She hated the thought of there being a rift between her and Janelle because of her blossoming relationship with Jordan, but she also had to respect his stance, as well. Jordan understood the strain his petitioning of the election results was putting on everyone, but he believed he was right. Who was she to tell him to disregard his belief just because it made things awkward for her?
Vicki just hoped she didn’t have to choose between the man she could easily see herself falling in love with and one of her best friends.
*
“Mr. Jackson, I don’t want you to think that just because the election is still up in the air that it will affect the promises we made to Mass Mentors one way or the other. No matter what the final results turn out to be, I will make sure the program is fully funded.”
Even if he had to fund it himself, Jordan thought. His emails and texts to Oliver Windom regarding the program had gone unanswered, but Jordan wasn’t allowing that to deter him.
“I made a pledge to your program, and I’m going to make good on it,” he told the program director before ending the call.
Releasing an aggravated sigh, Jordan tossed the phone on his desk and ran both palms down his face. It wasn’t supposed to turn out this way. According to the schedule he’d laid out in his head, he and the rest of the transition team should be well into preparation for Oliver to take office. Instead, here he was, stuck at home, waiting for even the tiniest bit of evidence from one of the investigators he’d hired to look into the ballot tampering.
As for the candidate himself...
Jordan didn’t know what to make of Oliver’s actions since the election. For some reason, the man he’d backed and had believed in so strongly was more than willing to roll over and play dead. It frustrated Jordan to no end! Why in the hell was he more upset over Oliver’s loss than Oliver himself?
Jordan had tried to come at this from every rational standpoint he could, but it just didn’t add up. His polling data couldn’t have been off by so much. Someone had to have tampered with those ballots.
But what if no one had touched the ballots? What if he was wrong?
“It’s not as if you’ve never been wrong before,” Jordan said with a cynical, self-deprecating snort.
He swerved his chair around and grinned at his son, who was becoming increasingly frustrated with a wooden block that would not stay where he’d stacked it on top of another block.
Scooting onto the floor, Jordan said, “Mind if Daddy joins you?” He picked up a block with a green A on it, but Mason reached for it.
“Mine,” his son said with a frown.
Jordan raised his hands up. “Okay, okay. Looks like we need to have the ‘learn how to share’ talk when you get a little older.”
As if Mason understood him, he picked up a yellow Y in his chubby little hand and held it out to Jordan.
“There you go,” Jordan said. “You know how to share.”
He stared down at his son with wonder, still amazed at how much his perspective had changed in such a short amount of time. It had been a whirlwind these past couple of years. He’d met Allison and had been swept right off his feet, marrying her only six months after they’d met, after she’d gotten pregnant with Mason.
He’d known from the beginning that when it came to children, her feelings were lukewarm at best. Jordan had hoped those feelings would change once Mason was born. He’d expected her to take one look at their son and fall in love, just as he’d done.
He didn’t doubt that Allison loved Mason. She was just too selfish to give up her lifestyle in order to raise a child.
“I, on the other hand, can’t imagine my life without you,” Jordan said, placing Mason in his lap. He kissed Mason’s chubby neck, thanking God for blessing him with this unbelievable gift. It was a gift he hadn’t known he wanted, a gift that had come to mean everything to him.
Jordan’s breath caught in his throat just thinking about the sheer terror that had hit him last week when Mason had spiked that high fever.
It hadn’t been all that long ago that the only thing that concerned him was getting ahead. He’d been on track to rise to the top of his law firm faster than any associate had done in the past. His career had been his only focus.
None of that seemed important anymore.
He recalled his mother’s recommendation after he mentioned shortening his leave of absence, and realized she was right. What would he gain by returning to his law firm earlier than necessary? He had more money set aside than he could spend in a lifetime, and he sure as hell didn’t need the stress of fourteen-hour workdays.
What he needed was to relish this time with Mason. In the blink of an eye he’d gone from a helpless infant to a fast-moving toddler ready to explore the world. Blink again and Mason would be in kindergarten, then high school, and then before he knew it, Jordan would be watching him move out on his own. He didn’t want to miss a minute of the precious time he had with him.
Besides, he’d grown used to working shorter hours since joining Oliver’s campaign. Although things had become hectic during the past few weeks of the election, for the most part, Jordan was home by six, as opposed to eight or nine at night. He had time to play with Mason instead of only going into his room and giving him a small kiss, careful not to wake him up. How was he going to go back to that when his housekeeper returned and they all went back to their old routine?
Simple. They weren’t going back to the old routine.
Working those crazy hours had been okay when he was single and trying to climb his way to the top, but his priorities had changed. He didn’t need the top. He had all he needed right here.
He kissed Mason’s head, a gentle smile lifting the corner of his mouth as he thought about the future that awaited them.
His cell phone rang.
Jordan sat Mason back on the floor with his blocks and picked the phone up on the third ring. He recognized Vicki’s number and couldn’t help the thread of excitement that coursed through him.
“Hello,” he answered.
“Hi,” she said. “How is Mason doing?”
“He’s just fine as long as no one touches the building blocks his grandma Nancy got for him. He’s a bit territorial when it comes to his toys.”
