This one gets a little steamy...but nothing graphic. Hope you enjoy!
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Thanks for reading! PLEASE leave a review and let me know what you think of this story so far. Next chapter - THE WEDDING!
CHAPTER TWELVE
As time passed, I was finally able to put the uneasiness aside that had manifested from the conversation between Jack and me regarding moving on. I came to realize that he had been right to bring it up. We needed to know each other's wishes regarding the children, and I, of course, needed to hear him tell me to move on if anything ever happened to him. Maxwell had done the same, and though I initially tried to block it from my mind, I thought of that conversation often.
Two weeks after Jack told me about Alex wanting to call me Mom, the sweet girl approached me while I watched a show in the living room. Jack was at work, and Max was in the other room playing with Keesha. I muted the TV as Alex quietly sat beside me with her hands folded across her lap.
"Is everything alright?" I asked her and brushed the blonde hair from her face.
"Yeah." She nervously twisted the bottom of her T-shirt, straightened it, then twisted it again.
"What's wrong, Alex?"
She lifted her gaze to mine, and I could see the worry clouding her eyes. "I wanted to ask you something."
I turned sideways on the couch and gave her my complete attention.
"Um...Beth...um...I was wondering...um...if I...um...could call you Mom?"
I can't put into words the feeling that roared through my heart at that moment, but I grabbed that little girl, pulled her onto my lap, and wrapped her in the biggest hug I was capable of. "I would love that," I finally said with choked words. Because, as always, I was crying my eyes out. I moved Alex back and held her face with my hands, tears falling from her eyes as well as I told her I loved her.
Her voice cracked as she stammered to speak, but her words were clear as day. "I love you, too, Mom."
As I drew her back to me, something caught my eye, and I looked up to find Jack standing in the doorway, his cheeks wet and his hand over his mouth. I must say, it is quite a sight to see a man like Jack in full police uniform, bulletproof vest, gun and taser on his hips, with tears streaming down his face. My heart was overflowing as our little family began to meld together just a little more.
The actions of this adorable child sent me into motion on this next part. I had thought it over, then thought about it again, but I had finally come to a conclusion and felt at peace about it. Max and I had the necessary conversations, and he was the one that set me straight.
"I know you loved Dad, Mom, but he's not here. Jack is here, and I want him to be my father."
"Are you certain? If he adopts you, then your last name will be Thornton."
"But once you're married, so will yours. And if he doesn't adopt me, my name will be the only one in the house that's different."
"And that would bother you?"
"Yes. Aren't I part of this family?"
"Of course you are. I just want you to be certain that this is what you want."
"I want a father, and I want Jack to be my father."
I nodded and smiled at my son. "Then that's what you'll get."
...
"Jack," I called out from the sunroom.
"Yeah?"
"Can you come here, please?"
"Yep, one second."
I heard Max suck in a deep breath, and I squeezed his hand.
"What's up?" Jack asked when he joined us.
"Max wants to talk to you."
Jack sat across from my son, leaned forward, and rested his arms on his knees. "What do you want to talk about, Max-a-million?"
"Well, Mom told me that you wanted to adopt me."
Jack's eyes moved from Max to me, then back to Max. "That's right," he finally stated. "What do you think about that?"
"I want to be your son, and I want you to be my dad."
"Yeah? Really?" The smile on Jack's face made him look like a young boy on Christmas who had just opened a gift he'd always wanted.
"Yes," Max replied.
"I would like that very much," he replied. I could see tears welling up in his eyes as he held his arms out for Max. My son quickly moved into them, and they held each other momentarily.
Max leaned back and stared at Jack. "I kinda look like you anyway," he smiled.
"Yes, you do," Jack agreed. He ruffled Max's hair and added, "Same messy hair."
Max giggled, then a seriousness fell across his expression. "Can I call you Dad?"
"You can call me anything you want except Jackie. Don't call me Jackie," Jack said and pointed at Max.
This sent Max into his silly fits of laughter as he laid back into Jack's arms, arching his back, leaving his belly wide open for some tickling.
...
When school started back up, the kids reluctantly left 4½-month-old Keesha behind while they got on the bus. She was not happy about it either, but it didn't take her long to get accustomed to her new routine, and she would be waiting at the door for their return.
