The Gentlewoman (32 page)

“What d’ya say, Dad? I told Rory maybe you two can give me
that little brother I always wanted to kick around.”

Jackson threw his head back and laughed. “Is that so? You’ll
be leaving us for college after next year. You won’t be here to kick anybody
around.”

Rory sat cemented in place, her rising blood pressure
roaring in her ears. She looked from Jackson to Ryan, their smiles and laughter
filling her with panic. She didn’t hear their words but watched their mouths
move as she tried to keep control of her anxiety.

He was talking to her. “Baby, are you okay? Rory?”

She jerked back to reality. “I’m fine… I’m sorry. My head
just really seems to be pounding all of a sudden. I think I’ll go to the
restroom.”

Jackson let her out of the booth and turned to her. “You
okay?” He cupped her chin.

“Yeah, I’ll be right back.” She smiled meekly.

The minute she closed the stall door she bent over,
breathing hard and fighting to hold back the tears. Her arms went around her
stomach. “No…no,” she told herself. She could feel the vomit rising and fought
to keep fifty dollars’ worth of lobster down. The feel of shame and the fact
that she was totally undeserving of a future with Jackson swirled in her head.
What the hell had she been thinking? She couldn’t do this. He deserved so much
better.

She tried to gather herself. She had to fucking get it
together and get through the rest of this evening. She got control of her
breathing and tried to look normal as she walked back to the booth. Jackson was
laughing at something his son said and stopped. His face grew concerned when he
saw her.

“Are you ready to go?” he said as she approached the table.

“Any time you are,” she answered in a hoarse voice.

They said good night to Ryan and as soon as he closed the
car door, Jackson turned to her. “What’s the matter?” She could see the worry
in his eyes.

They were sitting in his ex-wife’s driveway. She really
didn’t want to get into it here. “I’m okay. Can we go back to your house?”

He put the car in reverse and accelerated hard. “You’re not
okay, and I want to know what the problem is. You came out of that bathroom
whiter than a ghost. Are you sick?”

“I’ll be okay.”

He didn’t say another word until they entered the house and
he followed her closely back to his bedroom.

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

She sat on the bed and looked up at him. “Jackson…” Words
failed her and the tears escaped from her eyes. He went down on his knees in
front of her, taking her hands.

“What is it? Don’t make me ask again. You’re scaring me.”

She looked at him, chin quivering. “I can’t marry you. I’m
not good enough for you.”

Jackson blanched and grabbed her by the shoulders. “What the
hell are you talking about?”

She sobbed through her words. “I can’t give you children…
You deserve somebody better, not somebody like me who has no life to look
forward to and nothing to give you. You deserve so much better.”

He looked at her for a moment. His eyes closed as he shook
his head.

“I’m so sorry, Rory. I should have known that the mention of
us having kids would upset you. But stop this bullshit. You’re plenty good
enough. If anything I’m not good enough for you.”

She looked up at him incredulously. “Jackson, you are the
most generous-spirited, loving, understanding man. And you deserve the best
wife.”

“And that would be you. My heart can’t live without you,” he
pleaded, squeezing her hands and searching her eyes.

She looked at him, tears oozing. “Do you want more children,
Jackson?”

He took a deep breath. “When I married Lauren I wanted lots
of children. But now, I don’t know. I’m older, and I’ve been unattached for ten
fucking years. It’s not something that I’ve thought about in a long time.”

He took her chin in his hand and peered into her eyes. “But
I want you. I can’t live without you, Rory. I want you as my wife. Nobody else
will do.”

She started to cry again and Jackson rose onto the bed,
pulling her to lie beside him. He engulfed her in his arms. They lay silently
after her crying eased.

He broke the silence. “I want you to marry me. What can I do
to convince you?”

Rory felt Jackson’s hard pectorals through his sweater. She
stared at the ceiling.

She finally broke the silence. “After I woke up in the
hospital, my life was gone.” Jackson remained still and she continued in a
quiet voice. “I never knew why I woke up. I’ve never been able to really
understand why I didn’t die. My mom and dad died. My child died. And it seemed
like it was a mistake, that I was supposed to have died too. They told me the
only reason I didn’t was because he left the knife in me.” She felt Jackson’s
body jump in reaction and looked up at him. “Sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. I want to hear what you have to say. Please
tell me.”

She settled on his chest again and continued after several
more minutes.

