“That’s an interesting way of putting things. I guess you noticed we’re pretty demonstrative.”
“I did. It was nice to see. My mom and dad divorced when I was in the sixth grade. I rarely saw him after that. Mother was a good mom, though. Very supportive and loving.”
“Speaking of mothers, Jillian told me Mom was there when she had Jaxon. She saw her hovering above her. Kinda blows my mind. You told me that night my mom was probably there. I didn’t say much, because I thought that couldn’t possibly be true. What made you tell me that?”
“I’ve heard numerous stories about that sort of thing, and I believe it.”
He wasn’t sure he believed it at all, but it would be nice if it could possibly be true. “Have you ever seen a ghost, Paige?”
She hesitated before answering. “No, but a lot of people have. When you hang out at a hospital you hear plenty of stories.”
“Drug induced hallucination would be my guess at what they saw.”
She chewed on her bottom lip. “Jillian didn’t have drugs. She had an epidural. Besides, I’d rather believe our loved ones can come visit. It’s comforting, especially for people who are ill and dying or who have lost someone they love, and no one should scoff at whatever people see that makes them feel safer and cared for.”
He tucked her head onto his shoulder. “You’re right. You’ve been in situations where loved ones might come, and I haven’t. I like that you’re so caring and nurturing.”
Paige leaned her head back, looking perplexed. “You think I’m nurturing?”
Her question surprised him. “How could I not? You came when Jillian was in the hospital. You chose a vocation where you’re constantly care-taking. Of course you’re nurturing.”
“I’ve never thought of myself that way. I care about people, so I suppose it fits.”
He raised her hand to his lips. “Trust me. You’re nurturing. You’re also too hard on yourself. Why’s that?”
She shook her head. “I’m not too hard on myself, but I am pretty darn hungry. How about we eat?”
He was curious why she’d changed the subject, but decided not to say anymore, at least for now. The last thing he wanted to do was make Paige uncomfortable.
He stood and pulled her to her feet. “You pour us more wine, and I’ll dish up the food.”
He took the bread out of the oven, while Paige pulled the plastic wrap off her salad bowl. “I hope you’re hungry,” he said dishing out the alfredo and adding a slice of bread to each of their plates.
“I’m starving.” Paige scooped spinach salad into two bowls and followed him to the table, where she’d already set their wine glasses.
After pulling a chair out for her, he lit the candle on the table and sat. He took a sip of wine, watching her over the rim. “I’m really glad you’re here, Paige, but I want to make it clear I don’t expect us to fall into bed.”
“What if I want to fall into bed?”
“Seriously?”
“It’s a possibility.” She took a bite of chicken alfredo and moaned, and he couldn’t take his eyes off her mouth. “Delicious. I’m impressed, Justin.”
He blinked hard and did his best to pull his mind back from everything he yearned to do with this woman. “It’s my one good accomplishment in the kitchen. Other than chicken alfredo, grilling out is pretty much all I do. But I can eat at Shenanigans anytime I want, so what the heck.”
“If I ate like this every day, I’d have to live at the gym.”
“Maybe we can think of a better way to work off tonight’s calories.”
“Maybe we can,” she said, her lips curving up.
His heart took a bounce. “What happened to my sweet and guarded Paige?”
“I’m not sure, but I think I like this side of me.” She shot him a wicked smile. “I’ll let you know later tonight.”
“Talk like that and we won’t even finish dinner.” It was all he could do not to scoop her up and take her to bed right now. “You sure you’ve thought this through? The last thing I want is to scare you off.”
She set her fork down and fiddled with her napkin. “I decided the other day that I’ve let fear rule my life for too long. It’s time I had some fun, and I think you’re a pretty good bet for that. My guess is you’re good at it, too.” She arched her brows, her green eyes twinkling. “Have I officially scared you off?”
Justin cleared his throat. “No, but I’m now officially nervous.” She laughed. “I’m serious, Paige. I don’t want to do anything tonight that might scare you off.” He took her hand. “We have all the time in the world. How about we finish dinner and then sit on the deck?”