We were only three weeks from the wedding, and Jack was as excited as I was. He had been very involved with planning and decision-making, which was so helpful when I had gotten busy at work when three different jobs had tight deadlines simultaneously. I had an appointment with the bakery I couldn't make, and Jack stepped up and took care of it. He picked out all the tuxes, helped with the food options for catering, and assisted me with choosing all the music. We had decided to write our own vows, and he'd been much more willing to do so than I was initially. But when I saw how happy he was, I got on board and worked very diligently on mine. We kept them secret from one another, but I was certain I would cry when Jack read his.
I had taken a Friday off work to spend time on final preparations for the wedding and was sitting at the table with books and papers spread in front of me as I stared outside. It was Jack's scheduled day off that week, and he was out playing with Keesha. He threw a tennis ball as hard as he could across the width of the backyard, and the pup ran as fast as she could to retrieve it. They continued this for several minutes until Keesha let Jack know she was finished by sitting on his foot after he threw the ball once more. I could see he was talking to her and pointing, clearly trying to talk her into getting the ball, but she remained seated and stared up at him with her tongue hanging out. He placed his hands on his hips and shook his head, but the pup didn't budge. I was laughing at the sight as he passed by the sunroom to retrieve the ball, realizing that Keesha already had Jack well-trained.
By the time they came inside, I had straightened up my mess of books and papers into one orderly stack and stood in the kitchen with my second cup of coffee.
"I see she's got you trained well on retrieving that ball," I teased him. Keesha had run straight to her water dish and loudly lapped it.
"Yeah," he chuckled. "She most definitely does."
My back was against the counter, and Jack approached me, took the mug from my hands and set it down, then pressed his whole body against mine. As he cupped my face with his hands, he covered my lips with his in a tender yet passion-filled kiss. I know I've mentioned this repeatedly, but Jack had the most amazing lips ever, and he knew full well how to use them – if you know what I mean.
As his hands moved into my hair, his tongue slid along my lips, and his hips pressed into mine, revealing he was more than ready to go, we heard a whimper at our feet. Keeping his hands where they were, we both turned our heads and looked down into the pathetic eyes of Keesha.
"Can I help you?" Jack asked her.
Like most huskies, Keesha was very vocal and sang her answer.
"I just played with you for forty minutes, and it's time for me to play with Mommy now."
Keesha vocalized her objection to her lack of attention once more.
"Pup, you're awfully demanding."
Keesha barked as if she knew what Jack had just said and plopped down on her bottom with a thud.
"That's what you get for having multiple girls in your life," I teased. "You're not capable of juggling us all."
"Oh, Baby," he said as he pulled me in, "I can most definitely handle having all of you."
Another bark pulled Jack's attention away from me again as we looked down at the very persistent pup.
"Do you need to go outside?" Jack asked her.
Keesha jumped up and ran to the back door and stood with her nose at the frame, waiting for it to be opened.
"I guess she needs to go out again." Jack kissed the tip of my nose and started toward Keesha. "I'll be back to take care of you next," he said and winked as he looked over his shoulder.
I retrieved my small notebook tucked in the stack on the table and took it to my seat with a view of Jack and Keesha. I opened it to the vows I had written and rewritten at least three times, and I read through them once more, lacing a few more sentences here and there throughout them. After reading them one last time and completely satisfied with the results, I hurried to our room and hid the notebook in the secrecy of an old purse tucked away in the back of the closet.
By the time the kids got home from school, the final details of the wedding had been made. Jack's friend, who's a judge, was more than happy to perform the ceremony. Table settings and linens were finalized, the music list was sent to the DJ, and my last dress-fitting appointment was scheduled. I was getting way more excited for the wedding day than I had initially thought and couldn't wait for the day to arrive. I wanted to be Mrs. Jack Thornton more than anything.
...
I was sitting in the sunroom, lost in a good book when Jack came home late on a Saturday night after work. It was almost 1 a.m., and I had lost track of time. He must have seen the light from the lamp because he came straight to the room as soon as he was inside.
"You're up late."
"What are you doing home already?"
"It's almost 1."
