How Sweet It Is (36 page)

“Take care of each other,” Amalia said. “That’s the most important thing.”

“You got it.”

Once they were outside and alone. Jordan brushed a strand of hair from Molly’s forehead. “So, hi.”

“Hey,” she whispered back. For a minute, she just stared. Marveling at how everything had turned out. That Jordan was here. In front of her.

Hers.

The night was balmy, and the moon three-fourths full. Jordan took her hand and threaded their fingers. Their lips were just an inch apart, and suddenly that became way too much. She leaned in and brushed Jordan’s lips with hers ever so lightly, but that only made her crave more. It hadn’t been her goal to make out with Jordan in the middle of her parents’ driveway, but that’s what happened. She just wanted to lose herself in Jordan and soon. She pulled back slightly and met her eyes. “Please tell me you’re not going to Little Bobby’s tonight.”

Jordan’s breathing was shallow as she stared back in all seriousness. “I think he’ll understand.”

“Praise baby Jesus.”

*

The thing about Molly was that it was very hard for Jordan to keep her hands off of her. And it had been a while since they’d been anywhere on her. She had been knocked off her feet in a really good way to hear Molly’s words.

Molly was willing to fight for them. She’d told Jordan she loved her in front of her entire family. It meant
everything
.

And yes, it would have been simpler if they’d waited to ravish each other until they were safely ensconced in Molly’s very comfortable bedroom. But unfortunately with them, it was never that simple. Their physical connection was not only still off the charts, it was hovering somewhere outside the time zone.

Their shirts and Jordan’s bra had made it as far as the entryway. They’d bumped into doors and walls as they kicked their shoes off. Finally making it to the hallway off the living room, Jordan found herself pressed against the wall. Molly was kissing down her body and making quick work of her jeans. As Molly slid them down her legs, Jordan splayed her hands against the wall as an onslaught of arousal shot straight through her. Molly straightened and slid her body up against Jordan in the sexiest move this century. The physical ache she caused was almost painful. The town sweetheart was also a very skilled seductress.

Jordan eased her hand to the nape of Molly’s neck and held her in place as she kissed her like she was drowning, which she was in the most welcome way. As Molly rocked into her, that hunger only grew.

Their mouths danced in rhythm, and Molly’s hand dipped between her legs and brushed across her. Giving just the tiniest bit and then pulling back. God.

Then wordlessly, she led Jordan into her bedroom, where she eased her onto her back. Instead of following her down, Molly stood in front of her and slowly removed her remaining items of clothing.

And the temperature in the room shot up around them as Jordan looked on in captivation. “How are you so perfect?” she breathed. “Just look at you.”

Molly held her gaze. Confident. Strong. “You make me feel that way.”

She lowered herself onto Jordan and hitched in a breath as their bodies met.

And Jordan was home. She reached up and brushed the hair back from Molly’s forehead “God, I’ve missed you.”

“Never again,” Molly assured her, and her lips descended onto Jordan’s. She kissed her with skilled precision and began to move against her in a slow rhythm. The kind she knew drove Jordan wild. She then reached between them and began to stroke her as she sucked firmly on Jordan’s nipple.

In surrender, Jordan threw her head back on the pillow, completely helpless to the rush of sensation. It was all she could do to just hold on. Molly continued her quest downward, leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses on her breasts, her stomach, her abdomen. She parted Jordan’s legs gently and her hands skimmed up her inner thighs, her thumbs meeting in the middle and brushing over her center. Jordan gasped. Molly leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on the inside of one thigh and then the other. But it was the first touch of Molly’s tongue that caused her hips to jerk. The second and third swipe had her arching her back for more. But when Molly pulled her more firmly into her mouth, she tumbled over the edge, falling into a never-ending red-hot release. She dug her fingers into Molly’s shoulders and rode out the shock waves.

Holy hell.

She collapsed limp and satisfied onto the pillow, her breathing shallow, but her heart full. Molly joined her there. She tipped Jordan’s face up to hers. “I love you,” she whispered and stroked her hair. Jordan nodded and stared into Molly’s eyes. She savored the way Molly felt against her. The sound of her voice when she said her name. The ways her eyes lit when she looked at her.

