Chapter 15
Jason
“Why do you look nervous?” Mark laughed.
Jason sent his friend a warning look.
“Is it because of the night you spent in your boss’s yard under the stars with a certain young woman?”
“Don’t bring it up,” Jason warned. “Nothing happened.”
“I don’t know…” Mark drawled. “Seems to me that something is definitely happening. You wouldn’t be this nervous otherwise.”
“Why is Jason nervous?” a female voice chimed in.
Jason flinched at the sound of Nikki’s voice.
This was the only reason he’d regretted asking Mark for help last night.
He really should have thought to bring an extra blanket when he’d asked Isabelle to go star gazing.
It had been warm enough, and with their shared body heat, they would have been fine.
But it did get cold later into the evening and he hadn’t wanted Isabelle to wake up.
Her sleep issues being what they were had him wanting her to sleep as long as she could.
“Jason’s nervous because things are heating up between him and Isabelle.” Mark smirked, his arms crossed as he leaned against the counter near the fridge.
Jason could have wrung his friend’s neck at what he’d just announced. Did he even know what this could mean for his job? His eyes sought out Nikki, who didn’t bat an eye as she said, “The movie night went well, then?”
“What?” Jason said, wiping his brow.
Nikki reached for her apron with a roll of her eyes.
“Come on, Jason. We were all hired around the same time. It’s not like you’re dating your boss.
” She gave him a pointed look. They all knew Nikki had started dating Mateo shortly after she’d been hired.
They’d fought their feelings for each other longer than Jason thought possible.
Nikki laughed at his frown. “Mateo doesn’t seem to mind. I think you’re good.”
But what about the other brothers? Roman had given him a warning. Marcus hadn’t said anything specific, but Jason could tell he was more wary about his sister, but that could be due to something else.
“Really? He’s good with it?”
Nikki shrugged. “Honestly? He doesn’t have much of a leg to stand on.
He dated me. Then his sister dated Cameron.
But to be fair, he didn’t know they knew each other beforehand.
” She shrugged again as if she was trying to dislodge another thought.
“Anyway, as long as you treat her right, you’re going to be fine.
The Palmer men all have more to worry about than policing their sisters. ”
Jason smiled at that. It was nice to hear Nikki’s perspective. Maybe he actually had a chance. If Isabelle was the only person standing in their way, then this was going to be easier than he expected.
Mark chuckled, drawing his attention. “You still seem on edge. What’s going on?”
Jason tossed a glance in Nikki’s direction, then sighed. There was no point in keeping any of this a secret anymore. “I was thinking I’d ask Isabelle on a date.”
Nikki looked over her shoulder at him and smiled but didn’t say anything.
“And you think she’ll say no.” It wasn’t a question. Mark could read him like a book. He was the only one who knew how long Jason had been interested in Isabelle. “Why?”
Jason gave him a meaningful look. Isabelle was as closed off as they came.
Last night had been the closest he’d come to asking her out on a real date, and he’d lost his nerve.
It didn’t help that Isabelle had fallen asleep on his chest. He, on the other hand, hadn’t gotten much sleep at all.
Every time she stirred, he’d worried she was having a nightmare.
But she slept soundly. And he was thrilled she’d managed to do so at his side.
“She’ll say yes,” Mark said with certainty. “The way she looks at you says it…” His voice trailed off, and when Jason looked up, he noticed Mark staring at the door, his smile fading.
Dread tangled up in his stomach as Jason followed Mark’s focus and found Isabelle standing there with two cups of coffee in hand.
She was staring at him with curiosity, but it was clear she knew they’d been talking about her.
A faint blush touched her cheeks as she held up the cups. “I brought you coffee.”
Jason lurched away from his station, where he’d been forming sausage patties for the breakfast sandwiches. “Hey, Isabelle.” He nodded toward the door. “Got a minute?”
Her eyes cut to Mark for only a moment before she nodded.
Jason ushered her outside, and the second he got her alone, he rubbed her upper arms with his hands.
“Why didn’t you go back to sleep?” It felt natural to touch her, and he realized that he hadn’t asked to break that barrier.
He forced himself to shove his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels.
“I’ll say yes to what?” she said, looking at him with eyes wide.
He blinked, then glanced back at the building. “Oh. About what Mark said.”
She nodded.
Squeezing the back of his neck, he looked away. “I was going to ask you out…”
Isabelle didn’t blink. She didn’t say anything else. He wouldn’t be surprised if she took off running. But she didn’t do that either.
“You don’t have to, of course. I was just thinking—”
“I’d love to.” Isabelle flashed him a wide smile and held up his coffee. “What did you have in mind?”
There was no fighting the smile that spread across his face. “Yeah?”
Isabelle took a sip of her coffee, staring at him over the rim of her cup. “Of course. I enjoy spending time with you, Jason.”
He wanted to pull her into his arms then and there. He could have kissed her if she let him. Strange how something so simple could cause so much anxiety and so much joy at the same time. “Great. Saturday? We’d leave in the afternoon, but we won’t get back until real late.”
That adorable frown that formed between her eyes when she studied him, questioned him without speaking, had him chuckling.
“I’m not going to tell you what we’re doing, but I will tell you to bring clothes that you don’t mind getting wet.”
Isabelle tilted her head. “Like a swimming suit?”
He shrugged. “Whatever you don’t mind getting wet,” he repeated.
She shook her head. “Fine, don’t tell me. I’ll figure it out.”
“I highly doubt that.” He took a sip of his coffee, then lifted it in the air. “Thanks for this. See you later?”
Isabelle nodded. “Yeah.” Then she turned and headed for her house.
“Told you so,” Mark’s voice had Jason spinning around and staring at him hard. His friend leaned in the doorway to the cafeteria. He tossed Jason a smirk before pulling back and retreating to the kitchen.