“They told me I was bleeding out, but it went more slowly
because the knife was still in me. But they had to remove my uterus and one
ovary. They were mutilated. I also had the broken wrist, ribs and teeth,
concussion, and ruptured eye. I was a mess. But all I could do was wonder why I
was still alive, like it was some mistake. After a while I got better and went
back to work. But I always felt like I had no right to be walking the earth.”

“Do you still feel that way?”

“No.” She moved back on the pillow and looked into his eyes.
“Since I met you, I felt like I could live again.”

“That’s right; you can. And I want you to marry me and build
a future together with me.”

“I can’t have kids. And when Ryan asked about a baby brother
tonight, it took me right back to that feeling like I had no right to walk the
earth.”

He gathered her in his arms again. “Baby, I don’t know that
I want more kids. Even if I did, there’s more ways than one to accomplish that.
But, Rory, kids have nothing to do with why I want to marry you.”

“Why do you want to marry me?” she whispered.

He stared at her. After a moment he lifted up on his elbow
and placed his hand on her stomach. “Because from the first time I saw you, I
felt like I had found my home. After years of searching, I felt like I finally
found it. And I never want to be without it again.”

The next morning, Rory dressed for a workout and slipped
into the kitchen while Jackson was in the shower. She was hungry and
dehydrated. She grabbed a bottle of water and put bread in the toaster. She
thought about the night before as she sipped the water. He had made such sweet
love to her. Afterward she lay awake for hours, remembering the words he had
spoken.
The first time I saw you, I felt like I found my home
. She felt
the same way, had even said as much to Nicole and Devon.

She buttered the toast and sat on one of the bar stools. She
looked around the house. She felt comfortable here, felt comfortable everywhere
she was with Jackson. He had changed her, given her life back to her and showed
her it was okay to live it. She shook her head as she took another bite. How
stupid she could be.

Jackson emerged wearing jeans and another sweater, a blue
one that matched his eyes perfectly.

“Here, sit,” she demanded, pulling the stool out. “I’ll make
your breakfast.”

Jackson’s eyebrows shot to the ceiling. “Really? What are we
having?”

“Toast.”

“Toast?”

“That’s right, baby. One thing you’re going to have to know
if we’re getting married, I don’t cook.” She punched the lever down on the
toaster and stood with her hands on her hips.

“I pretty much guessed that.” He eyed her carefully, a half
smile on his face. “Are we getting married?”

She smiled at him. “Oh yeah, we’re getting married,” she
stated emphatically.

“Really?” he breathed. She watched as his chest pumped in
excitement. “That’s a yes?”

“That’s a yes.”

Jackson rushed her and swept her up in a tight hug. She
giggled as he squeezed her and kissed up and down her neck, finally planting a
hard one on her lips.

“I’m so happy. You make me so happy.” He lifted her, her
legs going around him as he walked over to the couch in the great room. He
gazed down her body as he laid her back.

“You’ll be my wife forever,” he breathed.

Rory was stunned by his joy. “Yes, Jackson, forever.”

He plunged his tongue into her mouth, his hands caressing
down her body. He grabbed her sports bra, lifting it quickly over her head. He
grasped her breasts and sucked her nipples one by one into his mouth. He pulled
her shorts off in record time and reared back, undoing his jeans.

“I’ll have the sexiest wife,” he said as he plunged into
her. “Oh God,” he murmured, moving slowly in and out. “How you feel…”

He loomed over her, hooking his elbows under her knees. He
moved harder, making her grunt with every pounding thrust he delivered. He
pounded on and on, taking her to the brink of orgasm before releasing her legs
and demanding she wrap them around him. Once she did, he lunged into her again.
She shouted his name in release, and he followed, pressing into her and filling
her.

“God I love you,” he murmured into her neck, breathing hard.

“I love you too…husband.”

His head whipped up and he looked at her, a massive smile on
his face. “I love that,” he said, kissing her gently.

“I’ll be back as soon as I get her settled at home. She
wants to meet you so badly, but I don’t know if she’ll be up to it today.”

“It’s okay, I have plenty to do here.” She hugged and kissed
him again.

“I’ll be back before lunch.”

Rory settled at the kitchen table, enjoying the sunshine that
poured through the skylights. She worked for an hour or so, stopping often,
finding herself daydreaming of Jackson and the way he made love to her.

She would be his wife, she thought, a wide smile on her
face. She picked up her phone and texted Nicole and Devon three words:
I
said yes!
She enjoyed the texts she received back, their surprised replies
of congratulations.

