A Marriage Made in Texas (The Brothers Kincaid) (10 page)

He wanted her, had to have her. He swung her up in his arms and carried her into his bedroom. She didn’t argue, but kissed his neck and started undoing his shirt buttons. He placed her on his bed, pulled his shirt off over his head.

“Are you trying to seduce me into saying yes?” she asked, her lips curving into a smile.

Unbuckling his belt, he paused. Grinned. “It’s a thought. Not one I’d considered, but I’m willing.”

“It’s a mistake,” she said, suddenly sober.

“No, it’s not.” He finished undressing, then helped her out of her clothes. She was warm, fragrant. Soft. That lithe, tempting little body lay stretched out before him, begging for attention. Her breasts, a little heavier now, called to him. He traced the fine blue veins, smiling when her back arched and her breasts thrust upward. Slowly, carefully, he touched the pale flesh, caressed her, sucked her nipples until she cried out, quivering on the brink of climax.

He slid his hand down to her slick heat, stroked her, teased her, his fingers gliding into her, his mouth tasting, touching, testing their limits.

Parting her legs, he entered her slowly, rode her gently until her hips pushed against him impatiently, demandingly, and her arms clung to him, her breath sobbing out of her lungs. He thrust deep, long, groaned out her name as she shattered around him and he emptied himself into her sweet warmth.

When he could breathe again, he rolled onto his back, adjusting her until she lay bonelessly on top of him. He tugged her head back and looked deep into her eyes, as serious as he’d ever been. “Marry me, Gail. Say yes.”

She stared at him, her eyes as blue and turbulent as a storm tossed ocean. “Yes,” she whispered, and kissed him.

I
N A REPLAY
of the last several days, Gail found herself hugging the toilet bowl the following morning. But this time, she got to do it in front of Jay. She didn’t realize he was in the bathroom shaving until it was far too late.

Miserably embarrassed, she tried to wave him off, but he ignored her and helped her anyway.

“Go away,” she managed to croak when she’d finished heaving.

He ignored that, too, dampened a washcloth, and wiped her forehead and neck with it. “Gail, I’m a doctor. Believe me, I’ve seen worse things.”

Feeling a little better, she glanced up at him. He
looked amazingly good, she thought, wearing only a white towel wrapped around his lean waist and shaving cream on that handsome face. “You haven’t seen
me
doing them. It’s not the same.”

“No, it’s not.” He squatted down beside her and wiped her mouth with a fresh towel, then laid his palm against her cheek and smiled. “Those other people weren’t having my baby.”

It shouldn’t have, but hearing him say
my baby
in that deep, sexy voice gave her an undeniable thrill. “What are we doing?” she whispered.

“Having a baby,” he said, and helped her up.

She rinsed out her mouth, then stumbled back to bed.

“I’ll bring you some crackers,” Jay said. “Would that help?”

“Yes, and Sprite, if you have it.”

A little while later, she felt almost human. Jay sat beside her on the bed, still wearing the towel. Drops of water clung to his chest. She followed one as it snaked its way down to his washboard stomach and disappeared beyond, into the towel. Okay, so she wouldn’t mind seeing that gorgeous specimen of manly chest in the mornings. Or any other time of day.

“I thought you were sick?” he asked, grinning.

She lifted her nose in the air and sniffed. “I’m feeling better.”

“Good.” He leaned over and kissed her. “So, how does next weekend sound?”

“Next weekend? For what?”

“The wedding. I don’t think there’s any way Brian can get here, but I’m sure my mother and her husband will be able to make it.” He broke off as she gaped at him. “You know, my brother, Brian. He’s in London on a job. At least, I think he is.”

“You want to get married next weekend?” she asked, trying to focus. “But—but—that’s so soon.”

“That’s the point, isn’t it? The sooner the better.”

“Jay, maybe we should wait. I’m not very far along. What if something happens?” But the thought of losing her child had her curving a protective hand over her stomach.

“Gail.” He put his hand over hers, where it rested on her flat stomach. “I know we didn’t plan this, and neither of us expected it to happen, but tell me something. Do you want this baby?”

“Yes,” she said, surprised at how fiercely she already loved it.

“So do I.”

She searched his eyes. “You mean that, don’t you?”

He smiled, that slow, sweet smile that made her heart beat faster. “Yes. Let’s get married. Next weekend.”

She put her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Next weekend,” she agreed. “Do you ever lose an argument?”