Isabelle gasped, and it was the most beautiful sound in the world. The drive had been long, and by the time they’d made it to the perfect location, it was getting dark. They wouldn’t be able to stay out on the river for long, but even twenty minutes would make the drive worth it.
Her eyes found his, widening as he handed her a life vest.
“I know you can probably swim, but I’m not taking any chances.”
She took the vest without complaint. Then her eyes were cast upward. “It’s getting dark.”
“That’s the point.”
Isabelle tilted her head, but her smile never wavered. “And what is that supposed to mean?” She shrugged into the vest, and then he helped her step into the little river boat he’d rented. He followed her in, and together they settled into the bottom of the boat where he’d put blankets and pillows.
The location he’d picked would allow them to float aimlessly without going anywhere. They rested shoulder to shoulder and stared up at the sky. Their hands brushed against one another’s and Jason was tempted to grasp ahold of hers, but he refrained.
It took a few minutes before he finally answered her. “You said this was what safety felt like.”
She turned her head to stare at him. The moon reflected in her eyes. Hundreds of conversations passed between them in that single moment. She might not have realized she’d said it aloud, but she must have that night they’d been lying under the stars.
Safe was floating on a river under the stars. And he’d been prepared to do whatever it took to make that happen.
Their eyes remained locked until Isabelle was the first to tear her focus away. Neither one of them spoke. Not for the thirty minutes they’d managed to steal on the water. Not as they returned the boat to the rental shed. Not as they made their drive home.
Isabelle had gone completely silent after his confession.
He’d wanted nothing more than to demand a peek into what she could be thinking.
This wasn’t a traditional date. Normally, two people would talk, get to know each other better.
They’d been doing that a lot lately. Perhaps that was why he didn’t mind the quiet.
At least she didn’t seem mad. She definitely didn’t appear uneasy, either. The contemplative look on her face gave nothing away except that she was deep in thought.
Maybe he had made a mistake in his decision for a first date. He could have done the normal thing and taken her to dinner. Even a movie would have afforded them a less awkward silence.
Jason blew out a breath as he pulled onto Winding Creek Ranch property. They’d chatted on the way to the river. But now what? Would she say thank you and head inside like nothing had happened? Was he brave enough to ask her out again?
If she gave him a chance, he would promise to do better.
When Isabelle didn’t immediately reach for the door, Jason glanced over to her. Then he opened his door and climbed out. The longer they stewed in silence, the more he couldn’t help but wonder where he’d gone wrong.
He opened her door with a heavy exhale. Isabelle turned toward him, and for the first time he noticed something that had his heart stalling in his chest.
Her cheeks were stained with wet streaks—something he hadn’t been able to see in the dark while he’d been driving.
“Isabelle—” his voice croaked.
She shook her head with a sad laugh and climbed out. He didn’t step back in time and their bodies were practically pressed up together. Out of reflex, he reached up and grasped her upper arms.
“Isabelle, are you—”
“Will you kiss me?”
He stared at her, shock sluicing through his body like ice-cold water in his veins.
“Jason,” she rasped, “please… just… kiss me.” Her hands came up around the back of his neck, forcing him to release her. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned into him, closing the distance seconds later.
Her lips parted, capturing his in a kiss he would never forget.
Jason held back. He had to. From everything he knew about her, this was the first time she’d been intimate with another man since that night.
She needed to ease into a relationship, and no matter how badly he wanted to take charge, he couldn’t.
Isabelle’s state of mind was more important. If she felt she wasn’t in control, it would be detrimental.
That didn’t mean this kiss wasn’t everything he thought it could be and more. He stifled a groan as he leaned into her kiss. It was soft and explorative. He could sense the curiosity in it.
Sweet and alluring, Isabelle was like a siren. There was something about her that called to him, and he knew if he wasn’t careful, she’d be the end of him. She’d take his heart and hold it in her hands.
Who was he kidding? She already had it.
At some point, Isabelle had taken everything he was capable of giving.
Their kiss could have lasted hours. It could have been seconds.
He didn’t know. Time lost all meaning. But then Isabelle pulled away.
Her tentative smile did something to him.
It stirred the growing feeling up in a whirlwind.
Jason reached for her face, framing it in his hands.
Without bothering with words that wouldn’t do his feelings justice, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. Then he walked her to her front door.
She gave him one last lingering look before she disappeared inside.
Jason galloped down the steps and headed for the wranglers’ cabin.
“You’re treating her like a child,” a low voice shattered the warm feeling that hung in the air.
Jason startled and turned to find Mark seated in the shadows on the steps of the cafeteria building. He rested his forearms on his knees. There was no telling how long he’d been sitting there. Jason slowed, frowning at his friend. “What do you mean?”
Mark jerked his chin toward the house where Jason had just left Isabelle and got to his feet. “Kid gloves. You act like she’s fragile.”
Lips curling with irritation, Jason crossed his arms. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His friend huffed. “If a girl has to beg you to kiss her when the two of you couldn’t be more obvious in your feelings for each other, then you’re not doing it right.”
Jason bristled. He pointed at the house and snarled, “You don’t know what she went through.”
“Neither do you. You don’t know what she’s thinking or how she’s feeling. But you’re doing her a disservice if you can’t treat her like she’s normal.”
Scoffing, Jason turned away from his friend. “I don’t have to listen to this.”
“You’re right. You don’t. But you really need to think about what you’re doing. She’s not going to get any better if you baby her. Healing means growth, and growth is hard. It’s painful.”
“Yeah?” Jason snarled, turning toward his friend once more. “And what would you know about that?”
Mark opened his mouth, then shut it and shook his head. When he made it clear he wasn’t going to say anything else, Jason made a disgruntled sound and stalked toward the cabin. Mark didn’t know what he was talking about.