“He works for a private contractor who painted Rachael’s apartment complex last summer. Mindy got wind of it from someone living there, so I checked it out.” Trevor left the rest unsaid. Jason didn’t care that Rachael had known the guy before he dated her or even while they were together. That wasn’t the issue here.
“So she was seeing him in February?” From what he’d learned through Mindy, that would have to be when she became pregnant.
“They were on and off again for quite a while,” Trevor said. “I’m going to stop by his house and see if he’ll talk to me.” At his words, Jason straightened. Trevor shook his head. “Listen, Jason, if you go over there, he’ll think it’s about you, and it’s not. It’s about Mike. Let me go alone.”
“Fine.” Jason huffed out a breath. “I just need him to say he probably got Rachael pregnant. No one saw her and Mike together, so Brian’s word should work.”
“Remember, this is to prove Mike’s innocence to other people, and to Cassie, if she needs it.”
They both knew Cassie wouldn’t need evidence. Jason didn’t, either, and said, “I’ve never doubted. I just know other people like to talk.”
“Yeah, Rachael likes to gossip for attention, and I think Savanna’s right about her,” Trevor added. “She got jealous when she saw the two of you together.”
“Probably just a sick joke to her,” Jason agreed. After they both nodded, Trevor left, and Jason went to the closest phone to call Savanna.
With Jason’s arms wrapped around her, Savanna stood looking out the kitchen window, leaning back into him. They’d spent the day playing outside with Aubrey in the bright, crunchy autumn air before coming home to barbecue. Now Aubrey was sound asleep. Savanna sighed, watching the pleasant day turn into evening.
“We need to talk to Cassie soon,” Jason said, breaking her out of her lulled state.
“She needs to know the truth about Rachael before the rumors get back to her,” Savanna agreed. “Then again, that might give her another reason to be upset . . . when she finds out about us.”
“It’s time we told her.”
Savanna shut her eyes because they grew dry, stinging. “I should have talked to her by now. I can’t seem to get anything right anymore.”
It felt right to lean into Jason. They felt right together. It was the rest of her life that needed work.
“Don’t talk like that. We’ll talk to Cassie tomorrow, beg for her mercy, and tell her everything about Rachael.” He spoke in a low, quiet voice next to her ear. His body must have awakened to the feel of her against him because he leaned into the crook of her neck and breathed in her scent. When she felt his warm lips on her, she giggled, “You’re tickling me!”
He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her closer against his chest. “Sorry, I wasn’t meaning to.”
After that, his mouth wasn’t tickling. Jason found her earlobe, and she wondered if he meant to drive her nuts, especially when he turned her around and found her mouth.
“You taste like your sweet tea,” he said as his hand slid under her shirt to touch her back. She pressed closer to him and then reached back to undo her bra, wanting his hands all over her bare skin. When he felt her clothing come loose, Jason’s head lifted, and he looked at her, his eyes fiery.
“Touch me more,” Savanna whispered, knowing he could make her forget her worries and everything else, except his teasing. His hands slid around her side, to her stomach, and then under her loose bra. He cupped her breast with one hand, while his other slid around to her bottom, so he could pull her body against his.
His breath was hot on her skin, tickling and caressing at the same time. She tugged his sweater up and flattened her hands on his stomach and sides. “Aren’t you getting hot in this? We can take it off.”
His hand moved over her skin and slipped just inside the top of her jeans, brushing her hips. She’d throw him on the floor if his leg wasn’t still healing.
I can tease, too. She pushed her fingers up into his hair, pulling him closer, and leaning her hips against him.
The doorbell rang.
“No, no!” She pulled him against her, pleading, “Let’s ignore it.”
He leaned over enough to see out the front window. “That’s Cassie’s car.”
She sighed, almost crying, but she could see the car under the streetlight.
“Honey.” He kissed her forehead. “It must be important if she came over here.”
“You’re right.”
