by Candis Terry
The baby curled his tiny hand around the tip of Jake’s finger and gave a featherlight squeeze. That almost imperceptible gesture was like Eli’s saying, “No worries, buddy. I got your back. It’s all going to be okay.”
That’s when the dam holding back all the stored-up guilt and brittle emotion shattered.
And Jake finally cried.
Chapter 16
On a normal day, Annie preferred to leave flying to the experts like the flying monkeys from the Wizard of Oz or Sully, the pilot who miraculously landed a crippled jetliner safely in the Hudson River. Today, however, wasn’t a normal day. So Annie was happy to join the league of those who strapped on wings of happiness.
Jana had finally heard back from the Marines regarding the honors for Jared, and Annie couldn’t wait for Jake to hear the news.
Not that the prospect of hearing from him anytime soon was likely. She hadn’t heard a word since he’d taken off for Arizona over a week ago. So she didn’t actually know when she or his mother would be able to share that information. Her worry meter had peaked the moment he’d driven away, but she knew he needed this time to sort things out. To find whatever it was he sought so he could move forward—one step at a time.
Grief and guilt didn’t make for good partners, and Jake had spent a lot of time in their company. She hoped this mission would give him some peace of mind. She hoped he’d come home to her, able to breathe a little easier, and maybe even to see part of the heroics he’d played that fateful day. And she hoped the news would add to the inner peace he so desperately needed.
In the meantime, she waited for a call, a text, anything to tell her he was doing okay. That Hank was being a good travel companion. And that he’d be coming home soon. To her. But as she put Max to bed, took her shower, and slipped into her most comfortable sleep tank set, the only thing her phone registered were several attempts from an anonymous caller with an area code from the Seattle area.
She didn’t know who or why anyone from there would be calling her. Scratch that. She might know who, but she didn’t want to know the why. So she’d ignored the calls. Pushed away the niggling at the back of her conscience and carried on after deleting the number from her list of recent calls.
Though it was barely eight o’clock, exhaustion from the long day washed over her, and she flipped on the TV to unwind. Bad news, sitcom reruns, and the duck dudes weren’t going to help. She turned off the boob tube and turned on her collection of sexy country tunes. While Rascal Flatts made her melt, she lay down on the sofa, opened the historical romance novel she’d picked up just yesterday, and got lost between the pages.
A noise startled her, and she realized she’d fallen asleep on the sofa with the book in her hands. For a moment, she thought maybe she was dreaming that Lord Ambersley was breaking down her door to ravish her. Two long blinks and a knock on the door helped her realize she remained in the modern world, and the rakish lord would remain within the book covers without her.
She ran a hand through her hair, then stood on tiptoe to peer through the peephole. The tremulous smile and hesitant wave that greeted her stole her breath. Quickly, she unlatched the dead bolt, and threw open the door.
“You’re home!”
Instead of a verbal response, Jake pulled her into his arms and crushed her against his big, strong body. His mouth covered hers in a searing kiss hot with desperation and passion. His hands slipped down her backside and his fingers snuck beneath her short pajamas, digging into her bottom and lifting her until she wrapped her legs around him. He came inside the house, kicked the door shut behind them, and turned her so that her back pressed against the wall.
“God, I missed you,” he whispered against her ear as he trailed hot, moist kisses down the side of her neck. “Is Max asleep?”
“Yes.” The single word came out on a rush of air. “I missed you too.”
She felt his smile against the curve of her shoulder.
“Then you won’t mind if I do this?” His thumbs hooked in the straps of her stretchy cotton top and pulled it down to her waist. “Or this?” While she hung on to his broad shoulders, he lowered his head and licked her pebbled nipple before he slowly sucked it into his mouth.
A lusty moan was her response to the slick heat of his tongue circling and his mouth gently tugging one nipple before he moved onto the other.
“And damn but I’ve been dreaming of this.” He moved back so that she had to drop her legs from around his waist. When her feet touched the floor, he whipped off her shorts, dropped to his knees, and parted her eager flesh with his tongue. One touch was all it took to have her begging. But he took more than one taste. He took two. Three. And then she was mindless. Still, coming without him was unthinkable.
“I need you, Jake,” she moaned as he did something amazing with his tongue and fingers. “I need you inside me. Now.” He licked her again. “Please.”
Like that was the magic word, he came up her body using his hands and mouth until her hands could reach for his belt buckle. The downward slide of the zipper on his jeans was a rhythmic accent to Billy Currington’s “Don’t” on the stereo. Her hands captured the waistband of those worn jeans and boxer briefs and pulled them down. His erection sprang free into her hands, and she stroked him slowly, with pressure, from base to head. He pushed into her hand and groaned his approval.
“Put your legs around me again.” His deep, sexy request rumbled against her chest and tickled her deep inside.
She did as he asked, and, in one smooth motion, he was inside her, hot and throbbing. His favorite word slipped from his mouth on a long, lusty groan as he buried his face in the curve of her neck. Instead of withdrawing and plunging inside her again, he held completely still.
“Annie?”
“Yes?”
He lifted his head and looked straight into her eyes. “I love you.”
