Page 47 of The Making of Marnie Jones

She rewarded him with a broad grin. “Yes, thank you. I must look ridiculous.”

“The designer clearly believes everyone in the world is tall.” He bit into the sandwich and chewed. “Lydia and Olivia are a few inches shorter than me. They had no problem sitting here.”

“When was that? You said something about eight months ago…?”

“Yeah, they were here once.” He growled in frustration. “I should’ve done more.”

“Look, Jake, at this point you are full of regrets, and using the wordshoulda lot. Excise it from your vocabulary. You need to live in the here and now. No regrets for the past and no begging for trouble from the future.”

“Here and now.” He tapped his middle finger against the counter.

“Here and now.” She let the confirmation hang.

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

He sipped the last of his milk.Valid point.Olivia had few good memories. Perhaps he could help her in the present and find her a new counselor to help her deal with the past.

Decision made, he hopped off the stool and took his dishes to the dishwasher. “If you can handle her, I'll go get those groceries. For tonight, however, why don't we do takeout?”

“Sounds great.” She maneuvered herself off the stool.

He immediately grabbed the telephone book from the top of the fridge and placed it next to the stool.

“My Galahad.” A grin overtook her features, and she looked lovely, happy even.

“I'll order some pizza. Any preferences?”

“No anchovies.” She wrinkled her nose. “I can handle anything but anchovies.”

He chuckled. “In that, we are completely in agreement.” His grin faltered. They agreed about more than pizza toppings, but now seemed an inappropriate and inopportune moment to point that out.Why are things so awkward?His breathing was shallow, and he felt a sense of heightened awareness. Like when he’d barely missed being hit by the bullet in Syria.

It hit him like a ton of bricks.

Sexual attraction. Sexual tension.

Her eyes widened infinitesimally.

Does she feel it too?He had to get out of there before he did something stupid. Stupid like plunging his hands into her dark locks and plundering the recesses of her mouth.

He had to get out of there.

Wordlessly he held up the list and made his escape.

Chapter eighteen

Marniepressedahandagainst her chest, willing her heart to slow. The panic attack had begun the moment Jake closed the door, and she fought her body to overcome the anxiety. She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. A few slow deep breaths and a pull of the cold liquid had her heart rate returning to normal.

Normal—but shaken to the core.

She'd seen his eyes.

And in that endless moment she experienced something she’d never believed possible.

Desire.

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