Chapter 14 #2
Ah, so that was what they’d been arguing about.
Smiling, I stepped by him and went downstairs to find Dixon glaring unhappily at the black rectangular box they’d attempted to hook up to my TV.
Chuckling, I took the instructions, perused them quickly and began setting everything up.
It only took a couple minutes, and when I was done, they both stared at me in awe.
“I can’t believe how fast you did that. Me and Jace spent the last hour trying to figure it out,” Dixon said.
“My Shannon is a whizz with technology.” Jace gave my shoulder a little squeeze. The compliment made my heart flutter, alongside the way he’d said “my,” like I belonged to him. It should’ve irritated me, but it only created butterflies that filled my stomach.
I handed the remote to Dixon, letting him check through all the camera feeds until he was satisfied with the view from each. “We also put in some motion censored lights that will come on as soon as anyone approaches the house.”
“Sounds good. Thank you both for this.”
“I need to go get Zara from school,” Jace said before looking to Dixon. “Will you stick around here until I get back?”
“No problem. Isla’s out front waiting for you.”
“I’m sure I don’t need someone with me twenty-four seven,” I argued, but Jace was adamant.
“After what happened this morning, I need you safe, Shannon. Please, for my peace of mind.”
“It’s overkill, but fine, if it keeps you from worrying.”
Instead of responding, Jace stepped forward, bent, and pressed a kiss to my forehead. I wasn’t expecting it, and my breath caught. My eyes followed him all the way out the door, and when I glanced at Dixon, I found him looking at me with a raised eyebrow.
“What?” I asked, folding my arms.
He rolled his lips to hide a laugh, then held his hands up in surrender. Okay, fine, so Jace kissing my forehead had my pulse spiking and my cheeks heating, but it didn’t mean anything. Or at least, I refused to acknowledge if it did.
While Jace was gone, I made Dixon a sandwich, and we chatted a little about the small town he came from in Texas and how he got into the private security business.
I knew he had some kind of military background, but I didn’t ask for details because Jace had mentioned something about him not liking to talk about it.
When Jace returned with Zara, Dixon switched out with Isla, who took up sentry duty in her car outside.
“I’ll be at Bren’s for a few hours, but Isla will stay outside until I get back,” Jace said.
“Okay, see you later.” I’d wanted to argue again about having trained security personnel outside my house, but another part of me was still shaken about this morning and was grateful for the protection, especially with Zara home from school.
When that car was speeding towards me, I hadn’t seen my life flash before my eyes. I was too busy worrying about my daughter having to face the rest of her life without me. I couldn’t stand the idea of her having to grieve me so young. It didn’t bear thinking about.
I spent the evening making dinner and preparing some lunches for the rest of the week.
It was almost eight o’clock, and Jace still wasn’t back.
I peered out the window and saw that Isla was still stationed outside, so I brought her something to eat since she’d been there for hours.
I wasn’t the greatest cook in the world, and it was only chicken and potatoes with broccoli, but she seemed to appreciate the gesture.
I’d just put Zara to bed and was laying out a pillow and blanket on the couch for Jace when there was a soft knock on the front door. I set everything down and went to answer it. Jace wore a tired smile when I opened the door, and I knew how he felt. Today had been emotionally taxing.
“Hey,” I greeted, and he stepped inside.
He had a backpack over his shoulder, which I presumed contained clothes and other essentials for staying the night.
Earlier, while putting Zara to bed, I’d explained to her that her dad would be sleeping over for a few nights.
She’d been so excited about the prospect that she hadn’t thought to ask why he was staying, which was a small mercy.
I wasn’t sure how to explain what had happened that morning.
She wasn’t old enough to hear about something so unsettling.
“I spoke to Zara. She’s excited that you’re staying over. I had a job getting her to go to sleep at her usual time, though. She begged to wait up for you.”
Jace’s smile brightened a little. “She’s so cute. I love her so much.”
His words had my chest tightening, the truth of them.
Having Jace here was safer than being alone, but it was also an emotional minefield, especially since I knew he loved our daughter just as much as I did.
