Hometown Love (10 page)

Funny, so had he. “We’ll see. No promises.”

Grace gripped her stuffed dog, Mr. Whiskers, tighter her eyes already starting to droop. “Love you, Daddy.”

“I love you, too.”

When Mack went back outside, he found Jessie still sitting near the fire. “She’s already asleep.” Rather than take his seat from before, he sat in the one to Jessie’s right.

“I guess she had to run out of energy at some point. I ran out of it an hour ago.”

In the fire pit, a log crackled sending tiny sparks up. “Tell me about it. I wouldn’t know what to do with all her energy.” Mack watched the flames dancing for a moment, the sight a bit hypnotizing. “She liked having you here tonight.” He realized that now with Grace in bed Jessie would be leaving. Although he’d never once considered spending an evening with Jessie before, he didn’t want her to leave now. “She wants you to come back tomorrow.” He leaned a little closer, his forearm brushing hers.

Jessie moistened her bottom lip and swallowed. “Don’t you—”

Before she could finish her sentence, he leaned even closer. “
I
want you to come back tomorrow.” Mack closed the distance between them and touched his lips to hers.

Jessie remained rigid, reminding him of a stone pillar with her hands gripping the chair, but she kissed him back as if not a hundred percent sure she should. When he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, she relaxed, but her kisses stayed tentative.

Slipping his other hand under her hair, he cupped her head as he traced her lips with his tongue, hoping she’d get the hint and open her mouth to him. He didn’t have to wait long. The moment her lips parted, he surged forward. She tasted like marshmallow, chocolate, and something unique and appealing, something that was a part of Jessie and Jessie alone. Applying more pressure with his lips, he let his tongue meet hers, allowing them each a chance to get to know each other better.

A feather-light touch brushed his arm then moved higher until it left his bare skin and continued up his shirtsleeve. A similar touch slid across his other arm, and soon both of Jessie’s hands rested on his shoulders, sending warmth through the cotton material and into his body.

After a week of Jessie popping up in his thoughts, the feel and taste of her was taking over his brain and bringing other parts of his body online. It had been months since he’d last had sex and his body was taking this opportunity to remind him of that fact. As if sensing where his thoughts had headed, Jessie pulled away. In the firelight, he saw her eyes grow wide as her brain registered what they’d been doing. She opened her mouth as if to speak, but snapped it shut just as fast. Then she dropped her hands back into her lap. Even without her hands on his shoulders, 
want
coursed through his body.

With his arm still around her waist, he kept her close while his other hand rubbed the soft skin on the back of her neck. “So will you?”

Jessie swallowed and licked her lips. “Will I what?” Her usually soft voice was almost inaudible now.

His gaze dropped to her lips, surprised by just how much he wanted to kiss her again. Rather than remain there, though, he looked back up. For as long as he’d known her, she’d worn glasses. With those gone now, he noticed how beautiful her eyes were. Framed by long dark lashes, her eyes were not just a simple shade of brown. Rather flecks of chestnut and mahogany mixed with a hint of gold to create a shade unique to the woman in his arms. Unable to look away for a moment, he lost himself in the depths of her eyes catching a glimpse of the questions and apprehension reflected there.

No, there was more than just apprehension. He saw some fear as well, or at least, he thought it was fear. Then she blinked and whatever emotion he thought he saw disappeared, leaving only the questions behind.

Mack gave himself a mental shake. “Come back tomorrow?”

“I’m opening the store tomorrow. I’ll be there most of the day.”

If he hadn’t been so close to her he never would’ve heard her response.

At the moment, her coming back meant a great deal to him, but he’d ask himself why later. “How about afterward? On Saturdays, Grace and I usually get takeout and watch a movie. Come and join us.”

Jessica bit down on her lip as she considered his invite. “That sounds like a special tradition between the two of you. I shouldn’t intrude.”

Mack moved the hand that rested on her neck forward, tracing her jaw with his index finger. “You wouldn’t be intruding. We both want you here, remember?”

The crackling logs remained the only sound while Jessie considered his comment. Then, when Mack assumed she needed more convincing, her chin dipped down and she nodded.

“Okay,” she whispered. “If you’re sure.” This time her voice increased a bit in volume.

An invisible string attached to both of them pulled him toward her again. “Positive,” he answered, his lips mere inches from hers. “It’ll be fun.” The words left his mouth and he kissed her again.

Oh dear God
! His lips moved against hers and the same words repeated over again. Mack was kissing her. She’d been kissed before, but it had never felt like this. Okay, true, she’d only been kissed by a handful of men, but none had kissed her like this. Like Mack. And although his mouth touched only her lips, her entire body prickled with awareness as if he was touching and kissing her everywhere.

It’s a dream
. It had to be. Why else would Mack Ellsbury have his arms around her as he kissed her senseless? She didn’t usually have dreams this lifelike but so what? Maybe the teenage daydreams she had of Mack had grown up, too, and this was the end result. Either way, she planned on enjoying it.

The cotton on her back slipped upward and warm flesh replaced it. Like a bungee cord, the contact yanked Jessie back to reality as confusion and some fear jabbed her. Wrenching her mouth away, she stared at Mack, her heartbeat racing out of control. “It’s late. I should go.” To her own ears she sounded out of breath.

“It’s not even nine-thirty, Jessie.” He leaned forward.

Afraid he intended another kiss, she leaned all the way back in her chair. Perhaps noticing her retreat, he reversed direction himself.

“Hey, what’s the matter?” He moved his hand on her skin up and down.

This is Mack. He’d never hurt anyone. He’s not Jeremy.
Jessica reminded herself of all the things she’d learned in therapy as she forced her sudden fear back into its little box.

