by C. A. Harms
He stood and walked toward his closet. His back was to me when he released the towel. As it fell to a puddle at his feet, even I heard my intake of breath. He looked back at me over his shoulder. “I like my idea better, darlin’. Now get up and get ready. We leave in five minutes.”
I didn’t move, still captivated by the perfect ass that was now on display. Jackson Sawyer was a work of art. He was sexy and domineering. He was a control freak, and when things didn’t go his way, he used his size to make sure they did. Yet right now, he was being playful, and it was a side of him I didn’t get to witness often. Things between us were always so tense. I had been fighting my attraction to him for months, but I was beginning to wonder why. Maybe it was time I gave in to temptation and let him have his wicked way with me.
***
I felt slightly uncomfortable as I walked into Heavenly Temptations a few minutes later. I had never once been nervous inside the bakery. Even on opening day when Amber was a nervous wreck, I knew this place would thrive. Amber was an amazing baker, and I knew everyone in town would think so too. But now the mood felt different, and I was positive it had a lot to do with the fake-as-hell blonde behind the counter.
“Stop growling, darlin’. This ain’t the place to claw her eyes out. Let’s find Amber.” Jackson laced his fingers with mine, and the gesture made me smile despite Carla’s presence. As he tugged me along, Carla, of course, decided this would be a perfect opportunity to try to flirt with him again.
“Hey there, handsome, is there anything I can help you with? I would be happy to give you all you need.” Her eyes lit up as she perused Jackson from head to toe.
I was just about to interject when the kitchen door flew open and Amber rushed into the lobby. She all but threw herself at me as she wrapped her arms around my neck.
“Bailey, I was five minutes from driving myself to Noah’s and dragging you out,” she cried, and Jackson gripped my hand just a little tighter. “I was so close to tying Ryan to his bed last night so I could get away long enough to talk to you.”
I smiled and wrapped my free arm around her as Jackson held my other hand securely in his. As Amber looked at Jackson tucked close at my side, her expression turned into a questioning frown. Puzzled, I turned to Jackson and saw that his expression was hard.
“She wasn’t with Noah. She was with me at my place,” he corrected her. “Noah was just in the right place at the wrong time, and that shit came to an end real fast. If Bailey needs anything, at any time, you call me, not Noah.”
Amber and I stared back at him as all kinds of unanswered questions rolled around in my head. I had no idea what Jackson and I were to each other, but I appreciated him being there for me when I needed someone. He listened to me when I needed it most, and I would always appreciate that.
“Jack, you mind telling me what is going on?” Amber asked.
“Let’s just say that Bailey has avoided me long enough, and that shit has come to an end too.”
When I tried to tug my hand from his, he only squeezed it tighter. “Jackson,” I muttered, hoping to get his attention. When he didn’t let go, I knew he was ignoring my protest.
“I brought Bailey here to talk to you, but I’ve realized this isn’t the best place. The current company is only souring my mood, and frankly, this place isn’t as inviting as it once was.” He tugged my hand, pulling me closer.
Amber stood gaping at him, and I was sure I wore the same disbelieving expression. None of this was Amber’s fault, so why was he being such an ass? “Excuse me?” Amber gasped. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Amber, really it—”
“Tonight, you and Ryan come to my place for dinner, and bring Liv,” Jackson cut me off, and I narrowed my eyes at him. He squeezed my hand again, then leaned in closer to Amber. “Darlin’, I mean no disrespect, but Bailey isn’t staying here until you take out the trash.”
Amber looked up over his shoulder at her mother, and I knew she connected the dots immediately. She shifted her gaze to mine. “Bay, what am I missing? Please, I know this is bigger than a simple misunderstanding between her and you.”
Her eyes filled with unshed tears, and I felt mine doing the same. “Tonight,” I whispered, and she nodded in return. “I promise I’ll tell you everything.”
