by Lori Foster
She braced herself for sound arguments. “It’s not that I think your family won’t be…fine.”
Jett took another giant bite of pizza, watching her with an enigmatic expression.
“I’m sure they’re very nice people.”
He finished off his cola. “I’ve always thought so.”
Natalie heard a gnawing sound and, puzzled, looked under the table. “Oh no!” Buddy was chewing on a chair leg. Aghast, she crawled under the table and retrieved him.
As she backed out with the dog in her arms, she glanced up and saw Jett with a brow cocked.
Oh Lord.
Hugging the dog closer, Natalie said, “He, ah…” She closed her eyes, unable to spit it out. But when she heard Jett shifting, she opened them again.
He leaned down to look under the table, and she knew he’d just seen the gnarled wood. “Damn.” He didn’t sound all that angry, but he did look resigned.
Natalie waited for him to get mad, and when he didn’t, she marveled at him. Buddy had just scarred one chair of a four-chair matching dinette set—but Jett took it in stride. In fact, he seemed more concerned with eating than with the damage to his property.
Such an amazing man—in more ways than she’d ever considered.
For some reason, she felt guilty about the chair. “Can it be repaired, do you think?”
Jett shrugged. “I guess I better get him some chew toys first thing. My sister probably has something at her clinic.”
His incredible acceptance of the dog momentarily sidetracked Natalie. Anyone could see that Jett was a man well used to female attention. He had a confidence streak a mile wide. In every situation, he seemed at ease.
He was gorgeous, charming and he had that dreamy rock-hard bod. So he had to be a regular lothario, right?
Yet that image seemed in direct odds to a family man, a guy who viewed any meddling from his sisters with warm affection. The freewheeling bachelor persona contrasted sharply with the man who shrugged off destruction of his personal property by a stray dog.
Knowing she was fast sinking past the point of no return, Natalie sighed.
“Is there a reason for that mournful sound?”
She shook her head and continued to watch him. Jett always looked good to her. Better than good. His lean but strong physique was a big turn-on for her. And those eyes…
She shivered. Jett had the most incredible eyes she’d ever seen on anyone. The man could look at her, and she felt seduced.
But now, having unveiled new dimensions to his personality, she found him more tempting than ever. When she thought of spending the next several days with him, butterflies took flight in her stomach.
She wanted and needed time to acclimate before being scrutinized by his family.
Jett’s gaze remained on her, intent, watchful, as if awaiting something.
She cleared her throat. “I can go along tomorrow in case Buddy is afraid of the ride. But considering how things really are between us, maybe it’d be better if I waited for you in the car instead of going into the clinic.”
He tipped his head just a little, noting how Buddy rested against her. “How are things between us?”
Being honest, Natalie said, “New.”
“We’ve known each other for a while now.”
“In bed, yes.”
He countered that by saying, “In every intimate way possible.”
Oh God, if he talked about all that they’d done together, she’d start to feel it, too.
Her entire body flushed under the impact of Jett’s potent gaze. But then Buddy rested his chin on her shoulder and let out a loud doggy sigh. Absently, Natalie cuddled him. She hadn’t known that holding a pet provided so much pleasurable warmth and affection. Against her cheek, his fur was warm and soft, his whiskers tickling.
Without looking at Jett, she said, “Everything is different now that we’re…shifting the way we spend time together.”
The seconds ticked by and she couldn’t take it. Feeling Jett’s unnerving stare, she glanced up.
Very slowly, he left his seat and came to her.
He cupped her face. “You don’t come from a big family, so you don’t know how this works.”
“How what works?”
“I guarantee you that right now Connie is on the phone with one of my other sisters, and between them, they’ll make sure the whole family knows about you within minutes.”
That idea staggered her. Why would they care? She was far from the first woman Jett had ever dated, and she knew she wouldn’t be the last. He had more experience than most ten men combined. Knowing what she did about him now, about his edgy career choices and daring lifestyle, only emphasized the differences in their lives.