Vicki’s laughter flittered through the phone line, causing another rush of excitement to skate across Jordan’s skin.
“Well, I wasn’t sure if you two would be up for it,” she continued, “but I was wondering how you would feel about taking Mason to see Bright Nights at Forest Park in Springfield. There’s a big Christmas lights display there every year.”
“I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never been.”
“I went a few years ago and it was incredible. I heard they’ve added even more displays since then. I was hoping to find some inspiration for my float and figured Mason would enjoy all the lights. It’s a two-hour drive, though. I wasn’t sure if you would be up for it.”
Jordan didn’t have to think but for a moment.
“We’d love to,” he said.
He heard the smile in her voice as she said, “Wonderful. Why don’t I pick the two of you up in a half hour?”
“I’ll see you then.”
Jordan raced to get both himself and Mason ready. He opted to give Mason a quick wipe down with a damp towel instead of a bath. His mother had drilled it into his head not to give him a bath too soon before bringing him out into the cold.
Jordan had just finished packing some toys, animal crackers and juice boxes in a bag when he heard a car pulling up. Excitement shot like a lightning rod through his veins.
Now that he’d decided to fully own this attraction that had been building between him and Vicki, he could barely contain the pleasurable exhilaration that flooded his brain whenever she was around. He’d allowed the turmoil he’d been through in his first marriage to scare him off from getting involved with anyone else, but he was not going to let that happen this time.
Honestly, this was the first time h
e’d even wanted to get involved with someone since Allison left. Who would have ever thought Vicki Ahlfors would be the person to break down the wall he’d erected around his heart? How had he allowed her to fly under his radar for all these years? He felt like a shallow, callous fool for not recognizing just how attracted he was to her.
Jordan considered himself lucky that Vicki had even bothered to give him the time of day. She could have held it against him that he hadn’t noticed her until after she’d gone through a complete makeover, but she hadn’t.
And that was what he was attracted to the most. She was so unbelievably tender and giving, and she had a heart of pure gold. She was more than he probably deserved.
No, she was definitely more than he deserved.
“You better not mess this up,” Jordan said.
The doorbell rang. He damn near ran at the speed of light to get to it. The moment he opened the door, one thing became crystal clear: there was no way in hell he could ever deny that these feelings were real. Just the sight of her warm smile had his skin tingling and long-dormant areas of his body coming to life.
“Hey there,” she greeted with a smile that could make every unpleasant thought in the world melt away.
“Hey,” Jordan returned, his body humming with energy now that she was near him again. He leaned over and captured her lips in a kiss so sweet it drew a moan from her. God, she tasted good.
“Well, hello to you, too,” Vicki whispered against his mouth.
“You have no idea how much I love doing that.”
“Mmm...I don’t know about that. I think I have an inkling.” That wicked smile tilting up her lips set off way too many naughty thoughts in his brain. A glimmer of shared desire flashed in her brilliant brown eyes before she said, “The feeling is mutual. And as much as I love doing that, I want to do more.”
A delicious shudder cascaded down Jordan’s spine.
It was obvious what they both wanted. A barrier had been crossed, a step taken. With those few words she’d just spoken, this new relationship they’d found themselves in had just moved to the next level.
“We don’t have to see the Christmas lights,” Jordan said.
If he called his mother right now she would be here in ten minutes, more than happy to take Mason for the night. He and Vicki could spend the rest of the evening exploring this new step in their relationship.
“Yes, we do have to see the Christmas lights,” she said, her smile widening. She reached for Mason, taking him from Jordan’s arms. “This little one is going to love them.”
Jordan’s chin fell to his chest. So close! He’d been so damn close to satisfying the fantasies that had overwhelmed him over the past two weeks. Instead, he was off to see Santa.
Jordan groaned. “Just let me grab Mason’s bag,” he said, sounding like a sulky teenager. He felt like one, too. A sulky, horny teenager who was being denied something he knew they both wanted.
“That’s a good daddy,” Vicki said. The amusement tinting her voice told Jordan that she was having way too much fun at his expense. “Can you bring a blanket, as well?” she called after him. “It’s going to be cold out.”
Jordan grabbed a blanket from the hall closet, and then met Vicki at his car. She was already strapping Mason into his car seat.
Jordan was once again struck by how right this all felt. She’d slid into place so seamlessly, as if she’d been a part of his life forever. It felt as if she belonged here, like she was the missing peg that fit so much better than his ex-wife ever had.
Jordan waited for panic to set in just at the thought of the word wife, but there was no panic, only a surprising sense of peace. It was crazy. Their relationship wasn’t even two weeks old. Sure, he’d known Vicki all his life, but not in this way. What business did he have thinking in terms of a wife? Hell, they had yet to do more than kiss. Granted, they’d shared some of the hottest, most intimate kisses he’d ever experienced, but still, that was the furthest they’d gone.
But they would go further.
Jordan’s hands tightened on the steering wheel.
If he’d read the signs correctly—and he was pretty damn sure he had—they would go a lot further. And soon.
The appendage behind his zipper responded to the decadent thoughts flooding his brain, setting him up for what was sure to be the most uncomfortable two-hour drive of his life.
