by Tamryn Ward
Swallowing to keep from laughing, she reached down and pulled on the sheet covering her legs. The bottom inched higher and higher, exposing her feet then shins then thighs.
His eyes glued to her exposed legs, Jason’s hand trembled as he ran his fingers through his hair. Without a word, he caught the sheet with the other hand and gave it a sharp yank, covering her up again. “What are you trying to do to me?” He sounded breathless, definitely a step in the right direction. She figured he was dangling from the end of his proverbial rope at the moment. Would he fall?
“Drive you crazy?”
He chuckled nervously and stood, backing toward the curtain. He swiped an arm over his glistening forehead. “Well, it’s working, you little fiend. But just wait until we get out of here.”
“Promises, promises. Are you running away? Don’t leave me here alone.”
“I’ll be right back. I need to check on something.” Before she could say a word, he slipped out of sight behind the curtained partition.
“Well, so much for that.” Sure she’d be alone for a while as he found a cure for the case of stiffness she’d given him, she turned on the small TV suspended from the ceiling and settled back to take a catnap. The medicine the nurse had given her was sure making her sleepy…
Moments later—or what seemed moments later—a small commotion outside the curtain woke her. Still half-asleep, she lifted her heavy eyelids and focused her eyes.
A broadly smiling Jason, who had clearly regained his composure, was pushing a cart heaped with foam carryout containers. “Since I couldn’t take you out to dinner, I brought dinner to you.”
What a sweetie! Can I keep him? Please? “But didn’t the doctor say I can’t eat?” She scooted up and straightened out the sheet that had somehow tangled around her knees.
“He cleared you for solid foods.”
“Lucky me.” She rubbed her hollow stomach.
“I wanted to bring in the fiddlers too, but the door Nazi wouldn’t let them in.”
Violins? How romantic. “Unromantic bastard.”
“Tell me about it.” He scooted the full cart next to her then opened the top foam container. “I didn’t know what to order for you after the last meal I saw you eat. So I went for surf…and turf.”
Her eyes swept over the scrumptious hunk of beef in the container and her mouth instantly filled with saliva. Next to the sinfully thick steak curled a steamed lobster tail.
The aromas of grilled meat, onions and lobster filled her nostrils and she inhaled, wishing to fill her entire being with the delectable scents.
“Don’t just sit there and sniff. Eat.” He handed her a plastic fork and knife wrapped in a paper napkin. “This isn’t exactly the elegant setting I’d planned but it’s the best I could do.” He sat on the edge of the bed. “I have candles, but with the oxygen I figure that’s not such a good idea.”
“Probably not. This is wonderful, perfect.” Starving, she set to work slicing the meat and savored the first bite. Her eyes closed, she merely moaned and chewed.
“I take it you approve?”
She swallowed then carved off a second bite. “It’s absolutely delicious,” she said around the second piece of meat. Suddenly aware of the fact that he wasn’t eating, she motioned toward the other containers with her plastic knife. “What’s in those? Aren’t you going to eat?”
“That’s all for you. Salad, baked potatoes with the works, a seafood pasta dish, and an appetizer.”
“Holy smoke. I can’t eat all that. She’ll kill me if I gain another pound.”
“Who’ll kill you?”
“Er…” Duh! That was a stupid thing to say. She took another bite of meat as she thought of a logical answer to his question. “…my personal trainer?”
“You won’t gain any weight from one meal. You’d have to eat over three thousand calories to do that.”
“You’re right. I’m going to enjoy this.”
He looked pleased as she dug some of the flaky white meat from the lobster shell and dipped it in the plastic container of butter. The sweet sauce coated her lower lip as she opened her mouth and closed it around the fork. Her tongue jutted out to lick away the delicious wetness as she chewed and she couldn’t help feeling a little self-conscious. He was watching her every move.
“Besides, I like a little softness on a woman,” he said, his gaze riveted to her mouth. “No offense, but if I wanted to date a hard body, I’d date a guy.”
