When Sparks Fly (83 page)

“You have to trust me, Grant. I want this to work, too. I wish I could be as impulsive as you, but I’m not really wired that way. But it doesn’t mean that I don’t want the same end result as you. I have never met anyone like you, Cary Grant, and there is nothing I want more than to run away with you. It will happen. I promise. I’m not letting you go. I’m just trying to clear a path to you with a little less debris on it. Okay?”

I don’t answer her, just slide my free hand to the back of her neck and draw her lips to mine. Moving slowly with her, I tease her lips apart with my tongue, deepening the kiss. She lets out a little sigh that nearly drops me to my knees. God, I will never get tired of that beautiful sound.

Things are happening so fast. I know I should slow down, not jump into this relationship without checking my chute first. But my heart is racing. This woman is soothing my soul, making me feel things I’ve never felt before. She is saying all the things I have said to women in the past. Things I always initiated, but were rarely reciprocated.

It’s overwhelming and wonderful and I am so fucking scared of letting her go and never feeling this again.

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Chapter Four

Jordyn

We sit in the airport waiting for my flight to board. There is no way I’m going to let anything distract me. Every once in a while, a tear rolls down my cheek and Grant wipes it away. We kiss. A lot. Hold each other close. And talk about how we can make this work. How busy we will be until we can see each other again. And convince each other – but not ourselves – that it’s not going to be the most horrendous separation ever.

The gate attendant’s voice comes over the speaker, announcing that the flight will begin boarding. All of my friends make their way to the door leading down to the jet. I don’t move. I can’t.

When the gate area is empty and nearly everyone is on board, I slowly trudge toward the door. The gate attendant takes my ticket as Grant wraps his arms around me one last time. His lips are against my ear.

“Call me when you get in.”

I nod, a sob stuck in my throat. He lifts my hand to his lips. Then turns and walks away.

My heart is ripping apart. My stomach drops and there is a hollow, empty feeling in my chest. I can’t do this. I can’t leave him.

“Grant!”. He turns and my heart squeezes in my chest. Tears rim his lower eyelids. He walks back to me, gathers me in his arms, and the sob in my chest breaks free. I bury my face in his neck, determined to never let him go.

“Ma’am,” a soft voice says behind me. “We’re getting ready to close the door to the plane. We need you to board immediately so we can take off.”

I pull back enough to look into Grant’s eyes. He smiles and nods.

“It’s okay, Jordyn. Take care of what you need to, and then come to me.”

“Two weeks,” I manage to get out, holding up two fingers.

He presses them to his lips. “Two weeks.”

I turn and walk onto the plane without looking back. I can’t. I know I won’t be strong enough to break away from him a third time. And there are things that I have to take care of at home. People that need to be dealt with so that I can be free.

Free to be with Grant.

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Chapter One

Jordyn

July

It takes me all of thirty seconds when I get off the plane to call Grant, leaving a message for him to call me as soon as he can.

I know this is all crazy, far beyond what a rational person would find realistic. But I also know that I have never felt anything close to what Grant made me feel in the three days I was with him.

I’m back at my apartment and unpacking, and I have left four more messages for him, three of them explaining what I plan to do to him the next time I see him. Not surprisingly, he calls me when he gets back to his place and we have some pretty intense phone sex until the wee hours of the morning.

My first week back at work has only been bearable because of my daily emails, text messages, and nightly phone calls with Grant. It’s going to be a month before I can see him, but I’m flying down to Virginia Beach on a Thursday and spending an entire week with him before he goes to sea for a week of work ups prior to deploying.

My father and brother are not happy I’ve asked for time off. It has less to do with me taking a vacation, and more that it is with a man other than Jeremy.

Grant and I are talking while I drive over to my parents for Sunday dinner. I’m enthralled by his daily jet flight. My heart races with pride every time I hear him talk about his job. He is so passionate about his role in protecting this country. I envy him, amazed by his dedication.

I turn my convertible BMW into the circular drive in front of my family’s stately home, and my eyes are instantly drawn to another car.

“Dammit,” I mutter.

“What’s wrong?” Grant asks.

“Jeremy’s here.”

“Why?” His voice is low and clipped.

