“I’ll keep waiting,” he said firmly. Then he smiled. “On one condition.”
She frowned. “Which is?”
“You and Dani come to the fall fair this weekend with Taylor and me.”
“No.”
“It won’t be a date,” he said quickly. “Just two friends hanging out.”
She sighed again. “I think we skipped over ‘friends,’ don’t you?” she asked.
“Well, then friends shouldn’t be that difficult,” he countered. He wasn’t about to let her push him away. Not when he was finally ready to show her how much he cared about her.
“Fine. But I don’t think friends sit on the same side of the table, so get over there,” she said, trying to nudge him out of the booth.
He stayed exactly where he was. “This friend does.”
Chapter 16
The last time I was here was…Jeez, it had to be senior year,” Abigail said, as they entered the fall fair grounds a few days later and headed toward the ticket booth. The park was lit up with amusement rides, carnival games, and craft tables. Loud rock music played on overhead speakers, and the sounds of laughter and squeals of self-induced terrified fun could be heard all around them.
“It’s been a while for me, too,” Jackson said.
She frowned. “Really?”
He shot her a puzzled look. “Overpriced, cheapo carnival toys and pee-in-my-pants rides aren’t exactly my thing.”
She laughed at the too-accurate description of the event. “Actually, now that I think about it, you really weren’t impressed when we came here years ago.” She shrugged. “But I just thought you were annoyed to be around me again, as usual.”
As they reached the booth, he pulled out his wallet and handed Taylor forty dollars. “Here, get enough for you and Dani,” he said before turning back to her. “I was annoyed to be around you, but only because you were there with Dean.”
She handed Dani her own money and said, “Well, I’m sure it didn’t help that I forced you to get on every ride with me twice because of Dean’s weak stomach, and then I remember you spent the money you were saving for new hockey equipment trying to win the oversized six-foot teddy bear at the ball toss game for Becky.” A teddy bear that had sat in the corner of her bedroom until she left L.A. Dean had tossed one ball and won it for her, after Jackson had spent a small fortune trying.
“As I remember, you got the bear,” he said grumpily.
She laughed. “The truth is, I didn’t want the bear! You guys were so determined to see who could win it, I didn’t have the heart to say anything, but the thing was awkward and heavy and kinda ugly.”
He laughed, too. “Well, for the record, I wasn’t trying to win it for Becky.”
“You were trying to win it for me?”
“I would never have admitted to it, but yeah. Seventeen-year-old boys would do anything to make a pretty girl smile,” he said, turning to look at her. “Including getting on rides that terrified the shit out of them.”
“You were scared?” He hadn’t seemed scared. In fact, she’d been the terrified one, burying her face into his chest and clinging to his shirt as they’d rode the creaky, ominous-sounding roller coaster. Then feeling super awkward for getting so close to a guy who hated her, once they’d gotten off the ride.
“The ride freaked me out, but what I was really afraid of was that you’d notice the problem I was having in my jeans,” he whispered.
She shook her head. She still couldn’t believe he’d liked her back then. And he’d never said a word. He’d sat back and let Dean date her, take her to prom, marry her…She stole a quick glance downward toward his crotch and raised an eyebrow.
“What? I was seventeen and you were crazy hot. You’re still crazy hot, but I’ve learned to control myself these days.”
“Really?” The passionate sex the previous weekend seemed to indicate otherwise. Not that she’d been a voice of reason, either. She still wasn’t convinced their “let’s be friends and see how things go” plan was going to work. Not when her pulse raced at the sight of him and when the smell of his cologne made her want to cuddle closer to him. Nope, definitely not “friendly” feelings she was experiencing.
“Well, you could help a guy out a little by not wearing those skin-tight jeans that hug your hips and ass so perfectly…” He moved closer and put his hands on her hips. She swallowed hard, her breath caught in her chest. His touch made her dizzy. She only managed to resist the temptation to lean into him and pull his arms around her waist because there were far too many people around.
