“I, uh, need to finish closing. You should…” She waved a vague hand toward the door.
“Not leaving you here alone,” he said shocking her.
“I do it all the time. What makes this time any different?”
“Who said you were alone?”
“Are you trying to creep me out? Because if you are, it’s fucking working.”
“I didn’t mean it like that, Holland. We watch out for one another around these parts. And when a woman closes up a business late at night there’s always someone keeping an eye out for any trouble. Go do what needs to be done, and then I’ll leave once you’re tucked into your car and on your way home.”
His words made her feel mildly better. The thought he’d been watching over her though had other parts of her body humming to attention. Damn fucking hormones, she seriously needed to get laid.
Sliding off the stool she moved to up end the chairs onto the tables. No way in hell was she focusing on who her current dream lover was. Not when the man in question happened to be right there with her. She didn’t even protest when Jakob started to help her clean. Between them they managed to get the bar closed down faster than if she’d taken on the task herself.
She set the alarm, and slid through the door he held to lock the building down. After a quick check to ensure the garbage lids were down to keep critters and strays out, she headed for her car with him a silent shadow at her side. Strange that, even with the snow on the ground she seemed to be making plenty of noise, yet he didn’t. Yet another mystery to add to the growing pile surrounding Jakob Nichols.
After unlocking her door, she grabbed the scrapper only to have it tugged from her fingers. “You get it warming up, and I’ll deal with the snow.”
Holland wasn’t about to argue, it was fucking cold outside. The temperature had dropped another easy ten degrees since she’d done her garbage run a half hour prior. Settling into the driver’s seat, she blew on her fingers, and then stuck the key into the ignition. She knew her car wouldn’t start on the first go. Fucking thing was nearly the same age she was. Not quite, given she was thirty-two, but fucking close. It was reliable, and parts were still readily available. Pretty much the only reason she kept the old beast. That and it was made from American steel, a fucking tank as her daddy had once put it, rest his soul.
She turned the key and got the mandatory clicking. A quick pump to the accelerator to get the gas moving, and then she counted to ten. Another turn to start the engine. Only this time, nothing. That wasn’t right.
Frowning, she waited a couple seconds longer before trying once again. Nada. Shit! Okay, okay, it was clicking but not turning over. The ignition was fine, but it could be the fuel lines. Think, Holland, think. She gave it one more pump from her foot. She knew to be careful or she’d end up flooding the engine. Counting again, she gave it a couple more seconds before turning the key. Click, click, nothing.
“You sack of shit! After all I do to keep you running and you decide the coldest fucking night of the damn year is a good time to fucking die. Argh!”
The deep male laughter startled her from her mad, and had her peering through the frosty glass at Jakob. Pushing open the door, she got out, and slammed it closed. She would have given into her driving need to kick the fucking car except that it was steel, and would hurt, and it was also fucking slippery out. She did not need to land on her ass in a snowbank to top the night off.
“This is not funny, Nichols.”
“It actually is,” he said. Having stopped scrapping during her rant, he leaned an arm on the roof. “You’re going to need a mechanic to look at this crate, I think you have a problem.”
“Yeah, you think?” Men! Fucking assholes all seemed to turn into a car expert until you popped the hood. Even then some would brazen it out. Cursing under her breath, some directed toward her car, some toward the infuriating male, Holland grabbed her bag from the passenger seat and locked the car back up.
She was not looking forward to the walk home. After digging out her cap, she tugged it on until her ears were covered, and then wound the scarf from her bag around her face.
“Where exactly do you think you’re going?”
“Home, it’s fucking freezing out here. And the damn thing isn’t moving for me so it won’t be moving for anyone else either, it can stay here until tomorrow. Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s a long, frozen walk home.” In boots not made to handle the snow and ice. She’d be careful, extremely careful.
A hand grabbing her elbow nearly sent her flying when she freaked out. “Not happening. Come on, princess. Your chariot awaits up the street. Fucking let you walk home and I’ll never stop hearing about it. God help us if you freeze to death. Folks around here don’t tend to let shit like that drop. Ever.”
“I can walk home fine, thank you,” she said in her frostiest tone. Which apparently went right over his head. Jakob wasn’t listening, and was actually dragging her to his vehicle. “I think this is kidnapping when the person you’re insisting gets into a vehicle with you doesn’t actually want to get into said vehicle.”
He stopped to look at her, and up went an eyebrow. “You’re right. In that case let’s at least make it an official kidnapping then.”
Before she could ask him what the hell he meant, Holland found herself tossed over his shoulder like a potato sack. Confronted by a toned ass wrapped to perfection in soft, well-worn denim, it took her a couple seconds to compute what was happening. Then she did the only thing any red-blooded woman would do in such a situation. She grabbed two handfuls, and squeezed. He didn’t drop her, and the answering slap to her ass only gave her motivation to squeeze again. She could be pissed with the caveman routine later. For the time being, she had Jakob Nichols’s ass in her hands. Maybe there was a Santa after all.
Chapter Four
He’d fully expected to get an earful for his behavior. Hell, Jakob wouldn’t have blamed Holland in the least. His tactics left much to be desired, he got that, but he hadn’t been able to resist after her saucy comment about kidnapping. It had been the most playful moment in his life in way too long to remember. Jakob liked playing with Holland.