"What?" I looked at the clock on the wall opposite me and was shocked at the time. "I had no idea it was this late."
"Must be a good book." He sat on the chair across from me, and the light fell across his face.
"What happened?" I asked as I jumped to my feet.
"What?" He lifted his hand to his face and touched the corner of his eye. "Oh. Is there a mark?"
"You have a black eye." I tenderly touched the red and purple skin, and Jack flinched.
"I guess he got me better than I thought."
"Who?"
"We were on a domestic abuse call, and I got in the middle of a man and who he was about to hit." Jack grinned in an attempt to add a note of levity.
I didn't see the humor in the situation and did not appreciate Jack trying to make light of it. "That's not funny."
"Beth, it's part of the job, and I'm just trying to let you know that I'm okay."
The way Jack looked at me disarmed me every time. It wasn't fair how he could do that, and it drove me crazy. But I couldn't stay mad at him, and he was clearly alright. I seriously need to get over my issues of him being a cop!
"Do you need some ice?"
"No. It's fine."
"Is the other person okay?"
"What other person?"
"Whoever was supposed to receive this blow," I said as I gently touched his cheek.
"Oh, yes. She's fine. She was taken to a shelter."
"He was hitting a woman?"
"Yes, his wife."
"How can men do that? And why do women stay?"
"I'm not sure, sweetie." Jack pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me. "The men are scum, and the women don't know anything else, I suppose."
"Thank you for being one of the great ones." I put my arm over his shoulder and pressed my face to his neck. I took a deep breath, inhaling the lingering scent of his cologne, and repeated this several times. Everything about this man turned me on. His eyes, his lips, his smell, his voice, his arms – I could keep going. He was like a drug to me, and I couldn't get enough. I never asked him, but I think I did the same to him. I hoped I did, anyway.
Jack laid his hand on the side of my face and tenderly brushed his thumb across my cheek. The late hour must have caught up with me because the next thing I knew, I woke up in his arms as he lowered me onto our bed. I grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him down until our lips met, and we wildly began kissing each other. Having just gotten off work, Jack was in full uniform, except for his bulletproof vest, and as he moved his body over me, his gun belt dug into my stomach.
"Sorry, Baby," he said and lifted his hips.
I eased my hands between us, unbuckled his belt, and pulled it off to the side. My hand lingered on the leather for a moment, then I flipped the pouch open and removed the contents, all while keeping my lips on his. Jack's hips were pressed into me again, and I swear, that man set fire to my loins with every movement. He rolled his body against mine, and the fire between my legs exploded and spread from head to toe. Good Lord! I finally pressed my hand to his chest and pushed him away. I forced him over and onto his back, and he went willingly with a smile. As I sat over his hips, straddling him, I held the handcuffs on my index finger and swung them back and forth. Jack looked at his gun belt, then my hand, and grinned.
"Aren't you a sly one? And what do you plan on doing with those?"
Without saying a word, I flipped one around Jack's right wrist, then pulled his arm up to the headboard and fastened the other end to the post.
"Beth, what are you doing?"
"Anything I want."
I slowly unbuttoned his shirt, pushed it open, revealing his magnificent chest, and then opened his black pants. His eyes were locked on mine, never breaking their gaze until I lowered my head toward his waist. I felt his hand on my shoulder, his fingers digging into my flesh as I gave him the kind of pleasure he often bestowed upon me. He moaned loudly, and I could hear the handcuffs rattle as he continuously tried to bring his arm down. His free hand gripped my arm several times, attempting to pull me up, but I was in control this time.
"Beth, if you don't stop..." Another moan cut him off midsentence, and his hand tightened on my shoulder again.
Finally stopping, I gripped the waistband of his pants and pulled them off as he lifted his hips. Once he was wearing nothing but his shirt spread open, I undressed, moved over him, and made love to him with the intensity that had still held on since the motorcycle accident. I loved him with my whole heart, and I knew Jack felt the same about me, and it seemed to continue to grow every day.
...
Rosie called me on a Wednesday, wanting to meet for lunch. I said yes, and at noon, I hurried in my car to the agreed-upon restaurant that was five blocks away. She was already at the table when I arrived and smiling ear to ear.
