by Lori Ryan
Jake ignored her, staring down at her notes on the counter. “What’s all this?”
For some reason, Lina became self-conscious and embarrassed. She didn’t want to admit how nervous she was to speak in front of the town council. She reached over him and gathered the notes, stuffing them in her folder. “They’re just notes for the meeting tomorrow.”
He remained quiet.
“Are you going? To the meeting I mean?”
“Uh, yeah,” he nodded, “I’ll be there.”
Oh, God, even more reason for her to be nervous.
When he didn’t say anything else, she studied his face. Deep lines furrowed his brow and she sensed there was more he wanted to say. Maybe his family was just as torn over the highway expansion as the town was.
“I’m sorry if this is causing stress with your family,” she said. “I never meant for everyone to have to take sides, but I guess that’s inevitable.”
“I think my brother Ben and his wife Maggie are having a hard time with it.”
Lina sagged against the counter, hating she was the one who had raised the objections, even though she believed it had to be done. “I understand,” she said. “My mom isn’t too happy with me, either. My dad, too, probably since he goes along with her on business decisions.”
“Why?” Jake asked.
“She thinks the expansion will bring in more business. She sees my ‘interference’,” she said with air quotes, “as another rebellious act left over from my youth.”
The corner of Jake’s mouth curled in a delicious smirk. “You were rebellious?”
Lina snorted. That was putting it mildly. Thoughts of her troubled youth surfaced, but she didn’t want to talk about that with Jake. She had too much guilt already, the last thing she needed was his judgment, too.
He stared her up and down, his eyes finally landing on her face. She could feel the heat of his gaze in places she had no business feeling them. “I could definitely see you being a rebel.” He chuckled.
He didn’t know the half of it.
“But sometimes rebellion can be a good thing,” he said. “politically. I mean, for effecting change.”
Lina shrugged. “Well, not everyone in town thinks that way.”
Jake held her gaze for several moments, leaning in close.
Lina felt her breath catch, but she stepped back, suddenly nervous at the idea of kissing him again. No, it wasn’t that. She was worried that he wouldn’t kiss her. That she’d been reading the situation wrong and making assumptions she shouldn’t be.
She turned on her heels, making a beeline to the children’s section. “So what books are you looking for?”
When he didn’t answer, she turned, surprised to see him checking out her ass.
She snapped her fingers. “Eyes, up here, Jake,” she teased.
He pushed off the counter and strode toward her. “Oh, yeah, sorry. It’s just…” He waved a hand up and down her body.
She blushed at his implication that he liked what she saw.
He dug in the pocket of his jeans, pulled out a piece of paper, and handed it to her. “These are some of them.”
Lina studied the list. There must be at least ten. “That’s a lot. Someone feeling guilty?”
Jake shrugged. “Becca’s been through a lot this last month.”
She walked along the shelves, looking for the books Jake had listed. “So have you.”
He remained silent and she glanced over her shoulder. He was staring down at the floor.
“Hey,” she said, handing him one of the books he had on his list. “What’s going on?”
“Just a lot on my mind, I guess.”
“Want to talk?”
His eyes grew dark as he looked up to meet her scrutiny. “Not really,” he said in a husky voice, moving closer.
She stepped back, pressing against a bookshelf.
“Y-y-you don’t want to talk?” she squeaked out.
He stared down at her lips. “No,” he said, shaking his head, his tone hungry.
“What do you want to do?”
He laid the book on the shelf beside her and slipped his hands around her neck, his thumbs caressing her lips. “This,” he said just before his head dipped and pressed his mouth against hers.
The kiss wasn’t aggressive. It was gentle, reverent, slow in a way that teased and drew her closer to him. Forgetting where she was, she slid her hands up his shoulders. God, he felt good.
She tilted her head as he deepened the kiss, his tongue coaxing her mouth. She willingly opened, giving in to his silent demand, in more ways than she thought she would have only moments before.