What he had not expected was to have her hands on his ass, and squeezing no less. That had shocked him enough he’d nearly dropped her. He hadn’t, and had even managed to get them both safely to his truck. With her squeezing, and practically massaging his buttocks it had been a definite challenge.
Once he’d stuck her in the passenger seat she’d started to avoid his gaze again. The drive back to her place had been quiet. Hell, she hadn’t even asked how he knew where she lived. She was probably waiting for the other shoe to drop from her groping. Jakob didn’t plan to give her too hard a time, maybe a little teasing, but he was all for groping.
Taking her parking spot, Jakob threw the truck into park. She started to scramble out the other side. Not that she made it, he was there to keep her from losing her footing and sliding down under the truck. “You should invest in some boots that have grips on the bottoms. Might keep you from falling on your ass.”
She threw him a look that only females had in their repertoire. “Yeah, but these are cute. The others are practical, yes, but they definitely are not pretty enough.”
“Oh right, the fashion statement, however could I forget that?”
“No idea, but you should’ve known better.” Turning, she grabbed her bag, and slung it over her shoulder. “Thank you for the ride. I should go in, I need to get some sleep.”
Jakob knew a blow off when he heard one. Not happening, he and the little vixen had things to discuss. Hooking his arm through hers when she headed for her building’s front door, he wasn’t all that surprised when she gave him a wary look. “My mother always instructed me to see a lady to her front door, and ensure she was safely inside.”
“Well there’s the door, and I plan on being on the other side momentarily,” she said. “You really don’t need to walk me there. Its glass, you can see me through it
.”
“That is the building’s front door, not your front door. Anyone could break through this thing, and it wouldn’t even take much effort.”
“I doubt anyone would bother.”
He snorted at that. She had no idea what someone would do when the pickings were so easy. Instead, he followed her inside even when she shot him a pointed look. Jakob hadn’t been kidding earlier, his mother had instilled several rules upon him and his brothers. Watching out for a woman was near the list’s top. The fact it gave him the perfect excuse to crowd her into the elevator was merely a by-product.
He scented her nerves kicking up again, but the arousal that mixed with it told him clearly she wasn’t afraid. Jakob could handle nervous, fear was an entirely different mess. Once she’d hit the button for her floor, he boxed her into the corner. Enough space she could bolt if she truly wanted to, but close enough to keep her attention fully on him. “We still have a few things to talk about, you and I.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
It was adorable how she switched between watching the numbers clicking on the display and him. Her fingers compulsively clenched and released her keys, yet another tell she had. Why the hell he hadn’t cornered her before was beyond him, but he was damn well going to make up for it.
“I think you do know exactly what I mean,” he said quietly.
Her sharp breath had him wanting to press in closer. But the bell announcing her floor saved her, for the moment. Stepping back, he grinned when she bolted out from the elevator and attempted to stay out in front. Jakob caught up with her while she scrambled to get her keys into the door, and pressed close to her back. A small fumble, and then she had the door open.
When she was inside, breathing erratic, he lifted a brow. Poor thing looked ready to slam the door in his face. After a moment’s debate, he watched as she blew out a resigned breath, stepped back, and waved him in. Frankly, he was stunned. He figured she would have told him to get lost.
Not one to complain when opportunity presented itself, he stepped into her place. Immediately, he was surrounded by her scent. His cock throbbed behind his zipper, and his balls grew heavy with need. A quick adjustment while she was distracted hanging up her jacket ensured she wouldn’t pick up on his problem right away.
She headed straight into the kitchen, and put the kettle on. Following her at a slower pace, Jakob took in the surroundings. The apartment wasn’t huge, but it felt homey, and was impeccably kept. Older furnishings that had been cared for and looked damn comfortable filled the living room with a few photos, and some art on the warm yellow walls.
Holland was facing him when he wandered into the kitchen, her gaze wary, and her body language telling him she was on guard. What exactly she expected he couldn’t even hazard a guess at. What she would get would depend on her.
“Did you want some tea?”
The hesitant tone had his hackles going up. Something was off, and Jakob would bet it was because he was in her space. At a guess, he was willing to assume she didn’t have many folks over, and likely even fewer men. Good thing too. If he’d caught a man’s scent in her place who knows what the fuck he may have done. Moving straight toward her, he braced his hands on the counter at her back, and leaned in. Her hands landed on his chest, and her fingers spread out.
Since she didn’t push him away, he pressed a little closer. “Some tea sounds good,” he said. Dropping one hand to her hip, he watched her closer. Any signs she was panicking, he would back off. He wanted her uncomfortable, but panicked didn’t suit his purposes. “We can enjoy it while we talk more.”
Her fingers curled to clutch at his shirt. “What is there to talk about?”
The breathless quality to her voice had him fighting a smirk. He liked that he was affecting her. Since she affected him it only seemed fair. “Originally, I was willing to give you a night to think things through. But fate seemed to be on my side when your car wouldn’t start. To that end I think we need to continue where you left me hanging. That and discuss you groping my ass.”