“Not very often. And not when it’s important. Now get dressed. We’ve got a wedding to plan and I know just the two people to help us plan it.”

“S
AY THAT AGAIN
,”
Mark said, staring at Jay and Gail as if they had sprouted alien wings.

“Gail and I are getting married.” He squeezed Gail’s hand reassuringly. “Next weekend.”

Mark opened his mouth, then closed it without saying anything. Then he looked at his wife and demanded, “Did you hear that?”

“Of course I heard him,” Cat said, looking up from nursing the baby. “I’m not deaf, am I?” She didn’t seem nearly as shocked as Mark had. “When and where is this wedding taking place?”

“We thought Friday night would be good. Jay can take Friday and Monday off, but he has to be back at work Tuesday. We haven’t really discussed much beyond that. Like where to have the ceremony, or anything. We thought you two could help us plan things.”

“Help you plan things,” Mark repeated hollowly.

“We’re keeping it small,” Jay added. “Just family and a few friends.”

“Jay, can I see you in the kitchen a minute?” Mark asked. “Alone?”

“Sure.” He leaned down and murmured in Gail’s ear, “Older brother lecture.”

“I know.” She smiled, but he thought she looked a little anxious. “I have a feeling I’ll be getting the younger sister one at the same time.”

He kissed her, then followed Mark to the kitchen. “How about a cup of coffee?” he said, tucking his hands in his pockets and leaning back against the counter. “I could use another dose of caffeine.”

Ignoring him, Mark planted both hands on the counter across the room, his back to Jay. “Getting married. Next weekend. Good God.”

“Last I heard, congratulations was the appropriate response.”

Mark spun around and stared at him incredulously. “It would be if I didn’t believe you’d lost your ever-loving mind.” He began to pace, waving his hands in the air for emphasis. “I realize you’re thirty years old and don’t need my advice. Hell, you wouldn’t listen when you were a kid, why should I expect you to listen to me now?”

He halted in front of Jay and glared at him. “Are you completely nuts? For God’s sake, you just came out of a relationship. You lived with Carla for two years, and you never decided you had to get married. You’re obviously on the rebound here. Have you thought about what this will do to Gail?” He sucked in a breath and continued. “Hell, no, you haven’t thought about anything at all. At least have a long engagement. Why next weekend? Why are you in such a damn hurry?”

“Gail’s pregnant.”

That stopped him cold. Jay had known it would.

“Oh, shit.”

“I think my word was wow.” Jay took his hands out of his pockets and crossed his arms over his chest. “She’s pregnant, Mark, and it’s my child. What else can I do, but marry her?”

“I don’t know. Oh, man,” Mark said, and scrubbed a hand over his face. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

He thought about that a moment. At first, he’d been so wrapped up in doing the right thing, he hadn’t taken time to consider what living with Gail would be like. He smiled. “Yeah, I’m sure. I want to marry her.”

Mark pinned Jay with a sharp glance. “Is this—this marriage what Gail wants?”

He shrugged, walked away a few steps. “Not initially. I talked her into it.”

“Jay, if Gail isn’t sure…”

Jay interrupted him impatiently. “She has an eight- and a ten-year-old daughter. How are they going to deal with it, if I don’t marry her? The gossip, the snide comments. They’ll hear them, and so will Gail.” He took a few steps, closer to Mark. “You know this town. I’m a professional here. Can you imagine the talk it will cause if Gail has my baby and I don’t marry her? And believe me, there won’t be any doubts about whose baby she’s having. We haven’t tried to hide our relationship.”

Mark winced. “It wouldn’t be pretty.”

“No, it wouldn’t. We may be living in the twenty-first century, but as far as the people around here are concerned, it might as well be 1950. Gail isn’t having this baby alone. It’s decided, we’re getting married.”

Mark gazed at him for a long moment, then nodded. “It’s your decision. I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same in your place.”

“You would,” Jay said, knowing how seriously Mark took his own responsibilities.

“Are you in love with her?”

“I don’t know.” He passed a hand over his forehead. “I care about her. A lot. But I don’t know about love.” He shot Mark a sideways glance. “The sex is incredible.”

For the first time since Jay had dropped the news, his brother smiled. “That helps.” Mark sighed, then put a hand on Jay’s shoulder and squeezed. “I don’t know what to say to you.”

“Say you’ll be my best man.”

He looked surprised again. “What about Brian?”

“He won’t be able to make it. Hell, for all we know, he may not even be in London, he could be in China. But even if he does come—” he met his older brother’s eyes and smiled “—I still want you to do it. So, will you stand up for me?”

