Part 14

"Mmm…" The growl came from low in Fox's throat. Her thigh slid across his. Her hand trailed down his chest straight to his awakening arousal. He heard her breathing quicken. Heat burned him where their thighs touched.

Sunlight streamed through the part of the curtains. Saturday morning traffic was quiet. The only sounds were that of their ragged breaths. He rolled onto his side and pulled his wife close to his chest, close to his heart.

"Good morning." He brushed hair from her eyes. "Sleep well?"

"Nope." Her mouth turned into a sexy pout.

He ran his thumb across her protruding bottom lip. "Why not?"

"I couldn't get these thoughts out of my head." She pressed her hands to his chest. Her thumbs rubbed his nipples, making him moan again.

"Peaches." His voice sounded hoarse. "What thoughts?"

"Mostly about you." Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. "About the things you did to me. The way you made me feel. Make me feel. Fox, I've been waiting all night for you to wake up."

A lengthy silence followed her declaration. Words locked inside his head. How fucking lucky was he? This beautiful, sexy woman loved him. Not only that, she craved him. And he'd almost lost her again.

"You amaze me," he finally choked. One hand cupped her cheek. "All night, huh?"

"Well, I think I dozed off for a couple of hours," Dawn murmured, "but that sleep was filled with all these erotic images. I love you, Fox William Mulder. Not just because of your skills in the bedroom. I don't like it when we're not together. I can survive it, but I don't like it. We have to promise to give our marriage our all."

"I promise," he replied without hesitation. "I love you, too. From this day forward, we start over."

He tugged the hem of her nightshirt and pulled it over her head. Pressing kisses over her face down to her neck. Open mouth, he licked the pulse at her throat. Her body trembled beneath his. He tore her panties off. Her thighs parted. She grabbed his butt. He chuckled at the sheer pleasure of her urgency.

"It's not funny!" She complained with laughter bubbling in her throat. "Hurry up, already."

"Patience." He kissed the breath from her. When he lifted his head, he reached toward the nightstand drawer.

She took his hand and kissed each fingertip.

He enjoyed the caress, but he was as ready for her as she was for him. "Dawn, I need a rubber--"

"No, let's not."

His manhood hung heavy and aching. Her opening beckoned. He swallowed hard. "Are you sure?"

Her thighs closed around his hips like scissors. The heels of her feet dug into his backside, pressing him down. Instinctively, he dove inside her. The liquid heat threatened to drive him insane.

"Doesn't this feel good?" she asked, her mouth against his lips. His thrusts increased. She rose to meet each one. "Fox, tell me the truth."

"Always." Silently, he focused on not rushing the moment. They rarely made love without protection. Doing so now heightened every time he hit home. Damn!

"No one else. Really? Just me."

He sunk deep inside her and held himself still. "Just you. Since the day you arrested me."

Tears filled her eyes. She asked in a whisper, "You knew? At that moment, you knew?"

"After years of searching for the truth, I knew it when I looked in your eyes. Oh, and when you cuffed me." He nibbled her earlobe. She squealed as he bit into her tender flesh. His hips began to move again.

"Don't you wanna know when I knew?" She licked him, doing wicked things to his collarbone.

"You're talking too much."

"Fox!"

"Peaches, I already know. Now, will you shut up?"

She laughed but not for long.

*/*

Jacob took Jian's hand as soon as he walked inside the room. The television blared with the zips, booms and chuckles of early morning cartoons. A bowl of cereal sat on the edge of the coffee table and the little boy still wore his Sponge Bob pajamas.

"Come on. Little Bill's about to come on."

Jian laughed. From humor and happiness. No more running. This ready-made family was it. Everything he'd been searching for was right here within these four walls. If he moved again, they'd be with him.

"Where's your Mommy?" He settled on the floor beside Jacob. The images from the TV were reflected in the little man's eyes. Jian couldn't resist ruffling the child's hair. "Is she awake?"

