

### Texas Tides

### By Jolene Faye

### Copyright 2012 Jolene Faye

### Smashwords Edition

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this free ebook. Although this is a free book, it remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be reproduced, copied and distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy at Smashwords.com, where they can also discover other works by this author. Thank you for your support.

~*This book contains adult content and is not recommended for readers under 18*~

*Personal Note*  
I want to take this time to thank everyone who read and enjoyed my first book Texas Tornado. Since its conception, so many stories have been floating through my mind. I'd like to ask everyone who has read or will read Texas Tornado to post a review (on smashwords.com). Good or bad, I'd like to know what everyone thought of it.   
Please feel free to contact me anytime!

Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/JoleneFaye  
Google Website - https://sites.google.com/site/jolenefaye2012/  
gMail - jolenefaye2012@gmail.com  
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Texas Tides

Chapter One

Narrowing her eyes against the reflection of the sun as it slipped between the roof of her car and the top of the rearview mirror, Morgane glared disgustedly at the fine lines and wrinkles that stared back at her through the mirror's reflection. Six years ago, she thought the building a thing of beauty. It's stark white stucco framing the large spans of mirrored windows that seemed to reflect the entire town, along with the beach front. Only after so many years of those reflections burning her eyes, Morgane often thought the damn thing even reflected into her small condo half way across the island.

She did like living on the island now. When she first made the decision to move her practice six years ago, a sense of homesickness filled her. But now, this was her home. Her fondness for the beach grew immensely over the years. Her long walks through the historic district or along the sandy beach endeared her to the place more than she had ever thought possible. Though she had grown comfortable with her new life, she still sometimes missed the country life she had known the early part of her years.

Huffing with a hard, discouraged sigh, she fixed her eyes on the thin soft bangs of her hair as they fluttered softly back against the fair skin of her forehead. " _Thirty-nine_ ," she sighed with a tired, defeated grimace, "when the hell did I get so _old_." Shaking her head slowly, Morgane exhaled through gritted teeth. "If even one of those little twits smiles, much less _mentions_ my birthday," Morgane thought coldly, "I'll fire them on the spot!" Utterly disgusted, Morgane continued to mumble quietly while she gathered her purse and belongings from the passenger's seat.

The warm, salt tinged breeze lifted the ends of her hair as she pushed the door open. Soft tendrils of her long, coal black hair flittered around the frame of her jaw. The feather light touches of the ends of her hair tickling over the soft curve of her shoulders reminded her of the jacket she'd dropped in the back seat. The constant breeze off the Gulf always cooled the Texas heat. That was one thing she had grown to love over the years. It was never really too hot unless there was some freak of a day when the wind didn't blow. Morgane sighed softly, her eyes catching the soft sway of the palm trees behind her car as she turned grabbing the light jacket from the back seat. The island had a way of doing that, she thought. Its gentle breezes, the fresh saltiness of the air and the warmth of the sun never let her dwell in anger or self-loathing for very long. For that she was glad.

Glancing up over the soft shine of the polished dash, a slow smile pressed the corner of her lips. Though she couldn't recall ever hearing his name, she had seen him in the building many times before. Sitting back slowly in her seat, Morgane's dark honey colored eyes trailed over his frame. Even at this distance, she thought could see the gleam in is gorgeous blue-green eyes as he tossed his head back with a hardy laugh. Faintly she recalled seeing him walking through the halls, working out at the health center and she thought maybe once or twice he might have been at the small bar most of the staff frequented.

Sighing softly as her mind wandered over the images she recalled of him, the corner of her lips again curled. "If only I were ten years younger," she laughed to herself as she walked past the group of nurses. Glancing quickly over her shoulder as she passed, Morgane caught the softness of his smile as he nodded to her. Walking through the white washed hallways decorated sparsely with island decor, paintings and drawings, she couldn't blame those who took their breaks on the outdoor patio. She herself never had enough time to do that, but she imagined that much like her, something about the island soothed them.

The soft swoosh of the elevator doors startled her. She couldn't even recall what had distracted her, but it wasn't uncommon for her to float down the hallways not paying much attention to the folks coming and going. Her practice was small. Galveston was more of a retirement community with even more of a vacation destination feel. When she had moved her practice here, there wasn't a lot of need for another pediatrician. Thankfully, she had been lucky enough to work alongside the older doctor who had lived in worked in Galveston all his life. When he retired two years ago, he left his recommendations and his patients in her care. She never cared for the office being attached to the hospital, but it did have its perks.

"Good morning Dr. James," rang a soft, cheerful voice as the elevator doors opened. Morgane glanced up and smiled seeing the young Nursing Assistant. "Good morning Janet," she replied softly as she settled into the back of the elevator, "how have you been?" Not really being concerned this morning about how the young girl had been, Morgane reminded herself how it had been when she had first started out. "I'm wonderful, thank you. A little nervous, State Board is coming up soon," the soft smile began to grow faint on the lips of the young, up and coming nurse. "You will do just fine Janet, I know you will," Morgane encouraged with a soft smile. She wouldn't go back to those days for a million bucks, she laughed to herself watching the young girl's nerves twitch her fingers around the blankets she held in her hands.

The soft ding of the elevator sent the young bundle of nerves off with a quick wave. "Be sure you let me know how it goes," Morgane called out as the usually perky young girl disappeared around the corner. Sighing softly as the doors slid back together, she recalled all the times she had been a bundle of nerves back in med school. Like the sweet young girl, Morgane had worked her way up too. Starting out as a nurse, she worked in the small town hospital where she met her husband. With his support and encouragement, she continued on to receive her PhD. " _Richard_ ," her mind snipped at her, turning her mood back into the disgruntled mess it had been earlier. " _Support my ass...that was all you! All he had time to support was the young bitches he laid on his desk everyday while you worked your ass off_!"

The gentle ding as the elevator reached the fifth floor went unheard through her mental complaints. As she walked forward mindlessly, the sight of her office door stopped her in her tracks. With her mood back to the sour state it had been in on her drive to work, Morgane straightened her jacket and sighed. "I just know they are going to make a big deal of this and I'm just not up for it today." The anger draining from her turned into the familiar self-loathing that had become closest to her as any best friend. Why didn't she call in today? Why did birthdays have to come every year? Why was this one hitting her so hard, wasn't it the _next_ one that was supposed to make her crumble?

Exhaling deeply, she pulled the door open and paused. Since it was so early, she hadn't really expected the waiting room to be occupied. A quick glance around the room and the receptionist desk brought a slight smile to her face. "They forgot," she sang delightfully to herself. The thought of them filling the rooms with balloons and cards again this year, and droning on and on about her birthday had set the tone for her mood this morning. Now relieved that she had been wrong, Morgane pushed her shoulders back and headed toward her office.

"Good morning Dr. James," the soft, weak voice of the receptionist called out behind her. "Good morning Mrs. Mary," she nodded softly as she proceeded to her office making a mental note to speak to the older woman a bit later. The temp service had sent Mary her way two months ago when her regular receptionist had up and quit with no warning. The woman was wonderful with the patients and their families and did an amazing job. Morgane hoped she could talk Mary into staying, but this morning she just didn't have the energy to invest into the conversation. Nodding quick acknowledgements to the two nurses that worked for her, Morgane opened her office door. "Damn it."

"Happy birthday you _old heifer_!" Morgane narrowed her eyes, her lips tightened as she scanned over flowers, balloons and a decorated cake on her desk. "Damn it Tanya, didn't I say I didn't want all this again?" She scolded at her head nurse, but against the coldness of her mood, she softly smiled inside. She hated birthdays, but deep down the fact that they cared enough about her to do this year after year warmed her heart. "Oh did you? I'm sorry. That must have been one of the memos I threw away," the sarcasm rose in the nurse's voice before she burst into laughter. Trying to still pretend she was upset with her friend, Morgane huffed as Tanya wrapped her in a tight hug. "Girl you know I love ya," the head nurse said as she pushed through the office door, "time to get to work, I guess, before you finally decide to fire my ass."

Morgane pushed at her friend's shoulder playfully as she left the office. The heat of laughter in her cheeks a reminder of how her sour mood had been lifted so easily by the woman who had become her best friend over the past few years. "Bitch," she muttered with a soft laugh as she headed toward her desk. Raking her fingertip through the icing of the cake, the simple "Happy Birthday" in red icing brought another soft smile as she sucked the sweet clump of icing from her finger.

Their relationship had been forged almost the moment the two women met. Morgane could still remember the day she first came to Dr. Marcum about joining him in his practice. He was the sweetest old man she could ever remember meeting. He treated every one of his patients like they were his grandchild, as well as the patient's parents like they were his children. Sometimes much to her surprise, he'd even scold the parents like one of his children if he didn't think they were caring for their child properly. Many times that fatherly facade found its advice or criticism's landing on her also. Dr. Marcum had probably been the closest thing to a real father Morgane could have ever imagined. Tanya on the other hand was nothing of the sisterly type.

Tanya was vibrant, full of life and _always_ spoke her mind. Morgane could hardly remember one moment when the woman didn't wear a smile of some kind. Although most grins were those of the devilish kind, Tanya was the type of woman Morgane had always wished she could be. Fun loving, free spirited, not afraid to speak her mind and was always, Morgane laughed quietly to herself, getting into some kind of trouble. With her dark golden brown skin, her hair and nails always perfectly groomed in the latest fashion, the soft curves of her slightly plump, though still perfectly shaped body, and the slight twinge of her Jamaican accent, the men always seemed to flock toward Tanya. Morgane often thought of her dear friend as the kind that couldn't visit the grocery store without having phone numbers shoved in her pockets. Tanya of course, loved it that way and made sure everyone knew it.

Pressing the back of her hand against the moistened corner of her eye, Morgane wiped away the laughter tear that had begun to form. "Crazy girl," she whispered as she started moving flowers and balloons from the center of her desk. The bright red corner of an envelope peeked out from under the cake as Morgane moved it to the side. Pulling the card envelope from under the cake, Morgane slid the pointed end of her letter opener under the flap. Her eyes focusing on the small inscription on the blade as it slid under the thick red paper, "Ride the tides but watch the undertow - M. Marcum." The corners of her deep red lips curled with softness as she remembered Dr. Marcum giving her the opener the day he retired.

Pulling the card from its sleeve, Morgane slowly read the birthday wishes from the other nurses and Mrs. Mary which they had scribbled on a beautifully decorated card. She hadn't noticed the absence of Tanya's well wishes until a smaller envelope fell from the red one as she slid the birthday card back into it. Raising an eyebrow as she recognized Tanya's handwriting on the front of the small white envelope, Morgane laughed thinking quietly it wasn't a surprise that Tanya had to be different. Quickly opening the smaller envelope, Morgane fished out a small business card and a folded memo pad note. "Relaxing Rays" the business card boasted along with an address, phone number and a small pictogram of a woman lying under massaging hands. Unfolding the memo paper, Morgane laughed out loud as she read her crazy friend's birthday note. " _Since you won't let me get you laid, at least enjoy the membership I got you. Love you more than life, Tanya_ "

~*~ ~*~

Morgane exhaled slowly, she was so glad the day was over. Reaching for the notch in the car door, she turned the key in the ignition and smiled as the cool air from the vents rushed over her cheeks. "Hey, hey! Oh no you didn't think you were leaving that fast!" Morgane laughed and pushed the partially closed door back open as she watched Tanya half running across the parking lot. Exaggerating her breaths as she reached the car, Tanya doubled over wrapping her arms around her waist and glared up at Morgane. "What you thought you'd sneak out while I was taking a pee," Tanya's brightly coated purple lipstick twisted as she frowned. Shaking her head at her friend, Morgane reached for her lighter and lit the end of her cigarette, puffing fully then slowly blowing out a white stream of smoke. "Well I didn't know I had to check in with you," she quirked her eyebrow at the nurses fake tantrum. "Pfft," Tanya waved her hand in the front of her, "uh huh, you know I told you we were going to run by Ray's when we closed up." Taking another slow drag off her cigarette, Morgane sighed, "Not today Tanya, I'm just so not in the mood." Straightening her back and throwing her hands out in a dismissing wave, the nurse half snorted, "Whatever! Let me grab my bag out of my car. You wore drawers today didn't you?" It was useless to argue with Tanya when she set her mind to something. Morgane knew this from early on in their friendship, but still her shoulders slipped low as her friend pranced over to her vehicle, slammed the door and made her way back. "Do we have to go today," Morgane asked as Tanya slid into the passenger's seat, "and what do you mean did I wear drawers today?" Tanya tilted her head back in a full bellied laugh and shook her head, "Yes we have to go today. It's your birthday, you're leaving tomorrow and I already made our appointment. And your drawers girl.." she broke off as she smoothed a fresh coat of the glossy purple lipstick over her fully rounded lips, ".. are for the massage. You think they going to massage you through that thick assed suit?" Morgane smiled again shaking her head as she shifted the car into reverse.

"I really wish you'd come with me, I think you'd like my brother," she chatted idly as they made their way out of the parking lot. Tanya huffed and brushed invisible lint from the front of her scrubs as she checked her make-up once again in the small mirror. "Girl, you know I don't like bugs, and snakes, and _trees_ ," she dismissed the thought as she pointed toward a driveway. Morgane laughed. That's what Tanya always said when Morgane talked about where she grew up. Her friend was definitely a city girl through and through. She had looked forward to this weekend for a while now. Morgane missed her brother dearly. He had always been the only family she really considered family. After this little deal, she thought, she'd head home, finish packing and head out first thing in the morning. Putting the car in park, Morgane's thoughts of her brother and their visit was interrupted by her friend's laugh, "Just make sure one of those _good ol' country boys_ puts a good lay on ya before you leave." Tanya never ceased to make Morgane laugh and for that, she loved her friend dearly.

"Helloo ladies," the fake, flirting coating in his voice pricked at Morgane's spine as she turned pushed the door closed behind her. "Tanya, my beautiful Jamaican Queen," his voice oozed as he wrapped his arms around her friend. Her stomach turning in a sickening swirl as Morgane watched his hands brush over and squeeze Tanya's well rounded bottom. Raising an eyebrow in both disgust and nonbelief, Morgane fixed her eyes on the 1980's throw back version of Don Johnson groping her friend. With his dark blonde curls slicked back, Morgane imagined they were almost as slimy as his fake appearance. The rolled sleeves of his white jacket around the vibrant colors of the red and white Hawaiian print shirt made him stand out in the softly decorated island themed room. "Ray! Ohh, hey baby," Tanya squealed as he squeezed her backside. Morgane shook her head slowly before letting out a small laugh at how flirtatious her friend was. "Is this the birthday girl? Why, she couldn't be more than 21," his thick fake voice called from over Tanya's shoulder. Pressing her own fake smile across her lips, Morgane tried her best to ignore the man as he walked toward her. Uneasiness crawled over her skin as she watched his eyes trail slowly up then down her body as he extended his hand, " _Bonjour Mademoiselle_ , I'm Ray, welcome to Relaxing Rays." His false smoothness exaggerated as he waved his extended arm around presenting the small, high decorated room to her. Shaking his hand briefly, Morgane raised her chin against the slimy grin on his face and muttered, "Morgane." Tanya's loud explosion of laughter interrupted his stare, clapping her hand over his shoulder, "Careful Ray, my sista' would just as soon cut your dick off than fall for that bullshit." Letting her hand slide from the tight grip of his, the Don Johnson wannabe laughed and turned back toward Tanya, "Good! I hate those fake ass women who enjoy that whole _playboy_ spiel." His voice and the way he carried himself previously changed completely, letting the slimy flirting disappear into his actual stance. With a little relief, Morgane listened as Ray and Tanya talked back and forth.

"I do apologize for that little show earlier Morgane," he said as he pressed his palm to the small of her back guiding her through the beaded curtain. "So many of these richy older women like that kinda shit. Makes me sick to my stomach sometimes," he admitted. She had been nervous when Tanya went off to another room, but as he walked her into the small cabana like room she calmed herself a bit. It was decorated nicely, she thought, as Ray directed her to the long leather table and sat himself comfortably in a chair across the small room. As he went over the contract of her membership, the rules and regulations, and her right to privacy as a customer, Morgane continued to scan the decorations of the room. Though it was an older house she had entered earlier, the decoration and room dividers placed around the room made it actually feel like a small cabana on some exotic island. The large opened French doors lead to a small balcony overlooking the beach. The crisp saltiness of the air filled the small room, relaxing her as she caught the last bit of Ray droning on over the required papers. "We thought it would be best for customers, as well as our therapists, that way," he ended his sentence breaking her out of her hazed observation of the room.

"I'm sorry?" Morgane snapped her eyes back around to him, her cheeks blushing slightly as she realized she hadn't listened to a word he said. Ray laughed softly watching the embarrassment play on her face, "I was just saying you will never see the therapist that works on you and they will never see your face unless you choose to let them. Saves some of our guys from being hounded outside of work by those same old women who just love that playboy shit I poured on you earlier." Giving a quick wink, he pushed the clipboard onto her thighs and stood pointing his fingers to a highlighted line at the bottom of the page, "Just sign here to activate your membership." Penning her name quickly, the relaxed smile faded from her lips as he plopped some paper garments on the table beside her. "You can slip into these, or do like most customers and just strip down to your underwear. Your massage therapist will be in shortly. If you need anything before then, just pull that rope by the window, it will ring the bell at the front desk." Laying his hand lightly on her shoulder, almost as if he could feel her nervousness, Ray smiled softly, "Just relax and enjoy."

Pacing nervously around the room in her sensible but comfortable white cotton underwear and bra, Morgane glanced at the clock. It had only been ten minutes, but she could have sworn it had already been an hour. What am I doing? She questioned herself. She wasn't the kind to indulge in things like this. At most, her indulgence was the long walks in the setting of the evenings on the beach, the random purchase of local artist's paintings, or a glass of wine with supper. Twisting her lips slightly, Morgane reminded herself that while she had grown to like the taste of wine, she still craved an ice cold beer every now and then. Making a mental note to stop and pick up a twelve pack before she reached her brother's house, Morgane shook her head. She had been so carefree when she was younger. Well, not exactly carefree like Tanya, but at least when she was younger she could relax and didn't always feel the weight of the world on her shoulders.

A light tapping followed by a soft but deep voice interrupted her thoughts, "Ms. James, are you ready?" With a soft sigh, she made her way back toward the leather covered table, "One moment please," she called back as she crawled awkwardly up on the table and lay on her stomach. Twisting her hair up into a messy knot, she clipped a large bronze toned barrette into the mess of curls and lowered her head against the donut shaped pillow that extended from the end of the table. "Ok, I'm ready," she called back feeling the beaded softness of the pillow form against her forehead. Listening to the door creak open, her nerves and the soft rush of air raised goose bumps over the softly tanned silken skin of her legs and upper thighs. "Good evening Ms. James," the soft slow tempo of a voice tensed her face as every nerve in her body tingled. "Good evening," she muttered trying to control the shakiness of her voice. The idea of lying nearly naked, sprawled before some strange man choked her as she tried to relax. Both frightened and embarrassed, she began to realize she was also slightly aroused by the thought. Morgane inhaled deeply and tried to force her body to relax. "Ray warned me that thankfully you aren't like most of our customers," the soft voice began again, "so instead of my usual smoozing, I'll get right down to business." The corner of her lips defiantly curled thinking that she could hear the smile pressing on his lips. The sudden weight of her hair falling over her shoulders as he removed the clip startled her, making her body tense and jump. "Relax Ms. James," he half whispered running his fingers through her hair, "you can't fully relax with your hair twisted all tight around your head now can you?" Knowing deep down his question wasn't meant to elicit an answer, her nerves didn't register the thought as her head slowly lowered back into the pillow and her voice crackled from between her tensed lips, "I guess not."

The soft but firm pressure of his fingertips massaging her temples and scalp seemed to do the job. Relaxing under the pampering swirls of his fingers, Morgane closed her eyes and let her mind focus on the light pressure against her skin. The ends of her hair tickled over her forearms as it moved with his urging, slowly dragging across the soft curve of her shoulders as he slipped his fingers under its weight and let it fall off to one shoulder. His fingers gently kneading into the tight, tensed muscle of her right shoulder, Morgane let out a long breath of air feeling her body finally relax. "You're so tensed," the soft whisper of his voice floated above her as his fingers trailed over the uppermost part of her spine before slipping under her hair and starting their work on her other shoulder. _God this feels so good_ , she thought to herself as his gentle massaging lulled her shoulders into a relaxed state. It had been a long time since a man touched her, any man, and never like this. Her mind floated from the soft teasing of his fingers on her shoulders to imagining those hands elsewhere on her body. A tension began to grow in her stomach as she half drifted into an erotic daydream.

The firm pads of his thumbs surrounded the top of her spine, pressing deep into her tissues. "Feels good huh?" The obvious smile in his voice jolting her eyes open as she realized the moan of her thoughts had actually escaped her lips. "Sorry," she stuttered feeling her face burn with embarrassment at the audible admission of her arousal. Shifting her hips uncomfortably at the heat building between her thighs, Morgane cussed herself. "No need to apologize," his soft voice assured her as he worked his fingers back over her shoulders, massaging away the tension that built again after her embarrassment. "The idea here is for you to relax, enjoy being pampered and let your _mind run free_ ," he whispered close to her ear. The heat of his breath pricked against the back of her neck and the soft flesh of her ear, tensing her thighs again against the growing tingle of her womanhood. A light mixture of the salty air mixed with the spicy scent of his cologne surrounded her as the warmth of his breath caressed the side of her face. "You're really good at this," she softly whispered as a smile curled the corners of her lips. Though her eyes were closed again, Morgane thought she could hear a smile cross his lips as he started humming softly with the music in the background.

As he worked his way down her back, more soft moans escaped Morgane as she did as he instructed and let her _mind run free_. She had dated here and there, of course at the hands of Tanya's set ups. Some of the guys were actually really nice, but she knew what the inevitable conclusion would be and ended the relationships before anyone could be hurt. Often over the years, she'd let her mind wander taking care of her own personal needs. She had neither the time nor desires to actually get involved with another man, but as she aged and her hormones changed she learned how to relieve her own _pressures_. Erotic and sometimes fairytale love stories always played out in her mind when she had that need. Like all of those daydreams before, she slipped deeply into one of a mystery man teasing her body to the heighten sense of desire. The soft prodding of his fingers and the burning heat building inside of her, Morgane exhaled her loud disappointment when his hands lifted from her skin just above the waist of her panties. The softest sound of a chuckle mixed with the warm breeze as he started his soft massage again on the bottom of her feet. Heat flooded her cheeks again as she blushed. She hadn't realized she huffed that loudly until he laughed. "I'm sorry," she apologized lowly once more, again scolding herself for being so caught up in the delicious indulgence of his touch and her daydream.

"If I hadn't heard that, Ms. James, I'd have been worried I wasn't doing my job," his deep voice laughed lightly as his hands worked softly over the smooth muscles of her calves. Still mad at herself, but slightly relieved at his response, Morgane sighed again. "It's just been a while..," she started to omit then snapped her lips shut at the realization she was about to open up to some strange person that she hadn't had sex in years. Embarrassment again heating her cheeks, she quickly continued, "since I've been able to relax like this I mean." The softness of his voice broke the tirade of curses she began screaming in her mind yet again. "You know, it's perfectly natural. A woman's body is _amazing_ ," he started softly. His drawn tone over the word made her body quiver. While she couldn't see him and he couldn't see her face, she was nearly fully exposed in front of him. The very idea, of his hands and eyes caressing her, sent tingles of excitement over her skin. "The softness of a woman's body, the smoothness of her skin," he continued with the gentle swirling of his fingertips slowing into long, lazy brushes, "while it entices men, most don't understand the sensitivity and complete tenderness. A woman's desire and sexual need grow with softest touch to her body. God made her to be worshipped and in return for the softest of touches, she will always feel a deep desire to please another." Morgane's breath caught in the back of her throat as his voice filled her ears. The warmth of his palms pressing and massaging over the back of her thighs, she felt the intensity of her desire grow. As his fingers pulled and rubbed, slipping down to her inner thighs, Morgane moaned feeling the warmth of his hand lightly brush against the thin, moist cotton that covered her mound. _Desire to please another_ , echoed in her mind as she felt the cool breeze play over the warmth of her skin where his hand had just been, letting out a soft sigh Morgane heard the annoying buzz of the timer.

~*~ ~*~

"Oh God, oh God, yes!" Her legs shook violently with her release as she pressed her back against the cool tile of the shower. Lifting her head into the coolness of the water flowing from the showerhead, Morgane sighed loudly. Twisting her face into a grimace of annoyance as the phone began its shrill ring once again. Watching her hands shake as she turned the handles, Morgane shook her head and pushed open the shower door. Tossing another annoyed look toward the door, she pulled a towel around her twisting the top into a soft knot. "Hello," she gruffly answered on the fifth ring. "Hey girl!" Morgane rolled her eyes hearing the overly happy voice of her friend, "Hey Tanya, what's up?" An unusual quiet filled the receiver of the phone, _Tanya was never quiet_ , Morgane thought before her friend spoke again. "You alright? You were more quiet than usual when we left the massage parlor," her friend questioned with a hint of worry in her voice. After minutes of Morgane pacifying her friend with the usual tired and distracted bit, the annoying happiness returned. "So you're coming out with me right," Tanya started, "and before you say no, don't give me some bullshit about getting up early to go to your brother's. It's a vacation, no schedule is needed. Hell you can leave at noon if you feel like it." Still physically drained from her shower, Morgane didn't feel like going out, but didn't have the energy to argue with Tanya either. "Great! I'll be there in ten! Wear something slutty!"

As she settled the phone back on the charger, she had to laugh, Morgane never wore anything revealing according to her friend. Tanya had even gone so far as to buy Morgane a very sexy red dress last year for her birthday. As she pushed through the different suits of clothes in her closet, Morgane's mind keep flashing back to the massage earlier that evening and the mind blowing daydream she had about it in the shower. Spotting the slinky red dress in the back of her closet where it had hung untouched for the past year, the corners of her mouth curled into a thin smile. "Something slutty huh? I could do that," she assured herself as she pulled the small thin garment from the back of the rack. Before her _daydream_ in the shower, Morgane had been thinking over the last couple of years of her life. It was no wonder she was always so tense and could never really get rid of the headaches that seemed to plague her the last few years. After she divorced Richard, Morgane sank inside of herself. Letting her work take over her life, she denied even the smallest of pleasures from herself. Taking a small sip of wine, Morgane caught her reflection in the gold edged full length mirror. Dropping the towel, she eyed slowly over her body. She kept herself in shape visiting the health center twice a week, eating right and not over indulging when she did have a dessert or two. Except for the thin lines around her eyes and mouth, Morgane nodded softly at her reflection thinking she couldn't ask to look much better. Seeing the sight of the thin silky dress laying on the bed behind her, Morgane twisted her lips into a tight smirk and opened her top drawer. Slipping into the black laced panties and the matching bra, her cheeks heated softly as she realized for the first time in years, she actually felt sexy. _Damn!_ Checking her reflection as the cool silken dress slid over ample curves of her frame, Morgane noticed just how low cut the dress was with the delicate lace of the black bra staring back at her. The overwhelming feeling of freedom and the sexiness that had washed over her led her to do something she would never have done before. Reaching back to unclasp the bra and slid it down her arms, Morgane sighed, softly feeling the coolness of the silk caress the bare naked flesh of her breasts.

