“Dear God.” He splayed his fingers over her bare bottom, and she could have sworn she saw his grin sparkling in the moonlight. “You’re wearing a thong.”
She scraped her fingers up into his hair. “What you gonna do about that?” she whispered.
“Something I’ve always wanted to do but didn’t have anyone to do it with.”
His hand traveled over her hip and slipped beneath the flimsy silk. She moaned his name. “We really shouldn’t be doing this.”
“That’s what makes it so much fun.”
And it was fun. But old habits of modesty were hard to break.
“Jack, the neighbors.”
“Can get their own hammock.”
He blanketed her mouth, capturing her groans, stifling her cries. Shivering within his arms, no longer from the cold but from the heat, she dug her fingers into his shoulders.
She was aware of so much—her skirt bunched around her waist, the roughness of his jeans against her bare thighs, the coolness of the breeze against her bare bottom, his long fingers tenderly stroking, exploring, working their magic—and she was aware of nothing except the pleasurable sensations, ebbing and flowing, spiraling, and threatening to burst forth like fireworks lighting a midnight sky.
All she could do was feel; her nerve endings were raw with the need to be granted release, her body undulating against his palm where he cradled her intimately, his fingers never ceasing their constant caressing. She released a tiny cry, a resounding plea.
He deepened the kiss as his fingers increased their pressure. She writhed against him, seeking escape, desperate to remain, as he carried her over the edge…and beyond.
The hammock swayed to the side, and she held him tightly, tearing her mouth from his, pressing her face into the curve of his neck. Her quick pants filled the night air.
“I can’t believe we did that,” she rasped, her breath slowing as her body went limp.
“And we’re not even finished yet,” he said.
Resting her forearms on his chest, she lowered her mouth to his for a kiss. Leisurely, warm. Once. Twice. Three times.
He slid his hand beneath her shirt. “So, what are you wearing under here? Something equally skimpy?”
He unhooked her bra, eased his hands around, and filled his heavenly rough palms with her breasts.
“Not fair,” she whispered as she shifted her weight to one side so her hand was free to give her access to what she wanted.
She wasn’t in any great hurry as she freed his buttons, one after another. She felt the increase in warmth as though she’d opened the door to a furnace. Slipping her hand beneath the parted cloth, she traced the indentations of his chest, every hardened muscle, every shallow dip, every flattened plane. She lowered her mouth, kissing the hollow in the center of his chest, stroking her tongue over his heated skin, taking satisfaction in his low, feral growl.
She sensed his possessiveness as his hands kneaded her breasts, his fingers and thumbs teased her nipples. She trailed her mouth over his chest until she could taunt his nipple with her tongue, lathing, circling, tightening her lips around the turgid nub. He purred, not like a pet kitten but like a lion in the wild, waiting to pounce, patience barely tethered.
With his large hands, he bracketed either side of her rib cage and hauled her up until her knees were planted on either side of his chest. With his nose, he nudged her shirt up until he was able to reach her breast and give back to her what she’d been giving to him. Only she couldn’t imagine her mouth being this hot, this determined. Pleasure danced along her spine as she lowered herself, placing her arms in a cocoon around his head, relishing the feel of his mouth greedily enjoying what she had to offer.
With his breath growing harsher, he glided his hands down her sides, around her hips to her bottom. He eased her up slightly, and then his hands were gone. But she could feel his movements, heard the metal rasping as the teeth of his zipper separated. Then he was moving aside the scrap of cloth that served as her underwear.
She eased up slightly, and his mouth released its hold. There wasn’t enough light to see him clearly, and yet she still felt his gaze was hot enough to scald her.
“I need you, Kelley,” he rasped, and she knew that he was referring to more than the need for physical release her body could provide.
“I need you, too, Jack.”
He dug his fingers into her hips, lifted her slightly, and eased her down the length of his throbbing shaft, inch by incredible inch. A slow shuddering rippled through him as she sank down completely, enveloping all of him, absorbing his fullness.
Bracing herself with her hands planted on either side of his shoulders, she slid her hips up slightly and plunged down. Groaning, he dug his fingers into her bottom, holding her as though he never intended to let go, each breath he took sounding more labored than the one before it.
With his hands guiding her, she rocked against him, increasing the tempo until her movements became fast and furious, the sensation of pleasure spiraling beyond her control, upward, outward, throughout her body until there was no way to contain it.
