“Believe it, but don’t get me wrong. I hate malls. I usually do my shopping either through a personal shopper or online. I have a weakness for rugged boots and tennis shoes.”
I think I’m in love. A man who loves to shop. That explains his hiking boots being a perfect match to his dark mustard colored T-shirt.
“And like you,” Zack continued, “I love playing video games. Although unlike you, I prefer the ones where I get to blow up things.”
Jada laughed. “Figures. My male cousins insist that a video game isn’t a game if you can’t blow up something. I still say the racing games are the best.”
As they moved down the cucumber rows, she realized they had more in common than she originally thought. It wasn’t until he started talking about fishing and some of his favorite hiking trails that their differences became apparent.
Jada couldn’t remember the last time she laughed and held a regular conversation with a guy. Such a simple thing was standing out to her as something that should have been the norm. Most of the men she dated talked about their work, or the latest deal they had closed. But Zack was different. So far, they had talked about everything from family to favorite vacation spots.
Jada opened her mouth to complain about the sun beating down on her neck, but she kept her mouth closed. It was okay to complain around her family, they knew her, but she didn’t want to come across as a complainer to Zack. She wasn’t sure why his opinion of her mattered, especially since she had no intention of going out with him again, but it did.
There were only a few people working in their row, but she did notice a man in the next aisle who kept staring at them.
“Do you know that guy over there?” Jada asked nodding toward the man in the tan Indiana Jones hat. “He looks as if he’s trying to get your attention.”
Zack sighed. “I’m trying to ignore him,” he said without looking over to see who she was referring to. “I agreed to autograph his football before I leave today. He’s probably making sure I don’t duck out without following through.”
“Wow, you can’t even hide out in a vegetable field without your fans finding you, huh?”
He turned to look at her, his eyes shielded by slick aviator sunglasses. The corner of his lip tilted up in a grin. “Yeah, no matter where I go they seem to find me. But this is the first time in a long time that a fan has spotted me out here. I guess not too many of them volunteer on farms.” Jada didn’t miss the sarcasm dripping from each word and assumed he didn’t like the attention.
“I take it this guy is not a regular volunteer.” She tossed a couple of cucumbers into the basket and slipped off her gloves and then her sunglasses. She dabbed at the sweat on her nose and under her eyes with the back of her wrist. Normally she didn’t walk out of the house without her makeup being applied perfectly, but she was pretty sure her efforts had been in vain considering how much she’d been wiping her face.
“His wife is a regular. I guess she told him that I volunteered here sometime.”
“So have you ever refused a person an autograph?”
“A couple of times.” He added a few cucumbers to one basket that was overflowing, and dropped the rest into hers. “I think there are appropriate times and places for autographs. I don’t like it when someone interrupts me while I’m on a date or eating, to ask for an autograph. If I’m just hanging out with the guys at a bar or something like that, then it’s not as big of a deal.”
Personally, Jada enjoyed attention but had a feeling the type of attention he drew would get old real quick.
“Here, let me swap out your full basket for this empty one. I’m going to start taking these containers to the drop off spot. I’ll be right back.” He removed his sunglasses and let them hang from his neck.
“Okay.” Jada stood but before she could say anything else, she staggered to the side, her head feeling a little loopy.
“Whoa.” Zack dropped the basket and caught her by the arm before she toppled over. “You okay?”
Blinking rapidly, Jada shook her head hoping to clear up the blurriness. She leaned into Zack.
“What’s wrong?” He lifted her chin with his finger, forcing her to look at him. The concern she saw in those big baby-blues made her heart flip. She didn’t know what was more attractive, his gorgeous eyes or those dimples he flashed every so often, making her knees weak. But right now he wasn’t smiling.
Jada inhaled and then slowly released the breath. “That was weird, but I’m fine. I think I just stood up too fast.”
