All Falls Down (15 page)

"No." Okay, that doesn't even sound convincing to me. I try again. "You confused me. I thought you hated me, and I didn't know why."

He blows out a soft breath and leans back against the high-back of the booth, my hand wrapped in his. He's utterly still, staring at me. It's as if he's peering into me – sifting through all those things I try to hide from him.

"You completely disorient me," he finally admits, his voice so soft I have to lean in to hear him. "You have since the moment you ran into me at the airport. I'm not used to feeling so breathless all the time."

"I know the feeling," I say. Good grief, do I ever know!

He smiles and squeezes my fingers. "You undo me, Savannah. Every time I look at you, I feel like a teenager again. I can't stop thinking about you, or wanting to touch you. I've never wanted to kiss someone so badly or so often. It's overwhelming to be so thoroughly captivated by someone so much better than me. And you are better than me. So fucking much better. I handled it poorly and hurt you in the process. I'm sorry for that."

I open my mouth and then close it, completely mystified about how to respond to him.

I make him feel that way?
Me?

"Are you real?" I ask, suspicion rife in my tone.

Confusion sweeps through him, crinkling his brow and pulling his lips into a frown.

My cheeks burn with heat again. "I just mean I'm a mess. And you're not. You're… well, you're
you
. And this is just–" I wave my hand between us again, at a loss for words. "Wow," I finish lamely.

His expression clears a little. "I'm just a man, Savannah."

I think I snort.

"I am," he insists, gazing at me from beneath those lashes. His eyes are sleepy, and not in the tired way.

My stomach and heart both break out a few gymnastic moves.

"I'm just a man, and you are stunning." He blows out a breath again and shakes his head, seeming disoriented. His thumb brushes across my knuckles again. "You completely shatter me."

"You too," I whisper. My tongue is thick, and my head heavy. I know exactly what this is. Lust. Overwhelming, spine-tingling lust. "I can't think straight when you smile at me."

"I think I like knowing that," he says, winking at me.

My entire body blushes this time.

He notices and grins, mischief radiating from him. "I
really
think I like knowing that."

I lean forward a little more, my mouth open. When he leans forward too, his expression ravenous, I lose the ability to breathe. The hungry way he looks at me pins me to my seat.

"You're fucking ravishing, Savannah. Don't ever question that."

A wave of heat hits me and I sway.

The waitress suddenly appears and Jared leans back, picking up his menu.

I blink a few times as she introduces herself and takes our drink order.

All I can think is,
Oh Lord. Oh dear, sweet Lord
.

The rest of the meal goes surprisingly well. Jared is charming, and I find myself relaxing more and more. His words echo in my mind, easing me. It's hard not to believe he meant what he said when he looks at me as if he's dying to kiss me.

I feel like the only woman in the world when he focuses his attention solely on me, ignoring everything around us.

By silent agreement, we keep the conversation light. Our likes and dislikes, favorite bands and movies. I'm surprised to find just how much we have in common, from our mutual hatred of reality television and Justin Bieber to our appreciation of independent films and classic literature to our love of Ray Lamontagne and La Rocca.

The food is delicious and I eat every bite on my plate. Our waitress appears every once in a while to refill our glasses or see if we need anything, but otherwise she's blessedly absent. It's just me and Jared in our own little bubble.

Throughout the meal, he reaches across the small table to touch me… my hands, my face. Each brush is innocent, but my skin sings at the press of his fingers. He seems to experience the exact same sensation. His eyes actually close halfway once and he sighs as if relieved before leaning back and picking up his fork again.

When I finish the most amazing
baklava
I've ever had, he trails his fingertip across my lips to capture the bit of honey smeared there. I nearly moan aloud, that small, intimate touch reigniting the spark he set to flaming earlier.

He brings his finger to his mouth and pops it inside, his gaze never leaving mine.

"Mm," he says, a wicked grin on his face, "delicious."

Tingling heat suffuses my body. A soft groan whispers from my lips.

We stare at each other for a long time. The desire in his eyes spears through me again, kicking butterflies into flight in my stomach, sending a pleasurable ache scratching through me. I can't remember the last time I wanted someone so badly. Hell, I don't think I
ever
have.

I shift in the booth, trying to ease the ache tearing through me.

Jared finally drops his hand and exhales.

"I think we need to get out of here," he murmurs, his voice gritty.

I nod and wipe my mouth, not trusting myself to speak. If I do, something ridiculous and completely mortifying will come out. Better not to risk it.

The waitress materializes with the check almost immediately. Jared doesn't even glance at it before reaching into his pocket to pull out his wallet. He hands over a credit card and tells her that we'll meet her at the hostess booth. She beams at both of us and vanishes.

