Beth removed his arm from her shoulder and leaned against his truck. “A lot of things have changed. We’ve changed. But it didn’t take long to know a part of us hasn’t.” She smiled and his heart skipped a beat, for she said what he had been thinking.
“I’ve noticed.” Jake gave her a cocky grin.
Beth folded her arms over her chest and crossed her legs at the ankle while leaning against the truck. “Are you coming to my house? We can always get Italian to go. Tonight I’d like to kick back and relax.”
“Nah, I’m not in the mood for Italian anymore. You got a grill at your house?”
She shook her head. “My parents stopped grilling years ago. They turned into the frozen-dinners-at-3:00 p.m., crowd. Yes, it’s true, my Italian mother heated frozen dinners on occasion.”
“No way. Wasting all the good cooking she used to do? You still like steak, Macaroni? Because I got a grill.” So much for being unsure of spending time alone together, because now it was all he could think about. The magnetism began to sizzle in a heartbeat, or it had never left.
“Sometimes. Let’s do this.”
The way her gaze ran over him as she spoke, caused a shudder. What had she seen in him? Jake placed his palms against the truck bed, one on each side of her and leaned close. “Let’s drop your car off, and you ride to my ranch with me. I’ll take you back home later on the way to pick up Trace, or you can go with me to get him.”
Beth set her hands on his shoulders. Her eyes sparkled. “I made cheesecake last night.”
Jake licked his lips, moving in closer. He wanted to kiss her so damn badly, and an erection proved it. “All right. I’ll follow you to your house.” For a moment, their gazes held, and it took all he had to pull away. If he didn’t know himself better, he’d swear he was shaking. Being close to her, smelling her, caused a rousing he wanted to let loose.
On the way back to her car, she wrapped her arm around his waist. “Do you think we went through a time warp or worm hole? It almost seems like thirteen years hasn’t passed.”
Jake slipped his arm around her shoulder, having a hard time swallowing. He opened her car door. When she got in and glanced up at him with those shamrock green eyes, his heart ached. Not a heartache, but an ache in his heart because that quick, he wanted her in his future. Enough time had been wasted between them, when it should’ve been them, all along.
“Want to know a secret?” Beth held the door from closing.
Jake blinked a couple times. “Oh, yeah, baby, I like secrets.”
“If I’d had a son, his name would’ve been Trace, just like you and I had joked about. Named after the country singer you used to like. I loved the name, but not so much the music.”
“Our kids with the same name would’ve been fantastic in such a freaky way.” He nodded and went back to his truck. Jake drove behind her all the way, and as they drove down her road, that big old Superstition Mountain to his left reminded him of the many nights he drove that same road to pick her up for a date, and then the last time, to run away with her—to marry her. What would’ve happened if that night had taken place?
A do-over crossed his mind. As she had said, it seemed like those years hadn’t passed, and at this moment, his body didn’t feel any different than the night he knew he’d have her for his own…but it didn’t happen. He rolled his window down to catch a breeze and calm down. The scent of dust lingered in the air as they pulled into her driveway. When he got out and went up to her car to open the door, the same old smell of dust mingled with her perfume.
“Do you mind if I take a minute to change out of my dress while I’m here?”
He’d prefer the short, sexy dress remained on that perfect little body. It looked good on her, emphasizing her slim waist. The fact she had sexy legs didn’t get past him, either. “Go ahead. I’ll wait out here. Grab the cheesecake.”
“No, silly. Come inside. I’ll only be a minute.” Beth found the house key on her keyring and wrapped her arm around his. “Coming?”
Coming? They weren’t teenagers anymore. She had no idea what she asked of him. It had been a long time since his blood had boiled from her touch. Since his body heated with need of her. “Nah, I’ll wait right here. Maybe I’ll listen to some oldies.” He razzed her, liking the smile it caused. Jake didn’t remove his eyes from her until she disappeared behind her door. The cute little shimmy of her behind hadn’t changed from high school. He removed his hat and used his shirtsleeve to sop up the sweat beading on his forehead.
