Mad About You (boxed set of beloved romances) Page 33

  To that he could surely attest. Had a single day passed since their divorce when he hadn't thought of her at least once?

  "Hey, beautiful."

  She started and her eyes snapped open. "Oh." She put a hand to her chest. "Bailey, you scared me to death."

  "Ginny," he said gravely, "you scared me to death."

  When she realized he was serious, she frowned. "What?"

  "When we were married," he said slowly, "you turned so serious and so responsible overnight, I was scared."

  "Bailey, we were having a baby—"

  He put a finger to her lips to stop her. "I know. You should have been serious and responsible, but I should have been too, and I wasn't. I was scared because I didn't want to change."

  Her eyes misted and she breathed heavily for a few seconds, holding his gaze. "And now?"

  "And now," he said hoarsely, leaning over her, "I'm strong enough to change." He lowered his mouth to hers, a feathery, airy kiss. He sampled the tastes and textures of her mouth slowly, with no driving need, no immediacy, no straining. Just an unhurried, thorough exploration of her plump, memorable mouth. She moaned and offered up the velvety tip of her tongue for his to dance with.

  A loud splash broke the silence, startling both of them. He jerked his head around. Chad was gone!

  "Help!" he heard him call from the water, followed by the sounds of thrashing arms and legs.

  Ginny was instantly on her feet. "He went under!"

  Bailey stood and ran to the water’s edge and made a shallow dive. He got a handful of the boy’s trunks and yanked him to the surface. Chad lunged for his neck, wrapping his strong little arms and legs around Bailey's body, nearly dragging him beneath the water as well. Bailey swallowed a mouthful of water, coughed, then shifted Chad's back to his own chest and slowly swam back to the bank.

  Ginny half dragged Chad from the water. He appeared shaken, coughing violently. "Are you okay?" she gasped, bent over him, clutching his hand to her heart.

  "Yeah," he murmured, struggling to sit up. "I'm okay."

  Still gasping for his own breath, Bailey watched as Ginny's expression changed in a split second. "How dare you sneak off—I told you to wear your life jacket! I'm not strong enough to pull you from the water. If Bailey hadn't been here—" She burst into tears.

  Bailey pulled her away from Chad, up and into his arms. "Shh," he said, rubbing her back. "It's okay."

  But Chad had recovered enough to stand, and his defenses were up. "I didn't sneak off! If you two hadn't been rolling around—"

  "That's enough." Bailey held up a finger in warning. He turned his attention back to Ginny, who cried silently in his arms. "Let's go home," he whispered, stroking her hair.

  After a few seconds she nodded, sniffing mightily and swiping at her cheeks.

  He looked at Chad. "Start packing things up."

  The late afternoon sun was unforgivingly hot, bearing down on Bailey's sudden headache. They walked back to Shenoway in near silence. Conscious of the warring emotions between Chad and Ginny, Bailey knew it was up to him to make reparations. "How about going to see a movie?"

  Chad looked suspicious. "Which one?"

  Bailey shrugged. "I'm sure we can find one we all agree on."

  Chad looked sideways at Ginny, then back to him. "I doubt it."

  "Oh, come on," Bailey urged. "Popcorn, nachos—"

  "Hot dogs, chocolate-covered peanuts," Chad finished, his eyes lighting up.

  Ginny laughed softly, and they both looked at her. "I've never seen two people so preoccupied with food."

  Bailey grinned, glad to see her sense of humor returning. "How about it?"

  "Sounds good to me," she said.

  "Me too," Chad chorused.

  Two hours later they were walking into the theater to see the summer's biggest action thriller. They juggled seats for a couple of minutes until Chad finally settled happily between them. Bailey strongly suspected the seating arrangement was his son's attempt to keep them apart. It was becoming clearer to him that Chad was trying to squeeze Ginny out of the picture. No wonder she was having such a hard time with him at home.

  Bailey looked over at Chad and pursed his lips. He was planning to take Ginny to the meadow the following day and tell her about the house. He hoped she would see how much he wanted them all to be together. Then he would have to have a talk with his son.

