Playing for Keeps/A Tempting Stranger (3 page)

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Authors: Lori Copeland

Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #General, #Contemporary, #Westerns, #test

BOOK: Playing for Keeps/A Tempting Stranger
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Page 23
Jessica smiled tenderly, patting her aunt's wrinkled hand. ''I'll be home often, Aunt Rainey. Besides, now you and Uncle Fred will have all the time in the world to be alone and do things together for a change," she teased lightly.
"Fiddle," Aunt Rainey scoffed blushingly, "we had all those years alone before we got you. We'll probably wander around this old house like chickens with their heads cut off after you leave!"
The sound of a car pulling into the drive caught their attention, and Jessica's heart leaped into her throat as she saw Jason emerge from the driver's side. His eyes held hers briefly as he walked up onto the porch.
"Jason! How are you, boy," Uncle Fred greeted him exuberantly, pulling up an extra chair. "Sit down and tell us what brings you over here on a hot night like tonight?"
"Let me get you a glass of lemonade," Aunt Rainey offered, springing to her feet.
Jason's laughter filled the soft night's air as he waved away the suggested cold drink with his hand. "Sit still, Rainey. I just stopped by to see if I could borrow your pretty niece for the evening."
Jessica had been standing spellbound, her eyes greedily devouring the handsome man standing before her. Her heart thudded against her ribs as Jason's words penetrated her scrambled thoughts.
"You want to borrow me?" she asked unbelievingly, her knees turning to liquid jelly.
Borrow me,
she thought wildly.
He could have me if he wanted me!
Jason grinned, giving her a cocky wink. "If you're not busy tonight, Angel."
"Busy tonight? Why you can see for yourself she's not busy tonight," Uncle Fred boomed out happily. "She's just been sitting here getting on Rainey and my nerves," he teased with a twinkle in his blue eyes.
"Good, I'll have her back early, sir," Jason promised, reaching for Jessica's arm.
 
Page 24
The smell of wildly blooming honeysuckle hung heavy in the air as Jessica stepped shakily off the porch, still holding Jason's arm. She fought the urge to stop and pinch herself to see if she was dreaming. Helping her into the passenger side of the car, he quickly slid into the driver's side and backed the car smoothly out onto the dusty farm road.
As they sped down the road in the early twilight Jessica finally managed to find her voice and asked meekly, ''Where are we going?"
Glancing over at her, Jason gave her a devastating smile. "It's such a nice night I thought we'd take a ride," he said simply. "Anywhere in particular you'd like to go?"
"No, anywhere's fine with me," Jessica said lamely.
As they drove through the warm night Jessica began to loosen up, and before long they were talking and laughing like the friends they had always been. Jason drove for an hour, covering all the familiar places of the small town, finally ending up at a restaurant where they could get hamburgers and Cokes. After placing their orders Jason leaned back in the small booth, stretching out his long legs under the table.
"I heard you were leaving for Austin in a few weeks," he said casually, his hands toying with the flatware on the table.
"Yes," Jessica replied, wishing desperately she had something to do with her own hands.
Jason grinned. "I don't know what I'll do. It'll be almost like losing my shadow," he teased. Jessica felt a hot blush rising to her cheeks as his twinkling green eyes continued to silently torment her. "I'm sorry I embarrassed you, Angel," Jason relented, reaching out to take her small hand in his large one. "It just suddenly occurred to me, when I heard you were leaving, that I was going to miss having a little violet-eyed pixie trailing after me everytime I looked up."
"I don't imagine it will take you long to get over it,"
 
