Page 19 of The Hitman
“Jaxon?” I murmur.
Eyes still closed, he says, “Callie.”
I’m afraid of what I really want to ask, not because it’ll change anything, but because I know it already has. “Is this wrong?”
There’s a subtle shift in the way he moves, but he doesn’t let me go. “Probably.”
“You don’t care?” I huff humorlessly. “I mean, it’s okay if you do… I’m just trying to make sense of something here.”
“I should. You’re my nephew’s nanny and my employee. More than that, you deserve respect from the man I want to be while you’ve been living here… and yet, you’re the very woman I’ve been struggling to resist.” His gaze finally meets mine, steady, intense, and full of longing. “It’s been a rough week, Callie. And at least for now, I don’t want to care about anything other than this.”
The gravity of his words tightens my throat. I search his face, listening to our steady breaths until I find the courage to speak. “Does that mean you’ll try to be around more often? I know Leo would like to spend some time with you.”
I wonder if he hears what I’ve left unspoken. The glaring truth thatI’dlike to see him more often, too.
The song comes to an end, and I ache when he gently pulls away. “I’ve still got work that needs to be done.”
He takes my hand before reclaiming his whiskey and tugs me toward the couch.
Shadows guard him now as I sit beside him.
I tuck my feet underneath me, asking with caution, “Big project?”
“Yeah.” Even with his stare distant and hollow, he manages a half-grin. “My day would’ve been better with one of your grilled cheese sandwiches, that’s for sure.”
I relax a little, lips curling under my teeth, but there’s no use hiding my smile. “I knew you’d love it.”
“You were right,” he says after a long sip. “About the grilled cheese… about Leo… about everything. It’s been a long time since anyone’s called me out and decided to stay.”
“Spoken like a man who’s had his share of heartbreak.”
“You’d think.” His throat bobs as he takes a long sip. He swipes his lower lip with his thumb, averting his eyes when he adds, “I haven’t had the luxury of meaningful relationships.”
Funny. I’d have bet the opposite.
“You’re not a virgin, are you?” I tease, though it wouldn’t matter either way. I just miss his carefully guarded joy.
Those steel eyes flick to mine, all dark and full of mischief. “Hardly.”
“Well, my granny always said you didn’t need fancy ingredients to make something unforgettable. Just gotta add a little love.” I shift to nudge his hip with my toes. “Same goes for people.”
Jaxon’s warm chuckle floats between us, strumming my heartstrings.
“Corny, I know.”
“It’s not,” he says. “You’ve got a nurturing touch, and I have a feeling your grandmother influenced it more than you know.”
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Granny was everything to me. She was the only person in my family with a stitch of affection in her blood, and I miss her hugs something fierce.
Afraid I’ll ruin the moment by getting emotional, I stand. “Why don’t I make you one right now?”
His strong hand finds my wrist when I go to move. “No. Please stay.”
I hold his stare, letting his touch warm my skin.
What signal am I sending him if I do? We may have crossed a line tonight, but I can’t help wondering what that means for tomorrow.
