He turned to look at her. “What?”
“We’re free to leave.” Now she was the one to look away, her focus on a small candle flickering in the center of the white linen tablecloth. “I guess they’ve got enough chaperones to keep the kids in line, we’re not needed.”
“Or wanted.”
She shrugged and tried not to show how much what was probably a correct assumption bothered her. “It’s no big deal.”
Biting on her bottom lip couldn’t stop the words from slipping out, but at least it muffled most of her groan. Of all the words in the English language, why did she pick those four?
She was wrong. It was a big deal.
Ever since they’d left her house tonight, Gina had been working overtime to maintain an invisible barrier between them because she had to have known the kind of reactions they’d get showing up together. And those reactions were bothering her more than she was willing to admit.
Not that Justin blamed her. She didn’t deserve them. Or his chilly attitude since the moment she’d surprised him by agreeing to come here tonight with him.
What had he told those kids? To enjoy themselves? And here he was, so wrapped up in his own issues that he’d failed to make sure Gina enjoyed this night, too. He stared at her, waiting until she looked at him again. She finally bowed to the silent pressure and glanced up through her lashes.
“You’re amazing, you know that?”
Her beautiful blue eyes widened as she turned fully toward him with those damn shiny lips open in surprise.
“You’re the one who’s had to put up with the disrespect of these people tonight…because of me.” He stopped her un-voiced protest with a wave of his hand and scooted his chair closer until he bracketed her legs with his. “If you’d shown up with Ric, everyone would be smiling and happy, you’d be smiling and happy. Instead, you got stuck with someone who can’t even hold a pleasant conversation, much less— Look, staying or leaving isn’t my call, it’s yours.”
Justin cut off his tirade and pulled in a deep breath. “From this moment on, this night is about what you want. So what’s it going to be?”
She opened her mouth, but quickly closed it again. He leaned in, knowing he shouldn’t touch her, but still he ran the tip of his finger along her jaw. “Don’t think. Just go with the first thing that comes to your mind. What do you want?”
“I want to dance.”
Of all the possible answers, that was the last thing he’d expected her to say.
He straightened. “You want to what?”
“I want to dance,” she repeated softly, “with you.”
He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet as a rock and roll classic pounded through the speakers.
“Justin, are you sure you want to do this? Dance with me?”
“More than anything.”
That was a lie. What he wanted to do more than anything was kiss her, but her smile, wide and full of life, captured him. It was the first time he’d seen that smile in almost two weeks. In fact, the last time was when she’d held his son’s simple crayon drawing in her hands.
His son.
Thanks to a delay from the laboratory he’d found out just this afternoon that Jacoby was indeed his flesh and blood. Justin hadn’t been surprised. Deep inside, he’d known the boy was his. The sudden urge to share his news with Gina filled him, but he decided to wait until they could talk without music blaring. He tightened his grip on her hand and led her to the crowded dance floor.
When she turned to face him, he said, “Are you sure about this? Two-stepping is more my speed. I don’t think I can swing, or jitterbug, or whatever kind of dancing goes with ol’ time rock and roll.”
Gina pressed her cheek to his, her lips moving against to his ear. “Like these kids do? This music belongs to their grandparents. Just have fun!”
It was fun, all of it, from the crazy songs to the teenagers bouncing around them, to being able to hold Gina’s hands in his as they did their own version of cutting loose. It took him until the second song before he stopped caring if others watched, and as he’d advised the teens, he enjoyed himself. He hadn’t relaxed like this in a long time and being able to share it with Gina made it even more special.
When a slow ballad finally came on, Gina slipped into his arms. He wanted to press her close, to feel her curves against his chest. Then he noticed they were being watched by her brother and sister who were close by, dancing with their dates.
“We’re not officially chaperones,” Gina said. “But we should probably display the proper decorum.”
“Have you checked out the couples around us? No one else is dancing with enough room between them for a third party.”
“Would you like to sit this one out instead?”
Justin grinned and shook his head. “No, I have a much better idea.”
Chapter Eleven
Justin kept Gina’s hand in his as he led her off the dance floor. Moving her in front of him, he steered her back to the table, but only long enough to grab his jacket. Gina shot him a look but kept walking. They slowly made their way around the outer rim of the tables until they reached a shadowed cove between the stacked bleachers.
She halted. “Where are we going?”
“Trust me.”
He tugged on her hand and made his way to the double doors he’d used years ago to sneak out of school. Only one thing could get in the way— Ah, still no fire alarm attached. Perfect.
In fact, the doors had been propped open to allow a cool breeze to enter the stuffy gym. He eased outside, pausing to make sure they weren’t interrupting someone else with the same idea. Nope, they were alone.
The night air felt good against his heated skin. “Much better.”
“Where are we?” Gina shivered slightly in the light breeze. “And why?”
He let go of her long enough to drape his suit jacket over her bare shoulders. “The far side of the gym. This road leads from the front parking lot to the athletic fields around the back.”
She tucked her tiny purse into the inside pocket of his jacket, then slipped her arms into the sleeves. Justin grinned as she rolled the long cuffs back to her wrists.
