Chapter Eight
Love Nest
Once again…here's to RobandChrisMom, Sharebear, and the rest of the Yayas.
Jordan was thankful that the next morning, Woody got up before she did, showered, and went to get breakfast before she got up. After a night of being wrapped that tightly in his arms…feeling the obvious effects of her body against his, and vice versa, she wasn't sure awkward small talk was even on her agenda. To be honest, she wasn't sure she could string two coherent sentences together. With a sigh and a groan, she climbed into the tub, wishing she had time for a long, leisurely, bubble bath instead of a quick shower.
She needed to see if she could somehow wash off the feel of his body against hers. But she also knew that all the hot water and lufa in the world may not do that. She could still feel him…still smell him next to her. Disgusted with her run away hormones, she quickly did her hair and make up and was fully clothed when Woody reappeared with sausage biscuits and hot coffee.
And no mention of the night before.
Which she thought was odd. They had never slept together before. She assumed he would at least joke about their first escapade being in a heart-shaped bed and both of them did nothing but sleep.
Not a word.
The work day passed quickly and by three they had wrapped up everything they needed to do in North Carolina. Jordan anticipated a flight out this evening. "I guess we need to go back to the hotel and pack?" she questioned Woody.
Who just leaned back in his chair and grinned. "Why fly out tonight…we've been here an entire day and other than the burger joint, we've seen nothing…let's stay the evening, do a little sight seeing and leave tomorrow afternoon…better yet, Sunday afternoon. After all, it is Friday. No one really needs us until Monday."
"Sunday afternoon?" Woody was messing with her mind now…she anticipated a red-eye flight out at the latest.
"Yeah…Sunday afternoon. That way we can spend as much time as we want out tonight, enjoy the beach, and not have to half kill ourselves making an early morning flight." He flashed his dimples again.
"Are you sure?"
"Sure I'm sure…" Jordan looked at him dubiously. "No…I really am," he continued… "Mike has told me about several different places that sound really neat…and there's a ghost tour…and I know how you ME's get into ghost tours…" He got up and headed out the door. "Come on, Cavanaugh. Lighten up. Let's spend some time together…"
Time together…that sounds…well…nice, she thought as she quickly followed after him, not sure what kind of dance Woody was leading her on this time, but was willing to try. This was the most light hearted she had seen him in a long time…he was almost like the young, naïve, Wisconsin native that had showed up at the bank heist four years ago.
"What do you want to do?" she asked, once they had checked out of the sheriff's office and were heading downtown.
"Mike made a few suggestions…everything here is close together so we can walk. Do you want to go back to the hotel and change first?"
Jordan nodded and Woody hailed a taxi. Then the thought hit her. "Where has Mike been all day? Other than this morning when he brought us to the office, I haven't seen him."
"He told me he had some errands to run," Woody said, chuckling under his breath.
Jordan changed at the hotel and met Woody down stairs. He had still made no mention of last night…indeed, it seemed it had completely slipped his mind. So she went along with it. Evidently sleeping next to each other in skimpy clothing didn't qualify for comment.
She wondered somewhat irritably what would. And then the thought ringed through her mind, if she did know what would cause him to remember the night before, would she be willing to do it? She tried to push the thought from her mind…but it still whispered to her as they headed out to do some sight seeing.
"Let's see," Woody said, pulling out some brochures and trying to pick out the sights that would hold both of their interests as well as give them the most time alone. "There's the light house…some antique shops…you hungry yet?"
Jordan shook her head. "No…not yet. The light house sounds interesting…"
Woody paused and took in her outfit. Typical beach attire…short denim skirt and short-sleeved white blouse….that dipped a little lower in front than she normally wore. Her hair was pulled up loosely in a clip with small tendrils escaping around her ears and on the back of her neck. "Sure you're up to all the steps? There's no elevator to the top."
Jordan nodded and grinned. "I run six miles three times a week, Farm Boy. I'm up to anything…" Her mouth crooked up at one corner. "How about you?"
Woody thought he detected just a slight daring note in her voice. "Oh, I'm good," he said, silkily.
Yeah, I just bet you are…she thought, then pulled herself up short. What the hell am I thinking…this heart-shaped bed and Magic Finger Massage room….the Porn Fest is getting to me. She shook her head, but took his hand when he offered it. She also didn't protest when he pulled her just a bit closer than he needed to, much less think about pulling away.
They toured the light house…and visited the local shops…the ones out of the beaten tourist path. Jordan couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so much with Woody…or the last time she had seen him so relaxed….not since months before the sniper shooting….maybe even longer than that. Her breath caught once again at the blueness of his eyes…the way his dimples showed when he grinned…the way the corners of his eyes crinkled up when he really smiled.