Mark cleared his throat and rubbed his jaw. “Yeah, I will. I’d be…happy to.”

Jay didn’t often talk about his feelings. But now seemed like the time to take care of some things he’d neglected to say over the years. “Mark, I’m pretty sure I’ve never told you what it meant to me when
you took Brian and me in after Mom left. We would have ended up in the system if you hadn’t.”

Mark glared at him. “Don’t get mushy on me here. I’m having a hard enough time without that.”

Jay laughed. “Okay. I just wanted you to know how I felt. Thanks.”

“Forget it.” Mark cleared his throat again. “Well, hell.” He glanced at his watch and frowned. “Forget the coffee. You’re getting married, I vote we have a beer.”

“Damn straight,” Jay said, and pulled out a chair. “And Mark, while I’m asking for favors, will you take care of the dogs while we’re gone?”

Mark laughed and set a beer down in front of him. “Sure. Anything else?”

Jay smiled and popped the top. “I’ll let you know.”

U
NLIKE
M
ARK
, Cat didn’t lecture. She sent Gail a speculative look, but she didn’t speak. After she finished feeding Miranda she said, “I’m going to put her down for a nap. Unless you want to.”

“I would love to.” Gail took Miranda from her sister and cuddled her. “I haven’t seen nearly enough of my niece. Or my nephew. Where is Max, by the way?”

“Next door, playing.” Cat followed her into the baby’s room, watched as Gail changed her diaper, then laid her in her crib and kissed her cheek.

“She’s so sweet,” Gail said, rubbing her back. “So unbelievably tiny.”

“Not for long. She’s gaining weight like crazy.” She paused and said, “So, Gail, when are you due?”

Gail’s hand froze in midmotion. She gave the baby a final pat and turned to her sister. “How did you know?”

“It’s the only reason I can think of that you’d be in such a hurry to get married.”

“I’m not. Jay is.” She sat on the bed and put her face in her hands. “Oh, God, Cat, am I making a terrible mistake? Again?” Despairing, she raised her head and gazed at her sister.

“I can’t answer that. But don’t compare Jay to Barry. He’s an infinitely better man than Barry ever thought of being.”

“I know.” But that didn’t make their marriage right. “I haven’t even seen the doctor yet. I’m going to see her next week. Maybe it was a false positive.”

“Come on, Gail. If you believed that the two of you wouldn’t be here talking marriage.”

“No, you’re right. We wouldn’t.” She plucked at the bedspread, thinking about that, and about Jay’s reaction. “Do you know what Jay said when I told him? He said it didn’t matter how it had happened. He said it was his baby, his responsibility.”

“It is,” Cat said reasonably.

Gail gave a half smile. “Yes, but I can tell you from experience that not all men respond that way.”

“But Jay did, and that’s what matters.”

Her throat tightened and she nodded. “He says he wants the baby. I almost cried when he told me that. I think he really means it.”

Cat patted her shoulder. “He’s a good guy, Gail.”

“I know,” she said again. That was the problem. Jay
was
a good guy and she was afraid she was ruining his life. Forcing him into a marriage he didn’t want, but felt duty bound to provide. Trapping him.

“Are you in love with him?”

“I don’t know. I care about him,” she said, remembering Jay’s words. “And I’m—” She paused, considering how to describe her feelings. Obsessed, maybe. “I want to be with him. All the time.”

Cat cocked her head. “Define be with him.”

Gail squirmed a little uncomfortably. “Sex,” she finally admitted. Her eyes closed, she felt the heat rise in her cheeks. “I’ve never had sex like this in my life.” Concerned, she opened her eyes and stared at her sister. “I can’t help but think it’s clouding my judgement.”

“Spectacular sex will do that.” Cat grinned. “So, he’s a stud, huh?”

Gail laughed. “Oh, honey. The word doesn’t begin to do him justice.”

“So.” Cat took her hands and pulled her to her feet. “Let me get this straight. You’re marrying a man you like and respect, and who likes and respects you.”

Gail nodded.

“In addition to that he is one extremely fine piece of eye candy.”

Smiling, Gail nodded again.

“And last but certainly not least, the two of you have dynamite sex. Have I covered everything?”

She hadn’t exactly thought it out in quite those terms. “Pretty much.” Provided she ignored the problems.

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go plan a wedding.”

Gail laughed, then hugged her sister. “You’re so logical sometimes. Must be the accountant in you. Thanks for listening.”

