The most obvious thing about the master suite other than its huge dimensions was that it was empty. Violet’s imagination quickly filled it with furniture. Immersed in a romantic fantasy that had little chance of coming true, she didn’t hear Jackson come upstairs until he touched her on the shoulder. She jumped and turned toward him; for a moment neither of them said a word.
“I’m sorry,” he said when the silence seemed to stretch out too long. “I wasn’t trying to sneak up on you again. I thought you heard me coming.”
“That’s okay. I was trying to figure out why the owner isn’t using this room.”
“He probably thinks it’s too big for one person.”
“Or maybe he’s waiting until he gets married.”
“That’s a nice thought, but I don’t think it ever occurred to him.”
“How do you know?”
“I told you. I know him.”
“Well, I hope you’re joking. Getting married is one of life’s most rewarding experiences.”
He smiled gently. “It certainly can be. Obviously, it doesn’t work out for everyone. Have you ever been in love, Violet?”
She wondered what he would say if she told him the truth. That she was falling in love with him. “I don’t think so.”
“When it happens, you know it. Love is a force outside your control; a consuming fire that you can’t escape.”
“It sounds…painful.”
“I didn’t mean that. I was trying to say that it’s distinctive and unique, unlike anything else.”
“I would hope so. Otherwise, how can it last for a lifetime?”
“Or remain when all hope is gone.”
“I like to think that even in that situation there’s some consolation. The very act of falling in love must be a meaningful experience. Loving someone forces you out of yourself. It deepens your emotions and expands your mind. Even when it doesn’t produce a happily ever after, it makes you a better person. It takes you to places you can’t get to on your own.”
“For someone who’s not sure they’ve ever been in love, you know a lot about it.”
Violet looked away from him. “I must sound silly, talking about something I know nothing about.”
He gently turned her head around to face him. “You don’t sound silly at all. You’re open and honest and sincere. You speak from your heart. Most people dance around the truth never saying what they really think or feel. Listening to you makes me aware of how cynical I’ve allowed myself to become.”
His touch warmed her skin, making it difficult to think. “You’re not cynical.”
“I may not show it, but I am inside. It’s hard to be that way around you, though. You’re so full of optimism and goodwill. It’s impossible not to be affected by it.”
“You make me sound like the Energizer bunny.”
Jackson laughed, his fingers moving to the ends of her hair. “You’re nothing like that. You’re soft and gentle, like a summer rain.”
His head bent toward her. She read the intention in his eyes, but couldn’t quite believe it. Her eyelids fluttered down as if they knew the drill. In point of fact, she’d only been kissed a few times. None of those prepared her for this one.
Jackson’s lips grazed against hers, almost like a whisper, moving slowly over the delicate edges to linger at the corners. The tingles of pleasure hadn’t made it all the way down her spine before it was over. When she opened her eyes, he was watching her, his expression a mixture of tenderness and concern.
“That wasn’t supposed to happen. I mean, I thought it might happen at some point, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon.”
His remark eased what might have been an awkward moment. “Is that what you say after you kiss a girl?”
He smiled somewhat wryly. “No. I usually plan these things better.”
“You plan your kisses? Doesn’t that kind of miss the point?”
“I’m not explaining this very well.” He wound a lock of her hair around his finger. “The only thing I can tell you is that I wouldn’t undo what just happened for anything.”
“I like that comment better.”
Jackson laughed as he took a step away from her and glanced at his watch. “It’s almost dinner time. There’s a place not far from here that makes really good Sicilian pizza.”
Violet didn’t really care what they did. She was still recovering from a kiss that made all the others before seem like child’s play. As she listened to him talking on the phone, she wondered if this was a dream from which she would soon wake. It seemed slightly more unreal when he pocketed his phone and then reached for her hand, swinging it gently back and forth.
“Now that you’ve seen everything, what do you think of the house?”
“It’s wonderful. Everything I imagined and more.”
“That’s what I thought the first time I saw it. It’s also the reason I bought it.”
It took a few seconds for those words to sink in. “You bought it? This is your house?”
“Yes and yes. I’ve lived here for almost two years.”
“I don’t know whether to believe you or not.”
“I can take you to the laundry room and show you Abbott and Costello’s dog bowls.”
She looked down at their clasped hands and then back at him. “I should be so mad at you right now.”
“Does that mean you are mad at me?”
She tried not to smile, but it happened anyway. “No. It was actually a pretty good joke. You fooled me completely.”
“Thank you for being such a good sport about it.”
“Where are Abbott and Costello?”
“Austin’s watching them for me at his house.”
“You went to a lot of trouble to create your illusion.”
“It wasn’t any trouble. I wanted to…” Whatever else he might have said was interrupted by the doorbell. “There’s our pizza.”
As she watched him disappear down the hallway, Violet felt like pinching herself. It was hard to believe so much had happened in so little time. Finding out Jackson owned the house she’d admired for so long would have been enough on its own. Having him kiss her was beyond anything she ever hoped for.
