Blackout After Dark: Gansett Island Series, Book 23

by Marie Force

  Chapter 30

  Jared found Lizzie in the living room, sitting on the sofa with the baby on her lap. His heart ached as he wished she could have that experience with their baby rather than with a stranger’s child. “Babe.”

  She looked up at him, her face the picture of devastation that she quickly tried to hide from him. “Hey.”

  “What’re you doing?”

  “Holding the baby so Jessie can eat.”

  “Cooper was doing that.”

  “I’m all right, Jared.”

  “No, you’re not, so don’t even try to tell me that. I know better.”

  When she didn’t argue with him, she confirmed his suspicions. “Let’s give the baby back to Jessie and go for a ride.”

  “Where do you want to go?”

  “I’ll show you.” He carefully retrieved the baby and kissed Lizzie’s forehead. “Go get ready.”

  “Okay.”

  Jared went to the kitchen and transferred the baby to Jessie, who had finished eating. Then he went to their bedroom to join Lizzie in the shower, certain that some of the water on her face was from tears. He put his arms around her and held on tight, wishing there was some magic wand he could wave to give her what she wanted so badly.

  No words were exchanged as they held each other under the stream of hot water.

  A short time later, they left the house in his car for a ride around the island. The roads were busy that Sunday morning in August, but soon the island would be quiet again. Jared was ready for that. He, who’d once thrived in the hustle and bustle of New York City, had grown to crave the peaceful quiet of off-season Gansett Island.

  They ended up at the Chesterfield, the estate they’d bought and turned into a wedding venue that Lizzie ran. He’d insisted she hire help so she didn’t have to sacrifice every weekend all summer to the business.

  “What’re we doing here?”

  “I want to show you something.”

  “Okay…”

  She followed him inside where their dedicated team was preparing for the day’s wedding, which was set for two o’clock. Thankfully, they’d installed a generator when they’d done the renovations, or they’d have been forced to cancel.

  “Thank God for the generator, huh?” Jared said.

  “Seriously. Imagine having to tell a bride and groom that their big day is canceled due to a power failure.”

  “I’d rather not have to think about that.”

  He led her up the grand staircase and then up a smaller set of stairs to the third floor. He used a key in the door of the apartment that’d been vacant since his brother Quinn had moved in with Mallory.

  “What’re we doing here, Jared?”

  “Two things. One, I wanted to get you out of the house, and two, I wanted to remind you that this place is available. We can set up Jessie and the baby here with everything they need and let her live rent-free for as long as necessary.”

  Lizzie took a seat on the navy sofa she’d chosen for the apartment. She’d seen to every detail of the renovation personally, turning the outdated estate into a showplace that had brides and grooms waiting up to eighteen months to get married there.

  His wife was a sparkling gem, and her sadness wrecked him.

  “I’m sorry I brought them home with me.”

  He sat next to her. “Please don’t be sorry, sweetheart. I know you can’t help yourself when you see someone who needs help. I love you so much for that.”

  Tears spilled down her cheeks. “I thought I could do it, that it wouldn’t be any big deal. But you were right.”

  After putting his arm around her, Jared kissed the top of her head. “I can’t bear to see you hurting.”

  “I know, and you’ve been so great through all of this. I’ve been thinking it might be time to think about adoption. I’m not saying I’m giving up on having a baby, just that maybe we should explore other options, too.”

  “What about surrogacy?”

  “I wouldn’t rule that out.”

  Jared breathed a sigh of relief, because this was the first time that she’d entertained the possibility of alternative paths to parenthood. Frankly, he wasn't sure if he could handle watching her go through another failed round of IVF.

  “Tomorrow, we’ll see what’s involved with all of it and get the ball rolling.” That was where he excelled—seeing a challenge and finding a way to address it. The act of doing something—anything—to bring them closer to their dream of being parents would make them both feel better about their failure to conceive. He honestly believed that.

  Brushing her hair aside, he placed a kiss on her neck in the place that always made her melt. This time was no different. “So we’ll move Jessie to the apartment?”

  “In a day or two, when she’s feeling stronger.”

  “That works for me.”

  Chapter 31

  As another busy summer weekend came to a close, Gansett Island Harbor Master Deacon Taylor brought his boat into the public safety dock and tied it up. After shutting down the engines, radio and other equipment, he checked the lines one more time and then bounded up the dock, eager to see Julia after a long day apart.

  He ought to go home to wash off the sweat, salt and sunscreen before he went to find her, but he was too excited after missing her all day. It was funny, really, how domesticated he’d become this summer, since he met the love of his life and found the missing piece to the puzzle that’d been his existence before her.

  And existence was the keyword. Before her, he’d merely existed. With her, he was fully and completely alive in a way he’d never been without her.

  Her stepsister, Stephanie, had hired Julia to play the Sunday cocktail hour at Stephanie’s Bistro, insisting on paying her to do something Julia would’ve done for free for the sheer joy she got from playing the piano and singing for an appreciative audience.

  And the audience was super appreciative. Stephanie’s was packed any time Julia was scheduled to play. Many of the customers ended up staying for dinner, which made the arrangement a win-win for both sisters.

