Promises (12 page)

Izzy’s jaw tightened.  “Just leave it, Mikki.”

“I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be.  I’m fine.”

“Izzy-”

“I’ll handle it.”  Realising she’d said the wrong thing as soon as the words fell from her lips, Izzy added, “If there was anything to handle, which there isn’t.”

“So who was your visitor this morning?”

“Someone dropping off a parcel.”

Mikki snorted in disgust.  “You did not just say that shit.”

About to give a biting retort, Izzy saw the genuine worry in her face.  That deflated the anger and she sighed.  “Look, I appreciate that you care, but everything is fine.  It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

“Iz, I saw how upset you were-”

“Its fine,” Izzy repeated determinedly.

“Talk to me.”

“No.”  To soften the blow, she added, “Not yet.  Okay?  Just give me some time.”

“Time for what?”  Mikki laid a hand on her arm.  “If you’re in trouble you can tell me.  You know that, right?”

“I know.”  Izzy smiled with genuine affection.  “I trust you.  I do.  But this is something I have to handle myself.”

“You don’t have to do anything alone.”

“Mikki,” Izzy said gently, “I love you.  You’re my best friend.  I swear everything is fine.  I’m in no danger.”

Dubiously, Mikki pursed her lips.

“Please, Mik.”

Her friend looked away, swore beneath her breath before swinging back to nail Izzy with a narrow-eyed look.  “All right, I’ll stop hassling you.  For now.  But you need help, you ring me, okay?  Hell, you ring Jason.  Ring Luke.  Ring
someone
.”

“I will.”

“Promise me.”

“Mikki!”

“Good.”  Mikki started down the steps.  “I’m off to Auntie’s to deliver her pills.  I’ll see you tomorrow morning at work.”

“No worries.”  Relieved that she was finally on her own, Izzy watched her friend’s car disappear up the road.

With a sigh, she leaned against the veranda post.  Arnie twined around her ankles before jumping onto the veranda rail to push his head against her arm.

“Hells bells, Arnie.”  She stroked down his back, making him arch and purr.  “What am I going to do?  I feel like I’m drowning.”

“And yet you don’t call for help,” a deep tone drawled from the corner of the house.

Izzy gave a small shriek and leaped back.  Arnie fled through the open door back into the house.  Hand pressed to her chest, she gaped at Jason as he walked into the light.

“I knew it.”  Coming to a stop at the bottom of the steps, he looked up at her.

“How - how long - what are you doing here?”  Izzy stammered.

“Listening to you admit you’re in trouble.”

“I’m not in trouble,” she immediately denied.

“Don’t lie to me.”  It was the exact same words Mikki had used, but coming from Jason, they held a deeper, harder tone.

Folding her arms across her chest, Izzy took a step back.  “It’s getting colder out here.  I have to go in.  Goodnight.”

“Not yet.”

She froze as he climbed the steps, swallowing as he moved close enough to make her tilt her head back to meet his gaze.  His eyes held a hint of anger, she could see the glint of it in the veranda light, see it in the tightness of his jaw.  With a shiver, she took another step back.

“Stop.”  He said it quietly, but forcefully.

Anyone else she’d have given a sharp rebuke and walked off, but caught in the snare of his hard gaze she could only shiver and watch warily.

A muscle in his jaw flexed.  “I’m not here to hurt you, Iz.  I’d never hurt you.”

“I don’t know you that well,” she countered, wondering if she could divert his attention from what he’d overheard.

Standing before her, he rested both hands on his hips, pushing the edges of the flannel shirt aside.  Even in the cold autumn evening he wore only the open flannel shirt over a long-sleeved t-shirt, his jeans old and snug.

“You know me enough,” he replied.

“Jason-”

“Izzy.”

She sighed.  “Sorry.”

Turning his head, Jason gazed into the shadows gathered in the far corner of the veranda.

Relaxing a little, Izzy inhaled deeply, the scent of soap and clean male rising tantalizingly from the man before her.  She should have taken a step back to put more room between them, but somehow she couldn’t make her feet move.  Nope, stepping back from this man was definitely something she should do, but definitely something she couldn’t do.  He smelled too good, the warmth of his body almost tangible, his nearness conveying safety.  Which was odd, because he was still just standing there looking the other way and-

“Tell me about that bloke this morning.”  Those hazel eyes cut back to her.

Caught up in her own thoughts, she blinked.  “What?”

“That bloke who came this morning.”

Keeping her arms folded, Izzy replied calmly, “No one of importance.”

“Not a friend.”

“He was just delivering a message.”

“Uh huh.”  Jason’s eyes were intent.

“Uh huh,” she echoed.

Not one hint of expression crossed his face.  If it wasn’t for the tightness of his lips and jaw, she wouldn’t have guessed that annoyance simmered inside him.

“And what of the photo and letter?”

“What photo and letter?”

“Really?”

“Really what?”

“You’re really going to deny them?”

“No idea what you’re talking about.”

His gaze narrowed.  “The ones Mikki said made you cry.”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m-”

“Don’t pull that on me, Izzy.  I’m not that stupid.”

Annoyed in turn, she glanced away.  “Look, I don’t know what you think you -
hey
!”

Startled, she started to step back, only to almost swallow her tongue when Jason’s fingers hooked into the pocket of her slacks prevented the retreat.  Looking down, she couldn’t believe she was actually seeing that same strong hand sliding into her pocket.

But oh God, she felt every bit of that hand skimming her curves through the material.

Mouth open, she looked up at Jason to find him standing close, so very close, looking down at her with that unreadable expression as he slid his hand fully into her pocket.

