JakesWildBride (9 page)

But he did. He didn’t deserve the label he had, and here she had gone just assuming things about him. Maybe she was assuming the wrong things. Maybe he had come home to change the town’s impression of him. “Why can’t you leave?”

“I promised my mother I would clean out their old house and get it ready for sale.”

Not the town. His mother. Oh, how she envied him. “Are you very close?”

Jake laughed, but it was a bitter sound. “No.”

He had to stay because of a promise he made to his mother. His mother with whom he wasn’t close at all.

Dear Lord, she’d screwed up his life.

It was okay, well not okay, exactly, when she screwed up her own life, but now she’d messed up Jake’s life. She had to come up with a way to help him.

“You need to stay in town.”

“Yeah. At least for a few weeks.”

Philippe pointed out Jax Brewery, formerly a brewery and now a giant shopping mall, and Lilah plotted how they were going to help each other. She studied Jake.

He glanced at her and she remembered how intense his eyes had been when he’d been about to fill her body with his. He’d been a forceful, passionate lover.

They could work with weeks. She could make the town see that he wasn’t a bad boy any longer. Then when he left, he could come home again.

“I know what we can do,” Lilah said slowly. “Actually it will solve two problems.”

“Christ, we have more than one?”

Lilah ignored him.

“What’s our second problem?”

“I don’t have a place to live.”

“What?”

“I was getting married.” Lilah realized she was supposed to be getting married today. In six hours, to be exact.

“And,” Jake prompted.

“I was moving in with Tom. As a matter of fact, I’d already moved all the possessions I wanted to his house.”

For a moment, Lilah flashed back to the last time she had seen Tom. A fresh stab of hurt pierced her organizational fog. How could he?

“Stay on the subject.” Jake’s voice was harsh, but he took her hand in his and squeezed her fingers gently.

“I rented out my aunt’s house to Peggy and her husband, Peter.”

Jake said, “So un-rent it.”

“I can’t do that,” Lilah said. “She’s about to have a baby.”

“Aren’t there more bedrooms?”

“She has three kids who are going to share the other two bedrooms.”

“Sleep on the sofa.” But he didn’t sound harsh, he sounded desperate. And his fingers were stroking her hand with long, slow caresses.

“Her mother’s coming to stay with her before and after the baby. There’s no room for me.”

“You have nowhere to live,” Jake said flatly.

“I can live with you.” She replied in a bold, confident voice and hoped he couldn’t see how nervous she was.

“You want to live with me?”

“Well it would certainly make my plan seem more credible.”

“I’m afraid to ask.”

Lilah turned to face him and saw amusement in his eyes not fear.

“What plan?”

“We’ll show the town you aren’t a wild boy anymore. Then when you leave, it will be okay for you to come back again.”

“I don’t care what the town thinks.” Besides, after he took care of the house, he wasn’t coming back again.

“Of course you do.”

Jake thought about arguing but it didn’t seem worth it. He was not going to live with her. Not even for an hour. When they got back to town, he’d make her see reason.

“And besides, this will help me.”

“How will this help you?”

“I’m not sure exactly yet. But I’ll have a place to stay and it shows I didn’t run off with you on a wild impulse.” A radiant smile lit her face. “It’s a good plan.”

Jake wasn’t about to mention that she had run off with him on a wild impulse. But her face told him he wasn't going to get rid of her. He really didn’t want to cause trouble for Lilah. And he didn't want to hurt her.

They rocked to a halt behind the Saint Louis Cathedral and in front of their hotel.

“So what do you think?” Lilah waited with her hands clasped, just as she’d waited last night for Jake to agree to sing. The event that had spiraled their entire history out of control. He should say no. He should.

But then he looked into her eyes and knew he was lost. He couldn’t say no. Not to her.

“Okay.”

“Great.” She grabbed his hands in hers. “You won’t regret--"

"Okay, guys. Give us one last smooch for the camera and we’re done.”

“--this.”

Jake bent his head intending to make it quick and light. Kissing Lilah was not good for his peace of mind. It would also make it difficult to get out of the carriage with a hard on as big as the statue behind them.

But, when his lips touched hers, he forgot everything and lost himself in her. Her arms came up to circle his neck and she threw herself into the kiss.

Jake knew there was a reason why this was a bad idea. But he couldn’t remember why just right now.

“Great, that’s a wrap. Thanks, guys.”

Steve’s words effectively doused the flame between them. Lilah pulled back from him, her eyes still heavy with passion. Jake wanted to groan. He wanted to swear. How was he ever going to live with her?

***

Jake sped along the highway back toward Bloomington.

“Could you slow down please?” Lilah asked in a soft, nervous voice.

One minute she was Miss Priss, the next she was a siren temptress. He couldn’t get a handle on this woman he was married to. He flinched in his seat. Damn, he did not want to be married.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why should I slow down?”

“Because speeding is against the law.”

He didn’t argue with her but he wanted to. She hadn’t minded last night. But today as they got closer and closer back to town, Lilah had become progressively quieter.

He glanced over to her. She sat prissily straight in her seat, her neck at what had to be an uncomfortable angle.

“Sure.” Jake slowed down.

Lilah imperceptibly relaxed.

But as they neared the town limits, she stiffened up again. He didn’t have the heart to tell her that her posture thrust her breasts forward in a most enticing manner. He was supposed to live with her for the next few weeks and not touch her? Right. It was going to be torture.

“Where do you want to go first?” Bed was out of the question.

He glanced back at her. Damn, he wished they’d taken time in the hotel room before they’d left New Orleans. He’d been tempted.

