"I asked you a question, Jax," Miranda was growling through gritted teeth. She had her arms crossed and for a perverse second, Brenda giggled at the thought that she looked more like Jax’s mother than his wife. "Do you often have sex with your TRASHY TRAMP while your children are in the next room?!"

Brenda cut Jax off before he could reply. "Oooooo, trashy tramp, that’s very good!" she oozed sarcastically. Then she wagged a finger at Jax. "And you accuse ME of purple prose! That’s awful alliteration if I ever heard it!"

Jax was sitting on his side of the bed, his face buried in his hand while his elbow was propped on one knee. As Miranda inhaled to counter Brenda’s attack, he held up his hands, palms outward, in the direction of the two opposing women. "Miranda," he murmured sleepily, "as usual, you’re jumping to outrageous conclusions without any logical explanation. Now if you’ll just step outside for a few minutes, I’ll get myself together and you’ll see that NOTHING went on here last night……"

"NOTHING went on here only because I came in before you were able to …….. to……to *consummate* this illicit liaison!"

Just as Brenda rose to her knees in the center of the bed, the distinguished-looking gentleman who had been standing silently at the doorway came forward and grabbed Miranda by the elbows. "THAT’S enough, Miranda! Fall back! Fall back! Disengage immediately!" Miranda gave him a look that would have put a normal man six feet under but he just smiled at her grudgingly. "I don’t believe we’ve met – Herbert Wellington III, at your service, madam," he said gallantly to Brenda. "Lieutenant Colonel, United States Air Force – retired, actually."

Brenda smiled brightly despite Miranda’s growl. "Brenda Barrett, at *your* service." She chewed on her lower lip for a moment. "Poker champion, Thursday night league – 3 years running and *yet* to be retired!"

"Ahhhh! I should have known!" Herbert and Brenda totally ignored the dirty looks they were receiving from Jax and Miranda. "BRENDA Barrett – as in Harlan and Veronica’s daughter!"

Brenda’s eyes widened. "Harlan and Veronica? You know my parents?"

"We met them on the big island the day before Christmas, actually," Herbert replied, turning loose of Miranda as she yanked away from him successfully and straightened her sweater. "Lovely people. We enjoyed poi and mahi-mahi with them for Christmas dinner!"

"Geeeeee……" Brenda mused. "Raw fish and my mother……now there’s something that would give ANYBODY indigestion!"

"YOU KNOW," Jax howled indignantly, "I’m REALLY glad that everyone’s having this nice "get-to-know-you-better" conversation, but I could REALLY use some coffee!" He looked pointedly at Brenda, who pouted and then started pushing back the covers.

"OK, OK, I get the hint." She climbed out of the bed and scowled at Miranda, who was still fuming in Herbert’s arms. "I guess I WOULD be the most logical person to get the coffee, beings I’m COMPLETELY DRESSED and have been ALL NIGHT!!"

Herbert caught Miranda around the waist as she lunged for Brenda. Jax was just about to do the same thing for Brenda when a small voice was heard from the doorway to the bedroom. "Mother?"

Everyone froze and turned to face a sleepy RJ Jacks. He rubbed his eyes. "Mother? Is something wrong?"

He was quickly joined by Ellie, who held her teddy bear tightly in one hand. She ignored all of the adults and turned to her brother. "Why is mother having a moo-moo, RJ?"

Miranda frowned. "A moo-moo? Darling, whatever do you mean?"

RJ turned to his mother before answering his sister. "A moo-moo, mother. A cow. A hissy fit. The sh*t hitting the fan…..you know." Miranda gasped aloud and patted her chest but RJ didn’t skip a beat, turning back to his sister. "I think mother is upset because she thinks that father was playing hide the sausage with Brenda while we were asleep."

"Ohhhhhh,, I don’t think they were doing that, do you, RJ?" Ellie replied, totally ignoring the strangled squeaks her mother was making. "After all, father didn’t have his hand on Brenda’s behind again, did he?"

"WEEEELLLLLLL, I’ll bet you guys are really hungry, aren’t you?" Brenda chirped. Miranda staggered back in a near-faint but Herbert caught her just before she hit the floor. Brenda gave her a victorious smile and then put an arm around RJ and Ellie. "Come on, guys. Why don’t I take you with me to the kitchen and while I make your father some coffee, I can see if there’s any pizza left from last night for breakfast."

