The Reluctant Romantics Box Set (The Fall, The Mind, The Heart)

Jack leaned in and whispered, “You’ve just made my life.”

He scooped me into his arms and walked me back down the hall to his bedroom where he undressed me slowly and covered every inch of bare flesh he revealed. “I’m going to make love to you until the sun comes up.”

“Jack,” I gasped as he trailed his soft mouth all over my body, landing a wet, tongue-filled kiss between my legs. When he’d tasted me to the point of no return, he stood to undress. His eyes roamed my body and remained on my stomach. Fully revealed, I basked in his gaze.

“Tell me again,” he said as he trailed kisses from my foot to my thigh and then brushed his mouth over my abdomen.

“I’m going to have your baby,” I said as he looked up at me with reverence and a fresh tear fell silently down his cheek.

“There’s nothing you could ever do from this moment on to make me love you more. I’m full.”

“Well, you had a small hand in it,” I said as I plucked at his wayward hair.

“A baby,” he whispered.

“A baby that fought and won through layers and years of birth control,” I said with wide eyes. “You’re a potent man, Jack Sawyer.”

He moved to hover above me as his lips brushed mine in temptation. “And I’m just about to drive that point home, beb.”

“Jack… your parents!” I whisper scolded. “No way. No way,” I said just as music started to blare from the adjoining room. It was rap.

“Rory?” I smiled as I looked up to Jack.

“Rory,” he parroted back with conviction as he fisted my hair in his hand and captured my mouth.

“RORY!” I heard as I sat up in bed in alarm, Jack’s sheet clutched to me. Jack sighed underneath his pillow as an argument began just outside our door, or at least it sounded that way.

“You’re damned near fifty-three years old! You can’t walk around this house in a thong!”

“I’ll have you know in some countries—” she started back defensively as other doors throughout the house started to open.

“What the hell is going on? It’s 6 A.M., damn it!” I couldn’t tell if that was Spencer or Jack Sr.

“Our nudist has decided to parade around in her underwear.”

“Can you guys keep it down? Don’t forget we have a guest here and she can hear you. You’re probably freaking her out.” I recognized that voice. It belonged to Jack’s mother, Amy.

“Look, freak show, can you just keep your damned clothes on for the weekend?” That was definitely Jack Sr.

“Who wants coffee?”

I pulled the pillow behind me to my face as I howled into it with laughter and Jack remained where he was as another long sigh passed his lips. He smiled at me, and I sighed with relief upon seeing it. It was a smile that told me everything would be all right, that I wasn’t alone in love.

It was a smile that held my future.

“Welcome, beb.”

Hours later, after we’d witnessed one of the most romantic candlelit weddings imaginable, my dance partner and I swayed to Van Morrison’s “Someone Like You” under the stars with the rest of the wedding guests. Jack held me closely, a new kind of protectiveness in his posture as his eyes wondered over me in love.

“Mind if I cut in,” his Uncle Spencer said as Jack stilled us. He gave his uncle a solid smile as he handed me over with a kiss and a whisper that he would have the last one. I took his uncle’s hand, slightly shy in my execution.

“No need to be shy. Didn’t your man tell you I am an excellent dancer.” He chuckled as he twirled me underneath his arm and back again, and I damn near congratulated myself for pulling it off.

“Spencer tells me you’re a judge,” I said in an attempt to make small talk.

“Nah, you aren’t getting off that easy,” he said with a wink. “I just came to thank you for bringing our boy back. He’s spent so much damned time away, I wasn’t sure if he’d ever have a home.”

“I can’t take credit. He decided that on his own,” I said as he moved me around the floor set up underneath a long, sloping oak covered in Spanish moss and twinkling lights.