Forever Wishes (Montana Brides Book 4) (2 page)

A warm smile lit his eyes. “And the night has just begun.”

Jake walked past tables of laughing guests. He stopped every few feet to say hello to people he knew and introduce Erin to the people she hadn’t met before. She chatted happily with everyone, and a heavy weight lifted from his shoulders.
 

He could have strangled Sam when he’d told him Nicky had invited one of her friends to the ball, especially when he’d said Erin was a librarian. He’d expected to meet a woman who enjoyed a solitary, intellectual life with her daisies and cats. He couldn’t have been more wrong if he’d tried.
 

She was stunning. Her jet-black hair hung in waves around her shoulders and sea-green eyes looked directly at him, daring him to be the first to look away. A smattering of freckles across her nose changed her look instantly from sultry to mischievous. For once in his life he wasn’t annoyed at being outmaneuvered by a friend who should have known better.
 

When they reached their table, Erin grinned at him. “I’m impressed that you know so many people.”

 
“I grew up on a ranch just outside of Bozeman. I’ve spent a lot of time commuting between Los Angeles and Montana so I’ve been able to keep in touch with some of the people here.” He pulled out a chair, waiting for her to sit down before moving to his seat. “Would you like a glass of wine or water?”

Erin looked at the bottles sitting in the middle of the table. “A glass of white wine please. So tell me about yourself. Nicky said you’re a spokesperson for Camp Discovery.”

“That’s right. The charity ball is one of our major fundraisers for the year. The whole organization is run by volunteers. Without events like this we couldn’t open our summer camps for kids with special needs.” Jake poured two glasses of wine. “Sam told me you’re a librarian. What made you choose that career?”

“Books and people. I’ve always loved reading and I like organizing events that make people happy.” Leaning forward, Erin whispered, “And we don’t even tell people to be quiet when they come into the library.”

“I’ll have to trade my online account for a library card. Are lawyers that haven’t set foot in a library for years allowed to visit?”

“Everyone’s welcome. Especially if they bring chocolate fudge to tempt the librarians.”
 

“You’ve got yourself a deal.” He smiled at the grin on Erin’s face. “What do you do when you’re not working?”

“I rip up old carpet, sand floors, and paint walls.”

“A renovation addict,” he groaned. “You’ve probably got an arsenal of tools hidden away, too.”

“Not hidden. They take pride of place in my garage.”
 

“I’m impressed, but I can’t say the demolition bug has ever struck me. I’m a glass and steel man. I like new, low maintenance buildings.” A lot like the women he’d dated. They’d enjoy each other’s company for as long as it took them to get bored with each other and then call it quits.
 

“You definitely wouldn’t like my home,” Erin said. “Sometimes it feels like I’m living in a construction site. I’m working on the family room at the moment. I’ve got another day of painting ahead of me and then I can move all of my furniture back where it belongs. It’s going to look amazing.”

“Don’t tell me…frilly curtains, big rugs and old furniture?”

 
“No to the frilly curtains, but yes to everything else.”

He took another sip of wine, imagining Erin covered in paint and drywall cement. The thought had a lot going for it. “You should meet my sister. She lives on our family ranch with her son, Ethan, and a flea-bag dog called Mad Max. Her home’s full of big comfy sofas, lots of cushions, and a mountain of books. We’ve just finished painting the outside of her house.”
 

“You paint?”
 

“Don’t look so surprised,” he grinned. “I came cheap. The promise of home baking had me waiting on her doorstep with a paintbrush in my hand.”

“Did I tell you that as well as being able to list the top ten bestsellers, I can cook just about anything?”

“My taste buds are drooling already.” Sitting back in his chair, he laughed at the smile on her face. “How many rooms do you still need to paint?”

“I’m nearly finished. After the family room there’s only two left to go.”

“If you need any help, let me know.”

“Thank you, Mr. Williams. I might just take you up on your offer.”

He reached across the table for a carafe of water, bringing him closer to Erin’s body. The sweet soft scent of her perfume reminded him of cinnamon and honey. Or maybe it was just her. He knew next to nothing about Erin, but something in her happy smile tugged at him, drawing him toward her.
 

But any woman who looked as good as she did couldn’t be anything but a complication in his life. He wasn’t looking for complications. His family provided enough of those.
 

She laughed at something Nicky said and he wondered if it was time to forget about keeping things simple, forget about his family problems and embrace chaos head on.
 

Erin’s gaze locked with his and everything around him stilled. A soft blush warmed her cheeks and his heart thudded in his chest.

 
“Why did you get chosen as spokesperson?” she asked.
 

Jake held his breath. He hadn’t expected her question to leave him feeling so off center. He’d answered the same question so many times it shouldn’t have surprised him, but the whole evening had turned into one surprise after another. “My brother has Down syndrome. When he was younger, there wasn’t much support for kids like Scott. I wanted to do something to help other families dealing with the same issues.” He straightened his knife and fork, nudging them across the table.
 

“It must have been hard on your family.”

He looked up and nodded. “Since dad died it’s been even harder on mom.” And on everyone else. Understanding that his brother needed some space of his own wasn’t the easiest thing for his mom to come to terms with. Scott wanted his own life. And that included moving out of her home and living in his own apartment.
 

