Chapter Nine #3
He glanced over his shoulder at her. “You think this is funny?”
Vanessa felt her smile slip, because he sounded angry. He looked angry, with his neck flushed and his brow furrowed.
“You need to keep an eye on her,” he said in a clipped tone. He dropped the stick and walked away, his shoulders tense with fury.
Vanessa stared at him in disbelief. She was still reeling with sensation, her lips damp from his mouth.
Her response had been embarrassingly enthusiastic, but so had his.
They’d both gotten carried away. Plus, he’d initiated the contact.
He’d kissed her like a starving man at a feast. He’d pulled her body against his and groaned with pleasure.
Then he’d criticized her for getting distracted by his touch?
Ugh. What a jerk.
How dare he rock her world and then cast aspersions on her parenting? Was he suggesting she’d neglected Emily? The only reason she’d left her daughter’s side was to save his sorry ass from a near-drowning! She should have let him sink.
This was why she’d sworn off men.
Never again. The kiss, while incredibly hot, had been a momentary lapse in judgment.
She wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
She wanted to chase after Paul to give him a piece of her mind, or just shout obscenities at his back, but she had a child in her arms. Contrary to his accusatory and off-base remark, she took excellent care of Emily.
She didn’t engage in screaming matches in front of her daughter.
“Did he suck lemons again?” Emily asked.
“He sure did,” Vanessa replied.
They walked to the campground for their daily, coin-operated, ten-minute shower.
The novelty of roughing it had worn off, and she appreciated being clean while it lasted.
She gave vague answers to Emily’s incessant questions as they toweled dry.
Then she put Paul out of her mind and focused on getting ready for the evening.
Jackson had promised to take them out to dinner.
Vanessa took extra pains with her appearance. She chose pretty summer dresses for herself and Emily. She applied careful makeup. Paul didn’t want to see her? He could eat his heart out. If she wasn’t going to feel good, she might as well look good. This life hack had been invaluable the past year.
An hour later, when Jackson arrived to pick them up, they were ready to go. Vanessa retrieved Emily’s booster seat and secured it in Jackson’s truck. After buckling up Emily, she climbed into the passenger side.
Jackson drove to La Cantina, a popular restaurant in the vicinity of Crazy Horse Saloon, where the hostage crisis had taken place.
Vanessa studied the bar’s facade as they passed by.
The sign above the door appeared new, and depicted a pair of six-shooters.
There were vintage Wanted posters in the front window.
“They’re capitalizing on the notoriety,” Vanessa said.
“One hundred percent,” Jackson agreed.
They ventured inside the restaurant, where they were seated at a round table.
Emily chattered about her art project at camp, and her ideas for a lemonade stand.
When the waitress took their drink order, Emily requested lemonade.
Vanessa asked for a lime margarita. Jackson wanted lemon-lime soda.
The waitress, an adorable brunette in a short skirt, gave Jackson a flirty look as she walked away.
“How was your day?” Jackson asked Emily.
“Penelope got bit by a snake,” Emily said. “And Mommy kissed Mr. Paul.”
Jackson arched a brow at Vanessa. “Did she really?”
“Emily dreamed that,” Vanessa said, her cheeks heating.
“Which part?”
“All of it.”
“I wasn’t dreaming,” Emily said. “I waked up.”
“I didn’t see a snake,” Vanessa said.
“Penelope did,” Emily said. “She told me.”
“Where does Paul come in?” Jackson asked.
“He got a muscle cramp while he was swimming,” Vanessa said. “I waded in after him.”
“He got a muscle cramp,” Jackson repeated, his skepticism clear.
“I helped him back to shore.”
“And you gave him mouth to mouth?”
Instead of answering, Vanessa bit into a tortilla chip.
“He eats lemons,” Emily said. “Then his face puckers up and pops out the other side.” She demonstrated the expression with fish lips and crossed eyes. “Mommy was helping him fix his face.”
Vanessa giggled at this misinterpretation and didn’t correct her.
The waitress arrived with their drinks and a box of crayons for Emily.
Jackson ordered ceviche while Vanessa decided on a shrimp tostada.
Emily asked for queso and chips. Then she started coloring a cartoon chili pepper on the paper menu.
Jackson studied Vanessa as if she’d grown two heads.
“What?” Vanessa asked, exasperated. “You and Dad can cut a swath the size of Texas through the female population, but I’m expected to act like a nun?”
Jackson narrowed his eyes. “Is this your new strategy to win him over?”
“It was more of a momentary lapse of reason.”
“Speaking of Dad …”
“Let’s not.”
“He’s got the day off tomorrow.” Then he switched to Spanish, because Emily didn’t understand the language. Both Jackson and Vanessa had learned it from their grandparents. “Quiere verla.”
He wants to see her.
Vanessa had never refused to let her father visit Emily. He’d come to Colorado several times with Jackson to see his granddaughter. She just didn’t participate in their get-togethers. “Fine,” she said coolly.
“What’s your plan for tonight?”
She shrugged. “We can camp again.”
Jackson didn’t press the issue. Vanessa would look for a hotel tomorrow. Camping had lost its appeal, and today’s interaction with Paul left a lot to be desired—in more ways than one. She couldn’t get his kiss out of her mind.
It was a shame he’d ruined his chances with her by claiming he wasn’t interested and acting like a jerk. She hadn’t been with anyone since Bennett, and she needed a sexual palate cleanser.
She pushed aside thoughts of Paul and considered vacation options.
It wouldn’t be easy to find a better spot.
The closest option was Last Chance, more than an hour away.
There were several budget hotels in that area and some pretty parks to visit.
Staying in a hotel for several weeks would strain her finances but it wasn’t the end of the world.
She could also swallow her pride and stay with her father.
She fingered her margarita glass, contemplative. The prospect of reuniting with him didn’t bother her as much as it once had. Maybe she could overcome her bitterness and move on. Her father wasn’t Bennett.
Forgiveness didn’t come easily to her, however.
She held strong convictions, and she committed to them.
Now that she’d been betrayed by her own husband, she felt no mercy for cheaters.
It was hard to believe there were loyal, decent men in the world after being confronted with so much evidence to the contrary.
Even Jackson seemed disinclined toward monogamy.
She wondered if he’d been faithful in his relationships.
“I have tomorrow off,” Jackson said. “I’ll camp with you tonight.”
“Can we make s’mores?” Emily asked.
“We can if you eat your dinner.”
The little girl nodded happily.
“You’re a good brother,” Vanessa said.
“The best,” Jackson agreed.