“I have no idea. My parents must’ve invited him.” My blood is boiling, but I’m more concerned about what Grant is thinking. I know he still struggles with why my family insists on my marrying Jeremy.

“I thought you said you told them about us?”

“I did, but that doesn’t mean they listened, Grant. My family thinks they know what’s best for me.”

“And that’s not me…” He sighs heavily into the phone.

“It has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them. This is what they decided will happen. Jeremy has a thriving optical clinic in town. His family is rich. They have the right zip code and all the proper yacht, golf, and tennis club memberships.”

I open the car door and swing my legs out. “That’s what they want from me. To ensure they maintain their place among the rich and undeserving of Northern California.”

“And what you want doesn’t matter?” There is a hint of disbelief and disgust in his voice.

“Never has – never will.” I walk up the steps to the two-story front door, stopping just outside to take a deep breath and prepare myself for the night ahead. I’m growing weary of these weekly dinners and my family’s inability to stay the hell out of my life.

“It matters to me, Grant. You matter to me. Jeremy and my family can’t touch us. I won’t let them.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“Handle this once and for all.” I walk into the foyer with its imported Italian travertine floor and sweeping circular staircase. Voices are coming from the sitting room on the other side of it. “Hey, babe, let me go in and take care of this nonsense. I’ll call you as soon as I get back to my place. Bye, baby.”

I click end, dropping the phone in my purse. Hands encircle my waist from behind and lips press against my hair.

“I haven’t seen that smile in a while,” Jeremy murmurs against the back of my head.

The hairs on my arms prickle and stand on end. A sickening feeling hits my stomach. I push his hands from my waist and whirl around, taking a few steps back, distancing myself from him.

“That’s because you didn’t put it there. What are you doing here, Jeremy?”

He steps beside me, guiding me to the sitting room. “Your parents invited me. I guess they feel bad I was unable to spend the Fourth of July with the family at the lake when you decided to run off to Tahoe and sleep with other men.”

I want to slug him, and I would’ve except that we’re standing just inside the living room and have caught my mother’s eye.

“Oh, look at you two – just made for each other. It’s so nice to see things back to the way they were.” Her eyes swing over to mine. “The way they’re supposed to be.”

I step away from Jeremy and head for the bar. Jeremy sighs behind me. “Ah, unfortunately, Faith, your lovely daughter has not taken me back yet. But I am ever hopeful.”

Ass-kisser
. He knows how to play my mother. She gets all swoony around him. I’m pretty sure she only wants us to marry so he’ll flirt with her.

“Well, she would be a fool to let you get away, Jeremy.”

I turn around, scotch in hand, and stare at the scene unfolding in front of me.

Jeremy kisses my mother’s cheek. “You are too kind, Faith. But Jordyn has moved on and found another beau.”

Tightness grips my chest. “I’m standing right here – so you can stop talking about me as if I’m not.” I hate that they are carrying on like I’m a child and unable to understand what they’re saying about me.

My father chuckles. “Now, now, Jordyn, no need to get offended. It’s all in good fun.” He joins me, refreshing his glass of scotch, leaning close and lowering his voice so only I can hear. “But your mother is correct. You would be a damn fool to let Jeremy get away.”

Amelia, the family’s housekeeper for years, announces dinner and my father walks away before I can respond. His arm drapes across Jeremy’s shoulder, giving him a hearty pat as they make their way to the dining room. “So, how is your practice doing, Jeremy?”

My mother helps my sister-in-law, Beth, encourage her two young children to the table. My brother, Eddie, glances at me, and for a split-second I think he might actually offer me words of encouragement. But he drops his gaze and shakes his head, as he has done so many times in the past. He’s so ingrained in my parents deeply held convictions that he’ll never see my side of things.

Of course, he’s done the right thing. Met a woman from a wealthy family, married her, and had two spoiled spawn. What did love have to with it? It certainly hadn’t affected his decision. He did what was right for the family.

While I continue to buck the system.

I down my scotch, refilling my glass three quarters full. I’m sure to be admonished by my father regarding the proper amount of scotch in a glass, so I drink a good portion of it before I enter the dining room and take my seat. If I’m going to have to endure a family dinner, a nice buzz is probably the best way to go.

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