by Lara Sweety
Jake fixed his gaze on her, trying to calm her, his tone was calm and cool, “Laurel, sweetheart, I brought you here to keep you safe. I can’t tell you any more than what you already know. It’s being investigated. Why don’t you girls just leave this to us, okay? Relax and have a little fun maybe?” Jake was grasping at straws. Shutting these two down was going to be a challenge. Laurel and Jen gave each other a surprised look and then stared at Jake with an incredulous stare that was mixed with disgust and disbelief.
Laurel turned away from Jake; “I’m not your sweetheart and....” Laurel took a huge breath and turned to go, looking somewhat defeated. “Never mind, it’s not worth it.” She started out the door, barely hearing Jake.
“Damn it, Laurel. Just give it a rest for a couple of days!” Jake’s frustration surfaced. He wanted to focus on solving the problem of her safety, so he could get on with solving the problem of the rest of their lives. He hadn’t loved her this long to give up now.
Chapter 23
“We’ll be leaving on Sunday,” Jake announced at dinner. “We have to get back to Missouri to finish Operation FarmGirl,” he grinned at Laurel. “Everyone will either be a guard or be heavily guarded.” Chuckles came from the men.
“I believe we can eliminate the threat very quickly.”
“Eliminate?” Laurel wasn’t into shooting people, only deer and the occasional coyote.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart. You won’t be armed.” Jake told her, sipping his wine.
“Bullshit! I’ll be unarmed when you pry my .45 Peacemaker out of my cold, dead fingers.” Laurel didn’t mind being looked after, but to hell if she’d be unarmed. If she was in danger, she sure didn’t want to run around without a side arm, which she carried quite a bit anyway. “Do I really need to remind you I am a pretty decent marksman and have the trophies to prove it? Sure you can duck fast, but come on!”
Even Jen had to grin at that one. The guys all had a good laugh.
“We’ll talk about that later, Annie Oakley.” Jake smirked at her. “In the meantime, I’m hosting a party tomorrow evening. Saturday everyone needs to spend their final R&R, Sunday morning, we head for the lower forty-eight.”
“Here, here!” Adam toasted getting back home. Fists pounded the table and glasses clinked in agreement, acknowledging that it was good to get away, but better to go back home.
Jess stared at Jen. “Where is Jen going?” He had thought out loud.
Shannon frowned and glared at her.
A few subdued chuckles were stopped short when Adam’s eyes darkened and his jaw clenched. What the hell did Jess care? Adam’s attention to Jen had not gone unnoticed.
Laurel didn’t hesitate leveling her directive, “Jen is coming back to the farm with me. She can live there while we solve this mess. I need some help and she needs you guys to keep an eye on her. So there—it’s settled.”
Jen’s jaw dropped and she gave Laurel an incredulous smirk. “You’re serious?”
“Yes. Dead.” Laurel was firm. Oh’s and Ah’s and Oh wow’s came from the group followed by chuckles. Laurel was used to getting what she wanted.
Jake nodded in agreement. The he leveled a look at Adam and Jess. The last thing he needed was a couple of his SEAL team platoon fighting over a female subject of a mission, set aside that the men were his sons. It had been hard enough to get them here together so he could keep an eye on them; he didn’t need them distracted.
When Friday rolled around, Jen and Laurel hadn’t gotten any farther in their case connections, but they had shared a lot more of their lives with each other. Jen was starting to relax, accepting her temporary circumstances, and Laurel was enjoying the female company she rarely had back home.
“It has been a while since I’ve been out of the city, Laurel. I don’t know what I will do with my time. I think I’m going to be bored to death.”
“No, that won’t happen, besides, Jake was going to tell you that you have to come anyway. I’ll teach you to ride. You can help me halter break the babies. I want to redo my bedroom, I’m sure the grass needs cut. You can look for a job; I’m betting the state needs an investigator. You can....”
Jen was giggling like a girl at a middle school slumber party. “Good grief, it’s been a while since someone tried to plan my life for me.” Jen knew Laurel meant well, but it was a little overwhelming.
