The Chauffeur

  I type out a text and send it from James’ phone.

  If you want Kate and Helen, meet them at the Super 8 on Highway 94 toward Gary, tomorrow at four o’clock.

  Their response is eerily quick.

  You be there with them.

  No dice. The search is off for me. I give you Kate and Helen, you call off your dogs.

  Done.

  I laugh at how easily they concede. I can pretty much bank on it that they have no intention of leaving James alone. I show the message to my parents, and we all chuckle as we head for the door, leaving our trio to fight it out amongst themselves.

  “Come on, Jason,” my father says, smacking me on the back. “Let’s go see what your future in-laws are up to besides trying to talk April out of marrying you.” That could be a very real possibility.

  “Not funny, Dad.”

  “Well, maybe I should just have a talk with Tom, then. Man to man, father to father.”

  “Yeah, let’s go!” I say excitedly stopping by the kennel to get Sherry.

  Chapter 29

  ~April~

  “I can’t believe you went through all of that alone, baby,” my mother says, pulling me into her arms. Closing my eyes, I meld into her because she feels so good and smells even better. I didn’t realize how much I missed both my parents, but for some reason, right now I need my mama. I sigh as she pulls me even closer into her arms.

  “I can’t believe it either, but I knew that Jason would find me.”

  “How much of your abduction was due to him, April?” my father asks, his cop nature surfacing.

  “What do you mean?” I ask, pulling out of my mom’s hug to sit up and look at him.

  “I mean, I picked up on a few things that were said last night, and it appears that there’s an angry woman out there who wants revenge. Perhaps you got caught in the middle of it.”

  “Yes, it’s a business matter. Jason and Kathryn were having issues with a deal that went awry,” I explain as best I can without divulging too many details. “She used me as a pawn to get to Jason’s money knowing that he’d pay to get me back, but the Rowes found me.”

  “I just want to know why they never called the police.” Dad leans his elbows on his thighs, waiting for my answer.

  “That, you will have to talk to the Rowes about. I don’t know the workings of why they did what they did. All I know is that I’m very grateful to them.”

  “So, Mom, do you like my apartment?” I ask in a blatant attempt to change the subject. “I fell in love with it when I moved in, but Jason wants me safe in the main house with him and his family after everything that’s happened.”

  “It’s a lovely apartment, April. I can tell that Jason and his family love you very much,” Mom answers. “So, do I get to help plan your wedding? Where will it be? Have you set a date yet?” I laugh at her contagious excitement.

  “We haven’t had a chance to make any plans yet. He only just asked me. Once we work it out, you will be the first to know, all right?” I say, kissing her cheek. “Now, let’s go over to the house because he’ll be home for lunch with his parents. Then I think Carl and Grace want to take you both out sightseeing for the afternoon.” I move to get up when my father speaks.

  “Are you sure about this, April? I mean, you can always come home. You can have your baby in Seattle, and we can help you raise it and—and I think there’s an opening at the high school where you can teach, right Maria?” His face brightens. “I’ll even add onto the house if you want. I’ll put an apartment over the garage for you and the baby.” He’s so excited by the idea that he even had me going for a minute.

  “Daddy, that sounds wonderful, except for one thing. I’m in love with Jason, and my place is with him. If I disappeared again, he’d come after his child and me.” I wrap my arms around his waist and hold him tight.

  “I just want to make sure you know what you’re doing and that you’re happy, sweetheart. This just seems sudden to us,” Dad says, sounding somber.

  “I guess it is, Daddy. I mean, it’s only been a few months, but what can I say? I love him.”

  “How could you allow yourself to get pregnant, though, sweetheart?” my mom asks, taking my hand in hers. When she gets a good look at my engagement ring, she nearly screams. “Holy Jesus, April. Look at that ring!”

  “Isn’t it beautiful? It was his grandmother’s” I ask, holding my hand in front of my face to admire it.

  “Come on, let’s go meet his parents for lunch.” I jump up and head for the door.

