by Lita Lawson
“Chris,” he said, his voice low.
Opening her eyes again, she couldn’t see his in the dim porch light. Shadows played on the strong planes of his face.
“I still want to be with you,” he said. “I know winning the campaign has just added more craziness to your life, but I hope you’ve decided you can trust me . . . and you can take a chance on us.” He stepped back from her. “I just wanted to let you know I’ll be around. When you decide, just let me know, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered.
“I’ll be seeing you.” With that, he retreated down the steps and out to his motorcycle.
As he walked away, she wanted to call out, to run after him and beg him not to go. But she still needed time to think things through.
Her body and heart were ready to forgive, but her ability to take a chance with her heart again was still shaky.
• • •
The next ten days went by quickly as Christine dealt with transition details. She had numerous interviews with the press, spent time with Brad reviewing potential candidates to nominate to key positions, and helped the staff get out thank-you letters to supporters.
There hadn’t been any time for her to think about her feelings for JT. But as the days wore on, her heart grew heavier. She had to see him. Sammy was spending the weekend with Tad, who had finally become reliable about his visits with his son.
On Saturday, Christine decided she’d stop over to see JT. Her win as mayor was a hollow one without him beside her, to share it with.
Evening arrived, and Chris drove down to JT’s house. It was getting dark, and shadows covered the driveway, giving it a secluded feel. JT’s bike wasn’t around, so she thought she’d go up and wait on the porch for a while.
When she peered through the window in the front door to the living room, she saw a bunch of cardboard boxes piled high. Her heart sank. Maybe he had already left town? Wouldn’t he have called and let her know? With the way she had given him the cold shoulder, why would he bother?
She sat down on the porch steps and fought back tears. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she hugged herself, rocking back and forth on the porch.
What had she done? Why had she taken so long to come to her senses? Now it was probably too late. JT might already be gone. And then how would she ever track him down?
A single headlight shone through the darkness. The purr of the engine was definitely JT’s motorcycle.
Her heart lifted.
After he parked his bike, she stood motionless, watching him make his way up the walkway, a silhouette of a figure in black. When he stopped in front of her and she could see him clearly, she gasped at the sight of him.
“JT! What happened to your hair?”
He laughed, a slow, melodic sound that was music to her ears. “You’re disappointed? Don’t worry, I can let it grow back.”
Shaking her head to push away her surprise, she said, “I saw all the boxes inside. Are you leaving town?” She held her breath, hoping he would say no.
“Would it matter to you?”
Without hesitation, she replied, “Yes, JT. It matters a great deal.”
“My lease is up here, and I was thinking about sticking around.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his strong embrace.
Christine fought back tears as she inhaled the leather scent of him, savoring it. She had missed being with him so much.
“I think it’s time I put some roots down. And Charleston, West Virginia, seems like as good a place as any, especially since I now have connections with the mayor.”
She laughed out loud. Throwing her arms around his neck, she relished being back in his arms again.
Chapter 16
The Thanksgiving feast had been delicious. Christine hadn’t had to do much at all. Duke and Livia had come over early and were loaded down with boxes of pies, biscuits, and sweet potato casserole. All Christine had done was prepare the turkey, stuffing, and a salad.
Scraping the leftovers from the plates, she sighed. Her house felt like a family was living in it again. JT and Sammy had spent most of the morning down at the Christmas parade while she had kept an eye on the turkey. Now everyone was lounging about in the family room, watching the football game.
JT wrapped his strong arms around her waist. “Nickel for your thoughts.”
“Hmm, I don’t know. You might have to pay me more than that.” She smiled, leaning back into his sturdy chest.
He lowered his face, nuzzling her cheek. She could feel the beginnings of his five o’clock shadow, and her thoughts drifted to what that stubble might do to her later that evening. Tad was picking Sammy up, so she and JT would be alone for a while.
JT blazed a trail of kisses down the side of her face, bending his knees to better cup her butt with his groin. A heat built in her, and she wished Tad would hurry up and arrive.
“So you’re not going to tell me what you’re thinking?” he asked.
“I guess I could. I was just thinking about how good everything is right now. I mean, it feels like we’re a family.” She hoped her thoughts would be welcomed by him, but was fearful it would make him feel hemmed in.
“Yeah, it does.” He plucked the dirty plate from her hands and put it on the counter. Twirling her around to face him, he pulled her nearer. “I kind of like it.”
“I’m glad.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, leaned up on tiptoe, and kissed him. Softly at first, but then the spark ignited, and she deepened the kiss.
As she ran her fingers through his shortened hair, JT let out a low growl. “You’d better cool things down, or I won’t be able to walk back into the family room.”
She felt him shift his feet, trying to keep the contact in the lower region of his body minimal. “I guess you’re right.” Breaking away from the embrace, she handed him a towel. “You get to dry.”
“Yes, ma’am.” JT stood beside her, towel at the ready.
Sammy came into the kitchen. “JT, you’re missing the football game.”
Glancing at Christine, JT said hopefully, “I guess I’d better come watch.”
“I don’t think so,” Christine said with a mock scowl, and JT’s expression turned pleading.
“But Sammy wants me to watch the game with him.”
“And you think that relieves you of drying duty?” She pressed her lips together, trying to suppress the laughter that wanted to bubble free.
“Yes.” JT crossed his arms across his chest.
“Please, Mom!” Sammy begged.
Her heart squeezed with happiness. She was afraid it might burst from overflowing feelings of love for JT, Sammy, and their newfound family unit.
“Okay.” She gave in. She couldn’t resist her two favorite men pleading with her.
JT chased Sammy into the family room, and she listened as her son squealed in delight.
Her two favorite men. She relished the sound of it, the thought of it. Through everything, JT had been a patient, caring, and understanding man. It was because of him that her heart was able to open up and take a chance on love again. And right now, her heart had won a full house.
But could they move things to the next step? Tying the knot. Getting hitched. The thought had been in the back of her mind since she and JT had reconciled.
She loved the man with all her heart, and her son loved JT like he was his own father. Could JT be able to love them for the rest of his life?
Christine didn’t know, nor was she confident enough to broach the subject with him. After all, she was the traditionalist in the family. He was unconventional, had been footloose and fancy free for most of his life, wandering between jobs and towns across the country.
Sticking around Charleston was a big step for him. This was the first time since he was eighteen that he had stayed anywhere longer than several months. Would he be able to stay for the rest of his life? More importantly, would he want to?
JT seemed happy and content with the routine they had
fallen into. He usually stopped over several nights a week, helping Sammy with homework or teaching him some tai chi moves. Sometimes they tossed a football around in the backyard. Then when Tad took Sammy for the weekends, which Christine was grateful Tad had become consistent in spending more time with Sammy, it also allowed her and JT to spend weekends alone together.
And she had to be honest with herself. She wanted to spend more than just weekends together with JT, especially being able to sleep together every night. Right now, this was her biggest challenge, as well as her biggest complaint.
Even though JT had become such an integral part of her and Sammy’s lives, she needed more time together with JT—alone, as a woman. She loved the man with all her heart, and she so badly wanted to wake up in his arms every single morning for the rest of her life.
Finished with cleaning up after the holiday meal, Christine went into the family room and sat down next to JT on the couch, curling up in the crook of his arm. Savoring being next to him and inhaling the musky scent of him, she knew it didn’t matter if they ever got married. She was happy just being with him, having him a part of her life.
Smiling, she watched the football game with her guys.
• • •
Snowflakes were falling Christmas Eve as Christine carried in the last of the Christmas gifts she had purchased. Hurrying inside the warm house, she quickly hid the gifts in the closet in her office so Sammy wouldn’t find them until tomorrow morning.
She could hear Sammy and JT in the family room. Unable to discern what they were discussing, she simply enjoyed the sound of their voices. Smiling, she hung her coat up in the hall closet and went to join them.
The scent of pine from the Christmas tree grew stronger as she entered the family room. JT had cut it down himself after Sammy had picked it out. The memory of that experience had since become one of Christine’s favorites, rivaled only by the memory of how she and JT had made out under it after Sammy had gone to bed. The scent of the pine was irresistible and would always remind her of that magical night . . . and JT’s hot kisses.
“Hi, guys.” She found JT lying on the floor, helping Sammy assemble a huge Lego space station.
“Hi, Mom. Isn’t this cool?”
“Sure is,” she replied as she settled down on the couch.
“We’re almost done.” JT rolled over onto his side and smiled at her.
That smile was a killer. One of these days it would take her breath away to the point where she’d never be able to get her breath again. Smiling back, she crossed her arms over her chest and hugged herself.
A few minutes later, Sammy put the space needle on top of the giant ship and announced, “It’s finished!”
“Yeah!” JT clapped and Christine joined in.
“I gotta get something upstairs,” Sammy said and bolted from the room.
JT stood, stretching, and pulled Christine to her feet. “How about I pour you a drink?” He led her into the kitchen, where she sat down on a bar stool while he got three glasses out of the cabinet.
They were mismatched cartoon juice glasses, something Christine had gotten with value meals at a fast-food chain a couple of years ago. She watched JT open the refrigerator, his arm nonchalantly draped over the door as he inspected the options inside. Pulling out a bottle of cabernet and a jug of fruit juice, he used his hip to close the door.
Sammy bounded back into the room as JT poured the juice for him with his back to Christine. Then JT turned, poured the wine, and returned with two glasses to the snack counter. He settled into the chair beside Christine and clinked his glass to hers, watching her intently.
Frowning, Christine thought she heard something other than crystal glasses hitting each other. When Sammy giggled, Christine glanced down at him and asked, “Okay, what’s going on?”
JT started laughing as well, but tried to contain himself. “Nothing at all.”
Sammy just grinned.
Frustrated, she said, “Okay, someone let me in on the secret.”
“There’s nothing going on,” Sammy said, holding a straight face.
JT sobered as well. He slid off his bar stool and took Christine’s glass from her, holding it in his hand. Waving the glass in the air, he said, “I’d like to make a toast. To the most beautiful, wonderful, caring woman in the world. The best woman I’ve ever met. The only woman I’ve ever loved.”
Looking into JT’s eyes, she could see the amber flecks in his golden-brown gaze. Eyes that would always melt her heart.
Then JT smiled at her, that slow, wonderful, killer smile that always melted her. He held the glass of wine directly in front of her.
Still not sure what was going on, Christine took the glass and drank from it as JT said, “Careful!”
Something metallic in the bottom of the glass clinked. She gasped, barely able to hope that it might be what she had hoped for.
JT reached for the glass, slid his large finger in, and fished out the ring inside. “Christine, would you marry me?”
Her eyes pricked with tears as her mouth fell open. Her pulse pounded in her ears. He was proposing to her!
“Oh, JT,” she said slowly, her eyes wide. “Of course I’ll marry you.” She jumped out of her chair and wrapped her arms around him. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”
Sammy giggled.
Her future husband smiled at her. Leaning down, he kissed her. Slow, hard, and unrelenting. Heat rose within her, and she had to contain herself, remembering Sammy was in the room.
She grabbed the ring from JT and examined the most unique ring she had ever seen. The stone was sky blue with several diamond chips surrounding it. The band was simple and thin, made of silver.
“Oh, JT. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”
He grinned as he took the ring and slid it on her finger. “Well, I’d have to disagree with that. But it’s the closest color I could find to match your eyes.” His thumb grazed her lip. “It’s a blue topaz.”
“It’s just so beautiful. Thank you.”
“Merry Christmas Eve, babe.”
“Merry Christmas, JT.”
Sammy came over to them, and they shared hugs all around. “Do I call you Dad now?”
“I wouldn’t mind,” JT said as he tousled the boy’s hair. “But since you already have a dad, I think you should just call me JT. Does that sound good to you?”
Sammy nodded, his eyes shining as he looked up at JT. Christine’s heart swelled at the sight; she couldn’t ask for a better man for her son to be around.
“Now,” JT announced, “I took the liberty of making some arrangements.”
Christine sucked in a breath. “I don’t know if I can handle any more excitement tonight.”
“I think you can handle this,” JT said. “Since Sammy will be spending the rest of his Christmas vacation with his dad starting the day after Christmas, how would you feel about us getting married on New Year’s Eve?”
“New Year’s Eve? But . . .” She froze, momentarily stunned into silence. “There’s so much to do. I don’t have anything to wear. I haven’t even had time to think of it.”
Sammy giggled. “JT said you would get like this.”
“Like what?” Christine looked at Sammy.
“All flustered. You know, get all freaked out about what to wear and stuff.”
“Well, yes. This is a very important event.” She turned to JT. “We have to get a wedding license, and I don’t think we have time. Isn’t there a waiting period to process it, like a week or two?”
JT pulled her close as he said, “That’s true, but that’s not a problem.”
“We can’t get married here without one.”
“Always the practical one in the family.” JT grinned. “We’re not getting married here.”
She shook her head, confused. “We’re not?”
“No. We’re going somewhere warm, just the two of us.” His eyes danced in anticipation.
“We are?” was all she could say.
; “We’re going to Vegas.”
Christine frowned, not sure she liked that idea. “Like a chapel wedding? With Elvis?”
“No.” JT brushed her hair back as he looked down at her. “Have you ever been to the desert?”
She shook her head.
“It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever been, and I couldn’t think of a better place to marry you. Me, you, and the rocks carved by the sands of time, older than us, older than anything we can remember.”
Her interest piqued as he continued. “And when the sun begins to set, it’s beautiful. Deep, vibrant colors of gold, rose, and rust blend together, and the stones create deep shadows. With the sun going down, the whole horizon becomes an explosion of color.”
JT’s description mesmerized her and she gazed at him in awe, wondering if this was all really happening.
“But of course, Chris, if you don’t like that idea, there are a lot of other places to get married in Vegas. There’s the Elvis chapels, they have the Eiffel Tower replica there, a pirate ship—”
“There’s the place with all the tigers and circus people,” Sammy said, chiming in.
“You were in on this too?” she asked Sammy.
“Yep.” He beamed proudly. “JT and I looked it up on the Internet.”
“You did?” She turned to JT. “I didn’t know you were into computers.”
“There are still some things you don’t know about me.” JT grinned. “But we can spend the rest of our lives finding them out together.”
And that sounded like heaven to her.
• • •
The day after Christmas, JT and Christine flew to Las Vegas. She was surprised by all the planning he had done, from the proposal to the travel arrangements. Getting married on New Year’s Eve allowed them to return in time for her mayoral inauguration.
So they were doing the honeymoon in reverse . . . before the wedding.
The hotel he had reserved was off the strip, on the edge of the city and bordering the desert. Instead of staying in the main hotel, they opted for a secluded bungalow with a private swimming pool.
When JT quickly unpacked his duffel bag and headed out to the pool, Christine shook her head in amusement. Only a man could travel light like that, especially one whose clothing was all the same color. But she had to pack for every imaginable occasion, ready to be casual or dress up for the fancy dinners or shows they might go to. Not to mention their wedding night.