Coming Home (42 page)

Lost in their own world, they weren't aware of Sloan and Shelly watching them from across the room. Sloan reached for Shelly's hand and kissed it warmly. “You OK?” he asked softly. Shelly nodded. She smiled mistily at him. “Like I told Roxanne, our turn will come.” She kissed him. “When it's time we'll be the ones dancing around the room.”

He stared at her, his expression neutral. “And if it never comes?”

Shelly ran a gentle finger over his lips. “As long as I have you—that's what matters most to me. You. Only you.”

Heedless of the location, not that Roxanne and Jeb were paying them any mind, Sloan kissed Shelly. Hard. “God,” he said, “I love you.”

“And I love you,” Shelly said and kissed him with all the love and tenderness within her.

Roxanne and Jeb came back to earth and caught sight of the other two kissing in the big chair. “Hey, hey, none of that,” Jeb called out, teasing. “You guys want to neck, you've got a place of your own.”

“Good advice,” Sloan said, sliding Shelly out of his lap and standing up. “I think we'd better be going.” He winked at his sister. “Expectant mothers need their rest.”

Walking over to where Roxanne and Jeb stood, Sloan took Roxanne into his arms. “Congratulations, Sis! I'm happy for you.”

She gazed into his eyes and saw only affection and delight in their depths. She knew that, like Shelly, he must be hurting inside, but there was no envy in those golden eyes staring back at her, only love. Wordlessly, she squeezed his arm, too full of emotion to speak.

Roxanne and Jeb accompanied them out to the Suburban. They exchanged good-byes, Shelly yelling out as the big vehicle pulled away, “Was this a
great
night or what?”

Silently Jeb and Roxanne walked back into the house. They picked up cups and straightened cushions, their bodies touching lightly as they moved about, bemused smiles on both their mouths. Snapping out the kitchen light a few minutes later, the last of the cleanup done, they wandered out to the back terrace and stood staring down at the winking lights of town below them.

Jeb pulled Roxanne next to him, his head resting on the top of hers, her cheek resting against his chest. “Happy?” he asked.

“Hmm, can't remember a time when I was happier.” She looked up at him. “We're so lucky, aren't we? We found each other and now a baby.” Her face clouded. “I feel bad about Sloan and Shelly. I'm thrilled for us, but I can't help thinking about how much they want a baby.” She blinked back a tear. “Shelly said that their time would come. That this was our time.”

Jeb nodded slowly. One of his hands drifted down to her stomach, to the place where their child grew. His heart swelled with love for the unborn baby, for the woman that carried it, his wife, Roxanne. “She was right,” he said huskily. “This is our time.” And just before his lips found hers, he murmured, “Our time…
forever”