The Closer You Come

by Gena Showalter

  But Daphne merely smiled at her. "It's nice to see you again, Brook Lynn."

  "Uh...you, too?" A question when it should have been a statement. Jase hadn't told her anything about Daphne's situation--when they'd seen each other last night, they'd been too eager to get to bed--and she made a mental note to ask. "What are you guys up to?"

  "Getting to know the town," Daphne said, adding hesitantly, "Jase has asked us to move here."

  "I was going to talk to you about it," he rushed to tell her.

  Did he expect Brook Lynn to protest? "Have you taken them to Strawberry Jam?"

  At first, he remained silent, peering down at her with surprise...which soon turned into a potent mix of affection and desire. "You are an amazing woman," he said and kissed her softly, gently. "You know that, right?"

  Tonight I'm going to climb him like a tree. "Strawberry Jam is where Jessie Kay, my sister, used to work," she told Daphne. "They pluck wild strawberries from several hundred acres and create the best jellies you'll ever taste. If you sign up for a tour, you'll get to sample all the different flavors."

  Hope jumped up and down. "I want to go! Can we go? Please, please, Momma."

  While Daphne promised her daughter a tour, Brook Lynn ran her hands over Jase's shoulders, smoothing the lines of his shirt. "I almost forgot. Do you know a guy named Stan?"

  He thought for a moment, shook his head. "No. Why?"

  "I delivered a sandwich to him at the Strawberry Inn, and he asked about you."

  "Me?" He frowned. "Reporter?"

  "I don't think so. He didn't have a professional look. And he told me to be careful around you."

  His frown deepened, a spark of anger in his eyes. "I'll look into him."

  She nodded and decided to change the subject, asking quietly, "What's wrong with Daphne?"

  He responded just as quietly, saying, "She told her boyfriend about me, about her trip here, and he broke up with her."

  She'd had a boyfriend? Wow. Brook Lynn had all but accused the woman of coming here to steal Jase. Looks like I owe her an apology.

  "Hey. What are those weird things in your ears?" Hope asked, pointing to Brook Lynn's implants. "Are you part robot?"

  Jase stiffened against her but for once Brook Lynn felt no embarrassment. Something the man beside her was responsible for. "I am part robot," she teased. "Is it hot in here or did my internal fan system just crash?"

  Hope didn't understand, but Jase did, and he chuckled, whispering, "Is ten inches your maximum RAM capacity or can I try for eleven?"

  "Requested log-in denied," she quipped.

  He only laughed harder, and it thrilled her to her soul. You'll never be one of those guys who displays emotions, my love? Think again.

  "I'm so sorry about that," Daphne said, looking mortified.

  "No worries." Brook Lynn crouched down to Hope's level and said, "Why don't you and I hit the town together?" She looked at Jase, Daphne. "If that's okay with you guys?" The little girl was a permanent part of Jase's life. A part of him. "We can get to know each other."

  "No way," the girl said, shaking her head. "I want to stay here. With my parents."

  A twinge in her heart. "We'll have fun, kid. Promise."

  As Hope opened her mouth to issue another protest, Brook Lynn added, "I'm headed to an animal shelter. I plan to reduce a dog. If you don't want to go, I can just show you pictures later and--"

  "A dog?" The girl brightened. "My mom says dogs poop in your house and ruin your carpet, but I like them anyway." She hugged her mom...hugged her dad. "See you guys later."

  Jase's expression had just softened, his eyes going wide with wonder. "You are amazing."

  She kissed him smack-dab on the lips. "Right back at ya."

  *

  JASE PACED IN the living room and watched the clock. It was 10:01 p.m., roughly nine and a half hours since he'd last seen Brook Lynn, and there'd been no word from her.

  He was worried about her and Hope. When he'd stepped out of the WOH offices about an hour after the pair took off, he'd discovered trash dumped all over his car. He would have blamed punk-assed teens--if someone hadn't spray-painted the word DIE on the shed in his backyard sometime during the night. Two cases of random vandalism? Not likely. He'd been targeted.

