Chapter Seventeen
“What are you doing here?”
They both said the words at the same time, and Rachel flushed. Jamie thought she looked pale, and there were dark smudges beneath her eyes, as if she hadn’t slept well. Guilt gnawed at him, even as he devoured her with his eyes.
“I, um, promised to bring some groceries over,” she explained.
For the first time, Jamie noticed she carried two grocery totes that bulged with food.
“Here, I’ll take those,” he said, and his voice sounded gruff, even to his own ears. He stepped forward and took both totes in one hand, and then turned to limp his way into the kitchen.
After a moment, he heard Rachel follow him.
“Believe me, I didn’t plan this. I had no idea you would be here,” she finally said, as he set the bags onto the island.
“Or you wouldn’t have come?” Jamie sounded bitter, but he couldn’t help himself. When he angled his head to look at her, his chest constricted. Rachel stood uncertainly just inside the kitchen, turning her car keys over and over in her hands and not looking at him.
“I’m not the one avoiding contact,” she said quietly, and raised her gaze to his. “You haven’t returned any of my calls.”
“No.”
A sudden knock on the door startled them both, and then the front door opened and Laurel poked her head inside. “Hello! It’s just me! I saw a van pull up.”
“We’re in the kitchen,” Jamie called.
Laurel came in, a wide smile on her face, and then came to an abrupt stop when she saw Rachel.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said, putting a hand to her throat. “I thought it might be Dylan. I didn’t mean to intrude.”
“Laurel, I’d like you to meet Dylan’s sister, Rachel.” Jamie nodded in her direction. “Rachel, this is Laurel Cavanaugh.”
Laurel’s face cleared, and she stepped forward with a wide smile. “Oh, what a pleasure it is to finally meet you! I’ve heard so much about you from Dylan!”
To Jamie’s astonishment, Rachel didn’t seem inclined to return Laurel’s friendly smile. She shook the other woman’s hand, but the overture seemed grudging, at best.
“So Jamie hasn’t mentioned me?” Rachel asked, tipping her chin up and sliding a quick look at Jamie.
Laurel gave a small laugh, and looked confused. “No. Why, should he have?”
“Rachel—” Jamie tried to interject, but Rachel held her hand up, forestalling whatever words he might have said.
“No, there’s no reason why he should have mentioned me,” she replied, but the smile she gave Laurel didn’t reach her eyes. “And now that I’ve met you, I understand why.”
“I, uh, think there’s been some misunderstanding,” Laurel said, casting a worried look toward Jamie. “Maybe I should go.”
“I’ll call you later,” Jamie said.
He didn’t know what had gotten into Rachel, but he didn’t want her taking it out on Laurel, who had done nothing to deserve it. He waited until Laurel had closed the front door behind her, and then spread his hands out.
“What are you doing?”
To his astonishment, Rachel put a hand to her eyes and half turned away.
“I don’t know,” she muttered. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here, and it just sort of threw me. I mean, I know you’re with her now, but I didn’t expect to actually see you with her, okay? I had no idea she would be here.”
Jamie frowned. “Who? Laurel?”
“Yes, Laurel!” Rachel’s voice broke. “I tried to call you, Jamie. It took me about an hour to figure out I’d made a mistake in letting you leave that day.” She looked at him, stricken. “A huge mistake! I went over to your house, but you’d already left.”
Jamie took a step toward her. “I couldn’t stay, Rachel. You know that. Seeing you every day, being that close and not being able to be with you—I had to leave.”
“And Laurel was right there to console you,” Rachel said bitterly.
Jamie stared at her, dumbfounded. “What?”
Rachel turned to him, her face contorted in pain. “I saw you! I saw you together, Jamie, so don’t try to deny it!”
Now Jamie did step forward, unmindful of his stiff leg, and took her by the shoulders. “I do deny it! What did you see, Rachel?”
She struggled not to cry and it was as if someone had ripped his beating heart from his chest. He dragged her into his arms, ignoring her stiff resistance, intent only on trying to soothe her.
“I saw you outside the hospital,” she said, her voice muffled against his chest. “You were hugging her, and it looked like more than just a neighborly hug, and I almost don’t blame you because she’s beautiful and young—”
Jamie tightened his hold on her. “Oh, Rachel…”
*
Jamie’s chest heaved up and down, and for just an instant, Rachel thought he might actually be crying, but when she lifted her face from his shoulder, she realized she was mistaken.
He was laughing.
