Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
Storm pulled up to Jane’s apartment at five thirty-two the next morning. One of the things he admired about Jane was her work ethic. She wasn’t afraid to work hard, and that went a long way with him. He’d worked his ass off for so long—showing up early to formation, working overtime without complaint—that it was second nature to him. Too many times he’d dated women who’d complained about how early he left for work and how late he stayed in the afternoons. He had a feeling Jane wouldn’t ever bitch about that. In fact, he had a feeling he’d be the one wishing she worked a little less so she could spend more time with him .
Storm loved his job, but as he’d told Jane the day before, he knew his time as an officer was coming to an end. He’d had an amazing career with the Navy, but he couldn’t work forever. And he wanted to enjoy his retirement. And seeing Trigger and his team, as well as Wolf and his team, all happily married and making their relationships work made him yearn for the same. Things with Jane might not work out, but he was at least open to a relationship.
He pulled out his phone to text her, to let her know he was there, but it wasn’t necessary. He saw her exiting her building and coming toward him. After she opened the car door and sat down, he eyed her critically for a moment.
“Hi,” she said cheerily.
That was another thing he liked about her. She was almost always in a good mood. At least she seemed to be at work. She made him happier just by being around her. “Hi,” he returned. “You look like you’re feeling better. Your eyes aren’t as bloodshot.”
“I am. I followed the doctor’s orders and got up every two or three hours to wash them out. I might be a zombie by the end of the day though. I like my sleep,” she said with a small smile.
Storm frowned. “We can postpone dinner if you’re too tired.”
“Oh, no, I wasn’t…I didn’t mean to imply…shoot,” she said with a wrinkle of her nose. “I’m good, Storm. Promise. There were nights when Rose was a teenager I didn’t get any sleep, and I still managed to make it through my shift. I’m okay.”
The more glimpses Jane gave him of her life, the more Storm wanted to know. “You’ve mentioned several times that your daughter was a handful,” he said, letting his voice trail off as he pulled out onto the road that led toward the base.
“That’s putting it mildly,” Jane told him. “It wasn’t an easy time, that’s for sure. She rebelled against every rule I gave her, blamed me for her dad leaving, and basically hated me for her entire high school career. She thought I was stifling her and didn’t want her to have any fun, when in reality she was dating losers who did their best to drag her down into the world of drugs.” Jane shook her head. “I had looked forward to having a close friendship with my daughter. To watching her play the flute in the marching band and being proud when she earned a spot in the National Honor Society…and instead I spent most of my time browbeating her to go to school and physically sitting outside her door, making sure she didn’t sneak out in the middle of the night.”
“Damn, I’m sorry,” Storm said.
Jane shrugged. “I love Rose, but there were times I hated her…if that makes sense.”
“It does. How’s your relationship now?” he asked.
“It’s okay. We’re never going to be best friends, which sucks, but she calls me every now and then, and we manage to have a good conversation.”
“That’s good,” Storm told her.
“Yeah. You ever been married?” Jane asked.
“Nope. And before you ask, no kids either. I dated quite a bit when I was a SEAL, but it never seemed fair to tie someone to me permanently. I was gone a lot, and honestly, I put all my energy toward my job. I wouldn’t have been a good husband.”
“And that’s changed now?”
Storm respected her for asking. “Yeah, it has. Because I’m no longer active on the teams, I’m home every night. Well, almost every night. I love what I do, and I take the safety of the men on my teams seriously. But I don’t live and breathe missions as I once did. I’m not saying I’ll be a perfect husband or catch, but I’ve learned a lot over the years. Not to mention I’ve got some pretty damn good role models around me. Rear Admiral Creasy is one of my mentors. He’s been married to Brenae for years, and they’re just in love today as they were when they met. I admire that.”
“I’m sure it hasn’t been easy,” Jane mused.
“Of course not. She’s been through hell, but she’s never given up on him, and Dag goes out of his way to make sure his wife is happy and safe.”
“That was the opposite of my marriage,” Jane said.
Storm was thrilled she was opening up to him. He appreciated that they weren’t talking about superficial topics like the weather. He craved getting to know Jane better, and this was exactly what he wondered about…what made her tick.
“How’s that?” he asked when she didn’t continue.
“Jake stopped trying. I was at home waiting for him with our kid, and he was off having fun and basically didn’t feel as if he had any responsibilities. He’d get home, and I’d go off on him for leaving me alone and for not helping me more. The more I bitched, the more he pulled away. Until eventually he found someone who was more fun, wasn’t such a downer.”
