He continued to scour the area until he found what he’d been seeking. Ali. His heart pounded against his ribs as his hungry gaze combed over her. She wore a pale green sweater and matching slacks. Her auburn curls were clipped back from her face, making her emerald eyes seem large and incredibly beautiful.
Then Ali noticed him, and a slow sexy smile touched her lips, causing Jake’s body to smolder. Oh, what she did to him. He swiftly glanced down to see his daughter seated in the stroller. His family. Dear God, he’d missed them.
Nearly pushing people out of the way, he crossed the room. “You came.”
Ali blushed, almost as if she were embarrassed to admit it. “I had the day off. I thought Joanie would like to see the airplanes.”
He didn’t care what excuse Ali used to justify coming; she was here. He dropped his bag and took her in his arms. “Just tell me you missed me,” he coaxed.
She chewed on her lower lip. “I missed you,” she whispered.
That was all he needed to hear. His mouth closed over hers in a kiss that showed how he felt about her coming to meet him. When her arms came up around his neck, he deepened the kiss, hungry for her taste…her sweetness. Finally he broke away and grinned like a schoolboy. “I’m so glad you’re here.”
Ali smiled. “I’m glad I came, too. How was your trip?”
“Fine. You’re now looking at a civilian. It will be official in about thirty days. I’ll receive my honorable discharge then.”
Her sparkling eyes suddenly turned serious. “I’m sorry, Jake. I know how much you loved the army.”
“It’s okay, Ali.” He studied the woman before him, knowing it would bother him a lot more to lose her. “This is where I want to be.”
“Webster can get pretty boring.”
“Boring sounds wonderful, but I doubt Joanie will let that happen.” He picked up his daughter and kissed her, too. “Did you miss Daddy?”
Joanie smiled and patted his face. Then she stuck her fingers into her mouth, acting shy. Jake laughed and hugged her again, then put his arm around Ali.
“Let’s go home.” Jake strapped Joanie back into her stroller, then retrieved his cane. He picked up his bag, and together they headed for the car.
In the parking lot, Jake discovered Ali had driven his SUV.
“How do you like the way the car handles?” he asked as he tossed his bag in the back.
“It’s wonderful to drive. You’ve spoiled me,” Ali admitted. “I hate to go back to my old compact.”
“Then don’t. You can drive this.”
She looked shocked. “Jake, I’m not taking your car.”
“Then you can borrow it.”
“No,” she said, and lifted Joanie into the child’s safety seat. “My car is fine.”
Silently, he climbed behind the wheel. After Ali finished securing Joanie, she got in the front seat, but he didn’t start the car.
When Ali began to buckle her safety belt, he stopped her. “Can you at least tell me why you won’t drive our daughter around in a vehicle that is better in the snow than your little compact?”
“Because it’s your car, not mine. I’d feel funny.”
“Ali, Joanie is my daughter, too. I want her to be safe.”
“I know.” Ali sighed, and refused to look at him. “It’s just…the car is yours.”
“Ali, we can solve these problems if you just marry me.”
“A car isn’t a reason to get married, Jake.”
He fought to remain calm as she turned away.
Ali didn’t want to argue with Jake, so she was silent on the drive home. She’d taken time off work to pick him up at the airport, but she hadn’t expected him to start badgering her about marriage the second he got off the plane.
Of course, she’d encouraged him two nights ago, when she had gone to bed with the man. They couldn’t go back to taking things slow, nor did she want to.
Ali glanced across the car just as Jake turned to look at her. He tossed her a sexy grin that nearly melted her right there in her leather seat. Damn. He wasn’t playing fair. But one thing she’d realized while Jake had been gone: she missed him. A lot.
“Ali, I called Dave while I was in North Carolina. I took the supervisor’s job at the plant,” Jake said. “I’ll be starting work the first of the year. So if you’re worried about my being able to support you and Joanie…”
“Jake, I’m not worried about the money. I didn’t think you wanted to work for your father.”
