Forever's Embrace (Forever In Luck Series Book 2) (4 page)

“Off
the sled, Jake, I wanna take it out.” Jules heard Nik say.

But
Jake didn’t move. He continued sitting on the snowmobile, while looking at Nik
and saying nothing.

“Jake,
let me use the Cat,” Nik said forcefully.

Jake
didn’t move, just sat there looking at Nik.

“Come
on Jake, don’t be an ass,” Nik continued, his voice becoming sharp and edgy.

Jake
didn’t budge.

“Get
off the sled before I pound the piss out of you,” Nik threatened.

Jake
didn’t flinch, just sat there staring Nik down.

Jules,
on the other hand, was looking to skedaddle back into the house. No way did she
want to be around for this. She didn’t want to ride the snowmobile anymore.
They were going to get in a fight, and she’d just figured out it was over her.
As she began to turn for the house, she felt Linnie take her arm and hold her
there.

“Linnie,”
she said desperately, hating to look back to the situation at hand.

Nik
was staring Jake down aggressively, all red and angry, while Jake sat back,
seemingly unaffected by the showdown. Then suddenly Jake shot to his feet, as
Nik made a move towards him.

“Oh,
I get it,” Nik said angrily. “You’re an f-ing asshole, you know that. You’re
lucky I don’t beat the shit out of you, here and now, for cutting in on me.”
Then he turned and stomped off.

Jules
felt horrible. This was terrible. Not only did this happen, but she’d just
realized the plan was for her to ride with Jake. She was so dumb about all this
stuff that she’d stupidly assumed she’d be riding with Linnie. She began to
blink rapidly as she fought back tears. With her heart pounding and her brain
in a panic, she couldn’t help but think she’d created problems between Nik and
Jake. Reluctantly, she moved closer to the snowmobiles because Linnie had hold
of her arm and was literally dragging her in that direction.

When
she got there, Jake patted the seat in front of him, and she froze. No way! He
could
not
mean for her to drive that
thing, could he? There was no way. Suddenly, something happened that’d never
happened before, she became really angry with Linnie. Why had she done this to
her? Why? Looking over, she saw Linnie seated in front of Nate, looking
contrite. They were all watching her. The ground could’ve opened up at that
very moment and swallowed her whole, and that would’ve been fine by her.

Looking
away and staring down the drive, she wished she was back in Chicago. She felt
Jake take her hand and gently pull on her arm. Closing her eyes, she tried hard
not to cry, and let him pull her down. The other snowmobile started and headed
out. Opening her eyes and looking away, everything was blurry, and her heart
beat rapidly. She was in an all-out panic, and she couldn’t breathe. From the
point of pure desperation, she pleaded, “Jake, I, I…” her voice caught, and her
words stuttered. She began to visibly tremble.

“Shhhhhhh,”
he said softly, as he gently put his arm around her, touching her, soothing
her. “It’s okay,” he whispered. “I’ve got you. No worries. I know you’ve never
driven before, and it’s okay. We’ll take this slow, and we’ll go at your pace.”

Well,
if that was the case then, they wouldn’t do this at all! She felt a tear escape
and quickly looked down. He removed a glove and gently wiped it away.

“Try
not to cry,” he said softly. “It’ll be okay, you’re safe. I promise. Here, let
me show you what to do. Turn forward and I’ll show you. I’ll help you. I
promise.”

Listening,
she faced forward.

He
took turns pointing, “Brake, gas, start, feet here.”

Then
grabbing a helmet, he helped her put it on. Turning the key, he started the
snowmobile for her, then put on his own helmet. Moving in close behind her, he
took her hands and stretched in an effort to help guide her.

“Put
your hands here, and steer it like a bicycle, while giving it some gas,” he
instructed.

Hesitating,
she looked to him.

He
nodded in encouragement, and she did as he said.

Soon,
they began to move.

*****

Worried.
Jake had been really worried. He thought for sure Jules was going to bolt when
it came time to ride the snowmobile, and it broke his heart when she began to
cry. He was proud of her though. She’d faced her fear, and did what he asked
her to do. They’d traveled a snail’s pace the whole time, and fortunately the
snow conditions were such that the snowmobile still moved along in the lower
gears. Once they caught up with Linnie and Nate, they stopped at the gas
station to get something warm to drink. While Linnie was a coffee hound, Jules
drink of choice was hot cocoa. It just seemed to fit her to a tee.