“Oh, Jake.” Her chest clogged with emotion as she captured his face between her hands and kissed the mouth that had just said the three most wonderful words she’d ever heard. “I love you so much.”
A happy spark ignited in his dark blue eyes. He gave her that devilish Wilder grin as he withdrew his erection and slowly thrust inside her again. “Show me.”
Of course, she did.
A man always had good intentions when he made love to the woman he loved. He wanted her to feel good, be satisfied, and cry out for more. All that might have happened, but for Jake, it went too fast. He’d wanted to last all night. Regrettably, he’d been too happy to see her. Too eager. And now their reunion required a round two.
Maybe that wasn’t so bad.
“You smell so damned good.” He kissed her neck and inhaled deeply. “Like frosting on a cupcake.”
“And hot sex?” She chuckled.
“Yeah.” He grinned “That too.”
They kissed again, and Jake knew his heart had never been so glad. So content. It hadn’t taken a trip to Arizona for him to realize his feelings, but it had taken that trip for him to be able to set them free.
“Are you hungry?” she asked, pulling her little cotton shorts back on while he managed to tuck himself back into his jeans.
“Nope. I just got what I’ve been starving for.”
Her smile made him feel so damn good.
“But if you’ve got something in the fridge that can be warmed up quick, I’d be happy to make it go away.”
“How does a bowl of beef stew and some homemade corn-bread muffins sound?”
“Not half as delicious as tasting you all over again. But it sounds pretty good. I haven’t eaten since I left Yuma.”
“Where’s Hank?” She ran a hand through her hair to untangle the muss he’d created.
“Dropped him off at home. Gave him a big bowl of food, but he was out and snoring before I even left the house. He was a pretty good travel buddy except for the time
I gave him a burger from Mickey D’s that gave him gas.”
She laughed. “I’m sure he’s sorry.”
“Yeah. He gave me those sad eyes every time he tooted. I figured that was his form of apology.”
For anyone listening to their easy banter, they’d figure this was any other day in an otherwise normal life. Jake realized Annie wasn’t asking about the trip or what had happened there. In her untypical fashion, she was giving him enough time to bring up the subject when he felt comfortable.
“You want something to drink? A beer maybe?” she asked, heading toward the kitchen.
He caught her hand, drew her into his arms, and kissed the back of her fingers. “I want you.” He gently touched the side of her face and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “I love you, Annie. I just want you to know that I mean it, and I wasn’t just saying it earlier in the heat of the moment.”
“I know.” Her eyes searched his face. “I can feel it.”
“Good. And I promise not to let you forget.”
Her cheeks dimpled, and her quiet understanding soothed away all the anxiety he’d suffered those long, last fifty miles coming home.
“I just need one favor,” he said, “and then I’d like to tell you what happened in Arizona. If you want to know.”
“Anything for you. And yes. Absolutely I want to know.”
“Can I see Max?”
In response, she took him by the hand and led him into her son’s room. She didn’t turn on the light, but the room was aglow enough from the hall light to see the little boy sleeping in the spindle-post crib.
Peaceful.
Not a care in the world.
That’s what Jake saw when he looked down to the chubby tot in the dancing-frog sleepers. Jake touched his soft blond curls and huffed out a chuckle when he found the little guy a bit sweaty. Settled against the mattress, his plump cheek pushed out his bottom lip, and his long lashes lay like dark feathers against his cheeks. He looked like a cherub you’d see on a Valentine’s Day card. In Jake’s heart, he felt sure Eli’s son would look like this soon—healthy and sleeping soundly. Elijah—like Max—had angels watching over him.
“Will he wake up if I hold him?” Jake asked Annie.
“If he does, he’ll go right back to sleep.” She gestured. “Go ahead.”
Jake reached into the crib and lifted the boy into his arms. Max sighed, snuggled against Jake’s chest, but didn’t wake up.
“No worries, little man. I’m going to watch over you and your mama.” He stroked his fingers over baby-soft hair and kissed the top of Max’s sweaty little head. “I love you.”
Beside him, Annie audibly sighed. “He has your name, you know.”
Surprised, Jake looked up. “What?”
“You never asked, but his full name is Maxwell Jacob Morgan.”
To know that Annie had gifted him with that honor did something crazy to his heart that made him feel like crying all over again.
“I promise I’ll do right by him, Annie. I’ll do right by you.”
“I know.” She leaned in and pressed her lips to his. “I didn’t give him your name because I thought anything would ever happen between the two of us. I gave it because you’ve always been one of the most decent men I’ve ever known. And in some way, I wanted my son to bear that dignity.”
“I’m grateful, Annie. I truly am.”
“And hungry?”
He chuckled. “Very.”
“Then how about we put the tornado back down, and I’ll serve you up that soup.”
“Okay.” Reluctantly, he turned back toward the crib. Before he laid Max back down with the fuzzy yellow blanket and plush Scooby-Doo, Jake kissed his sweaty forehead again. The love that filled his heart was unexpected, but he embraced it. Because the alternative was too hard to bear.
Once Max was settled back in, Jake turned to Annie and voiced the one thing he never expected to say. “I wish he was mine.”