~*~ ~*~

"Hot damn! Oh girl, if it weren't for that time I promised the good Lord I'd never sleep with another woman again, I'd lay you right here and now!" Tanya's teasing smile opened to a full laugh as she wrapped her arms around Morgane and hugged her tight. She did love her nutty assed friend, she reminded herself as she joined in her friend's teasing laughter. "Looks ok then," Morgane questioned fidgeting with the low hung front of the dress, still not sure she should leave dressed like this. "No, you should change. You look fat, horrible and desperate! _Girl please_ ," her friend retorted with a sarcastic tone, "you look absolutely gorgeous!" Feeling just a bit more comfortable, Morgane chuckled, "Yea the desperate part was what I was worried about. Come on if we're going." Wrapping her arm around her friend's waist, Tanya started telling Morgane that they were going to a new place some of the nurses in the hospital had been talking about. She still wasn't absolutely thrilled at the idea of going out tonight, but Morgane did have to admit to herself, she was excited and feeling sexy.

As Tanya turned into the parking lot, Morgane was surprised to see they had arrived at the new restaurant that recently opened only a block from her condo. The question must have etched its way across her face as her friend spoke up before she could question her. "The bar is in the back, I didn't even know about it until today, but Sandy in the ER said it's always packed and loaded with hot guys." Morgane smiled watching the grin on Tanya's face grow and her hips give a little wiggle of excitement as she got out of the car. Tanya was six years older than Morgane herself, but often she thought her friend was forever stuck in the mentality of a horny teenaged girl. _Horny wasn't so bad_ , she thought to herself feeling a wicked grin tickle over her own lips as she closed the car door behind her and glanced over her reflection in the tinted window. As they made their way through the restaurant and entered the bar in the back, Morgane reminded herself stay positive and truly hoped she'd have fun tonight. As they mingled in with the crowd making their way to a booth on the back wall of the dimly lit place, her mood changed. Saying hello to and seeing so many of the people she saw at the hospital every day, Morgane questioned why she let her _dear friend_ talk her into coming out tonight. Her normal straight backed, professional facade quickly pushed away the lighthearted and flirty feeling she had earlier. Sitting up straight in the booth, Morgane nodded slightly as the other two nurses from her office joined them. She had no plans of _cutting loose_ with her employees, she assured herself as she jutted her chin upward before realizing one of them had pushed a cold bottle of beer in front of her. "At least try to be sociable," Tanya whispered into her ear and pushed the beer even closer. "Fine," Morgane huffed as she wrapped her fingers around the cold bottle and pressed it to her lips, "but just one, then I'm out of here."

Tapping the toe of her high heel against the beat of the music, Morgane sighed softly and took another sip of her beer. Brushing her fingers through the long, thick curls of her hair, she pulled softly at the low cut front of the silky red dress and fanned it slowly. Watching Tanya and the other two nurses out on the dance floor, Morgane finished off the beer and waved to the bartender for another. She hadn't been keeping count of how many she drank, but they tasted so good! It had been years since she drank a beer, she had almost forgotten how much she loved the smooth malted taste. "This one's from the guy at the end of the bar," the young barmaid smiled and nodded as she put the new drink in front of Morgane. "Oh? Which?" She asked the young girl a bit surprised. "The hot one with the green eyes and black hair there," she pointed over the people in the next booth toward a man turned on the barstool looking their way. He looked familiar though she couldn't really place him. Morgane nodded softly toward him, held up her beer then slowly took another sip. As he smiled and nodded back at her, it suddenly flashed. He was the young nurse she always saw out on the patio at work. Feeling the heated rush over her cheeks, Morgane slid out of the booth and made her way toward the dance floor. She didn't care to dance that much, but realizing it was the young guy she often fixated on, she knew she couldn't just sit there.

"His name is Jake Holden," Tanya half hollered over the music into Morgane's ear as she walked up to her. "Come on dance with me," she continued wrapping her arms around Morgane's waist and pulled her into the middle of a group of dancers. The unknown amount of beers she had already drank and the heat from the tightly packed bodies of the dancers hit her all at once. Swaying softly under her friend's arms, Morgane shook the dizziness from her head, "whose name is Jake," she asked a little surprised. Tanya's laugh pressed a prickling heat across Morgane's cheek as she stepped back and started dancing more provocatively in front of her. "The guy who's been undressing you with his eyes for the past hour," her friend shouted, leaning in close to Morgane's ear again. A soft tingle crept over her skin as her friend's words sunk into her fuzzy mind, "Really?" Pressing her curvaceous body against Morgane's and wiggling her hips as she swayed up and down in front of her, Tanya's smile grew as she nodded. "He's a physical therapist at the hospital, but you'd know that if you ever came out to the patio," her friend teased as Morgane glanced back toward the bar. Frowning a bit when she found the barstool he had occupied empty, she turned her attention back to Tanya. "I figured he was another nurse," she muttered against the rising beat of the music and swayed her body slowly against her friends. "Nope, has his own practice, attached to the hospital like ours," Tanya winked. "Pfft," fluttered from between Morgane's dark red lips as she felt the heat of her friend's hand press against her hips and they danced closely together. The lightheaded feeling that washed over Morgane let her relax and enjoy herself. Dancing against her friend, they joked and talked about other people around them dancing. Either the soft buzz from the alcohol or the thought of the man from the bar staring at her, Morgane danced and chatted with Tanya and the other two nurses. She barely noticed the grin on her Tanya's face when she spoke up, "We keep dancing like this, someone's going to think we're fucking." Morgane started to laugh before her friend's hands pushed against her shoulders and turned her around, "Here, dance with him."

Stumbling from the push on the back of her shoulders, Morgane bumped into someone in a light blue buttoned shirt. "I'm so sorry," she started to mumble as she raised her eyes and quickly bit down on her bottom lip. Fixing her eyes on the most gorgeous sea of greenish blue eyes she had ever seen, Morgane's gaze slowly spread across a face she recognized. His fingers dug softly into her hips as he tried to steady her against her friend's push and smiled softly. Heat flushed her cheeks again as she recognized the nurse from the patio. _Physical Therapist_ , she reminded herself sharply as she traced the soft curve of his smile with her eyes. His chest where her hands had landed was warm under her touch, soft but strong. Barely realizing she was stroking her fingers over the broadness beneath them, Morgane lowered her head feeling the soft rumble of his laughter against her palms. "Guess it's too late to ask if you want to dance," he raised his voice over the loud music that now pounded like explosions in her ears. As the music slowed and his hands guided her hips into a slow sway, Morgane couldn't help but laugh softly, "My _ex best friend_ has a weird way of introducing people." The swirl of alcohol and heat blurring her normally acute judgment, Morgane left her fingers to their aimless roaming over his chest and ran her gaze over his face. _God he was good looking, and young_ , she thought to herself. His smile seemed to brighten when she didn't back away from the gentle guidance of his hands. Tracing his gaze over her face before fixating on the soft shine of her red lips, he shrugged his shoulders softly, "I don't know, she seems like too good a friend to let go of so easily." Getting lost in the warmth of his body pressing against hers, Morgane slid her fingers up his chest and over his shoulders. Locking them softly behind his neck, she sighed feeling his own hands slip further around her waist. "She does have her moments," she half whispered as he pressed his cheek against hers and pulled her closer. "I'm Jake by the way, Jake Holden," the heated softness of his voice trickled down her neck. The sudden sear of his lips brushing against the soft curve of her neck made Morgane shiver. The already suffocating heat of the awareness of his body pressed against hers swelled at the feel of his breath against her skin. Slipping her arms further around his neck, she lightly brushed the soft lobe of his ear with the fullness of her lips and whispered, "Morgane."

After what seemed like hours of the two dancing, practically glued to one another, Morgane's body ached. The alcohol, heat and growing desire within her completely pushed all thoughts of being proper out of her mind. As she pressed her lips to the cool ring of the beer bottle, she watched the corners of his lips curl, his tongue slip from between them and lick slowly over his lips. Slipping his hand from his own drink, he tucked it under the booth's table and pressed his palm against the softness of her thigh. Morgane moaned softly feeling coolness of his hand over the silk dress and the soft touch of his fingers caressing the inner part of her thigh just underneath. Pushing the beer bottle back against the black tile of the table, Morgane turned her gaze toward Jake. Letting the tip of her tongue slip between her lips, she licked a slow path over her upper lip gathering the remaining taste of the beer as she inhaled deeply. Watching him shift slightly in the seat beside her, she felt the tips of his fingers squeeze softly, slowly massaging high up along the inside of her thigh. The softness of his eyes had changed from earlier and though it took a while, Morgane realized his look matched the feeling of need she felt with every soft movement of his hand. Sliding her fingers over his thigh, Morgane trailed a fingernail slowly over the tight thickness of the zipper on his jeans and leaned in close to his ear. Sighing softly, she pressed her lips against his neck and whispered against his skin, "I live about a block from here." The warmth of his hand slid over hers, tangling his long fingers into hers as she watched the soft, hungry smile on his lips grow, "How about I walk you home then." His voice was soft, steady and low, but as he pulled her out of the booth, wrapped his arms around her and dropped his lips onto hers, she could feel his need pressing against her stomach.

Chapter Two

The warmth of the sun pressing against her back and shoulders and the soft dampness of the sea spray landing on her face felt wonderful, Morgane sighed as she leaned over the side of the ferry. She hadn't been able to lose the smile that she woke up with but at times it seemed to grow even more. Though she argued with herself during her morning shower, Morgane couldn't deny she felt different today. Even picking a light tie back halter top and short denim shorts from her chest of drawers this morning, made her realize some sort of weight had been lifted off her. Sipping slowly on her cup of coffee, she exhaled softly feeling her body rise and fall, gently swaying with the movement of the ferry on the water. The short curls of hair that escaped the messy bun and clip this morning flittered around her face bringing her mind back to the soft brushes of his lips over her skin. _Three years without that again was entirely way too long_ , she laughed to herself reliving parts of last night. _He's so young though_ , she thought as she shook her head, _he couldn't be more than thirty,_ _if even that old_. Letting out a long, mind clearing breath, Morgane lowered her head as her mind twisted over his possible age. "No," she reprimanded herself out loud, "young or not, you're not going to ruin this feeling." With a decided grunt and affirming nod, she pushed her palms against the damp railing of the ferry and turned heading back to her car with a smile stretching her lips once again.

The sudden jarring of her spine and the steering wheel threating to pull from her fingers, Morgane cursed the rough roads of the country. With her mind drifting back and forth between the long drive and her encounter last night, Morgane looked around almost surprised she was so close to her brother's house. Nibbling against the inside of her bottom lip, she wondered just when it became _her brother's house_ and not _home_. The soft ring of the phone interrupted the song playing on the radio, with a soft sigh Morgane pressed the small button on the steering wheel and answered, "Dr. James." " _Doctor James?_ Doctor James my ass, it better not be Doctor James. You supposed to be taking a vacation, not answering calls saying _Doctor James_!" Fighting back laughter at her friend's aggravated tone, Morgane cleared her throat. "Oh Tanya, did I forget to tell you I wasn't speaking to you anymore," she stated matter-of-factly still trying to fight back the laughter in her voice. "Pfft, whatever girl! Tell me! Tell me all about last night," her friend's voice rattled on in a blaring excitement into the car. She could never be mad at Tanya, no matter how many times she tried; she did love the woman dearly. Morgane laughed softly as her friend kept on questioning. "Ok, ok, shut up for a minute. If you'd give me half a minute," she teased knowing Tanya wouldn't shut up unless she started to spill all the torrid details of last night. Pressing her finger down on the blinker, Morgane's lips curled into a wicked grin, "Oh hell, here's the driveway. I'll call you back later." "No! Don't you dare! Morgane dam.." losing control, Morgane burst into laughter as she pressed the button on the steering wheel once again and ended the call. "I'm never going to hear the end of that one," she chuckled as she put her car in park.

Shaking her head hearing her phone start ringing again, Morgane stepped out of her car and took a look around. Her brother hadn't changed too much of the old place. Noting a new color of paint on the house, a few fairly young rose bushes planted here and there, Morgane smiled inhaling a deep breath of the fresh country air. As she leaned into the backseat to retrieve her bag, laughter slipped from her soft smile again as the phone began to once more. "She'll give up eventually," Morgane smirked imagining Tanya tapping her fingers impatiently waiting for her to answer the phone, "or she'll fill up the voicemail and have no choice but to stop calling." Slipping the strap of the overnight bag over her shoulder, Morgane started toward the front porch. As she raised her hand to knock and silently wondered why her brother hadn't met her in the driveway, a note taped to the door fluttered in the breeze. The corners of her lips raised again into a soft smile when she recognized her brother's neat handwriting.

Sis,

Had an appointment at noon I couldn't miss. Thought you would have been here earlier this morning. Be home soon.

Joe

Pulling the note and tape from the door, Morgane turned the doorknob and made her way inside. Her eyes wondered around the room noting yet again, her brother hadn't changed too much. Thankfully most of the knick knacks her step mother had all over the walls were gone now. She thought back remembering how his mother's passing affected her brother so much. Fortunately she hadn't had much of a relationship with the woman her father had married, but Morgane could remember vividly the hell her brother went through after the funeral. Morgane was six when her father married Mary Johnston. The woman never gave much of a thought toward her new husband's daughter, but her son Joseph simply adored Morgane. He had always wanted a little sister and since he got one as his mother married her father, Joe often spoiled Morgane. He had turned sixteen the year their parents married. With the money he made mowing lawns and helping around the neighbor's houses, Joe seemed completely happy spending every penny he made on his new little sister.

Morgane never knew her real mother, though Mary often said she'd up and left her father after shortly Morgane was born. By the time she had turned ten and really began to think about her birth mother, Morgane's father, Monroe James, had grown so ill, she didn't dare bug him about the who, what and why over her mother. She had been thankful that her grandmother lived on the farm with them. With Monroe working out of state a lot when she was younger, Morgane's grandmother took over the raising of his young daughter. After too many fights and finally coming to realize his new wife wanted nothing to do with the young girl, Monroe and his mother agreed to let the child live with her in the small house on the back of the property. Sometimes she thought her father had only married Joe's mother because of Joe. Monroe loved Joe as if he were his own son. Her father passed away when she was only fifteen after they had lost her Meme the day after Morgane had turned fourteen. Even after all the losses in her short life, the one that hurt her the most had always been the day during her eighth grade year when her brother left for the Navy. She could remember the entire first week of him being gone when as a young girl, she felt like the world had ripped her heart out. Though her father's failing health was the real reason, Morgane even believed that Monroe left his job to be home with her since Joe wasn't around anymore. The last year she lived in Spurger was the hardest. With her father and Meme gone and Joe still in the service, she tried avoiding Mary as much as possible. The woman blew through the money her father had left behind rather quickly after his passing. In the year between her father's passing and Morgane leaving home, she remembered at least four different men drifting in and out of her father's home. The last of which, who thought that because she was Mary's step daughter she was fair game, found himself bloody with the shimmer of Mary's expensive new kitchen knife protruding from the thickness of his sweaty shoulder.

They had differences and no real blood ties but because she was still a minor, Joe didn't have much trouble getting guardianship over her when the state removed her from his mother's home. She loved living with her brother. Even changing schools twice during her high school years never bother her much because she was with her brother. Though he had made his career in the service, many times Joe considered leaving to find a more stable home for his little sister. Thankfully because of the situation that brought her to live with him and the legal papers he had over her guardianship, by time Morgane was ready to graduate high school and start college, Joe learned that he could get help from the Navy to pay for her college. He never treated her like a child, of course Morgane had always been more mature than her age and with the way she grew up, that was never much of a surprise to her brother. Joe loved being a mechanic in the Navy, but when his little sister decided on serving the minimum required years and earning her nursing license through the Navy, he went ballistic. She could still remember the first and biggest fight they ever had. He had been so set against her skipping college, but once he fully understood her plans, he gave up on the fight and as always, let his baby sister have her way.

Morgane flopped on the soft bed in the room that used to be hers. Sorting through her bag of clothes, she heard the voice that always warmed her heart. "Lil bit, you here?" Shoving the clothes out of her way and feeling like the same little girl that hugged his neck so tight when he'd come on home leave, Morgane ran out the door, down the long hallway and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hi Bubba, I missed you so much," her voice cracked as he hugged her tight. Memories of all the good times and the bad she'd lived through flooded back as they stood hugging one another. Most all of those times were soothed by the love and protection of her brother's arms. Fighting back tears, she pressed a smile to her lips and leaned back in his arms looking into the soft brown eyes that had always been filled with love when they looked back at her. "Look at you," he smiled eyeing his baby sister. "Look at you," she teased back running her fingertips over the grey hairs that had become considerably more dominate in the soft black curls she remembered. "It's been to long, but no more of that now that I'm home for good," he spoke softly against her shoulder as he pulled her back into another tight hug. "I'm so happy Bubba. You should have retired four years ago instead of sitting behind a desk." Morgane fussed over him the way he had always fussed over her. The memory of the call telling her his leg had been crushed flooded back to her and soft tears began to fall down her cheeks. "Come on now, none of that. I'm home, I'm fine and I can even walk by myself," he teased wiping his thumb over the moist trail of tears that streaked her cheek. Hobbling around stiff legged, he joked back over his shoulder, "Of course, I won't be winning any track races." His bright smile and soft wink warmed her heart. He had always been the most important person in her life, even during her ten years of marriage; Joe had always been the only person Morgane knew she could truly count on.

~*~ ~*~

"I wish I could have come when y'all got home," Morgane spoke softly while chewing on the latest crawfish tail she'd popped in her mouth. As the sun faded behind the trees, her brother turned on the porch light and hobbled his way back to his chair. Smiling at Bailey and his fiancée Sarah, Morgane sighed softly watching Bailey peel the shell from a crawfish tail and fed the meat to Sarah. "Y'all are too sweet," she said before turning her attention back to her brother. "So fifty huh," she teased as she poked playfully at his ribs, "you sure are getting old on me." With a teasing pout on her lips, she pushed another piece of crawfish between her lips, chewed on it then stuck her tongue out at her brother. "Old hell," Joe laughed almost spitting out his beer as she showed him the chewed meat on her tongue, "I'm like a fine wine, I just get better with age." "I think that's a woman's line Joe," Bailey joked then huffed loudly as Sarah landed a punch to his stomach. After a long swig on his beer bottle, Joe laughed at his old military buddy. "Nah," his soft voice drew out, "most days other than this leg, I don't feel a day over _thirty-nine_." The joker's grin that curled the corner of his lips and the eyebrow he raised toward her made Morgane choke on her own drink. "So cold Bubba, so cold," she coughed back at him. Almost as if he knew what her next question was, Joe leaned over and pushed a playful fist at Morgane's shoulder, "So when am I getting a new brother in law? No asshole like the last one though." Swallowing hard as her last bite of crawfish threatened to choke her, Morgane coughed and quickly took a long swig of her beer. The soft twitch in the muscle of her jaw that always acted up when she was nervous felt like it was throbbing off the side of her face. Pretending to wipe her chin with a paper towel, she slowly rubbed over the tensed muscle. "Doubt that's going to happen Bubba, but don't you think I've gone without a sister in law long enough." A smirk grew over her lips as she watched her brother's forehead twist in the knowledge he'd just been bested by his own question. "Hell Lil Bit, I'm still waiting to meet that hot Jamaican friend you're always writing and yammering about," clapping her shoulder lightly, Joe stood and headed toward the cooler, "who's ready for another?" The warmth of the alcohol and the happiness of being home with her brother filled Morgane. Her eyes twinkled in the pale light of the porch light as she glanced around between her brother, his best friend and his friend's girl. "I don't know if you could handle Tanya, Bubba, she's a real wild one," she joked as he twisted the top off another beer bottle and placed it in her hand. "Hell, the _wilder_ the better," Joe smirked watching his little sister spit a mouthful of her drink on the table and blush with embarrassment.

Morgane yawned, squinting against the sunlight flooding through the thin laced curtains. Stretching her arms over her head, she inhaled deeply as her palm landed on the warmth of an arm. A smile stretched her lips as she turned on her side and stared at the soft lines in the face of her still sleeping brother. She couldn't count the mornings she'd woke up like this, both of them curled up head to head on the floor in front of the fireplace having fallen asleep after talking into the wee hours of the morning. Scooting closer on her elbows, she pulled the quilt over his shoulder, brushed the back of her hand over his forehead and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek. "Morning Bubba," she whispered as he groaned stretching and rolled on his back. "How's some breakfast sound?" she asked as she rose to her knees and stood before making her way to the kitchen. "Coffee," he mumbled between deep gutted groans as he rolled and fought the aches and pains in his body trying to get up from the floor. Hearing his feet shuffle down the hallway and the bathroom door close, Morgane laughed as she pulled the pack of bacon and carton of eggs out of the fridge. She couldn't remember a more perfect morning. _Well yesterday's wasn't so bad_ , she thought to herself feeling her cheeks blush as the flash of memories from night she left the island flooded her mind. Humming softly, she poured a cup of coffee and placed it on the table as Joe stumbled into the kitchen and slumped into the chair, holding his head between his palms. "Can't keep up anymore can you," she teased as Joe blew over the top of his cup and sipped slowly. Watching all the effort it took him to roll his eyes at her, Morgane laughed turning back to flip the egg. "So who's Jake, and just why exactly would my _baby_ sister be moaning his name in her sleep?" Completely shocked by his questions, Morgane dropped the egg off the edge of the plate and cussed as it splattered on the floor. "Mmhmm," her brother continued to tease with a chuckle as she bent to clean up the mess she'd made. "Um," Morgane's mind raced. She knew her dreams had been filled with the heat of his kisses, the massaging caress of his hands and the slow, soft way he'd made love to her the night before she left. An abrupt burst of laughter broke her thoughts as her shaking hands dropped the busted egg into the trash can. "Damn girl, you're not sixteen anymore. You got that same deer in the headlights look on your face that you had when I caught you and old what's his name." Shaking her head feeling the heat in her cheeks seem to burn through her skin, Morgane forced a soft laugh. "Yea, guess so," she tried to avoid his question and cracked another egg into the hot skillet. Laughing a little less nervous, Morgane sipped her coffee and smiled, "John, John Langford, my God, I'd almost completely forgotten about him." The soft smile on her brother's face faded into a thin frown, "I hadn't, I wanted to kill that little punk." "You know Bubba," Morgane smiled as she slid his egg alongside the bacon strips in the plate and placed it on the table in front of her brother, "I wasn't as innocent back then as you thought." Leaning to press a kiss to his forehead, she laughed as her brother grumbled into his coffee cup. Refilling her coffee cup, Morgane placed the carafe on the table and slid into the chair behind her plate. "So, Jake? Something serious going on between you two," her brother questioned again as he chewed a bite of his eggs and turned his bloodshot brown eyes up toward her. "Well, not exactly," Morgane trailed off and sighed with relief as the front door swung open and Bailey and Sarah appeared.

"Good morning you two," Morgane chirped happy for the interruption as the couple made their way into the kitchen. Slipping a sideward glance at her brother, she pressed the back of her hand to her lips to stifle a laugh. Joe's forehead wrinkled as he narrowed one eye looking at her in a mock aim and poked his fork in the air at her. "This conversation isn't finished little lady," he sneered before nodding to the two that sat themselves at the table. "Oh, we're not interrupting anything are we Joe," Sarah asked almost embarrassed as she glance back and forth between the siblings. "Not at all," Morgane chimed in as she stuck her tongue out at her brother. "Y'all want some breakfast," she asked as she stood and retrieved two cups from the cabinet. Taking the offer of the coffee cup, Bailey smiled, squeezing his fiancée closer against him with his arm, "No thanks, my baby fixed our breakfast early this morning. We just came by to see if Joe was up and ready to get started with those cows." Wiping away the remnants of the morning's breakfast from her lips, Morgane mumbled against the paper towel, "What about the cows?" Her brother shook his head at Bailey and slid his chair back from the table before sighing softly. "Now before you get started," his tone already setting Morgane on the edge of her seat feeling the tingle of worry nip at the back of her neck. "Bubba," Morgane started thinking back to their phone call a few months back. Before her brother came home from the Navy, Morgane had no idea his mother had remortgaged the ranch. With his limited income Morgane had insisted on helping him pay off his mother's debt on the place but he had sternly declined. "Nothing is wrong," Joe huffed quickly wiping his paper towel over his mouth, "I just don't have the energy to mess with them anymore and with this leg, it's just not worth the hassle." The softness of Morgane's honey toned bloodshot eyes narrowed as she scanned her brother's face making sure there wasn't more to the story. With a short, sharp laugh, Joe snorted as he sipped down the last of his coffee and joked, "That's the whole truth _mother_ , and you can stop looking for the tick!" Morgane sighed then laughed softly. She had mentioned to her brother years ago that the way she knew he was lying, or at the least stretching the truth, was the way the small throbbing vein over his left eye would always begin to twitch. "What about the horses," she asked as she drank down the last of her coffee and stood from behind the table, "you always did love riding the horses." As Bailey and Sarah walked back outside, Joe held his arm out toward Morgane. Looping his arm lightly over her shoulder, he staggered a moment then righted himself. "I'm keeping the four good ones, they won't be much work. A guy from Jasper made me a real good deal on the cattle though, so I couldn't pass it up." Assuring her again it wasn't any kind of money issue as they walked through the pasture toward the barn, Joe watched as Bailey and Sarah saddled up and headed toward the back pasture after the cows. Clearing his throat softly as he poured feed in the corral trough, Joe started again, "Now, about this Jake guy." "Oh Bubba," Morgane laughed as the sound of cows racing toward the corral turned her head. "Well whoever or whatever he is, I'm glad someone has finally made you happy again. I can't remember the last time I saw you joke around and laugh so much," he grumbled as he hobbled toward the front gate. Morgane smiled watching her brother walk away. _She was happy for once_ , she thought to herself. Leaning over the trough, the soft breeze picked up the salty scent of the salt block and swirled it around Morgane as her mind drifted back to the island and Jake.

