That was a surprise. He hadn’t heard her mention Taylor Sullivan or his family since he’d dropped her off after Taylor’s confession and release. “I’m surprised you’d invite him.”
“I didn’t. The guests of honor did. They were given a second chance. They wanted to extend one to Taylor too. He’s actually working out an unofficial community service on the ranch. He comes over before and after school to take care of the horses and helps out running errands. He wants to give back after causing so much trouble.”
Jackson shook his head, amazed again by her ability to forgive and give people the opportunity to change, to take a new path. “Glad he’s trying to turn himself around and make amends, but I can’t say I’m not worried you’ll trust the wrong person one day and end up hurt.”
She looked out the windshield and took a deep breath as if she needed to fortify herself. “There’s always a risk in trusting someone. But there’s always something to gain too. Like if I hadn’t trusted my uncle and finally stopped fighting him to bring in you and your men, we might never have caught Eli in his dirt. Someone might’ve been seriously hurt, and I never would’ve had the chance to meet you. Considering how everything turned out, I’d say the gain far outweighed the risk.”
She lifted their hands and mimicked his early movements by placing a gentle kiss on his knuckles. The touch was featherlight, but it was powerful, connecting him to her on an elemental level. His heart, his mind, and his soul all relaxing, letting go of everything except her in that moment. “Come celebrate with us, Ranger. I’d bet even a surly lawman like yourself could learn the benefits of trusting someone every now and again.”
He didn’t need to attend a party for that. No, he was learning that lesson slowly, with each passing moment he spent in her presence. She’d started as just a case. She’d ended up being much more important than that. If he weren’t careful, she might wind up being the person to break beyond all his barriers. And as he promised to be there, he realized there was no question about it. Aja Everett was well on her way to teaching him to trust.
Chapter 36
Aja rummaged through her closet, trying to find something to wear. She was a woman who’d walked the red carpet at Hollywood events on more than one occasion, but she couldn’t figure out for the life of her what to put on for a simple dinner party happening in her dining room.
In all fairness, she hadn’t dressed herself for those celebrity events. She’d had designers she’d paid hefty sums to create custom looks for her. But standing here trying to decide between a sweater dress and an everyday midi dressed up with a pair of platform stiletto pumps, she longed for the days when her stylist waved a magic wand and made her fabulous with little effort on Aja’s part.
The midi dress won out. She prayed she hadn’t spent so much time in work boots that she didn’t know how to walk in what used to be her signature footwear.
She glimpsed herself in front of the mirror and wondered why she was so concerned with her wardrobe. She wasn’t standing before the court; the press and their unforgiving cameras weren’t surrounding her. She wasn’t about to step out on the red carpet. Why was she having such a hard time tonight?
“Jackson.” The smile his name brought to her lips didn’t surprise her. He was an attractive man, and he’d spent the last week showering her with his time and attention via calls and text messages, so of course his name made her smile.
She slid the dress over her head and turned back and forth as she stood in front of the mirror. The dress was cute, but she’d need shapewear to get the look she wanted, and no one had time for that today.
She pulled off the dress and foraged in her closet once more. Her fingers touched a leather corset with light boning she hadn’t worn in the time she’d been here. She grabbed a short, black skirt with a slight flare and a white, long-sleeved button-down shirt, and in a blur of limbs, she managed to get everything on.
She held the red corset in her hand, wondering if it was too much for the event. After she zipped its front and looked at herself in the mirror, she didn’t care if it was too much or not. Her girls were sitting high and pretty, and her waist was snatched, and she felt almost like a super heroine in the entire getup.
“One thing missing, though.” She found another pair of knee-high boots. When you were a petite woman with thick calves and thighs, boots that comfortably fit above the knee were a rare find. So when she came across them at Torrid, she bought them in as many styles and colors as she could find.
These were black like the pair she’d worn last week on her date with Jackson. But instead of stiletto heels, these were wedges. They gave her the same height, with added comfort—a bonus for all the walking she was sure she’d be doing as the host of this shindig.
She sat at her vanity, making a few touch-ups to her earlier applied makeup and piling her long, tiny braids on the top of her head in a messy but cute bun. She clipped some gold-cuff hair accessories onto several of the braids to add a little more pizazz to the style and then reached for a set of large, thin hoops for her ears.
Satisfied with her reflection, she couldn’t help but sing the opening lyrics to LL Cool J’s “Around the Way Girl.” Spending so much time in the corporate world, followed by her work on the ranch, didn’t allow for her to tap into her Brooklyn swagger often. Seeing that woman smiling back at her in the mirror gave Aja a jolt of excitement.
Yeah, she was eager to see what Jackson’s reaction to her outfit would be. But above all, she was happy to see the resurgence of this long-lost side of herself. The woman who stared back at her was carefree and looked forward to life.
Aja stood and released a long sigh. Her shoulders loose with relief, she headed for the door and paused for a second when another realization dropped into her consciousness—whatever awaited her on the other side of this moment, she was ready to move beyond her past. Seneca and Brooklyn had reinvented themselves, and it was time for her to do the same.