I felt sick, and I hated it. Amber wasn’t tremendously close to her mother, but Carla was still her mom. Telling her that Carla was the person responsible for ending my parents’ already broken relationship would be hard. My biggest fear was losing the only person I considered family. If Amber walked out of my life, I wasn’t sure I’d ever get over that.
Amber looked over toward her mother. “Could you please give us a minute?”
“No, Am,” I said as I placed my hand on her forearm. “Tonight, okay?”
“Yeah, Am, you’ll talk tonight.” Carla’s menacing voice was like fingernails on a chalkboard. “I’m sure whatever drama this is related to, it will still be there tonight.”
“Enough,” Amber said angrily.
Her eyes met mine once more and I forced a smile. “We’ll talk tonight.”
Chapter Eight
Jackson
I knew by the look on Bailey’s face that she planned to give me an ass-chewing the first chance she got. But I was willing to take it, because Carla’s presence was making Bailey uncomfortable, and I wasn’t going to sit back and allow her to crawl under Bailey’s skin. Carla was poison, and Bailey had enough of that in her life. And after what she’d shared with me last night, I wanted to right all the wrongs in her life.
Once I had her safely tucked in the cab of my truck, she whirled on me. “What the hell was that in there?”
I shut the door without answering her and walked around to the driver’s side. She watched me as I crawled up into the cab and shut my door. I waited until I started the truck before I looked at her. She glared back at me, her lip curled in distaste.
“Listen—”
“No, you listen.” She leaned forward and placed her hands on the center console that separated us. “The way you handled that was not okay. None of this is Amber’s fault.”
“Baby, I know that.” She cocked her head to the side at the endearment, but I kept going. “You shared some heavy shit with me last night. And whether you wanted it to or not, it changed things.” I cupped the side of her face and grazed my thumb along her jaw. “You’ve hurt for too long, and if I can stop you from being hurt any more, I’m gonna do it. Carla is toxic, so she needs to go. If she doesn’t, then you do.”
“You can’t make that decision for me,” Bailey whispered. She tried to hide that her lower lip was trembling by biting it.
“When are you gonna stop fighting this?” I asked. She wrinkled her brows, and I leaned in even closer until our noses were only inches apart. “You know what you do to me, how you feel when we’re in the same room. That heavy feeling in your stomach, that excitement that takes over. It’s there, Bailey, and to me that means something. It means you and I are a hell of a lot more than simply friends.”
She closed her eyes and swallowed hard.
“Your heart is aching, darlin’, and it has been for a long time,” I went on. “When was the last time you had someone protect you? The last time someone put you above everything else and fought like hell to give you the happiness you deserve?”
“Jack.” She sighed.
“No,” I replied, and her eyes came open and locked on mine. “You come first, your happiness. You can be pissed at me, you can yell and tell me I’m being an ass all you want.” I lifted my other hand and gripped the other side of her face. “But damn it, Bailey, I will do whatever it takes to make sure you come first.”
A tear escaped her eye and ran down her cheek. I leaned in and kissed the path it had taken. “You, sweetheart,” I whispered before kissing the side of her mouth. “You come first. To me, that is how this goes. Because we are so much more than just friends.”
I placed my lips against hers
, and she trembled as she returned the kiss. It was a simple kiss but had so much meaning. I rested my forehead against hers, and we both took a moment to calm ourselves.
“What are we, Jackson?” she asked.
“You’re mine, beautiful, and I’m gonna bring back your happiness,” I assured her.
“What about yours? Your happiness,” she asked. “Who is going to bring back yours?”
“You already are, darlin’, you already are,” I replied before covering her mouth with mine.
***
“Are you sure this is okay?” Bailey asked. “I just feel like now isn’t the time for me to visit.”
I parked between Aunt Jeannie’s car and the barn. Pulling the keys from the ignition, I turned to face Bailey. “You are always welcome here. I believe my dad told you that on more than one occasion.” My throat burned as I thought about all the times he’d told me Bailey was a catch and that I should pull my head out of my ass and claim her before someone else beat me to it.
