“Hi,” he said, a slow grin spreading across his face. Then he did the perfect thing. He slid both palms onto her cheeks and leaned in for a kiss, backing her into the room as he did and kicking the door shut behind him. “I missed you.”
Her heart, already in a free-fall after last night, picked up speed. “I missed you, too.” God, she sounded like a giddy schoolgirl, too.
Damn, it felt good.
“So?” she asked a bit breathlessly as he backed her up against the mirrored closet door, peppering her mouth, her chin, her temple, the side of her neck, with kisses. She could hardly think. “It went well?”
“Best.” He stole another fast, hard kiss. “Ever.” He lifted his head, his eyes were all twinkly and sparkly and she didn’t think she’d ever been so attracted to anyone in her whole life. “The meeting was good, too.”
She spluttered a laugh, then grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked him back for another kiss.
“Wow,” he said against her lips. “Remind me to compliment you more often.”
He pushed his hands into her hair, sliding her ponytail free, and cradled her face again as he angled her mouth so they could take the kiss even deeper. Finally he lifted his head so they could catch their breath. He was studying her eyes and she was lost in his.
“What?” she finally said when he continued to just look at her.
“It went well?” he asked in return.
She smiled, feeling a tug on her heart. She’d been thinking about him all day, about how the meeting was going, if it was going his way and how exciting it all must be, and so it felt beyond good to know that even with all that going on, he’d been wondering how her day went as well. Funny, it wasn’t such a big thing, really, and yet it felt wonderfully huge to her. When had someone other than a coworker cared about her day? “Yes. Yes, it was really, really good.”
He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. It did things to her insides, the way he touched her so naturally, but so…intently. So perfectly. “I can’t seem to keep my hands off of you.”
She covered his hands with her own. “I like it when you touch me. I like it a lot.”
His smile spread. “Good. Because it’s a condition I don’t see recovering from for a very long time.”
She moved her hands to his shoulders and slid them around his neck so she could toy with where his hair brushed the nape of his neck.
“You have hours to cut that out,” he said, groaning a little. “Possibly days.”
She grinned. “Hmm, learning your hot spots might be fun. I’ll start keeping notes.”
He made her squeal in surprise by spinning her suddenly around and carrying them both back onto the bed. He braced himself on his forearms as he hit the mattress so his weight wouldn’t crush her…but covered her just exactly right.
“So…about your hot spots,” he murmured, nuzzling her neck. “I’d like to start mapping some myself. In fact…” He nipped along her jaw, making her squirm in the best of ways. “I think I’ve already determined a few of the coordinates.”
“Oh,” she said, her breathing already a bit ragged, grew even more so. “I—I think you’re doing a really fine job already.”
He chuckled, and just that reverberation against the tender skin of her neck made her skin tingle. Made lots of things tingle.
“So,” he said, shifting to drop kisses along the curve of her shoulder, which continued to do wonderful things to those tingly spots. “Did you get the chance to tell your mom everything you wanted to?”
She framed his face until he looked at her. “Yes, but first…did you get enough financing to get Betty Sue race-ready in time?”
He grinned. “I did.”
“And did you get the concessions you wanted, about their marketing ideas?” They’d talked about his meeting with the Vegas guys on their way down into town that morning. She really wanted to hear more about it, about the plane, what would happen next, the race. All of it fascinated her. Jake McKenna fascinated her. Period.
“I did, but you don’t want to hear all the de—”
“Actually,” she said, pulling him in for a hard, fast, kiss. “I really do. I think it’s exciting. And you’ve worked hard for this. I’m excited, too.”
“Okay,” he said, chuckling. “I’m kinda liking it when you get a little demanding.”
She just wiggled her eyebrows. “I’m serious, though. It’s interesting to me. When, exactly, is the big race? I know it’s next month, but when?”
“We’ve got six and a half weeks. It’s going to be killer crunch time trying to get her ready to roll.”
“And is your help going to be able to come? Your grandfather’s buddies?”
He nodded. “They’ll help me get her ready to race, then I have a team of guys that will also be there to crew for me during the race itself.”
“They must all be so excited.”
“I haven’t called them all yet.” He blew out a short breath. “I guess I’ll be doing that tomorrow in between lessons and a run back to Vegas.”
She smiled. “Is that offer still open?”
The twinkle deepened as his eyes grew darker. “Which offer is that?”
“To be your totally inadequate, completely useless copilot.”
“Ah, that offer.” He rolled to his back and took her with him, sprawling her across his body. His hands slid down her back and cupped her more closely to him. “I wouldn’t call you inadequate or useless.”
“I meant in an airplane cockpit.”
He squeezed her cheeks. “There, either.”
She laughed. “One-track mind.”
“Guilty as charged. Since the moment I left you this morning.” He dipped his head down and kissed her. “Are you saying you haven’t?”
“Who me?” She batted her eyelashes and laughed with him.
He sunk his fingers into her hair again, and watched it slip through his fingers. “Is it just me or is this incredibly fantastic?”