Riding
along behind her, snuggled up close, about drove him mad. He didn’t know what
she had on, but she had this deep spicy fragrance about her. It wasn’t floral,
and he felt like he’d smelled it before, but he couldn’t place it. Woodsy?
Earthy? Whatever it was, he liked it, and the thought of it combined with the
taste of hot cocoa made his head spin a bit. Kissing her would be an experience
for sure. She’d taste good, he thought. There was no doubt about it.

On
their way back home, she didn’t want to drive, so he sat in front and explained
to her how they’d be going faster, and how one leans to the side when turning,
and so on. After, he took her hands and wrapped them around him, telling her to
hang on tight. Then, they flew. At one point, as they traveled a straight
stretch on the Gandy Dancer Trail, he felt her rest her head on his back, and
loved it. He couldn’t explain it, but he wanted her there, leaning on him,
resting on him. Fortunately, once they returned to the farm, she was all
smiles, and despite the rocky start, in the end, he felt certain she’d enjoyed
herself.

The
Thanksgiving meal proved to be another challenge for them both. Kris had
managed to corral Jules into sitting next to him in Jake’s chair, then
proceeded to dish her up. Jake watched her jump, as Kris slapped a spoonful of
mashed potatoes on her plate with a splat, and then saw her trying to wipe
fruit salad off her shirt when it went flying. She gasped, and tried to
intervene without success, when Kris poured a generous portion of gravy over
the majority of her plate, and because he’d put so much food on it, the gravy
oozed over the sides.

Jake
had to keep his smile to himself though. The problem with Kris was taking care
of itself. He knew Jules was in an all out panic, because when he’d dished her
up, she’d been very particular with her food, moving it around her plate,
keeping it from touching, and she’d eaten only a minute amount. What was on her
plate right now, was probably equivalent to what she’d eat in a week. Well,
he’d take care of it. Jake Chivalrous Albrecht to the rescue. Gotta love it, he
thought, this was working out nicely for him.

As
was tradition, his father said a Thanksgiving prayer before eating, and Jake
was ready. While all heads were bowed, he quietly switched his plate of food
with hers. He’d been careful when dishing it up, taking the smallest of
quantities, then working hard to keep it all apart. He nearly laughed aloud
when he heard her gasp upon opening her eyes. He imagined she had prayed for a
miracle, and ta-daaa, it’d been answered.

Looking
around the table, he caught Kris glaring at him. He wasn’t intimidated though,
he took the challenge and held that stare. He knew Jules was aware of the
tension, but if anyone else was, he wasn’t sure, until his father told everyone
to start eating. Kris looked away first, despite being extremely pissed, and
Jake wasn’t sure it was completely over between the two of them, but he’d cross
that bridge when he came to it. Jules looked to him with tears in her eyes, and
he nodded for her to start eating as he patted her on the knee. Her hand
trembled as she reached for her fork.

His
moment of triumph came during dessert, as he sat on the couch with Nate. Kris,
on the other hand, sat alone on the loveseat. Naturally, Linnie would sit next
to Nate, so Jules had her pick, the roomier spot next to Kris, or the tighter
fit between him and Linnie. She chose him, and as she scooched in between them,
he sat forward making room, gulping down his pumpkin pie quickly, so he could
get next to her real fast. He could smell that scent of hers stronger than
ever, and it tantalized him. Hell, he felt like he could taste it.

Once
done, he slowly sat back, and as she tried to move over, he scooted in, placing
an arm behind her along the back of the couch. She had nowhere to go, but
closer to him. She was almost in his arms, and it took all his reserves to keep
from pulling her in closer, while holding her in a loving embrace.

When
Kris looked over and scowled at them, she looked down, and Jake took the
opportunity to run his thumb back and forth over the curve of her shoulder in
acknowledgement of her discomfort. Turning, she looked at him, and still he
kept rubbing her shoulder, all the while gazing upon her with tenderness. She
lowered her stare to his shoulder, and then to his chest, before taking a deep
breath and letting out on a long sigh as she turned back to the TV. He’d have
given his left nut to know what she’d been thinking just then. He really hoped
it was in his favor.

