by Gina Watson
She pulled his cock free and gasped at the readiness of it. He chuckled. His deep blue eyes shimmered like sunlight on the deep sea. She shimmied down his legs to kneel on the floor. He grabbed a pillow, “Here bug don’t kneel on the hard floor.” She rose up and he slid the cushion under her knees.
Fisting his weight in her hands she licked the head before taking him between her lips. She pumped the root while applying light pressure with the suction of her mouth. He palmed her head and aided her efforts. “God Bug, I love being in your mouth.” She loved it too. Their connection had always been powerful. Their energy had been too potent to ignore. That’s what had happened when she was sixteen. And they couldn’t stop. It was as if one could not exist without the other. She took him deep, loving the feel of him and the groans he made for her.
“Shit! Your brother’s coming.” Her mind was disoriented but Jackson pulled her from the floor, the momentum throwing her forward onto him. His hands at her waist moved her onto the couch next to him. While he fastened his jeans, she lifted the pillow from the floor. The snick of the door opening occurred simultaneously.
Clay’s wide ice blue eyes met her own before they narrowed to slits. His gaze migrated over to Jackson and back to her. “Clara Grace what are you doing in here?” His deep baritone reverberated around the room.
“I was looking for you.” Jackson’s hand had started to rub against his jeans. She knew he hated the lies they sometimes had to tell to hide their relationship.
“I saw you walking out here like fifteen minutes ago. What have you been doing?” His eyes darted from her to Jackson.
“Been talking with Jackson.” His hand rubbed faster. “I brought mimosas, but he told me about being on call at the hospital.” She jumped up and skipped to Clay throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him square on the lips. “Such a wonderful day. I love you. I’m so happy my big brother is getting married to his one and only love.”
He squeezed her tight. “Love you too baby girl.”
“Are you being a good boy?” She smiled up at his six foot five frame.
“Augie’s the one you should be worried about. He’s in Mia’s room.”
“Are you serious. That’s not allowed.”
“She was crying.”
She gasped. “Why was she crying?”
Clay shrugged. “Augie made her cry.”
“What?”
“Bug—err, better go check on her Clara.” She turned to Jackson on the couch and couldn’t help the slight smile that was forming at the corner of her mouth.
She kissed Clay’s cheek. “Text me if you need anything.”
“Will do.”
She looked back at Jackson. He was always so serious. She’d seen him laugh just a few times and it was usually at something she’d done or said. She wished she could think of something now that would bring him relief. His eyes and his stiff body held so much pain it made her gut ache. Clay’s head was turned away from her so she held up the universal hand sign for I love you and then she blew him a kiss. The right side of his mouth lifted ever so slightly.
*
Jackson loved Clay. He loved the entire clan of St. Martins. He didn’t want to think about what would happen if they turned on him once they knew about his romance with Clara. And it was a romance, a huge whirlwind romance. God he loved her with everything he had. He was a man possessed. It wasn’t just her beauty, but everything about her. Her laugh, and there was more than one. There was the cute half committed chuckle she made when she was tired. There was the short burst of laughter that bubbled out when she got tickled at something she’d read or heard on television. There was the sexy breathless half moan, half giggle she made when he nuzzled behind her ear, her ticklish spot. And she was so kind to everyone. He loved her spirit. The door closed behind her and it was like someone shut off the oxygen that was keeping him alive.
“You okay there brother?”
Clay took the chair across from him. “Yeah, just tired.”
“You need to take better care of yourself. You’ve been working too many hours at the station. Along with your full days at the hospital, you’re gonna run out of steam.”
He wouldn’t. Plus he had big plans for his future with Clara. Plans that required money. “I’ll be okay.”
They were basically living together and Clara had tried to buy things for his apartment, but Jackson Reid wasn’t about to let that happen. He’d had to work overtime to provide for a few things she’d wanted to buy to make their apartment a home. Their home. He would provide for her. Wanted to provide for her. He knew she’d sensed his limited budget and lived much more frugally than she’d done in the past.
Sure things would have been easier if they’d waited until he’d graduated, but it was about survival. He couldn’t exist without her and she’d said the same of him.
Clay cocked his head. “Still, if you need some vacation time, or if you need money, let me know.”
He nodded. Clay had offered this before. Hell he’d tried to sneak money into Jackson’s possession, but there was no way in hell he’d accept it. He wanted the world to know that he loved Clara for who she was, not for her name and money.
“So big day huh. I can’t imagine how ecstatic I’d be on the day I marry uh… your soul mate.”
“You marry my soul mate?”
“Or mine.” He smiled.
“Have you met yours?” Clay’s brow hitched.
Yeah, he’d met her and he wouldn’t deny it. “I have secrets you’ve never heard.” He smiled and Clay’s loud rumbling laughter filled the small space. “Have you been exiled to the pool house for the entire day?”
“Supposedly me and Augie have been exiled but he’s breaking all the rules.”
“And you’re following them. You’ve always been a rule follower.”
Jackson’s eyes grew heavy. It was true, he was behind on sleep. He’d worked last night. Got home around six in the morning, and it’s not like he went to sleep then. He got in bed, but he and Clara couldn’t be next to each other without touching. Touching led to kissing. Kissing led to sex. Totally worth it. He’d rather make love to her than get a wink of sleep. If it killed him he thought it’d be a sweet way to go.