~*~ ~*~

Morgane smoothed her palm over the soft curve of the mare's jaw, shaking her head as she watched Joe tug and tighten the saddle straps she had just fixed herself. It had been a long time since she'd gone riding, but not so long that she forgot how to do it. The corner of her lips curling into a frown, she reached over grabbing the old straw hat off her brother's head, slipped her foot into the stirrup and swung herself up into the saddle. "I haven't forgotten how to do it Bubba," she insisted with her chin up as Joe laughed and began to climb onto his own horse. Watching him fidget and shift around in the saddle, Morgane huffed, she knew most of that was for show and decided to make him move. "Jake was the one night stand I had the night before I got here," she said flatly as she kicked her heals swiftly against the sides of the mare making the animal take off running. "What? Wait!" Holding back a laugh, Morgane held Joe's hat on her head and dug her heels into the side of the mare again as she heard his voice then the thundering thuds of his horses hooves closing in on her. " _Damn it, wait up!"_ She couldn't help herself this time and shushed the animal pulling back lightly on the reigns as her eyes filled with tears of laughter. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," he shouted as his horse slowed to the gentle trot she'd brought her mare down to, "What the hell you mean the one night stand the night before you got here?" Throwing a quick sideward glance at her brother, she sighed, "Exactly what I said Bubba. Tanya talked me into going out with her. I drank way too much, was horny after my massage and ended up taking him home with me." The sound of his deep breath rattled, knowing he was biting his tongue, Morgane cringed a little waiting to hear what he had to say about her blunt admission. "Well," he started then paused for what seemed like minutes. His exaggerated sigh made her shift her eyes back toward him and though he was looking down at his horse's feet, she thought she could see the corners of his lips turned up in a smile. "We all got needs Lil Bit," he almost exhaled through the whole sentence, "I don't like the idea you took some strange man to _your_ place with you living alone, but hell I guess it's better than some sleazy motel." His voice strangled off into a hearty laugh. Relieved by his reaction to her story, Morgane filled him in on how she actually sort of knew him from around the hospital. Snorting with laughter about the Don Johnson wannabe massage parlor owner before she admitted the mystery man and the massage started the whole thing in motion. Though the sun had already began to set, Morgane's cheeks flushed with heat as her brother recalled some of his many nights of need. They laughed quietly as they were approaching the barn. She had never talked about this kind of thing with her brother before, nor with anyone for that matter and she was actually glad it was Joe she could talk to about it all.

"He's just so young," she sighed softly as they pulled the gate closed behind them and headed toward the house. "I mean yea, the sex was _incredible_ , but more than that it was like," Morgane's face softened with a slight glow as she recalled her night with Jake. "Every time and place he touched me there was an electric spark. God he's good looking though Bubba," she trailed off with a dreamy smile dancing on her lips as she sat back on the swing and took a sip of her beer. Shaking his head watching his sister's face take on the glow of a teenager after her first kiss, Joe draped his arm over her shoulder, pushed his foot against the porch and set the swing off to a slow rock. "Young, old, good looking or average, what does it matter? Whatever you feel for him, he feels for you or did to you," his voice trailed for a moment as he swallowed hard. Not quite believing what he was about to say, Joe continued, "Make sure it's not the last time you see him. That _young, good looking man_ dug my sister's spirit out of the dark, oppressive closet she's been hiding it in for years and set it free." Watching the sincerity soften her brother's eyes, Morgane sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I don't know Bubba, since Richard, it felt like something died inside of me and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't shake it," her head dropping low before she took a small sip of her drink. Feeling the tightness of his fist pressing against her shoulder, Morgane looked up quickly. Joe's lips were drawn back tight against his teeth, "Fuck Richard Taylor, the only power he had over you was making you feel like less of a woman because you couldn't have children. That was just his excuse to sleep with every ass that crossed his path. He never deserved you and he knew it, breaking you down with that bullshit excuse was the only way he could make himself feel like a man." Morgane sat up straight, her eyes wide watching the seemingly still fresh hate play over the strong features of her brother's face. Pressing her palm on his chest, she leaned against his side and hugged him tight. She had always known he didn't like Richard. He even threatened to go AWOL and find Richard when she told him about why she was ending their marriage. Joe had spent his entire leave taking care of her when the doctors finally told her she'd never have children of her own. Of course by that time she had already known about Richard sleeping with every nurse in the hospital, but that was the least of her concerns at the time. "You have always been the greatest man in my life," she whispered smoothing her fingers over her brother's chest as his angered breaths slowed.

~*~ ~*~

"I thought you weren't leaving until tomorrow," Joe called out as he hobbled across the porch. Raising her hand over her brow, Morgane smiled against the sun. "I'm not Bubba. You're not getting rid of me that easily. I'm just running into town real quick," she laughed lightly and slipped into her car before her brother could ask what she needed in town. Waving through the car window, she backed up slowly, "Breakfast is on the stove, be back soon," she hollered out the window before she pulled out of the driveway. Joe had been right, as usual. Richard had made her feel worthless after she found out she couldn't have children. That's when she'd changed. She knew now after everything she'd accomplished in her life, he had been wrong and if she wanted her old spirit back, she had to take it from him. As she drove along the winding country roads, Morgane called her voicemail to see how many times Tanya had blown it up with her cussing. Laughing at her friend's messages, Morgane started missing her dearly. I'll call her when I get back, she thought as the next message beeped.

Morgane? Hi, it's Jake. I was just hoping to catch up with you. Thought maybe we could get a coffee, I know this great little place not far from the hospital. Well... I guess you're busy, so I hope to talk to you soon.

Her breath caught in her throat. Blinking her eyes in a daze, the soft deep tones of his voice played over and over in her ear. Had he really called or no, he hadn't, it was just her imagination acting up after talking to her brother about him. Barely listening to Tanya rattle on through the next two messages, Morgane found her mouth and lips dry. Picking her coffee cup up out of the console, she pressed the rim to her lips and drank slowly.

Hi Morgane, it's Jake again. I ran into Tanya at the hospital earlier and she told me you had left on vacation. Well, I hope you enjoy your time away from work. Maybe when you get back Tuesday we can get that coffee. Hope to talk to you soon. Bye.

Spitting her coffee all over the front windshield, Morgane pulled her car off the side of the road and shifted it into park. _Twice, he called twice_ , her mind screamed as she replayed the last message. "He sighed," she said aloud to her reflection in the rearview mirror. It couldn't have been. He couldn't be missing her, she assured herself. After cleaning the mess off the windshield and getting back on the road, Morgane deleted the sixteen other messages and replayed the two from Jake. By the time she reached the small town hospital she got her start in, Morgane wore a full smile having decided he _had_ missed her. As she walked toward the information desk, she almost felt like she was floating. "I'd like to see Dr. Richard Taylor please, this is a professional call," she stood upright, pushing the smile from her face to look _professional_. When she had awoken this morning, Morgane decided it was time to take back her spirit from Richard. Her sleep was restless with the planning of her conversation with him. She'd tell him exactly what she thought of him, how he had ruined her life and then right when he'd flash those gorgeous ice blue eyes at her as he always did, she punch him in the face! "Dr. Taylor isn't in today ma'am, may I take a message," the woman behind the plastic window responded moments after typing at her keyboard. Her shoulders dropping a bit, she turned and walked back to her car. "Damn him, damn Richard Taylor for always ruining a good thing," she huffed as she slid back into her seat and started her car.

As she drove back through town, Morgane's mind fluttered from the conversation she meant to have with Richard and the messages from Jake that made her heart leap. She couldn't go back to her brother's empty handed and have him asking what she came to town for in the first place, so Morgane stopped at the local department store and decided to look around. Joe's birthday was coming up. His was three weeks after hers and this one was going to be his fiftieth birthday. As she walked around the store shopping for a present for her brother, Morgane couldn't help but think about Jake. She had watched him from a distance over the years. As early as she could recall, he had come to the hospital about three years earlier. While she had thought he was just another nurse there to work his way up the food chain, she had always found him in the crowds and enjoyed letting her mind and eyes fill with his looks. Even early on, he was always surrounded by female nurses. In the halls of the hospital, on the outdoor patio, in the health club and even the few nights she remembered him being at the small bar everyone used to go to. He definitely had his pick of women, but she couldn't remember even a single time that she got the idea he was actually with any of them. "Oh, that's nice," she muttered to herself before walking to find someone to help her load it. As she finished the bit of shopping she planned to do and waited for the young kid to load her brother's birthday present in the trunk, Morgane flipped her phone open and called Tanya.

Morgane laughed quietly and didn't have to do much talking on the thirty minute drive back to her brother's house. If she hadn't known she'd only been gone two days, with the stories Tanya had to brag about, she might have thought she'd been gone for weeks. "I'll tell you all about it when I get home. Yes, I promise. Ok, love you too, Byeee," Morgane smiled as Joe opened her door and looked questioningly at her face as she closed her phone. "Tanya," she laughed as she stepped out of the car and quickly wrapped her arms around her brother's neck. "Oh hell, what did you do," he laughed as she hugged him tight. "Nothing, I just need you to help me unload the trunk," she smiled softly as she pushed the trunk latch button on her key ring. "Damn, just like a woman, gone an hour and need a U-Haul to unload the shopping," Joe huffed then pressed a teasing punch to her chin. As he hobbled around the back of the car, she watched the confusion twist his face and knew he'd seen the big box, "Happy early Birthday Bubba." Taking a step back and rubbing his chin he stuttered, "Wha.. well I uh.. um.. wait I thought you said we weren't getting each other gifts this year. Thanks Lil Bit." Finally smiling at the picture of the large, shiny gas grill, Joe turned and hugged her tight. "Guess this means I gotta get you something now huh," he joked trying to hold back his surprise and emotions. Shaking her head Morgane took a step back, pulled the pack of cigarettes out of her pocket and mumbled as she lit the end of her cigarette, "Nope, but next year, just make sure the retirement home you pick out for _us_ allows smoking." Giving him a quick nudge with her shoulder, Morgane laughed and turned running toward the porch as Joe started after her.

Morgane leaned back in the swing taking a long, slow swig of her beer as she watched Joe and Bailey put together the new grill. "Thought you could use another by now too Morgane," Sarah smiled and offered her another cold bottle before sitting on the swing. "So you're leaving early tomorrow," Sarah asked softly as she giggled at Bailey smashing Joe's finger in the grill's lid. "Yea, I cleared all the appointments today and early tomorrow, but unless I want to work Saturday, _which I don't_ , I need to make half a day tomorrow. Besides," she began to joke watching her brother's face droop slightly at her talk of leaving, "if I don't go soon, I'll never get Bubba to come stay with me for Fourth." Raising his eyes to hers, Joe smiled softly. "Oh! Fourth of July on the beach! I've always wanted to do that," Sarah half sang with excitement. "Not this year my love, remember I promised your dad we'd be there. Next year maybe though, we can spend it on the beach," Bailey assured his fiancée without looking up from tightening the last few bolts on the grill. "Alright, now we put it together, who's cooking the steaks," Joe laughed as Bailey helped him to his feet. "Now Bubba, you know you are the best cook behind a barbeque pit," Morgane teased back at him as Bailey and Sarah laughed.

"Three months, don't forget," Morgane pouted trying to brush away the steady stream of tears that stained her cheeks, "You'll come out for the Fourth and stay two weeks right?" "Are you kidding?" Joe joked as he wrapped his arms tighter around her waist and pressed her against his chest, "If the beach babes are hot enough, you might not be able to get rid of me." Laughing softly he kissed her forehead, listening to the hiccupped forced laugh through her sobs broke his heart. "I love you Lil Bit and remember what I told you," he paused as he brushed the soft trails of her blackened curls over her shoulder, "Forget the bullshit _Dick_ put you through, find your smile again and be happy." Pressing her palm into the moistened folds of her eye, Morgane nodded solemnly then let out a small laugh. Leaning back she stuck her arm through the open window and pressed the small button on the steering wheel. As Jake's voice rang out and the messages played through, Joe chuckled and pinched her chin between his fingers, "See, there you go. One night stand or not, don't lose that smile ever again." Pushing her fingers against her lips, she kissed and waved out the window as she backed the car down the driveway, "Love you Bubba, I'll call you when I get home and I'll see you soon!"

Chapter Three

Morgane tucked her hair behind her ears before dropping the small coin in her pocket. Holding the file against her chest, she pushed the door open and smiled, "Well hello lil' Miss Megan. Mrs. Sinclair," she nodded to the little girl's mother. "Dr. James!" The full grin of the little girl's face pushed the faint freckles on her cheeks upwards as she wrapped her arms around Morgane's legs. Brushing the soft red hair back, she kneeled down and hugged the little girl softly. "Whoa, someone must have missed me," Morgane smiled and lifted the child sitting her on the table, "I missed you too though. Are you feeling any better now?" "A lot," the little girl exclaimed spreading her arms out wide to show how much better she felt. With a soft laugh, Morgane reached behind the girl grabbing a small black light, "How about we check out those tonsils then?" Noting the three missing teeth from the girl's delightful smile, Morgane winked up at the child's mother and started making humming sounds. "Something's not right here," she spoke softly and hummed once again. "Wha ish ist?" the cute little red head tried to ask without closing her mouth on the tip of the light. Flicking the switch quickly, Morgane laid the light on the table and scratched her chin. Making her eyes grow big and wide, she leaned down again to the little girl and whispered, "You're tonsils are _missing_!" After a moment of confusion shrinking the girl's smile, she wrapped her arms around her belly and started to laugh, "That's because you took them out Dr. James. You're so silly!" Returning the girl's laughter, Morgane informed her mother that everything looked fine. Picking at the little girl again, Morgane asked pretending to hide the question from the child's mother behind her hand, "Did you get to eat lots and lots of ice cream?" "No," the girl pushed her lips up into a full pout. "Momma only let me eat ice cream the day you took my _tonstills_ out and the next day. When we went home she said I couldn't have a lots of ice cream so she made me fruit _smoovies_ instead." Morgane pressed her knuckle at the tear forming in the corner of her eye and laughed out loud. "We'll your momma was right. As good as ice cream tastes, too much is not good for you. Ok Megan, let me check your ears then we can be done," Morgane continued as she raised the light again and examined the girl's tiny ears. Pressing her elbow softly into the mother's arm she winked again. "Oh gosh Megan, there is something in here," Morgane tried to sound serious. "It's not my _tonstills_ is it Dr. James," the little girl asked almost as seriously. "I don't know, let me get my tweezers and see if we can pull it out," fidgeting in her coat pocket for a moment, Morgane pulled out a long pair of tweezers and leaned back over the little girls ear. Brushing the side of the metal tweezers against the child's ear, Morgane gasped and stood up quickly. "What is it, what is it," Megan asked almost afraid of the answer. Mrs. Sinclair played along, "Is it another potato, I keep telling Megan she has to keep the dirt out of her ears." Flicking her fingers quickly, Morgane showed the little girl the golden coin and smiled as the child's smile grew, "Nope, not a potato Mom, just a free pass for Megan to have a little ice cream. But just one!" Walking the Sinclair's into the hallway, Morgane assured the mother everything had healed fine and if there was anything that came up she was to call the office for another appointment. "Oh Dr. James, I brung you a picture." The little girl pulled a picture out of her backpack and pointed to the wall behind Morgane, "for up there." "Thank you so much Megan, why don't you run up there and ask Ms. Tanya for a piece of tape and you can hang your picture." Bidding her goodbyes, Morgane hugged the little girl once more then stepped into the next door for her last appointment.

"Come here," Tanya pulled Morgane by the arm as she tried to finish up the last file for the day. "Wait, I'm almost done," Morgane half argued as she sorted the last two pages and turn sliding the file in place on the shelf. "What's up Tanya? Someone didn't show up at the last minute did they? I'm too tired to see anyone else," Morgane grumped and complained as her friend lead her down the hallway. With the drive back from Spurger and the two unexpected appointments, it had been a long day. After filling Tanya in on her trip over lunch, the recall of her trip to see Richard weighed heavy the rest of the day. "Look," the short reply came sharply from Tanya's lips. Morgane raised an eyebrow, she never knew Tanya to say so little. Letting her gaze follow her friend's finger, Morgane looked over all the photos on the wall. Every child she'd ever treated was up there on the wall smiling back with gapped grins, casted arms or legs or pinned lovingly over pictures they had drawn for Dr. James. "What? Derrick's picture," Morgane questioned not really being able to tell what exactly Tanya had been pointing at. "No," Tanya said in a softer tone than her previous short barks, "Have you ever stopped and thought that if you had been able to have your own kids, if _these_ would have gotten the love and care you have given to them over all these years? Richard was a dick. God made it so you couldn't have children because rather than one or two of your own, _all_ these children needed you in their lives. These are the children you couldn't have, but God made sure he put _you in their lives_." Morgane stood quietly for a moment, her arms wrapping around her waist as she looked over all the smiling faces of children staring back at her. Tears rolled softly down Morgane's cheeks as she gazed into the eyes of all the children's pictures on the wall. Unable to speak, Morgane leaned against the wall behind her and slid to the floor. As Tanya wrapped her arms around her friends shoulder, the soft mummer of Morgane's sobs filled the quiet hallway.

"Morgane!" His voice called down the hallway, glancing over her shoulder Morgane saw the soft smile on his lips before she stepped into the elevator. Sighing softly, she leaned against the back of the elevator and hoped the door would hurry up and close. She had thought about him the whole way home this morning, but right now she really didn't want him to see her like this. "Hey, wait," his hand pushed between the doors just as they were about to close. "Hi," he smiled as he stepped inside the elevator, "I heard you wer.." His voice trailed off for a moment before she felt the warmth of his palm against her shoulder, "Morgane, are you ok? You look like you've been crying." The sincerity in his voice and the solemn look that spread over his face brought tears to her eyes again. "Whoa, sshh, shhh, hey what's wrong," he stuttered as he wrapped his arms around her and she dropped her head against his chest. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she muttered through sniffles. The warmth of his arms around her made her not want to move, but lifting her head slowly she backed out of his arms and leaned again against the back of the elevator. "It's just been a long weekend and I'm tired, I'm sorry you had to see the waterworks, I guess I'm just a mess today," she tried to sound a bit more upbeat as she brushed the tears from her cheeks. Stepping in front of her, his hands wrapped softly around her upper arms, pulling her tight against his chest once again before he lifted her chin with his finger. "Why don't you let me drive you home then, you are in no shape to drive," he whispered softly as he pressed his lips against her forehead. As the tears sprang forth again, even in her fuzzy mind she knew he was right, nodding softly in agreement, she also knew she wanted to melt in the warmth of his arms.

Shifting the car into park, Jake turned toward her and pushed the soft curls of her hair behind her ear before getting out. Opening the car door slowly, Morgane fumbled trying to slip her feet back in her shoes. Not having the will or energy to fight, she leaned down and picked up her shoes opting to walk barefoot up to her condo. As she turned and dropped her bare feet on the pavement, his arms slipped behind her back and under her knees, lifting her to his chest. Still a mess of tears, Morgane didn't fight, didn't even mutter a word but wrapped her arm around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder as he carried her up the stairs. Setting her on the plush white cushions of her couch, Jake took the heels out of her hand and put them on the floor before disappearing into the kitchen. With a bottled water in one hand and a damp towel in the other, he slid onto the cushion beside her, "C'mere you," he whispered softly and began wiping her face with the cool dampened cloth. "Jake," she whispered as he pressed the cold bottle in her hand, "I'm sorry you had to see me like this. I'm just so tired and it's been such a lo.." Before she could finish, his fingers wrapped around her chin and turned her face toward his leaning his forehead down to rest gently on hers, "Sshh, you've already tried that line. Just relax and when you're ready to talk, I'll be here." As the waterfall of tears started again, Morgane leaned forward against him. His hands slipped again around her back and under her knees lifting her into his lap where he wrapped his arms around her tightly and rocked back and forth.

"Ok, I'll be home as soon as I can. I just don't want to leave her like this. I love you too and I'll see you in the morning," his voice followed by the clatter of dishes had her bolted upright on the couch as if it had shocked her. A sharp pain shot through her temples deep behind her eyes, "Ow," she muttered loudly as she clasped her hand around her head. "Morgane, wait, shh, wait," his voice called through the sudden loud ringing in her ears. Stooping in front of her, Jake pulled her shoulder's pressing her head against his chest, "Just breathe," he whispered into the tangled mess of her hair. After minutes of holding her tight and rocking her gently, when Morgane started to sit up he knew the rush had passed. "Feeling better," he asked in a low gentle voice as her eyes focused on his and he brushed her hair from her face. "Wher..," she started before her eyes moved slowly around the room. "What happened," she almost whispered as the ringing had faded but the pain still throbbed numbly in her temples. "Take these, drink this and sit back and I'll explain," he ordered in a soft voice handing her the aspirins first, then the bottle of water before pushed her slowly back against the couch. "First off, you _really_ scared me. You are at home. I found you in tears in the elevator, drove you home, carried you inside and held you until you fell asleep. I was trying to find something to cook for you, but it doesn't look like you did much shopping before you left," he snickered softly as he watched all the information gather in her mind. "Yea, no, I mean, I know all that," she started softly before taking another sip of water, "well not the cooking part, but I mean the pain," she paused and rubbed softly at her temples, "and the phone call." Slipping behind her on the couch, Jake slid his legs along the outside of hers and pulled her back against his chest. Pressing small, soft circles over her temples and massaging into her scalp, he smiled as she hummed softly. "The pain," he started as he ran his fingers through her hair, pushing the curly mass over one shoulder, "I'd assume was from you sitting up so quickly. The phone call was to my mother, letting her know I wouldn't be home tonight." While her eyes had drifted closed and her body sank into the warmth of body as his fingers magically erased the dull pain that had been digging at her temples, Morgane sat up quickly again. "Oh Jake, you don't have to stay here with me, I'll be fine," starting to stand up, she quickly realized her knees were as disoriented as her head as they buckled and she fell back into his lap. "Mmhmm, fine indeed. Here's an idea Dr. James, how about you let me be the Doctor for tonight. Tell me what you want to eat and I'll take care of you until you get back on your feet," his almost teasing chuckle twisted her lips in annoyance, but the gentle massage his fingers had started again against her scalp talked her into letting that one slide.

She tapped her fingers lightly watching him poke the fork through a piece of tomato, then carrot, cucumber and finally a shred of lettuce. As he lifted the fork full of salad and brushed it across her lips, Morgane blew a hard breath over her lips feeling her bangs flutter back down to her face. "You really don't have to feed me Jake. I'm perfectly capable of putting food in my mouth and chewing," she pouted more than slightly annoyed at being treated like an invalid. Letting out a loud punctuated huff of his own, he set the fork back in the plate and to her surprise, smiled. "Fine ruin all my fun. It isn't every day I get to spoil and pamper and see to every need of a beautiful woman, but sure if you want to do it yourself, go ahead. I won't stop you," he teased as he lifted his glass to his mouth. "Lord, you are just too much," she laughed waving her hand at him accidentally hitting the bottom of his glass. Laughing even harder as she watched him jump as the ice cold tea poured down his chest, she tried to mutter out and apology, "Oh God, Oh Jake I'm so sorry!" "Well hell woman, if you wanted me naked before I pampered you, all you had to do is say so," he laughed with a heavy Texas drawl and winked before pulling the soaked shirt over his head. Morgane choked on the tomato she'd been chewing as the shirt exposed his bare chest and stomach. Just the sight of this torso brought back the delicious memories of her fingers gliding along every curve and muscle just a few nights before. Gentle heat pressed at her thighs and the quickening pace of her heartbeat as she gazed over the beauty of his body hummed softly in her ears. "Let me go rinse this," he said as he stood not realizing the effect his small act had had on her, "you finish eating your salad, or I'll be forced to feed you again." Chewing slowly on the tomato now, Morgane's fingertips tingled remembering how she'd twisted them through the soft hair patches of his chest and followed the trail leading down. He was gorgeous. His skin so soft under her fingertips while his arms wrapped around her had been so strong, so protective. His lips, "God help me," she whispered as the heated passion of his lips seared into her memories. Shaking her head quickly trying to knock those thoughts from her mind, Morgane called down the hallway, "I think I might have an old shirt hanging on the back of the door you can use." "I think I'll be ok," Jake laughed as he stepped over the back of the couch and slid down beside her. As much as she hoped he'd found another shirt, the slow tingle across her skin reminded her that she was actually glad he hadn't. "Besides," he dropped his arm around her shoulders, pulled her against his chest and clicked the television on, "it's not like you haven't seen more of me than this," his soft voice faded off as he pressed his lips to her forehead. Letting the tension fall from her shoulders, Morgane raised her head, pulled her hair behind her head and let her cheek lay against the bare warmth of his chest, "Oh Mash," she laughed softly as he flipped the channels. Flipping back to Mash, Jake exhaled slowly, pulled his arm tighter around her and sunk down in the soft cushions of the couch.

Morgane exhaled slowly, letting her eyes focus on the bottom hem of the sheer beige curtains. As the warm breeze lifted, twisted and fluttered the thin material around the dark waxy leaves of the rubber tree, she thought fondly of the nurses who worked with her. Had it been last year or the year before they gave her that tree for her birthday? Her mind was still too fuzzy to remember, but even the slight memory of it creased the corners of her lips in a soft smile. She always woke up early, even as a child she rarely slept late, but since moving to the island the sounds, sights and smells of the beach just before dawn was something she'd grown to love. Peering through her sleepy gaze past the balcony rail, her eyes traced the darkness of the waves capped with the softness of a white glow as they peaked then spread over the blackness of the beach. _There it was_ , she exhaled slowly watching the first hues of pink, orange and red spill over the black rippling sheet of waves. The pastel colors overcoming the darkness of the night always reminded her of a local artist's painting she'd seen many times in a small cafe in the historic district. _I still intend to buy that one too_ , she reminded herself as the warm gentle breeze pushed the thin curtains out of the way again to wrap its salty fingers around her skin.

