Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Liam
Jenna stepped out of her car, looking gorgeous as always.
Her trademark flowy skirt swirled around her ankles, and a modest blouse accentuated her quiet beauty.
But my stomach dropped as I noticed what I should’ve seen immediately.
Her shoulders were drawn tight, her eyes darting nervously around the lot, so busy peering into the shadows that she hadn’t even seen me yet.
“Jenna.” I hurried toward her, and just like that, her tension melted away.
She smiled at me, her face radiant. “Hi,” she said shyly.
“Hi.” I leaned down and kissed her cheek, her skin like silk under my lips. “You look beautiful.”
Her gaze bounced between my eyes, my mouth, and my chest, and relief and hope filled me—not only didn’t she seem so nervous anymore, she looked like she might be thinking about me the same way I was thinking about her.
We walked side by side to the restaurant and it hit me again how tiny she was. If I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and held her against my side like I itched to do, she’d be armpit high. I was freshly showered, but maybe I’d get a better smelling deodorant tomorrow.
“Hello, welcome to The Tavern. Table for two?” the hostess said.
I scanned the restaurant for the table I wanted. “Is that booth in the corner available?”
She glanced where I pointed. “Sure thing.” Grabbing two menus, she led us over, and I thanked her as I took them, dismissing her before she lingered.
I didn’t want Jenna to feel rushed. “I’m going to sit here.
” I gestured to the seat with its back to the wall.
“Would you like to sit next to me or across from me?”
“I’ll sit here,” Jenna said as she slid into the opposite seat.
“Thank you.” She flashed me a heartfelt smile, and my chest warmed with pride that not only did she trust me to have her back, but she also seemed to recognize the depth behind that simple question.
This may be our first date, but we already knew each other.
“How was your day?” I asked once we were settled.
Her eyes flickered to me before dropping to the table. “Good, just a regular day at work. Nothing exciting. What about you? How was your day off?”
“It was good, thanks. I went for an early morning run with Dylan, Ryan, and Brady, then spent most of the afternoon sanding my back deck. I’m trying to finish it before summer.”
“How’s Dylan doing? Do you think he’ll be okay going back to work?”
“Yeah, he’s more than ready—physically and mentally.”
She met my eyes, her concern for our friends easy to see. “I hope so. Juliette’s nervous.”
The waitress came to take our orders, and we both declined any drinks besides the water we already had. Jenna ordered a cheeseburger with a side of roasted broccoli, and I ordered a whisky burger with a side salad.
We talked about our friends and work for a while, then Jenna asked about my deck. “Did you add a new deck or are you just fixing it up?”
“There was just a small cement patio before. I built a deck big enough to hold a barbecue and a table and chairs. Once that’s done, I’m going to clear an area on the other side of the yard for a fire pit.”
“That sounds great. The guys will be following you home on your days off.”
Perfect opening. I held her gaze, needing her to know how sincere I was. “I hope you’ll come over, too. We can sit out by the fire and get to know each other better.”
Her beautiful blue eyes widened, looking like an ocean I’d happily drown in. “I’d love that.”
“Good. Me too.” I slid my hand across the table, palm up, hoping she’d take it.
Her eyes jumped between my hand and my face, and I worked to keep my expression soft and neutral. I couldn’t let her see the rage that simmered beneath the surface every time I let myself wonder why she didn’t like to be touched.
She placed her small hand in mine, and I closed mine gently, mesmerized by how delicate she felt, how small, yet how perfectly she fit. How I hoped one day soon I’d have the honor of holding more than her hand.
“Jenna, I’m going to be totally upfront with you. I like you. I’ve liked you for a long time. I thought we’d have plenty of time to slowly let our friendship develop into more, but then Dylan and Juliette broke up, and I was devastated. I thought I’d lost my chance with you.”
I watched her pulse pound in her delicate throat. “I feel the same way,” she said softly. “I’ve missed you these last few months.”
“I missed you too. Thank you for asking me out tonight. I’d love to take you on another date soon.”
“We’ve barely started this one,” she said with a laugh, and I couldn’t tell if she was kidding or if she really thought there was a possibility I wouldn’t still feel the same at the end of the night.
“Doesn’t matter. I already know I want more.”
She pulled her hand away, and her tropical blues turned stormy. Her gorgeous grin wavered, the corners tipping down before she forced them back up into a fake smile. I could’ve kicked my own ass.
“I didn’t mean it like that. I just want to spend more time with you. I want to get to know you. Take you out on a date. No pressure for anything, ever. I promise.”
“Yeah, yeah, of course. I know.” She widened her smile, but her eyes didn’t crinkle in the corners like they did when she smiled for real.
The waitress came over with our food, and Jenna’s eyes flashed with relief at the distraction. She dug into her burger with a gusto I’d appreciate if it wasn’t an excuse to avoid me. I concentrated on my food as well, offering her as much space as I could from across the table.
“How’s Thor?” I finally asked after I was halfway through my burger.
Bingo. She looked up with a real smile. I was glad I remembered how much she loved that dog.
“He’s great! A goofball, but great.”
“Yeah? What does he do that’s so goofy?”
