Evidence of Trust (16 page)

Jackson tossed a couple twenties on the table next to their bill, then gave Gina a pointed glance and stood. Joel shifted to give her room to rise and his leg brushed Britt’s beneath the table again. This time, she was sure it wasn’t on purpose, yet an instant jolt of awareness had her asking herself the question she’d been avoiding since last night—what was she willing to give him?

“I guess we’re going to head out now,” Gina said. “I’m working in Denver for a couple days, Britt, so I’ll be staying at Jackson’s.”

“Sounds good.” She shifted her gaze. “It was nice to meet you, Jackson.”

The computer programmer barely offered a nod to her and the others before ushering Gina toward the door. Her friend tossed an apologetic smile over her shoulder and Britt grinned to let her know all was fine. Once they were gone, she let her frown free.

“Friendly guy,” Joel commented with more than a little sarcasm.

Across the table, Jayne made a face. “You’d think he’d at least try to join in the conversation instead of sitting there looking bored.”

Gina’s parents had introduced the two, probably hoping he could talk her back into the programming world she’d gone to college for and then turned her back on to follow her dreams. Britt wondered if she stuck it out with the guy in deference to them, or did she really have feelings for him? Either way, she hoped Gina stayed true to her heart.

The truth of that thought hit hard and started her own heart pounding. Maybe that’s what she should consider doing.

“We need to get going, too,” Casey said with a glance at his watch. “The movie starts in twenty minutes.”

“Any of you guys want to come with?” Jayne invited.

Beside her, Randy pulled out his wallet. “What do you say, Britt? You got plans?”

She couldn’t help a glance at Joel. He met her gaze over the rim of his glass as he drained the remainder of his beer. Something indefinable in those eyes kept her pulse tripping at its elevated clip. After setting the empty glass down, he got to his feet and set a twenty on his bill. “Thanks for the company. Nice to meet you, Jayne. You all have a good night.”

Disappointment crowded in as he turned away. Without giving herself a chance to think of the wisdom of her actions, she said, “Joel. Can you wait a minute?”

He stopped and faced them again. His gaze shifted from her to Randy and back, reminding her about the movie. She got up and pushed her chair in before resting a hand on Randy’s shoulder. “I’m going to pass on the movie, but thanks anyway. Have fun and I’ll see you at work tomorrow, Case.”

Muscles bunched beneath her palm, and she withdrew her hand when Randy rose to his feet. “I should probably get some things done at home. See you guys later.” He inclined his head. “Joel.”

He nodded back as Randy turned to leave after Casey and Jayne. Once they were gone, Britt took a deep breath and looked up at Joel. She wasn’t exactly sure why she’d asked him to wait, so she seized on the only excuse she could think of.

“Did you bring my SD card with you?”

He slipped his hands into his front pockets and hunched his shoulders. “It’s at my apartment.”

“Oh.”

“You’re welcome to follow me and pick it up.”

The offer, in that low voice of his, started her pulse skipping along again. “Um…”

“I’ve got ice cream.”

His persuasive smile sparked her own. “What kind?”

“Caramel fudge swirl.”

“Caramel
and
fudge, can’t say no to that.”

He motioned toward the door with his head. “After you.”

They parted ways in the parking lot, then she followed him through Estes Park, wondering what the heck she was doing.

You know exactly what you’re doing.

She sucked in a shaky breath and blew it back out slowly. True.

Joel pulled into the driveway of a duplex, and she parked her truck curbside on the street. She ducked her head to peer across the passenger seat. After another deep breath, she stepped out and crossed the driveway to the door he held open for her.

“Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”

He directed her to the living room and continued toward the back, to the kitchen, she assumed. Her nerves were too on edge to sit calmly and wait, so she remained standing by the couch. For some reason, she’d expected more of a bachelor pad, with dark furniture and maybe some wildlife pictures—not the generic flower prints and light, neutral furniture. It reflected none of his dynamic personality.

The only signs of him were a jacket slung over a chair, and a pair of hiking boots by the door next to a backpack. There were no personal pictures, no magazines on the coffee table, not even any mail lying around.

Hard core reality dawned with more impact than she’d expected, even though she was, as he put it, well aware of the score. He never stayed in one place longer than he was needed. He would catch the bad guys here, then take off after the next ones somewhere else. Of course he wouldn’t carry a lot of stuff with him from place to place.

She sat down and rubbed her damp palms on the legs of her jeans as he returned from the kitchen with a bowl in each hand. He handed one over, then sat beside her on the couch. Close enough for his leg to brush hers and keep that awareness at a hyper-sensitive level.

With her first bite of the creamy dessert, vanilla, caramel and fudge melted on her tongue. She closed her eyes to savor the flavor with a low, “
Mmm
.”

Silence in the room brought her eyes open again. Joel pulled the spoon from his mouth, his heated gaze locked on her lips.

She quickly swept her spoon in an arc to encompass the room, then scooped up another bite. “You don’t have any pictures of your family.”

“My life doesn’t allow for clutter.”

She paused, the ice cream halfway to her mouth. “You consider your family clutter?”

“I didn’t mean it that way. There’s just my dad, and my picture of him is right here.” He tapped his head with his forefinger. “When I said clutter, I meant literally. I don’t have the time to pack and unpack pictures or sentimental objects because I never know if I’ll be someplace a few days, a week, a month. But I guess it would apply figuratively as well.”

Fair warning
.

She struggled to keep a frown from her forehead. “Precisely my reason for not dating here. Makes no sense when I don’t plan to stay.”

