by Rachel Hanna
“Again, Kristin, I owe you nothing. Now, I have better things to do than argue with a neurotic, insensitive woman trying to extort money from me, so I’m hanging up.” He didn’t give her a chance to argue, cutting off the phone call and instantly saving the number in his phone and setting it to go straight to voicemail. It would only be a temporary solution, until he could change his number, but at least he wouldn’t have to talk to her.
His mood nearly ruined, he sat there for several long minutes, closing his eyes and conjuring up an image of Sadie, lovely and smiling and happy, to help erase the nastier visuals of the woman who just couldn’t leave him alone. He knew he’d have to explain this situation to Sadie someday, but at the moment, he needed to build the trust between them until she was fully invested in him. Otherwise, the stories Kristin told were enough to make anyone wonder, especially without the evidence he sought which she refused to accept.
Finally bringing his heart rate down and feeling a little less on edge, he picked up the clothes he’d chosen for his first real date with a woman who really understood compassion and reality and moved back to the bathroom for the big production it had become to take a shower. He wouldn’t be able to spend a lot of time out tonight; he could already sense he’d fade quickly in his current condition. But he’d keep working to build up the muscle and the strength he’d lost so his time with Sadie could be extended. And during the time he had tonight, he’d put on a smile and really enjoy the chance to just be himself and have a beautiful woman on his arm.
***
He’d seen images of the exterior of his new home, but as Sadie pulled up outside the sprawling structure for the first time, he was in awe of its beauty. He’d seen a number of houses around this area of the world with cheap siding, and he’d still expected to find that look here. What he actually found was a true brick and stone building, with a great deal of country style appeal. Unlike many of the yards in the area, this wasn’t burnt but lush and green with freshly laid sod and what amounted to a high-tech sprinkler system that obviously kept it gorgeous. He couldn’t wait to get inside as he took in the size of his lot.
“This is magnificent, Sadie.” She could hear his breathless excitement, and it added some relief as she helped him out of the car. She watched his face, still the excited little boy, and she stopped to consider him in fascination. He’d healed miraculously, considering the damage that had been done, and even with a couple of small bruises and disappearing cuts, he looked just as good as he had before, maybe better. His face shone with his natural beauty, and it made Sadie almost swallow her tongue. How could this man possibly choose her?
Setting that emotion aside and taking in his radiating anticipation, Sadie helped him to the door and let him go in ahead of her, his eyes scanning all the way around with a giant grin on his face that made his eyes shine. “Did you pick out the décor?” he asked, sounding a little weak.
Sadie frowned, wondering if he was wearing out already. “I did. Is everything alright?”
“It’s wonderful,” he breathed, moving out of the entry and into the main living area. Sadie followed him cautiously, waiting for reactions to each room as he passed through, and almost expecting him to give out from the exertion but holding back so he could maintain his independence. It wasn’t until they had made it through the entire house and out to the backyard that she grew anxious at his silence and wanted to start apologizing for anything that wasn’t up to his standards. But before she could say anything, he turned and pulled her tight against him, kissing her with more energy and passion than she could have imagined him having in his condition.
She fell into that kiss, melding into his body as she gently cupped his cheeks and then slid her fingers back and into his hair, shaggy and in need of a trim but soft and curling around her hands. When they finally broke away from each other, Jake didn’t release her, and she stared at him with wild eyes, breathing in short, deep gasps. “What was that about?” she asked.
Jake searched her face, wanting badly to tell her everything he was thinking, but uncertain if it was the right time. He started talking, deciding to gauge her reaction and see how far he could go. “Sadie, this place is magical. I love the little added touches you put to it. This isn’t a house, it’s a home, and you’ve managed to incorporate everything I asked for and then some. I love the furniture, I love the design, and I love every element.”
Her smile grew until it nearly split her face. “You don’t know how happy that makes me! I was so worried it wouldn’t be your style, or that I would miss the mark. Are you sure you’re not just saying that to keep from hurting my feelings?”