He pressed into her, much the same way he had in her bathroom. The heat surging through her body pooled between her legs, the aching throb that had kept her up all night returning in a swift reminder of what this man did to her.
“Jake,” she murmured. “We can’t.”
He pulled back just a fraction, staring down at her.
“It’s the book store,” she whispered.
He looked around the small space of the children’s area. It was in the back corner of the store, somewhat portioned off from the rest of the store. “We’ll hear the bell,” he said, his mouth returning to hers before she could answer.
Without thought, her hands wrapped around his neck, sliding up into his thick dark hair, gripping it tightly as if he might slip away. She tugged, bringing him closer.
He groaned and spread her legs further apart with his knee, his thick denim-clad thigh rubbing between her center as she melted into him.
She moaned into his mouth, her heart pounding against her ribs as heat raced across her skin. Hell, what was he doing to her? Suddenly, images of her teenage years sprang to mind. All the bad decisions that had landed her in more trouble than she’d ever intended. She released his hair, bringing her hands to his chest to push him away.
“No, Jake,” she said.
He released her, stepping back, his chest heaving just as hard as hers. His brows were knit together as he stared at her in confusion.
“Not here,” she repeated, staring around the store.
“Have dinner with me?” His throaty voice was deeper now, lust-filled and full of promise.
“What?” She stared at him like he’d lost his mind.
“Tonight, have dinner with me.”
“We can’t have dinner together.”
“Why?”
“The town would talk about us,” she said.
“We can wear shirts that say ‘just friends,’” he smirked, stepping closer.
She held up a hand. “I’ve never kissed any friend like that before.”
He slid one hand around her neck, his thumb rubbing softly against her cheek as he stared down at her with a look she didn’t recognize.
“Please,” he whispered.
“I have to work,” she said.
The bell above the door chimed.
They broke apart, startled into action by the threat of being caught. It was as good as a cattle prod.
Lina stepped around one of the book shelves, relieved to see January, the store’s part-time employee, walking in with a backpack slung over her shoulder.
“Hey, Lina,” the girl called out. “I’m here, anytime you want to shove off. Thanks for staying a little later for me.” She smiled and Lina could see why half the boys at Canyon Creek High School were vying for her attention.
“No problem.” Lina turned back to Jake.
His head was tilted, his brows raised in question. “Looks like work is over.”
“Well, I have other stuff to do.”
“Like what?” he asked.
She bit her lip and glanced up at the ceiling, trying to think of something, anything.
“I’ll pick you up at seven,” he said, kissing her cheek and walking away.
“Wait!” she shouted.
He turned and stared at her.
She grabbed the book he’d abandoned during their steamy m
ake-out session, in the children’s section of all places. “You didn’t get your books.”
He winked—winked—and then turned to leave without another word.
Sneaky bastard. Had he come in here just to see her? The thought warmed her more than it should.
Lina made her way to the counter where January was stowing her backpack.
“He’s super hot, Lina,” she said.
Watching him walk down Main Street, his back side on display, Lina had to agree.
“He wants to have dinner with me,” she said, turning back to January.
January smiled, her grin wide. “Lucky.”
She was lucky. But she was also nervous. She’d made bad decisions that had cost her and her family too much in the past. Would this be one of them?
“What are you worried about?” January asked.
Lina shrugged. “I don’t know.”
He’s got a kid, she thought. He was only there for a short time. She worked for his family, sort of. Jake was definitely a guy who shouldn’t be on her radar.
But, God, he’d felt good, pressed against her, his hot mouth on hers.
“I think you should go for it,” Paula said behind her.
Lina spun. “How do you know what we’re talking about?”
“Are you kidding?” Paula nodded toward the kid section. “You two were practically dry humping in the children’s section.”
“What?” Lina shrieked. “How do you know about that?
Paula smiled as if she held the deepest darkest secret known to mankind. “Surveillance cameras, sweetheart. You should know that by now.”