“Nothing.” Jessie lied, not wanting to discuss what she felt or the fact that this was the first time she’d been kissed in years. “It was a long day and I have to be at the store early.” She also wasn’t going to tell him about the confusion still running rampant in her head.

Mack studied her; there was no other way to describe the way he looked at her. “Are you sure? You look…” He paused. “Worried.” He finished his sentence but his voice suggested he wasn’t confident of his word selection.

Jessie forced a smile. “Just tired. The store’s been busy and I expect it to be another busy day tomorrow. Our anniversary sale kicks off this weekend and we’re opening an hour earlier than usual.”

The warm fingers on her back disappeared and instead Mack took her hand. “I’ll walk you to your car then.” He pulled her up as he stood.

Neither spoke as they passed the drying fairy houses on the patio and exited through the side gate that led to a stone path.

“Watch your step. Some stones are loose. I need to fix them and replace some of the solar lights.” Mack held her hand as they walked.

Happy that their conversation had returned to non-personal topics, Jessie nodded. “Sounds like a good weekend project.” They stopped next to her car, but rather than release her hand as she’d expected, he took another step toward her, then pulled her closer so that they stood less than an arm’s length apart.

“Come on over whenever tomorrow, okay?”

Before her mouth could say no, her brain made her head nod in agreement. Not seeing any way of getting out of it and not really sure she wanted to anyway, she said, “Can I bring anything?”

Mack tugged to her closer. “Just yourself. Like I said, we get takeout and just watch a movie.”

He planned to kiss her again. Anticipation grew even as questions popped up in her mind. 
Examine the questions later!
her body yelled, drowning out her mind as his chest pressed against her breasts. Then, in slow motion, his mouth came down on hers again. The kiss remained light and over all too soon.

“Okay.”

Mack remained in the driveway as she backed into the street. Even as she headed down Union Street, she caught a glimpse in her rearview mirror of him still in his driveway.

She’d driven every street in town so many times she could do it on autopilot, and as she made the short trip from Mack’s house to her apartment, her mind focused on the events of the night not the drive. When Mack had invited her for dinner, she’d assumed it was a way to say thank you. Although not expected, she understood why he might feel a need to show his appreciation. Then, of course, there was Grace. She’d more or less invited her before her father could stop her. Once the little girl made the invite, Mack may have felt unable to avoid a guest for dinner. All that made perfect sense to her and it had been her way of explaining Mack’s invite. The kiss, though… How did she explain that?

He kissed me
. Jessie shut her car door with the statement repeating in her head. Mack had kissed her not once but 
twice
. While friends sometimes shared a peck on the cheek, they didn’t kiss the way he kissed her.

Jessie climbed the stairs to her apartment, the scene in Mack’s backyard replaying in her head. When he’d come back outside, the last thing she’d expected was a kiss. She’d thought maybe they’d talk for a few more minutes and then she’d leave with no idea of when or where she might see him again. Instead, he’d sat down beside her, sending a dizzying current of attraction racing through her. If that hadn’t been enough, he’d asked her to come back the next night before kissing her.

Jessie paused in the kitchen and replayed the glorious kiss in her head. Not even Hollywood could have scripted a more perfect first kiss. The one by her car had also been nice, but not as intense. With a sigh, she headed into her bedroom. What did it mean? Did it mean anything? Maybe he’d just been caught up in the moment. The atmosphere around them had bordered on romantic. Right now, he might be sitting outside, thinking how their kiss had been a mistake. Tomorrow, he might keep his distance. Perhaps even call her and say he changed his mind about her joining them. If that happened, she’d understand. People made mistakes when they got caught up in a moment. But what if he 
didn’t
cancel? What if the kiss tonight meant something? What if he did it again?

Since her recent weight loss, she’d noticed the occasional once-over she got from men, though no one ever made any advances. Well, except for Tony, but she didn’t count him because he came on to all women. She assumed it was because she’d known everyone for so long that they never asked her out, and for the most part, she rarely left North Salem.

Thanks to her limited experience with men, she didn’t know how to interpret tonight’s events. Did she even 
want
Mack’s actions to mean something? Sure, she’d had a crush on him in high school; a lot of girls had. But they weren’t in high school anymore. Hadn’t been in a long time. What did she really know about Mack anymore? He’d moved from North Salem a long time ago, and she had only seen him occasionally during his years away. People changed. Sure, he’d been a nice enough person when he tutored her, but who knew about now?

Jeremy had been kind and considerate in the beginning, too. It had taken him a while to show his true colors.

Jessie slammed her bureau drawer shut. 
But Mack is one of the good guys.

Angry with herself, she tossed her pajamas onto the bed, then stripped off her jeans and shirt. She’d come a long way in getting her life back on a track she liked. After her six-year relationship with Jeremy, she’d let her life coast. She’d shut out most of the outside world and lived a sheltered existence, afraid to let anyone or anything new in. Over the past year and a half, she’d succeeded at breaking out of that bubble. She’d finally moved out on her own. She’d changed the way she looked and had started doing things she enjoyed rather than the things her grandparents enjoyed.

Whatever this thing with Mack might be, it needed to be treated in the same way. She couldn’t run from it. No, she needed and honestly wanted to see where it might go. It might go nowhere.

Pulling on her pajamas, she glanced in the floor-length mirror. After she’d gained weight in college, she’d avoided mirrors. When she’d decided enough was enough, that she had to take control of her life and change the things she didn’t like, she’d bought a freestanding, full-length mirror. It was a symbol, a reminder that she would no longer hide away.

“Just go with the flow,” Jessie said to her reflection. “Act like nothing has changed and see where things go tomorrow.” Her resolve set, she switched off the light and headed for the couch and an hour or two of her favorite television shows.