Treading Water: Coming Home Part 30

Kate raised herself up to take him in, and then held perfectly still, celebrating the joy of their joining.

His arms tightened around her, his kiss became hungrier.

She tore her lips free. "Reid..."

"What, honey?"

"We keep forgetting the condom."

"I haven't forgotten."

Kate stared at him. "What're you saying?"

"That I want what you want, no matter what it is."

"Do you mean it? You want kids? With me?"

"I want you to have everything you've ever dreamed of, and for some reason you've staked your claim with me. I'd never deny you the chance to be a mother, as long as you know you may not have me around-"

She swooped down on him, kissing that thought right off his lips. "I'd rather have thirty amazing, magical years with you than fifty okay years with someone else."

"Thank you, darlin'." His fingers pressed into her hips, and his erection lengthened inside her. "Can we get back to what you started here?"

"Most definitely."

They flew back to Nashville early the next morning. The storm was long gone, and the skies were clear and sunny, with puffy white clouds off in the distance. Sitting next to Reid in the c.o.c.kpit reminded Kate of their trip to Memphis and the monumental event that had occurred there.

"What're you smiling about, darlin'?"

"I'm thinking about the first time I ever flew with you."

"Reluctantly, if I recall correctly."

"You hadn't told me you were a pilot, and then you pop it on me out of nowhere. What was I supposed to say?"

"You were supposed to say, 'Reid, I trust you with my life, and if you tell me you're a great pilot, I believe you.'" Hearing him imitate her tone had her staring at him, speechless.

"How'd you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Perfectly imitate me."

He reached over to rest his hand on her leg. "I've heard your voice in my dreams for years. I know how you sound."

Touched by his words, she said, "It's a little unnerving how well you do it."

"Now you do me."

She raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I already do you this morning?"

He tossed his head back and laughed. "I meant imitate me, though I do love how you think."

Kate thought about his challenge for a moment. "Harder, darlin'," she said in his accent. "Yeah, like that." She glanced over to find him looking at her with eyes gone hot with desire. "How'd I do?"

"Pretty good. How about you say that to me when we get home and I can actually do something about it?"

"Sure," she said, laughing. "You got it." She watched the scenery go by in a sea of brilliant blue. "So pretty."

"Yes, it is."

"Last night was fun, huh?" Bertha's family had arrived en ma.s.se with pots of chili, cornbread, salad and brownies. Kate had sung with the kids, autographed CD cases and posed for pictures with each of them.

"Sure was. Those kids will never forget their night with you."

She rested her hand over the one he had on her leg. "I'll never forget the night we officially got engaged."

"Neither will I." He squeezed her thigh. "So when do you want to tie the knot?"

"I've been thinking about that. What would you say to doing it over the holidays when my family is in Nashville?"

"That soon? You don't want to plan a big s.h.i.+ndig?"

She shook her head. "You're the one telling me there's no time to waste, and besides, everyone I'd want there will be in town. Maybe if he knows we're getting married, my dad will come."

"And if he doesn't?"

Kate didn't want to think about the possibility of getting married without him there to give her away, but she refused to put a damper on their celebratory mood. She shrugged. "Then I guess we'll do it without him."

"I sure hope it doesn't come to that."

"So do I. He left me a message last night that he wants to talk some more, but I'm not really ready to talk to him after what he said yesterday." She glanced over at him. "Anyway, how about we get married on your birthday?"

"You remember my birthday?"

"Sure, I do. I remember that I couldn't wait to get back to Nashville the day after Christmas to help you celebrate."

"Sounds good to me."

"We can do it at my house with a JP, some food, music. Nice and simple. That'd be just what I want-if it's okay with you."

"I told you-whatever you want is okay with me."

"Are you always going to be so easy to get along with?"

"Making you happy makes me happy."

She looked down at her gorgeous ring, which sparkled in the bright sunlight. "I feel very happy today, as well as lucky and hopeful."

"I'm glad."

"And also a little scared."

"Of what, darlin'?"