As she headed to the exercise room for her daily run, the
doorbell sounded. Before she could reach it, the back door opened and Ryan filed
in, followed by several more teenage boys than yesterday. She wondered if there
was some kind of radar that made them show up when she was half-dressed. Ryan
didn’t seem to notice as he came down the hall with a big smile and waving
paperwork. His friends, however, were stuck in place, mouths hanging open,
tracking an eyeful.

“Hi, Rory! I was hoping to catch you alone! I brought the
sign-ups for the Follies! We have to have this in today.” He went on, his
enthusiasm so endearing. She found she couldn’t deny him. He made the new
introductions and they moved into the kitchen to look at the paperwork. She was
happy to take his suggestions on what events she should participate in.

After fifteen minutes huddling over the counter together,
Rory was signed up for the short snowshoe race and the Noodle Man. They decided
the others were either full up, fully competitive or in the case of the
yodeling event, as Ryan said, too stupid. Rory also drew the line at any event
that involved chainsaws and logs in a frozen river. She also shied away from
the baking and crafts, knowing her limited skill set there.

“You’ll need a costume for the Noodle Man,” one boy said
from behind her. She turned and saw his eyes rise from her ass.

“Ryan, can you get me a costume? I want to surprise your
dad. Let’s not tell him about any of this.”

“I’m on it.”

“All right, guys, better get going. I don’t want Jackson
coming back and catching you here. It’ll ruin the surprise.” She walked them
toward the back door.

Ryan stopped beside her. “You’re fun, Rory. I’m glad you’re
here.” He hugged her tightly.

She hugged him back, caught somewhat off guard. “I’m glad to
be here with you, Ryan.”

She watched them leave. As she was closing the door, she
heard the one who had been checking out her ass.

“Damn, Ryan, you lucky son of a bitch. She’s as hot as Tim
said.”

Rory closed the door and burst out laughing.

Jackson took her to lunch and shopping. She wanted a new
dress to wear to his parents’ house the next night. Jackson’s mother had needed
to rest, so Rory would meet her and the rest of the family at the parents
“estate” at a Saturday evening dinner party after the conclusion of the
Follies. It sounded a little intimidating, and she figured a new dress would
give her some much needed courage. The entire family was in town for the annual
event. Rory got the impression that a few had decided to make an appearance at
the last minute. Maybe because Jackson had a fiancée in tow.

They were spending their Friday evening with Ryan. Jackson
had the nerve to ask Rory if she minded going to Ryan’s basketball game and
taking him out to dinner again. She did him one better when she insisted that
Ryan invite all his friends back to the house for a pizza party after the game.
Jackson had hugged her and looked at her as if she were the most amazing
creature on earth. He never let go of her hand during the whole game.

He was very enthusiastic to introduce her around at the
school. Apparently everybody who had attended the expensive private school sent
their own kids there. He introduced her to people he’d known since childhood,
and she enjoyed listening to their stories.

They invited the parents as well as all Ryan’s groupies to
the pizza party. Jackson had served as bartender and had been very animated,
remembering old football games with his friends. Rory felt so at peace and
happy surrounded by Jackson’s life.

She was excited that she got to meet the pretty Bella. Ryan
had good taste in girls, and his father’s flirtatiousness was amusing to watch.
The teenage boys were all horn dogs and she caught them looking at, or talking
to, her boobs and ass often. Jackson shrugged it off, saying he couldn’t blame
them.

She had met Jackson’s ex-wife at the basketball game. Thin,
blue-eyed, blonde Lauren had very coolly shaken her hand and congratulated them
on their engagement. Rory got the distinct impression that Lauren was a woman
who was living a life of regret after losing the best thing that had ever
happened to her. She wondered at what point she had realized that screwing around
was nothing compared to Jackson Dorn. Oh well, she’d had her shot. Now Jackson
was Rory’s man and she intended to make him very fucking happy forever. There
would be no regrets for her.

The girls and parents left around midnight and the boys all
headed upstairs to crash. Jackson and Rory cleaned up the kitchen together.

“You’re amazing. Thank you for hosting Ryan’s friends. I
told him it was your idea.” He gathered her in his arms.

“I heard you telling everybody it was my idea.” She laughed,
running her hand through his dark hair.

“I know. It’s just so…nice of you. It’s like we’re a
family.”

She touched her forehead to his. “We are a family.” She felt
the wash of emotions flood over her as she realized she had been searching for
this all her life.

“Come to the bedroom. I want to make love to you.”

