by Lori Foster
Two blinks and one quiet sniff, and she felt marginally more composed. “You’re all too wonderful. Thank you.”
Lexie grabbed her arm and started for the house. “Give us five minutes,” she told the men. “We’ll be right back.”
6
LEXIE WAS A devious woman, Jason would give her that.
Just as Honor had gotten emotional, ripping his heart out by the way she’d struggled to accept a little caring, a few helping hands, Lexie had led her away—then returned her in a killer outfit that made it nearly impossible for Jason to think about anything other than stripping the clothes back off her.
They’d taken his truck to the diner, and the drive had been a lesson in concentration. What he’d most wanted to do was stare at Honor.
Or better still, detour away from Screwy Louie’s to someplace more private. He wanted to get his hands under that shirt, or back on that perfectly cushy rear.
With hands and mouth, he’d love to learn her each and every curve.
Unfortunately no place private came to mind. More than enough company congregated at his and Honor’s houses to ensure they wouldn’t get a moment alone.
Screwy Louie’s certainly wasn’t any better.
Neighborhood regulars crowded the outside dining area, so Jason led her inside.
Everywhere she went, Honor turned heads.
To him, she always looked incredible. But tonight, in denim capri leggings, heeled sandals and a sleeveless white crochet top that fit to her breasts but fell loosely around her waist—meaning getting his hands under there would be easy—she’d ramped up the overt sexiness a lot.
He wasn’t a caveman¸ but Jason found himself sticking close as they maneuvered across the floor to an empty booth. He wanted anyone who saw Honor to know she wasn’t alone.
Her hair brushed his arm as she looked up at him. “Is it always this busy?”
“This time of night, yeah.”
She slid into a seat, folded her arms on the booth top and looked around in awe.
Jason looked at her. At the fall of her hair, the length of her lashes, the sparkle in her tawny eyes.
And her cleavage.
She busted him looking, started to hike up the neckline a little, but he caught her hand. “You have no reason to be modest.”
Color slashed her cheekbones. “Lexie picked this out.” She waffled, then said, “It’s a little more daring than what I usually wear.”
“You look good enough to eat.”
Her blush intensified.
Enjoying her, Jason kissed her knuckles. “I’m guessing that was Lexie’s intent, so let’s not spoil it for her, okay?”
With her bottom lip caught in her teeth, she subsided. “If you’re sure I’m not inappropriate...”
“You’re a fantasy.” His fantasy. “Go with it.”
A little laugh snuck out, she ducked her head, then shyly met his gaze again. “I’ve been thinking about that kiss.”
“Yeah? Me, too.” Nonstop.
The jukebox blared, a few people pretended to dance and a continual drone of voices and laughter filtered around them. They paid no attention.
Jason kept thinking, what if she’d been home alone when the intruders broke into her house? It wasn’t really enough, but he kissed her hand again, on her knuckles, then on her wrist, assuring himself she was unharmed.
Her lips parted.
Unfair, he knew, to bring her here and then keep teasing. Unfair and torturous. For them both.
“For now, let’s relax.” Jason settled back in his seat. “We’ll return to this later.”
She closed her eyes long enough to drink in a deep breath, then smiled at him. “Okay.” But she reiterated, “Later,” like a promise she intended him to keep.
People bumped into their booth, said a quick apology and kept going. Across the room, a tableful of people laughed loudly, drawing Honor’s attention. She watched them with something close to envy.
So many things about her touched his heart. One moment she’d come across indomitable, and in the next she’d be so incredibly vulnerable that it hurt him.
It was easy to see that she cared about his nephew, but she kept secrets, too.
Her crazy hours would give him no end of worry. What if she came home in the middle of the night to more intruders? He usually heard her, but what if he didn’t?
Given the superficial destruction inside her house, Nathan assumed knuckleheaded youths were responsible. But neither he nor Jason would take anything for granted. They’d both be keeping an eye out.
