Текст книги "The Heat of the Moment"
Автор книги: Katie Rose
сообщить о нарушении
Текущая страница: 11 (всего у книги 15 страниц)
Chapter 26
It was a demanding kiss, and one determined to prove to her once and for all that she couldn’t keep denying what was between them.
He was right. Damn him.
At least she had the dim satisfaction in knowing the same crazy need was happening to him. His hands slid down to her waist, holding her firmly and possessively in place. She could feel his heart pounding, the heat emanating from his firm, athletic body, the electricity that effortlessly seemed to generate between them.
She had no choice. She gave in to it, in to him. Her hand slid up into that black silky hair as she pulled him closer and surrendered.
Encouraged, he took her further, his tongue exploring her mouth, his hand cupping her breast, his thumb flicking her nipple and she instantly hardened into a rock-hard point. But a noise sounded just inside the door, startling both of them, and when he eased his lips from hers, she stared at him in awe, and a moment later when her brain returned, fury.
“What do you think you are doing?” She struggled to break free. What the hell was she thinking?
“Do I need to explain?”
He thought it was funny. She saw the amusement twinkling in his eyes, and she was determined to wipe that smirk off his face. “So I guess you assume this automatically means—”
“Damned right.” The amusement fled from his eyes. “And no rich boy from North Jersey is going to steal you out from under me.”
Before she could protest, he kissed her again. Her mind was spinning, and she knew she should pull back—she was necking on the front porch of her parents’ house, for God’s sake—but it was impossible. This was Gavin, and here is where she’d wanted to be since she first set eyes on him. The only thing that slowed them down was her father clearing his voice to announce that the steaks were on the grill.
“We’ll be right in,” Gavin called, and then gazed down at her. Gently he smoothed her hair away from her face, and when he spoke, his voice was tender. “Look, I know you’re afraid. But I will never hurt you.”
She wasn’t scared: she was terrified. But she took a deep breath and finally spilled the truth. “Gavin, you can’t promise that. Six months from now, when you’ve recovered and the offers start pouring in, you will realize this was a mistake. You could easily decide you want Kristin back, or someone just like her. I see it all the time.” Her eyes lifted to his and to her mortification, they were wet with tears. “And I couldn’t take that again.”
“You think this is a rebound?” His hand tightened around her waist and he held her impossibly closer, his brow thunderous. “I admit, in the beginning coming here was hard for me. I felt like I had traded down because of an injury. But I never felt that way about you. I know you don’t believe me, but I’ll prove it to you.”
She exhaled slowly, her brain spinning. “I need some time to think.”
“Right. And come up with a hundred reasons why we aren’t a good idea? No way. I understand I’m going to have to work for this, to convince you I’m not Zach. All I’m asking is that you give me a chance. Fair enough?”
When he put it so reasonably, there was nothing negative she could say. He seemed to take her silence as agreement, for he dropped his hand from her shoulder and gestured toward the door.
“Now can we go in and eat? I’m starved.”
She laughed in spite of herself. While she still needed to process all the emotions flooding through her, Gavin’s manner made it all much easier. Some of the tension was gone, and she was actually able to grin back at him.
“Sure. The natives will be upon us any second anyway.” But then she hesitated a moment, picturing her nosy brothers and sure-to-be-inquisitive mother. “Listen, in front of my family—”
“Don’t worry, I know. Your brothers seem like great guys, but they are still your brothers. Do you think I want them busting my stones? What goes on between us is our business. Promise.”
He crossed his heart.
–
He didn’t have to worry about family secrets. As soon as they entered the back porch, Colin began a teasing chant from the lawn.
“Gavin and Jessica sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S…”
“Shut up.” Surprisingly, Rory came to his sister’s defense, shooting his younger brother a look. “Are you guys ready to eat? We were about to send out the National Guard.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Jessica took a seat at the picnic table across from Liam and helped herself to the food.
Gavin knew better than to sit beside her. Even now, he felt curious eyes on him as he took the seat next to Rory and passed the steaks.
Rory appeared content that whatever had been eating at his sister was gone now. Jessica was her usual self, laughing and joking, shoving her brother when he said something rude. Liam gave it right back to her, and there was something in the warm camaraderie that Gavin envied being an only child.
Her parents joined them, her father jumping right into the conversation about the baseball season. They then went on to talk about soccer, hockey, and the NFL. There didn’t seem to be a sport that the Harts weren’t totally invested in, and as he devoured the meal, he thoroughly enjoyed both the food and the company.