"What are you so happy about?" I asked as I took a seat.
"Nothing. It's just a beautiful day."
"Rosie, how long have I known you?"
"Um, seventeen years."
"Okay, so, what's up?"
"Lee," she giggled.
Giving her the side eye, I thought about her answer then my eyes widened. "Wait, what? You mean, you two?"
"What? Oh, no. That's not what I meant," she laughed. "That's sure what it sounded like, huh?"
"Um, yeah. So, what did you mean?"
"He called me after the barbeque, and we've been talking. We went out this past weekend."
"I thought you said you were done with men for a while."
"I know, and I thought I was. But Lee is so sweet and the polar opposite of Rhett in most ways. He's refreshing and considerate. We've talked for hours at a time."
"I'm so happy for you, Rosie. So, how did the date go? By the look on your face, I would guess it went very well."
"It did. He took me to Baroncini Ristorante, and we talked for two hours. He's quite amazing."
"That place is delicious, and yes, Lee seems like a great guy. Jack has definitely vouched for him. So, what's next for you two?"
"He's taking me to Chicago to see Aladdin the Broadway Musical this weekend."
"Oh, Rosie. You've always wanted to see a Broadway show."
"Yes, but Rhett didn't, so we never did. I mentioned to Lee once as we were talking on the phone one night that I had always wanted to go to one, and last weekend he surprised me with this trip."
"That's amazing. So, does this mean...," instead of finishing my sentence, I wiggled my eyebrows.
"What? Oh, no. He got us separate rooms at a hotel."
"And a gentleman," I added.
"Yes, he is."
I could see on her face that Rosemary was quite taken by Lee already. I was happy for her and hoped Lee could give her everything she'd been missing with Rhett. She shared more details of some of their conversations once our meal arrived and made plans to have lunch again next week so she could tell me about her weekend.
"Only two weeks till the wedding," Rosie said as we walked to our cars.
"I know. I'm starting to get nervous."
"Why? It's not like you don't know what will happen on your wedding night," she said as she nudged me with her shoulder.
"I know that." I had to laugh. "It's just the whole ceremony and vows and everything."
"Are you worried about your vows?"
"No, not really. I'm feeling good about them now. But reading them to Jack is a whole 'nother story."
"I understand that," she said as she opened her door. "You'll do just fine. If not, I'll have a hankie hidden in my dress or something," she grinned.
"Thanks, Rosie."
"Of course. I got your back, girl." She pointed at me before getting into her car.
I waited until she drove away before walking the half block to my car. Once inside, I quickly texted Jack with a simple "I love you" before returning to work.
...
I sat on the front porch waiting for Jack to get home one evening. The kids were in bed, Keesha was asleep at my feet, and he should have been home by now. He wasn't replying to my texts, and I was beginning to get worried. I glanced at my phone one more time, but nothing was there but the wallpaper photo of the four of us. I thought about turning the TV on but feared what I might see. Finally giving in, I lifted my phone, opened the app to the local news station, and searched for anything that might be keeping Jack. Nothing popped up, to my relief, and as I continued to search, a set of headlights pulled into the drive. I jumped to my feet, walked toward the garage, and waited as Jack parked.
"What are you doing out here, Beth?" he asked as he exited his Jeep.
I ran to him and jumped into his arms, getting jabbed in the gut by his gear in the process.
"What is going on?" he asked, holding me at arm's length.
"You're late and didn't answer your phone."
"My phone got smashed during a raid tonight. I'm sorry. I figured you were in bed, so I didn't use anyone else's to call you. I'm fine, Baby."
"I'm sorry. I couldn't sleep, and the house was so quiet. My mind goes wild then, you know that."
Jack placed his hands on my cheeks and brushed my skin with his thumbs. "I know," he said, showing me his soft, tender smile. "Let's go inside."
Keesha was jumping at our feet, and Jack petted her head before she ran to the door and waited.
"I guess we need to take you phone shopping tomorrow?" I asked him. Jack pulled his phone from his pocket and handed it to me. The screen was completely shattered, and the back case was cracked. "How did this happen?"
