Chapter 25
TWENTY-FIVE
Tense Temptation
Noelle
Ihad the day off work, but the phone still rang for me. Work never rested when I owned a business and employees needed help. Coffee in hand, with the phone at my ear was the plan while I got ready to run a few errands. I should have relaxed and taken it easy, but I was used to keeping busy.
“No, no. The Findley order can’t wait.” I shook my head and collected my keys from the table. “The shipment must go out right away.”
Did I have to do everything?
Yes. I did. Nothing would get done otherwise.
“The Findley address is in Chicago. It should be on file under orders,” I instructed, and my hot beverage spilled on my wrist. “Ah, shit!”
I put the mug down on the glass tabletop and flicked my wrist. “Just get the order out today. Not tomorrow. Today.”
I hung up. The hot liquid burned against my skin, but nothing frustrated me more than an employee who couldn’t follow simple directions. I appreciated my days off and hated it all at the same time because I had more work to deal with upon my return.
As soon as I took over my dad’s company, I realized I had no time for tardiness and no excuse for laziness.
If someone couldn’t do their job properly, their ass was gone.
I needed workers who dedicated themselves to their jobs and strove to be the best. There was no time for weakness at Evergreen Toys.
We were the number one toy brand, and I intended to stay on top.
My hand stung where the coffee had singed me, and I should’ve run it under cold water, but I flew out the door. The car needed to warm up before I left to drop off a package at the post office and picked up a few things without having to drag Faith along.
Logan had taken Faith for a couple of days because he ended up getting some time off work.
The opportunity hadn’t come up much, and it would be good for her to spend quality time with her father—no matter how much I worried about her while she was in his care.
Logan was far too careless, but Jack had proven he wasn’t.
My neighbor had taken advantage of opportunities and proven he wanted to spend time with my daughter.
Jack was with Faith more than Logan had been in a month.
He had shown his respect for me as a parent and how much he truly cared about Faith when I never thought he could tolerate children, but he doted on my kid.
He loved her as if she were his and treated her with a kindness I had figured was inconceivable for someone as grumpy as him.
Jack Timber went far beyond all my expectations, and I couldn’t stop thinking about him.
The way he had dressed up for my daughter to help her with her concert.
The money he spent on that ridiculous sleigh to make her smile and help raise over a thousand dollars for charity, but Jack had doubled the amount.
I had refused to accept his check, while he’d insisted I take it.
He had done enough for us, but he had won when Faith stated Mr. Timber only wanted to support a good cause.
I couldn’t deny Faith. Jack knew the weakness I had for my child.
I gave in to her with those innocent puppy-dog eyes pleading with me while Jack shrugged his shoulders, and I had no choice.
Besides, the money was for a wonderful fundraiser, and there would be fewer unfortunate children this Christmas season.
All because of a grumpy man, a compassionate little girl who loved Christmas, and a lovable dog.
I got in the car, flustered by the thoughts I was having about Jack, and put the key in the ignition. I went to turn the engine on when I heard a sound and my hand stopped. Woof! Woof!
I got out of my car and turned toward the barking.
Chip barreled toward me at full speed, and my eyes went wide in surprise with my hands out in front of me.
There was no stopping him as he leaped up off the ground and collided with me.
Chip’s front paws pounced against my chest, and the weight of him threw me off balance.
I fell backward into the seat of my car, and my face got covered in wet doggie kisses.
Vigorously, I petted him to distract him from his attack of slobbery love, but he wouldn’t stop. He was far too happy to see me.
“Okay, Chip! Cut it out!” I giggled as I turned my face sideways while he ran his tongue up my cheek. “I’m happy to see you too, but where’s your grumpy old owner?”
Chip barked at me. He stopped, tilted his head, and raised his ears. The dog wagged his tail and listened intently to me.
“Where is he, boy?” I asked.
Chip got off me and barked while he hopped over a pile of snow. He stood still but glanced at the side of Jack’s house with perked ears. My neighbor was nowhere to be found.
Chip was out front all by himself.
Odd. I’d never known Jack to leave Chip alone in the front yard. He had taken him out for walks, but never unattended. Something was wrong.
