Cherishing You (Thirsty Hearts Book 3)

by Kris Jayne

  “Perfect. I want to do something nice for you.”

  After settling their bags in the master bedroom upstairs, Jonah and Shannon hopped back in the car to the next town over to get food and sundries that Jonah didn’t keep stocked in the house.

  With the shopping done, Jonah took her on the promised walk along the high ridge that dropped down to the river bank.

  “Stay on this side,” he warned, holding her on his right.

  “There’s a path, right?” she asked.

  “Yes, but just to be on the safe side.”

  Shannon fell into step beside him and let him hold her around her waist, imagining what she would look like once it expanded. Her quilted jacket held off the crispness in the air. Jonah held on to her as they strolled, and he described which trees lined the water and which birds she heard above.

  “Did you study all of this when you moved here?”

  “Sort of. Some of it I learned from a guy who used to live next door. He’d lived in this part of Oregon for thirty years. Unfortunately, he had a heart attack a year ago and went to live with his daughter in Arizona. Dominic could have told you about everything from the bears to the beetles. More than you ever thought you’d want to know, but somehow he made it interesting.”

  “You liked him a lot.”

  “Still do. We talk every once in a while. He has that calm, wise paternal quality to him. You know? Gives good advice. I called him to let him know I’d be heading up this way. I’ll check on his place while we’re up here.”

  Shannon wondered how this Dominic’s advice might compare to Thomas Moran’s. Maybe there was at least one man in Jonah’s life who didn’t think Shannon would be his ruin.

  Jonah bent down to pick up a small stone and skip it across the gleaming water.

  “I’m looking forward to telling him that I’m going to be a father. He’ll get a kick out of that.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Jonah laughed. “He gives me a hard time about not finding a good woman and starting a family. ‘Half the fun of living is sharing it with someone.’ He says that all the time. He’d love to meet the woman who’s domesticating me.”

  “Am I?”

  “A little. I don’t know that anyone would have predicted my settling down into fatherhood anytime soon.”

  Shannon’s stomach fluttered nervously. “Am I changing things for you that much?”

  He grabbed her hands and tugged her closer. “Only for the better, trust me. I can’t remember the last time I was this excited about something. Don’t ever think that this isn’t the best news I could have.”

  A surge of guilt filled the split second before his mouth descended on hers. His hands tangled in her hair, and his breath came fast. Urgency erased any gentleness in his kiss.

  The fire of her desire burned off the doubt coursing through her. The taste of him warmed her chilled lips. A soft moan passed between them. Jonah lifted the bottom of her short coat in the back and ran his thumbs inside the waistband of her jeans, stroking her flesh through her underwear.

  “I need to touch you,” he said.

  “Then do it,” Shannon replied, issuing him a challenge with her sea blue gaze.

  Jonah plucked open the button of her jeans and eased his hand inside.

  “Hold on,” he said. Jonah guided her backward against one of the imposing cottonwood trees, golden with fall color. Once Shannon stabilized herself, she widened her stance, giving him access to her ever-slickening V between her legs. His probing fingers found their mark. Pleasure charged through her like lightning. Sensation pulsed down her legs, rolled through her belly, and trapped her breath in her throat.

  Jonah took her bottom lip between his teeth, biting down softly. One hand stayed on the side of her head, keeping her mouth at the perfect angle. The other kept exploring the thatch between her legs, sliding through her wetness over and over and stopping at sweet intervals on her throbbing nub.

  “Open your eyes, and come for me.”

  Shannon peered at him. In the dappled light under the trees, his eyes flickered in and out of shadow but stayed on her. Jonah’s lips parted, and he ran the tip of his tongue along the edge of his perfect teeth. Shannon dropped her head back on the hard bark, panting as his fingers increased their pace.

  Her erratic breath elicited a salacious smile from Jonah.

  “I love you like this.”

