by Nina Singh
“They do?” Jess had only lived on the vineyard for about three years. Compared to some of the families who had been here for generations and lived here year-round, she was considered a newbie—barely more than a long-term tourist.
Clara explained, “Jordan’s mother was born here in town and grew up not too far from the center, in fact. She used to take classes as a little girl. Mostly athletics. Quite the gymnast.”
“I had no idea.”
“She left as a young lady and made quite a name for herself as a successful fashion model in New York City. Such a shame what happened.”
Clara definitely had Jess’s full attention now. But she didn’t get a chance to ask as several of her pupils entered the room. Class was due to start in about five minutes.
Clara motioned toward the bouquet. “So nothing romantic behind this at all?” she wanted to know as one child waved to them both and took her seat.
“Not even a little.”
The disappointment that settled behind Clara’s eyes was as clear as the vivid colors of her bouquet. “What a shame. But such a nice gesture on his part.”
Jess simply nodded. Nice. Yes, that was all it was. Jordan was being apologetic and conciliatory by sending her flowers, as beautiful and expensive as they were. Who knew, perhaps he’d run their encounters by a girlfriend or even a wife who’d admonished him and urged him to apologize.
That possibility sent a tightening sensation in the center of her gut. How silly of her. She’d met the man exactly twice under less than cordial circumstances both times.
But she couldn’t deny how intrigued she was by Jordan and whatever his story was. Not many newcomers moved here permanently in general. Though VIPs ranging from politicians to movie stars to famous authors had property throughout the island, not many of them stuck around permanently after the summer months. What had made Jordan come? Why was he taking care of his sister by himself? What had happened to her parents? To his parents? Curiosity about the possible answers dug at her.
More than she cared to admit.
* * *
Jordan had to get out of this blasted study and get some air. Or food. Or something. Though his home office was large and expansive, he was starting to feel a bit stifled. This room was a far cry from the Manhattan high-rise office building he used to occupy. He was successful enough as a venture capitalist now that he could do most of his business out of any office he chose with a few trips into the city throughout the month to meet face-to-face with colleagues as the need arose. But moving to a New England coastal island was still going to be quite the adjustment. He’d done it for Sonya’s sake and he was still convinced that getting her out of New York City was the wise choice.
But now he was feeling restless. What was there to do around here in the middle of the day?
A pair of bright hazel eyes and silky brunette hair flashed in his mind. Had she received the flowers yet? He wondered what her reaction had been when they’d arrived. Did she like the arrangement? He couldn’t count the number of times he’d sent flowers to women throughout his adult life. Never before had he wondered about their reaction.
Truth be told, he couldn’t blame her if she’d taken one look at the card and thrown them out the window. Given the way he’d treated her, it would serve him right. Something told him she wasn’t the type to do such a thing. No, she was more the sort who would give them away to a girlfriend if she didn’t like the flowers.
He’d just been taken by such surprise when he’d walked over to find her asking Sonya about participating in a play. It had nothing to do with his shock at seeing her again. Right. If he repeated that enough, he might somehow convince himself. Damn it. He didn’t seem to know how to act around her. What the hell was his problem? Jordan sighed and stood up abruptly from his desk. His focus was shot; may as well take a walk.
He wasn’t terribly shocked at where he found himself several moments later—outside the red-brick building that was home to the community center. He could see her through the first-floor window. Jessalyn Raffi. She’d introduced herself as Jess at first. Jordan watched as she walked around from table to table, assisting various children with their projects. Even from this distance he could see the splatter of paint on her smock and all over her hands. Her hair was done up in a loose, haphazard bun. There was a gypsy-like, bohemian quality about her he couldn’t help but find intriguing.
Somehow, she even made a smock look sexy.
Stop it!
He gave his head a shake and turned to walk away. But then she suddenly looked up, right in his direction. Damn it. Now he’d been caught watching her. What must she be thinking? He was so far off his game when it came to this woman, he hardly recognized himself. Well, he wasn’t going to turn and walk away. That would look even worse.
He had to do something. A long, shrill bell sounded and the children all suddenly stood up and started picking up their projects. He dared another look at her, bracing for the scorn and derision he’d see on her face. Instead, she smiled at him.
He had to suck in a breath. Jordan made up his mind and started walking toward the entrance before he could give it too much thought.
The last of the children were slowly straggling out to their awaiting parents as he reached her doorway.
He cleared his throat once they were alone. “I was—uh...just out taking a walk.” That was the way, fella. Just dazzle her with some witty conversation. He wouldn’t be surprised if she rolled her eyes at him.
“I’m glad you did,” she responded instead. “It gives me a chance to say thank you.” She gestured to the long wooden supply table that housed the flowers. “They’re lovely. But it wasn’t necessary.”
He shrugged. “I’m glad you like them. And an apology was definitely required after...well, you know.”
