Touched Read online

  “Let Bea clean it tomorrow. Come.” I take her hand, turning lights off as we go, and take her to our bedroom. Once we’ve changed and are snuggled in bed, she falls asleep quickly in my arms while I stare at the ceiling. I’m so anxious for tomorrow. Now if my plan just goes off without a hitch, and she loves it as much as I do.

  I wake up bright and early this morning, anticipation getting the better of me. Letting Jade sleep in I go to the kitchen to make a breakfast feast. She’s eating for two now so she needs to eat, whether she wants to or not. Those are my rules. By the time I’m setting the last plate of food on the table, she finally walks into the kitchen looking so adorable yawning and stretching. I walk straight to her, take her in my arms and kiss the hell outta her. “Morning, Angel.” She smiles and kisses me again.

  “What’s all this?” She asks as I lead her to the table, pushing in her chair as she sits.

  “Breakfast for my queen and princess. You’re eating for two now and need to also build up your strength after what happened. Gotta make sure my sweethearts are well fed.” I sit across from her, reach over and take her plate and proceed to fill it full of food.

  “Um. Princess?” She raises an eyebrow at me and gives me a snarky grin. “What makes you so sure it’s a girl? Pretty presumptuous wouldn’t you say?” Setting her plate down in front of her, I notice she picks up her fork and dives into her food. After pulling her fork from her luscious lips she looks up at me, rolling her eyes. “Ok, so I’m really, really, hungry. What?”

  I lean my chin on my hands and smile. “You’re adorable. And yes, it will be a girl. I demand it. I’ve always wanted a little princess to spoil. So, eat up and nourish our princess.”

  She sets her fork down and wipes her mouth with her napkin. “And you’re cute. You’re going to make such a great daddy.”

  I reach across and take her hand, my thumb rubbing circles on the top. “And you will make the perfect mommy. This child and our children will know what it is to be happy, loved and cherished, always wanted and never knowing what it’s like to be alone or unhappy. With what we’ve both been through there’s no mistake about that.” I release her hand, and we both eat for a minute then I look back at her. “Does neither of your parents ever try to get in touch with you?” Damn! Why did I bring that up?

  Her eyes slowly rise to mine, and I can see the sadness in them. “No. Never. I haven’t heard from them since the day they disowned me and I left.” She smiles and straightens in her chair. “It’s all good though. I’m ok without them. I’ve learned to be.”

  I clear my throat and take another bite. “Well, we have each other now. Let’s finish and get cleaned up. The sooner we get the visit over at the police station, the better. I’m ready to be done with all that and move on with our lives.” She nods and takes another bite, but I notice she’s eating slower. Way to break the happy mood, Knox.

  We finally finish eating, and I tell her to go take her shower while I clean up and stop to take a pain pill. I hate taking pills but I know I’m still healing, and I don’t want anything getting in our way of happiness. By the time I get done, take my shower and neck with my girl in the bathroom, we’re ready to head out. I had Ralph pack us a picnic lunch and stow it along with a blanket in the trunk of the SUV. We’re heading to our destination, and I turn off onto the street that runs adjacent to the beach when Jade looks at me. “Um, the police station was back that way.” I keep my eyes on the road and try my hardest not to smile. “Knox? Where are we going?”

  My smile breaks free and I quickly look at her, keeping my eyes on the road. “Surprise.”

  She looks out her window and then back at me. “What? Knox. What surprise?” Her head turns back to her window, and I can see how wide her eyes are in her reflection. “It’s so beautiful and serene here. I love the ocean and look at all that sand.”

  I cover her hand that’s resting on the seat and squeeze, her head turning to me, her face glowing and her eyes sparkling. “Yes, it is beautiful. You’re beautiful.” Her gorgeous teeth appear with her sweet smile, and I’m lost in her again and hope to never be found. I look out the front window and release her hand to point. “See that there?” She turns and looks, the confusion on her face apparent.

  “You mean all those trees and road?” I try not to laugh when her confusion becomes heightened.

