I slid my hand along his chest and knew that got a smile out of him.
“What do you propose?” he murmured, securing his arms around my waist.
“I’ve got some ideas, after the party.” I nestled my head in the crook of his neck.
“Why wait?” he asked, his breath skittering across my skin.
I felt euphoric in Jason’s arms. He softly nipped at my earlobe, sending a ripple of desire down my body, and I knew I needed more of him. I sat back slightly, and he loosened his grip. Recognizing the look in his eyes, my body lit up as if it were a fireworks display. There was something so intimate about the way his eyes took me in.
“Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?” he growled seductively, and that’s when all coherent thoughts slipped out of my mind.
His hands slid up my back, and his gaze burned into me as his eyes fell to my lips. I needed to feel his mouth against mine as I imagined his hands exploring my body.
“You’re blushing,” Jason said. “Are you sure you’re up for this?”
“You have no idea,” I murmured.
His mouth crushed against mine, his movements slow and deliberate as our kisses deepened. I felt his arousal press along my leg. My hand traveled down his chest to his abdomen, trying to find an entrance. I needed to feel the warmth of his skin. His lips slowly broke free from mine, and I was left wanting so much more. I was left needing so much more and didn’t understand why he stopped.
Until I heard tiny footsteps padding down the hall.
Jason flashed me a brilliant smile. “Going to take some getting used to,” he said, his breathing still ragged.
I adjusted my shirt and hopped off his lap just in time to greet Katie at the door. Tomato and Sunny were hot on her trail.
“Let’s go see what we have to play with,” I said.
I felt Jason’s gaze on me and worked my hips slightly more as I left the room. I knew that drove him insane, and I didn’t want him to forget what he had to look forward to tonight.
The doorbell rang, and the whirlwind began. The party planners had arrived, and there wouldn’t be a moment to steal away with Jason until tonight, long after everyone had left.
Jason welcomed the workers in and opened the large glass garage door that led out to the deck. It was only minutes before I heard Carla’s voice ring through the entry. She had arrived to take control as Katie and I sat and played with her My Little Ponies, which worked perfectly fine for me.
Somewhere between three and four o’clock we got banished from the great room. I thought it was only Carla who was behind it, but Jason was just as adamant so I reluctantly climbed the stairs with Katie and waited until we were called.
Being that I was an overly nosey person, it took everything I had not to peer down into the backyard. Every so often, I’d hear a man shout some directions or Carla’s laughter, and it was driving me nuts not to see what was going on. Whatever they had planned to surprise Katie was sure to be impressive. We stayed in Katie’s bedroom, and I read while she played with her toys.
I heard several vehicles start up in the front and realized the workers must be clearing out. I wondered if that meant I’d be able to sneak out and take a look at everything they had completed for Katie.
Jason climbed the stairs and called out for us.
“We’re in Katie’s room.”
He turned the corner and looked absolutely adorable and that’s when I realized this party wasn’t only for Katie. He held out his hand and helped me up from the floor.
“You ready to see?” he asked, his lip quirked.
“Absolutely. Wanna go see everything for the party?” I asked Katie.
She dropped her doll and followed us downstairs. Carla was in the kitchen and she gave a slight wave. “This was all Jason. I only helped bring his vision to life.” Her expression was charged with excitement, and I wasn’t sure what to make of it. I suddenly felt like there was more to this evening than I realized.
I glanced at Jason and he smiled.
“It’s true,” he laughed. “I dreamt it all up. Now trust me.”
He used his one hand to cover my eyes and the other to lead me onto the deck.
“Welcome home,” he whispered, dropping his hand from my face.
Colorful paper lanterns in corals, reds, and yellows hung from the imaginary ceiling that had somehow been created over the deck. Tiny white lights dotted the same area above, and I couldn’t even envision how everything was suspended, or how beautiful this would be tonight. Ceramic flowerpots had been painted white and lined the deck, alternating candles and orange geraniums. The outdoor shower had been hidden and transformed into a wall of nasturtiums that traveled along cedar walls. Tables with white tablecloths dotted the deck, with coral and yellow ribbon dotting the hem of the fabric.
A trail of pleated hurricane shades in the same colors as the lanterns led off the deck and onto the lawn toward the water. At the end of the trail, there were several rows of chairs and that was when I became completely confused.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, looking into Jason’s eyes.
His eyes locked on mine as our lips met, and I knew whatever was planned tonight was going to be spectacular. His kiss was more demanding than earlier, and my pulse sped up with the notion. He pulled apart from me and shot me a grin.
“This is quite the homecoming,” I whispered.
He trailed his hand along my waist, and I laid my head against his shoulder, looking out at the beautiful scenery.
“We should probably get ready,” Jason said. “The guests will start to arrive in thirty or so.”
I nodded and followed him back inside where Carla had been keeping Katie busy.
“One more surprise,” Jason said, pulling me down the hall and up the stairs.
“What’s that?”
When we got to the bedroom, he went into the closet and pulled out a beautiful sundress that matched the theme below. This had to be Carla’s touch. The ivory dress had large coral and yellow flowers printed on the fabric, and the red sash set off the empire waist.