She sucked in her bottom lip, the small, subconscious gesture sent a strange bolt of heat through his chest. Then she shook her head in disagreement. “No. As far as the first night, you were right. I had no business deciding what to put on your wall. I wanted to tell you I’m sorry.”
Now she was apologizing to him and it made him feel like a complete heel.
She continued, “It was rather forward of me. It’s just, sometimes I get inspired and don’t think things through.”
For someone like him, it was a novel concept. He’d always been one who preferred structure, planned even the most minute details of a project well in advance. So the next words out of his mouth were so surprisingly spontaneous, he could hardly believe he was about to say them.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that.”
She ducked her head, as if chagrined. “Of course. I’ll be sure to tell Marie that someone needs to head down and paint the eggshell white over the castle. Free of charge, obviously. I’d do it myself but—”
Jordan cut her off with a shake of his head. “That’s not what I meant.”
Her gaze narrowed on him when she looked back up. “It’s not?”
“No. In fact, you mentioned that night that the castle wasn’t quite finished. I’d very much like it if you would complete whatever else you meant to add. And this time, you’ll be paid for your work. It’s only fair.”
“Wow, I definitely did not see that coming,” she stammered, clearly shocked at his proposal.
The truth was, so was he.
CHAPTER THREE
IF SOMEONE HAD told her forty-eight hours ago that she’d be back in this house at the request of the new owner to finish her painting, Jess would have asked them if they had a bridge they wanted to sell her. But here she was, outlining in charcoal pencil the rest of the scene she’d had in mind when she’d first imagined it in her head.
Jordan was in the mansion somewhere and she felt his presence fully, kept looking over her shoulder to the hallway in case he walked past. So far he hadn’t. She had absolutely no reason to feel di
sappointed by that. It pained her but she had to admit to never before being quite so aware of a man. Not even Gary when she’d first met him. It had taken time for her feelings for her former fiancé to develop. Her only other relationship after Gary could only be described as a summer fling, though she’d been woefully naive in believing it might have led to more. That particular gentleman had simply taken off without so much as a goodbye at the end of the vineyard’s tourist season. All the more reason to squash her current attraction to Jordan Paydan with haste.
Jess returned her focus to her artwork. She was simply here to do a job. Once she got lost in a project, the rest of the world would often disappear. She needed that phenomenon to happen right now. Regardless of the fact that a man she felt more aware of than she ever had anyone else happened to be under the same roof.
The sound of footsteps approaching in the hallway broke into her thoughts. She sensed him behind her and her heart did a small leap in her chest.
“So the moat, then. That’s what you needed to complete,” he said in a smooth, low voice that sent waves of electricity over her skin.
“And the drawbridge,” she told him. “That’s next.”
He walked into the room to stand beside her. A tremble suddenly developed in her hand and she had to force herself to steady it or her lines would be shot. She couldn’t even put her finger on why her attraction to him was just so notable, and there was no denying that was what she felt right now—pure, animalistic attraction. But this time was different, much stronger.
And what did that say about her previous long-term relationship? Had she ever actually felt a quake in her center when Gary had walked into the room? If so, she couldn’t recall. No, she’d admitted to herself long ago that Gary had simply been a grasp at some sort of stability. After the constant upheavals that defined her childhood, she’d been more than impatient to find a grounded life with some semblance of a routine and a steady anchor. So she’d rushed into a relationship that was doomed to fail.
Studying Jordan now, she realized the two men really couldn’t be compared. There really was no comparison. First of all, Jordan had apologized for being rude to her, even if he had done it in a somewhat overblown way by ordering half the flower selection at Bower’s Flowers.
Gary had never once uttered the word sorry, no matter how much in the wrong he’d been during their arguments. Arguments that had only grown more and more frequent after she’d made her decision to leave grad school.
Not to mention Jordan had been trying to protect his little sister when he’d confronted her. Jess couldn’t really take his reaction personally.
“I suppose that makes sense,” Jordan said. “You can’t have a moat without a drawbridge.”
“True.”
He stepped closer to examine her work and the scent of him reached her, a subtle woodsy scent that well suited him.
It was settled. She was way too distracted to keep trying to draw. She tucked her pencil above her left ear and turned to face him. He had on an ocean-blue T-shirt that brought out the dark hue of his eyes and fit him just well enough to see a hardened, muscular chest underneath.
“Do you mind my asking what made you change your mind? About the diorama?” she asked. A disquieting thought had been nagging at her about the whole turnaround since he’d asked and she’d accepted the other day.
He shrugged. “It’s quite a simple answer, really.”
“Which is?”
“You were right. She did like it. Her reaction upon first entering the room was one of pure joy and awe.”
The thought of that made her heart tingle in her chest. Yes! That was exactly why she felt such a calling to do such things, for the joy it would bring to others. Particularly when it came to little children.
“I’m so glad to hear that. And a little relieved.”
“Relieved?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “I thought maybe you were just trying to make amends. Like with the flowers.”
