Page 36 of Save the Dance

While the coach dipped and swayed under Jason’s weight, she scooted over as far as she could, but there was only so much room in the cozy carriage. There certainly wasn’t enough for her to avoid the press of Jason’s thigh against hers when he sank onto the plush cushion beside her. Her shoulder brushed against his arm no matter how far she leaned in the opposite direction. Even with the top down, there was no escaping the pleasant smell of his aftershave mixed with the masculine scent that was his alone.

Nor did she want to. And that was a problem.

The carriage dipped again as Tom took his seat on the high bench in front of them. With a quiet click of his tongue to the horses and a gentle slap of the reins, Tom headed in the general direction of town. Springs creaked and wheels turned beneath the coach. Unable to face Jason, to let him read the thoughts that most certainly played across her face, Tara pretended the passing landscape demanded her full attention.

She might as well admit the truth, to herself if to no one else. Her feelings for Jason ran far deeper than they should, considering the short time she’d known him. His very presence inspired trust. She wasn’t the only one who saw that in him. The people of Heart’s Landing could’ve chosen anyone else to fill in as her escort when the mayor had fallen ill, but he’d been their first pick. He might not think she’d noticed, but she’d seen how everyone relied on his leadership and strength. Nor could she help but admire how he’d returned home when his father got sick, or that, after his passing, Jason had thrown himself into the family business. He’d earned her respect for the way he’d dedicated himself to preserving the Captain’s Cottage as a place where brides and grooms started their new lives together. The more she knew about him, the more certain she felt that there was something between them, something more than just the usual friendship that sprang up between two people who’d spent as much time together as they had over the past few days.

Unless she was seriously mistaken—and she didn’t think she was—her feelings weren’t at all one-sided. Jason had shared his thoughts, his plans for the future, with her. He’d sought her company when he didn’t have to. When he was around, they were always laughing, telling jokes. On more than one occasion, she’d caught him admiring her when he didn’t think she was looking. He could have treated her like a business associate, but when they’d danced together, he’d leaned in closer than friends did. As if that wasn’t enough to send warmth flooding through her whenever she thought of him, Jason had encouraged her to pursue her dreams and hopes.

Which brought her to the main reason why snuggled next to him was the last place in the world she should be right now. Because, in order to achieve her dreams, she’d have to destroy the very thing he valued the most—the legacy he’d inherited. She had no doubt there was something amiss in the legend of Captain Thaddeus. Over the years, there’d been too much speculation, too many hints, that the facts of his story wouldn’t hold up under close scrutiny. The proof she needed existed in the ship’s logs and journals—she just had to find it. But when she did, it would destroy even the faintest hope she and Jason had for any kind of relationship.

If only they’d met under different circumstances. Or in a different time altogether. Then maybe things would’ve turned out differently for them. But as things stood, they had no hope for a future. So why had she asked him to ride with her?

Because she couldn’t resist him any more than she could resist breathing.

Beside her, the man who was foremost in her thoughts cleared his throat. “You’re awfully quiet,” he said when they’d ridden in silence through half of Heart’s Landing. “Is everything all right? Tom can turn the buggy around and take us back to the barn if you’d rather.”

“No. This is great.” She summoned a smile for the gentle sway of the carriage, the clop-clop of the horses’ hooves on the pavement, the happy couples who walked hand in hand on the city sidewalks. One day, she hoped to have that kind of relationship with someone. But not with Jason. Not when her main purpose in coming to Heart’s Landing was to challenge his long-held beliefs about his ancestor. She shivered at a sudden chill.

Ever attentive, Jason asked, “Are you cold? I didn’t think to bring a blanket. I should have.” Without waiting, he stretched his arm around her shoulders and snuggled her closer.

And, heaven help her, she leaned into him. It didn’t matter that she told herself it was the wrong thing to do. As she soaked up the warmth of Jason’s chest, she couldn’t retreat from the firm press of his fingers on her arm. Even though she knew she should move away, should hug her side of the carriage, she remained exactly where she was all the way through town.

Long before she was ready for him to, Tom signaled the team to a halt in front of a canopy cover that stretched to the curb from the doorway of Bow Tie Pasta. While the horses snorted and tossed their heads, she reluctantly straightened. The time had come to put a stop to whatever was happening between her and Jason before one—or both—of them got hurt. She’d indulged herself for as long as she could. She had to say, “Enough.”

Her lips parted, the words on the tip of her tongue. Before she could speak, however, Tom dismounted and held the door to the carriage open.