“That’s bullshit,” Storm told her. “Having a child is a huge responsibility. He should’ve known that going in. And it takes two people to make a relationship work. If he wasn’t helping you or making you feel appreciated, that’s on him, not you.”
“I guess,” Jane said. “Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Do I wish things were different? Yes and no. Yes, because that might’ve made Rose happier, made her teenage years less difficult. No, because I’ve learned to be a strong woman as a result of him leaving. I don’t think I’d have the career I do if we were still together, and I definitely wouldn’t be as confident in myself.”
Storm admired Jane. She was able to find the good in a situation that was anything but. “You’re amazing,” he said quietly. Glancing over at her, he saw she was blushing. It was adorable.
“I’m not. I’m just me. Have you heard anything about who sent that package?” she asked.
Realizing that he’d made her uncomfortable, Storm made a mental note to compliment her as often as possible in the future, to hopefully make her truly believe how wonderful she was and not think he was blowing smoke up her ass. “Not yet. NCIS is doing what they can to track it down. The info you gave them about the packaging and the address will definitely help, though.”
“I can’t imagine anyone having it out for the rear admiral. Granted, I don’t know him except in a work capacity, but from what I do know, he’s always been nothing but respectful and kind.”
“He is,” Storm agreed. “But he’s also had to make some tough decisions when it comes to staffing and missions. And that can make enemies.”
“You think it’s someone who worked for him?” she asked.
“I think it’s too early at this point to know for sure. But generally people who send shit like that in the mail are cowards and afraid to confront someone face-to-face. It could also be someone who doesn’t have access to the base, so they had to resort to the mail.”
“I didn’t think about that,” Jane said worriedly. “Do you think he’s safe? Someone might come after him at his house.”
Storm reached out and took her hand in his. He’d held her hand the day before, and it had felt so right. So normal. He wasn’t a touchy-feely kind of person, so even he was surprised he’d reached for her again, but the second her fingers closed around his, a jolt went through his body, and he couldn’t bear to let go of her. “Dag is always careful. He’ll be on the lookout for anything unusual.”
“Good.”
“Which reminds me…once the press gets ahold of the story, things are going to be hectic for you.”
“Yeah, I figured as much,” Jane said with a shrug. “They’ll want to know all the gritty details and they’ll get up in my face about it for a few days, but then some political figure will do or say something stupid and they’ll forget about me.”
“Just be careful, okay?”
“I will. Luckily, they can’t get to me on base, so I’ll just hide out at work like usual, and eventually they’ll get sick of staking out my apartment.”
Storm frowned, not liking the thought of her having to fight the paparazzi just to get home. But since she didn’t seem overly worried, he didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. “If you want an escort, let me know.”
“Thanks. But I think you’ve carted my ass around enough for a few days.”
They were nearing the gates to the base, and Storm took the ID that Jane dug out of her purse. He handed it, along with his own military ID, over to the guards, nodding when they were returned, and they were allowed to proceed. He searched his head for something else to talk about and mentally berated himself when nothing came to mind. He was out of practice in talking to women, and he hated it.
He pulled up next to the only other car in the parking lot of their building, which he knew was Jane’s, and shut off the engine. “Don’t overdo it today,” he said gently.
She gave him a small smile. “I can’t guarantee that.”
“I know. You’re a lot like me. But a word of caution, I was shot once on a mission and refused to follow my doctor’s orders and went back to work before I should’ve. Ended up missing an extra week and a half because my wound got infected and I was knocked on my ass as a result.”
“I wasn’t shot,” Jane said softly. “I’m okay.”
“I know, but CS gas isn’t exactly fun. And you got a face full of it. Just take it easy, okay?”
She nodded. Then after a few seconds said, “It’s weird.”
“What’s weird?” Storm asked when she didn’t elaborate.
“Having someone be concerned. I mean, I’ve been on my own for so long, coped with whatever life has thrown my way by myself, that it’s just a bit odd to have someone else be interested in my well-being.”
“I’m interested,” Storm reassured her. “I know we’re still getting to know each other, but I wouldn’t have asked you out if I didn’t want to see where things between us can go. And I can’t get to know you if you drop dead in the middle of the workday, can I?”
He loved in when Jane laughed. “True.”
How he’d missed “seeing” her for so long was beyond him. Now that he had, he couldn’t seem to take his eyes, or his thoughts, from her.