“Nah, I think it’s more than that.” Zack wrapped his arm around her waist. “We’ve been at this a few hours. I think we should take a break so you can get something to drink and something to eat. The little water you had almost an hour ago isn’t enough to keep you hydrated out here.”
“Zack, I told you, I’m fine.” She pulled away, still feeling a little light-headed, but sure, she could stand on her own. “I want to fill up a few more baskets before I stop. You said your goal was to fill at least ten of them before lunch, and I plan to do the same.”
“No. We’re stopping now.” He placed his hand on her elbow prepared to guide her out of the field, but she yanked her arm from his grasp.
Jada had to keep herself from giving him one of her signature neck rolls. Instead, she put her hands on her hips and looked at him pointedly. She wasn’t used to anyone saying no to her and she sure as hell didn’t like anyone telling her what to do.
“I’m a grown woman. I’ll let you know when I need a break.”
“Jada.” He sighed in exasperation. He removed his cap and swiped at the perspiration on his forehead. “I’m not trying to boss you around. It’s hot out here, and I’m just looking out for you, especially since you haven’t eaten anything.”
“Would you just go? The sooner you take those baskets and come back with empty ones, the sooner we can get done.”
He still didn’t seem convinced, but Jada ignored him. It wasn’t until she heard him leave did she look up. Despite still feeling a little lightheaded, she couldn’t help but admire his nice butt.
Whew, that is one fine man.
She smiled and shook her head, immediately regretting the sudden move when she felt her body waver again.
“Okay Jada, get it together.”
She lowered herself and knelt on her hands and knees. Closing her eyes, she breathed in slowly, then exhaled. There had been plenty of times she had gone longer than a few hours without food and water, never having a problem. The only difference she could think of is that she was outside in the hot sun, but still…
Maybe Zack’s right. Maybe it is time to take a break.
She’d take a couple of minutes to get herself together before heading to the main building for some water. She just hoped Zack wasn’t one of those guys who said, “I told you so.” Normally she knew her body, but of course, it would betray her now that she was out with a hot guy.
A few minutes passed and she felt a little steadier. She sat back and removed her gloves, then her sunglasses. The only time she hung outside when it was that hot was if she were working. Yet she’d not only let the blue-eyed hottie talk her into working outdoors, but she’d also allowed him to convince her to pick vegetables. She smiled to herself. Her cousins were never going to believe she’d done some gardening.
Feeling a little better, she stood slowly, but a bout of dizziness gripped her. Oh God. She staggered. Panic lodged in her throat as her heart rate spiked. Blinking her eyes several times, she couldn’t fight the blurriness. Her body teetered left, then right. There was nothing to grab. Everything around her spun in circles.
“Zack.” The whisper slipped through her lips before everything went black.
Chapter Six
Zack carried the baskets full of cucumbers into the main building and handed them off, still berating himself about not taking more breaks. Used to working in the field alone, he went hours before stopping. With this being Jada’s first time out there, and she hadn’
t eaten, he should’ve known better. She might think she’s fine, but she didn’t look fine.
I should’ve insisted on her eating something before we went out there.
He stuffed two bottles of water into his back pockets and headed back outside to grab a couple of empty baskets. He had to admit he was enjoying Jada’s company. She was down to earth with a witty sense of humor. He also liked the way she went with the flow. Thinking about a couple of the women he had dated over the years, there was no way any of them would be caught dead in a field working.
I knew she was different.
Zack neared the edge of the field when he saw a few people hurrying to the row where he had left Jada. What he didn’t see was Jada. It wasn’t until the guy who had asked for his autograph started waving his arms frantically did a sinking feeling settle in his gut.
Oh damn.
Zack dropped the baskets and took off in a sprint, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. He didn’t know what was going on, but he knew something was wrong.
“Move, move!” He pushed his way through the small crowd. “Jada?” She was laying on the ground, a towel under her head. Zack knelt down next to her. “What the hell happened?”