  * * *

  Chad's little separation scheme hadn't gone unnoticed by Virginia. She looked over at her son and shook her head. He wanted Bailey all to himself, and she was his only competition. Chad had made it clear he didn't like to see them kissing, which surprised her a little. If he were so eager to live with Bailey, one would think he'd be matchmaking instead of trying to keep them apart.

  She shuddered when she thought of the swimming incident. She felt sure he'd jumped in on purpose to break up their kiss, not realizing how dangerous the stunt could be. Then he'd been quick to induce guilt by implying they were too wrapped up in each other to keep an eye on him. Virginia bit her bottom lip. The worst part was the knowledge that he might have drowned if not for Bailey—a sobering fact that once again stirred her own doubts about being able to take care of her son.

  Perhaps rekindling her relationship with Bailey would be the answer to their problems. If they remarried, Chad could live with Bailey, which would make the two of them happy, and she could share her son's development as well. She was optimistic enough to think that someday she would be able to have a good relationship with Chad, but she knew the chances of that were slim if she remained the single obstacle between him living with his father.

  And, she had to admit, a future with Bailey was not entirely unappealing. His confession to her today had gone a long way in repairing the holes in her confidence about his level of commitment. Perhaps he was driven in part by his desire to be with Chad, but if he truly loved her—

  She looked over at her ex-husband and he winked at her.

  The lights lowered and the movie started rolling, beginning with a spectacular explosion, then jumping from scene to dramatic scene. Every brief kissing scene was accompanied by Chad's loud "Yuck!" followed by a pointed glance in Virginia's direction. Chad's hostility toward her seemed to be growing every day.

  The drive home was a little more relaxed, the afternoon's incident fading with distance. Virginia's thoughts turned to her decision to allow, even foster, the relationship growing between her and Bailey. She wasn't sure where it was going, but she felt good about its prospects. If she was going to give it her best shot, she'd have to do more than just abandon her previous plan to be the one who appears to care the least—she'd have to make herself vulnerable to him again, a notion that shook her to the core.

  "We're still going horseback riding tomorrow, aren't we?" Chad asked Bailey.

  "Uh-huh. I want to show you more of the farm."

  "Great!"

  "It's straight to bed when you get to the house, so you won't be tired tomorrow," Bailey added.

  Chad sighed. "Okay."

  Panic bolted through Virginia as a thought occurred to her. She knew Bailey well enough to realize that coming to her bed would be a likely move—perhaps the reason he'd put her things in "their" room to begin with. Had he planned all along to seduce her that night? The idea partly annoyed, partly thrilled her. Her nipples pebbled with anticipation. If he came, she knew she would let him stay.

  At the house she felt virginally tense while she made sure Chad had everything he needed before she closed his bedroom door. Bailey stood in the hall when she turned around.

  "Will he be all right?" he asked unnecessarily.

  "I think so," she said softly.

  "Will you?" he asked, his eyes smoldering, "You had quite a scare today."

  Virginia swallowed. "I'll be fine." After many seconds of gazing into his eyes, she nervously pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I guess I'd better turn in." She turned to go. "Good night."

  "I certainly hope so," she h
eard him murmur, leaving her certain he would make an appearance before morning.

  Her hands shook as she undressed and showered quickly in the bathroom, but she couldn't be sure how much of her nervousness was due to memories resurrected by the room and how much was due to Bailey's impending visit. She tried to calm herself afterward by massaging perfumed lotion into her skin, using long, soothing strokes. The sole nightgown she'd brought was papery white cotton, short and adorned with ribbon roses where the thin straps met the smocked bodice. Despite its near transparency, it suddenly looked very girlish to her. She slipped on sheer white panties, then pulled the gown over her head and switched off the light. After toweling her hair dry in the semidarkness, she sat on the edge of the bed, brushing fullness into her fine-textured hair, gazing out the splendid window at the moonlit view.

