The Guy Next Door

by Lori Foster

  She put a hand to her mouth and tried to fight back the emotions—without success. Knowing what he’d done, and that he probably thought nothing of it, left her staggered by his bighearted nature.

  That damned emotion swelled even more, choking her, making her feel both hot and soft. They’d both put in a full day, the weather was turning nasty, and still Jett had gone out of his way to make Buddy comfortable.

  Natalie’s quickened breathing fogged against the icy window. She rested her forehead there, but it did nothing to cool her.

  She couldn’t wait to get to Tennessee tomorrow. It wouldn’t be summer-warm, but it should be milder than the brisk Ohio weather, especially now with a storm blowing in. She and Jett would be all alone together. She anticipated all the things she’d missed in life, like quiet meals together, maybe a few joint showers, walks in the woods with Buddy, talking, exploring and…growing closer.

  When Jett glanced up at her window, Natalie ducked away. With her apartment dark he wouldn’t be able to see her anyway, but she didn’t want to take a chance. At the same time, she liked it that he’d glanced toward her place, because she always glanced toward his.

  And sometimes she saw him in his window, as if he, too, could recognize the sound of her arrival.

  It occurred to her that Buddy looked not the least traumatized by the trip in the car, which negated her need to go along with Jett in the morning. But she wanted to go anyway. He’d invited her, the dog was half hers and…she wanted to spend every minute with Jett that she could.

  Not that she’d start making assumptions. No. Even if it killed her, she would make this a no-pressure relationship for him. Somehow she would adapt to the social standards of casual dating.

  An hour later, despite the pep talk she’d given herself, Natalie went to bed thinking about things she shouldn’t, things like a lasting romance, a future and a happily ever after—with Jett.

  CHAPTER SIX

  NATALIE FUMED IN SILENCE.

  For over an hour now they’d been on the road to Tennessee, and she was still rattled. After Jett had loaded all of Buddy’s new belongings into the back of his SUV, he’d carried out her bags while she did her best to urge Buddy back into the vehicle.

  He may have been fine leaving the vehicle last night, but he was not so keen about getting back into it. In fact, he’d behaved as though she wanted to drag him to his death.

  How Jett had managed the night before, on his own, Natalie had no idea.

  Finally, after much effort, cajoling and insisting, she had gotten Buddy into the SUV and they’d arrived at Connie’s veterinarian clinic bright and early with a fractious, frightened Buddy in tow.

  Jett, damn him, hadn’t seemed the least bit surprised to find all three of his sisters there. He’d merely shaken his head in fond exasperation while the women wore various expressions of curiosity and offered up differing excuses for the early morning visit, none of them viable or believable.

  They were there to meet her, and Natalie knew it.

  Feeling shanghaied and on display, she’d stood there, self-conscious and out of her element, watching them in awe. They were the most boisterous, outrageous, out-spoken and lovely women she’d ever met.

  All laughing and talking at once, the sisters had taken turns hugging Jett, and much to Buddy’s delight, they doted on him as if he were the most special dog ever.

  The family resemblance between brother and sisters was strong; the woman all had eyes as dark as Jett’s, but lighter and much longer brown hair. While they were tall, between five-eight and five-ten, they weren’t as tall as Jett. And where Jett was all man, the sisters were ultrafeminine, but no one could deny the similarities in features.

  Their open affection and bold teasing had rendered Natalie mute and she’d remained in the doorway like a dolt. She and Molly were close, and sometimes when alone together they would crack up for one reason or another. But this…this demonstrative display was very new to her.

  Her father and her stepmother would be appalled by such an animated show of emotion.

  Somewhere deep down inside herself, Natalie wished she could be a part of it all. It seemed very natural the way they teased each other, touched and laughed.

  Only after harassing their brother wore thin did the sisters finally peer at Natalie with unabashed interest.

  Putting his arm around her, Jett had pulled her forward and gone through rather formal introductions.

  Connie smiled hugely and, while staring at Natalie, said to her brother, “’Bout damn time.”

