She pulled back, both of them gasping for breath.

“My God, Jordan,” Annie whispered between breaths. “Is that what a kiss is supposed to feel like?”

Jordan rested her forehead against Annie’s as they tried to catch their breath. “We really can’t do this here.”

Annie nodded. “I know. Someone could need us.”

Jordan laughed lightly and glanced at the sofa. “That’s not really what I was thinking about.”

Annie laughed too. “Really? Really, Jordan? You’re going to go there?”

They pulled apart completely, both still smiling as they disengaged. Jordan noticed Annie’s flushed face and wondered if hers looked the same.

Annie ran her fingers through her hair. “Okay, so what just happened here?”

“I’m not sure. I think we kissed.”

Annie took a deep breath, then blew it out. “Yeah, that was some kiss.” She cleared her throat. “Well, I’m certainly happy you’re back.”

Jordan smiled, then unlocked the door and opened it. She was glad no one was in the back room. “Yeah, me too.” She shoved her hands in her pockets. “So…you get the ordering done?”

Annie moved behind the desk and sat down. “Yep. All done. No problems.”

“Good.”

Jordan sat on the sofa, trying to relax. So they kissed? That had been inevitable, right? The fact that she wanted to rip Annie’s clothes off and make love to her wasn’t really surprising either. She tapped her foot nervously, searching for a topic of conversation.

“So…lunch with Mom. You didn’t say what all you talked about.”

“Oh…well, we talked about you some,” Annie said.

Jordan raised her eyebrows. “Why?”

Annie shrugged. “I’m not sure how it came up. We talked about when they found out you were gay.”

“Oh, my God. You talked about that?”

Annie smiled. “You should really talk to your mom about it, Jordan. She said you have never really talked about it at all.”

“What good would it do? I was twenty at the time.”

Annie leaned back in her chair. “I know. We talked about Matt some too. And your mother gave me some money.”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t feel comfortable taking money from them.”

“Annie, come on. You’re carrying their grandkid. Of course they want to help.”

“But still…”

“Annie, you can protest all you want, but you know they’re going to help. Matt’s not here to do it.”

“But it’s not their deal. They shouldn’t have to feel obligated.”

“Annie—”

“I just don’t want them to think I’m taking advantage of the situation. I can provide for myself.”

Jordan knew Annie treasured her independence, having had to live with her parents for so long, and she was sensitive to that.

“I know you can. But you’re going to go back to school…you won’t be working full time then.” She met Annie’s gaze. “They don’t want you to struggle. I don’t want you to struggle.”

“Jordan, I’m living for free at your house. That’s hardly struggling.”

Jordan held her hand up. “You can argue all you want, Annie. It won’t change the outcome.”

“But I don’t want—”

Annie stopped when the outer door opened. Brandon headed for the fridge, then stopped when he saw Jordan.

“Hey, boss. I didn’t see you come in,” he said.

“I snuck in a little while ago,” she said.

“Good trip?”

She nodded. “Short and sweet. The best kind.”

“Well, glad you’re back. Annie’s been a slave driver,” he said with a laugh.

“Yeah, right,” Annie said.

He got a water bottle from the fridge and went back inside the store. Jordan leaned back, then stifled a yawn. She’d been up since three that morning.

Annie looked at her questioningly. “Tired?”

“Yeah. I was up early. At the airport, you know.”

“Well…maybe you should go home…take a nap.”

Jordan raised her eyebrows.

Annie smiled. “Just sayin’.”

Jordan met her gaze. “Should I be…scared?”

Annie winked at her. “Very scared.” Then the smile left her face. “Because I’m terrified.”

“Annie, you know…I would never—”

Annie held up her hand. “Jordan, I’m not terrified of you. I’m terrified of…it.”

Jordan frowned. “It?”

“Yeah. It.”

As their eyes held, Jordan finally understood what Annie was saying. “You know, it doesn’t have to happen. Not tonight.”

Annie’s smile was slow and definitely sexy. “Oh, yeah, I’m pretty sure it’s going to happen and soon.” Annie turned in her chair, leaning closer to the sofa and Jordan. Her voice was not much more than a whisper. “You make me absolutely crazy when I’m near you. Crazy. And that’s never, ever happened to me before.”

Jordan felt her pulse spring to life as she recognized the look in Annie’s eyes. Yes…right then, right there…she was a little afraid of it, too.