  Nodding I smile and once we get there I pull off on a private drive, winding around until we make it to a big empty lot, full in grass and the sandy beach in the distance and I park. I turn around in my seat and face her as she does the same and take both her hands in mine. “Angel, this is ours.” Her eyes widen as her face turns to full shock. “I bought it before I met you because I’ve never forgotten that little girl I fell in love with and I wanted something that I could design and live in that would always remind me of her. Of you. Now, we can share it together and our children will be able to always have a big sandbox to play in.” I reach over and wipe away her falling tears and then stroke her cheek. “I hope those are happy tears, my love. Nothing but happiness for us from now on.” She slides across the seat, her hands gliding around my neck and her fingers moving into my hair as her lips press against mine. I waste no time in putting my arms around her. My hands fisting her long, soft hair as we pour every feeling we have into this one kiss. When we finally come up for air, we smile at each other, and I lay my forehead against hers. “You make me so happy and I can’t even explain how much I feel for you. It’s indescribable and I’ve never been at a loss for words but with you… You make me feel so much. I feel like I’m going to burst wide open.”

  “Oh, darling. I feel the same, don’t you know that? I’ve been lost without you, not knowing where to go or what to do and then you found me and made me whole. You are my missing part.”

  We take our time kissing again until we have to come up for air. But she is my air, and I’m hers. Finally, I look at her and smile. “Come. We’re having a picnic and then we’re building a sand castle. Just like we used to.” Her eyes are bright, and she nods eagerly. We get out of the car, and I walk to the trunk and gather the blanket and picnic basket, close the lid and then take her hand. We walk out into the lush grass and after spreading the blanket out we sit, her in between my legs, and we just watch the water in the ocean, the breeze blowing her hair. This is life. This is peaceful and together we are happiness.

  “This is so peaceful. This will be a perfect place to live. Just think, to sit out on a deck and have this view all the time. It will be heaven,” she says as she rubs circles on my arm that’s around her waist. “We can make sandcastles any time we want and what a serene place for our child to grow up in.”

  She turns her head up to me and I look down, her smile is as big as the ocean. “Children. Well, now that you mention it.” I lean over, open the picnic basket and pull out the plans I had downsized to show her today and move back, spreading them out on her lap. “I bought this land with the intention of designing a house for you and our family. What do you think?”

  She looks down as I point out things, the huge windows, my office, the gym, the game room down in the basement, her special room, the enormous kitchen and living room and my answer comes in her gasp, my heart swelling. “It’s beautiful.” She looks at me. “You designed this? It looks like our castle.”

  I chuckle, “Well, most of it but I’ve had a little help from Amber recently. She really is a great graphic designer. She fits in very well in my company.” I look at her and smile. “Our company.”

  She sits up quickly. “Oh, no! That is your company. You built it from the ground up. I’m not having anything to do with…” I press my fingers to her lips softly.

  “No, it’s our company now and a legacy for our children. No buts. I won’t have it any other way.” She smiles under my fingers and nods. “Now, the contractor I hired will start working on the site tomorrow morning and for what I’m paying him, his crews should have it done, at the latest, in two months. You, my love, get to help p
ick out the wood floors, the lightings, facets, decorations and anything else your heart desires.” She’s beaming at me and scoots up, so I can spread out our picnic feast. “Now, let’s get my two girls fed.”

  We ate, drank water, fed each other grapes and kissed a ton until we were full. After I was satisfied that she’d eaten enough we removed our shoes and walked hand in hand to the beach and found a great spot to build our castle. Hours later we finished our castle and cuddled together, watching the sun set. This is paradise. I packed up everything, and she carried the blanket back to the car and after getting it situated in the trunk we settle in for the ride home. By the time we get there she’s asleep, so I quietly lift her and carry her inside, wincing a little, but I was determined. I change her clothing and tuck her into bed. Standing there by her bed side, I just watch her sleep. Angel. Her name couldn’t be any more perfect.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  “I know. I’m so lucky and so happy. Ok, I’ll talk to you later.” I end the call with Amber and check on dinner. After waking up this morning feeling refreshed, making love to my sexy man and then spending the day going over our new house plans with him, he decided to go talk to the contractor about a few things, and I’ve been lazing around, talking on the phone. I put a roast in the crockpot earlier today, and the aroma is filling the kitchen nicely. I decide to go to my room and check emails until its ready. Knox should be home soon, and then we can eat. After the computer comes alive I filter through some emails. I don’t get many, some from Amber and now Tabbie but mostly junk. My eyes stop on one that I don’t recognize, and I’m shocked when I open it.