  When he only hugged her closer, Heidi said, “Good grief, Jett, I barely recognize you in territorial mode, but I like the new you!”

  And the youngest sister, Betts, had propped her hands on her slim hips. “So she’s the reason you ran me off the other day, hmm?” She’d eyed Natalie critically until Jett growled at her, and then she’d laughed loudly, elbowed the closest sister and said, “Okay, I get it.”

  Confused, Natalie asked, “Get what?”

  But instead of an answer, she got a giant hug from Betts.

  While squeezing Natalie tight, Betts said to Jett, “Since you brought her here, you’re off the hook.”

  Heidi grinned. “I’d say he’s totally redeemed himself.”

  Not long after that, Connie had scooped up Buddy and headed off into a back room with him. Since Jett had the leash around his wrist, he went along to help.

  Natalie attempted to follow, but the remaining two sisters intercepted her. As if trying to learn all they could in a short span of time, they fired casual and friendly questions at her. They asked about her work, her hobbies, even her vacation, but they never once crossed the line into prying. Apparently they saved that for Jett.

  After remarks about the cooling weather, the talents of teachers, lakes, dogs and other mundane topics, Heidi remarked about Natalie’s “beautiful” hair. Ill at ease, Natalie tucked a springy curl behind her ear. Her stepmother had always described her wildly curly hair in none-too-flattering terms. She’d grown accustomed to hearing that she looked tawdry, unkempt, cheap and tangled.

  As yet, Natalie wasn’t used to flattery from Jett, and now she heard it from his sisters, too.

  Heat flooded her face as she stammered her thanks. “You’re very kind.”

  Waving that off, Betts started a new thread on how sweet it was for Natalie to take Buddy along on her vacation. “You’ve changed his entire life. Dogs are meant to be part of a family, not alone on the street. It’s fantastic that you’re including him like this.”

  More heat scalded her neck. “Jett’s the one who first thought to keep him. I’m not really used to animals—”

  “You’ll be great. I can tell.” She brushed her hand along Natalie’s arm, disturbing clinging dog fur from her sweater. Grinning, Betts said, “Looks like he’s already breaking you in.”

  “And I don’t hear you complaining,” Heidi added with a wide smile. “I like a woman who doesn’t get all fussy over the little things. Shows you’re a natural with pets.”

  The inane chitchat and unending good humor wore on Natalie. “I hope so. But I’m glad I’ll have Jett to help me get acclimated.”

  Both women grinned hugely. “Oh, you definitely have him,” Betts said, again poking her elbow at her sister. Heidi chuckled in agreement.

  Just when Natalie thought she’d expire from awkwardness, Jett stuck his head out of the back room. He looked at Natalie’s drawn expression and then scowled at his siblings.

  Having no real clue what had transpired, he said to them, “Mind your own business,” and then he held out a hand to Natalie. “Come on in. You can help us with Buddy.”

  But the sisters didn’t take Jett’s comment to heart. If they did, they wouldn’t have followed her into the back room and turned Buddy’s appointment into a family affair.

  There was laughter, warmth and jokes aplenty.

  It would have been wonderful—only Natalie wasn’t family, didn’t know anything about fami
ly and had no idea how to take part in the camaraderie they all shared. It wasn’t that they excluded her, only that she didn’t know where or how to jump in. She answered questions directed at her, laughed quietly at the humor and watched it all in yearning.

  She and Jett were at the clinic for almost two hours.

  Two hours that felt like ten and left her starkly aware of the vast differences in the components of her family and Jett’s.

  Not once since they’d gotten on the road had Jett mentioned his family, why they’d all been there waiting, what they had wanted or what he thought about it.

  Now, after so much silence, Natalie felt strained to the breaking point. She glanced at Buddy, well-groomed and worn out, settled in his cushy bed on the floor between the seats in the back of the SUV, gnawing on a giant chew bone. He’d really been worked over with a flea bath, shots, ear cleaning, nail trimming, tests for parasites, a good brushing and various other things that had all combined to make him forget his displeasure with riding.