He shrugged. “Things change.” He reached into the breast pocket of his corduroy jacket and pulled out his checkbook and handed it to her. “I also have enough money saved to take care of both of you for a while, or enough for a decent down payment on a house. I haven’t spent much the past few years.”
Ali held the leather checkbook in her hands. She didn’t need to go through Jake’s finances. She knew he could take care of her and Joanie. But at what cost to him? Would Jake be happy staying in Webster, working for his father, the man who’d driven him away in the first place?
“Jake, I’m sure that you have enough money for whatever you plan to do.” Ali sighed in frustration. How could she keep resisting this man? “You realize that, counting back to the accident, you’ve only been home…”
“About seven weeks,” he answered.
Ali frowned. “So you understand it’s too soon for us to make a decision about the future, especially one that will affect our lives, as well as Joanie’s.”
“Ali, I’ve known you since you were fourteen. I was at your house nearly every day during your high-school years.” He took his attention off the road. “Two people should be able to get to know each other in that amount of time.”
“Darn it, Jake. You knew Darcie, not me. She’s the one you spent time with.” She’s the one you loved. Ali looked out the window, not trusting herself to speak just then.
Jake turned down Mulberry Street where bare trees lined the parkway, their trunks practically covered with shoveled snow. The long Minnesota winter had arrived.
Jake had been in a warmer southern climate the past few years.
Ali loved the cold weather, but how could he really want to return to the blizzards and Arctic winds?
“I’ve spent time with you, too, Ali.” Jake stressed each word. “I know you’re shy. You hate your freckles. You think you’re too skinny.” He gave her the once-over, causing Ali to blush. “I think your body is perfect. You also like to read a good mystery on rainy days. You hate crowds, and anything that draws attention to yourself.” He grinned.
Ali felt naked. She had no idea Jake had paid that much attention to her.
Jake glanced across the car. “I don’t need any more time to know we belong together. You’re an excellent mother. Joanie is proof of that.”
“Jake, I told you I can’t marry you because we have a child.”
He pulled the car into the driveway, shut off the engine, then unfastened his seat belt. “I never said I wanted to marry you just because of Joanie. I want to marry you because of you, Ali. Because I care about you, and want us to be together. We both know about rotten marriages—our parents showed us the worst. And I think you and I would be a lot better at it than they were.” He reached over and pulled her across the seat until she was nearly in his lap. “Besides, there’s a hell of an attraction between us, Ali-cat.” His head lowered until they were only a breath apart. “Have I ever told you that you have the sexiest mouth? I’ve been fantasizing about kissing you all the way home.” To prove his words, he took her mouth in a blatantly possessive way that made her forget any argument.
Ali lost all willpower as Jake tore away her defenses. But at this point, she didn’t care. She wanted Jake as much as he wanted her. Somehow she had to keep a level head. With the last of her strength, she pushed him away. “Jake, this isn’t getting us anywhere.”
Ignoring her, Jake began nibbling on her neck, then her ear. “I can be more convincing, if you’d like. But I’d prefer
seducing you somewhere besides the car. We could draw a crowd, or Joanie could wake up and learn the facts of life a little earlier than planned.”
She couldn’t help but smile as she glanced in the back seat and found that Joanie had fallen sound asleep. “Jake, will you stop this teasing and talk to me?”
Finally letting her go, he looked at her with passion-filled eyes. Ali knew one thing for sure—this man wanted her. But wanting her didn’t match the love Ali felt for him, and she had to decide if desire was enough.
“Jake, Christmas is only ten days away. Why don’t we just continue to spend time together?”
“Why do I get the feeling that a few kisses is all I’m going to share with you for a while?”
Ali met his eyes. “Because sex can’t be the only thing that is between us.”
He tossed her a mischievous grin. “Correction. Make that great sex.”
Ali groaned. “Jake. Please. We shouldn’t have let that happen. We have to think about our daughter and try to set an example for her. What happens when she comes to us and says she wants to have sex?”