“Come on, if we sit out here much longer, someone will wonder what we’re doing,” she said.
“We could give them something to wonder about,” Storm suggested before he could stop himself.
It took a second for her to react, but then she laughed again. “I don’t kiss on the first date,” she told him with a wink. “But maybe tomorrow.”
With every word out of her mouth, Storm liked her more and more. He figured she was also warning him not to expect anything after their date tonight, which was smart of her, and fine with him. He was enjoying their courtship…even if it had only been a day.
“I like you, Jane Hamilton,” he blurted.
She blushed and said quietly, “I like you too, Storm North.”
Then they both got out of his car and walked side by side into the building to get to work.
Work had sucked.
But it wasn’t the first time, and it wouldn’t be the last.
Jane was busy from the second she’d walked into the room they’d been given to use for the day until the second she’d walked out at five in the afternoon. Normally she’d work late, trying to get caught up, but her head hurt…and she had a date to get ready for.
Storm had texted her a few hours ago to make sure they were still on, and she didn’t have the heart to tell him no. Besides, she wanted to go to dinner with him. Wanted to get to know him better. The more time she spent with him, the more time she wanted to spend. He could definitely break her heart, way more than Jake had. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. And this was Storm . The man she’d lusted after for what felt like forever. She wasn’t going to say no.
The mail room should be ready for them to go back to tomorrow. NCIS had concluded their investigation today, and it had been cleaned from top to bottom to clear out the lingering stench of the CS gas. Jane was more than ready to get back to normal, even if they’d be on high alert for quite a while, watching to see if there were any more bombs delivered to the base.
But for now, Jane was looking forward to her date. It had been way too long since she’d been on one, and as she stood in front of her closet, she wondered what the hell she should wear. She didn’t want to look like she was trying too hard, but then again, she didn’t want to look like she didn’t care either.
In the end, she decided on her favorite pair of jeans and a long-sleeve black V-neck top with her shoulders showing. It made her feel sexy and confident and not over or underdressed. She had no idea where Storm was taking her for dinner, but she figured she couldn’t go wrong with what she had on no matter where they ended up.
Storm had offered to pick her up, and even though she felt bad he’d been driving her all over the place recently, she’d agreed.
She wasn’t surprised when he knocked on her door five minutes early. She was always early, no matter where she went, and liked that he seemed to be the same.
“Hi,” she said as she opened her door. “I’m ready, I just need to grab my purse.”
“You look beautiful,” Storm said as he eyed her from head to toe.
Jane knew she was blushing but didn’t care. “You do too. I mean, look handsome, that is.” And he did. He also had on a pair of jeans, which clung to his muscular thighs. She was used to seeing him in his uniform, and there was just something extremely sexy about seeing him “dressed down” in denim. He was wearing a light blue polo shirt that seemed to make his hazel eyes look even brighter.
He took a step toward her and put his hand on her waist and leaned in. He briefly kissed her on the cheek before pulling back.
“You smell good,” she blurted, then wrinkled her nose.
But he simply smiled. “Thanks. I worked out with one of my teams this afternoon and didn’t think you’d want to be anywhere near me with the way I smelled, so I had to shower before I came over.”
“I appreciate it,” she teased. “I mean, some girls might like the au natural smell, but I’m not one of them.”
“So noted,” he said. “And you smell good yourself.”
“Thanks. It’s my lotion.”
They stood in the entryway to her apartment staring at each other for a long moment before she said, “I should get my purse so we can go.”
Only then did Storm take a step back. As Jane fetched her purse, she couldn’t help but think about how thrilling their chemistry was. It also seemed as if, once he’d decided to pursue her, he was one hundred percent in. He was intense and focused, and it felt good to be on the receiving end of his attention.
And somehow she had a feeling the crush she’d had on him for so long was nothing compared to how much she could come to care for him. If she felt this pull toward him after only a day, she had no idea how powerful the feeling would become if they continued to date.
Shaking her head and deciding to just enjoy the moment, Jane grabbed her purse and headed back to where she’d left Storm. Like a gentleman, he hadn’t come farther into her apartment and was still waiting at her door. It was warm enough outside that she didn’t need a jacket or sweater since she wore a long-sleeve shirt, and so they both exited her place and she locked the door behind them.
Storm took hold of her hand as he led her to the elevator, and she couldn’t help but feel all tingly inside at the contact. When they were inside his car and on their way, she broke the comfortable silence to ask, “So, where are you taking me tonight?”
