She shook her head. "It's a good thing you're as active as you are with how much you consume at breakfast. Going to the gym every day is paying off." And that was true. Reese was in the best shape he'd ever been. The proof was in his jeans. She didn't know of any man who could wear them better or could look s.e.xier in them.

"So what are your plans today?" he asked.

This was how their day started, Leah thought. Reese would arrive for breakfast each morning around seven and she would have everything ready. While he ate a mountain of pancakes and sipped coffee he would tell her his plans for that day and ask about hers. They would then make small talk about the weather, any happenings around town and any other topic of interest. When it was time for him to leave she would walk him to the door and tell him to have a nice day.

When it was time to walk him to the door today, she had just finished telling him about another recipe she planned to try. "Well, don't work too hard today," she said, reaching out to open the door.

"Leah?"

"Yes?" She turned around and met his gaze. He didn't say anything, but then he really didn't have to. Despite years of separation she could still read the look in his eyes.

"Nothing. Don't you work too hard, either," he finally said.

Leah nodded and stood back for him to walk out the door. But some part of her knew she had to make this morning different for them. Jocelyn was right. She couldn't let what Neil had done destroy the one thing that had been so right in her life, the one thing she had cherished the most. Reese's love.

"Reese?"

He turned around. "Yes?"

She didn't say anything at first, then she slowly leaned toward him and, without touching him, brushed a kiss across his lips. She heard his sharp intake of breath and the sound spurred her to go a little further. So she deepened the kiss a little, and when he moaned, she closed her eyes and slipped her tongue inside his mouth.

She got just what she expected and exactly what she wanted, the tantalizing and rich taste of Reese Singleton. This is what time and distance hadn't been able to erase from her memory. Nor had Neil Grunthall.

With excruciating slowness and painstaking thoroughness, she kissed him, leaning into him but careful to keep their bodies from touching. But she needed this. After wondering for years if she'd ever be able to kiss a man again, she had her answer.

Leah slowly pulled back, or at least she tried to, but Reese's mouth followed. He gently leaned toward her, recaptured her mouth, letting her know how much he enjoyed this. So did she. So they kissed again, pa.s.sionately, thoroughly. And somehow, at some point, he wrapped his arms around her and she didn't reject his touch. She was too caught up in the feel of being in his arms.

Her mind was humming that this was Reese, the man she loved, had always loved and would always love. Finally, he pulled back slightly, then began brushing kisses along her jaw. When he pulled his mouth away, their eyes met and although neither said anything, they were both aware of the importance of what had taken place.

"Thanks for making my day special," Reese said. "It was well worth the wait."

Leah nodded. She then lifted her hands to his chest. "Yes, it was, and please kiss me again."

Reese smiled and lowered his head. He was more than happy to oblige her request.

"The boss is in a bad mood," Tommy Grooms whispered to Reese when he arrived at the work site sometime later. This was their first day on a new project. The post office needed expanding and they had been awarded the job.

Considering he was in a d.a.m.n good mood, Reese walked over to where Jocelyn was wielding her hammer. He waited until she was finished and tapped on her hard hat. She turned around and glared at him. "What?"

"We need to talk."

Jocelyn mentally swore as she placed her hammer aside and followed Reese into a deserted area of the room. She pulled off her safety gla.s.ses and hard hat. "What's this about?"

Reese leaned against a metal post. "You tell me. The guys think you're in a bad mood."

Jocelyn put her safety gla.s.ses back on and glared through them. "I am."

"Then you need to leave."

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I said you need to leave and pull yourself together. This job is no place for negative emotions right now."

Jocelyn's angered flared. "You're a fine one to talk."

"Yes, and I learned from experience. Go ahead. Take an extended lunch. Come back when you feel better."

"I feel fine."

Reese chuckled without any real amus.e.m.e.nt. "You might feel fine but you look like h.e.l.l. It's plain to see you've been crying. What's going on, Jocelyn? You and Bas have a lover's spat?"

She glared. "Don't mention his name."

Reese lifted a brow. "Wow, that sounds deep."

Jocelyn's lips twitched in anger. "Men. All of you are nuts. You want affairs then you don't want affairs. And when you do fall in love, you expect everyone to follow suit like good little soldiers. Well, not everyone wants to fall in love," she snapped.

"Then don't," Reese countered. He then smiled. "But you know what I think, Joce? Whether you want to admit it or not, you're already in love."

Jocelyn decided to have lunch at one of the local sandwich shops in town. Reese had been right. She'd needed time alone. She released a long sigh and thought about what Bas had said that morning. He loved her.

Any other woman would probably have been elated at his confession, but why was she so frightened? She sighed again as the answer came back to her. Mainly because of the unknown. To fall in love with Bas meant uprooting her life here and going someplace outside of her comfort zone. Other than her visits to Aunt Susan every summer in Florida, this was where her life had been. This was where she'd always felt she belonged.

All because of personal insecurities she'd always managed to hide.

Leah was right. The main reason she'd never formed an attachment to a man was because of the fear of eventually being left alone. That was why she'd never been involved in a serious relationship.

Before now. Before Bas.

But he wanted to take her away from here, and as much as she loved him...

Jocelyn's heart began hammering fast and furious in her chest. Reese was right. She was already in love. Suddenly the thought of not being with Bas was something she didn't want to think about and at that moment she knew to deny her love for him was a mistake. She did love him and she had to believe that things would work out and that no matter where he went or where he lived, her place was with him. He was her future as well as her present.