To his relief, something about Rory’s presence seemed to keep the personal questions at bay. While the twins, Colin and Coulter, were obviously dying to grill him, Rory and Jessica’s father kept the conversation friendly and casual.
After dinner, Gavin insisted on helping clean up the paper plates, earning an adoring look from Jessica’s mother. Diana, he noticed, couldn’t have been more different from her tomboy daughter, yet it was evident that they enjoyed a close relationship. He could see, however, how Jessica’s uncertainty about her femininity had developed, since she was surrounded by boys who definitely encouraged her more masculine side. Even now she was engaged with the twins in a game of horseshoes, hooting when she ringed the stake and won the game.
“She’s quite a girl. Woman, I mean.” Her father turned to Gavin thoughtfully, his expression sincere. “She went through a rough period last year.”
“I know.” Gavin nodded and drew in a deep breath. “I told Rory I have no intention of hurting her. I mean that.”
“Thank you.” He shook Gavin’s hand, and then reached furtively inside his sweater for a tobacco pouch. “Do you mind?”
Gavin shook his head. Jessica’s father lit his pipe and stared out to the lawn. “She was always a little tomboy. But I remember one time she found a robin that had fallen out of its nest. She tried to take care of it, put it in a box with cotton, some worms, and water. The poor thing died by the next morning, and she was devastated. He’s buried out there, by the big oak tree.” He gestured with his pipe.
Gavin got the message. For all that Jessica acted the tough guy, underneath she was a softy.
It was something he would definitely keep in mind.
–
After dinner when everything had been cleared away, Rory gestured for Gavin to follow him into the backyard. He opened a shed and retrieved a baseball bat, a ball, and a glove.
“Want to play catch?” He grinned.
“Absolutely,” Gavin returned, taking the bat into his hands and testing the weight of it. He could feel curious eyes on him as he assumed batting position and Rory prepared to throw the ball.
“He’s not ready for that—” Jessica started for the field, but before she could reach them Rory threw a nasty slider. To her astonishment, Gavin nailed it, sending it high over the neighbor’s fence and into the pool.
“Holy crap,” Colin said with unfettered enthusiasm, while Coulter applauded.
Jessica’s mouth fell open for the second time that day. When she reached Gavin, her eyes narrowed.
“You’ve been practicing.” Her tone was neutral, as if unsure yet whether or not to approve of what he’d been doing behind her back.
“Yep. You might want to step away. Your brother throws a mean fastball, and I’d hate to miss at your expense.”
She did as he suggested, but she watched him carefully as he once more assumed a batting stance. Gavin took care to shift his weight onto his good leg, and utilizing the compact swing he’d been perfecting, sent the ball into the swimming pool.
This time they all applauded, Jessica included. When they finished fooling around, Gavin strode back to the house with the bat perched on his shoulder as if nothing had ever changed.
“How long has this been going on?” Jessica asked, her eyes twinkling with a mixture of amusement and chagrin.
“For a little while. I’ve been careful, and have been focusing on keeping my upper body still as opposed to a full swing. The funny thing is, I’m actually hitting better than I was before. I don’t know if it’s mechanics or what, but I’m not complaining.”
“You looked really good. The way you were so balanced, and how you hit that pitch…I think we may have to speed up your PT schedule. You’re progressing much faster than anyone would have hoped.”
She was proud of him, proud of his effort and achievements. And as he watched her walk over to Rory to tease him about throwing a girl ball, he was even more determined than ever to get this woman in his life.
–
After Gavin left, followed by her brothers, Jessica went up to bed. Initially she was going to head home, but she had an hour drive ahead of her and heard on the traffic report that there had been an accident on Route 295. Coupled with the fact that she’d had a few beers, she didn’t argue when her mother suggested that she leave in the morning.
She still had a few things in her own room, including some tee shirts and fresh undies. After taking a quick shower, she climbed into bed under the covers, her thoughts racing.
Gavin had made it very clear that he intended to pursue her romantically. A secret part of her was thrilled at the thought, while another part wanted to run as fast as her two legs could carry her.
What was wrong with her? Other women seemed to handle these things so easily, switching from one boyfriend to another like they were changing clothes. Yet here she was in her old room, fighting the urge to burst into tears as if she were five years old again and had skinned her knee playing ball.
WTF?
