Jordan's Return (20 page)

Jordan was a bundle of nerves as she paced in her bedroom. Rob was here.

Again.

Rob was taking care of her.

Again.

In all her alone time in the hospital the previous night and during her few hours alone today, she'd realized she had to fight for him. The thought of moving forward without him was no longer an option. He may very well still be angry and hurt, but she'd do her best to apologize and make him see what a fool she'd been. She knew she was going to have to be strong so they could talk about all her fears. It was important that Rob realize it wasn't him she was struggling with but herself. With any luck, Rob would forgive her and they could have the future together that should have started so many years ago.

Her damp hair began to curl seductively around her face and Jordan opted to let it dry naturally. The thought of the noise from the blow-dryer was just too darn much to deal with now that the dull ache in her head had finally started to subside.

Opening her bureau drawer, she pulled out something to wear and slipped it on. She smiled at her own reflection and said a quick prayer that Rob would appreciate her pitiful attempt at being sexy. Seduction had not been in her initial plans to make Rob know how much he meant to her, but right now it seemed like a damn good idea. They were here alone, and desperate times called for desperate measures. Who knew when an opportunity like this would present itself again?

Jordan stopped for a moment. Could she possibly pull off being sexy after the last twenty-four hours? Would she end up making a complete fool out of herself? Silently she hoped she wouldn't and pushed all negative thoughts aside. She was a woman on a mission and finally going after the man she loved.

The last thing she did before leaving the room was to use a touch of lip gloss; it was the only makeup she'd use tonight. Taking a final look around her room, Jordan felt at peace. For the first time in years, she trusted herself to make everything all right.

Walking into the kitchen, she smiled as Rob placed two steaming plates on the table. She saw him swallow hard when he spotted her and he quickly turned away and busied himself with buttering their toast.

“Something smells wonderful,” she said as she inhaled the wonderful aroma of the meal and slowly walked over to the table, where she sat herself in a chair.

“You didn't have much to work with, so I hope you like omelets.”

“I was letting the food run out since we're leaving.” The words came out without conscious thought and she noticed the stunned look on Rob's face before he looked away and went about getting them drinks. Cursing herself for not thinking before she spoke, Jordan tried to think up a change of subject to get Rob to relax.

Soon he was sitting beside her and there was a fine sheen of perspiration on his brow. They ate in silence for a long time before Jordan could think of a neutral topic, something that was safe, and spoke.

“So,” she began, “the boys were running Laura ragged, huh?”

Rob laughed and repeated the story of how her sister looked when she had walked into the restaurant. “She sent the boys to play video games, but I think it was just a ploy to get some quiet time for herself.” They both laughed, knowing full well how energetic Jordan's sons were. “She seems to think the beach air has given them more energy than they had before.”

“I can't believe she came all the way down here and then took them away for the night to help me out,” Jordan said, searching desperately for something to say and then found herself rambling. “I think secretly she's trying for a weekend getaway; unfortunately, my sons are along for the ride.”

“She was clearly concerned for you and loves you and the boys a lot. You're lucky to have her,” Rob agreed.

“Oh, believe me, I know I'm lucky. Not many people have someone who'd be willing to drop everything on a moment's notice to come and help out in a crisis.” She let the words hang there, hoping Rob would realize it wasn't just Laura she was talking about. Though there was silence again while they finished their meals, it wasn't the awkward kind they'd been sharing of late.

When he stood to clear the table, Rob remembered Jordan's prescriptions. “Oh, I almost forgot.” He handed the bottles to her. “One of those is for the pain and the other is the antibiotic for the ear infection. You really need to take them with food so maybe you should take them now.”

Jordan looked at the bottles and frowned. She'd take the antibiotic now, but she didn't want to take the pain pill in case it put her to sleep. She needed to be fully awake to settle things with Rob. If she waited much longer, however, she'd run the risk of falling asleep on her own. The lack of sleep from the night before was catching up with her—that and the fact that she had taken a relaxing hot shower and filled her tummy.

