“No need for you to stay,” he told Jacob.
“I don’t mind.”
“I’ll be there before he wakes up. You go on, see that son of yours and get some rest. You must be exhausted.”
Jacob was. The emotional strain had taken more out of him than the physical one. “Thanks, Brock. Daniel will feel better knowing he’s getting out of the hospital right away.”
Jacob obeyed the doctor’s orders and kept his visit with his brother brief. Just long enough to assure himself Daniel was all right. At least, he would be all right after possible shoulder surgery and months of physical therapy.
Heading toward the exit, he debated between calling a friend or taxi service for a ride back to the rodeo grounds or getting a room at a nearby hotel and meeting Brock in the morning.
Except all he wanted was to go home and see Mariana and Cody. The need was an ache lodged deep inside his chest.
As if his thoughts had conjured her, she appeared before him, walking briskly through the hospital’s large double doors.
Grinding to a halt, he stared, surprised and enormously pleased. Without thinking about it, he pulled her into a fierce hug. “What are you doing here? Amarillo is two hours away.”
“I was worried. You sounded bad on the phone. How’s Daniel?”
“Resting.” He released her. Reluctantly. She’d driven all this way just because he’d sounded bad on the phone. “For now.”
“Tell me the details in the car.”
“Car?”
“I came here to drive you home.”
She’d done that for him? Jacob tried to speak but found the emotions of the past several hours catching up with him and making speech difficult.
“Okay,” he finally managed.
Talking about the accident drained him even further. Thirty minutes into the ride, Jacob leaned his seat back and closed his eyes. The last thing he remembered was Mariana reaching over and squeezing his hand.
Chapter Eleven “Jacob, we’re here.”
At the sound of Mariana’s voice, he roused himself. They were home, parked in the driveway next to the nanny’s car. A glance at the clock on the Infiniti’s dash told him better than ninety minutes had come and gone. He must have been tired. Normally, he couldn’t sleep in moving vehicles.
“Okay, okay.” He sat up and shoved his fingers through his hair, realizing his hat wasn’t on his head. It had fallen into the backseat. He reached behind him and retrieved it.
They walked side by side up to the house. This time, she was the one who put a hand in the center of his back to steady him. An overjoyed Buster greeted them as if they’d been gone a month.
While Mariana spoke to Simone—Cody was fast asleep and had been an angel all day—Jacob took Buster outside and called the hospital. The nurse on duty assured him Daniel was resting as comfortably as possible. Next, he listened to his voice mail messages. Evidently his phone had gone off a few times while he’d slept. The last message was from Brock, confirming that he and Jet would be at the hospital by 7:00 a.m.
“Thank goodness she was willing to stay late,” he said when Simone had left. “I’m not sure what we’d do without her.”
“I know.” Mariana stood in the hall. Lifting her long auburn hair with one hand, she rubbed the back of her neck with the other.
Did she have any idea how incredibly sexy she looked? Jacob had to turn away, afraid the desire coursing through him was reflected in his eyes.
“You should go to bed.”
His head snapped around at her remark. For a moment, he thought she’d said something entirely different.
This had to stop or he’d drive himself crazy.
“Don’t you have to be up early?” he asked.
“Yeah.” She shook her loose hair, also incredibly sexy. “See you in the morning.”
It almost sounded as if she didn’t want to retire yet. That, or his imagination was working overtime.
Jacob had to get out of there. Before he did something he shouldn’t. Like take her in his arms, then take her to bed. “Thanks again for coming to get me. It meant a lot.”
She smiled shyly. “I’d like to think we’re friends.”
He probably shouldn’t say it, but he did. “I’d like to think we’re more than friends.”
“We are. We’re parenting our son together.”
“Right.” What had he expected? For her to throw herself at him? Not Mariana. Even if she was experiencing the same feelings as him, which he truly believed, she wasn’t a throw-herself-at-a-guy kind of gal. “’Night.”
Jacob didn’t head straight to bed. His lengthy snooze on the ride home had taken the edge off his exhaustion. Instead, he hit the shower, the hot water soothing his aching muscles. Even then, sleep eluded him.
He worried about Daniel and the long road to recovery his brother faced. He thought about Brock and the generous offer to pick up Daniel and fly him home. That was something a father would do for his son and the first selfless gesture Brock had made to either Jacob or Daniel in a long, long while. Jacob also thought about Starr Solar Systems. His buddy Keith had texted earlier and let Jacob know he’d won the gold buckle in bull riding.
That left one more rodeo, one more weekend, and Jacob’s dream would become a reality.
Mostly, he thought about Mariana. She’d reiterated on numerous occasions that he wasn’t her type. That she didn’t trust him or his attraction to her, convinced he was confusing their comfortable living arrangement with affection.
A noise from across the hall had him jerking upright in bed. Cody was awake and crying. Within seconds, Mariana could be heard comforting him. Jacob swung his feet onto the floor and grabbed a pair of sweatpants to cover his boxer briefs. By the time he reached the hall, Buster on his heels, Mariana had taken Cody into the family room.
