The Grand Finale (5 page)

“Are you blooming, yet?” he whispered against her lips.

“No,” she said. “I’m not even
nearly
blooming. I’m not going to bloom until I’m good and ready.”

He ran his finger across her lower lip and tangled his hand in her hair. When he kissed her this time it was with barely checked passion. He broke from the kiss and held her at arm’s length when he heard Mrs. Fitz come thumping down the stairs.

“Wait until you see the upstairs, Berry. It’s wonderful,” Mrs. Fitz exclaimed. “You can see forever from the third-floor windows.”

Mrs. Dugan followed her. “Not much furniture in this house. No window shades. I can’t live in a house without window shades.”

Jake gestured to the cartons stacked along the dining room walls. “There are extra linens in one of those cartons. We can tack a couple sheets up for tonight.” He zipped his jacket and opened the front door. “I guess I’d better go buy some toothbrushes.”

Mrs. Fitz, Mrs. Dugan, and Miss Gaspich perched on the edge of the couch, their eyes glued to the television set, their mouths slightly open as they watched the last few minutes of
Ghostbusters
. Scattered in front of them were the remnants of supper: Styrofoam hamburger cartons, a few ketchup-soaked French fries, five empty milkshake cups, and a large bakery box containing one lonely doughnut.

Berry sat on the rug, her back resting against the edge of the couch. A gigantic marshmallow man had just appeared on the screen, and Berry decided he didn’t seem nearly as menacing as Jake Sawyer stoking the fire in the Franklin stove. Jake wore jeans that seductively clung to the most mouthwatering butt Berry had ever seen. Definitely not the butt of a chemist, she
concluded. It would be a sin to hide that butt under a lab coat. Jake Sawyer had the butt of a pirate. A rogue butt. Her eyes glazed over in silent appreciation while she memorized the contours and speculated on the hidden details. When Jake stood and stretched, she quickly transferred her attention to the movie.

She sensed, rather than saw, Jake moving toward her. His knee grazed her shoulder, and Berry knew if she turned her head she’d be staring into the intriguing bulge behind his zipper—the one part of his anatomy that was possibly more perfect than his butt. Don’t look! she told her eyes. You know what trouble you got into last time you ogled that bulge!

He nudged her again with his knee, more firmly this time, pushing her forward a bit. “Scoot up,” he whispered.

Before Berry knew what had happened she felt him slide behind her, sandwiching himself into a sitting position between her and the couch, trapping her between his legs. She inched forward, but he wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her secure against his chest. His voice hummed softly into her hair. “This is nice.”

Nice? Nice was a little bland for what she felt. What she felt was more like
wow
and
holy Toledo
. Unfortunately, this was not the time for
wow
feelings. Her life was complicated enough. She could barely hold her own between the Pizza Place and her studies, and it kept getting worse. First the ladies, then the Jeep, now the fire. Jake Sawyer was pretty darn fabulous, but he was not part of The Plan.

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Berry said.

“Shhh, the movie. You’ll disturb the ladies.”

Berry looked to the ladies but found them engrossed in the heroics of Bill Murray. She wriggled within Jake’s grasp, attempting to free herself.

“Lord, Berry, now you’re disturbing
me
,” Jake said. “Will you stop sliding around? This is going to get embarrassing.”

She carefully relaxed into his chest and sat perfectly still, not wanting to encourage anything, but secretly enjoying the intimacy. His steady heartbeat vibrated throughout her body, rain had begun to splash against the dark windows of the cozy Victorian, and the marshmallow exploded.

Mrs. Dugan’s eyes shone with excitement as the credits rolled across the screen. “First time I’ve ever seen that movie. It’s a wonderful movie.”

Mrs. Fitz agreed. “It was a treat.”

Jake eased away from Berry. “Speaking of treats, I have some goodies to distribute.”

Two minutes later he returned from the kitchen with an armful of shopping bags.

“Mrs. Fitz, this belongs to you,” Jake said, handing her a bag. “Mrs. Dugan, here’s your loot.” He handed a bag to Miss Gaspich.

“Lipstick!” Mrs. Fitz announced. “He bought me lipstick. And a nightgown.” She held it up for inspection. “It’s a pip.”