Watching him work in her kitchen made Jordan realize her love for Rob all the more. He would always be like this, she thought. He would always take care of her and her sons. That thought brought a faint smile to her lips. She knew she could get used to the idea of having a man—
this man
—in her life again permanently. Why had she ever thought otherwise?

Rob seemed to be going out of his way to keep his distance, and she didn't like it. Taking a deep breath for courage, Jordan rose from her seat at the kitchen table, walked into the living room, and sat down on the sofa. Waiting a moment to see if he'd take her cue, Jordan finally asked him to stop cleaning and invited him to sit with her.

Reluctantly, he accepted and gave the kitchen one last look to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything. Once the kitchen light was turned off, he realized the only other light came from a small lamp next to Jordan. The room had a very soft, very romantic glow. Jordan had a very soft, romantic glow as well, and he swallowed hard at the sight of her.

Sitting on the sofa, Jordan observed Rob as he walked over. If she didn't know better, she would have sworn he was nervous. In all the years she'd known him, she would never have called him that. Rob was always confident and secure; seeing him now made her realize there was more to this man than she'd ever known, and she wanted to know all of him.

In a pair of well-worn jeans and yet another snug-fitting navy T-shirt, he was ruggedly sexy. She loved that he kept his wardrobe simple, casual, and very masculine. His dark hair was in disarray from raking his hands through it too many times, no doubt in frustration over her and this wild ride of a weekend. The stubble darkening his jaw only enhanced his ruggedly sexy look. He sat on the opposite side of the room and played with a loose thread on his shoelace, clearly uncomfortable.

Jordan felt a little disheartened. “Are you going to talk to me at all?” she asked softly with exasperation.

“What do you mean? We've been talking.”

“Not really,” she said quietly. “We've been talking without really
talking.
We've talked about the kids and Laura and anything safe and mundane; the only thing we've skipped is the weather.
”

“What do you mean?”

The man was completely obtuse, Jordan decided. Either that or he was going out of his way to make her squirm. He still wouldn't fully look at her, and Jordan felt all the wind go out of her sails.

Maybe she had misread the signals; maybe she had seen only what she wanted to see and things really were over. She wouldn't grovel, and if there was one thing Jordan was coming to realize about herself, it was that she was a survivor. She had been through hell and back and she was still here, finally willing to try to make her life better for her and her sons. Clearly that life just wasn't meant to include Rob.

“Oh, just forget it.” She sighed. “Thank you for bringing my prescriptions over and for making dinner. You don't have to stay and babysit. I'm going to take my pills and go to sleep, so you can go now. There's nothing left for you to do here. You've done your good deed for the day.” Her annoyance was beginning to show and it took Rob completely by surprise.

Jordan was always in control of her emotions. To see this side of her now was a completely new experience, and as much as he was annoyed that all her anger was seemingly directed at him, he enjoyed seeing this kind of fire in her.

When Rob made no comment after her little speech, she decided to move things along and get him out the door so she could put this whole stupid night behind her. Standing a little too quickly, Jordan had to catch herself and brace her hand on the arm of the sofa.

“What on earth is the matter with you, Jordan?” Rob snapped as he jumped up and snaked an arm around her waist to steady her.

“What do you mean?” she mimicked snidely.

“What the hell did that comment mean?
You've done your good deed for the day.
What's that about?”

“It's nothing. Really. I'm just tired and cranky. I didn't sleep much last night in the hospital with all their poking and prodding. My head is starting to hurt, and I would really like for this day just to end.”
And for the floor to open up and just swallow me now.
“Just go. Please.” She headed for the kitchen, deciding it would be a good idea to take that pain pill and pass out before she made matters worse and embarrassed herself any further.

