Page 8 of Forever, Finally

“Uh-huh.” Humor returned to her voice. “Want to know what I’m wearing? It’s the cutting edge of maternity chic. There are barnyard animals dancing across my belly. Pretty sexy, huh?”

He knew she was joking and expected him to join in, but all he could think about was Lily curled up in a big bed and him sliding in beside her. He imagined himself spooning with her, his front against her back, his hand sliding around to cup her breasts while her tight, round fanny nestled against him. He could smell her soft skin and hear her breathing.

He closed his eyes and fought back a groan. For one thing, lusting after a pregnant woman was probably illegal. For another, if Lily knew he was having sexual fantasies about her she would cuff him, then call him a pervert. And the most pressing reason to knock it off was the sudden lack of blood in his brain and the hardness in his groin. Being tired and sore from moving wasn’t enough. Now he had to deal with the physical manifestation of unfulfilled desire. Could the day get any worse?

“I grossed you out, huh?” she said, sounding resigned. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I’m sure you look great in barnyard animal PJs.”

“You don’t believe that for a second. The truth is I’m a cow myself. Huge and bovine-like. But I used to be sexy, right? I mean before the baby? And attractive. Although not attractive enough to keep Michael from standing me up at the altar.”

“Don’t go there, Lil,” he told her. “Michael was an idiot and you’re lucky to have him out of your life.”

“I know and I’m really glad, it’s just sometimes…” She sighed again. “I don’t know. I wonder where it all went wrong. Why did I fall for him in the first place? Shouldn’t I have seen the truth?”

“Sometimes we can’t see what’s right in front of us.”

He hadn’t figured out his feelings for Lily until it was too late, Jake thought grimly. A few months earlier and he could have told her before she’d met Michael. Maybe she wouldn’t have been interested, but at least the information would have been out there and he wouldn’t have spent the past nine months wondering.

“You’re getting philosophical on me and that always makes me nervous,” Lily said. “I think you need to watch some sports or something because—”

A strange sound came through the phone line—a metallic ripping, then a huge crash. Jake sat up straight and clutched the receiver.

“Lily? Are you okay? What just happened?”

“I—I don’t know. Something bad though. That was not a good sound. And I can hear a rushing noise. Like water. You don’t suppose the Willamette River just flooded into my dining room, do you?”

“No, but be careful anyway.” He stood, torn between staying on the phone with her and heading for her place. “I’m going to call you right back from my cell.”

“Okay.”

He ran to the front of his house, grabbed his jacket and his keys, then raced toward his truck. As he started the engine, he hit the auto dial for her home number. She picked up instantly.

“There’s water everywhere,” she said, sounding more stunned than frantic. “Like a real river through my dining room. I’m on the stairs and I’m kind of afraid to step into it. Where do you think it’s coming from?”

“Broken pipe. Maybe the water heater.”

“This isn’t good. I have to say, so far the home-owner experience isn’t what I expected.”

Despite his concern, he smiled. “Just your luck, Lil. I’ll be there in less than five minutes. Don’t move off the stairs and if the water starts rising, head up to the second floor.”

“Okay. You sound so confident and sure of yourself. It’s the rescue thing, isn’t it? You’re comfortable in that role.”

“Yeah, sure. I’m a hero to my bones. Hold on and I’ll be there to get you.”

“Thanks, Jake. You’re the best.”

He hung up. The best, huh? Best what? Friend? He wasn’t interested in that. He wanted Lily to see him as the man of her dreams. What were the odds of that ever happening?

* * *

Lily stood watching two or three inches of water pouring through her downstairs. Whatever the cause, it couldn’t be a good thing. Not when ancient carpeting and hardwood floors were getting soaked.

“My insurance agent is going to hate getting this call,” she murmured, knowing there was no point in getting upset. Panicking wouldn’t help either her or the baby and with Jake on the way, what was there to worry about? Still she couldn’t help feeling that getting the house back to rights wasn’t going to be easy.

The rush seemed to have slowed some. At least the water wasn’t rising. She took a step toward the main floor, then stopped. If the water heater had exploded or something, the water could be really hot. She was barefoot. And wearing really ugly pajamas.

“Oh, great,” she muttered, knowing Jake had seen her at her worst, although not by much. She’d washed off her makeup and pulled her hair up on top of her head. To make matters more embarrassing, she had cows and pigs frolicking across her mid-section.

---