Adopted Son

by Warren, Linda

  “It’s very quiet out here. No traffic noises,” she commented, dunking a cookie.

  He dunked a cookie and took a bite. “Sometimes I’ll have a kid who has a real bad attitude, hates cops and life in general. I bring him out here and something about the outdoors, the peace and the serenity gets to him. It calms him down enough to see that I’m not a bad person.”

  “Do you mentor a lot of boys?”

  “I have Micah Somers, Pablo Martinez and Dillon. Micah’s twelve and lives with his mother’s mother. His dad beat his mom to death in front of him. He’s filled with a lot of resentment and sadness, rightly so. But he’s into sports and he’s really good at it, especially baseball. We go to a lot of sporting events. His grandmother worries about him so she likes to have a lawman around to keep him on the straight and narrow.” He took a swallow of milk.

  “Pablo’s fourteen and also lives with his grandparents. His mother is in a Huntsville prison for killing his dad and his dad’s girlfriend. Pablo had a lot of anger and he just wanted to hurt somebody. I got him involved in wrestling and he’s now on a team in school. I just offer guidance, encouragement and steer him in the right direction.”

  He ran his thumb over the rim of his glass. “I told the supervisor of Big Brothers that I wouldn’t be taking on any more boys because I was planning to adopt Brady. Since that’s fallen through, I guess I need to call her back.”

  “Could we talk about that?”

  His eyes met hers. “What about it?”

  She took a deep breath. “Do you blame me for losing Brady?”

  He shifted uneasily, bringing those raw emotions to the surface and admitting the truth to himself. “You had nothing to do with my losing Brady. I have a high-risk job and I’m single. That’s why I lost Brady.” He meant every word. At first, he’d been upset with her, but something about sitting on the floor in the hospital eating Oreo cookies enabled him to see Grace in a new way, as a woman who cared.

  Grace moved restlessly in her chair, feeling a release that was hard to describe. “Have you ever thought of getting married?” The words slipped out of their own volition and she couldn’t snatch them back.

  “A couple of times,” he answered, to her surprise.

  “What happened?” She nibbled on a cookie, waiting with bated breath.

  Tuck stared at the milk carton. “Our goals in life were different. The moment I mentioned taking in foster kids, the relationships changed.”

  “So you decided to go it alone?”

  “Yeah, but that’s not working too well.” He swallowed back the rest of his milk.

  She sat up straighter and dived into treacherous waters. “Do you think you have this need to help children because you feel your parents would want you to? I know you love doing it,” she added hastily. “But I have to wonder why you’d give up having a life, having your own kids, to do so.”

  She braced herself for a sharp retort, but he didn’t say anything for a moment, then he shook his head. “I don’t know, Grace. All I know is that I have to do it.” His eyes darkened. “I guess you had to have lived in this house and witnessed all the kids who came through here needing shelter, needing someone to care.”

  “Have you ever thought of having kids of your own?” She was pressing her luck now, but he didn’t seem upset.

  “Sure, when I was younger.” He picked up the milk container and carried it to the refrigerator. “And if I’m honest I’d have to admit that when I look at Jesse, I wonder how it would feel to look into the face of my own child. That’s a selfish male reaction. I know it would be the same as looking at Brady or Dillon.”

  She carried the rest of the cookies to him. “Do you know that you’re a wonderful man?”

  Putting the cookies in the pantry, he asked, “Care to back up those words, ma’am?”

  She lifted an eyebrow. “How?”

  “Dancing.” He grabbed her hand and pulled her into the den. The big-screen TV and stereo system were in a wall unit. Tuck poked buttons and a beautiful slow waltz wafted around the room. He moved the area rug back, flipped off the light and darkness surrounded her. The light from the kitchen streamed through, but otherwise they were enclosed in a world all their own.

  In a corner, a grandfather clock chimed the midnight hour as the music played. “I think you have a thing about dancing,” she murmured, almost afraid to speak in case it broke the magical spell around her.

