Read Online Jingle Bell Rock by Linda Winstead Jones - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Linda Winstead Jones
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date, the one that had scared her to death because she’d promised herself she’d never let herself fall for any man so hard or so fast ever again.
“I love you, too,” he whispered, kissing her softly. “From the moment I saw you, I knew it was right. You were damned stubborn, Jess. There was a time when I almost gave up on us.” He stared down at her, unsmiling. The lights from the tree lit his face strangely, made him appear, for a moment, less than substantial. It was just a trick of the light, she told herself, but she touched his cheek for assurance. She held on a bit tighter, not ready for him to fade away. In spite of the odd light, he felt real enough.
“Sometimes I wonder where I would be without you in my life,” he whispered, “and it scares me.”
Jess kissed him again, lightly and possessively. She didn’t want to think about where Jimmy would be without her. She knew; she had seen what would happen if she remained stubborn... if Jimmy gave up on her the way she had given up on him... and it scared her, too.
Her wandering hand fell across a boot, and Jess pulled it closer. She turned her head, and on examining the short white patent-leather boot and the discarded jumpsuit beside it, she smiled. A moment later she giggled. As Jimmy towered over her with a mock scowl on his face, she crumpled into a fit of hysterical laughter.
Chapter Seven
A fire was blazing in the stone fireplace, adding a warm radiance to the great room. Standing so close to the blaze, she could practically hear her freshly washed hair drying, pulling into waves and curls that had never obeyed her or the rules of fashion. Jess grabbed the lapels of the terry robe she wore and listened to the crackle of the fire and the distant roar of the shower.
How could it be that the two possible futures she saw in this dream or mystical gift or whatever it was were so different? Without Jimmy, her life and his were wretched. With Jimmy, together, their life was charmed.
She’d been so afraid of falling in love with him.
There had been a moment on that date that was not a date when she’d realized what was happening. What had it been? His hand so easy and natural at the small of her back. A look, a laugh. The whisper of her name...
Rudy padded into the room and settled himself at her feet, curling up on the oval rug before the fireplace. Jess dropped to her knees and scratched the dog between his pointed ears.
“Is this your bed?”
Rudy’s answer was to rest his contented head on the rug while Jess continued to stroke the silky coat. There was a satisfied whine from deep in his throat, his eyes closed, and in minutes he was asleep.
How long would she be here? An hour? A day? Five more minutes? A part of her, the super-organized Jess, wondered where they’d put seventeen extra people tomorrow, if their guests were all staying here or if they were staying in a hotel, but she made herself set that worry aside. She’d handle that concern three years from now... or not at all. She left Rudy guarding the great room and explored the ground floor of the house while Jimmy showered.
Just off the great room was a large kitchen. Had she learned to cook in three years? Unlikely. The kitchen sported an oak-island, a breakfast nook, and the latest in appliances, including a restaurant-size refrigerator. She peeked inside, and sure enough, there was a turkey still in the wrapping on the bottom shelf. Casseroles, indistinguishable since they were all covered with bread crumbs or cracker crumbs or crunchy canned onion rings, filled the next shelf up. There was a huge pan of cornbread dressing, ready for the oven, and the fruit and congealed salads, four different kinds. Something for everyone, she supposed.
Jimmy was right. Piece of cake.
There were four pumpkin pies on the kitchen counter, homemade and tempting. “Florence,” Jess whispered as she leaned forward to take a deep sniff of the fragrant pies, “I don’t know you yet, but
“I love you, too,” he whispered, kissing her softly. “From the moment I saw you, I knew it was right. You were damned stubborn, Jess. There was a time when I almost gave up on us.” He stared down at her, unsmiling. The lights from the tree lit his face strangely, made him appear, for a moment, less than substantial. It was just a trick of the light, she told herself, but she touched his cheek for assurance. She held on a bit tighter, not ready for him to fade away. In spite of the odd light, he felt real enough.
“Sometimes I wonder where I would be without you in my life,” he whispered, “and it scares me.”
Jess kissed him again, lightly and possessively. She didn’t want to think about where Jimmy would be without her. She knew; she had seen what would happen if she remained stubborn... if Jimmy gave up on her the way she had given up on him... and it scared her, too.
Her wandering hand fell across a boot, and Jess pulled it closer. She turned her head, and on examining the short white patent-leather boot and the discarded jumpsuit beside it, she smiled. A moment later she giggled. As Jimmy towered over her with a mock scowl on his face, she crumpled into a fit of hysterical laughter.
Chapter Seven
A fire was blazing in the stone fireplace, adding a warm radiance to the great room. Standing so close to the blaze, she could practically hear her freshly washed hair drying, pulling into waves and curls that had never obeyed her or the rules of fashion. Jess grabbed the lapels of the terry robe she wore and listened to the crackle of the fire and the distant roar of the shower.
How could it be that the two possible futures she saw in this dream or mystical gift or whatever it was were so different? Without Jimmy, her life and his were wretched. With Jimmy, together, their life was charmed.
She’d been so afraid of falling in love with him.
There had been a moment on that date that was not a date when she’d realized what was happening. What had it been? His hand so easy and natural at the small of her back. A look, a laugh. The whisper of her name...
Rudy padded into the room and settled himself at her feet, curling up on the oval rug before the fireplace. Jess dropped to her knees and scratched the dog between his pointed ears.
“Is this your bed?”
Rudy’s answer was to rest his contented head on the rug while Jess continued to stroke the silky coat. There was a satisfied whine from deep in his throat, his eyes closed, and in minutes he was asleep.
How long would she be here? An hour? A day? Five more minutes? A part of her, the super-organized Jess, wondered where they’d put seventeen extra people tomorrow, if their guests were all staying here or if they were staying in a hotel, but she made herself set that worry aside. She’d handle that concern three years from now... or not at all. She left Rudy guarding the great room and explored the ground floor of the house while Jimmy showered.
Just off the great room was a large kitchen. Had she learned to cook in three years? Unlikely. The kitchen sported an oak-island, a breakfast nook, and the latest in appliances, including a restaurant-size refrigerator. She peeked inside, and sure enough, there was a turkey still in the wrapping on the bottom shelf. Casseroles, indistinguishable since they were all covered with bread crumbs or cracker crumbs or crunchy canned onion rings, filled the next shelf up. There was a huge pan of cornbread dressing, ready for the oven, and the fruit and congealed salads, four different kinds. Something for everyone, she supposed.
Jimmy was right. Piece of cake.
There were four pumpkin pies on the kitchen counter, homemade and tempting. “Florence,” Jess whispered as she leaned forward to take a deep sniff of the fragrant pies, “I don’t know you yet, but
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