“No offense taken. But I’m curious. How much softness?” She couldn’t help asking. He’d never see her as plain old Jane, but she had to know if he’d find her more voluptuous figure repulsive—not that she’d ever get the chance to do anything about it even if he didn’t.
Jason was Monica’s ex-boyfriend, she reminded herself for the umpteenth time. And it was painfully clear, despite his claims to the contrary, he was in love with her, wanted to take her back. He had that look, the one she’d never seen a man have for her. Still, it couldn’t be mistaken. Something of a cross between the look a man would give toward a Lamborghini or a movie screen-sized flat screen TV with surround sound and multi-feature remote and the look a boy would give his new puppy. It was darn cute.
“Let’s not go there now.” He handed her a foam cup with a straw protruding from the plastic top. “Diet soda?” After she accepted the proffered drink, he added, “We’re having a nice time. I don’t want to wreck it. I’d much rather talk about something else, something safe.”
“I’m fine with the subject matter. You can tell me the truth.” She sucked, drawing some of the cold liquid into her mouth. The carbon bubbles tickled her tongue and throat as she swallowed.
Looking quite firm, he shook his head. “No. I’d rather talk about other things.”
“Like what? Like…marriage?” She followed a second bite of lobster with some more beef, her gaze not once straying from his adorable face. The dimple that appeared every now and then on his left cheek was just too cute. She wanted to kiss it. She wanted to kiss all of him.
There it was again!
Grinning, he said, “Well, it’s a little soon to be talking about that, considering it’s our first date.”
“Maybe officially, but we’ve known each other long enough to broach this topic I think, unless you’re scared.” She offered him a bite of steak but he declined with a shake of his head.
“I’m not scared of anything.” The way he made that proclamation reminded her of a little boy who’d just been teased by a group of kids. She wondered what he’d been like as a child. What his children would look like. What it would feel like to carry his child…what it would feel like to make his child.
A little warm all of a sudden, she fanned her face. As much as she didn’t want to, she forced her mind out of his bed and back to the conversation. “I didn’t think you were scared. So, what do you think about marriage?”
“You’ve never asked me that before. You were dead set against it, end of subject.”
Why did that not surprise her? What was wrong with that woman? Who wouldn’t want to marry Jason? He was incredibly sexy, sweet, caring, giving…the list went on. “That was before.”
“Yes, before this unbelievable transformation. Is that really you inside of there?” He leaned forward and tapped on her head.
“Oh yes, it’s me all right. I’m afraid you’ll have to take my word for it. There’s no such thing as a personality transplant.”
“If there was, I’d be highly suspicious.” He shifted his weight as if he was uncomfortable. “Okay, so what about now? What do you think about marriage?”
“I’d like to be married…someday.” To you! “Have kids.” Your kids. I’d name the oldest Jason Junior, assuming he was a boy. “A family. I think about those kinds of things more and more these days, especially with the holidays coming up. Not that I’m unhappy with my life the way it is, er…was,” she added. “Lately, I’ve learned to appreciate what I have.”
“Okay. I have to k
now. What made you learn that lesson so suddenly?” If he’d written it in black ink on his forehead, his curiosity couldn’t have been plainer on his face.
“Well…” She struggled to come up with an explanation that he would accept but wouldn’t really explain much of anything. Kind of like what politicians did. “Recently I had the opportunity to see what a friend’s life is like, to practically walk in her shoes. I’ve always envied this person, thought she had things so much better than me. But I learned she didn’t. And she taught me a few hard lessons, really helped me open my eyes. I wasn’t living right. I needed to make some changes.”
“That’s interesting.” He shifted again, this time moving closer.
A mere fraction of an inch of air was between her leg and his rump. She fought the burning urge to close that gap. The need to touch him blazed through her body.
Aware of the slight distance between them, she picked up the food carton and leaned forward until the back of her hand pressed against his shoulder. “Won’t you eat something? Please?”