“I’ll hide out in your room. I’m not sure she’d be happy to see me here.” He redid her bra and headed upstairs.
Savanna swung the door open to find Cassie about to knock. “Hey! Come on in. You haven’t seen the place yet.”
Cassie didn’t come in but stood there with a wounded look in her eyes. Savanna felt a thump in her chest, like the thump of a judge’s gavel after a guilty verdict.
This wasn’t supposed to happen until tomorrow, and she was supposed to go to Cassie to talk, but she wasn’t sure whether Cassie had heard about Rachael or about her and Jason, so she just waited.
“So you and Jason are official now? And you’ve hardly mentioned it to me?”
“We were planning to talk to you tomorrow, actually.”
Cassie folded her arms and gazed off to the side, giving a weak nod. “You were kissing in the park. Someone was bound to tell me. Why didn’t you?”
“Cassie, I couldn’t.”
“That’s not fair.” Cassie looked at her in disbelief. “You know how I feel about him.”
Struggling to control her frustration, Savanna replied, “And that’s exactly why I couldn’t tell you yet.”
“Maybe you could have stayed away from him in the first place.”
“That’s not fair to me. I’ve held my tongue and let you feel the way you want, but you have to let go of it sometime.”
Cassie reacted like she’d slapped her. With a shake of her head, Cassie turned and hurried back to her car. Savanna stared, dumbfounded, as Cassie drove away.
“Is Cassie okay?” Jason asked as he came down the stairs.
Savanna slowly shut the door, feeling rattled. “She knows about us.”
Jason sighed and moved closer, resting his arms over her hips and around her.
“She thinks I lied to her.” Savanna closed her eyes and rested her forehead against him. “I couldn’t tell her about Rachael.”
“I’m sorry, baby. This is my fault.” He whispered, stroking up and down her back like soft waves caressing the beach.
“Please don’t say that.” She’d made the choice to be with Jason, and she’d also made the choice to help both him and Cassie. Feeling a new resolve, Savanna said, “I’m going to her house to try and talk this out.”
When she looked up, she found approval in Jason’s eyes. Leaning down, he kissed her soft and slow.
As Savanna came up the steps, Cassie opened her door with her eyes already narrowed, gearing up for a fight. In her mind, Savanna still pictured her with a smile on her face all the time. She’d always been so pretty, so full of life.
“I want to talk,” Savanna said, her voice soft. “You’re my best friend, and I want you to be happy”
Cassie’s lips drew into a tight line. She looked down suddenly, so Savanna guessed she might be nearly in tears.
Savanna stepped closer. “I made a mistake by not telling you sooner. I hid my relationship with Jason because I wanted to be there for you.” She shivered in the chilly, autumn air.
“You thought I wouldn’t mind when I found out you’d lied?”
Lied? That felt like such a strong word. But maybe she had, not with words but with her actions. “I’m sorry.” Why wouldn’t Cassie look up? Say something? “You know Jason’s a good firefighter. Wasn’t he a good friend to Mike? And to you? He’s been so caring toward me and Aubrey. He’s been worried about you all this time, too.” Savanna kept going, talking while she had Cassie listening to her. “He wasn’t there when Mike died
. He can’t help that.”
“I know.” Cassie sniffed and pulled her long hair over one shoulder and finally looked up at Savanna.
“Then can you say you’ll try?”
“Maybe I can say I’ll try to try.” Cassie closed her eyes and leaned against the doorway. “I miss him so much,” Cassie continued, speaking of Mike now. “I miss planning our future, just having a future with him.” While Cassie talked, Savanna crept closer until she could reach her and put a hand on her shoulder.
“I’m here. Just talk.”
Cassie looked up with tears in her eyes. “I’m sorry I’m mad at you. I think I’m mad because you can be happy now and I can’t.”
“You will be someday.”
