Make Me Yours by B. J. Wane Page B

once in a while dear, especially someone like you who doesn’t have many prospects to begin with. If you had taken after me and been blessed with a petite body or at least been passably attractive, you could be a little choosier. As it is, I’ve smoothed things over for you and Joel is willing to take you back. I’ll tell your father to expect you back at work this week,” she stated firmly, confident that her wishes would be met.
    “Again, I’m not coming home right now, and when or if I do, it won’t be to pick up where I left off. There’s going to be no wedding, at least not to Joel.”
    “Don’t tell me that man has asked you to marry him!”
    If Morgan wasn’t so upset, she would have laughed at the appalled tone of her mother’s voice. The truth was, Jack hadn’t said a word about her staying with him and she wondered if he was expecting her to leave after a few days. The thought of returning home to her boring, unsatisfying job and lonely apartment was depressing and something she didn’t want to think about.
    “No,” she sighed tiredly, “he hasn’t asked me to marry him, so you can quit panicking. I don’t know how long I’m going to stay here, but in the meantime, I suggest you cancel any and all wedding plans and tell Joel I meant it when I told him to go to hell. Good bye, Mother.” As always, Morgan was left feeling both emotionally drained and insecure after an argument with her mother. She wished she knew how Jack felt about their new relationship. He seemed happy now to have her here and she knew she pleased him sexually, but as far as anything permanent between them, that had never come up. But, one thing was for certain. Even if she didn’t stay here with Jack like she wanted to, she wasn’t going to return to her old life. Somehow, she’d find a way to pursue her art and make a living at it, and it wouldn’t be in Chicago or anywhere near her parents. Looking out at the snow covered landscape, right now somewhere down south sounded pretty good.
    After heating up some leftovers she found in the fridge for lunch, Morgan decided she needed some exercise and since there was so much snow, the only thing she could think of would be building a snowman. After dressing in a pair of jeans and sweater, she tugged the knee hi snow boots on over her pants, zipped up the heavy jacket and pulled on mittens before trudging outside. The place was eerily quiet with everyone either on the slopes or in town checking out the shops and restaurants.
    Trying not to think about her mother’s phone call, Morgan had fun working on a snowman. Used to entertaining herself ever since she was a child, especially when Jack wasn’t around, she had no problem killing time until he returned. By the time he came driving up, she had completed a four foot snowman and was beaming proudly at him as he got out of the Tahoe.
    Jack grinned at the large mounds on the snowman’s chest. “Let me guess,” he called out to her, “a snowwoman, right?”
    “Of course. Come on, Jack. Let’s build one together.”
    Jack was tempted, especially since she looked awfully cute with her hood up and tied snugly under her chin, the fur trim framing her pink face. But he was cold and tired and needed a break before the get together tonight, which would be the last one before this group checked out tomorrow. “Later, Princess. I’m going to warm up.”
    Turning to head inside, he was startled then pissed when a well aimed snowball hit him smack in the head. Shaking the snow out of his hair, he turned to glare at Morgan. “Morgan, stop it right...” Before he could finish another snowball landed against his chest.
    Laughing at his incredulous look, Morgan pleaded, “Come on, Jack. Just for a little bit. I haven’t had anyone to play with all afternoon.”
    Jack couldn’t keep from grinning back at her. He couldn’t count how many times she had used that line on him growing up. “You’re going to be sorry.” Scooping up snow