"I"m glad you took the chance, Slade. Thank you." Jill went to stand, but he stopped her.
"You"re welcome. Now why don"t you tell me what"s wrong?" Slade"s voice turned hard. "Look at me, Jill."
"It"s been a long, hard day, Slade." Jill glanced toward him, but not at him. "I"m emotionally and physically done."
Jill refused to be one of those women who hinted for the words she longed to hear. Yeah, she wanted to hear them, but only if he was ready to say them...if ever. Her heart hurt, but he didn"t need to know that. She wished she had never said the words, but then she wouldn"t know exactly how he felt, which was not enough to say the words back to her.
"I"m sorry." She faked a smile. "I"m not very fun tonight." She kissed him on the cheek. Maybe she could love him enough for both of them. She knew he cared and honestly that should be enough.
Standing, he set her on her feet. "Stay here. I"ll be right back."
"Where you going?" Jill frowned at the abruptness of his actions.
"I have to get something from my room." He opened the door, but paused when he spoke, "I mean it, Jillian. Don"t leave."
Jill actually groaned. "Believe me, I"m going nowhere except to bed." She felt tingles of excitement flow over her body at the heat in his eyes at her reply. d.a.m.n, that man could turn her on with just a look.
Taking one of his shirts draped on her chair, she smelled it with a sigh. Hurrying into the bathroom, she showered and brushed her teeth. Combing her hair out with her fingers, wearing only his shirt which came to her knees, she froze in her tracks. Slade knelt in the middle of her floor, his head bent to the ground until she walked out, then his head raised.
"I love you, too." Slade"s eyes were as intense as his voice. "Will you marry me, Jillian Robin Nichols?" He slowly lifted his hand, a small box in his palm.
"You love me?" Jill"s eyes didn"t even go to the box, but stayed on his.
"More than anything or anyone I have ever known." Slade frowned when she still didn"t answer him or take the ring. "I wanted to wait for a better time to do this, but"
"This is the perfect time, and yes, Slade, I will marry you." She jumped into his arms, holding him tightly. "I love you so much."
"This is all new to me, Jill. I know there are words that a Warrior is to speak to his mate, but I haven"t learned them yet." He pulled her away, handing her the box. "But I will."
"I love you is all I need to hear, Slade." Jill opened the box and gasped. The ring was a beautiful, yet simple slender gold band with a round solitaire diamond. Nothing fancy, just like her. "It"s beautiful."
He took it and slipped it on her finger. "On the day of your driving test, I asked your dad permission to ask you, and he gave his blessing."
Jill felt the tears start again. "Thank you." She hugged him with everything she had.
"I want you to have whatever kind of wedding you want." Slade smiled, wiping a tear away from her cheek. "And the sooner the better so everyone knows you"re mine."
Kissing his cheek, Jill moved to his mouth, her hands running up his chest and around his neck.
"Don"t you want to talk about the wedding?" Slade teased, nipping at the side of her mouth.
"No, not really." She smiled at his teasing.
"Good, because I"m about to get demanding." Slade pulled her up and onto his lap so she straddled him.
"So am I." Jill bit him on the side of the neck, earning her a smack on the a.s.s.
"Watch it, Mrs. Buchanan," Slade growled, but his smile was wide. "I like the sound of that.....Mrs. Buchanan."
Jill groaned her agreement as his hands began to work their magic.
Standing outside drinking a beer, Jax gazed at the night sky. He heard the door open behind him. Sloan walked up next to him with his own beer.
"Just got filled in." Sloan took a long draw of his beer. "So how do I know if I"m talking to Jax?"
Jax laughed, though nothing about the situation was funny. "You don"t."
"We need to figure this out, Jax," Sloan sighed. "You"re a d.a.m.n good Warrior, but this is..."
"f.u.c.ked up," Jax added, looking out into the night.
"Yeah," Sloan nodded. "Definitely f.u.c.ked up."
The door opened again. "Oh, I"m sorry." Caroline went to go back inside, but Sloan stopped her.
"I"m going in." Sloan waved her over and then glanced back at Jax. "Be in my office first thing so we can figure this out."
Jax nodded, taking another drink.
Caroline stood beside him, her arms wrapped around herself. "Are you okay?"
"No, not really." He turned to glance at her. "Listen, Caroline, I"m sorry about earlier."
"Don"t be sorry." Caroline shrugged. "I wanted to help."
Jax sat his beer down, taking off his jacket. Wrapping it around her, he then picked his beer back up.
"Thank you," she smiled. "Do you want to talk?"
"Listen, I really think you need to stay away from me for now." Jax downed the rest of his beer. "It"s not safe for anyone with my brother running around."
"But"
"I"m serious, Caroline." Jax frowned, his eyes darkening. "My brother is dangerous and until I find him, no one a.s.sociated with me is safe."
"You can"t push everyone away, Jax." Caroline"s head tilted as she stared up at him. "We can help you, just like you"ve helped us."
"No," Jax growled, his eyes turning fierce. His gaze ran across her features, her black eye starting to fade, but it didn"t take away from her beauty. She was gorgeous with a special heart. Thoughts of maybe one day being with her ran through his mind, but he shoved them away. It wasn"t possible with his brother, so there was no use in even thinking it. "You need to stay away from me, Caroline."
"What if I don"t want to stay away from you, Jax?" Caroline answered back. "What if I want to take that chance just to be with you?"
Her words. .h.i.t him hard. Tossing his beer bottle out into the yard, not caring where it landed, he grabbed her and tilted her face up to his. Once again, his eyes searched hers before angling his head as he slowly placed his lips to hers. What he only meant to be a soft kiss turned into much more. Her arms looped around his neck in a tight grip; his arms pulled her flush against his body. Their kiss was one of desperation, of things that were out of their control, but Jax took this one minute, this one kiss that may be the only one he ever received from the beautiful Caroline. The more her body reacted to him, the more he knew he had to pull away, and pull away he did, with much reluctance.
"Stay away from me, Caroline." Jax voice was hoa.r.s.e with need as he turned and walked away from her.
"I can"t do that, Jax." Caroline called out after him. "I don"t want to do that."
Her words made it harder for him to walk away. Cursing long and hard, Jax knew kissing her had been a stupid move, because after tasting her, he wanted more and he would never be satisfied until he took more of what her kiss promised. "f.u.c.k!" his deep growled echoed in the night.
Caroline stood on the steps watching Jax walk away, her fingers going to her lips. She didn"t move until he disappeared. Turning to go back inside, she held his jacket tightly around her, his scent enveloping her senses. Once at the door she turned hoping to see Jax coming back, nothing but inky darkness met her gaze.
Eyes followed her every movement until the door shut tight behind her obviously giving her the feeling of being safe. Shadows played against the porch as a dark figure stepped forward. Quiet laughter echoed in the darkness as the shadows disappeared along with the laughter that held a tinge of madness.
end.