Jane's Gift (Lone Pine Lake 1)

“What do you mean? I am a mother.” She could barely get the words out, what with the way he held her hand so very gently in his.

“There’s more to you than just your children, though. You know?” He held their hands up in front of him, splaying his palm and fingers wide, which gave her no choice but t

o do the same. “All I see is a woman. Right now. With me.”

His hand dwarfed hers, his fingers nearly twice as long, and the heat from his palm burned right through her, down to her toes. He rubbed their palms together, once, twice, before entwining her fingers with his own. Her body trembled at the intimate touch.

Their gazes met, held. Electricity filled the air, arching between them. “Should you—”

“Yeah. I need to get back to work. Can I sit with you when I’m finished? Will you wait for me?”

“O-of course,” she stammered.

“Let me go refill this pitcher and I’ll be back, make sure you all have some water to drink. I can send the iced tea guy over, too, if you want.”

“I’m sure Mindy would like that.” How she could talk, let alone think, with him still clutching her hand, she didn’t know. But it felt so good. The simple gesture, the way his fingers curled around hers, the brush of his thumb on the inside of her wrist…

That rather intimate touch sent goose bumps skittering up her arm and she thought it might’ve been by accident. But no, then he did it again. A slow, subtle sweep of his thumb against the pulse point at her wrist.

She wanted to melt right there in her chair.

Who knew having her wrist touched would feel so blessedly wonderful?

Mindy chose that moment to show up at the table, standing across from them with a big grin on her face. She held three plates full of food, diner-waitress-style, with two of them stacked up her arm. She set them carefully on the table.

Jane removed her hand from Chris’s and he stood, nodding toward Mindy. “I’ll be back in a few with water and iced tea.”

“Oh, that sounds wonderful. I’m thirsty.” Mindy sat, Sophia right next to her. “I just told the kids to get their little behinds over here. Once they settle down, I’ll get more plates of food.”

“Mindy…”

“Stop it right there. You know you never get a break. In fact, I was thinking while I stood in line—why don’t I take the kids tomorrow night so you and Chris can do something, just the two of you? Maybe you could drive into Oakwood and see a movie.”

The serene, innocent expression on her big sister’s face didn’t fool Jane for one minute. She was purposely trying to throw them together, and Jane was more than a little embarrassed. Especially since Chris lingered, seeing every bit of that interaction.

“I’m off tomorrow. That sounds like a good idea.” Chris turned to Jane, the expression on his face daring her to say no. “What do you think?”

How could she turn him down? How could she even want to turn him down? “As long as you don’t mind, Mindy.”

“Of course I don’t mind. Marty’s out of town and my kids would love the company.”

“Then it’s a date.” Chris touched Jane briefly on the shoulder in a friendly gesture, but when she gazed up at him, there was nothing friendly about the look in his eyes. They were hot, hungry, as they roamed over her. “A real one.”

“Yes. A date,” she said weakly, wondering what she’d just set herself up for. Make that what her sister had set her up for.

“A date?”

Jane turned to see Lexi standing before her, Logan at her side. Her expression was one of shock, a little bit of disgust, and a whole lot of confusion.

“Lex.” Jane said her name slowly, a gentle smile on her face. She needed to approach her daughter carefully. “What are you up to, sweetie?”

“You’re going on a date with him? Captain Nelson?” Lexi waved a hand in his direction. “What about Daddy?”

Jane cleared her throat, embarrassed that Chris was witnessing all of this. Guilt hung over her like a dark, threatening cloud. Lexi was right—this was happening way too soon after Stephen’s death. The entire room was probably listening and watching their argument. “Your daddy is—”

“Dead!” Lexi screeched. “He’s dead and gone and now it’s just us. Just us. That’s what you keep saying.”

“Honey, I know that’s what I said but—”