Stonehill Series Collection, page 102
She again imagined him looking at her. Felt his arms around her. No one had ever made her feel so protected, so cherished. She didn’t know if that was his intent, but it certainly was the effect. “Maybe I’ll consider it.”
“Good. Now I’m going to wave your brother over here and when he asks what’s going on, I’m going to tell him I just talked you out of running off to Vegas to marry the handyman.”
“Oh, Annie. He’ll freak.”
She smiled. “I know. It’ll be fantastic.”
Daniel ground his teeth together as he stared at the ceiling. He was so damned frustrated with himself. After crawling into bed last night…and being incredibly happy to do so…he’d replayed the scene in the kitchen over and over in his mind. The heartbreak on Jenna’s face had nearly killed him. The need to protect her had overwhelmed him. And then the need to prove to her that she was worthy consumed him.
He had spent half the night trying to think of ways to show her that she was deserving of all the things she felt she wasn’t. That she didn’t have to dress fancily or wear makeup to be beautiful. He’d seen how beautiful she was the first time he’d watched her dump dirty mop water into the alley. He’d been taken with her from the moment he saw her. He hated that anyone would make her feel less than what she was.
He also hated that every single idea he’d had to make her feel good about herself involved money. He couldn’t buy her flowers. He couldn’t take her to dinner. He couldn’t treat her to an evening out. He couldn’t even take her for ice cream. He had maybe fifteen dollars left to his name. The only thing that proved was that he wasn’t worthy of her.
Yesterday he’d been feeling pretty damned good about himself. He’d made huge inroads with Charlie and he actually had a bed to sleep in and a couch to sit on. He had big plans for Jenna’s café. He’d held Jenna in his arms and soothed her broken heart. He’d finally been able to give something back to her, even if it was as simple as a little comfort. But comfort wasn’t going to make her life easier. Comfort wasn’t going to stretch her budget so she could have some downtime.
A short scream followed by what sounded like a scuffle on the stairs yanked Daniel from his thoughts. He was on his feet and jerking the door open just as Jenna reached his landing.
Putting his hands to her face, he scanned the area. “What happened?”
She looked at him with wide eyes. “Uh, I…uh…”
“Jenna. What happened?”
“Nothing. I was…running. The sky just opened up.” She blinked a few times.
He looked up, noticing the downpour for the first time. He’d been too focused on getting to her to realize it was raining outside and she was drenched.
“So you’re okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. Um…” She diverted her eyes, rolling them toward the ceiling. “I brought lunch.”
He grabbed the bag of food she was holding and stepped aside. “Come in.”
“I failed miserably in my attempt to hurry so I didn’t get soaked,” she said, not moving. “I should go put on dry clothes.”
He set the bag on the table and started to tell her there was no point in going back out when it was still raining, but the words lodged in his throat at the expression on her face. He didn’t have a huge amount of experience with women, but he was pretty certain there was a longing in her eyes as she skimmed her gaze over him before looking away.
He tightened his hand to make the fist that usually helped him fight temptation when she was around. It didn’t help. In fact, the blush on her cheeks made his desire for her flare. Much like the first time he’d seen her in the kitchen of the café, she was soaking wet. Strands of dark hair stuck to her face. Her shirt, with Benatar spelled out in shades of purple and fuchsia, clung to her. He lowered his gaze; he couldn’t stop himself. She took a breath, and he swallowed hard as he watched her breasts press against the thin gray material.
His mind was screaming for him to stay back, keep some space between them, but his body ignored the command and in just a few short strides, he was standing a breath away from her. She resembled a deer in headlights, frozen in fear.
Damn it. He’d scared her again.
“You’re right,” he said, his voice coming out in a growl he didn’t intend. “You should go put on dry clothes.”
“You should…put on clothes,” she whispered.
He looked down at himself. Oh. No wonder she looked terrified. He was standing in front of her in nothing but a pair of tight boxer briefs that did nothing to hide his reaction to being so close he could smell her. It’d been a long time since he’d had a woman. And even longer since he’d felt so damned attracted to one. He closed his eyes and tried to grab hold of an image to tame his body’s response to her, but before he could settle on something sufficiently disturbing, she lightly ran her fingers over the right side of his chest, just below his collarbone. He jerked his eyes open as the heat from her fingertips shot straight to his erection. She pulled her hand back but he caught it before she could lower it.
“Sorry.” She stared at where she’d been touching. “Your scars…”
He hesitated before putting her hand back to the splattering of raised flesh that stretched down to his hip. She traced the bumps as if to memorize each one as she moved her fingers. The old wound seemed to heal as she went. Somehow the skin didn’t feel so tight.
“What happened?” she asked, finally focusing on his eyes again. Her breath smelled sweet. Like the tea she sipped most of the day. He imagined her lips would taste of the drink—sugar and a hint of the lemon she always squeezed before stirring with her straw and adding extra ice. He didn’t realize he was staring at her mouth until she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth in the way that she did when she was nervous.
“We were repairing a school when we were attacked. Not everyone wants things to get better over there. I got lucky. My wounds are only skin-deep. A lot of people died that day.”
