Southern Admirer (Southern Loving Book 2) (26 page)

“Nope, you started it and I’m going to finish
it…When you proposed to Stacy, Mama and Daddy didn’t like her.” Jasmine smiled
as she dropped the bombshell onto Benjamin. “I was the one who told your future
wife that Momma liked her and she had nothing to worry about.”

“And why didn’t they like her?”

“Ask them.” She leaned her head back on the pillow
and turned to look out the window, dismissing her brother.

“I still love you, Jazzy,” Benjamin mumbled, as
leaned down and kissed her cheek.

Jasmine didn’t need someone to tell her that
loving her family is also about hating them sometimes. But she knew that nobody
was going to love her like they did. “Love you too”

Chapter Twelve

Jasmine sat in her wheelchair gazing down at her
baby in her arms, those green eyes looking intently at her. Those tiny fingers
were wrapped around her pinky and a smile formed on her lips.

A month had passed since she was discharged from
the hospital. Every day when she woke up, it was an emotional roller coaster
for her. Sometimes the pain was so unbearable she wanted to quit. But every day
Shane told her that ‘giving up,’ wasn’t in her vocabulary.

During her ordeal, she got to see Shane in a new
limelight. He was her superman. There was nothing that he wouldn’t do for her.

“Thanks,” she said, after he helped put her shoes
on.

“There is no other place I would want to be,” he
replied.

Shane was more than a pretty face Texas Ranger. He
provided a generous and considerate act to become her full-time caregiver. He
has little time to himself as he tended to her and Shay’s needs. Shane didn’t
even have a moment to himself. What amazed her about him was that he didn’t
complain, he took everything with a grain of salt.

“I don’t know if I can walk again,” she said,
looking at her legs that hurt every time she moved them.

“You will.” He moved a lock of hair out her face.

“What if you fall out of love with me because I
can’t walk?”

Shane’s lips slowly tugged into a smile. “I fall
in love with you every day, your strength and courage is amazing.” He took Shay
from her arms. “A.J. will be here in a few minutes.”

“Okay,” she sighed. Like clockwork, at twelve
o’clock in the afternoon a small, green Ford truck pulled up in the driveway.
A.J. Jacobs, a tall man in his mid-thirties. She studied him as he stepped out
his truck, during their first few therapy sessions he told her how he played
pro football before succumbing a career ending injury. A.J. was a handsome man
with sparkling blue eyes and tanned for being kissed by the Texas hot sun. The
short-sleeved polo shirt and khakis shorts showed off his athletic physique.
She noticed when A.J. smiled it never reached his eyes.

“I got it,” Jasmine said, when the doorbell
sounded. “Hi.”

“Hey,” he said in a southern accent that could
give Shane, Austin and Hank a run for their money. “Are you ready to start
working?”

Jasmine nodded and wheeled her chair to the
outside near poolside.

He placed the walker in front of her and knelt
down to eye level. “You can’t push yourself today,” he warned. “You’re still
recovering.”

She nodded again and set the wheelchair’s brakes.

“Remember if you get tired, you have to tell me,
Jasmine. I don’t want to prolong your recovery time, okay.”

“Yes.”

A.J. smiled and stood up allowing Jasmine enough
space. She stood up slowly and gripped the side of the walker tightly. A.J. stood
behind her. As she shifted her weight to her feet, Jasmine’s legs started to
shake a little, as if they weren’t strong enough to support her.

“Easy,” he said, gently placing one of his hands
on the small of her back and the other by her arm.

Jasmine took one careful step after another. Her
legs were awkward and clumsy. But with every step she grew confident. “I’m
doing okay.” Her voice was shaky, as her legs started to hurt, but the will of
not stopping took over. The pain and every step told her she was much closer to
making a full recovery. Before she knew it’d they already walked around the
pool and was now back at her wheelchair.

Clapping erupted as she took a seat in the chair.
They both look back to see Shane, Gerald and Melody McBride standing there with
a proud look on their faces.

“See I told you,” A.J. said as he helped her sit
down in her chair.

“Why are you so sad?” she asked, being completely
off subject.

“I’m not sad,” he said.

“That’s not what your eyes say.” She grimaced as
he massaged her leg.

“What makes you think I’m sad?” he asked, looking
at her curiously.

“Who is the lucky girl you longing for? We’ve been
friends-”

“Actually, you’re my patient,” he smirked. “And
I’m not about to tell you my personal business.”

When A.J. was appointed her physical therapist,
she didn’t know that he played college football with Hank Jackson at the
University of Texas. She caught little bits and pieces of the conversation that
transpired between Hank and Shane about A.J.

“Why don’t you just call her? Tell her you’re
sorry and live happily ever after.”

A.J. laughed at her and shook his head. “You’re
crazy if you believe in that fairy tale crap.”

“There is a lot you don’t know,” he mumbled,
placing her feet on the paddles of the wheelchair. He stood up. “Now, the same
time tomorrow, a few more days and you will be graduating to arm crutches.”

“So, you’re not going to tell me about her?” she
asked.

“You’re not going to stop asking me, are you?” He
unlocked the brakes and pushed the chair back into the house.

“So, that’s a no?”

“Correct.” He tapped her shoulder and she looked
up at him. “Just focus on walking again.”

***

Shane looked at Jasmine sitting on the porch
talking to his mother. Every day when he watched Jasmine struggle to do some of
the simplest things that were easier for her months ago, there was a feeling of
guilt and anger that surfaced in him. He felt like he should have been home
with her when Gil Novik came knocking at their front of door, he should have
protected her.

