She Belongs to Me (28 page)

He kept his hands to himself last night and this morning. He wanted to wait until this evening, it would be special he decided, like their wedding night all over again. He would enjoy the anticipation.

“Did you sleep well?” he asked.

She cleared her throat. “Of course, how could I not with you here watching over me? Do you ever sleep?”

“Yes, but I enjoy watching you. You’re so peaceful. Sometimes I can’t even hear you breathe. I find myself holding my breath listening for your breaths like a new parent. You must have been exhausted. One minute we were talking and the next I felt you go limp in my arms.”

“I was,” she admitted. “I guess the unwarranted stress I put upon myself at the prospect of meeting your family wore me out. But I feel wide awake this morning; we never did get to practice.” She moved her hands over his chest.

“No we didn’t, but we have tonight,” he said casually, ignoring her innuendo.

“Oh…okay…
”
Dejection
saturated her voice.

He tilted her head up at her distressed tone.

“Jaynee…I was merely suggesting if we waited until tonight, after the reception, it would be like our wedding night all over again. You don’t think…you couldn’t possibly believe for a second I don’t want you this very minute…do you?”

She laughed with relief. “Oh…” She shook her head. “No, that makes sense…I understand…anticipation, right?”

“Exactly…but, if you
want
me to attack you, it wouldn’t take much convincing. We are married after all. I just figured, since you fell asleep last night, we’d just wait. Anticipation sounds like fun…” he trailed off, nuzzling her neck. “’Course, I could see if I could drive us both crazy with anticipation,” he murmured.

Jaynee shivered as
goosebumps
traveled over her body.

She could hear the smile in his voice. She knew he could stop; he
’d
stopped on several occasions.

“No…no sense in tempting ourselves.”
She rolled over and adjusted the pillow and blanket as if she were going to get out of bed. She waited, as the bait took hold, a couple of seconds she assumed. She wanted to maintain a modicum of control. Three se
conds was all he could tolerate;
he pressed his body against hers.

“Where do you think you’re running off to, Missy?” Jordan’s voice was demanding, but playful.

“But, you said…” He needed to swallow the entire bait
,
not just nibble around the edges.

“Forget what I said, maybe I still want to fool around.”

Hook, line and sinker
as her father used to say, now what was she going to do with her catch?

She turned over in his arms. “You’re right, Jordan, it will be stimulating to wait. I’m actually looking forward to this evening.” She buried her head under his chin.

“Really?” he mused, chuckling lightly, as if to a private joke.

“Yes, really.
Your family is wonderful, and I am sure your friends are great.” She looked up at him. “By the way, what are we wearing?”

“Your wedding dress naturally,” he said, grinning. He replied with such vehemence she didn’t feel there was a chance at arguing, but she did anyway.

“Jordan…won’t that be awkward. Everyone knows we are already married.”

“Not everyone, just the family. But even still, they wanted to experience all the traditions. Trust me; it’ll be fun. Everyone knows it’s formal, we won’t be the only ones dressed up.”

They rolled out of bed a little while later after cuddling and talking.

Jaynee still couldn’t comprehend how she had gotten so fortunate. One minute she was waiting tables, wondering how she was going to make her next grade, what she was going to do with her life or if she was ever going to find a man worthy of her love, and in strolls Jordan into her life. From the second she laid eyes on him, she wanted him. Now he was hers.

“How ’bout French toast for breakfast?” she shouted to the second floor. Jordan had disappeared upstairs again.

“Sounds fantastic, darling, I’ll be right down,” he responded.

He appeared a few minutes later, plopping himself down at the island, watching her move about the kitchen. She could feel his eyes follow her as she prepared his breakfast. This was all she
’d
ever wanted. Of course, she still wanted to finish college. Without a college degree, she wouldn’t advance as an author. Her professors always loved her papers…said she was a natural. But this here, with Jordan, was all she
’d
ever wanted. She never enjoyed going out partying every night with different guys; she wanted what her grandparents and aunt and uncle had.

Her father had married so many times she had been afraid of marriage but held out hope she could have what her grandparents had for almost sixty years. She couldn’t see anything ever happening between Jordan and her. She loved him madly and believed he too was deeply in love, even if it had only been a short time. History had shown her many people who had fallen in love instantly and had married within weeks had made it. But she also understood marriages failed for ridiculous reasons…he-said she-said discrepancies. They would have to always be honest with each other.

Jaynee set the plate of French toast in front of him. It was her own specialty, one she had perfected since she was a teenager. She waited as he took a bite. Satisfaction lit up his face, as she knew it would. Everyone liked her
French toast. She battered it with a blend of pancake mix, eggs and milk then seasoned it with cinnamon and nutmeg.

“Wow,” he said, swallowing between words. “This is incredible! You
are
an excellent cook. Did I tell you how much I love you today?”

“Several times, but you can remind me if you want.” She took a bite from her own plate.

“Well, I do, and thank you for breakfast, this is pleasant.” He motioned his hand at her and him sitting at the island together. “Other than cereal or a granola bar, I’ve not once had breakfast in my own house.” He shook his head, contemplating his own statement it seemed. “Incidentally…I have another surprise for you.” He plopped another bite into his mouth before continuing.

“Jo
rdan, you can’t keep doing this;
you’re going to spoil me rotten.”

“Well, I’m actually nervous about this one. I don’t want you to be upset, so I am not sure if I should tell you.” He lowered his eyes to his plate and just moved the food around with his fork.

She decided to let him off easy. “If you did something you thought was a good idea, I promise to not be upset.”