With a moan for deliverance, she dropped her head back, her spine arching, her body shuddering violently with the force of her release. It was as though a thousand fireworks burst forth behind her eyes, a glittering panorama of diamond-studded lights in every color imaginable. She was barely aware of him pumping deeply into her one final time, his guttural groan echoing around her.
Her body, limp and sated, sprawled over his. She nestled her head within the curve of his shoulder and listened to the hard, steady pounding of his heart as it kept rhythm with hers. She wanted to laugh for the joy of what she’d just experienced, but she wasn’t certain she’d ever move again. She would simply spend the rest of her life lying in the hammock with Jack beneath her, to shelter and keep her warm.
The cool evening breeze was in direct contrast to the heated bodies stretched out in the hammock. Jack imagined that if he had the strength to open his eyes, he’d see white, willowy wisps of steam rising off their skin. But he had neither the strength nor the willpower to do anything but let his sated limbs continue to enjoy the weight of Kelley’s body sprawled on top of his.
Jack thought he could spend the rest of his life there and never want for anything else.
The silence stretched out between them, calming and comfortable. Their harsh breathing, which had only moments ago punctuated their lovemaking, was now easing into a shallow quietness. A chill had yet to settle in, but because of the dew covering his body, he knew it was coming, would arrive soon to both him and Kelley. Maybe he ought to carry her to the hot tub. No chill there, and he’d always fantasized about having sex in the swirling waters.
But he wasn’t even certain that he could carry himself to the deck, much less carry her. She’d turned his muscles to mush and his bones to sawdust. He couldn’t have moved if he had to.
“What are you thinking about?” he finally forced himself to ask.
“How my moving here didn’t turn out to be the simple solution I thought it would be. They say the grass is always greener on the other side, but you know what I’ve learned? It doesn’t matter which side of the fence you’re on. The grass still has to be mowed.”
“Marry me, and I’ll keep it mowed for you.”
The hammock swayed with her movements as her head came up, and she braced her forearms on his chest. “Do you mean that, Jack?”
“I love you, Kelley. I always have.”
Then she kissed him, slowly, sweetly, tightening her embrace, combing her hands through his hair.
Jack drew back. “If you marry me, you marry my son.”
“Marry me, and you marry my daughter.”
He almost told her he was getting the bad end of that deal, but he had a soft spot for the little criminal. Besides, she cooked a hell of an omelet.
“I can’t see our getting married sitting well with Madison.”
“I think you’d be surprised. I don’t know
what you said while she was over here, but I spent half my time with her hearing about how wonderful you are and how I should have read your letter. But what about Jason’s reaction? I’m not exactly Martha Stewart next door.”
“Will you let him call you Mommy?”
“Oh, yeah,” she whispered. “I’d love that.”
“Then I don’t think he’ll have a problem with it.”
“There might be one little problem,” she said.
“What’s that?”
“I want to be your teacher.”
“What the—”
She kissed him, stopping him from completing his outburst, but if she thought for one second that she was going to continue to view him as her student…
“You told me that I had to admire a man who couldn’t hold on to a woman. Your mother may have left you. Stephanie may have left you. I want to teach you that you’re a man who can hold on to a woman. You can hold on to me. I fell in love with you nine years ago, and I never stopped loving you, Jack.”
“Prove it,” he said as he brought her mouth back to his, kissing her thoroughly.
“I will,” she promised. “I’ll be here when you’re old and gray.”
He grinned. “I like the sound of that. Want to fool around in the hot tub?”
Her laughter echoed through his backyard, and Jack thought he’d never heard a sweeter sound.
Epilogue
Kelley was drifting…so tired. And yet she wanted to wake up. Madison was crying. She knew she was supposed to let her mother take care of Madison, but she wanted to do it. Wanted to feed her, and rock her, and read to her. And then the years spun out of control, and Madison didn’t need her anymore.
And she was alone, so alone. And then he was there. Jack. Bad boy Jack. Smiling at her, taking her hand, forgiving her. Forgiving her for her secrets, forgiving her for asking of him what she’d failed to ask of herself.
Then she heard Jack’s soothing voice and the snuffling sobs turn into tiny whimpers.
“Shh, little one. Mommy’s had a rough morning.”
Mommy. Mommy.
