by Helen Lacey
“I’m glad you brought me here,” she said and smiled “It feels good to do something for someone else. I don’t get the chance very often.”
“The chance?” he queried, his gaze locked with hers.
Val sighed. “Okay, I don’t take the opportunity. I know I should. My mother does so much for charity, particularly her work with the Fortunado Foundation. I envy how generous she is with herself. Maybe I’d be a better person if I did more for others. Like you.”
“It’s not a contest, Valene,” he said softly. “And perhaps it’s something you could do with your mom. After my dad died, I spent a lot of time wishing I’d spent more time with him, made more of an effort, you know. But you can’t live in the past, either. If you want to change, then change. But frankly, I think you’re a very good person. You’re smart and beautiful and funny and great to be around.”
Val stared at him, mesmerized by the deepness of his voice and the intensity of his gaze. She wondered, briefly, if she’d ever met a man with bluer eyes, or a stronger jawline, or more innate integrity. And all she could think was no.
They left the shelter shortly after, stopping on the way to grab some lunch. They sat in a small café in the park a few streets away, eating burgers and sharing a side of fries, sitting close together at the tiny table for two. Jake had ordered them sodas and she sipped her beverage in between bites of her food.
“I’ve had a nice time today,” she said quietly. “Thank you.”
He smiled. “Anytime.”
“So...does that mean you’d like to see me again?”
“Absolutely.”
She was delighted to hear it, ignoring the tiny voice in her head telling her that he wasn’t what she was looking for. The truth was, Valene had never come close to finding the right man. Until now. Everything about Jake felt right. The fact that he was a cowboy in worn denim and drove a twenty-year-old truck somehow didn’t bother her one bit. She’d parted ways with Diego because he’d wanted a job, and when that hadn’t panned out he’d moved on to the daughter of another moneyed man. But Jake Brockton didn’t seem interested in her money or family connections. And she’d broken up with Hugh because there was zero chemistry between them and she didn’t want to tie herself to a man she didn’t feel any passion for, who simply wanted a suitable wife. But with Jake, her libido was jumping all over the place.
Sure, she didn’t know everything about him, but that would change with time. And she wasn’t about to start being paranoid, even if her sister believed she was crazy for trusting a man she hardly knew. Maddie had been pining for Zach for years before she summoned the courage to do something about it, and although Valene wanted to settle down and start nesting, she wanted to be in a relationship with someone who cared about her.
“Would you like to meet the man in my life?” she asked suddenly.
His blue eyes widened. “The what?”
Valene smiled. “My dog.”
His mouth curled at the edges. “I’d like that very much.”
She pushed the plate aside and quickly finished her drink. “Then let’s go.”
* * *
Jake was conscious of how quiet Valene was on the drive to her place. She lived on the ground floor, and as she opened the door to her condo, he heard the rattle of excited feet clamoring over floorboards.
The short but powerful-looking bulldog came rushing down the hall to greet her and turned around in frenzied circles at her feet, making guttural sounds low in his throat. He had an underbite and slobber oozing from one side of his mouth.
“Isn’t he adorable?” she said and crouched down to pet the animal. “My beautiful boy.”
Jake laughed. He had several working dogs on the ranch, but Sheba was his pet. She was dainty and fluffy and considered herself quite the princess. Quite the opposite of the very unattractive dog who suddenly registered Jake’s presence and started barking like crazy. He woofed and growled and was clearly standing his ground and making it known who was the boss around the place.
“Beautiful?” he queried, ignoring the growling.
“He is to me,” she said and stood. “Bruce, this is Jake and he’s a friend of mine, and he’s very nice and I like him a lot, so be a good boy and don’t slobber over his jeans or chew his feet off, okay?”
The dog stopped barking, angled his head to the side and let out a loud woof before he briefly rubbed against Jake’s ankles, sniffed his boots and, clearly making the decision that Jake was not a threat to his beloved owner, trotted off down the hallway.
“You passed the test.” Valene grinned.
“There was a test?”
She laughed. “Well, of course. Bruce always gets to meet my friends.”
Jake liked that she considered him a friend. However, he certainly didn’t want to get stuck in that category. Not when he was so attracted to her. “Well, I’m glad he approves.”
She laughed again and invited him to take a tour of the condo. It was large and spacious, with polished wood floors, two bedrooms and bathrooms, its own laundry facility, a huge French provincial–style kitchen, and spacious dining and living room areas. A wall of windows overlooked the yard, and yet the place was surprisingly private. Showcasing her good taste, the furnishings were quality and understated, and it occurred to him that they had that in common, too.
“Would you like coffee?”
Jake turned and discovered she was directly behind him. They were close, barely a foot apart, and the proximity sent his body into high-alert mode. She was looking up, her chin tilted at an alluring angle, her brown eyes warm and eminently welcoming. Jake reached out and touched her hair, threading the silky strands through his fingers.
“Valene,” he said softly, the blood simmering in his veins. “Would it be okay if I kissed you now?”
Her eyes darkened, and after a moment she spoke. “Yes.”