It hit her, then. This was the real Woody. The man she fell in love with.
Her breath caught at the realization as he led her into a tavern for a late dinner and drinks. He did most of the talking over the meal, she just watched him and kept feeling the walls around her heart slip more and more until finally they were simply gone. "Hey, you okay?" he asked. "You've gotten all quiet on me…and you've barely touched your food. Is anything wrong?"
"No….no …I guess I'm just not as hungry as I thought…"
"We can get a to go box to take back to the room."
She nodded. The room. That bed. His boxers. She swallowed hard.
"Dance with me, Jordan?"
His statement startled her out of her reflection as he held out his hand. She put her hand in his and felt the strength of his fingers as they curled around hers. For a moment she wondered just how those fingers would feel on the rest of her body. Damn, that room is really getting to me, she thought, inwardly frowning…until she felt him pull her the rest of the way into his arms and one hand lightly settle on her lower back. The full body contact drove out any further thoughts of his fingers…at least for a while.
The music was a slow oldie…Woody gently took her around the small dance floor, keeping her pulled close so they wouldn't bump into the other dancers. His scent, coupled with his aftershave were working a spell on her senses…she tried to snap out of it…trying to think of something sarcastic to say about the other dancers…but the words died on her lips when she looked in his eyes. So when he pulled her still closer so that her head rested on his shoulder, she didn't stop him. She merely closed her eyes and let herself be taken in by the music, the mood, and the feel of him under her cheek.
Woody had noticed the change in her as the evening had gone on. He had cursed both of their works schedules more than once when they were in Boston. The hours he worked, coupled with the hours she had to put in, made it nearly impossible for either of them to maintain a friendship, much less pursue a relationship. Then add in everything that both of them had endured over the past couple of years and it was a wonder they were even talking to each other…
It seemed to him that all it took was a little time solely dedicated to each other for both of their defenses to go down and their real feelings to bubble up to the surface.
He hoped he was right….or tonight could permanently end any chance he had with reconciling with Jordan. He glanced down at her face, her head still resting on his shoulder, her eyes closed. She seemed content…
He would try to make her even more content before the night was over. He pulled her even closer and her eyes slowly opened as the music came to a halt. "You ready to blow this joint?" he asked.
Reluctantly she pulled away, immediately missing the feel of his body next to hers. "If you are.." she agreed.
"I am…" Woody paid their bill and led her to the door, gently putting an arm around her waist as they walked back to the hotel. Surreptitiously glancing at his watch, he noted that Mike should have come and gone with what was needed…Now was the time. He tugged Jordan into a dark side street before they got back to their room.
"What are you…." She got no further as she felt the gentle touch of his fingers on her face…and then the shock of his lips against hers.
His lips were just as gentle as his fingers were…brushing against hers chastely…hesitantly, letting Jordan know that Woody was waiting on her to deepen the kiss…
Which she did….nearly without thinking. She unconsciously knew she had wanted this since last night…the fact that nearly twenty-four hours had passed did nothing to diminish that want…in fact, it had increased the desire. She opened her mouth and began to explore his hungrily.
And felt him return the favor. When she finally moaned against his lips, Woody pulled back, taking in her smudged gloss and soft lips…glazed eyes…. "I think that maybe now is a good time to head back…" he whispered. "before things get too out of hand…"
"Out of hand?" she repeated.
He grinned at her. "Yeah…out of hand here…there's no privacy." He led her to the hotel and up the stairs.
"Privacy?" She parroted back
"Privacy. Jordan, are you okay?" She seemed to be having a hard time understanding where this conversation was going.
"Fine…we need privacy?" She meant it as a question. He took it as a statement.
"Yeah…we do…For what I want to do to you…Us…privacy is a vital issue." He slowly directed her down the hall to their room.
"Really….And what exactly are you going to do to me?" she asked, pausing to look up in his eyes…which were shining with affection….and mischief….
"Make love to you…I thought you knew that's where this was heading…especially after last night and this evening," he whispered in her ear.
She had to admit. She hoped it would. She just wasn't sure…. "Oh," she began, and then felt as though all the air had been sucked out of her lungs when Woody swung the door to their room open.
The heart-shaped bed was still there….only this time it was draped in some kind of gauzy material…and the room was washed in the light of a dozen or more candles. And in the dim light of the candle glow, Jordan recognized a bowl of fresh strawberries and whipped cream beside the bed…and a stack of quarters by the Magic Fingers Massage slot.
"My God. I have been dropped into the middle of a porn fest," she joked as she turned to look at Woody.
"Not porn fest…love nest," he corrected as he put the chain on the door and flipped over the 'Do Not Disturb' sign. "Come here, Jordan."
