Jumping Feet First

by Melissa Stevens

  “You’re something else, lambchop.”

  Warmth and contentment spread through her. She could stay like this a long time and not be unhappy.

  Chapter 19

  James couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so content to just be with someone, not doing anything, just being in their presence. He wouldn’t turn down more if it happened, but that wasn’t what he was after, at least not tonight. He wanted to get to know her better, to figure out why no matter where he’d gone, no matter who had flirted with him, they’d failed to stir his interest or keep Allison from sneaking into his head when he should have been focusing on other things.

  A timer buzzing reminded him to check on their dinner. Ally moved so he could stand without knocking her over. In the kitchen, he pulled the pizza from the oven and set it on the stove before realizing he didn’t see a knife or any way to cut it. He could start looking through drawers and cabinets, be decided to ask.

  “Um, how do I cut this?”

  “There’s a pizza wheel in the drawer to the right of the stove,” Ally called back. “Plates are in the cabinet above that.”

  James couldn’t help but smile at the way she anticipated what he was going to ask next. He found what he was after, sliced the pizza and carried both plates into the living room, handing one to her. He was about to sit down when he realized he’d forgotten napkins.

  “Crap.”

  “What?” She looked up at him with an expression he couldn’t place, but even without knowing exactly what it meant, it spoke to him.

  “I forgot napkins.” He set his plate on the table beside the couch. “I should probably grab something to drink too. What do you want?” He headed back to the kitchen.

  “There’s soda and beer in the fridge.”

  James didn’t see any napkins so he tore a couple paper towels off the roll on the counter. “Which do you want?”

  “With pizza? A beer sounds good.” She fell silent then called out again before he could get the refrigerator door open, “They’re pop tops. The opener is in the same drawer as the pizza wheel.”

  It only took him a moment to find the bottles in the fridge. They were a brand he didn’t recognize, and he probably wouldn’t have thought to check the lids, so it was a good thing she warned him. He took everything back to the sofa where she was halfway through her pizza.

  “Thanks,” she said as she took the paper towel, then the drink. She set her plate on her lap and took a sip as James picked his plate back up and sat. “Perfect. I’m not sure there are two things that go together better than pizza and beer.”

  It was one of his favorite food combinations, so he wasn’t in the mood to argue. They ate without talking, each content to focus on their food, until Ally finished and leaned back, her plate balanced on her lap.

  “Want more?” If he’d been as busy as she usually was, he’d probably eat the whole pizza himself, but today he’d spent most of the day in the truck, Cheyenne to Garrett was not a fast trip, but he’d wanted his truck so he could do and go as he pleased.

  “No. I’m good. Give me a minute and I’ll go clean up.”

  James resisted the urge to frown. As if he’d let her do that. He’d cooked because he could see her feet hurt to stand on, he’d take care of putting away the food and doing the dishes when he was done. Until then, he was content to watch her as she sipped the beer and let her head fall back against the back of the couch.

  James had just finished his pizza when Ally sighed. He could tell she was bracing herself to get up and clean up. Before she had a chance, he stood, picking up her plate on his way.

  “I was going to take care of that.”

  “No need. I got it. Where are your bags?”

  “Left side of the stove,” was her only answer.

  James made quick work of putting away the left overs and washing the few dishes they’d created, and the whole time Ally remained silent. He suspected she was grumbling to herself, he’d heard her do it a couple times when she didn’t realize he was listening.

  The thought made him smile. He found her quiet muttering to herself about how rude someone, usually him, was and how she’d ought to this or that, usually things he knew she’d never do, like slap the shit out of him or stab him with a dull spoon, was cute. It was a little surprising to hear such violent and aggressive ideas from someone as sweet and gentle as Ally, but it hadn’t taken him long to realize this was how she handled her frustration. He’d wondered if she was even aware she was doing it. Somehow, he didn’t think she was. He knew her well enough to know she’d be horrified if she knew he’d overheard it.

  Finished in the kitchen he went back in the living room and sat beside her once more. She slid back under his arm and snuggled in without even looking at him, whatever she had on the tv seemed to have captured her attention. He had no clue what it was, other than some kind of cooking competition.

  “You said something about getting a room in town,” she said after a few minutes.

  “That’s my plan.” He thought she was going to say something, but she didn’t, not for several minutes.

  “I don’t like it,” Ally said long after James thought she’d forgotten what they’d been talking about. “You getting a room in town.”

  “Why?”

  “I have plenty of room here. You can have one of my extra rooms, or you can share my bed with me.”

  That was the last thing he’d expected to hear. James sat stunned for a moment. He didn’t want to turn her down. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to sleep with her, he did, but he wanted more than a night of passion. For reasons he didn’t yet understand, Ally had gotten under his skin and he wanted to find out why. To get to know her better. For the first time since he was a teenager, James didn’t know how to respond to a woman.

  “You don’t want to stay?” she said after a few minutes, disappointment plain in her voice.

  “It’s not that I don’t want to, lambchop. I’m just not sure I should.”

  She pulled away and turned to look at him, a frown marring her normally smooth forehead.