As she lay there basking in the glory of colors playing over the soft ebb and flow of the waves, the soft beat strumming in her ears almost seemed to match the rise and fall of the waves. Smiling softly to herself, Morgane stretched her fingers to pull her pillow closer to her shoulder. The sudden thickness of the salty air mingled with a dark almost musky scent as it pressed hard against the back of her throat. Her eyes jolted open fully. Her very breath choked as her fingers landed on and begin to trace the warmth of skin and muscle under her head. Quietly and very slowly Morgane turned her head, barely lifting it as her eyes gazed over lightly tanned skin, and thin patches of dark curly hair. The gentle rise and fall of his chest matched the soft beat that had been humming in her ears a moment earlier. The curve of his neck, though extended upward couldn't hide the thick slowly pulsing vein that crept along one side. A dark shadow of stubble caressed the strong profile of his chin and jaw. Soft, thin creases radiated from the corners of his eyes barely showing the slightest hint of age against the smoothness of his tanned skin. "Jake," she whispered as her eyes traced slowly back down his body. The fuzzed memories of yesterday and last night flooded her mind. The soft glow of warmth seemed to envelop her body as she remembered falling asleep in his arms. He had stayed with her all night, never once pressing her for what had made her the sobbing mess he had found in the elevator. The corners of her lips pulled into a slow grin at the memory of him saying he meant to pamper her. Letting the smile grow on her lips, Morgane sighed, placed her head lightly back against his stomach, closed her soft honey toned eyes, and inhaled his scent deeply.

Stretching his arms wide over his head, the deep yawn pushed his head back against the cushions. Slowing his breath not to disturb her, Jake lowered his arms letting one drop lightly over her shoulder. Pressing the pad of his thumb against the soft curve of her shoulder, he rubbed slowly as the smile stretched the stubbly shadow over his cheeks. Letting his eyes caress over the silken shine of her lightly tanned skin, Jake focused on the tangled mound of thick black curls that splayed across his stomach and lap. The soft warmth of her breaths trickled under the loosely tied waist of his scrub pants and teased his already awakened member. As her fingers pressed and pulled occasionally at the tender inside of his thigh muscle, Jake pushed back the overwhelming urges growing inside of him. Shifting his focus, his long fingers twirled and twisted inside the thick dark mass of curls as he brushed the tips from her scalp to the feathered ends. Sitting up slowly, his fingers guided an unruly segment of her curls away from the softness of her face, smoothing them behind her shoulder as he sighed deeply. _God she was beautiful_ , his mind hummed softly as his eyes traced over the soft lines of her face. Combing the curls away from her temple with the tips of his fingers, his eyes settled on the soft arch of her eyebrows. Musing over how they framed the softness of her eyes perfectly, Jake passed his thumb lightly over the thin black arch smoothing its ends toward her temple. The soft curve of her cheekbone caught his gaze as she mumbled softly against his stomach. Slipping his tongue between his lips, making a slow moistening pass over them as his eyes drifted over her silky, softly tanned skin, Jake exhaled slowly fight back the gentle moan that crawled up his throat and threatened to escape. The soft deep red curve of her full lips contrasted against the lightness of her skin as the fine lines from the corners stretched into the softness of a smile. Quickly dropping his hand over the part of him that throbbed, already knowing the beauty of this woman and more than that, the way _she felt_. Twisting his face in desperation, Jake pressed his head against the cushions once more as the deep, hungry moan escaped his lips.

Keeping her eyes closed feeling the softness of his fingers caressing over her, Morgane inhaled deeply hearing the moan rumble from his chest. Opening her eyes and lifting her head slightly, she smiled up at him as his gaze found hers. The warmth of his body under her and the heat of her breath playing on his stomach, the soft gaze between them seemed to be a long silent conversation. His eyes narrowed taking in the beauty of the soft curves of her face as she smiled letting her gaze slip down his chest. Pressing the full curves of her lips into a soft kiss against his stomach, Morgane sucked softly at the tender warm flesh as his fingers tangled into her hair. Smoothing her fingers up the muscular curve of his thigh, she pulled slowly at the drawstring of his scrub pants and passed the tip of her tongue over their hem. The enticing spice of his smell had haunted her all night. The warmth of his body so close to hers, staying with her and caring for her when she needed him the most. Morgane slipped her fingers under the loose material of his scrubs and caressed slowly over the thickness of his arousal. The deep, low growl escaping him rumbled over his toned body as she turned her gaze back to his. The soft, hungry smile on her lips punctuating the growing need in her eyes as he slowly nodded his head. Flicking her tongue over the tip of his swollen manhood, his fingers wrapped tightly in her curls as his hips raised toward the warmth of her lips. The soft pressure of his silken skin pressed against the part of her lips as his tongue had done so many times before. Slowly parting her lips, Morgane exhaled letting him slip inside the welcoming warmth of her mouth. Squeezing her finger and thumb around the curl covered shaft, Morgane let her lips caress up and down his length slowly. The small twitches and pulses of his arousal pressing against her tongue with the slow rise and fall of her head guided by the soft pressure of his hand wrapped into her hair. His muscles tightening and relaxing as his breathing deepened. The insistent throbbing against her tongue with the rapid rise and fall of his hips, made her moan as the tip of his arousal pressed deep into the back of her throat. "Morgane," his voice deep, raspy and begging against loving pampering of her lips and tongue, "come here."

Following the urging of his grip on her shoulders, Morgane let the slickened object of her tongue's pampering slip from the warmth of her lips. Slipping off the couch, she stood lifting her skirt as she slid her panties down her long legs before slowly crawling back onto the couch, straddling his hips. His fingers worked at the small buttons of her blouse, quickly finding the clasp at the front of her bra as she lowered her center over his thickness. The heat of his mouth locked onto the soft peak of her breast as her head dropped back with a loud moan as the full length of him slipped deep inside of her. "Oh Jake," she moaned against his ear with the urgent rise and fall of her body onto his. The strength of his hands wrapped around her hips steadying her as the urgency of his hips thrust into her. The heaving breaths and weakness of her legs dropped her against him as the wake of their releases washed over both of them.

As his breathing deepened and slowed, she knew he was back asleep. She didn't want to leave the warmth of his body or the comfort of his arms, but as the light grew and the pastel colors of the horizon brightened, she knew she couldn't stay there all day. Rising slowly to her hands and knees on the couch over him, Morgane traced her eyes over him once more. Before her mind could react or she could tell herself how silly she was being, her lips fell on the soft curve of his shoulder and pressed a light kiss. Tiptoeing softly down the hallway, the smile played on her lips, tugging at the corners as she slipped out the wrinkled clothes she'd worn the day before and stepped into the warm stream of the shower. _My God he smells so good, tastes so good, feels so good_ , her thoughts recalled as she licked over her lips remembering the warm softness of his skin against them just moments earlier. Hearing the voice of the morning DJ announce the time over the radio she always forgot to turn off, Morgane finished her shower and stepped out. Gently passing the soft thick towel over her body, she glanced up at the suit she'd hung on the back of the door for today. "Way too stuffy," she whispered as she tucked the towel around her, thought for a moment about a different suit she'd wear instead and opened the bathroom door. Lost in the realization that she was happy, for the first time she could remember in a long time, she was truly happy, Morgane smiled back at her reflection in the mirror before heading out the door.

"So, I was thinking. If we leave soon, we can stop and get a little breakfast before heading in. Then this afternoon, I can take you out for supper and maybe you can tell me what had you so torn up last night." Frozen in a sudden shock of his body blocking the doorway, Morgane felt a soft buzz in her ears as the low, deep tone of his voice settled on her mind. Her gaze landed squarely on the darkened patch of hair on his chest and against her will, followed the soft trail down his stomach. Her tongue slipping from between her lips and making a slow path over the soft flesh of her upper lip, a nagging tingle teased between her thighs as her eyes traced the soft fuzzy path of hair to the darkness of his pelvis. The light blue scrub pants he worn hung loosely and the drawstring waist hung precariously low. The softness of his laughter snapped her out of the fevered gaze, "Morgane, up here," he chuckled softly. Moving her eyes back to his, the heat that swelled in her cheeks ached as she twisted her lips and fell into the gaze of his light green eyes. "What?" She questioned almost as if she wasn't sure he had actually said anything. Jake smiled letting his own eyes trail over the still wet skin peeking above the towel. The soft curves of her breasts teasing his mind as a single drop of water rolled lazily between the deep valley of her cleavage. The full laughing smile tightened as his body threatened to react, every muscle in his body wanted to stop the droplet and feel the softness of her wet skin against his. Pushing off the wall he'd been leaned back against, Jake turned placing himself in front of the befuddled woman. Raising his hands along the softness of her upper arms, his fingers massaged and worshiped the tender muscles working their way to her shoulders. As he pulled her closer to him, the fresh scent of her shampoo and perfume swirled around him. Dropping his lips to the taut curve of her shoulder, Jake pressed soft kisses over the arch of her shoulder blade. Savoring the softness and the wet sweetness of her skin against his lips, he sucked and kissed slowly up her neck before catching the soft lobe of her ear between his lips. "I said," he growled against her ear as he circled the tip of his nose over her ear's tender ridge, "Get dressed, we'll go for breakfast. Then tonight, you are all _mine_." His hands roamed over her back as he talked slowly, slipping them over the soft curve of her bottom and squeezed his palms over the lush thickness as he punctuated the last word. Leaning back waiting for any response, Jake's eyes narrowed as he watched the soft quiver of her lips. Dropping his gaze, the slow rise and fall of her chest had been replaced by a harder, deeper rhythm pronouncing the restriction of the towel over the full upper curves of her breasts. "Jake, I.." Morgane started to slowly whisper, her words and breath cut off by the soft weight of his lips pressing over hers. Tightening the grip of his arms and the soft massaging of his fingers, Jake pulled her fully against his bare chest. Darting his tongue against the soft roundness of her lips, he begged them silently to let him in. A deep moan rumbled between the soft flesh of lips pressed together as she parted hers and let his tongue slide over them.

~*~ ~*~

Looking up from behind the shadow of her long eyelashes, Morgane puckered her lips and blew softly over the top of her coffee cup. _How could even his chewing of food look so sexy_ , she asked herself quietly as she sipped at the warmth of her coffee. "So, I'm guessing your vacation wasn't all you wanted it to be," the slow tempo of his deep voice mumbled from behind his napkin. "Hmm?" Her eyes still fixed on the way the corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled, "Oh, no. It was wonderful. I missed my brother so much. What gave you the idea it wasn't good?" She questioned snapping her eyes quickly around the eatery trying to focus on the conversation rather than the delicious details of his face. Stretching his hand across the table to where hers was laying, he slowly began smoothing the soft pad of his thumb over the back of her hand. "Well, I don't think I've ever found someone hiding in an elevator overwhelmed with tears after a vacation," he smiled softly and squeezed her hand. Morgane's lips tightened as she cringed inside, "God I must have looked so weak," she mumbled into her sip of coffee. Shaking her head softly from side to side, she sipped again at her drink before pressing her napkin to her lips. "No, the vacation was wonderful. I think I was just tired and worn out," she said matter-of-factly as she slide the plate from in front of her and pretended to look for something in her purse. "I don't think it was exhaustion that put you in the mess you were in when I found you," he prodded softly, watching the corner of her lip twitch as she retrieved whatever it was from her purse that had her so distracted. "Jake," she started shortly trying to keep the sound of annoyance out of her voice, "I appreciate you staying with me last night and all you did for me, but really, I was just worn out." Watching her beautifully plump lips tighten, straining against anger or annoyance he hadn't decided which, Jake leaned forward as she smoothed a thin layer of lipstick over her soft curves. "Have dinner with me tonight Morgane," barely a question as it slipped from his mouth. The soft tone couldn't hide the stern, almost commanding sound of his question. "I think I'm going to get a massage Ray's tonight, and I'm usually so tired after work I just go home after the massage and go to sleep," she fumbled for words as his eyes seemed to peer deep into her soul. To her relief, he sat back in the booth once more possibly accepting the excuse she had given him. Checking her reflection once more in the small pocket mirror, Morgane didn't notice the sly curl playing against the corners of his lips.

Pulling her car alongside Jake's in the parking lot, Morgane shifted it into park and sat back in her seat. The conversation had been light on their way to the hospital from the small eatery and she was thankful. Scanning her eyes around the parking lot, Morgane looked for any one she worked with silently hoping no one had seen them together. "Well, guess I'll head home, shower and make my way back up here," his lowered voice broke the silence. Forcing a small smile she nodded and turned her head toward him at the soft click of the seat belt. Before she could say a word, his palms pressed against her cheeks, his gaze peered deep into her eyes and the soft warmth of his breath teased over her lips. The tickling heat of his mouth fell over hers as he lowered his head, pulling her lips to his and kissed her softly. Morgane moaned against his tongue as it caressed over the top of hers, twisting and tangling slowly within the heated moisture of her mouth. As her eyes closed slowly drifting into the passion of his kiss, she tangled her fingers into his hair and held him against the fullness of her lips. A soft whimper slipped over the darkness of her red lips as he pulled the heat of his mouth away from hers. Opening her eyes still dazed from the softness and passion his lips had invited, Morgane watched the soft smile curve the luscious outline of his lips. "Until later," he whispered pressing his lips to hers once more before opening the door and stepping out of her car. "Aaah," she yelled into the silence of her car as she watched him pull out of the parking lot. Dropping her forehead against the steering wheel, Morgane exhaled deeply. Pinching the top of her thin, red blouse between her fingers, she fanned the soft material forcing small cooling rushes of air over the heated skin of her breasts. "Damn it, why does he keep doing that to me," she mumbled to herself as she replayed the soft kisses in the darkness of her closed eyes.

Morgane drifted through the hallways lost in thoughts as usual. Barely hearing the soft hum of the elevator or the dinging of the doors as it opened to her office door, she looked up from the spot she had been studying on the floor and sighed. Walking through the empty waiting room, giving the elderly receptionist a forced smile, Morgane turned the corner and nodded her head toward the two nurses. "Amy. Patricia.. good morning," she mumbled with a pressed on smile before pushing the door of her office open and stepping inside. The obvious look of shock still on the nurses' faces as Tanya stepped into the hallway had her raising an eyebrow as they stared in disbelief at the door of Morgane's office. "Damn, y'all saw a ghost or what," she joked as she pushed a few papers off the top of a file and picked it up. "Um, no," the red head sputtered as she turned her gaze toward Tanya, "Dr. James just called us by name." The absolute confusion still showed on the faces of the two younger nurses as Tanya turned a wondering look toward her friend's door. "That's so weird," whispered the younger blonde headed Amy, "I don't think she's ever called me by my first name." Agreeing with a nod before draping her stethoscope over her neck, the red headed Patricia muttered, "Me either." Shaking her head as the two women continued to whisper over the shock they had just received, Tanya pushed her hands into the deep pockets of her scrubs and started toward the office door. With a soft sigh, thinking back to her friend yesterday, Tanya pushed the office door open and stepped inside.

"Have I ever told you how much I truly love you," Morgane's soft voice fluttered against her cheek as her arms tightened around Tanya's waist. Not expecting the ambush of a hug when she closed the office door behind her, Tanya stumbled backwards a step before realizing her dear friend had clung to her like a stubborn dryer sheet to silk. "Well, uh," the soft orange gloss of her lipstick shimmered as she stammered the words, "not lately, but I guess the answer to my question is that you _are_ doing ok." Morgane laughed softly letting her grip on her friend's waist lighten, taking a step back, she pressed her palms to the woman's cheeks and planted a kiss on her forehead. Still a little confused, Tanya watched with a raised eyebrow as her friend glided back to her desk and sat in the large dark brown chair. "Thank you... for yesterday," Morgane started slowly as her friend slowly made her way over and promptly sat on the edge of the desk. As she leaned up and pressed her palm on Tanya's thigh, Morgane opened her mouth to start again, and then quickly pressed her lips closed as her friend interrupted. "Look girl, I'm really sorry about the slap of reality, but damn. Sometimes you just get so caught up, blaming yourself for everything," Tanya sighed deeply, "You just have to look at the picture from a different direction sometimes." Smoothing her palms over her thighs, Tanya squeezed her friend's hand softly and started again, "I love you and watching you blame yourself for the failure of that man you were married to was just killing me." Morgane watched as the usually life loving softness of her dear friend's eyes watered with the threat of tears. Standing slowly, she wrapped her arms around Tanya's shoulder and pulled her into another tight hug, "You're right," she whispered softly. "Even after all the other women, I still blamed myself for my marriage failing. He convinced me I was no kind of woman if I couldn't have children. That little seed he planted grew and ate at me for years. Instead of hating him for all the fights, all the belittling comments and all the affairs, I ended up hating myself. All of that is done though, "Morgane reassured her friend squeezing her tight again. Tanya returned the hug and rubbing her hands against her friend's back as she sniffled. "Good," she forced a laugh and stood her dearest friend upright in front of her, "now about that love.." Tanya's lips curled and her eyes once again took on the sparkle of life Morgane had always loved, "Love me enough to loan me two hundred bucks?" Morgane laughed out loud pressing the back of her hands to the corner of her eyes as she watched her crazy friend wiggle her eyebrows jokingly. "What the hell you need two hundred bucks for you crazy old woman," Morgane joked as she sat back in her chair. The sudden animation in her friend's gestures made Morgane sigh and smile as her friend stood, waving her arms around and began telling her about the male dancers she was going to see that night.

"Damn girl, you sure you feeling alright? I don't think you've ever taken lunch on the patio," Tanya muttered as the two women crossed the patio and sat at an empty umbrella covered table. Morgane just nodded, looking around for any sign of Jake as she pulled the tab on her soda. Sighing softly when she couldn't find him, Morgane took a small bite of her sandwich and raised her eyes. "Tanya, you ever been with a younger man?" Overly dramatic, her friend spit and sputtered into her napkin as her eyes widened then fixed on her Morgane. After the initial shock of hearing just _how many_ younger men Tanya had dated, Morgane swallowed hard. "But would you ever consider anything more than just sleeping with a younger man," she questioned her friend ignoring the questioning look on Tanya's face. "Babe," Tanya started out slowly, took a sip of her drink and recognized the seriousness of her friend's questions, "If I found the man who made me happy, put up with my quirky ways and adored me as much as I adored him, I damn sure wouldn't be worried about the date on his driver's license." Watching the smile grow soft around the edges of Morgane's lips, Tanya raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to her friend. "Jake's got all these questions twisting in that perfect little head of yours," her friend's whispered question made the heated blush rise against her cheeks. "No," Morgane snapped quickly hoping to suppress the warmth now spreading over her as she thought about Jake. "Well, yea I guess, kinda," she continued, "he's just so absolutely amazing, but he's _so young_.. it's not about that though, I mean, shit." Tanya laughed out loud catching the attention of several of the nurses scattered about the patio. Morgane huffed her frustrations out loud as her friend shook with laughter. "It's not even about him, damn it, I just meant..," she paused and lowered her voice realizing most of the nurses were still looking questioningly at the two, "it could be anyone, but there is nothing wrong with a man being younger than the woman right?" Still fighting back the soft snickers her laugh had faded into, Tanya reached across the table and squeezed her friend's hand tightly. "Babygirl, let me explain something to you," she started then leaned in toward her friend lowering her voice, "you are reaching your peak. A man his age has reached his, so what could be more natural than a fully developed, sexually explosive woman falling for a man that is primed to fulfill the fullness of her needs, wants and desires?" "God, did he _ever_ ," Morgane whispered from behind a blushed grin as she squeezed back against her friend's hand and fell into the chorus of their laughter.

"Morgane!" The overly cheerful voice tensed her shoulders as she closed the door behind her. "Hello again Ray," she forced a soft smile as she watched him cross the room. Wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug, his voice sang against her shoulder, "It's so good to see you again, and so soon." Frozen in the grip of his arms, Morgane flinched slightly as the pressure of his hands smoothed over her back slipping lower. "Good to see you too Ray but if you grab my ass, they will have to remove your tonsils to dislodge your nuts," she gritted behind a forced smile as she stepped out of his arms. The eyes of the middle aged playboy glistened as he broke into laughter and doubled over steadying his weight with the palm of his hand on her shoulder. "I knew I liked you Morgane, the moment I met you I knew you were as feisty as Tanya," he laughed while dramatically wiping away a fake tear from his eye. "Mmhmm," she muttered as she pushed his hand off her shoulder and straightened her blouse. "Same room ok," he asked still forcing the chuckle as he slide behind his desk and flipped open a dark leather bound book. "That will be fine," she answered not giving him a second glance. As he walked back across the room toward her and extended his arm, she reluctantly slipped her own in the crook of his elbow and let him lead her to the beautifully decorated cabana like room. Letting out a soft sigh, as he pulled the door closed, Morgane mumbled as she slipped off her shoes and began to unbutton the delicate buttons of her thin blouse. Hanging her clothes on the hooks of one of the room dividers, Morgane caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and smiled. Since her last massage and her delicious encounter with Jake afterwards, she had chosen to abandon the sensible cotton underwear and support. Letting her eyes trail over the contrast of the black lace against the light tone of her skin, she pressed her hands to her hips and turned from side to side taking in the sight of her entire body. Slipping her fingers under the bottom of the laced panties, she pulled adjusting the garment over the rounded curve of her rear and smiled again. As she settled onto the coolness of the massage table, Morgane flipped her phone open and dialed Jake's number. Still not being able to believe she passed up his invitation for dinner earlier, she hoped she could at least see him for a little while this evening. Frowning as his voice mail message played in her ear, Morgane started to leave a message but the soft knock on the door made her flip the phone closed.

Straining against the soft sounds of the breeze rustling through the palm trees, the gentle crash of waves on the beach and the distant cries of seagulls, Morgane listened to the soft shuffle of feet came closer to her. Silently hoping it was the same guy from her first massage, she held her breath waiting to hear his friendly hello again. "Oh," she exhaled quickly as the warmth of his fingers pressed against her shoulder, the sudden touch making her jump for a moment. "Hello," she spoke up from the soft cushion of the face pillow. "Hello," responded a deep low voice. She sighed letting her face sink into the pillow as she didn't recognize anything familiar in the voice, closing her eyes she focused her mind on the soothing pressure of the fingertips along her skin. With her mind still fixed on Jake, the slow relaxing swirls of fingertips and palms lulled her into a soft, dreamy daze. The warmth of the fingers massaging into her neck brought back the memory of Jake's breath playing on her skin, his lips pressing softly along the curve of her collarbone. Morgane shivered under the coolness of the breeze mixing with the warmth slowly creeping over her skin and to her relief the hands seemed to notice and pressed deeply into the soft flesh of her shoulders. Her mind twisting and turning in the visions of their bodies sliding and pressing against one another, the fingers worked slowly down her spine and slipped over the thick clasp of her bra.

Without a second thought, Morgane twisted her arm behind her back and unhooked the bra letting the thin lace fall along the side of her body with a soft moan as the fingers massaged deeply into the muscles of her back. Light soft touches of the man's shirt tickled over the exposed skin of her bottom as he leaned over her, sinking and smoothing his fingers over her body. The lightness of the touch making Morgane's thighs tighten. Squeezing against the growing heat between her thighs, her mind floated back to the soft brushes of Jake's lips as he kissed and licked over every inch of her body. As the fingers slipped around the curve of her hips, gripping and massaging the flesh, Morgane moaned softly feeling the lace of her panties slide a bit lower on her hips at the gentle pressure of the hands. Inhaling slowly, she prepared to have the warmth of the hands leave her body and move to her feet as they had before. Pressing her tongue against the curve of her upper lip, Morgane moaned as the fingers smoothed over the lace and pressed into the firm roundness of her rear. Tugging and massaging the fingers pampering her body brought a rush of heat deep into her core. The tingling heat between her thighs teased and pulled at her desire as the fingers dug softly into the back of her thighs. Her breathing now slow and labored, Morgane lingered in the memory of Jake's body sliding slowly over hers, unaware of the heated moisture slicking over the soft skin of her inner thighs. The fingers worked quickly down her legs and back up again returning their attention to her bottom and thighs as Morgane's heated desire swelled in her stomach. Soft airy moans frequented her lips as her mind retraced the intimate moments she'd found herself involved in with Jake and the pampering fingers heightened the tenderness and sensitivity of her skin. The strength of the fingers and the tightened grip over her thighs pulled at the soft wetness of her skin, sliding her legs apart as thumbs pressed into the tensed, trembling muscle of her inner thigh. A shooting spark of electric energy shot deep into Morgane's body as a thumb slipped lightly over the wet lace covering of her need. Her body shaking softly, Morgane squeezed her hands around the soft plushness of the face pillow and whispered, "Oh Jake."

Chapter Four

"Thank God it's Friday," she sighed out loud as she pressed her lips to her coffee cup and gazed at the horizon. The warm salty air setting her hair in flutters around her face and shoulders, Morgane leaned onto the balcony rail, resting her elbows and cupping her cup between her fingers. The last two weeks had seemed to drag on some days slower than most, but the slow passage of time really took its toll on her. She had enjoyed the late night phone calls and random texts between her and Jake, but not seeing him for the past two weeks left her mood sour for the most part. Between his family member's funeral and the convention his entire team had to attend, Morgane often wondered if he'd ever get back from San Antonio. She smiled softly as her eyes watched the pale pastels of the dawn brighten over the gentle rhythm of the sea. He should be back tomorrow, she thought as she took another slow sip of her coffee. Gazing over the slow gentle roll of the waves, Morgane watched as they crashed softly along the beach, then clean as slate, washed the foam gently back into the awaiting arms of the ocean. Having gone to visit Dr. Marcum at the retirement home just the day before, she couldn't help but think about a conversation they had her first year on the island.

Sitting at a small beachfront coffee shop as they discussed her role in the practice as well as his plans to retire in the upcoming years, Dr. Marcum listened as she spoke of her life, her marriage and divorce and why she chose to live in Galveston. She recalled the softness in his pale blue eyes when she had finished her story and the way he directed her to watch the waves crash along the beach. "Morgane, life is like the tides. Like the ocean, it's a vast span of everything, love, loss, hopes, dreams, needs, wants, happiness and sorrows. Sometimes it's so full of turmoil, the churning force of the waves feel like they are going to pull you under. Sometimes it's so smooth the constant even ebb and flow makes you feel almost complacent. Like those waves there, crashing and wiping out everything in sight, then slowly pulling back into the ocean, they always wipe the slate clean so you can move on. You just have to remember to ride the tides and not get caught in the undertow." His words didn't make much sense to her until the following year when her divorce had been finalized. That's when she picked up the clean slate and started to move on. Shaking her head softly Morgane laughed into the morning air, if she had known then about his early onset of Alzheimer's it would have made sorting his message out a lot easier.

