Jack’s eyes narrowed, then widened as pride for her crossed his face. He couldn’t possibly realize it, but her shout-out had dual purposes. She was extremely grateful for everything he’d done, and she needed to make sure he knew that everyone else did, as well. And yet she also wanted to set the stage so that when she asked him the favor she planned to present to him later tonight, he understood she wasn’t doing it lightly—but because she really did trust him.
With her safety.
Her dreams.
Her future.
“Ready?” she asked, intending to address the entire crowd. Only she hadn’t looked away from Jack, and her question suddenly seemed charged with hidden meaning.
Something dark and intense flickered in Jack’s eyes. It made her catch her breath and sent tingles down her arms.
She looked away, scanning the crowd, catching the eye of all attendees. Rather than applauding, the crowd instead remained silent, as if recognizing the emotional significance of this act—the significance of the next act—she was about to take.
Turning back to the front door, where the ribbon was tied into a big bow, she realized her hands no longer shook. Nerves had riddled her system all day—being in the public eye wasn’t something she was used to. But now, even with all eyes focused on her and with the flash from the local press’s cameras, calm entered her system. As if this was the rightest thing she’d ever done.
As if Jack—seeing him, thinking of him—had provided her that sense of rightness.
Carefully, she closed the scissors, and as the yellow ribbon fell away, a cheer went up from the crowd. She turned back around to see the pride in her friends’ eyes, the solid respect coming from the City Council members, and…she looked closely at one of the mothers who’d be among the first of Meadowview Sanctuary’s guests.
That wasn’t gratitude glittering in the woman’s eyes—those were tears of hope.
And that was all Lia needed to see.
Everything she’d worked for over the last couple of years was worth it to witness hope in the eyes of a woman who’d had none a week ago. Lia would continue to work hard for her and for others like her. And she’d continue to work hard for herself until she was rid of her past once and for all.
* * *
An hour later, after the participants had toured the building and Lia had given several interviews with local press, Jack came up to her. Speaking in a low tone, she said, “I meant what I said earlier. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
Jack leaned in to her as if to hear her better, then raised a hand and brought it close to her head, as if ready to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, but dropped his hand at the last moment. “This is all your doing, Lia. All you. You didn’t need to thank me.”
“I couldn’t have done this without you. We make a great team.” She emphasized the word “team.” She was ready to take a large step forward in her life, and she was ready to ask Jack for his help in taking that step. And afterward, if he did help her, she’d finally be ready to have a man in her life again. Whether that was Peter or not didn’t matter. She’d just have to make sure she took her time and chose wisely.
Jack didn’t respond. Instead, he continued to gaze at her with a warm affection that made her feel like she did when she used to lay out by the Maidu River as a girl—free and relaxed and happy. She wanted more of that feeling.
Phase One of her Grand Plan was to invite Jack back to her place when the Sanctuary opening was over. She already had a bottle of wine there to steady her nerves. Although really, what she was about to ask of him probably required two bottles. Or an entire case. But to get to Phase Two, she first had to get to Phase One, and standing around not saying anything wasn’t getting her anywhere. No more messing about. Time to take action. Butterflies dashed about in her tummy at the thought.
Slowly, Jack reached out again, and this time, when she didn’t pull away, he tucked the wayward strand of hair behind her ear.
She sucked in a quick breath as she held his gaze and steadied herself against a sudden wave of…what was that? Desire? Arousal? Or better yet, trust?
“Jack—”
“Can I walk you home after this is over?”
For a moment, she wasn’t sure what to make of his interruption, but then realized what he’d asked had actually made things easier for her. Inadvertently, he’d implemented Phase One. Excitement built, bubbling to the surface.
“Sure.” Her voice caught, and she cleared her throat before continuing. “I… um…I have something I want to talk to you about, anyway.”
Jack’s intense gaze still hadn’t left her face.