* * *
Jackson stood on the front porch, ready to knock on the door, when he heard a vehicle coming up the road. He recognized Colton’s large pickup truck and waited for him to make his way out of it and up onto the porch.
Jackson extended his hand, and Colton moved two small gift bags from his right hand to his left to accept it.
“I didn’t know you got an invite. Is Storm coming too?”
Colton shook his head. “I don’t think so. When I spoke to him about it, he said he was spending some time in Mexico with his mother.”
That wasn’t strange. Of the three of them, even with the same workload as Jackson and Colton, Storm always seemed to make time for a personal life, for his family. Jackson often envied him that ability. Turning the job off in his head might’ve been nice every now and again.
“I wasn’t aware you and Aja kept contact after her case.”
The corners of Colton’s mouth curled into a sinister smile. “Jealous much, Dean?”
Jackson didn’t know if it was jealousy causing his body to tense at the idea of Aja spending time with another man the way she did with him. But he knew he didn’t like that the possibility existed.
“Aja didn’t invite me. Seneca did.”
Jackson opened his mouth to ask more about the invitation, but Colton knocked on the door, and all too soon, he heard footsteps nearing. He tabled the questions pinging around inside his head for another time and prepared himself to greet Aja.
When she opened the door, he realized he needed more than a few seconds to get himself together. She was stunning. Her hair was piled high atop her head with soft tendrils framing her heart-shaped face and the glint of what looked like gold metal pieces wrapped around a braid or two in different positions. He’d seen them before on women with locs or braids. But on Aja, they somehow appeared regal, a statement of her magnificence, not just something to decorate her hair.
He squeezed his hand int
o a fist to keep from reaching out and running his palm down the length of her skirt until he could feel that sultry brown swatch of skin exposed at the edge of the fabric. She’d put together an outfit that was fun, fashionable, and sexy as hell, and it made him question how long he would have to wait before everyone left and he could have her all to himself.
He cleared his throat, offering her an easy smile as he finally lifted his eyes up to hers.
She gave him a quick once-over, then looked away from him and focused on Colton. His comrade smiled at her and leaned down to place a quick peck on her cheek. “Thanks for letting Seneca invite me. I don’t think I’ve had a decent meal since we left here.”
“Go on and get you something to eat then. There are cocktails and appetizers set out on the back porch. Aunt Jo put some pulled-pork bruschetta on the table a few minutes ago. That usually goes quick, so I wouldn’t tarry.”
She opened the door wider, stepping aside to let him in.
“I don’t think I know what bruschetta is, but if it’s got barbecue sauce on it, I’ll eat it,” Colton told her.
Jackson shook his head as he watched Colton make his way down the hall toward the kitchen. “Please excuse my uncultured colleague.”
Aja waved her hand. “Trust me, Aunt Jo didn’t know what the hell bruschetta was either until she saw it on what she calls ‘one of them fancy cooking shows.’”
Jackson stepped inside and pushed the door closed, letting his eyes walk up and down her body, then back again, landing on her high-set breasts. “You look edible in that outfit. Was it all for my benefit?”
Her smile brightened as she shook her head. “No. It’s for me. If I don’t feel like butter in a hot skillet when I look at myself, how will anyone else see me that way?”
He took a few steadying breaths, attempting to push his need for her down. “I’m wearing slacks. Not the best material for concealing arousal. How about you stop trying to make me embarrass myself in public?”
She winked at him and then walked down the hall. He could swear there was an extra swivel in her wide, round hips as she placed each foot in front of the other. He groaned as quietly as he could; even her walk was irresistible.
By the time they stepped out onto the back porch, Jackson had gathered a little self-control and pushed his wayward thoughts to the back of his mind. There was always later, and he intended to make use of any time he could steal when the party was over.
He stood in front of the doorway, scanning the small group gathered on the back porch and the immediate clearing beyond the back of the house.
He recognized many in the group. He’d broken bread with most of them right here on the ranch, including Mat Ryan, who was currently beckoning Aja to meet him on the far side of the porch.
His stomach roiled slightly as Aja excused herself and headed toward Mat. Each step she took toward the man was a reminder Jackson needed to get his emotions in check where Aja and this man were concerned. With Eli Bennett in jail for his crimes against Aja, Jackson couldn’t use Aja’s safety as an excuse any longer. It was time to fess up: the only reason Mat was still a problem for him was because Aja seemed to care for the man. And if he were being honest, Jackson didn’t want her caring for anyone else but him in that respect.
Get it together, Jackson. Even as she’s standing in front of him, he’s looking across the yard in Brooklyn’s direction. There’s nothing going on between Aja and him. You’re just a jealous fool.
Contrite over his juvenile attitude toward Mat, he went back to panning the group and noted a few people he didn’t recognize. They were probably guests of guests. He was about to glance in Aja’s direction again when he heard someone calling his name.
“Jackson, it’s good to see you again.”
He found Aja’s uncle, Judge Henry, walking toward him. The judge pulled Jackson into an empty corner of the porch, looking around to make certain no one was near. “I wanted to thank you for all the help you gave my niece. I know from experience that Aja can be obstinate when she believes she’s right about something.”
