“No. Not at all.” Rori shook her head and forced a smile. “I haven’t talked to him since he came back from wherever rodeo.” She backed up a few steps. “I’m excited to see him.” She finger-waved and left the coffee shop.
Back in her truck, driving down the alley behind her store/apartment, Rori concentrated on sorting out the puzzle. A woman? Someone young enough to be his sister? Who could that have been?
Lights shone from the windows of the apartment above her store. Jackson was home. The thought made her heart gallop, and her breath come faster.
She pulled into her parking spot, not seeing Jackson’s work truck, figuring he’d left it at the office of D. Walker Mineral Company, across the street and down a few blocks. While everyone knew they were cohabiting, they still tried to keep their personal comings and goings private.
She looked in the mirror and smoothed her hair, blinked at the excitement in her eyes, and grabbed her bag of gear and the box of cheese. In seconds, she was in the back stairwell, running up to see her cowboy.
The door at the top swung open and he grabbed her as she reached the landing. “Darlin’.” His low voice reverberated through her.
She dropped the box of cheese and bag of gear as he pulled her against him. Hot and firm, his body welcomed her home. She ran her fingers through his dark brown hair, loving how it’d grown a little long and curled around her knuckles. “Jackson. I missed you.” She looked deep into his inky-blue eyes.
“I missed you, too. A whole lot.”
He’d missed her? She let out a long, decadent sigh. In her chest, that lovely ache formed again. How had she gotten so lucky to have found this perfect, sexy, kind, hunk of man? What did she need to do to make him happy, and keep him here? The anxious thought cooled her enthusiasm a little. She couldn’t dwell on that or she’d go crazy.
His hand smoothed along her back and cupped her butt cheek. “I wish you could come with me more often.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck. Work had been so busy, she’d needed to put in hours on weekends and evenings. She needed help, but ironically, didn’t have time to interview anyone. “I will soon. Things slow down a little in the fall.”
A buzzer went off in the kitchen. “Perfect timing.” He kissed her and set her loose, walked into the kitchen and opened the oven. “I made supper.”
She picked up the box of cheese and followed him in. “You’re the best…roommate I’ve ever had.” She stumbled over the word roommate, not sure exactly what to call him, not sure exactly what they were to each other. No matter what the technical term for their situation was, she loved how he enjoyed cooking. Finally, her oven was being used for something other than heating a frozen pizza.
Jackson stopped moving and gave her the stink-eye. “Roommate, huh? Is that all I am to you?” He pulled a pan of some kind of pasta and red sauce from the oven.
She started unloading the cheese into the dairy drawer in the refrigerator, feeling unsettled with the direction of the conversation. “No. You’re one heck of a boss, too.”
He smacked her butt as she giggled. Jackson owned the company that her business, Cyber Wise, contracted with. “Boss? Roommate?” He pulled her back against his body and leaned around her, pawing through the different kinds of cheeses. “Sounds like we need to have a conversation about our roles in this relationship.” Reaching lower on the door, he took out the grated Parmesan. “And what kinds of cheese we like.”
She closed the refrigerator door, excitement at his proclamation—about the relationship roles, not the cheese preferences—making her heart race. She wouldn’t push him, though. “I couldn’t say no to the cheese. It’s from a customer. And I dropped off about fifteen pounds with Lexie already.”
He kissed her neck and stepped back, sliding a cookie sheet of sliced Italian bread into the oven. “That’s nice of you.”
She remembered what Lexie had told her about the woman at the motel. Taking a breath, Rori tested the subject. “What time did you get back to Red Creek?”
“Early. Around nine, I think.” He tasted some of the pasta, then poured two glasses of red wine.
She accepted a glass from him and leaned back on the counter. “What did you do all day?”
He shrugged. “The usual. Showed my face at work, autographed some paperwork on the lines where Abby told me to sign.” Tapping his glass on hers, he winked. “Boring, but it’s the usual.”