He looked up at her and his eyes widened. “You promise?”

“You sound like a little kid. What did you do? Did you decide to move us to another state, colder than this one? Other than that, I cannot think of any reason I’d be upset.”

He laughed once, a short burst as if he found what she said amusing.
“No, nothing that drastic.
I just wanted you to
know
there was a surprise, and maybe that will take the edge off when you see it, tonight at the reception. And—”

She cut him off. “There’s more?”

“I just wanted you to know my sisters are coming to pick you up this afternoon around three. I have to leave earlier.”

“Uh…” She swallowed her words, why bother. “Okay,” she grumbled.

“It’s for the best I promise,” he said, noticing her reaction, taking her in for a moment before speaking as if he was unsure himself. “It won’t be long, Jaynee. I just have a few things to look after, and then you’ll have me all to yourself. Well, not exactly…you’ll have to share me for a few hours.” He laughed. “You’re so cute when you pout. You tend to jut your bottom lip out like a southern belle. I find it very disarming.”

She smiled despite herself. “I don’t pout.” She crossed her arms across her chest, proving his point.

“Yes you do, but it’s adorable.” Jordan stood up with his plate and carried it over to the sink. “Our delivery should be here any minute, and I need to breakdown the old to make way for the new.”

“Okay. I’ll clean up down here while you start upstairs,” she offered.

He grabbed her in one of his unyielding embraces. “I do love you, Mrs. Monroe, and I will miss you this afternoon.”

“I’ll miss you too,” she admitted, pouting for his benefit. He kissed her again, effectively ending her pout then bounded upstairs. Her stomach twisted at the thought of being alone with his sisters. Rachael didn’t seem to like her, and Melissa was a talker.

The furniture delivery was punctual, and they worked together to set everything up.

Their bed was colossal and delicate simultaneously. It looked ever so inviting with the down comforter and yards of gossamer flowing down over the canopy. Jordan promised they would go shopping for artwork and accessories tomorrow that would complement the room and make it their own private paradise.

He left afterward, just shy of two o’clock. She couldn’t imagine what he needed to accomplish that he would leave so early. The reception wasn’t until six.

Melissa and Rachael arrived around three. “We are here to do whatever we can,” Melissa replied as soon as Jaynee opened the door.

Both her new sisters felt it was their obligation to indulge and pamper her. Jaynee was self-conscious yet grateful, imagining if her cousins were here, they would have done the same.

Her cousins were the closest thing she had to siblings, and she missed them, wondering if it was right to exclude them from her wedding. Then she thought of her mother and father. She always felt like an imposition to her parents. Though she was a trouble-free kid, never giving them a minute of difficulty, they were too busy with their own lives to be concerned about her.

Except for Gram, she was the exception. Jaynee knew indisputably that Gram would
have loved to be here;
heck, she would have flown to Vegas with them. But she had made her decision and refused to let it upset her.

Melissa insisted on styling her hair, and Rachael informed Jaynee she would apply her makeup after she buffed her nails and touched up her pedicure. Both ladies had worked in salons, but had given it up when their husbands started working for Jordan. Evidently, the hours on your feet were agony according to Rachael, and Melissa had wanted to stay home with her children.

It was about four when they unanimously decided they were finished pawing over her. They turned her around in the chair for a look. Jaynee hardly recognized the woman in the mirror. There was a little more makeup than she normally applied, but it looked elegant. Her hair was cascading in delicate curls around her face and neck, a look she could never accomplish.

Overwhelmed by the attention these strangers had shown her, she felt tears well up in her eyes.

Melissa noticed and started fanning her. “Don’t cry, honey, you’ll ruin your makeup.”

Jaynee found it hard to
articulate a complete sentence;
her throat felt desiccated. “Thank…thank you so much, I…I…cannot express how thankful I am,” she choked out.

“We had as much fun doing it,” Rachael admitted. Jaynee was surprised to notice she sounded sincere.

Melissa squeezed her shoulders and looked at her in the mirror. “I already think of you as another little sister,
Jaynee, and
I’m
thrilled Jordan has finally found someone.”

The genuineness in their words rung true for both women, and Jaynee fought to retain the tears again.

“Well, we better get going. Still more stuff to accomplish, and you know how Jordan can be a stickler.” Melissa looked up at Rachael as she spoke. An understanding nod transpired between the women.

Melissa carried Jaynee’s dress while Rachael carried the accompaniments, and they were off to the reception. Jaynee couldn’t understand all the fuss for what was really a party but decided, as it seemed everyone else around her did, to just subscribe with what Jordan wanted.

63

Chapter
Twenty-One

It took thirty minutes to reach their destination. It wasn’t anything
like
Jaynee had imagined. She e
xpected some hotel banquet room;
instead
,
Melissa turned onto a road of a park-like setting. The drive zigzagged through trees and gardens until they arrived in front of a building that looked more like a southern manor torn out of the pages of
Gone with the Wind
than a place for a party
.
Melissa ignored a jam-packed parking area off to the left and pulled alongside the mansion, directly below steps leading to an entry with a sign over top that read
Bride’s Room
.

The rear of the manor, completely canopied by magnolia trees, was breathtaking. Roses and countless of other flowering shrubs, trees and plants trimmed the grounds and walkways. A lake bordered the end of the property and adjacent the bank stood a beautifully adorned gazebo with nearly a hundred chairs lined up in symmetrical rows all embellished with garlands of pure white flowers and crisp satin bows, which people already occupied.