Back to the truck, he turned the radio station to Kool. Leaning against the front bumper, he caught sight of the light as it came on in her bedroom upstairs. Jake gave a little smirk. Yeah, her bedroom. She stood at the window, her silhouette peering down at him, and an explosion of heat rushed over his body before she pulled the sheer curtains closed. She turned her back, let her hair down—the length of those ginger curls falling around her shoulders.
It was hard not to think about when she had wandered into detention that first day, and how his heart had beat like a drum, like it did tonight. What a beauty. Enough to set his seventeen-year-old body on fire. What could’ve been better to a seventeen-year-old bad-boy? A hottie with a bad bone to send her to detention had fit his bill.
A lot of teasing had gone on from his friends because she was a freshman. Jake hadn’t even cared, but he watched her grow from a freshman to a woman before his eyes, and so did his friends. No one teased him once they realized how serious they had become.
Then it all fell apart.
Jake took a step forward.
Another.
Then another and onto the porch. He gripped the knob, ushering himself inside. Halfway up the stairs, he stopped. With a doubtful shake to his head, he reluctantly went back out the door. God, he wanted her, but before he embarrassed himself, or got arrested, he went back outside to pace the driveway. Maybe she wouldn’t have said no. Maybe.
Jake lifted his eyes when she returned. “Good God,” he mumbled. It was like they had gone through that time warp. Shake it off, cowboy. You’re a man now, a father. Behave like one. He went around to the side to open the door. When she strutted past him, he couldn’t help but notice how good those damn jeans looked on her ass. The wolf whistle slipped out between his lips.
Beth came to a halt before getting in, a grin on her face, laughter in her eyes. “Did you whistle at me?”
Jake gulped. “Sorry, ma’am, Beth. I couldn’t help it. You’re sexy. I mean you look great. Fit.”
“Sexy works. I swear you’re flirting with me.” She set the cheesecake on the seat. “Are you flirting with me, you handsome man?” Her arms slid around his neck.
Not what he needed! Maybe he should’ve gone up those stairs. He casually set his hands on her waist. His pulse thumped in his ears. Words didn’t want to come out of a tightened throat. “Not intentionally. I’m sorry if I offended you. That’s a damn lie.” Whatever was happening right now made him crazy, but if something started, it’d kill him to have it ripped away again. So, it couldn’t start yet.
Her fingers threaded into the hair at the back of his neck, and she eased his face down to hers. “Offend is the last thing I’d call it. But, I want to flirt and kiss you, Jake.” Her gaze dropped to his lips. “I’ve wanted to since I saw you at the restaurant. For old times? We never had a closure, an end.”
Peering into her eyes like this brought everything back. Another end was the last thing he wanted. Their connection was memorable yet dreamlike tonight. His heart and nerve endings responded to her touch like this was the normal thing to do with Beth. His eyes closed as she coaxed his face closer to her lips. “Beth,” he whispered. “You don’t know what you’re doing to me again. We may have to forego dinner. I don’t know if we’re ready for this.” Shut up, idiot.
His lips were a heartbeat away from hers, and hers parted to kiss him. His did, too, against his will, though he held back because if he kissed her, he wouldn’t be able to stop kissing her. His p
hone rang at that moment, drawing them apart—making the decision for him. “Son of a gun!” He pulled himself away. “Hello?” Beth moved the dish to the console to get inside the truck.
“Dad?”
It took a moment before he could speak. He licked his lips and cleared his throat “Hey, ramrod, what’s wrong?” Jake wrapped his hand around the back of his neck and took a step away from the door, able to take a normal breath at last.
“Are you okay, Dad?”
No, I’m on freaking fire. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“I’m a little worried about you. Can I sleep here?”
“I’m okay, T.J. Uh, you can fall asleep there if you’re tired, but I need you to come home tonight.”
Trace’s voice was low, almost a whisper as he said, “Is Beth with you?”
Jake glanced over at her tapping her nails against the dashboard in tune to the music. “Yeah, she is. We’re about to have dinner. Did you eat your hamburger?”
“It was good. I had pickles on it. Daddy, buy some pickles.”