So much for keeping things a secret.
“Mum’s the word,” Paula said, pinching her thumb and forefinger together, dragging them across her lips as if zipping them.
January and Lina laughed.
“What?” Paula asked as if genuinely clueless.
“Nothing,” Lina said. Paula hadn’t kept a secret all her life. Lina doubted she was going to start now.
“Seriously, though,” Paula said. “You should totally go for it. I mean, really, you live with two sexy hunks and you don’t do anything with them. Don’t let another hot one get away.” She glanced down at Lina’s mid-section. “You know that thing grows back together if you don’t use it.”
January snorted soda all over the counter.
“Paula!” Lina shrieked.
Paula shrugged. “Just saying.”
Lina pointed toward the back of the store. “Don’t you have bills to pay or something?”
“No, I’m going to go watch that video of you two making out again.”
“What?” Lina’s face broke out into a sweat.
“Calm down, girl, I’m just kidding, Jeez.”
Lina sagged back on the counter in relief. The last thing she needed was rumors spreading around town about her.
“But seriously, go out with the dude, do the horizontal monkey, then come back and tell us all about it.”
January laughed and shook her head. “And on that note, I’ll be in the magazine section,” she said, walking away.
Thinking she should be just as wise, Lina gathered up her laptop and notes, stuffing them into her bag.
“Where are you going?” Paula asked.
“January’s here. You don’t need me.”
“I thought you needed my Wi-Fi,” she said.
I don’t need it that bad, she thought. “I’m good. I’ve got what I need.” She hefted her bag over her shoulder. “You’ll be at the meeting, right?”
“Hell yeah,” Paula said, “and I want details about tonight’s ‘dinner,’” she said, using air quotes.
Lina shook her head and walked toward the door without another word to Paula. The woman didn’t need any more encouragement. “Bye, January,” she called out as she walked toward the door.
“Bye, Lina.”
“Have fun tonight,” Paula shouted.
Lina didn’t have to turn around to know Paula was probably doing something obscene with her body. She couldn’t help but smile, thinking of doing something obscene with hers tonight. With Jake.
Chapter Nineteen
Lina walked home, trying to clear her mind. There was no way she could go to dinner with Jake. Could she? She needed to talk to someone.
Not her family, she didn’t want her sisters giving her crap for weeks when things didn’t work out and she was left licking her wounds.
There was only one person she trusted enough, and who would be brutally honest and tell her what to do.
She dialed Kayleigh’s number, waiting as it rang.
“What’s up, sweet cheeks?” Kayleigh said. “Everything okay with Duchess and Mister O?”
Lina laughed. Kayleigh always referred to O’Malley as Mr. O, for obvious reasons. “They’re fine.” Leave it to a veterinarian to check on Lina’s cats first. “What are you up to?”
“Up to my elbows in horse shit.” She laughed.
“Eeeww. And you answered the phone?”
“No, I’m cleaned up now. I’ll be glad when Alan Rutherford’s son, Dylan, gets here. Giving a rectal exam to a mare who’s not into anal gets old really fast. It will be nice to pass that shit off to another vet. Literally.” Kayleigh burst into laughter.
Lina snorted.
“So what’s up?”
“I need to ask you something,” Lina said.
“Ooo, this sounds serious. Hold on, I’m just starting my car, I’m going to put you on speaker.”
“No one else is with you, are they?”
“No, Aaron’s at the clinic. Unfortunately.” Kayleigh sighed. “I really miss him.”
Lina smiled, happy that her friend was finally in a good relationship.
Kayleigh and Aaron had first hooked up when he returned to Canyon Creek after his career-ending diagnosis. The affair was supposed to be short-lived, and private, much like what Lina was hoping for with Jake. Only in Kayleigh and Aaron’s case, it had turned into something more. Obviously, something much more since Aaron had asked Kayleigh to marry him and moved back to Canyon Creek permanently.
