by Dani Wade
“Oh, my goodness. I didn’t even realize.”
Jacob could read the regret on her face. Christina had told him that the two of them had been estranged since KC’s return. Which was also his fault, since KC had been afraid of telling Christina the truth and putting her in an uncomfortable situation.
“Aiden and I talked right after I found out about the baby. He mentioned that, since things were still unsettled at the mill and I’m a prominent figure over there, I might want to keep my connection to you quiet for now. That way you and Carter won’t become a target if someone is upset with the way I’m handling things.”
“So you think we’d be in danger?”
“I don’t want to think so, but I also don’t want to take that chance.”
She paced away, leaving him feeling empty and cold. KC had never been predictable, so he should have known she’d come back with something he wasn’t prepared for. It wasn’t long before she said, “So you talked about this with Aiden?”
“Yes.”
“And when were you going to talk about it with me?”
* * *
Working with the public, and drunk people in particular, KC had become pretty good at reading between the lines. And the surprise on Jacob’s face gave him away.
He wasn’t going to discuss it with me. It hadn’t even occurred to him.
At least, not until he was sure he wanted this relationship to be about the two of them, not just about Carter. Although, he hadn’t lied about it. That much was good. KC’s dad had been a chronic liar, hurting them all time and again before he left.
“Jake, you can’t expect to make decisions that involve me or Carter without my input. Regardless of what happens between us as a couple, we’re going to be working together as Carter’s parents for many years. If we’re in this together, as a couple or not, you have to be open with me. Leaving me in the dark doesn’t build trust.”
He moved close, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. “I didn’t think about it that way. I didn’t really think of it at all, to be honest. I’m sorry.”
“And how can I be diligent and protect my son if I’m not aware of the danger?”
His slow blink of surprise told her that had never occurred to Jacob, either.
“As much as we’ve labeled this 24/7, you can’t be with us all the time, Jake. I need to know what’s going on.” She couldn’t stop herself from taking a step back, then another until his arms dropped to his sides. “I’m not a doll to be moved around at will. I spent a lot of years dependent on other people’s bad decisions. I will not have that for my son...or for me.”
“You deserve better than that, KC,” he said. “I know that now.”
When he turned away, she didn’t know what to expect. From the way he rubbed the back of his neck, she knew he was thinking hard. She’d watched him do that so many times, her heart ached. She knew, deep down, Jacob was a good man. But was he the type of man she could depend on?
When he turned back, his expression was more open than she’d seen anytime outside of a bed. “I want you, KC,” he said, his voice gaining strength as he went on, “I want to take this to the next level. But I also want to protect both you and Carter until this situation at the mill is resolved. People knowing that I’m living at your house doesn’t make you safe. So for now, I’d like to keep it just like we’ve been doing, with only family and close friends who know just how involved we really are.”
A sinking feeling hollowed out her chest, but she kept still. Her response would determine where they went from here. Could she make the right decision—for Carter and for herself?
“But only for now,” he added. “Do you agree?”
Was it what she wanted? No. Could she argue with his desire to keep her and their son safe? No.
“Yes, Jacob,” she said, smiling as she thought over the past thirty minutes. Most men would have simply taken her to bed and left the rest up in the air. At least with Jacob, she knew there was a plan even if she wasn’t sure what it was yet. “I’ll go to Philadelphia with you.”
His relief was almost palpable. He rubbed his hands together, obviously wanting to reach for her. Instead, he motioned to the food. “Shall we finish eating?”
That little streak of mischief resurfaced, and she couldn’t help giving it free rein. “Actually, I thought we would celebrate.” After all, they’d just made a pretty big decision. Why hadn’t he reached for her yet? Didn’t he realize she wanted him?
“What do you mean?”
Bless his heart. This man desperately needed to let loose every so often. Luckily, KC knew the perfect way to tempt him.
“Jacob, we’re in a secluded spot and alone. No baby. No audience. What do you think I mean?”
Just one look from Jacob turned KC to jelly. But she wasn’t giving him the upper hand yet. As he stalked closer, she whipped her T-shirt over her head. Jake slid his tongue across his lips in anticipation.
He stopped just out of her reach, watching the show, his body tense and ready.
She unbuttoned her shorts, pushing them over the curve of her hips while she slid out of her shoes. Jake’s gaze followed her every move. Next, she whisked away the tank she was wearing under her shirt. She watched as Jacob made a long, slow perusal of all her new curves.
The need that filled his eyes whenever he took her was the most naked emotion she’d ever seen in him, and she’d ached to see it again. There it was. Before, these had been the only moments she’d felt she was seeing the real Jacob. Since her return, she’d only seen him show unguarded emotion when he held Carter.
She’d missed this, missed him. Turning away, she shucked off her bra, releasing her breasts, which were much rounder since she’d given birth. She threw the garment over her shoulder and made for the stream nearby. On her way, she tossed her best come-hither look his way, marveling at how his gaze was glued to her backside.
