Heartbreak's Reward (Double Dutch Ranch Series: Love at First Sight Book 2) (17 page)

“You have a nose for Italian. Want to set the table?” Brenna removed a loaf of garlic bread from the microwave. “We’re ready. Will you get bowls for our salad?”

She turned back to the sink and he stood behind her, reaching into the cabinet. Pressing into her wasn’t an accident. He placed his right hand on her shoulder and removed two plates and then bowls, setting them on the counter beside her. Closing the doors, he lowered his other hand to her shoulder. She leaned against him and he dropped his hands to her waist, savoring the sweet smell of her hair.

“Mmm, this is better’n food.”

Jase brushed hair away from one side of her neck, eyeing the rapid throb of her pulse beneath her fair skin. He closed his lips over the area, gingerly touching the tip of his tongue against it. Absorbing the pump against his mouth, not expecting the experience to shoot right to his loins.

Brenna stood straighter. Turning to face him, she pressed her palms against his chest. “I thought you were hungry?”

Jase tossed his head back, closing his eyes and releasing a low groan. “Oh, I’m hungry.” He lowered his eyes. “Um, for lasagna. I love Italian food.” He turned around and sauntered to the window, standing there looking down at the parking lot.
Shit
.

Hungry.

Yeah.

Okay.

Breathe. After a deep exhale, he walked back to the counter, took the dishes and set the table. “This is nice, Brenna.” Jase winked. “A great idea for dinner. Better’n any restaurant in town.”

“Thank you.” She looked around the kitchen and began pulling out drawers.

He placed the plates across from one another, wanting to look into those luscious blue eyes as they had dinner together. “Can I help you find something, darlin’?”

“Matches. I’d like to light that candle on the table. I forgot to get them.”

He removed a lighter from his jeans pocket. “Here ya go.” When she took it, she wrapped her hand around his. “I love candlelight.”

“Me too. Or firelight. Moonlight.” He sounded like a freaking sissy-ass.

Handing him back the lighter, she said, “I love a man who admires moonlight. It says something.”

Maybe not a sissy-ass after all.
Brenna placed their dinner on the table and asked Jase if he’d like a beer to go with dinner while she had a glass of wine.

“No beer for me. I’m cutting back. Give me a taste of your wine.”

A smile formed on her lips. Maybe she feared showing her pleasure. Whatever it was, Jase knew he made the right decision, at the right time. He pulled out a chair and brushed his other hand toward it.

She took a seat. Brenna was happy, and if he had anything to do with it—it made him happy, too. He took a seat and reached for her hand across the table. “Thank you, Brenna. Enjoy.” He squeezed her hand. “I know I will.”

***

Jase drove back after their evening together. He went about two miles an hour down the long road home to his ranch, not wanting the night to end. After dinner, Brenna packed up leftovers for him to take home. He’d reminded her he could cook, but she insisted, telling him to share with his ranch hands. Reaching across the console, he’d brought her hand to his lips. There were no words, and as he got closer to the ranch, lonesomeness dug at him. Again, he forgot to leave lights on inside his house. Nothing other than the dim lights in the barn and the one off the back.

When he pulled up to the house, he shut off the motor and stretched out. Turning toward her, it still amazed him that a short time ago—a very short time ago, he was alone. Now, this woman sitting next to him did something to break the whole cycle. “So, when you get back from Iowa you’re moving into the townhouse?”

“Yes. We’ll be living out of a suitcase until my things get here, but since you’re picking us up, I can bring more items.” She shifted sideways and leaned against the window. “I have a dilemma though. I don’t want to cart my luggage back with me. Do you think Nora might let me keep it at the townhouse?”

“Doesn’t sound like a problem. Leave it at my house.” Jase turned in the seat to look at her straight on. “I hope your sister doesn’t give you too hard a time. You know, there’s a lot of young girls who hang out at my brother’s ranch.” He almost laughed out loud at the way
that
sounded. “Some are students and others are boarders…you know, they rent space for their horses in his boarder barn.”

He rolled the window down. The horses were grunting and one whinnied in the barn. It sounded like Poppy. A good sound in his ears. “Sign her up for lessons with my mom so she can meet them. Mom always has something going on there…parties, horse goings-on stuff. Holly, the girl at the ice cream shop? She used to ride there.”