It
wasn’t until after midnight that the house was quiet. Jake lay on the couch
thinking of it all, while staring at the dying embers of the fire they’d built
earlier. He and Jules hadn’t talked much, but they’d spent the majority of the
holiday together. It’d been a long trying day at times, but overall, he felt
like Superman. Honestly, he’d never worked so hard for a woman. Heck, he’d
never worked for a woman at all. They generally came to him, and if he liked
the girl, they’d go on a few dates, but that was about it.

The
cold slowly crept in as the fire died, and he realized for the first time that
it’d become quite cold outside. Getting up, he went to look out the window. It
was a clear night, windy though, with a quarter moon high in the sky, and minus
ten on the temperature gauge. No excuses being made, he knew his room in the
basement would be cold, and if logic stood, if it would be cold to him, it
would be freezing to her.

Now
what? Did he dare get an extra blanket and take it to her? Would it ruin
everything he’d been working for? Would he frighten her? Would she come and ask
for an extra blanket? He shook his head. He knew the answer to that one.
Running a hand through his hair, he took a deep breath and blew it out, then
growled in frustration. Shit, what to do, what should I do? There was no way he
could lay there knowing she was freezing. Then he remembered what she’d said.

“I was shivering
so much so, my teeth chattered…I thought maybe he’d offer me his coat or
something, but he didn’t…he let me freeze to death.”

Here
goes something, or nothing, he thought.

“Make her feel
cared for…feather the nest a little.”

Walking
downstairs, he headed for the laundry room.

CHAPTER
3

Jules
was freezing. She was tempted to go looking for an extra blanket, but wasn’t
sure where to look. She wondered if the snowsuit she’d worn earlier in the day
was dry. Getting up, she dashed over to her suitcase, pulled out her sweatshirt
and sweatpants, and put them on over her pajamas, then a sweater, and another
pair of socks, followed by a pair of mittens. Grabbing her coat, she ran back
and hopped into bed, spreading the coat over her the best she could. Her teeth
chattered and she was covered with goose bumps.

What
was that? She heard a noise. Someone was downstairs.

She
huddled under the covers and tried to be quiet. A door opened and closed, then the
snap of a button being pushed. Whoever it was, they were in the laundry room,
because the dryer just went on. Listening intently, time went on. She didn’t
think they’d left, but she couldn’t be sure. Then after about ten minutes, the
dryer stopped. Whoever it was, flipped the light off with a click, then was in
the hall outside her door. She heard a little knock, and then the door began to
open slowly. She looked up in a panic.

“Shhh,
it’s just me,” Jake said in a whisper. “It’s gotten cold out, and I figured
you’d be freezing, and I can see I was right. I brought you a heavier blanket.”

She
looked up, and could barely make him out from the dim light coming in through
the window. He removed the coat from her legs, and began to spread the warmed
blanket over her. Oh, did that ever feel wonderful. She reached to pull up the
covers, and he chuckled when he saw her mittens. He took them from her when she
removed them, then helped her as she shook off her sweater.

Settling
back into bed, she felt like she should say something but didn’t know what. Her
heart was pounding so fast. He’d been so kind and attentive, and if she had to
describe the way she was feeling right now, it would be cared for. She hadn’t
felt this way since long before Nana died.

“Jake,
I…I…” she looked away.

He
knelt by the bed and pulled the blanket up around her shoulders, then brought a
hand up and gently cupped her face, while softly caressing her cheek with his
thumb. She felt him staring at her, and yet it was so dark, she knew he couldn’t
see much. His touch helped to soothe her panic. Reaching up, she placed her
hand over his. It was warm, and strong, and feeling his strength gave her
courage. “Thank you, Jake…for being kind…for helping me.”

Her
eyelids fluttered and closed, as she felt him lean forward and place a tender
kiss on her head.

“Go
to sleep,” he said, his voice low and deep. “I’ll see you in the morning.” Then
he got up and left, shutting the door behind him.

She
didn’t know what to think of him. He wasn’t like other men, or at least he
didn’t treat her like other men had. He didn’t seem to be in a rush, he took
his time, was reserved, attentive, thoughtful, and very, very gentle. There was
no doubt he was in total control, and she was quite certain very little escaped
him. All this was comforting for so many reasons, but mostly, because of the
confidence he showed when doing them, leading her to believe that these traits
were genuine, inherent within the fabric of the man named Jake.

This
stuff was all new and foreign to her, but somehow, someway, she felt like she
could truly trust him. What would that be like? To trust a man, to count on
him? To have him be there when you needed him? Her heart started to beat, and
she fantasized.

