Just Beginning (12 page)

The burger sizzled loudly as George tossed it onto the grill and took a long pull of his beer. Productive week, he mused as he moved into the kitchen and cut the ends off the ear of corn and popped it in the microwave. “Hmm, was that six or ten minutes?” He shrugged and set the timer for six minutes.

Not only had he trimmed his golf score by ten strokes, he’d convinced Jenny to get a prenup—at least he assumed she was goin’ through with it since she hadn’t heard otherwise in the past few days. He held out the half-drunk bottle and studied the label.
Not a bad week’s work. Not bad at all.

George nudged the mail across the table, away from his dinner plate and set the table. He pulled the
Newsweek
back to scan the cover.

The front door opened. “Uncle George?”

Speak of the devil
.

“Kitchen.” George went to the fridge and pulled out another beer. As Gabe stalked into the kitchen with Jenny trailing behind, George’s smile faded and his arm dropped.

“What the hell is this?” Gabe asked in a low, menacing voice. The thick sheaf of papers Gabe threw down fanned out across the counter, burying the
Newsweek
George had been reading.

“Just let me turn my burger, and I’ll take a look.” George held out the beer. “Drink?”

“No,” Gabe said. Jenny shook her head.

George set the beer on the counter and hurried outside to buy himself some time. Gabe was mad, and it didn’t take a genius to guess why. The only question was how he should play it. He flipped the burger and turned off the grill. No use in ruining a perfectly good hamburger. He’d have to wing it.

George went back inside and picked up the papers. Unfolding his reading glasses, he put them on, turned the document right side up, and scanned it, though he could guess its contents.

Gabe, glaring, hovered over him, while Jenny waited at his side. Anchoring her long hair behind one ear, she shifted her weight from foot to foot and watched with an open expression on her face. Not smug and triumphant, nor angry, just...uncomfortable. Gabe made her come, and she clearly would’ve loved to have been anywhere but here.

He looked at Gabe over his reading glasses. “What’s the problem, Gabe?”

“I want an explanation.”

He didn’t even consider playing dumb—it would only further anger Gabe. In this instance his nephew was very like him, they had absolutely no patience for fools. “Why’re you upset? Jenny thought the prenup was a great idea.”

“You lied to her,” Gabe snapped. The muscles in his jaw worked a steady, angry beat.

George raised his eyebrows. “How so? You
are
wealthy, you
did
inherit a substantial amount of money, and people
are
talkin’ about you both.”

“But I’m
not
afraid to talk to Jenny about
anything
. We have complete transparency in our relationship. However, m
y finances.
Are
none
of your business,” he exclaimed in clipped sentences. “If I’d wanted a prenup, I would’ve had one drawn up myself.”

George shrugged and spread his arms wide. “I was just trying to help.”

Gabe snorted and planted a hand on his hip.

“Okay, look.” He stood and faced them. “People were talking about what a gold digger Jenny was, and before the rumors got back to you, or her, I wanted to squash them. By having a prenup, she’s in the clear. Quit being selfish and think of her.”

“I don’t give a damn what people say.”

He gave Jenny his best compassionate look. “Maybe Jenny does.”

“She doesn’t. Mind your own business.” Gabe glared at him. “You owe her an apology.”

An apology?
Gabe wanted him to apologize to that gold-digging twit? He wanted him to apologize for looking out for his nephew’s best interest as he’d done for the past thirty years? “It’s for your own good—both of you. And besides, if her feelings are true, you’ll never need it.”

“It’s distrustful, and I won’t have it. Apologize.”

Jenny put a calming hand on his arm. “Gabe.”

Gabe’s furious glare sharpened, as if his nephew was trying to incinerate him with his focused stare.
Quite effective.
George fought the urge to squirm.

“He had no right,” Gabe said.

“It’s not worth ruining a relationship over,” she said softly.

He wanted to concur with Jenny but knew any comment might prod his nephew to violence. He’d sit back and let the girl do his peacemaking for him.

Gabe’s angry stare never left his, like a pit bull with his jaw locked. “Stay away from us. You can tear up that plane ticket and vacation package we gave you; after all, I wouldn’t want someone who’s using me for my money at my wedding.” Gabe turned, grabbed Jenny’s wrist, and pulled her toward the door.

