“Ok. Stop. I know the house is falling apart, but that’s not your responsibility.”
I looked at her. “It is now.”
4
Olivia
I stared into his deep blue eyes and tried
to remember why only two minutes ago I had been spit-fire mad. Right now, the only thing I saw was a man who offered to fix the crumbling mess around me. Offered to make something in my life right when everything else had gone to hell.
“You can’t be serious.” I shook my head. Things like this didn’t happen to me.
“Dead serious.” His voice was deep and husky.
I closed the door, shutting the wind outside. He looked relieved. I couldn’t believe I was actually considering this.
“Why?”
“Because Elliot made me swear. And I did. I don’t give my word lightly.”
I felt my knees go weak just a little. Jake towered over me and I was having trouble thinking. His T-shirt stretched over his wide shoulders. It was hard not to reach out and touch the muscles in his arms to see if they were real. He was like a sculpted god. Tall, dark, and athletically built. More like a man than any I had ever seen.
“I’m sure you have better things to do than help me fix this disaster.”
He shook his head. “Nope. I’m on leave until I hear otherwise. My mission is on hold. So, I can stay and help. I’ll stay as long as I can.”
Oh God. Did he just say he would stay?
“Stay here?”
He nodded. “There’s an extra room over the barn, right?”
I tried to take a normal breath. “Yes. It was supposed to be an apartment, but it never really worked out that way. There is a bed though.”
“Good. I’ll stay out there and I’ll put the place back together for you. And whatever else you need.”
It was the way he said the last sentence that made me question my sense of reality. Things like this didn’t happen. Hot guys didn’t show up on my doorstep begging to be my handyman.
He stepped around me, opening the door. “I’ll get my tools and you can tell me where you want me to start.”
“You brought tools?”
His hand was on the doorknob. “I keep them in my Jeep. I should have everything we need.”
“Right now? You’re going to start working on the house now?” I thought everything I said probably sounded absurd. I couldn’t stop repeating myself.
“Yeah. Now.” Jake was authoritative and firm. “I’ll be back in a second.”
He walked out of the door, not taking no for an answer. It didn’t take long to be around the man to realize he was used to giving orders. He didn’t hesitate. He didn’t debate things. The decision was made and he was going to do exactly what he said.
I watched him from the window. I had a feeling Jake was going to do what he wanted, whether I protested or put up a fight.
5
Jake
There was no way I was leaving. He’d sleep in the yard if he had to. I was used to sleeping out in the desert. A night under the Oregon sky would be fine. I’d be close to Olivia, and suddenly that was the only thing that mattered to me.