  Deacon dashed up the stairs to the Sand & Surf Hotel and nearly ran into Owen Lawry, who was coming out the door.

  “Hey, man.” Owen, who owned the hotel with his wife, Laura, held the door for Deacon. “What’s your rush?”

  Deacon pointed to Stephanie’s Bistro, cocking his head so he could hear the sublime sound of Julia’s voice.

  “Ah, of course. My beautiful sister.”

  “It’s been a long day at the office,” Deacon said, grinning.

  “Don’t let me stand in your way.”

  “Have a good night,” Deacon said to Owen.

  “You, too.”

  Any night with Julia was the best night he’d ever had with anyone. Months after they first got together when he’d “kidnapped” her from her sister Katie’s wedding, Deacon was still waiting for the magic to wear off, for the extraordinary to become ordinary, the way it always had in every past relationship. He’d come to believe that wasn’t going to happen with her.

  He stepped into the crowded Bistro and found his love on the small stage at the front of the room, sitting at the sleek baby grand piano with their dog, Puppy Pupwell, curled up at her feet.

  The black Lab puppy they’d saved when they found him swimming in the ocean and then adopted together had gotten big over the summer, topping forty pounds at his last checkup. Julia was sad that she could no longer carry him around like a baby.

  Even though every window and door in the place was thrown open to capture the ocean breeze, the heat was intense inside. But no one seemed to care about the heat as they listened to Julia.

  Leaning back against the doorjamb, Deacon drank in the sight of his loved ones. Their little family was the greatest joy of his life. Listening to her sing and watching her become more confident in her amazing talent was a close second. She was performing “Fallin’” by Alicia Keys, a song she’d been practicing on the keyboard he’d bought for her to
use at home. He’d ordered it online and waited with the kind of anticipation that used to be reserved for Christmas morning until it finally arrived a week later.

  He’d had it set up in their small apartment over his sister-in-law’s dance studio when Julia came home from work at Mac’s office. Deacon would never forget the way her face had lit up at the sight of her very own keyboard, the first one she’d had since her asshole father had gotten rid of the piano she’d loved.

  That had been a very good day, one of many very good days he’d had with her since Katie and Shane’s wedding. Crashing that wedding and “kidnapping” the maid of honor had been the best thing Deacon had ever done. They were planning to look for a bigger place in the fall, when things calmed down a bit for both of them. He’d told her that wherever they landed, there needed to be room for a baby grand so she could play any time she wanted.

  “She’s amazing,” a guy standing next to Deacon said.

  “She sure is.”

  “Wonder why she’s not playing for bigger crowds than this.”

  “I’ll bet she’s perfectly satisfied playing here.” Julia loved performing at the hotel that had been her summer home growing up. Those summers with their beloved grandparents had been the only respite she and her siblings had gotten from their violent, unpredictable father.

  “Do you know her?”

  “I do.”

  “Is she seeing anyone?”

  “She is.”

  “Bummer. He’s a lucky guy.”

  “And he knows it.”

  The guy gave him a curious look before moving on.

  Hands off. She’s mine. Deacon kept the thoughts to himself. Watching her blossom over the last few months had been the ultimate satisfaction as she took control of her life and devoted herself to the things she loved, especially him.

  Deacon was so damned lucky to be loved by her. Because he was watching her so intently, he was aware of the exact moment she spotted him. Her smile lit up her face and his world. He stayed right there until she finished her set with a slow, sultry version of “Bohemian Rhapsody” that had everyone in the room riveted to her. The audience exploded into applause that made Julia flush with pleasure and embarrassment.

  She’d yet to become completely comfortable with the way people reacted to her performances.

  Julia blew a kiss to the crowd, collected Pupwell and made her way to Deacon, stopping here and there to acknowledge the praise of her adoring fans.

  And then she was smiling as she went up on tiptoes to kiss him. “Hey, sailor. Buy a girl a drink?”

  Deacon put his arms around her and held her close, thrilled to be back with her after hours apart. “Anything you want, sweetheart.”

  “Oh, anything?”

  “Anything at all.”

  “I have everything I need right here with you and Pupwell.”

  “You want to eat out or go home?”

  “Let’s go home. I’m tired.”

  Deacon kept his arm around her as they headed out of the hotel in the sultry heat that felt more like midday even though it was nearly eight o’clock.

  “How much longer is this heat wave sticking around?” she asked.

  “Another day or two.”

  “Ugh, I can’t stand it. It makes me feel so wilted.”

  “You didn’t look wilted on the stage. You were magnificent, as always.”

  “Aw, thanks. That’s nice to hear, but I was sweating the whole time. I probably reek.”

  “Me, too. I’m a salty, sweaty, crusty mess.”

  “I see a very cool shower in our future.”

  “Mmm, yes, please.”

  They walked through town to Blaine and Tiffany’s property, strolling down the long driveway past his brother’s house to the garage in the back. Deacon followed Julia up the stairs, his gaze landing on the sweet ass that swayed as she moved. She was so effortlessly sexy. She would say she was too thin, but he thought she was perfect. What mattered to him was that she was healthy, and according to Dr. David, she was doing great after suffering with eating disorders for most of her life.

