“Why are you crying?” he asked, with so much tenderness his words were barely spoken.
She shook her head. How could she tell him that after spending only one evening with him she never wanted him to leave? This was absurd. She preferred to be alone, didn’t she?
She stood and ran abruptly to the bathroom.
He called after her, “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” she choked out, “It’s just that I’m starving. I want to get something to eat.”
He hesitated, sure that something else going on, but not wanting to push her. “Okay,” he replied instead. “I’m pretty hungry myself. Do you mind if I jump in the other shower?”
She opened the door a little and called after him. “No, go right ahead. There are some extra towels in the cabinet beside the shower.”
They showered quickly, barely able to stand being apart.
In the kitchen, they pulled anything they could from the refrigerator. “I’m afraid it doesn’t look too promising,” Jessica apologized.
“Nonsense,” he said, dismissing her apology. “Here, let me have those eggs, these potatoes, a little cheese, some of these peppers, salt, pepper, and we’ll have an omelet whipped up in no time.”
“I’ll put on some coffee. Even I can do that without screwing something up. I think there might be some bagels in the freezer. Yes, here they are. I’m not sure how old they are, but they’ve been in the freezer; they should be fine.”
As she turned to take them from the freezer, Brandon turned at the same time, colliding with her. They laughed and Brandon pulled her again into his arms.
“Or we could just pick up where we left off last night,” he teased, as he kissed her passionately, leaving her breathless.
She blushed. “I thought we settled that last night.”
He sighed. “I know, but you can’t blame a guy for trying.”
“Let’s just finish up. We have much to see today.”
“Okay then,” he said with a sigh, “let’s put this breakfast on the table.”
“You mean lunch.”
“I stand corrected. Lunch, then.”
“Oh, wow!” she exclaimed as she bit into her eggs. “This is the best omelet I’ve ever had. What’s in it?”
“Hmm… It’s my secret. We have a Mexican cook who has taught me many ways around the kitchen, on one condition. What I learn in the kitchen stays in the kitchen.”
“Well, I guess I’ll just have to keep you around then, because I can’t cook anything worth speaking of.” She frowned. “In fact, most people don’t speak of the things I cook.”
He laughed. “Well, then I guess you’ll have to keep me around long enough to teach you some tricks.”
“I think that can be arranged.”
Their eyes met. She leaned over, kissed him. “Come on,” she urged, grabbing her plate and heading for the sink. “It’s getting late.”
They made their way to the door. As they passed Karen’s door, Jessica couldn’t help but notice it was slightly ajar. She could see her busying herself around the kitchen, which just happened to give her a birds-eye-view of anyone who walked past her door. She nodded and smiled slyly at Jessica. Jessica blushed, started to shake her head, but changed her mind. Karen obviously thought something had happened between them. Why not let her think it. She needed a little excitement in her life. So instead, she smiled coyly, and then laughed as Karen’s mouth dropped open. It served her right for butting in.
The air felt exceptionally cold, but neither Jessica, nor Brandon, seemed to notice as they made their way through the streets. They had slept later than they had originally thought. By the time they were ready to greet the world, the sky was already beginning to show signs of late afternoon frost.
She didn’t really care what they did that day, as long as they did it together. Brandon agreed. Their thoughts intertwined, each word spilling from their mouths in rapid succession. Whenever one would start a sentence, the other would finish. Then they would laugh.
They attracted stares and smiles from everyone they passed.
When they had started out that afternoon, the sky had been bright and sunny. Now the sky was clouding over. They hurried on their way so as not to waste what was left of the daylight. Despite the cold temperature, Jessica felt warm inside. She wondered if this was what falling in love felt like. As quickly as the idea entered her mind, she pushed it away. She wasn’t in love. She was just having a good time with an attractive man.
They walked a while, ending up at a park. They decided to stop and rest. As they seated themselves on the bench, Brandon slipped his arm around Jessica’s shoulders to keep her warm.
“Are you cold?”
“I wouldn’t turn down a nice hot cup of chocolate,” she said, cuddling in closer to extract as much warmth from him as possible. “It’s a good thing there’s still a little sun out or we’d be freezing.”
“You just wait until we get to the summer house in California. The weather will really warm you up.”
“That will be quite a change for me. I’m excited about going. I can’t thank you enough for your generous offer.”
“This is thanks enough. I can’t remember when I’ve had a better time. I don’t ever remember feeling such a warm and inviting feeling before.”
“Me neither.”
“Jessie.” Brandon said her name with such intensity that it made her shiver with delight. “Have you ever thought about what you’d like to do with the rest of your life?”
She looked at Brandon, watching him concentrate. He impressed her as a man who didn’t give much thought to the future, but lived mostly for the present.
“Well, until recently, I actually thought I knew exactly what I wanted from life. I had everything mapped out with no room for distractions.”
“And what did you want?”
”No, you’ll laugh at me. I couldn’t stand that.”
“I promise I won’t,” he said.
She saw nothing but honesty in his eyes, so she continued. “I’ve always had a dream of being a world famous photographer. My photographs would be displayed all over the world. People would look at them and say, ‘Why, this is a photograph taken by Jessica Crawford.’ And they would marvel at the beauty of it.” She sighed. “It’s a sappy, unrealistic dream. Isn’t it?”