She took a sip of wine. “I appreciate that you want to protect me,” she said, holding back a smile.
“Good to know, because it’s about to kill me.”
“Please don’t keel over,” she teased.
He took a huge gulp of wine, never taking his eyes off of her.
She dropped her gaze to her dinner. “I noticed when I drove up to your condo that you have a pond behind you with a pair of black swans.”
“Yes,” he said with a casualness he didn’t feel. “The male was killed about a year ago, and the female was sad, so we brought in another male. Did you know they mate for life?”
“I’ve heard that,” she responded. “Interesting that animals do that but people seem to have such a difficult time with it.”
“I suppose that means we humans are at the bottom of the mating pool.” Justin bit off a piece of bread. “Kind of depressing actually.”
“Maybe all the ugly words people tend to use when they’re upset or angry get in the way of lasting love. You think?” She took a bite of alfredo and waited for his response.
He swallowed his food. “Could be. Or maybe animals can communicate at a much higher level.”
“That’s probably true,” she said with a wistful smile that made him want to know what had happened to hurt this woman so deeply. “How about we go outside and watch the swans as soon as we’ve eaten? Maybe they can teach us a thing or two.”
Her lips quirked up. “I had no idea you were such a romantic at heart, Justin.”
He slid his gaze over her face, marveling at her natural beauty. “You must bring it out in me,” he admitted, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
They finished their dinner and carried their plates to the kitchen. Justin returned to the table for their wine, and when he turned back toward the kitchen, he almost slammed into her. She settled her hands on his chest, stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, a warm inviting kiss that had his head spinning. “Let’s go watch the swans,” she whispered when he broke the kiss.
He handed her glass of wine to her, then took her free hand and led her outside. A slight breeze skimmed over them, cooled somewhat by the water. He sat in a swing and pulled her down beside him, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and fiddling with the thin strap of her dress, thinking how easily he could slip it off her shoulder and…he clamped down on that thought. “You look great in yellow.”
“I’ve been told that. I guess yellow looks good with red hair.”
“It also looks good with smoldering green eyes,” he said, nuzzling her neck. She sighed and tilted her head, giving him more access. Justin smiled against her smooth skin. “I should behave but you’re not helping.”
She grasped his hand that fiddled with her dress strap and held onto it. “Does this help?”
“Not one bit.” The swans swam toward them and he straightened. “Here they come begging for food. Go away. I didn’t bring you anything tonight.”
They edged closer. Paige leaned toward them and held out a hand. The male swan flapped his wings and let out a loud honk. She shrank back with a gasp.
Justin stomped his foot and waved an arm. “Get outta here.” The bird backed away. “Swans might be beautiful, but they can be mean. They’re a lot meaner than geese. I probably shouldn’t feed them.”
“I had no idea they were mean,” she said as the pair t
urned and swam the other direction, gliding through the smooth water.
Justin rested his arms on his knees. “Swans are known for their beauty, not their aggressiveness. I should have warned you.”
“Yeah, who knew I needed to be careful of your attack swans.”
“It gave me a chance to be manly,” he said with a grin.
She leaned into him and rested her cheek on his shoulder. “If you were any manlier, I wouldn’t be able to control myself.” He laughed, even though her words had his heart racing. He leaned back in their seat, bringing her with him. They sat in silence for a few minutes. “It’s peaceful out here,” Paige said. “Do you sit on your deck most evenings?”
“I’m usually gone to the pub in the evenings. Drinking my morning coffee out here is a daily ritual though, unless it’s raining.” He shifted and cupped her cheek, caressing it with his thumb. “I’m glad you’re here.” His gaze landed on her mouth and she chewed on her lower lip. “You nervous all the sudden?”
She nodded. “I have no reason to be, but…”
“As soon as I kiss you, your nerves will quiet down.”
“You think?”