  My darling daughter,

  I’m ashamed as your mother for what’s been done to you, and that I turned my back on you. I love you so much even though you may not feel that I do. I’ve left your father, and I am sorry I was not strong enough to fight against him when he disowned you and treated you in such a horrible way. In my heart, I’ve never disowned you or would think to do that. You’re my daughter, and I’ve never stopped loving you. I saw in the paper about what happened with Alex and was shocked. His parents had thought he was dead for years and had no idea he was still alive. Now, they are claiming that what happened to you was not your fault, and that he was a sick man. I hope this finds you well and know that I’m thinking about you. I wish I would have been stronger and had left your father sooner and helped you. You’ve always been stronger than me. I’m staying at a hotel for now, and I am trying to decide where to live. I hope someday you can forgive me.

  Love always,

  Mom

  Tears are dripping down my face, some landing on my arm as I read. Why now? Because of what happened? Because of the papers? I still love my mom and have missed her desperately, but it wasn’t right what she did. She couldn’t stand up to Father. What made her do it now? Is it a coincidence that she did it now because of what happened, or that she finally got fed up? I would love for our baby to have a grandmother. Knox has no parents, but the baby will have an awesome aunt and goading friend in Amber, but grandparents are a different thing. Sighing I shut down the computer and go check on dinner again. My thoughts and emotions are all over the place, and I don’t hear Knox when he comes into the kitchen, and I’m startled when his arms envelope me.

  “What’s wrong? Are you ok? Is it Princess?” I begin to cry, turn around and begin sobbing in his chest. “Jade. What is it? You’re scaring me.” He rubs my back and then pushes me away but holds on to my arms and bends down to look at me. “Jade?”

  “My… My mom. She…” I cry even more. “She emailed me and… She left my dad.” He pulls me back into his arms, and I continue to sob. We just stand there until I get out all my sobbing, and then he leads me over and sits down in the nearest chair, pulling me into his lap, cradling me. He starts wiping away my tears, and I know I look like a complete mess.

  “Ok, now. Your mom left your dad and then what?” His eyes are so full of love and concern for me. It makes me want to cry again. Instead, I sniff and take a big breath.

  “She wants me to forgive her. She read about what happened with Alex in the papers and I’m just not sure if her decision to leave dad was before or after that.” I look into his eyes, and my heart is so full of hurt. “I’m not sure how I feel about it all. I mean. I love her and miss her so badly but I won’t take her back just because she’s had a change of heart, you know?”

  He kisses my forehead and leans his against it. “Angel. Forgiveness is one of the keys to happiness but can only come in time. Follow your heart and let it guide you; it led you to me.”

  I raise my head back and search his eyes. The feelings moving throughout me are indescribable. Love, cherish, care, and tenderness, so many things that I haven’t had in my life for so long or some not at all. My lips crush his as my tongue enters his warm and wet mouth, his tangles with mine as our hands move all over each other. The heat and passion are there but so much more have us encased in a bubble of feelings. When we finally stop and break apart I can feel the wetness in my eyes. “Thank you for loving me.” My chin quivering as I speak.

  His thumb brushes against my wet cheek. “Angel. It is what I was put here on earth to do and I’ll never stop even after I’m gone from this life. I’ll never stop.” He kisses me quick and lifts me from his lap. “No more sadness. I forbid it.” He gives me his signature smile as he walks to the counter. “Now, let’s eat. We need to keep your energy up for what I have in mind after dinner.” His eyebrows waggle as his sexy grin appears.