“When I saw it, I knew it would be perfect for tonight,” he said, grinning.
“It is. It really is.”
He grabbed a red shawl and handed it to me. “This goes with it.”
“Has anyone told you what an insanely charming man you are?” I asked.
He laughed and shook his head. “That’s an upgrade from a cocky and arrogant—”
“Yes. A definite upgrade,” I cut him off. “But I think the one helped to get the other.”
“Right. The whole bad boy biker thing.”
I rolled my eyes and laughed, taking the dress from him.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me. I have a phenomenal party to get ready for,” I teased.
“Don’t you need some help?” he asked.
“Possibly…”
***
I had just put the last curl in my hair when the doorbell rang. Jason was already outside, arranging the chicken on the grill, and Carla had just left my bedroom. She had an interesting energy about her, and I wondered what all she knew about tonight. I clasped my bracelet around my wrist and beat down the thoughts that attempted to take over.
Carla answered the door and invited the first of the guests in. It didn’t take me long to guess who had been at the door as I heard steps quickly hurrying up the stairs.
“You look absolutely gorgeous,” Brandy said. I noticed a slight limp and my stomach knotted. I hated seeing her in pain. Not that she’d ever let on.
“You guys are looking pretty incredible,” I laughed.
“Are you feeling better?” Lily asked.
I nodded and realized I better get used to answering that question a lot tonight. “I feel better than I have in a really long time. I think I was walking around with it for quite a while.”
Music came through the open window and I grinned. Maybe my friends would clue me in. I sighed and looked at the bracelet Jason had gi
ven me.
“I wonder what’s going on tonight?” I mused, glancing at Lily and then Brandy. “It seems like quite the production.”
Lily shrugged. “It’s not every day a little girl comes into your life.”
“And then saves your life,” Brandy added. “I heard through the grapevine that you three will soon be headed off into the sunset.”
I looked at her bewildered. “Huh?”
“I overheard Aaron talking to his parents about something,” she offered.
So she would tell me if she knew something.
“Like where?”
Brandy shrugged. “Don’t know, but I’m sure you can guess a few places. In their eyes, Katie is like a God. It’s not every four-year old that would know how to dial 9-1-1.”
“True,” I said, smiling.
We walked out of the house and several more people had arrived, many I knew and some I didn’t.
Emily had brought a date and was over by the water with him. He was attractive, but I didn’t see any real chemistry. I had a feeling this would be a one-time thing. More people continued to trickle in and fill up the tables. Some were from Jason’s shop and others from my father’s business. It struck me odd, but again, I wasn’t getting my hopes up. I took a sip of wine and walked over to the grill master to see how everything was going.
Mason and Ayden were sipping on beers, staring out toward the lawn. They were discussing something quite intently and didn’t even stop when Lily slid her arm around Ayden’s waist.
Aaron was leaning over Jason at the grill, delivering advice about how to properly grill poultry, and I could see Jason’s mouth twitch as he attempted to play it cool. Katie was keeping my father and Carla quite busy, showing off her many zoo animals. Katie had decided to wear a princess costume to the party and was impossible to miss. She was definitely the star of the show. A gift pile was steadily growing for Katie, and that’s when I knew this party was like we’d originally intended. A mixture of relief and disappointment spread through me. The other thought would’ve been really unexpected.
“Chicken smells delicious,” I said, curling my hand over his shoulder.
The grill wasn’t our usual one. They’d brought in an industrial-sized one. Smart thinking. It was these little things that really highlighted Carla’s talents.
Aaron gave me a big hug. “You’re looking really good. More color.”
Leave it to my brother to state the obvious, but I loved him for it.
“Thanks. I’m feeling a hundred-and-ten percent better.”
He spotted Brandy and wandered off, leaving Jason and me alone.
“Looks like we’re going to have to add on,” Jason said, shaking his head.
“No kidding. That girl’s going to have to move out to the guest house before we know it,” I teased.
“At least her stuffed animals,” Jason agreed.
Even though I was feeling amazing and nothing like I had been, I still wore out pretty quickly. I glanced at Jason and he smiled. “Go take a seat, babe. I’ll be over soon with the chicken.”
“Thanks,” I said, giving him a peck on the cheek.
I walked over to the table that my friends had confiscated only to catch the last little bit of conversation.
“…in Paris,” Brandy said.
“What’s in Paris?” I asked, sliding into the seat next to her.
She glanced at Aaron who gave her a slight nod and smiled.
“We are.” She grinned, taking my hand.
“You’re kidding,” I said, looking over at Aaron.
“We were going to wait to tell you—” Aaron began.
“Until when? I got a postcard?” I laughed. “So how long will your vacation be?”
They traded glances, and I knew there was more to this story so I settled in.
“We’re going over there for the summer,” Brandy clarified, her eyes brightening.
“The whole summer?” I propped my elbows on the table.
“Maybe even longer…” Brandy said. “Depends how everything goes.”
“Whoa. I’m out of commission for a couple weeks, and all this happens?” I grinned.