Her mother came in a few minutes later, and Jessica sat up in bed, wiping quickly at her eyes. She didn’t want either of her parents to know what was going on, how confused she was. But keeping a secret in this house seemed hopeless, a fact confirmed when her mother began to speak softly.
“Are you okay?”
“Sure, why wouldn’t I be?” she lied through her teeth.
Her mother smiled, and Jessica was touched by the understanding and warmth she saw in her gaze. “I have a slice of the cake that Gavin brought here for you. You didn’t get a chance to eat much. I thought you might be a little hungry.”
“Thanks.” She accepted the dessert, even though her stomach was churning. But she didn’t want her mother to worry about her. This was a mess of her own making.
“Gavin seems nice,” her mother commented, sitting on the edge of her bed. She wasn’t leaving. “And he obviously cares about you.”
Jessica sighed, putting the plate on the nightstand. She might as well confess. “I know. He is nice. And…he made it clear that he wants to be with me. But I’m not sure that’s a great idea. After all, he is my client. It’s important to remain professional.”
“I see. But is it a violation of any kind? After all, you don’t work for the Sonics.”
“No, you’re right. As an outsourced company, we don’t have to abide by the same rules. And I know Phil won’t care one way or the other, as long as it doesn’t create a problem in our work environment.” Her eyes closed and she rested back on her pillow.
“It’s what happened to you with Zach, isn’t it?”
She nodded, more than a little surprised that her mother was so tuned in to her emotions. “Yes. And I’m concerned Gavin is on a rebound. He had been dating a model and they broke up after he came here. I don’t know how he’s going to feel when he gets healthy.”
“Listen, I know that Zach didn’t turn out to be the kind of person you deserve. He was also very young, and in an environment that he couldn’t quite handle yet. I think at some point he may grow into the kind of man you saw in him, and then again he may not. But Gavin is very different. I’ve only met him tonight, but he is very mature for his age. And I don’t think you need to worry that he’s carrying a torch for someone else. He is head-over-heels about you.”
Jessica looked at her mother in bewilderment. “How do you know for sure?”
“Oh, there’s no doubt.” Her mother chuckled. “His eyes follow you everywhere. He was trying to hold a conversation with your brother, but at the same time was continuously distracted by you. And rightfully so.” Her mother squeezed her hand.
“But there’s something else.” A buried fear wormed its way to the surface. “I’m not sure that he will fully recover. I haven’t told him, but with the kind of injury he has, it’s fifty-fifty.”
“I know that would be devastating for him,” her mother said softly. “I have a house full of men who are athletes, and sports mean everything to them. If he doesn’t get well, he will need you more than ever. It will take him some time, but he’ll find another way to succeed. He is that kind of man. And you are an amazing woman, and deserve only the best. I don’t know if Gavin can make you happy, but I think you should find out before you shut that door.”
Her mother rose, taking the plate with her as she left. Jessica washed her face, brushed her teeth, and then snuggled beneath her old quilt, feeling much more settled. Her mind went back to the day they were car shopping, when the salesman had told them he, too, had been injured once playing ball. That man had made it back, found another way, and was now happy and successful.
She hoped that didn’t happen to Gavin, but if it did, he would do the same thing. He wasn’t the kind of guy to quit.
So maybe her parents were right. They were not entangled in the same emotional morass, but they had both managed to let her know that she was loved, and that they approved of Gavin.
For some reason, it made a big difference.
Chapter 27
“So how about dinner?”
Gavin waited until they had finished their walk before broaching the question. Jessica had gone out of her way to make sure everything was the same as always; they talked about the Memorial Day picnic, compared notes on her brothers, and even discussed how great the food was.
He found it amusing.
“Dinner?” She glanced at him beneath red-gold lashes, her expression inscrutable. “I’m ready for breakfast.”
As they entered the physical therapy room, she poured a cup of coffee for herself, and then one for him. He watched her with a wry smile, aware that she was dancing around the topic. It wasn’t that she was being coy; she was still afraid of getting hurt again. And he knew exactly how to deal with that.
“Chicken?” The smirk deepened as he accepted the steaming mug, and his eyes met hers with a twinkle.
As predicted, she snorted. “Hardly,” she said over her coffee cup.
“Okay then.” He challenged her. “Tonight. I’ll pick you up at your place.”
“Sure. Why not?”
He had to fight to keep from offering a high-five. Actually, he thought as she returned to her desk and he began his workout, it wasn’t a big deal.