Exhaling deeply as she pushed herself off the rail, Morgane drifted back into her living room not entirely ready to start the day. As she picked up her keys and headed for the door, the soft tone and rumble of her purse startled her. "Who could that be at this hour," she mumbled as she fished the phone from her purse. A slow smile curled the corners of her lips as she read the text, "Let's play a game." Her eyes traced over Jake's name above the message and a light flutter of happiness began in her stomach. Before she could answer back the soft tone and gentle vibrations started again in her hand. "Blue or Red" She laughed out loud remembering their twenty questions texting a few nights back. Quickly pressing the buttons to spell out Red, she closed the door behind her and walked to her car. As she pulled into her parking spot, the phone vibrated against her hip, "Sunrise or Sunset." "Oh that's a hard one," she mumbled as she closed the car door and headed for the building. "Sunset," she keyed in quickly stepping into the elevator nodding politely to the people already inside. "Wine or Beer," laughing as she stepped into her office Morgane clipped the phone back to her hip and made her way around the reception desk.

"Good Morning Mrs. Mary," she smiled as she flipped through the call notes from the answering service. "Did you happen to think about my offer? I know you said you went to the temp service because you only wanted to work part time, but I really need you here. This place would be a mess without you," Morgane continued as she pulled a chair up beside the sweet older lady. "Actually, I have Dr. James," the receptionist smiled looking up again from the computer screen. "Please Mrs. Mary, just call me Morgane," she interrupted always feeling a bit awkward with a woman old enough to be her mother calling her Dr. James. The soft smile and the twinkle in the older woman's eyes almost reminded Morgane of Jake, but then again so did the soft vibration of the phone on her hip as she remembered she hadn't answered his last round of the game. "Well, Morgane, I would like working here full time. The only thing is, and I hate to bring this up right now, but next week, I'll need a few days off to help my sister and her son move here to the island." Patting her palm gently against Mary's shoulder Morgane smiled and assured her that wouldn't be a problem. "We'll discuss all the details later and get your vacation dates set up for next week," Morgane called back as she started down the hall toward her office. Slipping the phone from her hip again, she laughed seeing he had sent the same message. Pushing her door open with her rear, Morgane typed in "Depends."

Sinking into her office chair, Morgane sighed, "half way through." For once she couldn't wait to head downstairs for lunch. Skipping breakfast this morning, several times already her stomach voiced its complaints. Checking over the file of her last appointment, Morgane shuffled papers around to find her phone and stop its complaint against the surface of her desk. "Roses or Daisies" She laughed, it had been an ongoing but welcome distraction for her this morning answering his random questions, but it also made her miss him that much more. "Neither Calla Lilies," she spoke out loud as she typed in her answer and snapped her phone shut as Tanya pushed the office door open. "I'm starved girl, let's go," her friend complained as Morgane clipped the phone back in its case and headed out the door.

"Hungry much," Tanya joked looking at the hamburger, fries and salad on her friend's tray as they made their way to a table on the patio. Laughing softly as she sat down, Morgane flicked the moisture that had gathered on her fingers from the drink can toward her friend. "I forgot to eat breakfast this morning, so hush." Rolling her eyes, Tanya pressed the back of her hands against her hips and puckered her lips in a teasing fashion, "Mmhmm.. Let me guess, you were up all night talking to _loverboy_ and woke up late." "I never wake up late," Morgane retorted, sticking her tongue out before biting into her hamburger. Tanya laughed out loud as she half stood and pointed across the table at Morgane, "I knew it! You did talk to him last night! Girl, I can always tell. You get a little bounce in your step after you see or talk to him." "Pffft," Morgane twisted her lips and swallowed her food, "No I don't. Besides, we only talked for twenty minutes or so. I was talking to my brother most of the night actually. Three more weeks and he's coming down. I really think you are going to like him babe." Sipping on her straw, Tanya shook her head, "Don't change the subject. What did loverboy have to say?" Morgane laughed as the soft vibration of her phone tickled against her hip. Expecting to find other of his mystery questions glaring back at her on the screen, Morgane inhaled softly and smiled unconsciously rubbing her thumb over the screen lightly. "Mmhmm, there he is, I see those lips stretching across to your ears," her friend teased as she reached over and plucked the phone from Morgane's fingers. "Awww, I miss you" her teasing tone faded as she read the screen and looked up at Morgane, "guess you aren't the only one that's got it bad."

The coolness of the air pricked at the heat of her skin as she pushed the door to her practice open. Still wearing the smile that stained her lips with the short sweet message from lunch, Morgane scanned the waiting area quickly. "Any calls Mrs. Mary," she inquired as she made her way down the hall to her office. "Yes, Dr. James," the lady spoke softly catching Morgane before she slipped through the heavy wooden door, "You're 1:30 called to reschedule but there is a Pharm. Rep. who also called and should be here in a few minutes. Would you like me to reschedule them as well?" Morgane sighed with her palm still pressed to the cool veneer of the office door. The news of the rescheduled appointment was actually a relief. She was so drained today and she still had a ton of paperwork and files she needed to sort. Chuckling softly to herself, she turned her smile back to the older receptionist, "That's not necessary Mrs. Mary. They have to work too and it's not like I ever really listen to them anyway." Giving the sweet old lady a quick wink before slipping through her office door, Morgane called back, "Give me twenty minutes or so, then go ahead and send them in."

Crossing the office slowly, Morgane leaned her forehead against the warmth of the windowed wall and stared outside. The soft corners of her lips quivered with the smile she hadn't lost since lunch. Watching a young couple, strolling through the hospital garden below, she slid the phone off its clip flipping it open slowly and pressed her fingers against the keys. "I miss you too," the softly lighted buttons toned against the message she'd wanted to send since lunch. She did miss him. Several days the past week, she even caught herself snipping at people or grumbling over nonsense with the longing for him playing on her emotions. _Emotions_ , she thought to herself with a soft laugh, _the rollercoaster from hell_. The changes in her body along with the new found feelings over Jake had made life as Morgane knew it interesting. The ebb and flow of her moods seemed to change as rapidly as the tides lately. Frustration seemed to be the utmost of those emotions the past few weeks with Jake out of town. The massages at Ray's that normally gave her a bit of relief, lately just weren't working. She knew the past two times though, it wasn't the same guy. The massage itself, his hands, the touch of his skin against hers, was just not the same. _Relaxing sure, but not as much as all the times before_ , she thought to herself.

Making her way to the small restroom attached to her office, Morgane turned on the faucet and washed her hands. She could see the tiredness darkening under her eyes as she sighed at her reflection. The soft rap of a knock on her office door bringing her back to reality, but not before she made a mental note to ask Ray about her original masseur on her next visit. "It's open," she called out as she positioned herself behind her desk. She wasn't fond of the Pharm Rep visits, but often ignoring their sales pitch during the visits, she found the droning of their voices almost soothing as she caught up on paperwork. "Dr. James," the older woman poked her head around the office door, "the Rep cancelled, seems she hadn't even come across the ferry when she called earlier. The rest of your afternoon is empty unless you'd like me to call back the Rep from yesterday. Oh, and there was a delivery for you." Morgane exhaled lightly, an afternoon clear is exactly what she needed today. As her eyes lifted to the soft features of the older lady still hanging around the edge of the office door, Morgane raised an eyebrow curious about the smile playing over the lips of her receptionist. "A delivery huh? I don't think I was expecting anything today," she mumbled as she walked around the desk and joined the lady at the door.

As she walked slowly beside the older woman, Morgane listened as Mary talked about the trip to the casino her and her sister were taking after work. Morgane always wondered what it would be like to have a sister, not that she could imagine them being nearly as close as her and Joe was. Glancing quickly over to the nurses' area, Morgane laughed quietly and shook her head seeing Tanya propped up on top of the counter leaning against the small refrigerator talking on her phone. _A sister_ , she chuckled to herself, _I could just imagine_. Tanya had been and she was sure, always would be the closest thing to a sister she could have, _even closer_ , she nodded as she reached the reception area. "These came about ten minutes ago," Mary almost sang as she turned back around toward Morgane and presented a beautiful vase of Calla Lilies. "Oh my god," Morgane whispered as she traced the silken petals of the flowers. Wrapping her fingers around the elegant vase that held the arranged beauty of the bouquet, she rubbed her thumb softly over the dark red ribbon that wrapped around the glass before twisting into a bow. _Jake_ , her mind whispered as it recalled the mystery text question about flowers. "Ooooh girl those are gorgeous," Tanya's voice was almost shrill as she jogged down the hallway toward her friend. Morgane leaned into the bouquet letting the sweet smell of the flowers fill her senses and the softness of the petals brush against her face. "Read the card, damn girl, ain't you ever got flowers before," Tanya teased as she reached over trying to pull the card from the small plastic stick, "Not that we don't all know who it's from." Poking her elbow into Morgane's ribs, Tanya laughed out loud and hollered down the hallway, "Patricia.. Amy.. Loverboy sent her flowers!" Morgane blushed realizing all the ladies knew about her and Jake and obviously it had become the latest gossip in the office.

After listening to the coos of the women she worked with for what seemed like an hour, Morgane pulled the card from the stick in the bouquet. Her forehead wrinkled and her lips twisted with confusion as she opened the small envelope and found a business card instead of the usual short greetings that most sent with flowers. "Galveston Yacht Club," the red font boasted along with the address, phone number and a picture of a yacht on the water. Her mind raced wondering who from the yacht club would have been sending her flowers or why if they were from Jake he'd send her a business card. "You might want to turn it over," Mary's soft voice whispered as she bit back a laugh after watching the confusion on Morgane's face for more than five minutes. Feeling the heat rise in her cheeks again, Morgane sighed with embarrassment that she herself hadn't thought to check the back earlier. "Slip 6, Be there at 7:30 tonight."

Feeling the soft caress of the silk slide down her ribs and flutter lightly around her hips, Morgane smiled into her reflection watching the red dress she'd worn the night they met slip into place around her rounded curves. Calla Lilies, the red ribbon, near sunset, all the things added up in her head as she smeared the dark gloss of her red lipstick over the soft curve of her lips. Had he remembered her telling him about seeing the yacht club from the massage parlor balcony? Bending to slip the strap of her heels over the back of her foot, Morgane sighed softly. They had talked about everything from books to movies, favorite foods, music and so much more, but it always comforted her more when he never pushed or pried when she didn't want to say more about her past. She had told him so much about her brother and living with him while she was in high school, about her couple of years in the Navy, and even mentioned some memories of her marriage and when she found out about her infertility, but he never pushed wanting to know more than what she would offer. Surprisingly even to her, the late night conversation about her not being able to have children went smoothly. Though it still bothered her, Jake had made no comment about the fact. Yet, she thought quietly as she checked the clock again and gathered her small clutch and keys from the table, he seemed to remember everything she'd ever told him.

~*~ ~*~

"Slip 6 please," Morgane requested as she pressed her palms against the small counter protruding from under the sliding window of the gatehouse. Without as much of a glance in her direction, the young man nicely dressed in his white polo shirt and khaki shorts lifted a finger toward her as he typed away on a keyboard. With the smile still happily playing along the dark red outline of her lips, Morgane watched momentarily as he held a phone between his shoulder and cheek before glancing back at the large club house she had passed earlier. The stifling heat of the day had lessened as the sun began its decent behind the large building but the rays simmered over the glass walls creating small rainbows against the misty air. She scolded herself as the young man's voice gave short low toned answers over the phone. In all her years on the island, Morgane had never been to the club or taken one of the tours the various flyers posted around the gatehouse boasted. "My apologies Ma'am," the young gatekeeper spoke as he stood and leaned toward the glass, "did you say Slip Six?" As his eyes turned up toward her, Morgane chuckled at the open gap of his mouth. Looking her up and down slowly the young man cleared his throat and stood motionless behind the small sliding window. "Yes, please," Morgane responded broken from the warm recall of the invitation that brought her to the place to start with. He was a good looking young man, she thought to herself as she watched his eyes trail down her body and the smile on his lips grow exponentially. "You are expected, I'd assume," his tone much softer as his gaze returned to her lips. With a soft affirming nod, Morgane watched as he tapped lightly on the keyboard once more and picked up the phone. Cradling the receiver against his shoulder again, the young man's eyes glimmered in the fading sunlight as he assured her it would only be one moment. Taking the opportunity, Morgane traced the features of the young man's face and laughed softly thinking to herself if she had a niece, this young man would be the perfect match. A soft chuckle escaped her lips at the thoughts of the meeting between this gate man and her imaginary niece. "I'm sorry, Ma'am," his voice lowered again as he leaned toward the glass, "it will be just a moment. I had a note of a delay on the computer and the gentleman assured me someone would be out to escort you shortly." Morgane nodded softly as her thumb caressed over the handwriting on the back of the card she had received with the flowers, politely turning down the young man's offer to walk her to the clubhouse to wait. "I'm sure it won't be long," he offered as she sat slowly on a bench beside the gatehouse and watched the waves break against the shoreline. "I can't imagine anyone making _you_ wait for anything." She laughed lightly at his flirtatious tone; looking up to catch the soft wink and sly smile play over his face. _What is it lately about all these younger men vying for her attention_ , she wondered as she relaxed against the back of the bench and watched the melting colors of sunset swirl in the softness of the clouds.

"Dr. James?" Morgane turned toward the soft even toned voice. As her eyes fell on the blonde windblown locks of his hair, Morgane smiled and stood slowly. "Yes," she answered slowly as he stepped forward and offered his arm. The bronze tone of his skin was dark against the vibrant colors of the cliché Hawaiian shirt she had seen so many of the men in the clubhouse wearing. "My name is Aaron Carter and I am here to escort you to Slip Six," his smile almost as bright as the reflecting rainbows playing over the clubhouse windows. He was closer to her age, she estimated as she returned his smile and slipped her arm into his, "Pleased to meet you Aaron, and thank you so much." "My pleasure my lovely," he smiled as he lead her from the gatehouse. The gait of his stroll, the soft subtleties of his words and the grandioso way he swept his arm as he boasted over the different sailboats and yachts assured Morgane that he, unlike most the men lately, probably would not be as flirtatious with her. Surprisingly, that thought eased her mind. She had enjoyed the sudden attention from a few of the guys lately, but against her will, Morgane found her mind and possibly her heart's focus had all been on Jake. "And here we are my lady," his warm, joyful tone made her smile. While they made their way to the slip, Morgane had been lost in thought but as she looked up she laughed softly. "The Love Boat huh," she snickered seeing a red banner ripple in the light breeze against the side of the boat. "Indeed," the man winked as he helped her across the wooden ramp leading to the sailboat. It was beautiful, Morgane thought softly to herself as she traced her gaze over the polished wooden trim shining softly against the stark white hull. As she stepped onto the deck, Aaron slid his arm out of hers, pulled her hand against his lips and kissed her fingers softly. "Wait here, I'll inform Mr. Holden that you have arrived," he half whispered against the warmth of her hand before he stepped away, quickly disappearing down a flight of steps under the deck of the large boat.

Morgane's shoulders shivered as a warm, excitement played over her skin. Taking in the beauty of the boat with its polished wooden trim surrounding the crisp, clean white walls, Morgane smiled softly at sight of the plush pastel toned cushions of the seats surrounding a small table covered with a deep red cloth. Bundles of calla lilies adorned the center of the table as well as a few dotted here and there around the deck of the boat. Wrapping her arms around her waist, Morgane smiled softly spotting the bubbling waters of the hot tub over the high backed bench that edged the small table. The soft crash of waves against the boats and docks mingled with the low cry of gulls as they floated on the soft breeze wrapping around Morgane as she took it all in, realizing how lucky she was to have found Jake. The sudden appearance of Aaron walking away from the slip, waving over his head interrupted her warm thoughts as she turned back toward the cabin and inhaled slowly. The soft highlights of his hair sparkled in the fading sunlight as Jake appeared climbing the stairs from the lower cabin. Her breath caught briefly in the back of her throat as he looked up at her, stopping in mid stride and smiled. A soft wave of excitement fell over Morgane as she let her eyes trail slowly over his bare chest. Pressing her tongue over her lip making a slow, moist pass over them Morgane followed the soft trail of dark hair down his chest and stomach, watching it slip below the loose waist of his thin linen island pants. The shadows of the sails from the other boats played between the bright streaks of the fading sunlight as they fell over his face. _God, he is gorgeous_ , she sighed whispering to herself as she traced the dark stubble of his jaw, the softness of his lips curled into a smile and the sparkle of sunlight wavering in the green of his eyes. "So," his deep voice rumbled behind the curve of a sly smile as he walked toward her holding a chilled glass of red wine, "a little birdy told me that _someone_ was miserable while I was gone." His eyes traced over her face, his coy smile teasing her as he stood in front of her, close enough he could feel the warmth of her body trickle over his skin. As she stood there seemingly frozen, Jake watched the soft rise and fall of her chest above the soft, low slung front of the silky red dress. The breeze waving and teasing the soft light curls left dangling, framing the softness of her face and exposing the silken skin of her neck under the soft bundle of her pinned up locks. Feeling the soft tremble of her hand as she slipped her fingers around the wineglass, Jake leaned closer feeling the cool silkiness of her dress brush over his chest and stomach as he inhaled the sweetness of her perfume mixing with the thick saltiness of the air. "Or maybe the bird was wrong," he mumbled softly, raising his hand to push a soft curl behind her ear. As the warmth of his fingers brushed over her ear, Morgane sighed through her soft smile, wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. So warm, so sweet, she hadn't realized just how much she had missed him until that exact moment. As his arms fell around her waist and pulled her tight against his body, Jake traced lightly over her lips with the soft tip of his tongue feeling the sweetness of her breath as she parted them slowly inviting him in. The cool rim of his glass pressing lightly into the curve of her lower back, Morgane moaned softly slipping into the passion of their kiss.

The burst of flame hued light faded softly behind the sails and buildings of the yacht club as they talked over the course of their meal. Lightly spearing the last of her pasta onto the end of her fork, Morgane smiled softly as Jake lit the small scattering of candles around the calla lily centerpiece of the table. The soft flickering of the flames played over the edges of his face showing the happiness as he talked about visiting with his relatives after the funeral he had attended. She could image her face glowed almost as much when she'd talk to him about her brother, but the loving look that overcame him softened her heart. "Family is everything," he concluded as he gently squeezed her hand. "I think you'd like my brother," Morgane started as Jake refilled their glasses and guided her toward the lowered deck at the back of the boat. Watching the bubbling roll of the water in the tub, she laughed softly and quickly looked around the dock at the other boats swaying softly in their slips. "I didn't bring a swimsuit and it's just a bit too crowded around here to not have one," she teased before looking back at Jake. "Unfortunately," he laughed and swung a small black bag on the tip of his finger, "I'd have opted for no suit myself, but I thought you might be a little more comfortable in this." Winking playfully at her as he pulled a dark red bikini top partially out of the bag, nodding toward the lower cabin letting the material slip from his fingers back into the bag, Jake chuckled as she took the bag and pressed her lips against his again. "Sure you don't want any help," he teased as she walked toward the cabin. Turning quickly to stick her tongue at him, Morgane smiled feeling a warm tingle play over her body as she watched him untie the thin pants letting them fall away from the short trunks and step into the bubbling swirl of water. As she pulled the bikini from the bag and laid it on the bed of the cabin, Morgane laughed out loud seeing the small amount of material. Though she worked out weekly, watched what she ate and was in what she considered decent shape, she never would have picked something so skimpy for her to wear. She had never been one to flaunt her body though Tanya often reminded her was worth flaunting. Letting the softness of her dress slip over her body, warmth tingled over her skin as her mind floated back to the image of Jake slipping into the hot tub. Her mind's eye drifted over his body, caressing every soft curve of his toned frame. He was incredibly toned, not overly muscular, but when he'd lift something, bend or just wrap his arms around her, the soft curves of his muscles would become prominent under his soft tanned flesh. Pulling the small bottoms of the bikini up her legs and over her hips, Morgane exhaled softly as the silken material pressed against the light moisture between her thighs. Feeling the excitement of being with Jake tense her nipples against the soft cup of the bikini top, Morgane blushed as she unclipped her hair and let it fall over her shoulders and back.

Morgane stood for a moment with her arms wrapped in a tight hug around her waist looking down at him. With his back to her, Jake laid against the cushioned rim of the hot tub, his head pointed to the sky with eyes closed as his arms stretched from either side of him resting on the surround. The soft wisps of her black curls swirled around her shoulders and face in the breeze as she etched her gaze over the smile on his lips, the softness of his light beard and the rise and fall of his broad chest. Inhaling a slow, deep breath of the warm salted air, she smiled thinking he looked like a dream. Vibrant, full of life, happy and _young_ , her lips twisted slightly as the last thought lingered. Softly clearing her throat, Morgane watched his eyes open slowly then open fully as he sat up and turned toward her with his lips parted. "Wow," he mumbled as his eyes sparkled in the faint light of the hot tub. Morgane's smile growing as he sat back against the other side of the tub and slowly traced his eyes over her from head to toe, slowly she unwrapped her arms from around her waist and held them out to her sides. Playfully displaying herself for him, she swept her arms upward. With a slow deliberate pass of his tongue over his lips, Jake swallowed hard as she stepped toward the tub and quickly raised his hand, "Wait, turn around. I want to see all of you." The steady deep tone of his voice seemed to wrap around her as she watched his lips form the words with slightly trembling lips. The heat of his gaze seared into her skin as she slowly turned away from him, bringing her hands up to her hips and paused. A low grumble floated up from behind her, hearing the slushing of the water Morgane turned back around letting her eyes fix on Jake as he stood and stepped toward her. As he raised his arm, stretching his hand toward her, Morgane smiled noticing the tightness of his trunks stretched over the outline of his appreciation for her. Stepping slowly into the warm water, Morgane brushed her body against his as he pulled her into his arms. "You are perfection," he whispered against her lips, lightly pressing his forehead to hers as he hands cupped and squeezed against the soft curve of her rear. If it was the idea of him gazing over her scantily clad body, the warmth of his body pressed against hers or the massaging attention of his hands over her skin she couldn't tell, but the deep heat of need pressed its knot into her stomach as his lips captured hers in a deep, passionate kiss. The warmth of the water slowly bubbling over her skin as he lowered them back into the hot tub couldn't compare to the heat of his skin pressing against hers as she straddled his hips and settled her knees on the formed seat.

The slow passion of his kisses and wandering of his hands set the tone for the evening as they soaked in the swirling comforting water of the hot tub. The first night they had spent together was rushed by the heat of alcohol and the urgency of lust, but tonight, he intended to enjoy every second with her. His passion pressed against his trunks and the soft swaying of her body against his teased every ounce of his restraint with the promises of pleasure. With the soft, sweetness of her neck under his lips and the light saltiness under his tongue as he licked a slow pass over her collarbone, Jake moaned against the heat of her skin and sat back slowly, fighting against the urge to make love to her right then and there. Tracing small circles over the soft curve of her back, he cleared his throat softly as he looked into the shimmer of her honey toned eyes. "Did I tell you I bought a house here on the island," he asked softly as her lips brushed against his. His lips twisting into a coy smile hearing her exhale slowly and lower her hips to sit back on his thighs. She knew he'd been driving from Houston to work at the hospital, and while her mind was far from conversation, Morgane ran her fingers through the soft wave of his hair and smiled, "Really? That will save you some drive time for sure." Nodding slowly while tangling his fingers into hers, Jake lifted her hand from the water and pressed a soft kiss to each finger before starting again. "It will," he mumbled against her fingers, sitting back again his voice a bit more conversational, "the apartment was just too small, especially after my mother moved in. Besides, kids need a yard to play in not some stuffy small apartment." His words hit her like a punch to the stomach. Her soft smile faded as she watched the sparkle in his eyes and sat back on his thighs with her palms pressed softly against his chest. "Jake," she started quietly, taking a deep breath as she admired the contrast in tones between her fingers and his chest, "How old are you?" Watching the softness and smile fade from her face sat his back straight against the tub wall. Smoothing the pad of his thumbs slowly over the soft curves of her hips, he focused on her face as a confusion of emotions played on its soft features. "Thirty-one," he answered softly still unsure why after all this time she asked him about his age. Without looking up at his face, Morgane winced hearing him confirm what she had already thought before. As his hand trailed up her body and squeezed her chin between his fingers, Jake pulled her gaze to his, worry drenching his face watching the soft curve of her lips tremble. "Jake, I can't help but think maybe you should be looking for someone younger," she whispered softly as her shoulders sank and her hips began to slide down his thighs pulling her away from him, "Someone who could give you children." Watching the soft glow of her eyes shimmer under the moisture of tears threatening to escape, Jake wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her back into his lap. He had heard the same emptiness in her voice before. When they had talked on the phone late one night last week, she told him about her infertility. Until that exact moment, he had been unsure of how she really felt about him.

Lifting her chin once again fixing his eyes on hers, he pressed his lips softly over hers feeling the shiver of her body. "Morgane, I have tw..," he started then pause thinking before continuing, clearing his throat before starting again, "I have no desire to look for anyone else. I've had my fair share of those younger and could have more if I chose so." Twitching again at his words, Morgane knew what he said was true. She couldn't count the number of young nurses that always swarmed around him at the hospital and health club. Still, as the swell of tears in her eyes peaked and one began to roll slowly down her cheek, she couldn't help but think a man his age should have the chance to have children. She knew now that she loved him too much to settle him with her fate. "Look at me," his voice was commanding and rough as his thumb gently smoothed over her cheek pushing the warm tear aside. Watching her bite against her lip as her gaze met his once more. Jake softened his voice as he started again, "Morgane, I don't want anyone but you. I want the softness and warmth your presence wraps me in when I so much as think about you. I want the gentle kisses and the passion of your ideas and dreams when we talk into the waking hours of the night. I want the full, voluptuous curves of a real woman under my touch when I hold you and make love to you." As she opened her mouth to argue, Jake pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. A low growl slipping between their lips as he pulled away from the kiss, nipping softly at her bottom lip and whispered, " _I only want you for always_." Slipping his arm under her, he stood slowly lifting her from the water and walked toward the lower cabin.

