Jordan waited patiently. It was only eight thirty, and he figured it would take her until at least nine to finish up at work and walk through the door at Starbucks.
She’d only had one table left. He’d wanted to offer to pay their bill if they’d leave, but he couldn’t. She would think he was insane. She probably already thought he was controlling, but he knew she just needed a push. Why would anyone as pretty as her not date?
His eyes focused on the door every time it opened. He sat at a small table in the corner where she would sit across from him. She would come. He was certain. He saw something in her eyes. No doubt, she felt the instant attraction, too.
He glanced at his phone. Nine o’clock. How long would he wait? Until they closed ... and if she didn’t show ... what then? Would he return to the restaurant tomorrow and allow her to reject him again? Yes, without a moment’s hesitation.
The door opened again. He glanced up, and she was there ...
Unable to masquerade his elation, he smiled wide and stood as she walked toward him. He pulled out a chair for her to sit. She was more reserved than he was, but she offered him a warm smile in return.
Jaynee had removed her barrette, and her hair fell around her shoulders and down her back in light curls. Her full lips glistened, beckoning a kiss. He’d been wrong. She wasn’t just pretty; she was beautiful. How had he not noticed how breathtaking she was?
Jordan sat back down in his chair. “Thank you for not standing me up. I don’t think my self-esteem could have taken it,” he admitted.
“Well, you didn’t leave me any choice. I didn’t want you to wait here all night, and it didn’t look as if you were going to accept ‘no’ for an answer. Why is that?” She chuckled, shaking her head, clearly mystified by his insistence. It was nice to hear her laugh. She’d been so serious earlier.
“I honestly don’t know.” He smiled. “What would you like to drink?”
“A ... vanilla latte ...”
Her answer was immediate, but sounded more like a question, uncomfortable, as though she weren’t accustomed to men buying things for her.
Jordan walked to the counter to order her drink. He liked that she knew what she wanted. He hated when women couldn’t make simple decisions. Her selection had been uncomplicated, too, not a total frou-frou drink. He drank his coffee black. Years in the military warranted that practice. What some women consumed could hardly be called coffee.
He watched Jaynee while waiting for her drink. Why hadn’t he accepted ‘no’ for an answer? It wasn’t his first rejection. That wasn’t his motivation. It hadn’t bothered him that she’d said no. What troubled him was the thought of never seeing her again. He wanted to open her cover. He wanted to discover everything about her.
He couldn’t just tell her that. However, he’d try to be as straightforward as possible and could only hope he wouldn’t frighten her away.
He offered the lady behind the counter a thankful nod when she set down the drink, then picked up Jaynee’s coffee and headed back to her, unable to ignore the bounce in his step. For the first time in a while, he was excited about getting to know a woman. It’d been years since he’d done anything other than go out with a woman because his sister or best friend had forced a date on him.
As he placed her steaming latte in front of her, Jordan couldn’t contain a chuckle when he thought about what he was doing. “Now I’m waiting on you,” he said, leaning closer, so close he could smell her. She smelled incredible. He detected a slight grin, but then she gnawed on her bottom lip. Something made her apprehensive.
“Thank you, and thank you for being such a gentleman. Men don’t stand when women enter the room, pull out chairs for them to sit, or insist they have coffee with them anymore, do they? Though ... I’m not sure that last aspect constitutes gentlemanly behavior.”
He took a seat across from her and just smiled at her comment. Her eyes flicked toward the door, then down at her coffee. Was she afraid of someone walking in and seeing her with him? She didn’t have a ring. That was the first thing he’d looked for before asking her out.
Her eyes returned to him. “Why did you want to have coffee with me when you don’t even live here?” She flashed a half-hearted attempt at a smile.
“I honestly don’t know.” He paused for an instant and gave some thought to what he wanted to tell her. “I don’t want to scare you, but I felt something from the moment our eyes met.” She didn’t rocket from her chair again ... a positive indication. So he continued, “It didn’t matter that we didn’t know each other or if I lived in another country. I just couldn’t walk away, always wondering, What if? Does that make sense?”
She gave him a real smile this time but then fiddled with her stirrer stick, swirling her coffee. “Sort of, but it doesn’t make sense. Those things don’t happen in reality, only in movies. Real life is harsh; there are no fairy tales.” She flashed a glance at the door again, as if it were her escape, he guessed, but she remained seated. She took a sip from her coffee. “This will keep me up all night you know.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head and sighing. “So you don’t believe people can have an instant attraction to each other?”
“Sure I do,” she said through a chuckle, “a physical one. But then after the initial attraction wears off, they’ll show their true stripes.” Her eyes returned to her cup.
Just when he thought he’d broken through her guard, she’d thrown him a curve ball. “Wow ... sounds as though someone did a number on you.” She shrugged, and he knew he’d stumbled onto something. “And since you’ll be up all night,” he grinned when her eyes grew wide, “I’d be happy to stay up with you and listen if you want to talk.”
Jaynee sucked in a deep breath, then exhaled sharply, shaking her head. “I’m damaged goods, trust me. I’m not worth staying up all night.” She took another deep breath. He was sure she wanted to say more, but she turned her head and gazed at the door.