* * * * *
Jackson hid a smile as he watched Violet use a fork and knife to eat her pizza. He’d never seen anyone do that before. If he was honest, he’d admit that he liked watching her no matter what she was doing. There was a restful quality about her that he found appealing. She wasn’t running from anything in the past or trying to avoid something in the future. To someone who was doing both, she was like a port in a storm.
Once the pizza was gone, she insisted on washing up the few items they used in spite of him telling her it wasn’t necessary. He was getting ready to suggest they watch a movie when she told him she should be getting home. Hiding his disappointment, he escorted her out of the house and into the Rover.
“Do you know how to play all those instruments?” she asked as they pulled out of the driveway.
“To a certain degree, yes. I’m better on the guitar than anything else.”
“You know something? You’re a little bit intimidating.”
He chuckled. “So are you.”
Violet turned in the seat. “How am I intimidating?”
“I don’t know if I should tell you that yet. Are you off tomorrow?”
“Yes. Are you planning to tell me then?”
“We’ll see. I was wondering if you’d like to ride with me to Warm Springs. I have to pick up some papers from a client. It would be nice to have company.”
“That sounds like fun. What time should I be ready?”
“Ten would be good. There’s one other little detail you need to know.”
“What’s that?”
“I’d like to take the Harley.”
Her eyes left the road and landed on him. “I’m not sure I can do that. Motorcycles don’t seem very safe.”
“Nothing is completely safe. People get hurt crossin
g the street.”
Her fingers played with the strap of her seatbelt. “I don’t have a helmet or the right clothes to wear.”
Her excuses were getting weaker. “I have a spare helmet. As for clothes, just go with jeans, a fitted-type shirt and tennis shoes. The appeal of riding a Harley or any other street bike is that it’s a great way to see the road. You lose so much of the sensory experience inside a car. When you’re outside, you become a participant instead of a spectator.”
“You’re very…persuasive. I see why you sell so many houses.”
He laughed. “How about this? We’ll start out on the Harley. If after a few minutes you don’t like it, then we’ll switch to something with four wheels.”
“That sounds fair, I guess.”
A few minutes later they were standing in front of her parents’ front door.
“Thank you so much for today. I can’t remember when I’ve had such a nice time.”
“You’re welcome. I’ve never enjoyed showing someone my house more. I appreciate you playing for me, and I definitely want to hear you again.”
She shook her head, smiling a little. “It’s my turn to hear you next.”
With the added height from her shoes, she was almost on level with him, which meant her sweet-as-candy lips were temptingly close, too. “That’s fine with me,” he replied, trying to ignore the voice in his head urging him to lean forward the necessary two inches and kiss her again. His hesitation was his undoing. She stepped back to get her keys and the moment was lost.
“I’ll see you in the morning then.”
“Goodnight, Violet.”
As he drove back home through the mostly quiet streets, his mind replayed the events of the last few hours. He’d known from almost their first meeting that there was something different about Violet, or to be more specific, something different in how he reacted to her. But he hadn’t realized the extent of his attachment to her until today.
Kissing her had been amazing, but it was merely a culmination of everything that had been building up inside him for weeks. Violet stirred him physically and emotionally. She made him feel and think things he hadn’t felt and thought about in a long time.
Since this hadn’t happened with anyone else he’d dated in the wake of his experience with Carmen, he couldn’t ignore it. This was a serious challenge to his resolve to avoid serious relationships and risk falling in love again. To use a chess metaphor, his king was in danger. Fate, that most capricious and tricky of opponents, had just called out a defiant ‘Check’. Was there any way to save the king? Or was it already too late?
Chapter Ten
Violet was in the middle of trying to figure out what to do with her purse when she heard the rumbling sound of an engine outside. She peered through the blinds in time to see Jackson put down the kickstand and remove his helmet. He ran his fingers through his hair and then swung his leg over the seat to the ground. His tight-fitting shirt hugged his muscular biceps and clung to his chest and ripped abs. The picture he made walking to the door was almost enough to make her forget the ordeal ahead.
In spite of knowing he was out there, the pealing of the doorbell still caused her to jump. She took a deep breath and went to open the door.
“Good morning,” he said.
“Hey, Jackson.” She swung the door wider. “Could you come in for a minute? I need to ask you something.”
He smiled as he stepped through the door. “You’re not going to back out on me, are you?”
“No. I told you I’d try it, and I will. What I was wondering about is my purse.” She held it up so he could see it. “Is this too big to take with us?”
“Not at all. There’s a compartment we can put it in.” He walked over to the Kimball piano sitting near the window. Its surface was covered with family pictures. “Is this you on a skateboard?”
Violet laughed as she went over to join him. “Yes. I used to love doing that.”
“Your hair was lighter then.”
“I know. I was upset when it turned brown. I wanted to be blonde like my sisters.”
He glanced at her. “You’re much prettier this way. The darker color brings out your beautiful eyes.”
“You don’t have to butter me up. I’m going to get on the Harley.”