So why introduce her to his family?
The idea almost panicked her. She knew zip about big families. As a teacher, she met parents on a purely professional basis. As a daughter, what she knew of parents was laughable. She and Molly were close, but it wasn’t like in most families.
Most families didn’t include one parent gone and the other…uncaring.
Natalie squeezed the dog tighter. “You told Connie not to alert them!”
Concerned, Jett rubbed his thumbs over her cheeks and said with a strange sort of apology, “She will anyway.”
“But…” Natalie shook her head. “That doesn’t make any sense.”
Jett’s gaze stayed steady on her face. “Natalie…” Time to quit while she was ahead.
Bending down, Natalie put Buddy back on the floor. He’d been totally limp against her, utterly relaxed, and now he looked startled, filling her with guilt.
He bounced his gaze back and forth between them with trepidation.
Jett said to him, “It’s okay, Buddy.”
And just like that, he dropped his butt down to sit.
Bemused, Natalie let out a breath. “You’ve cast a spell on him or something.” Many times she had wondered why Jett, and Jett alone, could draw such strong reactions from her, getting her to do things normally considered uncharacteristic to her nature, making her feel things she hadn’t known were possible. Now she had evidence that he possessed some strange power.
He tipped her face up to his. “About tomorrow—”
Oh no. She could not discuss this with him right now. She mustered up a cheerful expression. “How long will it take us to get to your sister’s clinic?”
The heat of his frustration beat against her. “Fifteen minutes or so.”
“I’ll be ready in plenty of time.” She forced a yawn. “But for now, I’m exhausted. It’ll be a long day tomorrow, and I need to finish getting a few things together. I still have to shower, too. And I absolutely have to reach my sister before I go.”
“Shh.” Jett kissed her, and somehow, after all they’d done, this kiss felt different.
Sweeter.
More…loving.
No. No, no, no. Natalie pushed back from him, alarmed, afraid. She could not let herself be convinced of a depth of emotion that probably didn’t exist. Jett wanted to spend more time with her. Fine. She could do that.
But simple dating rituals did not equal love.
Before he could say anything more, she started for the door. Buddy jumped up and stared after her. Jett tracked her with a frown.
She blocked both expressions of appeal, determined to escape. When she didn’t slow, Buddy plopped down on his butt and whined. Jett put his fists on his hips.
Forcing a smile, Natalie said, “Good night. I’ll see you both bright and early tomorrow morning.”
And as she went out the door, both males gave her identical expressions—of deep disappointment.
*
A LONG HOT SHOWER did little to help focus Natalie’s jumbled thoughts and conflicting emotions. On the one hand, she was thrilled at the idea of expanding her relationship with Jett; on the other, the thought of setting herself up for heartbreak absolutely terrified her.
No, Jett wouldn’t deliberately mislead her.
Any hurt feelings or damaged pride would be her fault, not his. He hadn’t asked her to commit to him. He only wanted to traditionalize their time together. He wanted them to date.
Nothing misleading in that.
But to have to meet his family, too? She shuddered at the thought. Meeting them would imply a sort of emotional intimacy that, to her knowledge, didn’t exist for…him.
For her part, knowing him better only sharpened the ache in her heart.
With Jett so wonderful, his family had to be pretty great too. What did she know of interacting with family? Nada. Well, except for Molly—whom she couldn’t reach, damn it.
Where was her sister?
She glanced at the clock, but it wasn’t so late that she couldn’t indulge in a quick phone call. She called her stepmother first, but that was a dead end. Kathi claimed to have no idea where Molly had “gotten off to” and she didn’t share Natalie’s concern.
“She’s probably doing a book signing or touring or something.”
Natalie shook her head. “She always tells me first.”
Impatient, Kathi laughed. “Don’t be absurd, Natalie. Your sister is a grown woman, not a child, and she doesn’t have to account for her every moment, not even to you.”