Chapter Thirty-One

Annie drove home, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. She tried not to be nervous, but she was. Would Jordan be waiting for her?

“Yeah, she’s going to be naked and in bed already,” she said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

Would they make small talk? Would they have dinner? She shook her head. No, she was far too nervous to think about eating.

But what? Would they talk about it some more? What would that accomplish other than delaying what they both wanted? Because, yes, she did want it. Her certainty of that surprised her a little. If it was a mistake, could they go back? She gripped the steering wheel even tighter, remembering their kiss. Not counting the seventh-grade smooch she’d gotten from Paul Cassel, she’d been kissed by three guys in her life—Derrick, Jason and Matt. Never once had it felt anything close to what Jordan made her feel in those few heated seconds. It couldn’t possibly be a mistake.

Her mouth dropped open.

“Oh, my God,” she whispered. “Am I a lesbian?”

Then she laughed. Why did that question just now surface? She was heading home with the intention of…well, of making love with another woman.

Making love? With Jordan?

She very nearly drove off the road.

* * *

Annie pulled into the carport and parked next to Jordan’s SUV. She cut the engine and sat there for a few seconds, trying to get herself under control. Futile, perhaps, but she took several deep breaths. As Jordan had said, it didn’t have to happen tonight.

The house was quiet when she went inside, and she glanced through the large windows in the living room. She found Jordan exactly where she thought she’d be—out on the deck. She wasn’t sitting though. She was leaning against the railing, a wineglass within arm’s reach. It was still more than an hour until sunset, but clouds to the west would obscure it this evening. She took one more deep breath, then went outside. She knew Jordan would have heard her drive up, so she wasn’t surprised when Jordan didn’t even turn around.

“Hey.”

Jordan turned then, and Annie saw that she wasn’t the only one fighting nerves. “Hey,” Jordan replied.

Annie went and stood beside her, mimicking her position on the railing like she often did.

“Dinner?”

Jordan shook her head. “I didn’t get anything. I wasn’t sure what you’d be in the mood for.”

“I’m not really hungry right now.”

Jordan smiled. “That’s a first.”

Annie laughed, feeling some of the tension leave her. “I’m a little nervous,” she admitted.

Jordan turned, facing her. She reached out a hand, letting her fingers slowly caress Annie’s cheek. Annie met her gaze, seeing her brown eyes darken just a bit.

“We’re going to take this slow, Annie. Give you time to…absorb what’s happening.”

Annie stared at her. “You think I don’t know what’s happening?”

“In case you decide it’s not what you want.” Jordan’s thumb raked across her lower lip. “I don’t want you to think you’ve jumped into something that you can’t back out of.”

Annie could feel her heart pounding in her chest from Jordan’s gentle touch. It sounded loud in her ears, and she wondered if Jordan could hear it too. She swallowed with difficulty, finally wetting her lips where Jordan’s fingers had touched.

“What if…what if you decide it’s not what you want?” she asked. “I mean, I’m pregnant. That’s probably a huge turnoff. And the fact that Matt—”

“Stop,” Jordan said, putting a finger against her lips. “You’re beautiful, Annie. I’m very attracted to you. The fact that you’re pregnant with Matt’s baby has no bearing on that.” Jordan leaned closer, lightly brushing her lips against hers. “I find you beautiful inside and out. And if possible, being pregnant makes you even lovelier.”

The sincerity of her words nearly melted Annie’s heart. She moved nearer, into Jordan’s arms. They stood close together, holding each other. She let her eyes slip closed as her arms circled Jordan’s waist. There was nothing sexual about it, not this time. It was all about comfort, security, peacefulness. The stress she’d been feeling earlier vanished, and she rested against Jordan, letting Jordan’s strength seep into her.

“Thank you,” she murmured.

Jordan pulled back a little. “How about we drive into Fulton, go to that Italian place you like.”

“Oh? You think I can eat now?”

Jordan smiled. “I don’t want to face you in the morning if you go to bed without eating.”

Annie playfully slapped her arm. “I am not that bad.”

“You get cranky.”

Annie took a step back. “Something with Alfredo sauce sounds good.”

“Yes, it does. My treat.”

She studied her for a moment. “You must be tired. You’ve had a long day. If you’d rather not go out, I could—”

“I’m fine,” Jordan said. “I took your advice.”