Love in Catalina Cove

by Brenda Jackson

  Mr. Lacroix had been surprised to see her. When she told him that she needed to speak with him about an urgent matter, she figured he assumed it had something to do with the loan for the inn. There was no other reason for her to seek him out. He had invited her inside and after instructing his housekeeper to make sure she was comfortable, he’d gone upstairs to freshen up.

  She glanced around the immaculate room. This was the first time she had ever been inside the Lacroix estate. She remembered those times when Julius would tell her it was more like a museum than a home, and now she could see why. The furniture was antique and probably had been owned by the Lacroix for generations. Even the staircase with its intricate wood carving looked like something out of one of those long ago Southern movies. With a place this huge, it had to be lonely for Mr. Lacroix.

  “Sorry to keep you waiting, Vashti. Would you like something to drink?”

  She turned when Mr. Lacroix came down the stairs. “That’s no problem, and no, I don’t want anything to drink. Thanks for asking. And like I told you outside, I tried calling you before coming over, but I had to see you.”

  “Sorry I missed your calls. Is something wrong?” he asked, sitting on the loveseat across from her.

  She shook her head. “Yes. No. At least I’m praying that it’s not. In fact, I think what I have to tell you is pretty amazing.”

  “Really? What is it?”

  She tried to compose herself before saying. “My parents lied to me sixteen years ago. I didn’t give birth to a boy—I have a girl. Two of them, in fact. And thinking they were doing what was best for me, they put my babies up for adoption without my knowing anything about it.”

  Reid Lacroix stared at her, as if trying to make sense of the words that had spilled out of her mouth. He leaned forward in his seat to give her his absolute attention. “I think you need to start from the beginning,” he said.

  It took her a good thirty minutes to explain everything, starting with what Ms. Gertie had told her and her parents blatant denials. It would have taken less time, but understandably, he had a lot of questions, which she took the time to answer.

  “And your parents admitted to lying when you went to see them?”

  “Partly. They admitted they gave up one baby. I didn’t find out I had twins until today, when the PI I hired told me.”

  “When are you flying to Sacramento?” he asked, not even trying to downplay the excitement in his voice.

  “I’m trying to get a flight out in the morning.”

  “Don’t bother,” Reid said, smiling broadly. “I’ll contact my pilot to have my jet fueled and ready to fly out by eight in the morning. Nothing is going to keep me from seeing my granddaughter. And I intend to get tested as a kidney donor as well.”

  * * *

  SAWYER SAT ON the wooden steps of the boardwalk while waiting for the woman he loved to come home. He had made all the arrangements and Trudy would be staying at his place with Jade, something she usually did whenever he was out of town on business. The older woman preferred his house, saying he had a bigger television with a lot more channels than she could afford, and his kitchen was larger, too. That worked out for him since it meant Jade got to stay at her own house.

  He drew in a deep breath of ocean air. In another hour or so the sun would be going down and from here it was a beautiful sight. For now he was perfectly content watching strands of sunlight spill across the waves of the gulf. In a way he understood Reid Lacroix’s desire to keep parts of the cove natural, uninhabited by outside forces that would eventually destroy the beauty before him.

  “I thought I’d find you out here.”

  He glanced over his shoulder, glad Vashti had returned. He had missed her but knew it was time she told Reid everything. So he’d promised to be here when she returned. As she sank down on the step beside him, he could admit he never thought it would be this way if he ever fell in love again. To love someone to distraction, for their hurt and pain to become yours, and for the desire to make them happy something you constantly thought about.

  “Thanks for being here when I got back.”

  “I told you that I would,” he countered.

  “Yes, but you didn’t have to.”

  Now that’s where she was wrong because he did have to. Loving her the way he did gave him no choice. “How did things go with Reid?”

  “He’s happy and even offered to fly me to Sacramento on his company jet in the morning. He intends to be tested for a donor as well. I did have to warn him that because of the adoptions, our rights to my daughters, his granddaughters, are limited. God, Sawyer, just listen to what I said. My daughters. Can you believe it?”

  Images of her teaching Jade those baton-twirling lessons filtered through his mind. Yes, he could believe it since she’d been a natural with his daughter. “I’m happy for you and I hope things work out the way you want.”

  She leaned into him. “Thanks, Sawyer. I appreciate it.”

  He didn’t want her appreciation. He much preferred her love. “Come on, let’s walk on the beach.”

  After removing their shoes, they stood. She gave him her hand and he tucked it into his as they strolled down the steps toward the gulf. They walked quietly together as his mind was filled with the thoughts that he’d never met anyone as beautiful, both inside and out, as this woman.

  She hadn’t wanted a relationship with him when she’d returned to the cove but when they’d met at every turn, neither could fight the attraction between them that had become so powerful. Something neither of them could deny or ignore. But every time they’d come together he had wanted more, and now that more was eating away at him because he knew he didn’t want to just give her support today, tomorrow and next week. He wanted to be there for her for the rest of his life. For as long as he had breath in his body.

  “You’re quiet, Sawyer. What are you thinking?”