“I don’t get that.”

“Why? It’s no different than you.”

“I mean, why not stay? I saw how much you love the mountains when we were up at the overnight camp.”

“I do,” she confirmed with a soft sigh. “But it’s more complicated than that.”

“Your father.” He shifted and drew up one leg so that he faced her.

“Yes, my father.” She leaned her shoulder against the back of the couch and mirrored his pose. “He’s been planning on me taking a place at his side since high school.”

“Those high expectations you mentioned. Double major, honors graduate, take over the company someday.”

Her smile bloomed, then faded at his perceptiveness.

“Do you want to work with him?”

“It would be challenging, that’s for sure.” For more reasons than one.

“Doesn’t answer my question.”

“Six weeks ago, I knew exactly what I wanted.”

He set his spoon in the bowl and set the bowl on the coffee table. “What changed?”

Her ice cream was melting. She held onto it though, staring down into the dark swirl of chocolate through the vanilla. “My fiancé cheated on me. My father still promoted him.”

“Sounds like a sonofabitch.”

She laughed at that. “Which one?”

“Both of ’em.” He leaned forward and laid his hand on her knee. “I’m sorry.”

“Thanks. Mark’s wife is on bed rest to avoid a third miscarriage, so that’s the reason I gave my father for my being here. It
is
the main reason I’m here, to give Mark time off this summer, but I also needed to get away from the whole situation—from him. Daniel’s betrayal hurt less than my father not standing up for me.”

Saying it out loud brought on a sudden sting of tears. She quickly rose to carry her bowl into the kitchen. Joel’s footsteps sounded behind her. He set his dish next to hers before sliding his hand over the counter to grasp hers.

She kept her back to him as the unexpected pain mushroomed. “I’m his daughter,” she choked out. “I’m supposed to matter more than anything else, you know?”

“I do know. More than you know,” he whispered.

His hand tightened on hers. Threading their fingers together, he moved in close and his strong arms wrapped her in a tight embrace. She leaned back into his warmth, savoring the comfort he offered as she wiped the tears that’d spilled over.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he admonished. “You deserve better.”

She agreed. Joel’s declaration that her father was a sonofabitch opened her eyes. Of course, her mother had already told her the same thing, but it held a little more weight coming from someone who hadn’t resented him for the past fifteen years.

She became aware of his chin resting on her shoulder, the light prick of his whiskers against her neck. Beneath his forearm, her heart rate picked up speed, and she felt his do the same against her back.

Joel might not offer her more than a few weeks—or even past tonight, but maybe that was just what she needed. A man who was completely up front with her.

No expectations.

No lies.

No disappointment.

She closed her eyes and turned her head toward his. “I know what I want. For tonight, anyway.”

Chapter 19

The husky words seared through Joel, igniting the banked fire in his veins. The past half-hour had been torture. After each spoonful of dessert, she’d licked her lips. And each time he saw her tongue, he’d felt a thread of his control unravel. She drove him crazy with an act as simple as eating ice cream. He prayed to God she would finish, and in the next instant thought of offering her more.

Until her father entered the conversation. What a bastard.

On an emotional level, he completely understood her pain. Physically, her tears had put an ache in his chest, something he’d never experienced before. Just as unfamiliar, the need to comfort.

And now, suddenly she turned in his arms and pressed her lips to his, her mouth hot, eager. A second of surprise was instantly overridden by a desire that had been put on simmer for far too long. He buried one hand in her hair and wrapped the other arm about her waist to pull her close.

Seconds later, she dragged his shirt from the waistband of his jeans, then wedged her arms between them. Unsteady fingers fumbled with the buttons on his shirt.

He lifted his hands to clasp hers. “Slow down.”

She didn’t listen.

Despite the need pulsing through him, something wasn’t sitting right, and he offered a second half-hearted protest. “This might not be such a good idea.”

She pulled her hands from his and wound her arms around his neck. “It’s the best idea I’ve had all day.”

Me, too
.

Except she’d specifically said she didn’t do benefits. More than once. So what was the sudden turn around about?

Why the hell are you
thinking
right now?

The answer hit him, and he groaned in frustration. The sound vibrated from deep in his throat, and he felt her smile against his mouth. Her tongue slid against his, drawing him in, seducing him with the promise of heaven to come.

With her plastered against him, he almost forgot about everything else. She felt right in his arms. Not just good, or even amazing, but
right.

Like he could keep her there forever.

His heart thumped hard. He broke the kiss and tried to suck air into lungs that refused to let any in. She was still too close. He couldn’t think straight with her soft breasts pressed to his chest, her hips practically cradling his straining erection. The need to bury himself in her heat had him spinning them both around to pin her against the counter.

She held on as he devoured her mouth. Tasting, sucking, delving so deep the pressure in his groin built to unbearable level. He ground his hips against hers and her soft moan filled his mouth.

God, what was he doing?

He reached up to grab her wrists, then dragged her arms down from around his neck.

Confusion clouded her eyes. “What?”

“Clutter.”

“What?”

He cleared his throat and went for more than one word. “I told you, my life doesn’t allow for clutter.”

She stiffened and leaned back. The movement bent her slightly over the counter and put her hips back into contact with his. He jerked as if poked with a branding iron.

“I was kissing you Joel, not asking you to marry me.”

“But you don’t do casual.”

Her gaze dropped to his chest, and she lifted a shoulder. “Maybe I changed my mind. What’s the problem as long as we both know the score?”