“No.” He gently pushed her hand back.
“Why not? You bought enough food for an army.” She pointed at the mountain of containers on the cart.
“Because I know how you are about stocking your fridge. I figured whatever you didn’t eat now you could take home and eat later.”
“Oh! But I went shopping. I have all kinds of food at home. Enough to feed a small nation, in fact.”
“You didn’t.” The disbelief in his voice was unmistakable and comical.
She laughed. “Don’t look so surprised. I bought meat, vegetables, fruit…even some ice cream. I can prove it to you. Once they spring me from this place, how about coming over for some dessert? That’s the least I can do. But before you can have any sweets, you have to eat something solid. How about some steak?”
He laughed, a sound so delightful, she couldn’t help laughing right along with him. Then he opened the container and polished off the remaining steak and lobster.
By the time he’d finished, the nurse returned with Jane’s discharge instructions. Jason left the room while she dressed and within a half hour, they were on their way back to her place.
The minute they walked inside, she led him straight back to the kitchen, threw open the refrigerator and freezer doors and displayed the contents with pride. “See? You didn’t believe me, did you?”
“No, I didn’t but I do now.” His eyes were wide as he nodded. He didn’t move, so she rearranged a few things in the fridge and took the containers stacked high in his arms and put them inside. After closing the door, she went for the ice cream.
As she dished out their dessert, she watched him move about the kitchen, opening the cupboards, evidently to see if there was food inside, and inspecting the baked goods sitting on the counter.
“You did all of this because of your friend?” he asked, standing next to the full pantry.
“Kind of.”
He closed the cabinet door. “Someday I’d like to meet her.”
A bit of regret tugged at her gut. That would probably never happen. And even if it did, she’d have to pretend she didn’t know him, didn’t like him, didn’t care for him…wasn’t falling in love with him… How could she hide her feelings from Monica? “Maybe you will, someday.”
“She sounds like a terrific person. What’s her name?”
“Jane.” Jane handed him a bowl and motioned toward the living room. “Want to eat in there?”
“You never let anyone in your living room with food.”
“I do now.”
They sat on the undoubtedly expensive leather couch. The leather was so soft, it reminded her of silk. But it was about the only thing in the room that was warm, comforting—outside of the man sitting on the other end of the couch. The rest of the furniture was hard, metal, cold with sharp lines. Nothing like the furniture in Jane’s living room.
He was too far away for her comfort, but she did nothing to close the distance between them. She feared another touch, no matter how innocent, would completely obliterate her failing self-control.
There was no doubt about it, she was not only falling in lust with Jason Foxx, she was falling in love with him.
“Where’d you meet this friend, Jane?” he asked.
“Work.” She spun around, facing him and sat cross-legged. It was fun watching him eat. The way he captured the spoon between his lips. The way his tongue darted out to lick away the droplet of ice cream that sat in the center of his lower lip.
“Maybe we can plan a get-together? A foursome for golf?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I don’t think she’s much of a golfer.”
“Please. I’d like to thank her for whatever she did. We had our problems in the past but you’ve changed. It’s…incredible. Maybe that couldn’t happen if you weren’t ready for it, but she still had a part in it and both our futures may be changed. I need to thank Jane…what’s her last name?”
“Brown. I’m sure she realizes how much it means to you.”
“I don’t think anyone does, including you.” He took her bowl from her and set both of them on the coffee table. Then he palmed her cheeks and gazed deeply into her eyes. “Monica, this is what I’ve been waiting for. You’ve become the woman of my dreams overnight. I’m falling in love with you all over again, and this time it could be forever.”
Jane sat mute, not knowing what to say, what to do.
The words, I’m falling in love with you too, sat deep in her throat but she refused to let them come out. For one thing, if she said them, she would be admitting something she wasn’t ready to accept yet.
