by Lisa Durkin
She buttered the toast and sat on one of the bar stools. She looked around the house. She felt comfortable here, felt comfortable everywhere she was with Jackson. He had changed her, given her life back to her and showed her it was okay to live it. She shook her head as she took another bite. How stupid she could be.
Jackson emerged wearing jeans and another sweater, a blue one that matched his eyes perfectly.
“Here, sit,” she demanded, pulling the stool out. “I’ll make your breakfast.”
Jackson’s eyebrows shot to the ceiling. “Really? What are we having?”
“Toast.”
“Toast?”
“That’s right, baby. One thing you’re going to have to know if we’re getting married, I don’t cook.” She punched the lever down on the toaster and stood with her hands on her hips.
“I pretty much guessed that.” He eyed her carefully, a half smile on his face. “Are we getting married?”
She smiled at him. “Oh yeah, we’re getting married,” she stated emphatically.
“Really?” he breathed. She watched as his chest pumped in excitement. “That’s a yes?”
“That’s a yes.”
Jackson rushed her and swept her up in a tight hug. She giggled as he squeezed her and kissed up and down her neck, finally planting a hard one on her lips.
“I’m so happy. You make me so happy.” He lifted her, her legs going around him as he walked over to the couch in the great room. He gazed down her body as he laid her back.
“You’ll be my wife forever,” he breathed.
Rory was stunned by his joy. “Yes, Jackson, forever.”
He plunged his tongue into her mouth, his hands caressing down her body. He grabbed her sports bra, lifting it quickly over her head. He grasped her breasts and sucked her nipples one by one into his mouth. He pulled her shorts off in record time and reared back, undoing his jeans.
“I’ll have the sexiest wife,” he said as he plunged into her. “Oh God,” he murmured, moving slowly in and out. “How you feel…”
He loomed over her, hooking his elbows under her knees. He moved harder, making her grunt with every pounding thrust he delivered. He pounded on and on, taking her to the brink of orgasm before releasing her legs and demanding she wrap them around him. Once she did, he lunged into her again. She shouted his name in release, and he followed, pressing into her and filling her.
“God I love you,” he murmured into her neck, breathing hard.
“I love you too…husband.”
His head whipped up and he looked at her, a massive smile on his face. “I love that,” he said, kissing her gently.
“I’ll be back as soon as I get her settled at home. She wants to meet you so badly, but I don’t know if she’ll be up to it today.”
“It’s okay, I have plenty to do here.” She hugged and kissed him again.
“I’ll be back before lunch.”
Rory settled at the kitchen table, enjoying the sunshine that poured through the skylights. She worked for an hour or so, stopping often, finding herself daydreaming of Jackson and the way he made love to her.
She would be his wife, she thought, a wide smile on her face. She picked up her phone and texted Nicole and Devon three words: I said yes! She enjoyed the texts she received back, their surprised replies of congratulations.
As she headed to the exercise room for her daily run, the doorbell sounded. Before she could reach it, the back door opened and Ryan filed in, followed by several more teenage boys than yesterday. She wondered if there was some kind of radar that made them show up when she was half-dressed. Ryan didn’t seem to notice as he came down the hall with a big smile and waving paperwork. His friends, however, were stuck in place, mouths hanging open, tracking an eyeful.
“Hi, Rory! I was hoping to catch you alone! I brought the sign-ups for the Follies! We have to have this in today.” He went on, his enthusiasm so endearing. She found she couldn’t deny him. He made the new introductions and they moved into the kitchen to look at the paperwork. She was happy to take his suggestions on what events she should participate in.
After fifteen minutes huddling over the counter together, Rory was signed up for the short snowshoe race and the Noodle Man. They decided the others were either full up, fully competitive or in the case of the yodeling event, as Ryan said, too stupid. Rory also drew the line at any event that involved chainsaws and logs in a frozen river. She also shied away from the baking and crafts, knowing her limited skill set there.