  Thirty minutes passed, then forty-five, and she was beginning to think she'd misinterpreted their exchange, when a faint knock sounded at the door. Her heart jumped to her throat, and she stood with her back to the window. Her voice didn't work, but she didn't have to answer because the knob turned and the door opened.

  Bailey paused in the doorway, wearing white boxers, his hand on the doorknob. She inhaled deeply, then realized her body was completely silhouetted to him by the light of the window.

  "Ginny?" he ventured to say, his voice hoarse.

  "Bailey."

  "I thought you'd be in bed by now."

  She slid her tongue over her lips. "I was waiting for you."

  He stood motionless for a few seconds, then stepped inside the room and closed the door noiselessly behind him. She waited for him at the window, holding her breath.

  Inches from her, he stopped. "You look like a dream, standing in the moonlight," he whispered.

  She exhaled. "But I'm not a dream. Touch me, Bailey."

  With a deep groan he pulled her to him in a hungry kiss. His arousal was already hard against her belly. He cupped her bottom and squeezed her against him, then slid his hands beneath her gown and caressed the back of her waist, her spine, her shoulder blades.

  Fire spread through her limbs, and she weakened under his seeking hands. She moaned into his mouth and ran her palms over his muscled back, reveling in the smoothness of his skin. He smelled of soap and talc, his hair curled damp against his neck. She buried her fingers in its softness, pressing his mouth harder against hers.

  He dragged his mouth away with a moan, then picked her up and laid her on the bed. Before he joined her, he stripped off his boxers, his erection and muscled behind outlined to her briefly. She gasped when he rolled in next to her, scooping her up to hold her in an iron embrace.

  "Ginny," he whispered, "I thought I'd never get to make love to you again."

  He began kissing her ear, then moved to her neck, then lower, teasing a nipple through the thin fabric of her gown. His tongue left a trail of fire, causing her muscles to dance and her body to moisten itself in preparation for him. Lifting the sheer garment out of his way, he fell upon her breasts, greedily kissing and sucking, the electric barbs paralyzing her with pleasure.

  He eased down her panties, moaning as his fingers encountered her wet anticipation. Virginia's knees rose at his explosive invasion, clenching around his fingers, urging him deeper. Using his thumb, he massaged her most sensitive spot, moving his fingers inside her in unison. The waves began to build, and she rode them, moaning his name. "Bailey, oh, Bailey… "

  At the crest, she bit down on his shoulder, remembering with sudden clarity how quickly he could bring her to climax. He brought her back down gently, slowly. She groaned in utter satisfaction.

  He grinned and whispered, "Like riding a bicycle."

  She laughed, swinging at him playfully.

  His arousal branded her thigh, hot and unyielding. She reached to encircle him with her hands, rousing a sharp gasp from his open mouth. Moistening him with her own wetness, she stroked him slowly, the way she knew he liked it, then began to move under him, with him, as if he were already inside her.

  His head went back, a look of rapture on his face. "Ginny," he whispered, "you know just what to do to make me crazy." He lowered his mouth to draw on her breast, and she arched into him, her thighs sliding against each other, slick with satisfaction and growing need. Bailey moved lower still, kissing her abdomen and navel, nipping at the outer edges of her private mound, licking her thighs. Suddenly his tongue probed her womanhood, and Virginia gasped, throwing her head back. For several vaulting moments he made love to her with his mouth as she writhed under him, then once again carried her past the brink of ecstasy.

  He slid back up to kiss her mouth, his lips tasting of her musk. "I can't hold out much longer," he gasped, "I want you too much."

  "I'm not protected," she warned him.

  Then he laughed. And she laughed.

  "Which is what got us in trouble in the first place," he said. "But this time," he added with a quick, tender kiss, "I planned ahead." From out of nowhere appeared a condom, which he broke open quickly and unrolled on his erection.

  He went to her swiftly, kissing her deeply as he probed her entrance. She was more than ready for him. His breath was ragged. "I have to have you now," he said, taking a deep breath, then plunging inside.