Natalie rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t saying—”
“You know how Molly is. When she gets involved in research, she often forgets everything and everyone else.”
With you and Father, Natalie wanted to say, but she held back the snarky reply. Molly worked hard to maintain a relationship with their father because she still cared about those familial ties.
Natalie didn’t really give a flip one way or the other.
Striving for a polite tone, she said, “Could you ask Father if maybe he’s heard anything—”
“Not tonight I won’t.” Kathi laughed again in a wholly condescending way. “Natalie, dear, it’s late and you know that your father is far too busy to be bothered with this sort of nonsense.”
“But Dad might know something.”
“I’ll mention it to Bishop in the morning and if he does, I’ll call you. But really, stop panicking.”
Through her teeth, Natalie said, “I am not panicked. I am concerned.”
Kathi let out a sigh. “With you, it’s hard to tell the difference. Just give your sister a few days before you start bothering Bishop or anyone else. Now I really must go. Good night, dear.”
And with that, Kathi hung up. Natalie growled at the dead phone. No, she didn’t dislike Kathi just because she’d married her father, or because her father hadn’t mourned her mother’s death for long, or because Kathi had effectively distanced her even more from her father.
She disliked Kathi because she was a sanctimonious, uppity, judgmental bitch.
And because, given those traits, she was the perfect woman to be Bishop Alexander’s wife.
Making a face, Natalie decided on a long shot and called Molly’s ex-fiancé, Adrian.
Being that Adrian ran a bar, this was normal business hours for him. His bartender answered and put her through to Adrian’s office.
Surprise sounded in his tone. “Natalie?”
God, how Natalie despised Adrian Wiseman. From the very beginning, she’d known that he wasn’t good enough for her sister. It had taken Molly a while to realize it, unfortunately. “Hello, Adrian. I’m sorry to bother you.”
Cautiously, because Adrian held out hope of getting back with Molly, he said, “It’s fine, fine. What’s up?”
“I haven’t been able to reach Molly. She’s not answering her calls, and…you know how close we are.”
Unlike Kathi, Adrian accepted that. “Yes, I do.” A new alertness entered his tone. “You’re worried?”
“Getting there, yes. Tomorrow I’m leaving for a spring-break vacation, but I hate to go without talking to Molly first.”
He cleared his throat. “Ah…you do realize that we’re no longer engaged?”
Dolt. “Like I said, Molly and I are close.” And she’d cheered for Molly during the breakup. Never, not for a single second, had she ever considered Adrian good enough for her sister. He was an opportunist who saw dollar signs when he looked at Molly, not only because of their father’s wealth but because of Molly’s fast-growing fame as a bestselling novelist.
“Right.” Annoyance sharpened Adrian’s tone. “So then you’re calling me…why?”
Natalie sighed. “Just a long shot, I guess. I didn’t know who else to ask. It’s not like her to take off without telling me first.”
A heavy pause strained her patience, and then Adrian drew all the wrong conclusions. “You think she might be having regrets?”
“What? No!”
Adrian didn’t seem to hear her. “Maybe she’s off by herself, rethinking her position, maybe…missing me.”
Oh, good grief. “Not likely, Adrian. I thought you might have talked to her, though, and since you haven’t, I’ll let you go.”
“I’ll call her too,” he rushed to say. “If I get hold of her, I’ll let her know that you’re concerned.”
Lovely. Now Molly would strangle her. “That’s okay. I’m sure Kathi’s right and Molly is just off researching something. You know her research sometimes takes her to obscure places. Maybe she doesn’t have cell reception or something.” Natalie rushed through her words, but she wanted off the phone before she said anything else to encourage Adrian. “Gotta go. Take care, Adrian. Bye-bye.”
Adrian was in midsentence when she hung up on him, and she winced in guilt. She’d ended up doing the same as Kathi!
Without her sister to talk to, Natalie accepted that she had no one.
Except Jett.
But she couldn’t do that to him. In almost every way, Jett was the ideal bachelor. He had the job he wanted, the hours he wanted, the freedom he wanted.