“What are sisters for?”

Ready tears sprang to Gail’s eyes, but she blinked them away. “I love you, Cat.”

“I love you, too.” Cat led the way into the den, shooting Gail a mischievous glance over her shoulder. “I think we should have it at Mom’s and put her in charge of whatever we don’t want to deal with.” Cat rubbed her hands together, gleefully. “She’s going to totally flip. One of her girls is marrying a doctor.”

“Oh, Lord.” Gail stopped and stared at her sister in dawning horror. “I hadn’t thought of that. She’ll drive him insane.”

Cat laughed. “We won’t tell him until after the ceremony. Can’t have him backing out.”

G
AIL DECIDED TO TELL
Roxy and Mel the news by herself. Mostly because she feared Roxy’s reaction, and thought she could smooth things over more easily if they were alone.

But how to tell them? She didn’t want to lie, yet she couldn’t tell them the truth, either. She planned to put off telling them about the baby for as long as possible.

So she called them in, sat with one on either side of her on the couch and with only a little beating around the bush, she told them she and Jay had fallen in love and decided to get married.

Both girls stared at her without speaking for a moment, but then Mel found her voice. “You and Uncle Jay love each other?”

It wasn’t precisely a lie. Anyway, it was a necessary one. She wasn’t sure how to explain complex adult relationships to an eight- and a ten-year-old. Still, she felt tempted to cross her fingers behind her back when she answered. “Yes.”

“And you and him are gonna get married? On Friday?”

“That’s right.”

“He’s gonna live with us? In our house?” Mel persisted, obviously wanting everything spelled out.

“Actually, we’re going to live with him, in his house.” Besides being newer and nicer, Jay’s house had more bedrooms, so it was the obvious choice. “But you’ll each have your own rooms, just like you do now.”

“Can my room be pink and purple?” Mel asked suspiciously. “My room now is pink and purple and I like it. You said I could have pink and purple ’long as I want.”

Gail smiled and ruffled her hair. “We’ll paint it first thing.”

Mel put her hands on Gail’s knees and leaned on her. “Mommy? What about Daddy? Is Uncle Jay gonna be our new daddy?”

“No, honey. You have a father. Jay’s going to be your stepfather.” She glanced at Roxy’s expressionless face. “I think you should both call him Jay from now on.”

“Mommy?” Mel asked again. She glanced at her older sister, then back to Gail. “I like Jay.”

“I know, sweetie. He likes you, too. We’ll have fun. You’ll see.”

Roxy didn’t say a word. Gail watched the storm clouds gather in her older daughter’s eyes and wished she didn’t have to hurt her. “Mel, honey, why don’t you go to your room and let me talk to Roxy.”

“I love you, Mommy.” Mel hugged her fiercely. “Can I have a new dress to wear to the wedding?”

“Yes. Both of you can.” She smiled. “Really pretty dresses,” Gail said, accepting the hug gratefully.

Once Mel left, the real problems started. She sighed and began, “Roxy, I know this is sudden, but—”

The storm broke. “No! You can’t marry him! I won’t let you! You’re supposed to marry Daddy.” She started to weep, huge gulping sobs. “I want you to marry Daddy,” she wailed.

Gail gathered her close and let her cry it out. Eventually, the sobs turned to soft hiccups, and Gail judged it time to talk.

“Roxy, your daddy and I don’t want to be married. But Jay and I do.” She grasped her upper arms gently and looked into her eyes. “Now I know it’s hard, and I know it hurts, but you’re going to have to be a big girl and accept this. Do you understand?”

“Don’t have to.” Roxy thrust out her lower lip. “I’m going to live with Daddy.”

Pain sliced through her heart. Even though Gail knew Barry would never go for it, hearing Roxy say she wanted to live with her father hurt. “We’ll talk about it, once Jay and I have been married awhile. For now, you’re still living with me. You can still spend some of the weekends with your father, just like you do now.”

Roxy hunched a shoulder. “Can I go now?”

“Not yet. I’m still talking. You used to like Jay,” she said. “You didn’t decide you didn’t like him until we started going out together. If you give him a chance, I bet you’ll like him again.” She put her fingers under Roxy’s chin. “Will you do that for me, Roxy? Will you give Jay a chance?”

Roxy lifted her shoulders in the age-old “I’m not promising anything” gesture. Gail didn’t think she’d make any more headway tonight. “All right, you can go.” Gail hugged her. “I love you, Roxy.”