Chapter Three
He had never felt as helpless as he did when he saw her sitting in that chair with Cahill behind her. Holding a gun to her head. He still had nightmares about it.
Retired cops kept turning up in Jordan's morgue….all of them former partners of her father. And then Max had showed back up. At first, Woody had been glad for Jordan. She had missed her dad.
But Max's return with Jordan didn't bring the joy he hoped it would….and the reunion would be short lived. Then Max would be on the run again. And Woody was left to pick up the pieces for Jordan. Not that he minded….he just hate it happened to her.
Max had met her on the roof of the morgue, a place where Jordan would often go to think or to have a private place to talk. The first time she had taken Woody there was when he was wrapped up in the Montgomery case…and nearly convicted of the girl's death. She met her dad up there to talk…to see where he had been…and if he was staying.
And to tell him she had sold The Pogue.
It hadn't been an easy decision. She had wrestled with it for a long time. But working two full time jobs had been wearing on her for a long while. Despite the fact her father had left her with a good staff at the bar, she felt responsible…she'd go in after working in the morgue all day….and stay there until one or two and get up the next morning and do it all again. Garret had tried to talk to her…as did Nigel. Finally, after catching her dozing at her desk, Woody had tried to talk some sense into her.
"Jordan," he said, gently shaking her.
"Hmmmm?" was her reply.
He had gently turned her office chair around and knelt in front of her. "This has got to stop, Jordan. You can't keep working two full time jobs."
"Dad will be home soon, Woody…he'll take over then."
"When was the last time you heard from your father, Jordan?" He hated to ask… he knew it was a sore spot with her, but felt the need to snap her back into reality. Her head bowed and her face was hidden by the lush curtain of her hair.
"Almost a year," was her nearly inaudible reply.
"Then I'd say, you need to make a decision. You can't keep working like you're doing…you're going to kill yourself."
She had looked at him totally bewildered…."What do I do?"
"First, you need to get some rest…don't you have a few days vacation time coming?" That was a joke…Jordan had nearly five years worth of vacation time coming. She nodded. "Then take a long weekend…go to the Cape. Rest. I'll take care of the Pogue while you're gone….make a decision then."
And she had. She had gone for a few days, returning to Boston on a Sunday…showing up at his apartment. "Can I come in?" she had asked. "Are you busy? I need someone to talk to…and you're the only one whose opinion I really want to hear."
That had surprised him. He figured Dr. Macy's opinion might mean more. He willingly opened his door further and allowed her to come in. She looked rested, the dark circles under her eyes had nearly vanished.
"You are right," she began. "It's too much. I can't keep working two jobs like I have been….the Pogue and the morgue. And since I'm an ME by training and not a bartender, I know which one needs to go…the Pogue. I can't keep a steady staff since Dad left….as soon as I get someone trained, they seem to leave….so that's why I've decided to….sell the bar." She said the last part in a rush, as if to get it out before she changed her mind.
"Jordan…are you sure?"
"What do you think?" She looked at him with pleading eyes. "I just can't do this anymore, Woody. My work at the morgue is slipping…and Garret's cutting me a lot of slack….and I never have time for anything else but work…you've been great….so understanding….but ever since we got back from LA, and you told me that I needed someone to hold me tighter….there just hasn't been time…I haven't been avoiding you…I just haven't had a chance to be with you…." suddenly her eyes filled with tears and Woody realized that Jordan had made what was for her the ultimate choice. A choice between her father and him.
And she had chosen him.
His male ego soared…his chest nearly puffed out with pride. Until he saw her face….she was struggling…was this the right decision? Without thinking, he walked over to her and took her in his arms. "Shh….Jordan….it will be fine. Max will understand. He'll have to…especially when he sees what this is doing to you. Look, honey," he pulled away and looked her in the eyes, "sell the bar, put the money in a trust with his name. When you see him again, give him the cash. He can buy another bar or do whatever he wants…but it will get you out of the loop, let you live a normal life, and allow me to hold you tighter," he said, gently wiping a tear away with his thumb.
"Do you still want to?"
"Of course I do."
"Could you now? I really need you to…"
She didn't have to ask twice. He deftly slid her jacket off her shoulders and pulled her to him. She was sweet and soft….and yielded to his kiss this time without reservation or cell phones going off. Long moments stood still as he kissed her, lushly and fully…to let her know he did indeed want to hold her tighter.
And he wanted so much more. But now wasn't the right time. Reluctantly, he broke the kiss and pulled her head to his shoulder. She snuggled closer. His eyes had widened in surprise. He expected her to pull away. They stood that way for a long time. "Have you eaten dinner?" he asked softly.