She sipped her wine. No mention of a young woman at the motel? Was it work-related? Personal? Whatever the lady’s reason for being in town—and in her cowboy’s truck—was evidently none of Rori’s business. The thought gave her anxiety a boost. “Okay, I need to change, and take a quick shower.” She set down her glass and sniffed her shirtsleeve. “I smell like cheese.”
With a wicked smile, Jackson put his glass on the counter and pulled the tray of bread from the oven, setting it on top of the cold burners. “Need some help with that?”
A wild race of desire centered down in her belly. She held up a hand to stop him and backed out of the room, grinning. “Now, wait a minute, boss.”
He stalked her, unbuckling his belt and pulling his shirt out of his jeans. “Boss?”
“Roommate?” She glanced back to make sure she didn’t run into the wall, and pulled her T-shirt off over her head.
“Let’s call it what it is.” He whipped his shirt off over his head then dropped his jeans and walked out of them, not missing a step. “Official cheese-smell remover.”
She laughed, always amazed at his quick sense of humor, his attention to everything she said, and mostly, at his desire for her. Always on simmer, with just one word or one glance, she could send him boiling over and reaching for her, giving them both pleasure that satisfied, but just temporarily. She wanted Jackson twenty-four hours a day. Could he be happy here with her every day of the year, for decades? Pushing aside her doubt, she crooked her finger at him and led him into the bathroom.
****
The next morning, Jackson woke early, rolling over to watch Rori sleep. After their long, hot shower the night before, and a reheated pasta casserole dinner in bed well after midnight, he would let her sleep a little longer. He’d worn her out, and damned if she hadn’t given him just as much of a wild ride. Kissing her cheek softly, he eased out of bed and pulled on his jeans, sliding the belt out of them and setting it aside.
After closing the bedroom door behind him, he padded into the kitchen and started a half-pot of coffee brewing. Leaning on the counter as the dark brew trickled slowly into the carafe, he checked his phone. His architect, Louisa Verdigra, had emailed some questions for him about the site visit they’d done together yesterday. She’d already gone back to her office in KC, and was busy working on the blueprints he’d commissioned.
Jackson responded, and told her to call if she needed more information. He wanted to surprise Rori with the finished drawings by the end of the month.
He and his brothers had chosen their plots of land on Osprey Lake, two on each side of Dusty’s big house. They’d decided to go by age, in case there was a plot that more than one of them wanted. It went smoothly, each of them having a preference for a different plot, amazingly.
With Rori’s help, Jackson had chosen one near a small inlet with tall weeds for fishing. He envisioned a long dock with an extension in that direction, where he could spend hours casting and reeling in the big ones. He flexed his right hand where the hook had gone in. It wasn’t too sore, but the small scar would be a permanent reminder of one of the craziest bonding experiences he’d ever had.
He checked his emotions again, thinking about this next step in his life. Mixed. He wanted Rori in his life, he missed her when he was traveling. But the commitment of a house together? That seemed to get his nerves edgy. Was that why he’d kept his visits with the architect a secret instead of just bringing Rori in on the planning from the beginning? Was he somehow giving himself room to back out if things didn’t work out with her?
“Hell.” Why wouldn’t things work out with Rori? She was everything he’d ever dreamed of finding in a woman, a lover, and someone to share the rest of his days with. His relationship with her had gone farther—a lot farther—than he’d ever gone before. Where were his doubts coming from?
A knock sounded on the downstairs back door.
He checked his watch. Seven-fifteen? It had to be a personal visit, or they’d be ringing the doorbell on the street side of the building. He didn’t want to wake Rori, but he didn’t have a shirt on. “Ah, hell.” He’d tell whoever it was to come back later, when she was awake.
He opened the upper door and jogged barefoot down the steps. Cracking open the outside door, he peeked out.
“Surpri…” The female voice trailed off. “Oh.”
Jackson opened it a few more inches. An older woman with short, brown hair and brown eyes glanced at his bare chest.
“Oh, uh…” A man’s voice. He held a small package wrapped in orange paper. Standing next to the woman, he topped her by nearly six inches. His black hair, and eyes the color of the noon sky immediately reminded Jackson of the photo in Rori’s bedroom. Hair and eyes just like Rori’s.