Morgane stood wrapped in the soft warmth of the plush towel he's wrapped her in before heading back up to the deck and looked around at the details of the small intimate cabin. The same soft pastels of the deck furniture highlighted the curtains as well as the cushions of the small bench sofa resting under a long window. A small smile swept back over her lips as she noticed the placements of small bouquets of calla lilies dotting the intimate quarters. She shivered softly as the drain of her worries eased their grip on her, turning her eyes back toward the door hearing his soft whistling floating down from the deck. Taking the few steps toward the sofa, she sighed and sat on the plush cushions as her eyes fixed on the bed across the room. The candle light flickered over the white sheet making the long strips of red ribbons splayed over it sparkle. Her mind turned over his words as she wondered about the ribbons that definitely did not match the decor of the room, but surely he had placed as a show of her favorite color like the table cloth on the small table where they ate their meal and talked. As the cabin door opened then closed and the soft sound of his footsteps interrupted her thoughts, Morgane stood and walked toward Jake. "I'm sorry about earlier," she started before he could press his finger to her lips and quietly shush her. "Morgane," he started softly with his deep voice barely a whisper as he stepped behind her pulling the towel from around her shoulders and pressing his lips against her shoulder as the towel fell to the floor. Morgane exhaled slowly, letting a sigh slip from between her lips as his words tickled the back of her ear and the heat of his breath licked at her skin. The feathered ends of her hair brushed lightly over her shoulder as he pushed it aside and his fingers tugged at the thin tie behind her neck. "You worry too much," he continued as he untied the top of her bikini, "You are used to being in control of everything." His fingers smoothed down the curve of her spine finding the next knot of thin material and began to tug against it. "When you lose control," he whispered as the knot loosened and the bikini top slid over the soft heave of her breasts. Slipping his hands around the smooth contour of her ribs, he cupped the weight of her breast and squeezed softly. Scraping his teeth over the muscle of her neck, Jake nipped at the tension and whispered, "you freak out and tense up." The fullness of her breast molding to the soft massaging of his hand, letting his thumb flick softly back and forth over the tensed nipple, his other hand snaked over her stomach, pressing his palm into the soft mound at the top of her thighs. "Tonight, I'm in control," he groaned against the hollow of her neck, pressing the firmness of his desire against the curve of her bottom. Stepping slowly, pushing her toward the bed, Jake sucked the soft flesh of her earlobe between his lips, "You will relax," his voice whispered around the warm flesh as they reached the edge of the bed. Slipping his fingers over the warm silk material covering the soft mound between her thighs, Jake massaged pressing his fingertips into the warm valley of her thighs before turning her around to face him. Morgane's breath caught in her throat as the desire swelled inside of her, the teasing of his fingers over the heated material brought a moist warmth between her thighs. The corners of his lips curled tight into a wicked smile as she opened her eyes and watched the glint of his thoughts flash in the blue green seas. Pressing her hips, lowering her onto the edge of the bed, he fixed her gaze on his with the gruff low growl of his voice, "And you _will_ enjoy it," he punctuated the statement as he devoured the softness of her lips under his kiss.

Jake kneeled between her thighs as his arms wrapped around her, his hands wandering and massaging over the full roundness of her breasts as they sank deeper into the passion of the kiss. "Close your eyes," his voice low and confident as he pulled from the softness of her lips and leaned away from her, placing her palms on her thighs. Morgane squeezed her fingers softly against the top of her thighs as she inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. His hands smoothed over her breasts, lightly cupping the tenderness of her hardened nipples in his palms before moving his soft touch over her shoulders, pulling her long hair with them. A soft silkiness brushed over her forehead as he pulled and smoothed the blindfold in place over her eyes. Morgane shivered softly as excitement threatened to spill from every pore of her body. Feeling his fingers tickle down her arms, she laughed softly as his fingers wrapped around her wrists, followed shortly by the soft caress of silk. Her mind quickly flashed to the memory of the ribbons that had be sprawled over the bed as she laced her fingers together at the urging of the silk pressing her palms against one another. A soft unexpected gasp slipped from between her trembling lips as the warmth of his mouth enveloped the soft curve of her breast and his tongue circled over the small bumps of excitement surrounding her nipple. The soft, tugging suction of his mouth pulled at her flesh in rhythm with the slow sway of the boat before the sharp tingle of his teeth capturing the hard bulb of her nipple forced a moan from deep within her stomach. "Lie back," he demanded as the tensed pull of his teeth lessened and the weight of her breast dropped back against her ribs. His hands smoothed over her shoulder and hip as he turned her on the bed, guiding her back against the coolness of the sheets. The sudden warmth of his lips pressing against the softness of her stomach making her jump, Morgane squeezed her thighs together against the tingle of desire building between her legs. The gentle pull of the ribbon against her wrists urged her to lift her arms over her head as his hands trailed lightly against them. The soft tug and pull teased her mind as she pulled against the ribbon finding he hadn't giving her hands any slack to roam. Feeling the give of the mattress under her hips then the gentle pull of his hands sliding her lower on the bed, pulling the ribbons tight around her wrist had her biting down on her bottom lip. As the blindfold slipped up on her cheeks, she watched through the narrow gap at the bottom as he knelt over her, slowly sitting the weight of his body over her thighs and smiled seeing her trapped under him. The soft light of the candles flickered over his chest and shoulder as he reached down beside the bed, her eyes catching the soft shimmer of something between his fingers as he sat back up and realized she could see him. "No peeking," he laughed as he pulled the blindfold back in place and a sudden drop of cold fell between her breasts. She gasped from the drop and the realization it was an ice cube she saw as a sharp heat shot into the tender flesh of her breast as he circled the ice slowly around her nipple. "Oh my God," she screamed as the coldness bit into her skin. She felt the weight of his body shift as he chuckled, hearing the clink of ice in a glass beside her. "Sshh, am I going to have to gag you as well," he growled wrapping his cold hand around the full mass of her breast and squeezed softly. "No," she whispered then winced as his grip on the firm globe tightened. Quickly she pressed her lips closed and shook her head from side to side. "Good girl," he whispered, the heat of his breath feathering over the chilled skin of her breast before he pressed his mouth over the tightness of her nipple. Biting against her lip as small electrified shocks raced over her skin, Morgane moaned at the warming sensation of his lips and tongue sucking and caressing over her breast. Alternating cold passes and circles with the ice with the warm suction and licks of his mouth over her other nipple, Jake teased cupping and squeezing the soft globes of her breasts. Soft moans and cries rolled over the dark red tint of her lips as slow ripples of pleasure shook her body under his weight. Feeling the soft weight of his body slip and press against hers, Morgane twisted her wrists wanting to caress the warmth of his skin. Pressing kisses along her chest and up her neck, Jake parted her thighs with his legs and pressed the hard, throbbing mass of his desire against the wet heat of her mound. "Can you feel what you do to me," his deep hoarse voice questioned against her ear before his teeth dug into the soft flesh of her neck. The gentle rock of the boat and the slow pressure of his hips grinding between her thighs, teased Morgane feeling the hardness of his desire pressing hard against hers. "Oh God Jake," she whispered as she squeezed her thighs around his waist wrapping her legs around the back of his thighs and pressed her hips into his slow grinding feeling him press harder and longer against the bikini's heated wetness covering her mound. She wanted him, she needed to feel him inside of her.

"No," he growled loudly. _Yes_ , his mind screamed as he knelt back on his knees. He wanted her, needed to feel her body tightening around his. He needed to own her, make her his, but right now, he needed to show her that faults or not, he loved her and only her. Quickly lifting his weight off her body and grabbing roughly at her legs, Jake unwrapped them from around his thighs. Morgane bit down on her lip again as the coolness of the air replaced the heat where his body had laid on top of hers. His sigh was deep, labored, and punctuated. Morgane held her breath unsure of the tone in his voice and the roughness of his hands. Feeling the tension tighten her muscles under his hands, Jake massaged slowly where he had grabbed her legs. Softening his voice, he trailed his eyes over her body once more, "Not yet, my love." As she exhaled slowly and dropped her feet back against the bed, Jake worked his fingers in small pressing circles along the back of her thighs and around her hips. Slipping his fingers under the string of the bikini bottom he tugged, pulling the material over her hips as she raised them from the mattress. As the material slipped over her feet, Morgane felt the softness of his chest brush over her breast as he leaned over her body. His lips brushed over hers softly before his tongue pressed between them, slipping into the wet heat of her mouth and kissing her deeply. A soft moan vibrated on her lips as his hand wrapped softly around her thigh just below her knee and pulled her leg up toward his body. The heated wetness of her desire pressed over the thick, hot bulge of his trunks as the soft groan from his throat floated over her. The softness of silk stroked over her chest as his weight shifted and he sat back between her legs. The warmth of the material wrapping around her thigh made Morgane shiver as it slid over her skin, tightening around the soft muscle of her leg and pulling. With one leg secured by the silken material, Jake trailed the back of his fingernails over the softness of her inner thigh, curving his path over the top of the soft curls covering the top of her mound before lifting her other leg. The rough tug of the ribbon against the back of her leg made Morgane realize what he had done. Her mind slowly imagining what she looked like laying there naked with her hands tied over her head and her thighs spread dangling her knees over the restricting lengths of ribbon. Pulling against the tightness of the ribbons, Morgane squirmed as his weight lifted from between her legs and the soft sound of his feet faded as he walked away from the bed. "Jake," she called softly from the darkness of the blindfold. "Relax darlin'," his even toned deep voice answered from a distance as she heard the cabin door open then close.

She thought at least twenty minutes must have passed since he left her there, tied up and vulnerable to the cool breeze filtering through the small windows of the cabin. A little scared, a bit nervous, and a lot more excited, Morgane tried to control her breathing as her feet dangled in the air with the soft rocking motion of the boat. The click of the cabin door and the soft padding of feet against the stairs tightened every muscle in her body as heat flushed over her skin. "Jake," she said again a bit louder. "Shhh," returned the soft deepness of his voice as a cold wetness pressed against her lips. Pushing her tongue against the coldness, Morgane licked slowly over the wet surface of the ice cube before sucking its welcome moisture between her parched lips. Biting against her lip as the ice slid over her chin and down her neck, Morgane gasped as the cold smoothed over one breast, circling slowly around her nipple. The thick spicy scent of his cologne surrounded her as the heat of his mouth pressed softly against her lips. As she parted the soft curve of her lips and welcomed the sweetness of his tongue, the ice trailed over her chest and under the globe of her breast before circling the other nipple. The slow rise and fall of her breast punctuated by the arching of her back, pressed the coolness of the ice against the heat of her skin. Morgane trembled as he pushed the ice cube lower along the soft indent of her stomach. A deep moan replaced the warmth of his kiss as his lips abandoned hers and trailed down her neck. Kissing over the curve of her chest, his mouth pressed against the soft flesh of her breast, the sucking sound of his lips over her nipple mingling with the clinking of ice beside the bed. The fresh coldness of a new ice cube pressed over her skin, raising goose bumps as it circled lazily around her navel. Her whole body shivered against the delicious cold of the ice against her skin, her previously even paced breathing becoming more rapid as his fingers and the ice teased over the soft curls between her thighs. The quick pass of cold moisture over her mound raised her hips from the mattress and pulling her thigh muscles against the restriction of the ribbons. Morgane moaned, " _Oh God_ ," exhaling loudly as the ice moved along the inside of one thigh. As the ice passed slowly over the curls again on its way to her other thigh, Morgane bit down hard on her lip feeling the coolness of his finger brush against the hot, slickness of her folds. The cold wetness of the ice slickening the delicate folds as he pressed the cube against the heat of her passion. The long, slow passage of the smooth cube between the heated folds choked her breath into the back of her throat. Pressing her head hard into the pillow, Morgane moaned loudly as his fingers guided the cold melting cube slowly into her core. Slipping his fingers back and forth between the soft entrance of her cavern, Morgane moaned loudly as the cold water trailed over the curve of her rear and his fingers teased the swollen flesh. After minutes of the cold intensity of the teasing circles along the inside of her tender flesh, Morgane pulled her legs against the unforgiving restraint of the ribbons and growled lowly at the heat of desire pressing between her thighs threatening to release the flood of her passion. "Jake please," her voice trembled as she quietly begged for relief from the swelling need in the pit of her stomach. Barely feeling his shoulder slip under her dangling leg, the sudden heat of his mouth pressed against the swollen tingle of her core and the pressure of his fingers sliding between the slickened folds. "Tell me what you need," his low deep voice growled up from between her thighs. Morgane screamed out in an airy plead, "Please baby.. you.. I need you." The sweetness of her juices coating his lips and tongue as he darted it over the swollen nub and the soft deep grinding of her hips against his hand drove the speed of his fingers pressing deep into the hot wetness of her body. Straining against the ribbons, Morgane squeezed her thighs around his shoulders and moaned loudly, "Oh god, Jake yes, please baby, oh yes," bucking her shaking hips against his fingers and tongue as the peak of her desire broke and flooded his kiss with the heat of her passion. A soft growling moan vibrated between the soft folds of her lips as he sucked and licked slow broad strokes of his tongue against her trembling body.

Her tensed shaking body softened into the warmth of the mattress as she twisted her fingers trying to reach for him. Trying to settle her breathing, Morgane exhaled slowly as she felt his weight lift again from the mattress and him slide out of the bed. His fingers still parting the wetness of her folds began slowly massaging the swollen tissue of her folds as his chest brushed over the outside of her leg. Heat pierced deep into the soft mound of her breast as his mouth engulfed the tingling bulb of her nipple and sucked softly. Bumping his thumb back and forth over the swollen nub under the moisture slickened curls, Jake pushed the length of his fingers deep inside her body curling his fingertips to press against the rough pleasure spot inside of her. The soft tremble building again in her body as he lowered his lips to hers and worked his fingers in long slow strokes between her folds, Jake dipped his tongue into the warmth of her mouth savoring the vibration of her moans against his. The deep probing passion of his tongue caressed every inch of her mouth as the slow grind of her hips signaled the rise of her desire once again. As his lips pulled from the warmth of hers and his fingers teased and probed deep into her wet cavern, Morgane felt the silken warmth of skin sliding against her lips. Pressing the softness of her lips against the hard silk covered shaft, the excitement of him rubbing his hardness over her lips overtook her. As she parted her lips moaning through the softer flow of passion under the guidance of his fingers, the hard rounded tip of his manhood slipped between her lips. His fingers tangled into her hair, sliding around to the back of her head as she lifted it from the pillow and sucked softly at the head of his desire. Pressing her tongue under the ridge, she moaned again as his fingers massaged and slipped back and forth between her folds. Twisting her wrists and fighting around the ribbons, she raised her head letting his shaft slip between her lips slowly. Pulling her lips tight around his thickness, she sucked at the head letting it slip back and forth over her tongue straining her neck wanting to taste more. His fingers slipped from behind her head, letting it drop back to the mattress and traced up the inside of her arm. As the ribbon around her wrists loosened, Morgane captured the hardness of his manhood again between the softness of her lips. Untangling her hands from the ribbon she reached, digging her fingertips into the soft flesh of his rear pulling his hips toward her. The coarse curls scratched against her chin as his waist pressed against her lips. The long, hard shaft slipped into her mouth and trembled as her moan rolled and vibrated against its length. The tension of the ribbon around her thighs eased as he untied and lowered her legs back to the bed. Pushing off the mattress with her feet Morgane turned slowly, letting her head slip down the side of the bed as his fingers caressed slowly over her stomach. Digging her nails into the thick muscles of his thighs, she pulled his body against her chin again feeling the thick length of his shaft slide over her tongue and press against the back of her mouth. The slow pumping of his hips pressed harder against her chin as his soft pants deepened following by a slow rolling groan. At the urging of her hands and lips, the motion of his hips increased as the soft suction of her tongue and lips over the hard throbbing member tightened. The long curls of her hair tickled over his legs as her breath feathered around the slick wet shaft of his manhood. Cupping and squeezing the full rounded mounds of her breast Jake pushed his hips faster and harder. A deep growl rumbled filling the small room as a thick salty heat coated Morgane's tongue. _Desire to please another_ , the words the masseur spoke the day of her first massage floated into her memory. She did want him, she did want to please him, all of him. Morgane sank her nails into the tender flesh of his rear and pulled his hips hard against her mouth. The deep groan of release vibrated against her chin as the throbbing head of his manhood pressed hard into the soft curve of her throat and jerked against her tongue spilling the heat of his passion. The slow, gentle sway of the boat allowing the tensed shaft to slip slowly back and forth between her lips as he softly moaned her name.

Her breathing still unsteady and the muscles of her body still shaking, Morgane sipped slowly at the glass of wine he held to her lips. As she sat on the edge of the bed and he sat on his knees on the floor in front of her, she traced her eyes over the soft features of his face. The exertion and release of his passion still had his coloring a bit pale, but the glimmer in his eyes clearly showed the desire still swelling inside of him. Watching him sip slowly from the glass, Morgane pressed her tongue against the top of her lip tasting the sweetness of the wine mixed with the salty taste of his passion with a quick pass of her tongue. His eyes lit up as he watched her face and mimicked her, passing his own tongue over his lips with a soft growl, winking before he whispered, "So sweet." A sly grin curled the corner of her lips as she leaned forward taking the glass from his hand and placing it on the table beside the bed. "Let me see," she whispered close to his lips before darting her tongue over the curve tasting both the wine and the lingering evidence of her own passion. "Mmm," he growled capturing her lips in his, wrapping his arms around her waist as he rose on his knees. Pulling her to the edge of the bed, Jake pressed the tip of his manhood against her soft, wet folds as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Holding her tight against his body as their tongues danced in the passion of the kiss, the soft rolling motion of the boat slipped the slick head of his manhood back and forth between the swollen folds of her desire. "You have to ride the tides," she whispered against his lips as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and lowered her body along the length of his shaft. Pulling his lips back from the kiss, Jake stared at her quietly for a moment before a soft smile creased his lips. The slow descent of her heat pulled at the taut skin of his member as he rose from his knees walking a few steps to the closet door and pressed her back against the coolness of the wood, driving his length deep into her core. "You feel so good," he moaned against her neck before sucking against the soft curve of flesh. Following the slow roll of the boat, their bodies slipped against one another as the heat of passion wrapped around them. Slow deep pushes of his hips against hers as the waves broke against the sides of the boat heightened their need for one another. As his legs began to shake with the building passion and the weight of their bodies, he carried her back to the bed and laid her down. Long slow strokes pushing his shaft deep into the tightening cave of her inner muscles, Jake groaned feeling her thighs tighten around his hips and the soft tremors of her passion spilling over the edge. Slipping his hands under the soft curves of her rear, Jake pulled her tight against the throbbing thrusts of his manhood and held her close as the exhaustion, heat and passion spilled from their release.

The exhaustion of their breathing filled his ears as she pressed her face against his chest. The heavy thumping of his heart and the rapid rhythm of his breathing slowed as he trailed his fingers sleepily over her back. A soft smile still played over his lips as she sighed and the teasing circles she'd been tracing in the soft patches of hair on his chest and stomach slowed. He savored the tremble of her muscles as peaceful sleep fell over her. The soft sway of the boat on the water, the warm weight of her body on top of his, and the soft flicker of the candle light faded as he pressed his lips to her forehead and whispered before falling asleep, "I love you."

~*~ ~*~

The soft orange glow of the morning's sunlight filtered into the small cabin on the light breeze, caressing the curves of her body. _God she's beautiful_ , he thought as he quietly sat back on the edge of the bed and watched her sleep. His eyes traced over the soft detail of her face, the fine lines around her eyes and mouth very faint only added to her beauty. The deep red tint of her lips glistened as she smiled passing her tongue over her lips before rolling on her back. The slow stretch of her legs as she turned pulled the thin white sheet from over her shoulder and down to her waist as she settled against the coolness of the mattress. Jake smiled watching the slow unveiling of her body as the sheet caressed over her curves. Suddenly he was thankful for the night's heat that made him pull the blanket off the bed as the warm tingle of desire grew inside of him at the sight of the sunlight playing across her soft honey toned skin. Raising his hand, he brushed softly over her forehead pushing the stark black curls of her hair from her face. As the warmth of her skin seared against his fingers, a familiar urging pressure crawled deep inside of him. His hand smoothed over the soft roundness of her breast as he slipped back under the sheet and pressed his body against her side. Lowering his head, Jake pressed his lips against hers tasting the sweetness of her breath as she moaned and the soft hues of her honey licked golden eyes slowly emerged behind sleepy eyelids. "Jake," she whispered her soft sleepy voice as his lips slipped over her chin kissing soft warmth along the curve of her jaw. "Good morning," he breathed heavily against the soft flesh of her ear. Shifting her body slowly under the weight of his, her palm pressed over the strength of his shoulder. He watched her eyes slowly drift closed, the soft flesh of her bottom lip disappear under her other as she bit back a moan feeling his hand slip over her stomach and between her thighs.

_That look_ , he thought feeling his need for her grow tremendously, _is going to haunt me_. His lips curling in a knowing smile as he pressed the tip of his finger between her soft folds, he had watched that look glow against her skin many times last night, as well as their first night. She had a deep need to be complete and he knew from the first time he saw that look play on the soft features of her face; he completed her as much as she completed him. Her moisture slick against his fingers as she rose, centered her weight over his hips, and slowly slid the length of him into her warmth. He had never felt that sense of wholeness before, not even with Jennifer, but from the first night Morgane had given herself to him freely, it had been a feeling he could not shake. Whether she had heard him last night, he was unsure, but now as her body rose and fell on top of his, he was certain. He had fallen in love with her. Her soft moans invaded his thoughts as the heated tight urging of his manhood throbbed between the light squeezes of her inner muscles. Wrapping his fingers around her hips, his palms pressed firmly against the more rapid rise and fall of her body against his. The heavy, rushed pounding of flesh against flesh mingled with his ragged breathing and her soft cries of pleasure. The sudden tightening of her body around his throbbing desire with the hot flood of her passion spilling over him sent him over the edge. Grunting and holding her firm against him as the urgent bucks of his hips spilled the heat of his desire into her soft shaking body. Jake groaned letting the shiver of relief wash over him as he pulled her down against his chest. Pressing her lips to his in a soft breathy kiss, she laughed softly, "Good Morning."

Chapter Five

Sliding a file across her desk, Morgane spotted the small clock and smiled. Quickly grabbing her phone and money, she walked down the hallway toward the nurses' small area. "Come on girl, its lunch time," she called across the counter toward Tanya who was slumped over the small table in the back of the room. "Hang on, I'm not done yet," she huffed waving her hand over her head without looking up from the pile of papers. Morgane laughed, some days she had to stay on Tanya's butt about keeping up with paperwork but even with her lackadaisical ways, there wasn't a better nurse, or better friend for that matter, that Morgane could think of. "So what, come on, finish that after lunch," she chuckled and turned toward the waiting area. Tanya sighed and shoved the paperwork to the side, grabbed her keys, phone and pocket purse shoving them into the pocket of her scrubs. "Normally I'd tease your hurry to see loverboy, but I damn sure wasn't looking forward to finishing all those files before lunch," Tanya sighed and wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulder. Pressing the button for the elevator, Morgane shook her head and laughed again. She used to always skip lunch, or just have a small snack in her office rather than spending the time out on the patio, but in the past few weeks of seeing Jake regularly, she enjoyed every minute with him she could get.

"There's my girl," his smile radiated even against the brightness of the July sun. Jake stood from behind the picnic table, taking the tray from her hands and helping her to her seat. As he settled on the bench beside her and pulled his lunch across the table top in front of him, he dropped one arm around her waist and pressed a soft kiss against her cheek. The first few times he did that, Morgane could remember how embarrassed she was. She knew it wasn't proper for her, a Doctor, to be affectionate in public like that, but the way she felt about Jake she didn't care. She was happy, for once in her life, and she honestly didn't care what other people thought. She had wasted so many of her years, first as a doctor's wife, then as a doctor herself trying to be proper, doing exactly what she thought people expected of her. Those years, she learned after her divorce, had been the most miserable of her life. She had finally found happiness, trust, passion, a completeness, and love. _Love_ , the thought brought a soft smile to her lips as she listened to Jake and Tanya joke and argue with each other. She had loved Richard, she guessed, but even in all their years of marriage she never felt this. Was it because he never really loved her? Maybe because he only ever thought of himself? Or maybe it was simply she fell for a handsome doctor, who had a shot at banging the new sexy nurse, but her old fashion up bringing made the wedding happen. _Or because you couldn't have his children_ , her mind argued as she tried to focus her thoughts back on the new found happiness she had with Jake. She had brought it up before, but did she really know that her failure wouldn't ruin her happiness again.

The soft pressure of his arm squeezing her waist and the whispered heat of his breath against her ear brought Morgane back from the depths of her thoughts. "Sorry," she muttered, "what was that?" Bringing his hand up to the back of her neck, Jake massaged softly over one shoulder and started again, "I said you look like you are a million miles away. Everything ok baby?" Watching the concern play in the beauty of his greenish blue eyes and noticing the strange look on the face of her best friend, Morgane smiled. "Oh yea, I'm fine," she twisted her napkin between her fingers trying to shake the thoughts from her head, "I was just thinking my brother will be here tomorrow." "I can't wait to meet him," Jake smiled, pulling her close once again a pressing a soft kiss to her lips. The overly obvious throat clearing and rolling of the eyes from across the table made them both laugh. "You know when he gets here, we're going out and you are coming with us," Morgane joked as she tossed her napkin at Tanya. "Girl," her friend laughed," you been trying to fix us up so long, I didn't doubt you would try to drag my big ass along with you. He is good looking though, so I might not even pretend to put up a fight." Morgane choked with laughter, quickly catching a small dribble of her tea that snuck from between her lips before she raised a quirky eyebrow at her best friend and teased. "Well, you are already like a sister to me, so who knows," giving her eyebrows a quick wiggle watching the pink rise in her best friend's cheeks. As they finished their lunch and was talking over plans for her brother's stay, the soft ring of Jake's phone interrupted their conversation. After a brief conversation, he sighed loudly and slipped his arm back around Morgane's waist. "I hate to do it, but I have to get on up there. My one o'clock showed up early and is making a fuss. Seems she's ready to start her vacation," he laughed. Tucking a few soft curls behind her ear, Jake stood and leaned over Morgane's shoulder pressing a kiss against the softness of her cheek. "I'll see you tonight," he whispered as she squeezed his hand and smiled. "Good Lord, here we go.. Lunch and a porno," Tanya teased as the couple shared a soft kiss. Without breaking the warm loving caress of his kiss, Morgane aimed a kick at her friend's shin under the table. Hearing the dramatic yelp, the kiss broke off into soft laughter.

The soft ding of the elevator signaled their arrival back on the fifth floor. Morgane sighed deeply, "I'm so ready to go home." Tanya agreed as they walk into the office fussing once again about the pile of paperwork she'd left for lunch. As they reached the nurses area, Morgane placed her hand on her friends arm and spoke in a hushed tone, "You know I'd have scheduled you off this coming week too, but I need someone here I can trust. Dr. Carter said he'd check in if needed, but I don't trust that man with _my kids_." Tanya smiled as the last words were spoken. It hadn't been that long ago she said more than she should have to her friend, _and boss_ , but she was glad it had helped settle the battle that Morgane fought within herself for years. "Pfft, don't worry about it. You know me, work all day party all night," the feisty nurse laughed, "besides girl, your brother wouldn't be able to stand me 24/7." Giving Morgane a quick wink before sitting back behind the table of paperwork, Tanya made a shooing motion with her hand and flipped the top file open. Morgane laughed quietly while she pushed her office door open. She did love her friend dearly and always hoped that there could be something between Tanya and Joe, but she was also a little worried about Joe getting hurt. Tanya went through men like most people went through paper towels, but still Morgane knew deep down inside that they would work.