Page 25
Jessica replied softly. ''By the time I come back from college, you and Marcy will probably be married and have two kids," she finished miserably, folding her napkin into a neat square.
"Think so, huh?" he said. "You could be right. She's quite a lady," he admitted.
Jessica snorted disgustedly. "I wouldn't go so far as to call her a lady!"
Jason rolled his eyes upward toward the ceiling. "Maybe you're right," he agreed wickedly. "Let's just class her as a very delightfuluhwoman."
The waitress brought their hamburgers and Cokes, placing them on the table in front of them. Jessica's eyes fell on the large slice of onion lying serenely on her plate. Indecision flickered briefly across her face as she sheepishly stole a quick glance to see if Jason was eating his. Her eyes came into contact with his laughing green ones. Quickly averting her gaze, she slapped the onion on her bun, dousing it liberally with catsup.
Jason heaved a dramatic sigh, then placed his onion ceremoniously on his hamburger.
"Are you coming back here after you finish college?" he asked, taking a large bite out of the bun.
"Mmmmm . . ." Jessica said, her mouth full. Managing to swallow the bite she had in her mouth, she addressed his question. "I really don't know. It will depend on where I find a job." Grabbing a napkin, she wiped the hamburger juice from her mouth. She
hated
to eat in front of a date.
"What are you going to be when you grow up?" he sparred, reaching for his Coke.
"A teacher," she remarked idly, picking up her hamburger again.
"Damn! The kids nowadays have all the luck," Jason said, his gaze skipping boldly over her snug light-blue knit top. "I never remember having a teacher that looked like you!"
Jessica lifted her eyes to grin at him saucily. "Isn't that
 
Page 26
a coincidence. I'll just bet that few of my male students will look like you, either!''
They finished their meal in happy camaraderie, lightly bantering back and forth with each other. Jessica wished the night would never end, but all too soon Jason got up to pay the check, and they were back out in the car, on the way to the farm.
Walking her to the door, Jason kept his arm draped casually around her narrow waist. When they reached the bottom of the steps, he pulled her lightly into the circle of his arms. Tipping her face up, he studied her in the pale moonlight. "I've had a nice time tonight, Angel," he told her softly.
"Oh, I have too. Thank you for asking me, Jason." Jessica's hands felt cold and clammy, and that strange weakness began to invade her knees again.
"Can I see you again before you leave for school, Jessie?" he asked, his hands tenderly exploring up and down her bare arms.
"I thought you were dating Marcy," Jessica whispered.
"I am, but that doesn't mean I can't date anyone else. There's no kind of commitment between us yet." His mouth began to search her neck playfully, sending cold chills down her spine.
"Well, in that case I'd be most happy to see you again, Mr. Rawlings," she told him.
Jessica lifted her face expectantly, waiting for his kiss, but no kiss came. Just a light, playful peck on the end of her nose. As he turned her firmly toward the front door, talking as he walked, he said casually, "I'll be by tomorrow night. We can eat first, then take in that new movie playing at the Towerif that's all right with you."
"Fine," Jessica mumbled, surprised she would be seeing him again so soon. Surprised but estatic.
Numbly Jessica caught the dreamy expression in her eyes as her hand paused holding the brush in midair. She
 
Page 27
looked at herself steadily in the mirror and flinched at the memory of how that night had set the pattern for the next three weeks. Jason was with Jessica every minute he could spare away from his family's farm. They took long drives, went to movies, had late-night swims, went on picnics, or just sat on Uncle Fred and Aunt Rainey's big porch in the old swing, curled contentedly in each other's armsthe days of eating onions on their hamburgers long past.
Uncle Fred and Aunt Rainey grew more disturbed every day, cautioning Jessica that she still had four years of college ahead of her before she could ever think of settling downnot to mention the fact that Jason was ten years older than she. Because of Uncle Fred's heart condition Jessica would always smile and assure them they had nothing to be concerned about. It was just a last-minute summer romance that would soon be forgotten by both Jason and her when she left for Austin. Jessica might have been successful in fooling Uncle Fred and Aunt Rainey, but she couldn't fool herself. She knew that even though Jason might very well forget this summer, she never would. She was hopelessly in love with himbut, Jessica thought, smiling to herself, what's new about that? She had been in love with him all her life.
The clock had ticked down to the last three days before Jessica was to leave, and her heart was heavy as she got ready for her date with Jason that Thursday night. Taking extreme care with her appearance, she slipped on a white eyelet sundress, which made her dark tan look creamy and smooth in the soft light of her bedroom. After she left, he would go back to dating Marcy and she would be the one in his arms every night. A sharp, stabbing pain sliced through Jessica's mind as she brushed her long black hair angrily back from her face. Oh, why did she have to leave now, of all times? Maybe if she stayed around just a little longer, Jason would ask her to marry him and she would gladly stay here forever, locked in his strong arms.
Snap out of it, Jessica!
she sternly warned herself. Uncle Fred
 
