Jack's Surrender (Holiday Cove 5)

“I haven’t figured that out yet. Aaron doesn’t care how long I stay, but damn, their couch is uncomfortable. But if you want me here…”

I smiled. “I do want you here.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

Jack raised my hand to his lips and kissed the back of my knuckles. “Then I just have one condition.”

“Okay?”

He rolled over and gathered me into his arms. “You have to put your engagement ring back on.”

“Really?” I whispered.

“Holly, letting you go was the biggest fuck up I’ve ever made in my life. I don’t know what the hell was wrong with me, but I can assure you that I’ve never been more clear about what I want, and you, my love, are at the very top of that list. I want you to be my wife. What do you say? You willing to forgive this idiot?”

“What about Busty bitch at the museum? Are you finished with her?”

“Holly, honestly, I was never with her. It was just a few drinks—”

“—Promise? Because I never, ever want to feel that way again.”

“I promise, baby. You are all I’ve ever wanted. Forgive me?”

I smiled and nodded my head. “Yes, I do.”

“Thank God.” Jack’s lips found mine and kissed me slowly. He ran a hand down the front of my body and came to rest on my baby bump. “This is really happening,” he said.

I nodded and felt the familiar sting of tears. Only this time, they were happy ones.

32

Jack

Getting my shit handled in New York took a few days and then I jetted back to California, this time for good. When the wheels of the plane hit the runway, a lump of emotion lodged in my throat. I was home. After all the years spent running around the world, first with the Navy, then on my own journey after I nearly lost my damn mind, I was putting all of that in my rearview and putting down roots. I had everything I’d always wanted and things never felt more right.

I grabbed my bag from the overhead compartment and waited in line as everyone shuffled into the aisle and then off the plane. Once past the gate, I broke away from the crowd and picked up my pace. There was a beautiful blonde that I needed to get wrapped in my arms.

Holly was waiting for me just beyond the security checkpoint. She was dressed in a grey shirt that hugged her curves with painful perfection. Her baby bump was swollen ever so slightly but hidden under her jacket. I couldn’t wait to strip her naked and run my hand over every last one of her curves, but especially the swell where our baby was growing inside her.

“Hey, baby,” I said, reaching for her. I lifted her to her tiptoes and captured her lips with mine. “Damn, you look sexy,” I told her, grinning down into her sparkling eyes. “You sure you want to go to work today?”

She laughed and rested her head on my chest. “Yeah, I do. Noah won’t let me stay longer than a few hours. He’s adamant about me staying home for six weeks. I just want to make sure everything is caught up. And I’m getting a little stir-crazy.”

I kissed her again and then wrapped my arm around her as we made our way to the exit. All of the contents of my condo back in New York were loaded in a truck cruising across the country so all I had was the bag slung over my shoulder. We bypassed the zoo at the baggage claim and went right out to the parking structure.

“Oh! I see you have a couple of stowaways,” I said with a laugh as we reached the SUV rental the insurance company had given Holly to drive following the accident and two happy faces poked out the back window.

Holly smiled and stroked Hunter’s head. “You know I can’t say no to them.”

I greeted both of the eager dogs and then went around the front bumper to open Holly’s door. She slipped inside and I jogged back to the driver’s side. She passed over the keys and we were off.

“How are you feeling?” I asked her when we hit the highway.

“I’m good. I had a follow-up with my regular doctor and she said I’m healing up. She said I’m a lucky girl.”

Images of Holly’s car blasting past the guard rail and rolling down the hillside were still ingrained in my brain and haunted my nightmares. There was no question that the outcome of the horrific crash could have been so much worse. I tried not to think about it.

“I’m glad to hear it.” I turned to grin at her, casting away the dark thoughts from my mind. “Because I have big plans for tonight, baby.”

Holly grinned. “Is that so?”

“Uh huh…we have some lost time to make up for.”