Jason knew that before he returned with Honor, Sullivan and Nathan would have her windows temporarily rigged to ensure they couldn’t be opened, and Hogan and Colt would have floodlights erected, especially on the darker side of her house.
He’d aim one of his own security lights toward her side door, even though that door still hadn’t been repaired and wouldn’t open without a lot of effort. Eventually he’d plane it down for her and change the hinges.
That is, if he could ever talk her into letting him do it.
He’d just slid his feet to either side of Honor’s, caging her in, when a cute server stepped up to their table. “Sorry for the wait. What can I getcha?”
Honor looked first at him, then to the server. “Oh, um...”
Grabbing the menu kept tucked between the napkin holder and the condiments, Jason slid it toward her.
“Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize it was on the table.” She opened and began perusing.
“Still no ribs?” he asked the server.
“Sadly, no. Violet’s been looking for a new barbecue cook, but it’s not going well.”
“How about bringing us a couple of drinks while we figure out our orders?” He glanced at Honor, seeing her pursed mouth as she read the options. “Sweet tea sound okay to you?”
Nodding absently, she said, “Perfect, thank you.”
After the server departed, he told Honor, “The wings are good. The burgers, too.”
Laying the menu on the table, she tipped her head at him. “What are you going to get?”
“Loaded burger and fries.”
“Hmm...” She lifted the menu again.
Jason had to laugh. “Having trouble deciding?”
“It all sounds so good and I’m starving.”
The server returned with their drinks. “Need a little more time?”
Jason lifted a brow at Honor.
“Nope.” She closed the menu. “Two loaded burgers and fries.”
“Big appetite,” the server said with a grin.
“Oh.” She laughed. “No, that’s one for me and one for him. Jason assured me the burgers are great.”
Jason took her hand and said to the server, “It’s her first time here and she had some difficulty deciding.”
“Well, you chose right. The burgers are awesome.” She reached past them to tuck the menus away, then left with a quick “Be right back with your food.”
“How old is she?” Honor asked.
The quick switch threw him. “Who? The waitress?”
“She’s really cute, isn’t she?”
Jason automatically looked to where the girl, with dark, shoulder-length hair and a slim build, hip-bumped a guy standing in her way. They laughed, and she patted his arm, then disappeared into the kitchen. He shrugged. “Yeah, I guess so.”
“Has Colt met her?”
Ah, now he knew the train of her thought. “She’s at least nineteen to work here, since they serve alcohol, too, but I’d say she’s closer to twenty-one or so.”
Honor’s face fell. “Well, darn.”
“Playing Cupid?”
“I don’t like seeing him unhappy.”
Damn, but she pleased him. “Don’t let Colt’s laid-back attitude and manners fool you. He has no problem getting female attention when he wants it.”
“I can believe that.” Her smile quirked. “He’s a lot like his uncle.”
Jason grinned. “Colt thin
ks he’s carrying a torch for the girl he left behind.”
“You don’t agree?”
He shook his head. “She was part of what grounded him when everything else went to shit. One day he had the ideal situation with the perfect attentive, happy and dedicated parents. Next day he found out his mom was discontent enough with his dad that she’d cheated with more than one guy, his dad was in a constant fury, they were gearing up for divorce...”
Honor squeezed his hand, her voice low with sympathy. “And then his mom was gone.”
“Hogan tried to work it out, I’ll give him that. But Meg had not only cheated physically, she’d cheated with their funds. Bank accounts wiped out. Checking account overdrawn.” Jason still had a difficult time bending his brain around it. In some ways it seemed Meg had suffered a mini breakdown. She’d had everything—and thrown it all away. Including her life. “She’d even emptied out Colt’s college fund.”
“Oh no.” She covered her mouth. “I’m so sorry.”
How the hell had they gotten onto this? He didn’t want his first date with Honor tainted with sadness. “Kids are resilient. When Colt’s ready, he’ll find his place.”