“Jackson. You’re so exhausted you’re not even aware when I call your name. Stay here, get a nap in. I’ll see that no one disturbs you.”
“Thanks Clay. And hey, I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks. And you know I couldn’t imagine this day without you here. You’re family, you’re one of my brothers.”
Jackson’s throat burned with emotion. “Thanks. That means everything.” His voice cracked before he could say all of the words.
He left Jackson in the pool house. The silence was maddening. His thoughts would always turn to his parents when the silence pervaded. If only his dad hadn’t taken up flying. He’d logged the required number of hours and his parents had embarked on his inaugural flight. That day the air had been electric with the promise of excitement. The plane had crashed to the ground. Jackson had only been sixteen.
*
Tending to two brides at once was proving to be an act of monumental patience. Keeping Augie and Clay from their brides was damn near impossible and Augie had ruined Mia’s updo twice. Clara was glad when the musical notes of Johann Sebastian Bach lilted in the air. She took her position in line, side by side, next to Jackson, she linked her arm in his. His free hand squeezed her upper arm and they were lost in one another’s eyes. The couple behind them coughed to signal them to begin the processional. Slowly they traversed down the isle. She whispered, “Jackson, I love you.” His hand squeezed tighter. She could feel his warmth even through his suit as it radiated into her body. As they reached the end of the walkway, his jaw twitched. His vice like grip was starting to squeeze off the flow of blood. Her arm was becoming numb.
“It should be us,” his whispered reply.
They broke apart and each went to their appointed side of the stage. S
he stood and pivoted on the indicated mark just as practiced. Even from across the stage Jackson’s eyes were intent on her. She agreed. It should be them, but they were both still in college and they really didn’t have any money. Her family supported her and she had her own apartment near campus, but she’d moved in with Jackson and he didn’t like it when she offered her father’s credit card to pay for things. He paid for everything and she felt a little guilty. His joyful demeanor when he provided for them kept her from feeling too bad about their finances.
If she married against her family’s blessing, and it would definitely be against their blessing, she had no doubt they’d cut off her funding anyway. They’d done it to Cash when, after four years of college, he hadn’t acquired enough credits to graduate. Plus Jackson had said that he wouldn’t accept, use, or even need money from them. He was adamant that he be the one to take care of them. She believed in him. He was disciplined and dedicated and unbelievably stubborn, but she’d watched him sacrifice himself for two years.
The other couples started to file in. It was a huge wedding party. Augie had two brothers and there was Clara and Clay and the rest of their five brothers and their wives. The colors were amethyst and gray, a combination chosen in part due to the color of the sisters eyes—both fiancés had been enamored by the color of his fiancées eyes. It was sweet and Clara knew the eyes were an expressive barometer into the soul. Jackson’s eyes were a haunted deep ocean blue. He clung to her like a buoy in a storm and she loved him, wanted to help him, but sometimes she felt as if she weren’t strong enough to keep them both afloat. She loved him more than anything but she wanted him to come to terms with whatever simmered beneath the surface.
The first chords for Canon in D rung out in the living room of the Roy estate and the sisters took their first steps. Since their father was deceased, they sauntered down the make do isle arm in arm, all smiles, a stark contrast to the men who awaited their arrival with intense eyes on their ladies. It was as if they were trying to ensure the women weren’t a mirage and if they blinked would be gone.
She had her own version of intense. Jackson was still glaring at her, unblinking. She smiled at him. Nothing. She winked using the eye not facing out to the spectators. Nothing. Favoring that same side she put her hand on her waist and tilted her head, cocking a brow at him and then crossing her eyes. The corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly and his gaze broke. He blinked and then his banked smile broke free. It hardly ever happened, but when it did she was rewarded with a sincere, honest and beautiful smile that only he could give.
As the vows were exchanged his eyes sparkled a little bit more as hers leaked like faucets. A few times she saw him look down and wipe away a tear.
The rings went on and finally there were kisses all around and each couple was announced. Still, he only had eyes for her. It was as if a magnet drew them together. The instant they reconnected she heard and felt him release the breath he was holding. His fingers gripped her in the vice of his fate, as if she alone were responsible for his wellbeing. Truth told his intensity scared her sometimes, but it was also a part of him that she cherished, unconditionally. As they walked down the isle he whispered in her ear.
“Gotta get you home. Need to be inside you, wrapped up in you.”
“Cracker Jack.” She squeezed him a little tighter. “I need you too.” And she did. In a world where nothing slowed down and everything blurred, he’d always been focused on her. He’d always been around when she needed him. He was there for her when she’d had her accident. Her hero, her angel, her Jackson. He was the reason she was alive today.
SURGE
JUNE 2014
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Gina Watson is author of St. Martin Family Saga. She lives in Texas where she leads a double life: university instructor by day, romance writer by night. She loves to be contacted by readers to discuss all things erotic romance.
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THE SAGA CONTINUES IN:
St. Martin Family Saga
Emergency Responders Trilogy
Sizzle
Seize
Surge
LINKS TO MY OTHER BOOKS:
Where it all began:
St. Martin Family Saga
Whiskey Cove Series
Score:
Shameless:
Shatter:
Suited:
Smolder:
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
THE SAGA CONTINUES IN:
LINKS TO MY OTHER BOOKS: