He loved her.
It wasn’t just for the baby.
It wasn’t only the pull of physical chemistry.
He loved her.
The wonderful surge of energy that shot through Amy pushed her head up. She wanted—needed—to see. There was no mistake this time. No misreading. The molten gold in his eyes glowed with such rich depth of feeling, she knew instinctively this was only the tip of a river that flowed through every part of him.
“But I do need some love back from you without having to fight for it,” he pleaded, searching her eyes for it. “Do you understand?”
“Freely given,” she whispered, awed by the strength of his giving.
“Yes.”
She didn’t hesitate. She went up on tiptoe, pulled his head down to hers and kissed him with all the passion his giving had released. A storm of passion. Years of pent-up feeling, freed at last, to be expressed, revelled in with joy and love and the deepest, most intense pleasure. No fear. Not the tiniest hint of fear or worry or doubt about anything. He loved her. She loved him. And the baby made a beautiful bond between them.
She took him to bed with her, showing him it was her choice, her desire, her wish to share everything with him, openly and honestly, and they made love for a very long time. There was no need to stop and every need to experience and learn all they wanted to learn of each other. The wonder of touching—touching without any inhibitions—was incredibly marvellous.
Jake was the most magnificent man. In every way. She adored him. And he adored her right back... sensually, sexually, emotionally. And when he kissed and caressed her stomach so lovingly, and she saw the happiness and pleasure in his eyes at the thought of her carrying his baby inside—their baby—she suddenly felt an intense wave of love for the life they had created, Jake and her together...their child...who would be brought up with love...freely given.
Instead of being dark and fearful and threatening, the future now shone with so much glorious promise.
Except....
“Jake!” In a rush of agitation, she lifted his head up.
“Mmh...” He smiled at her, his eyes dancing with teasing wickedness. “Can’t I do what I want with you now?”
“Yes, but...” She sighed. “Your mother doesn’t like me, Jake. She won’t approve of us marrying.”
“Ah!” He sobered into serious speculation. “I suspected something had gone on between you today. So what did?”
Amy grimaced at the unpleasant memory. “Your mother thinks I’m loose...living with Steve...not marrying him. She said my mother would have advised me it wasn’t good. Wasn’t right.”
“She spoke out of ignorance, Amy,” he said soothingly. “That can easily be fixed.”
“It was like she was warning me off you, Jake.”
“No.” He gave his quirky smile. “Just warning you off living with me. She got upset about me giving you the apartment.”
“What?”
“Okay...” He rolled his eyes. “I’ve been a bit devious, but it was for your own good, Amy.”
“This is your apartment?” she squeaked. The colours used in the decor...his knowledge of her garage...
“I just wanted you away from any memory of Steve, so I fixed it with Ted Durkin and...”
“You made up all those conditions?”
“Well, the rent was too steep so I had to bring it down in a way you’d accept.”
“And Ted Durkin was in on it?” She remembered her suspicion at the time, the suspicion she’d dismissed because of Ted Durkin’s manner.
“He helped me make up a credible cover story.”
“Oh!” She didn’t know whether to feel outraged or...beautifully taken care of.
“Anyhow, Mum thought I was plotting to set you up as my mistress. But I wasn’t, Amy. I truly wasn’t. Marriage was always on my mind.”
She laughed, suddenly remembering something else. “You just wanted to get me where you wanted me.” Her eyes danced back at his.
“Precisely,” he agreed, completely unabashed.
And she laughed some more, all the doubts of the past behind her.
“Mum probably thought, because you’d lived with Steve, you might choose to do that with me, too, so she was trying to steer you straight.” He heaved an exasperated sigh. “She just can’t keep out of things.”
Amy sobered up. “I’m afraid I said some harsh things to her, Jake. About you and your women. Sorry, but...” She shook her head regretfully. “I was really quite rude, cutting her off when she tried to defend you.”
He shrugged. “All’s well that ends well, Amy. I’ll call her now, fix it up.”
His confidence amazed her. He leaned over, picked up the bedside telephone, dialed, listened, then said, “It’s Jake, Ruth. Is Mum still there?”
He sighed as his sister apparently rattled on.
“Never mind that, get Mum for me.” He smiled at Amy. “Ruth’s all excited about seeing us kissing. She knows how I feel about you.”
“Do they all?” Amy asked curiously.
“More or less. I’m no good at hiding things from my family,” he confessed.
Then he’d be no good at hiding things from her anymore, either, Amy happily decided. Not that he was trying to. She thought fleetingly of Steve who’d clam up like an oyster whenever she’d tried to dig anything out of him. It was so different with Jake, ecstatically different.
“Mum?”
Apparently his mother rattled on to him, too. His family were certainly great talkers. Which was good. Great! Nothing repressed or suppressed.
“No, you haven’t ruined everything.” His eyes twinkled at Amy. “In fact, things couldn’t be better. Amy loves me and she wants to marry me. Except she thinks you don’t approve of her.”
Another long speech which Jake interpreted for Amy as it went on.
“Mum is very sorry...she didn’t mean to give that impression...she thinks you’re beautiful... she thinks we’re well suited...and you obviously have good sense and taste to choose me as your husband...she’s relieved she didn’t upset the applecart, so to speak... we’re invited to lunch tomorrow... so she can show you how happy she is about us...is that okay, Amy?”
She nodded.
“We’ll be there, Mum.” He grinned as he put the receiver down. “She says this is the best Christmas ever. The last one of her brood finally settling down.” He laughed, all his shadows gone, too. “It certainly is the best Christmas for me, Amy.”