He turned around in his seat and looked at the sleeping child. “She’ll never get the opportunity, because I’m not going to let my little girl date.”
“Jake, that isn’t realistic. Someday she’s going to have questions. We already have enough questions we have to answer.”
He raked his hand through his hair. “Okay. We’ll spend time together as a family. But can I at least take you out on a few dates?”
Ali smiled. “I’d like that.”
“Finally we’ve agreed on something.” He pressed a quick kiss on her mouth before getting out of the car. Ali sat motionless, wondering if this was going to work. Could they really be a couple? Could she replace her sister in Jake’s heart? Could she survive if Jake never grew to love her?
As promised, Jake spent the week before Christmas with Ali, and didn’t pressure her about marriage. With Ali’s job and the preparations for the holidays, Jake found it nearly impossible to schedule any official dates. Both he and Ali agreed that time with their daughter was the important thing. Joanie’s bedtime was something Ali and Jake both looked forward to together. Now that Jake was more mobile, he’d taken over as Joanie’s primary caretaker during the day, giving Ali and Gran June time for themselves.
On the sixteenth, Joanie turned ten months old, and the family celebrated the milestone by decorating the Christmas tree and baking a birthday cake. Cliff stopped by the house with a gift, but Jake soon discovered the real reason for his father’s visit. Plant business. With cold politeness, Jake told his father that his evenings were reserved for his family. He would report to work after the first of the year as he’d promised. Until then, he was concentrating on Joanie and Ali.
Early Christmas Eve, Ali rushed out to finish her shopping. She’d bought everyone’s gift, but she still had to pick up Jake’s. Ali wasn’t ready for the holiday, her first with her daughter—and with Jake. She’d planned a big family Christmas, something Jake had never had before. Ali looked up into the gray sky, hoping the dark clouds would produce snow soon. A white Christmas would be perfect.
By the time she pulled into the driveway, her wish became reality. Big white flakes were floating down from the sky. Excited, she rushed into the house.
“It’s snowing,” she called out.
Jake came out of the kitchen carrying Joanie, both of them wearing evidence of Gran June’s double-chocolate fudge on their faces.
“Hey, sweetie. It looks like it’s going to be a perfect night for Santa,” Jake told his daughter.
Joanie reached for her mother, and Ali took her. “It isn’t going to be perfect if she eats any more chocolate,” Ali said. “She’ll be up with a stomachache. Jake, too much sugar isn’t good for her.”
“It looks worse than it is. She’s only had a little taste.” He grinned. “I ate most of the fudge.” He patted his rock-hard stomach. “Which I’ve got to stop. I bet I’ve put on ten pounds since June’s been feeding me.”
Jake had an incredible body. And since he’d been released from the hospital, she knew he’d been working out. He definitely hadn’t lost any muscle tone. “You needed the weight after the accident.”
A confused look flashed over Jake’s face. “You know, I haven’t thought much about the accident lately.”
“That’s because Joanie’s been keeping you too busy,” Ali teased.
Jake touched his daughter’s cheek, then leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Ali’s mouth. “I guess I do have other things on my mind.”
“If it’s me, I’m glad.”
“It’s definitely you.” Jake moved closer and whispered, “In fact, later I’d like to tell you how much you’ve been on my mind.”
“Jake, we’ve got too much to do tonight….”
“I mean later, Ali. When Joanie is tucked into bed, dreaming about Santa. Later, when all the presents are wrapped and under the tree. I want time for us. Private time to share our own celebration.”
Ali’s heart raced. “Tell me when, and I’ll be there.”
A little after midnight, all the presents had been wrapped and placed under the tree. Joanie was tucked in her crib and finally asleep. Ali came down the stairs and stopped just outside the living room. The twinkling lights on the big Christmas tree shone like stars in a night sky. Ali inhaled deeply and caught the scent of pine in the air. She looked at the hearth and found Jake sitting on the floor, basking in the warm glow of the fire.