She probably expected him to charge the exit. Maybe she wanted him to retreat. Perhaps most men would, but he couldn’t force himself to budge. He wanted to know more.
“Jaynee ... can I call you Jaynee?” He kept his voice low and soft.
“Yes ... I suppose. I actually like it.” She returned her eyes to his. They were misty. He decided to change the subject.
“Perfect. I do too.” He kept his expression light, hoping he hadn’t pushed her. He really wanted to connect with her. “What do you like to do for fun, Jaynee?”
She shrugged. “Not much. I work and go to college. Spend my free days at the beach or with my grandmother. She’s the only positive thing in my life.” She smiled at the mention of her grandmother. So they had at least one thing in common. They were both close with their grandmothers.
Jaynee felt herself relax as Jordan fired questions at her. He hadn’t run away when she tried to frighten him off. He seemed generally interested in her boring existence.
He asked her about her favorite movies, books, and music. He asked about her major in college, her family — but that was a short subject — where she’d visited, and where she wanted to go.
Jordan’s life was much more interesting. He’d been an Army brat, so he’d lived all over the world as a kid, and then joined the service himself when he was nineteen. He liked scuba diving, camping, hiking, kayaking, and countless of other activities she’d never dreamed of but now found herself wanting to learn.
The most impressive quality about Jordan, though, was why he was in Clearwater.
Several hurricanes had struck Florida in the last couple of months. Jordan had been working in South West Florida, doing construction work. He’d been on his way home when another class-four storm came through this area. There wasn’t too much destruction, but he stopped by a local church to see if he could offer assistance before he left town. According to Jordan, he’d spent the last two days cleaning up and making small repairs.
Who was this man, and how had he turned up in her boot
h? He seemed genuinely good, but she’d thought that before. None of the guys she’d dated had been good. If he really was a good man, what did he see in her? If he knew everything, would he still be interested?
“So, Jaynee,” Jordan drawled after they’d talked for hours. “Will you honor me with a real date?” His accent and smile sent another shock through her. How could she resist? She couldn’t help but notice the erratic beating of her heart every time he smiled.
“I’m not off again until Saturday. Will you still be around?” She hoped, but then wondered if seeing Jordan again would be smart.
“I don’t think I have a choice. I would like to finish the book.”
“What does that mean?” Her look of confusion must have humored him. His smile broadened.
“It’s just something I learned from my mother.” He ignored her question and continued, “Can I see you before Saturday ... breakfast, lunch, or coffee again?” His voice was low and intense, his eyes persuasive.
Her heartbeat quickened again without warning. This wasn’t good. If she felt like this now, she could only imagine how she would feel on a real date, and then he would leave.
“I have school tomorrow and work again tomorrow night.” The words flowed out of her mouth, seemingly of their own accord, as if she had no control over her lips. “But I’ll meet you for coffee again tomorrow after work if that’s all right. I’ll try to be here by nine. It depends on how busy we are.”
Suddenly, she was thrilled at the thought of him wanting to see her again but managed to keep her emotions intact. She couldn’t mistake desire for something else. He was a stranger from out of town. Where could this possibly lead?
She gathered up her purse and keys. It was late. They had talked for hours and time had slipped away from her.
Jordan stood and held the chair for her again. They walked out of the coffee shop, and he escorted her across the parking lot. He held his arm behind the small of her back, barely touching her. The act was more of a protective action than a romantic gesture, but a rush of warmth soared through her at his touch.
She paused at her vehicle before opening the door. Would he kiss her, she wondered. She licked her lips in anticipation.
Jordan inhaled deeply as he lowered his head. He brushed his fingertips under her chin, lifting her head so that her lips were within inches of his. “You are lovelier than words, Jaynee, and you don’t smell like a restaurant ... actually, you smell like vanilla. I’ll be waiting to see you tomorrow.” He took a step backward.
She opened the car door and climbed in, sighing. Jordan shut the door and gave her a little wave. Jaynee stared at him in her rearview mirror. He stood there watching her as she drove away.
Embarrassed at her reaction to his words and touch, she felt her cheeks burn. She’d wanted him to kiss her. Her entire body felt as if it were on fire. This is bad. This is not smart, Jaynee, she thought to herself. Now in the privacy of her car, she giggled at the name he’d bestowed.
“Jaynee,” she repeated, aloud this time, liking the way it sounded but then proceeded to rebuke herself swiftly, “What have you gotten yourself into this time?”
Jordan jumped into his truck and followed Jaynee home, careful to keep his distance. He hated the idea of following her. No doubt what she would think if she detected his shadowing. But he couldn’t bear for her to drive home alone, unprotected.
What was he thinking? She drove herself home every night. Why did he feel this overwhelming need to protect her? He couldn’t explain it, but there was something about her, and he wasn’t about to leave without having a chance to finish the book. He just hoped there’d be an opportunity to write himself into her story.
He’d wanted to kiss her something fierce. His entire being longed for her, and he could see she was attracted to him as well, but he’d restrained himself. Something told him this might be his last first kiss. So it should be special, not standing in a parking lot. Still, the emotions were powerful.