He nodded and edged toward her. “Have they quieted yet?” he whispered when he was only a breath away. She shook her head. He inched close enough that their breaths mingled as one. She licked her lips and he felt his self-discipline slipping. Her lips were so close he could feel the heat of her mouth. He kissed her softly. “How about now?”
Their gazes locked and he saw in her eyes the need he also felt. Shifting, he cupped her head and captured her lips, teasing and tasting and enjoying the little sounds she made as he tortured them both.
She wrapped an arm around his mid-section and pressed against him, and he could feel her breasts rise and fall with each breath. His heart expanded and he deepened the kiss, driving out all thought.
“I’m no longer nervous,” she said when they broke for air.
He stood and gathered her in his arms, then carried her inside and straight to his bedroom. Setting her down, he slipped the straps of her dress over her shoulders, kissing as he went. His hands roamed over her back, found the zipper and tugged it down. The top of her dress fell to her waist, revealing a lacy, pale-yellow bra. His throat went dry even as his breath turned shallow.
She grabbed his shirt and started to pull it over his head. He jerked it off and dropped it to the floor. Her hands roamed over his bare chest and he undid her bra and eased it away. She pressed up against him and he caressed her smooth shoulders and back, stopping at her waist. Leaning away from her, he cupped each full breast. “They fit perfectly,” he said, tweaking her nipples.
She gasped and pressed back into his touch. “Justin?”
“Hmmm?”
“I want you naked.”
He jerked his jeans and boxers off, then helped her out of her dress. “God, you’re beautiful, Paige.”
As she soaked up his warm touch, her worry about being with this man completely evaporated, replaced with desire and need and a feeling she didn’t want to name. And when he picked her up and lay her gently on his bed and then joined her, she’d never felt so in tune with another human being. Or so desired.
He ran a finger under the lacey edge of her panties. “These have to go.”
He tugged and she wiggled out of them, kicking them away with her foot and then draping her leg around his waist. She flattened her palms on his chest, which was sprinkled with hair, and then moved lower, enjoying the way his muscles jumped when she stroked his flat belly. She edged down, and he caught her hand.
“Trying to detonate the bomb?”
She nibbled on his bottom lip. “Just wanting to light the fuse.”
“Baby, it’s not only lit, it’s burning fast.” He rolled her onto her back and covered her. The weight of him soaked into her like a healing balm. She wrapped her legs around him and arched, pleased when he moaned her name.
When he eased away, she almost wept. “Come back here,” she said, reaching for him.
He caught her hand in his and placed it over his heart, and she felt its rapid beat against her hand. “You sure you’re okay with this, Paige?”
“Positive,” she answered, covering his chest with wet kisses.
He shifted off her and lay on his side, his hand caressing every inch of her, and she allowed herself to be swept away in a wave of need and passion so strong she knew that after tonight, she would never be the same.
* * *
Justin woke before the sun came up, and automatically reached for Paige, but his bed was empty. “Damn,” he muttered. He’d scared her off. He rubbed his hands over his face and crawled out of bed, and that’s when he smelled bacon. Smiling, he made a quick pit stop, then pulled on a pair of gym shorts and headed for the kitchen.
“I thought you had run for cover when I woke up and you weren’t in bed,” he said, letting his gaze coast over her and linger on long legs that peeked out from one of his t-shirts.
“I considered it, but decided this would be much more fun.”
She held out a piece of bacon and he took a bite. “Nice and crispy just the way I like. How did you know that?”
“I didn’t. Guess I got lucky.”
“Speaking of getting lucky.” He reached for her and ran his hands under the t-shirt, quickly discovering she had nothing else on. He couldn’t hold in his groan of appreciation. “Breakfast might have to wait.” He pulled her in for a kiss that stole his breath and tugged at his heart, an unfamiliar feeling, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to run for the hills or take the woman back to bed and keep her there all day.
“You going to the hospital to see Jillian today?” she asked, running her hands up and down his back.