He
was dashing with his short, dark brown hair combed up and off to the side, and
he had the warmest, light brown eyes she’d ever seen. His face was square and
angular, his features well defined, and he had a straight nose, perfectly
proportioned to his face. He had laugh lines that bracketed sensuous lips, and
for the most part, he always had a five o’clock shadow. She smiled, thinking
about him. He wasn’t the largest of his brothers, but he was a nice size,
probably close to six feet, with plenty of strong, hard muscle. Lean and
brawny. Was that possible? More like strapping. Yeah, that’s what he was,
strapping.

Turning
on her side, she snuggled under the warm blankets, and put her nose to his
pillow. She loved his scent. Okay, so maybe her subconscious had been trying to
tell her something yesterday. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she kind of
liked him, and well, given enough time, she could see herself falling in love
with him.

Oooh,
now that she admitted it, her mind spun. What would it feel like to kiss him?
To have him kiss her? Sheesh, she was acting like a teenage girl. Then she
giggled. Even so, she still wanted to put her head on his shoulder and snuggle
up with him. Another giggle, with a smile from ear to ear. She shook her head
at her silliness.

By
all accounts he was an Adonis, and could have any woman he wanted, so why would
he ever want her? But still, what would it have been like if he hadn’t left
just now? She felt herself blush. She didn’t know what it made her, but deep
down inside, she wished he had stayed just a little bit longer.

*****

It
was the big day. Linnie and Jules spent most of it at Bella’s Salon and Day Spa
in Luck, being pampered and waited on. They each had a massage, before having
their hair and makeup done. From there, they headed to the church to make their
final preparations. Standing outside the sanctuary, Jules waited. The day had
been a blur, and other than a glance or a smile here and there, she hadn’t seen
Jake since last night when the four of them had gone to a movie.

Butterflies,
she thought. She had butterflies in her stomach from knowing that in a few
moments, she’d be walking down the aisle and Jake would be there, standing next
to Nate, waiting and watching. Last night, when she’d become chilled during the
movie and went to put her jacket on, he lifted the armrest between them and
helped her, before pulling her against him and putting his arm around her. She
sure didn’t put up a fuss. If she’d had it her way, she’d have crawled onto his
lap and snuggled up with him. Except this time, she’d have put her arms around
him and touched some of those muscles of his.

An
effervescent giggle bubbled up from inside her, and she looked around to be
sure no one had heard it. She was in a church for heaven’s sake. She could hear
Nana in her head,
you’re dancing around
the maypole, moppet
. Well, she rationalized, he had been warm, and she had
been cold, and Linnie did say her brothers would look after her and take her
under their wing. So there, she thought, tying it up with a bow and smiling to
herself, then almost started giggling again. Oh Nana, I miss you.

Looking
over her shoulder, she smiled at Linnie. She was beautiful in her dress and
very, very happy. Jules couldn’t help but hope that one day that’d be her.
Hearing her cue, she turned towards the sanctuary and made her way down the
aisle.

There
he was, standing amidst the hazy light of dozens and dozens of lit candles. He
was ever so handsome, dapper in his finery, and she blushed at her musings of
the previous night. She neared the front of the church, taking her place and
turning to watch Linnie. This was all so beautiful, quaint, private, and she’d
never imagined in her wildest dreams that a wedding could be like this. On
television it was always this huge crazy affair, or in some office in front of
a judge. She’d never been to a wedding, and she couldn’t help but think this
was the most perfect one. It wasn’t even her day, and still, she felt like a
princess.

Watching
as Linnie and her father came down the aisle, Jules felt her heart squeeze and
tears come to her eyes, as a father passed his only daughter’s hand to another.
She could only imagine what it must feel like to be Linnie right now. To be
loved and cared for by special men, men you could trust, a father, brothers,
and now a husband, how…wonderful.

Turning
to the minister, she watched and listened as Linnie and Nate exchanged their
vows. At one point she looked to Jake. He was watching her. The realization had
her heart beating rapidly, as her breathing increased, and she felt a loosening
warmth spread through her, contradicting the tightening ache she felt within.
She couldn’t help but wonder if this feeling, this clash of emotion, was what
some called desire. She thought it might be, and the thought that she was
wanton made her flush and look away.