“That wasn’t what I was doing,” he said, moving closer. His fingers slid into her hair and then his lips were on hers, softly searching, but not demanding. Electricity buzzed through her veins. Her hands lifted from her sides to clutch at his waist, her fingers sliding into the belt loops on the side. He made a sound low in his throat, and her body pulsed in response. When he let her go, she was glad she was holding onto something.
He touched her cheek with a gentle finger. “I was right. Your eyes do turn blue when you’re kissed.”
“Is that why you kissed me?” She realized she was still holding on to him and dropped her hands.
“No. That was just a bonus. The real Violet is starting to emerge from her cocoon.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re letting your hair down and not hiding behind that wall of reserve.”
“Just so you know: there are limits to how far I let down my hair.”
Jackson laughed. “Never say that to a man. It’s like drawing a line in the sand and daring him to cross it.”
“I’m not that kind of girl, and I didn’t think you were that kind of guy.”
He caught her hand and kissed the tips. “I knew that, and I’m not, so you have nothing to worry about.” He waved a hand toward the door. “Your chariot awaits.”
Chariot? More like death machine. Violet followed him out of the house. The closer she got to the Harley, the larger and more menacing it looked. Although she didn’t say anything, her thoughts must have been evident on her face.
“By the end of the day, you’re going to be wondering how you could ever have been afraid.”
“That’s probably what they said to the people on the Hindenburg.”
He laughed as he opened up a compartment next to the rear wheel. “I’m not planning to leave the ground. You can put your purse in here.” After she did so, he opened the seat and removed a black helmet. “For you.” He put it over her head and adjusted the strap under her chin. “Your sexiness factor just when up by a hundred.”
“Let’s not get carried away here.”
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Jackson put on his own helmet and then got on the bike. “Okay, your turn. Hop on.”
“It’s a good thing I’ve got long legs,” she said as he helped her find the footpegs. “Where do I put my hands?”
A teasing smile tugged at his mouth. “Where else? Around my waist. Don’t look so horrified. I took a shower this morning.”
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
“Much more than I anticipated.” In retaliation, she tickled him. “Do us both a favor, Violet, and save that for later.”
“Do you ever run out of things to say?”
“You’ve already seen an example of what I do when I’m not talking. Until you’re used to the movement of the bike, lean against me and hold on tight.”
As soon as her arms went around his waist, she was swept up in the feel of him. He was all sharp planes and hard muscle. Everywhere their bodies made contact, her skin was on fire. The terrors of the actual ride faded in the face of what was happening inside her. There was something deeply moving in being so close to a man that you could feel every breath and hear every heartbeat.
“I’m going to start the engine. It’s kinda loud.”
It wasn’t the noise, but the vibration that took getting used to. His muffled voice reached her ears.
“Ready?”
She nodded to let him know she heard him. Going down the driveway wasn’t so bad, but when they picked up speed, Violet closed her eyes to shut out the fact that the ground looked so close and was moving so fast. Her heart jumped into her throat every time Jackson leaned the bike in th
e direction of a turn. When he pulled into the parking lot of River Road Park, she felt as if it had been thirty minutes instead of five.
“It’s decision time, Violet. Do we stick with the Harley or go get the Land Rover?”
She hadn’t been completely scared out of her wits, but she hadn’t been comfortable either. It was more like the feeling she used to get in the pit of her stomach when she rode a rollercoaster: dread before and a strange sense of accomplishment afterward. If she could handle that, she should be able to do this. Besides, she wasn’t about to wimp out and ruin their day together. “I’ll stay where I am.”
* * * * *
Violet’s answer took Jackson by surprise. The almost desperate way she was clinging to him didn’t indicate pleasure. “Are you sure? Because I don’t mind going back to the house.”
“Of course I’m sure. I’m not going to throw in the towel this soon.”
He grinned widely. “Good girl. We’ll take the scenic route. It’s a little longer, but there’s less traffic.”
In the ten months he’d owned the Harley, only one other woman had been on it with him. Myrna had complained about everything from the helmet messing up her hair to the wind drying out her skin. It took all the fun out of it. After the third time, he stopped asking her.
He was hoping Violet would like it because there were so many back roads in Georgia that were perfect for Sunday afternoon rides. He didn’t mind exploring them by himself, but having someone with him was better.
As had happened when she played the piano yesterday, he knew the moment when she started to relax and enjoy herself. One of her hands left his waist and went to his shoulder, and instead of holding her body stiffly against him, she moved with him. It was the motorcycle version of slow dancing and for Jackson, just as exciting.
The errand that brought them to Warm Springs was quickly taken care of. He stowed the packet of papers in the compartment and turned to see why she’d suddenly fallen silent. Violet was facing slightly away from him, the helmet tucked under her arm. Her normally neat hair had been blown into disorder by the wind. Her face was turned toward the sun, and she was smiling. It was the same girl, and yet it wasn’t. Before she could stop him, he pulled out his phone and took a picture. The clicking sound broke the spell, bringing her attention back to him.
Mine for a Day (Finding Love Book 8) Page 10