  ~.~

  “Tom, I thought you and I could catch a Cubs game, eat junk food and drink overpriced cheap beer while the girls go do whatever girls do,” Carl suggests with a sly grin at Grace.

  “Wow, a Cubs game? Really? That’s fantastic. What are you girls going to do, then?” Tom asks, clapping and rubbing his hands together while looking at my mom and Grace.

  “Well,” Grace says excitedly, “let’s go into town, Maria. We can go shopping to get ideas for the wedding, and then go to dinner and take in a show. Oh, and I want to plan an engagement party for this Saturday night.”

  “That sounds fantastic, Grace,” my mom says, catching the wave of Grace’s excitement. “A party!” I smile at my mother knowing she doesn’t get to go to many parties. Maybe I can treat her to a new dress for the event.

  “April, would you call your friend, Sam, and ask if he’ll be our driver for tonight?” Grace asks, finishing her lunch.

  “Sure, I’ll call him right away,” I reply, pushing away from the table. I bend to kiss Jason’s brow. “Be right back,” I whisper against his skin.

  Once enter the library for a place of privacy and phone Sam. When he answers, he’s beyond shocked to hear my voice.

  “Oh, fuck, April. I about died seeing your name come up on my phone! Are you all right? Why didn’t anyone tell me you got away from that scum?”

  “Oh, Sam, I’m so sorry. I only just got home yesterday, and then my parents got here and with the engagement and the news of the baby and everything—”

  “Wait … what? Engagement? Baby? What the hell, April!” he shouts. “I’m the last one to know, aren’t I? I’m crushed.”

  “Sam, please, sweetie. It’s only been a day, and I’m telling you now. I love you, and you know it. Sue doesn’t even know yet. You have no idea what’s been going on around here.”

  “I bet Emily knows, doesn’t she?”

  “Well, yes, but that’s because she’s with Kyle and Mrs. Rowe had a dinner last night. Why don’t we meet for lunch this week, and I’ll tell you everything? Just you and me.”

  “You better, April.”

  “Hey, how are you and Sue doing? Everything still good there?” I ask hoping he has found his person.

  “April, I don’t know how I’ve gone this long without her. She’s a beautiful woman, and I thank you for bringing her into my life. I’m considering asking her to move in with me, what do you think?”

  “If that’s what your heart wants, Sam, I will support you, you know that.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Hey, I have a favor to ask,” I say, getting to the purpose of my call. “Grace and my mother will be going out this afternoon and evening, and she’s asking that you drive her. Are you available?”

  “Absolutely. I could use the gig. With James gone, I’m not even sure who’s running the ship these days. He’s been away for about four days now, and his assistant has been doing a pretty good job with the schedule, but man, I wish he had told us he was going on vacation, you know?”

  “Okay, I’ll let you know what time to pick up the ladies as soon as I find out, and Sam, it’s good to talk to you again. I’ll call you about that lunch, okay?”

  “I’m glad you’re safe, doll. You sound good. A baby, eh?”

  “Yep. Can you believe it? We’ll talk.”

  Once all the arrangements are made, I revel in the feel of Jason’s arms coming around me.

  “Hey,” he whispers in my
ear. “Once we get rid of the kids, why don’t you and I take a little nap?”

  I look up at him and an expression I haven’t seen in days comes over his face. The next thing I know, my bits are on full alert.

  “Sure, I could use a nap,” I say, feigning a yawn.

  “Oh, thank God,” he says, exhaling deeply. “I’ve missed you so much, and I don’t think it’s possible for me to keep my hands off you any longer.”

  He slowly turns me in his arms, and his hands slide up into my hair. I get goose bumps when he rakes his nails over my scalp, fisting my hair by the roots, gently tugging, then bringing my lips to his.

  “I’ve wanted to do this all day.”

  My body responds to his as easy as it is to breathe. I rake my hands up his back while he continues to massage my scalp and his lips lazily graze over mine.

  “I need you,” he says into my neck as his hips press into mine.

  I reciprocate and press my hips into the hardness of him.

  “If you don’t stop that, I’m going to take you right here against this wall, and you know I’m not kidding,” he growls, crushing his mouth to mine again in a gut searing kiss.

