One More Try Read online

  He tried to lay her down first, but she refused. He was the weak one right now, and it gave her a chance to exert her own control. Slowly and methodically, she removed his clothes, leaving him bare to her touch, her sight, and she worshiped his body with her lips and touch, running her hand smoothly up and down his hard shaft as she tasted every inch of him. He fisted his hands in the sheets, trying more than once to wriggle from beneath her where she straddled him ever so carefully, but she wasn’t about to let him get away now that she’d gotten started.

  Finally, as he reached out to rip her shirt off entirely, Sadie made faster work of her own clothes. She hadn’t slept with a great many men, and she was still self-conscious about her body, never quite feeling comfortable bared to anyone. But with Jake, it was different, just as it had been the first time. In fact, she realized now as he caressed her stomach, cupped and massaged her breasts, and tenderly touched and kissed every part of her he could reach that being intoxicated hadn’t made a bit of difference in her comfort with him. This was the way sex should be, like a tender, moving, flowing work of art between two people, completely uninhibited in their mutual exploration of each other.

  The whole of her tense and on fire, begging for release, Sadie positioned herself over Jake, teasing at the tip of him with the moisture at her opening until his eyes rolled back in his head with the utter fascination and ecstasy of anticipation. Only then did she impale herself, shuddering as her inner walls convulsed at the feel of his hardness and the slight friction as she slid further down his shaft. She took him in completely in one long, slow stroke, and they both cried out, barely able to hold back from the explosion that was on the horizon.

  Finding a sensual rhythm, Sadie began to rock her hips, drawing him in and out as he ran his hands over the small of her back and made more muscles tense in preparation for her release. She returned the favor, kissing him deeply and intently, mimicking their coupling in the way she thrust her tongue into his mouth. Jake seemed almost helpless, putty in her hands, as she increased her speed just a bit, building the intensity of her need. She was standing on a precipice, nearly ready to jump off the edge, and suddenly, with no warning, the convulsions returned with intense pleasure rolling through her body and into every limb with such force she couldn’t hold back a scream of complete ecstasy.

  And following her own culmination, she felt Jake’s cock inside her twitch, and his release came with a sharp explosion that she felt deep inside with incredible pleasure. She collapsed on top of him, their sweat mingling in the afterglow as the world swam around her. She couldn’t have imagined anything like this, and even the memories she’d thought were so potent were a shadow of the glory she felt at this moment.

  Beneath her, Jake ached from the exertion, but his body also felt a profound sense of completion, and he basked in her weight pressed over him. It had been far too long since he’d been able to touch her, been too many years since he’d been inside her. He should never have left like he did, should never have spent three years wondering where Sadie was but not using every resource he had to seek her out. There should have been a way, and he hadn’t made the effort, something he sorely regretted.

  But to have her now was such a blessing he wouldn’t dwell on his sorrows. He had everything he could ask for right in front of him, between this perfect home, the money to care for the families of his brothers, both dead and facing a long, hard life, and the woman he’d desired for as long as he cared to remember.

  “I love you, Jake.” The words were nothing more than an almost inaudible whisper that brushed against his ear as she lay over him, but they were the sweetest sound he’d ever heard. As he caressed her back in long draws of his fingers up and down her spine, he smiled and knew he could face anything with Sadie by his side. Letting his eyes flutter closed, he didn’t fight the sleep that was taking him over, and he could feel Sadie’s breathing become shallow and even as well. Now, he’d get the best of both worlds, not only enjoying a sexual relationship with the woman of his dreams but getting to sleep next to her in utter contentment.

  As he drifted off, he whispered back, “I love you, too,” and felt her stir just slightly before they both fell into a deep sleep.

  Chapter 9

  “Spill it.” The demand made Sadie jump, not having noticed Joan practically standing on top of her, giving her a demanding glare with her arms crossed.

  Pressing a hand to her chest where her heart was racing, Sadie laughed in relief. She figured she’d worry about that stalker showing up here until the DNA test came back, which would hopefully happen in the next week. “Spill what?” she asked, honestly unsure what Joan meant.

  The other nurse rolled her eyes. “Please, Sadie. You’ve been completely unavailable the past few weeks, and your entire countenance has changed. In fact, the last three days, you’ve been glowing like you’re getting laid better than you ever have in your life. And as if that’s not enough, it all seems to coincide with the time that Jake Donovan was released from here.” She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Tell me what’s going on. Are you two sleeping together?”

  Normally, Sadie would have blushed with such an intimate conversation or any such accusation. But all she could do was raise an eyebrow at her friend in challenge. “What if I was? I mean, you’re jumping to conclusions with absolutely no justification, and I’m personally wondering if you’re just bored and looking for drama because you got tired of your own boy.”

  That served as a bit of a distraction, and Joan wrinkled her nose. “Well, I’ll admit, I finally saw the light of reason, mostly as I considered what you told me about intellectual stimulation. All the sex in the world doesn’t make up for the inability to carry on a conversation that makes me feel smarter than a fifth grader.” She pointed accusingly at Sadie. “But you are the subject of this conversation, not me. And I want to know the truth. Are you sleeping with Jake Donovan?”

