Page 20 of Jordan

Rising from her task, she rubbed a hand down her back to try and get rid of the kinks. She was so mired down in her miserable thoughts; she did not see him parked just outside the perimeter fencing.

Lifting his hands from the steering wheel, Jordan watched in wry amusement and concern as she passed a hand over her forehead to brush back the heavy hair that had fallen there. He had been sitting here for the past ten minutes, and it angered him to see her on her knees scrubbing. His first instinct had been to rush out and haul her to her feet. But he had tamped that down. She was nervous and afraid and was dealing with those emotions the best way she knew how.

He was here and if that brother of hers- shaking his head, he leaned back and closed his eyes. What the hell was he doing? He was getting emotionally involved and that was not part of the bloody plan.

His parents had called a meeting earlier this morning and demanded to know what the hell he was playing at. And that they would not approve of him marrying "that woman."

"Then you're going to be sorely disappointed, because the wedding is going ahead whether you like it or not," he had told her with an edge to his voice. "And her name is Julesa. You're not going to choke and die from saying it."

"Why are you doing this?" his mother had looked seriously baffled. "There are so many suitable young ladies who would jump at the privilege of being your wife. Why her?"

"Because I want something different. Or perhaps I don't relish the idea of my parents picking out my bride. Or maybe it's just for the hell of it. You are done running interference in my life. You have done it for your daughters and they're desperately unhappy. This ends here."

He had left her simmering with impotent rage and had not been affected. Not like before. It was different now, he thought in surprise.

Deciding to leave the car where it was, he climbed out and picked his way silently along the small, cobbled driveway. He was almost on top of her before she heard his footsteps.

"Oh!" One hand went to push back a heavy lock of hair clinging to her moist forehead. "I did not hear the car."

Climbing the steps, he reached out a hand to help her up. "What are you doing?"

"Cleaning."

"Why?"

"Why do people clean?" She tried tugging her hand away, but he held fast. "The place has been unoccupied for a while."

"And your brother is coming, and you are thinking that if the place is spotless, he will forget that you're planning on marrying a complete stranger."

Sending him a wry look, she tugged at her hand again and this time he released it.

"You're early."

"Am I?" he liked looking at her. His mother and sisters were always camera ready, with their faces perfectly made up and not a hair out of place. Here he was standing on a weather-beatenporch with an exquisite woman wearing baggy sweats and an old sweater and her hair was all over the place. It felt like… home.

Shrugging away the troubling thought, he nodded towards her dishevelment. "Are you planning on greeting him like that?"

She looked down at her outfit as if realizing what she was wearing for the first time.

"He won't care. But I really need to take a shower. Would you like something to drink?"

"No," he shook his head. "Go and take your shower. I'll be right here."

"I won't be long." She hesitated just inside the doorway. "There's something you should know."

"What?"

"He's very upset."

"As long as he won't be able to talk you out of marrying me, then I can handle him. Is he carrying his gun?"

She rolled her eyes at him and made him want to snatch her in his arms.

"I am just warning you."

"I consider myself warned. I can take care of myself. Go on and do what you have to do."

She waited a few more seconds as if to say something else. Shaking her head, she went inside, leaving the door open.

---