She felt cared for. Safe.

Loved.

Jordan stroked Molly’s cheek. “I didn’t know it could be like this. Feel like this.”

Molly kissed her. “We’re lucky.”

Jordan wrapped her arms around Molly’s waist and pulled her in, sliding her thigh firmly against Molly, who closed her eyes and parted her lips in beautiful response. She was beyond ready. And Jordan was feeling impatient.

She wanted her hands on Molly. Her mouth.

Everything.

She was the sexiest thing she’d ever seen, and watching her climax had become her favorite drug of choice and she needed it now.

“Baby,” she whispered as she rolled her over and lowered her head, running her tongue across her nipple, circling it slowly. Molly’s hands were in her hair, softly encouraging her. As she pulled the nipple into her mouth and sucked, Molly began to make the most adorable tiny noises. She refocused her attention on Molly’s neck, her collarbone. As she kissed the skin there, she massaged her breasts softly at first and then more firmly, squeezing her nipples until Molly was squirming wildly beneath her, looking for some kind of release.

“Oh God, I don’t think I can—”

“Yes, you can,” Jordan whispered in her ear. “Hold on for me.” She stared into her eyes, and the vulnerability there staggered her. With nothing standing between them now, it was easily the most intimate experience of her life.

She rolled herself more fully on top and slid her hands down Molly’s sides, cupping her hips and holding them in place as she pressed against her firmly. Molly whimpered quietly and closed her eyes. “More,” was all she managed. But more she could do. She began to move her hips against Molly slowly in small circles. And though Molly attempted to increase their rhythm, Jordan held her in place, maintaining control. Finally, she reached a hand between them and slid into Molly, her hips picking up pace against her hand until Molly called out and shuddered against her in the most gorgeous display. Her lips parted, her hair fanned out across the pillow, Jordan made a point to memorize the image.

She kissed her neck softly and smoothed the hair from her forehead as her breathing slowed once again.

“Jordan?

“Yeah?”

Molly cradled her face in her hands and shook her head. “You undo me every time. You know that?”

“I think we undo each other.” She kissed her cheek softly.

They made love again that night, waking up and finding each other. The touches were somehow softer with the understanding of what they meant, what they promised. It was a night Jordan would never forget. Because it wasn’t about the moment at hand. It was about forever.

The sun was up early and streaming through the window, but Molly let herself sleep until seven.

Louise had opened up shop on what would be Flour Child’s last day. Molly had scheduled herself for eight, knowing she’d have to stay late into the night to finish the last of the packing. She had to hand over the keys to the bank the next day.

“Are you going to be okay?” Jordan asked from the kitchen table where she nursed a cup of coffee in her jeans and T-shirt. She’d gotten up with Molly and seemed to be lingering close for moral support. It was sweet.

Molly attempted a smile, but it was weighted with sadness. “It’ll be a rough day. The roughest. But if I have you waiting for me, I’m going to get through this. I feel like I have a lot to look forward to and I have to concentrate on that.”

“You do.” Jordan held out her hand, and Molly crossed the distance between them and allowed herself to be pulled into Jordan’s lap. “So, there’s a thing.”

“A thing? You should probably elaborate.”

“George is moving to Applewood.” Molly raised an inquisitive eyebrow. “We’ll get to why later. But the point is, he’s now planning to commute to Chicago. To me. So we could work together. But if I were to move to Applewood, that wouldn’t exactly be necessary. I mean we’d still have to go into the city for meetings, and of course on location for shooting. But if our office home base was here—”

She didn’t get to finish because Molly’s lips silenced her in a celebratory kiss. “Yes,” she said to Jordan when they came up for air. “That sounds like the best idea I’ve ever heard. Did you hear me say yes? ’Cause I can say it louder. Yes!” she called out loudly to the room as Jordan laughed.

“I can get an apartment or…”

Molly took the leap. “Or you could move in with me.”

A beat. “Really?” Jordan asked in a hopeful voice. She also looked especially adorable.

Molly looked down at her. “Uh-huh.. But if you’re gonna move in, there’ll have to be conditions.”

Jordan grinned. “Conditions?”

“Oh yeah,” Molly said quite seriously. “You’ll need to pull your share of the handiwork around this place.”