It was a HUGE deal.
And if he weren’t so certain she would shut him down, he’d like to have dinner for breakfast. Starting with dessert.
–
He made a reservation at the Princeton Cafe, a well-known restaurant in town that featured fantastic food and a cozy atmosphere. Utilizing an online app, he found parking nearby and made a note of the cross street where he would find the garage. The weather wasn’t cooperating: the forecast called for rain throughout the evening, so he did not want to leave anything up to chance. He figured he would drop Jessica at the door, park the car, and then meet her back at the restaurant.
What else?
Flowers. Even though her brother warned him against it, he decided to bring her a bouquet just like they did in the old days. After leaving the therapy room early, he headed to town to locate a florist and find something unique just like her.
He found a shop close to where he lived. When he walked in the door, Gavin saw a bewildering array of choices: there were tulips and other spring flowers, gladiolus and calla lilies. There were roses in every imaginable color, along with baby’s breath, ferns, and fillers.
None of them were right. While all of the blooms were beautiful, they all seemed too formal for Jessica. His eyes shifted back to the roses with a frown.
“Can I help you?” A woman peered up from a table where she was cutting ivy for a wedding bouquet.
“I’m looking for something for my girlfriend. I mean, she’s not my girlfriend yet. This is kind of a first date, and I want to make a good impression…”
“How sweet!” The woman beamed at him, and Gavin felt like a total idiot. “So are you thinking the roses? Red is considered more serious, when things are farther down the line. But since you are just getting to know her, maybe peach or yellow?”
“They are very nice, but she isn’t the traditional type. She’s kind of sporty and athletic, but I want to do something romantic.”
If it was possible, the woman looked even more pleased, and Gavin was irresistibly reminded of the cartoons in which a character in love had little hearts breaking out around her head.
“I know the perfect thing. What do you think of wildflowers?”
She retreated to the rear of the store and her head disappeared inside a refrigerator. When she returned a moment later, she was holding a bundle of daisies, cosmos, Queen Anne’s lace, and an assortment of other posies that he couldn’t identify.
“I think that’s it,” he said, charmed by the bouquet. These didn’t appear at all arranged, or as if they had been carefully cultivated in a greenhouse. Instead, the wildflowers looked interesting and beautiful.
Just like Jessica.
“Perfect. I will wrap them up for you. Make sure you put them in water right away. Do you need a vase?”
He glanced at the assortment behind her. Knowing Jess, it wasn’t a stretch to think she didn’t own a fancy container for flowers. “Sure.”
The woman did an amazing job. She arranged the flowers artfully in a glass container, and then placed it inside a cardboard box that held everything firmly in place. When Gavin produced his credit card and she ran up the charge, she handed him the box with the receipt.
“If you put this in the back, the seat belt will hold it in place.”
“Great idea.” He’d been wondering how he was going to get this to Jessica’s condo in one piece.
“Good luck, and if it doesn’t go well, I have a daughter…”
She wiggled her eyebrows at him.
–
Jessica gazed into the mirror, a liquid eyeliner in one hand, a tissue in the other. She tried for the third time to do as Terrell had taught her: dot the liquid along her lash line, and then smudge. But when she did it, she wound up with a black blob that made it look like she’d sprouted a mole on her upper lid.
Giving up, she tossed the makeup into her bag and stepped back to take a critical look at her outfit. Terrell had insisted that she wear a dress, and she felt like a six-year-old playing in her mother’s heels. But she had to admit that the designer dress flattered her athletic build, and the soft spring-green looked great with her coppery hair and ivory skin.
Ruefully, she looked back at the bed. Almost every outfit she owned was now draped either over her headboard or her mattress. She’d have to clean that up when she got home, something she wasn’t looking forward to. But she had been so uncertain about what to wear that the only thing she could think to do was try on everything, then make a decision by process of elimination.
Gavin had left the stadium early that day, and she had to admit she had breathed a sigh of relief. Ever since he had cornered her into accepting a date with him, she had felt as nervous as the proverbial cat on a hot tin roof. Phil had sent her quizzical glances all morning, which she’d ignored, focusing instead on revising Gavin’s workout given his progress.
