There is a deep attraction between Savannah and me and I can’t stand the thought of her being with him. He doesn’t deserve her, in fact, I’m not even sure that I do, but I’m willing to do whatever she wants to make her happy. I just pray that it’s me that makes her happy because I don’t want to contemplate what it will feel like without her.
Hearing the bell ding, I glance toward the door and feel my heart miss a beat when my eyes land on the woman in question.
She looks around before our eyes meet and hold. Without looking away, she walks toward me, and as I push myself up from the sofa, her smile slips when she sees the crutches that I can’t avoid using right now.
I gulp down the sorrow I feel at her reaction, and try not to show just how disappointed I’m feeling, or how hurt. I thought she would have been different after last night and seeing me on them, but I guess I was wrong.
Without looking at her, I indicate for her to sit, even though I’m tempted to walk out and leave.
Before I can react, Savannah is up close and personal with her hands cupping my face. “I don’t know why you have that look on your face, but stop right now if it has anything to do with my reaction to seeing you using the crutches. I was surprised as I’ve only ever seen you on your prosthesis, apart from last night—I should have realized that you’d need to keep the prosthesis off for a while longer.” She reaches up and plants a quick kiss to my lips, surprising the hell out of me. “Now sit and stop thinking the worst of me.”
Dropping back to the sofa, I let my eyes roam over her curves. She’s in well-fitting jeans that make me want to reach out and caress her bottom. Her purple shirt dips low in the front and nearly has my eyes popping out when she gives me an amazing view of cleavage before she drops down beside me.
“I’m sorry,” I admit. “I need to remember that you’re not like anyone I’ve ever met before.” I smile, and pluck her nervous fingers from her lap to entwine them with mine. “You’re unique, and I guess I was in need of that talking to, but feel free to kiss me anytime to make me listen to you.”
She smiles, her happiness lighting up my day. “I’ve never, um, took that kind of initiative before, but I felt like I’d hurt you badly, and I wanted to show you that I really wasn’t like what you were imagining.”
“Yeah, when caught off guard, I can be like an open book. I can’t promise my hang up will totally disappear, but I promise to try where you’re concerned.”
“I can live with that.” She jumps up. “What do you want to drink?” She pierces me with a dark glare. “Don’t even suggest it…now what should I get you?”
As much as I’d love to drink her, I give her my order, and find that I like her bossy attitude. She’s sassy, and has no problem standing up to me when I’m being a dick.
Now just to find out about Richard and then she is all mine.
Hearing a beep, I pick my cell up from the table and read the message from the man himself. I feel a touch of guilt as I read the message and I glance up at Savannah across the coffee shop. I’m surprised by the text, Richard seems to be a quick worker. I shouldn’t be surprised though, as he comes across as organized.
Well, at least we have a date for the game. The teams have already been organized on both our sides and now he was getting everything else in place, but I wasn’t worried.
What I’m really surprised by is that he made the effort to let me know, especially after his attitude back in Ned’s office. I had the feeling I’d be the one doing the chasing to find out what he’d already planned.
I’m excited to be involved in the game, and the planning of the event. I can’t help but wonder what will happen when I have the girl, and Richard doesn’t.
Something to think on.
“Here you go.” Savannah places the drinks down on the table, and sits back down beside me as she leaves a cushion between us—too far away.
I frown, which she catches.
“What’s wrong?”
What the hell!
“I want you closer.”
She blushes, which is fresh and slides closer. “Is this close enough?”
“No…but it’ll do.” I smirk.
We’re touching thigh to thigh, but I’d love for her to be pressed completely against me…preferably naked.
That isn’t something I need to be thinking about right now, otherwise, I’m going to be an embarrassment.
Watching as Savannah leans forward to add sugar to her coffee, I notice that today her shiny, red locks are held back with a clip to the nape of her neck.
She always looks as fresh as a daisy, and the thought of her in my bed causes a hitch in my breathing.
I’m not sure if I’ll be able to let her go when I get her in my bed—that’s how much she’s under my skin.
“Is your leg still very sore?” she asks, her hand rubbing back and forth on my thigh.
While she waits for my answer, she’s about to find out how I’m reacting to her closeness with how close her wandering hand is to my groin.
Catching my breath, I grab her hand, keeping her fingers wrapped in mine, while I answer her original question, “It’s not as bad today, but from past experience, if I wear the prosthesis today while my leg is still slightly swollen, it will make it ten times worse. So the crutches are going to be my friend for today.” I shrug, trying to act nonchalant.
It bothers me more than I’ll ever be able to say that I can’t be a normal guy—that I have to think before doing certain things, and that the beautiful woman sitting with me might prefer a guy who’s more put together without missing any body parts.
Stop! Savannah will be so pissed if you carry on thinking along those lines—you know she will.
Five years of sneers and rejections aren’t just going to disappear, and no matter how much I try, the words that my ex threw at me when she walked away while I was still in the hospital haunt me. They shouldn’t affect my life after all this time, but I find that they do, no matter how much I try to move on. She planted doubt in my mind at my lowest point, and it stuck with me.