For the first time, Storm looked nervous. “About that…I thought about what you said this morning, about being tired and having to work double time to keep up with the mail, and I figured you might be okay with something low-key tonight.”
“That sounds great,” she said honestly.
“You have any issue with the media?” he asked. “I didn’t see anyone outside your apartment.”
“No issues. Media relations gave a briefing today and my name was mentioned as being the one who got the face full of tear gas. There were a few reporters hanging around when I got home, and I gave them a brief statement, and that was that. I think they’re more interested in the rear admiral, since he was the target of the bomb. I feel bad for him, but I’m glad for me,” Jane said with a smile.
“Dag will handle the press. Don’t worry about him. I’m glad you won’t be harassed.”
“Me too,” she told him.”
It didn’t dawn on her that Storm hadn’t told her where they were going for dinner until they turned into a parking lot of a series of upscale townhouses not too far from the base. He pulled into a parking space, shut off his car, then turned to her. “I might be overstepping, but I thought I’d cook for you tonight. You can relax and not worry about anyone interrupting us while we eat.”
“Does that happen a lot?” Jane asked curiously.
“What?”
“Being interrupted while you’re on a date?”
“Well, I haven’t been on a date in a very long time, but yeah, it’s been known to happen a time or two. I just wanted you to be able to completely relax tonight. It’s been a tough couple of days for you. But if it makes you uncomfortable, we can definitely go out somewhere.”
Jane was shaking her head. “No, it’s fine. But I have one question before I agree.”
“Of course. You can ask me anything,” Storm said.
“Can you cook?”
He grinned. “Yeah, Jane, I can cook.”
“Good. Because I suck at it. I’d love to spend the evening with you at your place. But, I was serious earlier…I don’t kiss on a first date.”
“You’re safe with me,” Storm said seriously. “I’d never push you into doing anything you don’t want to do.”
“Thanks. I might be old, but I’m still safety conscious,” she told him.
“You aren’t old, and I have no problem with you wanting to be safe. Is there anyone you want to tell where you are tonight? Just in case?”
Jane appreciated him bringing it up. “I’ve already told my daughter that I’d be on a date tonight. She knows your name, rank, and where you work. I’ll text her in a bit and give her your address. She might not care, but at least I’ve told someone, so if I end up chopped into tiny pieces and sprinkled around the city in various trash cans, someone will know who I was last with.” She smiled, letting him know she was teasing…sort of.
Instead of being offended, Storm smiled even bigger. “Good. Come on, I’ve got some meal prep to do. I didn’t want to start before I picked you up in case you wanted to go out somewhere instead.”
Jane didn’t give him a chance to come to her side of the car and open her door, but he was waiting for her when she got out, and he took her hand in his once more. It was crazy how quickly she was getting used to that. To him holding her hand as they walked. He kept half a step ahead of her, as if protecting her against anything that might come at them.
He led her to a unit on the end of the row and didn’t drop her hand as he unlocked his door. He pushed it open and tugged her inside. He dropped his keys into a bowl sitting on a small table in the foyer and turned to her. “When you get tired, let me know, and I’ll take you home.”
“Thanks.”
He looked at her for a moment, then said with a rueful smile, “The more time I spend with you, the more comfortable I am. It’s kind of crazy.”
“I feel the same,” she reassured him.
He brought his hand up to her face and ran his thumb under her eye. “They’re still a little red. Can you see all right? Nothing’s blurry?”
Jane’s heart melted at his concern. “I’m okay. The doc said the redness should go away in a day or so.”
“I hate that it happened to you,” Storm said softly. “I can’t stand bullies. And the asshole who didn’t have the balls to take his grievances to Dag directly is nothing but a bully.”
For just a second, Jane saw the badass SEAL that Storm must’ve been. His eyes got hard, and if she’d been the target of his ire, she would’ve pissed her pants, but almost as soon as the fury and danger showed in his eyes, it disappeared. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bring it up.”
“It’s fine. And if I’m ever the target of something like that again, I’d want you on my side, that’s for sure. You’re kinda badass, Storm.”
He smiled and shook his head. “Hopefully, you’ll never see that part of me. I’ve done things I’m not exactly proud of in my lifetime. Killed a lot of people. I’ve done my best to put it behind me.”