“My sister is nothing like these girls. She’s a wild one. One reason for bringing her here. I’m afraid if she isn’t already into drugs, she will be soon. Something I can’t let happen.” Brenna lowered her window, too. She tilted her head back and the breeze blew her hair out the opened window. He liked the way the wind picked up the ends.

Brenna got out of the car and walked around to his side. “It’s pleasant tonight.” She stared up at the starry sky.

Jase stepped out, leaned against the door, and drew her into his embrace. Brenna rested against him, taking a minute to glance around. “I love the quiet of the night.” When she peered toward the sky one more time, he brought her head back and placed a kiss on her forehead. Her warmth enticed him—excited him.

Closing his eyes, he knew this thing happening between them was about to rock his world upside down. He had a choice. Go with it, or fight it off. Her supple body leaning into him, pressing tight against all that needed pressed against, told him there was no way in hell he’d fight it. His heart rate sped up. It beat a steady cadence against her back and he didn’t know what to do about it.

Brenna sighed. “I want it to work out for Chloe. I’m hoping this move changes her life. She’s…well, she and I have been through hell the last two years.”

Jase rested his cheek atop her head. “Anything you want to talk about?”

She shook her head. Closing his eyes, he focused on her breathing, the smell of her hair—the fragrance like a warm, sensual and passionate night, evoking a sense of ease within his soul. God knows he needed a sense of relief, not only in his soul, but…all over.

He needed fingers caressing his skin, breath across his cheek, and kisses upon his…lips. A woman to fall onto him in the dark of night, make love till the wee hour of the morning. Shuddering, Brenna cuddled in closer, what he
didn’t
need at the moment—yet wanted. He needed
her
. His body yearned to make love to her while his psyche longed to know what moved her—made her life what it was.

He gripped her arms and moved her away from his body. Standing beside her, he clasped her arm. “Let’s take a walk through the barn. I like to at night when the horses are at rest. Their peace helps give me the same.”

“You’re so lucky to have this. This is something we watch on TV in the city I’m from. I can get used to this lifestyle. If only little sis can.”

He eased the barn door open and flipped on a light. They did a slow walk-through, and Jase stopped at each stall, peering in at the horses. “I think they expect me,” he said, his voice lowered. “Warrior turns around to look at me as if say, ‘it’s about time’.”

“I think it’s really cute, the kind of bond you have with them.”

He thought about what she said. Warrior especially responded to him when he was near. Getting on his back and galloping through the desert was no doubt loved by them both. It was time to do it again. Walking back out, Jase closed the door. “I should get those leftovers out of your car. Did you want to come in?”

“I best get back. Sleep didn’t come easy last night and my appointment is at nine o’clock. I’m excited to see my classroom.”

“Well, then, Miss Page, I suppose I have to let you go.” Instead of letting go, he drew her close. He didn’t expect her fingers to press against his pecs like she was on the verge of clawing if he didn’t have the material in the way. He’d love to open his shirt and let her at him, but he’d save it for another day.

Instead, he lifted her chin and lowered his face to hers. “Thanks again for dinner…and the evening.” When she laid her hand against his face, he closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he couldn’t help but enjoy the feel of her warm fingers. Gentle caresses in the hair at his temple reminded him he could take her down right now and love her like crazy, but their first wouldn’t be like crazy. If…he was lucky enough to be the one… Focusing on something else, he did his best to get his breathing under control.

She brought his face down to hers and kissed him. Not able to control his own mouth, he opened and eased his tongue through her surrendering lips and brushed ever so gingerly against hers. Enough to know it happened. Her soft and tender kisses didn’t ask for rough and aggressive right now…or she didn’t know she wanted it that way. Either way, he pulled away and collected his ragged breaths.

At the car, he held her and gave a soft kiss one last time for the night. “Let me know when you’re home safe.” He took the bag when she handed it to him. She lowered herself into the driver’s seat, sliding the seat forward. “It was fun driving this thing. Thanks, Bren. Perfect for a horse rancher.” He knelt and leaned his arms on the door. “Get it?”