  “I do,” he replied. “I love to dance.” His arms slipped around her and she wrapped hers around his neck, pressing her body into his. They moved slowly to the beat of the music and Grace shivered.

  “You’re trembling,” he whispered against her hair.

  “I think I’m a little afraid of what’s happening between us.” She hadn’t realized what she was feeling until she heard herself say the words.

  “What’s happening?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe that’s what I’m afraid of.”

  They moved in unison to the music as close as two people could get with their clothes on. “Tell me what you’re feeling,” he said.

  She took a deep breath. “I never want to leave your arms,” she admitted honestly, laying her head on his chest.

  “And I don’t want you to,” he replied just as honestly.

  “So what do we do?” she asked, pressing closer, needing to feel every inch of him.

  “Let me kiss you one more time.”

  She raised her head. “What…” The words were smothered beneath his lips. As he deepened the kiss, she gave herself up to him and the sensations he was awakening in her.

  Finally, he broke the kiss and rested his face in the curve of her neck. “I say let’s take a chance and explore these new feelings. Let’s see where they’ll take us. Are you game?”

  It wasn’t a declaration of love. She’d be lying to herself if she said she didn’t want to hear those words. She wanted a relationship with Tuck, though, and this is where it started. It was her decision.

  “I’m game.”

  He raised his head and ran his forefinger over her bottom lip. “Are you sure? You’ve been going through an emotional upheaval. We can…dance…later.”

  She stepped back and threaded her fingers through her hair. “That’s not exactly the response I expected.”

  “What did you expect?”

  “I expected you to rip off my clothes in eagerness.”

  “Grace, I’m forty-two and I’ve never ripped off a woman’s clothes. I never needed to.”

  She winced. “Sorry. Can you tell I’m new at this?”

  “I think you’ve been watching too much television. Making love is about mutual need and gratification. It’s about respect, caring and…”

  “Tuck, please make love to me.”

  He held out his hand. “Come here. Let’s slow dance in the dark.”

  She drifted back into his arms, not sure if her feet were touching the floor.

  “Relax, Grace. Relax,” he breathed against her face, and she felt herself floating into a world of pure pleasure. The music played on, but all Grace heard was the wild beating of her heart in her ears, all she felt was his breath in her hair and his muscles imprinted against her body.

  She trembled again and Tuck took her hand and led her to the bedroom. Moonlight streamed through the windows, the only light in the darkened room. He gave her a slow, lingering kiss and her knees almost buckled.

  “After tonight, our relationship will change,” he whispered, his words thick.

  “I know,” she said as she undid the buttons on his shirt.

  Her hands splayed across his bared chest and desire filled him—along with disbelief. He wanted to sleep with the enemy. For years that’s how he’d thought of her, although lately he saw a desirable woman he couldn’t get out of his head—a woman soft, warm and pleasing. Things were happening too fast, though. He needed to stop. They had to talk.

  Whenever he’d had doubts, he’d never had a problem stopping. Tonight he couldn’t
. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anyone. Her lips touched his skin and all rational thought left him.

  He slipped her T-shirt over her head, threw it on the floor and unsnapped her bra. He touched her breasts, stroking, caressing as they removed the rest of their clothes. He struggled with his boots. It only took a few seconds, but it wasn’t fast enough.

  Skin on skin, they fell backward to the bed. She giggled and something akin to a laugh left his throat. He held her against his body, loving her soft, silky skin and his reaction to it. His body erupted with desire, need and unadulterated passion. He kissed her lips, her throat and her breasts, then trailed his lips down to the smoothness of her stomach. A moan escaped her as his tongue traveled farther.

  Her hands eagerly sought the hardened muscles of his body. With fingers stroking and tongues tasting, they discovered new and exciting sensations.

  When Tuck knew he had reached his limit, he reached for a condom in the nightstand and quickly sheathed himself. His hand shook with an eagerness he hadn’t felt in years.