  “Um … April?” My father clears his throat. I feel Jason tense, and he says a quiet expletive against my lips. He lowers his brow to mine and lets out a deep sigh, then stands straight, squaring his shoulders. After he aims his lust-filled eyes into mine, he lowers his lips for a lingering kiss, then reluctantly turns and walks away, leaving me with my father.

  “Daddy,” I answer, haphazardly trying to fix my hair, which doubtless now looks like I just crawled out of bed.

  “Grace and your mother are waiting for you to discuss the engagement party. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything,” he says with a hint of sarcasm.

  “You know you did, Daddy, there’s no need to play coy,” I say, standing on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek, then turn to head back to the dining room. Grace and my mother’s heads are together as they make their lists.

  “Oh, there you are, April,” Grace says with a wink. I feel the blush immediately. Nothing gets past Grace Rowe. “Your mother and I are making the invitation list for the party this Saturday. Is there anyone you want to invite, other than your regular group of friends, I mean?”

  “Let’s see … Adam, Emily, and Sam are the usual suspects. We can’t forget Paul. Oh, we should invite Clay since Sue and Emily will be there. Other than that, I’m good. Grace, how are you going to get the invitations out this close to Saturday?”

  “E-vite, April. It’s the best. We’re only inviting close family and friends, so it’s not going to be an overly huge party, but there will still be close to one hundred people—Jason has a lot of friends,” she says concentrating on what looks to be a pre-printed list. Leave it to Grace to have an invitation list at the ready.

  “Tom and I are heading out, ladies.”

  “You boys go ahead. And don’t wait up for us, we’ll be out late, all right?” my future mother-in-law mutters as she peruses the list again.

  I look up at Jason, both of us anxious for them to leave. Taking hold of my hand, he runs his thumb over the back of it, and my body reacts again to his light touch. When he raises my hand to his lips and kisses my engagement ring, I know he’s thinking about our future together.

  “So, when do you want to get married?” he whispers.

  “I don’t know, when do you want to get married?”

  “Right now,” he replies before we hear a scream from across the table.

  “No!” Grace’s eyes are about to bulge out of her head.

  “Jason! You will not elope, do you hear me? Need I remind you what happens when I get angry?”

  Jason laughs and says, “No, Mother, you don’t need to remind me. I was just telling my fiancée here that I would marry her in a heartbeat. We wouldn’t think of depriving you of your wedding, would we April?” I shake my head profusely, not wanting to see the wrath that is Grace.

  Once our parents finally leave, Jason scoops me into his arms, rushes upstairs to our room, and gently lowers my feet to the plush carpet.

  “I’ve been dreaming about this. Just to hold you in my arms again, to have you near me, and feel the sensations that run through my body when you kiss me,” he whispers in my ear, sending glorious chills of desire throughout my body.

  “Touch me, Jason. I need to feel you against me.” He takes the hem of my shirt and lifts it off my body, and in no time at all, my bra is gone, too.

  He drops to his knees and pulls me into him where he lies his cheek against my stomach. I feel his fingers work their way to the zipper of my jeans as he lowers them down my legs.

  “Hello, Baby Rowe,” he says. “I want you to know how much I love you and your mommy.” He kisses my stomach and continues. “I can’t wait to meet you, but right now, I’m going to show your mother how much I love her.” While he’s talking to our baby, he slips his fingers beneath the small string of material around my hips.

  “Lucky panties,” he says, kissing me on my hip just before he removes them from my body.

  “Oh,” I moan, throwing my head back when I feel his mouth touch the apex of my legs.

  “Open for me, baby. I want to taste you.” Like lightening, his tongue slips inside.

  I lift one foot onto the bed, opening myself to him and his talented mouth.

  “Oh, god, Jason.” My body shudders, and I’m barely able to stand on my one foot.

  “Come on, baby,” he begs, his fingertips moving over me as he speaks.

  I rock my hips against his mouth. “God, your good!”

