Jessie wrapped a leg around him, teasing him at her entrance. He buckled forward, giving her only a taste of him inside her.

“Please,” she begged. “Fast now, slow later. I need you.”

He rolled them onto their sides and lifted her leg over his hip. Without warning, he entered her and knocked the oxygen from her lungs. “Yes,” she hissed.

“Get used to me, Jessie. Us Texans are hard to drive away.”

No, instead he drove into her with his body. He slid past her most sensitive spot, the smooth and rough friction of him setting the perfect pace.

Grasping his hips, Jessie helped their canter.

There was nothing slow and melting with their mating. More of a volcano ready to explode. Earthquake quivers and tremors gave a warning until all the feeling and nerves rushed together at the same time.

Finally, her hands clutched his body and her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she trembled and found her toe-curling release. His rode on her heels as the warmth of his orgasm filled her.

Jessie buried her head in his arm, happier than any woman should be.

After, Jack listened as Jessie’s breathing eased. He wanted to stay exactly where he was.

Forever.

But he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. He would ask her to marry him once he had a ring and the ability to do it right. She loved him. He heard her say it and, more, he felt it. There had to be a way to tell her the truth about his wealth that wouldn’t anger her. For that, he needed a woman’s advice. First chance he got, he would call Katie and solicit hers.

Right now Jack wanted to lie in Jessie’s arms and forget about all their recent troubles.

The sound of a door opening and Danny’s voice calling out ditched his plans.

He stiffened and reached for a blanket and Jessie laughed. “Reality comes crashing in,” she said.

Jack kissed her nose and forced his body to slip from hers. It was then he noticed that he hadn’t used a condom. He glanced at Jessie to see if she had noticed. If she did, she said nothing.

No matter, I’m marrying this woman if it’s the last thing I do. He quickly put his boxers on and tossed Jessie her clothes with a wink.

“Jessie?” Monica called.

“Hold on,” Jessie laughed. “I’ll, ah, be right out.”

Monica laughed.

Sisters.

Chapter Fifteen

They ate the stew she’d made and laughed at Danny shaking the gifts under the tree.

“This one has to be clothes,” he scowled as he spoke.

“Why do you say that?” Jack asked.

“Cuz there isn’t any sound inside the box and it’s not very heavy.” Danny tossed the box under the tree and picked up one of the packages Jack had brought.

“Soundless and light, yep, must be clothes,” Jack agreed.

“This,” he squealed, lifting the beautiful package above his head, “is a toy. It’s not heavy, but there are plastic pieces jiggling around in there.”

Jessie grasped Jack’s hand across the table and smiled at Monica.

“How do you know it’s plastic?”

Danny closed his eyes, taking the shaking of the presents to the next level. “I’m five. All my toys are plastic.”

Jack squeezed her hand as he spoke to her son. “So, Danny, what do you really, really want for Christmas?”

“I want a bike.”

Jessie saw that coming. It was all he’d asked for. The one she had hidden in a box in her bedroom needed some serious assembly for Santa to manage after Danny went to sleep.

“But you know what would be even better than a bike?” he asked.

Oh no. She didn’t know there was anything else he wanted. His letter to Santa, the one he wrote the day after Thanksgiving, said a bike. A red bike that was twice the size of the one he had now.

“What’s that, buddy?” Jessie queried.

“I want a house where we have a driveway and a place so I can ride my bike. Then Auntie Monica can have her own room so she doesn’t need to sleep out here. And Mom can park her new car in a garage.” Danny bounced to his feet. “Did you see the new car?” he asked Jack.

“No.” Jack slid a smile Jessie’s way.

“My goodness, in all the excitement around here I completely forgot to tell you what happened.”

Jack’s thumb stroked hers as he waited patiently for her explanation.

“After you left, the dealership called. There was some kind of fire in their garage that destroyed my car.”

“Really?” Jack asked, his smile never wavering.

“That’s what they told me. The dealership gave me my choice of a new car for my loss. Can you believe it?” Jack tilted his head to the side. Something in the way he stared at her made her pause.

Monica stood and cleared a few dishes from the table. “I’m still waiting for the dealer to call and say it was all a big mistake.”

“I don’t know, Monica. Dealerships hate to be sued,” Jack explained as he shifted his gaze to Monica.

“That’s what I told her.”

“I don’t buy it.”

“What did you get?” Jack asked, changing the subject.

“Mom got the coolest car ever. It has TVs in the backseat, and there’s a lady’s voice that gives us directions if we’re lost. It’s epic.” Danny grasped Jack’s hand. “C’mon, you need to see it.”

Jessie sent a sympathetic look Jack’s way as Danny forced him to stand.