  Our overwhelming feelings were still there after dinner. We didn’t make it out of the kitchen before he made love to me on the cleaned table. As we tried to get to our bedroom, we made love again in the living room against the wall and then again when we finally managed to get into bed. Neither of us slept in our normal sleeping attire, we laid wrapped around each other with our skin pressing firmly against each other’s. I hope it will always be this way.

  The next day Knox and I are sitting in the kitchen talking while eating breakfast when his heads snaps to me. “No. I’d rather you not leave by yourself even if you can do self-defense and even if you take Emerson with you. You’re carrying our princess and cannot put yourself in any danger. That’s final.” I looked at him with a look of astonishment.

  “Uh. Really? I know I’m carrying our baby and wouldn’t do anything to put her in harm’s way. I really need to get out of the house and have some girl time. Tabbie, Amber and I are only meeting at the Mexican restaurant down the street from my old apartment and Emerson said he would take me.” I watch as he slightly shakes his head. “Aw, come on, darling. I’ll be fine. I promise.”

  He leans over and takes my hand. “Angel, as soon as you leave here the paparazzi will be all over you and I won’t be with you. I know you can handle yourself. You’re my tough lady, but I’ve also seen that you can be hurt.” He looks down at our hands. “I’m going to be so worried.”

  I reach over with my hand, laying it on his face and his eyes move up to mine. “I love you so much and you’ll always worry about me and I love that. But I’m a big girl and will squash any of those asshat’s that come near me and Emerson will trample them with his huge body.” The corner of his mouth lifts and his eyes soften. “Now, I’m going to go bat shit crazy if I don’t get out of here every once in a while and I need my girls. Go do your work and make sure our castle is the most beautiful place on the planet and before you know it we will be in each other’s arms again.” Leaning towards him, I kiss his warm lips and then as I move back my thumb rubs off the light lipstick I left on them.

  “Fuck, I love you,” he says as he stands. He leans down, kissing me one more time, and then heads out of the kitchen. “I’ll be texting you a ton. Have fun with the girls but be safe.” I blow him a kiss as he walks through the doorway and then I text Amber.

  When Emerson pulls out of our garage, there are no people around. I sigh in relief. “Doesn’t mean there won’t be any. Probably followed Knox but they
’ll figure out you aren’t with him,” Emerson says in his gruff voice. I turn my head and give him a smirk, but his eyes don’t move from the road in front of us. “Don’t give me no shit woman, I know what I’m talking about. This isn’t my first day.” How in the hell does he do that?

  Looking back out my window I roll my eyes. “I wish you and Knox would quit acting like I’m this fragile thing. I’m not stupid you know.”

  My eyes shift to him when he turns his head, his eyes moving from the front window then to me and back and forth as he talks. “Look, girl. He’s all about you. He knows you can take care of yourself but you’re also not used to his lifestyle, always having to dodge those motherfuckers and them getting in your face.” I start to feel really guilty, the idiot that I am. “Hey, don’t beat yourself up but listen to him. He knows what he’s talking about, ok?” Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly and nod. The rest of the way is full of silence as I sink in my seat, and he concentrates on the road. I need to quit being such an idiot.

  We arrive at the restaurant and sure enough outside waiting on the sidewalk is a ton of photographers. Emerson is actually nice and doesn’t say he told me so but just gets out of the car, walks around to my side and helps me out. Then with his arm around me, he pushes his way through the loud crowd and into the front door of the restaurant. All of the rude comments didn’t really faze me this time, but I was a little nervous when Peter Newman tried to get in my face, his words affecting me a bit. He’s a cruel man and one that literally raked me over the coals during the worst time in my life. Emerson takes my arm and leads me past the hostess stand and toward a back booth as I regain my senses. I didn’t even hear their conversation about a table. Once seated Emerson leans down by my side. “I’ll just be out in the lobby. No one can get to you back here without trying to go through me. You ok?” His face is full of worry, so I put on my smile and relax a little.