“How is she doing?” he asked. Today was a
milestone for Jasmine as she made it around the pool without falling.

“Nosey, but she doing a wonderful job…she is
healing ahead of schedule,” A.J. said as his eyes followed Shane, as they
watched and listen to Jasmine’s laughter. “She will return to some sense of
normalcy.”

“How is Shannon?”

A flicker of regret and sadness appeared on A.J.’s
face and was gone in a matter of seconds. “I guess she is okay.”

“She needs you.”

“We just need space,” A.J said. “I’ll see you
tomorrow.” The conversation was done. It was clear that A.J didn’t want to talk
about his problem.

After Shay was asleep and everyone left for the
evening, Jasmine wheeled herself into the bathroom as Shane filled the
porcelain claw tub with hot water. “It’s almost done.”

“You should join me tonight,” she said.

“We shouldn’t…” he stuttered backing away from
her.

“I’m not going to break, plus that tub is big
enough for two other people.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.” He started to undress
her like he did for the past couple of months, lifting her up her placed her
into the hot steamy water. Jasmine was covered by bubbles; her creamy brown
shoulders were bare above the water. He wanted to kiss her shoulders and her
neck. Instead, he began the process of washing her hair. “Lean your head back,
let’s wash your hair.”

She did as he asked as she leaned back her breasts
peeked above the surface. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as he cock started
to swell.

“Are you sure you don’t want to join me?” she
asked.

“Yes,” his voice was raspy as he poured warm water
onto her hair. He wondered if Jazzy knew how much of a vixen she was. He tried
to get his mind off how beautiful and alluring she was.

He forced himself to focus on applying the
strawberry scented shampoo to her hair and began massaging her scalp. Jasmine
moaned with pleasure as he worked the soap through her hair.

“Feels so good,” she purred.

He picked up the pitcher and filled it up with
warm water. “I’m going to rinse your hair.” She leaned back and he feasted again
once again on her glorious breasts.

“You know I’ve seen your package,” she smirked.
“You should get in the water with me.”

Shane gulped. “Jasmine, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I’ll be fine,” she promised quickly.

He didn’t need a second invitation. He stood up
and took off his clothes. Jasmine leaned forward giving him enough room for him
to slide in behind her.

“Do you know how much I love you?” he whispered
into her ear.

“Yes,” she replied.

He kissed her neck as he placed his hands on her
shoulders and slowly began to move them south of the border. His hands
purposefully moved past her breasts and brushed softly against her ribcage.

“Your skin is so beautiful and soft,” Shane moaned
into her ear. His hand continued to drift lower until he reached Jasmine’s
treasure spot. He began to tease her just a little more, brushing his finger in
her throbbing wet heat.

“Shane,” she gasped.

“Do you like that?” he asked, as he pulled his
finger out and began to massage her thighs. “Tell me what you want.”

“You…your touch.”

He slowly slid the head of his cock inside her
warmth, forcing his thick, round head in without much effort. Jasmine gasped
and gripped the edge of the tub as Shane held her hips and continued to drill
his cock into her.

Jasmine went limp against his shoulder. She looked
like she couldn’t take anymore. Her whole body was pulsating and she’d already
come once.

Shane grunted and held her hips still before
thrusting all the way causing Jasmine to scream before collapsing on his chest.
He gingerly lifted one of her legs out the tub, spreading her pussy more. “Tell
me when it hurts.”

“Okay,” she moaned.

He grabbed both hips and pounded into her. A growl
of pleasure rose from his throat as he pumped; striking so hard it sent splashes
of water onto the floor. He rammed his cock deeper that caused Jasmine to let
out a moan. He let out a primeval growl as he came.

They lay in the tub for a while until the water
turned cold.

“Are you awake?” He could see that Jasmine’s eyes
were closed and that her breathing had slowed down.

“Mmmmm…” She could barely speak.

Shane stood up and wrapped a bath towel around
himself. Drying Jasmine off and laying her in bed, he was tucking her in when
she held her arm out to him.

“Can you hold me?” She reached out for him.

“Yes.” He climbed into the bed with her and she
immediately curled up against him and pulled his arms around her. Jasmine
seemed to fall off into a deep sleep rather quickly. “I love you.” He pulled
her closer and kissed her head.

When he thought he’d lost his way a few years ago,
somehow God saw it fitting to give him Jasmine and Shay. There was divine
conspiracy that allowed an angel to come into his life.

***

The light crept across the bed, cutting sharp
angles as it filtered through the blinds. Jasmine blinked her eyes repeatedly
before sitting up and looking at Shane’s side of the bed. Empty. Bringing his
pillow to her nose and inhaling his scent that was imbedded in her heart and
soul.

She laid in bed a little while longer than she normally
would. Her thoughts drifted to Shane as he busied himself in the kitchen
cooking breakfast like he did each and every morning for the past month. Her
mother used to always say when you found a good man, make sure you hold on to
them tightly. Anyone can whisper loving things in your ears, but since she was
a little girl her daddy always said ‘action speaks louder than words,’ and he
was absolutely right.

Shane always was a good friend to her through
life. Every time she was tempted to go down the wrong path, he reminded her of
being true to herself. She was blessed and fortunate to have someone like
Shane. She loved this man more each day. He was truly her best friend,
cheerleader and encourager. They didn’t have it ‘all together,’ and of course
they had problems just like any relationship. Every day they faced challenges
and family squabble threaten to tear them apart. But this challenge they were
experiencing gave them the opportunity to grow and flourish together.

“What are you doing sleepy head?” Shane asked,
peaking into the room carrying a tray, with orange juice, waffles, turkey
bacon, and half of grapefruit.