“When school starts?” Pensive, she looked away. “Maybe you never had to be the new kid at school, but it can be really awkward and uncomfortable.”
Grabbing on to that, Jason asked, “You know from experience?”
She tucked her hair back behind one ear, and damn, even that turned him on.
He waited on her answer.
But far sooner than expected, their server returned with a small platter, letting Honor off the hook.
“Compliments of the house,” she said as she set down the overloaded sampler. “Violet said with you and your brother being such good customers and all, and since your date’s new, she should try a little of everything.”
Honor stared at the potato skins, wings, onion rings, fries, grilled cheese balls and a variety of dipping sauces. “Wow.”
“The burgers will be right out.” Again, the waitress took herself off.
Wide-eyed, Honor leaned toward him to ask, “We’re supposed to eat all this and burgers?”
Jason handed her a chicken wing. “Better get started.”
“Okay.” But rather than take a bite, she held the wing and asked, “Who’s Violet?”
The really beautiful, redheaded hottie who runs this place. He cleared his throat and tried to look nonchalant. “Violet Shaw. She’s the owner.”
“Hmm.” She dipped the wing in sauce, then nibbled. “You know her well?”
“Sure.” Jason didn’t exactly hear jealousy. More like sharp curiosity. The fact that he and Violet had gone out a few times didn’t factor into anything. “She’s a nice lady.” True. “Twangy voice.” Very true. “She’s friendly with everyone.”
Soon as he said it, he winced because it sounded bad. Violet was friendly—but she’d been a whole lot friendlier with him. Mostly, he figured, from loneliness. He knew for a fact she wasn’t hung up on him—or him on her.
Honor took in his expression, then fought a smile. Pointing at him with the wing, she said, “You two had a thing?”
Because he wouldn’t lie to her, Jason set aside the cheese ball he’d been about to devour. “Yeah. Nothing serious and nothing that lasted. But we did go out a few times.”
As she ate, Honor considered him. “So...went out, as in got intimate?”
He answered her question with one of his own. “Is that a problem?”
Her slim brows climbed high. “I never thought you were a virgin. I’m not dumb. As long as you’re not still involved—”
“We’re not,” Violet said as she stopped at their table. She eyed Jason. “Where’s your reprobate brother?”
“Home with Colt.” Knowing how she’d react, Jason teased, “Missing him?”
“Ha!”
“You know you like him.” Soon after Hogan moved home and Violet met him, sparks had flown. Luckily that was well after Jason and Violet had ended their brief fling. The interest was shared by them both, Jason was sure of that, but since Violent was a proud, self-sufficient woman, she kept some distance with Hogan. If Jason’s idiot brother would quit repairing his wounded ego with one-night stands, he just might have a chance with Violet.
She shrugged. “He has moments of humor, and physically he shares your excellent genes, but I like mature adult men, not testosterone-driven idiots.”
“Give him time.”
Smiling, she asked, “Now, why would I want to do that?” Done with that topic, she turned to Honor. “So you’re my new customer?”
Quickly dabbing her mouth with a napkin, Honor nodded. “You’re the owner?”
“Yes.”
Wary, Jason waited to see how things would play out.
Honor grinned. “Thank you for the platter. The food is delicious.”
Violet gave a sideways glance at Jason, then laughed. “Relax, big boy. She’s not the jealous type.”
“No, I’m not.” Honor’s gaze touched on each of them in turn. “As long as I’m not stepping on any toes...?”
“By mutual agreement, Jason is now just a good friend.”
“Then from my perspective, it’s all good.”
With his concerns allayed, Jason did the introductions. “Violet Shaw, meet Honor Brown, my new neighbor.”
“Lucky you,” Violet teased.
With a small smile, Honor looked toward him. “You know, I was just thinking that very thing.”
* * *
By the time they left the diner, a crescent moon shone bright against a velvet dark sky. The crowd had thinned, the air had cooled and despite the break-in at her house, Honor floated on a cloud of happiness. There’d be plenty of time to fret, plenty of time to give in to her fear, after they ended the night.