Before they even broke past the Wintersage city limits Mason had already fallen asleep.
“The car really is like a sleeping pill for him, isn’t it?” Vicki said with a laugh.
“It’s my go-to lullaby. Whenever he’s having a hard time falling asleep, I strap him in and we take a ride. I should have known it was more than just crabbiness when he didn’t go out like a light when we went tree shopping.”
“Did you schedule a checkup with the doctor?”
Jordan nodded. “This coming Tuesday. She wants to see if the antibiotics are clearing up the ear infection. Of course, my mom thinks I should take him to a specialist in Boston just in case it’s something more serious. She was never this nervous with us kids.”
“But this is her grandbaby. I’m sure my mother will be the same way. Of course, at this rate, she doesn’t think she’ll ever have grandkids.”
“You still have plenty of time to make her a grandmother.”
Vicki shrugged. “All hope isn’t lost, but I’m much closer to thirty than I am to twenty.”
“Vicki, you have nothing to worry about. The right man is going to come to his senses and realize you’re the perfect woman to share his life with.”
The air in the car grew heavy with anticipation, saturated with desire.
“You think so?” she asked in a breathy whisper.
Jordan looked over at her. “He would be a fool not to.” He took her hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing the back of it.
“Can I be honest with you?” he asked.
“Always,” she said. “I refuse to have it any other way.”
He glanced at her again, both surprised and turned on by her direct attitude. She knew what she wanted; it was such a freaking turn-on.
God, he wanted her.
Jordan blew out a heavy breath. “This scares the hell out of me, Vicki,” he admitted. “I’ve spent the past year and a half trying to convince myself that feeling this way for a woman again was more trouble than it was worth. But you’re proving that to be wrong. Every minute I’m with you, you chip away at the wall I built, and it scares me.”
“You have nothing to fear, Jordan. I’m not your ex-wife. I’m nothing like her.”
“I know you’re not.” He squeezed her hand. “You’re so different that it makes me question just how I could have ever been attracted to two women who are the polar opposite of each other.”
“Did you come up with an answer?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said. “I discovered that substance is so much sexier than style. Not saying that you don’t have style,” he quickly interjected. “You’re gorgeous, Vicki. And it has nothing to do with your hair or makeup or any of that other stuff. What makes you gorgeous, what makes you the sexiest woman I’ve ever met, is that beautiful heart of yours.”
She leaned over the center console and kissed his cheek.
“Thank you for saying that,” she said. Entwining her arm with his, she rested her head against his shoulder and, with a touch of playfulness in her voice, said, “But you don’t mind the new wardrobe, do you? I treated myself to a nightgown that I’m pretty sure you would appreciate.”
Jordan groaned so loudly he was sure he’d wake up Mason. “Please tell me I’ll get to see it soon.”
She looked up at him and grinned. “Seeing as I bought it yesterday with the sole purpose of seeing your face when I put it on, I would say that’s a yes.”
“Thank God,” Jordan breathed. He put a bit more pressure on the accelerator. “Let’s get through these damn lights so we can get back home.”
Chapter 8
<
br /> Vicki spent the remainder of the drive to Springfield trying to talk herself out of telling Jordan to find the nearest U-turn so they could return to Wintersage. Now that they both knew what would happen when they got back home tonight, the desire to get there was more than she could stand.
However, all thoughts of rushing through their evening vanished the moment they arrived and Mason caught his first glance at the brilliant display of Christmas lights. The wonder in his wide brown eyes—eyes that looked so much like his father’s—wrapped a ribbon of warmth around Vicki’s heart. His little mouth formed a perfect O as they drove underneath the arched lit sign welcoming them to the annual Bright Nights at Forest Park holiday display.
As they pulled up to the attendant to buy tickets, they discovered that instead of driving through in their own vehicle, for a small fee they could take a horse-drawn carriage ride through a portion of the display.
“It’s pretty cold out here. You want to?” Jordan asked.
“Absolutely,” Vicki said. “We have a blanket, remember?”
“Is that why you told me to bring the blanket? You’d already planned this?”
“No, but I’ll take credit for it anyway,” she said with a cheeky wink.
After parking, she suggested that Jordan take Mason into the gift shop while she scheduled the carriage ride. She spotted them at the huge display of stuffed snowmen and reindeer.
Sidling up next to Jordan, she said, “The next carriage leaves in fifteen minutes.”
“Uh-oh,” Jordan said. “This one can do some damage in fifteen minutes. He already wants everything he sees.”
“Me and him both,” Vicki said as she browsed the shelves. She found several items for her float—a wooden train set that she could put under the tree with the American version of Santa Claus, and several angels that would look perfect with the Papa Noël from France.
“These are gorgeous,” she said, picking up a set of jewel-toned wineglass charms.
“Check out the monogrammed ones.” Jordan nodded to a nearby shelf.
“Oh, I have to get these for Sandra and Janelle,” she said. “They’re perfect stocking stuffers.”
A Mistletoe Affair (Mills & Boon Kimani) (Wintersage Weddings - Book 3) Page 11
