"You're welcome."
The gentle touch of his hand on her back, the golden lights in his eyes, the small smile on his lips told her more than words that he hadn't planned her birthday out of obligation. He cared. And maybe soon that caring would become love.
Chapter Eight
"Fifteen. Sixteen. Seventeen." Sara counted slowly, giving Christopher time to find what he considered a good hiding place. He loved to play hide and seek, especially upstairs where he could slide under a bed or behind a drape.
Drapes and a bed brought Jake's room to mind. Maybe soon she'd be sharing it with him, maybe soon they'd truly be husband and wife. Her birthday party last night had been proof that he cared--and maybe more than cared.
No longer hearing Christopher shuffling into a place to hide, she finished her counting. "Eighteen, nineteen, twenty. Here I come, ready or not."
Sara peeked outside the bathroom where she'd waited. She suspected Christopher might be in his favorite hiding place, but in the name of the game she looked carefully around his room. "No Christopher," she said in a loud voice. Stopping at the door to her bedroom, she called, "Christopher, where are you?" and heard a giggle. Her guess was correct. Going to the walk-in closet, she opened the door. Slowly, she separated clothes on the rod to peer behind them. "Christopher's not here, either. Maybe he's in his dad's room."
She heard the giggle again.
One side of the closet held blouses, skirts and sweaters. Underneath them stood a round wicker clothes hamper. Her son had wedged himself behind it, but his feet protruded.
"Why, I think I see a sneaker that doesn't belong in here." She wiggled his foot, and he giggled again. "I think I see a stocking, and a leg, and..." She pushed the hamper out of the way. "There's Christopher!"
When she tickled his tummy, he laughed and said, "You found me, Mommy."
She lifted him out of the corner. "You bet I did. I'll always find you. And just in time, too. Teddy told me he's ready for his nap."
"He did not."
She tickled Christopher again and set him outside the closet. "Did, too. Go to the bathroom, then I'll read you a story."
Sara was aware that her son was growing out of nap times. Sometimes, she'd peek in and find him paging through a stack of books. Others, he'd be running his cars over his pillow or talking to Teddy. Many days she found him fast asleep.
She'd read him a story, kissed him, and partially closed his door when the doorbell rang. When Jake answered it, she heard voices, both male and female. Gillian had left for the day. Maybe she'd forgotten something.
Suddenly, Jake's voice came up the stairs. "Sara. Can you come down for a few minutes?"
When she descended the steps, Jake, Harv, and a pretty woman who looked to be about Harv's age were standing in the living room. Harv was grinning from ear to ear. "I wanted you to join us because I want to ask you and Jake a favor."
Sara crossed to Jake and stood beside him.
"But, first, I want to introduce you to Bernadette."
Sara extended her hand. "It's nice to meet you."
Bernadette, a tall redhead with beautiful green eyes, gently gripped Sara's hand. "Harv told me how you assured him Jake would find me and how your words kept him going." She gave Harv a loving smile.
Sara glanced at Jake. He frowned and she realized they both remembered how he'd scolded her the last time Harv was here. "Harv thought I was Jake's partner that day."
"I'm sorry I mistook you for Jake's partner. I've never met her. But it's much nicer that you're Jake's wife. It'll make my idea more attractive, I hope."
Jake motioned to the sofa and they all sat. "What idea is that?"
"Bernie and I are getting married. We've wasted enough time. We want to do it as soon as possible and in style. How would you two like to fly to Las Vegas with us tomorrow? I know it's short notice, and Christmas is less than a week away, but it would only be overnight. You can be our witnesses at the ceremony. We'll have a nice dinner and stay overnight and fly back the next morning. What do you say?"
Sara thought Jake would turn down Harv's offer right away, but instead he seemed to be thinking about it. He turned to Sara. "You're finished shopping and baking, right?"
"I have some wrapping left. That's about it. Why? Do you want to go?"
"You didn't get a honeymoon."
Her mind went into overdrive. "You mean...?"