"Pizza? Did she say pizza?" Miranda asked weakly from Herbert’s arms. Brenda looked back over her shoulder at Jax and snickered before she disappeared down the hallway with the two Jacks children. Once Brenda had left, Miranda miraculously re-gained her strength and the waterworks started. "Ohhhhh, Jax!" she wailed, coming to sit next to him on the bed. "I KNEW I shouldn’t have left you and the children for the holidays! You DID go pick up one of those cheap floozies ……."

"THAT’S IT!!!!" Jax jumped out of the bed and as far away from his ex-wife as he could. "I refuse to listen to you drag Brenda’s name through the dirt any longer!" He propped his hands on his hips, dredging up as much dignity as a man could while wearing only his navy, silk pajama bottoms. "For your information, even though you don’t deserve an explanation, Brenda and I planned to take the children sailing yesterday. But then, the hospital paged me because there was a massive traffic accident and the ER was swamped. *Brenda* was nice enough to give up the rest of her day taking RJ and Ellie sailing so that they wouldn’t be disappointed. *Brenda* brought them back here and fed them dinner. *Brenda* made sure they brushed their teeth and said their prayers before she tucked them in for the night."

Miranda shrank a little more into Herbert’s arms each time Jax spat Brenda’s name at her. She looked up once at Herbert for support, but his grim expression wasn’t much consolation.

"Furthermore," Jax continued, "when I rolled in here last night…..or should I say, this morning?……at almost 2:30, even BILL CLINTON wouldn’t have had enough energy to make love!" He covered his face with both hands and then dropped them to his sides, taking a deep breath. "Now, if the two of you don’t mind, I’d like some privacy so that I can take a shower and then try to explain to my two children why their mother has taken leave of her senses!!"

With that, Jax spun on his heel and went into the bathroom, loudly slamming the door behind him. He never heard the doors close as Herbert and Miranda first left the bedroom, and then Jax’s condo.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RJ looked up from his Frosted Cheerios. "Was that the front door?"

Brenda shrugged and was about to go into the living room when the Colonel met her in the doorway. He cleared his throat awkwardly and then gave her a pleasant smile. "Would this be considered a neutral zone, Miss Barrett?"

Brenda returned his smile while she dried her hands on a towel. "Permission to enter the arena, Lieutenant Colonel."

"Please – call me Herbert," he chuckled as RJ and Ellie both stared open-mouthed at him. He glanced back towards the bedroom. "I’m afraid that we didn’t exactly get off to a very sterling beginning back there……"

Brenda shrugged. "Nothing that a few gallons of brasso wouldn’t fix."

"Precisely why I convinced Miranda to remain in the car for a few minutes!" He paused as Jax came to stand in the doorway of the kitchen. He wore a faded pair of blue jeans that rode dangerously low on his hips and was still rubbing his hair dry with a towel. Brenda fought the lustful urges that immediately warmed her breasts and thighs.

"Jax, old man! Dreadfully sorry about the way things started out this morning," Herbert said sincerely, extending a hand towards Jax in apology. Jax frowned suspiciously but still shook Herbert’s hand. "I told Miranda we should have called before coming over, but she insisted that she missed the children and it would be fine to just drop in."

Jax chuckled a little and rubbed his hair again. "Miranda never did have the good sense to come in out of the rain." He took a deep breath. "Apology accepted."

Herbert shook his head strongly. "No, no – that’s not enough. You and Brenda must let Miranda and I take you to dinner tonight to make amends." Brenda’s eyes widened slightly at the thought of spending an entire evening with Jax’s ex-wife and a Patton-wannabe, but she kept quiet. "We’ll be heading back to Boston with the children day after tomorrow……." He turned back to Jax. "Are you on duty tonight in the ER?"

"Actually, no. I managed to get some time off because I filled in last night." Jax raised a questioning eyebrow at Brenda. "How about you, love?"

{Oh, yeah, right……you’ve got the night off……..we haven’t been alone in so long I’ve forgotten what your willy looks like……and the one thing I can’t WAIT to do is sit at some stuffy dinner table with the ex-wife from h*ll…..}

Brenda managed to swallow her objections and gave Jax a weak smile. "What about RJ and Ellie?"

Jax thought a minute. "I can call Jean. She was on duty last night. She should have the evening free, and she owes me a favor anyway." At Herbert’s questioning look, Jax went on. "Dr. Cichon is the head of anesthesiology and I’ve been letting some of her nurses spend some time in the ER to get some on-the-job training."