The shared affection made me feel closer to him because when it came to Zara, we’d always been surprisingly on the same page. She was our first priority.
I led him into the living room, motioning to the bed I’d made up on the couch, while my heart hammered in my chest. The idea of him being here when I woke up in the morning made me feel unexpectedly content.
The rightness of him sleeping under my roof was a feeling I hadn’t been anticipating and would take time for me to untangle.
After our conversation last night, I’d laid awake, replaying his words over and over.
It felt like a release to express to him how much he’d hurt me in the past, to let him know the anger and pain I’d had to work through.
The way he’d responded with such calm, steadfast confidence, letting me know that he was never going to put me through anything like that again, well, it soothed something within me.
To hear him express so sincerely his intentions to do better was something I hadn’t known I’d needed.
And it was probably why I said what I did next.
“I should probably get you a key if you’re going to be staying here a while.”
“You’d trust me with a key?” Jace sounded both surprised and touched.
“Of course, I would. I trust you, Jace.”
“Not completely yet,” he said, sounding a little sad but resolute, like he was resolved to change that fact.
A small quiet passed before I spoke. “Are you hungry? I have some leftovers.”
“I’m fine. I already ate. I don’t expect you to cook for me, Shannon. I know it’s a lot having me here.”
“Well, yes, I’m not used to having company, but I also appreciate you doing this. It’s not going to be comfortable. Oh, I think Ozzie has a futon he doesn’t use very often. Perhaps I could ask to borrow it—”
“I’ll be fine on your couch. Relax.”
“Right, well, let me know if you need anything.”
“I will.”
His gaze held mine, and I felt trapped, wanting to flee the intensity of his stare in the quiet house but also not wanting to move a single inch. Tingles skittered along my forearms as I swallowed thickly and finally forced my feet to move.
“See you in the morning, then.”
“You’re going to bed now?” He questioned. “It’s only nine.”
“Well, I’m getting into bed, but I’m not going to sleep. I’ve been, um, rewatching some old seasons of Red Dwarf.”
“Without me?” he teased, a smile pulling at his lips. “Such betrayal. Why don’t you watch it down here, and I’ll join you? I can’t go to sleep this early.”
I glanced at the TV, then at the couch, knowing it was a bad idea to snuggle up with Jace watching an old favourite show. But the day had been long, and I needed something comforting.
“Okay, I’ll make some tea first.”
When I returned with two cups, Jace was lounging on my couch like he belonged there, the next episode of Red Dwarf all lined up.
“You’re already on season three,” he complained.
“Deal with it,” I teased, handing him the cup of tea. “I’m not going back to the start just for you.”
His lips curved. “So cruel.”
I sat down on the other end of the couch, thankful I’d bought a three seater because otherwise we would’ve been way too cosy.
I found it hard to concentrate on the show because I was too distracted by Jace’s deep chuckle every time there was a funny bit.
My cheeks heated when he sat forward and pulled off his black hoodie.
The T-shirt underneath rose up, and my gaze wandered to the hard lines of his back, his muscular obliques, before I forced my eyes to the TV screen.
“Are you too warm? I can turn the temperature down,” I offered quietly.
“I’m good, just getting comfy,” Jace said, completely unaware of my hot cheeks and rising heart rate.
We watched three episodes before I decided to call it a night.
Any more and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep my hands to myself.
Being close to him, with his scent and his warmth only a few inches away, was torturous.
I couldn’t deny that I wanted him, even though my head was flashing warning lights and waving red flags.
Jace had declared his intentions to win me back, and he was behaving like a perfect gentleman.
A part of me wished he wouldn’t. That part wished for him to throw away his scruples and seduce me like he’d done the other morning when he’d knelt at my feet.
Just the thought of a man like Jace kneeling in supplication was enough to send me into a worked up, horny spiral.
“Goodnight,” I said as I headed for the door.
“’Night, Shannon.” Jace was busy pulling the blanket over himself, getting ready for sleep. I took the opportunity to quickly leave before I did anything stupid.
Seriously, we needed to find out who the catfish was. I wasn’t going to survive too many nights of having Jace under my roof without losing the sliver of self-control I was already struggling to hold on to.