“You’ll need a costume for the Noodle Man,” one boy said from behind her. She turned and saw his eyes rise from her ass.
“Ryan, can you get me a costume? I want to surprise your dad. Let’s not tell him about any of this.”
“I’m on it.”
“All right, guys, better get going. I don’t want Jackson coming back and catching you here. It’ll ruin the surprise.” She walked them toward the back door.
Ryan stopped beside her. “You’re fun, Rory. I’m glad you’re here.” He hugged her tightly.
She hugged him back, caught somewhat off guard. “I’m glad to be here with you, Ryan.”
She watched them leave. As she was closing the door, she heard the one who had been checking out her ass.
“Damn, Ryan, you lucky son of a bitch. She’s as hot as Tim said.”
Rory closed the door and burst out laughing.
Jackson took her to lunch and shopping. She wanted a new dress to wear to his parents’ house the next night. Jackson’s mother had needed to rest, so Rory would meet her and the rest of the family at the parents “estate” at a Saturday evening dinner party after the conclusion of the Follies. It sounded a little intimidating, and she figured a new dress would give her some much needed courage. The entire family was in town for the annual event. Rory got the impression that a few had decided to make an appearance at the last minute. Maybe because Jackson had a fiancée in tow.
They were spending their Friday evening with Ryan. Jackson had the nerve to ask Rory if she minded going to Ryan’s basketball game and taking him out to dinner again. She did him one better when she insisted that Ryan invite all his friends back to the house for a pizza party after the game. Jackson had hugged her and looked at her as if she were the most amazing creature on earth. He never let go of her hand during the whole game.
He was very enthusiastic to introduce her around at the school. Apparently everybody who had attended the expensive private school sent their own kids there. He introduced her to people he’d known since childhood, and she enjoyed listening to their stories.
They invited the parents as well as all Ryan’s groupies to the pizza party. Jackson had served as bartender and had been very animated, remembering old football games with his friends. Rory felt so at peace and happy surrounded by Jackson’s life.
She was excited that she got to meet the pretty Bella. Ryan had good taste in girls, and his father’s flirtatiousness was amusing to watch. The teenage boys were all horn dogs and she caught them looking at, or talking to, her boobs and ass often. Jackson shrugged it off, saying he couldn’t blame them.
She had met Jackson’s ex-wife at the basketball game. Thin, blue-eyed, blonde Lauren had very coolly shaken her hand and congratulated them on their engagement. Rory got the distinct impression that Lauren was a woman who was living a life of regret after losing the best thing that had ever happened to her. She wondered at what point she had realized that screwing around was nothing compared to Jackson Dorn. Oh well, she’d had her shot. Now Jackson was Rory’s man and she intended to make him very fucking happy forever. There would be no regrets for her.
The girls and parents left around midnight and the boys all headed upstairs to crash. Jackson and Rory cleaned up the kitchen together.
“You’re amazing. Thank you for hosting Ryan’s friends. I told him it was your idea.” He gathered her in his arms.
“I heard you telling everybody it was my idea.” She laughed, running her hand t
hrough his dark hair.
“I know. It’s just so…nice of you. It’s like we’re a family.”
She touched her forehead to his. “We are a family.” She felt the wash of emotions flood over her as she realized she had been searching for this all her life.
“Come to the bedroom. I want to make love to you.”
“The boys.” She looked toward the stairs.
“They won’t bother us. Although you better keep your screaming under control.” He laughed as he danced her toward the bedroom.
Rory stroked Jackson’s nose with her finger. He grumbled and pushed his face into her neck.
“Wake up, sleepyhead,” she whispered into his ear.
He rolled back and looked at her. “What time is it?” he asked, blinking and turning toward the clock.
“Six a.m.”
Jackson snuggled closer. “Go back to sleep, it’s Saturday.”
“No, we have to get up!” She hefted his body away from hers. “We have the Dorn Foundation Frozen Follies today!”