He shook his head. “You discredit yourself. I’ve seen your work. You really are good. You have what it takes to succeed—an eye for beauty, determination, patience, and a boatload of talent. You’ll make it to the top. I’m sure of it.”
She turned to face him. “How do you know what I have is talent. Maybe it’s just short-term luck.”
“It’s not hard to spot. Everything about you is colorful: your clothes, your body (he winked), and your personality. Just look at your apartment; it looks like a fusion of Better Homes and Garden, and Life Styles of the Rich and Famous. You have mastered combinations that would turn the head of any art critic. You breathe talent, Jessie.”
She glowed at his praise. “You’re perceptive when it comes to people, aren’t you?”
He nodded, ignoring her tease. “I have to be. Did I tell you that we employ over two hundred workers on the ranch? With so many people to look after, I have to be able to read people. It’s important to be in touch with their inner being, understand what drives them, and learn to share their desires and goals.”
“I never realized your ranch was so large,” she said as they slipped lazily down on the bench. She turned her face toward the last bit of sun slipping down below the horizon.
She imagined Brandon working on the ranch. She guessed he was a hard worker. He probably drove his men with just as much fervor. The idea of rambling around on a big ranch appealed to her. Aside from her quiet upbringing with her mother in a small town, she had never experienced real country living. She fantasized about the homemade breads and pies that would be baked in massive ovens. She thought about all the jams and jellies that would be prepared ea
ch fall and put on the shelves to last through winter. His voice broke, startling her, intruding on her thoughts. She turned to look at him as he spoke.
“You said this was your dream until recently. What do you want now?”
“Oh, I still want the same dream. It’s just that lately, I feel as if I’m missing something. With my mother talking about spending my life alone, and now that Amy is having a baby, well, I just feel at though there is more out there for me. Maybe it isn’t a good idea burying myself in my work. Perhaps someday I might want someone to share my dream with me. I might even like to start a family of my own. I’m not sure I would make an excellent mother, but I certainly think I might like to give it a try.”
He chuckled softly. “I’m sure that all your dreams will come true. You deserve nothing but the best, and I’m sure you would make a terrific mother.”
She smiled. “I’m glad you have some faith in me, because I am certainly lacking it for myself. What about you, do you have everything you desire from life, or is there some secret fantasy out there just waiting to come to the surface?”
“Unfortunately, my life desires are a little more difficult to fulfill, but someday I would like people I do business with to respect me for myself, not as my father’s son. You see, many of our customers have been customers for many years. They have always dealt with my father. After he died, it was difficult to convince some of those loyal customers that I could run the business as well as he did. Some of them were reluctant to stay with me. I had some modern ideas that they weren’t too confident about. However, loyalty finally won out and most of them stayed, but it’s mostly out of respect for my father’s memory.
“They were sure surprised when they saw that I was just as capable a businessman as he was, more so in many respects. Most of their profits have doubled in the time since I have taken over the ranch.” He shook his head. “But still, they look at me and see Andrew Phillip’s little boy. They have a hard time seeing the successful businessman I have become.
“I also hope to have a family someday. I would especially like to have a son to whom I could leave my share of the ranch. I hope he would be out there working alongside me, just as I did with my father.”
The display of sentimentality evident in his eyes and in his voice touched her. This kind of expression was so rare in men. She felt like reaching out and touching him, but she knew this was exactly the kind of reaction most men tried to avoid. She blinked back the tears that had welled in her eyes.
“I’m sure that you, too, will get what you desire.”
In an effort to regain her composure, she glanced thoughtfully around her, noting they were the only ones in the park. “Where do you suppose everyone is today?”
“Probably being smart and staying inside, instead of sitting on a park bench freezing their asses off,” he replied, grinning. “Come on,” he said, offering his hand to her. “Why don’t we find some romantic little bistro where we could lunch?”
“Lunch?” she said. “My dear Brandon, it is well past lunch. Look at the sky.” She pointed upwards.
“It doesn’t matter what time the clock reads. We slept so late and had breakfast for lunch. My body thinks it’s time for lunch. But it doesn’t matter whether we eat lunch or dinner. I’m hungry enough to eat both.”
They managed to find a small café just a few blocks from the park. They ordered soup and hot muffins, letting the warmth of the soup envelop them.
“Exquisite!” Brandon proclaimed. This soup may just be my new best friend.”
“I think I’m in love with the muffins. What do you think they put in them to make them so moist and sweet?”
“Probably either honey or buttermilk.”
“All I know is it’s the best muffin I’ve ever had.”
He shook his head. “They are excellent, I agree. However, you haven’t tasted Henry’s muffins yet. They are superb; the absolute best muffins I’ve ever tasted. Only don’t tell my mother. She still thinks her carrot raisin is my favorite. I don’t have the heart to tell her differently.”
“Who is Henry?”