"I mean, it would be nice to get away overnight and relax before the holidays. If you think Christopher won't mind staying with Eloise."
"Oh, I don't think he'll mind. Not just one night. We can ask him when he gets up."
"Harv, we're honored you asked us. Can I call you in a couple of hours and give you our answer?"
"Well, sure. That'll be fine."
After Jake and Sara saw Harv and Bernadette to the door, Jake closed it and turned toward her. "Would you like to go? Harv kind of put us both on the spot."
"It would be nice to spend some time alone with you--without Christopher, I mean. We could concentrate on us."
Jake took her hand, held it in his palm, and smoothed his fingers over the top. "I'd like to concentrate on us."
Her heart soared. This was the moment she'd been waiting for--Jake willing to believe in her again…in them. Las Vegas, here we come.
#
The bellboy smiled when he looked at the tip Jake handed him. "Thank you, sir. Anything else you need..."
"We're fine. Thank you." He closed the door on the young man.
Sara picked up her garment bag to hang it in the closet. Jake took it from her. "I'll do that."
His leg brushed hers, khaki slacks against her tunic top and leggings. They'd been touching more lately, not jumping apart, letting the sensations linger--at home, in Harv's private plane, as they checked into the hotel. It was tantalizing and frustrating at the same time.
Jake crossed to the closet and hung up the garment bag. "We have two hours before the ceremony. What would you like to do?"
Sara's gaze met his across the two double beds.
His brown eyes sparked with gold, and she knew they were both thinking the same thing. But the first move had to be his. She wouldn't ask him to make love to her. She wouldn't beg for his trust.
"We could look around," she suggested. "Take a walk. I've never been to Las Vegas."
"At night, it's lit up like a Christmas tree. All year round. But we can walk around now if you'd like."
Sara took in everything--the desert, the marquises, the people on the street. She smiled at passers-by, and they smiled back. Jake guided her past resorts, restaurants, and wedding chapels. When they returned to the room, Sara sank down on the bed. "Whew! This is some place, isn't it?"
He smiled. "Nice place to visit but you wouldn't want to live here?"
She smiled back. "Something like that." She paused, and chose her words carefully. "I'd like to get a shower. Uh..."
"You go ahead. I'll get one when you're finished." He picked up the ice bucket on the dresser. "I'll go get some ice. Would you like anything to drink?"
"Juice of some kind if they have it."
He nodded and went out the door.
She let out a pent-up breath. They were being so careful with each other. Like they were on their first date. Maybe they were.
Sara had packed light--the Christmas dress for the ceremony and dinner, jeans and a blouse for their return trip, and...a satin nightgown and robe. Wishful thinking perhaps, but just in case...
Taking shampoo, brush and comb from the pocket of the garment bag, she took the robe from its hanger and went into the bathroom. In the shower, she let the hot water beat on the back of her neck. She hadn't realized how much tension she was holding there. When she finished showering, she used the hair dryer on the wall to dry her hair.
She opened the door and stepped into the bedroom.
Jake was sitting in the chair by the window, rifling through a newspaper, sipping at a cola. His terry robe lay on one bed. "I got you orang
e juice. They..."
Gazing at her above the newspaper, his eyes became dark and dangerous.
She cleared her throat. "I...uh...can put on my make-up at the vanity out here if you want to shower."
He folded the newspaper in half and laid it on the table. When he stood, she backed up. But it didn't matter because he picked up his robe and came toward her anyway. Stopping in front of her, his gaze started at her feet and slowly moved up her body until it lingered on her lips, finally her eyes.
"If I kiss you now, we'll never make it to Harv and Bernie's wedding."
Her hands trembled and her knees wobbled. "They'd be disappointed."
"Unfortunately, that's true." He slipped by her, but stopped at the threshold of the bathroom. "It would be a good idea if you're dressed when I come out."
Sara sank down on one of the beds. She had the feeling this was going to be an evening she'd never forget.