He laughed. “No, the flowers were an apology. This was more of a mea culpa. To admit that you were spot-on that day. Sonya did love it when she saw it, exactly as you said. Sonya will be thrilled to see the artwork has been extended.”
“She’s not here?”
He shook his head. “No, Elise took her out to do some shopping.”
Elise. So she’d been right. There was a girlfriend, after all. Maybe she was even more than that. For all she knew, he could actually be married. Hardly surprising given the man in question. Handsome, successful, charming. Men like Jordan weren’t often single. Not for long anyway.
Not that it was any of her business.
“In any case,” Jordan continued. “Thank you for giving up your Saturday to finish up. I know it has to be an inconvenience.”
“It’s my pleasure,” Jess responded, somewhat disheartened now that she knew another woman would be returning to the house soon. A woman that shared his house and his ward. And most likely, his bed. “I’m glad I got a chance to finish.” The best thing to do for her now would be to just finish up and then be on her way. Back to her ordinary, staid life where she had to pretend Jordan Paydan did not exist. She pulled her pencil back out. The sooner she made progress on the painting, the better. Then she could start the process of licking her proverbial wounds.
“You’ll have to tell me what Sonya thinks when she sees it,” she said as she went back to work.
“I’m sure she’ll love it. In fact, she’ll be thrilled. She’s a very exuberant little girl.”
Jess couldn’t help but laugh. That was certainly the impression she’d gotten of Sonya during their brief encounter the other day. “It definitely shows just by the sparkle she seems to have in her eyes.”
“I’d say that’s a perfect way to describe my sister. You’re very observant, Ms. Raffi.
“It’s why I thought to ask her about being in the school play.” Jess wanted to kick herself as soon as the words left her mouth. She wished she hadn’t brought the topic up again. Here they were finally enjoying some cordiality. Leave it to her to ruin it.
“Jess,” he began. The way he said her name sent a shiver through her she hoped he didn’t notice. “You have to understand why I’m against such an idea.”
“Perhaps you could let her make the decision.” She literally bit her tongue after the statement. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. There’s that impulsiveness again.”
“Don’t apologize. It appears we both seem to say things to each other that are perhaps better left unsaid.”
“Perhaps.”
He let out a deep sigh. “Well, I should get back to work. I won’t be able to get much done later today seeing as Elise has the night off.”
Jess blinked in surprise and turned back to face him. “She does?”
He laughed. “Don’t look so surprised. Contrary to the initial impression I’ve obviously given you, I do cut my employees some slack and give them time off once in a while.”
Employee.
She couldn’t help the thrill that seemed to suddenly lift her heart at those words. Sounded as if Elise was the little girl’s nanny. Not a girlfriend at all. And certainly not his wife.
Not that it made an iota of difference as far as she was concerned. She’d discovered the hard way that when it came to relationships, Jess still had a lot to learn about herself—between her spoiled engagement and her uncharacteristic fling. Something told her that when it came to Jordan Paydan, the third time would definitely not be the charm.
She gave him a small wave of goodbye as he walked out of the room. What he’d just revealed about this Elise didn’t necessarily even mean he was single. Still, the revelation made her giddier than she would care to admit.
* * *
The figures on his spreadsheet floated across his vision in a blurry mess of numbers. He’d never had this much trou
ble focusing. His mind kept wandering to the woman upstairs busily painting on his sister’s bedroom wall. He really should have planned this better. Every cell of his being vibrated with the awareness that they were alone in the house together. Elise and Sonya weren’t due back for several more hours.
There was no explainable reason he found himself so attracted to her. For all he knew, Jess was taken. Women like her weren’t typically found wanting of suitors. Though she was nothing like the women Jordan himself usually dated, not that he’d ever been terribly serious with anyone. Nor could he entertain such an idea now.
He’d just spent the better part of a year watching his father being utterly betrayed by his wife. She’d proven how disloyal she was when Jordan’s dad had gotten sick. His own most recent relationship had floundered as soon as the young lady had learned he’d become the guardian of a little girl. Though she’d used the term “saddled.” No, Jordan was in no place in his life right now to embark on any kind of relationship after the past several months.
Besides, his work and his little sister had to be the prime focus of all of his attention right now. With Sonya, there was too much at stake. He’d already done wrong by her on an astronomical level. He didn’t need any kind of distraction. Certainly not a distraction in the way of a perky, bohemian artist with olive skin and rich dark brown hair. He found himself wondering, not for the first time, how that thick luxurious hair would feel if he were to run his fingers through it. If he tugged it gently to bring her face closer to his, to finally reach for that kiss.
Whoa.
So not where he needed his thoughts to wander toward. Not when said artist was literally a floor above him. It would be so easy to come up with an excuse to go check on her again. And he was tempted. Oh, so very tempted. He forced himself to look back down at the spreadsheet, knowing full well he wasn’t going to be accomplishing much.
An hour later his assumption proved correct. He’d barely made a dent in his workload. A soft knock sounded from the other side of his office door.
