Chapter 6
KANE
I almost looked into Jess’s background yesterday.
Not because I think she did anything terrible—I know Nora and the rest of the Blade and Arrow team would have checked Jess out well before inviting her to any of their events—but because I want to know who could be behind those threatening texts.
I want to know if the same person could be linked to the break-in at Jess’s house and the weird things she reported going on before it.
Jess says the messages are harmless. But I disagree. First, they upset her. And second, they could be a precursor to something more dangerous. If someone in Sleepy Hollow really does have it out for Jess, what’s to stop them from escalating to a physical threat next time?
When I mentioned it to Oliver, he agreed with my assessment. “I could ask Shea,” he offered. “She’s friends with Ari and Thea, and they went to high school with Jess. Not that I want to get caught up in old drama, but if you think Jess might be in danger…”
“I know,” I told him. “I’d really prefer to hear it from Jess. It just feels wrong to go behind her back. I don’t want to mess things up with her already.”
“You’re seeing her again tonight, right?” he asked. “Maybe you can bring it up then. Just sort of test the waters, see how receptive she is to telling you. If it’s something she’s sensitive about, which it sounds like it is, it might take her some time to open up.”
Given that Oliver’s happily married and clearly knows more about navigating a relationship than I do, I’m definitely open to taking his advice.
Because I meant what I said to him—I really don’t want to mess things up with Jess.
And while I’m pushy about a lot of things, forcing her to talk about something that upsets her isn’t something I want to do.
I almost brought it up over the weekend while we were at Wine and Cheese for wine flights and appetizers for our third official date.
But Jess looked so happy, and I was enjoying myself so much, I couldn’t bring myself to do anything that might ruin it.
We were squeezed together in a loveseat I would have considered too small for two people had the other person been anyone but Jess.
Whenever we weren’t eating, her hand kept slipping back into mine, and every time she moved I’d catch a whiff of her perfume, which smelled like she just left the kitchen after baking cookies all day.
We were in the perfect spot, too—tucked into a corner with decorative trees strung with lights on either side of us—which gave us some welcome privacy. Plus, it allowed a full view of the restaurant, so it was easier to keep an eye out for any potential threat.
No one bothered us, which I wasn’t surprised about. Living in a small town like Sleepy Hollow, everyone knows who I am and what I do, so the likelihood of someone trying to bother Jess while she’s with me is pretty low.
Not unless they want to end up arrested, that is.
I had another thought of asking her once we got back to her house, but then we started playing Tenebris Veil and before we knew it, three hours had passed.
And I certainly wasn’t going to bring up the whole what happened in high school and why do you think people don’t like you topic when it was nearly eleven o’clock at night.
Especially not when all I could think about was kissing her.
When my gaze kept drifting to her full lips and the way they quirked up in this adorable lopsided way whenever she smiled.
When I couldn’t stop looking at the sweet dimple in her cheek and wondering what it would feel like to dip my tongue into it.
No. I wasn’t going to do anything to ruin the evening.
I did kiss her, though. Just a quick one as I stood by her front door getting ready to leave.
I’d been trying to get a read on Jess the whole night—sometimes I’d get the feeling she wanted more, other times I’d feel her retreating.
Reinforcing those ironclad walls she’d only just started to take down.
But as I stood at the door, debating, Jess was the one who gave me the signal.
She took my hand, wrapping her slender fingers around mine, and she looked at me with this shy, hopeful smile. “Would you like to come over for dinner?” she asked. “On Tuesday? I’ll cook. And maybe we could watch one of those sci-fi movies you were telling me about?”
It wasn’t an outright request for a kiss, but it seemed close enough.
At first, Jess seemed a little tentative, but after a few seconds, she gave herself over to it—her eyes fluttering shut as she leaned into me and making this soft, sexy humming sound of pleasure in the back of her throat.
I kept it short, ending the kiss much sooner than I would have liked, because I get the feeling Jess is less experienced than most women her age. It’s nothing she’s said, more a vibe I’ve gotten, but if it’s true, the last thing I want is to scare her off by moving too fast.