  “Why not?”

  James opened his mouth then closed it again. He didn’t want to screw this up and if he wasn’t careful of what he said, he would. Biting his lips he tried to find the right words.

  “If you were just some woman I met on the street or picked up in a bar, I wouldn’t hesitate. I’d fall into bed and out again just as quickly.” He paused and took a breath. “But I feel like there’s more than that here. More than a one-night stand or quick fling before one or both of us moves on. I’m not sure falling into bed so soon is the right idea.”

  “Fine. Then you can have one of the spare bedrooms.” She turned around and sat back against him again. “I don’t jump into bed with just anyone, but if you want to wait, we can do that. I think I get what you’re saying. But I hate the idea of you in some impersonal room in town. I’ve seen the only motel in town. It’s at least forty years old and I have no clue when the last time it was remodeled was, if ever. This place isn’t the Hilton, but it’s not had two or three thousand people in the beds.”

  She had a point there, but he preferred not to think about it. Once in a while instead of headquarters being set up in a high school like it had been here, they’d get put in a motel. They shared rooms, but it’s a little more private and the showers tended to be better. Though, usually he was so tired he didn’t care much.

  “I’d be happy to stay here. It means more time with you.” He gave her a brief hug and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.

  They sat for a while, just enjoying each other’s company while she watched the end of her show. It had ended when she couldn’t hold back a yawn.

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. It’s a long drive from Cheyenne.”

  “You drove the whole way today? How long is that?”

  “With stops to eat, walk around and use the restroom, about twelve hours.”

  “You drove twelve hours
and didn’t say anything? You have to be completely worn out. The drive from St. Louis is not quite double that and I took four days. I couldn’t handle being in the car that long.”

  James shrugged. He didn’t know what to say. Yes, it was a long drive, but he’d had much longer days for the last several months so he didn’t see it as that big of deal. He wasn’t even as tired as he claimed to be, but he could see Ally was.

  “Come on.” She scooted to the edge of the sofa, then stood. “I’ll show you to your room and where everything is.”

  “Sure.” He followed her up the stairs and down the short hall.

  “This is the biggest bedroom after mine. It’s also got the biggest bed.” She looked him up and down. “I don’t think you’d enjoy a twin much.”

  “I’ve slept worse places.”

  “I know but you came all this way to see me, the least I can do is make you comfortable.” She left the door open and took a few more steps before opening a door on the opposite side of the hall. “This is your bathroom.”

  “Mine?”

  “Yeah, the last owners remodeled enough that I have a master bath off my room.” She waved toward the door at the end of the hall, which he assumed was hers.

  “Bet that makes it easier when you have guests.”

  “I wouldn’t know, you’re my first.”

  “No one has come see you? Not even your parents?”

  Ally shook her head. “I told you, my parents aren’t much interested in me. They’ve got too much going on to come see my little rebellion.”

  Her tone said those weren’t her words but something one of her parents had called her sheep operation. For a moment he wanted to find them and slap some sense into them, but let the urge go. It wasn’t his place, at least not yet.

  “Extra towels are in this cabinet, and there are spare blankets in your closet if you get cold. If you need anything else, I’m at the end of the hall.”

  “I’ll be fine. I’m a big boy.”

  “I know.” She had an odd small smile curving her lips.

  “Come here a minute.”

  “What?” She looked confused.

  “Come here.” He took her hand and tugged her close. “I might not be ready to jump into bed, but I’d still like a good night kiss.” He gave her time to protest or pull away, but she didn’t.

  Instead she stretched up to meet him half way, her arms wrapped around his neck and tugged him just a little closer. His body heated as she slid her body closer until it fit perfectly against his. Their lips met and the world narrowed. Time seemed to stop, nothing mattered. Nothing but the woman in his arms.

  In that moment James knew he’d been right to wait. Not falling into bed would only make their relationship stronger. But was he strong enough to resist the temptation? God, he hoped so. If anyone was worth it, he thought she was.

  “Go to bed. I’m going to go out and get my bag.” James pulled away slowly. Her half-lidded gaze tempted him to pull her back into his arms but he resisted. “Do you lock the doors?”

  Ally blinked as if it took a couple seconds for his words to register. “No. I’m too far out for anyone to bother with me. If someone’s out this far and needs shelter, let them in.”

  James frowned. That anyone could come in here and hurt her, that there was nothing to stop them or even slow them didn’t sit right with him. “Not everyone has good intentions you know.”

  “I know. That’s why I keep my .45 next to the bed.”

  “That’s smart. Any other weapons??”

  “I’ve got a shotgun in the closet near the front door. It’s more for animals than trespassers so I don’t feel like I need to keep it as easily accessible.”

  “They both loaded?”

  She watched him a moment, as if trying to gauge his response.

  “I know it’s not what’s in these days, it’s not the ‘safe’ thing to do. Yes. They’re both loaded and unlocked. I live alone and my weapons are for self-defense. Keeping them unloaded and locked up would make them useless to me.”

  “I’m not judging.” He held both hands up in front of him.

  She scowled as she turned for her room. “Just remember to knock if you need something,” she said over her shoulder. “I’m not used to having other people in the house.”

