insisted on. Because Lindy was pregnant and getting married in the summer, she had wanted something simple. But since she’d come down with a small cold and her morning sickness had set in again, Lindy had instead given Sara, her army of assistants, and a wedding planner the job of organizing the big day. Lindy considered it sort of fair, anyway, especially considering the fact that Shane’s parents were paying for everything.