"EXCELLENT!" Herbert rubbed his hands together gleefully. "We’ll be staying at the Ritz Carlton – how about meeting us there in the dining room around 6? That will give us time to get to know each other and enjoy your fine Californian cuisine."

Jax turned to Brenda who smiled in acceptance. "Sounds like a plan, Herbert. We’ll be there."

"Now, children," he chortled, "why don’t you come out to the car and visit with your mother? I’m sure she missed you while we were in Hawaii. And she didn’t exactly get a chance to greet your properly earlier."

Brenda waved at RJ and Ellie. "Go ahead. I’ll clean up the dishes." RJ and Ellie paused for a few seconds but then got up from the table and followed Herbert out towards the front door. Jax waited until he heard the door open and close before he sauntered slowly over to Brenda.

"I’m sooooo sorry about that, love," he crooned, taking her into his arms. "Not exactly the way I had imagined waking you up this morning."

Brenda pulled away from him a little and glanced up at the clock. "Well, if I remember my elementary math, it’s still morning……"

Jax didn’t need an engraved invitation. He pulled her against him for a hungry kiss, burying his hands in Brenda’s hair. He traced her lower lip with his tongue, then her upper lip, then slipped it past her lips where it tangled with hers erotically.

Brenda finally broke the kiss, breathless and flushed. "We’d better stop. Miranda could come back in with the kids, and this time we wouldn’t have a defense….."

Jax shook his head as Brenda rested her cheek against his chest. "Sometimes I think I must have been temporarily insane when I actually married the woman. I mean, I try not to be a difficult person, but she’s just….."

Brenda nodded her agreement but then she chuckled a little as her hand slipped south of Jax’s waist. "Well, you may not be difficult, Dr. Jacks, but you certainly can be HARD sometimes……."

Jax groaned as Brenda caressed him through his blue jeans. He leaned down to lick the sensitive spot just below her ear. "What color lingerie are you wearing this morning – the pink or the black?"

Brenda caught her breath as Jax slipped a hand beneath her blouse, searching for a tender target. "The ……..the pink."

Jax’s hand slid slowly down and he soon found his favorite body part. "And the panties – are they the French-cut kind?" He traced an imaginary line with his first finger from Brenda’s posterior to just above her hip to a spot low in the front. "Like……this?"

Brenda was about to moan loudly when she caught herself and gripped Jax’s wrist. "Jax…..we can’t keep this up. We just……." She pulled away from him, her face just as flushed with excitement as his. "…..we just have to get through this dinner thing tonight REALLY fast so we can come back to my place and you can get some …….. rest."

Jax nodded quickly and then headed for the phone. "I’ll call Jean right now and see if she can stay all night with the kids." He grinned as he waited for the connection to go through. "She and my two other fairy godmothers in the ER have been wanting us together, anyway. I’m sure it won’t be a problem."

***********************

Getting Jean to baby-sit wasn’t a problem. Convincing RJ and Ellie that Jax would get home too late to say goodnight to them wasn’t a problem. Even cocktails, appetizers, and the first 20 minutes of the main course wasn’t a problem. Of course, Brenda also realized at about 6:35 that every time Miranda even *hinted* at a controversial topic, Herbert swiftly took command of the conversation and steered it back into a less confrontational mode.

The PROBLEM reared its ugly head when Miranda rose from the table to make the dreaded announcement. "I’m going to the ladies’ room." There was dead silence, and then she favored Brenda with a catlike smile. "Would you care to join me, Brenda?"

Brenda glanced over at Jax, who had lost most of the color in his cheeks. She patted his hand for reassurance and then rose. "Of course, Miranda. Far be it from me to break that old rule about women always going to the bathroom in pairs….."

Jax watched the gentle sway of Brenda’s backside as they left but then let out a shaky breath. He looked around in a panic. "I should have brought my bag inside with me. *Somebody* will certainly need medical attention before those two come out of the bathroom."

Herbert leaned back in his chair and took a sip of brandy. "Oh, I wouldn’t worry if I were you, old man," he chuckled. "Brenda is one feisty gem of a woman." He stared down into the snifter and swirled the amber liquid with a chuckle. "H*ll, if she had been in the European theater in WW2, Hitler probably would have waved the white flag a lot sooner!"