That look settled on her face again. Not pity; she wasn’t feeling sorry for him. She looked like another piece of his puzzle had fallen into place. She was figuring him out. Learning to see through his tough exterior. She lowered her hand and he instantly missed her touch, but the fire in her eyes was more than enough to make him feel her heat.
In that moment, he realized it wasn’t fear he’d been seeing in her eyes; it was uncertainty. Probably the same trepidation he’d been feeling. There was an undeniable magnetism between them that seemed to be constantly increasing.
He’d known it much longer than she had. He’d felt it the first time he’d seen her. She seemed to be realizing it now as well, but her lack of confidence was making her question what was happening between them. He wouldn’t stand for that.
“Do my scars bother you?”
“No.”
“Does my past scare you?”
“No.”
“Do I scare you?”
“No.”
He swallowed hard. “Do you want to know what I was thinking about when I heard you on the stairs?”
She nodded.
He brushed a strand of hair from her face. “I was thinking how much I want to do something to show you that your ex was wrong. You are amazing, Jenna. I want to buy you flowers, take you to dinner, but…” Shame punched him in the gut. “I can’t. I literally can’t. I don’t have a thing to offer you, and you deserve everything.”
She shook her head slowly. “I don’t need those things. They’re just things. Look what you’ve done for me. Look at this apartment. Look at the café.”
“I can’t take care of you.”
“You already are.”
He put his hands on her face, forcing her to see how serious he was. “I won’t be my father. I won’t take and take and never give back.”
“You do give back, Daniel.”
“Not in the way that matters. But I’m working on it. This job with Kara will lead to more jobs. And I’ll get back on my feet. Then I’ll deserve you.” He brushed his thumb over her lips. “And then I’ll claim you as mine.”
Curiosity mixed with the lust in her eyes. “Claim me?”
He touched her full lips again. “Once I kiss you, you’ll be mine.” He pushed the damp strands of hair from her face. “Mine to keep, to protect, to provide for. To keep satisfied.”
She lifted her chin and he thought she was trying to look offended. She failed. Her eyes betrayed her. She liked the idea. “That’s archaic.”
“Which part?”
“All of it.”
“No. It’s a show of my respect for you. Until I can give you a better life, you’re better off without me.”
“But…what if… What if I want you to claim me now?”
“I won’t.”
“Well. What if I claim you?”
Running her thumb over his lips as he’d done to her, she stared into his eyes. There was that familiar shadow of doubt behind her determination. She always seemed to be fighting for her confidence. She wouldn’t if she could see herself through his eyes.
“What if I make you mine?” she asked, distracting him from his thoughts. “To protect and keep and…satisfy?”
He swallowed hard. He wasn’t expecting her to turn the tables on him. “I’m the man.”
“That’s sexist.”
“Archaic,” he said.
He pulled her freezing-cold wet clothes against his warm flesh. He wrapped one arm around her waist and dug the fingers of his other hand in her hair, tilting her head back so he could look down into her eyes. She gripped his hips, pressing her fingertips into his sides, and pulled him even closer.
Damn it, she was testing every ounce of his resolve.
“I need to take care of you. Do you understand that?”
“Yes. But—”
“No, buts.” He pressed his lips to her forehead.
“Kissing my head isn’t claiming me?”
He smirked. “Oh, you’ll know when I stake my claim.” He pressed his erection against her and she gasped. “Go put on dry clothes. I need to go take care of my…problem.” He smiled when her eyes widened and her cheeks blushed.
“Daniel,” she called as he headed for the door.
He turned, but her back was still to him.
“What about lunch?”
Shit, he didn’t even want to leave. “Better eat without me. This could take a while.” He grabbed her lunch from the table and held it out to her. “I’ll see you for dinner, though.”
Chapter 15
Jenna couldn’t stop thinking about those few moments that had passed between her and Daniel in his apartment. Damn it, she should have just tackled him and “staked her claim” like she’d wanted to. Damn his pride. He’d left her fluttering and burning and off balance.
She hadn’t been able to focus on anything since coming back down to the café. She’d mixed up orders, forgotten names, and refilled the wrong drinks more times in one afternoon than in the three years of owning the café. Her mind was on Daniel—or more specifically, his promise to claim her.
“Ma’am,” someone barked, snapping her out of her fog. “I’ve asked for ketchup twice.”
“Right. Sorry.” She scurried to the kitchen, grabbed a bottle, and rushed back. “I’m so sorry, sir.”
He gestured around the near-empty dining room. “It’s not like you’re swamped. If you can’t handle waiting a few tables, maybe you should…”
She waited for him to finish, but he was distracted by something behind her. She turned. Daniel stood a few feet away, his posture defensive, daring the man to finish.
“Is everything else okay?” she asked her customer.
“Fine,” he muttered.
She crossed the dining room. “Don’t glare at my customers.”
“He’s being rude.”
“I forgot his ketchup twice.”
“That’s not reason enough to be an ass.”
“Stop it,” she warned when he looked toward the table again. “It’s your fault anyway.”
He creased his brow at her. “What’d I do?”
She gently pushed him onto a stool and smirked. “I think you know.”