“I don’t know. When I see Jason, I feel like I’m waiting for Mike to walk into the room,” Cassie sobbed on the last few words. Savanna wrapped both arms around Cassie and let her cry. After several minutes, Cassie nodded toward the house, and they both laughed because they’d been standing out in the cold. Inside, the house was warmer and brighter. They sat side by side on the couch while Cassie talked.
Savanna listened for a while, and when Cassie grew quiet, she had to say, “Jason’s hurting, too.”
“Tell him I don’t blame him. I’ve been so mad and hurt, but deep down, I know it wasn’t his fault.”
“Sure.” Savanna had so many things to say, but she didn’t want to ruin this moment.
“I’ll try, but it’s going to take a while.”
She held onto Cassie still. This was what it had been like before she moved away, when they were as close as friends could be. This is what she’d been waiting for since she got back from Texas. “He won’t care about that,” she told Cassie. “Jason knows you’re hurting. Is it okay if I tell him he’s not ruining our friendship?”
“He’s not.” Cassie wiped her sopping eyes and actually smiled. Then, after pulling in a deep breath, she added, “It’s been me.”
“Cassie?” Savanna swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. “I need to tell you something else.” The words tumbled out as she shared what she knew about Rachael.
Cassie had one question. “Why would she say it was Mike’s? No one will believe that.”
“I have no idea. First she told people it was Jason’s baby. She’s changed her story several times, and that proves she’s lying. I wanted you to be prepared, because it’ll probably get around.”
“Great.” Cassie sighed.
“I’m here for you, no matter what, and no matter where I’m at. Just call.”
Savanna went home much later, when Cassie was ready to crash for the night. As she walked to her car, Savanna could breathe easier. Things seemed better, at least with Cassie. She had the mediation in a few days, and that had kept her stress level at a constant high. She’d been blessed to have her mom, Cassie, and Jason supporting her through it.
Her own home was quiet, with Aubrey most likely in bed and Jason waiting for her. She felt excited about sharing this news.
“It went well,” Savanna said with relief and a wide smile. Jason motioned for her to join him on the couch, where she nestled into him, listening to his heart beat under her head. The beating picked up speed, faster and faster.
“Baby,” he whispered, smoothing her hair back. “I have to ask you something.”
She tilted her head and looked up at him, ready to listen, wondering where his soul-searching of late had taken him. Maybe he had been lying here, thinking, while she was gone.
“Will you marry me?”
She blinked. Tried to restart her heart. Attempted to breathe.
“I want all of us to be a family. I wanted to get a ring and surprise you, but I can’t sit here with you and not tell you what I’m thinking.”
She tried unsuccessfully to smile, but cried happy tears instead, while wrapping her arms around him, burying her face in his neck. She loved his smell, the feel of his skin.
“Savanna?” He sounded uncertain now, and she found that endearing. Oh, she hadn’t answered yet!
“Yes!” She laughed. “Oh, Jason, yes!”
Maybe the best things weren’t planned, Jason thought. How could he have seen this happening? Savanna and Aubrey had changed his life so drastically, and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
He pulled her on top of him to hold her tightly. “I want you to be able to stay home with Aubrey if you want, or work part-time, so you can have more time with her. And I want to buy a house, have more kids, get a dog. The whole deal.”
He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her long and deep, until she moved against him suggestively. A minute later, she pulled back to say, “A small wedding.”
“Anything you want.” He pulled her to him again, wanting to kiss her forever, or at least long enough to forget the rest of the world and its problems. Her familiar little noise sent burning sensations all through him. He couldn’t let go of her.
“Upstairs . . . bed,” she murmured against him.
He wished again he could scoop her up in his arms and carry her. Instead they made their way slowly up to the bed, kissing along the way. They reached the bed and fell upon the end.
Her mint-colored sweater felt as soft as it looked, but he wanted to touch underneath. His hands rested on her curvy hips, so he slipped both hands under the bottom of her sweater to skim along her bare skin, first her back, then her sides, and then the bottom of her bra.