“Well, a few days ago, we were walking in Atteren Park and he went crazy growling and lunging at a bush. I tried to distract him and get him to walk around it, but he just glowered at it, hackles raised, standing between me and the bush, growling. Then a squirrel scampered out, chattering back at him, flicking his tail and stomping his tiny paw, and Thor jumped a foot into the air.”
“Quite the guard dog you’ve got.”
She laughed, the musical sound ramping up my heartbeat, sending all the blood in my body to its singular destination. Thank fuck I was hidden behind the table, or she’d be siccing Thor on me.
“Hey, you don’t know what he was saying. The squirrel did sound taunting,” she said, laughing again.
My gut clenched, feeling almost as tight as my jeans. She was funny. And beautiful. And sweet as honey.
“You’re off the whole day of Dylan’s party, right?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“I usually take Thor for a long walk on Sunday afternoons. Do you want to come with us before the party?”
“I’d love to. I can’t wait to meet him.”
The tension broken, we made small talk about everything from our favorite music—’90s for her, country for me—to our favorite foods, with Tex-Mex as the big winner for us both, and nothing much heavier than that.
Before I knew it, we were finished, and I’d paid for dinner, which I had to fight her on.
Then, like we’d done it a hundred times before, we strolled out with Jenna’s hand in mine.
I walked her to her car, my heart doing funny things at the way she was so relaxed now compared to how she’d arrived.
I was reluctant to end the night. “You’ve asked me out twice now, and I love it, but I’ve got to ask you at least once. For more than just Dylan’s party.”
“You’ve got to?” She looked up with an adorable teasing sparkle in her expression.
“Yep.”
“Okay then. Ask,” she said softly.
I couldn’t resist touching her. I slowly reached out to smooth a stray strand of hair behind her ear, my fingers trailing down the soft skin of her jaw. “May I have the honor of taking you out on Friday?”
“Why, yes. Thank you, sir.”
If I hadn’t been watching her with the expertise of a soldier and the interest of a teenager, I might’ve missed it, but since I was, there was no mistaking the darkening of her eyes or the subtle way she shifted toward me.
“Jenna, may I kiss you?”
She swallowed and nodded, tilting her head up, her eyes drifting closed.
I leaned down and brushed my lips over hers in the barest of caresses.
She looked pleased but surprised when I pulled back.
“Baby steps,” I whispered near her ear.
“Thank you,” she whispered, emotion swirling in her beautiful eyes.
“It’s late. You should go home. Wait for me to pull up so I can follow you.”
“You don’t need to follow me.”
She was in for a surprise if she thought there was any chance in hell I’d leave her here.
I didn’t even like letting her drive home alone before, no way was I doing it now.
I’d seen her nervous to walk to and from her car too many times over the past year.
Her hyper-awareness of her surroundings, glancing in the backseat of her car, closing the door and locking it as fast as she could, even when we were all nearby.
At first, I’d just watched over her, ensured she was safe, but unable to help her feel safe.
After a while, I started walking her to her car. Worried about what happened on the other end of the drive, I’d followed her home a few times. The first time, to make sure it looked safe. And then a few more times when she seemed extra nervous or I was feeling extra protective.
She lived in a nice building in a nice section of San Antonio. It had a big, well-lit parking lot, a meticulously maintained exterior, and an elegantly decorated lobby, but Jenna still didn’t feel safe out there. She pretended she did, but I saw through her bravado.
I took her hand, needing her to know how serious I was. “This wasn’t just a random dinner. It’s our first date. The start of us dating. When you’re ready, I’m going to ask you to be my girlfriend. And I’m not leaving my soon-to-be girlfriend to get home by herself.”
“Um, okay.” I saw fear and hope warring within her, and I prayed I hadn’t pushed her too hard too fast.
I needed to touch her again. To comfort her. I slowly reached out to smooth a hand over her hair, and when she didn’t pull back, I cupped her jaw.
She leaned into me! Thank God. It wasn’t much, but from Jenna, that show of trust meant everything. “You good with that?”
A long pause, then she nodded, a smile slowly spreading across her beautiful face. “Yes. I’d like that.”
“Good.” I kissed the top of her head. “Go ahead in the car. Wait for me.”
I waited for her to get in and lock her doors before I jogged to my car. I followed her for the short drive to her apartment and, luckily, I found a spot near her, but she was already getting out of her car, clutching her keys and looking around when I got to her.
“Hey,” I said softly, but she still jumped. “Sorry. Wait for me next time.”
She straightened her shoulders and jutted out her chin. “I can walk into my apartment myself. I do it every day.”
“I know you can. But you don’t have to when I’m here.”
Defiance flared in her beautiful eyes.
“May I please walk you in?”
She thought about it for longer than I liked.
“Just to your front door. I’m not going in.”
Her expression softened. “That isn’t why I hesitated. I trust you, Liam.”
She didn’t trust me. Not yet. But I didn’t call her out on it. “Thank you. Can I ask why, then?”
“Just because.” She shrugged. That was a bullshit answer, but I didn’t call her out on that either.
Hopefully, she really would trust me one day soon. Hopefully, she’d want to be with me the way I wanted to be with her. I’d make her feel safe and loved, and I’d kill the motherfucker who made her so wary.