The guy who wanted the autograph spoke up. “When I was over there,” he pointed to the next row, “I noticed she looked a little disoriented, but before I could ask if she was alright, she collapsed.”
“Jada? Sweetheart?” Zack touched her clammy cheek and noticed a small bruise near her hairline. He hadn’t noticed it before and assumed she’d gotten it when she passed out. She moaned, and her eyes fluttered, but she didn’t open them.
“I need to get her out of this sun,” he mumbled more to himself than anyone else. He lifted her into his arms and held her close. “Mrs. Conner, would you find Doc and ask him to meet me in Grady’s office?” She agreed, and Zack rushed toward the main building.
“I’ll grab her things for you,” the autograph guy said of Jada’s sunglasses and gloves.
Zack didn’t give a damn about that stuff. All he wanted was to get Jada inside the air-conditioned building and get some liquids into her. He was pretty sure she was dehydrated but he needed the doctor to confirm his suspicions.
Kicking open the door to the main building, Zack hurried to the back hallway that led to Mr. Grady, the farm owner’s, office. He flew past the kitchen, bathrooms, and a supply closet. “Grady!” he called out when he got closer. “Grady!”
“I can walk,” Jada mumbled. “I don’t need some big, sexy guy…” Her words trailed off, and Zack got more concerned. He felt better hearing her talk, at least then he knew she was okay.
The door at the end of the hall swung open, and Grady stood in the doorway. He snatched off his reading glasses. “What’s going on?” He rushed forward when he saw Zack carrying Jada. “What happened?”
“She fainted. I need to lay her down.” Zack moved around Grady, not waiting for permission to enter the office and went straight to a leather sofa at the back of the small room. He laid her down, placing a pillow under her head. He removed her muddy shoes and shoved a pillow under her feet. “I asked Mrs. Conner to find Doc, can you—”
Jada groaned, and her eyes eased open.
“Jada?” Zack sat on the side of the sofa, his hand cupping her cheek. “Sweetheart, can you hear me?” She swallowed and then tried to sit up. He placed his hand on her shoulder to keep her down. “No, you need to just lay here for a few minutes.”
Staring into each other’s eyes, Zack brushed her hair away from her face, the back of his fingers lingering against her soft cheek. There is something about this woman. Each time his gaze met hers, his heart turned over in response.
A noise behind him snapped him out of his trance.
“She needs some water.” He reached for the bottles of water in his back pockets, but they must have fallen out at some point. Before he could turn to Grady, a bottle was in his hands. “Jada, you need to drink something.” Zack snatched the top off, letting it fall to the floor and lifted her head.
“Mmm, no. I’m tired,” she mumbled, her eyes closed. She pulled away from him, swatting at the hand that held the bottle.
“I know, sweetheart, but I need you to drink this.” Zack moved his hand to the back of her head to hold her still and practically poured water into her mouth. She coughed a little, and the moment she stopped, he poured more water into her mouth until she drunk on her own.
“Hey Grady, what happened?” Doc asked when he stepped into the doorway. His long, salt and pepper hair pulled back and bound at the back of his neck was covered with a wide straw hat, which he removed and laid on the table.
“Over here,” Zack said. “She passed out. I think she’s dehydrated, but I want to make sure nothing else is going on.”
“Here, let me take a look.” Doc dropped his gloves on the table near his hat and quickly washed his hands at the small wet bar in the corner of the room. He moved back to where Jada laid, dragged a chair over to the sofa, and asked a series of questions.
Jada mumbled that she didn’t need a doctor. As far as Zack was concerned, the fact that she wasn’t trying to get up spoke volumes.
The doctor checked her vitals, a bruise at the hairline close to her ear, and another on the back of her head.
“Besides the two bruises, there doesn’t seem to be any other injuries,” Doc said to Jada. “You have a slight temperature, but I think it’s from being in the hot sun. You’re definitely dehydrated so try to drink plenty of liquids over the next hour, and you should be fine, maybe a little tired, but fine nonetheless.”