Jared runs a hand through his unruly hair and slides from the booth.

"Ready, beautiful girl?" He holds his hand out to me.

I take it and allow him to pull me up. My body brushes against his, his obvious erection pressing into my stomach.

Oh.
God.

He groans softly before stepping back, my hand in his.

I stumble along at his side in silence, my mind racing. My body screams at me. I've never been so aroused in my life. And I'm really not sure where that leaves us now. As much as I want him… I'm not ready to take that step, and I have no idea if he expects me to.

He was gentle last night. He never pushed or even suggested it. But that was last night.

What happens today?

What if I can't please him?

You're frigid, Savannah.

I flinch away from Toby's voice in my head, shoving it back down where it belongs.

I'm not sure if he's right about me or not. I hated having sex with him – hated how dirty I felt afterward, like the things he demanded I do for him tainted me inside and out. I think maybe that was his fault, but I'm not sure. I've never been with anyone else.

Jared signs the receipt and the waitress passes his credit card back to him.

She smiles at both of us again and wishes us a good day. The overwhelmed hostess is nowhere to be found.

The sun shines bright on my face when Jared holds the door open for me to step out. I let my eyes fall closed and just stand there for a minute, shoving my worries out of my mind and soaking in the warmth. It's been days since the sun last made an appearance.

I've missed it.

"Have you ever been to the Botanical Gardens?" Jared asks, stepping up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist.

I practically melt into him.

He lowers his chin to my shoulder and places a soft kiss on the side of my neck.

"Mmhmm," I hum. "They're beautiful."

"They are," he agrees. "Would you go with me?"

"Now?" I peer over my shoulder at him. "Won't the girls expect us home soon?"

"Yes, now." He smiles and squeezes me. "We have all afternoon, and there's something I want to show you."

He seems so excited, I just can't tell him no.

I don't really want to anyway.

"We're going to get in trouble," I prophesize half an hour later as he leads me across the damp grass at the Botanical Gardens, a thick blanket in his hands. Besides a tiny little boy running from his mother across a clearing a few yards ahead, we're the only two ignoring the sidewalk. We're bound to get in trouble.

"We are not," Jared answers, grinning at me, "But I'll take full responsibility if we do."

I sigh, surrendering when he brushes a kiss across my knuckles and leads me through the maze of plants. The Gardens are absolutely breathtaking. Vibrant, vivid color blooms everywhere. A soft breeze wafts the scent of thousands of plants all around us. Water rushes in little ponds and fountains.

I think I'm in heaven.

"I'd forgotten how beautiful it is here," I murmur.

"It is. They put a lot of work into maintaining it." Jared pushes aside the trailing branches of a weeping willow and ducks underneath, disappearing from sight.

I glance back at the trail again and realize no one's watching us.

I follow after him quickly.

He releases the branches and they fall around us, shutting out the rest of the world. It's dimmer underneath and the branches rustle with the wind.

Jared takes my hand in his again.

"Careful. The roots are growing out of the ground."

"It wasn't planted deeply enough." I step carefully over a large, exposed root.

"Hmm?"

"The tree," I explain. "Weeping willow roots grow upward. They have to be planted deeply or they break through the ground. Eventually, the tree will have to be cut down."

"I think it's safe for now," he says. "It hasn't gone wild yet. Do you garden?"

"No."

He looks to me for explanation.

"There used to be one at the Talbot estate. Matthew and Caitlyn had to have it cut down when the roots started breaking through the sidewalk." I used to love sitting underneath that tree to read. It was so quiet, my own little world. Matthew offered to have another planted for me when it was cut down, but it just wouldn't have been the same. Besides, asking him to plant a tree for me wouldn't have been fair. I was just the maid's daughter.

"Ah." Jared draws to a stop at the far side of the tree. "Close your eyes."

I obey instantly when he reaches for the branches to push them aside. He helps me duck from beneath them and then leads me a few feet forward before stopping. The sun shines directly overhead.

Jared steps up behind me again and wraps his arms around me.

As usual, I melt into him.

No one has ever held me like he does… as if I'm priceless, something to cherish and protect. In his embrace, I'm safe, warm in a way I've never felt before. I fit against him perfectly; our bodies lining up in a way that makes me think I belong in his arms. Like maybe his broad chest was designed specifically for me to rest against.

"Open your eyes, beautiful girl," he whispers, his lips at my ear. His breath washes across my skin, pulling a shiver from me.

My eyes flutter open.

"Oh!" I gasp.

We're in a little clearing, and it's absolutely beautiful. Weeping willows surround it on three sides. A pond cuts through the other side, with hibiscus bushes growing up in columns around it. The area is completely isolated from the populated trails, hidden from sight. Wildflowers grow everywhere, pops of color running wild.