“Thursday was my last day of school for summer. I finished it out like you told me to, and I’ve signed up for classes in the fall.”
“But?” My brow arched.
“But with the trial coming up, we thought it might be nice to be gone…like really gone,” Brandy said.
I nodded.
“I don’t know what the future holds,” Brandy said, eyeing Aaron. “I might take a leave in the fall or I might not.”
Aaron smiled and grabbed her hand. “She’s worried about the trial, and I don’t blame her.”
“Thankfully, I don’t have to be called as a witness. But this has really messed with what I want to do now, what I thought I wanted out of life.”
“Not everyone has to know exactly what they want to do with the rest of their lives. It’s ridiculous to think that happens very often,” Lily assured her, taking a seat. “I love PR and it loves me, but I kind of fell into it.”
“There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to let anyone down. My family’s been hearing me for years going on and on about law school. It became expected.”
“I know mom and dad would be fine if you didn’t continue. We just want you to be happy,” Ayden said. “That accident changed things for all of us.”
“Accident,” Aaron muttered.
I knew what Aaron meant. We all still called it an accident, but the truth was far more serious than that. It was attempted murder. Not an accident. A shiver ran through me.
“It’s true. It really did,” I said.
“We’re not making any definite plans,” Brandy said.
“You’ve never really taken enough time to recover emotionally,” I said, nodding. “I can understand wanting to escape. Hopefully your place will be big enough for all of us to visit, but I better figure out how to get Katie a passport and permission or whatever.”
Brandy hugged me. “So you’re okay with it?”
“How could I not be okay with my best friend living in Paris for a summer?”
“Maybe longer than a summer,” she chimed.
I rolled my eyes and released her. “Or longer than the summer. But whatever. It’s so exciting. Mom and dad know?”
“It was dad’s idea,” Aaron said, smiling.
“You’re kidding. He’s turning into a complete softy.”
“I spoke with the curator, and she put me in contact with everything I needed to get going over there. I can finish the pieces for that exhibit, and we won’t have to deal with shipping,” Aaron replied. “It’s a win-win.
The smell of the barbecued chicken wafted over to us, and I glanced at Jason who was stationed in front of the grill, tongs in hand.
He looked so damn cute. It was hard to be a good hostess and stay away from him.
“I don’t know if anyone told you, but Jason rarely left your side when you were in the hospital,” Aaron said, scooting the chair closer. “I literally had to haul him out of there so he’d shower and take care of things that needed to be taken care of.”
“No one mentioned it, but I had my suspicions.” I smiled.
Aaron smiled and I saw a spark behind his eyes, and I wondered if he had something up his sleeve for Brandy.
Someone turned the volume up on the stereo, and Lily pulled Ayden to the deck where Carla and my father were already dancing.
The sun had almost disappeared into the evening sky, and I knew tonight was going to be a night to remember.
Jason led me down the path along the waterfront, careful not to push me too far, too fast. I heard the music from the house and wondered if anyone would miss us. Katie was keeping my parents amused, but I’d like to think someone noticed we were gone.
We wound along some stumps and arrived at a little cove that I’d only been to once before. Solar lights dotted the way, but they were quite dim. Jason flipped on a flas
hlight as we continued walking along the overgrown path.
There was a downed log, and I wasn’t sure I was up for climbing over it, but before I had to analyze any of my options, Jason picked me up and carried me over. He led me to an area that was hidden from the house by Douglas firs and an overgrown thicket of grass and ferns.
Lanterns hung from the Douglas firs and a thrill of anticipation sped through me as I watched Jason pick up a folded blanket and spread it along the bench that was nestled among the trees and ferns.
He took my hand and led me to the bench. I took a seat and tried not to let my mind get ahead of itself.
“It’s pretty incredible, isn’t it?” Jason asked.
I glanced around the woods and nodded. “It is,” I agreed.
He took my hands in his and smiled. “That wasn’t exactly what I was talking about.”
I laughed and scooted closer to him.
He took a deep breath. “When I found out about Katie, I was worried that would change things between us. That you were doing this because you felt you should.”
I shook my head. “I told you so many times…”
“I know.” He ran his fingers along his jeans and glanced out toward the water. “If it weren’t for Katie, I would’ve lost the one person in the world that means the most. She not only saved you, but she saved me. If I’d lost you…”
“You didn’t,” I interrupted him. “Our lives have been built on second chances, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. When Katie came into our life, I knew she deserved a second chance more than any of us, and by the looks of it, our friends and family will ensure she gets the best one imaginable.”
Jason pressed a soft kiss on my temple, and I leaned my head against his. A twig snapped behind me, which made me jump. Jason switched his light on and flashed it behind us to see a raccoon staring right back at us. Once Jason flipped off the light, we heard it scamper away, and I felt immensely better knowing it was back to being only us.
The pride in Jason’s eyes as he looked at me was enough to make me weep, but I wasn’t going to do that. I wasn’t going to get ahead of myself. I wanted to live in every moment. I took a deep, somewhat shaky breath in, as I looked around our own private space. I tried to commit every single detail to memory because something told me this was about to be the best night of my life.
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