Chapter Fourteen
They stayed in Bozeman for another two days, and when they weren’t at the hospital with Dylan, they were either at the lodge making love, or exploring the area attractions. Rachel couldn’t get enough of Jamie, and he seemed intent on holding her hand, or touching her in some other way when they were out in public. He was everything she had ever hoped for in a lover, alternately tender and possessive, showing her pleasure she had never dreamed possible.
He was inventive, and had no boundaries or inhibitions. Everything was a possibility with him, and although much of the sex was urgent and intense, he also made it fun and light-hearted. Rachel didn’t think she’d ever laughed during sex before, the way she did with Jamie, just before he made her gasp and cry out in satisfaction.
Now, on their third day in Bozeman, they made their way through the corridors to Dylan’s room. They had visited with him earlier that morning, and had returned to the lodge at noon. There, in the shadowed coolness of their room, Jamie had brought her to orgasm twice, before they’d showered and made love yet again on the wide bed, their bodies still slippery and wet.
Jamie refused to use his wheelchair, and now he easily swung beside her on his crutches. As they approached Dylan’s room, they heard voices. She and Jamie exchanged a look.
“Here we go,” he murmured.
They entered the hospital room to see Rachel’s parents were there. Her mother sat by the bed and clutched Dylan’s hand, while her father stood by the window and stared moodily out over the city toward the surrounding mountains. They both started when Rachel and Jamie entered the room, and Diane McCafferty rose to her feet to come around and give Rachel a hug.
“Thank you so much for coming down to be with your brother,” she said. Pulling back, she searched Rachel’s face. “Are you doing okay?”
Rachel nodded. “Of course, Mom.”
Diane turned to Jamie, and cupping his face, gave him a motherly kiss on one cheek. “Thank you for coming with her, Jamie. I hope this hasn’t been too hard on you.”
“Not at all,” Jamie assured her. “I’ve been exactly where Dylan is now, and I know how much I appreciated having visitors when I was confined to a hospital bed.”
Dylan made a snorting sound, and they all looked at him.
“What?” he grumbled. “It’s not like you even spend much time here. I guess the local sights are more interesting than hanging out with me.”
Rachel’s face went warm, and she didn’t dare look at Jamie. Dylan was right; aside from a quick visit each morning, and a longer one in the afternoon and evening, they hadn’t exactly camped out in his room.
“You need your rest more than you need us disturbing you,” she said quickly. “And Cole Tanner and his fiancée came to see you, so it’s not like you haven’t had plenty of company.”
“So what have you been doing to stay busy?”
This from Rachel’s father, John. Was it her imagination, or did she detect a note of suspicion in his tone?
“Sir, we’ve been taking in the rodeo, which is where we ran into Cole Tanner,” Jamie said smoothly. “I haven’t been to Bozeman in a long time, so I’ve enjoyed getting out and seeing the city, and Rachel has been nice enough to chauffeur me around.”
“Ah, yes, the Bozeman Stampede Rodeo,” her father mused. “I would have liked to see that myself. Been a long time since I’ve seen a rodeo.” He nodded. “Well, glad to see you’re feeling well enough to enjoy the sights.”
“Thank you, sir,” Jamie said.
“What are your plans now?” John asked. “Maybe we can have dinner together tonight. Where are you staying?”
“Dad, we’re going to head back to Glacier Creek,” Rachel interjected, before Jamie could speak. “Jamie has an appointment with the orthopedic surgeon tomorrow that he can’t miss. Now that you and Mom are here, we can leave Dylan in your capable hands.”
“Oh,” Diane said in surprise. “I was hoping you might be able to stay for a few days.”
“I’m sorry, Mom, but that won’t be possible,” Rachel said, infusing her voice with disappointment. “I’m sure you understand.”
“Of course we do,” her mother replied. “I’m just grateful you were able to get here so quickly after his accident.”