“We can put in an appearance later,” he mumbled. She climbed on top and straddled him, rubbing herself slowly up and down his morning wood. “Ohhhh.”
She leaned forward and whispered seductively in his ear. “We have to get up now, love.”
“I am up. Don’t you feel it?”
“Mmmmm, I do. But I don’t want to be late for my events,” she murmured, stroking him with her entrance.
His eyes shot open. “Events? What did you do?”
She laughed. “Ask your son.”
He held her waist and quickly inserted himself, thrusting slowly. “You bad girl, I should spank you.” He ground his hips into her, enjoying her sharp inhale.
Her eyes closed as she rode him. “Yes, you should, I’ve been so bad.”
They made it into the kitchen by seven thirty to find a large gang.
“Bella brought you some things you’ll need,” Ryan announced. He eyed his father. “And then I have some other things for you for later.” He winked and Rory knew it was her costume for the snowmobile race. Bella showed her everything she had brought, which included heavy boots, full snowsuit and snowshoes.
“Wow, thanks! You guys thought of everything!” Rory was bright and cheerful this morning. She had always loved competition of any sort, and this seemed fun. She was also basking in the glow and comfort that was family.
“Are there trophies? I love trophies!” She smiled and Jackson laughed into his coffee cup.
“Oh, there’re trophies. What exactly have you signed her up for?” he asked his son.
Ryan looked to Rory. “Can I tell him?”
“Oh sure.” Rory smiled while Jackson rolled his eyes. His patience with the Follies ran thin after thirty or so years, he had told her. But he was smiling and indulgent, overjoyed at Rory and Ryan’s friendship.
“She’s doing the short snowshoe and the Noodle Man,” Ryan reported proudly.
Jackson looked at Rory. “Have you ever been in snowshoes?”
“No. But I’m a fast learner. And I’m athletic!”
“Have you ever driven a snowmobile before?”
“Well, no. But Ryan said it’s really easy and the Noodle Man is an easy trail.”
“I see.” He sipped his coffee, smacking his lips and smiling.
“What?”
“Oh nothing. You’re going to do great. You are very athletic. And that’s a good thing because you’re about to find out there’s a big difference between what a Down Easter considers an easy trail, compared to everybody else in the world.”
In fact, there was a big difference between what a “Down Easter”, as the Mainers called themselves, considered a short snowshoe race as well. The route they laid out for the event was one mile. It sounded easy until Jackson and Ryan strapped the snowshoes on Rory’s feet and expected her to start walking.
They were on Mackworth Island, a beautiful place in Casco Bay, just off from the coast of Falmouth and Portland. Rory smiled and breathed in the cold air, looking up at the blue sky. There was a large gathering on the snow-covered field of spectators and people involved in the Follies. The media were also there. Rory noticed, as she stumbled and got her feet tangled, that the media homed in on her and Jackson. Of course the announcements about their engagement had spurred them on, which was the goal.
Jackson and Ryan gave her advice right up until the starting line, and then stood back and watched. She narrowed her eyes on the path in front of her.
When the gunshot sounded, Rory took off. She concentrated hard on putting one foot in front of the other. She thought she was doing really well until she looked up to see the other snowshoers passing her. She pumped her legs as hard as she could to catch up.
She stumbled a lot and fell forward twice, catching herself on her insulated hands before going down completely. The ski poles they had given her seemed to make it harder, but she kept going. The crowd cheered and clapped, which at least made her feel better. The media were lined up along the path, which was straight across the field and curved into the forest before returning to the starting line.
As she came to the entrance of the forest, she was well behind everybody else. The competitor in her was making a play to gain ground. As she speeded up, she didn’t notice the deep depression in the path that sent her rolling, ass in the air, face first into a deep snowbank.
When she finally stopped, she lay still to feel for broken bones. She raised her head and wiped the snow out of her face. She looked up to see that she had somersaulted down a gulley and was lying at the bottom. She was mostly buried in snow, and tried to get up, laughing as her footing was ineffective.