“Aw, now, you don’t mean that.”

Gabe continued his march through the house as if he hadn’t even spoken. Wow, he was steamed. He’d never seen Gabe so angry. George hurried after them.

“Wait, come back. I’m sorry. Look, maybe I took things too far. I really just wanted to help.” He clasped his hands together and looked at Jenny. “Jenny. I’m sorry.”

Jenny tugged Gabe’s arm, stopping him at the front door. Her arms at his waist, she turned Gabe around to face him. “Apology accepted.”

Beaming in relief, he turned to Gabe. “Gabe? Forgive me?”

Gabe’s set jaw eased slightly, but the hardness didn’t leave his eyes. “If you
ever
do anything like this again—”

“Never.”

“If you interfere again, or hurt Jenny, it’s over. Understand, Uncle George?” Dark gray eyes bore into him. “I mean it.”

“Okay.” He nodded.
I understand she’s got you happily wrapped around her little pinky, and is alienating you from your loved ones
. He tried to look contrite.

Well and truly, pussy whipped.

* * *

With a hand on her shoulder, Gabe led Jenny to the car, opened the door, and tucked her inside. She settled into the seat and put her seatbelt on, thinking she should’ve been thrilled her fiancé stood up for her instead of being consumed by this uneasiness.

Gabe was vehemently opposed to a prenup. Jenny would’ve signed one, and she wouldn’t have been insulted or hurt. It made sense that if a marriage didn’t work out that what each person brought into the marriage left with them. What was
earned
while they were married should be joint property, but before that...that was each person’s. A prenup wasn’t a barrier to trust and a good, solid marriage. But to Gabe it was.

The pride in his voice rang loud and pure when he claimed they had complete transparency between them. Jenny’d had to stifle the impulse to wince and mentally whispered,
almost
,
as she reassured herself that nothing in her past affected her and Gabe’s future.

Gabe stood outside the driver’s side talking on the phone a minute before getting into the car. He tossed his phone onto the console between them. “Pizza okay with you?”

“Sure.”

Actually, how well could one
really
know another person? After all, they’d both been around several decades; that was a lot of living and experiences to cover. It’s
impossible
to know
everything
about another person. And wasn’t that part of the fun in a relationship? Finding out new things about your person? Growing together? It kept things fresh. Well, that and sex. She smiled.

“What’re you smiling about?” Gabe asked as they drove home.

“Nothing. Just happy.”

“That was fun for you?”

Jenny cast him a sideways glance. “Hardly. I’m pleased you guys worked it out.” She ran a hand along his well-muscled arm. From biceps over forearm, she enjoyed the definition and strength beneath her fingertips. “I’m glad the man I’m marrying has a forgiving heart.
That
makes me happy. I’ve chosen well.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Absolutely.”

“Well...when we get home...” Gabe slid his hand beneath her hair to massage her neck a minute before, running his hand over the crown of her head, past her sensitive ear and shoulder, slowly grazing her breast with his knuckles, to tug on the end. “I’ll show you exactly how well you’ve chosen.”

“Is that so?” Jenny reached over the space between their seats, and rested her hand on the top of his thigh. With slow, deliberate movements, she traced the crease from his hip to groin. On the second pass, she let her hand linger teasingly over his swelling erection.

“That, sounds like a promise,” she said in a low, sultry voice, “I’m going to have to collect on next week.”

“Next week?” Gabe raised an eyebrow and gave her a cocky look as he turned down Mt. Vernon. “I can do better than that.”

“Don’t think so.” Jenny nodded to the car in Gabe’s driveway. “Alex is with you until then.”

His brashness vaporized into disappointment. “Well, shit.”

“Poor baby.” Jenny chuckled. “Only two more weeks of setting a good example and then we’ll be free to frolic all we want behind closed doors.”

“I
knew
we should have sent that kid to boarding school.”

What, no protest? She’d thought for sure Gabe would take exception to her word choice, claiming that he’d never “frolicked” in his life. Poor guy must be really annoyed to pass that up. “Don’t take your frustration out on your poor daughter.”

He pulled in the drive and turned off the car. “You’re enjoying this.”

