Jack (4 page)

Chapter Four

It was hot. Not just normal hot like it got at home in New York in the summer, but beastly, sauna kind of hot. Nicki breathed out, but her own breath even seemed to raise the temperature.

She leaned against a fence in the shade and wiped the back of her hand over her forehead, ignoring the fact that she’d probably just left a lovely dirt streak there.

“How’re you doing?”

Speaking of hot… Jack had managed to sneak up without her hearing him once again. It’s like the guy walked on air.

“It’s hot,” she complained bad-naturedly.

Jack laughed. “Oh, darlin’, by the calendar it’s not even summer yet. What’re you going to do then?”

“Die. Or get a job in the frozen-food section of the food store in town.”

He shook his head vigorously. “Nope. I can’t let you do that. Jared would kill me if I let you quit over a little heat.”

“A little heat?” She stared at him in shock over that understatement. He didn’t look uncomfortably warm at all. Thin blood, she decided.

He reached out and grabbed her hand. “Come on. I know how to cool you off.”

“Where are we going?” It’s not that she didn’t trust him. Over the last few days, they’d settled on a kind of unspoken truce. He’d stopped with the questions, and she’d stopped avoiding him. But since this heat wave had hit overnight, she honestly was too hot to move. “Is it far?”

He laughed again. “You’re not going to melt from the heat. I promise.”

They crossed the field beneath the brutally hot sun until they were beneath the shade of a stand of trees. She was happy to be out of the heat of the sun again and even happier when they broke out through the trees and she spotted Jack’s destination. He stopped in front of a big, beautiful and, most important, cool-looking pond shaded by a giant willow tree.

She took another step forward. “It’s like heaven.”

He smiled down at her. “And it’s fed by an underground spring, so it’s always cold.”

That information nearly sent her running into the water fully clothed. She turned to thank him when she noticed Jack stripping off his shirt while kicking off his barn boots.

“I don’t have a suit on.”

He grinned. “Neither do I, but don’t worry. We’re not formal around here, darlin’.”

“You mean…” Surely he didn’t intend to jump in naked. Did he?

He paused with his hand on the top button of his jeans and looked at her strangely. “Don’t tell me you’ve never been skinny dipping before?”

“Okay, I won’t tell you.” She kicked at the dirt self-consciously and tried not to look at how the sun glinted off the sheen of sweat on his bare chest. She swallowed hard and forced her gaze back up to his face.

He paused, then bent and retrieved his discarded shirt and boots. “That’s fine. I’ll give you some privacy.” He turned back toward the way they’d come when she put one hand on his arm and stopped him.

“No. That’s not fair. You’re just as uncomfortable as I am.” She hesitated. “So, you do this a lot? Skinny dip?”

“I was swimming in this pond naked before I could walk.”

“But with girls?”

He shrugged. “Just another rite of passage. It’s really not a big deal around here. Now going to the local drive-in for a first date with a girl,
that’s
a big deal.”

She looked wistfully at the water and could practically feel it against her skin, cooling her right down to the core.

“Okay.”

He smiled. “Good for you, darlin’. You really haven’t lived ’til you’ve jumped into a cool pond on a hot day.”

She kicked off her own incredibly hot rubber mucking boots and paused with her hands on her jeans’ button as Jack pulled his pants off. While she stood frozen in shock, he was before her in nothing but his boxers. “Um, Jack?”

He raised a brow. “Yeah?”

“You are a gentleman, aren’t you?”

He laughed, a sound that started deep in his chest and kind of bubbled out. “Darlin’, I’m southern.” And with that he pulled off the boxers and she got quite a view of his white ass cheeks as he ran for the pond. With a whoop, he dove in headfirst, naked.

She couldn’t help but be jealous at the sheer abandon of the move. While he was swimming as sleekly as an eel under the water—she certainly hoped there were no actual eels in there—she stripped naked and dove in herself.

Nicki broke the surface and shook the wet hair out of her eyes. “This is amazing.”