  Maybe now he should be honest and tell her and let the chips fall where they may. But what if those chips, like this beach sand, got swept away? How would he handle it if she wasn’t ready? She was dealing with a lot now already and it wouldn’t be fair to add more to her load. Even if it was a load he would happily help her carry.

  He looked down at her and smiled. “I was trying to imagine what a mini Vashti would look like.”

  “How do you think?”

  “Not sure since I never knew Reid’s son and I’m sure your girls would take on both of your features. But as their mom I would think they were beautiful.”

  She beamed up at him. “Ahh, you say the nicest things.”

  “But then, they would probably easily get into a snip if things don’t go their way.”

  “I don’t easily get into a snip,” she said, before playfully slugging him in the arm.

  “You do to. Trust me I know a snip when I see one. Jade does it as well. She could be your daughter since the two of you have the art of snipism down pat.”

  Vashti threw her head back and laughed. “That’s not true and snipism is not a word.”

  “I’m making it one.”

  They continued walking a bit when Vashti said in a wishful tone, “Where were you years ago when I needed a Sawyer Grisham in my life?”

  He knew he really didn’t have to answer that because they both knew the answer. He’d been married to someone else. “Is it enough that I’m here now?”

  She stopped walking and turned to him. A smile played around the corners of her lips. “Yes. It’s more than enough, Sawyer.”

  There was something in the tone of her voice that touched him deeply. “Come on, let’s head back.”

  “But not before this,” she said, leaning up and placing her lips to his.

  * * *

  VASHTI KNEW SHE wasn’t the expert kisser Sawyer was by any means. But the one thing she did know was that more than tongue movement was going on in th
is kiss. It was filled with something he hadn’t counted on, something he probably didn’t even detect. Love.

  All around her was the sound of the gulf, the gentle tweeting of the birds coming in to roost for the night and the not-so-muted chirping of the crickets in the marshes. But none of that held as much of her attention as the man who was holding her in his arms and allowing her to kiss him the way she wanted.

  She heard his moan and it emboldened her to turn up the heat. His response was automatic and she marveled that she could entice him to desire her this way. Then she felt him, his aroused state pressing against the juncture of her legs. She closed her eyes, loving the feel of his erection pressing against her.

  Vashti felt him cup her backside, deliberately pressing her even more against the rigid swell of his hardness. Then his hand slowly and erotically began moving to touch her in other places. Like snaking his hand beneath her shirt to gently stroke her back, while her mouth mated greedily with his. Primitive urges that she only experienced with him took over her mind and when he hungrily took over the kiss, she let him, savoring his taste.

  He broke off the kiss and she felt naughty and alive. “Tell me, Sheriff. Is it against the law to go skinny-dipping on the beach?”

  He stared at her. The desire in his gaze seemed to flame at her question. “On a public beach, yes. A private one, no.”

  “Just making sure I’m not about to break the law.” And then she began stripping off her clothes.

  * * *

  SAWYER WATCHED HER and was about to stop her and then decided not to. It was now dark and there was no indication of a boat idling out in the gulf. It was just the two of them on this private stretch of beach. He looked at her. She had stripped down to her bra and panties—both resembled a bikini.

  “Are you going to join me?” she asked.

  He realized the craziness of what they were doing. But after today they needed the craziness. She needed the opportunity to let herself go, relinquish her mind and body to sexual desire of the most potent and primitive kind. No telling what the days ahead would mean for her, and he wanted to give her pleasant memories to have when and if she needed them.

  He began removing his clothes and by the time he had tossed aside the last piece she had removed her bra and panties and stood before him naked. Under the light of the stars she looked beautiful. He reached out, wanting to touch her everywhere, starting with her breasts and working his hands all the way down her legs.

  His breathing thickened in his throat when his hand touched her between the legs. The contact was fiery and sent heated lust all through him. No, not heated lust, but sweltering love. Dropping to his knees in the sand he grabbed a hold of her hips, and buried his face between her legs before sliding his tongue inside of her. He knew what he was doing, what he always enjoyed doing, was incredibly intimate.

  He enjoyed loving her this way, branding her his with his mouth and tongue and laying claim to her clit while intentionally driving her wild. It didn’t matter her fingernails were digging deep into his shoulders or that she was pushing the lower part of her body against his mouth for deeper penetration. What mattered was that he wanted to love her this way, while savoring her taste.

  He knew the moment she came and her body gave him even more of what he wanted while jerking hard against his mouth. Tightening his hold on her hips, he held on while his tongue dove even deeper, lapping her more greedily, more intensely. And when she cried out his name he drank in the very essence of her.

  When he finally pulled his tongue out of her and glanced up, he saw half-closed eyes and a satisfied smile on her lips and that did something to him, knowing he was the reason for her state of bliss. He lifted her up in his arms and whispered. “Open your legs and then wrap them around me.”