“Well, you know,” she said, beaming enough to light the dark night. “Uh huh. It’s like a horse lover thing. You like your horses, I like mine. G’night. I’ll text when I get home. I couldn’t have enjoyed a night more.”

Brenna watched in her rear view mirror as lights came on in Jase’s house. She took her time leaving, not wanting to go. She enjoyed cuddling against his strong body, holding his hand, and listening to his voice with that little bit of scratchiness he might not have been aware of. She not only detected the subtleness, but liked the sound with certain words. When she thought about him, warmth flooded over her. A peacefulness. In her mind, it was no longer…
if
she made love to him—but more like—when.

Hardly knowing much about him and the way her body tensed and responded, made no sense. She thought her sexuality had hibernated…for good. But being around him was like the missing piece to the puzzle she had searched for, had been put into place and was now complete. How? If only she knew the answer. Glancing at her GPS, she smiled, knowing he set it to direct her home. A simple act such as that touched her in a way she couldn’t explain.

Following the directions, she pulled into her parking lot and went to her room. She sent a text to him, saying she had arrived. He sent a smiley face back. “The big, strong cowboy sent a smiley face.” Brenna chuckled, wondering if after he hit send, he was embarrassed. She sent him back a heart.

She went to the closet and checked the outfit she planned on wearing for her meeting tomorrow. She had already met the principal in Phoenix at the career fair when she came here in May for the initial interview. This meeting was more informal at the school building. Being interviewed by a whole team in Phoenix had been nerve-wracking. It worked though. They liked her credentials enough to hire her.

She’d need a whole new wardrobe to deal with this heat. Not only that, it’d be a good excuse for Chloe to strip down, living in a state where it was always warm. Something that would have to change now that she was growing up with her not-so-youthful looking body. Brenna sighed thinking of her. Sure, she could let her do as she wanted, but she loved her too much to let her ruin her life.

Changing into her pajamas she settled in front of the TV and it wasn’t long before she fell asleep. In the night after waking from a heated dream of Jase, she trudged to bed, sweating and excited, yet making sure to set her alarm. Sleep didn’t come now that she went to bed. The dream—sprawled out on the bed, naked with Jase sleeping in her arms, weighed heavy on her mind. No man had blown her away like this one.

For sure, no man she ever cared about saw her scars, or all of them. Cory, her long term boyfriend, faded away after the accident. No one’s fault, but her own, for she had been too devastated to contribute to their relationship. At the time she didn’t care, didn’t need anyone. When in fact it was the time she
did
need someone.

He got tired of waiting for her to mentally return, and had grown weary of waiting for her to give in to him sexually. Never understanding why she wasn’t like many other women her age, sexually charged and wanting sex. How could she tell him after seven years, he did nothing for her that way?

Placing her hands behind her head, she stared at the ceiling. Up there was Jase’s handsome face. The sparks flying between them on the evening they met drew her to him instead of away. If she’d driven off that night after he put gas in her car, she’d still be dreaming of him. They had to pursue this. Brenna turned on music, hoping to stop thinking about him, or anything else besides falling asleep.

***

Her meeting with the principal was successful. She loved the layout of her classroom with whiteboards instead of chalk. Her favorite. Each table had four chairs so her students could socialize. First graders needed to feel a part of something, and sometimes they still cried. Sitting beside a friend could make it all better from her experience. She couldn’t wait to get it set up
.
In her mind, she already thought of how to decorate the one large bulletin board for the beginning of school.

At noon she met Nora at the townhouse and she rode with Brenna to the office. Destiny was with her grandmother. Once inside, Mrs. Reese, the agent, laughed with Nora about how it seemed
she
had just moved in. As Brenna went over the paperwork, she followed Nora’s gaze to the parking lot. A cowboy wearing a black hat stepped down from a black truck, and a smile lit Nora’s face as if a ray of sunlight burst over her.

“I take it that’s Jase’s brother?” asked Brenna. Nora stood and met him when he came in the door. He was about as tall as his brother. His arm went around Nora’s waist and he kissed her on the cheek. No doubt handsome. Hair was dark like Jase’s and the family traits were obvious, definitely connecting them as brothers. He came to Brenna and stuck out his hand. “Hello, ma’am, ya must be Brenna.”