He swam circles around her. “Told ya’ so. When are you gonna start trusting me, darlin’?”

She treaded water and spun to follow his motion as he moved slowly around her. “I do trust you.”

Her words had come out softly but he’d obviously heard them. He stopped swimming and just bobbed. “You do?”

Uh-oh. When had this gotten serious? “Of course. You’ve never given me reason not to. Your entire family has taken me in as one of their own. Why wouldn’t I trust you?”

He looked like he wanted to say something more, but instead he just shrugged and starting swimming around her again.

“Um, Jack?”

“Yeah?”

“How do we dry off so we can get dressed again?” Tight jeans and wet skin did not mix well.

He stopped swimming and grinned. “Sunshine, darlin’. Sunshine.”

“Oh.” She was afraid of that.

Jack gazed at the twinkling, star-filled sky. He never saw night skies like this back at the base. Too close to the city lights. Only in the country did you see stars like these.

He glanced up and noticed the light on in Nicki’s room over the barn. He thought back to their little dip in the pond and how they’d lain next to each other in the grass after. Being a gentleman, he’d kept his gaze on the sky. Well, most of the time. He smiled at the memory of the expanse of smooth pale skin he’d glimpsed when she’d bent to retrieve her clothing off the grass. He didn’t get views like
that
back at the base either.

That image of her had Jack walking in the direction of the barn. He climbed the exterior stairs to her door and knocked, then realized he probably should identify himself too. “It’s Jack, darlin’.”

If she was on the run, which it was now pretty clear she was, a knock on her door in the dark would scare the hell out of her. He heard her throw the locks. She opened the door wearing nothing but a tank top and short shorts. Her black wavy hair was damp. She must have just showered, unless she’d snuck back to the pond for another dip. He liked the thought of that.

“Hey, Jack.”

He peeked past her into the room and saw she had a fan in the window. At least that would keep it from getting beastly hot in here, but it was still not cool by any stretch of the imagination. “I’ve come to take you out, darlin’. The show starts at the drive-in in a few minutes.”

Jack still hadn’t decided what to do about her situation back in New York. Hell, he hadn’t even determined exactly what that situation was. For now though, the least he could do was try to make her life here a little bit happier. It seemed to be working. She broke into a gorgeous smile that made her blue eyes twinkle.

He’d made up his mind. She was safe for now working here. He would most likely tell his brother about what he’d learned before he left. Jared would make sure her identity stayed secret while keeping an eye out for her.

“I thought you said taking a girl to the drive-in for the first time was a very big deal around here.” She planted a fist on each of her hips in challenge. She was a beauty, even when she was pretending to frown at him, like she was doing now.

He grinned and kicked at the doormat. “Yeah, well I meant it
was
, back when I was sixteen.”

“Oh? So it’s not a big deal now?” She put on a pretty pout. Was she flirting with him? He hoped so.

Jack reached out and lifted her chin. “You caught me lying. It is still a big deal to me and if you say no, I’ll be crushed. So what do you say?”

Her gaze dropped shyly. “Okay, but I have to get changed first.”

He shook his head and laughed. “It’s the drive-in in Pigeon Hollow. Believe me, you’re overdressed.”

She frowned. He doubted she’d ever gone anywhere in New York in cut-offs and a tank top with no bra underneath, he noted happily.

“All right. I’ll just put on some shoes.” She shoved her feet into flip-flops, then grabbed her purse from the hook beside the door. Nicki finally met his gaze. “So, um, is the drive-in the place where you went as a teenager to…you know?”

Jack laughed. “No.” When she looked disappointed, he added, “The drive-in is for the warm-up. I save the ‘you know’ for later at Lover’s Lane by the river.”

Nicki’s eyes opened wide at that answer and her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink. “Oh.”

Looping an arm around her shoulders as they walked down the stairs and toward his convertible, he considered his plan of action. Maybe he should put the roof up when they got to the drive-in. He may need the privacy later.