  The moment she did, he entered her body with his shaft, going deep. Almost pulling out only to thrust in even deeper. Exerting as much strength while firmly planting his feet into the sand for balance, he made love to her hard. He sank deep into her only to pull almost out and then thrust back hard inside of her again. This was a mating of the most intense kind and he refused to let anything stop him. Even the waves of water that began washing against his legs, nearly making him lose balance. Somehow, he held firm and made love to her upright.

  When he felt her inner muscles squeeze him tight, she triggered his explosion and his semen drenched her womb. Too late he recalled what he hadn’t done and the thought they were skin to skin made him ejaculate even more inside of her.

  “I’m so sorry,” he whispered as he eased her down his body to stand back on her feet. “I should have used protection.”

  “I’m glad you didn’t,” she said in a soft voice. “I love the feel of you shooting off inside of me. And like I’ve told you, I’m on birth control. I take injections and I’m safe.”

  She loved the feel of him shooting off inside of her? Wow. “I’m safe as well.”

  With her standing there naked in front of him after having made love to her the way he had, feeling closer to her than he had to any woman in years...possibly ever, he reached out and caressed the side of her face, which caused her to look at him with those beautiful eyes of hers. At that moment his control snapped and his better judgment went north when he whispered, “I love you, Vashti.”

  She froze and for a minute he wondered if he’d made a mistake in confessing his feelings to her. Then she threw herself against him and said, “You don’t know how much I needed to hear that, Sawyer. I love you, too.”

  He pulled back and forced her to look at him. “You love me?” he asked to make sure he had heard her correctly.

  “Yes, with all my heart. And you love me, right?”

  He nodded. “Yes, with all my heart. And you do know that Jade and I come as a package deal?”

  “Yes, and I couldn’t imagine it being any other way. The same holds true with my daughters...although I’m not sure what part, if any, their adoptive parents will let me play in their lives. It doesn’t matter—I still want to think of them as mine.”

  “And they are yours. We will deal with all that when the time comes. The most important thing is to hopefully be able to help the one who needs you the most right now.”

  “Thank you for loving me.”

  “And thank you for loving me.” He let out a laugh, so happy and relieved. “We better redress before our clothes get washed out to the sea,” he said, picking up hers and handing them to her. “Then we’ll shower and make love again before I leave.”

  “Alright.”

  He kissed her again before they got dressed. Then when they had their clothes back on, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders as they walked back to the inn.

  CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

  “YOU’RE NOT HUNGRY?”

  Vashti looked from her plate to Reid Lacroix. The flight from New Orleans to Sacramento was a long one and it seemed as if they’d been in the air for hours. His jet was amazing and the food the attendant had served looked delicious. Only problem was that she was too excited to eat. Jeremy Banks had called her before she’d left Catalina Cove to let her know he would meet her at the hospital. Just the thought that she would come face-to-face with the daughter she’d given birth to had her moving the food around on her plate instead of eating it.

  “I’m too wired up to eat,” she explained.

  “Trust me, I know how you feel. Right now I’m feeling downright ecstatic. However, I have no choice but to eat before taking my medication.”

  He must have seen the questions in her gaze because he explained, “I’ve been on antidepressants for a while now.”

  Probably since losing his son and wife. She recalled he had explained in New York how he’d been consumed by grief and loneliness after losing both his son and wife. She understood even more since visiting him yesterday. His house was huge and he lived in it alone. But she needed to make sure he fully
comprehended what she had told him yesterday and not build up his hopes about anything in Sacramento. Especially when his eyes were brimming with anticipation and eagerness.

  “Mr. Lacroix, you do accept that there’s a chance the adoptive parents only want us to be tested for possible donors and nothing else. For all I know, their daughter might not even know she was adopted and they might want to keep it that way.”

  He nodded slowly. “I hear you, Vashti, but if that’s the case, it will be hard for me not to try and persuade them to allow us to be a part of her life.”

  A part of her was afraid of that. “And if they aren’t easily persuaded?”

  “Let’s just hope that they are. Now if you will excuse me I need to make a few calls to check on things at the plant. I had a management meeting today that I had to cancel.”

  “Alright.”

  Vashti watched him unbuckle his seat belt and walk down the aisle of the spacious jet to the room he told her was his in-flight office. Some things never changed and Reid Lacroix was used to having things his way. Now she was questioning whether she should have told him at all. What had she expected when he’d explained to her that day in New York that family meant everything to him? Now there was a child, two of them, with his blood flowing through their veins. He wouldn’t easily walk away. No, she hadn’t made a mistake in telling him. He’d had a right to know his granddaughters were alive.

  Deciding she needed her strength for whatever came her way later, she stopped toying with her food and began eating. The chicken, rice and gravy were good. She finished then off and then dived into the blueberry pie.

  As she sat alone eating, she could not help but think about last night and the confessions she and Sawyer had made to each other. He loved her and she loved him. She chuckled softly while thinking that they both loved Jade. After making out on the beach they had returned to the inn, showered together and then made love again before he had left. He would be flying into Sacramento tomorrow, and she had given him the name of the hotel where she would be staying. She’d even gone so far as to add his name to the registration just in case she was at the hospital when he got in. That way he would not have a problem getting a key to her hotel room.