And almost to hers.
Chapter 3
Justus berated himself as he pulled the car to a stop in front of House of Hope. He didn’t know what he’d said, but he’d obviously said something wrong, because the normally talkative Dakota hadn’t said a word since they left the hospital parking lot. Now she clipped out, “The officer should be here any minute.”
He glanced over at her, but she hadn’t budged, so he peered out the windows toward the house not wanting to push her to move faster than she was ready to. Caution tape cordoned off most of the yard. And it looked like a crew had been by to remove the tree based on the lack of protruding branches and the huge swath of plastic sheeting tied over the gaping hole in the roof.
She galloped her fingers against the cast on her right arm, her fingernails tap, tap, tapping over it.
Finally he reached over and stilled her nervousness.
Her gaze flew to his.
He tried not to notice how good her slender fingers felt beneath his own, because a relationship with a woman, no matter how beautiful and enticing she might be, was the last thing he wanted in his life right now with the mess it was in – even if he hadn’t been able to think of much for the past two weeks other than how he was looking forward to seeing her. “I’m sorry.”
A furrow ticked her brow. “For what?”
He released her hand and eased back to his own side of the vehicle. “I’m not sure. I think I said something that upset you.”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t you....” Her words trailed off and her focus blurred against the dashboard for so long he was just about to reach over and still her fingers once again when she seemed to shake off her melancholy. “Well, we aren’t going to get my stuff just sitting out here, are we?” She reached for her door handle.
Justus touched her shoulder. “Let me get your crutches. Sit tight.” He wanted to pry for more details, but let her have her space and climbed from the car.
Bringing the crutches to her door, he waited till she’d swung her legs out and then reached in to grasp her good arm and pull her to her one good leg. When she was standing at full height her head came to just under his chin, despite her crazy shoes. She clutched his arm in a fireman hold to catch her balance and looked up. And he felt the power of her brown eyes all the way to his toes. For a moment he forgot the crutches clutched in his free hand. Her forearm was warm and smooth beneath his hand and before he realized what he was doing he’d stroked his thumb several times across the inner pulse point at her elbow.
Dakota swallowed visibly. “Justus—” She broke off whatever she’d been about to say and tore her gaze from his, then reached for the crutches. “Why were you here last night? I hadn’t even heard you were back in town, yet.”
He gave himself a mental shake and stepped back but not so far he wouldn’t be near enough to catch her if she lost her balance. “I came a few days early and Reece and Marie had an appointment with the pastor, so they asked me to come get you at six.”
She tilted him a look. “You were there just after five.”
He shrugged. He might as well test the waters a little. Forbidden though they might be. “Maybe I was looking forward to seeing you.”
“Right!”
“What? You don’t believe me?”
She tilted her head. “You asked for my number the last time you were leaving town. But you haven’t contacted me even once. But I’m supposed to believe you came by early because you wanted to see me?”
He folded his arms and leaned into his heels. “Maybe I’m shy.”
She laughed and shook her head. “No.”
He couldn’t resist the smile that begged for purchase. “Maybe I was worried you wouldn’t take my call or respond to a text.”
“You should have been worried about that. Because I totally would have ignored you, just so you know.” There was a hint of sass in the look she gave him. But as she tried to swing a step forward her ankle boot caught against the crutch and with her other foot in the totally impractical high heeled shoe, she started to topple.
He lunged forward and grabbed her shoulders, getting his shin clipped by a crutch for his trouble. “You okay?”
Her eyes were a bit wide, but other than that, she seemed fine. She nodded a bit breathlessly. “Thanks.”
He gave her a little space and moved the conversation back to where they’d been. “Maybe my life has been so complicated lately that there hasn’t been room in it for a relationship.” He nearly winced. He hadn’t meant to strike so close to the truth.
She frowned and seemed to ponder his words as she adjusted the crutches.
He waited till she had them settled firmly under her arms. “You good?”
She leaned into them and nodded.
He gave her a little more space, still keeping a close eye on her in case she needed help again.