She saw faces peering over the top of the gulley and Jackson came running down.
“Are you okay?”
She laughed. “I’m fine, just stuck!”
He felt her body for any signs of injury. “Take one snowshoe off and stand.”
He helped her do as she was told, laughing at the absurdity of the situation.
“I guess I’m not gonna win, am I?”
He steadied her as he snickered. “Nope, you’re not going to win this one. But it was hot as hell watching you run in those snowshoes.” He lifted her by the ass, setting her away from the deep snow.
Rory did the walk of shame as Jackson pulled her up the hill and escorted her to the finish line. She was last, and received a frozen lemon trophy for her efforts. She laughed and promised to cherish it forever, considering what she had endured for the achievement. She received a hearty round of applause after telling them to watch out for her next year!
Jackson and Rory refueled with hot coffee at a little shop in Falmouth, full of Follies participants. Rory sat down gingerly in her snowsuit. She looked out the window, watching the people filling the town center. The day was so enjoyable, cold but bright with sunshine. Such a nice town, she thought. Folks nodded at Jackson, some stopping to chat and shake hands.
He showed her the map of the snowmobile trail. Her heart sank. It was full of ups and downs, and she had already had her fill of downs. She didn’t care who they were, this was no easy trail. She’d like to get their asses on Lake Erie when the wind was blowing and make them paddle a kayak to shore. See how they liked it.
Jackson folded the map. “So I’ll drive the snowmobile. You can ride on the back.”
“Excuse me? I can do it.”
He held his hands up. “Rory, please. This is a ten-mile trail, and you’ve never driven one of these. You’ve snowshoed your way over a cliff already today. I really won’t stand by and wait to see what happens when we add heavy machinery to the mix.”
She gaped at him, open mouthed. His glare remained adamant. Finally, as she rolled her shoulders, feeling the soreness from her tumble, she acquiesced. Besides, she really was worried, that snowshoe race hadn’t been fun and games.
“Fine. Just leave me with my dignity.”
“I’ll try,” he said as he sipped coffee. “But you’ll be the one
in the costume, not me.”
Truer words were never spoken, Rory thought. She sat perched on the back of Jackson’s snowmobile, dressed in a lumberjack coat, hat, fake beard and mustache. Ryan looked on proudly and Jackson stood, adjusting his goggles, talking to the friendly hometown reporters. They were indeed interested in Playboy Dorn and his new fiancée. Photographers snapped pictures of her looking beyond ridiculous. It was a family event though, and she smiled widely as Jackson gushed that she represented the Dorn Foundation well.
Before she knew it, Jackson had climbed aboard and started the snowmobile, smoothly gliding up to the starting line. He chatted loudly with the people on the other machines.
He turned his head as they hovered. “Hold tight, baby. I don’t want you falling off!”
She rolled her eyes and smiled at him, slipping her arms around his waist. Putting a snowsuit over that body did little to hide his hard build. He seemed taller and broader. The hat and goggles accentuated his strong jaw and facial features. She rested her cheek on his back, thinking how lucky she was to have this sexy god.
Somebody on the sideline caught her attention. As she turned her head back to look, there was a large man standing on the spectator line. He was staring at her. There was something about the way he was watching. Not that she could see his eyes. In fact, she couldn’t see any skin. Her heart sank. He wore a ski hat and mask, with snow goggles over his eyes. She thought maybe he wasn’t staring at her, but the guy’s head followed her exactly when Jackson moved them up several feet toward the line.
She looked around to find her Homeland Security shadows. She spotted them not too far off, keeping their eyes on her and Jackson. She looked back at the man. He was still studying her as he stepped back to allow two women to pass in front of him. Rory thought there was something familiar about the way he moved. She couldn’t quite place it, and she instantly thought of Roan. Her stomach dropped to her knees and just as she would have opened her mouth to tell Jackson, the gunshot sounded and the snowmobile lunged forward.