"Of what'll happen when we step out of the bubble we've been in. The last time we did that, it didn't go so well."

"As long as we stay focused on our relations.h.i.+p and honest with each other about everything, we'll be fine."

"You make it sound so simple."

"It is simple."

Kate hoped he was right, but she couldn't help but worry about what might be waiting for them at home.

Ashton woke with a sense of dread, knowing he had to leave Jill and get back to work. He'd already been gone a day longer than planned, and there was no postponing the inevitable. In the faint early morning light coming in through the blinds, he could see her gorgeous face and her dark hair on the pillow.

He'd never get tired of looking at that face. He ran a finger over her cheek, reluctant to disturb her but wanting her to know he was leaving.

Her eyes fluttered open, blinking several times. "You're awake early."

"I have to go to work."

"Oh."

"The party had to end sometime."

"I suppose so."

He wondered if she knew that the knitting of her brows gave away her worries. "Just because the vacation is over doesn't mean this is." With an arm around her, he brought her in snug against him, loving the feel of her skin pressed against his. "This," he said, kissing her neck and then her lips, "is just getting started."

She put her arm around him and caressed his back, sending s.h.i.+vers of sensation skittering over his skin. She stirred him like no other woman ever had, like no other woman ever would.

He held her for a long time, hating that he had to leave her even for a few hours. "See you for dinner tonight?"

"That sounds good."

"What do you have on for today?"

"I'm not sure, exactly. I guess I'll wait for Kate to get home so she can tell me this big plan of hers."

"Whatever it is, you can handle it. I know you can."

"I guess we'll see."

He drew back so he could look into her eyes. "Last night was amazing."

She nodded. "Very much so."

"I don't want to go."

Her fingers skimmed over his chest and down to encircle his straining erection. "I can tell," she said with a small shy smile. As she stroked him, Ashton forgot all about work and about the nine o'clock meeting with Buddy that had been on the calendar for weeks. His world was reduced to her soft hand on his hard shaft.

"Jill..."

She tightened her grip, stroked him harder. "Hmm?"

He shuddered. "G.o.d."

Her soft laughter filled his heart to overflowing. She knew exactly what she was doing to him, and she loved it.

"You'd better stop," he said, though that was the last thing in the universe he wanted.

Apparently, she knew that because she added her other hand, working him over until he filled her hands with his release.

"There," she said, kissing his chest and then his lips. "Now you can go to work without that pesky thing bothering you all day."

He released an unsteady laugh. "That pesky thing, as you call it, will bother me all day because I'll be thinking about that. And you."

With one last kiss, he reluctantly got out of bed and headed for her shower, where he was unable to find soap that didn't smell like her. Oh well, he thought, as he rubbed it all over his skin, smelling like her wouldn't be any more torturous than thinking about her all day.

He emerged dressed and ready to go to find she'd fallen back to sleep. Leaning over the bed, he kissed her cheek and smiled when she murmured in her sleep.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear.

Driving away from her was one of the hardest things he'd ever done. "You're being totally ridiculous," he said to himself as he drove down the long lane that led to the main road. As he drew closer to the gate that kept Kate's property sealed off from the rest of the world, he stopped when he saw the road lined with satellite trucks and a horde of reporters.

"s.h.i.+t." He banged a U-turn and returned to Jill's place. When he got to the door, he realized he'd locked it on the way out and uttered a curse. He pulled out his cell phone and called her, hoping the ringing phone would wake her.

"Hey, miss me already?" she asked in a sleepy, s.e.xy voice that stirred his recently satisfied libido. Everything about her stirred him.

"Absolutely, but we have a little problem. The press is camped outside the gate."

"s.h.i.+t," she said, sounding much more awake.

"I said the same thing."

"I need to warn Kate. They're on the way home."

"Come down and let me in."

"Oh, you came back?"

"Yeah, I came back. I don't want to leave you here by yourself with this."

"I thought you needed to go to work."

"I do, but I was thinking maybe you should come with me. You could stay at my place in town until this blows over."