  He slipped two fingers inside her and increased pressure on her clit with his thumb. Seeing the silver glint in his eye and feeling his mastery of her sent her off. She clutched his fingers with her body. Her groan rose on the wind.

  Jonah grinned and pulled her lips into his mouth for a long, mind-erasing kiss.

  * * *

  Rather than eat in town, Shannon made their dinner of chicken scaloppini while Jonah chopped firewood. She gazed out through windows to see him steady a log on its end and smash his ax into the wood, splitting it in two.

  When she first saw Jonah in his expensive Italian suits, she would never have pegged him as outdoorsy. Seeing him blend easily into the environment surprised her—but she loved it.

  He looked up and caught her staring, then laughed.

  “I bet you never knew I was such a mountain man, did you?” he asked, shutting the door with his foot before carrying newly cut firewood to the fireplace.

  “If you can start a fire, I’ll be doubly impressed.”

  “Then prepare to be stunned.”

  Within a few minutes, Jonah had the fire roaring. The sharp smell of burning wood comforted her as much as the warmth.

  “Dinner is ready.”

  Shannon busied herself setting the table and placing the chicken, rice, and salad on the table. She didn’t remember the last time she cooked a real meal for a man. She sometimes made dinner for Kid, but usually, that consisted of boxed macaroni or heating up cans of chili. Her ex-husband hadn’t inspired her domestic side.

  “I like cooking for you.”

  “We could do this more often if you moved in with me.”

  Conflict tore through her. “Do you want me to move in because I’m pregnant?”

  Jonah stroked his chin, then rested his fist in front of his mouth as he thought about his answer.

  “No. I can say that honestly. Maybe I would have waited to ask you. I don’t want to freak you out, so I give you your space. Or, at least, I try.”

  “You think I’m that sensitive?” Shannon hated the idea that Jonah walked on egg shells, afraid of her “freak out” factor.

  “I think you’re cautious. I get why. I don’t blame you.”

  She sighed. “I trust you.”

  “Good. So move in with me.”

  “I’m not ready.”

  “So then marriage is definitely off the table for you?”

  Her heart seemed to come to a stop in her chest. Another wedding where her pregnant belly made a joke out of her white dress? She couldn’t face it. “Are you asking me to marry you?”

  “Not yet, but I’d like to. Move in with me.”

  “That’s giving me space?”

  “Space in my house.” He chuckled.

  A “yes” bubbled up and died in her throat. “I need time.”

  “You have it, and we should at least think about getting married. Maybe before the baby comes.”

  Jonah tossed out the last bit, and Shannon rebelled.

  “I had a shotgun wedding once, and that was a mess. I don’t want to make the same mistake of getting married because of a baby and not knowing whether we’re compatible first.”

  “I already know how compatible we are.”

  “In bed, maybe, but what do we really know about each other? If I wasn’t pregnant, this conversation wouldn’t be happening. That’s a sign that it’s still too soon. Do you really want to get married?”

  Jonah tipped his head back in thought. “I don’t want our baby growing up without a real family. Maybe that’s old-fashioned.”

  Shannon’s eyes misted.
“No. It’s sweet. I want that too, but I don’t want to force things.”

  “I know. I’m throwing out the options. I want you to think about it.”

  “I will.”

  His shoulders slumped, punctuating his frustrated sigh.

  “I love you, Jonah. I do, but my head is spinning. I need to get used to being pregnant before I make another big life change.”

  “Okay, but the offer stands. Whenever you’re ready to live under the same roof, so am I.”

  Shannon was ready, but guilt stopped her. She couldn’t wake up every morning next to him while hiding the question of the baby’s paternity.

  Part of her wanted to tell him now—this weekend. Maybe if she told him before things went any further, he could forgive her. She just had to explain what happened.

  Doubt crept in immediately. The betrayal would be too big. Maybe she shouldn’t tell him at all. She could spend the rest of her life making him happy—until the baby needed a transplant or got curious about his blood type or grew up to look nothing like Jonah.