Glad that she was going to be okay, Zack’s heart rate had finally gone back to normal. Finding her lying on the ground scared him to death, and he knew he never wanted to experience anything like that again.
When Doc and Grady left, Zack held Jada’s hand and sighed. This was one heck of a first date. Now he just hoped he could talk her into a second one.
“Is she okay?”
Zack jerked his head toward the doorway where the autograph guy was standing.
“She will be. She just got a little dehydrated.” Zack turned back to Jada, who had her eyes closed, and he gently touched her cheek.
“So what about my football, can you still sign it?”
“Not right now,” Zack muttered. Just that fast he’d forgotten that the guy was standing there.
“But you said—”
“Are you fucking kidding me, man?” Zack bolted from his seat and got into the guy’s face. His anger went from zero to sixty in seconds. He couldn’t believe some people. “My girl is sick and you’re asking me about a damn football.”
“Hey, you’re the one who said that you’d give me your autographed. When I saw you leave the field, I figured you were getting ready to leave.”
“Zack.” Jada’s soft voice floated through the air. He left the man standing at the door not giving a damn about an autograph or anything else for that matter, except for Jada.
“Hey.” Zack dropped down next to her. “Want something else to drink?” He grabbed the second bottle of Gatorade that he had received from Grady earlier. Opening the bottle, he helped her sit up and then handed it to Jada.
She shook her head. “I don’t—”
“Nah, you need to drink some more. You’re still a little dehydrated, and this is going to help replenish some of the salt your body lost.”
“Zack…” She started to lay back down, but Zack stopped her.
“I need you to drink some of this so you’ll feel better. Then I’ll take you home.”
The guy at the door cleared his throat. Zack shot daggers at him with his eyes. “I’m not doing that right now. You can either come back some other time or leave the football with Grady, and I’ll sign it when I can.” Zack returned his attention to Jada but heard the man spout out a few curse words before he moved away from the door.
Jada slumped against Zack. “I’m so tired.” He wrapped his arms around her and placed a kiss
against her temple. It wasn’t until she winced did he remember her bruise.
“Oh, shoot, sorry about that. You must have hit the side of your head when you passed out. Does your head hurt?”
“A little, but I’ve been told – on more than one occasion – I have a hard head.”
Though she said it with a straight face, Zack chuckled, glad to see her sense of humor was still intact.
“You almost gave me a heart attack out there.” He thought about her mumbling when he carried her into the office. “So did you mean it when you said that I was sexy?”
She stared at him and lifted her small hand to his face, her thumb rubbing over his stubble. “Um, I don’t remember,” she said unconvincingly and glanced away. He placed his hand on top of hers, bringing her attention back to him. “Thanks for taking care of me.” Her words spoken so quietly he barely heard her, but he didn’t miss the desire gleaming in her pretty brown eyes.
All it would take is for both of them to move their heads forward a few inches, and their lips would connect. Zack ached to kiss her but debated with himself, not wanting to move too fast and scare her away.
To hell with it.
He eased forward and lowered his head. When her breathing hitched, he froze and met her gaze. Not until she gave a small smile did he go in for what he wanted. He cupped the back of her neck and brushed his lips against hers. All day he’d wanted to taste those sweet lips, and it had definitely been worth the wait. His heart stuttered when her lips parted and he took the small gesture as an invitation, slipping his tongue into her mouth. She clung to his upper arms. Their tongues tangled and it was at that moment Zack knew that this would not be their last date.
Zack could have kissed her for the rest of the day, but when her hands framed his face, she slowly ended their kiss. He wasn’t ready to let her go and rested his forehead against hers.
“I guess by now you’re probably hungry.”
“Yes, I am.”
Placing a chaste kiss against her cheek, he said, “All right then. Let’s get out of here. We’ll stop and get you something to eat before I take you home.”
All You'll Ever Need Page 6
