She Belongs to Me (10 page)

“Gram, are you there? I’m sorry… No, it’s not
him
. I already told you he’s out of my life forever. We’ll be over in a little while. Please don’t mention anything about
him.”

Jaynee hung up the phone and stood at the kitchen sink staring out the window. Had he heard what she’d said when she was on the phone with her grandmother? Oh heavens what would he think? Did she believe what she said? Was Jordan the One? She had never believed that about any man, even the one she
’d
dated for several years.

Those same muscular arms circled around her again. He brushed the hair off her neck and buried his face between her jaw and shoulder. She turned around in his arms.

He narrowed his eyes at her. “So who is he, and where can I find him? This man you’re going to marry.” His voice was lighthearted.

She acted casual, as if that were even possible. “Oh, just a guy I met who seems perfect in every way. Except for the minor detail he eavesdropped on a private
conversation.” She brushed nonexistent dust off his shoulder and raised an eyebrow.

“Did you mean it?” His voice was deep and earnest as he stared intently into her eyes.

No doubt, she was crazy about him. Only apprehension that he’d hurt her made her cautious. She gulped down the lump of fear lodged in her throat. “Yes, I believe so.” She did mean it as fanatical as it sounded.

Jordan pulled her closer. His mouth covered hers. She already knew his kiss. How his tongue would part her lips and gently circle around hers. He was incredible.
His mouth, his body, his heart.
And for some reason, he wanted her.

Jordan scooped her up and carried her back to the sofa. She longed to feel his skin on hers. It had been too long since she had felt wanted. She started unbuttoning his shirt, and again he stopped her. This time by smoothly moving her hands around his neck.

“We’re expected across the street,” he chided with a chuckle.

She batted her eyelashes coyly. “We have thirty minutes.”

A smile flashed across his face. “Jaynee, I don’t know what you are familiar with, but half an hour won’t even be a warm-up.” Jaynee caught her breath. Again, like the first evening, he turned her flirting around on her. “I want you too, but not like this. Just kiss me again,” he insisted, but then kissed her as his arms tightened around her waist.

Her body burned with pleasure. Never had she wanted a man so much, and twice he had told her “no”.
But it didn’t offend h
er; she knew he wanted her
too. She could feel that need in his kiss and hear it in the low groan escaping his mouth.

He pulled back after they’d gotten lost in the kiss. “Go take a shower before I lose my willpower and we stand up your grandmother. That wouldn’t make for a good first impression.”

He pushed her away but detained her hand kissing it, and then let it fall as well.

Jaynee hurried through her shower. She toweled off, sprayed on body mist and deodorant, dabbed on a little bit of mascara, fluffed her hair with the hairdryer, and she was ready.

Easing her way out of the bathroom, covered only by a towel, she glanced toward the living room. She should have remembered a robe. Jordan smiled but remained on the couch as she made her way to the bedroom.

Did she want him to follow her into her bedroom? Yes, but conversely, no. She liked the idea of waiting. All that half an hour warm-up conversation got her blood racing. Undoubtedly he knew what he was doing.

Slipping into her favorite white dress, she glanced at herself in the mirror. It was a little late in the year for a sundress. But it was unseasonably warm, and she liked the way it looked on her. Her Portuguese heritage gave her a natural glow that contrasted with the white dress and showed off her tan the best. She could only hope Jordan
would appreciate the dress also
.

She opened the bedroom door and found him standing in the hallway, waiting patiently.

“May I?” he asked as he stepped past her and into her bedroom. He gave a quick glance around the room. “You’re clean, but not a freak about it. I like that.”

He sat down sinuously on the edge of her bed, pulling her with him so she was standing between his legs, his hands resting on her hips.

“Are you skipping school today?”

“It appears I am,” she answered flatly.

“How about work…do you
have
to work this evening?”

“Yes, at five.” She heard the disappointment in her own voice and knew he wouldn’t miss it. “I need the money. Friday night is big bucks.”

“So
I
should
show up and distract you again?” He smiled that same devilishly handsome grin he did yesterday. The man made her blood boil just by smiling at her.

“No, not tonight,” she insisted, smiling despite herself. “I have a later shift, so I’ll be busy from the moment I clock in. But, I’ll meet you at the Starbucks around ten o’clock.” He nodded, and she moved in closer to him. “And then, we’ll have all day Saturday and Sunday if you still want an actual date. I’ll even get gussied-up for you.”

“Better than this?”
He flipped the ruffles on her dress. “I can’t imagine. Maybe you shouldn’t. We might not make it out the door. Speaking of which…let’s go. I have a grandmother to impress, and I don’t want to be late.”

Jaynee let them into her grandmother’s house. It was normal for her to walk right in, but never with a guest. The aroma of
Linguica
permeated the air as soon as she opened the door. Jaynee glanced back at Jordan for his reaction.

“What is that?” An intrigued and delighted look lit up his face.

She laughed. Jordan liked to eat she noticed. “That delectable smell is
Linguica
. It’s a Portuguese sausage, and it is unique. My grandmother will teach you how you are supposed to eat it.”

Gram leaned over the stove flipping over pieces of
Linguica
. After leveling a large splatter screen over the pan, she placed several slices of fresh bread on top to steam the flavor of the sausage into the bread.

Jaynee grinne
d when she looked at her grandmother
. Normally she walked around in her duster, as she called it, but no matter what the age
,
she always tried to look good when company called. And she did. She’d even put on a little lipstick. You’d never know she was seventy-nine. She looked and acted closer to sixty. She would putter around in her garden every day.
Grampy
on the other hand, just hung around and slept. He’d been dying for as long as Jaynee could remember, but he was wonderful. She loved
them both with all her heart.