Why I waited as long as I did to claim this woman I’ll never know. I just wished I had listened to my father months ago. I also wished he was here to see that I was doing as he suggested— pulling my head out of my ass.
“You know, my dad told me I was a dumbass if I didn’t grab ahold of you before someone else did.” Her eyes grew wide and I chuckled. “He said, ‘That girl right there would be good for you, Jack. She wouldn’t take your shit, and you need a woman who knows how to give back twice as much crap as you deal out. Bailey would keep you on your toes.’ He was right, ya know.”
She shook her head, but I steadied her with my hand on her cheek. “Oh yeah,” I said. “You’re just what I need, Bay—fiery and sweet. You’re the best of both.”
“I am not sweet,” she said with a smile.
“You’re sweet, darlin’. You try to hide it. You try to come off all hard and feisty, but you have a sweet side,” I assured her. “Last night as you were snuggled up at my side sleeping, you showed just a little of that sweet.”
She tried to say something in return, but I kissed her quickly, and she moaned against my lips. “I plan on bringing out more of that sweet side, because even though I love the fireball side of you, that sweet Bailey is a welcome addition.”
I climbed out of the truck and left her staring at me, unsure of what to say. “Now let’s go visit my mother. She could use a little of your sweet too, darlin’.”
Chapter Nine
Bailey
As we entered the back door, a strong sense of sadness anchored itself in the pit of my stomach. Jackson’s mother sat at the kitchen table next to another woman who I recognized as his Aunt Jeannie. Tammy, his mother, looked as if she had lost at least ten pounds. Her expression was anguished, and my heart instantly ached for her. I stood just a few steps behind Jackson, wondering if me being here right now was really the best choice. I was positive the last thing she wanted was to have visitors.
Jackson walked toward his mother and bent to wrap his arms around her. Tammy’s tiny frame disappeared within his embrace. I watched in awe as he held her close and gently, and even though I could not clearly hear the words he spoke, I was sure they were gentle and sweet. When she leaned back and kissed his cheek, the lump lodged in my throat settled, and my chest constricted as she lifted her hand to wipe at his cheek. The idea of Jackson shedding tears made me want to hold him myself and kiss away the hurt.
When Tammy looked up over Jackson’s shoulder and her gaze locked on mine, I forced a smile. In reality, all I wanted to do was rush to her and hug them both close to me.
“Bailey,” she whispered hoarsely. “Come in, sweet girl.” Tammy waved her hand toward the empty spot at the table. “Don’t mind the mess.”
I looked around, wondering what mess she was talking about but decided not to question it. I walked over to the table and sat in the chair next to Aunt Jeannie while Jackson took the one next to his mother.
“So what are you two up to?” Aunt Jeannie asked as she looked between Jackson and me, a curious look on her face. “And do I finally get the chance to meet this lovely girl?” She clearly wanted to ask more but refrained from saying anything else.
“Of course, Aunt Jeannie, this is Bailey.” Jackson offered her a knowing smile, and my stomach knotted immediately. He liked to tease, and I was all for it, but this wasn’t the place or time. I gave him a look to try to tell him not to do what he was thinking, but he just leaned back in his chair, slouching in his usual cocky, confident manner and chuckled before averting his eyes from mine.
“I’ve kidnapped Bailey, and I’m trying to keep her busy. If she keeps trying to get away, I may have to tie her to my bed. But since my girl likes being tied up, I’m not sure that would get my point across.”
Aunt Jeannie choked on the drink she had just taken and fanned her face as she attempted to catch her breath. Shaking her head, her cheeks reddened. “Well,” she said. Her mouth opened as if she had more to say before she quickly shut it once more.
Heat erupted across my own cheeks, and my palms started to sweat as I closed my eyes and let my head fall forward to stare at the floor before me. I wanted to strangle him.