“Oh no, you don't,” Rob said as he stalked over and grabbed the medication from her hands. Jordan made to grab the bottles back but he held her off. In the blink of an eye, she found herself semi-wrestling with him before the bottles fell to the floor and Rob had her by the shoulders.

“You're not getting out of this that easily. You want us to talk, so talk. I want to know what you meant by that.” He wasn't yelling, but his tone left no doubt he was equally annoyed.

“Look,” she said wearily with a sigh, “I just meant… Oh, I don't know! I can't do this anymore, Rob. Please just go.” Tears welled in her eyes as she turned out of his grasp. Rob took one step closer, placing his hands on her shoulders again and turning her toward him, his face full of tenderness.

“What can't you do anymore?” he asked softly.

Somewhere deep inside Jordan, courage grew. “I thought I could be here with you tonight and act as if everything were okay. I thought we'd be able to sit and talk like we used to and maybe try to work things out.”

Rob stared down at Jordan, willing her to continue.

“And I wore this stupid nightie in hopes that you'd like it and I can't seem to do or say anything right.” Her voice grew steady as her eyes met his. “I'm so sorry I hurt you and sent you away. I was just so damn scared and unsure of myself. I have a lousy track record with decision making and that night, that wonderful night after we first made love again, I got scared.”

“Jordan…”

“You said you wanted us to move here and be together, but you never said you loved me! And maybe I was wrong to react the way I did, but I was just too scared to trust in how you made me feel.” She paused for a moment. “I wanted to call you back as you walked out. I didn't want you to go. I wanted to tell you I love you, but I was paralyzed with fear. And after having you leave…” Jordan's voice broke then. “You left but you came back when we needed you. You took care of me and the boys even after I had treated you so horribly.”

His only response was to reach up and skim his fingers across her cheek.

“I know I don't deserve you, but I need you.” Her words were spoken softly and Jordan stood frozen to the spot, waiting for Rob to do something—to
say
something!

In that instant, Rob crushed her to him and hungrily claimed her mouth. Jordan's appetite matched his and her tongue darted out to tease his. Rob growled low in his throat as Jordan wrapped her arms around him. The kiss was urgent, frenzied, and neither was willing to let it end.

Jordan felt her knees weaken and as if Rob could sense it, he hauled her into his arms and walked over to the sofa where he laid them both down. He settled himself firmly beside her as Jordan raked her hands through his hair. Long moments later, they both surfaced for air. Rob gently stroked the side of Jordan's face before letting that finger travel down her slender throat and over the swell of her breast. He hardened at the sight of her nipples beading beneath the prim cotton fabric of the garment. He let his hand wander down to the curve of her hip, over firm thighs, smooth calves—all the way to her pink-tipped toes and then back again.

“Don't ever call this garment stupid,” he said seriously. Jordan had chosen to wear the white cotton nightgown she had worn on their weekend away together. “This thing is sexier than any damn item in Victoria's Secret, and I've had some major fantasies involving you wearing this since our weekend away.”

“Really?” she asked, mesmerized by the too-soft caress of his fingers. She needed him badly and was growing frustrated that he seemed in no particular hurry. He was slowly torturing her, and she let out a low groan of frustration.

“Yeah, really.” His gaze was fixed on where his fingers played with Jordan's breasts. Her breaths were ragged and shallow, and the sounds coming from her were driving him mad.

“So put all your fears out of your mind,” he whispered as he placed his mouth a breath above where his fingers had been, “because I love what you're wearing.”

His mouth took one hardened peak deep inside and Jordan groaned with pleasure. She arched her back and twisted until she was fully beneath him and his solid frame was firmly planted between her thighs.

“Rob,” she sighed, lost in the ecstasy of having him with her again. Had it only been a week? “I need you.”

He raised his head at her statement. “Do you?”

“Yes.”

The only response he gave was to return his attention back to her breasts, nuzzling her slowly. Jordan thought she'd die from the heat flowing through her. He was in no hurry to move the fabric away to bare her skin, and she continued to squirm beneath him.