  Sadie sighed. “I would ask what business that is of yours, but you won’t be satisfied until you know something.” Shaking her head as she resigned herself to the fact that she’d have to give away some sort of information, she leaned her elbows on the desk and folded her hands. “Look, I’ve been helping Jake find a place to live and getting it set up so he can have in-home physical therapy. All the renovations were just finished, and he got to move in over the weekend.”

  Narrowing her eyes, Joan was obviously skeptical of the story. “Is he paying you for all of this?”

  “No, he’s not. I’m doing it as a friend.”

  At that, Joan laughed outright. “Are you kidding me? Since when did the two of you become friends? I mean, I know you spent a lot of time as his nurse, and we both went above and beyond to make sure him and his band were protected. But all that fits with your professional persona. When did it become personal for you?”

  Sadie shrugged. “I don’t know, Joan. And it doesn’t really matter when. The man has made leaps and bounds in recovery, and he’s gone out of his way to provide for the families of people who were lost and everyone who won’t have the same quality of life. He’s a good man, who really cares about people, and regardless of my own conceptions, I can’t ignore that.”

  They stared each other down, like a challenge of truth. Finally, Joan began to nod. “You’re falling in love with him.”

  At that Sadie scoffed. Though she certainly cared a great deal about Jake, she wasn’t going to fall in love that easily, or that quickly. And she certainly wasn’t going to have this conversation and analyze her relationship with Joan, who was still looking for a good lay and had no idea what it felt like to be in love. “Alright, Joan, this has gone far enough. I have a history with Jake. It isn’t the best, but we’ve worked through it, and now, we’re close friends. He’s proven himself to be a good man, and there’s no more judgment in my eyes. Is that so hard to accept?”

  “Yes, it is, when your eyes are sparkling and he’s an incredibly gorgeous rock star.” Joan bounced up and down. “I just want to
know, Sadie. I promise I won’t say anything to anyone. But I’ve had a crush on that man for years, and I got to meet him and it was great and fulfilling, but I know there’s no way in this hell or the next I ever had a chance at more than a passing ‘thank you’ with him. The man showered you with roses and, now, you’re spending a whole lot of your own time at his beck and call, supposedly without compensation. It all leads to one conclusion, Sadie, and you aren’t very convincing when you try to tell me otherwise.”

  Groaning at the determination she saw in front of her, the plea she leveled at her, Sadie threw her hands up, feeling beat. “What do you want to know, Joan? If he’s good in bed? Yes, he’s good in bed, even with the injuries and the loss of muscle and everything that he’s slowly building back with his therapy and everyday life. There, I said it. Now, put it in your spank bank and walk away with your lips closed about this.”

  The woman was so busy choking on her own excitement at having her suspicions confirmed – and probably likely as much excitement over the fact that she now had a connection to someone she idolized – that there was no possible way she could share any of this information with anyone soon. When she could finally speak, her face filled with awe, she said, “That’s awesome, Sadie, and not just because he’s famous and a god to be worshiped in the mirror. I’m happy for you because you look happy, and I could tell all along there was some sort of chemistry between the two of you that you were trying to fight. I don’t pretend to know details, but I don’t care. I just want you to be happy, and I think ‘Jake’ as you call him is the perfect person to help you find that happiness.”

  It was a surprising thing to hear, but it felt good, and Sadie knew she was completely sincere. “Well, thank you for that. And, if you like, I’ll see if there’s a night that I can cook dinner and maybe have you over so you can officially meet your biggest music idol.”

  Looking like she was going to pass out at the offer, Joan threw her arms around Sadie’s neck. “Oh my god, you are the best friend ever. I don’t care what I’ve said in the past or how hard I’ve pushed you or ragged on you for not being social or playing the field like me. You made the right decisions for you, and I think that this is going to be the best thing that ever happened to you. And maybe to me!” she giggled, pulling away.

  “What is going on over here?” Tiff asked as she approached with an armful of charts.

  This time, it was Joan who blushed, not an expression Sadie had ever expected to see on her face. “Nothing, I’m just happy for Sadie because she’s found some happiness of her own. Can’t you see it in her face?”

  Tiff looked back and forth between them, and Sadie read her thoughts as she tried to gauge how much of her own knowledge she should share with Joan. “Yes, I definitely see the change, but it’s been a gradual change going on for awhile now. I’ve had my suspicions but tried to keep them to myself.”

  “It’s alright, Tiff,” Sadie finally gave in. “I sort of just told Joan that I’m seeing Jake. No, we’re not living together, and no, we’re not engaged or anything like that. We’re just dating, so there’s no need to get all riled up about it. We’ll see what happens. I just want to keep things quiet. He’s still recovering and doesn’t need any kind of media hassle, and I don’t want rumors flying around the hospital.” She gazed back and forth between them. “Can I trust both of you not to say anything?”

  Tiff held up her hands. “I have no reason to spread rumors. Hell, I’m still trying to carve out a permanent place here. I don’t think being a drama queen is suitable to that.”

  Joan nodded. “And I already told you I wouldn’t say anything.”

  “Good. Thank you both for understanding. Now, as head nurse, I have to insist you both get back to work.” She gave them narrowed, evil eyes, making them laugh as they walked away.

