by Taylor Hart
When the movie ended, he carefully moved off the couch and lay her back on the couch pillow. He put the couch blanket over her and took another second to look at how pretty she was. When was the last time he’d so much fun dancing? Or fun with a woman period?
Not in a long time.
Jax was about to leave when he saw that Brad’s truck was still parked out in the driveway. He couldn’t see Brad outside, too cold for that.
But, there was no way would Jax would leave with Brad still there. SEALs didn’t abandon the ones they were meant to protect, even when their backs were against the wall. He slept on the floor right by her, using another afghan as a blanket and another couch cushion as a pillow.
Chapter 14
Tia woke with a start, sitting up quickly and realizing that Jax was lying at her feet.
Jax opened his eyes and sat up. “It’s early. Go back to sleep.”
She stood, careful not to step on him. “I can’t believe I fell asleep.” She saw the clock on the oven, it was almost seven-thirty in the morning. “You stayed here? On the floor?”
“Course I stayed,” he said, standing. “I wasn’t leaving you with Brad lurking in your driveway at two in the morning.”
Brad. She stuck her head over to the other window and saw that his AC/Heating truck was gone.
Jax was folding the blankets. “I need to go take care of the horses anyway.”
Her heart raced. This was weird. It felt different than fake somehow. “I’m sorry, I have to go get the orders ready for the morning run.”
“Go.” He waved to her.
She hesitated, gratitude washing over her. “Thank you. Do you have plans for our dinner tonight?”
“Ah, I haven’t thought about it, but you can pick a restaurant in town.”
“Pick me up at five, and bring some sandwiches and a swimsuit. I want to show you something.”
He looked confused. “A swimsuit?”
“Yep.” Tia laughed and rushed to her bedroom. She showered and got ready quickly. By the time she was ready to go out the door, he was gone. All the blankets had been folded and the cushions were put back.
He’d left a note on the table for her. See you later today, flower girl. Thanks for the dancing and dinner and movie. Jax.
Later, Tia filled an order for roses and found herself humming and looking at her phone to see if it was five o’clock yet. Nope, only three-fifty.
She was excited to take Jax to the hot springs, which were tucked away on a path behind Janet and Michael’s house. She appreciated how he’d stayed the night on the floor beside her because he worried about her.
But none of this mattered, she reminded herself. He was her fake boyfriend. That was all. Plus, after the dance tomorrow, their time would be up.
As she remembered dancing with him last night, she decided that he wasn’t a bad dancer. In fact, he had improved a lot over the course of the night. She was attracted to him, and not just him physically; she liked getting to know the guy behind the SEAL exterior.
No, she wasn’t falling for him. She couldn’t be. Could she?
It’d been a long time since she’d felt this way. Maybe never, because she didn’t remember feeling like this about Brad. Brad had always been her guy. After they’d broken up, she’d dated a little bit, but nothing serious.
She picked up her file of impending orders, ones that needed to be filled the next day. There were only three, all for bouquets. She walked back to the freezer, taking her time in collecting the assorted flowers she’d need.
“Runaway,” she sang lightly. She’d been working on this song before she’d quit singing. “I just can’t run away from you.” She took a breath and belted out the next part, her favorite part. “The faster I run, the harder I try. I can’t stay away.”
The song had been about Brad and she’d never been able to finish it, but now she thought of Jax as she sang.
“When you showed up, I didn’t know that you would mean so much to me. When you showed up, I didn’t know that I could care again.” She launched into the chorus, closing her eyes and letting herself belt it out. “Runaway, I just can’t run away.”
She changed the next part. “Because I don’t want to leave your arms, I just want you to stay in mine, but you’re going to run away. That’s what you told me you’d do.” She ended on a low note. “But I don’t want you to stay.”
Her heart raced, and she realized she really didn’t want him to leave.
“Tia?”
She jumped. “Ah!”
Jax.
“Hey,” he said, looking like he’d been caught doing something wrong.
Humiliation crept over her. She was suddenly very interested in the flowers.
“Sorry. I just wanted to surprise you,” he said quietly.
It was stupid to be embarrassed. “It’s fine.” She gathered the flowers up into her arms.
“I liked your song. A lot.”
She turned to face him, trying to pretend he wasn’t so sexy. He wore his brown leather coat and black pants. His blond hair was all messed up, but in that cute model way. He still hadn’t shaved, and his facial hair looked perfect. “Uh, good.”
“Let me help you.” He reached for all the flowers she was holding.
Not expecting his help, she fumbled as she handed them over. Some of them fell to the ground, and Jax bent to pick them up. “I got it,” she said, letting out a laugh that he was here helping her.
Their heads were close enough that she could breathe in his scent. “You’re so good,” he said. “Like, ‘blow me away’ good.”
She remembered how he’d told her that she didn’t know how to accept a compliment. “Thank you.” But right now she was staring at his lips.
He grinned. “What about kissing in a freezer? Would that kiss count as our official date kiss?”
Tia was thrilled at the idea that he was as obsessed with kissing her as she’d been with kissing him. She picked up the stray flowers and let out a giggle. “Yes, it would count. You said one kiss.”
He snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “Maybe we could renegotiate the deal. I mean, just so everyone really thinks we’re really together.”
She cocked an eyebrow at him. “’Cause someone is watching us in the freezer?”
He focused on her lips. “Maybe I just want to kiss you.”
The moment slowed to a crawl, and butterflies filled her stomach. She wanted to kiss him, but she pushed him back. “I don’t think we should.” He was leaving. The guy had told her he was re-upping. She pushed the freezer open and walked out, holding the door for him.
He winked at her as he walked past. “Then I’ll just have to think about kissing you later.”
This whole thing was fake, she reminded herself. They had tonight and tomorrow night, and then it would be over. She motioned to the counter for him to put the flowers on it. “I’m surprised to see you so early.”
Casually, he put the flowers down on the counter. “Why?”
“I don’t know.” She began cutting the paper for each bouquet and the string. “I just … nothing.”
He tapped the counter. “Listen, Grandpa asked if I would bring you with me when I went to see him.” He shrugged. “But no pressure.”
“That’s fine.” She smiled at him. “I like your grandfather.”
“It’s funny because—like I told you—when I first arrived, he told me that I needed a Snow Valley girl.”
It was pointless to deny that she was blushing. “So is there someone you want to date?”
“Maybe.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Don’t worry, I’ll wait until after the dance.”
The teasing had backfired. She pushed him in the chest.
He laughed and reached out, taking her forearms. “Hey.”
“After the dance tomorrow, we can break up and you can date some other girls if you want.” Her mind whirled. “There’s a couple that are home for a couple more days that you might be interested
in.”
He tightened his grip, pulling her closer. “I don’t want to date anyone else.” He leaned in, grazing her neck with his nose. “I just want you.”
Her heart stilled. But he was a Navy SEAL and he was re-upping; he’d said so last night. She thought of Lacey and Dom and how hard it had been for them. She tugged her hand free, reaching for the scissors and cutting some of the stems. “We’re just fake. No drama. Right?” She didn’t look at him.
He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. “Uh, right. Keep it fake, easy.”
“You’ll be going back to your Navy life soon, and I’ll be here.”
“What if I quit?”
“What?” She was stunned.
He shrugged. “What if I just don’t re-enlist?”
Part of her felt cold, plain fear. “Last night you said you didn’t know what you would do if you weren’t a SEAL.”
“What if I could figure it out—I don’t know—in some small town?”
Their eyes held for a long time.
He picked up one of the flowers and paired it with another. “I like that bouquet. Maybe I could work here.”
“Jax, would you seriously consider staying?”
“Would you seriously consider having me around to entertain you?”
A million elephants stomped around in her chest. It might change everything if he wasn’t just temporarily in her life. It might even change how she thought about the lies they’d been telling everyone. Even though she was trying to act casual, she was a bit hyped up. “Are you teasing me, Jax?”
“Do you want me to tease you?” He leaned into her, moving her hair off her shoulder and breathing her in.
Her heart raced, but she stepped back. “I want a relationship that gives me the next level of what I want. Can you do that?”
He didn’t answer, uncertain about what she meant and uncertain if he should pursue this conversation.
A little, old lady walked in.
Tia rushed toward her, hugging her.
Everything became background noise as he watched Tia help the lady. She laughed and threw her head back, her eyes meeting his for a brief moment.
All he knew was that Tia Snow was the most beautiful woman he’d ever met in his entire life.
Chapter 15
“Now tell me, Tia—” Roy shook his finger at her and leaned in conspiratorially. “—and I want the truth—when did you meet my grandson?”
Jax nervously walked to the hospital door and shut it. Of course, his grandpa knew it was a lie. They hadn’t had a chance to really talk about it, because every time he’d come to the room, Martha had been there with him. But, Jax reflected, she probably knew too.
Tia glanced at him, silently asking if she should tell the truth or not.
He nodded. “I’ve never been able to lie to my grandpa.”
“No, you haven’t, boy.” His grandpa turned back to her. “So tell me about this whole romance between you and my boy that has the whole town talking.”
“Well,” she said, “the truth is that I had just met Jax. He was in the store buying flowers for Martha, and Brad came in being a jerk.”
“That Brad,” said Grandpa, and his expression contorted with disgust. “You’ve always been too good for Brad.”
“Thanks.”
“Anyway,” said Jax.
“And I just pretended that Jax was my boyfriend and that he was my date for the New Year’s Eve dance. And it’s funny, because Jax told me you were teasing him that morning about how he should be dating someone from Snow Valley.”
His grandfather laughed. “I did. Did he tell you his re-enlistment is up soon? He’s been trying to decide if he should re-enlist or not, but you should tell him that it’s time to get out.”
“Okay, Grandpa.” Jax hadn’t been expecting that.
Tia met his eyes. “Yeah, he told me he was going back.”
Jax looked back to his grandpa. “You’re talking too much, old man.”
“You told her?” Grandpa beamed.
“But it doesn’t matter, because I don’t even know what I would do if I didn’t go back.”
Grandpa snorted. “You’d come home.”