He shook his head. “No, I wouldn’t do that. I love this place.” He paused, growing more serious and locking eyes with her. “And I love you.”
Sadie’s heart stopped, skipping several beats at his words. How could he say that to her, when they’d been together such a short time and not even fully explored a real relationship? And yet, her instantaneous reaction was to throw her arms around him and say it back. She felt like she knew him, down to his soul, even with the missing years and the anger she’d harbored for so long. And now that he’d been around for even this short space of time, she couldn’t imagine what it would be like to go back to her simple life without him.
But she couldn’t say all that yet, couldn’t admit it all. She was still settling into the idea that she could trust Jake, that he wasn’t going to just walk out on her one day. She needed more time to think about things. Still gazing at him as he awaited some sort of response, she nodded. “There’s a lot of history between us, Jake, and no matter how much I’ve tried to say otherwise, it’s not bad. I want to make a commitment to you, and I truly think that you were right and maybe we belong together. I just need a little more time, in a normal relationship, without all the hindrances that have been in our way.” She gestured toward the house. “You’re home now, and all the hard goodbyes have already been said. I know that doesn’t negate the loss, but it means we can both move forward and see where things lead now without concentrating on outside distractions. Can you give me that and let me grow into the person I want to be, the person I should be with you?”
Jake’s eyes were dancing as he spoke. “Sadie, I would give you the world. As long as you’re here with me, how could I deny you the time you need? I love you, enough that I’m willing to wait as long as it takes and simply thank my stars that you’ve finally come into my life. I will cherish every moment with you, even if you are timid and still a little concerned over the future. I can’t exactly blame you for that, since I’m the reason you have those qualms.” He kissed the tip of her nose and nodded toward the door. “Shall we go in and test the comfort of those amazing couches you chose for me?”
Relieved and almost ready to cry at his acceptance, Sadie helped him back in, where he sank into one of the suede couches with a sigh. The strain on his face made it obvious this had been more of a drain on his strength than he’d allowed her to see until now, and she would have chided him for it had she not been infected by his enthusiasm for the future. She sat next to him and watched him almost fall asleep in his utter comfort, only to grow irritated as their relaxation was interrupted by the doorbell.
Jake frowned. “I haven’t even officially moved into this place. Who could possibly be at the door?”
Sadie stood and held up her hand to stop him from moving. “You stay here and rest for a few minutes. I’ll find out.” Likely, someone from the neighborhood had seen them pull up and wanted to make introductions, or one of the contractors had accidentally left something behind. While Sadie didn’t much care to let anyone else in right now, when she’d just shared a very private moment with Jake, she understood the need and impatiently opened the door.
On the stoop stood a tall blonde woman with surgically enhanced lips, cheeks, and chest. She looked like one of those women who was attempting to become Barbie, and it was all Sadie could do not to wrinkle her nose in disgust. She understood plas
tic surgery to a point, but this was outrageous. In fact, she was so put off by the woman’s appearance it took several more moments to notice the infant carrier sitting next to her, complete with what appeared to be a little boy, no older than four or five months.
Frowning, Sadie asked, “Can I help you?”
The woman raised a perfectly drawn-on eyebrow at her. “I don’t know. You’re probably just a complication. I’m looking for Jake. It took me awhile to find him, and I’d like an explanation as to why I haven’t received any money from him for his son.”
Sadie’s jaw dropped, and it took her a minute to gather her wits. She couldn’t believe what she’d just heard, and it left her speechless. Finally, she managed a very weak, “I’m sorry, who are you exactly?”
“My name is Kristin, not that it’s any of your business. What are you, the maid?”
Her haughty sneer pissed Sadie off, and she stood straighter, her jaw clenching. “You know, it might do you some good to learn some manners, especially if you’re going to be any kind of decent mother to your child. Imagine him one day looking down his surgically altered nose at you as if you’re the lowest scum on earth. You’ll have no one but yourself to blame.”