The sound of a woman calling her name interrupted her concentration, and she turned to see one of the city representatives standing before her.
“Lia Gibson… What you’ve done here”—the woman waved a hand to indicate the sanctuary—“is a beautiful thing.”
“Thank you,” she said, working hard to shift her focus away from Jack but not having much success.
He backed up a couple of feet, putting distance between them. “How about I leave you alone to speak with your guests? Maybe find you after everyone else has headed out?”
She gave him a nervous smile and again, in the second time in a week, reached out and touched his arm. His gaze traveled to rest on her hand that covered his arm, then his lips turned up slightly at the corners. He shot a glance at her, raised his chin, and then turned and walked away.
She should have brought her attention back to the town representative, but her gaze followed Jack as he strode off, and her mind couldn’t seem to leave thoughts of him behind….
An hour later all the guests had taken off, except for Chessie and Sadie, who were in the oversized kitchen, tidying up, and Jack, who Lia figured was somewhere in the house. She stood in the doorway, watching her friends while they put pans and pots away as she mentally examined a sudden onset of overwhelming guilt. Not telling her best friends about her Grand Plan felt odd. Since Vance died, she’d sworn she’d never keep important secrets from her two best friends again. But Jack was Chessie’s brother. Besides, what she was about to ask Jack was incredibly personal. Plus, telling her girlfriends about her plan felt off, given that she hadn’t yet presented it to Jack.
Besides, what if he said no?
Chessie finally noticed her and gave her a grin, waving her into the kitchen. “Hey, I’m proud of you. Not just for opening Meadowview Sanctuary, but also for how you handled the event. You shook a lot of hands tonight,” she stated as Lia grabbed a towel to wipe down the counters. “Men’s hands.”
Lia smiled. “You noticed?” After coming so close to almost touching Jack several days ago, it had seemed almost easy to stretch out her hand to greet the guests, male or female. Almost easy. Not quite, but still…progress.
“Yep. I noticed you didn’t pull away.”
“Baby steps.”
“For you, Lia, those were monster steps.”
She ducked her head. Maybe. But she was hoping she’d be taking an even bigger step soon. And after that, a monster step beyond what Chessie could imagine.
“Lia?” Jack’s low voice came from behind and she whipped around to see him standing in the kitchen doorway, just where she had stood moments before.
“Ready to walk home?” he asked.
Nerves shot through her belly, replacing the earlier guilt. Phase One of the Grand Plan was about to commence.
Oh, God. Could she actually do this?
The opening event for Meadowview Sanctuary now over, Jack walked next to Lia down the wooden sidewalks. The crisp October air bit at his nose. Evening had descended, and with it came a chilly breeze. He peeked at Lia’s face and noticed the cold air had turned her cheeks a delightful shade of pink, visible even through her dark Native American complexion. Winter was just around the corner, but Lia had left the building without a jacket.
“Here,” he said, stripping off his suit jacket. “Put this on. It’s so cold it
feels like it might snow. Why did you come out without a coat?”
She tipped her chin up and smiled at him. He held his breath for a second, overcome with emotion—maybe anticipation. His decision a week ago to ask her out still made him edgy. He’d gone round and round in his head, debating the best way to approach the topic. A phone call would be too distant, texting too childlike, and sending flowers too formal. And then her response when he’d tucked that strand of hair behind her ear had told him the time was right.
He hadn’t read her response wrong, had he? She’d willingly allowed him to touch earlier in the evening. When he’d held her soft hair between his fingers and brushed against her ear, she’d seemed almost…what…willing? Pleased? Like she wanted him to touch her?
He’d do this. When he dropped her off at her door, he’d finally do what he’d wanted to all those years ago—ask her out.
“Weather in the foothills this time of year is weird,” she answered him. “This morning it was almost seventy degrees. I just forgot to bring a coat.”