“Oh—sorry.” Laurel had a sheepish look on her face like a mother that had over stepped her bounds. “I guess I’m just so starved for some female company. Mom is getting on, and I don’t see her too often. Grams has been gone a long time. I really miss her. Addy is in the city at the restaurant all the time and Shannon is finishing school. You and I just seem to mesh. I have friends that I adore, but I don’t have a reason to make them come live on the farm with me!” Laurel laughed in mock triumph.
“It’s okay. I have no friends outside of work and don’t see my parents that often. It has been nice to get to know you. I think I’m looking forward to going to the farm, actually. Hope we don’t get our heads shot off, though.” Jen adjusted comfortably in her beach chair. “At least I get to go back to Missouri with a tan!”
Chapter 24
Torches were lit between trees circling out to the beach. The flickering light warmed the sand to a soft gold. A light breeze waved the trees in a dance only an island palm could do. White chairs circled tables on a flat knoll that rose before the beach fell off to the water. Tablecloths fluttered in the wind, like white flags, under tropical hues of peach, pink, and deep, brilliant green that bubbled up as happy centerpieces. Candles lit the tables, calling partiers with flickering fingers of light. Intoxicating smells of smoked meat and other dishes enticed noses to follow a path to the party. Gathering with drinks in hand, guests soaked up the atmosphere, and conversations began to rumble with laughter.
“Please, everyone, enjoy the party.” Raising his glass, he toasted, “To successful missions, to friends, to family, to love!” Jake could hear clanking glasses, but it faded around him as he found her on the edge of the group. He sucked in a long breath—so beautiful.
Laurel had tried. She wasn’t sure why, but she tried to look her best. She knew he’d picked the dress that she had on. Ocean blue, cool cotton with a deep V in the front, sheer cap sleeves and a flared skirt; it showed off her best assets. She’d curled her hair and pulled it to the top of the back of her head, letting it fall in graceful wisps on her neck. The right touch of blush to her high cheekbones and a smoky eye treatment had her doing a double take in the mirror. “Not bad for over forty,” she’d smiled to herself.
Laurel sat with Ben and Ellia for dinner. She hadn’t seen them in quite a while. He was in Virginia most of the time, so it was nice to catch up. Ben was normally fairly quiet. Glad to see old friends, he had been talkative at dinner. Succulent roast pork, fresh steamed vegetables, and mounds of fresh fruit made mouths water and quieted the group temporarily as dinner was served. At some point, her gaze wandered in between the couple in front of her to the familiar man a table away.
What in the world, was she getting herself in to? Wasn’t he just an old flame? She’d had the love of her life—could she have another? Why hadn’t he been around after Jahn died? Why did he still call her sweetheart after all this time? Too many questions banged around in her head. She sucked down her drink.
“Laurel, are you okay?” Ben had noticed the vacant look on her face.
“Yeah. Sorry. It’s just all been a little much, you know? Like some crazy-ass, fairy tale adventure. Who would believe I wound up at the center of some mission, whisked out of the top of a building in the middle of down town St. Louis to be brought to some island in the Caribbean? Seriously, who can I tell this story to anyway? I mean I know stuff like this goes on. We don’t see it. They don’t call it a secret mission for nothing, right?” They laughed together, but she started to get the feeling that this was something much bigger than Jake trying to protect an old flame.
Laurel moved away a
little to get a breather. The events of the past several days were becoming too intense—overwhelming. She wasn’t alone, she knew; she’d spotted heavily armed guard all over the place, boats floating with guard. She had even seen a group snorkeling not far off shore. Her powers of observation were pretty good, she thought, even without SEAL training. Laurel snickered. She wondered when it would all end.
When Jake found her later, the drinks were starting to take their toll. “Hey, sweetheart, what are you doing out here alone? Maybe we ought to get you some water.” Laurel had been walking down the beach deep in thought.
Jake. She had noticed him coming up behind her. His presence alone heated her, and she couldn’t deny that her traitorous body wanted him close, very close, although her mind told her no. She turned her head over her bare shoulder and nodded to Jake, “Yes, some water,” she said handing him her drink. She drew in a breath not knowing if she wanted to laugh or cry.
