Angels In Red (11 page)

“To us.” Jack clinked her wineglass and took a sip.

“I’m glad you met Charles. I wish he could’ve stayed longer.”

“He’s a nice guy. I bet he was pretty surprised when you decided to come back here.”

Jenna sighed and took a sip of her wine. “Since my mother passed away, he’s been more of a father to me than my real one. I don’t think there’s anything he wouldn’t do for me. I’ve been very blessed to have him to lean on over the years.”

“I’m sure he feels the same way about having you in his life. How do you think your father will react to the news?”

She shook her head. “I really don’t think he cares if I’m there or not. All he cares about is marrying me off to Howard Meed. Charles said Howard has been to the estate every day since I left. He’s very determined my father live up to his end of whatever deal they made. I promise you, there is no way in hell I would even consider marrying that man.” She felt her anger rise. The last thing she wanted was for thoughts of Howard Meed to invade this special time between them.

“Is he really that bad? I’m not saying you should. I’m
definitely
not saying that.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingertips. “I’m just curious why you loathe him so much.”

“I’d rather not talk about him at all, and especially not tonight. Let’s just say the man has a thing for me, bordering on obsession. About six months ago, I reached my limit and threatened to get the police involved if he didn’t back off.” Jenna drank the rest of her wine in one gulp. “I really thought he got the message, that is until my father suddenly announced my engagement to him and he tried to put a ring on my finger. That’s when I left the estate…and you know the rest of the story.”

“God, I’m sorry, Jenna. Maybe I should mention that creep in town in case he shows up asking questions about where you are.” He put his arm across her back and pulled her closer to him. “As long as I’m here, he won’t get anywhere near you, I can promise you that.”

“My knight in shining armor. You’ve already rescued me once. However can I ever repay your kindness?” She fluttered her eyelashes.

Jack kissed her hand once more. “When you look at me, so vulnerable, so beautiful, the walls around my heart come crashing down, leaving me raw and exposed. No matter what you ask of me, I will move heaven and earth to make it happen. From this day forward, I will do whatever it takes to ensure I see only happiness in those mesmerizing eyes of yours.”

Jenna couldn’t have stopped the tears if she tried. Never had anyone spoke such beautiful words to her. “You’re amazing. All that I am, and all that I have is yours. I promise to do whatever it takes to make you a very happy man.”

He leaned over and lightly kissed her lips. “
You
make me the happiest man in the world by just being here with me…”

Jenna pressed her mouth to his and playfully tugged his lip with her teeth.  “I think we’ve done enough talking. If we don’t go to sleep soon, Santa won’t stop here.”

“Oh, oh I’m sorry, Jenna. Of course you must be exhausted”

It was like someone flipped the off switch. One moment she was trying to seduce him, and in the next, he worried about how tired she was.

What happened? Doesn’t he see where I’m going with this?

“I insist you take my bed, I’ll sleep out here.” His speech rolled out a tad too fast, showing how flustered he’d become. He made a move to get up and she pulled him back down by his shirt tail.

“I think your bed is big enough for both of us, don’t you?” She smiled seductively.

Jack’s eyes grew big, and slowly filled with desire. He gazed deeply into hers. “I think I’ve loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you.”

Her body tingled in anticipation. “I love you, too, Jack. I think I’ve loved you since I realized you make a wicked pot of chicken soup.”

His laughter filled the room as he stood, scooped her up off the couch. “You’re one of a kind, Jenna, my snow angel, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

She laid her head against his chest; his heartbeat thumped in her ear. “Take me to bed, Jack. My days of sleeping on the couch are over.”

He kissed her soundly and padded to the bedroom, Sasha and Tito on his heels. He stopped in the doorway.  “Go lay down you two.”

“Aww, don’t shut them out,” Jenna joked, every nerve ending in her body abuzz.

“No way, you are
my
Christmas present, and I’m definitely not sharing, not even with them.”

Jack laid her on the bed, so gently, as if he feared she’d shatter in a million pieces if he set her down too hard. Mere minutes ago there wasn’t a place on her body that didn’t cry out in pain—now, it cried out for a very different reason.

He smoothed back the hair from her face and held her gaze captive. What she saw excited and scared her all in the same breath. What she saw...was a man in love.

“I’m so happy you came back to me, Jenna.” 

Jack pressed his face into her hair, inhaling the sweet scent he missed the moment he walked into the empty cabin after he took her to town. He rained kisses from her earlobe down her jaw line, her skin so soft against his lips.

“I couldn’t bear the thought of never seeing you again.” Tears spilled over her long lashes. “I thought you wanted me to go…but I had to be sure…I’m so sorry…”

Sorry?
“Oh, my sweet angel, you have nothing to be sorry for.” He brushed her tears away. “When you said you wanted to call home, I was reminded about how vastly different my ways are from yours on the estate. I could never compete with the life you’re accustomed to.”

Jenna held his face in her hands. “Don’t you get it? Just because it’s the life I’m accustomed to, doesn’t mean it’s the life I want.”

“And just what is it you want” He noted the unexpected tremor in his voice. If there was any doubt before, there wasn’t now…

I’m in love with this woman
.

With trembling hands, she began unbuttoning his shirt, hampered by her taped fingers. She huffed, and dropped her hands in frustration.

Seeing her struggle, he took over and unbuttoned his own shirt. He guided her hand underneath and placed it over his thumping heart.

“Make love to me Jack….”

Her words ignited a fire in him he’d almost forgotten. After Carly died, so did his sex drive, until now. He kissed her deep, and his arousal hardened against the zipper of his jeans. It took every ounce of restraint to pull back.