Jax nodded but then glanced back in the direction the women had gone. "You’re probably right. It’s just that Miranda can be so…….well, when she gets on her high horse……."

Herbert just nodded. "You’re right, Jax. She can be a real b*tch sometimes." Jax’s jaw dropped and he reached for his own glass of brandy. "Thank goodness she’ll finally be getting a husband who can disarm her missiles before they hit the launch sequence." Jax raised an eyebrow and Herbert lifted his snifter. "I mean me, of course. I asked Miranda to marry me in Hawaii, and she accepted."

Jax swallowed hard. "You’re …… the two of you are ….. getting married?"

Herbert nodded again and took another sip of brandy. "Affirmative. Probably in about six months, or however the h*ll long it takes for a woman to plan the logistics for that kind of campaign."

Jax stared down into his glass but then lifted it in toast to Herbert. "I’m very happy for you both."

"No, you’re not," Herbert snorted, setting his snifter down so he could lean in closer to Jax. "Let’s be honest, Jax. You probably realize that Miranda and the children will be moving with me to Washington, and you’re petrified that this will affect your relationship with Ellie and RJ."

Jax sat up straighter in his chair. "You’re certainly up front about things, I’ll give you that, Herbert."

Herbert took a deep breath and then looked Jax square in the eye. "I’ve got two grown children of my own, Jax. I know how I would have felt if the same thing happened to me when they were young. Those two youngsters are *your* children, not mine. I’m just going to have the privilege of spending time with them. *And* helping Miranda be the best d*mn mother she can to them for the next few years." He took a sip of brandy. "I’m going to point out to her every chance I get that they should be allowed to spend half of their time with you."

Jax smiled and lifted his snifter to clink with Herbert’s. "That’s bloody decent of you, old man. I appreciate it."

Herbert snorted again. "Not a bloody decent thing about it, old man. How do you expect Miranda and I to do the nasty with the children around all the time?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, Miranda and Brenda were admiring their reflections in the mirror of the ladies’ room. Brenda was just putting on a third coat of lipstick, wondering how much longer they were going to wage the Cold War, when Miranda launched the first volley.

"You’re sleeping with him. I can tell. It’s written all over your face."

Brenda looked down into her makeup bag and swore. "D*mn. And that new foundation I bought promised to cover up those kind of things."

Miranda never looked at Brenda. Her gaze remained fixed on her own reflection in the large mirror. "You have to realize that this is difficult for me, you know. I mean, even when Jax and I were completely falling apart back in Boston, he never slept around. I mean, he was always faithful to me, even when he couldn’t stand me." She dabbed nervously at her lipstick, which was already perfect. "The only real competition I ever had for Jax’s affections was from that blasted Emergency Room at the hospital."

Brenda’s stance softened a little and she turned towards Miranda. "But he’s not being unfaithful now, Miranda. You’re not married to him anymore. It’s OK for him to ……. Well, I mean, he’s a healthy man with normal urges….."

Miranda cracked just the hint of a smile. "Now Brenda, if you’ve been sleeping with him, you must know that there’s NOTHING normal about Jax." She blushed and stared down into her purse. "I mean, Jax is rather spectacular at……..well, he’s a very talented…….."

Brenda giggled, despite the company. "Well, call the United Nations – I think there’s SOMETHING we finally agree on!"

Miranda finally turned to Brenda as she sank onto one of the plush stools in front of the mirror. "Randall and Elizabeth adore you, you know. They couldn’t stop talking about how you took them sailing yesterday." She blushed and looked down into her lap. "And Ellie showed me those pink shoes of hers! She looks positively *adorable* in them!" She cleared her throat awkwardly again, embarrassed that she had actually SMILED at Brenda. "My children mean the world to me, Brenda. All I ever wanted was for them to be happy." Her lower lip trembled slightly. "And since you certainly seem to make them happy……."

Brenda sank onto a neighboring stool. "I guess it must be tough for you, letting a complete stranger have control over something you’ve created." She sighed. "I know I have to really put a lid on my temper when I have to turn a manuscript over to the editors for the first time."

Miranda turned to look into Brenda’s eyes. "Are you going to marry Jax?"

"Marry? MARRY???!!!" Brenda had a choking fit and patted her chest, looking around the posh bathroom. "D*mn, where’s the booze when you really need it?" She fanned her face with her hands but then when she saw Miranda was serious, she stopped. "I think you’re jumping the gun a little here, don’t you? I mean, we have fun together and everything, but we haven’t been dating for that long!"