When Jake returned with the water, he slipped an arm around her to place the water in her hand. She didn’t move away this time. “Laurel?”
“Yes, Jake?” Maybe it was time for her to listen to him.
“If life had not stepped between us back then—no baby, no stupid decisions, just us, would you have married me like we had planned?”
“In a heartbeat.” Laurel meant it. She’d been very much in love with him.
“Would you marry me now?” Jake wasn’t fooling around. Yes, he’d made some mistakes that put a lot of time between them, but he had a lot of love left to give her.
“No—yes. Maybe. I don’t know, Jake.” She groaned. Laurel was confused, but no longer wanted to fight the idea of being with Jake.
He let out a long sigh and pulled her back to rest against him, burying his face in her hair. She smelled fantastic. He’d have tossed her on the sand and made love to her right there—if she’d let him and there wasn’t a party over his shoulder.
Laurel had questions for him and it was time they were answered. “Why didn’t you come around? After Jahn?”
“I gave you time at first. You always seemed busy when I was home after that, gone to cutting competitions or selling show horse prospects. I did come to say hello a couple of times, and you were gone. The Navy has been my life and I had a lot under my command at the time. There was someone for a while, but it didn’t work out. Probably because I couldn’t commit to her. I kept thinking of you. I’ve thought of you every—single—day, Laurel.”
“What if I can’t commit? What if you find out you don’t want me? What then?”
“Laurel, I’ll take what you offer. I have a life to finish living, and I want to live it with you. If all I get to do is protect you and make sure you’re happy with someone else, it will kill me, but I’ll do it.” Jake reached to turn her to face him, glad he was finally able to really talk to her. “Give me a chance Laurel, a second chance. I will want you, I do want you, let me show you how good I can be to you.”
“I’m not eighteen anymore, Jake. I’ve had three babies. I’m a little rounder than I used to be. I’m forty-six, for God’s sake. I’m different too—not as sweet, a little rougher, and jaded. You wouldn’t get what you got then. I don’t know if I could deal with it if you walked away again. I’m not sure if I want to put myself in the position to find out if you will. You scare the hell out of me, Jake. I’m just not sure if my heart can stand being broke again.”
“I’m sorry for what I put you though.” He looked into her eyes, wanting her to see him, to know he was telling the truth. “Why would I not want you? You think I’m any different, I’m your age and not perfect—that’s life. Does it mean we would appreciate each other any less? Do you think I’ll touch you any differently or find you less beautiful?”
“I don’t know. You look incredible to me, I don’t know if I’m going to be....”
“Let me show you the man I am.”
He had taken a chance; one he’d wanted to take for a long time. He’d laid it all on the line for her. He’d said more words in the last week than in a very long time and was anxious to show her. Taking a breath, he slid his arms around her waist, turning her and pulled her into him. She didn’t resist.
Was she tough enough to handle this? Why couldn’t she brush him off, resist him? Did she really want to risk everything again?
“Wait a minute, back up. Did you just say I looked incredible?” Jake grinned down at Laurel. That was certainly a start.
She raised her eyes to him. Nearly raven hair that now sported a strong filtering of silver, crystal blue eyes that pierced her soul, a strong jaw, a smile that melted her, Jake LeGrande was a beautiful man. She looked down at his chest, still pretty damn fit and broad. Oh, how she loved big men. How was she going to be enough for him though?
“You don’t know if you are going to be what, Laurel? Enough for me, is that what you are thinking? Sweetheart, you’ll always be enough for me, more than enough.” Taking another chance, he bent to kiss her.
She was tired of fighting her feelings for him; she didn’t stop him. It was a long, slow searching kiss.
When he stopped, he looked at her, her sweet lips said she wanted more, but he wanted to see it in her eyes. The spark he saw was tentative, but she reached toward him for another kiss and he followed her lead. He cupped her face gently in his hands. Stroking her soft cheeks with his thumbs, he bent to meet her again.
