Leanne Banks: Trouble in High Heels

Lori gasped. “So fast? Does this mean you want out? Does this mean-”

“Out,” he echoed. “Hell, no. I love you. I refuse to have the money issue between us.”

Shocked at his declaration, she gaped at him, her mouth moving, but no sound came out. “Did you-did you say you love me?”

“Yeah. Joke’s on me.” He gave a dry chuckle. “It scared the life out of me when Maria called to tell me you were out riding Lady looking for that kid.” He met her gaze. “The problem is I don’t want to stick to the original bargain. I want to be a real husband to you. I want you to be my real wife. You may not be up for that.”

Her heart pounded so hard she could hear it. She took his hands in hers and held on for dear life. “What if I am? What if I love you?”

He shifted their hands so that he enclosed hers in his. “Then we need to rewrite the rules,” he said. “We go public.”

“Yes,” she said.

“You sleep with me every night,” he said.

She smiled. “Yes.” She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them. “When did it happen? When did you start loving me?”

“The day I met you. I’ve been fighting it from the beginning. I wanted to believe you were a self-centered airhead heiress, but you’re nothing like that.” He lifted one of his hands to her cheek. “Look at you pulling off a rescue operation during a flood.”

“Yeah, well, hopefully I won’t be doing that again for a long time,” she said.

“You rode Lady all by yourself. How was it?”

“It was okay after the first few minutes. I just pretended you were coaching me.”

“That’s what you told me when I carried you back to the house,” he said.

“I don’t remember much of what I said.”

“I do,” he said. “I remember you told me you loved me.”

She felt a rush of warmth. “I guess I let that cat out of the bag.”

“I’m glad you did,” he said and lifted her hands to his mouth.

Lori could hardly believe this was happening, that Jackson really loved her. “Could you tell me again, please?”

“Tell you what?” he asked, leaning back and tugging her onto his lap.

“That you love me,” she said.

“Yeah. I love you. You’ve brought magic and hope into my life. You once told me that your mom called you sunbeam, and I understand why your father was so protective. I’ve never met anyone like you.” He guided her mouth to his and kissed her.

Lori sighed. She’d never felt so complete in her entire life. She could almost feel her mother and father looking down at her, smiling in approval.

A knock sounded on her door. “Lori, what are the results?” Maria asked as she burst inside. The woman’s eyes rounded. “Oops. Sorry. I didn’t know you were here.” She lifted her eyebrow in silent question to Lori. “I’ll talk to you later,” she said and left the room as quickly as she’d entered it.

Jackson shot her a look of inquiry. “Results? What was she talking about?”

“Oh.” Lori bit her lip, fumbling for a way to tell him. “You remember how I had something I needed to tell you, but you said you wanted to go first.”

“Yes,” he said, drawing out the word expectantly.

“I’m pregnant.”

He blinked. “But you said the doctor told you that you would have difficulty getting pregnant.”

“Looks like he called that one wrong,” she said and fought a sinking, anxious sensation. “Are you okay with it? We’ve never discussed having children, but-”

“You’re sure about this?” he asked.

She nodded. “I took two tests.”

His face lit up like the Fourth of July. “I thought you couldn’t make me happier than when you told me you loved me. But you just did.”

Seventeen days later, Maude, Cash, Lori, and Jackson witnessed the marriage between Geoffrey and Maria. Decked out in a tux, Geoffrey stood in front of the female minister. He shifted from foot to foot as he waited for Maria to appear.

Virginia smiled at him, and he managed a strained smile in return. He didn’t doubt what he was doing. He just bloody well wanted to get on with it. He gave a nod to Cash and Jackson. Every millisecond that passed felt like an eternity. He had the sinking feeling that perhaps Maria had changed her mind.

The possibility made him sweat even more profusely. Although the sun was beginning to set, it was still hot as blazes. Folding his hands together in front of him, he told himself to settle down. Maria had declared her love to him. Despite the fact that he was broke, and likely to remain that way, and his family would detest her, she still loved him.

At least that was what she’d told him yesterday. What if she’d reconsidered? What if she was going to leave him sweating here at the altar waiting for her? Worse, what if she showed up and told him in front of everyone that she’d decided she didn’t want to marry him?

Geoffrey swiped his hand across his damp forehead. He couldn’t stand it. He turned to the minister. “If you’ll excuse me just a moment, I will-”

A collective gasp from Lori and Virginia distracted him. Looking over his shoulder, he gasped, too. Maria rode toward him on Rowdy, just as she had the first time he’d laid eyes on her. His heart swelled at the memory.

This time she wore a strapless ivory gown of beaded lace and a lace veil on her head. Her hair shimmered over her tanned shoulders, and her beautiful skin contrasted dramatically with the ivory gown. She was everything lovely and beautiful he could have ever dreamed.

She pulled the horse to a stop in front of him, and he rushed to help her slide off. “You are a goddess,” he told her.

“Just keep telling me that,” she said and glanced over her shoulder at Cash, who led Rowdy several steps away. The minister began the ceremony, and Geoffrey treasured this moment in time, when he felt himself become more complete, stronger, and so grateful his wicked stepmother had sent him to Maria.

After they said their vows, all he could do was stare at her.

“You’re supposed to kiss me,” Maria said.

“Oh,” he said, giving himself a shake. “Sorry. You’re just so beautiful. And I’m so bloody lucky.”

She smiled and pulled him to her, pressing her mouth against his. He wrapped his arm around her, savoring every sensation. He heard a new melody playing in his head.

She broke away far too soon and motioned to Cash, who brought Rowdy toward them. “We’re riding the horse?” Geoffrey asked.

Maria gave a luscious, naughty giggle. “It will get you started on the honeymoon faster.”

Geoffrey would have vaulted a skyscraper for the look in her eyes. “Then by all means,” he said and helped her onto the horse.

Lori completely wrecked Jackson ’s nerves when she gave birth to a baby girl via cesarean section. White with fear, he squeezed Lori’s hand as the doctor lifted their baby for them to see. The nurse cleaned up the baby and handed her to Jackson while the doctor stitched up Lori.

Exhausted but euphoric, Lori stared up at both of them. “Is she beautiful?”

“She’s amazing,” he said. “So pink. So perfect.” He bent down so she could see and touch her baby, fresh into the world.

Lori’s eyes filled with tears as she touched the head of her child and studied the face she’d waited nine months to see. “Oh, Jackson, she’s beautiful. Look, I think she has your chin.”

“I hope not. She’ll be stubborn as hell,” he muttered and shook his head. “Look what you did.”

“What we did. Welcome to the world, Jacqueline Sunny James.”