Lina felt confident that wouldn’t happen in Jake’s case. He had a career in California, he had obligations. And he had a kid, she reminded herself.
“Okay, you’re synced up,” Kayleigh said. “What’s going on?”
“Well,” she shuffled her feet, turning off Main Street onto the road that led to her house.
“Is it Jake?” Kayleigh asked.
“Why would you say that?”
“I heard you two slept together.”
“What?” Lina half shrieked, stopping abruptly. Several people across the street stared at her. She ducked her head and then checked over her shoulder to be sure there wasn’t anyone close enough on her side of the street to hear her. “What are you talking about? Who told you that?” She whispered into the phone.
Kayleigh laughed. “Cool your jets, Turbo.”
“Seriously, Kayleigh, where did you hear that?” Lina’s hands began to sweat as she walked faster toward her home. Kayleigh couldn’t possibly know how much this upset Lina. The idea that this was going around town, that her family might hear, sent her heart pounding out of her chest.
“Maggie told me it came up in one of the meetings they had at the lodge. Oh, hey, did you hear Grant Sumner is coming to town for a film festival? Aren’t you excited? He’s been voted world’s sexiest man ever like a hundred times. Hubba, hubba, am I right? I mean, I know he’s my boyfriend’s brother and all, but still, I’m only human.”
“Kayleigh,” Lina shouted. “Focus. Is it all over town that Jake and I slept together?”
“No, it was only a conversation among the Sumners, and they know Becca was between you the whole night.”
Lina scrubbed a hand through her hair. This was bad. Really bad. The Sumner family was talking about them now.
“Lina,” Kayleigh said, more gently now.
“I’m here.”
“Hey,” she sa
id, “I was just teasing. No one thinks you guys are getting busy. They know it was innocent. It was innocent, wasn’t it?”
Lina remained quiet, trying to figure out what to do.
“Lina.” Kayleigh dragged out her name.
“What?”
“Have you slept with him?”
“Only like Maggie said, with Becca in the bed. Like really sleeping, no sex.”
“But?”
“Why do you say but?” Lina asked.
“Because you called me and you sound as nervous as two whores in church.”
“Nice.” Lina laughed.
“So what’s going on?”
“Jake asked me to dinner,” Lina finally said.
“And?”
“And his family is already talking about us sleeping together when we haven’t. If we have dinner the entire town will be talking.”
“And?” Kayleigh asked again.
“I don’t need rumors floating around.”
“Who cares?”
“I do. My family does.”
“You mean your mom does.”
“Yeah, her,” Lina sighed.
“Are you ever going to tell me what the hell happened back in Jersey?”
Lina shrugged. She’d never told anyone in town why her family had really moved to Colorado. It had been her fault. Her nonna said she was young, she was allowed some mistakes, but mistakes didn’t end with people going to jail. What she’d done wasn’t something that could be waved off.
Now the last thing she wanted to do was embarrass her family or make them worry for her safety, again. That’s what worried her the most about getting involved with the highway expansion debate. Embarrassing them, needlessly worrying them…disappointing them.
But surely even her mom could see the debate about the highway was a far cry from what she’d been involved with in New Jersey.
“Okay, never mind,” Kayleigh said, “let’s talk about your dinner tonight. When was the last time you had an all-you-can-eat buffet?” She giggled.
“Oh, my God, did you just really say that?”
“Yeah, I did. And don’t change the subject. When was the last time you had a certified muff diver between your legs?”
“Kayleigh!” Lina clutched the phone close to her face as if others on the street could hear her.
“That’s what I thought,” she said. “I want you to go home, shave every inch of your body that has hair—except your head—then rub that expensive lotion all over your skin. You know, the one you’ve been keeping for a special occasion. Then I want you to pull on the sexiest underwear you own, something smokin’ hot that says, ‘Hey, I’m an all-you-can-eat buffet, and I’m open 24-7, come eat at the Y.’”