Page 145 of Girl Between
He shrugged. “Shepard Solutions.”
“We can do better than that.”
His mind hitched on the fact that she’d usedwe.“Yeah?”
Her hands moved slowly from his shoulders to cup his cheeks. She chewed her bottom lip while scrutinizing him. “What about … Good Shepard Solutions?”
Jake closed his eyes as he leaned into her touch. He allowed himself one full breath before opening his eyes again. His gaze found hers. “You give me too much credit, Doc.”
“You don’t give yourself enough.”
“A lot of what I’ve done in my life wouldn’t be classified as good, Dana.”
The knowing sadness in her gaze told him she understood. “You dwell in the dark, so others don’t have to.”
“I could say the same about you.”
She shook her head. “I belong in the dark.”
“Agree to disagree.”
“Jake …”
“No, Dana. I know who you are. You’re not the woman I first met, dwelling in an underground library devoted to death. Maybe once upon a time you belonged there, but you’re the one who taught me it’s okay to let someone lead you to the light. Let me do that for you.”
She leaned back until her eyes met his. “It’s more than that, Jake. I know how you feel about me. I’m not saying I don’t feel the same, but I know I can’t if you don’t understand one fundamental fact.”
“What’s that?”
“Death and darkness, it’s who I am. And if there’s ever going to be a way out of it, I need to find it myself.”
The song ended and Dana started to pull away, but Jake held her back.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“I’m not ready for this to end.”
“Jake …”
“I know,” he said, sensing her protest. “I wanted one night. But I’ll settle for just one more song.”
She acquiesced, settling her head on his shoulder as the soft swell of another bluesy beat filled the air. “This isn’t our last dance,” she said when he tightened his grip.
“Maybe.” He exhaled. “But I’m operating on life experience.”
She grinned up at him. “Which is?”
“Don’t care to say.”
“Well now you have to,” she teased.
Jake thought about placating her with a joke, but the tightness in his throat made him opt for the truth. He ran his hand from the small of her back to her neck and back again before speaking. When he did, his voice plunged lower. “When things feel this good, they’re about to end.”
She gazed up at him, the glowing embers in her brown eyes a small kernel of warmth against the ice forming in his chest. The song faded, replaced with something poppy and fast-paced. For a moment they just stood there, two immovable objects in a sea of oblivious joy.
128
Dana staredinto the storm brewing in Jake’s sea-blue eyes. She wanted more than anything to calm the turbulent thoughts swirling behind them. She could see it clearly now. He’d come here not only to tell her about his new venture, but to ask her to be a part of it.