In the past—and I’m not proud to admit it, but it’s the truth—I wouldn’t have been as patient. I was all about keeping things casual and moving on. But with Jess, it’s different. I don’t want to move on. I want to wait until she’s ready, however long it takes.
Does that mean I’m not hopeful about kissing her tonight? Of course not. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about kissing Jess since I left her house three days ago.
Really, I haven’t stopped thinking about Jess; full stop.
No matter what I’m doing, she never leaves my mind.
While I’m at work, I’ll wonder how she’s settling into her new position and if the employees who now report to her are being respectful.
On my way home, I have to fight myself not to drive by her house just to make sure everything looks okay.
And when she told me she was hosting reality-TV-night at her house for a change, I was actually disappointed because she didn’t need me to give her a ride .
So, yeah, my feelings for Jess are different.
The protectiveness I feel for her is different, too.
I want her safe, of course, but it’s more than that.
I want to be the one protecting her. I want to be the person who makes her smile.
Who defends her against rude people like that awful hostess at The Horse and Ghost. Who makes it well known that anyone who messes with Jess is messing with me.
That’s why I know I need to bring up the text messages again, and who they could be coming from. Because, like I thought, those threatening texts came from a burner phone, so there’s no way of knowing the culprit. And that just doesn’t sit well with me. Not when Jess’s safety is in question.
Maybe I should rip the Band-aid off right away. Broach the topic as soon as I get inside, so we can get it over with and move on with the rest of the night. Hopefully the flowers and candy I got her will help soothe the sting of it and Jess won’t be too upset with me for bringing it up.
Speaking of flowers and candy, I may have gone a little overboard this time.
As I hurry up the steps to Jess’s front door, I glance down at the gigantic bouquet of blue roses and massive box of truffles I have tucked under my arm. Independently, they seemed like good ideas. But together, I’m a little worried Jess will think I went too far. That I’m trying too hard.
But she said blue was her favorite color. So when I spotted these blue roses at the florist, how could I not buy them? And when the owner suggested that twenty-four might be nicer than twelve? I just went along with it .
Then I had to stop by the candy shop to get something sweet, as my friend Cash’s wife, Ari, suggested when I bumped into her at the grocery store yesterday. Because of course all my friends know I’m dating someone, and they are very invested in it.
“Sweets are always a good idea,” Ari told me solemnly. “You can’t go wrong with candy. And—” She paused for emphasis. “I happen to know Jess loves truffles. Just in case you were wondering.”
So I bought truffles. Two dozen, to match the roses. And shit, I had no idea how expensive little chocolates could be. But if it makes Jess happy, it’s worth it.
As I wait for Jess to answer the door, I hold a quick inner debate with myself—kiss her right away or wait until later?
I’ve been thinking about holding her all day, feeling her sweet curves pressed against me, and hearing those sexy little sighs she made the last time we kissed.
Looking down at her kiss-swollen lips and watching them curve into another lopsided smile that shows off that adorable dimple.
If she hugs me when she opens the door , I decide, I’ll kiss her. Just a quick one so she knows how happy I am to see her.
A few seconds later, the front door opens, and all my thoughts about kissing Jess fly out the window.
Not that she looks unhappy to see me. She’s smiling, and her cheeks pink up as soon as she spots the flowers under my arm. Then her gaze shifts to the gold-wrapped box of truffles and she actually gasps with surprise. “Kane. You didn’t have to get all this. And are those?—”
“Truffles,” I confirm. “I heard they might be your favorite.” I keep my smile plastered on while I quickly sort through all the possible reasons why Jess’s eyes are red and slightly swollen, like she was recently crying.
Did she get another text? Was someone rude to her again? Did something happen at her house?
Jess darts forward to hug me, and I instinctively wrap my arms around her, gathering her slim figure against my body. She’s stiff at first, but a moment later, she sags, giving me most of her weight. Her head drops to my shoulder and her breath comes out in a soft sigh, whispering across my neck.
Alarm prickles across the back of my neck.
Something is very wrong.
This is more than an I’m happy to see you hug. It’s Jess allowing herself to lean on me. Which I want her to do, but I’m already dreading the reason, which I have a feeling is going to piss me off at the very least.