  Even remembering caused his blood pressure to boil. Calm. Steady. This wasn't the first death threat he'd received in his life, and he was sure it wouldn't be his last. At least he'd had a lead. Since a stranger named Stan had just asked about him, Jase had left Daphne with Beck and gone to the Strawberry Inn. Even though the owner's daughter refused to tell him the name of the guests, she'd purposely stepped away from the counter with the sign-in list visible. There'd been a handful of names, but he'd known which one belonged to Stan. The only illegible one, the last name indecipherable.

  Jase had gone to the room, but it had already been cleared out.

  Had an inmate he'd wronged behind bars come to town?

  It was a possibility, and yet it didn't freak him out as it once would have. He wasn't on his own anymore. He had West and Beck as backup. And he had a woman and daughter who needed him to keep his shit together, so he would. It was as simple as that.

  "Jase," Daphne said from her perch on the couch. She sighed. "What if I decide not to move here? What then?"

  He kicked into a fast pace and plowed a hand through his hair. "I might move into the city." He wanted to be near Hope. But would Brook Lynn be willing to move with him? Just pack up everything and say goodbye to her sister? Could he even ask her to?

  She'd never left Strawberry Valley and had never really wanted to. This was her home, the only one she'd ever known. She had roots here. And shockingly enough, he now did, too.

  "How long have you and Brook Lynn dated?" Daphne asked, tracking him with her gaze as he moved back and forth, back and forth.

  "Not long." Not long enough to ask her to uproot her entire life.

  He remembered the way she'd looked at him today, with reverence and awe. Every cell in his body had reacted, burning with those same emotions themselves. How was he supposed to live without her?

  "Is she the one?" Daphne asked.

  He didn't pretend to misunderstand. "Yes. I love her. I'd have her physically attached to me, if I could. But I won't miss any more of Hope's life."

  Daphne's shoulders sagged.

  "I told Hope about prison," he said. "This morning before you woke up."

  "Oh." She blinked in surprise. "She didn't mention it to me."

  "I don't think it mattered to her. She took it better than I expected." She'd asked him why he was sent there, and he'd told her that he'd hurt someone for hurting someone else. How wrong he'd been.

  Did they make you eat dog food in prison? she'd asked. I watched a show where the guard made the inmates eat cans of dog food.

  He'd almost laughed at the innocence of the question. She couldn't have imagined the horrors he'd actually endured in there, but no, dog food wasn't among them. He was so grateful that she hadn't been--wasn't--scared of him over the revelation.

  All his worries for nothing. After hearing his answer she'd raced off to catch a butterfly, constantly glancing back to make sure he watched. All she'd wanted was his attention.

  "I'm glad," Daphne said. "And I'm sorry. I really am. I handled things poorly over the years."

  "You did what you thought was right. I can't blame you for that."

  "You should." She pushed out a breath. "Tyler called me a liar. Said he couldn't trust me."

  "Give him time. He'll either forgive you or move on. And if he moves on, you're better off without him." Easy to say. Jase would never be better off without Brook Lynn.

  Car lights shone through the window. He rushed to the front door. Outside, a dog barked. Feminine laughter echoed. His heart pounded against his ribs. With desire. With relief. His girls had returned safely.

  He battled the urge to rush out and sweep them both into his arms, an eternity seeming to pass before Brook Ly
nn and Hope made it to the porch, a dog in each of their arms. Both animals were of indeterminate parentage. Brook Lynn's had salt-and-pepper scruff and a lower jaw that protruded over the upper. Hope's was solid black with half an ear missing.

  "I called," he said, his gaze drinking her in. She had never looked more beautiful to him, illuminated by the golden light of the moon, as if cut straight from a dream. "No answer."

  "Oh," Brook Lynn replied. "My bad. I turned the cell to silent."

  "The barking made her ears hurt," Hope said matter-of-factly.

  He released what remained of his fear and panic on a long, heavy breath and decided not to waste another second feeling that way. There were other things he could be doing. "Do your ears need to be kissed all better?" he asked softly.

  Hope heard and cringed. "Gross!"

  Jase fought a smile. "By the way, I bought you something." He pulled a can of pepper spray from his pocket and stuffed it in Brook Lynn's purse. "Never leave your house without it." The dog squirmed in her arms. "Now. Who do we have here?"

  "This is Steve," Hope said, proudly grinning at Half-ear.

  "And Sparkles," Brook Lynn said.

