Secret Love - Brenda Jackson [101]
“But my life will make it difficult for you. It’ll put you more at risk. Even giving up acting may not help. The media will still find a reason to hound us since I’ll still be Jack Swain’s daughter.”
“Fine. Whatever happens, we’ll deal with it together. We can’t allow the world to dictate how we should live our life. I never have, and I won’t start now. And don’t ask me to give you up because I won’t.”
He reached out and gently touched her cheek. “For more than twenty years, I thought Whispering Pines was all I needed and all I ever wanted. Then you came into my life, and I found out just what real happiness meant.”
His gaze continued to bore into hers. He saw the tears that flowed freely from her eyes and let his thumb brush a few of them away. “That night I asked you to marry me, I knew the risks. But I didn’t care. The only thing I could think about was just how much I loved you and that there was no way I could let you walk out of my life,” he said more softly now. “And I knew our marriage would not be a normal one, but what I did know was that it would be forever, because diamonds are forever, and you are my Diamond. Your radiance shines bright within my heart, so bright that it overwhelms me at times. When we married, it was for better or for worse.”
He took her hands in his. “So we’re just beginning to taste a little of the bad times, but it could get even worse. Should we throw in the towel and give up? No, I don’t think so.”
Jake’s hands moved to cup her face. “Love is risky, Diamond. But so is my getting up in the morning and herding five hundred head of cattle across an open range. So is your getting on a plane and jetting across the country each and every time you go to shoot a movie. Do I worry about you when you’re not with me? Damn right I do. But I have to believe that the same God that brought you into my life will keep you there until he’s ready for things to be different. He’s the one calling the shots, Diamond. Not me, nor you, nor Ammons nor the media.”
Jake’s lips moved closer to hers. “What we share is a gift from heaven. I believe it, and you have to believe it, too.” He touched his lips to hers. “Come home with me, Diamond,” he said tenderly. “Home to Whispering Pines.” He reached down and laid a hand over her belly. “I came to take you and our baby home.”
He kissed her then. Several times. He mated his mouth to hers slowly and gently. When he felt her response he deepened his kiss and his hold. It was only when they both needed to breathe did he release her mouth.
“Oh, Jacob, I was so afraid.”
He heard the anguish in her voice and pulled her slender form against his chest, holding her tight. “I know, sweetheart. But it’s over now.”
She leaned back out of his arms and looked up at him. “You should have told me what was going on.”
He nodded. “Yeah, maybe I should have, but I made the decision not to because I didn’t want you to worry about it…or blame yourself.”
He pulled her back into his arms. “Our life together won’t be easy, Diamond. But we knew that in the beginning and chose to love each other anyway. We can’t and we won’t let anyone change our plans on that.”
Diamond looked up at him. He was right. They had to believe their love was strong enough to endure anything. “No, we can’t and we won’t.”
Jake kissed her again. He then released her and walked over to the door and locked it. He hadn’t slept all night. He had tried closing his eyes on the plane, but each and every time he did so he’d seen Diamond. He walked back over to her.
“I love you,” he whispered softly.
“And I love you, too.”
He picked her up and placed her on the bed. Turning her into his arms he kissed her again. He wanted to remove her clothes, but she wanted to keep right on kissing him, so he obliged her. She wanted to take the lead and set the pace for them and so he decided to grant her her wishes there, too.
She began unbuttoning his shirt. Once that was done she opened it up and ran her hands lightly down his chest.
He shivered at her