  Epilogue

  FOUR MONTHS LATER

  Nerves bunched in a ridiculously tight knot that made her stomach churn, Sadie pinched Jake again as they moved toward the bench. For what had to be at least the twelfth time in the last half hour, she whispered to him, “This is insane!”

  He simply gave her that incredibly bright smile that spoke of every confidence in the world, along with more than a modicum of charm and persuasion. “Everything in our lives is a bit off, love. What else do you expect from us as a whole? Besides, I assume it’s something we still both want, is it not?”

  He was right, though she was still anxious and unsure about how they were going to pull this off.

  “Brady is a beautiful child, Jake, and I want this more than anything.” Anything she didn’t have yet, she thought as she toyed with the wedding ring on her left ring finger. She still couldn’t believe she’d impulsively married the man beside her just over a month ago. Everything had moved much faster than she’d intended or anticipated, but when things were right, they were right, and she didn’t want to halt her life for niceties.

  “Then let’s move forward.” Jake had spent several days in court over the last few weeks, after Kristin Anderson had done her worst and actually attempted to set fire to his home. That had been her response to the DNA testing that proved Brady was not Jake’s biological son. And when she’d been locked away, Jake had instantly petitioned to take custody of Brady, at least until a more permanent solution could be found. But when it came down to his adoption, the three weeks he’d already spent with Jake and Sadie had caused the both of them to fall for the child, and they didn’t want to give him up. Instead, they’d had a very serious discussion and determined that they would petition for adoption themselves.

  Today was the day the orders would go in, meaning that, in three months’ time, the paperwork would be final. It hadn’t been all that hard with all of Jake’s connections to have Kristin declared an unfit mother. After all, aside from being a stalker and a homicidal maniac, she’d apparently abused the young boy, as they’d found bruises on his body that appeared to be fingerprints. It had broken their hearts and only endeared the child to them more.

  Upon her sentencing, they had celebrated, and Sadie had thrown herself into building out a perfect nursery, which ended up taking over what was supposed to be the music room. Of course, Jake hadn’t minded her domestication one bit. He liked the idea of an instant family as much as he dreamed of having his own child with her and fully supported the change.

  He’d also gone to court to apply for his citizenship here in the United States, something that was a little further in the future but would definitely come now. And as they spoke to the judge, he could tell the woman knew of him and was a little in awe of the fact that one of the world’s most popular rock stars, who had also become known as a great philanthropist, stood before her. And with the brightness in Sadie’s eyes as she spoke about her connection with the baby only made it more obvious there would be no qualms with getting the adoption papers they desired.

  When the petition was granted, Sadie threw her arms around the husband she’d never guessed she would have, too excited to even think straight. She broke away only because she felt the need to run to Joan, who stood from her seat in the courtroom with Brady in her arms, and took the boy, hugging him tight to her chest. She’d never known the kind of love that surrounded her now, the unconditional love of a child and the undying love of a great man who literally worshiped her as if she were a goddess in his life.

  Joan blushed as Jake approached, and it almost made Sadie laugh at the woman. They’d all gone out together several times, and Joan still nearly swooned at Jake’s presence, unable to reconcile the man she knew with the image she’d been obsessed with for a great many years. She still felt distant from him, and while Jake tried everything to make her comfortable, it just hadn’t quite fallen into place yet.

  “Congratulations,” she managed, hugging Sadie tightly but barely managing a side-arm hug with Jake.

  With a broad grin, Sadie nodded. “Thank you. And thank you for being here.” In Sadie’s life, everything had fallen into place. Jake was working on
a new album, his first solo project, with three songs dedicated to Cryptic and the brothers he’d lost and would miss in his life, as well as two more he’d written specifically for her. There was even a song that covered the harassment he’d faced and one that, under the surface, told the story of how Brady had come into their lives without saying too much about the woman who had given birth to him and nearly ruined theirs.

  And while everything had settled in their lives, with Jake fully recovered, friends they adored, and a healthy relationship they probably should have found long ago but had worked out at the right time, the addition of a child was almost more than she dared to consider. It seemed something should be going wrong, but she didn’t want to mess with karma. And that had been why she’d waited for these court proceedings and the assurance that everything would work out here so that, in ninety days, Brady would take on the last name of Donovan as she had, she hadn’t mentioned the one other blessing coming in their lives.

  Now, she held Brady, bouncing him as he chewed on a set of plastic keys, and turned to face Jake. “We’re parents, you know.”

  “I’m aware. How does it feel?” he asked kissing both her and Brady on the forehead and making the child coo and giggle.

  “Pretty good. I’m just wondering if it will feel the same to be parents a second time.” At the look of confusion on his face and the wide eyes and gasp from Joan, she continued, “And this time, we get to be there from the beginning.”

  “You’re pregnant?!” Joan exclaimed, unable to hold back her excitement and shock.

  That jolted Jake into action, as he realized what Sadie was telling him. “We’re having a baby?” As Sadie nodded, he laughed out loud, more ecstatic than he’d ever been. The life of a rocker was incredibly exciting, and there was always a new adventure. When you were on stage, there was no greater rush.