Erin sat back, looking like something had upset her. “Hey, what’s put that sad look in your eyes?”

She took a deep breath. “Family. My parents died in an accident last year. When you lose someone you love, it makes you appreciate everything they’ve done for you. Probably more than when they were alive.”

Jake put his hand on top of hers, gently squeezing her fingers. Erin lifted her gaze. He could see the same grief he’d felt after his father’s death reflected in her eyes. The same sense of loss that made him catch his breath and wish for one more day with his dad.

Jake gave her hand another squeeze. “When I told Sam about Camp Discovery he came up with ten reasons why the committee asked me to be spokesperson. And none of them involved Scott.”

“Knowing Sam, I’d say he put your involvement down to good looks and not being able to say no.” Erin’s hand flew to her mouth. “Not that there’s anything wrong with helping other people. And you are good looking.” She sank lower in her chair, blushing until her face matched the color of her dress. “I think hiding under the table might be my best option tonight. Or I could try a mouth gag.”
 

Jake threw back his head and laughed. “I’m glad you’re here.”
 

 
“Me too, if you don’t take my runaway mouth too seriously.”
 

“It depends on where it’s running to,” he whispered.
 

Erin sent a haughty glare toward him, but ruined the whole effect by fanning her hot face with the menu card. “Jake Williams, I don’t know what to do with you.”

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

Over the next few hours, Erin decided there were lots of little something’s she could think of doing with Jake. But none of them involved sitting in a ballroom surrounded by people she knew.
 

He leaned forward, listening to something Sam said, and his arm slid along the back of her chair. She took a deep appreciative breath. He even smelt good. Pine, wood smoke and man all rolled into one delicious parcel. She glanced sideways, trying to work out why every hormone in her body went on high alert around him.
 

He had a great sense of humor and cared about other people. But kindness didn’t account for the tingles crashing through her body every time their eyes met, or they way her body melted with one touch from his hand. Maybe she just needed to relax and enjoy his company. Tonight wasn’t about happy-ever-after. It was about fun, wrapped up in a delicious six-foot-plus package.

Her gaze slid over his face, following the line of his jaw to gently pouting lips tilted into a smile. He turned his head, catching her gaze with blue eyes that were far too knowing. She wiggled back in her chair.

Living dangerously was harder than she thought. It took a lot of dedication and commitment to let a man know she wanted his body wrapped around hers. After years of being safe and sensible, she didn’t know if she was up to the challenge.

She turned toward him. “Jake…”

The heat in his smile would have melted an iceberg. “My answer’s yes.”

Erin frowned. “To what?”

He leaned forward, rubbing the side of his face against hers. His lips moved against her ear sending goose bumps streaking along her skin. “To what you’re thinking,” he whispered.
 

Oh Lord. Erin leaned into the soft kiss brushing against her cheek. She didn’t know whether to grab him by the collar and haul him home now, or grin like an idiot in Nicky’s direction. She’d done it. Erin Reynolds, library manager, renovation guru, and the person most unlikely to jump a man’s bones after one date had an offer she wasn’t going to turn down.

 
He sat back in his chair, his hand gently resting above hers on the table.
 

And then the sensible, common sense part of her brain kicked in. The part she thought she’d left at home. “What if I don’t want to do something about your answer?”
 

His thumb started to gently rub her fingers. “We enjoy each other’s company and see what happens next.”

Erin let go of the breath she’d been holding. She might be feeling reckless, but she wasn’t stupid. “You’ve got a deal.”

“I’ll look forward to your decision.” He lifted her hand to his lips and lightly kissed the top of her knuckles.
 

Heat rushed to Erin’s face as she looked into his laughing blue eyes. Eyes that could tease and tempt a woman until she turned to putty in his hands. “I’m beginning to think you’re a menace to the female population.”

“Only the one that counts.”

A waiter cleared his throat and she nearly leapt out of her chair. Grabbing the dessert menu she closed her eyes, and randomly stabbed at the card. “Blueberry pie, please.” The waiter moved around the table and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Jake laughed. “Quite a scientific approach you have there.”

Science didn’t account for the hormones zinging around her body and neither did logic. It was chemistry. Good old fashioned lust mixed with a mega dose of biological necessity. “Sometimes the best outcomes come out of totally unexpected choices.”

The grin that lit his face sent her pulse skittering.
 

In a gentle voice he said, “I couldn’t agree more.”

Jake wasn’t impressed when a buzz of excitement swept through the ballroom. Heavy black curtains opened on the stage to reveal a huge variety of goods waiting to go under the hammer. The charity auction was about to start.

Raising his champagne flute in Jake’s direction, Sam said, “This should be interesting. Let’s hope you’re treated with kindness and compassion by the mob of hot women in the audience.”

Jake choked on his wine, sending an evil glare across the table.
 

Erin frowned. “What’s going on?”
 

“I’m about to be mobbed by a group of women hoping for an up close and personal encounter with a lawyer.” For the last three years, his sister had put his name forward for the fundraising auction, in some sick perverse joke that only she found funny. No matter what he offered in his place, the fundraising committee wouldn’t budge. It was his body or nothing. He damn well wondered why he hadn’t called it quits and added a hefty donation to their bank account instead of agreeing to his sister’s crazy plan.