Texas Strong (28 page)

“Laura! You can’t be serious.” She leaned closer and whispered, “Your marriage is not over.”

The melancholy that had swooped in the second she’d washed the last pot hovered once more. “I’m not so certain. Jake loves what he’s doing. Who am I to rob him of it?”

“You can’t give up.” Chrissy’s voice was harsh. “If you’d only—”

“What are you two whispering about?” Becky’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you seem so sad, Aunt Laura?”

Whatever Chrissy had been about to say would have to wait. “I’m fine, honey, I promise. Just a little tired. So—” She brightened her tone. “How did your report on dolphins go?”

As her niece began to speak, Laura forced her mind away from all thoughts of Jake. Whatever would happen in her marriage, well, she’d face it. For now, though, she’d focus on these sweet kids. Carefully she drew Becky out on one point of her topic, then another, and the normally shy girl turned eager. When they’d exhausted the subject, Laura moved to a new topic. “Kids, would you let me help you with homework tonight and put you to bed? I’d like to keep you all to myself for a little bit.”

Chrissy frowned. So did Thad. “But what about Mom?” he asked.

“I was thinking your mom might like to have the evening off.”

Both children studied their mother curiously. “You need a night off?”

Laura laughed. “Every mom could use a break now and again. Your uncle Jake used to shoo me out of the house sometimes for that very same purpose.” She bit her lip at the bittersweet memory.

“When’s Uncle Jake going to be here? Doesn’t he miss you?” Becky asked.

Laura and Chrissy traded glances. Laura’s throat tightened.

Chrissy rode to the rescue. “Of course he does. We’re just borrowing Aunt Laura for a bit.” A sideways look was pregnant with meaning, except Laura couldn’t translate. “She’ll be going home soon, so we’d better enjoy her while we’ve got her, right?”

“Yeah—and her cooking,” offered Thad.

“Absolutely.” Chrissy sent her a warm smile, and Laura was relieved that Chrissy had taken no offense. “Thank you again for dinner, but you worked all day, too. I can’t let you work tonight.”

Laura smiled wistfully. “These two angels aren’t work. I miss having a houseful. I’d like to keep them, if you’d let me.”

“Yeah!” said Thad. “But you can’t tickle.”

Laura’s eyebrows rose. “Wanna bet?”

The boy beamed.

“Mommy, you should go,” said Becky with the maturity that had evolved as their little family had broken up. “We’ll be fine.”

Chrissy was obviously conflicted.

“Go ahead. Enjoy yourself.”

“Oh, I will, but—” She bent to her children, one on each side, and hugged them, planting a big kiss on each of them. “I’ll miss you two monkeys.” Her eyes glistened.

Laura’s own were moist. “We’ll be fine. Now scram.” She waggled her eyebrows at Becky and Thad. “We have some mischief to get into.” She rubbed her hands together. How long it had been! “After homework, of course.”

Soon Chrissy emerged from her bedroom. She withdrew her cell phone from her purse and glanced down, forehead wrinkled.

“What?” Laura rose and stepped away from the children. “Are you all right?”

Chrissy swiped her phone screen. “Yes—sure. Absolutely.” She kissed her kids once more, then hustled to the door, a secret smile on her face. Almost as an afterthought, she turned back. “Thank you again, Laura. I’ll be back soon.”

“No rush.”

Chrissy appeared so pleased that Laura was delighted.

Except her sister seemed almost too satisfied. Perhaps there was hope for the man in her life. If so, Laura couldn’t be happier.

Even if she wanted to cry over her own lost love.

Chapter Thirteen

L
aura jerked awake when the door opened. “Hey,” she greeted her sister. “How was it?”

Chrissy busied herself hanging up her coat. “Great. Thank you so mu—” The last word was swallowed up in a huge yawn. “Sorry. How were the kids?”

“Wonderful, of course. You’ve got two sweethearts there, Cee Cee. You should be proud of them—and yourself.”

Chrissy’s face crumpled. “You can’t imagine what that means. I worry all the time—are they getting enough attention because I have to work and I’m so blasted tired all the time? Am I handling all this the best way? I just—” She pressed her lips together. “I long to give them the world, but I can barely make ends meet.”

Laura embraced her sister and rocked slowly, stroking circles on Chrissy’s back. “You’re doing a terrific job with them. They’ll be fine, I swear. And if we move in together, I’ll help you out.”

Chrissy tensed slightly. “Laura—”

“But we won’t fret over any of that tonight,” Laura assured her. “You go get some sleep. I’ll lock up.”

A quick squeeze, and Chrissy let go. “Thanks so much—oh. I forgot. I brought the kids a surprise, but I left it in the car. I’ll just go get it—”

“Let me.” Laura stopped her with a hand on her arm. “You have work tomorrow. Go on to bed.”

Chrissy frowned. “You must be tired, too, after all you did today. Don’t you have to be up early?”

“I managed a catnap. I’m good.” Laura snagged Chrissy’s car keys from the outside pocket of her purse. “Sweet dreams.”

“Laura—”

She halted. “What?”