“I’m so sorry, Jenna,” he panted. “I want you so bad, but I’m afraid of hurting you.”

“I promise I won’t break.” Her voice echoed how very sexy she looked in that moment, skin flushed, eyes bright.

“In that case…” He tugged at the waist of her jeans. “You have far too many clothes on.”

Without hesitation, he helped her undress, being careful of her injuries. When she lay naked on the bed, the moonlight illuminated her peaches and cream skin. Her chest rose and fell with each shaky breath, and her eyes grew big as he stood, undid the button on his jeans and took them and his boxers off in one fluid move. The lust in her eyes, coupled with his own growing desire, sent him in a slow sensual spin, further heightening the yearning he thought never to feel again for any woman.

“Please, Jack.”  She reached out for him. “I need you now.”

Jack crept up from the end of the bed until he lay on his side beside her. He thoroughly enjoyed hearing her quickened breaths as he lightly feathered the swell of her breasts with his fingertips.

Jenna put a hand on his chest, and he lifted it to rest above her head. She winced, barely audible under her breath, but he caught the flicker of pain in her eyes before she managed to chase it away with a flutter of her lashes. 

“I’m sorry, Jenna.”

“Sorry? For what?”

“I want to make love to you, but not like this.” He shook his head.

Even in the moonlight, he saw her lip tremble.

“It’s okay. You’re not hurting me.”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “You’re a very bad liar.”  He lay back and pulled her to his side. “We have all the time in the world, angel. I want our first time to be memorable because of the experience, not for the pain it causes you.”

Jenna laid her head on his chest, and melded to his side. “I thought you wanted me?”

“I
do
, and I will have you…but for tonight, I am completely satisfied holding you like this, knowing that when I close my eyes to sleep, you’ll still be here when the sun rises on a new day.”

Her body lost all tension; she yawned. “I promise I will make this up to you.”

Jack smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Look at me.” He hardly recognized his own voice, so thick with emotion.

Jenna lifted her head; her tear-filled eyes glistened in the moonlight.

I almost lost you.
He swallowed hard,
Never again….

He raised her chin with one finger and brushed the droplets away with the pad of his thumb. “I love you, Jenna Blackburn.”

Tears flowed freely now. “I love you, too.”

He kissed her softly. “
No more tears, please Jenna. You need to take care of yourself and do everything in your power to heal…
quickly
.” Her laughter, as he’d hoped, eased the tension in the room. “I fully intend to make up for lost time when you’re able.”

Jenna laid her head back on his chest. “And I fully intend on letting you.”

Watching Jack help Sasha birth her pups was a beautiful experience. The dog lay panting on her side as he carefully persuaded the fourth one out. The new mother set right to work licking the placenta off the newborn while the first three pups squirmed next to the teats they’d be suckling before long.

As she loaded the woodstove, Jenna tucked her hair behind her ear and glanced sideways at her man. “Is that the last one?”

He pressed Sasha’s tummy, then sat back on his heels and wiped his sweaty brow on his shirtsleeve. His undershirt stuck to his lean frame like a second skin. God, she loved his body.

“Looks like three, maybe four more,” he said

Any other time, the snap and crackle of the fire, coupled with the way his shirt hugged every ripple of his sculpted chest, might’ve had her eyeing the straw bed in the rafters with interest. Her face warmed, and not from the almost unbearable heat of the barn.

Jenna knelt beside Jack’s faithful companion and ran a hand down her damp coat. “You’re doing a great job, Sasha.”

The new mother made brief eye contact before laying her head down, resting for the next birth.

Two of the pups were silver and white like her, and the third dark gray and white like its dad, Tito.

“How about I make a fresh pot of coffee?” She slipped in behind Jack and squeezed his shoulders. “I’m guessing this might take a while?”

He leaned back and turned his head to her. “I’ll give you about an hour to stop that.”

His forehead was damp against her lips. “We’ll have none of that while you’re on duty, Dr. Doolittle.”

Jenna snickered while wrapping her cloak tightly around her to brave the inevitable rush of cold. She stepped outside and quickly closed the door behind her. The night’s chill swirled around her ankles, bringing bumps to her skin. Even though the days were becoming increasingly warmer, spring had not fully awakened, leaving cold nights.

Jenna hurried in the house, stopping for a second to scratch behind the anxious father’s ears. “Hang in there, Tito. She still has a ways to go.”

As if he understood her words, the dog huffed and rested his head back on his paws. The Husky hadn’t moved from his spot at the door since Sasha went into labor over four hours ago.

She’d witnessed another side of the man she loved today. Jack had remained calm and cool, assisting Sasha, the new mother’s well-being first and foremost on his mind.

He’ll make a great father one day.

She’d just filled the coffee pot with water when something drew her attention to the window.  A headlight gradually approached the cabin. Jenna wiped the moisture from the glass with a dishcloth.

Now, who could that be?

She set the coffee to brew before stepping into her boots and hurrying outside. The quad’s bright headlights momentarily blinded her.

“Charles!” she squealed, happy to see her dear friend.

He climbed off, setting his helmet on the seat and pulled his gloves off with his teeth. “Hey, kiddo.”  He fished a hanky from his pocket to wipe the sheen of perspiration from his head before opening his arms wide. “Where’s my hug?”

Jenna laughed and flew into his embrace, knocking him back a couple of steps.  “What a wonderful surprise!” So thrilled by her unexpected visitor, she chose to ignore the dark shadow that stole the sparkle from his eyes. “Come in out of the cold,” she urged. “I just put a fresh pot of coffee on.”

“Where’s the boss?”