Jordan's Return (11 page)

“Jordan? I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to get so carried away. I…I promise I won't let that happen again. I'm not expecting anything from you in return for this weekend. That's not why I asked, so please relax. I promise to keep my hands to myself.” There was a trace of desperation in his voice that caused Jordan's head to snap up. Her eyes were full of questions.

“I don't think I understand.”

Looking down at the ground because he couldn't bring himself to look her in the eye, he spoke. “I know you've just been through a hellish few months and you're here to recover, and I go and practically attack you. I'm so sorry. I don't want you to worry about me pouncing. I promise to control myself and…” He stopped speaking at the sound of her soft laughter. “What's so funny?”

“Pouncing?” she laughed. “I think we'd have to admit that we both pounced. You have nothing to be sorry for. I just thought you were regretting kissing me because…well…”

“What, Jordan?”

“Because you didn't enjoy it,” she admitted in a quiet voice.

She couldn't bring herself to look at him, either, but he left her no choice. Using his index finger, Rob lifted her chin so she was forced to meet his gaze.

“Oh, I enjoyed it,” he said softly as he inched closer to her. “I enjoyed it very much.” His lips touched hers briefly. “In fact, I'll probably dream about it for a very long time.”

Unfortunately, they couldn't let it go any further than that. Noises were drifting down the hallway from the boys' room, and they both knew this would lead them nowhere for right now.

Resting her forehead on his, she asked, “Are you sure you really want to do this? An entire weekend with my children has been known to take down many brave adults.”

Rob stood and took her in his arms and held her close. She felt so good, and he just absorbed the sensations before speaking. “I'll make all the arrangements,” he stated. “Besides,” he added playfully, “it isn't fair for them to get stuck going to a theme park with a
girl
who doesn't fully appreciate all the scary rides.” He winked at her and stepped away.

“Oh, I see. So this isn't really about helping me out. This is to spare Joseph and Jake the embarrassment of having a chicken for a mom, is that it? The fact that you are just a big kid who enjoys thrill rides is just a bonus, right?”

“Absolutely,” he said as he headed down the hall to talk to the boys, leaving Jordan standing in the kitchen, smiling at his retreating form.

It was a productive week for the Manning trio. Jordan was truly feeling stronger, and the boys were so thrilled about their upcoming weekend that they were on their best behavior at all times. Jordan figured if she'd made them a meal like liver and onions, they would have eaten it, complimented her on it, and asked for seconds, just to keep her happy and not rock the boat.

In preparation for the weekend, Jordan had begun taking short walks around the neighborhood several times a day. She didn't explain to the boys what they were doing or, rather, why they were doing it; she used the excuse of them needing to be outside, enjoying the fresh air, for their daily jaunts.

In truth, Jordan knew these little walks weren't going to suddenly make her able to keep up with Rob and the boys while touring the theme park, but by exercising her body like this, she'd speed up her recovery. She didn't want anyone worrying about her at the end of the day, when their focus should be on how much fun they'd had.

When Friday finally rolled around, they were all about ready to burst. The boys woke Jordan up at the crack of dawn to help them pack, even though they weren't leaving until after dinner. She indulged them mainly because she knew going back to sleep was impossible and it was something to do to pass the time.

While they were sat around the breakfast table, she stared sleepily at her two sons. Slouched to the side with her head resting in the palm of her hand, she asked, “Why exactly are we up so darn early?”

“We're too excited to sleep!” Jake said, his smile wide, his eyes twinkling.

“I can't believe we are
finally
getting to go to Kings Dominion. Rob is the best!”

“Yes, he is.” Jordan nodded around a yawn as she reached for her coffee and realized she was going to have to do everything within her power today to keep them all occupied until it was time to go.

After breakfast, she made them clean around the house while she packed, and even talked them into a walk on the beach for a picnic lunch. The distraction was as much for her benefit as theirs. Jordan was finding it hard to keep her own anticipation in check. The only difference was that she didn't want to let on to the boys how excited she was. What would they think if she were to tell them she was excited about going? Would they think about it on their level—that she was excited about seeing the park? Jake probably would. Joseph, who was so intuitive, would probably realize she was excited because of Rob.

They had never discussed Jordan dating, and in truth, she was afraid of how they'd react to having a man back in their lives full-time. She knew they loved having Rob around, but they knew it was temporary. Had Eric damaged their view on having a father figure in their lives? It was a topic Jordan knew would have to be discussed eventually, but she was unsure if she wanted to face that right now. Now, as they were about to embark on a fun weekend away, was not the time. First she'd like to have time with Rob to explore a little more of what was going on with the two of them.

