Page 67 of Then Came Love
Chapter Thirteen
JORDAN COULDN’T STOP grinning Friday afternoon as she read Jax’s text, feeling more like a giddy college girl than a professional woman. Dear Ms. Lawler, thank you for accompanying me to dinner last night. I thoroughly enjoyed your company and the meal, but the strawberry cheesecake wasn’t nearly as delectable as you, and that front-seat make-out session only whet my appetite. Did it whet yours?
Warmth surged through her as she remembered just how whet her appetite had been when he’d kissed her senseless in the car after their date. It was crazy how much she’d missed him after he’d left.
She thumbed out a response. Dear Mr. Braden, that is quite a personal question. While I’m not inclined to answer it specifically, I will say that it’s a good thing I don’t live in an apartment with thin walls, or the neighbors might have heard your name being cried out late last night as I imagined your fingers in place of mine. Her heart raced as she sent the naughty message. She’d never sent sexy texts to Todd, and she was glad, because this was new and exciting, and it was theirs. She liked having experiences that were new for her and Jax, like making love in the bathtub, which Jax told her last night had been a first for him, too.
Her phone vibrated and her pulse spiked before she even read his response. Dear Ms. Lawler, thank you for that visual. However, I won’t be able to stand up from behind my desk for quite some time. Jordan giggled. Perhaps your right hand should now be named Jax, as I’ve called mine Jordan for the past several months. I, too, was strung tighter than a violin last night, and poor Coco searched the house for you when I imagined my hand was your mouth as I gritted out your name.
Jordan’s body flamed. She fanned her face, turning her chair away from her office door as she responded. Dear Mr. Braden, I’m afraid this line of messaging has necessitated a change in panties, which I don’t have on hand. Perhaps we should keep things a bit more professional.
His response was immediate. Dear Ms. Lawler, wearing panties is overrated. Feel free to forgo them on our next dinner date. Her heart raced as she texted, Dear Mr. Braden, I’ve noted your request and will take it under consideration. Jax wasted no time. His message rolled in a minute later. Dear Ms. Lawler, would you like to join me and Coco for a sunrise run tomorrow morning? I promise to keep my hands to myself. Fortunately, my mouth is not as easily controlled. Panties optional.
Grinning, she typed, Dear Mr. Braden, I would love to join you. However, I do have a request. If you plan on wearing your gray sweatpants, please wear tight undergarments. If you don’t, and if I forgo wearing panties, it could lead to a sticky situation.
“Hi, Jordan.”
Jordan startled and leapt to her feet, turning to find Trixie standing in the doorway. Her long dark hair fell in natural waves over the shoulders of her pink Rising Hope T-shirt. A true Southern girl, Trixie always wore jeans and cowgirl boots, and she was holding Annabelle’s lead, one of her adorable miniature therapy horses, who wore a pink Rising Hope vest and shoes.
“Trixie, hi.” Jordan set her phone on the desk, trying to calm her runaway hormones.
“Did you forget about our meeting? I can come back if you’re busy.”
“No. I didn’t forget. I was just”—sexting with Jax—“distracted. Come in. Sit down. It’s great to see you. You look refreshed from your honeymoon.”
“I have a feeling I’ll look refreshed for quite some time. I swear Nick has the sexual energy of a twenty-year-old.”
“Lucky you.” Jordan wanted to gush about Jax, but Trixie didn’t know she’d broken off her engagement, and she still wasn’t comfortable sharing too much personal information. She’d told her aunt, and her aunt had been relieved that she’d finally ended her relationship with Todd. She’d also told Kelly and a few other staff members, but there were still more people who needed to know that her engagement had been called off for good, including the Knotty Hookers and some other residents with whom she was close. It was getting easier to tell people, and she wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing.
“And how are you, pretty girl?” She petted Annabelle, instantly feeling a little more relaxed. She’d noticed that Coco had the same effect on her. “Are you ready to bring smiles to our residents today?”
“Is she ever. She’s in a great mood.” Trixie sat down, and Annabelle stood dutifully by her side.
“She’s always a sweetie.” Jordan’s phone vibrated as she went behind her desk to sit down.
“Sorry I’m late!” Jillian breezed into the office on sky-high heels, wearing a gorgeous two-toned cap-sleeved minidress with a white hourglass-shaped panel in the front, flanked by black sides.
“Hi.” Jordan couldn’t hide her surprise. “I didn’t know you were joining us.”
“Sorry. That’s my fault,” Trixie said. “I think I forgot to mention it.”
“I’m doing a ride-along with Trixie today.” Jillian settled into the chair beside Trixie. “It’s kind of like a ride-along with the police, you know, to see what Trixie really does.”
“Oh. How fun, but I’m afraid you might be bored during this meeting. We’re just going over schedules.” Her phone vibrated several times in rapid succession. “I’m sorry. I forgot to turn that off.” She snagged it off the desk, hoping they didn’t notice Jax’s name on the messages.
“Someone must really want to reach you,” Jillian said. “Maybe it’s your fiancé.”
“I bet Todd’s counting down the days until your wedding,” Trixie’s gaze moved to Jordan’s left hand, then flicked up, filled with concern.
“Um, let me just…” She opened one of Jax’s messages, catching the word panties as she thumbed out, Can’t text. In meeting. She sent the text and shoved the phone in her purse, remembering the nice things he’d said about Jillian and Trixie. “Sorry about that. It wasn’t Todd. I broke off our engagement.”
“Oh, no,” Trixie said empathetically. “Cold feet again?”
“No. I’m done. I should have ended it a long time ago.”
“Really?” Jillian sounded strangely enthusiastic. “Does my brother know?”
Trixie winced. “That’s right. Jax was designing your wedding gown with you.”
“He knows. I saw him the night it happened, and we had dinner last night.” Boy, it felt good to say that out loud.
“You did? That’s interesting.” Jillian scooted forward on the chair. “So, was this a friendly dinner, like let me comfort you in your time of need? Or was it more friendly, like hey, baby, I can make you forget that guy ever existed?”
Ohmygod.
Trixie’s eyes bloomed wide. “Jilly!”
“What?” Jillian splayed her hands. “I’m just asking. If you hadn’t been so busy mooning over your new husband at your wedding reception, you would have seen the sparks flying between them. They nearly caught the dance floor on fire.”
“How did I miss that?” Trixie asked incredulously.