Blowing a quick breath over her face, Morgane gathered up her files. She was glad she took the rest of the day off. It was probably a bad idea with her taking the whole next week off to spend with her brother, _but she was the boss after all_. She smirked at her reflection in the glass window quickly before the annoying buzz of the intercom sounded. Groaning as she crossed back to her desk, Morgane pressed the blinking orange light on the phone, "Yes Ms. Mary?" "Um, Dr. James, there is someone here to see you," answered the soft voice of her receptionist. Rolling her eyes at the prospect of yet another Pharmaceutical Rep meeting, Morgane continued quickly, "If it's a Pharm Rep, tell them to reschedule two weeks from now. I'm heading out and don't feel like hearing any sales pitches today." "No Ma'am, it's not a Rep," Mary's voice quieted over the intercom, "I really think you should come down here." "I'm on my way Ms. Mary," Morgane sighed as she slipped her feet back into her shoes. She had practically begged the old lady to stay working there, but now she wondered if she hadn't made a mistake. _If she couldn't handle one smooth talking Pharm Rep_ , Morgane shook her head and the thought right out of it. The tone in Mary's voice over the intercom didn't sit well with Morgane. As she reached the receptionist desk, Mary met her at the door and stopped her before she could open it. "Dr. James, this guy keeps insisting," Mary looked flustered as Morgane stopped her. "I'll handle it Mary," Morgane interrupted and turned the doorknob to the waiting room. "Wait," Mary whispered hurriedly putting her arm in front of Morgane before she could pull the door open. "This guy says he's your brother," she whispered with a look of complete confusion on her face. Morgane bit her lip, she tried her hardest not to laugh in the sweet old lady's face but she couldn't control herself. She bubbled with laughter as she pulled the waiting room door open. "Bubba!" Half running to the tall dark man, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight.

"I'm so sorry Mr. Johnston," Mary apologized for the hundredth time setting a cup of coffee down in front of him on Morgane's desk. The soft sparkle of his eyes laughed with him as he smiled, "Ms. Mary, my sister has a sick sense of humor. I think she actually likes to shock people when they see me." Morgane stuck her tongue out at her brother quickly before Mary looked back in her direction. "Well, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have to _warn_ people my brother is black. For God's sake, this is the twenty-first century, not the deep south back in the slavery days," Morgane snorted disgustedly as she jerked her water bottle back taking a big drink. Joe sighed and shook his head looking down at his cup of coffee. "I do love my sister," he continued the conversation with Mary, "but she's always thought she could change the world in a day." A sharp laugh echoed in the office as he dodged the water bottle Morgane flung at him. "Brat," he snorted as he dug the empty bottle from between himself and the chair. "Butthead," she retorted and stuck her tongue at him once again. "Lil Bit, I swear sometimes I'd think you were still four instead of almost forty," Joe shook his head, pressing his palms against the arms of the chair and stood up. Morgane scowled at him as she rounded her desk and slipped her arm into his, "At least I'm not fifty! Come on _old man_ , there is someone I want you to meet." With lighting fast movements, Joe slid his arm around Morgane and pressed his palm against the back of her neck. Wrapping his arm around her neck and bending her forward, playfully tussling her hair with his knuckles Joe laughed. "I got you're old man right here," his voice broke as he snorted with laughter and a quick wink at the older lady. "Oh My God," Morgane screamed with laughter in her voice, standing back up quickly and running her fingers through her hair, she punched hard at Joe's shoulder. "Grr I always hated when you did that," she laughed as they stepped into the hallway.

As they approached the nurse's area, Joe pulled back hard on Morgane's arm as a heap of files flew across the hall just in front of them. The harsh scraping of a chair against the tile floor followed by a flurry of cussing and mutters filled the narrow hallway as the files crashed against the wall and slid to the floor. Tanya stomped out of the small room, her face flushed with anger continuing to cuss and mumble under her breath as she stooped down to gather up all the papers and files. "Um Tanya," Morgane chuckled watching her friend's shapely rear bob and weave as she snatched the papers from the floor. Quickly standing and turning around, the embarrassment out tinted the anger in Tanya's cheek. "Oh shit, I thought you had left already. That stupid little twit that did her externship here last month fucked up all these files. She's got shit in the wrong files. If that idiot Carter had gotten these, he'd have been giving Sarah Brennan's insulin to Marcus Shane and Marcus' chemo to Abigail Lewis," her frustrations spilled out as she straightened her scrub top and glanced toward Joe. Taking a deep breath she slid the files and papers onto the edge of the lab counter and smiled. Quickly straightening herself as she stepped forward, Tanya held out her hand. "Hello gorgeous, you must be the infamous Joe I keep hearing about," flashing him a flirty grin and a quick wink before scooping the files up again. "So I guess since you are a day early, we'll be going out tonight. Don't worry good looking, I'll have all this tucked away and be ready for our date. Don't be late," she teased with another wink and headed back to the small table. Morgane laughed as her friend half skipped away and her brother stood there with his mouth draped open staring at Tanya. "Holy hell," he muttered and shook his head slowly. Tugging on his arm Morgane pulled him back toward the reception area and laughed, "Hell on wheels is more like it. Well, now you met Tanya, let's go home. I need a beer."

Slipping her shoes off and sliding the tight dress pants down her legs, Morgane shook her head still laughing over the volley of questions her brother had been asking about Tanya. "You'll find out more about her tonight Bubba," she called from behind her bedroom door. As she reached in the dresser for her one piece, Morgane's fingers slid over the silky material of the tiny red bikini Jake had bought her. A soft smile creased her lips as the familiar warm tingle raced over her skin, he made her so happy. "I'm going in, hurry up slowpoke," her brother tapped on the bedroom door interrupting her daydream. "Be right there," she laughed and pushed the bikini to the side, quickly slipping into the one piece bathing suit. "Come on and help an old man," he teased as he sat on the side of the hot tub, "with this busted assed leg I'd be more likely to slip and drown than actually enjoy a good soak." Stepping out onto the balcony with two cold beers in hand, Morgane handed them to Joe then stepped into the warm swirls of water. Hanging on to him as he slid down the side and settled himself into the seat, she leaned down and hugged him tight again. "I'm so glad you're here," she sighed against his neck before finding her seat across from him. The soft lines around his eyes wrinkled as he smiled and saw the happiness on her face. "I missed you too Sis," he admitted and kicked playfully at her foot. "Not that I'm complaining," Morgane started around the cool rim of her beer bottle before taking a drink, "but I thought you weren't coming out until tomorrow." Setting his beer on the tub deck, Joe sat up from his lounged position and stared at her for a moment. "Well, I have something I need to talk to you about," he paused watching the smile fade from her face. "Before you get all worried and start huffing and puffing, just listen," he said quickly before she could start in with a million questions. "I'm thinking of selling the ranch to Bailey and Sarah," he said shortly. Taking a long sip of his beer, he watched his sister closely. "Ok," Morgane replied with a confused look on her face then her eyebrow arching up awkwardly, "is that what you needed to talk to me about?" As Joe nodded, her heart jumped. She was relieved; she thought he had something bad to tell her. "Bubba, why would I care you if sold the ranch? That's your home, not mine. Before coming to the island, my home was always with you, never at the ranch," she assured as she sat back again against the tub wall and sighed with relief. "Well," he paused to stretch is legs in the warmth of the water, "it was Dad's, so half of it belongs to you. I knew it had no sentimental value to you, but I wasn't going to sell it without talking to you. Beside, with Monroe gone, you living here, and Bailey and Sarah getting married, it's not much of a home for me anymore." Morgane scooted slowly around the seat of the hot tub and slid up next to Joe before placing her arm around his waist. "I think that is a great idea Bubba, but where were you planning to move to," she questioned, studying his face. "Well," he muttered as he draped his arm over Morgane's shoulders and smiled," I thought since my sister loved the island here so much, I might give it a try myself." "Yes! Oh my God that would be so awesome," she squealed and hugged him tight.

"Hey," she smiled into the phone, poking her head around the corner of the living room door silently hoping the phone hadn't woken up her brother. "Guess what, my brother came in today. I know, I know, but he just showed up early to discuss a little family matter. No, no, everything is ok. I can't wait until y'all meet each other tonight. I can't wait to," she paused and looked back around the door once more. "It's ok, I understand. I didn't plan on him coming today, but we can just go again tomorrow. Oh.. well ok, then Saturday. Sure, ok see you then. Miss you too. Bye." Morgane sighed heavily as she sat back on her bed. Lying back against the mattress, she stared at the phone. Did he just say I love you? She puzzled for a minute then sighed. She knew she had been thinking it herself, but she was sure that she hadn't actually heard him say _that_. She missed him and was looking forward to seeing him tonight and introducing him to Joe. He had never broken a date with her before so whatever he had to tend to must have been important. Who was that laughing though? He shouldn't still be at the hospital at this time of day. If he was working late, the woman's laughter in the background could have been any of the nurses that always seem to flock around him. Maybe he was working late; she hadn't thought to ask him. That must have been it, she thought as she huffed and crawled out of the bed. Quickly dialing Tanya's cellphone, she called to see what time her friend wanted to meet at the bar. She didn't really feel like going now, but the spark she saw between her brother and Tanya made her push her own feelings aside. They would get to spend time together and she sure wasn't going to be the one to stop that. "So was that loverboy," his rough deep voice startled her as she walked out of her bedroom. Laughing softly she nodded then glared at her brother, "Now you sound like Tanya with that _loverboy_ mess." Plopping down on the couch beside Joe, Morgane tried to hide her disappointment, "Actually, he did call a few minutes ago. He can't make it out with us tonight. He has some stuff he has to deal with this weekend, but he said Sunday we'd get together at his new place and barbeque or something." Just as she was about to suggest Joe talk to Jake's realtor her phone rang again. "Dr. James," she answered, "Ok, sure. I'll be there in twenty minutes." Poking out her bottom lip, she groaned as she closed her phone. "I'm sorry Bubba. The doctor who is filling in for me next week is off today and I agreed to go in if I was needed in his place. Something came up in the ER so I need to run. Hopefully I won't be long." Hugging him quickly, Morgane slipped back into her room and changed into a plain pair of scrubs. "Sorry," she said again as she opened the front door to leave, "I'll have Tanya come pick you up for supper if I'm not back in time." Morgane waved and closed the door before he could say anything.

~*~ ~*~

"Hey Scotty, what's going on," she asked promptly as she walked to the nurse's station. "Hey Dr. James, sorry I had to call you, but we have a little one that came in," he started as he passed Morgane the file. "Six year old female complaining of severe head ache, it looks like dehydration but she has a history of heart problems. I figured it was best to go ahead and call you, just in case. Blood work is being processed now. She's on monitor, but so far the readings look normal," he rattled on as they walked down the curtain lined hall. "Thanks Scotty," she mumbled as she pulled the curtain open and stepped inside the small space. The little girl looked like an angel, she thought before drawing her attention to the mother. A tall red head who was fighting with another child maybe four or five years old as he dug in her purse. "Ms. Taylor," Morgane questioned as the woman stood and set the boy down in the chair. "Yes," the red head said flatly as she stepped to the side of the bed and ran her fingers through the little angel's hair. Morgane was a bit taken back, most parents at least offered their hand, but this woman almost acted like she didn't even want her there. "Hi Megan," Morgane smiled as she walked to the other side of the little girl, "I'm Dr. James. I'm going to help you get to feeling better," she smiled and squeezed the child's hand softly. Flipping open the girl's chart, Morgane cleared her throat and assured the mother the monitor readings looked fine. "We are still waiting on the blood work, but it almost looks like a simple case of dehydration," she continued not looking up from the chart. Morgane glanced back and forth between the woman and the little girl trying to place why they looked so familiar. "Dr. James," a soft voice floated through the thin curtain. Quickly Morgane excused herself and stepped back into the hallway. After a moment of quiet discussion with the nurse, Morgane read over the lab report and sighed before stepping back through the curtain. "Good news Ms. Taylor," Morgane started with a smile, "Megan's heart is just fine, but like I first thought, she is a bit dehydrated. At her age even the slightest amount can produce profound symptoms such as the headache. We'll start her on an I.V. drip to get some fluids back into her. If all goes well, y'all will be out of here in an hour or so. I'll check back with you in a few minutes to make sure Megan is comfortable." The woman just grunted as Morgane turned to leave the small room then stopped at the foot of the bed as the young boy jumped up, "Daddy!" As her eyes followed the small blonde headed boy, Morgane gasped quietly feeling the knot in her throat tighten. "Morgane?"

_This couldn't possibly be happening_ , she thought as she fixed her eyes on her ex-husband. Ignoring the loud huff coming from the red head behind her, it all started to fall into place. "Richard," she said flatly before glancing back over her shoulder, "and you must be." "His wife," the woman snarled, quickly cutting off Morgane's sentence. Shaking her head as she turned back to the crystal blue eyes of her ex, Morgane straightened herself and filled him in on his daughter's condition before leaving the room. _His daughter_ , her mind laughed at her as she walked quickly down the hallway. That's why they all looked so familiar. The red head was Jessica, the nurse she'd caught him with for the fourth time before she finally left him and filed for divorce. The kids looked just like him. _He got the kids he always wanted_ , the thought choked the air out of her lungs as tears pressed against the corners of her eyes. As she turned the corner, she refused to let them fall hearing him call her name from behind her.

"Did you need something Mr. Taylor," she asked flatly deciding she had to act professional even when all she wanted to do was cuss him for all the years she'd wasted. "I.. I just wanted to talk to you," he stammered and wrapped his fingers around the upper part of her arm. Glaring down at his hand, she twisted her hips pulling her arm out of his grasp. "I can't tell you more than what the charts say. Your daughter will be fine once she gets some fluids in her, but you should know that already Richard," she gritted her teeth trying to control the hurricane of emotions taking her over. "No.. yes, I know. I didn't mean about Megan," his voice broke off and his head dropped from her cold stare, "I wanted to apologize to you." "Why are you even here Richard," Morgane snorted stepping back from him. "Conference," he muttered, "Look Morgane, Shelly told me you stopped by the hospital a few weeks back. I didn't expect to see you here, but I did want to apologize to you." "There is no need to apologize Richard. All that was done and over with when you signed the divorce papers," her mind started to race as she spit out the last words. A deep cold chuckle escaped her lips as she put it all together, "I guess I know now why you finally signed them considering Megan is six years old." "Morgane please," he begged flashing the big crystal blue eyes that had won her over so many times in the years of their marriage, "Just let me buy you a cup of coffee and we can talk. Please?" She groaned loudly, crossing her arms over her chest and rolled her neck, "Fine, you have twenty minutes until I have to check on _your_ daughter again." "Thank you," he muttered as she turned and walked toward the cafeteria, his hand fluttered to the small of her back before she shot him a heated glare. "Sorry, habit," he dropped his head and stepped a little further away from her as they walked down the hallway.

"I was a shit," he stated flatly as he sipped his coffee. "I thought you were going to tell me something I didn't already know Richard. Really, this is a waste of time and I believe I wasted more than enough time with you already," she glared back at him as she turned the cup slowly between her fingers. His head dropped low as her words cut at him like a knife, "Morgane, I am sorry. I'm sorry I wasted all those years, that you wasted all those years. I thought I could make myself love you. Oh I did at first, but after we found out about..," he paused and looked up at her apologetically. "Well after that, I couldn't make myself love you. Not in the husbandly sort of way at least. When you left, I was relieved to be honest. I couldn't bring myself to leave you or file for divorce, but thankfully you had enough sense for both of us. When Jessica told me she was pregnant, it was the happiest moment in my life. That was also the lowest moment in my life realizing that I hounded you so much over the years about it and that you would never have that feeling. I hated myself after Megan was born. I hated what I did to you. I hated that I blamed you and most of all, I hated that I finally had the happiness that had always been missing and you weren't there to share it. I'm so sorry Morgane. For all the things I did, all the things I said and for blaming you for my failures at being a husband to you." There was a shadow of remorse over his face as he looked up that, more than his words, squeezed her heart. Feeling the sting of tears in her eyes again, Morgane stood and straightened her coat. "Well I hope you feel better after all that Richard, but I need to go check on your daughter now," she said flatly as she walked away. After making her way back to the ER and checking in on Richard's daughter, Morgane quickly finished her paperwork and headed out to her car. As she slid into the driver's seat, her phone buzzed impatiently in her pocket. "Missed you. Supper was great. Taking Joe dancing. Meet us if you get out of there. Tanya," the text glowed as she flipped open her phone. She was glad they were having a good time, but she was in no mood for all of that now. Pressing her forehead against the curve of the steering wheel, Morgane collapsed under the weight of the tears she'd been holding back.

The sticky heat of the night pressed the sweat covered sheets tight around her body as she tossed and turned in fitful dreams. The painful recall of her years with Richard, the many times she'd caught him with other women and his sharp words when he'd told her she was no kind of a woman if she couldn't have his children. She stood in his office begging him as he stood behind the bent over naked body of a red headed nurse, pumping his seed into her as Morgane watched her pregnant belly grow. The heat of the night and the sheets wrapped around her twisted her dreams, turning them to Jake. She needed him here, wanted him to hold her, and missed him so much. The closer he got in her dreams, she happier she felt. His arms tangled around her. His eyes gazed into hers as his voice whispered into her soul, "I love you." Darkness swept over her mind as he started walking away. The photos that decorated her office hallway floated up behind his feet as he ran, ran far away from her and the children she'd never have. Richard's words sounded in her ears with the tone of Jake's voice, "How can I love someone who can't even give me children?" She watched her aged, crumpled body sitting in a rocking chair on the balcony looking down with tears in her eyes. Each tear reflected the sun as the old image of her watched Jake on the beach playing with his children. Her heart broke in a million pieces seeing the love in his eyes as he twirled them around in the air before wrapping his arms around a beautiful young woman. The old woman's hand reached out to him, calling him as he looked up at her, pulled his children close to him and walked away. "Jake," she screamed sitting upright in the bed. "Whoa, Sis, wake up, it's ok, you're having a bad dream," her brother's voice echoed in her head as the images of Jake walking away faded into the blinding light of the morning's sun. Collapsing into her brother's lap as he sat beside her on the bed, Morgane cried, tears flooded her face and her heart broke.

"Really guys, come on, I'm ok. It was just a messed up dream," she lied trying to assure her brother and best friend that she was fine. She couldn't believe Joe had called Tanya, but she was glad she was here. Morgane had always been able to talk to her brother about anything, but she knew if he told her about running into Richard his whole vacation would be ruined. Wrapped in her thick white terry cloth robe, Morgane pulled her feet up under her on the sofa and sipped at her coffee passing quick glances between her brother and Tanya. For a moment, she thought she had seen Tanya squeezing Joe's arm but dismissed the notion until he offered to go get them some breakfast. "I saw a Denny's a few blocks down. Think I'll go pick us up some breakfast and give you girls some time to talk," he stated shooting a knowing look at Tanya. "Thanks Bubba," Morgane forced a smile as Tanya slid beside her on the couch. As the door clicked shut the tears overtook her again, slumping against her best friend's shoulder, she cried. After stuttering through tear wracked breaths, Morgane told Tanya about seeing Richard at the hospital and about her dream. Her heart actually hurt as the images of Jake walking away haunted her again. "Jake is not Richard," Tanya assured as she rocked her friend back and forth, "that man loves you. He loves you for who you are, how you are and I don't think he'd ever walk away from you." "He's so young Tanya, he should have children. With me that's not possible. I don't want to see him hurt a couple years down the road when he realizes that I'm the reason he didn't have children. I love him too much to hurt him that way," she sobbed again and wrapped her arms around her legs. "Sis, you don't have that kind of power," Tanya lowered her voice into her friend's hair, "you can't pick his future for him. He's the only one who can decide what he wants, not you. Don't you think if children were what he wanted, he'd have told you already? Even if he did, there is always adoption." She couldn't even think anymore. Her heart and her head pounded battling one another both loving Jake too much to saddle him with her infertility. "Come on, take these and go to bed. You need some rest and we'll hash all this out when your mind is more clear," Tanya shoved two large white pills into her palm, pulled her up from the couch and lead her to her bedroom. Morgane followed numbly, sinking into her bed and crying into her pillow until the pills worked their magic.

Morgane slipped out of her bed feeling groggy. Her head was splitting and her mouth was dry. Making her way to the kitchen, she stopped to grab the note on the dining table and read it while drinking the milk she'd pulled from the refrigerator. " _Taking Joe to old town, call me when you wake up. Love, Tanya"_ She smiled softly as she shuffled across the dining room to the balcony. She was glad they were spending time together, but she wasn't about to ruin it with her moping. Taking another long drink from the milk carton, Morgane watched the waves roll in crashing against the shore. _Tides and undertow_ , she thought, _watch out for the undertow.. too late!_ She sighed softly feeling a fresh tear trickle down her cheek. The ebb and flow of the waves did seem to sooth her and her splitting headache as she watched the sparse groups of people on the beach. She had chosen this condo so many years ago because of the private beachfront. She couldn't imagine living on the more populated beaches with all those people coming in and out. All those families down there lived or knew someone who lived in the three adjoining condo complexes. The private beach was never crowded and for that she was thankful. A light chuckle escaped her lips as she watched two little girls kicking a ball down the shoreline. The smaller of the two running as fast as she could, tripped and slid face first into the foamy waves as they reached the beach. Many times over the years, she'd watched the families. The kids playing always made her think of her kids playing on the beach. She sighed reminding herself those kind of fantasies were what made it so much harder for her in the last few years when she was reaching the age a woman could no longer have a child. She had always hoped that maybe it was a fluke and someday she would have a child, but as she knocked on forty's door, those hopes sank. Her lips curled into a frown as the young girl stood crying. The girl's father crossed the sand to her and scooped her up in his arms. As the child started to giggle and flail around trying to get away from her dad's tickles, Morgane felt herself smile. Feeling a bit better, she stood and leaned against the rail. The salty air almost damp with the mist of the waves always made her smile and that she did as she peered down at the young girl and her father. A tall slender blonde woman had made her way to the man and two girls along with a boy and another girl. They all stood around laughing for minutes. _Four kids_ , she thought and laughed, _now that's a handful_. Leaning down over the rail, Morgane closed her eyes and breathed the salty air in deep. Opening her eyes again, her breath caught in her throat. She knew that smile from anywhere. That was Jake twirling the little girl around before wrapping his arm around the tall skinny blonde. Her dreams came flooding back as they turned and walked away. Morgane stretched out her hand, opened her mouth to call to him then heard the front door open.

The afternoon dragged on with Tanya and Joe telling her about their day. She couldn't tell Tanya about seeing Jake on the beach. She'd think her friend had gone completely crazy and blame it all on the dream. She must have been putting on a good front because neither Joe nor Tanya seemed as worried as they were about her earlier. The two cuddled and cooed over each other like they had been dating for months. The pain in Morgane's heart wrenched deep down in her soul but the happiness for her brother made her keep her head up. She had even agreed that she would go out with them tonight as she had promised. Trying to keep up with their conversations, Morgane's thoughts twisted and twirled in her head. Was the blonde the woman she heard laughing when Jake had called her yesterday? Was he married with _four_ kids and didn't tell her? After all she'd been through, she knew she loved him but how could he do this to her? Feeling the threat of tears burn against her eyes once more, Morgane stood quickly heading toward her room and called over her shoulder, "I'm going to get a shower and get dressed." She didn't even care that their voices lowered when she disappeared behind her bedroom door. All she knew was this pain throbbing inside of her could only compare to the pain she felt when the doctors finally told her she'd never have children of her own. As the heated water from the showerhead beat down on her, Morgane slide to the tile floor and cried.

~*~ ~*~

"Jack on the rocks," she mumbled to the waitress as she watched Joe and Tanya dance. Tanya had pulled her out on the floor a few times already, so maybe now, distracted with Joe she'd leave her alone for a bit. Morgane sighed knowing good and well, her friend always had a sixth sense about her moods and would be back again to pull her out to _have fun_. Pressing two more of the large white pills to her lips, Morgane sighed. As the girl set the drink down in front of her, Morgane nodded and slid the money across the table, "Thanks." Wrapping her fingers around the cold glass, she lifted and twirled the drink watching the rich color of the whiskey fall over the top of the ice cubes. Pressing her lips softly to the coolness of the glass, Morgane looked around realizing she was sitting in the exact same booth she occupied the night she met Jake. Tilting her head back hard, she swallowed savoring the heat of the drink sliding down her throat and washing away the tears. "Come on girl, this is our song," came Tanya's shrill happy voice over her brooding thoughts. Pressing her hands against the table, Morgane forced herself to stand. Lifting the empty glass toward the waitress, she nodded and put it back on the table before Tanya grabbed her hand and pulled her to the dance floor. With the liquor and pills coursing through her and the happiness wrapped around her brother and Tanya, Morgane smiled and laughed as they danced.

"Morgane.. Joe," a voice called from behind her as she watched the laughter fall from her brother's face. She staggered and turned toward the voice, almost falling back as her eyes landed on Richard and Jessica. The red headed bitch still wore the same sneer she'd thrown at Morgane the night before, but Richard looked like he'd just run into his old high school buddies. His smile was wide, the soft crystals of his blue eyes sparkled in the lights and he stepped forward with his hand extended toward Joe. "What the fuck do you want," her brother growled from behind Morgane's shoulder. "I.. uh.. I just," Richard stammered taking a step back from the group. Morgane laughed out loud and steadied herself pressing her back against Joe's chest. "Oh, didn't I tell you Bubba? He apologized for making my life a living hell. His bitch gave him the kids I couldn't. His conscious is all clean and clear now, so everything is all hunky dorky," Morgane hiccupped as her brother gripped her shoulders and leaned her toward Tanya. "You son of a bitch," Joe roared as he leaped landing his fist square against Richard's jaw. "Hey! Hey you, bitch! Shouldn't you be home or at the hotel or where ever taking care of _his_ kids? At least if I had had his kids, they wouldn't have ended up in the hospital dehydrated because their mother was probably too busy sun tanning and looking like a bitch in heat on the beach," Morgane slurred and laughed pointing at Jessica. Richard's wife's face flushed red as the two men rolled on the floor fighting. Taking a step quickly toward Morgane, Jessica stopped in mid stride as Tanya stepped between them. "Bitch, you think you going to mess with _my sister_? Puh-leeaze, let me show you how we do this shit _island style_ ," her hands and attitude both flying as she started pulling the ear rings out of her ears. Morgane laughed hard and fell back landing on her rear as the bouncers pushed through the crowd grabbing Joe and Richard. As they were escorted out of the bar, the two bouncers holding Joe slipped off the sidewalk and the three fell hard. "Fuck! My knee, my knee," Joe screamed in pain as the two large men rolled off him and tried to help him up.