“Think I’ll wait until Jaxon is home. Take them dinner that day. I’ll have my chef whip up a feast,” he added with a grin. “I have much more important things to do today.”
She nibbled on his ear lobe. “Does that mean you have the day off?”
“That’s exactly what it means. We have all day to do whatever we want. That is if you’d like to stay,” he added, hoping she would.
“I would love to stay. It looks like a great day to ride horses.”
He barely held in his frustration. “How about you ride me instead?”
She slapped his chest playfully. “Later. I’ve heard about the dude ranch you mentioned from numerous people, and I’d love to see it and go on a horseback ride.”
“Dad and Dottie will probably be there, so you might get stuck with my family for part of the day.” He hoped that might change her mind, but her quick smile told him otherwise.
“Nice try, but your family is not a deterrent. Besides, I doubt they’ll want to ride horses with us.”
Justin looked her up and down. “You need more than my t-shirt or that sexy sundress you wore here to ride a horse.”
“My overnight bag is in the living room. I brought it in this morning.”
He glanced behind him. “Along with your cowgirl boots, I see. Something tells me you’ve ridden a lot more than a few times.”
“Not really. I like to country dance. Thus, the cowboy boots.”
“How about we lay low today and go out dancing tonight. I’m pretty decent at two-stepping.”
She gave him a quick kiss, then turned the burner off under the bacon. “Quit being such a chicken. We’ll be safer on a horse than that silly tandem bike we rode. At least if we get thrown it won’t be the other person’s fault.”
“A tandem doesn’t ‘throw’ you. A horse does, and believe me it’s a lot farther to fall off a horse than a bike, especially since a horse tosses you into the air.”
Grinning, Paige ran a fingertip down his chest to the elastic on his gym shorts, and he almost forgot about having to ride a horse. He grabbed her hand. “Cheater.”
She rubbed up against him. “I’m not cheating. Only stacking the deck in my favor.”
Laughing, Justin backed her into the living room
until her knees hit the sofa and she sat with a plop. “Just so you know,” he said, easing down on the sofa beside her. “You’re the only person I would agree to ride a dangerous beast for.”
“I’m terribly flattered, but those horses go on rides every day with different riders. I think unless you fall off on your own, you’re pretty safe.”
He grimaced at the thought. It’d be his luck to do exactly that. “Fine. We’ll eat breakfast and head out. Might as well beat the heat.”
“Oh goodie,” Paige said, rubbing her hands together. “This will be such fun, but I bet we’re both sore as you-know-what tomorrow.”
“You sure know how to make something sound inviting,” he complained, a frown on his face.
She leaned in and kissed him soundly. “You’ll be rewarded. I have a feeling this might be one of the few times I’ll be able to keep up with you.”
“You’ll do a lot more than keep up with me, but I can handle the humiliation.” He hoped. He stood and pulled Paige up, wrapping her in his arms for a long, hot kiss. “Remember that hot-as-hell kiss when I make a fool of myself today.”
She patted his butt then grabbed her duffel bag. “Save me some eggs. I’m going to take a quick shower before getting dressed.”
He watched her hips sway as she headed down the hall and almost forgot he was about to crawl up on a horse and make a total fool of himself.
Chapter Six
“How about I ride with you guys?” Ashley offered as she tightened the cinch on Justin’s horse.
“Fine with me,” Justin said. “I’ll be the first to admit I’m no horseman.”
“I’ve ridden some,” Paige said, patting her bay mare on the shoulder. “We’ll be fine.”
Ashley narrowed her gaze at them both. “Don’t get very far from the house. That way you won’t have to walk a long way if you get thrown. Plus, we’ll be a lot more likely to find you.”
“Very funny,” Justin grumbled.
“Just being practical.” Ashley patted Justin’s mount for the day. “This is Majesty. She’s the best horse we have. You’ll be fine as long as you don’t do something really stupid.”
Since I Found You (Crystal Springs Romances: The Wedding Chapel Book 2) Page 7