Katie?" Jared asked, his gaze serious. "Can you tell me why you came to my room tonight?"
"If you don’t--" Kate began but Jared interrupted her.
"I do know. I just need to know why. After what we’d talked about earlier, I figured you would want to wait. I need to know why you decided tonight was the night."
Kate gazed out at the stars for a couple of minutes and then decided to risk it all one more time that night. "I was asking the Lord for wisdom with regards to our relationship and then I came across a verse in the Bible about husbands and wives not keeping themselves from each other. I knew that was the Lord’s way of telling me that I needed to be a true wife to you. In every sense of the word. It would have happened eventually, if I understood you correctly the other night." Then Kate used the logic he’d used earlier on her concerning their getting married right away. "Would waiting make that big a difference? Would I discover something that would keep me from giving myself to you?"
"No, I don’t think so," Jared told her, a small smile lifted one corner of his mouth. He obviously recognized her tactic.
"I didn’t think so either. That’s why I came to your room tonight , but I’ll understand if that’s not what you want."
Jared gave her a long look. "It is what I want. Will you come to my room again?" He held out the nightgown. Kate stood and took it from him. "I’ll be waiting for you." Jared turned and left the room as silently as he had entered.
Kate clutched the dress to her chest, hope pounding through her. Then, realizing that time was ticking on, she reversed her actions of earlier, stripping off her sweats and T-shirt and putting the beautiful gown back on again. She set her hair free from its braid and smoothed it over her shoulders.
Walking the hall this time, Kate’s heart pounded with anticipation, not fear. She sent up a prayer of thanks just before she knocked on the door. This time there was no waiting. The door swung open and Jared stood before her. He still wore his sweatpants but his chest was bare once again.
Kate stepped towards him, into the room. He took her hand and lifted it to his lips, shutting the door behind her. Then he took her into his arms.
Chapter Four
Jared woke slowly the next morning. He lay on his stomach facing the window through which streamed bright rays of sunlight. He turned his head, knowing even as he did that the bed beside him would be empty. Touching the sheets he found them cold. She’d been gone for a while. Jared was a bit disappointed but not surprised.
A glance at his watch told him it was almost nine o’clock. He hadn’t slept that late in ages. Jared rolled over, stretched, then swung his feet over the edge of the bed and sat up.
Jared stayed there for a few minutes going through everything that had happened over the past few days. If someone had told him a week ago that he’d not only be guardian to four kids but also husband to his sister-in-law’s sister, he would have laughed himself silly. Thankfully he was pretty good at adapting to changing circumstances, to thinking on his feet.
And last night had been a prime example of that. When he’d heard the soft knock on his door he’d assumed it was one of the kids. Nothing could have shocked him more than seeing Kate standing there in a beautiful white gown, her hair loose around her shoulders. So afraid of misreading the situation, he’d managed to screw it up anyway. But thankfully they’d managed to sort things out and become husband and wife in the truest sense of the word.
Jared had tried not to think too much about the fact that marriage to this woman was something he never would have chosen himself. The decision had been made for him , and he wouldn’t waste time wishing for something that could never be. What he shared with Kate would never be the glorious love Steve and Jen had had, but they would build a stable home for the children. Kate didn’t have any of
"If you don’t--" Kate began but Jared interrupted her.
"I do know. I just need to know why. After what we’d talked about earlier, I figured you would want to wait. I need to know why you decided tonight was the night."
Kate gazed out at the stars for a couple of minutes and then decided to risk it all one more time that night. "I was asking the Lord for wisdom with regards to our relationship and then I came across a verse in the Bible about husbands and wives not keeping themselves from each other. I knew that was the Lord’s way of telling me that I needed to be a true wife to you. In every sense of the word. It would have happened eventually, if I understood you correctly the other night." Then Kate used the logic he’d used earlier on her concerning their getting married right away. "Would waiting make that big a difference? Would I discover something that would keep me from giving myself to you?"
"No, I don’t think so," Jared told her, a small smile lifted one corner of his mouth. He obviously recognized her tactic.
"I didn’t think so either. That’s why I came to your room tonight , but I’ll understand if that’s not what you want."
Jared gave her a long look. "It is what I want. Will you come to my room again?" He held out the nightgown. Kate stood and took it from him. "I’ll be waiting for you." Jared turned and left the room as silently as he had entered.
Kate clutched the dress to her chest, hope pounding through her. Then, realizing that time was ticking on, she reversed her actions of earlier, stripping off her sweats and T-shirt and putting the beautiful gown back on again. She set her hair free from its braid and smoothed it over her shoulders.
Walking the hall this time, Kate’s heart pounded with anticipation, not fear. She sent up a prayer of thanks just before she knocked on the door. This time there was no waiting. The door swung open and Jared stood before her. He still wore his sweatpants but his chest was bare once again.
Kate stepped towards him, into the room. He took her hand and lifted it to his lips, shutting the door behind her. Then he took her into his arms.
Chapter Four
Jared woke slowly the next morning. He lay on his stomach facing the window through which streamed bright rays of sunlight. He turned his head, knowing even as he did that the bed beside him would be empty. Touching the sheets he found them cold. She’d been gone for a while. Jared was a bit disappointed but not surprised.
A glance at his watch told him it was almost nine o’clock. He hadn’t slept that late in ages. Jared rolled over, stretched, then swung his feet over the edge of the bed and sat up.
Jared stayed there for a few minutes going through everything that had happened over the past few days. If someone had told him a week ago that he’d not only be guardian to four kids but also husband to his sister-in-law’s sister, he would have laughed himself silly. Thankfully he was pretty good at adapting to changing circumstances, to thinking on his feet.
And last night had been a prime example of that. When he’d heard the soft knock on his door he’d assumed it was one of the kids. Nothing could have shocked him more than seeing Kate standing there in a beautiful white gown, her hair loose around her shoulders. So afraid of misreading the situation, he’d managed to screw it up anyway. But thankfully they’d managed to sort things out and become husband and wife in the truest sense of the word.
Jared had tried not to think too much about the fact that marriage to this woman was something he never would have chosen himself. The decision had been made for him , and he wouldn’t waste time wishing for something that could never be. What he shared with Kate would never be the glorious love Steve and Jen had had, but they would build a stable home for the children. Kate didn’t have any of
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