“I’m glad,” Savannah comments, squeezing my hand. “Whatever you keep thinking, please stop, Jace. The fact that you wear a prosthesis doesn’t bother me, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re still a man, a sexy one to boot…and don’t let my words go to your head.” She grins.
“You’re damn good for me.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders and pull her against my chest. Awareness of her seeps through my clothing and causes my arousal to tighten.
Her hand slides over my stomach and around my waist as she hugs me in return. I feel so content with her in my arms, and nature all around us that I don’t want to let her go.
Sitting like this out in the open will prevent my thoughts from becoming action.
Savannah
“Jace,” I hesitate, “I really don’t want to, but I need to tell you about Richard.” The nerves are fluttering around in my stomach, but this is a conversation we’ve needed to have since the other night. I avoided it then, but I can’t anymore, which is why the sooner I talk to Richard, the sooner I can really be with Jace. I have no misgivings about what he wants—me.
“Tell me, Savannah,” his voice rumbles over me as his fingers start a caress along the length of my hair.
He’s so damn comfortable against me that I could close my eyes and sleep forever.
Richard…where to start?
“Oh boy, okay. Richard appeared at a time when the whole world as I knew it had come to an end. The death of my father.” Jace’s hold on me tightens, briefly. “He was my world, and when he died, I hadn’t a clue as to which direction I should go or what I was doing, really. Uncle Ned didn’t know what to do for me, so he was relieved, I think, when Richard took over. It was just easier for me to stay lost and let him take over everything for me.”
Lifting my head, I meet Jace’s gaze and want to stay lost in it. He makes me feel things that I haven’t felt before and I’m glad that I’m here with him now.<
br />
Forcing my eyes away from Jace, I rest my head back down on his chest, and continue, “I didn’t mean to become engaged to him, it just happened. One minute we were talking, and between coffee and dessert, I somehow ended up wearing his ring. He didn’t ask me and I never agreed. I was still numb with shock and went along with him because I needed him.” I sigh. “It was wrong of me to do that, to encourage him, but in all honesty, at the time, it never entered my head until it was too late. He was good to me Jace, I need you to know that. He made sure that I had everything I needed and he helped bring me out of the depression that I’d slipped into. The truth is, if I loved him I wouldn’t be here with you, I’d be with him.”
I kiss his chest. “I’m going to talk to him within the next couple of days and tell him that I can’t marry him. If I’m being honest, I’m not sure he wants to marry me anymore, either. It’s just a vibe I’ve been getting.”
Now that my words are spoken, I let them sit between us and wait to see if he has anything to add. Jace has my heart and every time we meet, the love that started to grow for him last year grows stronger. Those words will stay unsaid until I feel he’s ready to hear them, and accept them.
“I can’t hide what you make me feel, Savannah, but please, don’t make a decision based on me.”
What is he saying? I thought—
“Hey, I didn’t mean what you’re thinking. Look at me.”
I lift my face again and nuzzle into the palm of his hand.
“I want you. I’ve told you before, and I’ll keep telling you until you don’t doubt my words. Do you hear me?” He smiles.
I nod slowly and close my eyes to savor his warmth and scent. This is all that I will allow myself until I talk to Richard.
“Good girl.” He kisses me on the forehead. “What I meant was, that I want you to think long and hard before you make a decision that will change your life. I don’t want to be the one responsible if, two months down the line, you decide that you really did love him.”
“Jace,” I whisper, close to tears, “I don’t love Richard, and I never have. I feel affection for him for everything that he’s done for me in the past. Really, I think of him as a friend now…and sometimes not even that. I promise you that my feelings for you are a lot stronger than those for him.”
He smiles and, leaning forward, kisses each of my eyelids, followed by my nose. He pauses at my lips and meets my gaze.
“I want to kiss you so badly…but, until you’re free, I can’t do that.”
“I know.” I sit up, and miss his strength that was surrounding me.
After finishing my lukewarm latte, I change the subject, “Would you be interested in volunteering maybe an hour or so each week to Golden Circle? I was thinking you could teach the kids softball and maybe help them burn off some of their energy.”
He sits forward. “I’d love to. I’m arranging a charity game between the academy and the sheriff’s department to help raise money for them, so this would be a great opportunity to get to know the kids.”
“I knew you’d say yes.” I reach over and I’m about to plant a kiss to his cheek when he turns his head. I miss and kiss him on the lips instead.
We both freeze.
The heat in his eyes as I meet them is hot enough to incinerate me, but when he licks along his lips, I find that I’m clenching my thighs as lust hits me straight between them.
Hearing a throat being cleared, we turn and see one the girls from the coffee shop smirking as she leans over to clear away our empty cups. She also makes sure her chest is on display for Jace to get a good look.
My eyes shoot daggers at her while Jace’s gaze never wavers from me.
“I didn’t notice,” he comments as soon as she moves away.
“How did you know there was something not to notice?”
He chuckles. “Okay, you have me there. But if it helps, I only caught sight from the corner of my eyes because I was facing you.”
I roll my eyes as the heat creeps up my neck when he refuses to look away.
“I love the flush you have going on.” He dips his head and whispers into my ear, “It makes me wonder how far it goes,” before nibbling on my lobe.