She bumped her hips a little. “This?”
“No,” he said, pulling her mouth her down to his for a long, slow, devastatingly tender kiss. “This.”
“Oh,” she said, her voice little more than a rasp. “That.”
“Yeah,” he said, that slow, devastating smile curving his mouth again. “What about that?”
“It’s…yeah, incredibly fantastic is a pretty good description.”
“That’s what I was thinking. And I’d love it if you would come to Vegas with me.”
“What time?”
“First thing in the morning.”
“Okay.”
He smiled. “Okay.”
She should have felt more…shy, or something, or at least awkward or uncertain. But it was already like the most natural thing in the world. Falling for Jake was so easy, too easy. She should be worried about that other shoe, the one that had to be dropping at some point. Things just didn’t go this smoothly. It should be complicated. Or more complicated than it was. And, so far, it was amazingly and almost completely uncomplicated.
He tapped her temples. “What’s going on in there?”
“Shouldn’t this be more complicated?”
He barked a laugh. “You’re looking for problems?”
She smirked at his laughing face. “I’m wary of the fact that there don’t seem to be any.”
A look…something, flashed across his face, so swiftly if she hadn’t been looking at him so intently, she’d have missed it. “What?”
“No, it’s…” But he didn’t finish.
“Nothing? I don’t think so.”
He wavered, but only for a split second, then he sighed. “Yeah…maybe not.”
Her heart stuttered, literally, inside her chest. “Go ahead.”
“It’s nothing that matters right this second, okay? Besides, I was kind of liking where we just were.”
“Yes,” she responded, working really, really hard not to let the vise that was presently squeezing her heart reflect in her expre
ssion. “Fantasy land. Who wouldn’t like it? So…spring the real-life part on me.”
“Wow, you sound so abruptly fatalistic.”
“I work in Washington, D.C. It goes with the territory.”
“Worked in D.C.”
“It hasn’t rubbed off yet.”
“Or Colorado hasn’t had enough chance to rub on.”
She just held his gaze until he finally dipped his chin and sighed a little again. Not the best sign. He was supposed to be reassuring her that whatever it was he was struggling with or stumbling over wasn’t really a big deal. Not that it was just something they could put off till later. “Putting things off till later is rarely the better plan, Jake. Just tell me.”
She struggled mightily to build some really fast walls and barricades around her heart, but quickly realized it was already far too late for that. Stupid, stupid her.
When he lifted his gaze to hers again, his looked far more somber than she’d ever seen. And any sliver of hope she’d been clinging to slipped slowly from her grasp. “Jake.”
“That’s just it. I can’t.”
She immediately slid off of him, the movement so abrupt he didn’t have time to grab hold of her. She rolled over and sprang off the bed. Pacing was good, better, anyway. Movement, anything, something to help her steady her swirling thoughts. She turned around at the far end of the room, arms folded. “Why? I mean, seriously, Jake, you can’t just say there’s some problem, some complication, then not tell me what it is. I doubt waiting until some later time is really going to make it better.”
He was already sitting on the side of the bed. “Come here, sit down.” He looked at her. “Please.”
“You’re supposed to be telling me it’s no big deal and I’m overreacting. Reassure me that I’m blowing this out of proportion.”
He stared her for several seconds, then simply said, “Would you just come over here and sit down for a moment?”
“Just tell me, are you dying? Is it something horribly tragic?”
He looked momentarily surprised, then laughed. “We’re all dying.”
“Not funny.”
“No, I can see that. No, I’m in no immediate danger.”
“So, what is it then…married, engaged, otherwise involved?”
His eyes popped wide. “What? No, of course not. Why in the hell would you think that?” He shook his head a little as if trying to make sense of her. “I mean, I know this is fast but I sure as hell thought you had a better opinion of me than that.”
“I did. Do. I don’t know. Yes, the man I was falling for wouldn’t—didn’t—seem like that kind of guy.”
“Because he’s not,” Jake said, and she could hear the edge of temper, or maybe it was hurt, in his tone. “We even talked about that, about how we feel about relationships. I’d never…” He trailed off, shook his head, more wearily this time.
She was torn, between feeling really badly for insulting him, for jumping to such a suspicious, insecure conclusion, for not giving him the benefit of the doubt, whatever it was. “I’m sorry.”
He looked at her. “Thank you.”
“And I mean it. I’m not usually that cynical. Truly. But when you said what you said…it’s just…I didn’t—couldn’t think—what else would be a complication to our relationship moving forward other than you dying or being already otherwise involved.”
“Family,” he said.
She frowned, thrown by that. “Family? Whose? Yours or mine?”
“Both.”
Now she crossed the room and sank down on the bed opposite his, so their knees almost brushed. “Why can’t you just tell me?”
“Because I promised.” He eyed her. “And I’m the kind of guy who keeps his word.”
