Only You (26 page)

“What about Darren? What do you think about him?”

“I can see why Willy loves him. There’s a good person there somewhere. He’s actually kind of sweet when he forgets he’s trying to impress everyone. But his true nature is buried under all that stardom.” She reached out and squeezed JD’s hand, needing to touch him. “I’m going to try again, JD. Willy says I shouldn’t give up on him, and I agree. He’s my father.”

She grinned. “I probably have a half-dozen half brothers and sisters from Darren’s side out there somewhere. And there’s my mom’s family. Willy promised she’d find my mother’s name. I think she already knows it, but wanted to check out her surviving family first. She’s always trying to protect Darren. I kind of like the idea that I’m from a big family, even if I don’t know who they are and may never meet them.”

JD took her hand in his. “As long as they don’t try to lay claim to you. I’m not good at sharing.”

“Even with Raspberry?”

The corner of his mouth hitched up. “Raspberry. I won’t have a problem sharing you with our little fruitcake. You should go to bed now and get some rest.”

“Do you mind spending a few hours with Willie and Darren tomorrow?”

“I’m there if you want me there. Can we go out for breakfast first, so I have you to myself for an hour before we see them?”

“Okay. Good night, JD.” She let go of his large warm hand and held her breath. She didn’t want him to leave, but after everything she’d said about slowing down, she could hardly beg him to stay the night. This was going to be harder than she imagined.

“Good night, Maggie.”

She felt bereft as he closed the door behind him.
Time to grow up, Maggie love
. Spending another night apart wasn’t going to kill her. She needed this time to herself.

But he could have, at the very least, kissed her good night.

The minute JD sat down beside Maggie on the plane, he took her hand. Spending the entire day yesterday with Darren Gould and Willie had been tiring, to say the least. Willie was a great woman, but Darren? If all movie actors were as needy and childish as that man, he never wanted to meet another one. JD now knew more about Gould now than he knew about his own father, for God’s sake.

What was worse, all day, while Darren had been droning on about his brilliant career, JD had been scheming how to propose to Maggie. But she’d looked so exhausted by the time they’d returned to her hotel room that he’d run a hot bath for her, stolen a long, passionate kiss and insisted she go straight to bed. He’d had a long, restless night in his own room—alone.

Not what he’d had planned.

And now, everyone they knew in Cooper Creek was waiting for them at Maggie’s house to celebrate their engagement. Only he hadn’t had a chance to ask her to marry him yet, and his mother’s ring was burning a hole in his pocket.

He was damned if he was going to propose to Maggie on the plane. The only thing he’d come up with was to call ahead and tell Claire the plane had been delayed an hour, then whisk Maggie up to his place and propose to her there.

He frowned. An hour would be long enough, right? Maggie still had purple shadows under eyes. They made her look so fragile and vulnerable. Probably the last thing on her mind was sex. And if she said no to his proposal . . . she’d say yes. Hell, he shouldn’t have told Ethan he was going to propose to Maggie. He should have kept it to himself until he knew for certain she wanted to marry him.

He glanced at her sitting beside him. She’d been so quiet since they’d left the hotel three hours ago. Subdued. He’d assumed she was as tired as he was, but what if she knew he was going to ask her to marry him and had been searching for a way to say no?

He squeezed her hand. “Are you okay? You’re very quiet today.”

“I’m glad to be going home. Guess I’m tired.”

“Me, too. It was a long day yesterday.”

A faint smile touched her lips. “Long night, too.”

“You didn’t sleep well?”

“No.”

“Maybe the doctor can help you when you get home.”

“I don’t think so.” She pulled her hand away and folded her arms under her breasts. JD tried not to stare. He was almost sure that her breasts were getting bigger. Man, what he’d give to undress her and explore her ripe body. He wasn’t going to pretend that Maggie pregnant with his child wasn’t a giant turn on.

Maggie poked him with her elbow. “Would you stop staring, please?” she whispered.”

He tore his gaze away and looked down at his lap. Yikes, he had a boner. He folded his hands over his erection before leaning over and whispering in her ear, “I love your breasts. They’re getting bigger, aren’t they?”

“JD!” she giggled.

“You know why I couldn’t sleep last night?”

She glanced at him from under lowered lashes. It made her tawny eyes look exotic, like a lioness. “Why?”

He leaned closer and put his mouth against her ear. “Because I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I wanted to make love to you.”

She pushed her plump bottom lip into a pout. “You couldn’t wait to leave me alone last night.”

“Because you looked exhausted, and I didn’t think you’d appreciate me jumping on you and ripping your clothes off.”

She laughed.

Not the reaction he was hoping to get. “You think that’s funny?”

She grinned at him. “I do. You know why?”

“I can’t wait to hear.”

“I haven’t been sleeping well lately, because I’ve been having . . .” Her face burned bright red. “Because I’ve been having erotic dreams. About you. Well, about us, really.”

It took a minute for JD to remember to close his mouth. He swallowed with difficulty, crossed his legs, uncrossed them. “Erotic dreams?”

“Yeah.”

“How erotic?”

She stared at his obvious erection, then raised her eyebrows as her mouth twitched. “I don’t think you could handle it right now, dear.”

“When?” Oh, man, he wasn’t really panting, was he?

She smiled a wicked smile and fluttered her eyelashes. “Later. I promise.”

“Okay,” he croaked.

“Hmmm.” She patted his hand. “You should try to get some rest while you can.”

JD tried to do as she suggested, but ended up fidgeting in his seat until the plane landed an hour later. He excused himself to go to the bathroom when they exited the plane, and called Claire to tell her they’d been delayed. They’d call when they arrived. Claire had snickered. She wasn’t even going to pretend to believe him, but didn’t call him on his white lie, either.

