ThreeReasonsWhy (7 page)

“You haven’t told Wes about this?”

Jill shook her head.

Kate leaned back. “Don’t you think you should?”

“Why? Wes just wants to go out on a few dates. It’s not like
he’s asking me to marry him.”

Kate scowled. “Don’t play stupid, Jill. It doesn’t suit you.
You know as well as I do Wes is looking at a long-term, possibly forever, kind
of commitment.”

Jill sighed. “I know. Why do you think I’ve been trying to
discourage his advances?”

“I have no idea why.”

Kate’s response took her aback.

“You heard Wes at Christmas, Kate. He wants a big brood of
kids. Hell, he deserves them. God knows he’ll be a better father than our dear
old dad. How could I ask him to give up that dream?”

“There’s more than one way to make a family, Jill. Jesus.
Adopt.”

Jill shook her head. She’d thought of that. She wanted children
desperately and it wouldn’t bother her one bit if they didn’t have her genes,
but she couldn’t ask the same of Wes. She wouldn’t. “It’s not the same thing. I
would never ask Wes to give up the opportunity to make a son or daughter in his
own image. Imagine a little boy with Wes’ eyes and strong jawline.” She smiled
at the thought of a miniature Wes, before the crushing weight that she couldn’t
give that to him threatened to suffocate her.

“Fine. Hire a surrogate.”

Jill closed her eyes and released a long breath. “You’re
relentless.”

“And you’re a coward.”

Jill reared back as if her sister had struck her. “What?”

“You aren’t giving Wes the credit he deserves because you’re
too wrapped up in your own self-pity.”

“Jesus, Kate. Don’t hold back. Tell me what you really
think.” Her words were a weak, sarcastic attempt at avoiding the truth. Kate
was right. Unfortunately, the rightness of her sister’s words weren’t enough.

“God. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. You know I love
you more than my luggage.” They smiled at the
Steel Magnolias
quote. She
and her sister had watched it a thousand times in their lives, often pulling
out lines from the movie at appropriate times. “I hate to see you deprive
yourself of true happiness because you’re afraid.” Kate reached out and grasped
her hands. “Wes is crazy about you.”

Jill bit her lower lip and spoke her true fear. “What if I
tell him and it
does
matter? What if it changes the way he sees me?”

“It won’t.” Kate’s words were sure and strong, but they
didn’t help.

“What if it
does
?”

Kate squeezed her hands. “You’re in love with him.”

Jill only shook her head once, not bothering to lie. Her
sister would see through it anyway. “When he’s with me, it’s like I’m a
different person. When he looks at me, I feel like a whole woman, perfect in
his eyes. I can’t give that up. Not yet.”

“Jill—”

“I’ll tell him. I will. Just give me a little time to figure
out how.”

Kate smiled sadly. “You know how to tell him. That’s not why
you want more time. If you can’t be honest with Wes, at least be honest with
yourself.”

Kate was right. She wanted to be with Wes. Just once, she
wanted to lie in his arms and pretend she could be everything he needed. There
would be plenty of time for heartbreak later. Time for regret and resentment.

For now, she’d take the make-believe and hope it would be
enough.

* * * * *

The sound of wolf whistles and catcalls dragged Jill out of
the kitchen in the midst of the lunch rush hour. As she turned the corner, she
caught sight of Wes in a Madison police uniform. She was so taken aback by the
change in his appearance, she giggled.

“What the hell are you supposed to be?”

Wes’ eyes narrowed and she silently taunted him with her
gaze. Daring him to utter a comeback.

“I think he looks handsome,” Lottie said. Her words were
accompanied by more than a few head nods amongst the female diners.

“Handsome, nothing,” Cheryl said from behind the counter.
“That boy looks sexy as sin.”

A couple of women cheered, and the mayor’s eighty-year-old
mother asked if Wes would arrest her. Through it all, Wes grinned and accepted
their teasing with good grace, but he never took his gaze off her.

“Bit early for Halloween, isn’t it, Wes?” she added, and
several of the men clapped at her cut down, while the women remained firmly in
Officer Robson’s camp.

“Come on now, sweetie,” Cheryl persuaded. “You gotta admit
Wes looks good enough to eat.”