“Hey, that’s great, and sure, I’ll buy pickles. Can I talk to Grandma?” He slid behind the wheel. “Mom, T.J. wants to stay there tonight? He’s probably not ready.” Jake scooted the cheesecake back and clasped Beth’s hand.
“You should let him, son. Trace wanting to be away from you is a big step.”
“If he really wants to, it’s okay, I guess. I’ll be at home tonight. Beth and I are having dinner at the ranch instead of out, so call if you need to, but let me tell him goodnight.” His mom called him, but Trace yelled good night from the background. “Tell him I love him when you tuck him in bed.” Unsure that Trace would last through the night, he gave permission just the same.
He dropped the truck into gear and backed out after the call. They had to go buy steak and some ice to stick down the front of his pants to wake him out of this dream before he turned back to carry her up those stairs. His lips tingled, yearning for that near kiss. He squeezed Beth’s hand while his heart hammered like a locomotive running down the track. “You still hungry?”
She nodded. A smile quirked her lips. “Sure am. I’m about to dig into cheesecake with my fingers.”
“Let’s go get the steaks. And a bag of ice.”
“Ice? It isn’t that hot out, Jake.”
“Yeah, Beth. Remember the night we ran off to…” He couldn’t spit out the words. This woman caused him to think too damn much.
“To make love? I remember our special night well, for many different reasons. I would’ve given myself to you that night. I really would’ve.”
Today she might’ve been sorry. “Well, I needed ice then, too. But tonight I could run ice all over your naked skin until it melted.” Hell. They stopped at a traffic light in town. Jake closed his eyes a moment and tried to focus on something other than seeing her naked.
“The light’s green.”
He plowed on toward the market on U.S. 60. “I have no right to think like that. But, like you said, it does feel like the space between us never happened.”
“I’m looking forward to ice melting on my skin on a hot Arizona night. We came close many times. I wanted you to be my first.”
He had wanted to be her first over and over, and he didn’t need to hear her talk about such a thing right now. Blowing out a big breath, he pulled himself together as he turned into the parking lot. “You coming with me?”
“I’ll wait here. I’m sure the townspeople will have enough to gossip about later, though I don’t care for my sake but yours.” When Jake opened the door to get out, she took his arm. “Because I’m not letting you get away again. They’ll have to talk.”
He stepped out but faced her. “You know most people around here already know why Paige left me. In fact, the way this town blabbers, they probably knew about Austin before I did. I’ll be right out.”
***
He strutted away with the same confident swagger he had always had. Jake hadn’t lost confidence in himself. It was one thing she had admired about him. When he glanced back with a smile, she trembled. Beth covered her face with her hands. “I’m still in love with him.” Tears stung her eyes. Had she ever stopped being in love with him? It was doubtful. Their chemistry had always been magnetic, and was still explosive, like dynamite.
Tonight she had needed to kiss him, and the night wasn’t over. They had to see where this could go…this time. If they picked up where they had left off, tonight would be about sex, but they did have to start over to prove it was more than fulfilling a teenage yearning. The truth remained in his eyes. His body. They both still burned for each other.
Beth turned the radio up when, “Unchained Melody,” one of her favorite songs of all time played. Tears fell from her eyes as Jake opened the door. No, why now? She hadn’t looked away soon enough.
“What’s the matter?” Jake set the bag in the backseat and went around to her side to open the door. “Are you all right? What’s wrong? Second thoughts?”
“I’m a blubbering fool.” She turned the song up louder, and Jake peered at the dashboard.
“Come on, get out.” When she did, he held her. “Dance with me.”
“Right here?” She laughed through tears. “Are you serious? Jake Lawton doesn’t dance.”
“I do now. Be quiet. Listen to the song and dance with your favorite guy.”
She placed her arms around his neck and danced with him right there in the parking lot. Another vehicle with a patron inside was parked only two spots over, but now she didn’t care who saw them. Here they were, and she was indeed with her favorite guy. She moved out of his embrace and peered into his eyes. Shrugged. “I’m acting like the stupid teenager who fell in love with you. I’m sorry.”
“Hey you.” He pulled her back against him. “Neither of us is a stupid teenager anymore. These are adult feelings.”
Feelings we’ve always had for each other. “Let’s go now.”