Then he tilted his head and lowered it, and knowing what he was about to do, she reached up, her hands flat on the backs of his and pulled, hoping he’d release her face before their mouths made contact.
No, no, no! she screamed in her head.
Oblivious to her inner struggle, he chuckled and closed the distance between them. His mouth touched hers in an erotic but very soft kiss. His lips were moist, pliable as they moved over hers.
She was in heaven.
Before she knew it, she was kissing him back. But she knew her kiss wasn’t as patient as his had been. She opened her mouth and explored his, sighing when his tongue slipped inside. He tasted wonderful, sweet. She felt her hands shake as she slid them down his forearms then up over thick biceps to his chest. Her fingertips traced the line of his developed chest muscles through his shirt. She felt his hands fisting, gripping hair on either side of her head.
He groaned when her right index finger found the tight nub of his nipple and circled it. His tongue darted in and out of her mouth in a quick rhythm that brought to mind another kind of thrusting.
Heat slowly uncoiled low in her belly and wound its way down…
A firm but surprisingly gentle tug on her hair made her tilt her head back. With a growl, he set upon her neck, kissing and nibbling. She reached up and dug her fingernails into the hard flesh of his shoulders as chills warred with mini-blazes for control of her body. Goose bumps erupted on flesh that felt stinging hot. A steady throb began between her legs and she yearned to rub it away.
Her eyelids closed, shutting out the visual world, yet she still found herself overwhelmed by too many sensations. The sounds of his groans, the scents of man and tangy aftershave, the feel of his weight pressing over top of her, his chest grazing her tight nipples, his hands roaming up and down her torso.
“Monica, oh, Monica,” he murmured into her ear. His words, the name he’d called her—Monica—acted with swift effectiveness, cooling her heating libido.
She pushed against his chest and lowered her head, opening her eyes. “Stop. Please. I can’t.”
“No, you don’t understand—” He leaned back and ran his fingers through his tousled hair. It fell right back where it had been, in slight disorder. Sexy, rebellious, perfect.
“I’m sorry,” she said, glancing down to see if any of her clothes had been misplaced. “I
just…I can’t…shoot! I don’t know how to explain.”
“No, I’m sorry. I don’t know how to handle this, what to think of it. This has to sound strange, but I feel like I’m falling in love with an entirely different woman. How can this be?”
“It’s strange for both of us.”
“Glad to hear I’m not the only one suffering.” Still looking a little uncomfortable, he winked.
Her face warmed as she saw the shimmer of love in his eyes.
This wasn’t fair! She’d never seen that expression in a man’s eyes before. Now that she had, she couldn’t be sure who it was meant for—the Monica he saw with his eyes or the Jane he saw with his heart. If only it were meant for the latter…
He glanced at his wristwatch. “I’d better get going. How about we go to the orchard next weekend? Get some cider and donuts.”
“Sounds wonderful! Do they have a hayride? I love hayrides.”
“You do?” He shook his head. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to this new Monica. You’re so different.”
“Is that bad?”
“Heck no! And to answer your question, yes. They have a hayride later in the evening. We can get some hot cider and take it with us.”
“Sounds wonderful,” she said, imagining herself curled up in the hay with Jason, a blanket wrapped around them both, a sky full of sparkling stars overhead. Her whole body tingled. It had been eons since she’d last gone on a hayride. And never had she been snuggled close to a guy as hunky and sweet as Jason.
“Good. See you next Saturday.” He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Have a good week,” he whispered. Then he left.
* * * * *
The workweek dragged by. Jane felt like a kid waiting for Christmas as she prepared for her big date with Jason. That Saturday, she dressed in her cutest blue jeans, took extra long to fix her hair and makeup and bundled up in a sweater and jacket. Just in case she got cold—Monica was always cold—she folded a warm wool blanket to take along.
Jason showed up at six on the dot. Her heart rapped as loud against her rib cage as his fist did on the door. Nervous and giddy, she opened the front door to let him in.