She nodded, wordless.
"That's how I feel about you. That connection between the light and the world, it's magical. And it's us, baby." He was still seated, and now he turned her around, then lifted her T-shirt and kissed her belly. "I love you. And I need you. And you can hold that in your heart right now as my vow to you for our future."
I love you. He hadn't said the words before, and the way he spoke them now--without any fanfare, as if he'd said them dozens of times to her--made her heart swell, because that reinforced how deep the feeling went. How much their shared past played into a shared future.
"I love you, too," she said. "And for right now, this is all I need, too."
She saw a shadow flicker in his eye and wished she could take back the words. She'd thought that was what he'd meant when he talked about holding what they had in her heart, and that he was making a vow for their future. That it was his way of telling her that he hadn't dismissed the idea of marriage out of hand, even though it was scary and foreign to him.
But seeing that flicker, she feared she was wrong. More important, she was afraid that after taking three steps forward together, she'd just yanked them both two steps back.
She wished desperately that he felt differently, but she truly understood how ingrained his marriage phobia was. And, understanding, she could adjust. For now, anyway. Because surely as the relationship grew, his fear would dissipate and he'd want more.
Wouldn't he?
She stepped closer, then slipped out of her canvas flats. She kicked them away, then unbuttoned her jeans, watching his face as she wriggled out of them, pulling her panties off at the same time.
"Jenna," he began, but she pressed a finger to his lips, then bent down to unfasten the towel from around his hip. She spread it open on the couch, exposing all of him, including his cock that was already with the program, despite the question in Reece's voice.
Slowly, she straddled him, her hands on his shoulders as she moved her hips so that the tip of his erection teased her entrance. He understood the game and didn't say a word, but his low groan when she lowered herself and took him in held a world of meaning and the promise of a lifetime of shared passion. "Make me feel it," she whispered as they moved together. "That connection. The light and the earth."
He didn't disappoint. They started slow, but his hands soon moved to her hips, and their rhythm increased, wild and frantic, like charged particles colliding with each other. Hotter and faster until the conclusion was inevitable and her body burst apart in an explosion of stars.
"I love you," he said again as she clung to him tight. His voice was low, but the deep timbre of his voice rumbled through her, and she sighed, contented. She was happy. Safe. Loved.
And there was no reason to believe that Reece would ever let her down.
"So you two are dating now," Edie said, positively beaming, her foot in a boot to aid recovery of what turned out to be a nasty sprain.
Jenna glanced at Reece, wondering if he was going to be casually vague about the change in their relationship. But his smile was broad, and he slipped his arm around her waist. "Hell, yes, we are. Did Brent tell you?" His stance shifted so he could face his father, who held up his hands in silent surrender.
"Don't be silly," Edie said. "It's all over the both of you, and I think it's about time."
"I'm in perfect agreement," Reece said, as he pulled out a chair for Jenna. Edie was already seated at the breakfast table, and she reached over to squeeze Jenna's hand. "Welcome to the family, sweetie," she said, and Jenna's heart twisted a little more. Edie and Charlie weren't married either, and after three marriages already, she sincerely doubted Charlie would propose. Or, if he did, that Edie would accept.
"Can I get you a coffee, Edie?" Reece asked, as he put a cup in front of Jenna, who smiled up in surprised gratitude.
"I've got it," Charlie said. "One sugar, one large dollop of heavy cream." He delivered the same to her, then kissed her on the cheek. "And I'll have your omelet ready just as soon as the toast pops up--oh, there we go." He spun around, back to the counter where two pieces of whole wheat toast had appeared in the gleaming stainless steel toaster.
Edie shot him a warm look. "He's been doting on me all mor
ning. All last night, too."
"You deserve it," Charlie said. He looked at Jenna, and she saw the pain in his eyes. "I thought I'd lost her."
"Fiddle-faddle," Edie announced. "I fell and ended up in the waiting room just to find out I have a sprained ankle. I'm not going anywhere. Not until I see how those turn out," she added, pointing to the kitchen cabinets that Reece was refinishing.
He laughed. "In that case, I'll go as slow as I can."
"Of course, I could say the same thing," Edie said, and everyone looked at her, confused. "About almost losing someone," she said by way of clarification. She pointed at Charlie. "Every day when you go outside and smoke one of those horrible cigarettes, you take a step further away from me. And don't even try to argue that you don't."
"Good luck with that, Edie," Reece said. "I've been trying to get him to quit since I was a kid. So has pretty much everyone he's ever known across the state of Texas. No go."
"A man needs his vices," Charlie said. "Now drop it, you two."
Edie met Reece's eyes, but she just shook her head and said nothing else.
"What are you two kids doing this morning?" Charlie asked, sliding breakfast in front of Edie and obviously hoping to finalize the change in subject.