He took a moment to take in the scene, and more than likely Jackson’s imposing frame, before he put on his hat and turned toward his vehicle. A few seconds later, he was tearing up the road, kicking up dust as he headed toward the front gates.
The heavy press of Jackson’s hand against her shoulder was reassuring, helping Aja relax slightly as she watched Eli’s truck disappear down the road. “I dislike that man, Aja.”
A derisive chuckle shook her shoulders. “Join the club.”
Chapter 21
Jackson sat at the kitchen counter doodling on a notepad as he watched Aja carefully layering what looked to be lasagna ingredients into an extra-long casserole dish.
“Jackson,” she huffed. “When you said you would watch my every move, I didn’t think you meant literally. I’m placing pasta, cheese, and meat sauce on top of each other. Surely there’s something else you can do to secure my safety that doesn’t include this.”
“Maybe I find your culinary skills interesting.”
“You ain’t slick, and you’re not off the hook either. I’m still mad at you about barring Mat from the ranch.”
He stiffened, preparing himself for battle. “Are we really gonna fight again about this?”
“Yeah, we are,” she continued. “But not right now. I firmly believe that fighting while you’re preparing food spoils the meal.”
“Just another reason I love watching you cook. You take so much care when you do it. It’s like watching the creation of art.”
She waved a dismissive hand. “I’m hardly an artist or a chef. I don’t know the difference between julienne cut and a paper cut. I’m simply repeating the same steps that have been passed down from generation to generation in my family.”
Jackson laughed. “That may be. But your cooking is still better than most, so I’m not the least bit bored watching you. Besides, you always seem so content when you’re doing it.”
She placed the ladle full of meat sauce carefully in a nearby pot as she stared at him. “Is that your way of saying you think this cooking thing is women’s work? You do know most cooking schools are filled with male students?”
He chuckled. “My daddy didn’t raise no fool. I’m not stupid enough to let something like that slip out of my mouth. I wasn’t assigning a gender role. I happen to have been raised by a single father who insisted my brother and I contribute to the family upkeep by cooking and cleaning.”
She raised a skeptical brow, and a loud ball of laughter swelled in his chest, pressing against his insides until Jackson set it free into the air. “I swear it’s the truth.”
“So you’ve had me sweating over a stove for you when you knew how to cook all along?”
He pointed an accusing finger at her. “Now, Counselor, you can’t blame me for that. You never asked if I could cook. You simply shoved a plate in my face.”
She threw a nearby hand towel at him. “Watch it there. Your chauvinistic tendencies are showing, cowboy.”
He caught the towel and waved it in surrender. He laughed again, this time in a silent but deep chuckle that made his entire body shake. When he caught his breath, he marveled at how easily laughter seemed to come when he was in her presence.
Maybe that was why he liked being around her so much. She made him laugh.That ain’t the only reason, and you know it.“I really wasn’t trying to be a chauvinist. I was simply observing that you seem relaxed, as if you forget about all the real-world hardships when you’re cooking. I’ve been told I do the same when I draw.”
“Draw? That’s what you’ve been over there doing? I thought you were doodling on the notepad.”
He was slightly surprised himself that he was drawing. The desire to put more than a few uninspired lines on the page hadn’t filled him in a long time. “Yeah, I haven’t done it in a while. But watching you doing something that made you that content inspired me to do the same.”
A bright smile spread across her face. “May I see?”
He was hesitant. He hadn’t shared his art with anyone since the world was pulled from under him. Sharing this with Aja, even after the intimacy of sex, felt like he was stepping further over the line than he should.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I was just curious.”
He put his pencil down and slid the notepad toward her. She grabbed a nearby towel before carefully picking up the notepad as if it contained a masterpiece instead of the doodling of a bored Ranger.
“Jackson.” She whispered his name like it was a prayer. “Is this how you see me?”
He swallowed uncomfortably. The last thing he wanted to do was offend her with his untrained drawing. “It’s a hobby. I told you, I haven’t done it in a long time. It’s not very good.”
He reached over to take the notepad, and she pulled it away from his grasp. “A hobby? This is beautiful. If I hadn’t been here to watch you draw it, I never would’ve believed this is me.”
