“The lad’s right,” Gordon said. “That woman is toxic. She’d walk over your broken body to get to Josh. You’re better off with someone in your corner, lass, when you deal with her.”
“What do you mean by ‘get you’, Matt?” She eyed him suspiciously.
Matt took a deep breath. Here goes. There was no point explaining the logic behind his decision. In his experience, male and female logic were two completely different beasts. Best to give her the final result of all his thinking. “I’ve decided to skip the whole dating thing and jump straight to the relationship. It’s safer.”
She blinked at him as Gordon laughed so loudly it echoed through the room.
“You’re serious? You want to be involved with me? Romantically?”
Matt folded his arms. “Don’t go getting all worked up about it. That leads to accidents. And I don’t want to be set on fire. A plain thank you will do just fine.” He stepped towards her. “We should really seal the deal on this new relationship with a kiss. Pucker up.”
Jena let out a frustrated wail, made a fist and thumped him in the stomach. Thankfully, she punched like a girl and his stab vest blocked most of the blow.
“Your sense of humour is sick,” she told him.
“Who says I’m joking. Close your eyes, Gordon, I’m going in.” With a grin, he stepped towards Jena.
“Ignore the idiot,” Gordon said through his laughter. “He’s right about one thing though. You need all the help you can get dealing with that woman.”
Jena threw up her hands. “I’ve been dealing with that woman my whole life. I don’t need backup to cope with my mom.” Hands on hips, she looked at the ceiling for a moment. Her pain was almost tangible. The sight of it made Matt ache, and from the look on Gordon’s face, it had the same effect on him. Jena’s head dropped back down. She looked so lost. “She’s a really focused person. She’s put a lot into her career. And she is good. Trust me. You’d want to hear her sing. All she needs is a little bit of luck to make it to the next level.”
“Is that you talking or your mum?” Gordon said gently.
“She wants it really badly. It’s all she can think about. She doesn’t realise how she comes across.” Jena wrapped her arms around herself again. She was breaking Matt’s heart. “Once she gets where she wants to be, she’ll calm down. She won’t be so insensitive to people.”
To her daughter, she meant. He could see it in her face. So earnest. So eager to believe the best of everyone, even as they walked right over her or treated her like muck on their shoes. He couldn’t bear to see her standing so alone any longer.
“Come here.” He pulled her into his arms.
“Matt, I’m over the joking.”
“It’s a friendly hug, nothing else.” If that was what it took to get her to come to him, then he’d roll with it. For now. “You’d give me one if I needed it. So shut up and enjoy. And don’t tell anyone or they’ll all want one.”
She laughed against his chest, but her arms threaded around his waist. She sank into him, and something within Matt settled. He had an overwhelming sense of being in the right place at the right time. Here, with this woman, lending her his strength when she needed it.
Gordon clasped his shoulder before taking off for the back of the shop, shaking his head in disgust as he did so.
Matt snuggled Jena closer, engulfing her with his heat. He stroked one hand over her hair while his other held her tight against him. If he had his way, nothing and no one would ever get close enough to hurt her again.
With that thought, Matt realised that his feelings for Jena ran a lot deeper than he’d suspected.
And he couldn’t bring himself to worry about it.
Not when holding her felt so completely and utterly right.
20
“We’re not in a relationship,” Jena said.
They were in Matt’s cop car, on the way to see Abby. Jena’s friend had called asking Matt to stop by, which had Jena worried. Matt was currently ignoring Jena as he drove out of town.
“One kiss does not make a relationship,” Jena said.
“It was more than a kiss.” His smug grin made Jena want to smack him. She restrained herself.
“It wasn’t even a real kiss. You only kissed me to prove a point.”
He cocked an arrogant eyebrow in her direction. Like he knew better.