  Without the dog’s anxiety to occupy her, Natalie had no way to distract her turbulent thoughts.

  Trying for subtlety, she shifted her gaze to Jett’s profile.

  She wasn’t subtle enough.

  “All right.” While still appearing very pleased about something, Jett gave her a quick telling look. “Out with it.”

  “It?”

  “You’ve been over there stewing about something.” He flipped on the wipers to counter the growing accumulation of fat snowflakes on the windshield. “After the onslaught of my loony sisters, I wanted to give you some time, but the silent treatment is making me nuts.”

  Making him nuts? Fine, he wanted to talk about it? She’d talk about it. Natalie turned off the radio and folded her arms to glare at him. “Was that whole scene with your family familiar?”

  Laughing, Jett cocked one brow. “In some ways, yeah. Real familiar. My sisters have always been lovable pains in my ass.” He grinned at her. “In other ways, hell no. That was about as atypical as it could get.”

  She didn’t understand him. “How was it unfamiliar?”

  “I’ve never seen my sisters so agog. It was downright hilarious. You probably don’t realize it, but they were trying hard to rein themselves in—without much success.” He reached over to brush the backs of his fingers across her cheek. “It was funny to see them tripping over themselves trying to make you feel welcome.”

  So he didn’t always get those gibes when introducing a woman? Natalie didn’t want him to misunderstand. “They were very nice.”

  “I’ll interpret that as your polite way of calling them overwhelming. But yeah, they are nice, honey.” In the distance, thickening snowfall turned the sky white. The dropping temps fogged the windshield, so Jett turned up the defroster. “I know they liked you.”

  With that odd yearning still ablaze inside her, Natalie bit her lip. “They told you that?”

  “I know my sisters. If they hadn’t liked you, I’d have heard all about it.” They passed a car that had slid off the road, with a police cruiser already on the scene. Jett scowled in concern.

  A second later his car phone rang. He pushed a button on the bottom of the rearview mirror and Heidi said, “Hey, Jett.”

  First thing, Jett said, “You’re on speakerphone, sis.”

  Natalie narrowed her eyes at him. What did he think his sister would say? Something about her?

  Heidi laughed at him. “Thanks for the warning. But no worries. I wasn’t going to embarrass you. I just wanted to check on you. The weather reports are showing some unexpected heavy snow. Not just Ohio, but Kentucky and Tennessee, too.”

  “We’re seeing signs of it now.” He peered through the windshield. “Starting to look nasty.”

  “Bummer. It’ll be terrible if you two ended up stranded, all alone together, in a cozy little cabin in the woods. Whatever will you do to pass the time?”

  Laughing, Jett said, “I’m sure we’ll think of something.” Then he tacked on, “Brat.”

  Heidi snickered. “I’m sure you can handle snowy road conditions, Jett. I have complete confidence in you. But why don’t you check in every so often anyway, just to keep us from worrying?”

  “You’re going to worry no matter what, but sure, I’ll let you know when we get settled.”

  “Thanks. You know I love you bunches.”

  As Jett said, “Back atcha,” his gentle, easy smile tugged at Natalie’s heart.

  “Give Natalie a smooch from me.”

  “Goodbye, Heidi.” Grinning, Jett disconnected the call on her enthusiastic farewell.

  His love for his sisters couldn’t be more apparent, and obviously they felt the same. But it boggled Natalie’s mind that they’d fret over him. Jett was six-plus feet of solid, capable and in many ways lethal male.

  Other than Molly, no one had ever really worried about her. And now she couldn’t reach Molly.

  Jett reached for her hand. “C’mon, Natalie. Don’t look like that. You’ll get used to my sisters being mother hens. It’s just their way.”

  Would she be with him long enough to get used to it? She snuffed that thought real fast. “I don’t mind. I think it’s sort of…endearing, how close you all are.”

  That seemed to bother him. “Speaking of sisters…” He glanced at her. “Did you ever get hold of yours?”

  Natalie shook her head. “She’s still not answering her phone, so I emailed her this morning. Hopefully by the time we get to the cabin she’ll have replied.”

