Stay with Me (Return to Haven 1)

Olivia came to her feet and glanced down to her yoga pants and tank. Not what she’d normally greet guests wearing, because she prided herself on being classy and professional like her mother raised her, but her friends’ outfits weren’t faring much better.

“I’ll get it,” she stated as she swayed. “Wow. How much alcohol did we have?”

“Not enough if you’re worried about it,” Jade laughed.

Now the doorbell rang through the house and Olivia placed a hand on the narrow hall leading toward the entryway. With the porch lights illuminating the sidelights and etched glass door, she could make out the shape of a man. She had to assume it was a man from the broad shoulders.

As she got closer, she recognized those shoulders. She cringed when arousal curled low in her belly. She didn’t want to be turned on . . . she couldn’t afford to be.

What was he doing here? Did he think he could just drop by unannounced? Was this his game plan? To catch her off guard?

“Who is it?” Melanie asked from behind her.

Olivia glanced over her shoulder to see her two friends at the other end of the hallway, huddled together as if there were some serial killer who went around ringing doorbells before he chose his victims.

This was Haven. Their crime rate was pretty much nonexistent.

“It’s Jackson,” she whispered.

“I know you’re in there.”

Jackson’s voice mocked her and she ignored Jade’s laugh behind her. The spiteful side of her wanted to completely ignore him and go back into the kitchen with her friends. But the female in her wanted her to open that door and see the glorious man standing on the other side. Even if he was on the opposite side of what she wanted, she couldn’t deny he was absolutely a joy to admire.

Olivia flicked the lock and jerked the door open. “Jackson. What are you doing here?”

“Jax,” he corrected.

Those dark eyes raked over her and she trembled. Damn it. She didn’t want to tremble from just one look. He hadn’t even touched her and . . .

No. She refused to even entertain such thoughts. She’d been given a visual lick by sexy men before, no big deal.

But something about the way Jackson looked at her had her realizing nobody had actually looked at her who’d made her feel as if he was literally touching her. How the hell did he do that? If she could tingle from just one of his intense stares, what would happen if he ever actually touched her?

No. No touching allowed.

“What do you want?” she repeated.

He flashed that devilish grin and propped an arm on the screen door, which only drew her attention to his perfectly flexed bicep. “I’m picking you up for our date.”

Chapter Four

There was something to be said for such a striking woman who demanded control—and then stealing said control from her.

Jax waited patiently while Olivia gathered her thoughts. She clearly hadn’t been expecting him to show up at her door, which is precisely why he was here.

Jax hadn’t wanted to set a specific time for their so-called date, a point he still needed to discuss with Piper. She was a sneaky one, and he was a bit proud of how quickly she’d manipulated Olivia. But still, he needed to talk with her about something deeper than her weaving this date.

Was his daughter already wanting a mommy? He had hoped they wouldn’t have to have such a difficult conversation for a while. Now that she was in preschool she was seeing more kids with their moms and he should have realized sooner that this would be coming.

He’d delicately explained that her mommy had to go away and couldn’t stay in Haven. He’d even lied and said she loved Piper very much, but sometimes people just had to go away. In truth, Jax had forced her to sign over her rights. If she didn’t want to be here now, he didn’t want to risk her coming back later and claiming Piper. The fact she signed over without too much of a fight proved exactly what type of woman she was.

Piper deserved better.

“I-I’m sorry,” Olivia stuttered, blinking. “Date? It’s late. Where’s Piper?”

“She actually is staying all night with our neighbor. This is her second sleepover there.”

“Who’s your neighbor?” she asked, crossing her arms over a perfectly fitted tank. Damn it. Why did her curves have to look even sexier outside of those stuffy, rich-girl clothes?