Jenny tried to keep a straight face, then gave in to a slow grin of feminine satisfaction. What woman didn’t enjoy evidence that she had the power to get her guy all hot and bothered? “A little.”

“A lot,” Gabe groused as he got out of the car.

“Whatever.” She linked an arm through his, lowered her voice, and growled, “Now feed me, man. I’m starving.”

“So demanding. So this is what life with you’s going to be like?”

Jenny turned and stood on the porch step above him so they were eye-to-eye. God, he had beautiful, intelligent pewter eyes. And she loved it when they were focused completely on her. Gorgeous man.

Resting her hands on Gabe’s shoulders, Jenny pulled him close for an open-mouth kiss full of promise. Her hand cupped his stubble-roughened cheek as she leaned into him, tasting and teasing until their hearts raced and she couldn’t tell his hot breath from hers.

With a growl deep in his throat, Gabe’s arms tightened until her body was plastered against every millimeter of his strong torso, leaving no room for even air between them. The heat of his body warred with the pounding of his heart against her breast in a distinctive, primal calling that had Jenny’s eyes drifting shut and her breath coming in short bursts.

Gabe’s arms trembled slightly as he easily lifted Jenny off the stoop, and slowly slid her down his body to the tip of his erection. The friction pebbling her nipples and electrifying every nerve ending made Jenny want to fling her legs around Gabe’s hips, bringing her closer to the fulfillment she craved.

A car in desperate need of a new muffler loudly rumbled by. Jenny’s eyes popped open, and she frowned, stifling her own rumble of frustration.

Dirty Pool, Harrison; teasing me like that when we’re on the front porch and your daughter’s on the other side of that glass front door.

Jenny broke contact with his lips to bury her face in his neck and inhale his sexy cologne. With a quick nip to his neck, she squirmed against his erection and wiggled out of his arms. Oh, yes, this teasing followed by combustible chemistry was
exactly
what she intended their life to be like. She pulled out of his arms, pleased to note his unfocused gaze and the perspiration-beaded forehead.

“Yup. Get used to it.” With a little extra sway in her hips, Jenny slipped through the front door.

“Well.” Gabe raised his eyebrows and slowly nodded. “Okay, then.”

He moved to the side of the porch near a huge overgrown bush to adjust the bulge in his pants. Jenny smiled.
Serves him right, the tease
. He collected the mail and riffled through it before pulling his phone from his pocket. “I’m just going to check my messages.”

“Uh huh.” And give himself time to cool down before greeting his observant teenage daughter.
Good idea, honey
.

Alex slouched in a chair with her bent knees propped on the coffee table. She rolled her head sideways. “Took you long enough. How’s Uncle George?”

“Fine. What’re you watching?” Jenny put her purse down and sat on the couch. A pregnant girl who must have been about ready to deliver sat, arguing with her mom and sister, next to a partially assembled crib.

With the phone to his ear, Gabe’s expression darkened as he strolled into the living room.

Uh oh. What now?

“Sixteen and Pregnant.”

Sliding his phone into his pocket, Gabe glanced at the TV and tossed the mail onto the coffee table. “Turn that crap off.”

“It’s not crap,” Alex said. “It shows what it’s like to be a pregnant teenager and the sucky choices they have to make.”

“It glamorizes teen pregnancy.”

“It does not,” Alex shot back. “Right, Jenny?”

“I’ve never seen it.” Jenny cocked her head at Gabe. “You have?” Gabe watched MTV?

“I treat girls like that every week at the clinic.” He nodded toward the TV, then said to Jenny, “Gianna told me about it.”

“You’ve obviously never even watched an episode; it doesn't glamorize anything.” Alex reached for the controls and turned the TV off. “It shows how pregnant girls have to give up their youth and high school fun to make adult decisions—or live with the guilt of an abortion.”

“And some of those girls got pregnant on purpose just to be on the show and pull a paycheck. Stupid. Where the hell are their parents?”

“Gabe,” Jenny chided.
What happened to my forgiving, sweet man?
“Working with those girls should’ve given you insight into their problems and extenuating circumstances.”

“Maybe the same place as Julie’s parents when she got pregnant.” Alex sprang from the chair and stomped into the kitchen.