“So does my cherry pie, but I wouldn’t strap a gun on it.”

Wes’ eyes twinkled at her joke. Something about the man’s
presence brought out a lightheartedness that she enjoyed. After her talk with
Kate earlier, she’d decided she was going to let the cards fall where they may
for a while. She’d wanted Wes Robson since the first day he’d walked into her
diner nearly six years ago. She was finished denying that. The truth would come
out…eventually. For now, she was going to take exactly what she wanted and
she’d gladly pay the piper later.

“Seems to me,” he said when the catcalls and hooting died
down, “that there’s someone in here who’s lacking the proper respect owed to an
officer of the law.”

The women in the diner giggled, offering all sorts of advice
in terms of how she should be dealt with.

“Arrest her,” one woman yelled.

The fire chief suggested he strip search her, and Jill’s
eyes widened at the risqué remark from the older gentleman.

“Jonesy,” she chastised. “Shame on you. I’m going to tell
your wife you said that.”

The man had the good grace to look abashed while the other
customers roared with laughter.

“Now, now,” Wes said, walking toward her. She fought
desperately against the impulse to back away. She refused to lose face in front
of the crowd. “I think Jonesy’s suggestion has some merit.”

She raised her eyebrows, ready to berate him, when he
startled her by placing his hands on her shoulders and spinning her away from
him.

“What the hell—” she started when he gripped her wrists and
placed his handcuffs on her.

“You have the right to remain silent,” he said loudly, for
the amusement of all the patrons.

“Wes Robson, you better take these off me right now.”

“Are you resisting arrest?”

“You’re damn right I’m resisting, you dumbass. Take off
these handcuffs before I make you sorry you were ever born.”

“You heard it, folks. You’re my witnesses. She resisted
arrest and threatened the well-being of an officer of the law. I think I’m
going to have to place her under house arrest until, oh say…?”

From over her shoulder, Jill watched as Wes looked toward
Cheryl for an answer.

“I think you should keep her under lock and key until at
least tomorrow morning. Lottie and I can handle things here tonight, but I’ve
got a dentist appointment in the morning.”

Wes grinned. “Very well. You’re under arrest until
breakfast.” He used his grip on her wrists to push her toward the stairs to her
apartment.

“I am so kicking your ass when you take these off me,” she
said through gritted teeth.

Wes ignored her comment as well as those of the diners as
they yelled out their suggestions of how he should punish the hardened
criminal.

When they reached her apartment, Wes reached around her and
opened the door. “How many times do I have to tell you to lock this damn thing
when you’re down in the diner?” he asked, repeating the now-familiar argument.

“My unlocked door is the least of your worries. Take off
these cuffs. You’ve taken this joke way too far.”

Rather than release her, he shut the door before turning her
and pushing her chest lightly against it.

“Who said I was joking?” He caged her against the hard
surface as his hands began the sexiest frisking in the history of law
enforcement. He left no part of her body unexplored, taking his time to become
familiar with the more sensitive areas. Her breasts throbbed from his intense
investigation, her nipples hard and aching against his rough palms. He pulled
her short skirt above her waist, his hand lingering over her pussy, rubbing her
clit through the material of her silk panties. She thrust against his firm
touch, anxious for more. She was on the verge of begging when his fingers moved
around her hips, gripping her ass in his hands. His fingertips drifted into the
crack between the globes, only minimally hampered by the thin material.

“God,” she breathed out.

He continued his exploration, dragging his hands down her
legs to her feet. He wrapped his hand around her ankles, one at a time, lifting
them to remove her shoes and socks. When he finished, he ran his hands back up
along the inside of her thighs and she shuddered at the intensity of his touch.

His hands left her completely and she heard jingling behind
her. Glancing over her shoulder, she watched him retrieve the keys to the cuffs
before removing his gun belt.

He released the handcuffs and dropped them to the floor. She
tried to summon the energy needed to punish him for his joke, but her body was
too busy clamoring for more. Turning, she attempted to pummel him but he
stopped her before she landed a single blow, catching her fists in his hands
and pressing them against the door by her head.