"Lee backed over it with his cruiser," he chuckled. "It must have fallen out of my pocket when I ran around his vehicle. I didn't even realize it until Lee pulled away, and I saw it lying on the ground. It's usually snapped in, but I had just used it and didn't get my pocket fastened because everything started happening so fast."
"I'm just glad you're home," I told him as I grabbed his arm and turned him toward me once we were inside.
"Me, too," he said, pushing me back against the wall. He swiftly unfastened his belt, carefully lowered it to the floor, and pressed his whole body against mine as he placed his hands on the wall on either side of my head. "Very, very glad to be home," he added before covering my lips with his.
I wasn't sure I could wait until we got to our room, and Jack must have sensed it because he took a step back, picked up his gun belt, and called Keesha to her kennel. By the time she was put up for the night, and Jack secured his gun in the safe, I was already in bed waiting for him.
I loved how active our sex life was, as I never felt like I could get enough of him. I know we were still in our 'honeymoon phase,' but as much as we enjoyed each other in every way, I couldn't see it letting up anytime soon.
...
It was time for my lunch date with Rosemary to hear how her weekend with Lee had gone. I tried to get information from her on the phone, but she was being tight-lipped for some reason. I beat her to the restaurant, found a table in a quiet corner, and waited. I had only been there for four minutes when she arrived, and she almost ran to greet me. I hadn't seen her this happy in...well...ever.
"I take it your weekend went well?" I asked as we sat down.
"It was amazing."
"Was the play good?"
"It was better than I'd ever expected. I'm hooked and want to see more. Lee even brought up taking a trip to New York to see one on Broadway."
"That's wonderful. That would be so much fun."
"We should do a couple's trip."
"I would love that. So, tell me about your weekend."
"Well, we drove over Friday night and didn't arrive until late, so we went to our rooms to sleep. Saturday morning, he drove me all over the city, and we took in as many sights as possible. The play was that evening, so we returned to our rooms to freshen up and changed into our evening attire."
"Did you wear that long black dress with the slit up to your thigh?"
"Yes, and Lee's jaw was on the floor when he saw me," she giggled.
"You look ridiculously amazing in that dress," I told her.
"Lee must have thought so, too," she grinned.
Wait a minute; I know that grin. "You two did it."
"What?"
"Your face. That's your 'I got some loving' face."
"I don't have a face."
"Did you get some lovin'?"
"Well, maybe," she grinned again.
"You have a face. How did it happen? Well, I know how it happened, but you know what I mean."
"He seemed to have a challenging time keeping his hand off my bare leg during the show. I don't think he even watched any of it. I could see him repeatedly start to move his hand toward my thigh, then stop and lay it back on his leg. Finally, near the end of the play, he didn't stop himself."
"And I assume you were good with that?" I asked, smiling.
"My heart just about beat right out of my chest."
"So, you went back to the hotel after that?"
"Yes, it was late, so we planned to go back anyway. But on the elevator ride up to the eleventh floor...," she stopped and eyed me.
"The elevator?"
"Well, we didn't do it in the elevator, but oh my God, Beth. You know those parts in the movies and shows we love, where the guy pushes the girl against the wall on the ride up, and they kiss like there's no tomorrow?"
"Like George and Izzy?"
"More like Derek and Meredith."
"Wow, yes," I stated, thinking of how Jack greeted me in the house the night before. It was as if our men were taking tips from Grey's Anatomy characters.
"He did that. Beth, he is the best kisser and most amazing, well, you know, I have ever had."
Now she knows how I felt about Jack. If Lee is anything like him, she will get her world rocked frequently. "I'm so happy for you. It's about time someone took care of you in the bedroom," I teased her.
"I didn't know it could be like that," she exclaimed, then covered her mouth, having said it too loudly.
"Jack had that effect on me, too," I replied quietly.
We laughed together as she shared more about their weekend getaway. Lee sounded like an amazing man, much like Jack, and I was so happy for Rosemary. He had treated her to several surprises both days and apparently treated her quite well in the bedroom. I had never seen her this excited about someone, not even Rhett when they'd first met. She was completely taken by Lee and stammered on like a giddy schoolgirl. I let her go on and on, much like when I'd first started dating Jack. We've been there for each other since we met and will be until the end.