It
wasn’t until later in the evening, at the wedding reception held at Paradise
Landing, that Jake sought her out. He was waiting for her as she exited the
powder room.

“Hey,”
he said, flicking his head and staring down at her with that special grin of
his.

Feeling
her insides tighten at the sound of his voice, she looked down and answered
shyly, “Hi.”

“You
look beautiful. You know that, right?”

With
her cheeks turning pink, she looked up at him, then said softly, “I do now.” His
eyes were so warm, and she loved his eyes.

“Come
with me,” he urged. “Linnie wants a specialty drink from the bar, and I want to
check on some scores from today’s games.”

Guiding
her in that direction, a small frisson of energy coursed through her when he
touched the small of her back. This was one fancy place she thought, as he
helped her onto the tall chair at the counter. The bartender immediately
arrived to take their order.

“Yeah,
I’ll take a beer and she’ll have…” They both looked at her.

She
didn’t know. What does one drink when at an affair like this?

“Might
I suggest a glass of white wine for the lady,” the bartender offered.

Relieved,
she answered, “Yes, a glass of white wine would be nice, thank you.”

“You’re
not much of a drinker are you?” Jake asked, as he swiveled his chair to face
her.

She
shook her head as she turned her chair a little in his direction. “No, not so
much so.”

“Well,
one thing I can say, is that you know football,” he offered, by way of a
compliment. “You called the winners of all three games on Thanksgiving.”

She
smiled as she played with a napkin. The bartender brought their drinks and she
took a sip. Not bad, she thought, as she took another sip.

“Who’s
your favorite team?” he asked, stretching out his leg till the two of them were
touching.

“The
Chicago Bears,” she said, looking at him, overwhelmed by the feel of his leg
against hers. He smelled decadent, and she wanted to crawl on his lap more than
ever. Oh dear St. Lucia, help me, he’s wearing that scent I like! Her heart
rate picked up. She turned and took another sip of her wine.

“The
Bears, huh? Do you have a particular favorite?”

She
had to fight back a smile. She didn’t know what had just come over her, but she
was going to have a little fun with him. She turned and answered, “Mmmhmm,
definitely. All of them.”

He
choked on his beer as he swallowed. “Is that so?” he responded, clearing his
throat and grinning. “You like all of them? The whole team?”

He
was laughing at her, and she knew it. She was being silly. Nodding innocently,
she tried not to laugh, then took another sip of her wine as she batted her
lashes at him.

“Yeah,
I don’t know if they’re such a good team this year. They’re a little rough,
could be better. Now the Packer’s, they’ve got a pretty good team this year,”
he boasted.

Had
he lost his mind? They were better than they were last year, but not as good as
the Bears this year. “Ahhh, no they don’t,” she said, confidently shaking her
head in total disagreement.

“You
don’t think so?” he queried, lifting an eyebrow and giving her that sexy grin
of his.

Mmmm,
he was a hottie, she thought, as she took another sip of her wine. “Nope, not
by a long shot,” she answered, feeling smug.

He
smiled big. “Care to make a friendly wager on it then? The two play against
each other on New Year’s Eve?”

Interesting,
she thought, then took another sip of her wine. Whew, she’d sipped half of it
away, and it was making her a teeny bit warm. Feeling brave, she batted her
lashes at him and went for it. “What would be the wager?”

“Packer’s
win and you come back and spend a week with me over Valentine’s Day. Bear’s win
and I’ll have the finest bottle of white wine out there delivered to you.”

Nooooooo!
Dang it! The Packer’s were going to lose! Shoot! Still, she was thrilled he wanted
to spend some time with her. Maybe she’d come back anyways, make the excuse she
wanted to see Linnie. She looked away, trying not to be disappointed,
pretending to be thinking about it.

“Unless
of course, you’re worried the Bear’s are going to lose, because we both know
the Packer’s have a better team this year.”

Yeah,
right, she almost snorted. Looking back at him, she said, “Okay, Jake, you’re
on, but be ready to send that bottle of wine. I’m finding I really like white
wine.”

“Okay,
let’s make it official then, lets shake on it,” he said.

That’s
it? Shake on it? Wouldn’t a kiss be more official? Lordy, lordy, she needed to
slow down with the wine. Next thing you know, she’d be dancing on the bar,
belting out show tunes and doing the can-can. Smiling, she held out her hand.