“And the woods are beyond that,” she said. “Something tells me you’ve used this exit before. Reliving a bit of your youth, Mr. Dillon?”
Justin took her hand again and moved back into the shadows. “No, I never snuck out here with a pretty girl.”
The music from inside the gym was muted but could still be heard. He dragged her up against his body, putting one hand beneath his jacket to the small of her back, and pressed her close. He brought their joined hands to rest against his chest. Her free hand went to his shoulder, her touch warm through his shirt.
Maybe this wasn’t the best idea.
Hell, he was pushing his luck holding her like this, but her conviction that he was a good person had got to him. Got to a place he’d buried so deep, he couldn’t even find it anymore. He’d tried to keep a wall between them, but this lady—one part vixen, one part angel—kept finding ways to get past it. He should’ve walked away when she gave him the chance, but he wanted to stay and give her the night she deserved.
Now selfishly, he was doing something he’d wanted to do for the past hour, hold her in his arms away from the crowds and spying eyes. A moment alone, just the two of them, and if he found the courage, he was going to kiss her.
Despite every fiber of his being telling him it was the last thing in the world he should do, he wanted to kiss Gina. A full-contact, wet-tongued, bone-melting kind of kiss. Like the one they’d shared in the dark of his kitchen. The one he couldn’t get out of his head.
“I heard the good news the other day.”
Justin stilled. Good news? Was she talking about Jacoby? No, wait—she said the other day. “What good news?” he asked.
“About your friend, Bobby Winslow? Racy said it looks like he’s going to recover from that horrific car crash.”
“Yeah, he
’s going to be in the hospital for a while, and there’s a lot of talk about whether he’ll be able to get behind the wheel of a race car again, but he’ll survive. That’s the most important thing.”
Gina dipped her head to rest it on his shoulder. “Gage said all Bobby ever wanted to do was be a race car driver. It must be so hard knowing he might have to give up his dream.”
Justin wouldn’t know about that. He’d given up on his own dreams long ago. Then again, holding this lady in his arms felt about as close to a dream as one could get.
“Is this okay? Dancing out here?” The softness of her hair brushed against his chin and tickled his nose. He pulled in a deep breath and her signature scent wrapped around him as they moved. “We can go back inside if you want.”
“What I want,” Gina whispered, her breath warm against his neck, “is to be right here, like this, with you.”
An emotion he couldn’t describe filled his chest. Pride? Pleasure? He didn’t know and he didn’t care. He didn’t want to think, just feel and let the rest of the world disappear.
Except for one small thing he wanted to share with her right this very minute. “Guess what? I finally got the DNA test results back. Jacoby is my son.”
Gina’s smile was serene. “Of course he is. Congratulations, anyway.”
“You didn’t have any doubt?”
“Not once.”
Not sure how to reply to her confident tone, he stayed quiet as they moved in a silent embrace as one song ended and another began.
Gina’s fingers gently traveled to the large stone at the center of his bolo tie. “I remember this. You wore it at Racy and Gage’s renewal ceremony.”
“Same suit and boots, too.” His words came out in a rough whisper. He had to pause and clear his throat. “The tie once belonged to my grandfather. Racy found it in an old box years ago, long after my father died and Billy Joe and I— Well…”
Surprised at how much he wanted to share this story with her, he continued, “Racy gave it to me the day she and Gage renewed their vows. I told her she should give it to her husband, but she insisted it stay in the family. Someday, I’ll pass it down to Jacoby, I guess. Maybe he’ll want to wear it to his senior prom.”
Gina’s fingers traced the braided leather cords that hung from the tie to lie against his shirt. Her touch sent a burning sensation through him. He flexed his fingers at her back to keep from crushing her to his chest.
“Well, you look very handsome wearing it.”
He used their linked fingers to lift her chin until he could see her eyes. “I know I haven’t said it, and I’m a fool for waiting so long, but you look beautiful tonight.”
Thanks to the shadows it was hard to see the now-familiar pink blush on her cheeks, but he was sure it was there. “Yes, it’s a pretty dress—”
“It’s not the dress. It’s you, Gina.”
She pulled from his touch and looked away. He untangled their fingers, his hand cupping the nape of her neck. The slightest pressure had her looking at him again.
“It’s your smile, your eyes and this bright pink in your hair you keep trying to hide.” It took only a tug of his index finger to set the curl free and it fell to rest along her neck and the collar of his jacket. “There, much better.”
“Justin…”
His thumb stroked across her lips, stopping her words. He lowered his head until their foreheads touched. “This has got to be the craziest thing I’ve done in a long time, but right now I want to—”
A muffled cry broke the night air. Both Justin and Gina stilled.
“What was that?” she whispered. “An animal?”
“Shh…wait…”
There it was again. Justin recognized the sound this time. He released Gina, pushing past her. “Go back inside. Now.”
“Justin, what is it?”
“Someone’s in trouble.” He started for the far corner of the building, heading deeper into the dark. Gut instincts, honed to a razor’s edge thanks to his time behind bars, kicked in. Whatever was going on, it wasn’t good. “Just go.”
“And leave you alone? No way.”