His lips descended, kissing her until she was certain she’d
sell her soul to the devil to keep this man’s lips on hers for the rest of
eternity. She shoved off his hands at her wrists, reaching out to touch his
hair, his face, his neck, his shoulders. She wanted to touch him as he touched
her. Wanted the opportunity to look
and
feel. Dragging her hands along
his tight abs, she released his shirt from where it tucked into his pants,
desperate to caress his bare flesh. He pushed her skirt off with her panties.

“I want you naked,” he muttered against her lips. He pulled
her shirt over her head before unhooking her bra and adding it to the pile of
clothing at their feet. He pushed her shoulders against the door, leaning back
to look at her with hungry eyes.

Dammit, this was wrong. This was the beginning of the end
and she knew it, but she couldn’t resist the idea of being with him. The
fantasies of him inside her had haunted her for weeks, months, years. She
pulled him toward her, gripping his shoulders for support while wrapping her
legs around his waist and grinding her aching pussy against his clad cock.

“Think you can keep up with me?” she taunted, rubbing
harder, trying to find relief and fanning the fire he’d started.

“I’m going to fuck you long and hard, pixie,” he said. “But
first, I want you to repeat your promise.”

His hands slid down her shoulders and cupped her breasts. He
gripped them firmly as his fingers pinched her taut nipples tightly. She fought
against the scream building in her chest. He hadn’t removed a single piece of
his own clothing and already she was fighting off her orgasm, unwilling to give
in to the gloriousness just yet.

“What?” she gasped. “What promise?”

Her mind wanted to protest whatever he requested, wanted to
resist whatever it was he planned to say. She hadn’t made him any promises, had
she?

“Just me,” he repeated. “I’m your only lover from now on.”

“Wes, please.” Her pride was tattered and tossed to the
wind.

“Say the words, Jill. Promise me.”

“Only you,” she whispered when he followed up his demand
with another strong tug on her nipples. “Oh God, only you, I promise.”

Her mind fought to comprehend her promise. Before she could
think about her agreement further, Wes pushed his hips closer and rubbed his
hard-on against her clit. Why wasn’t he naked? When would he come inside her?

Gently, he pushed her legs down. His hands moved at
lightning speed, quickly divesting himself of his pants and boxers. She reached
out to unbutton his shirt, pulling it over his strong shoulders.

She didn’t have a moment to regret the step she was about to
take as Wes bent over and picked her up. “Not here. Not for our first time.”

He carried her to her bedroom and she prayed this first time
wasn’t the only time. God willing there would be more. Lots more before—

She shut the thought down. She was going to live in the
moment, revel in the joy of being here with the man she loved.

He gently placed her on the bed. She watched him don a
condom and briefly, she realized the mistake she was about to make.
Unfortunately, Wes was too fast.

He leaned over her, pushing her legs apart. “Put your legs
around my waist,” he commanded, his husky voice letting her know in no
uncertain terms he wouldn’t be denied. This moment was long overdue. They both
knew it.

She did as he said, grateful for the soft mattress at her
back as Wes covered her with his rock-hard flesh.

“I want to go slow, Jill, but—”

“I don’t need slow. Just you. Please. Just you. Now.”

She fought back a gasp as his cock slowly entered her tight
sheath, and any chance she had at resisting fell away.

Once he was seated to the hilt, he stilled. “Okay?”

She smiled and tried to hold back the tears gathering in her
eyes. “Perfect.”

“Been a long time coming.”

She laughed lightly at his joke. “Shut up, Wes. Shut up and
fuck me.”

He gave her a quick kiss as his cock retreated from her
body. Her pussy clenched in response.

He groaned. “Christ. Perfect is right.”

She silently rejoiced when his body shuddered slightly.
She’d never felt so overwhelmed by joy. To know she instilled the same response
in him thrilled her.

As he pushed back in, it was her turn to moan. He captured
the sound with his lips, kissing her. She savored the taste of the peppermint
gum he chewed on his breath. His tongue tangled with hers as she clung to him,
digging her fingers into his muscular shoulders.

He was rock hard—the living, breathing embodiment of a Greek
god. What had Cheryl called him? Adonis? Her friend was right. Wes was simply
too handsome, too perfectly put together to be a part of this modern-day world.