Miranda smiled in a knowing way. "Oh, he’ll ask you alright. I can see all the signs. And let me tell you one thing – Jasper Jacks is a man who gets what he wants." She pointed at Brenda. "And I believe that what Jasper Jacks wants right now is YOU!"

Brenda sighed and slumped on her stool. "Awww, geez…….and just when you and I were getting along so well, too……"

Miranda frowned a little. "But why wouldn’t you want to marry Jax? I got the feeling…… I mean, it’s pretty apparent that you have feelings for him."

"Feelings, yes," Brenda admitted. "But marriage?" She shook her head and let out a long whistle. "That’s a BIG step. I mean, marriage is…..it’s……." She shuddered a little. "It’s a commitment. For life." Her mouth formed a grim line. "Not that I’m criticizing you and Jax for being divorced or anything, but I always had this notion that when I got married, it would be for keeps." She smiled a little. "I heard you met my folks in Hawaii." Miranda nodded. "Well, even as eccentric……oh, heck, let’s be honest here – as INSANE as my mom and dad are, they would sooner cut off body parts than think of getting a divorce." She looked Miranda in the eye. "How can you be sure you’re making the right decision when you agree to marry someone? How can you be sure it won’t be…….a mistake?"

Miranda smiled and shook her head. "I don’t think I’m exactly the expert here, Brenda." Then she folded her hands shyly on the vanity in front of her. "Herbert asked me to marry him in Hawaii, you know."

"No way!!" Brenda leaned closer. "What did you say?"

"I think I said yes," Miranda admitted sheepishly. "Actually, you’re the one to blame if it all falls apart."

"Me? What do I have to do with whether or not you and the Colonel can make a go of things?"

Miranda blushed a little and stared at her folded hands. "Well, Jax had told me that you were a romance writer before. And when we were going to Hawaii, I needed something to read on the plane, so I stopped in a shop at the airport and……and.……."

"You bought one of my books?"

Miranda nodded, still staring at her hands. "Passion’s Plentiful Pleasure." She blushed again. "And the sequel. And when we got to Honolulu, I found a bookstore and bought Encore to Ecstasy."

Brenda chuckled. "Wow! I should get a big royalty check this month thanks to you!" Then she raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I never figured you for a fan of romance novels, Miranda."

She shrugged. "Oh, when Jax told me about it, I made all the usual noises of outrage and shock." Then she turned to Brenda. "But secretly, whenever things were going bad between us, I would make a trip to this little hole-in-the-wall bookstore in Boston." She sighed and stared at a spot somewhere just above the mirror on the wall. "Somehow, reading about all that perfect romance and happily ever after made me think that things would work out for us, no matter how bleak the situation seemed at the time." She turned back to Brenda. "So, when I read the books in Hawaii and then Herbert popped the question, I just kept thinking that maybe he and I might deserve that happily ever after……"

"Well," Brenda giggled, "I guess if my mom and dad have made it this long together, ANYONE can do it!" She reached out a hand tentatively and then patted Miranda’s hand. "The Colonel *does* seem like a pretty great guy, if you ask me."

Miranda nodded. "He’s a good balance for me." Then she blushed again and looked down. "I have to admit, Hawaii was certainly romantic for us. Those sex scenes in your books are always…….inspiring."

"You know," Brenda said, pointing to the vanity top for emphasis, "that’s JUST what I tried to explain to Jax when I first told him about what I did for a living. He was all blustery and stuffed up about it being trash, but I tried to explain to him that sometimes, women just need an escape from their troubles. They need to read about a world where the man always takes out the garbage without being asked. And never guzzles beer or scratches inappropriate places in public. And always makes sure that the woman …….that she’s…….well, that when they make love, that she’s – happy – before he gets his own jollies."

Miranda suddenly straightened up and turned to Brenda. "Miss Barrett, I’ve been a real b*tch. Do you think we could possibly……start over?" She extended a hand.

Brenda paused but then smiled and clasped Miranda’s hand. "I think that’s one of the BEST ideas I’ve heard today."

Miranda sniffled a little and brushed at her eyes. Then she giggled and looked at Brenda from beneath lowered lashes. "And then, once we leave here tonight, I think I’m going to go back to our room, read a chapter or two of Lazy Lust and Longing…….." She leaned very close to Brenda. "……and then, I’m going to tickle Herbert’s winkie!"