  James wasn’t sure if that was a warning or if she was that unhappy with him questioning her about her guns. He understood why most people kept their weapons locked up, but he was on her side on this one.

  He waited until she closed her bedroom door then headed back down the stairs and out to the driveway where he grabbed his duffle from the back seat of his truck and took it back inside.

  In his temporary room he glanced around, and found a chair to one side, where he set his duffle. After digging a moment, he came up with a pair of sweat pants he’d cut off into shorts and his hygiene bag. With everything he needed, he went across the hall to the bathroom. After twelve hours on the road, a shower sounded like heaven.

  James woke to the heavenly scents of coffee and bacon. Had Ally managed to slip past his door and down the stairs without waking him? That was twice she’d woken him. He was usually a light sleeper and woke at the slightest sound, but for some reason, here, with her only a few feet away, he slept harder than he had since he was a kid.

  He rolled out of bed and landed on his feet before grabbing a t-shirt from his bag and slipping it over his head as he headed out of the room. He tugged the hem down as he made his way down the stairs to the first floor.

  James found Ally in the kitchen, a long t-shirt falling half way down her thighs as she danced to the music coming from a small speaker he hadn’t noticed on the counter top a few feet away. A spatula in her hand, she danced around, totally unaware he was there. He stood for a moment, enjoying her carefree moment.

  Ally danced a couple minutes longer before she spun around, spotting him. Her face turned red and she turned her back on him, focusing on the food.

  “Aww. Don’t stop. I was enjoying it.” He moved in behind her, dropping a quick kiss on her cheek before stepping back to give her some room. “Where’s the mugs?”

  “Cabinet over the pot.” She waved one hand toward the coffee pot on another section of counter top. “You put anything in your coffee?”

  “Only if it’s really bad. This doesn’t smell like it.” He stepped over to pour himself a cup. When he turned back, he found her dancing again, a little more subdued, but still moving along with the music as she cooked. He leaned one hip against the counter top and watched her as he sipped his coffee. He’d been right, her coffee didn’t need anything, though from the looks of her mug beside the stove, she added a bit of milk, and the sugar bowl beside the pot told him she probably added a little sugar too.

  “I hope you like eggs.”

  “I do.”

  “Fried or scrambled?”

  “Either’s fine.”

  Ally shot him a narrow-eyed look. “How do you like your fried eggs? Over easy, sunny side up?”

  “Over medium, please.”

  “Whites, cooked, yolk runny. I can do that.” She cracked several eggs into a skillet and a few minutes later scooped them onto plates before shutting off the stove. She set the plates on the bar in front of the stools where they’d sat before then turned back and pulled more plates of bacon and toasted biscuits from the oven. “There’s jam in the fridge.” She nodded toward the appliance as she went to the flatware drawer and pulled out utensils.

  James grabbed a couple jars of homemade jelly from the fridge without knowing what they were and met her back at the bar. They each sat and helped themselves to bread and meat before digging in. “What’s this?” he asked turning one jelly jar as he looked for a label, but there wasn’t one.

  “Wild raspberry preserves.”

  He put a little on his biscuit and tasted it. “It’s good. Do you make it?”

  “No. I trade for it. the eggs too.”

  “I miss the barter system. We used to
do it a lot in Hawthorne, but I don’t get much chance in Cheyenne, not that I spend much time there anymore. I’m either out chasing fires,” he shot her an amused look, “or working somewhere out of town that provides housing.”

  “But you’re paying rent? On a place where you almost never there?”

  He’d never looked at it that way. Was there a way he could store his things and not pay hundreds of dollars a month on rent every month? He could stash the cash for something later if he did that. He’d have to look into options.

  “I never thought about it. I moved out and got my own place, I didn’t think about not being there.” He paused. “I have to admit it’s nice to have a place to go home to when I get a few days, but I don’t know that it’s worth eight hundred a month.”

  Her mouth opened and she stared at him a moment before she closed her mouth again and looked back down at her plate. He wasn’t sure what she’d been about to say, but he had a suspicion.

  “That’s nearly ten thousand a year.”

  He couldn’t help but be impressed she’d done the math in her head. He hadn’t realized it was that much, but now that he did, he’d have to find some kind of solution that didn’t cost so much. That was a lot of money to throw away every year.

  “What’s the plan for day?” He took the last slice of bacon off the plate and took a bite.

  “I need to go milk my ewes and nannies, then I’ve got a few other chores, nothing that will take very long. Then we could go into town if you want.”

  “I’m good with whatever you need to do. I know you’ve got a lot going on and weren’t planning to have someone here to disturb your routine.”

  “I can take some time away from here. It would be good for me to have a couple hours away from here that’s not just to go work somewhere else.”

  “You sure? I know the fire put you behind.”

  She smiled then leaned toward him and rested her forehead against his upper arm. “It did, but I can make it up some other time. I’ve gotten some done already, despite the extra clean up.” She sighed. “I was lucky. Damn lucky, that I did lose everything, including my life. I’ll never make the mistake of not evacuating again.”