Rolling her eyes, the woman – Kristin – brushed her hair back from her shoulder with a modelesque flair. “And you might want to stay out of other people’s business. Being nosy won’t get you anywhere with Jake, especially as an employee.”
Sadie didn’t know whether to be incredibly irate at the woman’s assumption she was an employee or completely shocked and even shattered that Jake had failed to tell her about another woman in his life, especially one he’d had a child with. “Stay right there. I’ll see if I can get him for you.” She shut the door and locked it, not wanting this sudden stranger to just walk in and take over. There was still a chance that she was nothing more than some insane fan that brought to mind Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean story.
Stalking back into the living room on legs that shook with nerves, she faced down the man she’d hoped to build a future with only moments ago and now felt she knew nothing about. He eyed her expectantly, his curiosity tangible. “You have a visitor,” she rasped, and his confusion was evident. “Kristin brought your son to see you.”
Amazement, bright and sincere, filled his face for a passing moment, but it was quickly replaced with a wrath that swept through the room like a storm. “Sadie, would you be so kind as to help me up so I can take out the trash?”
A bit confused herself, Sadie did as he asked, though she kept her distance behind him as he went to the front door.
Jake threw the door open, his brow creased with his rage as he stared at the woman who’d been stalking him for over a year. “What the bloody hell do you think you’re doing here?” he tossed out at her, getting a bit of satisfaction as she flinched slightly. With teeth clenched, he told her in a low voice, not wanting Sadie to hear, “That restraining order still holds, even in another state. I made sure of that. Your arse isn’t supposed to be within one hundred yards of me or any member of my band.”
She scoffed. “From what I hear, you don’t have any band left.” It took all Jake’s self-control not to lash out at her physically. He wanted to claw out those cheap collagen lips of hers and rip every last hair extension from her head for that, and she knew it as she smirked. “I still have a child, and you still owe me child support. If you don’t pay up, I’m going to court, and I’m going to the media, and I’m going to ruin your reputation. As far as I can tell, that’s really all you have left, being the lone healthy survivor of that little accident. You’re a hero and a saint. But that won’t last when the world hears you with your millions have paid not a single penny to care for your son, leveraging a restraining order against his mother in the meantime.”
“He’s not my son, you arrogant bitch,” he spat. “I slept with you once, something I regret more than anything, and I used a bloody condom. There is no possible way the boy is mine. And I’ll take a paternity test any day of the week to prove it.”
“You selfish prick,” she snarled. “I can’t afford a paternity test!”
“Only because you’ve spent every penny you have on rearranging your face!” he shouted back. “I am more than willing and capable to pay for my own test, to prove the truth. And when I do, I will slap a slander suit on you, as well as a violation of the restraining order. You simply don’t want me to run a DNA sample because it would prove that you’re a lying whore!”
Jutting her chin out defiantly, Kristin came back with venom, “I’m not the one who’s a whore, Jake. You’re the one who takes innocent girls to bed at every opportunity and ruins their lives by knocking them up. I’d be willing to bet your little maid in there is just the next in line to get screwed over by you. Jake Donovan, the king of one-night-stands.”
Behind him, Sadie flinched. It felt like a knife had been driven through her heart as the woman spoke those words. Maybe she’d been wrong to give Jake a second chance. Maybe he’d used her, one in a string of women that he’d contented himself with on the road.
“I was drunk at a party, and you practically tore my clothes from my body before I could even think to stop you!” she heard him throw back at her. “I barely convinced you to let me put on a condom. I was a victim. And as for my sex life, it’s none of your business, but I could also set up a polygraph test that would show I have slept with less than six women in the last three years.” Peeking around the corner, Sadie saw him draw himself up to his full height. As tall as the woman was, he still towered over her, and she seemed to shrink in his presence. “Now, get off my doorstep. I’ll have one of my people contact you to set up the paternity test, and when it proves that the beautiful little boy you’re trying to use as nothing more than a paycheck isn’t mine, I’m going to have you prosecuted for this intrusion and make sure that, while your life is a living hell, someone caring and compassionate who knows how to love takes care of your son.”