“I’m not sure it’s healthy to forget what you’ve done. You have to learn to live with it and move on. For what it’s worth, you’re extremely respected…at least in my little corner of the world. You’re never a dick to my employees and you never talk down to them even though they’re just mail clerks. That means a lot. I mean, it has nothing to do with you killing people, people who I’m sure deserved to die because they were asshole terrorists, but the kind of person you are, a good one, shines through no matter what you’ve done in the past.”
“Thank you,” he told her. “And you and your employees aren’t ‘just’ anything. You work hard and do your part to keep the base running smoothly.”
“See? You’re a nice guy.”
“Except when someone I like and respect is threatened.”
“Obviously,” she told him with a smile. “Then I’d expect you to be a hardass and to kick some bad-guy butt.”
Storm laughed, and Jane was glad to see some of the tension dissipate from his eyes.
“You said you couldn’t cook, but how are you at chopping?”
“You mean other than that time I almost cut off the tip of my finger?” Jane asked. She couldn’t help but laugh at the look of horror that entered his eyes. “Kidding! I’m kidding!” she reassured him. “I’m a pro at chopping.”
“Maybe I’ll let you tear the lettuce for the salad instead,” Storm told her as he wrapped his arm around her waist and gave her a small hug before tugging her toward his kitchen.
As she chuckled, Jane realized that she hadn’t laughed as much in the last year as she had in the last day and a half. Even with being sprayed with tear gas, she’d been happier than she’d been in a very long time.
Simply being around Storm made her smile.
Please don’t be playing me , she pleaded silently as Storm got her situated on a barstool and headed for the refrigerator to get her a head of lettuce to prepare their salad.
Storm looked down at the woman sleeping against his side, and smiled.
He’d had more fun tonight than he’d had in a very long time. She’d prepared the salad while he’d prepped the steaks he’d bought on his way home before picking her up. While they were cooking, they’d talked about everything from where they’d grown up to their loathing of the traffic in the Southern California area.
Conversation flowed easily, and not once did things feel awkward. She didn’t hesitate to help with the dishes and laughed when she’d seen his collection of funny mugs he’d acquired over the years.
After dinner had been cleared away, they’d settled on his couch to watch—what else— Shawshank Redemption , and she’d fallen asleep within minutes. Storm knew he should wake her up and take her home, but he was enjoying holding her as she slept. She’d put her head on his shoulder when they’d sat down and hadn’t protested when he’d wrapped an arm around her.
Storm had no idea what it was about Jane that felt so right. He’d been on a lot of first dates, and none had been as satisfying as this one. Maybe it was because the pressure of sex was off the table. She’d made her stance more than clear on that, and honestly, it was a relief. Storm craved a deeper connection with someone, and with Jane, he was getting just that.
On the television screen, the part in Shawshank where Andy Dufresne put on the Italian opera started, and the music was loud in the room around them. Jane stirred and opened her eyes.
“Crap, I fell asleep,” she muttered.
Storm couldn’t help but smile again. “You did,” he agreed.
“It’s rude. You should’ve nudged me.”
“No way in hell was that gonna happen. You’ve had a hard couple of days. Besides, it’s not a hardship holding you,” Storm told her.
He loved how she blushed.
“You want me to take you home?” he asked.
He was thrilled when she shook her head. “Not yet…if that’s okay. I’m really comfortable. And we haven’t gotten to the good part in the movie yet. I love the ending when Red narrates and wraps everything up.”
“It’s more than okay,” Storm reassured her.
“Can you tell me about your teams?” she asked.
“Wow, that was out of the blue,” he teased.
Jane chuckled. “Yeah, my mind works in weird ways. Earlier, you said something about your men managing to have loving relationships while being on a SEAL team. That got me to thinking about what happened recently in the parking lot of our building, with that crazy woman trying to shoot that SEAL, and how his girlfriend crawled under the cars to grab her ankles. And that got me thinking about how hard it must’ve been for you to have to punish Phantom for disobeying your order and going overseas to rescue his girlfriend, even though they weren’t dating at the time. And that got me thinking about how difficult it must be to balance being their boss and their friend.”
Storm chuckled. He loved getting an insight to the way her mind worked. He scooted down a bit on the couch and sighed in contentment when Jane snuggled deeper into him. “I’m not sure where to start,” he admitted.
“How many teams are you working with?”
“Three. And that might not sound like a lot, but it’s important to me to investigate everything about where they might be sent so they aren’t heading into a situation with incomplete information. It’s a lot of work. And when one team is deployed on a mission, I’m still researching other areas of the world where the other two might be sent. Not to mention assisting their families with anything that might come up, as well as the government red tape. It keeps me busy.”
