“Besides,” she whispered in her deep, sexy, bedroom voice. “We didn’t celebrate our real wedding night the way we should have. I think we need to make up for lost time.” She tapped the box against his chest. “But we need more of these. When I get back to the States I’ll see a doctor, but until then, we need to be careful.”

“My suitcase,” he told her. “I’ll get them.” He didn’t want to be tempted to take what she didn’t freely give, so he walked away, and found a half empty box of contraceptives.

When he returned to his bed, Samantha was already spread over the covers, one knee pulled up in offering. Blake forced thoughts of lawyers, tomorrow, and a year from that day far away while he made love to his wife.

Chapter Ten

After returning to the States, Sam immediately drove to Moonlight to visit Jordan. Guilt over enjoying her time in Europe with Gwen coupled with the excitement over her new life with Blake, knotted her stomach when she walked into Jordan’s room. Her sister’s strawberry blonde hair was tied back with a scrunchy, her pink cotton shirt sported a stain where some of her lunch missed the mark.

“Hey, hon,” Samantha said as she moved to a chair across from where Jordan stared out the window.

Jordan offered a half smile, all she could manage after the stroke. Her eyes lit up with recognition and she lifted her good arm, which Samantha grasped in a tight grip.

“M-Miss you.” Jordan’s words were slurred.

“I missed you, too.” She’d only missed one scheduled visit, but Samantha knew Jordan looked forward to them. It wasn’t like her baby sister had a lot in life to pull her out of bed in the morning. “Have you been eating?”

“Yes,” she said with her mouth, but her head shook in denial. One of the things that Samantha had learned to do was to read Jordan’s body language more than her words. The words didn’t come easy, and often didn’t match Jordan’s thoughts. Facial expressions and gestures were the key to understanding her.

“Do you want to help me with some of this Mongolian Beef? It’s from the Golden Wok, your favorite place.”

Jordan smiled. “I like there.”

“I know. Me, too.” Samantha opened a box of takeout and the scent of spicy beef spilled into the air. After fixing a rolling tray in front of her sister and a small plate of food, Samantha pressed a fork into Jordan’s hand. Jordan hated to be fed. Even though her sister struggled to get the food in her mouth, she wasn’t happy if she didn’t do it on her own.

“I-I seen… uhm… I see—” Jordan struggled to find the words.

“You saw who?” Samantha bit into her late lunch, realizing for the first time that she hadn’t eaten all day. She and Blake had arrived late the previous evening and slept in. Before lunch, they’d both gone their separate ways, Blake to the office, Samantha to see Jordan. Food didn’t even cross her mind. The tantalizing flavors exploded in her mouth and her stomach rumbled with appreciation.

“Mom.”

Samantha’s fork stalled.

Jordan nodded.

Samantha placed her fork down. “Honey, Mom’s been gone for a long time.”

Jordan’s brow pitched together as if searching for a memory. “At night. Seen her at night.”

“In a dream?”

“Yes.” Jordan shook her head. “At night.”

Now Samantha was confused. Did Jordan see someone who looked like their mother? Maybe a new aide at the home? Or was she dreaming of their mother and signals were crossed in her brain.

“I think of her sometimes, too.”

“I miss her.”

Samantha placed a hand on Jordan’s knee. “I miss her, too.”

****

“I need to fly to New York,” Blake told Samantha nearly a week later.

“I was wondering when you’d start traveling again.”

She knew Blake spent more time in his jet than in any of his homes. To have had him in her bed every night for nearly a month was a luxury she didn’t think would continue forever.

“You can come with me.”

They were drinking coffee on the veranda overlooking the ocean. A routine they’d both enjoyed since their return from Europe. Part of her wanted to jump at the invitation. But the practical part of her kept her from accepting. The internal clock in her head, counting backwards with the time she had remaining as Blake’s wife, was getting louder every day. The harder she tried to ignore the click, the worse it dug into her soul. There were times, like now when he was smiling at her and encouraging her to travel with him, that Samantha felt like their marriage was more than a piece of paper. More than a mercenary act they’d both wanted. The way Blake made love to her and held her even if they were both too tired to do anything else, dripped into her heart daily.

“I shouldn’t,” she sighed.

“Why not?”

“I’ve neglected Jordan. She didn’t eat well while we were away and she’s been having trouble sleeping.”

Blake reached for her hand. “You don’t have to feel guilty for having a life, Samantha.”

“I know. But it’s hard. I’m all she has.”

“You can always move her in here. We can hire full time help.”

It was the second time Blake had offered to relocate her sister. And if her marriage to Blake wasn’t temporary, she’d take him up on his offer in a millisecond. “We’ve been over this. It wouldn’t be fair to bring Jordan here, then pull her away after...she won’t understand. That kind of stress results in illness and medical setbacks.”