“Complicated I can understand. Which brings me to what I wanted to say...”
He waited quietly, not quite sure what to feel. It might be a relief if she told him she wasn’t interested. Would certainly make things easier.
“I wanted to say thanks again for staying with me last night. I wasn’t really feeling like myself, and I hope I didn’t make you feel forced to stay with me.”
He stepped out of her way and folded his arms. He tightened his jaw a little bit terrified over just how much it had meant to have her to reach out for him last night. He spent so much of his life being rejected by the boys he was trying to help; being let down – even horrified – by their actions. To have someone actually reach to him. Need him. Want him nearby. Well that feeling was quite unlike any other. But he couldn’t tell her all of that, because that would just sound loony. So what he said was, “I stayed because I wanted to.”
“Well… thank you. It’s just…I remember grabbing your hand and…” Her cheeks turned a pretty shade that brought to mind strawberries and cream. She crutched a couple steps and glanced down the street, muttering something to herself that he didn’t quite catch.
But it brought to mind the first time he’d met her. The time she’d been talking to herself and he’d overheard her call him calendar worthy. He grinned at that. And just then she turned and caught his humor.
Her cheeks brightened another shade. “I’m talking to myself again, huh?”
He gave in to the urge to tease her a little. “It’s okay. I’ve learned some enlightening things while listening to you talk to yourself.”
She laughed uneasily. “Justus, I know I said…”
Her gaze flitted to his as though she was searching for help, but he was having too much fun with this to let her off easy. “You said what?”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “You know exactly what I said, but I want you to know, that just because I said you were…nice looking, doesn’t mean want a relationship right now.”
He eased out a breath. The words had hurt a lot more than he’d expected them to. But this was good. He gave himself a mental shake. Yes, this was better. “I’m actually glad you said that, because while I also find you attractive, I wasn’t really kidding about that last part. My life is in a bit of chaos right now and it’s not really a good time for me to be in a relationship.”
Dakota eased out a silent breath. See? She’d known he was only being a nice guy who did not wanting to hurt her feelings. And what she’d said was mostly true. It really wasn’t a good time for her to be launching into a relationship. But it wouldn’t have hurt her feelings much if he’d at least looked like he’d wanted a bit more than friendship from her.
His brows arched as he waited for her reply.
She pursed her lips and forced herself to nod like all was as she’d hoped. “Good. So… friends?” She leaned into her crutches and held out one hand to him.
He stepped close and wrapped her fingers in his. “Friends.”
A zing of awareness zipped up her arm and down her spine. Oh boy. Maybe the handshake had been a mistake. She tugged to be released, but h
e tightened his grip for just a moment. And when her gaze flew to his, he grinned. “I’m going to like being your friend, Dakota Trask.”
And I’m going to be tortured to only be yours, Justus Teague.
He swept a glance toward her shoes. “As your friend can I just say for the duration of the time you are on crutches, it would probably be best to wear flat, practical shoes.” He winked.
She stretched out her leg and angled her mint suede spool heel back and forth. “What? You don’t think these are the best crutching gear?”
The squad car pulled up just then and Police Chief Tom Hansen stepped from the vehicle.
Dakota smiled at him. “Hi, Chief. Couldn’t find anyone else to babysit me, huh?”
He chuckled. “Unfortunately, there was a lot of damage last night and all my officers are occupied elsewhere.” He swung a look to Justus.
Dakota pointed the end of her crutch at him. “This is Justus Teague. Justus, chief of police Tom Hansen.”
Justus nodded and shook the man’s hand.
The chief ambled up the walkway to the front door. “Riley coming?”
“She should be here any minute. I called her when we were leaving the hospital. Thanks for letting us in to get our stuff.”
Tom smiled at her over his shoulder. “Sure. We can’t have you ladies living without your shoe collections.”
Dakota chuckled and felt heat sear her cheeks.
Justus’ laughter floated on the wind. “That would be a tragedy for sure!”
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Song of the Surf, Pacific Shores, Book 3
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Caught in the Current (Pacific Shores Book 2) Page 20