Jake curled one hand around her nape and drew her closer. Her mouth parted slightly, as though she was thinking, waiting, anticipating his kiss. He bent his head and looked directly into her eyes, feeling the connection between them down to the soles of his feet. He urged her a little closer and she pressed against him. His other arm moved around her and settled on her hip as he bent down and touched her mouth with his own. He gently anchored her head and slowly deepened the kiss. Her lips parted and she sighed against his mouth, driving away all coherent thought as she accepted his tongue into her mouth. The kiss was hot and intense and blisteringly arousing, but Jake wasn’t about to ask for anything else. He just kissed her. He didn’t move his hands to her rib cage like he longed to do, he didn’t stroke the swell of her breasts, he didn’t press closer to make his arousal more obvious. He simply enjoyed the taste and feel of her tongue dancing around with his for those few intoxicating moments.
In the end, it was Valene who pulled back, and Jake released her instantly. She took a step backward, her breath coming out sharply, her eyes darkened with a heady kind of desire that shook him to the very core.
And then she spoke.
“I’m not going to have sex with you today,” she said quietly and crossed her arms. “If that’s what you—”
“It’s not,” he assured her. “It was a kiss. I’ve told you that I’m not interested in rushing into this, Valene, and I mean it. I like you, and I’m clearly very attracted to you.”
“Actually, up until about two minutes ago I was almost convinced you’d put me into the friend zone. I’m pleased to know you haven’t.”
He smiled, captivated by her honesty. “I thought the same about you.”
She smiled. “I’m not used to being around a man who can show so much restraint.”
Jake laughed. “Restraint? It’s not that. The truth is, I don’t want to screw things up with you. We hardly know each other and we need to spend a lot more time together. And frankly, you don’t strike me as a casual-sex k
ind of woman.”
“I’m not,” she said flatly. “I’ve had two relationships and they were both disappointing. I’ve never had a one-night stand. I’ve never picked a guy up in a bar. I’ve never had sex outside of a serious relationship. I’m boring and straitlaced in that way. The most outrageous thing I’ve ever done in my romantic life is use that dating app.”
“Ditto,” he said quietly. “And, Valene, you are anything but boring. But I hear you. I’ve had three serious relationships and the last one ended really badly, so I’m cautious about getting caught up in something too quickly. I like you a lot,” he admitted. “And I want to get to know you. I’d like to date you. And kiss you. And yeah,” he said, pausing as he took a long breath, “at some point I would like to make love to you. But, for now, let’s just get to know one another, okay?”
She looked instantly relieved. And then she regarded him thoughtfully. “Why was your last breakup so bad?”
“It just didn’t work out,” he replied quickly. “I think I told you how we knew one another in high school and a few years back we reconnected. But it was a mistake. We were too different.”
Jake wasn’t about to admit that he’d caught Patrice in bed with one of the contractors he’d hired to remodel the ranch house—a renovation she’d insisted on because the house, like him, wasn’t good enough for her. Maybe one day he’d tell Valene the real story, but for now she didn’t need to know the sordid details.
“I know what you mean,” she said and then spent a moment telling him about her last boyfriend and how he was handpicked by her overprotective father. “I guess after the way things went with Diego, I can’t blame Dad for smothering me a little.”
The reminder that her ex-boyfriend had been after her family’s money struck a guilty chord in Jake’s gut. He hadn’t told Valene the truth about himself because he didn’t want his wealth to muddy the waters between them, when the truth was, she’d been on the receiving end of a gold-digging ex and would probably understand. But something held him back from admitting the truth. For one, he’d heard rumors that the Fortunado empire wasn’t as rock solid as it had once been. According to his friends and business acquaintances and word on the street, there had been some shady things going on with everyone associated with the Fortune family—including Kenneth Fortunado.
“I thought you were making coffee,” he said casually and walked toward the kitchen counter.
She looked relieved by the digression and quickly prepared two cups of coffee. “Cookie?” she asked and held out a small cookie jar.
“Did you bake them?”
She laughed. “Ha, are you serious? I can’t cook. I suppose you can?”
Jake smiled. “A little. Enough to get by. Can I ask you a question?”
She nodded. “Sure.”
“You’re related to the Fortune family, correct?”
Her brows instantly came together. “Yes.”
“But you don’t talk about it?”
She shrugged. “No,” she replied, handing him his coffee. “My dad prefers not to talk about it,” she said after a moment. “So, we don’t.”
“Is there bad blood?”
She let out a sigh and came around the counter, perching herself on the edge of a stool. “More like no blood. My dad didn’t know about his family tree until recently. He found out he was Julius Fortune’s son and had a few other illegitimate half brothers. It’s been kind of messy ever since. My grandmother chose the name Fortunado as a way of enabling my dad to have a link with his family, but he doesn’t have any interest in being a part of them.”
“Do you?” Jake asked and sipped his coffee.
“I’m not sure,” she replied. “I mean, I am intrigued, of course. How could I not be? It’s the Fortunes. They’re legendary in this state, for one reason or another. Plus, my father and Gerald Robinson of Robinson Tech are half brothers, since Gerald Robinson is really Jerome Fortune and Julius’s son. The last year has been full of surprises, to say the least. And one of Gerald’s daughters is married to a Mendoza and my sister Schuyler is also married to a Mendoza...so the huge disconnect between the families is not as wide as it used to be. It’s been difficult for everyone. Particularly since so many strange things have happened.”