“Or these V-neck sweaters, teasing the life out of me with the hint of lace peeking over the top.” His gaze left hers to drop to her chest and goose bumps surfaced on her exposed skin as a shiver of anticipation ran through her. “Those beautiful, sexy…”
“We got the tickets!” Dani said, approaching suddenly.
Jackson quickly dropped his hands and Abigail stumbled away from him lightning fast.
“Great!” she croaked. “Let’s go spin until we puke.” She released a slow breath, ignoring Jackson’s gaze still on her as she fought to control her thundering heart. He may have hidden his attraction to her ten years ago, but he certainly was making up for lost time now.
* * *
Jackson watched from the safety of the ground as Abby, Taylor, and Dani climbed into the front seat of the roller coaster. This friendship plan of theirs was already getting derailed. How did he expect to spend time with her and keep his hands and lips to himself when all he wanted to do was hold her, kiss her, make up for the years he’d been too afraid to act on his feelings?
“Why the front? Can’t we move back a few rows?” Abby asked, sounding nervous. Yet, she was doing it. She got points for bravery at least.
“The front is the best row. You can see everything better,” Taylor said.
“Great. So we can see falling to our death better. Just what I wanted,” she said, moving over to allow the two girls to climb in.
“You sure you don’t want to get on with them?” she asked Jackson, her tone pleading.
“Not a chance in hell. Have fun,” he said, as the kid operating the ride lowered the bar over their knees.
The lock snapped shut and Abby’s face paled.
“This is going to be epic,” Dani squealed.
Jackson laughed and waved as the ride started and the rickety train car struggled to make the slow, torturous climb to the top of the first drop. His stomach turned just watching the thing.
He still had no idea how Abby had talked him into getting on it with her. Sure, he’d had a crush on her, but his feelings must have run deeper even back then, because there was no way he would have gotten on otherwise.
Thank God the seats could only hold three, otherwise he may have abandoned common sense once again and done it. If for no other reason than to have her body pressed against his, and have a valid excuse to hold her for three and a half minutes in front of the girls.
Years ago, holding his best friend’s girlfriend while his buddy watched from below had made him feel guilty as shit. But it had been Dean’s fault, refusing to get on the ride with her. His buddy had missed the opportunity, and he’d gotten a chance to be the guy Abby smiled at, clung to, laughed and screamed with…And now it seemed once again, Dean’s loss was his gain.
And this time they weren’t teenagers. This time she knew how he felt about her. This time things were different. And he refused to feel guilty about any of it. He deserved to be happy, and so did Abby. After what Dean had put her through, it was a lot less difficult to put this new relationship with Abby ahead of his former friendship.
New relationship? Maybe not yet. But he had every intention of waiting until she was ready to take a chance on love again. Though he hoped he could help her get there and fast. The idea of waiting too long for the chance to make love to her again was tortuous.
His cell phone rang in his pocket and he reached for it, checking the call display. Coach Tur
ner. He hadn’t returned the man’s first call. Mostly because he hadn’t made a decision yet. A month ago, he would probably have taken the chance, but now things were different. He let the call go to voicemail and tucked the phone away. He’d have to get back to him. And he’d have to tell him no, he thought, an unexpected disappointment creeping into his chest at the thought. Then his gaze met Abby’s and the disappointment faded entirely.
He watched as the roller coaster stopped at the top and hovered, the front car dangling precipitously over the steep plunge. All of a sudden the roller coaster in front of him seemed a lot less threatening than the emotional ride he was on within himself.
* * *
“No one wants to go on the Ferris wheel?”
All three shook their heads.
“After I braved all of those insane rides and lost my Ray-Bans on the Twister?”
Dani sighed. “Forget it, Mom. It’s boring. It just goes around in a big, slow circle.” She turned to Taylor. “In L.A. we had one with cages that rolled and rocked and it went a lot faster. That one was fun.”