He chuckled, and my irritation only grew more intense. Then I heard the sweet laughter of his mother. I stared at her in awe. It wasn’t the kind of laugh you offer when someone makes a joke you don’t find funny but you don’t want to be rude by being quiet. No, this was a “cackle until your ribs hurt as the tears run down your cheeks” kind of laugh.
Her laughter eventually turned into sobs. My stomach tensed again, and I wasn’t sure if I should offer her a hug or join her for a good cry.
“Jackson Michael, you are so much like your father,” she said through her tears. “He took every chance he had to make me blush. The both of you were cut from the same cloth, I tell ya.”
Jackson placed his hand over his mother’s and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
“I don’t think I’ll ever stop missing that stubborn, ornery-as-hell man, but I gotta look at how lucky I am too. I have my boys,” she whispered through her tears.
“Yeah, you sure do, Momma.” Jackson’s voice was strained, and it made my own throat feel raw.
***
“That was intense,” I whispered as we came to a stop in front of Jackson’s place. We sat in silence, staring through the windshield of my Jeep. I had no idea what was rolling through Jackson’s mind, but I felt as if I had been to hell and back.
“Um.” He cleared his throat. When I turned to face him, his eyes were bloodshot.
I rested my hand on his forearm as I tried to think of what to say, because I honestly had no words. It was hard to see Jackson hurting. He was always so strong, yet in that moment he looked so frail.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
He nodded and took in a deep, calming breath. “I’m good,” he assured me. “We need to figure out dinner. Amber and Ryan will be here soon.”
Before I could respond, he turned and crawled from the Jeep and off toward the cabin.
Chapter Ten
Jackson
Humor was my way of hiding my sadness. If all else failed, I’d crack a joke. Direct the attention at me and give everyone something else to focus on.
Lately, that task had become more difficult. My laughter was always soured by the fact my father was no longer here to share our good times. Now, instead of having a beer with him on the back porch, I sat there alone in silence. Having Bailey stay with me was a welcome distraction. She may think I was only doing this to save her, to offer her peace. Hell, I know that’s what everyone was thinking, but in all honesty I’d asked her to stay here for more selfish reasons. Her presence was consoling; I needed her around.
“You need any help?” she asked as she stepped up to my side. I was getting the steaks ready for the grill, and my mind had drifted off during the process. When I looked over at her, she was staring up at me with those big blue eyes. She lifted her hand and placed it on my bicep,
and my heart jumped in my damn chest.
I brought my face closer to hers, and her eyes grew wider. “Thank you,” I said before kissing her. It was difficult not to take things further, but I pulled back and shifted my gaze to the platter sitting on the counter in front of me. “I got it,” I assured her.
The doorbell rang, and Bailey jumped at the sound. “I’ll, um…” She stepped back to place some distance between us. “I’ll get the door,” she said as she hurried off. I looked back over my shoulder and watched her blonde hair flowing behind her and those jeans hugging her in all the right places. I shook my head to clear my thoughts.
“Where’s my dinner?” Ryan hollered as he entered the room. I heard a clank and turned around just in time to see him lower a glass container filled to the rim with assorted cookies to the counter. He shrugged. “Am couldn’t show up without bringing something sweet—well, besides herself.”
I grinned and held out the platter of steaks. “You wanna step out back while I throw these on the grill?”
“Yeah, if you offer me a beer,” he teased.
I nodded toward the fridge. “Get your own beer. I’m not your waiter.” I headed to the back doors that led out onto the deck, leaving him chuckling behind me. As I pushed them open, I looked back just in time to catch sight of Bailey entering the kitchen with Amber. Our stare connected as she beamed at me, and her smile got even brighter when I winked at her. This sweet side of Bailey was refreshing.
“Gonna go throw these on the grill, baby. You wanna get everything else gathered up and ready?” I said.
The endearment fell from my lips without a second thought, and it didn’t go unnoticed. Amber’s face lit up, and Ryan grinned. Oh, he knew what was going on in my head, all right—the unbelievable urge to claim my woman and make her understand that she was, in fact, mine. He had been there not so long ago with Amber.