Page 40 of Priceless
Or worse, what if I peed my pants like a neglected puppy finally getting some attention?
How long had it been?
When I’d lost Paul so suddenly, I hadn’t been able to remember the last time we’d kissed. Christmas, I thought. When Peaches and Raina had been there, and I’d wanted them to believe we were a happy, normal family.
Would I even remember how?
Jacob raised his arm and rested his hand on the top of the car just above my shoulder, and a latent drop of estrogen plugged its nose and cannonballed into my bloodstream. Instantly, I remembered how to do all kinds of things.
He chuckled and lowered his head until it was against the side of mine, to speak softly in my ear. “Dinnae fash, Laira. I willnae kiss ye until ye ask me to.”
Until, he’d said. Notunless…
He chuckled again as he straightened away from me, and I felt that deep timbre in my bones. It rattled my ribs and again sent those sparks cascading over me, and through me, lighting me on fire. Fat rain dropped faster on the top of the car, on my head, but the chill hardly registered.
Jacob opened the car door and nudged me inside. If he hadn’t, I might have stood there for hours, reveling in whatit felt like to be alive again. When the door slammed shut, I was grateful for a moment alone so I could pull it together. Thankfully, he took his time walking around to the driver’s side.
Maybe he’d been caught off guard like I had.
This was crazy. We were strangers. And I wasn’t the kind of woman to get physical with someone I’d just met!
I’d been warned about dating apps—how all men my age were just looking to get lucky, and older men were just looking for someone willing to take care of them as their health went downhill. But if Jacob was one of the former, I wouldn’t have been the first tourist to be picked up at Jocko’s Public House.
Had he been telling the truth?
He finally got in the car. The rainclouds made the interior dark, which I was grateful for, since I couldn’t bear to look him in the eye. I pulled my purse out from under the seat and busied myself looking for a tissue, though I didn’t need one. I found my ChapStick in my hand, but I wasn’t dumb enough to use it, knowing just what it would look like.
He started the engine and got us on the road, then turned on the radio. People talking so fast I couldn’t understand a word but didn’t need to. I pretended to be interested in the scenery, which I couldn’t see thanks to the rain on the window. I wanted to press my face against the glass to bring down the temperature of my cheeks and chase those stupid dimples away, but he’d probably think I was having a hot flash.
One thing was certain. I would not be telling Raina about this. She’d never let me live it down.“You’d known him for a couple of hours?!”
Definitely not a conversation I wanted to have.
“Headed back to town now,” he said. “Not much I can show ye in the comin’ storm, aye?”
“Right.”
He reached for my hand, gave it a squeeze, and waited for me to look up. When I did, he smiled. “Can I take ye to dinner?”
The temptation was there, bright and shiny, but so was the need to breathe. I wanted quiet, space, the chance to tell Jocko everything without someone watching my face or judging me. “As much as I hate to end this, I have to pass. I need a chance to catch my breath and…make some calls.”
“Aye. Travel days are drainin’. And I’ve a call I should make as well.” A short pause. “Have ye plans tomorrow? Would ye like company on yer adventures?”
“Is someone available from Jacob MacKinney’s Tour Services?”
“Our best man, and his car, are at yer beck and call, madame.” He squeezed my hand again and let it go so he could turn the steering wheel. “Is nine too early?”
“Nine is fine.”
“Kenny puts on a crackin’ breakfast. Ye’ll need yer strength so we can make a grand day of it.”
We returned to Bluebell House much faster than I expected. Like an idiot, I’d been hoping he’d reach for my hand again, but he hadn’t. I should have been glad that he wasn’t trying to get invited up to my room.
We parked on the side of the road, around the corner like before. After he opened my door, he tucked my hand around his elbow and took me to the front of the house. “I’d like to thank ye for shakin’ up my world today.” He leaned close to place a quick kiss on my cheek. “Hopefully, I can do the same for ye tomorrow.”
He winked and left me there. When he reached the sidewalk, he turned to face me again, his smile was gone, replaced by a slight frown. He opened his mouth like he had something to say, then shook his head and found his smile. “In the mornin’, then.”
I stood there sucking in deep breaths until I felt the heavy weight of my phone in my pocket. I suddenly wished I had taken a few pictures so I could show Jocko that Jacob was real.