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
“I don’t think so.” She balanced Cody on her lap and stroked his hair. “He just woke up crying. His diaper was wet. That might have been the reason.” She pressed the back of her hand against his forehead. “He doesn’t seem to have a fever.”
Jacob went into the kitchen and heated some milk in the microwave. Pouring it into one of Cody’s sippy cups, he took the milk to Mariana.
“Try this. My mom used to give me and Daniel warm milk when we were little. She swore by it.”
Though Jacob had been careful when heating the milk, Mariana tested the temperature anyway. Cody eagerly accepted the cup and drank lustily.
“Maybe he was just thirsty.” She studied him. “This parenting stuff has a pretty steep learning curve.”
“You’ll get the hang of it. We both will.” Jacob sat beside her. “Just takes practice.”
“I’ll have that, won’t I? More practice.” She gazed worriedly at him.
“Why wouldn’t you?”
“I’m moving out soon.”
“Don’t remind me.”
She returned her attention to Cody, brushing the hair from his face. He was nearly done with the milk and already his eyelids were drooping.
“The case is heating up. Molinas’s attorneys have made a settlement offer. It’s appallingly low, naturally. But they’ve so far refused to consider settling, so this is a step in the right direction. My boss is expecting everyone on the team to put in whatever hours are necessary. I’d rather not uproot again if I can help it.”
Work, and her possible promotion, was the only reason she’d consider remaining here. Not him. Jacob kept his disappointment to himself. “Then don’t uproot yourself. Stay as long as you like.”
It might have been the milk, or the sound of his parents talking in murmurs, but a minute later Cody had drifted off.
“I’ll put him to bed.” Mariana stood. Cody made small sounds of protest at being disturbed but didn’t wake.
Jacob waited in the doorway to her room and watched her lay Cody in his crib. The glow from a teddy bear night-light was the only illumination. It softened Mariana’s f
eatures, turning her from pretty to beautiful.
She caught him staring at her. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Simply enjoying the view.”
He hadn’t intended to be so direct. Neither did he regret it.
She touched her hair self-consciously. “I’m a mess. It’s been a long day.”
“You always look great.”
Giving Cody’s back a last tender pat, she stepped away from the crib. “Even though you’re lying, I’ll say thank you.”
“When I was at the hospital today with Daniel, once I knew he was going to be all right, all I could think about was coming home. To Cody, but also to you. You’re not just my houseguest, Mariana. You’re not just my son’s aunt. You’re the woman who drives me crazy with the delicious way she smells and the lush, sexy mouth I can’t stop thinking about.”
“Jacob.” She walked slowly toward him. Not, however, to fall into his embrace. Her hand reached for the door as if to close it.
“I want you.” Because he couldn’t stop himself, he sifted his fingers through her silky hair. The sensation was akin to being struck by lightning. He bent his head.
“Don’t,” she whispered.
“Why?”
“Because if I let you kiss me, it won’t stop there.”
“I can behave myself.”
“Maybe I can’t.”
His heart pounded inside his chest. “If you really feel like that, then how can kissing you possibly be wrong?”
“I didn’t say it was wrong. But it may not be smart.”
He lowered his head until capturing her mouth was merely a breath away. “Could also be the smartest thing either of us has ever done.”
“I’m afraid, Jacob. My father made my mother miserable.”
And there it was, what lay at the heart of her reluctance.
“Can I ask you something?”
“What?”
“Are you afraid of ending up like your mother? Or are you afraid of being happy?”
Her eyes widened. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“You’ve been hurt. By your father or someone else. Maybe you think you aren’t entitled to happiness because your sister died.”
She turned away.
He took hold of her arm, brought her back to him. “Mariana, take a chance with me. You won’t be sorry.” He dipped his head and let his lips brush ever so lightly across hers.
When he pulled back, she withdrew. Not much. But enough to let him know her answer.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
He wouldn’t push. Wouldn’t force her into something she wasn’t ready for or didn’t want. He’d opened his heart to her, assured her his feelings were genuine. That he wouldn’t be rodoeing much longer and wouldn’t hurt her. There was nothing more he could do.
“All right.” Jacob retreated. “Guess I’ll see you in the morning.”
Closing the door to his room, he shut off the light and started for the bed. He’d just reached the footboard when the knob suddenly turned and the door swung wide.
Mariana stood in the opening, the dim outline of her silhouette recognizable in the darkness.
*
JACOB KNEW HER. He’d always know her. In the span of a few weeks, she’d become vital to him. So much so that losing her would be worse than losing a limb.
She glided silently across the carpeted floor, untying her robe as she did. “I’m an emotional wreck. I have my parents to thank for that.”
Jacob didn’t move a muscle, not trusting his legs to support him. “I understand. My dad and Brock have both done a number on me.”
She slipped the robe from her shoulders. It puddled at her feet. She wore the sheerest of nighties, the wisp of material barely concealing her. Beneath it, he could just make out the shape of her full breasts and the curve of her hips. Sweat broke out on his forehead, and his lungs labored to draw a decent breath in the suddenly airless room.
“What changed your mind?” he asked.
“As afraid as I am of being hurt, I’m more afraid of not having this night with you and regretting it for the rest of my life.”