  Sparkles?

  "The names were chosen long before we arrived, and I'm thinking Sparkles belonged to a toddler princess." Her gaze moved to his daughter and softened. "Thank you for going with me. I had fun with you."

  "Me, too." Hope cuddled her dog close and peered up at Jase. "Brook Lynn said I could ask you if I could keep him, and if you say no she'll take him home with her. But can I keep him? Please. He wanted a home so bad. He cried when I tried to leave him. Please, Daddy."

  Daddy.

  He basically liquefied into a puddle at her feet. "Of course you can keep him."

  "Uh, I'm not so sure about that," Daphne said, approaching his side. "Dogs hate me. All dogs. There are no exceptions. You know this, Hope."

  As though wanting to prove the validity of her claim, both Steve and Sparkles growled at her.

  "See!" she squealed, paling and backing up.

  "I think they smell your fear," Brook Lynn said.

  "Just don't be scared, Momma. Please."

  Daphne shook her head, her gaze never leaving the dogs. "I'm sorry, baby, but that's impossible."

  Jase hated watching Hope's features fall. Unable to bear it, he chucked her under the chin. "Don't worry. Steve can live with me. You'll get to visit him whenever you want."

  Hope unveiled the toothiest, cutest grin he'd ever seen.

  Brook Lynn reached out and ruffled the girl's hair. "Whenever you want to set our doggy date, call me."

  "I will!"

  The sight of Brook Lynn interacting with his daughter... Yeah. If he hadn't already been in love, he would have fallen in that moment.

  "There are dog supplies in the trunk of my car," she said.

  Both dogs began to wiggle, wanting to be put down. Daphne raced to the couch and jumped up. Steve managed to work his way free of Hope's arms. When he landed on the ground, he took off like a bullet and ran circles around the coffee table in front of Daphne. Hope tried to wrangle him, but he leaped onto the couch and nipped at Daphne's ankles. As she screamed, he lifted his leg and peed on her foot.

  "This is my nightmare!" she shouted, diving over the side of the couch.

  Beck rounded the corner. He was shirtless, his hair mussed, and there were scratches all over his chest. Well, well. He'd clearly smuggled a female through his window. "What's the racket?" he said, just as Steve tried to rush past him. "A dog? Seriously?" He grabbed the animal by the collar, stopping him. "No. Absolutely not."

  Steve licked his hand and settled at his feet.

  "Suck it up, Beck, and help me get the supplies," Brook Lynn said.

  "But--"

  She clapped her hands, all chop chop. "Now! Don't make me start counting. If I get to three I will never bake for you again."

  "Yes, ma'am." Beck followed her outside.

  Jase swallowed a laugh. "Hope, why don't you take Steve to my room?"

  Hope gathered up her dog without any more problems and disappeared down the hall.

  "Stay in Strawberry Valley," he said to Daphne. "Let me buy her all the animals she wants."

  "I--"

  "Please. I will pay your bills. You won't have to worry about anything."

  Daphne seemed to roll the possibility through her mind. "We'll see."

  Beck entered the house with a big box in his arms and several sacks hanging from his wrists, but there was no sign of Brook Lynn. "She told me to give this to you," he said and handed over a folded piece of paper.

  Jase read the note. Don't forget your nights belong to me. I'll be waiting...

  *

  BROOK LYNN MOTORED down the winding country roads, dirt blowing behind her tires. What a day! Hope had warmed up to her and told her stories about the kind of dog she'd always and forever dreamed of having. A white puppy with blue eyes she would name Snowflake.

  They'd spent hours at the shelter, going through the different rooms, petting the different dogs. Even walking some. Brook Lynn had to stave off tears more than once--and the desire to try to abscond with every single animal. It had just been so sad, all of those dogs desperate for a home, looking at her with a mix of fear, hope and loneliness. It had affected Hope, too, and she'd decided a puppy wasn't what she wanted, after all. Instead, she'd asked the employees to introduce her to the dog most in need.

  Brook Lynn had never been so proud of another human being.

  After they'd filled out the paperwork, they'd taken Steve and Sparkles to PetSmart for necessary supplies, then the local vet to be examined. The experience had bonded them. At least, Brook Lynn hoped so.