Later that evening Jocelyn knocked on Bas's cabin's door as she went back and forth in her mind what she would say to him. She knew she needed to explain why she had freaked out this morning when he'd told her he loved her, and to make sure that he believed she loved him, as well.

After having lunch she had dropped by to visit Leah, only to find her sister in the best of moods. Leah shared the reason with her. Jocelyn was truly happy for her sister and proud of the progress she'd made with Reese. Now Jocelyn knew she had to get things right with her man, as well.

The door opened and she saw the surprised look on Bas's face. "Jocelyn. I didn't expect to hear from you, especially after this morning."

"I know. May I come in?"

"Sure," he said, stepping aside. She walked in and closed the door behind her.

Bas went to stand in front of the fireplace while Jocelyn remained in the center of the room. "I need to apologize about this morning, Bas."

He held her gaze. "Evidently I hit a sore spot."

Jocelyn nodded. "Yes, the thought of ever loving anyone has been a personal insecurity I've refused to acknowledge. For some reason I've equated falling with love with eventually losing that person. So, to play it safe, I never allowed myself the luxury of truly loving anyone. Until you."

He raised to his lips the gla.s.s he was holding in his hand and took a sip, never letting his eyes stray from hers. "And do you? Do you love me, Jocelyn?"

She smiled, hoping he would see the truth in her eyes. "Yes, I love you, Bas. Reese sent me away from the job site this morning so I could go someplace and rationalize things, and I did. I can't let life pa.s.s me by without having dreams, and without having love. I love you, Bas, and if your offer still stands, I want to be your wife."

Bas set his drink on the mantel and came to stand in front of Jocelyn. "The offer still stands, sweetheart," he said in a husky voice, reaching out and cradling her face in his hands.

"There's one thing you're going to discover about a Steele, Jocelyn. When we find the woman we want, that's it. We don't give up until we have her. I heard what you said this morning but there was no way I was going to give you up without a fight. What I have to offer you is my love for the rest of your days, Jocelyn. I believe in my heart there was a reason your father wanted me here and now I know what that reason is. You. All I'm asking is that you trust me enough to know that I love you, I'll take care of you and keep you safe for the rest of my life. And I meant what I said. I don't have to return to Charlotte. I'll be content living right in this town with you, as long as the two of us are together."

Tears sprang into Jocelyn's eyes. This beautiful man was willing to make sacrifices for her. "No, everything is worked out now. I've talked to Reese and Leah. They've agreed with my decision to sell the company to Cameron Cody, granted he agrees to all of the concessions I want him to make. That way Reese can use the money Dad left him to start his own business. Leah plans to stay and if things continue to work out, she will eventually open a restaurant next to Reese's shop."

She then smiled brightly. "It seems that Reese and Leah are making progress, so I'll be selling Reese back their home. That means I won't have a place to live. Any ideas?"

Bas took a step closer to her. "Baby, I have plenty. But are you sure you want to sell the company? I know how much Mason Construction means to you."

"Yes, but it was Dad's dream and not really mine. My dream is to be with you, Bas. To love you, marry you and start a family with you. I want lots of babies."

Bas laughed and pulled her into his arms. He held her for a moment before pulling back slightly and capturing her lips with his. The kiss seemed to last forever. When it ended, he pulled her closer into his arms and whispered against her hair, "You want lots of babies, do you?"

Jocelyn chuckled. "Yes, plenty of Steeles."

Bas swept her into his arms and headed for the bedroom. "That's good because I'm ready to give you everything you want, sweetheart."

Epilogue.

"I like her, Bas." like her, Bas."

Bas smiled at Chance over the rim of his winegla.s.s. "Glad you do because I happen to love her."

Chance chuckled. "That doesn't surprise me."

"I figured it wouldn't."

Chance took a sip of his own drink before asking, "So, have you asked her yet?"

Bas's smile widened. "Yes, and she's said yes. We're planning to wed before the end of the year. That will give her time to wrap up a few things she has going on in Newton Grove, which includes selling the construction company to Cameron."

Chance nodded. "When are you going to tell the family?"

"Later tonight after the party."

"I wish you all the best."

"Thanks and every time I look over at Jocelyn, I know that she is just that. The best."

Later that night, after Donovan's birthday party, Jocelyn snuggled closer in Bas's arms thinking how her day had gone. She had fallen in love with his family the moment she'd met them all, his brothers, cousins and parents.

Chance's wife, Kylie, was simply too nice for words, and Kylie's best friend, a Queen Latifah look-alike named Lena Spears, was also kind. Jocelyn smiled when she thought about his female cousins, Vanessa, Taylor and Cheyenne. There hadn't been a dull moment with the three of them around.

Jocelyn had noticed the heated looks Cameron Cody had given Vanessa all evening, and the same held true for the looks Morgan Steele had given Lena.

"So what do you think, Bas? Which couple will it be?"

Bas pulled her closer into his arms. He knew what she was asking since she had shared her observations with him earlier. "It will be awhile for Cameron. Vanessa is a hard one to thaw so he has his work cut out for him. My brothers and I are hoping it will be Morgan and Lena. The more she resists him, the moodier he gets. But like I told you, a Steele eventually gets what he or she wants."

Jocelyn lifted her head and gazed down at him. Her expression was suddenly serious. "And did you get what you wanted, Bas?"

He pulled her back down to him, wrapped his arms around her. "I got everything I wanted and more, Jocelyn. I love you."

"And I love you."

And when their mouths connected they knew that they were once again about to generate a little night heat.

Beyond Temptation Brenda Jackson [image]

Contents

Chapter 1.