“Jake, really, I don’t know what else to say. It was a knee-jerk reaction.” She couldn’t manage a smile, but her tone was at least rueful when she added, “Emphasis on the jerk part. But this all came out of nowhere. And if it has anything to do with my family, then don’t I deserve—need—to know what it is?”
“That would be the complicated part.”
“Okay. But if we’re going to move forward with each other, then I’d like for us to do it together, face things together, because that’s what we’ll need to do. I mean, trust me, I’m no more used to having to confide in or consult with anyone when it comes to making decisions on how I want to handle things, but with you…I’m actually enjoying that. I even look forward to it. I already find myself thinking, well, what would Jake say about that? or I’ll have to ask him about this. I wanted to tell you about today, share it with you, get your feedback. That’s all very new to me, but it feels really good. It’s like…I don’t know, knowing someone has my back, now. At least that’s what I want us to have.
“But if we’re not telling each other stuff, or being selective in what we share, then that foundation will always be shaky. Not to mention the fact that you said it was my family, too. How can you promise someone else that you won’t tell me something that involves me so directly?”
“Because it was my sister.”
“Oh,” she said, her shoulders slumping a little.
“Exactly. I really…I hear everything you’re saying and I couldn’t be more in sync with your vision on how things should be, trust me. This is just as new for me, and I am feeling all those same things. It’s just, I’ve never been in this position before and I want—need—to do the right thing, by both you and Ruby Jean. I couldn’t lie and say oh yeah, everything is perfect, no clouds. But…it’s—”
“Complicated,” she finished for him, nodding in understanding. She might not know the details, but she did comprehend his problem. It’s not a place she’d want to be stuck, either. And the fact that it was clearly bothering him, enough for them to even be having this conversation, meant she mattered to him. On par with the only other person he was truly connected to—his own sibling.
He raked his hands through his hair, swore under his breath. “This is so not how I pictured this evening going.”
“Me, either,” she said on a sigh. She still felt bad, but now that her heart had stopped cartwheeling, she was beginning to recoup a little. “But, while I do appreciate the spot you’re in, you can’t bring something like this up, then get all mysterious and close-mouthed about it, and not expect me to want answers. Yes, I overreacted initially, and I have to think about that, about why I was so convinced this couldn’t work that I jumped so hard on the first little sign that there might be a problem with Paradise—that’s on me. But you’re also part of why we’re sitting here like this right now and not tearing each other’s clothes off, and that, I’m afraid, is on you.” She rested her forearms on her thighs and reached her hands across the small gap between her knees.
He took her hands immediately in his, and it might be the most foolish thing she’d ever allowed herself to feel, but having the warmth and strength of his hand in hers made her believe that, no matter what it was, it would all be okay. As long as they tackled it together.
A ghost of a smile crossed his handsome face. “You wanna just forget it came up and get back to the ripping clothes part?”
He was too damn charming by half. She should be mad, or at least miffed. But she felt her lips twitching. “I haven’t crossed it completely off the list.”
His smile was there, but there was true regret in his eyes.
“I guess…can you tell me why you can talk to Ruby Jean about whatever this is, but not me? Is there a reason she’s concerned?”
“She doesn’t know you, and while she’s wild about the idea of us being together—do not doubt that for a second—this is important enough to her, to her future, that she doesn’t want to risk screwing it up by bringing someone else in—also with a vested agenda in the situation—and trusting them not to inadvertently ruin things for her if put between a rock and a hard place.”
“Wow.”
“Don’t take it personally, Lauren. And know that I stood up for you in th
is. She might not know she can depend on you, but I do.”
She tilted her head to the side a little, because he’d ducked his gaze right there at the end. “Do you? Really?”
He squeezed her hands, lifted his gaze to hers. “As real as I can know it to be, yes. And don’t take that as a slight, but you have an agenda in this, too, stakes in the outcome. And I…”
“You’re stuck in the middle. Right where I know you’d rather not be.”
“Pretty much anywhere else, yes.”
“But you trust me. To handle Ruby Jean’s…situation? Whatever you want to call it…you know I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize you in any way, and, by extension, I wouldn’t to your family, either.”
“Yes…”
“But—”
“I just need to think on it some, figure out the right way to do what’s best for…well, everyone.”
“Is there anything I can do to make that easier?”
“Actually…” He pulled their joined hands up and kissed the backs of her knuckles, then tugged a little and she fell across the gap between them, and he used her forward momentum to pull her all the way on top of him as he fell back on the bed.
“Jake, this is a great solution to a lot of things but—”
“Shh,” he said, leaning up to kiss her lightly. “I just like us better when as much of your body is touching as much of my body as possible.”
“Think more clearly that way, do you?” she asked, the wry note back in her voice. Not that she was struggling. Because, truth be told, whatever it was he had to figure out, this was where she’d most like to be while he did it.
“No, but it’s a lot more fun this way.” He scooted farther back on the bed and shifted her so she was curled up against his side. He reached up and dragged a pillow under his head, then snuggled her closer.
A Great Kisser Page 28