That thought made her smile as she pictured him smoking the ball into the swimming pool at her parents’ house. Pete was going to be stunned when he saw the hitter’s power. He was well on his way back to the game, and as long as he didn’t reinjure his knee, he might be okay…
The doorbell rang and she nearly jumped out of her skin. What the hell was the matter with her? This was Gavin, her friend, her client. And she hadn’t committed to anything more than dinner. Yet as she got halfway across the floor, she remembered that her room looked as if her closet had thrown up. Racing back, she closed the door behind her and then answered the bell, trying not to look anywhere near as flustered as she felt.
“Hey there,” she said, in an attempt to act casual. But she noticed that he had taken quite a bit of care himself with his appearance. Gavin was drop-dead handsome to begin with, but in a sparkling white shirt, jacket, and tie, she could see why he was considered one of the hottest guys in baseball.
“Hey yourself,” he said with a grin, although his eyes were warm with admiration. “Wow! You look gorgeous.”
“Yeah? I guess I must clean up good. Come on in.”
“I like your place,” he said, casting an eye around the cozy condominium. “I brought you something.”
He tried to hand her the bouquet of flowers, but before Jessica could say another word, she was caught in a sneezing fit. “Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!” She tried to stifle the reaction, but six more sneezes followed in succession. Helplessly, mascara streaming down her face, she raced into the powder room.
“Are you all right?”
It was a full three minutes before she could speak. Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she saw that she looked like a Halloween vampire, eyes red and rimmed with black. Groaning, she had no choice but to fill her hands with soap and water and wash the makeup completely off. Even then as she dried her eyes, she could feel her nose twitching again.
“Gavin, I’m—”
“Allergic,” he guessed, and she heard him open the front door and put the offending flowers outside. “I’m really sorry,” he said when she finally emerged with a wad of tissues.
“Not your fault,” Jessica reassured him, though she was a little dismayed that her hour-long stint with the makeup was all for nothing. “Ragweed and wildflowers do me in every time. I’m okay with the roses and tulips. But not field flowers.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said as he extended his hand. “Ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” she managed, snatching up her jacket and following him through the door.
–
Outside, it was raining even harder than before. “Wait here,” he said, indicating the overhang. Dashing through the deluge, Gavin could see his carefully chosen bouquet becoming battered by the storm.
So much for his first romantic overture: he’d brought an allergic woman flowers. But at least he could keep her from getting soaked…
Yet as he opened the umbrella he’d left in the Jeep, he noticed a couple of the spokes had broken, so half of it flopped like a bird with a broken wing.
Shit! He swore under his breath as he made his way through the sheeting rain. Holding the good side over her, he led Jessica to the car, but as he reached for the door he saw a second too late that she had stepped into a pothole and was up to her ankle in water. Somehow he got her into the car, and then gestured to her condo.
“I’ll run up and get a towel for your shoe.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said with a shrug. “Look, I don’t mind if we stay in. I’ve got a few burgers in the fridge…”
“No way,” he said determinedly, even though he was soaked through to the skin. And although he was uncomfortable, he wanted to make the evening a success, to impress her in spite of a bad beginning.
After starting the car, he backed out of the driveway, stealing a glance at his date. Jessica had leaned over and removed one of her shoes and was holding it upside down, letting the water drain out of the fashionable pump. He tried putting on the heater, thinking it would help them to dry out, but immediately it got too hot and he was forced to turn it down.
The rain was coming down in sheets. As they approached the downtown area, he pulled up to the restaurant, but then he noticed something odd.
The place looked dark. There was no line of people waiting for a table, no host holding open the door and greeting guests. Frowning, he put on his hazards and glanced at Jessica.
“Let me check this out…”
Hopping out of the car, he ran through the rain and approached the inn. The door was locked. There was not a light in the place, and even as he knocked, no one answered. Jessica joined him a moment later, ducking beneath his half-functional umbrella, and she glanced next door.
A man was selling newspapers and tobacco at a small shop. Gesturing to the restaurant, she shouted through the storm, “What’s going on?”
“Closed. Couple of days. Some tax thing.” And then, with typical Jersey attitude, he looked at her as if she were the one wrong. “Where you been?”
“But we had a reservation—” Gavin protested.
“Online?” Jessica glanced at Gavin, and when he nodded, the proprietor shrugged. “They don’t update those things sometimes. That’s why I tell my kids, you gotta call. Can’t trust that Internet crap. People don’t even talk anymore, got their heads buried in their phones even when they go to dinner. It’s bullshit. It’s all bullshit!”
“Right about that,” Gavin said in disgust.
It was definitely bullshit.
