Page 10 of Cognac & Cornflowers

He sat back in his seat with a scowl. Shoot.

“I wasn’t … that kiss? It was about getting caught up – carried away – in the moment. The mistletoe seemed like too good an opportunity to pass up – an opportunity to go in for a kiss that I didn’t think I’d be able to get from you for weeks.”

She stuck her nose back down in the fur collar of her coat as she mulled that over. His explanation didn’t match with her assumption – that he’d asked her back to his place to sleep with him.

He blew out a sigh and pulled the Range Rover out onto the road. As they drove in silence, Becca started to feel bad. In the moment, that kiss had felt like the most magical one she’d ever had. But when she’d heard people laughing, she assumed that it was at her – and that they knew something that she didn’t. Now, with a little bit of time and perspective, she could see that she’d perhaps overreacted – and blown away any chance she’d had of being on the receiving end of any more Jacob kisses.

She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head before she popped back up out of her jacket.

“I’m sorry.”

Jacob glanced over at her. “Please, don’t apologize. It’s all on me. I should never have asked you back to the house.”

“Oh.” Well, that told her, didn’t it?

In another few minutes, they arrived back at the school. “You can just drop me out front.”

“Where’s your car?”

“It’s around the back, but I need to go into my classroom for a few things. I’ll be fine.”

“Do you seriously think that I’d leave you here by yourself?”

She peeked out from under her hood. He was not a happy man. She could understand why, too. First, she’d accused him of wanting to sleep with her – of seeing her as some kind of challenge because she wasn’t that kind of girl. Now, she was saying that he was the kind of guy who would drive away and leave a woman to walk across an empty parking lot by herself in the dark.

She blew out a short sigh. “No. I really don’t. I should have known better. Rather than offending you by implying that you would do that, I should have just embarrassed myself – again – by letting you drive me to my car.” She pointed down the side of the building. “It’s back there in the teachers’ lot.”

Her Focus was the only vehicle still there, and Jacob brought his big, shiny Range Rover to a stop beside it. Even their vehicles made clear that they had nothing in common and shouldn’t even be in the same parking lot.

She reached for the door handle and gave him a sad smile. “Thanks for inviting me over. Thanks for bringing me back. I’ll do my best to stay out of your way in the future.”

She climbed down and dug through her bag for her keys. While she was still searching for them, Jacob got out and came to her. He’d parked so that she could get out of his passenger seat and straight into her driver’s side. So, now he had her trapped between the two vehicles. She wasn’t afraid of him, though. It wasn’t fear that was causing her heart to race. It was him.

He gave her a wry smile as he put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m not entirely sure how this evening went so wrong. But I’d like to make it right.”

She held her breath, wondering if he were going to suggest that he should come back to her place – and if she’d be able to tell him no if he did.

“Do you remember earlier; I asked if I could take you out for coffee?”

She nodded.

“Can we still do that? Will you meet me for coffee one day? Whenever, wherever you like?”

She held his gaze for a long moment before she nodded.

The way he smiled made her wish that they could go back and start this evening over. He was a good guy, and if she took that look at face value, he was interested in her – what if that was really the case?

“I’ll meet you for coffee one day, but it won’t be until after the holidays now. I’ll be busy at school until we finish and I’m going home the day after.”

“Where’s home?”

“Kansas.”

“Can I call you, then?” He smiled. “I’d hate for you to forget me while you’re gone.”

She covered her smile with her hand. “I doubt many women forget you, Jacob Jacobs.”

He shrugged. “You’re not like any other women I’ve known. I don’t want to take any chances.”

---