  The possible ways that her lie could haunt her ran through her mind constantly, and her thoughts circled back to being honest with him. But when?

  A bite of lemony chicken went down with a lump in her throat as she swallowed.

  “I don’t want you to worry.” Jonah’s concerned tone broke into her thoughts. “You look so worried.”

  “I am worried, but I tell myself it’s going to be okay. I can do this.”

  “We can do this.”

  “We can do this,” Shannon repeated, wanting to give Jonah something to bolster his belief in her devotion to him.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  The harvest season ended in October in Oregon. By the weekend before Thanksgiving, most of the local farmers shuttered the fruit and vegetable stands that bustled with activity throughout the summer.

  However, Jonah and Shannon found a farm roasting chestnuts and serving up hot cider made with apples grown within a mile of the place.

  Nestled in a spot at a picnic table in the barn next to the country store, they watched couples and families stave off the growing night chill by huddling together and laughing over hot drinks.

  “Oooh, crepes with chestnut cream and chocolate,” Shannon exclaimed, reading the chalkboard menu.

  “Do you want one?”

  Shannon grinned and popped another roasted chestnut in her mouth. “Yes. Absolutely.”

  The squeal of children pierced the low hum of conversation in the barn. A tow-headed little boy streaked past the crackling fire pit, coming to a dead stop in front of Shannon.

  “Hi. I’m Ethan.”

  Shannon chuckled at his boldness. He couldn’t be more than eight or nine.

  “I’m Shannon.” She extended her hand, and the little boy shook it with two firm pumps. Up close, the little boy reminded her of Jonah, and she wondered what their child might look like. What would it be like to have a son?

  All around her were mothers and fathers with their children. She imagined being here in a year or two with Jonah, Olivia, and the new baby. If it were a boy, they would look like the prototypical family.

  As time passed, how their family came together wouldn’t matter. She would belong alongside all these other people enjoying the holidays.

  Ethan spoke up in his gruff little voice. “We’re from Pennsylvania. Where are you from?”

  “Texas.”

  “Oooh. Like the Dallas Cowboys.”

  “Exactly. That’s where I live.”

  “I hate the Cowboys. Go Eagles!” he shouted.

  Shannon shrugged. “I’m not a big football fan, so I say good luck to everybody.”

  “Oh. That’s nice, I guess. My dad says the Cowboys suck.”

  With that declaration, a taller man with hair the color of the roasted chestnuts hastened over and grabbed little Ethan by the shoulder.

  “We’re sorry. Is he bothering you?”

  “No. We’re just talking football. I’m from Dallas. Ethan wanted me to know how you felt about our team.”

  Even in the dim light, Shannon could see the man blush. “We’re big into our Philly teams.”

  Shannon laughed. “That’s okay.”

  “How long are you up here?”

  “Just the weekend. You?”

  “We’re here through Thanksgiving. I’m up here with my sister and her family. I have visitation with my son for fall break and the holiday. I’m Mark.”

  “Shannon,” she said with a wave.

  “You can’t be here by yourself.” Mark took a look around before his eyes settled back on hers with a flirtatious gleam.

  “I’m not. My boyfriend went to get me some dessert.”

  “Oh.” Mark shrugged. “Guess it’s too much to hope that beautiful woman such as yourself might be single.”

  Shannon thought his grin a combination of humorous and slightly pathetic, but she laughed.

  “Making new friends?” Jonah walked up with a plate of crepes and two forks.

  “This is Mark and his son, Ethan. They’re visiting family. This is my boyfriend, Jonah.”

  With their chestnut and chocolate dessert occupying Jonah’s hands, the men simply nodded at each other.

  “Well…” Mark cleared his throat. “I’ll leave you two alone.”

  “I was talking to her,” Ethan whined.

  “I don’t they need us ruining their romantic evening.”

  At the talk of romance, Ethan scowled and ran off. Mark ambled after him.

  “That guy was hitting on you.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “He leaned over you and flashed that cheesy smile.”