She'd applied make-up, dressed, and was clipping a gold barrette in her hair when the bathroom door opened. Making herself stay facing forward, she took a peek at Jake in the mirror. His hair was still damp, brushed to one side, tendrils dangling on the nape of his neck. The V of the robe's lapels displayed a matt of black chest hair. The hem of the garment stopped at his thighs, powerful thighs that even in shorts didn't look as sexy as they did below the robe.
When he crossed to the closet, she slipped into the bathroom again and closed the door. There, she waited until he had time to dress. She felt foolish, but also awkward, hopeful, and excited, too. Finally, she opened the door.
Jake was tying his tie when she crossed to the dresser.
She opened her purse and dropped her lipstick inside. Suddenly she felt Jake close, his hand on her shoulder.
He gently turned her toward him. "You look beautiful." He traced the gold braiding on her collar. "Like a Christmas angel."
"And you look very handsome in your suit. It reminds me of our wedding day." Still a bit damp, Jake's hair tumbled over his forehead. Sara couldn't keep herself from touching him, from pushing it over his brow.
He took her hand and brought it to his lips. They were warm and sensual on her palm. "We have a wedding to attend." His murmur was a husky reminder that they were in Las Vegas for a reason. They'd have to deal with their feelings and desires later.
#
Sara marveled at the circus atmosphere in Las Vegas. Weddings were a breed unto themselves--from the drive-up window where couples exchanged vows in their car to the chapels where Elvis impersonators performed solos. A limousine had met them at the airport when they arrived. Jake had told her on the plane that it was Harv's usual mode of transportation when traveling.
Sitting beside his fiancée, Harv pointed to the bottle of champagne chilling in its magnum. "We'll break that open after the ceremony." He took his fiancée's hand and put it on his knee. "It was only a month or so ago these folks got hitched. Got any advice, Jake?"
Jake shook his head. "I'm no expert."
Bernie addressed Sara. "I guess what I'm worried about most is both of us being so set in our ways, we'll drive each other crazy."
"As long as you love each other, you can get past that. You can compromise," Sara answered, believing it.
Harv squeezed Bernie's hand. "Havin' doubts, darlin'?"
Her eyes found his. "Not about loving you."
His expression got serious. "Then I agree with Sara. The rest will settle itself. We've waited too long not to be together now."
As usual, Sara couldn't tell anything from Jake's expression, if he was thinking about the last four years or the next four.
The chapel they entered was less gaudy than a few she and Jake had seen that afternoon. It was no bigger than Jake's living room. The inside was painted white. White doves and silver bells hung from the ceiling. Five wooden benches flanked the left and the right. An aisle with a red runner divided the room and led to the dais where a podium stood.
The minister met them at the door. Harv shook his hand and introduced him to his bride-to-be and their witnesses. The limousine driver presented Bernie with a bouquet of daisies and orchids. With her cream taffeta, street-length dress, her upswept red hair, and her sparkling green eyes, she was a stunning bride.
The driver handed Sara a smaller bouquet of daisies and roses. Her hand trembled as she took it. In a way, she felt as if she were getting married all over again.
Sara stood beside Bernie while Jake took his place beside Harv. The minister's words as well as the vows Bernie and Harv exchanged were similar to those in Sara and Jake's ceremony. As the couple put rings on each other's fingers, Jake's gaze met Sara's. She thought she saw sadness in the depths of his brown eyes, but she wasn't sure. She wanted to see joy and hope and the love she felt for him. But he was still guarding himself.
When Harv and Bernie gazed into each other's eyes and kissed, the love and passion between them was obvious. It was a few moments until they broke away from each other, smiling sheepishly. After Harv thanked the minister, he gathered his new bride close to his side, grinned, and said, "Let's celebrate! Wait until you see the dinner I've set up."
Back at the hotel, the maitre d' showed them to a table far enough from the band to be private, but close enough to enjoy the music. Harv pulled out a chair for Bernie while Jake did the same for Sara. Another bottle of champagne sat beside Harv's chair.
"I hope you like lobster tail and filet mignon. Cherries jubilee for dessert, so save some room."