Nervously she brushed her hair back and straightened the belt on her new emerald green jumpsuit. Taking a breath, she walked into the room.
Jake stood up and took her trembling hands into his. “Merry Christmas, Ali.”
“Merry Christmas, Jake.”
For a long time, neither spoke, as Ali’s gaze locked with Jake’s sable eyes.
He slipped his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I was afraid you weren’t coming.”
“Joanie woke up. Probably too much excitement.”
“Well, you’re here now. That’s all that matters,” he said, then tilted her head toward him. He gathered her into his arms, and his mouth covered hers. The kiss was like the man—hot and steamy. Soon they were on the floor by the hearth, Ali nearly consumed by Jake’s passion.
Jake pulled back. “I’ve wanted to kiss you like that all day.”
Smiling, Ali reached up and combed her fingers through his hair. “I wish you had.” She pulled his head back down and closed her lips over his. Her tongue slipped timidly into his mouth, and soon her teasing strokes had him groaning in frustration. When it ended, they were both breathing hard.
“Lord, Ali. I love what you do to me, but we need to slow down a minute. I want to give you one of your presents.”
Before Ali could say anything, Jake sat up, pulling her with him. Then he reached behind the chair and brought out a small black velvet box. Ali’s breath caught as she looked up at Jake.
“Ali, I’m crazy about you. And I know in my heart you care for me, too. I don’t know all the fancy words to tell you how I feel. How I want to share my life with you—be there with you to help raise our child, to watch Joanie grow up. I promise, I will be a devoted husband to you, Ali. Will you marry me?”
Ali couldn’t breathe. This had to be a dream. But if it was, she never wanted to wake up.
There was only one thing that kept Jake’s proposal from being perfect. The words she’d longed to hear Jake say never came. The words of love. She knew he cared for her, but without love could they make a life together? Build a real marriage? Having spent the past few weeks with him, and loving this man the way she did, Ali decided she’d take whatever Jake was offering her. Living without him hurt too badly. She prayed her love would be enough to see them through.
“Yes, Jake. I’ll marry you,” she answered at last.
Jake blinked as his pulse raced even faster. Ali had said yes. He began to smile. “You mean it? You’ll marry me?”
Her green eyes pooled with tears, and she nodded.
“Oh, Ali.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. When he finally drew back, he reached for the velvet box and opened it.
“Oh, Jake…it’s beautiful.” Her gaze raised to meet his. “It’s the ring we saw at the jewelry store.”
He nodded. “I called the store the next day.” He took the ring out of the box, and realized his hands were shaking, but he still managed to slide it on Ali’s finger.
“It fits,” she said, holding the sparkling diamond up to the light.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I borrowed one of your rings from your jewelry box to get your size.”
“You were pretty sure I’d say yes.”
“No, Ali. But I’ve been praying for the past two weeks that I could prove to you that we can make this marriage work. I swear, Ali. We’ll make a good life together.”
“I know,” she said, convinced herself.
Jake gathered Ali in his arms and lowered her against the carpet. He lay beside her, studied her beautiful face, then, unable to resist, he slowly began to place kisses from her forehead to her jaw, to her neck. Then his attention went to her jumpsuit. With each breath she took, her breasts pressed against the soft fabric, making her hardened nipples stand out. His arousal swelled behind the fly of his jeans. He looked up at her eyes to see her own desire flare.
“I want you, Ali. I want to make love to you.”
“I want that, too.”
Jake stood, then reached down for her hand and pulled her to her feet. Silently they walked to his room. Tonight Ali had agreed to be his wife, and he wanted to show her just what she meant to him.
In the bedroom, he switched on the light beside the bed, then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Her mouth was hot and sweet and wonderfully familiar. He moved his arms around her back and drew her nearer, nestling her between his thighs. Ali moaned and pressed closer as her hands lifted to trace the shape of his face. Then she pulled his head down to meet hers, opening her mouth to urge him in. When he plunged his tongue inside, she moved against him, asking for more.
Baby, Our Baby! Page 15