Jane snorted. “Understatement of the year,” she said under her breath. “Tell me about the team who was involved in the parking lot incident.”
“You already know Phantom was the one who was targeted. A woman he dated became obsessed with him and decided if she couldn’t have him, no one could. As you know, it was handled quickly, and luckily without anyone getting hurt.”
“I heard you basically gave him a slap on the wrist for disobeying your orders…was that a hard decision?”
“Not at all,” Storm told her. “What he did was stupid, simply because he could’ve gotten hurt. He went in to get Kalee without any backup, which could’ve ended very badly. But here’s the thing…it’s exactly the kind of action I would’ve taken when I was his age. The thought of that young woman being stranded overseas was horrifying, but without the approval of the Timor-Leste government to go back in, our hands were tied.”
“She’s okay though?” Jane asked.
Storm nodded. “She is. She’s amazing. And I’m proud as hell of Phantom. I’m glad things are working out between him and Kalee. He deserves to have someone as strong as she is by his side. They all do. Rocco, Gumby, Ace, Bubba, and Rex…they’re good men who do whatever is asked of them without complaint. I’m glad they each have someone to come home to.”
“Was anyone there for you when you came home from missions?” she asked.
Storm sighed. “Not really. There were women here and there, but none could handle the secrecy that came along with my job. They didn’t like not knowing where I was or when I would be home. And they really didn’t like that I couldn’t tell them anything about the missions when I returned. Some assumed I was cheating on them because of all the secrecy, and others just got fed up with me not being around.”
“That wasn’t fair,” Jane said softly.
“It was what it was,” Storm said matter-of-factly. “Honestly, most of the time it was a relief when they called it off. I can’t say I was the best boyfriend, and like I mentioned, I didn’t think it was fair to put someone through the heartache and worry that comes with being the partner of a SEAL. I’m proud as hell of my men. It’s not easy to be a SEAL and have a family.”
Storm looked down to find Jane studying him intently. “What?” he asked.
“I just…you sound like you’re resigned to being single.”
Storm thought about that for a second. “I guess I kinda am. I mean, I’m not on a SEAL team anymore, but I’m just as busy now as I was when I was younger. I might not be on the front line fighting, but I’m just as invested as I was then. I work long hours, and I’m not sure anyone would want to put up with that.”
He wanted to take the words back as soon as he said them, but they were already out there.
“When my husband left me, I was so busy trying to keep my head above water and a roof over our heads that I didn’t have time to think about dating again. Then, when Rose was going through her issues, I couldn’t think about anyone but her. I worried about her for quite a few years after she moved out, because I knew she was out there doing drugs and other dangerous things. It’s only been in the last five years or so that I’ve even thought about wanting to share my life with a man again.
“But…it’s not as easy to find someone who’s serious about wanting a relationship at my age as it was when I was in my twenties. The guys I’ve dated have either seemed to want a sugar mama to pay for everything so they can stay home and watch sports all day, or they’re turned off that I don’t need them. I’ve gotten used to my own company, and I make enough money now to be comfortable. That scares a lot of men.”
“It doesn’t scare me,” Storm assured her. “Actually, it’s a relief. I mean, I’m happy you make your own money and can obviously take care of yourself.”
They smiled at each other for a beat.
“I’m just sorry it took me so long to notice you,” Storm said honestly.
Jane shrugged. “Maybe it just wasn’t the right time.”
“Maybe not,” Storm agreed. “Although I’m glad I got my head out of my ass the other morning. When I heard you were in trouble, I couldn’t think about anything other than getting to you.”
“I’m still embarrassed about that,” Jane admitted.
“Why?”
“Why? Because you found me on my hands and knees, snot running out of my nose and having just puked my guts out. Then I had to get naked in front of you. Not exactly the way I imagined you finally noticing me.”
“You want to know what I saw when I entered the mail room?” Storm asked.
“No,” Jane said, but nodded her head as she did.
Storm grinned, then got serious. “I saw a woman who’d selflessly sent all of her employees out of harm’s way. Who was bent, but not broken. And trust me, the first time I inhaled CS gas, I reacted much worse than you…and I didn’t get a direct hit to my face.”
She raised an eyebrow in disbelief.
“I did,” he insisted. “I pissed my pants while it felt as if I was coughing up a lung.”