Diane reached again for Dylan’s hand, and her brother gave Rachel a look that told her clearly he wasn’t fooled by her story. For the first time, she understood Jamie’s reluctance to keep their relationship a secret. She didn’t enjoy telling her family the fib about Jamie’s doctor appointment. While he did have an appointment, it wasn’t for three more days. She and Jamie could certainly stay in Bozeman, but she was anxious to have him all to herself, away from her family’s curious eyes.
She and Jamie stayed and visited for another hour, listening to her parents enthuse about their abbreviated cruise, which led to Jamie and Dylan swapping stories from when they were growing up together, including when they had accompanied their parents on a cruise and had raised holy hell. Rachel didn’t have a lot to add, since she had been in college during that time, and her focus hadn’t been on the boys.
Finally, Rachel rose to her feet.
“Well, we should probably hit the road, since it’ll take us four hours to get home,” she said.
Jamie stood up, and Diane came around the end of the bed to hug them both. “Drive safely. We’ll see you soon.”
“Um, when do you think that might be?” Rachel asked, trying to sound casual.
“The doctor thinks he should be ready to travel in a week,” her father said.
“Who’s been feeding Boomer?” Rachel asked Dylan. Boomer was his enormous Maine coon cat.
“I asked my neighbor to do it.”
Rachel nodded. “Okay. I’ll make sure the house is stocked with groceries, and that you have everything you need when you get home.”
Dylan raised his eyebrows. “You would do that for me?”
“Of course.” She eyed him speculatively. “Do you want me to rent a hospital bed? Sometimes it’s easier to get out of, with the tilt function.”
“You sound like you know this from experience,” he said drily, giving her a knowing look.
“Jamie doesn’t use a hospital bed,” she replied. The words were out of her mouth before she realized just how revealing they were.
“I should have had one brought to the house when I first came home,” Jamie interjected quickly. “Having the ability to elevate the foot of the bed is a lot better than trying to stuff pillows under your leg.”
Rachel pretended to fish in her pocketbook for her sunglasses, unable to meet anyone’s eyes.
“We should get going,” she mumbled. With a rushed good-bye, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving Jamie to follow her. They made their way to the hospital entrance in silence, until finally Rachel looked over at him. He gave her a meaningful grin.
“What?” she demanded.
“Nothing,” he said, laughing. “But for someone who wants to keep us a secret, you just about told everyone in that room we’re sleeping together.”
“I did not.”
She gave the glass doors a hard push and walked outside, not bothering to hold the door open for Jamie. She heard him give a surprised shout, just before he started laughing again.
*
They arrived back in Glacier Creek at dusk, having been delayed by several hours due to a major accident on the highway ahead of them. Rachel pulled into her parents’ driveway and killed the engine. She stretched her arms over the steering wheel, easing the tightness from her shoulders and back.
“Ooh, that was a long drive,” she said. “I’m so tired, and so hungry I could eat a horse.”
Behind her, Jamie slid the door of the van open and climbed out, hitching his crutches beneath his arms. She watched him in the rearview mirror. For a guy with one leg in a cast, he was disgustingly nimble. She stepped out of the van and went around to the cargo trunk to retrieve their bags.
“I’ve got that,” Jamie said, taking his duffel bag and throwing it over one shoulder. “Listen, why don’t you come over and I’ll cook us both some dinner? We can head over to Dylan’s place in the morning.”
Rachel pushed a hand through her hair, and smiled at him. “That sounds good, but right now I really want to take a shower.”
“Come take one at my place.”
She couldn’t help but laugh at the lecherous look he gave her. “I don’t have any clean clothes at your house.”
“Who said you’ll need clothes?”
“If I come over now,” Rachel said, stepping closer to him and rubbing her fingers along the roughness of his jaw, “then the likelihood of you cooking me dinner is about nil, and I really am hungry.” She pressed a soft kiss against his tempting mouth. “I promise you I’m much, much better company after I’m showered and fed.”
Jamie gave a groan and deepened the kiss, slanting his mouth across hers and feasting on her lips until finally, she pulled away.