I pushed up off the driver’s seat and out of the car.
I shut the door with a thud and headed toward Jack’s side of the property.
A boundary I once would have never dared to cross, but we were far past the point of no return.
Our lines had crossed, got all fucked up in the process and were broken beyond repair. Nothing would ever be the same again.
Chip whimpered.
“What is it, boy?” I asked as I petted him, and he brushed a kiss on the back of my hand.
The back gate was wide open.
“Jack?” I called out and touched the wooden fence.
The temperature was on the milder side, with the sunshine out and barely peeking through the clouds.
As the light breeze swayed the trees, the sound of dripping ice echoed from the forest. The snow crunched below my knee-high boots, and my tight knitted dress clung to me, wrapping me in slight warmth.
Chip followed me into the backyard, and I closed the gate behind me. My fingertips dragged across the wooden frame until I saw a sight I never should’ve witnessed. Jack. Shirtless, sweaty, and panting as he aggressively hacked away at a wooden stump with his axe.
Jack Timber was ripped. Clock tattoos in black ink decorated his bulging forearms, symbolizing the passage of time; the pocket watches were surrounded by beautiful roses to display how gorgeously magnificent he was.
His skin rippled with each whack of the blade.
A true sentiment of his wise age. A man unafraid to show his maturity and proud to be at a prime stage of his life.
Jack could be grumpy, but he was also deliciously sexy as hell.
My mouth could attest to the fact while I stared at Jack and drooled over him. He glanced up when Chip came into his peripheral vision, and he called his dog inside, but he didn’t see me. I ran my fingers over my lower lip. I had to stop myself from biting the tender flesh in case he...
Crap. Jack saw me. He headed straight for me with a scowl on his face.
My Lord. My panties became soaked while I squeezed my thighs together. The slickness made the skin slide back and forth. The friction made my arousal worse. I couldn’t let Jack see how attracted I was to him.
“What the hell do you want?” Jack heaved at me as both hands gripped his axe handle that rested on his broad shoulder. “Fuck. You shouldn’t be back here.”
“Chip got out. He was all alone. The back gate was open, and I...” I couldn’t finish the sentence because my worry for Jack was far too intense.
Jesus.
I’d worried like a concerned girlfriend when we meant nothing to each other. These past few weeks had messed with me. Jack’s broad chest glistened with sweat. Goddamn it, he looked incredible.
Jack only stared at me. His eyes swirled with questions, intensity, and something I couldn’t understand. I wanted to read his thoughts, but I couldn’t. He closed himself off to me.
“Worried?” Jack released a hand from the handle and wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Don’t be. I can take care of myself.”
I huffed out. “Why are you being hostile toward me?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. The defensive side of me came out to match his edgier tone and challenge him.
This wasn’t an argument I’d back away from because Jack had a way of flipping from naughty to nice in a matter of seconds.
I knew both sides of him, and I could get my way when the time was right.
“I left the gate open, and you fucking shut it.” Jack stepped an inch closer, and I could see every mean crease on his forehead while he glared down at me. “Snooping around can get you in trouble, princess. You shouldn’t be such a nosy neighbor.”
I couldn’t help glancing at his manly pecs and back up at his gorgeous face while the sexual tension zapped between us. The heated live wires were sure to melt the snow, while his angry eyes lit a fuse inside me.
Christ. I wanted Jack badly. The temptation was unreal with him this close to me, near enough to touch and trail my fingertips along his perspiring skin.
I never knew a sweaty man breathing heavily could be such a fucking turn-on. The bonus? He held the axe in his tight grasp with impressive veins protruding from his brawny arms.
Goddamn it. I even craved to run my fingers through his armpit hair, for Christ’s sake! The aroma of Jack was of an earthy sap on an evergreen tree mixed with a hint of wildwood. He smelled fucking euphoric.
Jack watched me intently with flared nostrils, and I heard a groan rumble somewhere deep within him.
I didn’t know if he was pissed off or as horny as I was, but I didn’t care.
Something drew me toward him, and I couldn’t help myself as I leaned closer to Jack while my eyelids fluttered closed.
I had to feel him, be one with him, and experience all of him.