“I know.”
“But what Jenny went through was nothing short of a living nightmare. The fact that she’s managed to get on with things and build up a successful restaurant after it all is a miracle. Hell, the fact that she gets out of bed in the morning is a damn miracle. But she’s strong and she’s determined that what happened will not ruin her life. She wants things for herself, Chris: happiness, financial security, a family. And she’ll do whatever she has to do to get those things, if she can.”
Chris nodded.
“If you can’t help her, she’ll go ahead another way,” Emma said. “She wants to be in a healthy relationship. She wants to relax in bed with a man who loves her. She wants to be a mother. She’s going after that life, Chris, and if you want to be a part of it somehow, then this is your chance.”
Chris started at her words. “You think she’d let me be part of that life? That Jenny and I could have a future together?”
She nodded. “I do.”
He swallowed hard. “I’ll think about it… it’s a lot.”
“I know,” she said gently. “I know, Chris. When are you guys talking again?”
“After the holidays.”
“Good.” She studied him. “Get a bit of distance and make a decision then.”
Chris got to his feet and hugged Emma. “Thanks, Em.”
“Sure thing,” she said.
She watched him walk out to his car and she sighed.
Jesus, I hope he decides to do this. I think it would be the best thing for both of them… I think they’d be amazing for each other. But God, it would be hard. If they made it through, though? Amazing.
**
Katherine Lawrence stared at Jenny, her cup of coffee frozen in mid-air.
“You asked Chris to do what?” she said.
Jenny smiled at the look on Kat’s face. “You heard me.”
“Jesus Christ.” Kat stared some more. “And did he agree?”
“No. We’ll talk again in the New Year.”
“And do you think he’ll say yes?”
“Honestly? I have no idea.” Jenny bit her lip. “I really freaked him out when I asked.”
“Well, yeah. So what happens if he refuses?”
“I’ll talk to Zoe again and we’ll go ahead some other way.”
“A stranger?” Kat asked, horrified. “A – a sex surrogate?”
“If I have to? Yes.”
“You’d be able to do that, hon?” Kat asked.
“Well, not on my own… but I’d have you and Liv and Emma behind me, right? And the guys, too, I know. Even if Chris said no to actually being the one to do it, he’d still be there for me.” She took a deep breath. “I’d get through it with your help.”
After Jenny left, Kat sat on her sofa for a long time, staring at her closet. Finally, she went over, opened it up, gazed down at the packed suitcase on the floor. Normally, it was next to the front door of her apartment – ready and waiting for her to make a quick exit on a bus out of Denver – but she’d hidden it when Jenny called and asked to come over to talk.
Kat sighed and set the bag back in its usual place, then glanced at the calendar. She’d been planning to leave the next week, but now she wasn’t so sure. Emma was doing so much better with her health issues and Liv was incredibly strong about her ordeal with her stalker, and Kat had felt OK with just moving on without a word.
She’d been in Denver for over a year now, and she never, never stayed in one place for that long. Her friends’ problems had kept her there, but she thought they were doing well enough, that she was almost free. But now this whole thing with Jenny was looming on the horizon, and suddenly, Kat felt like she couldn’t go after all.
Goddammit, she’ll need me. I can’t up and leave, not when she’s going to be confronting all of that. But can I really stay here much longer? Is it safe? Will he find me?
She looked at herself in the mirror, ran her hands over her short, black curls. She was a small woman with dark green eyes and full lips, and her hair color and length changed almost weekly. She met her own worried gaze.
OK, Kat. Stay calm. Tomorrow, you’ll go to the salon early and ask Collette to infuse the long blonde hair extensions before you start your shift. You like being blonde, don’t you? Yeah, you do. It’s going to be fine.
Kat looked at herself for a long time, listening to her panicked heartbeat, fighting down the urge to grab her bag and run.
Stay, Kat. Just a bit longer. When Jenny’s better, you’ll go. Hang in there.
Chapter Three
The January sun was surprisingly bright in the sky. After a snowy and gray holiday season, the New Year looked sunny and blue.
Chris knocked on Jenny’s door, looking up and down the street. She had a cute little house near the city centre, and the street was amazingly quiet for the location. Jenny knew all her neighbors and they knew her; Chris raised his hand to greet Mrs. Patterson as she peered out of her front window at him. She flicked the curtain shut and despite his nerves, he grinned.
That old busy-body. Nothing gets past her, huh? But man, she keeps Jenny safe… nobody would get within five feet of this front door without somebody around here noticing it.
The bright red door swung open and there she stood, her blue eyes so gorgeous and warm as she looked up at him.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he said.
“Hi. Come on in.”
He stepped in to her home, and as always, he took a deep breath, loving the scent. Today, her house smelled of cinnamon and sugar, and he guessed she was baking.
“What’s in the oven?” he asked, shrugging his coat off his massive shoulders.
“Cinnamon buns,” she said. “They’ll be ready in about twenty minutes, so you can take some home, if you want.”
“I’d love that.” He wandered in behind her, sat down in his usual chair next to the window, farthest from the front door.
“Coffee?’ she asked.
“Please.”