  His hand squeezed hers. “You’re a little scared for her, aren’t you?”

  “I don’t know.” Logic told her that Molly was just involved with her fast-growing career. “She has a movie deal in the works, and deadlines and research, so I know she’s busy.”

  “But not too busy for her sister.”

  She frowned, because Jett had just pinpointed her problem: she was hurt. “It’s not like her to stay out of touch like this.” Then she half laughed at herself. “I sound ridiculous, don’t I? My stepmother said so, and she didn’t even want to bother my dad with it. But I can’t help thinking that something might be wrong.”

  “Not ridiculous at all. You’re her sister, and sisters have a way of sensing these things. Did you want me to check into it?”

  Natalie’s brows shot up in a mix of indignation and curiosity. “Are you offering to investigate my sister?”

  Jett shrugged. “I could probably figure out where she went, where she’s been—”

  “No.” Molly wouldn’t appreciate anyone snooping through her personal life. But then, because her worry felt real, Natalie added, “At least, not yet. I’ll give her a few more days and hopefully it’ll become a moot point.”

  “Fair enough.” Jett kissed her knuckles and released her hand. “But I don’t want to see you worry. So when you’re ready, let me know and I’ll find out what I can.”

  Not only did Jett understand her concern, he was willing to help. And with that, he stole another little piece of her heart.

  “Look at that sky,” Jett told her. “The snow’s turning to frozen slush.” Everyone now drove well below the speed limit, and still cars were slipping left and right.

  Ice stuck to the wipers, interfering with visibility. Just then, they passed a mild wreck involving two cars that had collided with each other. It didn’t amount to much more than a fender bender. But less than half a mile from there they saw a car flipped into the gully, with three other cars stopped nearby to help.

  Jett said, “Shit,” and leaned a little closer to the steering wheel.

  Natalie twisted to look out the window, stunned that the weather had changed so drastically. “Looks like your sister had good reason to call. It’s really coming down out there.”

  “The last weather report I heard said a storm, but I wasn’t expecting this.” He concentrated on the road. The accumulated snow had been pushed aside by the traffic and narrowed the lanes. “We’re not sliding, but it looks like a lot of oth
er cars are.”

  “Maybe I should turn on the radio to check the updated weather reports?”

  “Yeah. I’d like to know if we’re driving into or out of the worst of it.”

  Natalie switched around the stations until she found the news. It wasn’t good. The storm was proving worse than weathermen had predicted and since ice had joined the snow, many smaller roads were already shut down and the interstates were fast becoming congested. Unfortunately, it would be both behind them and ahead of them.

  They listened to the weatherman intone the news with ominous warnings.

  “Over three inches have already accumulated throughout Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee with up to nine inches now expected. Slick road conditions are being blamed for numerous reports of car wrecks. All along Interstate 75 and 71, cars and trucks are off the road with a few serious accidents that have required air support. The mixture of ice and snow should be considered hazardous. Many areas are under a level-three snow emergency. If you don’t have to be on the road, stay home.”

  Natalie frowned at the admonition. She turned to look out the rear window but couldn’t see far with the snowfall so thick. “I guess there’s no point in turning around?”

  Jett glanced at the odometer and shook his head. “We should be about halfway there.” He turned the defroster up even more. “At this point going back wouldn’t be any easier than going on.”

  Guilt assailed her. It was because of her plans that they were now out on the road in a possibly hazardous situation. She stared at Jett’s frowning profile. “I didn’t hear anything about a snowstorm.”

  He met her gaze for only an instant and then said with feeling, “As I recall, weather reports held little interest for us last night.”

  If the heat in his words wasn’t enough to scorch her, the memory of what they’d done certainly was. Natalie stared at him, remembering everything.

  Voice low, Jett said, “Babe, when you look at me like that, I feel like I’m already inside you.”

  Oh Lord. And now she felt it too. She tightened her thighs. “Whether we heard the news or not probably wouldn’t have mattered. They’re saying it wasn’t expected to be this bad.”