Her first step into the cool water felt good in the early-summer heat. The chill traveled up her skin as she waded into the stream. Her arousal rose along with it. The liquid surrounding her soaked into the silk of her panties, which she knew would color them transparent. Her nipples peaked, and she covered them with her arms, protecting them from the cold and from Jacob’s gaze.
When the water was finally waist high, she turned back toward the shore. She took in the dirt beach with its tangle of tree roots, then Jacob’s bare feet in the clover, then his gaze as he devoured her from his higher vantage point. “Aren’t you going to join me, big boy?” Her mouth watered at the thought of those clothes coming off.
He shook his head. “You are crazy.”
“Maybe,” she teased. Then she let her arms ease down until nothing was left to the imagination. “But I’m fun. Don’t you remember how to walk on the wild side?”
She hoped so, because she was desperate for him to walk with her once more.
To her intense delight, he grabbed the hem of his T-shirt, easing it up and over his shoulders. When clothed, Jacob seemed to have an average build. But underneath all the fabric were beautifully sculpted muscles that made her heart pound and her core ache. He was all leashed power...until he loosened the reins.
From her vantage point, she got to see every sleek line, every flex of muscle. The ripple of his biceps as his hands gripped his waistband. The bulge of his pecs as he opened his fly, then pushed his pants and briefs down to the ground. The chill of the water and the magical surroundings receded as memories of his body flooded her brain. Powerful hips. Muscled legs. And the hardness jutting from the cradle of his hips, the part he used to drive her over the edge into insanity.
He stood unashamedly in the dappled sunlight, and she wanted to weep for the brief time she’d likely have him. She had no doubt that one day he would leave her, but she’d savor him while she could.
For now,
he was all hers.
Ten
Jacob barely noticed the temperature of the water as he stalked toward the naked angel before him. Heck, he was surprised steam didn’t rise from the surface, considering the fire burning beneath his skin.
Before, he’d only known sexy KC. Whenever he’d seen her, the dark temptations beneath her surface called to him on every level. So much so that the pull had remained even after she’d left.
Living with her, seeing her with their son, highlighted a whole other side only hinted at before—the angelic woman who went out of her way to love those around her, do whatever she could for them and help with any needs she saw. That was KC, too.
One part angel, one part danger...wrapped up in the body of both. It was a combination he couldn’t walk away from again, but he’d worry about that another time. For now, he was eager to learn that body all over again. Leave the emotions for later.
As he got close, she ducked to the side, evading him as her laughter tickled the air around them. With a grin, he gave chase. He’d never had so much fun as with KC—not even with his brothers. It seemed right now, that was exactly what she wanted.
They played tag for a few minutes, forging against the water in a strategic game of Keep Away. Jacob had never enjoyed another view as much as the water parting around KC’s waist, her naked breasts swaying with her movements. All too soon, watching wasn’t enough. His hands burned for a touch.
With a heavy lunge, he grabbed her. Dragging her body up against his, he clamped down on his urge to emit a primitive howl. Heat instantly sparked between them. Jacob caught the laughing look in KC’s hazel eyes. Her long lashes sparkled with water droplets.
His body automatically reacted to hers, even while his hands cataloged all the changes since the last time he’d held her like this. Her waist, slightly thicker. Barely there stretch marks beneath his thumbs from carrying Carter. A rounder curve to her hips that matched the rounder curve of her breasts.
“Like what you see, Jake?” she asked, her look turning mischievous.
Ah, the temptress was here, all right.
“Oh, I like what I see,” he said, letting his gaze slowly inventory all the sweet flesh down to where she was pressed against him. “But does it taste as good as I remember?”
She squealed as he lifted her in his arms, carrying her to the shore with quick strides. His body wouldn’t wait much longer. Her arms tightened on his shoulders as he climbed the bank, then strode across the carpet of clover. Now his angel sparkled all over as the filtered sunlight highlighted the water droplets decorating her body.
He spread her out on the blanket, then sat back on his heels for a longer look. His breath hissed through clenched teeth. Gorgeous. She released her hair from the clasp, and it spilled around her head in waves of blond. Her firm, shapely legs tempted him closer. Her perky little toes with nails painted pink made him smile.
She was the incredible mother he’d come to know. The sexy temptress he ached for. All his. Right now.
She lifted her arms toward him, and his eyes met hers. He saw the vulnerable streak of emotion there, as if she, too, could sense that they trembled on the brink of something new. She opened her arms, hiding nothing.
Jacob crowded over her, his legs firmly straddling one of hers. His erection was pressed against her thigh, causing him to suck in his breath. So sensitive, as if too much pressure would end their encounter too soon—a worry he hadn’t had since high school. Unwilling to lose the moment, Jacob started in on her plump, succulent lips.
He took his time with the kiss, tracing the outline of her mouth before their tongues tangled. Then his hips surged forward, and he couldn’t hold back his groan.
Her hands found his shoulders, pulling him down. Sucking him under as their bodies met and melded. He heard the catch in her breath, followed by a soft whimper, and his brain swirled with all the times he’d heard that same sound before.