He watched her bustle around her cheerful kitchen, loving how happy she was there. He’d never met anyone so completely at home when surrounded by spices and bubbling pots on the stove and cutting boards, but that was Jenny. A born chef.
She was coming to him now, bringing his coffee, and he stood up to take it from her. She handed it over, backed up and sat on the sofa.
They gazed at each other, and then they both smiled.
“How was your Christmas?” he asked.
“Good. Busy with the restaurant, but I did manage to get to see my family for two days… and I didn’t even have to cook, if you can believe it. You?”
“Excellent. I went skiing with my brothers and Mom stuffed us full of turkey. I think I gained about ten pounds.”
She laughed, then fell silent. He saw her fidgeting and he took a deep breath.
“Jenny?”
She looked up at him and he saw the hope shining in her eyes.
“I’ll do it, sweetheart. I’ll help you.”
“Oh, God. Really?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you, Chris… thank you.”
“I’ll do whatever you need, whenever you’re ready. We’re in this together, and I’m going to be so damn careful with you. Alright?”
She nodded, tears running down her cheeks. It pierced him to see her crying and he longed to hold her close, but he stayed in his chair.
Soon, maybe, I’ll be able to touch her. Then when she cries, I’ll be able to comfort her, wipe away her tears. But not yet; not today.
“So,” he said. “What do we do? I mean, how do we start?”
“Well, I talked to Zoe about it, just in case you said yes today, and she had a few suggestions.”
“OK, go ahead.”
“She thinks you should move in here with me, if you can agree
with that. Zoe said that it’s best if I’m around you all the time, since that’ll get me used to having a man in my space.”
“How do you feel about that?” he said.
“Nervous,” she said quietly. “But – but I want to try. Are you OK with it?”
“Yeah, no problem for me.”
“You’d be in the guestroom… at least at first.” Her face turned bright red. “I mean, depending on how things go, you might move… move to… to my bedroom. Maybe.”
Chris looked at her calmly. “OK.”
She cleared her throat. “And I guess we can start with – with sitting together on the sofa. Maybe… holding hands?”
“You sure?”
“Uh-huh.”
He studied her. “You want me to come over there now? See how you feel?”
Right away, Jenny felt her heart speed up. She closed her eyes and counted her breaths. Chris watched her breathe deeply, trying to stay calm. He waited.
Jenny opened her eyes. “OK. You can – you can come over here.”
He got to his feet slowly, watching her face as he approached. She was so still, she seemed to have been turned to stone. He sat down at the opposite end of the sofa, settled back. Waited some more.
She took a breath, inched over to him a bit. Stopped. A bit more. His hand was on the sofa and she focused on it. Large, strong, hard. Chris’ hands were lethal, she knew; he’d used them to hit people, to hold a machine gun. These hands had killed people.
But she’d seen how careful he could be with them, too. He had handled food that she’d prepared, setting it gently on serving platters. She remembered how ridiculous the delicate food had looked in those giant hands, but she also recalled that he hadn’t ruined a single item.
She reached out to him, then lost her nerve. She pulled her hand back and tucked it in to her sweater sleeve. She crossed her arms and hugged herself tightly, trying to stay in control.
“It’s OK, baby,” he said quietly. “No rush. Let’s just sit here together, OK?”
Jenny glanced up at him now, saw that those amazing gray eyes were watching her steadily. He smiled.
“OK,” she said.
“This is good for now,” he said. “Just sit next to me, just relax.”
She nodded, and her heart slowed down a bit. She cast around for something to focus on besides his huge, strong body so close to her own.
“So, tell me about work,” she said. “Just… talk to me.”
“Sure,” he said easily. “This next week is going to be busy, I think. King’s been away for most of the break, and I’ve been away, so I’d lay money that things are behind.”
“The guys fool around when you and King are gone?”
He shrugged. “Kind of. Mostly they just go for lots of smoke breaks and ride around on their bikes.”
“They ride motorcycles in the dead of winter?” she said.
“Hell, yeah.” He grinned. “Bikers ride all year-round, and some of those boys are hardcore.”
She paused. “Can I ask about King?”
“Sure. What do you want to know?”
“Well, I’ve never met him, but he’s kind of… known around Denver. Is he really connected to the motorcycle clubs?”
Chris leaned back a bit. “For sure, though I can’t say how much or in what ways. All I do know is that whenever the guys need their bikes fixed, they come to King’s garage.”
She nodded. “And you? Are you… connected?”
“Me?” He laughed. “Oh, God, no. No, I just work on their bikes, and collect my paycheck from King. He’s a great boss, it’s a great job, and I love handling those machines. I’m outside of it all though, Jenny. I have no interest at all in being a part of some underground thing. I’m good aboveground.” He grinned. “I pay my taxes, I pay my rent, I pay my car insurance. Boring and predictable – that’s me.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” she said, a note of teasing in her voice.
He shrugged. “Well, for some people it is. But I’ve had more than enough excitement in my life, trust me. I’m happy with boring.”
“I don’t think you’re boring.” She looked down at his hand again, wishing she had the courage to hold it. “I think you’re amazing.”
“Well, thanks. And I think you are.”