“You’re dangerous.” She pressed another, swift kiss against his mouth and turned away with a smile. “I’ll see you shortly.”
“How shortly?” he called after her.
“Fifteen minutes!”
“Don’t make me come get you!”
Rachel laughed, and let herself into the dark house. She’d just grab a quick shower and some clean clothes, and be over at Jamie’s house well before the allotted fifteen minutes were up. She would have been happy to take a shower at his house, but she would never make it past his bed. Even now, her body thrummed with anticipation of what the night would bring. After spending the last several nights in his arms, she didn’t want to sleep alone tonight. She’d never felt this way about anyone before, not even Deke during the early days of their romance.
She made her way through the house to her bedroom, stripping off her clothes as she went. She turned on the shower and let the water grow warm as she pulled a clean change of clothing from her dresser and laid it on the bed. Closing the bathroom door, she stepped under the spray and quickly washed her hair and soaped her body, before running a razor over her legs and underarms. Jamie seemed mesmerized by her skin, always reflecting on how smooth and soft it was, so she didn’t want to disappoint him.
She stepped out of the shower and swiftly wrapped a towel around her hair. There would be no time to blow it dry, but somehow she didn’t think Jamie would care. She swiped the condensation from the mirror with the palm of her hand, and quickly brushed her teeth, checking the time on her watch. Twelve minutes had passed since she’d entered the house, which left her just three minutes to get dressed and get over to Jamie’s house.
Pulling open the bedroom door, she stopped in her tracks. Jamie stood leaning on his crutches by the bed, idly fingering the lacy bra she had left there. He angled his head to look at her, and the heat simmering in his eyes was so potent that Rachel felt the moisture on her skin evaporate.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, stepping closer. “I still have three minutes.”
“I couldn’t wait.”
Dropping the bra, he turned toward her. He’d changed his shirt, and Rachel saw his short hair was damp.
“You took a shower,” she said, and closed the distance between them. Reaching out, she swiped a single bead of water from his neck with her fingertip. He smelled good, like spicy soap and shampoo. “Why do I have the feeling that we won’t be having any dinner?”
Jamie searched her eyes, and a smile tugged at his mouth. “Maybe I can wait. Let me cook you something.”
“Later,” she breathed. “Right now, you’re the only thing I’m hungry for.” Leaning up, she kissed him. He made a low sound of approval in his throat, and Rachel could taste his need, his urgency. Yet when one hand came up to frame her jaw, his fingers were gentle.
Dragging her mouth from his, she slowly let her towel drop to the floor. Jamie’s eyes darkened with desire as he looked at her, and Rachel felt her body respond. Her nipples tightened, and her inner muscles clenched. He let his hands trail down to cover her breasts, his thumbs skimming over the small, tight buds. Rachel drew in a sharp breath.
“I love your body,” he said, almost reverently. His breathing had quickened. “You’re so beautiful, so warm and soft. So feminine.”
Rachel smiled. “You’re making me blush.”
Jamie looked bemused. “Why? You must know how gorgeous you are.”
“Let’s just say I haven’t heard that in a very long time. At least,” she amended, covering his hands with her own, “not until I met you.”
Moving to sit on the edge of the bed, Rachel drew him forward to stand between her knees. Looking up at him, she smiled at his taut expression and reached for the waistband of his shorts. He was already hard beneath the cotton fabric, and when she curled her hand around his length, he let out a hissing sound of pleasure.
“Are you doing okay?” she asked.
“Oh, yeah,” he said hoarsely.
Pushing the shorts down, Rachel leaned forward and took him in her mouth. Jamie groaned loudly and put a hand on her head, sifting his fingers through her damp hair.
“Damn, that feels good,” he said, his voice rough. “But if you keep going like that, I’m not going to last.”
Rachel released him and climbed onto the bed on her knees, pulling him forward until he set his crutches aside and eased himself onto the mattress, shucking his T-shirt, and kicking his sandals off. Rachel tugged his shorts off, loving how he watched her through half-closed eyes, his breathing a little ragged, as if she was the sexiest woman alive. With Jamie, she could almost believe she was.