“This isn’t my home.”
“It could be,” his grandpa said quickly.
Jax suddenly felt out of sorts. He didn’t like being put on the spot like this.
“Home is where you’re loved, and I love you more than life itself, boy.”
Chills rushed over him, and he sat in the chair beside his grandpa’s bed. “Ah, you just want me around to do all the chores,” he said, teasing.
His grandpa turned the conversation to the flower shop and the happenings around town. Jax couldn’t believe how easy this all felt. Tia and his grandpa talked about everything. Surprisingly, Jax was learning enough about the people around this place that he recognized some of the names—like Pastor John.
They’d been talking for half an hour when his grandpa put his hand on his shoulder. “Tia, I’m glad you trusted our boy here. It feels like you guys might be at the beginning of something.”
“Grandpa,” he said, standing. “It’s just an act. It’s all fake.”
Tia jerked her head to face Jax. Their eyes met, and he thought about what she’d said to him—she wanted the next level. What did that even mean? He’d been ticked off because he didn’t like thinking that she would have the next level with some other guy. Or Brad. He’d been hiding his irritation the whole way home.
His grandpa put his hand up. “Even if it’s fake dating, it can turn real. I don’t know if you know this or not, but your grandma and I started out in a fake relationship.”
Jax hadn’t known that. “What?”
“I’d just got back from the war, and she had a guy that wouldn’t let her alone.” His grandpa chuckled. “Kinda like Tia here, Esther told her guy that we were boyfriend and girlfriend. We were married six months later.”
“That’s crazy.”
“I miss your grandma.”
Jax put his hand over his grandpa’s. “I know.” His grandma had been gone for over ten years, but his grandpa had never remarried. “She was a good lady.”
“I just wish your mama would get her head on straight and come home. She …”
Jax tensed and stood. The last thing he wanted was to talk about his mother. “Sorry, Grandpa, we have to get going. Tia is taking me somewhere that I need a swimsuit for.”
Tia stood, seeming to sense his urgency. “Right.”
His grandpa sucked in a breath. “Well, okay.”
“But I spoke with the doctor on the phone earlier today,” Jax said. “He says you should be good to come home tomorrow or the next day.”
“Yep, I know. Hey, did you fix that fence?”
“Done. And some other things.”
His grandpa shooed them away. “Go have fun, young people.” He gave Jax a sheepish smile. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
Jax laughed. “Well, that doesn’t leave much out.”
“Exactly.”
Jax moved to the door and opened it.
“Oh, hold up one sec,” said Grandpa. “Will you call your mother? Can you at least do that?”
Jax let out a sigh. “I told you, Grandpa, I’ve got nothing to say to her.”
Chapter 16
“So where are we going?” Jax asked again as they tromped down the snow-covered path toward the hot springs.
“You’ll just have to wait and see,” Tia said, adjusting the two towels slung over her shoulder.
He carried a sack full of the sandwiches and chips and waters he’d picked up. “A snow picnic doesn’t make sense to me. Are you sure we just shouldn’t go back and put on some warm blankets and eat in the house?”
She stifled a giggle, loving that he looked uncomfortable in his boots and swimsuit and jacket. “Man up, SEAL guy.”
He laughed and tossed some snow at her. At least they were teasing again.
“Oh, you don’t want t
o start a snowball fight with me.” She picked up snow and mashed it together, then threw it at him. She aimed for his stomach, but it hit his face instead. With a squeal, she sprinted the rest of the way around the corner to the hot springs.
“You’re dead, Snow.”
She shrugged off her coat and boots on a large rock next to the springs.
He came around the corner and then stopped, giving all of it a long look. “Holy moly, we have heaven under our fingertips.”
She moved to the edge. “Hop in, we’ll eat in a sec.” She cannonballed into the part she knew was deep enough for it. The heat stung her skin, but she knew it wouldn’t last long.
When she emerged, he was still putting down the stuff and taking off his coat. He looked doubtful. “You’re insane, woman.”
“Jump, jump, jump!” She clapped.
He carefully walked to the edge of the rocks and dipped his toe in.
She was feeling playful. “Big, bad SEAL afraid of a little hot water?” She splashed him.
He gave her a warning look. “You’re still taunting me, even though I haven’t paid you back for the snowball yet.”
She grinned at him, admiring his six-pack abs and built shoulders. The man was attractive. “Looks like I am.”
He bent and put his hand in the water like he was testing how deep it was. “You sure it’s okay for me to jump?”
She decided to be helpful and motioned to the area around her. “This is where to jump. It’s clear.”
He didn’t look like he quite believed her, but he wildly jumped in. “Geronimo!”
He disappeared underwater, and she felt a tug on her ankle. She laughed and tried to get away.
He emerged, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into him. “Not so fast,” he said. “You don’t throw snow without consequences.”
Their eyes held, and Tia was overwhelmed with desire. She was touching his bare chest, and she felt an instant desire to kiss him. Her eyes were drawn to his lips.
“You can kiss me if you want. We don’t even have to count this as our official kiss for the day.” He smiled. “That might count as your punishment.”