“For you! I had to get the fairgrounds security to come unwrap my hair from around the metal on the cage.” Most terrifying moment of her life, being rattled around inside a cage, with her hair stuck, and Dani thinking it was hilarious.
“I warned you to put your hair in a bun,” Dani said, as though the embarrassing incident, resulting in the shortest hairstyle she’d ever sported, had been her fault.
“Fine. I’ll go on it by myself,” she said, tearing three tickets from the sheet and heading off toward the Ferris wheel.
A second later, she smiled as she heard Jackson say, “Wait up! I’ll get on with you.”
“Great!” she said.
Though a minute later, sitting in the gently swaying chair, her shoulder touching his, her thigh brushing his, and the soft scent of his cologne filling her senses, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to relax and enjoy the ride. Her pulse was racing faster now than it had on the roller coaster.
Spending time with him when they had to keep things casual in front of Dani and Taylor and the rest of Glenwood Falls was proving impossible. They hadn’t kissed since the dinner date that wasn’t a date, and she was dying for it. His scent had disappeared from her bed pillows and she longed for its return, too. She forced a steadying breath. They couldn’t rush things. She’d meant what she’d said in the restaurant—she wasn’t quite ready yet. There was no doubt that she was attracted to him, and she knew she liked him a lot more than was safe, but another failed attempt at a relationship was not what she needed right now. So she had to be sure…of him, of herself, of everything before she allowed things to go further.
“You okay?” Jackson asked.
“If by okay, you mean completely tormented, then yeah,” she said.
“Good to know the feeling’s mutual,” he said with a smile.
“Stop that. Those dimples don’t help,” she said, forcing her gaze away at the sound of his laugh.
“I’ll try to be less irresistible.” The ride started and the chair went higher, and Jackson turned to look at the mountains against the dark sky in the distance. “Great view from up here…as long as I don’t look down,” he said, clutching the side of the chair.
She nodded. “This was always my favorite ride. If you look that way, you can just barely make out the top of the houses in the neighborhood where we grew up,” she said, pointing to the left.
He leaned closer and nodded. “You’re right.” He turned his face toward her and an odd expression flickered across his features.
“What?”
He shook his head. “Nothing.”
“No, really what?” He couldn’t look at her like he was seeing her for the first time without explaining the meaning behind it.
“It’s just…” He stopped. “It’s going to sound like a dumb line.”
“Give it a shot anyway,” she said with a smirk, enjoying the slight look of embarrassment on his face. He reminded her of the young boy she used to think hated her, and the smirk faded. For the first time her heart ached for that boy. She’d always fought for his approval, but he’d had to deal with seeing her with someone else. He’d had it much worse.
“You just look so beautiful—the flush of color in your cheeks from the adrenaline from all the rides, your hair all messy, the way the lights reflect against the color of your eyes—it’s…breathtaking.”
Well, her breath had certainly been taken away.
He trailed the back of his hand along her cheek. “You would think that ten years would be enough to erase these childhood feelings, but since you’ve been back here, they’ve only grown. And the other night…”
“Something happened,” she whispered.
“Something amazing happened,” he agreed. He traced a finger along her lips, and she swallowed hard.
“But now that I know how great we are…or could be together, we both have to suffer,” she said softly, laying a hand on his leg in an attempt to steady herself from the intoxicating dizziness she was feeling that had nothing to do with the ride.
He studied her. “Are you suffering, too, Abby?” he asked, his lips just inches from hers, his hand covering hers on his thigh. Her body ached with desire. She slid her palm farther up his leg and his eyes widened. He cupped her face and the need in his eyes matched the reaction happening beneath her hand. “Damn, I want you so bad,” he grumbled.
She couldn’t think straight. She couldn’t breathe. All she wanted to do was kiss him. Actually she wanted to do far more than that. “Glad the feeling’s mutual,” she murmured, feeling a dull, throbbing ache between her own legs.