“Good morning, Cay.” Gram looked up at her. “Breakfast’s almost finished. Come and give your
Grammie
a kiss.” It was as if she was twelve all over again, but Jaynee complied. “And, who’s this?” Gram asked with a smirk.

“Gram, this is Jordan – Jordan, this is Gram. Everyone calls her Gram.”

They shook hands, and Jordan gave Gram one of his breathtaking smiles. It wasn’t lost on her; Jaynee could see it in her eyes. Gram always was a sucker for a military looking man, and Jordan certainly looked the part.

Grampy
was in the Navy when they met, and Jaynee was positive Gram married him just because of the way he looked in his uniform.
Grampy
was on leave when he noticed her at the community pond. And according to
Grampy’s
story, his friend had dared him to go up and kiss Gram. Jaynee was shocked when she heard it the first time. Who would have thought they did those things in the forties? But it was love-at-first-sight. He asked her to marry him thirteen days later. They were married within a month and had been married for over fifty years. Jaynee couldn’t help but wonder if the magic could repeat itself with Jordan and her.

Jordan ate everything and looked up for more, which Jaynee knew thrilled her grandmother.

“Cay.”
Her grandmother looked at her with disapproval in her eyes. “Get Jordan seconds.”

Jaynee stood up with his plate and refilled it.

“Thanks,” he said, offering her a sheepish smile. Then he
looked to her grandmother. “And
thanks for the breakfast, Gram. It’s wonderful.”

Jaynee removed her plate and started cleaning up the kitchen.

“So, Jordan, tell me about
yourself
. Where are you from, what do you do for a living? How long do you plan on staying in Florida—
”

“Gram?”
Jaynee whirled around.

“It’s okay.” He turned to look at Jaynee and shrugged. “I don’t mind.”

“Never mind, Jordan.
Cay will tell me everything later. She tells me everything.” Her grandmother winked at her. Gram wouldn’t have cared if he had three eyes. Her single concern was he wasn’t Jaynee’s ex and
that
Jaynee was happy.

Gram stood up from the table and walked to the living room. Jordan followed, throwing Jaynee a quick smile, and it looked as if he might have blushed from her grandmother’s statement.

Jaynee decided it was safe to stay in the kitchen area and finish the dishes. Only the breakfast bar separated them, so she could see and hear them from here. She could only hope her grandmother wouldn’t get too frisky with Jordan.

Gram, thankfully, took a seat in her recliner while Jordan strode from picture to picture along the living room wall. “Is this you, Jaynee?”

Gram looked up and stared between the two of them taken aback by him referring to her by her middle name. She was merely Caycee or Cay to the family. But undaunted by an opportunity to gloat over her granddaughter’s pictures, she walked over and started pointing out different pictures of Jaynee around the room.

“Would you like to see some baby pictures of Caycee, Jordan? I have tons of albums.”

Jaynee dropped the towel she was using and ran into the living room. “We’ll pass this time, Gram,” Jaynee interrupted before Jordan agreed to pore over old photo albums. He had no idea what he was getting himself into. “I want to take Jordan up to Tarpon Springs before work tonight.”

Jordan glanced at Jaynee with understanding and acceptance but also a look of sadness as if he really wanted to spend the day perusing old photographs of her.

“Well then…have fun, kids. Jordan, it was delightful meeting you. You are welcome back anytime,” Gram said straightforward
ly
.

As they walked out the door, Jordan hugged Gram
..
Jaynee was thrilled. Of course she knew Gram would like Jordan. She just wanted Jaynee to be happy. It was all she
’d
ever wanted. Her grandmother had spent the majority of her retirement taking care of her. Jaynee was the daughter she never had. Gram had raised four boys and always wanted a little girl. Fortunately, her boys turned around and had almost all daughters. Jaynee ended up being like her daughter when her mother abandoned her when she was three.

Jaynee looked over her shoulder and waved at her grandmother. She had a huge grin on her face as she watched them walk away. Jordan waved too, then took her hand in his and brought it to his lips.

“I really like your grandmother,” Jordan confessed while walking across the street. “She reminds me of my grandmother. She’s a firecracker, isn’t she?”

“You have no idea.” And he didn’t. No one other than Jaynee understood what tragedies Gram dealt with in her life. Even her own children and grandchildren weren’t privy to the stories she’d shared with Jaynee. They’d always had an intimate relationship because of their similar backgrounds, even if they were fifty-seven years apart.

“I’m glad she was there for you,” he murmured, his voice filled with compassion. He really did care about her. “So, what is Tarpon Springs, or was that just an excuse to get me alone?” He nuzzled her neck playfully as they approached his truck.

Jordan changed the subject again, just like the last time he sensed her getting upset. Could he already read her actions?

She plastered a smile on her face, refusing to think about her family and all the troubles they’d caused her. Jordan made her happy, something she hadn’t felt in a long time. “The Tarpon Spring’s Sponge Docks are where the Greek sponge divers—to this day—continue to go out diving. It’s interesting. And there are several pleasant spots to get lunch on the water. I think you will enjoy it.”

“As long as I’m with you…I’ll love it.” As they approached his truck, he put his arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. He leaned back against the side of the truck and moved her in front of him. “And you’re positive I cannot convince you to call in sick
tonight?” His eyes bore into hers, an attempt to persuade her no doubt. It almost worked.

“Nope.
I’m too responsible, and I really can’t afford for my manager to take away my good shifts and stations. Besides, I’m off tomorrow. I wouldn’t want you to get tired of me.”

Jordan opened the passenger door and helped her into the cab. His hands lingered a little too leisurely on her waist to just be helpful. He was enjoying his work.