Storm loved the smile Jane tried to hide from him. “Seriously?”
“Yup.” Then he brought a hand to her face and tilted her chin up so she had to look at him. “Don’t be embarrassed. First, because you were reacting in a completely normal way. I’ll invite you out to watch the guys in boot camp as they go through the CS gas training so you can see for yourself. And secondly, while it wasn’t exactly appropriate for the time and place, you have absolutely nothing to be worried about when it comes to your body.”
She snorted in disbelief.
“I’m serious. You’ve got curves in all the right places, Jane…and there’s nothing I like more than a woman’s softness against my hardness.” Storm knew his words were a bit crude, and could have more than one meaning, but he was being completely honest. He’d had enough of women with so-called “perfect” bodies. He wanted a real woman. Someone who wasn’t afraid to eat and whose skin he could sink his fingers into. Jane definitely fit that bill.
“My ex used to call me Plain Jane,” she admitted.
Storm caressed her face gently. “He was an idiot, I think that’s more than obvious with the way he cheated on you and left you and your daughter to fend for yourselves.”
He stayed still as Jane’s gaze bored into his own. He had no idea what she was thinking but hoped he hadn’t been too honest. Too open.
When she sighed and turned her head back toward the TV and settled against him once more, Storm let out a breath of relief.
“This is crazy,” she muttered. “I’ve crushed on you so hard for so long…I have no idea how this is even happening.”
Storm smiled. “I got my head out of my ass,” he reminded her.
She chuckled, and Storm relaxed even further.
They both turned their attention back to the movie and watched Jane’s favorite part…Red narrating how Andy escaped from the prison. It wasn’t until Red was walking down the beach in Mexico toward his old friend that Jane looked up at Storm once more. “This movie never gets old.”
“Nope,” Storm agreed.
As the credits rolled, Jane yawned hugely.
“Time to get you home,” Storm told her. He hated to see her leave, but they both had work in the morning, and he knew she was exhausted.
“Thank you for dinner,” she told him as they stood.
“You’re more than welcome.”
“I’d say next time it’s on me, but you already know that I can’t cook.”
Storm loved what she was saying without words and couldn’t help teasing her a little. “You askin’ me out for a second date?”
“If I was, would you say yes?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely.”
“Then I guess I am.”
“Good. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me too,” Jane said shyly.
“Come on, Cinderella, let’s get you back to your apartment before you turn into a pumpkin.”
“I think you’ve got your fairy tales mixed up,” she said with a chuckle.
Storm didn’t give a shit about fairy tales, so he simply smiled.
He held her hand all the way home as he drove, and this time when he pulled up to the curb, he climbed out of the car and walked her to the door of the apartment complex. He took her hand once more and brought it up to his mouth and kissed the back. “Thanks for coming over,” he told her.
“Thanks for asking me.”
“Sleep well.”
“I have a feeling I will,” she said with a small smile.
“I’ll see you in the morning?” he asked.
Jane nodded. “Probably. We’re supposed to be able to get back into the mail room, so things will be crazy busy until we get back into the swing of things and clear out the backlog of packages and mail.”
“Don’t work too hard,” Storm told her.
“I could say the same to you,” she quipped.
Storm squeezed her hand then dropped it and took a step back. He wanted to kiss her. Badly. But he respected her no-kissing-on-the-first-date thing. “I’ll be in touch,” he told her.
Jane nodded.
“Go inside, sweetheart,” he ordered.
With one last long look at him, she turned and entered the lobby of her apartment complex, giving him a small, adorable wave before heading for the elevators. Storm went back to his car and climbed inside. All the way home, he thought about the last few hours. About how much he’d enjoyed hanging out with Jane. She was…comforting. He didn’t feel the need to constantly entertain her or to keep the conversation going. Whenever there were lulls, they felt natural. Right.
Pretty much everything about her felt right. It should’ve scared the shit out of him, but instead it just made him more determined to get to know her better. He knew it had been years since her ex had left her, but he still thought the man was an idiot. Though that idiocy had opened the door for Storm today, so he couldn’t be too upset.
How he’d gone from confirmed bachelor to being infatuated with a woman in a day and a half, Storm had no idea, but he wasn’t going to question it. Too many things had happened in his life that could be called miracles for him to wonder about the timing of finally seeing what was right in front of him.
For the first time in a very long time, Storm was excited about something other than work. He had no idea what the future would hold for him and Jane, but he was going to work damn hard to be the kind of man she deserved.