Pregnancy Plan (27 page)

Taken back by the question, Derek tried to
come up with the correct answer, “Last night, after we made
love.”

“
And what where your exact words?” She
cross-examined him.

Baffled by her insistence, he thought for a
moment. “I don’t know. Something about your meaning the world to
me.”

She shook her head. “See, that’s not
the answer to the question. I asked when was the last time you said
the words
I love you
to
me.”

He stared at her. A light glowed on the
horizon. “Okay, so you’re upset because I haven’t said the words I
love you. All right, I love you.”

Jillian dropped her head. “No, Derek, you
just don’t seem to get it. It’s not just the words. You don’t
respond to me the way you do to other people.”

He slid his hands off her shoulders and down
her back to draw her closer. With her in his arms, he nudged a
finger under her chin and lifted her head so he could look in her
eyes.

He could see the hurt he’d unknowingly
inflicted. “I don’t know what you mean. Of course, I respond
differently to you than everyone else. I’m in love with you.”

Tears clouded her eyes. “But I don’t make
you happy.”

“
Yes, you do.”

She briefly shut her eyes. “No, you smile
and laugh with everyone else but not with me.”

He shook his head. What was she talking
about?

“
Take today for example. You laughed
and kissed Cheryl in your excitement over your homerun. When have
you ever done that with me?” Jillian placed her hands on his
chest.

“
I enjoyed playing baseball with you.”
He smiled, remembering the teasing game they played the other
morning.

“
That was different. We were making
love.” She paused and stared at her hands that were positioned on
his chest. “Somehow, I’m not giving you something that you need.
You can’t let go and express your true feelings.”

She buried her head in her hands. “I’m so
sorry, Derek. Somehow, I’ve failed you.”

Upset, he struggled with a way to show her
and wrapped his arms around her, letting her arms find a home
behind his neck. He picked her up and swung her legs back and forth
like a pendulum. “Do you want to go in circles too?”

He started to spin.

“
Derek, this wasn’t what I meant.” She
smiled when he stopped and set her on the counter.

His hands cupped her face. “Jillian, I love
you. If I haven’t said those exact words enough, I’m sorry.”

“
I know that. But don’t you see
somehow I’ve failed you.” Her hands covered his as her tears
spilled onto her cheeks..

“
No. You didn’t fail me. I just didn’t
realize the importance of sharing my thoughts with you. I guess
because I need you so much. I thought you knew what I was
feeling.”

“
Derek, I love you. But I can’t read
your mind.”

He brushed her tears away with his thumbs.
“I know, honey. I guess, it was easier believing you could.”

With the tenderness she deserved, he softly
kissed her forehead, eyes, and cheeks. He drank the tears from her
face. Down her neck to her shoulder, he wanted to show her with his
gentle caresses that he loved her. That he would always love
her.

His hands skimmed over her shoulders, down
her back to her hips. He edged her legs apart and stepped between
them. With her body positioned on the counter, he pulled her close
to his consuming desire.

Her yellow sundress rode high on her thighs.
He shoved the barrier out of his way as his hands ventured over her
thighs to the moist wet heat at the juncture of her legs. Her moan
of pleasure washed over him. Her panties hit the floor as his
finger explored the depth of her passion.

Breathlessly, Jillian whispered in his ear.
“I take it you want to make love.”

He grinned down at her. “See, I knew you
could read my mind.”

Derek stepped out of his nylon shorts then
drew her back into his arms. He pressed against her, absorbing the
heat of her lust. Her breathing heavy in his ear, her legs wrapped
around him, he leaned her back onto the counter.

He felt her buck beneath him, heard the
throaty groan of her need. He plunged deeper. His powerful strokes
swam through every shiver and twinge her body gave in reaction to
his movements. She matched his speed and drove him farther into the
turbulent waves that crashed against his senses.

He pushed onward, the pleasure building
until he felt suspended in time. His name whispered from her lips
sent him over the edge. He poured himself into her.

****

Jillian felt the cold counter under her skin
and glanced around. They were still in the kitchen. “We’ve never
made love in the kitchen before. That was kind of fun.”

Derek rose above her, his face beaming with
delight. “There’s lots of places we haven’t made love. This is just
one of many.”

Amazed by the prospect, she tried to
envision other places. “Like where?”

“
Well, we could try the shower
upstairs.”

She caught the glint in his eyes. She
wiggled beneath him so she could get up but he held her in
place.

His hand moved the fabric covering her
breast. “Come to think of it this place has a few more
possibilities. There’s really no reason to go rushing off just
yet.”

He dipped down, wetting the tip of her
nipple with his tongue.

She shivered beneath him. “Derek, this
counter is getting cold.” He stopped his caress and helped her
up.

“
I know just what will warm you up.”
He strolled for the stairs with her hand in his.

“
I’m sure you do.” Jillian followed
along behind him.

He pulled her up beside him, and wrapped his
arm around her waist. “If I haven’t told you in the last five
minutes, I love you.”

Thrilled, she hugged him close. “That goes
for me, too.”

“
You love you.”

“
Yes, but I love you, too.”

“
Good. Now that we’re both in
agreement on that subject, where would you like to make love
next?”

Unable to think, she offered his earlier
suggestion. “A shower sounds nice.”

“
Then a shower it is.”

****

“
So what happened to you and Michael
yesterday?” Jillian asked the next morning when she opened the door
to let Karen Ann into the store.

“
We decided you and Derek needed
sometime alone. So we headed to my place and ordered a
pizza.”

“
And what else happened?” Jillian eyed
her friend. There was more happening between the two of them than a
little pizza.