He ached to jump ahead but forced himself to slowly reacquaint himself with all his favorite places. Only this time, his heart beat faster, her scent made him dizzier and his need pounded higher than ever before. Because this was KC.
And everything about her captivated him.
His heart should have stalled at the revelation, but his need wouldn’t allow it. Instead, he slipped on a condom and eased his body into hers, savoring every inch. She’d been partly right: this was one of his favorite positions. Because he could take in every nuance of her expression while his body drove them both wild.
He pulled back slowly, then drove in hard. Her cries filled the sun-heated air around them—a sound Jacob knew he’d never forget. Over and over, he teased them both while his tongue traveled from nipple to nipple. He savored her taste, her sound, her passion. And finally her ecstasy as her body clamped down on his.
Letting himself lose control, he pounded into her until only one thought remained. This was more than simple lust, but could he break past the fear and admit what it truly was?
* * *
In the week since their picnic, KC had more than enjoyed reacquainting herself with Jacob. She’d treasured every second they were together. He was everything she remembered and more, as if the long months without each other had only heightened his appetite. They had definitely heightened hers.
But intimacy with a baby in the house was a lot different than when she was a single woman, so KC was pretty sure Jacob had planned on enjoying a free-for-all during their weekend in Philadelphia. Starting as soon as they crossed the threshold.
He had another think coming.
They were barely through the door of the hotel suite and he was already marching her across the tiled floor with his signature heated look. She wanted to give in, truly she did. But they needed to start off on the right foot, so she put up a figurative roadblock. “Where should we shop for my dress?”
Jacob’s look was incredulous. “We have baby-free time and you want to shop?”
Men. Everything had to revolve around sex. “I didn’t have time before we left town, and you promised...” She deliberately drew out the word, paired with a look of wide-eyed innocence.
He studied her, giving her the impression he could divine every thought. “You. Are. Serious.”
You bet your booty, buster. The ache in her core betrayed her, but she refused to give in. “I told you, this trip wouldn’t be like the last time.”
“I don’t see what the problem was, honestly.” He leaned back against the wall with his arms crossed over that wide chest. And here we go again with the Dom stance. “I thought we had a wonderful time.”
“We did have a wonderful time. At your apartment. Having sex. The only time we left the house was to get to and from the airport.”
She could see the revelation steal over him, but still he tried to bluff his way out of it. “And that was a problem because...?”
“Depends.” Standing her ground, she faced off with his seeming nonchalance. “Do you want me here just for sex? Or for something else?” She couldn’t make him prove his commitment at home, not so long as she and Carter could be hurt by taking the relationship public. But here in Philadelphia, she could take a stand.
She wasn’t backing down.
His disappointment was almost palpable, and she found an echo in her own body. Maybe she should tell him he’d definitely be getting lucky, just not this instant? She quickly tossed aside the idea. She wasn’t sure whether she was just being mischievous, or whether she really wanted him to pay. Either way, it wouldn’t hurt to let him suffer for a little while.
“The ball is tonight,” she reminded him as they took the elevator to the lobby. “I don’t have a dress. And you said we had plans for this afternoon, so...”
He hailed a cab, then held the door open for her. “Will it take all morning to find a dress?”
“T
here’re only two hours left in this morning, but we’ll have to see...”
His poor-puppy-dog expression was so very cute, but he’d live. Even if he didn’t think so.
The cab dropped them off at a side street filled with adorable little boutiques. KC wandered for a bit, peeking into window after window, unwilling to admit to Jacob that the high-priced surroundings made her feel inadequate. The only time she’d ever shopped for a formal had been for her junior and senior proms—she had found both dresses at consignment stores. Somehow she thought this would be a whole different experience.
Pausing before a window display of beautiful dresses, each decked out with a unique flare, KC knew she’d found the right place. She turned to Jacob. “I’m going to go in here and look around. I’ll be out in a while.”
He frowned. “I can’t go in with you?”
Poor thing. Nothing about today was going according to his plan. “Nope. I want my dress to be a surprise.”
“But I’m planning on paying for it.” His satisfied expression said he’d hit on the perfect workaround. “That’s kind of hard to do from out here.”
“No need. I’ll handle the bill myself—”
“No.” If she didn’t know Jacob very well, his scowl would have had her stepping back. “This trip was my idea. I want you to buy whatever you find that you love and not worry about the cost.”
Her spirit rose up in protest, but he held up a hand. “No arguments, KC. Pick out what you want, have the saleslady ring it up, then come and get me. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Blinking, KC didn’t know how to respond. Not only was he going to pay for her to have a dress, but he wasn’t pushing his way inside when he could have. She swallowed hard. “Thank you, Jake.”
He shot her a grin. “You’re welcome. Besides, I’m building up brownie points.”
I bet. She moved to the door, only to look back over her shoulder when he said, “Shoes and a bag, too. No arguments. Don’t make me ask for an itemized statement as proof.”