Gina caught up with him as they rounded the corner. He wanted to yell at her to listen to him, but the scene in front of them caused Justin to grab her and they froze.
Twenty feet away, two seniors and their dates, obviously from the dance from their tuxedos and gowns, were in a world of trouble with four men, clearly intruders from their scruffy jeans, T-shirts and hooded sweatshirts.
Two of the hoodlums held one boy captive despite his struggles to break free, a bandana jammed into his mouth. A pretty blonde girl was held by a third man, his hand pressed tightly over her mouth. The last goon was squared off with another partygoer, a young kid in a white tuxedo, built like a football player, who stood between his visibly scared date and the shiny glint of a switchblade.
Justin turned to Gina and gestured to her to make a phone call. She reached inside the jacket for her purse, but he couldn’t wait. He raced across the grass, shoving the tuxedo-clad kid to the ground as the thug with the knife lunged.
Surprise crossed the knifer’s face at his sudden appearance and Justin sucked in his stomach, but the sharp edge sliced twice at his shirt. Adrenaline pulsing through his veins, he swung out his right leg, striking with his foot and sending the knife flying into the night sky. Before the guy could recover, Justin threw a quick fist to the jaw and the guy was flat on his back.
“Justin! Look out!”
He turned, with barely enough time to plant his feet before being charged by the thug who’d let go of the girl to come after him. He used the man’s forward motion against him, but they both went sprawling into the dirt. This one was bigger and managed to place a few punches, but Justin fought back and when the opening came, he knocked the wind out of the jerk with a well placed right hook.
Knowing there were two other goons to deal with, Justin struggled to his feet, only to find they’d released the other teen and took off. Red-and-blue lights flashed, and seconds later a deputy sheriff’s cruiser rounded the far corner of the building, blocking their escape. Chaperones and teenagers spilled out of the nearby double doors.
That fast, it was over.
Justin winced as he stood, a little unsteady on his feet when Gina raced to his side. “Ohmigod, are you okay?”
She reached for him, but he only grabbed her hand and held on tight. “I’m…fine,” he punched out between gutted breaths. “What about…the kids?”
It took a few moments and most of the adults to get the curious onlookers back inside the gym. Then it was only the coach, another male teacher and Mrs. Powers left, along with the sheriff’s deputy, who’d been patrolling the parking lot when the call came in. Volunteer EMTs arrived next and right behind them, the sheriff.
“Gina!” Gage stepped out of his Jeep. “Are you all right? What’s going on here?”
Justin lessened his grip, but Gina held on tight and stayed by his side as her brother approached. Gina quickly filled him in on what had happened, ending with her assurance that as far as she knew both Giselle and Garrett were safe inside the gym.
Gage gave Justin a long stare before he walked away to talk with his deputy, who had the four assailants sitting on the ground by a chain-link fence. The EMTs checked out the teenagers and the four attackers who were then handcuffed and squeezed in to the back of the cruiser.
“You kids came out for some fresh air and then this group showed up?” Gage addressed the teens.
The one who’d had the cloth jammed into his mouth nodded, tightening his arm around the weeping girl next to him. “Yes, sir. They just appeared out of the dark. They must’ve come from the football field.”
He went on to explain how they asked for money and when the teens refused and tried to head back inside, things got ugly. His friends backed up his story, repeating what they’d already told the deputy, who with the okay from Gage, headed to the jail with the assailants.
“Micha
el?”
A woman’s high voice had everyone turning toward the doors. Justin recognized her as one of the chaperones who’d given him and Gina a look of disdain earlier tonight.
“Oh, Michael!” She rushed forward and pulled the boy in the dirt-stained white tux into her arms. “Your sister just told me what happened.” She released the boy long enough to wrap one arm around the girl next to him. “Oh, sweetie, are you okay?”
“We’re fine, Mrs. Simpson,” the girl said.
“Yes, they are,” Gage agreed, jerking a thumb in Justin’s direction, “thanks to that guy.”
Ten pairs of eyes locked on him at once, but the ones he was most interested in were a vivid shade of blue. He looked down at Gina and saw concern and admiration in those cerulean depths, along with the sparkle of unshed tears.
“Hey, it’s okay,” he whispered when she blinked, releasing one of those tears. He quickly brushed it away with the pad of his thumb over her cheekbone. “It’s all over.”
“But you could’ve been hurt…” Her voice trailed off as she wrapped her arms around his waist, leaving him no choice but to put his arm across her shoulders.
Ignoring the slice of pain across his midsection, Justin tightened his hold and turned to look at her brother. His face also held concern and admiration. Justin knew the sheriff’s concern was for Gina and the way she held on to him, but the respect aimed his way? That was a surprise.
“Thank you, sir.” Michael walked to Justin and held out his hand. “I don’t know what would’ve happened if you didn’t show up.” He shrugged, then continued, “I figured it was going to be a plain ol’ fist fight. That I could’ve handled, but I was out of my element when I saw that knife.”
“Hey, you got between danger and your girl. You put her safety and well-being ahead of yours,” Justin said, taking his hand. “That was a very brave thing to do.”
A Daddy for Jacoby Page 13