He traced the material around to the back and undid it. Her little noises weren’t so quiet when his hands flattened against her back where her bra would normally cover.
“Jason! You have to be fair.”
“Huh?”
Savanna reached for the bottom of his shirt, pulled it up and over his head. Watching her face, he couldn’t look away from the appreciation he saw in her eyes. She reached for him, flattening her hands on his chest.
“Jason, touch me all over.” She kissed his neck and earlobe while pulling his hand down to her pants.
“You’re headed for a point of no return,” he warned in a husky voice.
“Take me there,” she said. Her trust pulled at his heart more than her need for him.
Jason’s hands slowed down. His entire body pounded with want and need for her. Taking hold of the bottom of her shirt, he pulled it up and over her arms. Since her bra was unclasped, it came right off with the shirt.
Seeing her bareness gave him a distinctly male ache. She gasped in delight when he rolled her onto her back. His mouth followed the path his hands had taken.
He slipped his hand down to the front of her slacks and undid the button, needing to touch more of her. They were silky and slid right off her legs when he tugged, exposing miles and miles of soft skin. He skimmed his hand down her thigh, along the crook of her knee, and over her calf.
“Savanna . . .” He wanted more and more of her.
They didn’t need words to communicate their desire for each other. It was more than desire even. It was amazing. Everything felt new and mysterious, but they also had a perfect rhythm. A perfect love.
Savanna counted the hours at work until she could see Jason, and she still felt shell-shocked by what happened between them the night before. Of course, her co-workers and a couple of faithful customers who knew her were happy to hear the news of her brand-new engagement.
The mediation meeting was only a day away, but today she celebrated. She arrived home with Aubrey, who got excited about seeing Jason.
“Gase!” she called out his name as Savanna carried their things inside. As if he heard her, he came over a minute later. Aubrey spotted him and ran to him, “Gase!”
“Aubrey, hey!” He stooped down to hug her and settled on the floor to play. “Savanna, how was your day?”
“Long,” she answered, flopping down beside him on her back. Aubrey pulled out toys for playtime.
Jason scooted up against her back and wrapped his arms around her. A few seconds later she realized he had something in his hands.
“
I got you something today.”
Excitement buzzed through her as he opened his hands to reveal the foil-wrapped box. With shaking hands, she lifted the lid and found a smaller, velvet box inside. Jason, unable to contain himself, pulled the smaller box out and opened it.
The diamond flashed in the light, a beautiful solitaire with smaller stones wrapping it. Savanna gasped.
Smiling widely, Jason lay back on the floor. “This is me on my knee, figuratively I guess, properly asking you to marry me.”
The phone rang in the background as Savanna gazed in wonder at the ring. The best thing wasn’t the expensive jewelry, though. It was his love and promise.
She nodded and had to wipe her moist eyes. He slipped the ring on her finger. Somehow he knew her size, or maybe, by fate, it fit perfectly.
He kissed the ring and then stretched up to kiss her, pulling her down on top of him.
The phone rang again and neither moved, but it kept ringing. “It must be important.”
Savanna climbed to her feet, feeling her body tingle all over with happiness, and said, “Maybe it’s Cassie.” Hope rose up in her as she picked up the phone, but it was her mother who spoke.
“I think you should come over. Georgia Stauffer is here.”
Savanna didn’t move or even blink. Why was her ex mother-in-law at her mom’s house, the day before mediation?
Her mom snapped her out of it. “Savanna, are you all right?”
“Do you know why she’s there?” This wasn’t happening. How could this be happening?
“She won’t explain without you here.” Her mother’s stiff voice made Savanna think Georgia stood close enough to listen.
“I’ll be right over.” Savanna shuddered as she hung up. “Jason?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Eric’s mother is at Mom’s.” At her words, Jason leapt to his feet with surprising agility, considering the cast. She added, “I need to go over there.”
“I’ll go with you,” he said at once.
License to Love: Holiday Box Set (Contemporary Romance) Page 60