“Here’s the toothbrushes.” Miss Gaspich smiled shyly. “This is better than Christmas. We got slippers, and face cream, and hairbrushes.”

Berry looked at Jake. “You’re awfully good at buying women’s toiletries.”

“I have four younger sisters. I know all about girl things,” he told her proudly.

Miss Gaspich stifled a yawn, “I can’t wait to get into my nightgown and climb into bed.” She looked questioningly at Jake. “Where is my bed?”

Jake stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets. “I have four bedrooms, but only one bed. I suppose the most sensible arrangement is for you ladies to use my king-sized bed. Berry and I will sleep downstairs.”

Mrs. Dugan narrowed her eyes. “You’re not planning any funny stuff, are you? I won’t put up with hanky-panky.”

“The thought never entered my mind,” Jake said. “Berry can sleep on the couch, and I’ll rough it on the floor. I have some sleeping bags upstairs.”

Mrs. Dugan pressed her lips together. “I suppose that will be all right, but I’ve got good ears. You better watch your step.”

Jake’s face creased into a good-natured smile. “Yes, ma’am.”

Berry watched the women climb the stairs. “That was really nice of you to get lipstick and moisturizer for them. It’s been a long time since they could afford those luxuries.”

“You haven’t opened your bag.”

Berry studied the pale lavender bag on the coffee table. It was smaller than everyone else’s bag, and it was from an expensive shop cater
ing to fancy lingerie and expensive perfume. It was a bag designed to hold silk teddies and lacy thongs. “I’m afraid to open it. Is this something extravagant?”

“Sleepwear.”

She extracted a small bottle of perfume that she suspected cost more than a replacement for her Jeep. “There’s only perfume in here.”

“Yup.”

“Everyone else got flannel nightgowns.”

“Isn’t there a nightgown in there?”

Berry searched the tiny bag. “No.”

Jake stroked her cheek with his fingertip. His eyes grew dark. His voice turned alarmingly husky. “You’re so beautiful with your unruly blond curls and silky peaches-and-cream skin. You should wear nothing to bed but a dab of perfume.” His hands traced the slender column of her neck and rested in a caress on her shoulders. “I have a confession to make. I’m in big trouble here. I’m having heart problems.”

“Good Lord. What kind of heart problems?”

“Heartache, heartthrob, heart flutters. I feel like the Grinch at Christmas—you know, the part where his heart grew two sizes in one day.
I thought my heart was going to burst when I saw you for the first time, lying on the ground beneath that big old oak tree. You looked like a crazy modern-day wood nymph.”

Berry’s eyes flew open. “Crazy?”

“For crying out loud, you were flat out on a pizza.” He grinned at her indignation and cuddled her close to him. “Maybe someday you’ll develop heart problems, and you’ll come to me wearing just the perfume.”

“Not anytime soon,” Berry said. “I have a plan.”

“I’m not liking the plan,” Jake told her.

He curled his fingers in her hair, holding her head captive while he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her slowly and gently.

It was like being drugged, Berry thought. Once he was this close to her she was a goner. Her thinking slowed, and her heart rate accelerated. At the first touch of his tongue, her stomach tumbled. He was pressing himself into her belly, holding her against him so she couldn’t escape the feel of him wanting her.

“I’m going to tell Mrs. Dugan on you,” Berry murmured halfheartedly.

“Mrs. Dugan doesn’t scare me.”

“Oh, ha!”

“Okay, maybe a little.”

There was a pattering of slippered feet upstairs and a fit of obtrusive coughing. “We’re going to bed now,” Mrs. Fitz called down. “Anybody need anything from the bedroom?”

“Yes,” Jake yelled back at her. “Be right there.”

Moments later he returned to Berry with two sleeping bags draped over his arm and a large royal-blue silk pajama top in his hand. He dropped the sleeping bags on the floor and held the pajama top up for Berry’s inspection.

“My sister Amy gave me these pajamas last Christmas. She has an enhanced image of bachelor existence.”

“Mmmm?”

“I’d prefer you wear only the perfume to bed, but if you’re the shy type you could start out in these.”

Berry took the pajama top and narrowed her eyes. “To begin with, where’s the other half? You only brought me the top.”