He grinned, and she wanted to brush her fingers over his lips again.
“Hungry?”
“You have no idea.”
She laughed softly and shook her head. “I have baked chicken.”
“How about just some onion rings?”
“Coming right up.” She headed into the kitchen and dumped an order into the basket before easing it into the fryer. She set the timer and pulled out a plate and then went back to the dining room to fill a glass for him. “Soda?”
He smiled slightly, as if he were thinking about something else. “How about some of that tea you like so much?”
She hesitated. Why did asking for tea seem like he was conspiring? She filled a glass and dropped a lemon in before setting it in front of him. “Why do you look guilty of something?”
He shrugged. “Don’t I always?”
She chuckled and then glanced to the table where the disgruntled ketchup man was sitting. His glass was empty so she walked around to offer him a refill.
“Is the service always this bad here?” he asked.
She wanted to point out that she’d been at his table less than five minutes ago, but instead just smiled. “Diet, right?”
“That’s right.”
She bit her tongue as she headed for the drink dispenser. This wasn’t the first time she’d dealt with someone like this, but the fire in Daniel’s eyes as she headed in his direction let her know she should be more concerned about him than her customer’s dissatisfaction.
“Relax,” she whispered as she passed him. She filled the drink, set it on the man’s table with a smile, and went back to the kitchen to get Daniel’s onion rings. She slid the plate and a bottle of ketchup on the counter and left to tend to the handful of customers in the café. She refilled a few coffee cups, amazed at how she was suddenly able to function again now that Daniel was there, and made her way back to her disgruntled customer.
“Can I get you anything else?” she asked happily, despite the scowl on his face.
“No, thanks.”
She set the coffeepot on an empty table next to his and pulled her order pad from her apron.
“You’re seriously going to make me pay for this shitty meal?”
She ripped his bill from the book. “You can tip as you see fit, but you will pay for the food you ate.”
He grabbed her wrist as she laid the paper on the table. Her newfound instinct kicked in and she turned and yanked free in the way Daniel had trained her. As she did, she noticed her teacher practically launching from his seat.
“No!” She put her hands up to stop him. Pressing them against Daniel’s chest, she dug her heels in. “No. No.”
He tore his fiery gaze from the man to look at her.
“No,” she said more gently.
Returning his hard stare to the man, he said through clenched teeth, “Pay your bill and leave.”
The threat in his words made her quake inside, and he wasn’t even talking to her. She didn’t pay attention to the man, but assumed he was doing as told, because she was certain that if he dared to defy the order, Daniel would push her aside and break the man’s neck. Something slapped against the tabletop—money most likely—and then the sound of leg chairs scraping over the floor filled the eerily quiet diner and brought her a sense of relief. The man was leaving.
But then glass shattered, and she turned. He’d knocked the half-filled coffeepot from the table on his way out. She felt the rumble in Daniel’s chest just moments before a primal sound left him, giving her the distinct impression that he was out for blood and probably wouldn’t stop until the man who was stomping toward the door delivered.
Not too long ago, Jenna had been thinking how nice it would be to have a man protect her rather than throw her to the wolves as Peter had done, but the reality was vastly different than what she’d imagined. Fear gripped her—not for herself, but that Daniel could really hurt that man and get himself in trouble.
Then what? How would he get on his feet if he were in jail? He wouldn’t, and that would be all the evidence he’d need that he wasn’t good enough for her. And then he’d leave her. And she couldn’t let that happen. She wouldn’t let that happen.
Daniel gripped her upper arms and moved her aside, but she fisted his shirt and pulled, refusing to let him go out the door that the man slammed on his way out. “Don’t.” She tugged harder on Daniel’s shirt. “Just let him go.”
Backing down, doing nothing, wasn’t in his nature and she knew it. He took a step, bumping into her, but she bumped back.
“Let him go. Daniel. Let him go.”
He exhaled loudly, and finally eased his stance. Pulling her hands from his shirt, he lifted her hand, examining he wrist. “Did he hurt you?”
“No. I’m okay.” She put her fingers to his face, drawing his attention away from her arm and offering him a smile. “Did you see that? I kung fu-ed my way right outta that bastard’s grip.”
He didn’t smile.
“Daniel. I’m fine.”
“I was sitting right there. He shouldn’t have had a chance to touch you.”
She sighed. “Really? Not even a pat on the back for defending myself?”
One of her regular customers called out her name. She hadn’t even noticed Paul O’Connell standing beside Daniel. His had been the last mug refilled by the doomed coffeepot. And he also happened to be Annie’s younger brother. There was no hope of keeping Marcus from hearing about this. But at least he’d hear how Daniel rushed to her defense. That would score him a few points with her brother.
Paul’s wife, Dianna, rushed around him and took Jenna’s hand, as Daniel had done. “Did he hurt you?”
“No. I’m fine.” She stepped back and offered a smile. “I’m fine, everyone. I’m so sorry for the disturbance. There’s always one, right?” she said as lightly as she could. “Go finish your lunch,” she told the O’Connells. They both hesitated to return to their table, but when they did she turned to Daniel. “Thank you.”