Right away, she blushed and moved away from him. “Oh, Chris… I’m not. Not at all.”
“OK, let’s talk about this part of the whole thing now.”
“What part of what whole thing?” she asked.
“Listen, baby. Part of being with a man who cares about you is having him tell you that you’re beautiful, and smart, and talented. A man who cares about you will give you compliments, and you need to let me do that so you can get used to it. No moving away when I do, no rejecting what I tell you. If I say that I think you’re amazing, then it’s true, and you let me say that. OK?”
She forced herself to look up at his handsome face. “OK. I’ll – I’ll try.”
“So.” He smiled. “I think you’re amazing.”
She felt her breath catch, and she fought to stay where she was.
This is Chris, and he doesn’t lie to you. If he says something positive about you, it’s because he believes it. So believe him.
Chris watched her face as conflicting emotions rolled over it: fear, disbelief, hope, joy. Finally, finally, he saw acceptance and a sense of calm.
“Thank you,” Jenny said.
He smiled. “You’re welcome.”
OK, man. We take this slow and steady, and maybe – just maybe – it’ll all be OK.
**
“So you said yes to helping Jenny,” Jim said. “Why did you? What made up your mind?”
Because when the woman that you love asks you for something, and it’s within your power, you fucking do it. The end.
Chris shrugged. “I just realized that if Jenny trusts me enough to do this, I have to come through, you know? I can’t imagine what it took for her to ask me for help, and I can’t just turn my back on that kind of courage. If she’s ready to take back her life and start to get past whatever happened to her, then I’ll fight with her.” He looked at the guys. “I’d never leave any of you exposed and alone in a firefight, and I’m not leaving her out there unprotected and vulnerable. I’ve got her covered.”
Dean looked at Chris, remembering what it had been like to know that Chris was in his unit, under Dean’s command. The man had been nothing short of the quintessential Ranger: tough, focused and fiercely physical. But more than that, Chris had been solid, steady, dependable. When Dean had had a mental breakdown in a school just outside Kandahar, Afghanistan, Chris was one of the few people who’d seen his Lieutenant hurting and in shock. Dean had trusted Chris with his weakness and vulnerability, and he trusted Chris with Jenny.
Nobody better to be there for her; she’ll be OK with him. He’ll keep her safe, and he’ll get her through this.
Dallas got to his feet. “OK, y’all. I want to get home to Olivia.”
“How is she?” Jim said.
“A bit better,” Dallas said. “More relaxed, now that the house has sold.”
The guys nodded. They knew that Liv wanted to get that piece of property as far away from her as humanly possible, after all that had happened there.
“That was one fast sale,” Chris said. “And over the holiday season? Did she accept a low-ball offer, just to be rid of it?”
“No,” Dallas said. “She got full price… some businessman bought the house for his wife as a Christmas present.”
Dean, Chris and Jim all blinked at that.
“Some guy bought a house as a present?” Chris said. “Fuck, man. I bought my Mom a sweater.”
“I know, right?” Dean said. “I bought Emma a trip to California, and I thought I was the ultimate rom
antic. Coughed up for room service and everything.”
Dallas grinned. “I bought Olivia a ring.”
The guys sat bolt upright, staring at Dallas.
“You what?” Dean said. “You fucking what?”
Dallas pulled on his coat, watching his friends’ faces with great amusement. “Yeah.”
“Like, a ring ring?” Jim said. “Like… the real deal? Engagement? Promise to marry? Bind your lives together forever and all that?”
“Yeah.”
“And?” Chris asked. “What did she say?”
“Oh, I haven’t given it to her yet,” Dallas said. “I’m still hanging on to it.”
“For the love of God, why?” Dean said, aghast.
“She’s not ready,” Dallas said. “I saw the perfect ring, though, and I just bought it, so I have it when she is ready.”
“My God, man,” Chris said. “Why did you tell us this? Now we have to keep our mouths shut, and all I want to do is tell Jenny.”
“Yeah, and I want to tell Emma.” Dean shook his head. “Damn you, Foreman.”
“Well, the thing is that I’ve been dying to tell someone,” Dallas said sheepishly. “It’s been kinda killing me, actually.”
“You got it on you?” Chris said suddenly. “The ring?”
“Yeah, always. I never let it out of my sight.” He reached in to his inside coat pocket. “You want to see it?”
“I know I sound like a chick, but hell yeah, I want to see it,” Jim said.
Dallas opened the small box and the three men gathered around him to peer in at the ring.
“It’s beautiful man,” Dean said. “Liv’s going to love it.”
“You think?” Dallas sounded nervous. “You don’t think she’d prefer something more traditional?”
They looked at him.
“What the fuck does that even mean?” Jim said.
“Like… more typical. I mean, I love the sapphire and diamonds, but maybe she’d want the big old diamond, you know?”
They stared at him.
“What the fuck’s a sapphire?” Jim said. “That blue stone in the middle?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s perfect, man,” Chris said gently. “I’ve seen Liv wearing sapphire earrings before and they looked amazing against her hair. I know she loves them. It was a good choice.”
Enemy Mine (Unseen Enemy Book 3) Page 3