“Henry is a local baker, near the ranch. It’s a thirty-minute drive to get there, but it’s worth it. I keep trying to talk him into expanding and shipping, but he’s happy just serving the local public. He has a family and an apartment over the bakery. He’s a good father and a loving husband. He can be seen every Saturday at the local little league field pitching balls to this sons, and every Sunday at the Catholic Church. He works hard and makes a good living. He employs quite a few of the local high school students after school.” He nodded at her. “I’m rambling, sorry.”
She smiled at him, marveling at how comfortable she was with Brandon. It scared her to think she was becoming dependent upon his company. She knew that after the weekend, he would be returning home, and she would not be seeing him again until they left for his house in California, in three weeks. She wondered how she was going to make it through until then.
He slipped his hand into hers, and they began their walk back to the apartment. She grasped tightly, never wanting to let go. He glanced down at the added pressure of her grip, amazed that this beautiful woman could so easily capture his soul.
The past few weeks had been torture for Brandon. He had never met a woman with such strength and courage as she. He had thought about her day and night. Her very being had made such an impression upon him that he had been unable to get her off his mind. Unable to bear the burden of missing her any longer, and with constant urging from his brother, Matthew, he had decided it was time to pursue her.
Being here with her today was his dream come true. He could not bear the thought of leaving her tomorrow, knowing it would be weeks until they saw each other again.
He pulled her closer to him. He held her tight, until he felt her squirm in discomfort. Apologizing, he loosened his hold. His body began to respond to his urgent needs. He quickened their stride lest she sense the change in him.
They were barely inside the door when he pulled her close. He whispered her name, his mouth mere inches from her ear. Her skin was soft and smooth, creamy white against his own sun-stained brown. He could smell the sweet scent of lilacs that she had bathed with that morning. He longed to smooth the creamy soap over every inch of her.
He closed his eyes, imagining every curve. His hand crept up, longingly, stopping only inches from her breast, sending ripples of excitement through them both. Her hands began their own exploration, being careful not to impose immodesty. His mouth traced the sides of her neck, nibbling as his lips drank in the sweetness of her.
A soft moan escaped her lips, begging for more. He devoured her mouth. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her. At last he pulled his mouth from hers, panting as he savored the smell and feel of her. His hands cupped her buttocks, sliding up to wind themselves in the silkiness of her beautiful hair. Their lips met again, hungrily seeking fulfillment. Unable to bear it any longer, he pushed her away and stared into her eyes. He saw lust, and something else he couldn’t put a name to.
She wanted him desperately, could wait no longer, but she had to. She ran into the bathroom and slammed the door. She caught her reflection in the mirror. Who is that? She wondered. She didn’t even recognize herself. This woman had a glow to her, a softness that she lacked, a maturity that wasn’t there before, and something else, too. She couldn’t decide on it. Never in her life had she been so happy. Was this what being in love felt like?
He rapped softly on the door. “Jessie, are you all right,” he whispered through the locked door. She opened it and their eyes met. Neither of them spoke, afraid to break the spell.
Brandon made the first move. He kissed her again, but this time there was no passion to it, only a loving firmness. He thought he heard her utter her love for him, but he wasn’t sure. He wanted to return the expression but held back, unable, or unwilling to break the spell. Tomorrow he would analyze his feelings. Today, he thought, as he buried his face deep into her neck,
today was just for feeling.
He didn’t want to talk about the future, fearful of what it might bring. He didn’t want to think of never seeing her again. He was afraid saying it might make it so. He was content to glorify himself in her beauty for what little time they had left of today.
She was exhausted, that was clear to see. He gathered her into his arms and carried her to her bed. He lay down beside her, pulling her close. She slipped quickly into a deep, peaceful sleep. Unable to fall asleep, he just lay and watched her. Her chest rose and fell with every breath she took. He wondered what she dreamt of as he watched the look of pleasure seep into the corners of her mouth.
He would remember this night forever and face whatever tomorrow had to bring. He was frightened of loving this woman, fearful of getting hurt again, yet life would be unbearable without her. He rolled over and gently, so as not to wake her, placed his arm across her chest. She had bewitched him with her beauty and laughter.
She stirred softly, her mind floating somewhere between her dreams and the twilight sleep, her lips parting ever so slightly, moving gently as she murmured softly, “I love you.” Then she was sleeping soundly again, before she finished the final breath.
“I love you, too,” he quietly replied before kissing her gently on the head and drifting off to sleep.
**********
CHAPTER 5
Amy cursed angrily as the knife sliced into her thumb. She grabbed a towel, pressing it firmly against the injured digit as she ran to the door.
She stared in amazement as her visitor came through the doorway, looking dismayed at her bleeding thumb.
“Did I do that?” he asked with regret.
“Randy. What are you doing here?”
He turned and pointed toward the door, pretending hurt. “I can leave if you want me to.”
“No,” she said, a bit too eagerly. Then she giggled, grabbing hold of his arm and pulling him into the room before he could escape. “Please don’t leave. But really, what are you doing here?”
He came up to her and touched her softly on the cheek. Pity played in his eyes as they traveled down to her slightly swollen abdomen. “Why didn’t you tell me about your baby?”
Coveting Love (Jessica Crawford) Page 10