Page 28
and Aunt Rainey would never allow her to marry at her age. Jessica felt she owed them such a large debt of gratitude for taking her in and providing a loving home for her when her parents were killed that she could never intentionally break their hearts by not following their wishes. With a pall of gloom hanging over her head she went downstairs to meet Jason.
They spent the evening in good spirits, with Jason being attentive as usual. Jessica continually tried to shove the thought of her leaving back in to the far recesses of her mind.
After the movie and a bite to eat they found themselves at a loss for words, and Jason regretfully pointed out that it was nearly time for her to be home. Driving along in the soft summer night, Jason suddenly turned the car in the direction of Potter's swimming hole. Jessica looked over at him in surprise. ''Where are we going?"
"I thought we might spend a few minutes down herejust for ol' times' sake." He grinned devilishly. "Any objections?"
"Only one," Jessica said.
"What's that, Angel?" Jason turned to face her in the soft moonlight streaming through the car window, puzzlement written on his handsome face.
"Does it have to be just a few minutes?" she whispered seductively, winding her arms around his neck.
Jason pulled the car up under a large spreading oak tree and turned off the ignition, trying unsuccessfully to avoid Jessica's teasing love play as she ran her tongue lightly over and around his ear, down his neck, then around to capture his warm, sweet lips.
"Damn, Jessica," he mumbled, reaching to pull her softly rounded curves closer to his lean, taut body. "Hasn't anyone ever told you there's a limit to what a man can take, sweetheart?" His mouth began to search hungrily down her neck, his hands intimately exploring her young, firm body. The peaceful sounds of the night, a lone
 
Page 29
whippoorwill calling, the tiny tree frogs singing in harmony, the katydids and jarflies blended in a sweet melodious background as Jessica became lost in Jason's arms in a world of fiery kisses, his hands and mouth awakening new feelings in her innocent body, feelings that were confusing yet unbearably exciting.
Jason moved to lay her down on the car seat, settling his warm body over hers as he continued to assault her with slow, sensuous, languid kisses. She could feel his body responding to hers as they quickly reached the point where they were both beyond coherent thought. With a strangled groan Jason tore his mouth away from Jessica's, cupping her face between his two large hands. Jessica's soft violet eyes met lazy green desire-filled ones.
''Marry me, Jessie."
"What . . ." Jessica's mind was reeling, the night taking on an unreal, dreamlike quality.
"I said, marry metonight. We'll drive up to Dennison and be married in a couple of hours. Please, sweetheart. I'm going crazy wanting you." His mouth took hers in a demanding, possessive kiss once again. "I want you so bad, Angel, I can taste it!" Jason whispered tightly.
"But what about schoolAunt RaineyUncle Fred . . ." Jessica murmured between heated kisses.
"I don't know. What about them?" Jason whispered. "All I know is I'm going out of my mind wanting you."
"Oh, Jason, darling, I want you too." Jessica held him tighter to her trembling body. This was like some wild, wonderful dream. Jason here in her arms telling her he loved her and wanted her. He
had
said he loved her, hadn't he? Oh, well, it didn't matter. The only thing that really mattered was that he was asking her to marry him. If he didn't love her now, she'd
make
him love her later. With a sigh of blissful content she pulled his mouth back down to hers. "Oh, yes, Jason, I'll marry you!" She could recall saying the words as clearly as if it been yesterday.
She quickly pulled all her hair straight back from her

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