Jake dropped his arms from around her, and she got in the truck.
At that moment, Jase Carlson sped past, honking and waving. He turned around, drove by again. This time, he laughed. “Good one, Lawton!”
Jake nodded with a big grin.
Beth raised one hand to her forehead. “Oh, no. What was that about?”
With a snicker, Jake watched Jase drive off until he parked a ways away. “A friend is all. Let it go.”
She attempted to relax, cool down—make sense of it. “It’s kind of unbelievable to be with you again. Thanks for not laughing. My favorite song always makes me cry.” She wiped the remaining wetness from her cheeks.
“You crying isn’t going to scare me off, Beth. I like the emotional and tender side of you. Always have.”
“I’ve never been a crier. Since I came home and went through cancer and my dad dying, it’s like a dam burst open, and I do it a lot now. But I’ll lasso the tears and put them back in hiding where they belong.” She sopped up the last of the tears, stuck the tissue into her pocket, and glanced around the parking lot. “The store’s getting busy now. Maybe they came to watch us dance,” she quipped. That was a bold thing to do at this point in Jake’s life. He had spunk and a let-them-go-to-hell attitude she loved.
“Already time for Christmas shopping? It crept right in this year.” He peered over at her, then he slid his arm around her shoulder. “Have Christmas with me and my boy at my mom and dad’s. Bring your mom. It’ll be better than the two of you at home alone.”
She didn’t know. Christmas alone with her mom wouldn’t be so bad. They were still mending, but she did want her mom to move forward. “Check with your parents. I admit, Thanksgiving went by without much thought to it being a holiday. We went through the motions.”
Jake leaned his back against his door to face her. Peering at the car pulling in next to them, he continued. “They always loved you like the daughter they never had. They’re not going to care.”
Beth clasped her hands in her lap, turning away from the vehicle beside t
hem. Tonight she didn’t want to acknowledge anyone, especially if it was someone they had grown up with in this town. Sitting here with Jake brought every single second back. Now, the vision of them together at his parent’s home, formed in her memory. “Yeah, but that was before my dad called the sheriff on you. I doubt if they forgot.”
“Hey, what’s a pair of handcuffs? There were no charges filed.” With a half shrug, he continued, “They got over it. Let’s get out of here.” He started the truck and drove out of the parking lot.
“Check with them anyway before I mention it to my mother.” Beth put her hand on his forearm. “Please? No way can I burst in there without them approving. And, what about your son?”
Jake picked up his phone to call. When his mom answered, he went right into it. “Mom. Yeah, everything’s fine. I invited Macaroni.” He chuckled. “I mean Beth and her mom over for Christmas dinner, but she insisted I ask you first.”
He put his phone on speaker. That’s how confident he was, she supposed.
“Of course, they’re welcome to come. We’re happy to have them, but Jake, please, don’t forget what happened when she left—”
“You’re on speaker.”
“The more the merrier, right?” She sighed and continued, “And it’d be best if T.J. gets to know her ahead of time. Don’t just bring her in on him.”
“He kind of does know her already. Thanks, Mom.” He hung up then gave Beth’s arm a friendly shove. “So, Macaroni, what do you say?”
Had Mrs. Lawton’s words confirmed it? She was no longer the daughter they never had? “What was she about to say when you cut her off?”
Glancing away momentarily, he pushed her arm when he peeked back. “I don’t know. Y’all will come?”
“All right, Mr. Oldies Lover.” Beth turned up “I Saw Her Standing There” playing on the radio and tapped her foot to the tune. “I’ll call my mom after this song. You must remember this song.” Who was she kidding? He was a ranching cowboy then and a cowboy now. It wasn’t country, so he probably blocked it out of his memory. Beth smiled inside. This was the song playing on the radio the night they drove out of Canyon Junction, both throwing a goodbye kiss out the window. Jake had pulled to the side of the back road toward Phoenix, and dragged her over to his lap, muttering the beginning words in the song. This must’ve been why she still loved oldie songs—for the memories they evoked.
Whispers of Forever: Mending Christmas (Canyon Junction: Hearts In Love #1) Page 7