Rachel leaned back in his arms and stared at him, even as a part of her brain registered he wasn’t releasing her, and in fact seemed to be holding her even closer.
And it felt wonderful.
“What’s so funny?” she demanded, and swiped her fingertips across her eyes.
“Laurel is nothing more than a friend,” he said. His eyes traveled over her face like a caress. “That day at the hospital, the doctor gave me news I wasn’t ready to hear, and she was just trying to make me feel better.”
Hope flared inside of Rachel. Friends, not lovers!
“So you’re not together?”
“Not even close. My heart already belongs to someone else.”
“Oh, Jamie…” She started to melt against him, and then the full meaning of his words sank in. “What news did the doctor give you?”
“My leg will never be as strong as it was, and I’ll always walk with a limp.”
Rachel understood what it was he wasn’t saying. “What does that mean for you? For your military career?”
“I’m not sure. I haven’t been on active duty in almost six months, and I’m still facing months of rehab. If I can’t return within a year, I’ll be medically discharged.”
Rachel tentatively raised a hand and laid it against his lean cheek. “If that means you won’t deploy again, and you won’t have bombs dropped on you while you’re sleeping, then I can’t be sorry.”
His voice was cautious. “You sound as if you care.”
Rachel’s heart rate accelerated. She thought her display of jealousy might have been a clue as to how she felt, but now she realized he wasn’t going to let her off that easily. If she really wanted to be with him, she was going to have to let him know in no uncertain terms.
She stroked the pad of her thumb over his lower lip, and then leaned up and pressed a soft kiss against his mouth.
“We belong together,” she murmured against his lips. “You’ve given me the courage to finally stand up for myself and admit what it is I want, and I want you. You’re the bravest, strongest, most decent man I know. I can’t imagine being with anyone else.”
Jamie gave a soft grunt, and although he lifted a hand to frame her jaw with his fingers, he didn’t kiss her back. “You’re going to have to show me,” he breathed against her mouth. “I’ve been out of my mind this past week, thinking about you. You’ve put me through hell, so if you really want me, you need to show me.”
“My parents and Dylan will be here soon,” she reminded him.
“Then you’d better hurry.”
Rachel smiled.
Sliding her arms around his neck, she slanted her mouth over his, reveling in the feel and taste of him. She’d missed this. She’d missed him. And when he gave a groan of surrender and slid his hand to the back of her head, opening his mouth to the sensuous slide of her tongue, she knew she’d won.
The kiss was urgent and hot, and when Jamie cupped her rear and pulled her against his hips, she was left in no doubt he wanted her.
“Not here,” she managed to gasp. “Anyone could walk in on us.”
“I don’t care,” he muttered. “I need to be inside you.”
“The bedroom,” she urged.
Jamie pulled away, and then grabbed his crutch, shoving it under his arm as he took her hand. “This way.”
Rachel followed him through the living room to a short hallway that opened to a guest bedroom and a bathroom.
“In here.” Jamie pulled her into the room, before closing and locking the door. “Come here,” he said roughly, and hauled Rachel against his chest.
“I’ve missed you,” she whispered, just before his mouth claimed hers in a kiss so searing, Rachel actually moaned.
Her hands worked their way beneath the hem of his T-shirt, stroking over the hard, smooth warmth of his stomach and chest. Jamie broke the kiss just long enough to drag the shirt over his head, and then he was completely bare-chested beneath her questing fingers.
Rachel swiftly worked the button on his cargo shorts, and slid the zipper down.
“Take these off,” she urged, and pushed them downward.
Jamie helped her, hooking his thumbs into the waistband of both his boxers and the shorts, and shoving them down to his knees, where he tried to kick them free.
“Here, let me,” Rachel said, and bent to work the clothing over the rigid boot. Without the full cast, she could now see the evidence of the injuries he’d sustained during the building collapse, and his leg was a mass of scars. Her heart swelled with love and anguish for what he’d endured, but also with pride for his courage. She pressed a soft kiss against the angriest of the marks, and then tipped her head back to look up at Jamie. Only that brought her eye-level with his gorgeous, impressive erection, which strained upward.
She couldn’t help herself; he was impossible to resist.
Curling her hand around the thick base, she ran her tongue over him, from bottom to top. He throbbed hotly in her hand, and she drew him into her mouth, smiling as she heard him gasp. He tasted delicious, and she swirled her tongue slickly around the crest, before sucking deeply on him. He groaned loudly, and plunged his fingers into her hair, massaging her scalp as she moved her mouth over him. Reaching beneath his shaft, she cupped him in her hand, teasing him gently as she sucked him harder, deeper. The sounds of pleasure he made caused desire to jack-knife through her, and a warm gush of moisture at her core made her squirm with need.