Brenda gasped loudly and then collapsed into laughter, holding Miranda’s hands. "You go, girl!!!"

To her surprise, Miranda pulled back and the smile faded from her face. "Oh – I’m sorry. I thought things were so much better between us." She glanced down at her watch. "But our flight isn’t scheduled to leave until noon on Tuesday, and I don’t think we could move up our reservations……"

There was about a five second delay, and then Brenda burst into raucous laughter. "Oh, Miranda……you have got SO much to learn!!!"

*******************

It was a blurt. Looking back on it later, Jax admitted to himself that it was just a spur-of-the-moment, brainless, impulsive, stupid blurt.

He and Brenda had taken RJ and Ellie to the airport to meet Miranda and Herbert for their flight back to Boston. After the dinner party, Brenda and Jax had taken them sailing for most of their last day in sunny southern California. Brenda packed a picnic lunch, and before they hit the water, they had stopped at a mall where Brenda made sure RJ and Ellie would be fashionable clothed for some time to come. The children had had a wonderful time, although they were exhausted from all the fresh air and sunshine by the time they got back to Jax’s condo.

The drive to the airport was made in relative silence, the beeping of the Game Boy providing the only background noise. Brenda was excited at the prospect of having Jax all to herself again, even though he had been a tireless lover the night of the dinner party. Jax parked in the short-term lot and after finding a luggage carrier for the children’s suitcases, the little group was making their way towards the gate when it happened.

Ellie was the first to go. She stopped abruptly in the middle of the concourse, burst into tears, and threw herself into Brenda’s arms. "I don’t want to go back to Boston!" she sobbed. "I want to stay here with daddy and you! Why can’t momma and the Colonel just move here instead of making us go back to stinky old Boston?!"

RJ sniffled softly, trying his best to hide his emotions. But eventually, Ellie’s sobs got to him and he wrapped himself around Jax. "I want to stay here too, father," he admitted tearfully against Jax’s belt. "It’s more fun here in California than it is in stinky old Boston!"

Jax’s eyes were wide with panic as he looked towards Brenda for help. She was rubbing Ellie’s back, trying to calm her, when she finally pulled away from the little girl enough to look into her eyes. "Now, Ellie, don’t be so sad!" She reached for the teddy bear that Ellie was clutching tightly. "After all, Bear-neece here told me that she has to talk to me at least once a week on the telephone!" Brenda giggled. "And she’s the only stuffed bear I know with her own AT&T calling card!"

Jax crouched down to be level with RJ. "And I know it was fun here, son, but you have to realize that you were on Christmas break from school. If you lived here, we couldn’t go sailing all the time. You’d have to go to school, same as you do in Boston."

Brenda nodded wisely. "Your dad’s right." She stroked Ellie’s hair affectionately. "And you can come back to visit your dad and I just as soon as you have some time off school again. Your mom promised, remember?"

Their arguments seemed to stem the flow of tears until it came time to say goodbye at the gate. Brenda got enthusiastic hugs from RJ and Ellie that made her feel maternal inklings she swore she would never feel. She watched as Jax’s eyes misted when he hugged his children goodbye, and as they walked away with Miranda and Herbert, she put her arm around his waist to offer some kind of silent support.

Jax didn’t say anything, but they went to the large plate glass window to watch until the children’s plane was only a fading spot in the sky. Then Brenda squeezed Jax’s waist and tried to sound cheerful. "Well, that turned out a lot better than I thought it would, don’t you think?"

She wasn’t at all prepared when he turned to her, his eyes still wet with tears. "It turned out perfect. It *was* perfect. *You* were perfect with them. I never dreamed that they could be noisy, impolite, selfish, normal children." He took Brenda’s hands in his. "You’ve made them so happy during the past two weeks." He stroked her hair lovingly. "And you’ve made me happier than I can remember being in a long time."

Brenda narrowed one eye. "Well, you make me pretty happy too, Jax." Then she gave him a naughty smile. "Actually, the other night, you made me so happy I felt like I could go to the moon without a rocket."

Jax’s face lit up like a neon sign. "Then I’m just going to say it, because I know it’s the right thing to do." He cupped her face in his hands and rubbed his thumbs across her cheeks. "Brenda Barrett, will you marry me?"

To be continued……