Her parents. Shit.
Chapter Four
“Hi there.” Jackson had probably never spoken more unintelligent words in his life. Standing there, shirtless, barefoot, wearing just his jeans, he held on to the handle of the door that led to the back entrance to Rori’s apartment. Their apartment. Evidently, her parents didn’t know anything about that arrangement.
The woman held a box with a huge, frosted sweet roll in it, bearing a lit candle. She bent forward and blew it out. “We’re looking for Rori?” Her gaze shot upward to the open door at the top of the steps.
Jackson needed to pull himself together. He wasn’t seventeen any more, getting caught with a girl in his room. “She’s still in bed…still asleep.” He stepped back, opening the door and gesturing upstairs. “Please come in, and I’ll wake her.”
The man looked at his wife. “Should we just come back?” He looked extremely uncomfortable.
She shrugged and smiled at Jackson. “We’ve already passed the most awkward part, Simon.” Rori’s mother walked past them both and started up the steps. “Let’s just brave our way through this.”
The man held out his hand. “Simon Hughes.”
Jackson gripped it. “Jackson Walker.”
Halfway up the steps, Rori’s mother stopped and turned. “You’re one of Dusty’s sons?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m the rodeo cowboy.” He didn’t know why he said that, but as long as they were getting the dirty laundry out, he figured he’d might as well give them the whole clothesline full.
“Huh. Well, that’s something.” She wandered up the rest of the steps, her husband close behind her.
Jackson had no idea what she meant by that. He looked out the back door. Tempting. If only he had his keys, his boots, his wallet, he could make a run for it. “Chicken shit.” He closed the door and followed the parade upstairs.
The scent of coffee hit him as he shut the upstairs door. “I just made a fresh pot. Help yourself while I…” He gestured to the bedroom.
“Thanks. We’ll just make ourselves at home.” Rori’s mother set down the pastry box and opened the correct cabinet for coffee cups. Holding up a mug, she looked at Jackson. “I’m guessing you’ll need one of these?”
He lifted his brows. “Sure will, and I do believe your daughter might, also.”
She chuckled, sounding a lot like Rori, as she got to work pouring coffee. Her husband plopped down on the couch in the living room and picked up a computer magazine.
Jackson hightailed it into the bedroom, closing the door and leaning against it for a second. Holy hell. The “meeting the parents” step was something Jackson figured would have happened sooner or later, and so far, he’d been successfully pushing it out later and later. This morning’s surprise visit, though? This was more like something he’d seen in a big-screen comedy.
Rori stirred. “Hi, cowboy.” The words rolled sexily out of her pouty lips. She stretched her arms above her head and made a sultry groaning sound.
“You might want to keep it down a bit.” He pulled a fresh T-shirt from the drawer and tugged it on. “You’ve got company.”
“Company?” She rubbed her eyelids. “This early? Why would…” She gasped and shot to a sitting position. “What’s the date today?”
“It’s October 1. Why?”
She used both fists to knock on her head. “Mom and Dad.”
“How did you know?” He frowned at her.
As she pulled on underthings, sweatpants, and a loose sweatshirt, she mumbled something about them always showing up, and why hadn’t she kept her eye on the calendar. Running a brush through her silky hair, she let out a long breath. “I’ve been so distracted lately, I lost track of the days.” She dropped the brush and ran to the door. “I’m sorry.”
What was going on? “Wait, what…”
She yanked open the door. “Hi!” Nearly shouting the word, she ran out and gave her parents hugs.
He followed, seeing the filled coffee mugs on the small table, along with the giant roll with the candle, knives and forks, and four plates set out like they were expecting to all sit and eat together.
Jackson stayed back as Rori and her parents talked about everything except the Jackson-sized elephant in the room.
Rori turned to him. “You’ve met Jackson.”
“We have.” Simon pulled out a chair at the table and sat.
“Mina.” Rori’s mother held out her hand. “Good to meet you, officially.”