The boy nodded. "She's making the beds. She saw you coming and told me it was okay to open the door for you. Want some cereal?" Jacob extended his bowl toward Jian.

He looked at the soggy mess. Smiling, he shook his head. "No thanks. Has your Mom eaten?"

"I don't think so."

"Do you think she'd like a breakfast surprise?" he asked in a conspiratorial whisper. "Would she like that?"

A smile broke across the boy's face. His head bobbed up and down. "Yes!" He hopped to his feet. "We can make hot dogs and jelly sandwiches!"

"Wait!" Jian held up his hands while inside, his stomach turned. A child's palate was definitely a phenomenon. "What about scrambled eggs, bacon and pancakes?"

"That's good, too." Jacob grabbed Jian's hand again and led him to the kitchen.

Jian smiled to himself. Saturday mornings hadn't been this good in a long time.

*/*

Keesha knew there'd be commotion as soon as Jian walked inside. When she told Jacob that their dear friend was spending the day with them, her child could hardly sit still. Finally, the lure of Tom and Jerry and a bowl of fruity cereal aided in calming him down. Somewhat.

Then, she heard Jian's voice. Her heart literally skipped a beat. Goosebumps pebbled across her arms. Their kiss had been sweet and chaste. And it certainly left her longing for more. She wanted to race her son to the door and be the first to greet Jian. It took a lot of internal lecturing to resist the urge. Jian and Jacob needed their bonding time and both enjoyed it. Besides, she'd have Jian to herself. She planned to make sure of that.

The man and the boy's voices carried down the hall toward her. She couldn't understand the words, but their tones soothed. But all too soon, the voices faded. The television continued to blare, but she couldn't hear them. Curiosity got the better of her. She tiptoed toward the living room to see what they were up to.

The sight of Jian in her apron and Jacob with a towel around his waist brought a giggle to her lips. Pressing a hand to her mouth, she stood out of their line a vision and continued to watch. Jian spoke softly and Jacob responded in kind. They worked as a happy team. A chef and his assistant. Her chest constricted with emotion for them both.

She turned and headed back to her room. After applying the finishing touches to her hair and make-up, she joined them, feeling wholly satisfied. Because of them.

*/*

Visiting day was always a sore spot. No one ever came to see him. Emily and Monica tried, but Jason refused their visits. They needed to forget about him and he didn't want to be reminded of what he'd left behind.

He went to the library and grabbed a couple of Popular Mechanics magazines from the rack. Finding a chair with a direct ray of sunlight, he sat and read about the evolution of motorcycle engines. People came and went. Jason was aware of them. He never let his guard down. But they weren't important. In fact, a more pressing matter weighed on his mind.

Today, Tony Alaska and Magic Fingers promised to give him proof. If Keesha and Jacob were alive, he'd know for certain before the day was through. Jason never got excited. Sometimes a faint surge of happiness soared through him. The sensation wasn't his normal reality. He understood that most people needed those feelings to make them feel alive. But he wasn't like normal people.

Hours passed. The first dinner bell rang. Jason returned the magazines to the rack and joined the other inmates in the hall. Guards made them line up and head to the cafeteria. Because he was in the recreational section of the prison, he responded to the first bell. If he were on his job in the laundry room, he'd have to wait until the fifth and final bell.

He took a tray loaded with imitation instant potatoes, a meat patty and a hard roll. The food didn't appeal on any level. But it was food and he had to eat. He claimed a vacant table at the edge of room. As he ripped the roll into pieces, two shadows fell over him and across the table.

"Save that," Tony chuckled, "we can use it as baseball on the field. Or maybe as a hockey puck in the hall."

Magic Fingers broke his patty into bite-sized pieces and stirred it into the potatoes. "Like the guards would go for that."

Jason ignored their jokes about dinner. Urgency rippled through him. His heart raced. He drew in quick, shallow breaths. "Well?"

"You want proof?" Magic Fingers cracked a humorless smile. "I got proof."