“You took the words right out of my mouth,” I say, stepping toward the hallway.
He grabs my bag and follows me out the front door, neither of us looking back.
CHAPTER 17
JESSI
After I shower and unpack my toiletries, I run downstairs and see Jack waiting for me.
He must have also showered. He’s in fresh dark jeans and a white long-sleeved thermal. He rolled up the sleeves to his elbows, showcasing his broad muscles and tattoos. The strands of his hair are a shade darker than usual due to them still dripping with water. God, I don’t know how he doesn’t have women falling all over him. He’s so sexy.
I stop.How do I know he doesn’t? He just might not bring them home.
“Hey, Jack. Do you have a girlfriend?” I blurt out of nowhere.
He tilts his head to the side and slowly meets my gaze while flashing me the most wickedly attractive smile I’ve ever seen. “Why do you want to know?”
Shit. Shit. Shit.I didn’t think this through. I don’t even know why I asked. “Well, I didn’t know if I should expect anyone else coming and going . . . or if there might be times when I need to stay out of your hair. You might want some, uh, alone time.” Sweet Jesus, I sound like a prude.
“Some alone time?”
Heat crawls up my face.Kill me now.
He watches me fumble over my words, his eyes crinkling deeper the longer I blab.
“No girlfriend. But I do have friends who are women, and you’ll probably meet a few if you ever check out the MC. I spend a lot of time there. No pressure, though. It’s something to do if you get bored.” Now he’s the one stammering.
“Sure. I’d love to.”
He clears his throat. “Great! Yeah, no girlfriend, in the way you mean it. I like my life as it is. I don’t want to settle down, get married, or have kids. Many women have said they support that, and after a few months they think they can change me, but it never works. Now, I refuse to even go there. It’s easier not to get attached.”
“You don’t want to get married or have kids someday?” I ask.
“Nope,” he says, ending the discussion.
“Hmm.” A drop of annoyance pokes me at the idea of this perfect man choosing the solitary life.
I drop the subject, but then Jack starts talking again. “Jessi, it’s your house now. I want you to feel at home. You never need to leave for any reason. Do you understand?”
I bite my lip and nod.
His eyes drop to my mouth. His jaw ticks, like he’s trying to fight his thoughts. “Okay, grocery store time. What’s the plan?”
“I was thinking something easy for meal prep—chicken, vegetables, a starch, and whatever else catches our eye for the week.”
Jack side-eyes me. “What the hell is a starch? You know what, never mind. Whatever you had in those containers looked fire. I trust you. Let’s go.”
We take Jack’s truck to the Walmart in town. The car is a classic of some sort, I’m sure, based on how old it appears. Its black exterior matches its black interior, and the car’s main cabsmells exactly like Jack. I drink in the scent, thinking if I stay too long in its presence, I’ll pass out from bliss.
I easily slide across the smooth leather and watch Jack’s tattooed hands grip the steering wheel. He’s so sexy, even when making the most boring of movements.
“I don’t drive her much,” Jack says. The manual lever squeaks as he rolls his window down. “I love her, but she isn’t a bike.”
He turns on some music. “Got You (Where I Want You)” by The Flys emanates through the speakers. I roll my window down too, letting the wind whip through my hair and the sun warm my face. There’s nothing better than the smell of freshly cut grass on a warm day. I close my eyes to soak it in.
I must have dozed off for a minute, because the next thing I know, Jack is pinching me playfully on the side of my thigh. My eyes snap open and zero in on Jack. “Sorry,” I say.
“No problem. We’re here.”