“
Nothing.” Karen Ann raised a teasing
eyebrow. “Why do you ask?”

“
I know that look. You two made love
didn’t you?”

“
So what if we did?”

“
You don’t need my approval.” Jillian
confided in Karen Ann, “That’s what we spent the afternoon doing.
So it’s only right that you two had some fun too.”

“
Michael wasn’t exactly overjoyed with
the idea.”

“
Why?”

“
He’s worried that you won’t
approve.”

“
Oh, that’s silly. Like I have the
right to judge.”

“
Michael doesn’t want his little
sister to get hurt.”

“
How can I get hurt?”

“
He’s worried that if we break up,
you’ll be upset with him, or me.” Karen Ann leaned against the
checkout counter.

“
Well, I’ll put his mind to rest. As
long as you don’t drop me as your best friend and he doesn’t disown
me as a sister, everything should be fine.” Jillian walked around
to the other side of the counter.

“
Great.”

“
How about the two of you come over
Saturday night? Jason and Kelly are coming for the weekend. We can
grill out.”

“
Sounds great to me, but Michael
didn’t say if he was coming for the weekend or not.”

“
Oh, he’ll be back. Now that he’s had
a taste of you. I won’t be surprised to see him every Friday
night.”

Karen Ann laughed. “How did you know we have
a date Friday?”

“
See, I told you. Just ask him to stay
until Saturday night or maybe Sunday. Be careful though. Once he
gets rolling you never know where you’ll end up.”

“
I think I can handle him,” Karen Ann
replied wickedly.

“
I bet you can.” Jillian liked the
idea of her brother with her best friend. “It would be so great if
you two could make it as a couple.”

“
We’ll see. I’d better go. I’ll let
you know about this weekend.” Karen Ann strolled back out the front
door.

Overjoyed with her own life, Jillian only
wanted Karen Ann and Michael to be happy. They both needed someone
to love, if they could make it work, more power to them. After all
the problems that she encountered with Derek, she knew it wasn’t
easy.

Getting ready for the day, Jillian didn’t
hear John Paul come up behind her. “Good morning,” he said.

Shrieking with surprise, she jumped.

“
Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare
you.”

“
That’s okay. I just didn’t know you
were behind me.”

Suddenly shy, John Paul stared at the
floor.

“
What wrong?”

“
I want to apologize for my
father.”

“
Why? It’s not your fault he got out
of hand.”

He cleared his throat. “I’d understand if
you wanted to fire me.”

Jillian thought about his statement. If she
got rid of John Paul, Martin wouldn’t need to come into the store
again. “No, I don’t think that’s the answer.”

“
Then what do you want me to
do?”

Derek answered for her. “We need those
gloves we received yesterday restocked on aisle four. Then we have
another box of items that need to be shelved.”

She turned and stared at her husband.

“
What?” John Paul said.

“
I said that we need to restock the
supplies on aisle four.”

John Paul shook his head and answered.
“Right.” He headed for the storeroom.

“
Are you okay with him working here?”
Derek asked.

“
He’s not the problem.” Jillian
watched John Paul walk away. “Are you okay with him working
here?”

“
Martin won't cause any more
problems.”

“
I hope not. I’ve had enough conflict
in my life for the next few weeks.” She thought referring to their
fight from the day before.

“
I think that goes for both of
us.”

****

The next few days passed quietly. Closing up
the store Saturday evening, Jillian was glad they would be off
tomorrow.

“
What time did Jason say they were
going to get in?” She asked as they headed for her car.

“
Somewhere around six-thirty or seven.
They had some errands to run before they could leave and he thought
it would take most of the day.” Derek opened her door.

“
Okay, that should work out. Karen Ann
said that she and Michael would be over around seven.”

Derek pointed at the clock on the dashboard.
“Great that gives us just enough time to make love before they get
here.”

She grinned. “No. I still need to make the
salad and you need to fire up the grill.”

“
I’m sure we can think of a way. Let’s
see. Why don’t you come over here and sit on my lap while I drive
us home?”

Jillian glanced at his lap, and decided to
make him pay for the suggestion. With the car’s console between the
seats there was no way she could sit on his lap while he drove them
home. Leaning over, she placed one hand on his shoulder. The other,
she let roam over his chest to his lap. She toyed with his belt
buckle and unfastened it.

The latch being stubborn, she leaned closer
to release it. He moaned. Jillian smiled and slowly unzipped his
jeans. Her hands found their intended target.

The sudden darkness as Derek drove into the
garage, caught her attention and she lifted her head.

He turned off the car. “Don’t let the fact
that we’re home stop you.”

He unhooked her seat belt and pulled her
across the console with her hand still around him, then maneuvered
her into place by reclining his seat. She continued to caress him,
letting the sound of his enjoyment lead her into bolder and bolder
action.

Unable to move because of the confines of
the car, she glanced up to express her disappointment. “Derek, this
isn't going to work.”

The unpromising situation made him sit up.
He opened the door and untangled Jillian from the car, then
followed her out.

“
I’m sorry, there just isn’t enough
room in there.”

He adjusted his clothes and hugged her
close. “That’s okay. It was fun while it lasted.”

On their way to the back door, they both
looked up at the sound of the car pulling into the driveway.

Shocked at the thought of where they had
been only seconds before, she whispered in his ear, “It’s a good
thing we stopped.”

Derek laughed loudly then hugged her close.
“You are priceless.”

Thrilled with his comment and laughter, she
laughed along with him.

“
I’m afraid you guys caught us
unprepared. We just got home ourselves. Derek, if you want to get
the grill started?” Jillian started gathering the ingredient for
her salad and set out the meat.