He was good at being single, and he was great at winning female attention. She had to remember that at all times.
So what to do?
It took a few deep breaths for her to make up her mind. Men like Adrian were a dime a dozen; she and her sister had both had their share of shrugging off the jerks, the users, the fakes and phonies. But a man like Jett?
One in a million.
And he wanted her.
She’d be a fool not to take everything he offered, and if that meant navigating the uncomfortable social scene, or even meeting his family, so be it.
With her mind made up, Natalie went to the living room where she had everything she’d need for the trip piled up by the door. One tote bag held her beauty supplies—makeup, hair brushes, lotion and the like. She had her laptop case and her camera. Another bag held a few snacks for the road. Yes, she liked to stop often on the long drive, but she also liked to munch while driving.
She dragged her sparsely packed suitcase back to her bedroom, plopped it up on the bed and opened it. Now that Jett would be joining her, she needed to exchange her warm, practical thermal pajamas for something more appealing. After she’d loaded in a thin nightgown, some sexy panties and a negligee she’d never had reason to wear, she closed up the suitcase and put it at the end of the bed.
Standing there in the dim, silent bedroom, alive with expectation for the coming week, Natalie detected the sound of an engine in the parking area.
She was ridiculously attuned to Jett, so she easily distinguished the distinct sound of his SUV. Wherever had he been?
Knowing she’d have a better view of the lot from her dining room, she left her bedroom and went to the patio doors to peek out the curtains. Sure enough, Jett parked his shiny black SUV, and his headlights went dark.
Puzzled, Natalie stood there, wondering where he’d gone and why. For her, it was late, but then she kept a school teacher’s hours. Being late March, it still got dark early, and even worse, wind whistled and tree branches bent beneath a gathering storm.
But as a bachelor, Jett often went out late. Before they’d gotten sexually involved, he’d sometimes come home in the wee hou
rs of the morning. Natalie frowned as she watched him open the driver’s door and step out. Thanks to the well-lit parking area, she saw him heft an overflowing bag into one arm. Beneath his other arm he carried a big padded item—and she realized it was a doggy bed.
Struck by his caring, she bit her bottom lip.
The cold wind blew Jett’s dark hair into his face and parted his unzipped jacket, but he didn’t rush. He lifted Buddy from the vehicle and set him on the ground. Buddy now wore a collar attached to a leash that Jett had wrapped around his wrist.
Natalie squinted at the bags he carried. She could just make out a dog dish and a giant chew bone on the top of the stuffed bag.
He’d gone shopping for Buddy.
Ahhhhh….
She put a hand to her mouth and tried to fight back the emotions—without success. Knowing what he’d done, and that he probably thought nothing of it, left her staggered by his bighearted nature.
That damned emotion swelled even more, choking her, making her feel both hot and soft. They’d both put in a full day, the weather was turning nasty, and still Jett had gone out of his way to make Buddy comfortable.
Natalie’s quickened breathing fogged against the icy window. She rested her forehead there, but it did nothing to cool her.
She couldn’t wait to get to Tennessee tomorrow. It wouldn’t be summer-warm, but it should be milder than the brisk Ohio weather, especially now with a storm blowing in. She and Jett would be all alone together. She anticipated all the things she’d missed in life, like quiet meals together, maybe a few joint showers, walks in the woods with Buddy, talking, exploring and…growing closer.
When Jett glanced up at her window, Natalie ducked away. With her apartment dark he wouldn’t be able to see her anyway, but she didn’t want to take a chance. At the same time, she liked it that he’d glanced toward her place, because she always glanced toward his.
And sometimes she saw him in his window, as if he, too, could recognize the sound of her arrival.
It occurred to her that Buddy looked not the least traumatized by the trip in the car, which negated her need to go along with Jett in the morning. But she wanted to go anyway. He’d invited her, the dog was half hers and…she wanted to spend every minute with Jett that she could.