The sound of the door slamming left Sadie’s ears ringing, and her whole body shook as she tried to reconcile everything she’d just heard. The encounter had been so sudden, so violently emotional, she wasn’t sure how to process it all and certainly didn’t know what to believe.
“I’m so sorry you had to see that,” she heard Jake’s apology as he leaned against the door, sounding completely exhausted now. “I’d hoped that the order, as well as the move, would discourage the persistence of my stalker. I never wanted to cause you any pain or put you in harm’s way.”
Without moving to him, Sadie asked, “Is she a danger to either of us?”
“Not at this point,” he answered, sounding sure. “First, I’m going to call and have security posted on this house. But I believe my promises, which she likely only saw as threats but which I fully intend to carry out, will deter her from further attempts at contact until everything is made clear.”
“So, he’s not yours?” she asked, hopeful.
There was no answer, and suddenly, Jake was in front of her, his eyes sad and serious. “I told you, Sadie, I made a few attempts over the years, to find someone I could love. I barely even saw anyone, and none of them even came close to living up to the standard I set the night I met you. What happened with Kristin is exactly what you just heard. Two of my band members were there and could have attested to the fact, which, with them gone, I’m sure is why she’s trying to pin me down again.
“I’d had too much to drink, and she practically used my body, likely with this sort of leverage in mind. But I managed to get a condom on, and I am sure it didn’t break. She’s been stalking me ever since, and twice I’ve had her taken in for harassment and failure to heed a restraining order. My security has thrown her out of concert venues at least five times, and she’s threatened more than once to slander me in the media for being a deadbeat father.” He shook his head in disgust. “You know quite well I will give whatever I have to give when I feel obligated. If I thought for even a split second that lovely lit
tle boy was mine, he’d be set for life. But I refuse to pay off a cheap whore who is only trying to extort money from me.”
Sadie swallowed, nodding and hoping he was telling the truth. “And what happens to the boy if you prosecute her?”
“There are several options. Just know that I’ll assure he has a wonderful life with caring parents.” He kissed her then, and most of her tension fell from her shoulders as she leaned against the wall and let him have his way with her mouth. She invited the taste and the sensation with open arms, but it also wasn’t enough. She was tentative because she knew he wasn’t completely healed, but she wanted to touch him, to feel his skin beneath his clothes, and to be pressed against him, skin to skin.
She could feel his excitement gathering in the hardening of his shaft against her as she moved closer, and it became nearly impossible to hold back. She wanted him so desperately, regardless of honesty or anything else, that she was already breathless and wet between her thighs. “Jake?” She asked it like a question but it came out in a moan.
“I think we should test out the mattress on that wonderfully enormous platform bed,” he mumbled, his lips still brushing hers as he spoke, punctuating his words with teasing licks of his tongue. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
She hesitated, her whole body heating from head to toe with the desire his words struck. “Are you up to it?” she asked as his fingers walked down her spine and rested low on her hips.
“Listen, love, I may not be at my best, but I’ve wanted nothing more for years now. I’m definitely up for it.” Moving his lips down the side of her throat, he continued, “I’ve wanted you for so long now I don’t think I could possibly turn down an opportunity such as this.”
Each kiss sent shivers down her spine as she tilted her head to give him better access, letting him nibble tantalizingly along her collar bone. Even as she thought about the horrific encounter they just had and the fact that she couldn’t quite decide if she believed his explanation, she knew she wanted this more than she’d wanted anything in a long time. “I’ll lead the way.” Taking his hand, she moved slowly, cautiously, knowing he’d put way too much effort into the confrontation and wanting to make sure he didn’t tire out on the way to the bedroom.