She pulled her head from his shoulder, looking up into his eyes with a playful smile.
“You just saw me a few hours ago. How could you possibly miss me?”
“Every moment away from you is an opportunity to miss you.”
He leaned down, placing a chaste kiss on her lips. Not that they needed to hide from anyone. But they both lived and worked in a small town, no need to give the gossips more material to run with.
“I don’t remember you being this smooth when we were kids. I guess living in New York has upped your game.”
“Beg your pardon.” He lifted a brow in mock offense. “Outside of tutoring Michael, you spent exactly zero time with me when we were kids. If you had, you’d know my game was always tight. You just wouldn’t give me the time of day, so I never had a chance to show you my skills.”
“Is that what tonight’s about?” she asked with a sexy smile curving the corners of her plush, tempting mouth. “You’re going to show me your game?”
“Darling, I’ve been showing you my game since we ran into eachother at Vanessa’s shop. That’s why you’re looking cute, waiting for me on your doorstep.”
Her smile grew wider and he knew he had her. He was about to go in for another kiss when she stepped back and rubbed her neck. It gave him pause.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” She continued to rub the back of her neck for a bit more before raising her eyes to him. “Unpleasant interactions with my mom always leave me a little stiff. I’ll be fine. Let’s go.”
His jaw tightened as his mind could only guess at how bad things must have gotten with her mother if she was still trying to nurse a tension-sore neck several hours later.
He’d wanted to stay, but was trying to give Janae the space she needed to navigate this thing building between them. But now that he saw her, he knew he should’ve followed his mind and stayed and weathered whatever storm Evelyn Tate whipped up around them.
Lesson learned.
If he could help it, he wasn’t about to leave her in a situation like that again. She’d more than likely be pissed with him, but at least he wouldn’t have to walk around wanting to kick himself for not following his first instinct.
When she leaned down to grab her knapsack that was sitting on the porch, he snatched it up and put it on his shoulder before lacing his fingers through hers and guiding her down the steps. When they reached the passenger side of his car, he opened the door, then helped her inside, and shared a quick wink with her before he closed the door. As he placed her bag in the back and settled inside the driver’s seat, he looked over at her one last time and asked, “Are you ready?”
When she whispered, “More than,” he leaned over, taking her mouth in another brief kiss, counting the agonizing moments to when he could take as much as he wanted from her.
Pulling away, he started the ignition and gave her one last longing glance, saying, “As my lady wishes,” before he pulled out of her driveway.
Janae reached for the car door handle when she heard Adam’s deep voice fill the car.
“Please don’t touch that handle.”
She didn’t have to look in the mirror to feel her brows tugging into a tight vee.
“Why not? I can open my door myself.”
“I didn’t ask you what you could do, Janae. I know you’re capable of opening the door. I simply asked that you didn’t.”
She shook her head. “I don’t know why this chivalry thing is so important to you. It’s just a car door, Adam.”
Janae watched him grip the steering wheel, his fingers tightening around the twisted leather cover as he sat quietly before turning his stony expression to her.
“Janae, I get that you are a woman who is used to doing for herself. Independence is a great thing. But it can also be a detriment when it becomes a trauma response to never having anyone take care of you.”
“Excuse me.” She was barely able to get the words out before he lifted a finger to interrupt her. Just who the hell he thought he was, she didn’t know.
“Before you get ready to read me, answer me this question. When was the last time someone did something for you without being asked?”
Janae opened her mouth to reply, but as she searched her memories, she couldn’t find an answer to Adam’s question.
“Janae, you are a leader. A fighter. Anyone who spends five minutes in your presence can easily see that. But people who do everything for everyone else, they don’t usually have a chance to spendtime taking care of themselves. When you’re with me, I don’t want you to have to think about anything. I want you to know when we’re together, I will take care of your every need, no matter how big or seemingly inconsequential.”
