Chapter Seventeen

I Love You

Jordan caught her breath at his confession. Tentatively, she reached out and gently touched his face. "Do you mean that?" she asked softly, stroking his cheek.

Woody nodded, not trusting his voice. Tears were in his eyes, too, and Jordan saw them. She wiped the moisture away with her thumb, and then pulled him to her, and hugged him close. "I've missed you, Woody Hoyt. So much." Her own voice broke at her confession. Woody pulled away and wiped her tears this time.

"Look at us…if we're not some kind of fools. All this time wasted…within touching distance of each other for months…and we were both still trying to convince ourselves that it was over," he whispered.

Jordan smiled up at him. "I know. I had tried to move on…I thought that was what you wanted."

Woody pulled away her hand that was still resting on his cheek and placed a kiss in the center of it. "I thought I wanted it, too…until I realized that going anywhere without you wouldn't be any kind of life at all."

"I love you, Woody. I haven't stopped…and I have for so long, I can't even remember when I started."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Really. I knew I liked you…thought you were a nice guy the night you stopped at Dad's bar to check on me that night we solved the case surrounding the nurse and her mercy killings…when you left me alone with that sick woman. No one had ever stopped to check on me after a case to make sure I was okay."

"So I was just a nice guy for a long time?"

"Until we kissed in the desert…"

"Then what happened?"

"That scared me. You started churning up emotions in me I had thought were long dead…and I wanted them to be…loving someone meant risking losing them and that hurt…but I couldn't help myself."

"So when do you think you did fall in love with me?"

"The Montgomery case…the first time I knew I could lose you forever."

"Damn…it's taken you long enough to tell me…"

She lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry…but you know how I am…or at least how I used to be."

He put a finger on her lips. "You're right. I do know you…and if it's taken you this long to tell me you love me…then you're mind is made up. And mine is, too." He pulled her to him again. "I love you, Jordan."

"I love you, too."

He gently kissed her…feeling the time they had wasted melt away. When he pulled back and looked into her eyes, he knew it had. Suddenly, they were just Jordan and Woody again…the way it used to be…so long ago. He grinned down at her. "So…here we are…government-paid hotel room…cell phones turned off….Boston hundreds of miles away…Dr. Cavanaugh, what would you like to do?"

Jordan wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hmmm….I don't know. But I'm sure you'll think of something."

"I can think of a few things," he said smiling against her lips and reaching for his pillow to put under her back and hips for support. She kissed him then…making his world spin…and reaching for his t-shirt, pulling it over his head. The rest of their clothes quickly followed. And when the time was right, he softly kissed her and one arm went under the pillows beneath her to help support her as he gently slid inside her.

Later, with her head resting on his chest, she slept…feeling peaceful for the first time in months as she realized with sudden acute awareness, that this was the way their lives were supposed to be…together…all three of them and whoever else they may be blessed with…for as long as they were allowed.

"Have you got your tie on?" Jordan asked, coming out of the bathroom, fully dressed and looking more beautiful than ever to Woody.

"Yes…I do. I even have Hunter dressed," Woody replied, holding his six month-old son in his arms as Hunter greedily devoured a bottle.

"You're very good…."

"Well…we'll see about that later on tonight, Mrs. Hoyt." Woody threw her a wolfish grin as she made sure the diaper bag was packed.

"Promises, promises," she returned, laughter in her voice and her eyes. Woody looked at her with contentment. The last months had been very good to them. As soon as they had returned to Boston, they had gone before a judge and gotten married, promising Jordan's grandmother that as soon as the baby was born, they would follow through with a religious ceremony. But for Woody, it was more important that Jordan and he get married as soon as possible…and a judge was certainly a lot faster than dealing with a priest at the moment.

Hunter was born three days early…November 21…right on the cusp of Thanksgiving, making the young married couple's first set of holidays more special than usual. Jordan had delivered him naturally, jokingly saying that while she took no drugs to bring the nine pound, seven ounce baby into the world, Woody took all they would give him.

Motherhood had agreed with Jordan…she had already made peace with her past well before Hunter was a glint in Woody's eyes…but she now exuded a calmness and contentment that was palpable. She was still the same old Jordan in many ways…bawdy sense of humor…thoroughly inquisitive and searching with her work…but was also very happy with the new side of her life…wife and mother.

"Are you ready?' she asked Woody, interrupting his thoughts.

"Who? Us? We were born ready, weren't we, buddy?" Woody said to Hunter. They were back in DC for Drew's wedding. When they had left DC over a year ago, Woody had sincerely hoped they would not see the city or the FBI agent again. No such luck. Drew had sent them a wedding invitation and Jordan had insisted on going. "He'll be there for ours," she had said.

Woody had known Jordan long enough to know when to admit defeat. He bought the airline tickets and decided the best tact was to grin and bear it. He took his wife by the arm and juggled Hunter with the other as they rode the elevator downstairs to the rental car. "I wonder if Nancy knows what she's getting into?" Woody asked as he buckled Hunter into his car seat, thinking about Drew and his antics to bring the detective and Jordan together again.

"I'm sure she can handle him just fine…just like I do you," Jordan said, grinning at him mischievously.

"And that you do…handle me fine. I love you, Jordan."

"I love you, too."