  Deacon was well aware that the lack of chaos in their happy life together was key to her good health, and he intended to do whatever it took to keep it that way.

  Inside their apartment, which was hot like an oven that’d been left on all day, she fed Pupwell and then headed for the bathroom to join him in the cool shower.

  “God, this feels like heaven,” she said when they were standing under the water.

  “It sure does,” he said, running his hands over her.

  Smiling, she said, “I meant the shower.”

  He kissed her. “I meant you.”

  Sliding her hands up to curl around his neck, she kissed him back. “I had a feeling you weren’t talking about the shower.”

  “I’m always talking about you.” He grasped her ass and lifted her against the cool tile wall. “Since it’s too hot to do this any other way…”

  “I’m all in.”

  “I’m about to be all in.”

  Julia sputtered with laughter. He loved to make her laugh, to make her sigh from pleasure, to make her scream—when the windows weren’t open to his brother’s backyard, anyway.

  He pushed into her and had to hold completely still to keep from coming too soon. It was always that way with her, intense and hot, so incredibly hot, even when they weren’t in the middle of a heat-wave induced blackout.

  “Are you okay?” she asked when he held still much longer than usual.

  “Trying not to lose it too soon.”

  “It’s okay if you do.”

  “No, it isn’t. Not before my baby gets what she needs.”

  She tightened her hold on him. “I have everything I need and more than I ever dared to dream.”

  His heart skipped a crazy beat every time she said those words to him, reminding him of how much both their lives had changed since they found each other. He closed his eyes and counted all the lucky stars that had put him on Gansett Island at the same time as her. When he thought about how easily he could’ve missed ever meeting her… He pushed all the way into her, loving how her mouth fell open and her head tipped back, exposing her gorgeous neck. “I couldn’t wait to get to you after work. I practically ran to the Surf from the dock.”

  “I was so happy to see you, like it’d been a month rather than a few hours.”

  “So many hours. Too many. We need a vacation after the season so we can do this all day.”

  “Mmm, let’s do that.”

  “Anywhere you want to go.”

  “I’ve never been anywhere, so whatever you want.”

  What he wanted was to give her the world, to make up for every hurt she’d ever suffered in her life before they found each other, to give her children and a home and a life of comfort and security. In other words, everything she’d never had before.

  “I’d be perfectly happy to spend an entire week right here with you and Pupwell.” But he would find them somewhere awesome to go so they could see more of the world.

  “That sounds like heaven.” Her fingernails scraping against his scalp sent a shiver down his spine.

  Deacon reached down to where they were joined to help her along, stroking her until she clamped down on his cock and came with a sharp cry of pleasure that demolished his control. They weren’t doing anything to prevent conception, and every time they had sex, he hoped that maybe this would be the time he could help make another of her wildest dreams come true.

  It hadn’t happened yet, but they were having fun trying.

  The water had turned icy cold while they were getting busy, but icy cold had never felt so good until he realized Julia was starting to shiver. “Let’s get you warmed up, darlin’.”

  “I never imagined I could be cold today.”

  He withdrew from her and put her down carefully, making sure she had legs under her before he let go to get out and find towels. “You’ll be sweating again in ten minutes.”

/>   Deacon wrapped her in a towel and kissed her. “Best shower ever.”

  “We keep topping ourselves.”

  “I hope we keep that up for the next fifty or sixty years.”

  “I’d be down with that.”

  He kissed her forehead and then her lips again. “I’m down with anything that includes you and me forever. In fact…” He directed her toward the apartment’s only bedroom and sat her on the edge of the bed.

  “In fact, what?”

  “Hold that thought a minute.” Still bare-ass naked, he went to his dresser and found the velvet box he’d hidden weeks ago, waiting for the right moment to ask the most important question of his life. If you’d told him six months ago that he’d be dying to shackle himself to one woman for the rest of his life, he would’ve laughed his ass off. Since meeting Julia, however, he understood why sane men went crazy over the women they loved. Crazy had never felt so good.

  His need for her only grew exponentially with every day he spent with her, and he was wise enough to know that keeping her by his side forever was essential to any chance he had to be happy. After giving himself a second to get his shit together, he turned to find her watching him with the curious, wary look that had been permanently etched into her gorgeous face when they first met.

  Deacon hadn’t seen that in a while and didn’t want to be the cause of it now. “Nothing bad, darlin’. Only good things from now on, remember?” He told her that any time she seemed worried or afraid or anxious. “So turn that frown upside down.”

  She smiled, which made her eyes glitter the way he liked them best. He never wanted her to be worried about anything, even if he knew that was a rather lofty goal.

  Kneeling before her, he kept the box hidden in one hand while he used his free hand to bring her down for a kiss. “You know how much I love you, right?”

  “I think I do.”

  “Actually, you probably don’t know the full extent of how you occupy every available space inside me.”

  “Deacon,” she whispered, her eyes sparkling with tears.

  He often teased her about being a waterworks, but he wouldn’t change a thing about her, even how she teared up at corny commercials on TV. She was perfect for him.