Page 82 of Then Came Love
JORDAN’S MIND WAS still reeling when they got back to their opulent hotel suite.
“You were awfully quiet on the way home. Would you like to talk about it?”
“There’s just so much to consider. I want to look for Casey, but after everything Reggie said, is it fair to do that to my aunt and uncle? Or to you?”
“Sweetheart.” Jax took her hand. “I’m the last person you need to worry about. There’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“Did you hear what Reggie said right before we left? He said being with you adds a whole different list of worries. People know who you are, and even though Casey’s not your sister, if you’re with me, that could make you a target for all the weirdos he warned us about and more.”
“I’ll make sure we are all protected, including your aunt and uncle.”
“I can’t ask that of you. You’ve already done so much, and we just got together. You could change your mind about me, and then you’d have gone through all of this for nothing.”
His brows slanted. “I don’t know how many more ways I can show you how much you mean to me, but I’ve been around the block, Jordan. I know what we have is special.”
“That’s not what I meant. I know it is, too. I’ve felt it for months, and it’s even stronger now that we’re together. But people change. Their wants and needs change, and all those things Reggie mentioned are big. It could be too much for you, and then you’ll feel locked in.”
He stepped closer. “I know you’re scared. We’re new, and you’re fresh out of a relationship with someone who didn’t appreciate or accept all of you. But I’m not him. Jordan, I’m with you because I adore all of you. I might have been attracted to your looks when you first walked into my office, but by the end of that meeting, I had gotten glimpses into your heart, and now that I know it intimately, you’re stuck with me, babe.”
There went that lump in her throat again. “I’ve hidden it for so long.”
“I know, but when I look at you, it’s your compassionate, loving heart I see. I don’t want arm candy, sweetheart. I want the whole pajama-wearing, tousled-hair, smeared-eye-makeup, I-think-I-can shebang. I want to be there to hold you when you cry, whether it’s because you miss your family or because we watched a sappy movie. I’m in this with you, Jordan, through laughter, tears, anger, whatever comes our way.”
“You never get angry.”
“Eventually I will. I’m not perfect. But more importantly, I want to help you find Casey, not pretend she never existed. Okay? So don’t worry about me. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I believe you now, but what if they don’t find her? I won’t want to stop looking.”
“Then we won’t,” he said emphatically.
“That might wear on you, and what if they find her…?” She couldn’t even bring herself to say the word.
Jax put his arms around her and kissed her forehead. “Then we’ll get through it together. The only thing about this that scares me is you ending up brokenhearted, and people who care about each other don’t leave when things get rough. When you’re feeling empty, I’ll fill you up. When you’re scared, I’ll protect you, and when things get so frustrating, you feel lost or unsure about why you started looking in the first place, I’ll be there to remind you.”
Emotions swamped her. “I don’t know what I did to deserve you, when all I bring to the table is baggage.”
“No, sweetheart. You bring your loving, adorable, funny self, and that’s all I want. You make my life better, brighter, and happier just by being in it.”
She let her face fall to his chest. “Can I keep you forever?”
“Hey,” he whispered, bringing her eyes back to his. “Careful what you wish for. I’ve got a no-take-back policy, remember?”