Though she’d left her cell out so she could hear it, she hadn’t gotten a single call, not from her family, the facility or the friends ensuring her house’s security. While they’d eaten, several people stopped by their table to chat with Jason. Some thanked him for the help he’d given in repairs or for things he’d built them, while still others asked about hiring him for various projects.
Obviously he was well liked and respected. And why not? Far as Honor could tell, he didn’t have a single flaw.
When she thought of how guarded he’d acted during Violet’s brief visit, she nearly smiled. She understood his concern. Violet Shaw, with her striking red hair, creamy skin and vivid blue eyes, was incredibly beautiful. She’d looked slimmer than Honor, more petite, but still shapely. She had a very inviting country accent, and was supernice to boot.
Jealousy would be a natural reaction. But Honor intrinsically trusted Jason, and he said there was no reason for it.
For the first time in a long while, she felt free and she wouldn’t let any ridiculous envy spoil things.
Jason drew her around to face him, then backed her up a step to something solid—and she realized they’d reached his truck. Bracing his hands against the roof at either side of her shoulders, he surrounded her.
They stood at the outer edge of a bright streetlamp with heavy shadows concealing them. Music from the diner barely stirred the air. His unreadable gaze moved over her face. “Worrying about your house?”
Mostly about being alone there, but she didn’t say so. “Just a little.” This close, his heat and scent touched her everywhere. She loved breathing him in, and she especially loved the relaxed, almost possessive way he looked at her.
Giving in to temptation, she put her hands against his chest. The contrast of solid muscles under the soft cotton of his shirt stirred butterflies in her stomach. She peeked up at him. Rather than concentrate on problems, she said, “I like your friend.”
His eyes glimmered. “Which one?” he asked, as if he didn’t know exactly who she meant.
“Violet.”
His attention zeroed in on her mouth. “She’s a very nice person.”
“I assumed so,
or you wouldn’t have dated her.” At least, probably not more than once. But anyone could see they’d shared more than a one-night stand. “Why didn’t it work out?”
Leaning in, he teased his nose over her cheekbone, her ear. “Neither of us was looking for anything serious, so there was nothing to work out.”
Was the same true for her?
Being realistic, she knew a relationship would be pretty tough for her right now. As it was, she could barely keep up. She couldn’t see a man like Jason waiting around for her to find the occasional evening free. But did it really matter? She was tired of fighting her attraction for him. She needed to know how it would be with him, even if only for one night.
Burdened by the restrictions of her life, she sighed. “Is it evil of me to say I’m glad you’re not still involved?”
“No.” He kissed her gently. “Because I’m glad, too.”
So he felt the same? Need pushed aside all other concerns. She’d much rather focus on Jason than petty vandals, vindictive family or constraining responsibilities.
She could almost hear Lexie saying, Go for it, and so she did, accepting him with a smile.
And that made Jason’s mouth tilt, as well. “I like seeing you like this. More relaxed, less worried. A little happier.”
She twined her arms around his neck, getting closer still. The warm skin of his nape and his unstyled hair teased her wrists. “It makes me happy for you to kiss me.”
“Is that a hint?” Keeping her gaze caught in his, gauging her reaction, he slipped his big hands to her waist—under her shirt.
The way he watched her, as much as his touch, made it seem far more familiar, to the point of being intimate. “Yes.”
As his mouth touched hers, his fingers spread, covering a lot of skin, exploring along her back, her ribs, down to her hips above her low-fitting capris. After that long, leisurely stroke over so much skin, she almost felt naked, and that made the kiss even more intimate.
Her thoughts scattered at the heat and roughness of his palms, and the fierceness of his kiss. With Jason, she felt positively tiny, but still protected.
Plenty of times in her life she’d felt small. Too small. Ineffectual. Even invisible.