My breath catches in my throat with what he’s doing to me. He knows it as well.
“You cause me too many sleepless nights, you know that?” I admit.
“I do now,” he gloats.
“Hmm.”
“I’ve lost count of how many times I wake up in a tangle of sheets expecting to see you naked between my thighs, while my erection is ready to burst because of your tongue.”
He leaves me speechless. I never expected him to come back with anything so explicit.
He offers a wicked grin. “You started it, babe.” He traces along my lips with his finger. “These lips, covered with red lipstick, are any guy’s wet dream.” He caresses my hair. “And this hair is what fantasies are made of. But most of all, it wouldn’t be happening for me if it wasn’t you that came with the lips and hair. It’s all you, Savannah…Your beauty… How you make everyone around you feel special… You giving to the children who don’t have parents… No one has ever affected me the way you do, and, although it scares the shit outta me, I’m not going anywhere.” He chuckles. “I can’t even hide that fact.”
He glances around and, taking my hand, presses my palm against the hard length of him.
My eyes snap up to his before I look at his groin.
He moves my hand away and lets it go. As though my hand has a mind of its own, I reach out and caresses along the ridged length, feeling him lengthen even more at my touch.
“You need to stop.” He grabs my hand and pulls it from his body, albeit reluctantly.
His hand shakes as he tries to catch his breath.
“Please talk about something else or I’m not going to be able to walk out of here,” he begs.
Clearing my throat, I inch a bit away from him and lean back against the sofa, noticing for the first time the branches of the tree overhead.
I haven’t been here before and when I arrived, I’d been too nervous and apprehensive to really take notice. But the ambience of the coffee shop reminds me of the Rainforest Café. We’re surrounded with trees and flowered shrubs, which gives a nice and relaxed atmosphere. I suppose I should be glad that we’re alone because I never gave a thought to anyone else being here when I caressed him.
I could have carried on if he hadn’t moved my hand away. I loved the feel of him hard and long under my palm. And he’s been dreaming about me being on my hands and knees, no less, between his thighs. I bet I had red lipstick on while my mouth was wrapped around his cock.
I’m sure that image is going to stay with me until I can replace it with a memory.
“What are you looking so pleased about?”
I wink and grin in his direction.
“Forget I asked.” He groans. “Tell me about your birthday. Anything to change the subject.”
“I’ll have to invest in some red lipstick, and soon.” I clear my throat and try not to laugh at the lustful agony in Jace’s eyes. “My birthday, huh? Well, Uncle Ned is arranging a barbecue and has probably invited the whole department if he has his way. It isn’t a special one or anything, he just loves any excuse to barbecue, and on this occasion it happens to be my birthday…You’re coming, right?”
“He asked me.” He rubs his forehead.
“What’s wrong? And why did that sound like you planned on not being there? I’d love for you to be with me,” I ask, the worry clear in my questions.
“I’ll be there. I’m just worried that me being with you is going to cause a problem in the friendship I have with Ned. I still want you, Savannah. I’ll always choose you, but he’s been there for me through thick and thin. It would hurt to lose him.”
“Oh stop. You know my uncle, and he won’t have a problem with me being with you. He obviously likes you and, on the odd occasion, I’ve wondered whether he put us together for the
very reason you’re worried about.”
He frowns. “Maybe.”
“So, when are you free to start with the softball?”
“Tomorrow too soon?” He grins.
“That would be great.” I return his grin as my fingers find his hand on their own, and we sit together with our hands clasped.
Chapter Seven
Jace
After yesterday’s coffee interlude with Savannah, I’m sure the smile is still firmly planted on my face. The more time I spend with her, the more difficult I find it to walk away and let her go back to her house without me. Sometimes I get the impression that she’s shy, which contradicts how she reacted to me in the coffee shop with her hand on me for anyone to see.
She hadn’t wanted the afternoon to end and neither had I, so it’s no wonder that she’d been disappointed when I’d walked her to her car. If I’m honest, I don’t trust myself to keep my hands to myself when we’re alone. I want her too badly, and I know, given the right circumstances, that I won’t be able to keep them off her.
Lost in my thoughts, I hear excited voices approaching the field. Turning my head, I grin when I see Savannah and another woman leading the kids along the sidewalk to where I’m waiting.
The kids are an assortment of ages, and ethnic backgrounds, but it’s the small blonde child who catches my eye. She looks so lost as she clutches a soft bunny to her chest while sucking her thumb.
Savannah bends to say something to the child, and then the next minute the child’s thin arms go around Savannah’s neck. Savannah looks momentarily startled before she returns the embrace and lifts the child into her arms. As the child settles against Savannah, and cuddles her bunny, Savannah looks toward me and it’s clear as day that she’s delighted with the little girl’s response to her.
Savannah’s gaze tells me everything I need to know. She’s missed me, like I have her. She’s also telling me so much more now that she has the blonde bundle in her arms.
Instead of sitting like an idiot, staring at the girl of my dreams, I move over to Savannah, and can’t decide whether or not she’d be okay with me kissing her on the cheek in front of her friend and the kids.
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