She met him in the center of the room, a vision come to life.
“I need you to be sure.” It required incredible restraint not to reach for her. “Because once we start, there’s no going back.”
“I’m not sure. I’m taking a leap of faith.”
That was good enough for him. Jacob opened his arms. She went into them and, to his surprise and delight, initiated their kiss. His blood instantly heated, and he took the kiss from hot to smoldering.
She put up no resistance when his tongue sought entrance to her mouth. If anything, she encouraged him by winding her arms around his neck and pressing herself against him. They stumbled to the bed, with Jacob yanking down his sweatpants along the way. At the side of the bed, he managed to step out of them, all without tripping or breaking off their kiss.
His efforts were for nothing. Placing her palms on his chest, she pushed him away.
“Wait.” Standing before him, she lifted the hem of her nightie. A moment later, it fluttered to the floor, landing beside her robe.
Jacob stared. She was a sight, and he wished he could see more of her. To compensate for the lack of light, he used his hands, filling them with the plump softness of her breasts and learning their shape. Her nipples rose to taut peaks as his thumbs grazed them.
She sighed contentedly, then moaned with pleasure when he lowered his head to take one ripe nipple in his mouth.
“Please,” she murmured.
“Anything, sweetheart. What do you want?”
“This.” Hooking her thumbs into the waistband of his boxer briefs, she slid them down over his hips. He kicked off the briefs, leaving them both naked.
No. Wrong. Only him. She still wore a pair of panties, if the thin strip of see-through material could be called that. She started to remove them.
“Let me,” he said and did just that. Slowly, in order to savor every moment. Her legs, gorgeous in skirts, were spectacular when bared.
He glanced up to see her watching him, and the intense jolt of desire racing through him nearly knocked him sideways. He wanted to take her right there and then, might have if the last shred of common sense remaining wasn’t shouting loud and clear.
“I have protection. In the nightstand. I haven’t needed it for a while—”
“Shut up.” She rose on tiptoes and kissed him hungrily. “It’s enough you have it. The details aren’t important.”
How had he gotten so incredibly lucky to have met a woman like her?
Laying her on the bed, he covered her with his body. They fit perfectly. More so when he nudged her legs apart and settled himself in the warm junction of her legs.
“I’m going to make love to you, Mariana.”
She laughed softly. It was like music. “I certainly hope so, or all my efforts at seduction were wasted.”
“Not wasted at all. But I need to tell you, this won’t be just sex for me. I care about you. A lot.”
She met his gaze and held it. “I wouldn’t be here if I doubted that.”
“Good.” He moved his hips, pressing his erection solidly against her belly.
She arched her back in response, meeting his thrusts. This was going to be very, very good.
“Not so fast,” he said into the side of her neck where he’d been nibbling her delicate skin. There was the matter of the condom. He levered up on his elbows, leaned over and removed one from the nightstand drawer.
“Aren’t you going to put it on?” she asked when he began working his way down her body, touching and tasting and nuzzling every incredible inch of her.
“First, I’m going to make you glad you took that walk across the hall to my room.”
Jacob delivered on his promise. Mariana made it easy. She was incredibly responsive, encouraging him with breathy words and languid sighs, and even going so far as to take his hand and placing it where she wanted to be to
uched. That excited him. She excited him. Her climax, when it came, nearly caused him to lose control.
“I want you, too,” she murmured, a desperate quality in her voice. “Inside me.”
Jacob was only too happy to oblige. Tearing open the condom, he quickly took care of business, never taking his eyes off Mariana. He’d barely finished when she sat up, pushed him onto his back and straddled his middle.
“Like this.” She took him in her hands and guided him inside her.
For a moment, he couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t remember his own name. Then she started rocking her hips, and Jacob was lost to everything but her.
She leaned down, bringing her mouth to his. “Kiss me.”
He hooked an arm around her neck, another around her waist. Anchoring her to him, he did as she asked while thrusting deeper and faster. She groaned and tensed. The thrill of hearing her call his name was all it took for Jacob to find his own release.
“You’re incredible,” he said when he could talk again.
“You’re not so bad yourself.” Smiling, she eased off of him and stretched out beside him, an arm draped over his waist, her legs tangled with his.
“You cold?” he asked, pulling her closer.
“A little.”
He drew the bedcover over the two of them. Skin to skin, alone in the darkened house except for a sleeping Cody, was like being the sole inhabitants of their own private world. Jacob thought he could grow used to it.
Mariana’s confidence must have deserted her, because she asked, “What now?”
“You call the shots. We move fast or slow, whatever speed you’re comfortable with.”
“Do we sleep together every night?”
“Only if you want.” He desperately hoped she did.
“Sounds an awful lot like playing house.”
“This isn’t playing house for me. I’ve never been more serious.”
“What about Cody?”
“He’s old enough to sleep by himself, isn’t he?”
“That’s not what I was talking about.”
“I don’t think he’ll mind. He’s two.”
She smiled, but even in the dark, he could tell it lacked luster. “He’s the most important thing to me in the world. If it comes down to choosing between you and him—”
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