If she’d thought she could feel the warmth of his body before, it was nothing compared to being as close as she was now.  His body blocked her view, his shoulders seeming broader, his chest wider, and the muscles - hells bells.  For a lean man he had muscle, she could feel the hard swells beneath her fingertips when she involuntarily placed her hand against his abdomen to steady herself as her knees went a little weak at the feel of his fingers moving against her hip and upper thigh.

Breathless, she watched as his head slowly lowered, his gaze on her eyes before sliding down to her lips, lingering before moving slowly back to look into her eyes.  There was a glint of a different kind in his eyes now.  Still anger, but something earthier.

“This photo and letter,” he said softly.

“Huh?”  Still caught up in the delicious sensation of him being so intimately close, she looked uncomprehendingly at his hand that appeared before her nose.

“You were quick to shove it out of sight.” Jason held up the balled paper.  “That tells me one thing.  You were hiding it.”

Oh shit, he’d been digging in her pocket for proof while she, stupid hormonal fool that she was, had been ready to just sway into his arms and…and…
What a fool!

Mortified, cheeks flushing, she snatched the wad of paper out of his hand and made to step back, only to jolt to a halt when the fingers of his other hand tightened on the pocket of her slacks.  That he’d had the cheek to actually hook his fingers into her other pocket took her from mortified to fury.

“How dare you!”  She hissed.  “How dare you come here and demand answers?”

“I dare,” he replied tightly, “because I care about you.”

“Care about me?  You don’t know me!”  She prised at his fingers.

“I know enough.”

“Enough?”  Giving up on prising, she gave the back of his hand a hard slap.  “Let go!”

He didn’t let go.  “Yes, enough.”

“Damn you, Jason!  You conceited-
awk
!”  Izzy grabbed onto Jason’s shoulders as he jerked her forward by the pocket, causing her to tumble into him.

He didn’t even shift a step when she collided.  Instead, his other arm slid around her, his hand settling into the small of her back as she held onto him, gaping up at him in outraged surprise.

“Yeah, Izzy,” he said from between clenched teeth.  “I care enough.”

Before she could guess his intent, he kissed her.  Hard.

One second she was glaring up at him, the next her mouth was covered by his, those firm lips pressing against hers, his arm gathering her close, his hand in the small of her back holding her closer still.

She should have fought, had every right to slap him silly and knee him in the nuts.  Instead, she froze in stunned disbelief.  That he would actually kiss her had never crossed her mind apart from that sweet little fantasy just mere minutes ago, and now…now he’d gathered her into his arms and was kissing her hard and deep.

Oh God, she hadn’t realised she’d even done it, her mouth opening beneath his, but his taste was there as he ravaged her depths, took from her almost ruthlessly, so in charge of the kiss that she could barely follow.

Instinct took over, the rush of heat in her veins, the strength of his body and the ease with which he held her taking her very breath away while delighting her at the same time.  She melted into him.

He shoved her back fast, unexpectedly.  Surprised, she stared up at him, her blood surging through her veins, her heart beating double-time.

Jason’s face was hard, tight, angry, as he turned her abruptly, pushing her towards the door.  “Go inside.”

“Jason, what-”

“Now.  Before I do something I’ll regret.”

The words hit. 
Something I’ll regret
.  Slashed, gouged deep.  Mortification welled within her as the words sank in.  Her heart which had seconds ago been thumping with rising desire, dropped sickeningly.

Unable to look at him, unable to bear seeing the loathing in his eyes, Izzy slammed the door behind her, twisting the lock viciously.  Only then did she drop to the floor, covering her face with her hands.

Oh God, he’d kissed her in the heat of the moment and hated it.  How far had he meant to go?  Obviously stopping before he’d regret it.  Like he was regretting it now.

She couldn’t regret the kiss, it had totally rocked her, but knowing he found it repugnant had her shrivelling up inside in humiliated shame.

Maybe it wasn’t the kiss so much as the fact that it was her.

Izzy started crying.

~*~

On his knees, Jason measured the hole to ensure it was the right size for the sink.

“You’ve measured that three times now.”  Hands on hips, Rocky frowned.  “I told you, its fine.”

“Just checking.”

“If you don’t trust me-”

“Just doing the job properly,” Jason growled.

“I was doing it properly.”

“Great.”  Jason shoved the tape at him and strode across to where the sparkie was threading wires through the hole in the wall.

“Oh shit,” Frankie said.  “Don’t you start with me.”

“Just checking.”

“You’re checking everything.  You’re driving us nuts checking.”

Aaron entered holding an iPad.  Seeing Frankie’s tense face, he raised his eyebrows.  “Everything all right?”

“With us, yeah,” Frankie replied.  “Jason, on the other hand, has a problem.”

Jason scowled.  “I don’t have a problem.”

“I’ve never seen you so antsy,” Rocky said.  “You’re like a chook that found out she’s squatting on a hand grenade.”

“Nothing wrong with me.”  He didn’t miss the way Rocky rolled his eyes.  “If you don’t like the way I work-”

“Never said that, did I?”  Rocky looked at Aaron.  “Do something about him.  In all these years I’ve worked with him, I’ve never seen him be such a dick.”

Turning on his heel, Jason strode over to the big electric sander.  There was a tap on his shoulder.  “Aaron, I don’t need you-”

“Smoko.  Take it early.”

“I’m busy.  I don’t have time for messing around.”

“I need to figure out where these security cameras will be situated inside this massive behemoth of a house.”

“You can do that on your own.”

He felt his cousin close in behind him, his height and breadth more than his own.  Aaron’s voice was low so only Jason could hear him.  “Whatever bug you’ve got up your arse, you need to sort it out now.”

Annoyed more than ever, Jason swung around.  “I don’t have a bug up my arse!”