Chapter Twenty-One

"Hold your horses," Jordan called out, making her way to the door, trying not to trip over her towel. "Gee, it didn't take you long to find," she opened the door with a fling...."boxes....." she said her voice trailing off. It wasn't Lily at her door.

It was Woody.

"Can I come in?" he quietly asked.

Jordan held the door open wider. "Sure. What do you need, Woody?"

"What do I need...I need to talk...to you. Now. About last night. About Devan. About us."

"Let me get dressed."

"No. I need to say this now." He looked like he hadn't slept all night. He was still in his tux from the night before, tie undone, hanging limply around his neck, his hands thrust deep in his pockets. His hair was sticking out in a thousand different directions.

"Why'd you run last night, Jo?"

"Leave?"

"Yeah. Why? I thought we were going to talk..."

"I saw you were preoccupied."

"With Devan? I didn't know she was going to be there. My hand to God, Jordan, I didn't. As far as I knew, she was still in Paris."

"But she's back now." Jordan sat down on the couch, trying to keep her towel up and closed. Woody hadn't seemed to notice.

"Yeah, she's back..."

"So, I guess that means you and she will pick back up where you left off...."

"No." He sighed and ran his hand through his hair and sat down on the coffee table in front of her.
"I don't want Devan. I never really wanted Devan...."

"Don't say that Woody....I saw you with her last night. I saw the way she was looking at you."

"You may have seen the way she was looking at me, but not the way I was looking at her. And not the way I was looking for you."

Jordan looked up into his eyes....those blue eyes that still caused her to melt. Those blue eyes that held the truth..."You were looking for me?"

"All night. Everywhere. Where were you?"

"Lily's."

"Great. The one place I didn't think to look." Woody sighed again and rubbed the back of his neck. "Jordan, I can't imagine being with anyone but you. At one time, I may have doubted that...but these past few months...your patience...your understanding...It amazed me....blew me away." He reached out and took her hands. "You never cease to surprise me. After everything...after I had been a real bastard to you....before I lost my sight....and afterwards when I was trying to adjust, you were there. I can't go anywhere else. Everything I am...everything I want....all leads back to you. Even if I would have remained blind...gone back to Kewaunne....I still would have ended up at your door. There's no where else I want to be...no where else I need to be...not when I'm in love with you, Jordan Marie Cavanaugh. That's what I wanted to tell you last night."

Jordan swallowed hard. The confession was nice...but there were other things she needed to know. "Then why have you pushed me away these past few weeks?"

"You had to know your mind, too....we had been through a lot. Things needed time to sort out....settle down."

She nodded. He was right. That needed to happen. Gently, she pulled her hands away from his and stood up, still managing her towel. Her hair had dried by itself, falling in loose waves over her shoulders. "Want some coffee?" she asked. She needed to get away from him for just a minute.

"No...I'm good. I just need to know.." he said, stopping her by reaching out for her hand again. "How do you feel, Jordan?"

"Woody....I...." He had both hands again, holding both of them in one of his. The other hand was gently running up her arm. She swallowed again. The last time she had hesitated, she nearly lost him. She wasn't going through this again. "I feel the same way," she admitted, feeling him tug her to him. "I love you. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have taken care of you like I did...fought to get your sight back....worried about you so much....I was trying to show you...somehow words at the time weren't enough."

"They aren't enough now, either," Wood whispered, tugging her still closer and pulling her into his arms for a kiss. And the minute their lips met, she was gone. All she could feel was him...his touch. She willingly opened her mouth for him and then ended up clinging to his shoulders when she felt his response. Time hung...the minutes dissolved into nothing as she felt his fingers tangle in her hair and the other arm hold her securely to him. It was a while before Woody reluctantly broke the kiss and allowed them both to come up for air. He leaned his forehead against hers.

"Oh...Jesus, Jordan," he said, struggling to regain his normal breathing. And it was a lost cause....the towel that Jordan had been so carefully making sure stayed anchored securely in front, was slipping. She was aware of it and made to fasten it again, when his hands covered hers and tightened it back around her. As much as he wanted her...maybe they should go slowly....

"Woody?" she said softly. "Maybe I should get dressed now?"

"Yeah. That's probably a good idea..." Carefully, she moved out of his arms and went back to her bedroom, donning jeans and a shirt before remerging to see him sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. "Better?" she asked.

"I liked the towel...."

She laughed. "You did, hmmm? Maybe later. And I think I have one that would fit you...if you feel like it, Farm Boy."

He grinned back at her. "Later? After we've both gotten some sleep?" He tugged her back over to him, pulling her into his lap.

"Sleep...that sounds..."

"Like a wonderful idea."

She nodded. "If you think you could rest in my bed again, you don't need to go home and take a nap."

He needed no second invitation. He was out of his coat in a heartbeat. A few minutes later, they were curled up under the covers in Jordan's bed...but this time, instead of her back being to his chest, it was her head resting on his chest as he held her. "I've missed this," she confessed, hours later, when they had woken up. The sun was now setting, and the room was bathed in cozy shades of pinks and oranges.

"Me, too, sweetheart...he lifted her chin so they were looking in each other's eyes. "Hungry?" he asked.

"No...not really."

He smiled. "Remember our agreement, Jo?" he asked, rubbing her back.

"Which one is that? The one where I don't call you at work with non-emergencies, the one where I never order anchovies on your pizza, or the one where I never pickup your car keys again and mistake them for my own?"

He chuckled. "No. None of those. The really important one...."

She gave him a puzzled look... "Which one?"

"The one where we both agreed that once you put your past behind you...we'd make love...and take all day to do it?"

She nodded, swallowing hard.

He gently brushed the hair back from her face. "I'd like to do that now, Jordan....but only if you want it, too. I love you."

She leaned forward and gently brushed his lips with hers. "I love you, too...and I can't think of anything I'd like better..." She got no further. Woody rolled her over beneath him and kissed her breathless.

He kept his word...he took all day...and into the evening....spinning out their time...softly whispering to her, and in the end she was spent.. lying exhausted on top of him.

"Woody, sweetheart....did anyone ever tell you that you have way too much energy?"

He chuckled. "Tired?"

She looked up at him. "What do you think?"

"Let's see...what do I think....I think Jordan Marie Cavanaugh is still the hottest ME I've every seen. I think she's one of the most loving and compassionate women I've ever known. I think she has an incredible body and the sweetest little birthmark on her...." Jordan's look cut him short. He chuckled again, "And I think I love her very much and want to be with her as long as she will have me."

"Are you sure?"

He stopped laughing and held her tighter. "Oh, I'm sure...I may have been blind and stupid once, but I see things very clearly now... like the light of a new day...a new beginning....with you?" he asked softly.

She nodded and kissed him again. A new beginning with both of them seeing themselves, the truth, and their love just a little more clearly.