  As soon as the words are out of my mouth, his hands clamp onto my hips, holding me to him while his tongue rakes over me again and again, making me forget my name.

  “Shit … oh … fuck,” I cry into the air, praying no one in the house can hear me.

  Jason’s mouth never leaves me until I am completely sated. As soon as my brain recovers, he lifts me onto the bed, and then like Superman, rips his shirt open. I cover my mouth and laugh as he hurriedly drops his jeans to the floor, hopping around the room as he loses his balance in a futile attempt to remove his pants from his feet. All this while his very hard cock flops and bounces against his stomach.

  “Come here, baby. Let me help you,” I say getting up to help.

  “You,” he says pointing at me while kicking his pants off, “will remain exactly as you are!”

  I lie back and remain a dedicated audience participant to this amazing strip show.

  “Has anyone ever told you that you have a magnificent cock?”

  “Why, no, never. Describe it to me,” he asks, walking closer to the bed. I sit up to get a better look.

  “It’s so thick and straight, and I just want to touch it. I want to taste it.” I reach out, running my fingers over the length of him, feeling the soft hardness of it.

  He steps closer to the edge of the bed making my task easier. I wrap my fist around it and hear the low rumble in his chest when I stroke him from base to tip. He slowly crawls onto the bed, kneeling over me.

  “That feels good, baby.” He straddles my hips, watching my hands touch him. “You keep that up, and you’re going to have me coming all over you in a minute.” His hungry eyes look down into mine while he gently thrusts his hips, growling when I tighten my grip on him.

  Releasing him, I bring his mouth to mine. “Are you going to make love to me now, Jason?”

  “No. I’m going to fuck you first,” he says thrusting his cock inside me before I can blink. I gasp at the force of it … of the wonderfulness of it.

  “Ah, that feels so good,” I say, trying to keep my eyes from rolling into the back of my brain.

  “Fuck, this isn’t going to take long,” he growls, grunting into my mouth as I meet his quick thrusts with my own.

  “I can’t wait.” I lift my head and watch him move inside me. Wrapping my legs around his waist, I try to bring him deeper. We both move with a fervor that has the bed rocking ag
ainst the wall.

  “Now, baby—right—now!” He rolls his hips, sliding his shaft up and over me as we both explode simultaneously.

  “Holy shit,” he pants, dropping down on top of me. I clamp my hands over his back in an attempt to hold him to me knowing how close I came to never experiencing this again.

  “I know, huh?” I reply with equal amazement.

  “You will never leave me again, okay? he chokes out, and then I hear a tearful sniff.

  “Never. Never again,” I promise, holding onto him tight.

  ~.~

  The rest of the week is spent quietly with my parents and Jason’s family. He never leaves my side. I’m in awe of Rita as she single-handedly prepares everything for the party, not allowing anyone to help her.

  I’m in the kitchen gushing over the hors d'oeuvres when the mothers walk in, excited and giggling to each other.

  “April, can you come with us? I have something to show you,” Grace says, beaming her beautiful smile at me, tucking my arm through hers.

  “Okay,” I say, looking at them warily. “What’s going on?”

  “I just want to show you something,” she repeats.

  Once we arrive in her bedroom, a room that’s masculine but beautiful all the same, I look around in awe.

  “Here. I want you to see if this fits you,” she says holding out a white garment bag.

  “What is it?” I ask, taking the bag from her and laying it on the bed. I find the most gorgeous, vintage black cocktail dress inside.

  “It’s the same dress I wore to my engagement party. I thought it would be fun if you wore it to yours.”

  “Oh, Grace, it’s stunning. Are you sure? Do you think it will fit?”

  “Yes, your mother and I had it sized to one of the dresses in your closet.” Grace has her fingertips to her mouth, eager for me to try it on.

  “Go. Go into my dressing room and put it on,” she says, nudging me toward the door.

  I giggle, nearly running into the dressing room, remove my Capri’s and tank top, then step into the black lace concoction. I zip it up as far as I can, not believing how perfectly it fits, do a pirouette in front of the mirror and skip out to show the mothers how it looks.