  Virginia's body convulsed when he entered her. He filled her completely, physically and emotionally. She wrapped her legs around his body and clenched her inner muscles, letting him ride her as slowly as he wished. She threw her arms over her head, her fingers wrapping around the metal bars of the headboard to allow her more leverage to move under him.

  Bailey was a vocal lover; she knew which of her movements he found the most pleasurable by listening to his moans. Arching to meet his thrusts, she followed his pace from sensual to urgent to frantic until he shuddered on top of her, moaning low and long with each spasm. Bailey's breath was ragged and shallow, his sighs satisfied. Their rhythm slowed to a lazy grind, then stilled.

  She lay beneath him, his weight comforting and warm. She had come full circle... back to Bailey's arms, where she'd always belonged.

  Chapter Thirteen

  "JUST RELAX," Virginia said to Chad. "Horses can sense when you're afraid."

  "I'm not afraid," he scoffed, but his eyes told a different story. "Am I doing it right, Bailey?" he asked, pointedly ignoring Virginia's attempt to instruct him.

  Before he stepped in, Bailey looked to Virginia with a raised eyebrow. She nodded for him to go ahead, and slowed her horse to fall in behind Bailey's and Chad's mounts.

  She yawned, then winced when her horse shifted, the saddle rubbing against too-tender skin. A not-so-marvelous reminder of Bailey's marvelous night of lovemaking. Predawn, he'd slipped from her room to prevent any awkward hallway encounters with Chad.

  Strange, but despite the passionate night they'd shared, she felt irritable this morning—headachy, short-tempered—nothing that could even be remotely called afterglow. As the morning wore on, the more she replayed last night's script, the more she suspected her unease was due to the fact that not once had Bailey mentioned the word love. Or marriage. Or commitment.

  "Hey, Ginny," he called, interrupting her thoughts.

  "Yeah?"

  He stopped his horse until she caught up. "Let's ride over to the meadow."

  She swallowed. Not really in the mood for more unsettling memories, she stalled. "The meadow? Hasn't someone built a house there?"

  "Just getting ready to," he said. "The footers were poured Friday."

  The knowledge saddened her beyond belief. She couldn't imagine anyone else living in their meadow, overlooking their pond. But if it didn't bother Bailey, she supposed she couldn't get too upset about it. "Sure, why not?"

  She knew the way by heart, but followed a few paces behind so she could be alone with her reactions. Since they rode slowly for Chad's benefit, it took several minutes to climb the gentle rise that leveled and gave way to the north meadow.

  Her heart sank. It was more beautiful than ever—mo
re lush, more inviting, more stirring. The pond was about the size of a football field, opaque green in the center, brown around the muddy banks, edged with giant sunflowers, cattails, and thistle.

  On the back of the property, a framing semicircle of trees had matured and would provide the family and their home with valuable shade. She squinted and spotted the wide strip of land that had been staked off, saw the concrete corners that were the beginnings of the foundation. She felt as if something had just slipped through her fingers and out of reach.

  "What do you think, Ginny?" Bailey asked.

  She stared out over the meadow, her throat tight. "The owner is lucky to have this place."

  "Yeah, well, I'm just a lucky guy."

  She jerked around to look at him, amazed. "You?"

  "Yeah, me, a homeowner, imagine that." His eyes crinkled with pleasure.

  "Wow," Chad said, his voice and eyes excited. "Will it be a big house?"

  Virginia could see the wheels turning in his head, and she felt a flash of panic. Of course he'd want to live there with Bailey.

  "Big enough," Bailey said.

  Her stomach churned. "Th-that's great, Bailey." She forced a smile to her lips. "When will it be finished?"

  "If the weather cooperates, about three months."

  Her alarm increased. "That soon?"

  "Wow! I can't wait!" Chad said.

  "But with my new job, I may not be able to get out here during the day as much as I'd like to check on the progress."

  "What kind of house are you building?" she asked, her voice weak.

  He looked into her eyes, then said, "I'm sure you'd find the plans familiar."

  She dropped her gaze and pretended to be engrossed with adjusting her horse's halter. "Those old plans we ordered from a magazine?"