His lips were strong on hers, yet soft, sweet, wet. His tongue flicked at her lips asking for entrance; she gave it to him, allowing him that intimacy. He tasted so good to her. They traded teasing flicks of tongues. He kissed her lips once more and then trailed to her jaw. No longer able to keep her arousal in check, Laurel moaned as she stepped against him, his hands on her hips, her legs straddling his thigh. Jake felt the brush of her against him and closed his eyes slipping into a world where only the two of them existed. He breathed her in.
He pushed away gently. Still holding her face, he searched her gaze. She saw that he bore a smile of pained pleasure. He spun her around, pulling her back to nestle against him. His breath hitched as her rear grazed against the front of his slacks. She gasped to feel the erection she’d caused—strong, so strong, pushing hard against her. Laurel grasped his hands, which rode low on her hips.
She chuckled a little low, throaty laugh, turning her head over her shoulder, “Looks like you have a problem there, soldier.” She wiggled gently against him, “So I still do that to you?”
Jake leaned to her ear and drew her up close, closing his arms around her, “Stop, before I throw you to the sand and take you here in front of God and everybody.” Her head turned over her shoulder; he captured her lips once more, softly, and then threw his head back and laughed.
“You’re still Laurel. Don’t ever change, sweetheart, you are spectacular.” He held her for a moment more and listened behind him. Catcalls, whoops, and hollers were now interrupting their embrace. “Walk with me to the water so I can return to the party without getting, umm...noticed.” He chuckled. They separated and walked side-by-side to the water, slipping off their shoes, stepping in to cool their feet and distract their minds.
Returning, he had the same dilemma, “Hey, walk beside me would you? If you walk in front of me, I’m going to be in trouble again.” The CO rejoining the party with a raging hard-on would not be good, they agreed, and the two shared a laugh before returning to the group.
__________________________
Several of the party crowd had spied Jake and Laurel down the beach. After a little harassment, they left them alone, not really wanting to interrupt.
Sharing a story and a drink without Jen Delaney between them at the time, Jess and Adam enjoyed the moment. They were shooting the breeze, relaxing as friends and brothers. “Do you think they’ll figure it out?” Jess questioned. He really wanted his father to be happy after going through life alone for so long.
“I hope so. I just want to see them enjoy the rest of their lives,” Adam replied. “You reali
ze a family reunion is going to be a little weird though, right? Mr. Doe, please meet my friend’s mother, my friend is also my brother, and my friend’s dad is my mother’s husband. However, my dad is not her husband, but my father is.” The two laughed heartily, shared a guy-style, backslapping hug, and studied the couple once more.
A girly giggle interrupted them. “Jess! Jesse James LeGrande, how are you?!” Only one person was ever allowed to call him that and get away with it. He picked her up in a big hug.
“Hey sweet pea, how are you? I haven’t had the chance to spend much time with you the last several days, sorry.” Jess grinned at Shannon MacClain and then bustled her into another huge hug, picking her up, her toes dangling in the sand. He’d been friends with Shannon as long as he could remember.
Adam grumbled for Jess to put her down, kissed his baby sister on the cheek, hugged her, and then walked away to visit with other guests. Once Jess and Shannon were together, he could rarely get a word in edgewise. If anyone needed to get a room, it was the two of them. He chuckled to himself thinking how weird it would be for his brother to be his brother-in-law and wondering if the two would get together. If Jess was in love with Shannon, why was he interested in Jen? He’d watched Jess trail Shannon around like a lost puppy for years. He shook his head a little confused.
“Wow, you look great, Shannon!” Jess had tried not to watch her bountiful chest jiggle inside her party dress as she had bounced in her greeting. He wondered if she meant as much to her “friends” as she did to him. It just wasn’t fair to have something so fantastic dangled in front of him not be able to have it. Shannon was who he wanted, who he dreamed about, and who wasn’t available.
“Thanks Jess. I didn’t figure you ever noticed.” She did a girly flip of her hair and tucked her head to her shoulder in a flirty giggle, teasing him.