“I thought the bottoms would get in our way.”

“Read my lips. I am not going to bed with you.”

“You would have if Mrs. Fitz hadn’t interrupted.”

“A moment of weakness. It won’t happen again. And anyway, you don’t know that for sure. Maybe I’ll just sleep in my clothes.”

“Don’t you think that will be uncomfortable?”

Berry couldn’t think of anything more uncomfortable than sleeping in Jake’s silky pajamas. The very idea gave her a lust attack. She chose one of the sleeping bags and laid it the length of the couch.

“They zip together, you know,” Jake said.

“Not tonight, they don’t.”

Jake started to get undressed.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“Getting undressed for bed.”

“Aren’t you going to turn off the light? Aren’t you going to wear pajamas? Don’t you have to brush your teeth, or something?”

“Nope.”

“Terrific.” She jumped into her sleeping bag and turned her face to the back of the couch.

“I thought you liked watching men undress,” Jake said, smiling, enjoying the moment.

Berry grunted and burrowed deeper into her bag.

“Last chance to look,” he offered in a loud whisper.

“Oh! Ugh!”

Jake made some chicken sounds, flicked the light switch, and the room was plunged into darkness.

Too bad she wouldn’t look, he thought. He was wearing his boxers with the big red hearts and pink cupids. His sister had given them to him as a gag Valentine’s Day present, and they’d become his instant favorite. They were awesome.

Berry listened to him position his own bag as close as possible to the couch. There was a rustle of material and the sound of a zipper. In a short time the room was filled with quiet, regular breathing. He was asleep. What nerve! She peeked over the side of the couch and watched him.

He was wickedly tasty-looking, and she had to admit, he really did bring out her voyeuristic tendencies. He also was beginning to bring out
other tendencies—like maternal instincts, wifely musings, and lonely dissatisfactions. There was more to this than sex, Berry realized. True, there was an instant magnetism between them, but it would have died a quick death if she hadn’t liked him. He was kind. He was fun. He was brave.

She tapped his bare shoulder.

“Mmmm?”

“Jake, are you awake?”

“I am now.”

“Why do you want to make love with me?”

There was a soft groan. “You woke me up to ask me that?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t know. I guess it’s like asking someone why they want to climb a mountain, and they say because it’s there.”

The instant he said it he knew it was wrong. What he meant to say was that she came into his life and it was love at first sight. And if not first sight, definitely
second
sight. He had no clue where the mountain-climbing thing came from. He must have been dreaming about Everest.

“Jeez Louise,” Berry said. “I’m just some mountain to conquer.”

“No! That’s not what I meant. You woke me up. I wasn’t thinking right.”

“Me either,” Berry said. “Criminy, I’m such a dope.” I actually was
liking
this guy, Berry thought. I was getting all gushy inside thinking about us together. And now it turns out I’m a
mountain
!

Jake stared into the darkness. Gonna take some work to dig myself out of this one, he thought.

Slam!

Berry awoke with a jolt and sat up in her sleeping bag.

Stomp, stomp, stomp.

Jake opened one eye and looked at Berry. “We have elephants upstairs? The circus come into town last night while I was asleep?”

“I think the ladies are up.”

Jake looked at his watch. “It’s five-twenty.”

The lights flashed on upstairs, and footsteps sounded on the stairs.

Jake groaned, crawled out of his sleeping bag, and stepped into the clothes he’d dropped on the floor the night before. He flipped the light switch, and Mrs. Fitz stood blinking at them.
She wore her new flannel nightgown and pink furry slippers, and her hair stood straight out from her head.

“Lord,” Jake whispered to Berry, “she looks like she’s been electrocuted.”

Berry bit her lip. “Something wrong, Mrs. Fitz?”

“I need tea.” And she shuffled off toward the kitchen.

Next, Mrs. Dugan stomped down the stairs, gave Berry and Jake a cursory glance, and huffed after Mrs. Fitz. There was a flurry of banging pots and clattering silverware from the kitchen. A few minutes later Miss Gaspich joined them.

“Where’s the tea bags?” Mrs. Fitz called. “I can’t find nothing in this kitchen.”

Jake grinned at Berry. “The ladies didn’t have a good night.”