“Well, I’m glad to hear it.”
He was laughing as he walked to the door, stopping as he usually did to give his last two cents worth. “Take my advice, brother. Find some of that heart you left in ashes before it’s too late. She likes you. However, she’s a very smart lady. She knows you’re struggling with something personally.”
“What the fuck did you tell her?”
“Not my place to tell her anything, but you need to. She’s much more perceptive than you’ve given her credit for. Besides,you like her. Maybe a match made in heaven.” Jaxon stared into my eyes. Maybe he was expecting I’d have a magnificent breakthrough. That wasn’t going to happen.
I wasn’t about to explain to him that she was hiding something potentially more dangerous than my personal tragedy.
“You should know better, brother. There is no heaven for men like us. Only hell.”
I headed upstairs first. While the door to her bedroom was closed and it was obvious she’d been inside, there was no sign of her. Yet I gathered a whiff of a lingering scent. Strawberries. The shower gel I’d carelessly tossed into her bag when I’d invaded her space. The fragrance was sweet yet laced with a hint of tanginess suiting her personality.
Even my cock twitched in response.
Wherever she’d gone to, she obviously wanted to be alone. I took the time to toss my jacket and tie, placing the weapon in my drawer. I had others downstairs in strategic locations should one be needed. At this point, I wasn’t going to remind her that my life was dangerous.
As I jogged downstairs, I rolled up my sleeves. After going through the rest of the house, I realized the one area I hadn’t checked was the media room. Somewhere I almost never bothered to enter.
Maybe because I hadn’t added the wing to the house all those years ago for me.
I made a stiff drink, which I needed given every muscle was aching.
And my mind was uncertain what the hell to do with her.
The door was closed and as soon as I entered, I could tell Josette was aware of my presence. Her body stiffened and she even slid further away on the huge oversized sectional couch. Indiana appeared fast asleep, not bothering to lift his head when I moved toward the other end, sitting down.
It took me a few seconds to realize what she was watching.
I’d be damned: it wasIndiana Jones. Near the end of the movie. While I was no psychologist, her selection told me a great deal about her. She needed a hero. She needed someone in her life she could count on. I resisted the urge to interrupt, settling in and taking a swallow of my drink.
The sound coming through the impressive system was loud, the large screen filled with action. The perfect movie for her.
Hell, maybe for me. Who didn’t need a hero now and again?
The seconds ticked by, the electricity in the room increasing.
After a single glance, all my senses were aroused from the sight of her damp hair and bulky robe, the terrycloth unable to hide her beauty. A glass of wine in her hand, she immediately reached for Indiana the second the pup shifted by her side.
Not once did Josette look in my direction, instead concentrating on the big screen. At first, she was tense, but after curling her legs underneath her body, she seemed relaxed, her eyes lighting up as she watched one of the great final scenes. She even jumped slightly as the character wielded his bullwhip.
My guess was she’d seen the movie a half dozen times yet could still find it enthralling.
Just like the unassuming woman I’d allowed into my life.
Completely unlike me.
Yet I didn’t want her to leave. I pulled the glass to my lips, my dick aching more than before.
Suddenly, she laughed, the lilting sound drawing my attention.
Additional seconds ticked by. I could almost count them in my head, one after another. And the tension and electricity continued to mount between us.
I remained still, the various sounds of delight she made trickling into my eardrums. Every part of me ached inside, my muscles tensing. When I brought the drink to my lips, I cursed under my breath from the realization my hand was shaking, the blast of adrenaline keeping me on edge. I couldn’t keep my eyes off her, my chest rising and falling as my cock pressed against my trousers. The hunger would soon be difficult to deny.
What the hell was I supposed to do with my desire for her when I wasn’t certain I could trust her?
Another noise drew my attention, the light from the screen allowing me to see she had tears trickling down both cheeks. While she did everything to hide her emotions, finally shifting a single glance in my direction, I became absorbed in them. I’d thought she was so innocent, unaware of the evils that existed in this world and that I’d dragged her into the danger.