“I want you inside me,” she breathed, and crawled over his body, kissing her way along the length of his muscular legs, lingering briefly over his straining erection, before continuing a moist path across his stomach and over his heaving chest, until she finally captured his mouth in hers.
Jamie caught her face in his hands and kissed her deeply, licking inside her mouth and feasting on her lips like a starving man. When she reached between their bodies to take him in her hand, he made a rough sound of need. Then she was sliding over him, loving how he stretched and filled her. He slid his hands over her back until he cupped her rear end, squeezing and massaging her flesh before he began to move, thrusting deeply as she rocked against him.
Breaking the kiss, Rachel watched his face as she rode him, watched as pleasure caused his features to grow taut and his muscles to coil tightly. She knew he was close, could feel how he tried to hold back. When he looked into her eyes, the intensity of the emotions she saw reflected there nearly undid her.
“I don’t want to come without you,” he muttered, and shifted beneath her, angling his hips so that he maximized contact with the most sensitive part of her.
The sensation was almost too much, the friction her undoing. The pressure gathered and built, and then coalesced into a single, brilliant point of blinding pleasure. Jamie gave a deep groan, and as he found his release, pulsing strongly inside her, she contracted tightly around him as wave after wave crashed over her, until finally she collapsed against him.
Her face was buried in the crook of his neck, and beneath her palm his heart beat hard and fast. Reaching down, he snagged the corner of a quilt folded at the foot of the bed and dragged it over them both. Rachel moved to his side and flung an arm across his chest, and a leg over his hips. His shoulder cushioned her head as she smothered a yawn. The combination of the long drive from Bozeman, the hot shower and the even hotter sex, made Rachel feel suddenly drowsy. Beneath the quilt, their combined body heat made for a warm cocoon, and she snuggled closer to Jamie.
“Oh, this is nice,” she murmured.
“You bet,” he agreed, his voice warm and fuzzy with contentment. He was quiet for a long moment. “Did you mean what you said earlier? Deke never told you how gorgeous you are?”
Rachel shifted. She didn’t want to talk about Deke. “Maybe in the beginning—I don’t really remember.”
He made a sound that said he didn’t believe her, but thankfully didn’t pursue the topic. But Rachel couldn’t help recalling the awful things Deke had said to her, in front everyone who had been there that day. By the time Deke had finished disparaging her in every way possible, whatever had been left of Rachel’s self-esteem had been completely destroyed.
But with Jamie, she felt her former confidence returning. He made her feel good about herself. He made her feel excited about her future. He made her laugh the way she hadn’t in years. He made her feel young and vibrant again.
Beside her, Jamie’s breathing had deepened, and she knew he was nearly asleep. Despite all the positive feelings he engendered in her, she couldn’t help feeling panicky.
Things were out of control. Their relationship had gotten way too serious, way too intense, way too quickly. She’d lost her perspective. She no longer had the ability to think rationally where Jamie was concerned.
Was he too young? She wanted a family, but maybe he wasn’t ready for that kind of commitment. She didn’t even know if she was ready for that kind of commitment. A week ago, she’d just about sworn off men altogether.
How would their families feel if they announced they were a couple? Jamie was her younger brother’s best friend, and she already knew Dylan disapproved. She’d endured the blatant disapproval of Deke’s parents; she wasn’t sure she could handle that from Jamie’s parents.
He’d told her he wanted to rejoin his unit, but what did that mean? Would he deploy overseas again? Would they be separated by time and distance, the way she and Deke had been? What kind of relationship could work under those conditions?
The troubling thoughts tumbled through her head as she lay awake, staring at the ceiling and listening to Jamie’s breathing. She didn’t have the answers, but she knew she had to make some decisions soon, before she fell completely and hopelessly in love with the man.
She was afraid it might already be too late.