They each took a chair, Jackson and Rori across from each other.
Simon pulled a lighter from his pocket and reignited the candle. “Are we singing?”
Rori shook her head. “No, we are not.”
Mina smiled. “Okay, baby girl. Happy birthday.”
Jackson’s gaze shot to Mina’s then to Rori’s. “It’s your birthday?” Shit, had he said that out loud?”
Her cheeks turning pink, Rori blew out the candle and used a knife to cut the roll in quarters.
“Our girl.” Simon sipped his coffee and gave Jackson a look. “She’s never liked celebrating her birthday.”
“Yet, here you are.” Rori gave her dad a smile along with her words. “Making me celebrate it anyway.”
Jackson felt a little relief that he hadn’t totally missed any hints from her about her big day. “You know, Rori, you still get a year older, even if you don’t celebrate it.”
The room went silent.
Shit, had he just said that out loud? What the fuck was wrong with him?
Rori let out a laugh. “Shut up.” Her parents laughed at that, and the tension eased a bit. They talked about Cyber Wise, D. Walker Mineral, and about the school where her parents taught and the vacation they’d had during the summer break.
Simon stood. “We have a surprise for you.”
Rori shook her head. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“We know.” Mina patted her daughter’s hand. “But this is something we’ve been talking about for a couple of years.”
“Uh oh.” Rori pulled an exaggerated frightened face at Jackson.
Simon brought the wrapped package to the table and set it in front of his daughter. “We want you to be closer to us.”
Rori’s brows dropped. “What is it?” She ripped off the paper and lifted off the top of the box. A framed picture sat in tissue paper. She lifted it out. “A storefront?” Turning the picture toward Jackson, Rori looked at her parents. “Thanks. I feel closer to you already.”
The Hughes both laughed, but Jackson had a sick feeling in his stomach.
“We’ve gone and done something impulsive.” Mina grimaced. “We’ve rented this store for you. In Kansas City.”
Rori’s face colored then blanched. “What?” She turned the picture around and stared at it. “Really?” A smile broke across
her face. “That’s so amazing.” She jumped up and hugged her mother, then her father.
Jackson forced a smile on his face. “That is a really great gift.” They wanted Rori to move home to KC? Away from Red Creek? Away from him? A lump formed in his throat and he gulped some coffee to keep it from expanding.
Rori and her parents chatted while Jackson made more coffee and served it, his gut aching as he heard her plans for the new place. KC wasn’t that far away. They’d see each other often after she moved. Wouldn’t they?
Her parents stood. “Well, we should get going. We have early check-in at the motel.”
Jackson looked at Rori, seeing her disappointment. She really loved her parents, and didn’t see them often enough. “If you’d like, you’re welcome to stay at Dusty’s house out on the lake. Rori, too. There are a lot of empty rooms.” He hated to see them using the old motel at the edge of town when they could be in a comfortable place, making Marliss and Lou happy to have something to do.
“That’s kind of you, but…” Simon looked at his wife. “We’re planning to stay three nights.”
“That’s perfect.” Jackson swallowed, missing Rori already. “You three can have some time together.”
“Jackson.” Rori looked confused. “You’d be there too, right?” She took his hand. “So we can all get to know each other.”
“Sure.” He glanced at the uncertain looks on her parents’ faces. “If that’s what you’d like.”
Mina shrugged. “It sounds lovely to me.”
Jackson pulled out his phone. “Let me make sure none of my brothers are planning a retreat out there, or a stag party.” He texted. Within seconds, three replies came in. Less than a minute after sending a text to Marliss, he received a reply telling him to bring ‘em out here!
“The coast is clear.” Jackson smiled. “Should we all head out to the lake?”
****
At Dusty’s house, Rori settled into the bedroom Jackson had claimed as his own, and her parents took a room down the hall. Jackson brought his things as well, at Rori’s insistence, placing them in another room a little ways away. For the sake of her parents.
Rori and Jackson: The Sons of Dusty Walker Page 3