Smiling softly, Kelley opened her eyes to see Jack holding their daughter. Their daughter. Kelley felt the tears sting her eyes, the ache increase in her chest. An ache brought on by so much love that she thought her heart might burst.
“Jack?”
He lifted his gaze from the tiny bundle in his arms to her, and she knew she’d forever remember the look of pure joy, unadulterated pride, and absolute love in his eyes when the doctor placed the baby in Jack’s arms for the first time only a few hours ago. Now he looked as tired as she felt, his face unshaven. But he also looked as though he had the power to move mountains.
She held out her arms. “I want to hold her.”
Grinning, he laid the baby within her arms. Then he kissed her and trailed his fingers around her face. “I love you.”
Tears stung her eyes. “I love you, too.”
She gazed down on her precious baby daughter. “I think she has your eyes, Jack.” Gently, she touched the fine black hair. “She definitely has your hair.”
He sat on the edge of the hospital bed. “She’s beautiful, Kelley, beautiful just like her mother.”
“Have Madison and Jason seen her yet?”
“Yeah, they got here just a little while ago, but I wanted to let you sleep a little longer since this little one was stubborn and took most of the night to get here.”
She patted his hand. “Bring them in.”
Jack walked to the door and opened it. Madison and Jason burst through as though they’d been catapulted. Jason, wearing an “I am a big brother” T-shirt, was carrying a bouquet of flowers.
“Here, Mom, these are for you.”
After a year and a half, Kelley still felt a tightening in her chest whenever he called her Mom. “Thanks, sweetie.”
Jack sat on the edge of the bed and lifted Jason onto his lap so Kelley could reach him for a quick kiss on the cheek.
Then Kelley turned to Madison. Another couple of months, and she’d be graduating. She’d already been accepted to the University of Texas. It seemed to Kelley that she’d had her for such a short time. She knew she’d always worry about her, but when she let her go this time, it would be to give her wings.
“What do you think, Madison?”
“I can’t believe I have a sister. A real sister this time.” Her voice held no censure, just a measure of acceptance. Her gaze darted between Kelley and the baby. “What are you going to name her?”
“Caitlyn.”
“I like that. When will you come home?”
Home. She so liked the sound of that. Jack’s house had become theirs, a place where plants thrived and laughter abounded and curtains hung in the window. “Probably tomorrow.”
“Cool.” She glanced at her watch. “I’ve gotta go. Rick and I are going to take Jason out to eat before drama practice. Jack, are you staying here tonight?”
“Yeah, I thought I would. You can drop Jason off at Serena’s.”
“Okay. Come on, sport, let’s go.”
“ ’Bye, Mom,” Jason said as he gave her a hug.
“ ’Bye, sweetie. Keep Madison out of trouble.”
“Right.”
Madison moved up to the head of the bed and hugged Kelley. “She’s one lucky little girl, Mom.”
Tears flooded Kelley’s eyes. “Oh, Madison.”
Jack reached in and took Caitlyn from her, freeing her up to embrace Madison with all the love she felt for her firstborn. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted to hear you call me that.”
“The moment just seemed right.”
Leaning back, Kelley brushed her hands over Madison’s hair. “I’m glad.”
Madison straightened. “Come on, Jason.”
She watched her two children walk out of the room before turning to her husband. “I finally feel as though everything is going to be all right.”
He placed Caitlyn back in Kelley’s arms. “Are you happy, Jack?”
“Incredibly. And I can prove it right now.” He started unbuttoning his shirt.
She laughed. “We can’t make love for six weeks.”
“Why do you always think I’m talking about sex?”
“Because you usually are.”
“Not this time.”
“You’re taking off your shirt because…”
“To show you what I had done while you were napping.” He peeled back his shirt to reveal his bare shoulder, the one with the tattoo. But the ragged edges of a broken heart were gone. Instead, her name now resided within a whole heart.
More tears stung her eyes. “Oh, Jack.”
He shrugged his shirt back on, sat on the edge of the bed, and cupped her face. “You make me whole, Kelley. You always have.”
He kissed her tenderly until their daughter started fussing. Kelley began nursing the little one who had already stolen her heart.
“I’m going to be greedy, Jack. I’m going to want another one.”
Leaning near, Jack kissed Kelley once again and whispered, “I think I can arrange that.”
Hard loving man Page 26
