Claire gazed out her kitchen window at the empty spot where Jake had parked his SUV the night of the storm. Stubbornly, she’d fought against it, but she’d known that night. Just like it had happened with her parents, something had clicked into place when she met Jake. She could trust him with her life and her heart.
Jumping down from the stool, she dashed across the kitchen to the sink and sidled up behind her mother, wrapping her arms around her in a bear hug. “Thanks, Mom.”
Her mom shimmied out of her grasp. “You’re welcome. Now go take that shower before I keel over.”
The yellow low-gas light blinked to life on Jake’s dashboard as he pulled into the convenience store. He’d cut it closer than he’d have liked, but he’d been in such a hurry to hit the road, he hadn’t filled up the tank before leaving Denver.
The phone on the black leather passenger seat began vibrating as he turned off the engine. Scooping it up, he saw the old man’s cellphone number on the caller ID. “So what’s the word?”
He held his breath. His whole plan rested on surprising Claire and catching her off guard. He feared she wouldn’t answer the door if she knew he was on the other side.
“Hello to you too.” The old man paused. “She’s home. Told her you were as surly as a mean drunk on a four-day bender.”
Jake rolled his eyes. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Yeah, well, that’s what you get when you ask me to act as an intermediary. You want soft and lovely, find someone else,” he rasped. “You want the truth, you come to me. And you’ve been a pain in the ass.”
Shaking his head, Jake smiled despite himself. “Thanks for making the call. I’m sorry, Dad, I know the timing of this is all wrong…” What type of son would leave his father after he’d just gotten out of the hospital? “Maybe it can wait.”
“Only if you want me to crack you upside the head with my oxygen tank,” the old man grumbled. “Oh hell, I’ll still be dying tomorrow, but I can’t promise that girl will be willing to give you another chance tomorrow. You’ve got today.”
A tank full of gas later, Jake got back on the road. He had a forty-minute drive to figure out how to make Claire take him back.
Claire swiped her pruney fingers across the bathroom mirror, clearing away the steam that had fogged it up. She’d taken longer than she’d wanted, but then again, she’d had three days’ worth of pity party to scrub away. Inhaling the vanilla scent of her body butter, she quickly rubbed it into her smooth legs, eager to
finish and get to Denver. Squeezing the extra wet out of her hair, she decided to let it air dry a bit before blowing it dry.
After making sure the fluffy white towel was secured in place around her body, she stepped out into the hallway. Onion lounged in the middle of the hall, a paw peddling the air as he slept in the too quiet house.
Claire peeked around the corner. Her dad wasn’t asleep on the couch. The television wasn’t on. “Mom. Dad. You here?”
Walking over to the bay window to check for their car, she spotted a note on the coffee table. Bingo night. Drive safe. Love, Mom and Dad. She let the note fall back to the table and turned to get dressed. A knock at the door stopped her. Mom must have forgotten her lucky bingo markers.
A smart remark about bingo addiction ready on the tip of her tongue, she yanked opened the door. Her heart stopped.
Jake glowered at her from the front porch.
Chapter Eighteen
Claire’s breath caught and her heart went into overdrive. Coiled tension rolled off of his hard body in waves that crashed over her exposed skin. Knees weakened, she leaned her shoulder against the door, its plywood covering scratching her shoulder. Neither said a word as the air sizzled around them.
Something she couldn’t pinpoint simmered in his slate-blue eyes as he tugged on the edge of his wrinkled blue T-shirt. It looked as if he’d slept in the cotton shirt that was partly tucked into the waistband of his snug jeans. He shoved his hands into his pockets and locked his gaze on her.
“You’re stubborn, pushy and impulsive. I have a life of my own in Denver. It’s a good life.” Despite his quiet tone, the low timbre of his voice hinted at his frustration. He closed the distance between them until his heat seeped through her towel. “I didn’t want to want you.”
His harsh words punched a hole in her heart. Closing her eyes, she bit down on her bottom lip and fought the tears pooling behind her lids. If it wasn’t for the door holding her up, she would have sunk into a puddle on the floor. A hand under her chin tilted her face upward, sending unwanted sexual sparks through her body.
“Open your eyes, Claire.” His warm breath whispered across the sensitive skin of her ear. “Look at me. Please.”
Warmth fled from her skin when he stepped back. She gathered her strength. Best to just get it over with and get him out of here. She’d be damned if she’d let him see how much his admission hurt.
Bracing herself for the devastation ahead, she opened her eyes. Hope was the last thing she expected to see in his gaze.
“The past week and a half without you has been hell. When I came to Dry Creek, I didn’t want to want you. But I was a real dumbass for thinking that.” Running a hand through his disheveled black hair, Jake sighed. “You’re everything I need.” His voice broke and he gulped before going on. “I love you, Claire Layton, and I’m not going anywhere, so you’d better get used to it.”
He loved her. He. Loved. Her. Mounting exhilaration buzzed inside her with such force, she wouldn’t have been surprised to see sparks fly out of her fingertips. “And you think I’m pushy?”
Laughter erased his worry lines. A devilish smirk curled his lips and he tweaked her on the nose. “I think you’re amazing.” Squeezing two fingers into the top of the towel wrapped around her body, he tugged her closer. “I think you’re beautiful.” With a quick yank, he whipped the white cotton away. “I think you need to tell me you love me.”