“Turns out she was right. She didn’t need to listen to me; I needed to listen to her. The true hero turned out to be my father and his security equipment. If we hadn’t caught an intruder on camera, we would never have gotten the goods on Bennett.”
“I’m still glad you were here.” The judge cleared his throat, looking away as if he needed a moment to gather himself. “She’s so much like her mother, my late sister. She’s headstrong, independent, never wants to ask for help, and will take care of everyone around her but herself. She’s so strong, so able, sometimes her aunt and I forget that she needs looking after. I would never have forgiven myself if Bennett had harmed her.”
Jackson stilled himself against the shiver that ran through him. The thought of what could’ve happened during her attack still scraped against his insides, making his heart race with tension.
“I know what you mean. If I hadn’t been in the house…” He couldn’t finish the sentence, didn’t even want to complete the thought. Not then, and definitely not now when they were connecting, discovering what could be between them.
“I’ve seen the way you look at her.”
Jackson forced himself to focus on Judge Henry. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
“Don’t you?” When Jackson didn’t answer, the older man laughed and leaned in closer. “My sister Jo tells me you came by to see Aja last week.”
Jackson couldn’t help the smile that blossomed on his mouth. “Yessuh, I did.”
“If I didn’t think she’d kill me for trying to give you the what-are-your-intentions talk, I’d certainly grill you about where you think this is headed. But since I’m trying to be more progressive and less meddlesome, I’ll just ask that you treat her right. She’s carried a lot on her shoulders. It would be nice if she got to have some fun for a change.”
“Uncle Ricky, why do you have this man hemmed up in the corner?”
Aja’s voice vibrated through Jackson’s entire being, pulling at something in his core that instantly responded to its easy lilt. She slid an arm around his waist and nuzzled into his side as she placed her other hand on her hip. “He’s here to enjoy himself, Uncle, not to be cross-examined.”
Judge Henry placed a sweet kiss on the apple of her cheek and hooked his thumb toward Jackson. “We were chatting, Niece. No inquisitions involved.”
She cut her eyes to the side. Not the least bit fooled by her uncle’s denial, she wagged a finger at him. “I know you too well, Uncle Ricky.”
The man chuckled and threw his hands up in the air, making a show of backing away from the two of them slowly. When he was halfway across the porch, she stepped slightly to the side, dropping her arm from Jackson’s waist and putting a respectable distance from them.
“I’m sorry about the full-on PDA. I didn’t see any other way that would get him away from you.”
There she went again, worrying about everyone around her. Touched by her concern for him but slightly annoyed that she didn’t know how he craved her touch by now, Jackson placed his hand low on her waist and pulled her to him so they stood front to front.
“As long as you don’t have a problem with it, I don’t really care who sees when you touch me.”
“Be careful what you say,” she answered as she shared a coy smile with him. “You might just give me ideas.” He couldn’t tell if it was the deep, sultry tone of her voice that made his length twitch or if it was the dirty innuendo that tickled his senses and made lust unfurl deep in the darkest parts of him. Whichever it was, he lost himself in his building need and leaned down to press his lips against hers.
“How long do I have to wait until I can have that skirt of yours hiked up around your waist?”
“It’s a buffet-style dinner, so as soon as I make a toast to the honorees, everyone will go inside and fix th
eir own plates, and you and I can find a quiet place to sneak away to.”
He kissed her again, this time letting his lips rest against hers a little longer. “Make it happen.”
“I’ll go get the champagne.”
“I’ll help.”
Between the two of them, they poured champagne for everyone in the small group in record time. He was so uncharacteristically giddy about the idea of touching Aja again that he didn’t even mind the knowing smile Colton gave him when Jackson handed him his glass of champagne.
Yeah, he already knew he would receive shit for this by the time the three of them returned to work, but Jackson didn’t care. A quick glance over his shoulder and the gift of Aja’s sweet mouth curled up into an inviting smile was all he could focus on. Nothing else mattered.
Which was when Jackson Dean, Texas Ranger, understood how deeply he was in. It became obvious this wasn’t just fun anymore when watching her smile from across the yard made his stomach drop. He realized then Aja Everett could do anything with him and he would gladly follow her wherever she led. Because that smile and the way her brown eyes twinkled with that spark of intellect and intrigue had somehow tangled him up in a web he didn’t want to break free of.
“You are in so much trouble,” Colton whispered. Jackson didn’t take his eyes off Aja as he listened to his friend. How could he? She had this ability to draw him in, to hold his attention even when he knew he should place it on other things like his friend and colleague who was giggling like an immature teenaged boy, giving Jackson shit.
“Yeah, I know.”
“What do you plan to do to stop it, Jackson?”
Aja gave him a quick wave and disappeared back into the house. He turned around to face Colton, his face muscles still tingling from all the exercise they were getting tonight smiling at Aja. He poured himself a glass of champagne and lifted it in a mock solute to his friend. “Not a damn thing.”
* * *
“Good evening, everyone. It’s almost time to eat the lovely meal my aunt Jo was gracious enough to prepare for us. And if you’ve ever sat at her table, you know I’m gonna try my best to be brief, because if you have the good sense God gave a goat, you don’t miss a meal Aunt Jo cooked.”
Jackson Page 26