His lips met hers and a second later, her other arm went around his neck and she pressed her body into his. She didn’t care if everyone in town saw them. Right now all she wanted was the kiss he’d resisted taking the first time they rode this Ferris wheel together.
Unlike their previous kisses, this one was torturously slow. He took his time, grazing his lips over hers, the feel of his breath against them causing her palms to sweat in anticipation.
She needed more. Craved more. She moved closer, pressing her mouth to his, her tongue separating his lips. The kiss was long, hot, and wet, and she was struggling with the need for air and the urgent need for more of him as the ride went around and around.
His hands cupped the back of her head and she clung tighter to him, all hopes of taking things slow, being “just friends” slipping further and further away. They’d been fooling themselves to think they could take a step back after the night they’d shared. Her common sense and ability to think clearly vanished when he was so close, so real, and so incredibly tempting.
“Mom!”
The sound of Dani’s voice above the music and the fairground crowd made her eyes snap open, and she pushed Jackson away. Damn.
The ride had stopped and the chair had reached the bottom. The ride attendant rolled his eyes as he opened the door to let them out. Dani’s expression was a mix of confusion, hurt, and anger as she turned and ran toward the restrooms.
Shit. Moving past Jackson, Abigail ran after her daughter. “Dani, wait…just hold up…” She stopped short as her daughter disappeared into one of the porta-potties and slammed the door. She struggled to catch her breath, more from the effect of Jackson’s kiss than the dash across the fairgrounds. “Dani, please come out.”
“Go away!”
“Dani, we should talk about what you just saw.” Though what she would tell her daughter, she had no idea. She could barely comprehend the emotions spiraling through her, let alone explain it to her nine-year-old.
“No.”
“You can’t stay in there all night. Come out, let’s talk.” She wiggled the handle on the door. This was a disaster. The last thing she wanted her daughter to have to deal with right now was the idea of her mother and her hockey coach together.
“Dani, please come out.”
“I don’t want to talk to you.”
Jackson and Taylor stopped next to her. “She won’t come out.”
“Let me try,” Jackson said, tapping on the door. “Dani, how can you stand it in there? Isn’t it stinky?”
Abigail punched his arm. “Seriously?”
“I’m not laughing,” Dani called out, but the slightest edge had been removed from her voice.
Abigail clung to it as she tried again. “Please just come out…” She glanced at Jackson. “Where it’s less…stinky and we’ll talk about what you saw.”
“No.”
She sighed. Fine. She’d have to try to explain it through the porta-potty door…with other people nearby, listening. Though, half the park had probably witnessed the kiss anyway. “Look, sweetheart, that was…” Incredible. Mind-blowing. Probably going to happen again. “…nothing. I know it looked like something.” It certainly felt like something. “But it wasn’t. Nothing is happening between Coach Westmore and me,” she said. Not yet anyway…Oh God, who was she kidding? There was so much happening between them.
Now Jackson punched her in the arm. “Seriously?”
“Can we deal with us later? I’m trying to get my daughter out of a porta-potty,” she hissed.
Taylor rolled her eyes as she pushed them both aside. “You two suck at this.” She knocked on the door. “Dani, it’s me.”
“Why aren’t you locked in one of these, too?” Dani called out, sounding betrayed that her friend hadn’t joined the porta-potty revolt.
“Because, as gross as it was, seeing them trying to eat each other’s face…”
Thanks, Taylor.
“It’s also kinda awesome,” she said, surprising her. “I mean, think about it. We are best friends, which is cool, but wouldn’t it be even cooler if we were cousins?” The excitement in her voice rose.
Abigail’s mouth fell open. Cousins? Taylor had witnessed one ill-timed kiss between them and already she was marrying them off? She was more like Becky than anyone realized. She shook her head and went to say something, but Jackson touched her arm, nodding toward the door.
The red latch signifying occupied switched to green.
Maybe This Time Page 18