After the steamy kiss in the carriage, he probably could have talked her into it. They’d gone back upstairs to collect their meager pile of stuff. And when Jake had seen the comforter balled up on the floor, he’d immediately thought of the wicked things they had done in bed, on the sofa, and on the stairs.

Jake started to sweat. This was going to be the longest few weeks of his life.

“My aunt’s house. I need to pick up my suitcases.”

“Sure.” He swung onto the street, and pointed the car toward the place where it all began.

"Oh my gosh.”

She couldn’t help it but all Jake remembered when she said those words, was her astride him on the sofa, shattering in his arms. Damn, they turned him on.

“What?” Jake looked away from Lilah and focused on the street.

A police car, lights flashing, was parked crookedly in front of her aunt’s house.

“Hurry,” Lilah said. “I hope Peggy is okay.”

Jake jerked the Porsche to a halt just behind the police car. Lilah was already out the door and halfway up the walk when Jake slammed his car door.

Peggy’s head snapped up at the noise. She stood next to old Sheriff Thompson, who had his notebook open and was scribbling away. When she saw Lilah, she took off at a fast waddle.

Lilah rushed up to her friend and grabbed her arm. “Is everything okay? The baby? The kids?”

“You’re here!” Peggy exclaimed. She ran her hands over Lilah’s hair as if reassuring herself that she was okay. “Thank God, you’re okay.”

Peggy whipped around to the Sheriff.

“He kidnapped my friend.” Peggy pointed straight at Jake. “Arrest him!”

Kidnapped? Oh my. Lilah had never called Peggy. She must have been worried sick. But kidnapped?

“Thank God you’re okay. I’ve been so worried about you.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Everything is under control. I’ve got the dress out and all ready to go. Tom is on his way.” Peggy babbled.

“Tom?” For a moment, Lilah was baffled. So much had happened since last night. Then, it hit her. Peggy didn’t know about Tom.

“Tom. Your fiancé, who would like to know when his fiancée is kidnapped,” said Peggy.

“Jake Forrest.” Sheriff Thompson narrowed his eyes and ambled toward Jake.

“No!” Lilah flew over to stand in front of Jake, spreading her arms out wide. “He didn’t do anything.”

“Technically, that’s not true,” Jake whispered in her ear. But she could hear the amusement in his voice. “Lilah are you protecting me?”

“Are you protecting him?” Peggy’s face was aghast.

“Yes. I am.”

Lilah watched with horror as the sheriff extended his hand. Jake’s arm came out around her body, and he reached out to the sheriff.

“Don’t--"

"Shake hands?” There was outright laughter in Jake’s voice now as he clasped the older man’s hand with his. “Sheriff.”

“Son.” The sheriff nodded. “Looks like you got yourself a pretty little protector there.”

Jake released Sheriff Thompson’s hand. “Seems that way.”

“Someone you might want to hang onto if you’re fixing to stay in town.”

“No need to fish, Sheriff,” Jake said easily. “I’ll be in town a few weeks.”

“Welcome home.” The sheriff nodded toward the three of them, then sauntered over to his car.

“Wait a minute,” Peggy cried. “Aren’t you going to do...something.”

“Peggy, calm down. This can’t be good for the baby,” Lilah said.

The Sheriff sighed. “Miz Mason were you with Mr. Forrest of your own free will?”

“Of course.”

“Well then, there you have it. Case solved.”

A car screeched to a halt next to the sheriff’s car. Tom jumped out and yelled, “Wait. Stop. I can explain.”

“Christ, this is like the three stooges, all we need is--"

Marion hopped out of the other side of the car. “It’s my fault.”

The sheriff’s bushy eyebrows went up into the brim of his official looking hat.

“Sheriff, I insist you take my statement,” Tom said desperately. “I asked Jake to take care of Lilah last night.”

“Why would you ask him to take care of your fiancée?” Peggy shouted.

“Calm down, Peggy,” Lilah said.

“Because she isn’t his fiancée anymore,” Marion said.

“You’re not getting married?” Peggy’s eyes were wild. Lilah thought Peggy might be more upset than she was. Which was funny in a strange sort of way.

“What happened?” The sheriff asked, clearly intrigued.

All eyes turned toward Lilah. This was what she’d been trying to avoid. The public scrutiny, the censure of doing the wrong thing, the wild thing. But she hadn’t done anything wrong. Tom had.

Jake moved in closer to Lilah, his chest nearly pressed up against her back. The warmth from his body soothed her, and instinctively she reached down her hand to thread her fingers with his.

Lilah thought about Tom’s standing in the community. “Tom and I decided not to get married.”

“What?” Peggy screeched.

Tom ignored Peggy. “Lilah, that’s not true.”

“Oh, this is all my fault,” wailed Marion, waving the paper. The Times-Picayune if Lilah wasn’t mistaken.

“It’s not your fault. It’s mine.” Tom turned toward Marion, and Lilah saw how he looked at her. He really was in love with her. It was the way his eyes touched on her. Not reverently and gently, like they had on Lilah. But with more heat, more intensity.

And in that moment, Lilah knew she had to do the right thing. She might still be hurting from Tom’s actions, but he truly did love Marion. Lilah could see it.

Peggy frowned, as if noticing Marion for the first time. “What do you--"

Lilah knew she had to distract Peggy. Fast. “Do you believe in love at first sight, Peggy?”

Peggy’s eyes widened, her gaze shot to where Lilah and Jake’s hands were entwined. “You’re holding hands with him. What did he do to you?”

“Peggy, you’re blowing this all out of proportion. Jake was a perfect," she started to say gentleman, but that wasn’t really the case. “Jake was perfect.”

Jake’s hands cupped her shoulders and he squeezed gently.

Tom snatched the paper out of Marion’s hands and shook it. “When I asked you to take care of her, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”