He helped her as she slid her arms into the overly large jacket, then rolled up the sleeves for Lia. There. She would be warm enough to get home. A woman jostled him, her arms filled with bags of late harvest vegetables. The walk home to Lia’s loft put them in the middle of Meadowview’s famous Farmers Street Market. When he’d offered to walk her home, he hadn’t expected her to shop. He thought they’d head straight back to her place, but Lia seemed unusually edgy, albeit happy, and kept stopping at various vendors.
“Oh, look! Aren’t these perfect?” She held up a red apple, eyeing the shine.
While Lia checked out the apple, he checked out Lia. Even bundled up in his jacket, she was still the most beautiful and sexy woman he’d ever known.
A profound sense of longing made its way into his heart. Over the years, he’d grown used to having her constantly in his office—answering the phones, filing work orders, bossing him and his employees around. The amount he missed her grew every day. He knew opening the Sanctuary had been her dream, even her salvation, but he missed her laugh, her scent, the light of her eyes, and the secret thrill that would run through his body when they’d come oh so close to accidentally touching.
But she’d moved on to fulfill her dream, and as much as he missed her, the way she lit up whenever she talked about the Sanctuary filled his heart.
The apple dropped from her hand and she bent over to retrieve it. His gaze automatically slid down to rest on her butt. Lia radiated sex appeal. Simply the way she moved spoke of sensuality—even how she ran her finger along the shine of an apple seemed like a caress. And he was pretty damned sure she had no clue how arousing she was.
“Maybe I should get some apples, too,” she said.
Jack groaned. She’d already bought a load of veggies. The bag slung over his shoulder threatened to pull his arm out of its socket. “Are you expecting me to carry a bushel for you?”
She laughed, tipping her head back far enough that her knitted hat fell off. Her long, silky black hair spilled down her back, like a river at midnight. “I’m treating you like a beast of burden, aren’t I?”
“Just slightly.” He bent down and picked up her hat, then handed it to her with a smile.
“Okay, so I won’t get the apples. But just for the record, they were gorgeous.”
As are you, he thought. She was, really. Just a smidge under five foot two and weighing in at around two thirds of his weight, Lia’s tiny frame was enhanced by large chocolate brown eyes, high cheekbones, and a smile that could melt the heart of the devil.
“I had fun tonight,” Lia said, wending her way through the crowd, Jack glued to her side. “It meant so much to have all my friends at the grand opening.”
“We’re all proud of you. The opening of Meadowview Sanctuary was a huge undertaking, and you did a terrific job. Those mothers we met tonight weren’t just grateful they have a safe place to go to—they trust you. They adore you.”
“I think it’s because I can relate to their experiences. I’m not just another do-gooder, I’m one of them…” Her voice trailed off.
Jack knew to let the topic fade away. She rarely talked about her former marriage. When she did, her whole body tightened and her eyes widened, like those of a rabbit ready to sprint.
They rounded the corner onto Lia’s street. The gas lamps overhead spilled faint light on the narrow street. Built in the 1850s during California’s Gold Rush, Meadowview had kept its historic qualities, making it a treasure sitting smack-dab in the middle of God’s most beautiful country.
He drew a deep breath, braced by the chilled air that swept its way down into his lungs. He loved it here, loved his hometown. Luckily for him, Harvard had allowed him a semester off to serve his time and then let him back in. After graduating, he’d had a choice: with his degree in architecture, he could have located his business anywhere, but had chosen to come back home.
Tied into a marriage right out of high school, Lia had never left.
She fumbled with her keys, finally inserting into the lock of the elevator, one of the few in existence in their tiny tourist town. The ancient elevator lock refused to respond, and instead made a rasping sound. The pleasures of living in a quaint American town had its pitfalls—old architecture and crumbling buildings being one of them.
