9781631051289TemptedbytheCowboySullivan (18 page)

Chapter
Thirteen

Jason scuffed the toe of his boot at a rock, dislodging
the stone as he sent it across the grass. “I know I sent
you into a tailspin with the marriage thing.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah, I know so, but listen. I’m sorry. I was kind of
thinking weird the day Joel got hurt and realizing how fast things can change.
No
t that I didn’t mean it.”

She put up her hand. “Don’t, Jason. I’m not marrying you.”

“I’m not asking you to. I just want us to date again.”

“Why?”

He skimmed a finger down her cheek. “I miss you. I said
that already, but it’s true.”

Her body broke out in g
oose bumps
from her head to her toes as a shiver rolled through her.

“And I think you miss me too.”

“Whatever gave you that idea?”

“Your reaction right
now.
Don’t tell me my touch doesn’t affect you because I know
it does, just like yours affects me.”

“I don’t know what you’re
talkin
’ about.”

“Liar,” he
whispered,
his mouth near her
ear. “Are you wet? I’m hard as a damned brick just thinking about you all warm
around me.”

“Jason, please.”

“Please what? Please make love to you? Please, kiss you?
Please,
touch you where you burn for me?”

Joshua popped his head out the door.
“Hey,
Jase
.
The babies are here.”

“I’ll be right there.” He stepped back, taking his heat
with him. “This isn’t over.”

With her hand in his, he led her inside to find out about
the babi
es Paige just gave birth to. Peyton’s mind
whirled with emotions, sensations and confusion. She didn’t know how she felt
about Jason these days, but she would have to figure things out soon or go mad
trying.

When they made it inside, the way Nina’s eyebrow
shot up over her eye seeing Peyton’s hand clasped tightly
in Jason’s left her nervous. Nina smiled as she nodded so she figured it would
be okay to leave it there…for now.

“It’s a boy and a girl!” Jacob shouted as he came out of
the obstetrics ward where
they’d all moved after
Jason and Peyton joined them. “They are healthy and screaming their lungs out.
Paige is tired, but fine.”

“My first
granddaughter!”
Nina asked, tears rolling down her cheeks as she hugged
Jacob to her.
“Names?”

“We haven’t decided ye
t, but
you’ll be the first to know, Mom.”

“Congratulations, son.”
James slapped him on
the back. “Go be with your wife and children. We’ll take it from here.”

Peyton felt tears welling up in her own eyes as she thought
about how far Paige and Jacob had com
e in such a
short time. They hadn’t been married long after Paige found out about her
pregnancy, but they seemed happy together and very much in love.

How do I feel
about finding someone to love for the rest of my life?

“You okay?”

“Yeah.”
She fanned her
hands in front of her face, trying desperately to dry the
tears.
“Just a little teary
thinking about those babies’ parents.
Theirs is such a great
love story.”

“It sure is. Did you see the first time they met?”

“Yes. I was working the bar that night. Dan t
ried to get her to stay out of it, but she couldn’t. Not
Paige. She is always one for the underdog.”

“And now they are a happy family with two little ones.”

“She’s going to make a great mom.”

“Jacob will make a great dad too. He’s always loved kids.”

“What
about you? Do you want kids
someday?”

“Maybe, but not for
quite a while.
I’d like to be just a couple for a few years to spend time
with my woman.” He dropped his arm around her shoulders.

Jacob came back out the doors. “Two can go in at a time to
see Pai
ge. The babies are in the nursery getting
cleaned up, weighed and measured right at the moment.”

“Peyton, why don’t you and Jason go in first? I know you
all want to get home soon.”

“Thanks, Nina.”

Peyton walked up and kissed Jacob on the cheek.
“Congrats,
Daddy.”

He grinned so wide, she thought maybe his face would crack
as he puffed up his chest and repeated, “Daddy. I like the sound of that.”

When the two of them followed him back, they went by the
nursery first to take a peek at the babies. Both were wr
apped really tightly in a little blue blanket and a little pink blanket
with matching knit hats.

“Aren’t they gorgeous?” Jacob asked
,
tapping on the window as the nurse brought the little boy
closer. “I haven’t any idea what we are going to name them.”

“Yo
u two didn’t discuss names?”

“Oh, we did, but we couldn’t agree. I think I want to name
them after Paige’s parents though since they aren’t here to see their
grandchildren.”

“How sweet of you,
Jacob.
I’m sure she’d love it.”

“We’ll see. She’s pretty emotio
nal
right now.”

