I took the folded shirt. “Thank you.” I slipped it on over my head, and yes, it swam on me.
When I finished pressing it down into submission, I looked up at Jack to find him biting the corner of his bottom lip. “Looks good on you.”
“It’s far too big.” I tried tucking the front in a bit, but it was pointless.
Jack put his fingers under my chin and gently tipped my face upwards so I would look at him. “I like my clothes on you,” he murmured before pressing his lips to mine.
I slid my hand along his jaw, the feel of stubble scratched my skin in the most delicious way, and I deepened the kiss. He let me kiss him this way, deep and slick until he put a hand on my hip and pushed me away. He chuckled, a disbelieving sound. His voice was gruff. “If you intend on leaving, you probably should go now. Before I take you to my bed.”
I blinked, staring up at him, and somewhere in my brain a voice was telling me to breathe, breathe, because I’d somehow forgotten how to. I took my lungs full of air and my mind buzzed as a response to the reprieve. I put my palm to my forehead, staving off a dizzy spell.
Jack’s eyes were a mix of amused and concerned. “You okay?”
“While it’s correct that breathing can be both a voluntary and involuntary process, I’m not certain I’ve ever actually forgotten to breathe before now.”
Jack barked out a laugh, and he smiled with a hint of mischief. “You know, if you’re feeling lightheaded, you can always stay.”
This time, I stepped back. “Thank you for the offer, but I’m fine. Though I really should be going.”
He looked disappointed, which made me happier than it should have, but he nodded. “Fair enough. We still on for tomorrow, though?”
“Yes. I’d like that.”
“Me too. And I need to put my thinking cap on about Date Number Three. Is tomorrow night too soon?”
I picked up my laptop satchel and smiled at him. “Tomorrow night is fine.”
“Good.” He collected the storage tub I’d brought with me from the table and followed me to the front door. “I’ll wash your shirt for you and leave it here for you then.”
I stopped by the light on the front porch and turned to face him. “So, Date Number Three will be here again?”
He blanched and the corner of his lip pulled down with uncertainty. “Well, I thought… we can go somewhere else if you’d prefer. I just thought you could bring your work here and get the paperwork done while I cook dinner, that way we have more time…”
I smiled at him, letting him know it was fine. “Sounds perfect.”
He beamed a smile that made my heart soar. Then he ducked his head a little and nodded toward my rental before taking the three porch steps with a familiar ease. He opened the back of the Defender and slid the tub inside. I opened the driver’s door and leaned in to put my satchel on the passenger seat. When I straightened up, he was standing behind me and he made no apologies about being caught ogling my arse. I raised my eyebrow at him, but he only shrugged.
“So, do I get a score on tonight’s date?” he asked. Then he apparently remembered something out of the blue. “Oh, wait! Hold that thought.” He dashed off to the corner of his house, disappearing from the light the front porch allowed. He came back holding a strand of jasmine: dainty white flowers on a sliver of green. He stopped in front of me and presented them to me. There was a nervousness to the set of his lips. “For you. A date’s not a date without flowers, apparently.”
I reached out slowly and took the flowers. “Perfect.”
His smile was my reward. “What’s perfect?”
“My assessment on Date Number Two.” I took a deep breath and looked up at the amazing blanket of stars above us. The silence, the open space, and seclusion of where he lived was incredible. “I’m starting to think all dates with you might be perfect, varying only in their degree of perfection.”
He smiled victoriously, happily. “I’m already looking forward to tomorrow.” He put his hand to my face and kissed me. “But if you have to go…”
“I do.”
“Then goodnight.”
I leaned up and pressed my lips to his. “Goodnight.”
He watched as I manoeuvred the ridiculously sized Defender out of his driveway. When I looked back to wave, I saw that Rosemary had joined him on the porch. Jack patted her forehead, said something to her, and waved me off.
I drove back to town with an absurd grin on my face. I went to sleep with it too.
CHAPTER NINE
Jack
I pushed the door to the bakery open, welcomed by the ding of the bell above the door, then by Remmy. “Oh hey, you! You’re in early!” Then she eyed me cautiously. “Well, look at you.”
“What?”
“That smile.”
I laughed. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh my God.” She walked out from behind the counter, never taking her eyes off me. “It’s him, isn’t it? The bow tie guy. What was his name? Lawson?”
I pulled my lips into a pout. Well, I tried, but they went back to smiling without my consent. “Yes, his name is Lawson. And I still don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Remmy laughed at me and gave me a hug. “Tell me everything.”
“We had a second date last night. Having a third tonight. I’m also spending the day with him out in the national park.”
She wrung her hands together and buzzed excitedly. “Did he wear a bow tie last night?”
“Yes, he did.”
She made some weird, dramatic sound. “Aww, he’s so cute!”
“And he’s smart, and he’s sexy as hell.”
“And Rosemary?”
“Loves him.”
Remmy’s eyes got teary. “Awwwww.”
“Actually, Rosemary is spending the day with us too. I think he’s a bit taken with her.”
“Thank God. I thought he might be a bit timid around her,” Remmy said. “You know, he seemed the type to be timid…”
If she was referring to the nerdy, bow tie-wearing, genius look he had going on, she was very wrong. “Ah, Lawson’s not timid.” I bit my lip. “About anything.”
She laughed and gave me a knowing grin. “And that explains the smile.” She went back around the counter. “Did you actually want anything or did you just come in here to brag?”
I snorted. “Surprise me. Anything you think we might like to eat today. And something for Rosemary too.”
Remmy had a separate small display of bone shaped cookies for her four-legged customers. Made solely with ingredients for human consumption―oats, carrot, peanut butter, honey―Rosemary would eat them as fast as Remmy could make them.
Remmy put some pastries and bread into a paper bag for me. “What are your plans for your date tonight?”
“Not sure yet. Something at home. I’ll cook for him again while he gets through his paperwork, which will leave more time for… other things.”
“Ah, confident, I see?”
“Well, I don’t think I should assume anything when it comes to Lawson. I get the feeling he’ll keep me on my toes.” I was back to smiling. “In a good way, of course.”