Her eyes went wide, but once again she was saved. This time it was by the kettle whistling to announce the water was ready. Chuckling, he backed off to the doorway into the kitchen, and let her deal with filling the teapot. He even let her get away with what amounted to busy work in wiping down the stove, the kettle, and the counters.
Finally, she turned to look his way. “Can you grab the cups?”
Nodding, he moved to collect them, and then followed her to the living room. After handing her the cups, he shrugged off his jacket, and draped it over the armchair before settling in at her side. He leaned back, and rested his arms along the sofa back. It allowed him to watch her fidget while waiting for the tea to steep.
Not liking how twitchy she was, he shifted forward, and rested a hand to her back. “Holland, you’re going to slide off the sofa if you keep twitching around like you’re doing. Why are you jumpy?” He needed to know what was going on if he had any hope to defend himself against her concerns.
Her shoulders moved in a shrug before she peeked over her shoulder at him. “I never once imagined you’d be actually talking to me let along be in my home. I’m having a hard time coming to terms with all this.”
“I would have talked to you more before now but you were avoiding me, remember? Why was that by the way?”
Holland’s cheeks warmed to a pretty pink color that make him want to discover where else that blush went to. “At first it was because you were too gorgeous to be real. Then I worried because nothing good ever came into my life without a huge cost. After that you snarled at me, and I figured it was better to stay away.”
Jakob remembered snarling at her. He still felt like an ass for that. He hadn’t meant to do it, but he’d been in a piss poor mood and her concern, genuine though it had been, had grated on his nerves. Acting without thought, he’d been an idiot. “I’m sorry about that. I’d gotten some crummy news that morning, had several things not go my way, and then slamming my thumb in the truck door had topped off everything to that point. It wasn’t you, Holland. I’d reached my breaking point and you were the unlucky soul to be close when it happened. I went to find you to apologize but you started avoiding me right off. Will you forgive me?”
Another look over her shoulder, and then she nodded. “Yeah. I get it. Even I have days when I feel like snarling at people. Although you have it down to an art form, I must say. I’ve never heard anyone make that sound before.”
Right, he should probably tell her about that. Sooner rather than later too. “Well, there is a reason for that, but we’ll get to that in a bit. First things first, tell me what your other reference was from back at the bar. You said on one hand you wanted to hit me, and the other was what?”
Immediately, she blushed again, and ducked her head. She began to pour tea while looking anywhere but him again. When they both had a cup in hand, he sat back, and pulled her gently with him to tuck her in close. “Tell me, Holland. Or would you prefer I guess? I have quite the imagination, I should warn you.” And for the last several months, it had all been her front and center in the starring role.
Chapter Five
She could only imagine what Jakob might say. Holland wasn’t prepared to hear whatever it was. Clearing her throat, she took a sip from her cup. The tea slid down to coat her throat nicely, and it gave her a moment to think. The fact he didn’t push made her wonder. Jakob Nichols seemed the sort to push. Not that she could claim to know him, but that was the impression she had.
Another sip, and then she settled the cup to her thigh. She knew she was running short on time with him. She had to man up, so to speak, and tell him. Shooting him a look, she found herself being watched. Again.
Unable to hold his gaze when she said the words, if she managed to get them out, Holland focused on the plant sitting next to her laptop. “Jump you,” she blurted out.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t quite catch that. Could you repeat it, please?”
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br /> Leveling the dirtiest look she could conjure up on him, she ground her teeth together. “I said jump you.”
“So you either wanted to beat me, or jump me? Interesting,” he said. Taking a drink from his own cup, he licked his lips while apparently thinking that over. “Personally, I think you should have given into the second idea.”
“Right now I’m leaning more to the first.”
“Now, now, there is no need for violence, Ms. Frost. You are an educated woman who is beyond such baser instincts.”
Holland snorted. “Wouldn’t put money on that, Mr. Nichols.”
“Damn, don’t put the mister in there. I about started looking around for the old man when you said that. Bad, bad girl.”
She couldn’t hold in the laugh, didn’t even try. “Right, I’ll remember that, Mr. Nichols.”
“Not funny, Holland.” Her cup was gone from her hand the next breath. She probably should have figured out what his plan was, but she obviously wasn’t thinking too clearly with him pressed up along her side. Otherwise, she might have possibly had a defense for what came next.
Screeching, she twisted in a seemingly futile attempt to get away from his agile fingers. Laughter poured out while she tried to get a hold on his wrists. “No, damn it, stop,” she wheezed. How the hell had he known she was ticklish?
“Concede, woman. No more mister crap or I’ll keep tickling.”
She could barely draw in the breath needed to concede. But he must have heard her because the torture stopped. Panting, she quickly realized the sneaky bugger had maneuvered her into his lap during all her squirming, and wiggling around. Fucker was diabolical.
Holland wet her lips, and peeked at him from under her lashes. She wondered what his plan was. It was one big ass shocker when he sat her up on his lap, and hooked an arm around her waist. “Now that that’s cleared up, I should head out and let you get some sleep. We will be talking again soon, Holland. About a great many things.”
Greatest Gift Page 2