Her smile wobbled. Just a little. “He’s more yours than anyone’s.”
Not true, Jake thought. Until recently, he’d barely been able to hold him without falling apart. But he appreciated the sentiment. And in the future he planned to play an important role in little Max’s life. He’d earn that right—whatever it took.
“Come on.” Annie took his hand and led him into the kitchen. “Let’s get you something to eat.”
While she warmed up a big bowl of stew and several corn-bread muffins, he sat at the table and told her of his visit with Rebecca Harris. And while he ate, he told her of Eli’s son. Tears filled her eyes.
“Is there anything we can do to help?” she asked, blotting her tears with a tissue. If he hadn’t been stuffing his face, he would have kissed them away. Annie had so much spirit, and she tried to be so tough, but deep down she was just a sweet little marshmallow with a heart so warm she’d dared to let him inside.
“I thought about that on the way home.” He slathered a muffin with butter. “All this time I’ve been trying to decide what to do with my life beyond feeding cattle and digging up the backyard. I think I finally have it figured out.”
“That’s wonderful.”
He nodded. “It feels right.”
“What did you come up with?”
“I want to go back to college and get my degree in horticulture. Eventually, I’d like to open a landscape-and-design business.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“But first I want to put together an organization in honor of fallen soldiers that will assist their children with financial aid for medical issues like Eli’s son, or help them with their educational endeavors. Jared was always the smartest of all of us. I think that might be a good way to thank him and to honor him.”
Annie set down the dish towel, crawled onto his lap, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “There’s my hero.”
“I just want to pay tribute to the men and women who gave their all.” He rubbed her back, enjoying the feel of her and the closeness they shared. “I’m no hero.”
“That’s not what the Marines believe.”
“Annie, I don’t—”
“And you know what else they believe?”
“I really don’t care.”
“They believe . . .” she continued, obviously not listening to him. “That your brother, Eli, and the other men in your group that day are heroes too. And that they all deserve proper honor. I went to your mother and explained the situation. She said that the Marines had already contacted her about Jared’s honors. But like you, she’d pushed it aside and forgotten to respond.”
“What?”
“When you’re awarded the Purple Heart, you will also be accepting Jared’s honors.” A little smile tipped her lips. “Do you care now?”
“How . . .” He took a breath, but it did nothing to slow the excited leap of his heart. “I don’t know what to say.”
He really didn’t. So he just wrapped his arms around her. “Thank you. Again. For not giving up on me.”
“Don’t thank me.” A suggestive look darkened her eyes as she trailed her fingers down his chest. “Unless you want to do it my way.”
He stopped chuckling when her hands reached his belt buckle.
God, he loved this woman.
Prepared to do things her way right there on top of the kitchen table, he pushed his bowl aside and began to lift her up onto the surface.
A knock on the front door stopped the action.
Annie looked up at the clock. “Who the heck can that be this late at night?”
“I don’t know.” He kissed the frustrated groan from her lips. “But hold that previous naked thought. I’ll be right back.”
“That’s okay. You finish eating. I’ll get it. It’s probably just snoopy Arlene wondering why your truck is parked in my driveway.”
Annie flipped on the outside light and opened the door. When she saw the person standing on her porch, her eyes widened. The guy could easily be taken for a vagrant. Holey jeans, a wrinkled flannel shirt, and a slouch knit cap that did not hide long, dark, curly hair that looked like it hadn’t been washed in some time.
“Doug!” Shock infiltrated every cell in her body, and she battled the urge to slam the door and lock it tight.
“Hey.” He gave her a casual nod. “How’s it going?”
“How’s it going? Seriously? After almost two years, you show up, and you want to know how it’s going? What the hell are you doing here?”
“My band and I are heading to Austin for a gig, and we need a place to crash.” He gestured toward the beat-up white van parked in front of her house. “I thought since you lived close, you wouldn’t mind putting us up for a few days.”
She’d heard the expression “words escaped me” before, and now she knew how it felt. For the life of her, her mouth would not form anything further than a gasp of disbelief. Her fingers curled into fists. She went numb, and the buzz in her ears became deafening. Like a tower of strength, she felt Jake come up behind her. He settled a warm hand on the small of her back as he stepped forward and with him, brought the support she hadn’t realized she’d ever really need.
“Who are you?” Jake asked, glaring down at a much shorter Doug.
“Doug Patterson.”
Jake looked at her and obviously took note of her stunned silence. Either that, or it was the collision of frown lines pulled taut between her eyes. “The Doug?” he asked her.
She managed to nod, while the numbness dissolved, and the burn of anger took flight through her chest. “The one and only.”
“Who are you?” Doug asked Jake.
Instead of a frown, Jake grinned. “The man who’s doing everything in his power not to step out there and kick your ass.”
“Hey, man.” Doug’s eyes widened as he took two steps back and held up his hands. “I’m not looking for trouble. Just a place to crash for a couple days. That’s all.”
“Really?” Jake’s fingers tightened against her back. “That’s all? You didn’t come for any other reason? Because I’m having a hard time wondering why you suddenly show up after so long and don’t ask to see your son.”