“Enough,” he said, his voice a harsh rasp. “Or I’m not going to last.”
Rachel released him, and with a last swipe of her tongue over the glistening head, she rose to her feet.
“Your turn,” Jamie said, and drew her shirt over her head, and then reached behind her to unfasten her bra. Rachel let it drop to the floor, and closed her eyes as Jamie bent and took one nipple into his mouth, grazing the hard nub with his teeth, before sucking on it. She clutched at his shoulders, certain she would fall if not for his solid strength. With his free hand, he loosened the drawstring on her linen pants, and immediately pushed his other hand inside to stroke her intimately.
“Oh, God,” he groaned, “you are so wet.”
The touch of his fingers against the most sensitive part of her was almost her undoing, and she nearly came apart right then and there.
“Jamie,” she gasped, and he lifted his head from her breast.
“I can’t wait,” he growled, and turned her so she lay across the bed. He bent and swiftly jerked her shoes and pants off, until she was completely naked.
He came over her, pushing her knees wide, and braced himself on one elbow. Rachel realized they had never made love with him on top, because of his leg. Now he rose over her, and she admired how the muscles in his shoulders and arms bunched and flexed with each movement. He took himself in his hand, and fitted the broad tip against her opening.
“We belong together,” he said, searching her eyes. “Say it.”
Rachel tried to push her hips upward, desperately seeking relief, but he easily held himself away.
“Say it,” he insisted.
“Jamie…”
He gave her a meaningful look, and then deliberately stroked himself. His breathing quickened. If she didn’t tell him what he needed to hear, he would bring himself to climax and deny her that pleasure.
“We belong together!” she said quickly, her eyes fixed on where his fist curled around his thick length.
“Do you mean it?” he asked.
Rachel raised her gaze to his, and searched his eyes. There was so much love there, but also wariness. He half expected her to disappoint him again.
“We belong together,” she said softly. “You’re everything I’ve ever hoped for in a partner, and we belong together.”
Jamie closed his eyes briefly, and then fitted himself against her and surged forward, stretching and filling her until she cried out with the sheer pleasure of it. She was so aroused, it would take no more than a few strokes to push her over the edge.
Fully seated inside her, Jamie paused with his head pressed against her neck, not moving. Rachel groaned and lifted her hips, seeking the friction she needed.
“Don’t move,” Jamie commanded.
He raised his head to look at her, and she saw the lines of strain on his face, and realized how much effort it took for him not to climax right then.
“Oh, Jamie,” she murmured, and pressed her mouth against his, drawing on his tongue and mating hers slickly with his.
With a deep sound of satisfaction, Jamie withdrew and then plunged into her, again and then again. Rachel bent her knees to bring him even deeper, pressing her heels into his lower back as she welcomed each powerful thrust, until the mounting sensations began to swirl and coalesce at her core.
Jamie made a raw sound of need, and gripped her hip as he pounded into her. Rachel clutched at him, unable to tear her gaze from his, until the mounting pressure finally exploded, and all her muscles contracted inward, squeezing around his rigid length as wave after wave of the most intense pleasure she’d ever known crashed over her.
Jamie gave a harsh cry and at the last instant, pulled out of her. Rachel watched as he emptied himself onto her stomach in thick, pearly streams, and his face contorted in an expression of intense pleasure. Then he eased himself down beside her, curling an arm over her as he nuzzled her neck, his breathing still uneven.
Rachel had never experienced anything so raw or intimate in her life. She turned her head to find Jamie watching her. She was filled with awe that she could have that kind of effect on any man, never mind one like Jamie. Reaching out, she traced a finger along the line of his jaw, feeling the rough stubble against her fingertip.
“I’m in love with you, Jamie Colter.”
For a moment, he just stared at her, and then he rolled onto his back and pressed the heel of his palm against his eyes as he made a sound that was half-groan and half-laugh. When he finally turned to look at her again, Rachel was stunned to see his eyes were moist.
“Do you know how long I’ve waited to hear you say that?”
Rachel rose up on one elbow and tenderly traced the contours of his mouth. “A week, maybe two?” she teased, smiling.
“All my life, babe. Literally, all my life.”
“Well, if you want me, I’m yours,” she said, and bent her head down to kiss him. “Because I know now it’s true. We belong together.”