  “Maybe.” Shannon pressed her lips together to suppress a laugh. “But he didn’t bring me chocolate.”

  Her fingers found his knee and trailed up in the inside of his thigh a few inches. His eyes deepened to steel.

  “Is that all it takes to win your heart?”

  “We’ll see.” Picking up a fork, she tried a bite of the crepe and rolled her eyes back. “Yes. That’s pretty much all it takes.”

  Creamy chestnut mousse swirled on her tongue with rich chocolate ganache—sweet, bitter, and a little salty. Shannon loaded another bite and raised it to Jonah’s mouth. “Taste.”

  His lips parted. Shannon slipped the concoction onto Jonah’s tongue, slowly pulling the fork between his now closed lips.

  He chewed and smiled. “I did good.”

  “Yes. You did. God, I’m going to eat so much in the next week. You’re going to have to roll me around after Thanksgiving.”

  “It’s not so bad as all that.”

  “I forgot to ask the other night. Do I need to bring anything?”

  “No, no. My mother or—more accurately—Miranda will have everything covered.”

  “Does she eat with you? What about her own family?”

  “She usually cooks everything at my parents’ house—including food for her family and then takes off as soon as we sit down to eat.”

  “And your parents serve themselves?”

  Jonah snickered. “I know it seems out of character, but they are capable. We usually have dinner buffet-style in the game room so we can watch football.”

  “Huh. I never would have thought your mother would allow you to eat in front of the TV.”

  “Well, there’s still a table and what not.”

  Shannon imagined every dinner at the Morans being as starchy as the one she attended. Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as she thought. For a while, she considered begging off and having dinner with Penny. But Jonah was including her, so she planned to see Olivia in the morning and then make the trek to Jonah’s parents’ house.

  “You’ll love it. My parents put up the Christmas decorations. The holidays are my favorite time with my family. My grandmother will be there.”

  Shannon clung to Jonah’s jacket. Her thumb traced his jawline. “I will make sure I’m in the holiday spirit. Then, we can go Christmas sho
pping on Friday.”

  “Oh, I avoid the malls on Black Friday.”

  “I thought that’s the best part?”

  “Not for me. I thought I might volunteer with the home builders on Friday. There are so many more homes that need painting and finishing.”

  “Oh, that sounds like fun.”

  “You should come.”

  “Okay. Let me know what time. I did promise Olivia I would take her shopping, but I can’t imagine committing to that the entire day.”

  “I’ll let you know. If not Friday, then maybe some other time over the weekend. We’re pushing to get a couple of the families in the houses by Christmas.”

  “That’s an amazing thing that you do. Finding an affordable place to live that’s not a hell hole is hard. The system works against you if you’re poor, you know? Coming up with first and last month’s rent and a deposit—that’s a whole chunk of cash up front. Then there’s credit checks, background checks…A lot of people can’t find places to live.”

  “I’m hoping that’s what I can accomplish by running for office. Maybe I can shift some of the power back in favor of everyday people.”

  “Politics seems so sneaky and full of backstabbing.”

  “Maybe, but it doesn’t have to be. Besides, the politics of governing can’t be that much different from the politics of business. Same game. Different playing field.”

  “I guess I’m just not used to all of that. I’m used to people who…I don’t know. It’s not like they don’t lie or cheat, but they do it more straightforward if that makes sense.”

  “I can see that. Sticking you up with a gun is more honest than embezzling behind your back while smiling.”

  “Exactly. I don’t know how I’ll deal with that kind of cutthroat.”

  “You won’t necessarily have to.”

  “What if they come after me? The press or your opponents. It’s hard to defend all the things I’ve done.”

  “Then we won’t defend it. We’ll admit that it was a mistake, and talk about how you’ve redirected your life. I’m telling you, people will relate to that, and then the people who attack you will look like assholes. You’ll be great, relatable, and honest.”

  He moved closer to her and kissed her cheek.