Jake met her gaze. “What kind of strange things?”
“Robinson Tech was hacked. We’ve been losing clients at both the Austin and Houston offices, which almost seems less like coincidence and more like sabotage according to my sister and her husband, Zach. And there was a terrible fire at the Robinson estate.”
“I heard about that,” Jake said. “Makes me kind of pleased that you don’t have anything to do with them.”
“It’s complicated,” she said quietly. “I have a crazy family tree.”
“Not me,” he admitted. “Dull as dishwater. Mom and Dad loved each other. No family skeletons. We’re boring and uneventful.”
“I envy you,” she said on a sigh. “In my family, every day is potentially a disaster waiting to happen. And it doesn’t help that my dad won’t talk about it, not even to Mom. He used to talk to my grandmother, I guess, but I think he’s just over the whole Fortune thing. It’s probably why he vacations so much now. I mean, he and Mom did plan on doing a lot of trips once he retired, so they haven’t spent much time at home lately. They came back for Maddie’s wedding and then took off again.”
“You miss them?” Jake suggested.
She nodded, suddenly looking incredibly young. “I do,” she admitted. “I guess I’m one of those crazy people who actually like their parents.”
“You’re not crazy,” Jake assured her. “I like my parents, too. In fact, my mother is going to want to meet you at some point in the near future. She thinks I’ve been in a much better mood this week.”
Valene laughed loudly. “I think I like your mom already.”
“And of course Cassidy is taking all the credit.” He grinned. “My sister is quite the matchmaker.”
“Well, you can tell her she does good work,” she said quietly. “Speaking of which, I really need to get some work done this afternoon, or Maddie is going to fire me.”
Jake didn’t believe her. “Of course she won’t do that.”
“She might.” Valene shrugged. “I’ve lost two listings in the past week, and the company lost several more in the last month. No listing, no sales...it’s a vicious circle.”
Jake experienced an acute sense of concern. “Do you know why?”
“No,” she replied. “I think I’ve lost my mojo.”
“I’m sure you’ll get it back.”
“I hope so,” she said. “I need to get a few more exclusive clients to prove myself. Which means I have to start pounding the pavement this week.” She took a sip of her coffee, then looked up at him. “Um, there’s a charity thing I have to go to on Friday night. My sister Maddie and her husband will be there. It’s at one of the hotels in town, a fund-raiser for the Fortunado Foundation. Would you like to accompany me?”
Jake’s gaze narrowed. “As your date?”
She nodded fractionally. “Do you have a suit?”
Jake heard the uncertainty in her voice, and for some reason it irked him. “Yes, I do.”
She looked relieved. “So...you’ll go?”
“Sure.”
“Great. You can meet me here and we’ll go in my car.”
Her car? He didn’t need her to spell out what that meant, since she’d only seen him driving the old Ranger. Jake drained the coffee cup and got to his feet. “I should bail and let you get some work done.”
She slid off the stool. “Thank you for a lovely day.”
“Anytime.”
She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek and then again, a little closer to his mouth. Jake grasped her shoulders and kissed her gently on the lips. She sighed against him, and it made him smile
. He lingered for a few seconds, kissing her again, inhaling the scent of her hair and her lovely skin, tasting the sweetness of her mouth.
And as he left her condo and walked back toward his truck and then drove off, Jake realized one thing. He liked Valene. A lot. Which meant he had to come clean about his past and his present. And soon.
Chapter Six
“You went where?”
Valene was standing by the water cooler in the lunch room on Monday morning, talking to Maddie and getting the third degree about her date with Jake. “An animal shelter.”
She saw Maddie’s frown. “Why?”
“He volunteers there. He has since he was a teenager. He’s really perfect.”
Maddie didn’t look convinced. “Did you sleep with him last night?”
Valene no doubt looked as affronted as she felt. “Of course not. I’m not like that. And neither is Jake, which you’d know if you would stop being all judgmental about him not being wealthy or successful. Frankly, Maddie, I didn’t realize you were so bigoted.”
Maddie didn’t bother to disguise her displeasure. “You can be as smart with me as you want, but I can see you’re really falling for this guy, and I’m concerned. I’m certainly not judging him. I’m sure he’s very nice and really charming, but you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, Val. And I know you’re all starry-eyed because he’s attractive and something of a novelty, and he’s taking you to see puppies and kittens and bringing you your favorite coffee, but do you honestly think he’ll fit into your real world? I mean, long-term?”
Truthfully, Valene had no idea. She liked Jake. A lot. She was more attracted to him than she’d ever been to anyone, and his kisses were out of this world. But Maddie had a point. For starters, his lifestyle was the polar opposite of her own. And yet, she didn’t care. A warning voice in the back of her mind told her she was heading for heartbreak by falling for a penniless cowboy like Jake—but he made her feel so good about herself. So in tune with herself. And Valene had never experienced that before.