“Text me when you’re finished, and I’ll come back to pick you up,” he told Jason. Tom doffed his tall hat. He extended a hand and helped Tara disembark. “Ma’am. I hope you enjoyed the ride.”

“Very much,” she said. Feeling the loss of Jason’s arm around her and knowing that she needed to tell him it could never happen again, she added a silent “too much.”

But holding what was sure to be an awkward conversation on a public sidewalk didn’t feel right. Besides, she’d hardly had a chance to recover her balance after stepping down from the carriage before, with his hand at her elbow, Jason guided her up the covered walkway to the entrance of the most popular restaurant in Heart’s Landing. Once inside, she was too entranced by exposed brick walls, cherrywood trim, and curved windows overlooking lush plantings to broach the subject that should’ve been first on her mind.

Within minutes, the maître d’ ushered them to a center table. A veritable phalanx of waitstaff stood at attention nearby. They sprang into action the moment she took her seat, and soon she found herself paging through a menu the size of a novel while a tuxedoed waiter reviewed the day’s specials. Next, the sommelier stepped forward with his recommendations, followed by the ritual tasting and approval of their selection. Shortly after the wine steward poured their first glasses of an outstanding pinot, another waiter appeared bearing a basket of bread and rolls, along with a trio of flavorful dipping oils.

If she thought she’d have a moment for a quiet discussion with Jason once they’d placed their orders, she was proven wrong again. Word that they’d be dining at Bow Tie Pasta must have spread. Either that or practically every business owner in Heart’s Landing had developed a sudden urge for Italian food. In groups of two or three, they stopped by her table to chat. Between interruptions and bites of excellent pasta, the lunch hour sped by. Almost before she knew it, Jason had texted Tom and arranged their return trip to Your Ride Awaits.

But she couldn’t get in the carriage again. Not and keep her wits about her. She was too weak, her attraction to Jason too strong. Once she climbed the steps into the buggy, she knew, she just knew, she’d cuddle against him again. And that wouldn’t be fair. She wouldn’t, she couldn’t mislead him like that. It was time to pull the plug. She had one final chance to clear the air between them before it was too late. A few words were all it would take to destroy any misconceptions either of them might harbor. She just had to say them.

Except, she couldn’t. She couldn’t end things between them. Not now. Not yet.

On the sidewalk outside the restaurant, she took the coward’s way out. “I think I’d like to stretch my legs a bit,” she said, putting several steps between them before her new resolve weakened.

“You don’t want to wait for Tom?” Confusion and something that looked an awful lot like disappointment clouded Jason’s features.

“No. If you don’t mind, I’ll walk back.” She needed time away from the man who made her pulse race. Needed to gather her thoughts and figure out what to do next. “I’ll probably work in my room for a while. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“About that.” Jason stuck his hands in his pockets. “If we get an early start, we can check out the widow’s walk first thing in the morning. After that, though, the weatherman says we’re going to have quite a bit of rain. Tomorrow might be a good day to work indoors. I was thinking I could help you in the library. If you still want my help, that is.”

Great. Jason had given her exactly what she didn’t want—a chance to back away gracefully. She should take it, should tell him she was fine, thank you very much, but she’d prefer to finish her evaluation of Heart’s Landing without him at her side. Only, there were problems. Seeing the widow’s walk firsthand was a must if she was going to complete her assignment. As was ferreting out the truth behind the myth of Captain Thaddeus. And who better to help her than the man who’d spent his childhood reading the ship’s logs and journals? Yet, as much as her head told her that enlisting Jason’s help was the smart career move, her heart warned that spending more time with him wasn’t the wisest choice.

“I’d love to have your help,” she answered, throwing caution to the wind and taking her chances.

Chapter Twelve

Jason grabbed the key ring from the post just inside his office. A thrill of anticipation raced through him. In just a few minutes, he’d meet Tara in the lobby. He’d planned to keep his distance from her, but yesterday’s events had changed things, hadn’t they?

What he’d intended as a sightseeing trip for one had turned into much more than that when she’d insisted on having him join her in the carriage. The moment he sat beside her, he’d felt her pulse race, heard the sharp intake of her breath. Her shivers had given him the perfect excuse to wrap his arm around her. Not that he’d needed one. Or had done anything wrong by pulling her close when the breeze had raised goosebumps on her arms. He’d wanted nothing more than to do it again on the return trip and see where their attraction led them.

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