“He’s like a brother to me,” I repeated.
“Girl, nobody’s brother looks like that. And that voice gives me the shivers.”
I couldn’t disagree, but I tried to laugh it off. The last thing I needed during my current crisis was to think about my newfound attraction to Jake.
A few customers come in, and we went back to work. When things settled down, Neil moved on to another topic. Unfortunately, his words remained with me.
By the time I pulled into the driveway, I was worn to the bone. Yet I was disappointed Jake’s house was dark already. I’d gone years without seeing him, and now, a day was too long.
I did some yoga to work out the stress of the day and took a shower. Once I settled into bed and put my phone on the charging pad, I noticed an unread text message.
I’d been dreading Beau’s message. He didn’t know I uncovered his deceit, and I expected him to pretend he gave a shit about me.
I steeled myself to read it, but my bones turned to liquid when I clicked on the message.
Unknown Sender: Glad you’re home safe tonight, Dani Girl. Sleep well.
I fell asleep with a cat on my chest, and a smile on my face.
Chapter 7
JAKE
It’s been two days, and I can’t stop thinking about her. God, Dani looked good. She’d always been athletic. I wonder if she still rode horses or dirt bikes near the old mine because she was even more fit than before.
I barely reacted when she tackled me, but it was impossible to miss how perfectly she felt in my arms. I was taller and broader than before I left, and she was just a little thing, but it was somehow perfect.
When she leaned in to me, and her soft breasts pressed into my chest, I had to think about Sparrow’s aggressively flirtatious friends toavoid springing a boner.
Her scent filled my senses as she hugged me. Then a light wind blew a few strands of her long, soft hair in my face, and all my years of moving on disappeared. I wanted to wrap that long hair around my fist–
Nope, can’t go there.
It was impossible, but I still wished she was beside me right now.
“Yeah, right. Because even in the midst of disaster,she’snot sleeping on the floor, dumbass.”
She was a mess, no doubt about it, and it was crushing her. She’d always been more alive and vibrant than anyone I ever met. That was part of why she was impossible to get over and why I’d never be good enough.
After all I’ve been through, I’m nothing but a shell of person. I know it, and she knows it. She may have been happy to see me, but that’s nostalgia. It’ll wear off. There’s nothing special about me to hold her attention for long.
If she hadn’t said anything, I’d have known she was going through some shit. She wore it in the stoop of her shoulders and the lack of animation in her features.
I wanted to fix it, whatever put that desolate, broken look in her eyes. I wasn’t good for much, but the army taught me more than how to turn wrenches. If she needed protection from whoever gave her those haunted eyes, that I could do.
“Fucking hell,” I said.
I needed a dog so I’d have someone to talk to, someone to love. Five minutes in her presence, and I was losing my mind and ready to throw away my peaceful future and dreams of a family of my own.
That wasn’t fair. My dreams of home and family were ripped away long Dani flung herself in my life. I couldn’t blame her for Blair’s infidelity and lies.
It didn’t matter anyway. I was on hiatus from dating, and Dani would never be interested in me. Just as well.
Relationships never worked out for me, and I didn’t crave them. I’d be fine with the occasional out-of-town hookup if my hand got tiresome. For now, y books and my hand were enough.
Last night, I pulled up a corner of the carpet to see what was underneath, and I was relieved to find hard wood. My first major task would be to remove all the carpet to determine if I’d need to replace the flooring, or if I could refinish it.
After a few hours, I tossed my floor scraper, pliers, respirator, and gloves onto the kitchen counter. My back was killing me, and I was eager for a hot shower before my dinner with Daniel and Patricia.