But what if they didn't want her to get involved with anyone? She had made a life for them, just the three of them. Perhaps they would resent someone joining their family. It was too much to deal with on top of this weekend, so Jordan decided to push all thoughts of it aside until it simply
had
to be dealt with.

It was nearing two in the afternoon when they arrived back home covered in sand. Jordan had just sent them to get cleaned up and had collapsed on the sofa when Rob called.

“Hi,” he said smoothly when Jordan answered the phone.

“Hi, yourself,” she said softly. Since their dinner on Tuesday, they hadn't seen each other but had spoken on the phone several times a day. Rob was catching up on work so he could be away for the weekend, and she found herself missing him while enjoying hearing his voice on the phone. Jordan longed to see him and was almost as excited as the boys at the prospect of spending the entire weekend with him.

“Listen, don't worry about cooking dinner tonight. I thought we could grab some pizza on the way out of town. Is that all right with you?”

“Are you kidding? Not having to cook is what I live for on days like this!” she joked. “Although getting them involved in a complicated recipe would make a nice distraction at this point.”

“Eager to leave, are they?” he chuckled.

“We all are,” she said huskily, barely recognizing her own voice. She sighed into the phone and smiled again at the thought of being with Rob all weekend.

His response told her he was thinking the same thing. “Mmm… You're killing me, you realize that, don't you?” he asked in a dark tone that held many promises.

“Am I?” she teased.

“Absolutely. It's been torture not seeing you these last days. I've been dreaming of that kiss nonstop, Jordan.”

She smiled. “I know exactly how you feel.” Now there was a double entendre if she'd ever heard one.

“I'll see you around five.” He hung up before she could reply.

Jordan wasn't sure what had gotten into her, but it felt really good to be so much at ease that they could flirt with one another. Though the thought of spending time with Rob was thrilling, it was also a little unnerving. The fact that the kids were going to be with them the entire time put to rest any notions of being
alone
with Rob. She wasn't even sure Rob wanted to be alone with her. Was he getting as desperate as she at the thought of what it would be like to be alone together, to make love to one another again after all these years?

That thought sent a shiver down Jordan's spine.

Rob had been her first lover, and she had been his. It was always amazing to her that when all her friends spoke of losing their virginity, they all said how awkward it was, but with Rob, it had been beautiful. They had been so in love at seventeen and so confident of their future together that making love had been as natural to them as the simple act of breathing.

Just the thought of how they used to meet after school and go to the beach or to his father's boat to be alone and make love had Jordan smiling. If she closed her eyes, she could almost still feel his hands on her body.

It had never been that good with anybody else. Well, she had only been with Eric after Rob, and between the two, there had been no contest. Rob was, by far, a more caring,
thorough
lover.

She longed to find out if the sparks would still be there, if her body would still quiver at his touch.

When Rob arrived at five o'clock sharp, Jordan had her answer.

He climbed out of the truck. Seeing her standing in the doorway, he walked very slowly toward her, like a predator stalking its prey. He was a man on a mission, and Jordan stood frozen to the spot. Rob stopped short in front of her and, without any notice, cupped her face and brought his mouth down on hers.

Jordan willingly opened underneath his command. His tongue darted inside and she leaned heavily into him, clinging to the front of his shirt for dear life. Oh, how the man could kiss!

As his arms wound tightly around her tiny waist, Jordan released the shirt and threaded her fingers through his silky brown hair at the nape of his neck and sighed. Blood swept through her veins on a wave of heat, warming her. His tongue found hers and gently persuaded hers to join in mating with his.

When his large hands started to travel up Jordan's rib cage and touched the sides of her breasts, she let out a whimper of need and did, indeed, quiver.

She lifted her mouth briefly from his to regain her breath. “Rob…” she sighed.

He wasn't ready to release her yet. He had been away from her for too long. He had ached for days with the thought of touching her, and he was greedy in his need at the moment. He pulled her so close he could feel her nipples poking through the fabrics of both their shirts and she could feel the proof of his desire gently pulsing against her belly. At the sound of approaching footsteps, he reluctantly released her.

“Who's killing who?” she whispered. He smiled and shifted uncomfortably before going inside the house to start collecting luggage and loading the truck. Once they had everything secured in the back of the vehicle and everyone was buckled in, they headed into town and to his restaurant for dinner.

Jordan did not allow the boys to indulge in video games this time because she was eager to get on the road. Remarkably, they didn't argue.

“So what's this hotel like, Rob?” Joseph asked. Bless his heart; her son loved going away from home and staying in hotels, any hotel.