"No…I haven't eaten since breakfast.'
"Then I'll order a pizza…" And he did. They ate and watched a movie…talked about inconsequential things until it was time for her to go home. "Call me when you get there, to let me know you got home okay?"
"Sure," she had replied, before he captured one last kiss. "See you at work tomorrow."
So the decision had been made…and the Pogue was sold. She put the money in a trust and when Max showed back up, she had presented him with the check.
He had been disappointed….and told Jordan that there was nothing in Boston for him right now…so he went off again on his own adventures.
Leaving his daughter bewildered and hurt…especially after she had told him she was more than willing to forget the past and look forward. Woody had overheard the conversation. He had gone to find Jordan and Dr. Macy told him she was on the roof with her father. He had stayed in the shadow of the stairs until he heard Max finish and leave. He had gone to her then…she was still sitting on the wall, staring out over the city, silent tears streaming down her face.
"He's gone," she said in a small voice, turning to face him.
"He'll be back, Jo."
"I don't know…he doesn't believe I've changed….I have changed, though. Haven't I, Woody? You do believe I've changed, don't you?"
"Yes…of course," he replied gently taking her hand.
"He's all the family I have left….and now he's gone."
"But you're not alone, Jordan." He pulled her to him and kissed her softly. "I'm here…I'll always be here."
She had cried in his arms for a long time…until he helped her back down to her office and she got ready to leave. "You're in no shape to be by yourself tonight," he told her.
She nodded. "Will you stay with me?"
"My pleasure," he answered, giving her his best wolfish grin, just to see her smile. "I'll be more than happy to help you make it through the night." He put his arm around her and helped her out.
At her apartment, he had gotten ready for bed, but noticed she didn't make up the couch for him. He looked from the couch to her with an eyebrow raised. She shook her head. "I don't want to be alone." He nodded and crawled in the other side of the bed, taking her in his arms once again, pushing the hair back out of her eyes.
"You took care of me when I had the heroine overdose…let me take care of you tonight, Jordan."
"But I'm not hurt…"
He ran a finger down her neck to the center of her chest. "Your heart is, though. You're hurting here."
"I have a feeling it's going to take me longer to get over this than it did you with your overdose."
He nodded. "But I can help…" He kissed her then….deeply….feeling her mouth and body yield to him, offering no protest when he pulled her tank top off, and settled her back down on the sheets. All she needed to know tonight was that she was loved…by him…and that he was concerned about her more than anyone else….and that he would always be there for her. Always. She reached for his t-shirt, and he allowed her to pull that off between kisses, but stopped her questing hands when she reached for his boxers.
"Not yet, Jordan. Tonight's about you…just wait."
"But we've waited three years already…"
He smiled down at her…"And a while longer is not going to kill you….or me…just relax…lie back…and let me love you."
The look in his eyes caught her breath….He wanted to love her….not have sex with her…just love her…the idea was almost too new to contemplate…until she felt his lips begin to kiss her face…over her eyes, down her nose…..her chin and neck…over her right arm…lightly kissing down the inside of her forearm before caressing each finger….then repeating it on the other arm. Then over each breast, causing her to arch against him…he nearly lost it then…but held firm to his resolve to love her first before anything else. She groaned in protest as he moved away. "No…she mumbled when he continued his quest, placing a trail of opened mouthed kisses over her bare midriff.
"Shh…just wait…" he told her. He paused at her navel, glancing back up at her…making sure she was okay, before continuing down the inside of her thigh…her calf, then up the other leg, before returning to capture her lips one more time. He heard her sigh in relief and she arched against him again….
Then he turned her over on her tummy…chuckling softly at her protest…and began to kiss her back….down to the waistband of her girl boxers. He slid them off and then flipped her back over on her back, kissing her again before settling lightly on top of her.
"Woody," she managed to get out between kisses…
"Hmmm?" He was busy caressing with his hands where his lips had been…
"If that's your idea of foreplay, you're going to be the death of me…."
"It's not over….just relax…"
And he had made love to her that night…Jordan wasn't sure how many times, he caused her body to come off the mattress and meet his….or how many times she whispered his name….she just knew when it was over…hours later….she was more than exhausted…more than satiated…she was loved…in every sense of the word.
In the morning, Woody found her curled up next to him, her head on his chest, her arms around him. In the back of his mind, he had still been afraid she'd run...that old fears would rise up and cause her to leave.
Not a chance. She wouldn't run now if her life depended on it. She awoke to his soft kisses again…and held him until the alarm clock went off…signaling it was time to return to work…and to reality…
That now so closely included him she couldn't remember her life without him.