“The boys.” She looked toward the stairs.

“They won’t bother us. Although you better keep your
screaming under control.” He laughed as he danced her toward the bedroom.

Rory stroked Jackson’s nose with her finger. He grumbled and
pushed his face into her neck.

“Wake up, sleepyhead,” she whispered into his ear.

He rolled back and looked at her. “What time is it?” he
asked, blinking and turning toward the clock.

“Six a.m.”

Jackson snuggled closer. “Go back to sleep, it’s Saturday.”

“No, we have to get up!” She hefted his body away from hers.
“We have the Dorn Foundation Frozen Follies today!”

“We can put in an appearance later,” he mumbled. She climbed
on top and straddled him, rubbing herself slowly up and down his morning wood.
“Ohhhh.”

She leaned forward and whispered seductively in his ear. “We
have to get up now, love.”

“I am up. Don’t you feel it?”

“Mmmmm, I do. But I don’t want to be late for my events,”
she murmured, stroking him with her entrance.

His eyes shot open. “Events? What did you do?”

She laughed. “Ask your son.”

He held her waist and quickly inserted himself, thrusting
slowly. “You bad girl, I should spank you.” He ground his hips into her,
enjoying her sharp inhale.

Her eyes closed as she rode him. “Yes, you should, I’ve been
so bad.”

They made it into the kitchen by seven thirty to find a
large gang.

“Bella brought you some things you’ll need,” Ryan announced.
He eyed his father. “And then I have some other things for you for later.” He
winked and Rory knew it was her costume for the snowmobile race. Bella showed
her everything she had brought, which included heavy boots, full snowsuit and
snowshoes.

“Wow, thanks! You guys thought of everything!” Rory was
bright and cheerful this morning. She had always loved competition of any sort,
and this seemed fun. She was also basking in the glow and comfort that was
family.

“Are there trophies? I love trophies!” She smiled and
Jackson laughed into his coffee cup.

“Oh, there’re trophies. What exactly have you signed her up
for?” he asked his son.

Ryan looked to Rory. “Can I tell him?”

“Oh sure.” Rory smiled while Jackson rolled his eyes. His
patience with the Follies ran thin after thirty or so years, he had told her.
But he was smiling and indulgent, overjoyed at Rory and Ryan’s friendship.

“She’s doing the short snowshoe and the Noodle Man,” Ryan
reported proudly.

Jackson looked at Rory. “Have you ever been in snowshoes?”

“No. But I’m a fast learner. And I’m athletic!”

“Have you ever driven a snowmobile before?”

“Well, no. But Ryan said it’s really easy and the Noodle Man
is an easy trail.”

“I see.” He sipped his coffee, smacking his lips and
smiling.

“What?”

“Oh nothing. You’re going to do great. You are very
athletic. And that’s a good thing because you’re about to find out there’s a
big difference between what a Down Easter considers an easy trail, compared to
everybody else in the world.”

In fact, there was a big difference between what a “Down
Easter”, as the Mainers called themselves, considered a short snowshoe race as
well. The route they laid out for the event was one mile. It sounded easy until
Jackson and Ryan strapped the snowshoes on Rory’s feet and expected her to
start walking.

They were on Mackworth Island, a beautiful place in Casco
Bay, just off from the coast of Falmouth and Portland. Rory smiled and breathed
in the cold air, looking up at the blue sky. There was a large gathering on the
snow-covered field of spectators and people involved in the Follies. The media
were also there. Rory noticed, as she stumbled and got her feet tangled, that
the media homed in on her and Jackson. Of course the announcements about their
engagement had spurred them on, which was the goal.

Jackson and Ryan gave her advice right up until the starting
line, and then stood back and watched. She narrowed her eyes on the path in
front of her.

When the gunshot sounded, Rory took off. She concentrated
hard on putting one foot in front of the other. She thought she was doing
really well until she looked up to see the other snowshoers passing her. She
pumped her legs as hard as she could to catch up.

She stumbled a lot and fell forward twice, catching herself
on her insulated hands before going down completely. The ski poles they had
given her seemed to make it harder, but she kept going. The crowd cheered and
clapped, which at least made her feel better. The media were lined up along the
path, which was straight across the field and curved into the forest before
returning to the starting line.

As she came to the entrance of the forest, she was well
behind everybody else. The competitor in her was making a play to gain ground.
As she speeded up, she didn’t notice the deep depression in the path that sent
her rolling, ass in the air, face first into a deep snowbank.