  Were those car lights flashing behind her? Thinking someone had an emergency, Brook Lynn eased to the side of the road. But the driver didn't pass her. He stopped behind her and got out.

  Jase.

  She would recognize his towering silhouette anywhere.

  Sparkles slept in the passenger seat. Trembling with a sudden deluge of concern, she entered the night. The pulse in her throat thundered.

  "Is something wrong?" she asked.

  "Yes. You're not in my arms."

  She felt instant relief...followed by a flood of need. She stopped, allowing him to come to her... He pinned her against her car, his nearness playing havoc with every inch of her body. She trembled. She flushed with languid heat. She had to fight to breathe.

  "You couldn't wait until I got home?" she asked, winding her arms around his neck. "I'm glad."

  Moonlight couched his features, painting him with fantasy and shadows. "I would wait forever for you, but I'm also glad I don't have to." He flattened his hands just over her shoulders, letting his strength completely surround her. "Besides, I have to talk to you about something, and waiting was killing me."

  Her heart skipped a beat. "What?"

  He licked his lips. "If Daphne won't move to Strawberry Valley, I might have to move to the city. I have to be near Hope, Brook Lynn, but I don't want to be without you."

  His tone begged her to understand, but he needn't have worried. She'd begun to wonder what would happen when Daphne's visit ended. And the more time she'd spent with Hope today, the more she'd come to realize Jase would be filled with a need to protect the girl, to give her what he'd never had. An unbreakable family. Brook Lynn would never deny him that chance.

  "I don't want to be without you, either, and I won't. I'll come visit you as often as--"

  "That's not good enough. I want you to come with me," he said softly.

  She had wondered if he'd ask--and had already made up her mind. "Yes. Yes, I will go with you."

  He closed his eyes, expelled a breath.

  Oh, this man. "I love you, Jase Hollister," she said.

  His lids snapped open.

  "That's right," she continued. "I love you so much I don't want to imagine my life without you. I would follow you to the ends of the earth."

  Like a pa
nther, he moved quickly. He was flush against her and framing her face with his big, hot hands in less than a second. "You love me?"

  Chin trembling, she nodded.

  "I have to have you. Here. Now." He didn't give her time to respond, but slammed his mouth against hers, his tongue thrusting deep and sure.

  Her inhibitions burned to ash. She grabbed hold of him, certain she had reached a point where she couldn't let him go ever again. His taste invaded her senses, reminding her of all she'd been missing. His chest, so close to hers, felt like a wall of steel, a drum beating beneath it.

  He tore at the snap of her shorts, jerked the material down, along with her panties, then tore at the waist of his pants. The moment they were open, he pulled his underwear down just enough, lifted her by the waist and, as she wrapped her legs around him, surged inside her, filling her up. She'd grown wet the second he'd kissed her--the second he'd backed her up against the car, really--and now her body welcomed him with a rush of hot relief.

  He fisted the hair at her nape, forcing her head back. The next kiss he fed her was hard, punishing...luscious. Fire ignited in her blood, burning her up, burning so perfectly.

  "You feel so good," he praised. In. Out. He thrust and thrust and thrust, and she felt the car rocking against her backside. Their moans blended with the hoot of an owl, the call of a coyote. She inhaled the sweet scent of strawberries and wildflowers.

  "Not letting you go," he said.

  "Never."

  "You're mine." He reached between their bodies and pressed against her sharpest desire. Climax came hard and fast, and she erupted, crying out as satisfaction claimed her. He followed her over the edge, spilling inside her as she clenched around his length.

  They stayed like that, locked together, shuddering against each other, until the muscles in her legs gave out. Slowly she slid to the ground; but still Jase didn't pull away from her. He sagged against her, the bulk of their combined weight held up only by the car.

  His warm breath fanned over her neck, tickling. She toyed with the ends of his hair.

  "Move in with me," she blurted out. "While Daphne and Hope are here."

  The darkness hid his expression. "You'll have to forgive me. My brain isn't functioning at optimal levels right now. I think you drained the smart right out of me. But...did you just ask me to move in with you?"

  "Yes." She chewed on her bottom lip. "If you don't want to--"

  Lights flashed in the distance. With a screech, she pushed him away and scrambled to right her clothing.