Chrissy bit her lip. “Nothing. Just—I love you.”

Laura smiled. “I love you, too.” Then she was out the door.

Outside, Laura pondered how to get to the bottom of what was worrying her sister. Mind on her thoughts, she reached for the door lock—

A big hand grabbed her shoulder; another clapped over her mouth.

She yelped, began to struggle.

“Laura, don’t. It’s okay. It’s me.”

Jake?

Then she was spun around, too swiftly to register anything—

But his lips on hers. A kiss unlike any she’d had in—

Ever.

Her heart fluttered. He felt so wonderful. So familiar and dear.

She broke away. “What are you doing here?”

That slashing grin that had charmed her for too many years still wielded magic. “Coming for you.” Before she could react, he swung her into his arms and strode toward the road.

“Wait—I can’t. Chrissy—”

“Is right behind you,” said another familiar voice. “My keys, please?”

Laura glanced between the two of them. Glared at her. “Traitor.”

Chrissy shrugged. “You two needed to talk.”

“I’ve tried that.” Laura started to struggle again.

But Jake had always been strong—and now he was determined. “Uh-uh, lover. Just hand her the keys.”

Laura closed her fingers tightly around them and hugged them to her chest. “Why should I?”

“Because I’m bigger.” But in the glow of the moonlight, she saw what she couldn’t before—that he was more worried than his confident tone would convey.

Her heart skipped just a little. Had she finally gotten through to him?

“Bully,” she grumbled without heat.

“Harpy.” But he grinned. “Please, Laura.” He looked sideways at Chrissy, then bent nearer. “I have plans. I think you’ll like them.” A pause. “At least, I sure hope you will.”

Wasn’t his focus fully on her as she’d wished for so long? Didn’t she love him to distraction?

Yes and yes.

But would anything change, really? To be hesitant to trust this man was a horrible situation, but the fear was real. “This isn’t a game, Jake.”

His brown eyes had never been softer. Sadder. “I know.”

Their gazes held for endless moments. She was terrified at the distance she felt.

He was a good man. He was here. Shouldn’t that count?

She realized he’d read her doubts, was about to set her down. Abruptly she decided. “Here—” She tossed the keys to her sister without a backward glance.

Threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his throat.

For a second, he bowed his head to hers, and she felt him shudder. “Thank God.”

She thought she heard him tell her sister goodbye, but she paid attention to nothing but the feel of this man she’d missed so much, the scent that had accompanied her into dreams for the better part of her life.

And when he settled her into the passenger seat of his car, she clung for a moment before letting go.

“God, babe, I am so sorry,” he said.

He kissed her again, then rounded the car.

Laura seemed small, sitting there in the other seat. He had several inches on her, but her personality was so oversized that she always appeared bigger.

What he wouldn’t do to have his old Chevy with the bench seat in front, so they could drive plastered against each other as they’d done when they first dated.

He couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Why she was so quiet. He had no idea if she’d like the place he’d found. If he’d brought the right clothes for her.

He hadn’t recognized some of the underwear. The notion that they dressed together so seldom that he didn’t even know she’d bought new lingerie had hit him hard.

What else had he missed about her?

“Where are we going?” she asked.

Suddenly he remembered a step of his plan he’d omitted. He steered to the shoulder of the road, then felt like a fool and almost didn’t stop.

“What is it?”

He summoned a smile. Waggled his eyebrows as though he actually felt playful. “Turn around.”

“What?” She frowned.

“I skipped a step. Look out the side window.”

She stared at him for a second, and he faltered. “Never mind.” He reached for the steering wheel, but she grabbed his hand.

Granted him a tiny smile, then faced the door as he’d asked.

He hesitated, less sure of himself than he’d been since high school.

But she was here, and she was going along with him. For both their sakes, he had to conquer his nerves and pull this off. He drew the scarf from his pocket, looped it over her head and fastened it around her eyes, tying it as carefully as he’d ever knotted a suture.

The hitch in her breathing got to him.

He pressed a kiss to that sensitive juncture of neck and shoulder to remind them both of better days.

A gasp gave him hope. His tongue slicked over her in a slow, heated lick.

She shivered.

He smiled against her skin. Barely resisted the urge to swing her around and crush her to him.

But this was a seduction. He would go slow if it killed both of them.

Which felt entirely possible.

“Sit back.” He breathed the words over her flesh and watched her shiver again. Then he drew out the second scarf and gently tied her wrists together. “Trust me, love,” he said, and traced his tongue over her lips. “Please.”

She swallowed visibly. Her mouth parted just a little.

Jake had to restrain himself from clutching her to him again, but he managed. Shifted back into his seat.

And drove into the night.

The car stopped.

She didn’t know where they were. How long they’d traveled in silence. The air practically zinged with nerves.

She hadn’t felt like this even the first night they’d made love, though she’d certainly been off-balance. Her eagerness back then had overcome any anxiety except whether he’d find her beautiful.

He’d been gorgeous. Lanky and with the pallor of a med student who spent all his time indoors studying, though he’d been an avid cyclist before his life got swallowed up in his calling.