Harv flew his plane all over the United States in conjunction with his consulting business in setting up computer networks. His stories about clients and the glitches he ran into often kept conversation flowing during dinner. Except...
As Sara dipped chunks of lobster into butter and transferred the fork to her mouth, she'd catch Jake watching her...intently. He spent more time on his steak than the lobster, and Sara couldn't keep her eyes from his strong hands and agile fingers as he used the steak knife and brought the meat to his lips. She felt so close to him, yet so far away. It was a strange sensation.
As he put down his fork and pushed his plate away, his knee brushed hers under the table. Sara didn't move. His gaze collided with hers, and she held her breath. The intensity there practically stopped her heart. He pushed his chair back and stood.
"Harv, if you and Bernie would excuse us, I'd like to dance with my wife."
Harv chuckled. "I understand. You'll know when dessert's arrived by the flames over here. But if you're too engrossed in what you're doing, we'll understand."
Jake extended his hand to Sara. She took it. He kept his palm on the small of her back as he guided her to the dance floor. Only a few couples were dancing to the slow mood music. Sara had never danced with Jake before. They'd always spent their time talking or hiking in the canyons. Dressing up and going out hadn't been important to either of them.
But tonight, dancing seemed to be the perfect thing to do.
Jake took Sara's right hand as he slipped his arm around her waist and drew her toward him. He held her close. Very close.
"What flames are Harv talking about?"
"You've never eaten cherries jubilee?"
She shook her head and her chin brushed his lapel.
"Basically the cherries are cooked with brandy then lit until the flames dissolve. That gets rid of the alcohol and leaves the flavor. Then the cherries are served over vanilla ice cream. A simple dessert with a fancy name and a fancy way of making it. They light the cherries right at the table. It's some show."
She laughed. "I guess we will know when they serve dessert."
Sara moved in a small box, her steps following Jake's as if they'd danced together often. His breath whispered against her brow as he said, "You were distracting me at dinner."
"I was?"
"Um hmm." Leaning back, he didn't loosen his hold. "The way you eat lobster is sinful."
She felt a blush crawl up her neck. "I like lobster."
"I could tell. You ate it slowly, sa
voring each morsel. And when the butter coated your lower lip..." He brought their bodies into even closer contact. "I could only think about kissing you. Letting you enjoy me like you were enjoying that lobster."
She went hot, then cold, then hot again. His words were exciting her, making her want him even more than she already did. She had the feeling he knew it. "I watched you cutting your steak."
"And?"
"And I remembered how capable your hands are, how gentle, how...arousing."
"Why, Sara Donovan, I think you're trying to turn me on."
"And what are you trying to do?"
He made a slow circle on the small of her back, pressed his thighs against hers, and teasingly caught her ear lobe with his lips. If he hadn't been holding her, her legs would have buckled.
After suckling her ear lobe, he placed a gentle kiss on her neck. "I guess I'm trying to tell you I don't want us to sleep in separate beds tonight. How do you feel about it?"
Feel? She felt as if she were suspended somewhere between heaven and the sublime. He wanted her. He wanted her in his bed and in his life. "I'd like to share your bed with you, and anything else you want to share."
She felt him stiffen. "Sara, just because we sleep together doesn't mean all our problems are solved."
"What are our problems, Jake?"
He trailed his finger down her cheek. "Damned if I know right now. All I can think about is undressing you, kissing you, touching you. How fast do you think we can eat dessert?"
His chagrin and frustration made her smile. "I'm pretty good at downing ice cream. Three minutes tops."
"If you eat ice cream too fast, it can give you a headache."
"Then I'll be sure and take at least five minutes. Because, Jake, I'm not going to have a headache tonight."
The flare of desire in his eyes was more potent than any flames on a dessert. He kissed her with a slow lingering tenderness, creating an ache inside her that could only be satisfied one way, soon, in Jake's bed.
When he lifted his head, fire leapt between them. Sara knew she was going to get burned, but she didn't care because she'd decided to give anything to Jake that he wanted. In giving, she would find his love.
Jake's Bride (Search For Love) Page 13