  She reached for him and as his lips met hers, he slid between her legs and into a vortex of pleasure he only thought he knew about. Her body welcomed him with a warmth and need that erased all thoughts.

  As his body exploded into a spasm of pleasure inside her, he heard her sigh raggedly, “Oh, Jeremiah.”

  Her body trembled and shuddered as they danced the dance as old as time.

  There would never be a moment like this again—their first time.

  He raised his head to look into her passion-filled eyes and caught his breath at the sheer beauty of her face. Kissing her swollen lips, he whispered, “You can call me Jeremiah any time you want.”

  She smiled and her eyes sparkled like emeralds.

  Grace touched his face, her fingers feeling the stubble on his jaw. She floated somewhere between reality and fantasy. They were both damn good. She never knew sex could be like this. It was a lot more than sex, though. To her, it was love and she wanted to say the words to him, but she knew he wasn’t ready.

  She wondered if he ever would be.

  She wouldn’t think about that tonight. She would just enjoy this wonderful man and the way he made her feel.

  Like a desirable woman.

  Pulling her into his arms, he reached for the comforter and covered them. Snug in his embrace she understood what giving herself to one man totally and completely was about. It was wonderful, fabulous and nothing she’d ever do again would match it.

  Now she knew why Caroline smiled all the time. Grace would be smiling now, too. She knew the secret and she savored this moment out of time. This moment that belonged to her and Tuck.

  To her and Jeremiah.

  GRACE WOKE UP to a wet kiss and bad breath. Opening one eye, she was relieved to see Sam licking her face.

  “Get down, boy,” Tuck said, raising up on one elbow.

  Sam hung his head and turned to jump off the bed.

  Grace grabbed him, unable to withstand that pitiful face. “It’s okay.” She stroked him and scooted up in bed.

  Tuck watched her. “Do you realize that a few weeks ago you couldn’t stand for him to touch you?”

  “I’m changing,” she replied, and glanced at the rumpled bed, his warm eyes and tousled hair. For a second she forgot her train of thought as desire swept through her stomach. “I’ve had these rules and this structured behavior that I adhered to. I had to have discipline and order in my life so I could achieve the goals I had set for myself.”

  “Or goals your father had set for you?”

  “Yes.” She pushed her hair behind her ears. “I’ve finally realized that. I was very unhappy and I found that letting down my hair released a whole new me. I think she’s always been there, but I’ve been afraid to let her out because…”

  “You wanted your father’s approval.” He finished the sentence for her.

  “Yes. The Mann situation was the last straw for me. I could see Dad didn’t care about my opinions. I was just a figurehead like my colleagues had whispered behind my back.”

  His forefinger lifted her chin and she stared into the warmest eyes she’d ever seen. “It’s more than that. Under your leadership the Whitten Firm has become a powerful, prestigious law firm.”

  “You think so?” Fishing for compliments wasn’t her thing, but it was pure feminine vanity that made her ask the question.

  “I know so. Grace Whitten is the force behind the success—you’re a lot more than just a figurehead.”

  “You wouldn’t be saying that to have sex with me?” Teasing wasn’t a part of her personality, either, but she had to tease or burst into tears at his praise—something she thought she would never hear from his lips. “Not that you have to do that,” she added quickly. “All you have to do is touch me.”

  His eyes darkened. “And all you have to do is say my name.”

  “Tuck or Jere…” The word was smothered under his mouth. She threw her arms around his neck and the kiss went on and on. She wiggled farther down in the bed to feel his body against hers.

  Sam yelped.

  “Oh, Sam.”

  “He’s fine,” Tuck said, cupping her face and staring into her eyes. “What do you think? Did we do the right thing last night?”

  “Yes. We’re two consenting adults. What happens next is up to us.”

  He needed to hear her say that. In the cool light of day he was having second thoughts. Last night was magical and that wasn’t a word he would normally use. However, magic was a favorite theme of the books Caroline sent to read to Jesse when he kept him. There was power in magic—the power to believe, to believe in love.

  He’d shared more emotions with Grace than he had been willing to share with any other woman. At times he felt vulnerable that she could so easily make him forget his life’s goals. All he wanted was to make love to her. Nothing else mattered.

  This morning everything mattered. He didn’t want a casual relationship with Grace. He wanted a life with her and that frightened him to death.

  She was going through changes and she had her own life to sort out. They had jumped the gun, but he didn’t regret that.

  He stroked her arm. “Do you want to talk about it?”

  She kissed his jaw, his ear and her lips trailed down his neck. “I’d rather not talk at all.”

  “Women always want to talk.” He closed his eyes and savored her lips on his skin.

  “Mmm.” She straddled him and he looked up, her blond hair tickling his face. Her eyes were dreamy, laden with desire. He pulled her down to him and nothing else was said for some time.

  Later they took a shower together and those three magical words were never spoken. She didn’t seem to need them.

  And he wondered why.

  He had never needed to say them before, but he wanted to say them to her. So many things held him back. Their lives and goals were so different. Only time would tell if their feelings were strong enough to sustain a future.

  In the meantime, he would believe in magic.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  “TUCK, ARE YOU AWAKE?” Eli’s voice came from the kitchen. “Can I borrow some milk? I’ll replace it as soon as I get into town.”

  “I may have to change my locks,” Tuck said, reaching for an oversize towel as they stepped out of the shower. He wrapped it around Grace, taking his time. “Damn. I never thought I’d regret having Eli next door.”

  With a hand towel, he towel dried her hair. “I’d better go to the kitchen before he comes back here.” His tongue licked water from her shoulder and she had trouble concentrating. “Do you mind if he knows about us?”

  “Us” sounded almost as good as “I love you”—almost. She swallowed, leaning into him and loving the feel of his wet, naked body. “No, we’re adults, not teenagers.”

  He grinned a gorgeous grin that she was beginning to associate with him. “I feel like a teenager.” His lips caught hers in a slow, lingering kiss.

  “Tuck.�
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  He groaned. “I’ll be right back.” After one more, quick, tantalizing kiss, he did a fast dry-off and hurried into the bedroom. Grace unashamedly watched his long, lean legs and slightly rounded buttocks. He looked as good from the back side as he did from the front.

  Slipping into jeans, he winked at her. “I’ll get rid of him—fast.”

  She strolled into the bedroom and sank onto the bed, feeling warm enough to burst into flames. This was better than anything she’d ever imagined and she hoped they could make the feeling last outside this room.

  Sam crawled into her lap and she stroked him. “You really like this, don’t you?” Sam licked her hand and she resisted the urge to laugh. Here she sat in a rumpled bed holding a dog. Was there something wrong with that picture? Most people would say yes. That wasn’t Grace Whitten.

  But it was. The new Grace Whitten.

  Glancing around, she took in the rustic country bedroom. The wooden engraved headboard was an antique and reached almost to the ceiling. The bed linens were a golden tan, as were the drapes. Simple, neutral colors. There was so much warmth in the room that she could actually feel it.

  A photo of Tuck’s adoptive parents stood on the nightstand. Picking it up, she looked into their faces. The man, tall and lean, had his cowboy hat at a slight angle, a gleam in his eyes. He looked strong, capable and loving. His arm was around the woman, who leaned against him, one hand on his chest. Grace stared into her blue eyes and all she saw was good—a good woman, wife and mother.

  She got up, walking around the room barefoot on the hardwood floor, holding Sam. On the dresser was the photo of Sam and Dee that Caroline had taken. But the photos on the wall were the ones that held her attention.

  Pictures of the Tuckers and their foster children covered almost every inch. Grace could almost pinpoint the before and after photos. The smiling kids had been touched with the Tuckers’ love. The pictures of scowling kids were taken when they had just arrived.