~*~ ~*~

"Dr. James," the older man questioned as he walked through the swinging doors. Morgane stood and wobbled for a moment before nodding and shaking his hand. "Mr. Johnston's knee is pretty bad. The old injuries paired with the older model knee hardware had no chance of surviving a fall like that. We have him sedated at the moment for the pain but I've called in Dr. Wallace, one of the best knee replacement surgeons in Texas. He will be here in the morning so until then we will keep your brother comfortable. With Mr. Johnston's extensive military background, I'm sure the approval for the surgery will be attained sometime soon. You should go home and rest," crinkling his nose at the apparent alcoholic smell. He finished giving her a parental type glare before walking back through the double doors. As Tanya flagged down the taxi she'd called for earlier, Morgane stared up at the dark glass of the hospital's mirrored windows. A tear rolled down her face thinking of her brother up there alone. "Come on Sis," Tanya pulled her arm and helped her into the cab. As the two women leaned against one another, the cab bumped over the speed bumps and pulled out of the hospital parking lot. "I thought you had told him about Richard," Morgane mumbled, "but the look in his eyes.. damn, I hate Bubba's knee got messed up, but I loved seeing him pound the hell out of Richard." Tanya laughed softly, "It was pretty funny. But no, you should have known I didn't tell him. That's your brother and it wasn't my place to say anything." Morgane sighed and pressed her lips to Tanya's cheek, "I love you girl, don't ever forget that." "I love your drunk crazy ass too," Tanya chuckled as the cab pulled up in front of the condo.

"After the surgery, I already have one of the best physical therapists I know lined up for your recovery. It's going to take a lot of work, but I think after we're done, you might even have full use of your leg again." Morgane heard the soft voice as she pushed the door open. "Ah, Dr. James," the older doctor from the night before greeted her and Tanya, "This is Dr. Wallace, he actually arrived before dawn this morning and has some pretty wonderful news." After hugging her brother, Morgane joined the doctor's outside of the room and left Tanya there with Joe. "The Physical Therapist will be up later to go over the recovery ins and outs with Mr. Johnston. We'll want to get him started right away. The nurses will prep him and we'll get in that knee within the hour. The quicker we can get him back on his feet, the better," Dr. Wallace assured as he shook her hand firmly. As the other doctors scattered preparing for her brother's surgery, Morgane made her way back into the room, stopping near the closet she smiled. Tanya was curled up next to Joe in the bed with her head on his chest. Even with the still lingering pain, her brother's face seemed to glow as he held her tight to him and smiled.

"Mr. Johnston," an all too familiar voice called from behind her. Morgane couldn't even turn around to face him as he knocked and walked into the room. As he passed by her, she watched the pull of the thin scrubs play over the muscles of his backside and felt her heart squeeze in her chest. Still reading over Joe's chart, Jake walked around the back side of the bed. Tanya slipped out of the bed and stood beside it as Jake extended his hand. "Mr. Johnston, my name is Jake Holden and I'll be..," he paused as he looked up and saw Tanya, then Morgane leaning against the side of the closet. "I'll be your Physical Therapist," he finished as he shook Joe's hand. "Babe," he chuckled and returned his gaze to Morgane, "please tell me this isn't your brother." Joe's laugh answered before she could even force the smile to her face. "I'll be damned! I sure didn't plan to meet you this way. I'm Jake, Jake Holden. Hell I just told you that," he laughed nervously. "Your sister talks about you nonstop," he looked up smiling at her, his eyes shining in the florescent hospital lights, "but I didn't think she'd beat you up just so we could meet." "Good to finally meet you too Jake," Joe laughed then quieted quickly as he turned to see the solemn look on his sister's face. "Hey Joe," Jake spoke up again, "would you mind terribly if I took a minute. I want to talk to your sister outside." "Go ahead man, this stuff they got me on, I could wait a week," Joe chuckled and squeezed Tanya's hand. Jake hung the clipboard on the end of the bed and walked quickly to Morgane. Pressing his palms against her arms, he smiled then let them drop as she turned and walked outside. Following right behind her, Jake turned the corner into the hallway grabbed Morgane pulling her up tight against him and lowered his lips onto hers. God she missed his lips, his taste, his arms, her mind reminded her as well as the tingling sparks running over her skin. Pressing her palms into his chest, she stepped back breaking the kiss and cleared her throat. "Jake," she said flustered, "this is not the place. Tell me about his recovery. How much therapy is he going to need? How long is it going to take?" The way she fired off the questions and had abruptly ended their kiss set him back. "We'll get to that," he said stepping toward her again, "I've missed you so much, I couldn't get yo.." "Jake! Seriously, I need to know about my brother. We can talk about _other stuff_ later," she pushed past him and walked back into the room. He stood there with his mouth gaping open for long minutes. Assuring himself it was just her concern for her brother, Jake scolding under his breath that he hadn't realized that before pushing her. Jake walked back into the room and began telling Joe of his recovery, therapy and possible full use of his leg afterwards. Though he tried to sound and act professional through it all, he couldn't help but steal glances at Morgane and notice the cold blank look that overtook the usual bright beauty of her face.

~*~ ~*~

"After you check on Joe this morning, you need to go to Ray's," Tanya mumbled as they stepped out of the elevator, "I know you haven't slept well in three days now and with all this other stuff, you just need to relax." "Yea, maybe," Morgane replied darting her eyes around the hallway and nurses' stations. She hoped she didn't run into Jake this morning. She had enough trouble avoiding him yesterday after Joe's surgery and she just didn't have the energy to deal with all that today. "There's my girls," Joe's voice crackled, still hoarse and sleepy as the women took their turns hugging him and checking on him. Morgane was surprised to see Tanya lean down and kiss him, but it made her smile. She knew they were perfect for each other and it was looking like they were finding it out too. Joe grumbled about being woken up so much with nurse's coming in to check on him all night. His face beamed with pride when he told what all they had said about Morgane. "Well we have some of the best nurses here too," she teased as she draped her arm over Tanya's shoulder. "Some, don't you mean _the_ best," Tanya laughed pulling Morgane's cheek to her lips and pressing a quick kiss against her skin. "Alright, off you go," she demanded with a sharp slap across Morgane's rear, "I'm sending your sister off to relax baby. I already called Ray and he _will_ let me know if you don't show up." "Tanya," Morgane fussed and crossed her arms over her chest watching the eyebrow on her friends face raise slowly, "fine. Damn, don't go thinking just 'cause you're with my brother you're going to be bossing me around like he does." Morgane huffed as the two laughed and simultaneously pointed out the door, "Go," their voices rang in unison. Whispering a soft thank you as she slipped out of the hospital to her car, Morgane was glad she hadn't run into Jake.

Morgane pushed the door open, stopping suddenly seeing Ray and Aaron Carter sitting close to one another before Ray stood and met her in the middle of the room. "Morgane," he smiled and wrapped his arms around her like every time before. Squeezing her tighter than usual and holding her longer, he lowered his voice, "Sorry to hear about your brother. When he's all healed up, you bring him to us and we'll work out all the kinks." Stepping out of the bear hug, Morgane thanked him before realizing Aaron had joined them. "Good to see you again Dr. James," Aaron smiled pulling her hand into his then lifting it to kiss the top of her hand. "Good to see you again too Aaron, your boat is really beautiful," she smiled. From her first impression of him back at the docks, it wasn't really a surprise to see him here at Ray's. "Ok, I've got your special room all set up and Aaron has offered to help you relax today Morgane, will that be ok?" Ray smiled softly sliding a quick sideward glance at Aaron. "No offense Aaron," Morgane started slowly then smiled at Aaron, "Ray, I was hoping to actually get the guy that usually works when I'm here. I just really need to relax and honestly, no offense again, but he does help me relax every time." Tilting her head slightly, Morgane watched Ray's face pale but before she could say anything Aaron wrapped his arm around her shoulder and lead her to the desk. "Actually he's off today Dr. James, but he does work from home," he said and quickly scribbled down an address on the back of one of the business cards, " just drop by there, I'm sure he'll be happy to help you relax." Morgane saw the growing smile on Aaron's face, but never noticed the aggravated frown on Ray's as she turned back around. "Thanks so much Aaron," she called as she walked toward the door, "I'll do just that." The two men's voices rose as she closed the door and got into her car.

Old town was really beautiful, she thought as she drove down the narrow roads admiring all the old houses. She had thought about renting a place in old town, but the beach grabbed her attention more. Old town was just that, it was the original part of the island. Away from the shore and closest to Houston, it was littered with beautiful old homes and mansions. Unlike around the beach side of the island, every home had at least a small yard. If not for the warm saltiness of the air, one might think it was a whole different place. Slowing down as she checked the addresses, Morgane imaged each home being filled by a loving family with children. This was the kind of place children should be raised, with a yard to play in and the whole island to explore as they grew. As she stopped in front of the house with the correct address, Morgane just sat a moment and admired the house. It was a pale shade of blue, trimmed in white with detailed gingerbreads adorning the porch. Large white columns framed the front door which opened onto a long winding sidewalk leading through several well designed flower beds. She sighed softly realizing this was the kind of place someone could really call home. Groaning as she climbed out of the car, Morgane looked forward to this massage. The past few days had really taken a toll on her and even with all the turmoil in her heart and head, she just wanted to relax, if only for an hour.

"Yes," the elderly woman questioned as she partially opened the door. Morgane was surprised at how much she reminded her of Ms. Mary. "Hello," she started before being interrupted by a small girl peeking around the door frame hugging tightly against the older woman's leg. "You're pretty," her soft voice squeaked, "like a princess." Morgane smiled wide as the child's laugher floated up to her, "Why thank you, you look like a little princess too." "Elizabeth please," the older woman sighed and pushed the small girl away from the door, "I'm sorry ma'am, she's so talkative. Who were you looking for?" The smile still bright on Morgane's face as she laughed softly, pulling the business card from her purse. "I'm a member at Relaxing Ray's and I was told my regular masseur was off today but works from here at home," Morgane spoke softly listening to the chatter of children's voices beyond the door. "Oh," the woman's face puzzled for a moment, "one moment please." The elderly woman turned and called out into the hallway behind her, "Elizabeth, Emily, could one of you get your daddy please? Someone is here for him." "It will be just a moment," the lady smiled, "he was in the back yard last I saw him. Would you like to come in and wait?" "Yes please," Morgane laughed watching the little girl run down the hall hollering for her father. Taking a seat on the small bench in the hallway, Morgane folded her hand in her lap and looked around after the elderly lady excused herself and headed down the hall. "Daddy, daddy, there is a princess here to see you," sang the child's voice from some room beyond the hall. Morgane pressed her hand to her lips and stifled the laugh that threated to escape. "I thought you weren't doing this. I thought you were just going to help your brother out," she heard the woman's faint voice float down the hallway and began to wonder if it had been such a good idea to come here at all. "Look Daddy, I told you she was a princess," the little girl exclaimed and danced in front of him. The smile in her eyes traced over the happy dance of the small girl. Morgane stood quickly as her gaze landed on Jake, toting another child over his shoulder. Frozen with shock for a moment, Morgane fumbled with her purse as his eyes met hers and looked as surprised as she was.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come here," she mumbled and quickly opened the door. Running down the sidewalk, Morgane stumbled into the locked gate and cussed fighting to open the latch. "Morgane, wait," he called from behind her, "Baby please wait." She jumped as his hands fell on her shoulders and he turned her to face him, "Morgane please, let me explain." "Explain what," she screamed and pushed him away pounding her fists against his chest, "that you're married, have kids and have just been playing me for a fool the past few months?" Take back by her tone and the tears swelling in her eyes, Jake stepped toward her again trying to catch her swinging arms. "What? No, I'm not married! Morgane stop, Damn it stop right now," his deep hard voice commanded as he wrapped his fingers tightly around her wrist and pinned them between his chest and hers. The emotions overtook her and she fell against his chest sobbing with heart wrenching tears. "I'm so sorry Baby, I should have told you before. I should have told you everything. Come on, come in side," his tone softened as he pulled her to his side and guided her back to the house. "Mom, take the girls upstairs please," he asked as he pushed the door open and then guided Morgane through the next door. She stumbled toward the large fireplace barely noticing the room behind her tears. Wrapping her arms around her waist, she traced her eyes over the pictures on the mantel as the door behind her clicked closed. "Morgane," he said softly as he crossed the room and turned her to face him again. Lifting her chin in his fingers, he looked deep into her eyes and sighed, "I am not married. Not anymore. I do have children. I have two beautiful little girls that have been my whole life until I met you." "What about the blonde and the other two kids," she hiccupped as the flow of tears started to slow, "I saw you with your girls hugging all over some blonde with two other kids there." Jake's forehead wrinkled as he smoothed his thumbs over the tear stained trails on her cheeks. "You mean at the beach yesterday? I didn't know you were there," he answered then laughed softly as she nodded her head in his hands. "Baby, the blonde is Misty, my cousin. The other two children are her kids. They all came down to spend the day with Emily for her birthday so we took a trip to the beach. My aunt lives in the condos by yours so we took advantage of the free beach." Morgane pulled her chin from his fingers and turned back to the fireplace feeling embarrassed she'd jumped to the conclusion he was married. Almost as if he'd read her thoughts Jake took a seat on the couch and continued, "I was married, for eight years. Jennifer was my high school sweetheart. We married right out of high school, were blessed with Elizabeth and two years later with Emily. Jennifer couldn't handle life, marriage or the stress of children though. She let her escape with drugs take her life. Emily was only a year old when her mother overdosed. Ever since then my mother has helped me raise my girls." Her heart pounded in her chest. How could she have been so clueless? How could she have thought he was married? An apology wasn't quite right after everything he had just told her. As she whirled over things to say in her brain, she focused on a picture on the mantel. "It was you all along," she muttered, "from the first time I went to Ray's except for the two weeks you were in San Antonio." "Morgane, I..," Jake groaned and she could hear the couch creek as he made his way back to her. "I thought you knew. You called me by name several times. I should have told you everything before this," he continued slowly, "I had seen you around the hospital for two years but you never seemed to notice me. I thought it was just dumb luck the day I went in to help my brother that you were laying there on the bed, half naked." Turning to face him with a confused look Morgane questioned, "Your brother?" Jake smiled and rubbed the upper part of her arm, "Ray is my brother Morgane. Aaron, the boat owner, is Ray's life partner. And before you think it was some kind of set up, I actually just found out myself last week that the doctor who hired my aunt, my mother's sister, was you." Morgane stood there trembling letting her mind take it all in, bringing her eyes up to him slowly she whispered, "I need to go." Quickly walking toward the door Morgane couldn't wrap her mind around it all. How could their paths have crossed so many times? "Stop. Morgane stop," Jake's deep gruff voice demanded again as his arms wrapped around her and spun her on her heels. "I see in your eyes you are trying to piece it all together. I know I should have told you all of this before, but there is one more thing you need to know before you leave," he paused staring into her eyes before pulling her tightly against himself, "When you sort all this out, remember that I love you, I intend to marry you and both of us raise these kids together. Not even your uncertainty about yourself will change that." Tears flooded over her cheeks again as his lips feel softly on hers. His kiss slow and loving as her mind tortured her with all the details. Her body wanted to melt into his arms, hold his lips to hers and just stay there forever, but she turned and walked out the door heading for her car.

Chapter Six

"You know, you really need to pull your head out of your ass," Joe stared at her as she put her beach bag on the couch and started toward him. She knew that look all too well. That was the ' _I'm right, your wrong and you're going to listen'_ look she'd seen so many times growing up. Sighing as she leaned down and hugged him quickly, Morgane squeezed his hands in hers, "Can't we talk about this later Bubba? I want to get down to the beach." "Of course you do, that's all you've done the past three months when 5:30 rolls around. You run from Jake like he has the plague," he snorted and shoved the newspaper he'd been reading across the table. "I really don't want to talk about it now Bubba," Morgane gave him a flat stare before glancing at the wall clock behind him. Throwing his hands up in the air over his head, Joe snorted, "You're going to wait too long Lil Bit and that man is going to get tired of waiting." "Good," she yelled back at him as she huffed and slammed the front door behind her. Hurrying down the back steps, Morgane crossed to the private beach tossing a quick glance back toward her condo.

It was considerably cooler now, but with Texas's winter never really taking hold until mid-November, Morgane always enjoyed the end of October when the vacationers seemed to vanish from the island. The small private beach, as well as the condos was quieter and like every year before, Morgane loved the fact she was one of the very few permanent residents in the condo complex. Spreading her blanket over the sand, her gaze shifted up again toward her condo. Watching the shadows of the two men walk back and forth in front of sliding door, she exhaled glad she'd made it out of there before Jake had shown up. The last three months seemed so much longer than they actually were. At first she'd stayed to help her brother with his therapy and was content to just ignore Jake's presence there. They had always acted professional and tended to her brother without pause, but even the few glances in her direction and innocent strokes of arms against each other, made it hard to breathe around him. Last month when her brother had walked a few steps with his crutches, she'd forget herself and wrapped her arms around Jake in hug of celebration. She almost didn't have the willpower to pull herself from his hold as his arms tightened and his breath feathered over her cheek. She knew then the only way to distance herself from him was to not be there when he showed up.

Rolling from her back to her stomach, Morgane didn't even open her eyes until the cold wet shower of water stung against her back. "Oh shit," she muttered as she pushed herself up on all fours and looked back behind her seeing Tanya standing in the break of the waves kicking water toward her. "You bitch," Morgane laughed and rolled onto her side as her friend crawled up the blanket beside her. "Yea, yea, love you too," Tanya laughed as she settled onto the blanket and rolled on her back. "I figured you were hiding down here as usual," her friend continued as she slipped the sunglass down over her eyes. "I'm not hiding," Morgane snorted and rolled on her back, "just soaking up some sun before winter finally takes over." Tanya huffed rolling on her side toward Morgane before propping her chin in her hand, "Bullshit. Every time Jake comes for Joe's appointments, you disappear. Sounds like hiding to me." Morgane flicked the flame of her lighter at the end of a cigarette and exhaled slowly, she hated when Tanya was right. "I can't be around him sis. Hell I can't even be close to him. Every time I see him or think about him, everything that happened comes back and I.." Morgane stopped and sighed rolling up on her side toward Tanya. "I know now he couldn't have planned all that, but I don't know. It just seems like we were thrown together, with no choice in the matter, ya know," she questioned her own reflection in the dark lenses of Tanya's sunglasses. Tanya laughed softly and reached out rubbing her fingers over Morgane's arm, "That's how love and life work babygirl. You made your choices but you let the weavings of both your fates convince you that you didn't. Do you love him any less because of all the things you think he plotted?" Emotions raged through Morgane's honey licked eyes as she reached forward and traced the small gold band and diamond on Tanya's finger. "I do love him Tanya. I've tried so hard not to. I'd convinced myself I'd been set up from the beginning, but it's killing me not being with him," Morgane admitted as the swollen puddles of tears slipped over her eyelashes and fell to the blanket. Tanya sighed and combed her fingers through Morgane's hair before pulling her close in a hug. "You know, when Joe asked me last month to marry him, my first instinct was to run," Tanya paused and lifted Morgane's face to hers. "I had made peace with the thought I'd never marry again. Hell I was doing fine with a couple good rolls in the hay before your brother came along. The first time he kissed me though.." Tanya paused letting the memory roll over her lips with the soft pass of her tongue. "I'd never felt that spark before, with anyone, especially not with my ex. I couldn't get my mother's voice out of my head with all the times she told me that she knew my dad was the one for her because of the spark between them." Tanya looked back toward the waves as the rise of the tide splashed them against the women's feet. "Babe, I found that spark with Joe. Nothing else matters, not age, our pasts, doubts, worry, fears. I truly know what love is now and I'd fight the Devil himself before letting it slip away."

~*~ ~*~

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today.." the preacher's voice droned the beginning of the ceremony as Morgane pressed the back of her palm to the corner of her eye. The church had been decorated beautifully as she glanced back over the crowd of friends and family gazing lovingly at the couple. Her lips quivering trying to hold back tears as she glanced up at her brother. He looked so completely happy standing there beside Tanya. Their hands wrapped into one another's as they stared deeply into each other's eyes and repeated after the preacher. She hadn't been surprised Joe had asked Jake to stand with him. The two had grown close over the six months of Joe's therapy. She had even gotten up the nerve, not to mention the fact of the cold, to stop running to the beach every time Jake showed up. The four had shared a few meals after the therapy sessions and talked about this day. Shifting her eyes from the happiness of Joe and Tanya, Morgane smiled tracing the curves of Jake's face. The black tuxedo and sea foam green vest that matched her dress did little to hide the toned form of his body. The color Tanya had picked for the wedding actually seemed to make his eyes even greener as he stood smiling at the couple and the preacher. "You may kiss the bride," the preacher's voice broke her study of Jake but not before she saw the hint of tears in his eyes.

After giving her Maid of Honor speech, Morgane walked back to her seat beside Tanya. Smiling, Morgane brushed her arm softly against Jake as he stood to make his own speech. Turning quickly behind his chair, his hand wrapped around her upper arm as he stood there looking into her eyes. Her cheeks flushed as the smile on his face grew softer, leaning toward her he whispered," Save me a dance?" Nodding softly as his fingers slipped from her skin and made his way up to give his speech, Morgane sighed as she slipped into the seat next to Tanya. Jake spoke of love and fate, telling the people about how sometimes life intertwined the paths of two people. He recalled the stories Joe had told him about the pictures and stories his sister had shared with him about Tanya and the closeness he felt for the woman he had never met. Smiling his sexy smile as he joked about Tanya's quirky ways and being sure it must be love that brought her to Joe, Jake paused for a moment shifting his gaze toward Morgane before continuing on. "I can vouch for the love shared between these two for I too know what that kind of love feels like. My great uncle told me once that love is like the ocean. Vast, ever changing, full of ups and downs that sometimes may rise and fall like the waves, but no matter what life threw at you, if you had love, you could just ride the tides and steer clear of the undertow." Tanya squeezed her thigh as Morgane covered her mouth and gasped with surprise. Another time their lives had crossed unbeknownst to them at the time, she giggled into the palm of her hand as she watch Jake wink at her before settling back beside Joe. Through the cake cutting and pictures, they shared long loving gazes at one another. As the music started and Joe and Tanya made their way to the dance floor, Morgane felt the warmth of his hands caress over her shoulders as he walked up behind her. Stepping in front of her he turned with that sly little grin, grabbing her hand as he walked backwards and whispered, "Time to collect on that dance you owe me."

Nudging his elbow into Joe as he pulled her close against him, Jake smiled tracing the lines of Morgane's face as they swayed slowly to the music. "Jake," she whispered as she stared into the shimmering green pools of his eyes, "I'm s.." Quickly pressing his finger against her lips to cut her off, Jake leaned in brushing his lips against her ear and whispered, "If you apologize yet again, I'm going to have to find those ribbons after this and tie you back up." The soft sexy chuckle in his voice and the words tickled against her skin as he pressed the softness of his lips into her neck. Sighing softly feeling his arms tighten around her waist, Morgane giggled and nipped at the lobe of his ear, "Promise?" The deep growl rumbling from his chest answered her question as his lips fell over hers and kissed her deeply. As the song ended, Jake tangled his fingers into hers and led her from the dance floor. Clearing from the crowd, he pulled her to his side, "There's someone I want you to meet." As the two little blonde heads bounced from between Ms. Mary and her sister, Morgane laughed as they tackled Jake almost knocking him over. "Well, _two some ones_ that is," he laughed and picked up the smallest of the two children. "Oh Daddy, that's the princess from the house," the oldest girl chirped as she looked up at Morgane and smiled.

~*~ ~*~

"Merry Christmas," the older lady smiled as she opened the door to find Joe and Tanya carrying arms full of gifts. "Goodness! Come on in, come on in," she exclaimed happily before hollering down the hallway, "Jake, Come help Joe with these presents!" "Hey hey," Tanya laughed and hugged Jake as he unloaded her arms and Joe set down the last of his load under the tree. Shaking his hand, Joe patted Jake's shoulder and looked around, "Where's Lil Bit?" Huffing as he stood back from placing Tanya's armful of gifts under the tree, Jake smiled and threw a thumb over his shoulder. "She's upstairs finishing a story with the girls," he smiled, "I'll go tell her y'all are here."

"The end," he heard Morgane say before a long pause. "Miss Morgane," the soft voice of his oldest child fluttered into the hallway where he leaned against the wall. "Yes, Elizabeth," he heard her respond against the squeaking of the bed's springs. "I don't want a bad step mommie like Snow White had," the seriousness of the little girls voice made him press his palm to stifle a laugh. Jake peered through the crack in the open door and watched Emily twist her small fingers in Morgane's long black curls as she brushed Elizabeth's blond locks back into place. The older of the two girls crawled up into Morgane's lap, wrapping one arm around her neck as she spoke seriously. "Well not all step mommies are bad Elizabeth," Morgane assured her as she hugged the little girl tight and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. "Well," the little girl started again with an even more serious look on her face, "Since you're a princess too, you could be my step mommie. I know you'd never be mean to me and Em like Snow White's step mommie." Morgane smiled softly and parted her lips to speak as Jake stepped around the door. Looking up at him with tears swelling in her eyes, Morgane reached up and took his hand. "Actually Elizabeth," Jake started softly looking down at his little girl as he dropped to a knee in front of the bed, "I've been thinking." Morgane hugged the small child as the light flickered in the deep pools of Jake's eyes staring back at her. "I think Princess Morgane _would_ be the perfect step mommie for both of you," he smiled pinching the chins of his daughters before reaching into his pocket. Tears crested over her eyelashes and fell softly down her cheek as Morgane watched him pull the small black box from his pocket. "What do you think Princess Morgane," he smiled opening the box as the two girls clung tightly to her, "Will you marry me?"

"Grandma, grandma, grandma," the two girls yelled as they half skipped half ran down the stairs and swung the living room door open. "Daddy asked Princess Morgane to be our step mommie and he's still kissing her so we're going to live happily ever after!"