He wanted to sprint up to her once she pulled in her driveway, but he couldn’t. She’d run in terror. She would definitely think he was stalking her. He would have to be patient. But he didn’t know if he could. Jaynee had gotten under his skin, unlike no women ever had. Letting her go wasn’t an option.
Chapter Three
Jaynee spent extra time getting ready the next morning. She tossed a change of clothes, a little makeup, and her vanilla-scented body spray and lotion in her bag. It had surprised her that Jordan noticed the fragrance.
For not wanting to see him again, she was certainly going through a lot of trouble. She blow-dried and straightened her hair, an undertaking that took an extra twenty minutes, only to end up pulling it back for work and school. The Florida humidity would have it curling up by this evening, but at least the curls would be soft, not wild looking.
The day at school dragged. She found herself checking the time every five minutes. She wanted to call in sick to work but needed the money. Besides, he hadn’t given her his number. So he could have already left town, and she may never see him again. She couldn’t blame him if he stood her up. After all, she’d tried to warn him off.
Her words hadn’t seemed to bother him, though. He’d even tried to make her feel better when he saw her eyes water up. He couldn’t have missed her reaction, and yet, he remained seated, even managed to turn the conversation to a more pleasant topic.
Could Jordan be everything he seemed? How disappointed would she be when he returned to North Carolina? Her insides burned at the thought. The appropriate action was to put those ideas aside. Tomorrow wasn’t important. She would enjoy the moment, live for today, and not worry about tomorrow.
From school, she drove to work in a daze, already resigned to forget about him. If he showed tonight, great, if not, oh well. She would just have to stumble through the next few hours and accept whatever happened.
She had just finished her prep work and had started to roll silverware when Amy poked her head around the corner, an impish grin spilling across her face again.
Powerless to stop herself, Jaynee smiled wide in response. “No ... don’t tell me ... he’s here, isn’t he?” She couldn’t contain the excitement in her voice.
“Sure ...” Amy sneered. “As if you didn’t already know. You haven’t worn makeup since you started here. You lucky dog, he’s a hunk. And did you see his pickup?” Jealousy seeped through her words, but deep down, she knew Amy was thrilled to see her interested in someone. She’d been trying to set her up for months.
“No,” Jaynee answered honestly. She’d never cared about trivial things like vehicles. Moreover, she was too enthralled with him to notice what he’d been driving.
She held her breath as she stepped out of the kitchen. Rounding the corner, she caught Jordan’s gaze, and a glorious smile spread across his face. Was it possible it was for her? She couldn’t contain her smile either, but a nondescript “Hi” was all she could choke out. Her mouth suddenly felt parched. Her heart also started acting up, thumping so loudly she was sure he would hear it.
“Hello, Jaynee,” he drawled, his voice seductive. Whether that was his intention, she couldn’t be certain. “I needed to eat, and the food here is good, and the service is incredible, so why experiment with something new?” He folded up the menu and returned it to the end of the table as carefree as could be as if they were old friends. “What do you recommend?”
Jaynee looked around the restaurant and then back at Jordan, shrugging. “Um ... the grilled chicken and shrimp over fettuccine is my favorite,” she said in a casual tone, trying to imitate his relaxed behavior. It wasn’t working.
“I’ll take that with a salad and sweet tea, please. Did I liberate you from rolling silverware again?” His eyes brightened at the notion.
Her heart fluttered, trying to resume its normal rhythm. “Yes, you did. Thank you for that. I’ll order your dinner and be right back.”
She placed the order, waited for his salad while she retrieved his b
everage, and then grabbed a loaf of bread. She wouldn’t have to dart off until another customer arrived. Jordan was watching as she rounded the corner again. How could he be looking at her like that? He made her feel wanted. No one had ever looked at her the way Jordan did. As though he cared about her thoughts and dreams. The way he’d listened to her last night as she rambled on about her pathetic life had made her believe he had a real interest in her as a person, not just an object to possess.
After placing his drink and food on the table, she took a seat opposite him again.
He smiled in response, clearly pleased that they didn’t have to go through the back and forth banter that they had yesterday. “It’s nice you can sit down with your customers. I only wish you were staying and eating with me. I hate eating alone.”
His words rang with sincerity, something she wasn’t used to with men. But she needed to keep the personal talk to a minimum. Nothing could come of this, she reminded herself.
“Management actually encourages us to sit with our customers, although not the eating part.” She giggled at the thought but then leaned across the table. “Why are you really here?” She peered up at his face, narrowing her eyebrows. “Did you think I’d stand you up and you needed to pressure me?” She smiled, hoping the words didn’t emerge too harshly. She didn’t think Jordan was the stalker type, and she didn’t mind him pursuing her; actually, it was rather flattering. But she’d never allow a man to control her again.
“Not exactly. I just couldn’t wait to see you. I had to make sure I didn’t dream you up. And now I see you’re even more beautiful than I remembered yesterday.” His eyes smoldered, and she felt her emotions spiraling inside again. “Are you okay with me coming here?”
Again, his honesty surprised her, sparking something within. Why should she conceal her interest? She only hoped he wasn’t pretending attraction in expectation of a vacation fling.
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