“Which would be?”

“Well, all of it. While wearing jeans and a tank top. That’s also a condition by the way, because there will be lots of objectification.”

“I love it when you objectify me.”

“And I’ll need to interview this cat of yours, Frankie, is it?”

“Francis Ford Coppola until you get to know him better.”

“Pretentious.”

“He totally can be, yeah.”

Molly sighed happily. “So it’s settled. You, me, a cat, and a fish in the blue house.”

“How can you beat it?”

“Who would even try?” Molly murmured as she went in for another kiss.

That’s when Jordan’s phone buzzed. She checked the readout and took the call. “Hey, Bobby. I’ll be over in just a bit.”

She stared at Molly questioningly. “Yeah, she’s right here. What’s up?” Molly watched Jordan curiously, finally tilting her head to the side in question. Jordan took her hand in reassurance and smiled. “Okay, we can leave now.”

“What?” Molly asked as she hung up. “Is everything okay?”

“I think so. But Bobby says we need to get over to Flour Child now.”

Molly’s mind raced with a million possible problems. “Is something wrong? What’s going on?”

“Let’s not wonder. Let’s go find out.” Jordan took her hand and they headed out.

*

Molly heard them before she saw them.

As they rounded the corner to Main Street, the sight before them stopped her cold. There were people, throngs of them, hundreds in fact, gathered in front of the bakeshop. Some were carrying signs depicting the Starbucks logo with a line through it. Others wore homemade T-shirts. She didn’t know what to make of it. She looked at Jordan, who shrugged in mystification.

The crowd started to cheer when they saw her. It was all very surreal. She moved among them, shocked at the sight. There was Mr. Mueller, the mailman; Deb from the diner; a whole grouping of her neighbors and former teachers. Hell, she could go on and on. It seemed like
everyone
was there. And that’s when she saw him.

“Daddy? You’re here too?” she said. “Do you know what’s going on?”

He smiled and put his arm around her. “Turns out these folks don’t want to see you close. In fact, they’re here to show their support and vow to keep you in business.”

“Gonna skip Starbucks from now on, Molly,” Evan Thompson, from the auto body shop called out. “I don’t care if they do have a drive-through. Your cinnamon rolls are fifty times better anyway. I’ll be
here
from now on each morning. Promise ya.”

“Thanks, Evan. But I don’t think that’s—”

Celia Foster pushed through the crowd. “None of us are going to that big chain store anymore. Flour Child is our bakeshop and we’d like it to stay that way. We’re not willing to give it up.”

“I’ll be in at least twice a week. Three times if I get a raise,” someone behind her called out.

Molly turned toward the voice. “That’s so nice of you to say, Mrs. Abernathy, but I’m afraid there’s not much choice. I have to close down today.”

“Actually, you don’t.” It was Felix from the bank. Molly threw a questioning look to Jordan who squeezed her hand.

“I don’t understand.”

He handed her an envelope. “The mortgage has been paid, along with the secondary loan. You’re free and clear.”

She stared at him. “This doesn’t make sense.”

“A donor came forward. Paid it all off in your name.” Felix looked to his right, and Molly followed his gaze.

There, standing at the edge of the crowd, feigning interest in the shop’s awning and pretty much ignoring everyone was Mr. Jeffries.

He scoffed, catching Molly looking at him. “What?”

“Did you pay off my mortgage, Mr. Jeffries?”

He glared back at her like she was less than bright. “Well, I couldn’t exactly have the shop close down, could I? A man’s entitled to his routine, you know.”

She didn’t know what to say. “Thank you,” was the start she went with. “I’ll pay you back just as soon as I can.” She couldn’t quite process this turn of events.

“You will not,” he grumbled. “You’ll use the cushion to get ahead and the rest of the idiots will keep you afloat. Then everyone will be happy and shut up.”

She scanned the scene, the faces of the people she loved most in the world. She turned around to face the shop. Eden stood in the doorway with her arm around Louise. Damon sat beneath them on the step.

The sight of them brought it all home.

They were wanted. The town was willing to stand up and say so. And that meant the shop was staying put. She’d get up the next morning and come in to work. And every morning after that. She’d hang the photo of herself and her dad back on the wall.