“Here, let me,” he said, making a mental note to bring over a can of WD-40. Stopping by to make repairs for Lia had become part of his regular routine over the last two years. After Vance’s death, Lia had moved to this loft, swearing never to return to the trailer where she’d grown up and where she’d lived most of her adult life. Because Jack had seen her almost every day at work, he’d always been the first to know if a screw needed tightening, a picture needed hanging, or if her sink had sprung a leak. Now that she was no longer working for him, and even though he’d been spending so much time at Meadowview Sanctuary, he realized he was behind on her home repairs, including fixing the elevator lock.
A few quick twists of the key and the lock popped open. Lia stepped inside before turning to face him. Nerves twisted his gut again, reminding him of what he was about to do. As if he needed reminding. Asking her out had been all he could think of during the last week.
“Before I leave, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about,” he said, dropping bags of vegetables inside the elevator before looking up and catching her gaze with his.
She nibbled her lip. “I was hoping you’d come in for a bit, maybe have a drink or something.”
“Sure,” he said, a bit surprised but pleased. It probably would be better to talk to her indoors. She wouldn’t be shivering and stamping her feet to keep warm if they were in her loft.
The elevator groaned its way to the top floor. They entered the chilly apartment and Lia headed to the kitchen area. Jack followed her, placing the vegetables on the counter as she pulled out a bottle of wine.
“Red okay, or would you like a beer?”
He tipped his chin toward the wine. “Red is fine.”
“Could you light the heater?” she asked, turning her back to him. “The pilot light went out this morning, and relighting it freaks me out a bit.”
As she uncorked the wine, Jack grabbed a set of matches and headed over to the gas heater. Like the elevator, the heating unit was showing its age.
“You need to talk to your landlord about getting a new heater. This one’s just about had it.” He struck a match and the unit lit in a whoosh of flame, nearly singeing his hair. “Look at that—it’s a complete hazard. If you won’t talk to him, I will.”
“My hero, the firefighter.”
“Fire danger is never something to take lightly,” he said. At her soft chuckle, he grimaced. He sounded like a grumpy father figure, lecturing her on safety.
He tossed the matches onto the coffee table, took a seat on her sofa, and swept his gaze around the space. Her loft was one open room, measuring about nine hundred square feet, with several columns spread through
out, supporting the twelve-foot high ceiling and roof above. The building had originally been a bank, with the second floor dedicated to office space. After the bank closed, the owner made the area into a living space, complete with a kitchen nook and a bathroom.
When she moved in two years earlier, she’d made the place a true home. The place suited her. Somewhat streamlined and sleek, but still elegant and classic.
Although she’d done wonders with the place, he wanted her to live somewhere that didn’t have drafty windows, a creaky elevator, and an ancient gas heater. He wanted her to live somewhere safe and warm. He wanted her to live with him, in his own home.
God, had his thoughts really gone there?
“You’re too serious,” she said from behind.
Her voice startled him. He hadn’t realized she’d come so close. She sat perched on the arm of the sofa, a glass of wine in one hand and an open bottle of cabernet sauvignon from the Napa Valley region and an empty glass in the other. He shifted, realizing she was so close she was almost touching him. That had to be a good sign.
Lia usually stood a good two feet away from men. Although he’d noticed over the last couple of months as they’d worked together on the Sanctuary, she’d been inadvertently closing the distance between the two of them. Then this week, she’d actually touched him a few times, had even allowed him to touch the top of her head. The touch had been meant as something between friends, but hell, it had been incredible to touch her, to inhale her scent, even if only briefly.
She bent toward him and handed him the full glass of wine, inadvertently exposing her breasts, covered by a chocolate brown bra with a front fastener. He fingered the long stem of the glass and breathed in the scent of her, imagining his lips kissing her breastbone, lower…lower still…
With a long sigh, Lia dropped down next to him on the couch and poured herself a glass of wine. Her face looked soft and inviting under the glow from the gas fireplace. He felt the urge to grab her and kiss the hell out of her luscious mouth.
Trusting The One (Meadowview Heat 2; The Meadowview Series 2) Page 4