“Well, duh. She just gave birth. She’s going to be
emotional for a while.”

“Shit.
Really?
She’s been such a mess
for so long during this
pregnancy,
I was hoping it would
all magically go away when the babies were born.”

“Don’t count on it
for about six
weeks. It’ll take that long for her body to get back to some semblance of
normal.”

“What about sex?”

“Six weeks, buddy,” Jason said, grinning.

“I hate you.”

“Don’t blame me, blame the doctor. Maybe she won’t make you
wait that long.”

“God, I
hope not.”

Peyton laughed as they walked down the corridor to the room
Paige was in. When they pushed open the door and peeked inside, she was lying
on the bed dressed in her pretty pajamas she’d packed in her bag, resting.

“Is she asleep?”

“No, she’s not
asleep,” Paige
answered, opening her eyes. “Hey. Come in. Did you see the babies?”

“They were taking the little girl for a bath so we didn’t
get a close look at her, but we saw your son. What a handsome devil he’s going
to be.”

“I know, right?”

“How are yo
u feeling?”

“Like I’ve been hit by
a bus, but thanks for asking.”

“I’m sorry things go so screwed up.”

Paige squeezed her hand. “We made it. That’s all that
matters, although we might not have had Jason not found us and changed the
tire.”

“You look ravishi
ng, Paige.” He
leaned over to kiss her forehead.

“Oh stop with you and the flattery, brother-in-law. I look
like shit dried up in the summer Texas sun, rolled and boiled to a crisp.”

They all laughed. “We won’t stay long. There is a ton of
people out there
waiting to see you and those
gorgeous babies. I just wanted to say congratulations. I’ll come by to visit
tomorrow when things calm down. I want my cuddle time with the twins.”

“There will be plenty of that to go around although with
having the first gran
ddaughter, I think you might be
fighting Nina for cuddle time.”

“Well, I have to give her first dibs since she is their
grandmother, but as their godmother, I get them second.” Peyton smiled as she
patted Paige’s hand.
“Rest.
I’ll see you
tomorrow.”

“Okay.
Thanks again for
everything.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Oh, and I’ll expect the gossip when you come tomorrow.”

“Gossip?”

Paige tilted her head noting Jason standing close to
Peyton.

“Nothing to tell.”

“Uh-uh.” Paige shook her head. “You can’t fool me.”

Peyton s
tepped back. “We’ll be
going now.”

“See you tomorrow.”

Jason took her hand as they walked out of the room. She
glanced back at Paige, noticing how her eyes twinkled when she caught the
gesture. There would be no living with her come tomorrow when she
visited. She better think of something fast or Paige would
have her and Jason married off in the next couple of weeks.

* * * *

Jason walked Peyton out to her car after Mandy had a chance
to visit briefly with Paige as well. He knew he couldn’t let her go
. If he did, he might never see her again and that wasn’t
acceptable to him. The need for her drove him to distraction. He couldn’t
think. He couldn’t sleep. He couldn’t eat. He was a mess all the way around
without her and he would just have to convince h
er
she belonged with him until he could come to terms with this need he harbored
for her. He stopped with her next to the car.

“Come home with me.”

“You can’t be serious,” she whispered, trying not to let
Mandy know what he said. “I’m not going home with
you.”

“Why not?”

“We aren’t seeing each other at the moment.”

“But I want you.”

“This is crazy, Jason. You can’t just take me home.”

“I don’t understand what the problem is. When we were
having sex before, you didn’t have a problem with just coming home
with me at the bonfire.”

“I know, but that was different.”

“Different how?”

She exhaled sharply as she rolled her eyes.
“Just different.
Besides, I have Mandy
with me. We were having a girl’s night when Paige went into labor.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, oh.
I can’t just dump her
off, tell her to go home, and then come over to your place.”

“How about tomorrow?”

“I think I need to do some serious deliberating before I
decide to sleep with you again. I’m not sure us getting involved is a good
idea.”

“We need to
talk about it.”

“You don’t talk. You touch, kiss, nibble, bite…”

“I know. It’s amazing, huh?”

“You’re lack of communication on this matter is
increasingly disturbing.” She sighed as he brushed his lips over the curve of
her neck.

“I’m trying to communicat
e my
need.”

“Your
need
is very apparent
against my abdomen.”

“See. I’m communicating.”

“You are, too much.”

They both jumped as Mandy honked the horn on the car. “Get
it on or let’s go. I’m tired of
waitin
’.”