“Where are we going?” Maggie asked as he steered his truck toward his home half an hour later.

“My place.”

His place
. She narrowed her eyes and stared out the side window. What would he say if she told him she wanted his gorgeous home to be
their
place. JD had said everything he thought she wanted to hear, but Maggie still wasn’t certain he was ready to take that final step. Maybe she should ask him to marry her instead of waiting for him to finally get around to it.

Because he would ask. Wouldn’t he?

“JD?” She turned sideways to face him as he pulled into his side yard.

He gave her a gorgeous, hundred-watt smile. “It’s great to be home, isn’t it?”

Wow! He’d been so serious and worried lately, she’d forgotten that smile. She wanted him to smile at her like that for the rest of her life.

She put her hand on his arm to stop him from getting out of the truck. “I have something I need to say to you before we go inside and . . .” She blushed. “You know.”

He glanced toward the house, then back to her, a resigned look in his eyes. “I don’t suppose this can wait?”

She couldn’t help but laugh. He looked so disappointed. “No. JD.” She took his hand in hers and looked deep into his eyes. “Will you marry me?”

She reared back from the stunned look in his eyes.

“
You’re
asking
me
to marry
you
.” His face had gone blank, as though the thought had never occurred to him.

Oh, God. She’d gotten it all wrong. JD just wanted their baby. He didn’t want her. She yanked on the door handle and stumbled out of the truck. She had to go . . . somewhere. She couldn’t stay here.

“Whoa, there. Hang on.” JD grabbed her arm and pulled her into his arms. He was laughing? He thought this was funny?

“I spent the entire morning on the plane composing a marriage proposal that I hoped would be persuasive enough to convince you to marry me.” He pulled back to laugh down at her. Her heart turned over. He looked so delighted. “And you beat me to it with a simple,
Will you marry me
?”

She started breathing again. “So, you think us getting married is a good idea.” She wanted to make sure she was picking up on the right signals this time. The way he looked at her so intently made her feel light-headed.

JD dropped to one knee in front of her and took her hand. “I can’t imagine my life without you. You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met, inside and out. I know I’ve acted like an idiot, and that I don’t deserve you. But I can’t imagine my life without you in it. I need you, and I love you. Maggie Kennedy, will you marry me?”

Tears crowded her eyes, and she didn’t see the ring until he eased it on her finger. “Oh my God, it’s beautiful! Yes! I’ll marry you.”

JD stood up. “I don’t think you’re supposed to cry.”

“I can’t help it. I’m so happy.” She propelled herself into his open arms.

“Me, too. I’m crazy about you. We’re going to have such a great life together. Just one more thing, though.”

She stilled. “What?”

He put a finger under her chin and tilted her face up to his, wiping away some of her tears with his thumb. “I need to kiss you.”

When his mouth sought hers, she slid her arms around his neck and let him surround her, his scent, the sound of his breathing, the rasp of his tongue against hers.

“When do you want to get married?” He slipped open the first three buttons of her blouse and used his fingertip to push the blouse off her shoulders, exposing her bra. His eyes darkened as he gazed at her full breasts.

“As soon as you want,” she managed.

He dragged his knuckles across the tips of her breasts. Her nipples hardened and puckered at his touch.

“I want.” He blew gently on one nipple. “Everything. You. Raspberry. Marriage. I’ll even live in your house with you and the girls.” He nudged her legs apart, and she felt his erection jut against her belly.

“Could we—talk about this later?” she pleaded.

“Aw, hell.”

Maggie shivered when he pulled away from her. She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him back. “What?”

“I forgot. Everyone’s waiting for us down at your house. They planned a surprise party.”

Maggie giggled. JD looked so grumpy. “For us?”

“Yeah. An engagement party, I guess. I called Claire from the airport when we landed and told her our flight was late. I hadn’t had a chance to propose to you yet.” He scowled at her breasts. “I’m going to call them and tell them to party on without us.”

She covered his hand with hers as laughter bubbled out of her. She’d never felt happier in her life. “You can’t do that. They’re our friends and family. We have to go.”

He pulled the edges of her blouse together and slowly did up the buttons. “We’re not staying long.”

“Of course not.” She kissed the corner of his mouth. “I’ve got plans for you, Mr. Cooper.”

He brightened and patted her ass as he helped her into the cab of the truck. “Yeah? How about you tell me about one of your erotic dreams while we drive into town?”

“No! Look at you.” She pointed at his obvious erection. “You’re barely decent now. She held up her left hand. “I love the ring. Thank you,” she said, in an effort to distract him.

“Do you really? It was my mom’s engagement ring. If you want to pick out another one, that’s okay with me.”

“No, I love this one. How come you get the ring? What about Ethan?”

JD squeezed her hand. “You’re worried about Claire. Ethan gets my mom’s wedding ring. When do you want to get married?”

“Tomorrow.”

JD choked.” He pulled his hand away. “That doesn’t work for me.”

Maggie felt a cool breeze on the back of her neck.
Okay
. “Why?”

“Because you deserve the perfect wedding, and I’m going to need a couple weeks to pull it off.”

How could she not love this man? “Usually, the bride plans the wedding.”

“I know, but I don’t want you to get tired or stressed, so I thought I could do most of the work.”

“If we both organize the wedding, maybe neither one of us would get tired or stressed,” she suggested.

“You want to plan your own wedding. I’m an idiot.”

“I want
us
to plan
our
wedding together.”

He grinned. “I gotta tell you, that’s a relief. I wasn’t looking forward to figuring out how to put together a wedding all by myself.” He hesitated. “Will you invite your father?”

“He’s not as bad as you think.”

“I hate to admit this, but I’m probably more like your father than I like to think.”

“You?”

“Yeah. I let my work take over my life, and that mistake cost Donnie his life. You don’t get more self-centered than that.”