Nicki glanced sideways at Jack and then back at the larger-than-life outdoor movie screen. She’d never been to a drive-in before, and it was nothing like the eleven-movie multiplex theaters back home in New York.

Jack glanced down at her and laid an arm around the back of her seat. “Having a good time?”

She nodded and then had to stifle a yawn. Shocked at her own appalling lack of manners, she covered her mouth. “I’m so sorry. It’s no reflection on you or the movie. I’m just a little tired.” And wasn’t that the biggest understatement of the century? She hadn’t really slept in a month, not since she’d been on the run.

“That’s all right, darlin’. You want to go home?”

She shook her head. “No. I’m enjoying being out. I’ll be fine.”

He pulled her closer until her head leaned against his strong shoulder. “Rest for a bit.”

Like she’d actually be able to rest this close to him. Since their little trip to Jack’s pond, every time she closed her eyes or even let her mind wander, visions of a naked Jack swam through her head.

Even so, she must have fallen asleep because the next thing she was conscious of was Jack kissing her softly on the forehead. “Nicki?”

She opened her eyes. “I’m sorry. I fell asleep. Is it over?” She saw the screen filled with an ad for the snack bar.

He smiled, his face very close to hers. “The first one is over. It’s a double feature, but the second movie is some horror flick. I would have just driven us home, but you’re on my right arm and I need it to shift.”

While apologizing, she started to move away, but his arm around her shoulder stopped her from going too far.

“Don’t apologize, darlin’. I liked it. You’re so cute while you sleep. I hated to wake you up.”

He leaned in a little closer, or maybe she did. Either way, she suddenly found herself in the position where there was a choice to be made. Pull back and save herself from the temptation, or move forward and succumb to what she’d been thinking about so much lately, pretty much non-stop. Jack. His sexy, low voice washing over her body. His thick southern drawl that almost seemed to cling to her like molasses. Jack, the man whose mouth hovered temptingly above hers.

Jack truly was a southern gentleman. Their lips were just a breath apart, but he didn’t move in. It was as if he waited for her to move first. But if the look in his eyes was any indication, he wanted this kiss as much as she did.

Licking her lips, Nicki dropped her gaze briefly to his mouth, leaned in and then lost herself in his kiss. She heard his quick intake of breath before his other hand moved to cradle the back of her head. Her hands found their way up his rock-hard chest, and then down the V to his narrow waist and hips.

He nibbled gently on her lower lip before tilting her head and sliding his tongue inside her mouth. She melted. Eyes closed, a small sound of pleasure escaped her throat. At hearing the sound, he leaned back and smiled down at her. Thankfully, he didn’t stay away long, but moved to suck on her earlobe. His breath in her ear sent tingles straight to her core.

She wanted more from him. She wanted his shirt off, her hands on him. His hands on her. His mouth all over her. Then she remembered they were in a convertible in a public place.

She drew in a shaky deep breath and released it with his name. “Jack.”

He pulled back enough to look at her with heavy-lidded eyes. “Yeah, darlin’?”

Swallowing hard, she gathered her nerve. “Take me to Lover’s Lane.”

His eyes opened wider for a second, then he had the car started and them on the road so fast she wasn’t quite sure how he’d done it.

Nicki tried not to let herself get nervous on the drive to this Lover’s Lane. Jack left his hand on her knee, only removing it occasionally to shift gears. All too soon, they were at the river. He pulled the car beneath a tree, put it into park and pulled up the emergency brake.

Before he turned off the car, Nicki touched his hand. “Put the roof up, Jack.” Her heart was beating faster as he did what she asked. Then he turned in his seat and faced her. And that’s when she attacked him.

There was a jumble of limbs, interrupted by car parts, punctuated by the bruising of limbs by car parts. Somehow they both ended up in the passenger seat with Jack on the bottom and Nicki in his lap facing him. She found herself panting as he pulled up her tank top and closed his mouth over her breast.