stomach skittered, and her mouth went dry. “Is that a threat?” she asked.
“It’s a promise.”
Oh, boy.
Three weeks passed so quickly Annie felt as though she was caught inside a whirlwind. She’d never really paid much attention to the passing of time before. But now, looking into her daughter’s tiny face, she noticed. Every day brought a new change. Every morning found Jordan a little more aware of her surroundings, a little more willing to smile and play. A little more forgiving of her still not-so-hot mommy.
But in her own defense, she had improved quite a bit. Diapers no longer slid off Jordan’s bottom, Annie wasable now to recognize the difference between an “I’m hungry” cry and an “I’m bored” cry, and she was no longer terrified that she would somehow emotionally scar her daughter if she did make an occasional mistake.
And she had to admit that a lot of her newfound confidence was due to John. He made it all seem so easy. So natural. It was hard to be worried about making a mistake when John was there to laugh with her over them. They’d even managed to set a routine of sorts, which comforted the organizational side of Annie’s nature. And John had become a big part of that routine, which delighted the completely irrational side of her nature.
John Paretti had somehow slipped into her life, her mind and her heart without her even realizing it. She hardly remembered a time when he wasn’t a part of her everyday world.
He was at the apartment three or four times a week, and though a small voice inside her kept warning her not to let him get so close, she wasn’t listening.
Jordan’s face lit up whenever he came into a room, and Annie had the distinct feeling hers did, too. Just hearing his step on the walk or his voice from the next room was enough to spur her heart into a wild gallop.
And the fact that his kisses set fire to her soul and his hands were absolutely magical wasn’t exactly helping.
But it was so much more than physical want, and that was the really terrifying part. He was fun. He made her laugh. He loved Jordan. And she felt safe with him.
Which probably wasn’t a good thing at all.
It wasn’t so long ago that she’d thought Mike Sinclair was the be-all and end-all of her dreams. She’d felt safethen, too. She’d felt loved. Wanted. And then he’d left her so fast her head spun for a week. She’d survived Mike leaving.
But she wasn’t at all sure she would survive if she actually counted on John and he walked away. That wouldn’t happen, though. She wouldn’t allow herself to care that much. She would just enjoy his company while she had it and not think about the future. A future that, without John, looked mighty empty, she thought.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Annie muttered, “now is not the time.” She finished packing up the diaper bag, deliberately blanking her mind of all thoughts of the tall, dark, gorgeous man who’d turned her life upside down. Bottles, diapers, a blanket, a pacifier, a sweater and another set of jammies just in case. Good Lord, John probably went out on maneuvers with less equipment.
“And that’s another thing,” Annie said, glancing at her daughter. “He’s not exactly stable right now.” Jordan blew a spit bubble at her. “He doesn’t know if he’s going to stay in the Corps or leave to run his father’s company. And if he doesn’t even know that, how can he know if he wants to be with us or not?” Jordan shook her head and waved her arms.
“Don’t argue with me, young lady,” she said in a mock stern voice that brought a flood of giggles rippling from Jordan.
“What’s so funny?” John stepped through the open front door and came across the room in a few lazy strides.
Annie’s heartbeat skipped crazily for a long minute as she let herself enjoy the sight of him. Long legs encased in worn blue jeans. A red polo shirt with a Marines emblem right above his heart. Her own heart did aslow roll in
“It’s a promise.”
Oh, boy.
Three weeks passed so quickly Annie felt as though she was caught inside a whirlwind. She’d never really paid much attention to the passing of time before. But now, looking into her daughter’s tiny face, she noticed. Every day brought a new change. Every morning found Jordan a little more aware of her surroundings, a little more willing to smile and play. A little more forgiving of her still not-so-hot mommy.
But in her own defense, she had improved quite a bit. Diapers no longer slid off Jordan’s bottom, Annie wasable now to recognize the difference between an “I’m hungry” cry and an “I’m bored” cry, and she was no longer terrified that she would somehow emotionally scar her daughter if she did make an occasional mistake.
And she had to admit that a lot of her newfound confidence was due to John. He made it all seem so easy. So natural. It was hard to be worried about making a mistake when John was there to laugh with her over them. They’d even managed to set a routine of sorts, which comforted the organizational side of Annie’s nature. And John had become a big part of that routine, which delighted the completely irrational side of her nature.
John Paretti had somehow slipped into her life, her mind and her heart without her even realizing it. She hardly remembered a time when he wasn’t a part of her everyday world.
He was at the apartment three or four times a week, and though a small voice inside her kept warning her not to let him get so close, she wasn’t listening.
Jordan’s face lit up whenever he came into a room, and Annie had the distinct feeling hers did, too. Just hearing his step on the walk or his voice from the next room was enough to spur her heart into a wild gallop.
And the fact that his kisses set fire to her soul and his hands were absolutely magical wasn’t exactly helping.
But it was so much more than physical want, and that was the really terrifying part. He was fun. He made her laugh. He loved Jordan. And she felt safe with him.
Which probably wasn’t a good thing at all.
It wasn’t so long ago that she’d thought Mike Sinclair was the be-all and end-all of her dreams. She’d felt safethen, too. She’d felt loved. Wanted. And then he’d left her so fast her head spun for a week. She’d survived Mike leaving.
But she wasn’t at all sure she would survive if she actually counted on John and he walked away. That wouldn’t happen, though. She wouldn’t allow herself to care that much. She would just enjoy his company while she had it and not think about the future. A future that, without John, looked mighty empty, she thought.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake,” Annie muttered, “now is not the time.” She finished packing up the diaper bag, deliberately blanking her mind of all thoughts of the tall, dark, gorgeous man who’d turned her life upside down. Bottles, diapers, a blanket, a pacifier, a sweater and another set of jammies just in case. Good Lord, John probably went out on maneuvers with less equipment.
“And that’s another thing,” Annie said, glancing at her daughter. “He’s not exactly stable right now.” Jordan blew a spit bubble at her. “He doesn’t know if he’s going to stay in the Corps or leave to run his father’s company. And if he doesn’t even know that, how can he know if he wants to be with us or not?” Jordan shook her head and waved her arms.
“Don’t argue with me, young lady,” she said in a mock stern voice that brought a flood of giggles rippling from Jordan.
“What’s so funny?” John stepped through the open front door and came across the room in a few lazy strides.
Annie’s heartbeat skipped crazily for a long minute as she let herself enjoy the sight of him. Long legs encased in worn blue jeans. A red polo shirt with a Marines emblem right above his heart. Her own heart did aslow roll in
Similar Books