Jordan had only recently learned from her sister that Joseph had confided in her that he loved going to hotels because his home life was so miserable. While Eric was still living with them, there was constant fighting going on, and once Eric left, times were tough. To Joseph, a night at a hotel meant a reprieve from the dismal life they had been living.

“Well,” Rob began, “ I couldn't get us into the resort I had wanted to tonight, so we'll just get a room at one of the smaller ones and then check into the Virginia Crossings Resort sometime tomorrow.”

“What's the Virginia Crossings Resort like?” the boy asked, intrigued.

“Well, from what I can tell, because I've never been there, it's kind of a formal, colonial-style place. It's got swimming pools and a golf course, plenty of stuff to do to keep everyone entertained including an Xbox 360 system in the room. I booked us a two-bedroom suite.” He looked at Jordan to gauge her reaction.

“Is that all right with you, Jordan? One of the bedrooms has two full-size beds so you and the boys can use that one, and the other bedroom has a king-size bed—for me.” His eyes were dark with desire and Jordan wished the sleeping arrangements could be different, that the second bedroom with one bed could be for the two of them. Being a responsible parent was one of the most difficult things she had to do that day.

Just once, she wished she could kick her conscience to the curb and do what she wanted. Everyone else these days did and to hell with the consequences—but that wasn't her and she knew it. Jordan knew she would do the right thing and lie in her bed and dream of being wrapped in his arms in the aftermath of mind-blowing lovemaking.

Rob watched as Jordan swallowed and licked nervously at her lips, and he seemed to read her mind. The action of her tongue fascinated him.

“That sounds fine,” she croaked as she tried to clear her throat, hoping he couldn't see right through her, but knowing full well that was exactly what he was doing. He always could. “What about the place for tonight?”

He took his last bite of pizza before answering. “Well, it's a smaller hotel, a Best Western. Now that the park is only open on the weekends, due to the off-season, places fill up fast. I had to take what I could find. Besides, it's only for one night.” He shrugged and stood to leave, praying she wouldn't freak out when they arrived at tonight's destination.

“Everybody ready?”

* * *

An hour later, Jordan's worst fears were confirmed—she knew this hadn't been a good idea. Standing in the lobby of a Best Western, she nearly let out a cry when the clerk handed them one room key.

“Yes, sir, that's one room reserved for Tyler,” the man behind the check-in desk said.

“
One room
?” Jordan hissed as she leaned over the desk, careful not to alert her sons to her dismay.

Rob stood there silently signing the necessary paperwork. “Sorry, ma'am. It's one of the last rooms in town. I can try to check around elsewhere, but I don't think we'll have much luck for you.” In all fairness, the man did seem sincerely sorry for their inconvenience and tried to be optimistic for them. “It's a nice size, nonsmoking room with two queen-size beds, a refrigerator, and a microwave. I'm sure you'll all be very comfortable. Will you be needing any extra pillows?”

Jordan nodded numbly and wanted to say “only if they come with extra beds—in an extra room!” Still, she couldn't suppress a look of anxiety in Rob's direction as he turned to collect their luggage.

“Now what?” she said.

“Thank you,” Rob said over his shoulder as he guided Jordan by the elbow away from the desk. “Now, we go up to our room and try to convince these children of yours to get some sleep.”

“
Where
?” she cried again. He kept her moving up to the room without answering any of her questions.

Luckily the boys were too wound up to notice their mother's dismay. Rob kept an eye on them and smiled.

Joseph was daring his brother to ride one of the monster coasters and Jake, trying not to look terrified at the prospect, puffed up his chest and accepted his brother's challenge. Rob had never had a brother, but he certainly remembered similar dares with his sister. He wished Jordan would relax enough to enjoy the exchange going on between her sons.

Once inside the room, he turned on the TV for the boys to find something on cable that interested them, while he pulled Jordan over by the vanity alcove to speak with her in hushed tones.

“Look, I knew if I told you they only had the one room, you would have backed out of the entire weekend and that would have devastated the boys.” When she started to correct him, he placed two fingers over her mouth to silence her.

“I've thought it all through, Jordan. We have two beds here.” He pointed toward them for dramatic effect. “You and Jake take one; Joseph and I will take the other. It's not ideal but it's only for one night. Nothing inappropriate is going to happen. No one will be scarred for life over it, right?” Rob gently placed his hands on Jordan's shoulders and then began to slowly caress her arms.

“Please,
please
make this fun for the boys and try to relax and enjoy yourself. Don't let them see you all freaked out.” His tone was soothing, silky, and, worse, he was making complete sense. She would have agreed to anything at that point just to continue to hear the deep baritone of his voice and feel his hands on her bare arms.