Chapter 2 #4
“Wow, that’s… exactly what Griff would want to happen.” I can't stop my grin. Leave it to Griff to turn an inconvenience into a romance.
Conall rolls his eyes. “Yes, my cousin, the romantic, is in his element. He said he owes you a drink for covering for him this afternoon, and he’ll make good on it at our next darts night.”
“I’ll hold him to it.” But I won’t. I don’t care if Griff buys me a drink.
Though I do wonder what would’ve happened had Jaggar and I met at the game, under less stressed circumstances.
Maybe we would’ve hit it off. Maybe we wouldn’t.
Maybe the messy meeting was necessary for us to get where we are right now. And I can’t be sorry for that.
Jaggar moves toward us, stopping to say a quick word to Alaric and Jake and to pet the fluffy collie snuggled in Adrian's lap.
My gaze follows him, eating up every movement of his lithe body, the sharp lines of his cheekbones, and the divot in his chin that is just barely noticeable under the dark whiskers of his close-cropped beard.
Conall claps me on the shoulder. “And you said I wasn’t Cupid.”
Barking a laugh, Hawk wraps his arm around our grinning ginger friend and pulls him away. “We’ll get him out of your hair.”
“I want details!” Conall calls as Colt joins in, helping Hawk tug Conall toward Rory’s table.
Shaking my head at their antics, I tuck my hands in my pockets and turn toward Jaggar. That electric feeling from when we first met, and when our hands touched, is back, arcing through me.
He comes to a stop in front of me, close enough for me to reach out and touch his sweater to see if it feels as soft as it looks, but I manage to keep my hands in my pockets.
“The store said we could bring it to them. They have my chair in stock, so I can pick that up tonight. You really don’t mind doing this? ”
“I wouldn’t have offered it if I did.” I glance at the time on my phone. Almost three o’clock. “Do you want to go now?”
Sunset comes early. Burlington is about an hour’s drive from New Island, and I’d rather get on the road now so we’re back before dark.
He lays his hand on my forearm. “Thank you. Is your knee okay enough for us to do this?”
The touch feels so big, so monumental, and the fact that he cares enough to ask about my knee staggers me. I shake myself from those thoughts. “I'm good. Let’s go. Text me your address. I’ll get a van and meet you there.”
We say our goodbyes to Hawk and Conall, and I try to ignore Conall’s pleased smile, like he’s responsible for us hanging out. Though, I guess, he is.
Getting the van doesn’t take much time since my company’s garage is on the way to Jaggar’s place. The divots and ruts in the road leading to his home have me gritting my teeth and babying my van until I reach his driveway.
Jaggar waits for me on his front porch. Holding a hand up to shield his eyes from the sun’s rays, he smiles. “You made good time.”
“There are plenty of blankets and whatever else we might need to safely get this elephant back to the store.” I open the back of the van and gesture to the pile of blankets and bubble wrap stashed in the corner. “I can’t wait to see it.”
He snorts. “Oh, I can.”
When he opens the door, I’m hit by how cold his place is.
My breath ghosts in front of me. It’s like an iceberg in here.
There’s no way he can sleep here tonight.
He’ll freeze. Plus, I’d be too busy worrying about him to get any sleep.
Once we’re back from our adventure with the elephant, I’ll offer him my guest room.
I enter the living room and stop immediately. Even through the layers of bubble wrap, the pink elephant is easy to make out. “Wow. You weren’t exaggerating when you said six feet tall.”
“It seems appropriate to haul it back in a pink van.” His tempting lips lift into a wry smile, and he bumps his hip against mine.
The temptation to snag my finger through his belt loop and keep him close to me is strong. I settle for grazing my fingers over the back of his hand. “Glad to be of service.” I eye the monstrosity, mentally taking measurements. “I just hope it fits.”
Between the two of us, and a dolly that’s as pink as the van, we get the smiling, massive piece of art out of Jaggar’s house and onto the van.
The drive to Burlington goes by fast, with us trading stories about our friends and jobs.
We deliver the elephant and pick up the fancy desk chair.
On the way back to New Island, Jaggar tells me about the projects he’s done to his home, and I share that I’ve lived in mine for a while but am overwhelmed about where to begin in reconfiguring the space.
Chatting is easy, and there’s still a spark of challenge in our banter, but it’s fun. I’ve fallen faster into being comfortable with him than with anyone before.
As the afternoon sun sinks into the soft light of dusk, I turn the van onto the bumpy, rutty lane that leads to Jaggar’s home.
My hands tighten on the steering wheel. “So, once we deliver this chair…”
“Yes?” He turns toward me.
Nerves roll through my stomach and hitch in the center of my back. Straightening in my seat, I steel myself against the clawing uncertainty. Time to take a chance, to ask for what I want. “I like being with you. I’m not ready to say goodnight. Or goodbye.”
I come to a stop in his driveway, and he lays his hand on mine. The jolt of electricity I felt earlier has the hair on my arms standing tall.
“I’m not either.” The pull of his lips into an alluring smile tugs at my core. “Our night’s just beginning.”