Chapter Forty-Six
Chance faltered, double-checking that his mind hadn’t dubbed over her actual words. “The Marlboro Man?”
The look in her eyes—a mix of uncertainty and lust—assured him that he hadn’t. “I didn’t catch the man’s name.”
His throat tightened. The visceral memory of her on his lap rocketed across his skin. For a moment, he wasn’t sure if he could trust his voice. Tension filled the truck as Chance slowly lifted his chin. “We’ll pick up where we left off.”
“Great.” Jane jerked away and jumped from his truck, her nerves leading her retreat as she slammed her door shut.
“But we’ll wait until you’re ready.” He found himself smiling and shaking his head.
She rounded the corner of the hedges, not glancing back, and he hustled to catch up. He’d never run after a woman before—until today—but waved at Sal as he loped toward Jane.
Jane slowed when he reached her side. Chance took her hand. As his fingers knit with hers, he could feel the anxious tension melt away. “The neighborhood’s kinda nice. If you like this kind of thing.”
She snort-laughed, ambling as they rounded a corner. “Who likes award-winning architecture anyway?”
Hand in hand, they followed a winding road of perfect lawns and well-appointed homes.
Chance wondered how many normal houses could fit between the neighborhood’s mansions.
Finally, they turned down the Thanes’ street.
The neighborhood was eerily perfect. Not a single blade of grass or manicured flower was out of place.
The homes rarely showed signs of life. It was summer, but the sound of kids playing and laughing didn’t fill the air.
The warm night didn’t hold the scent of backyard grills.
What was the point of their rigorous standards when Chance didn’t see a soul enjoying it?
He didn’t know, but he would want to spend his time with people who appreciated life more than furnishings. “Even if I were a billionaire, I wouldn’t live here.”
“Same.” Her phone dinged from the back pocket of her shorts. It quickly dinged again and served as a reminder: this neighborhood was simply their job.
Jane retrieved the phone. Her warm expression shifted. The corners of her lips pinched as she read the screen, and Chance didn’t need three guesses to know who it was.
“Oh, boy.” Jane frowned at her phone. Gigi’s text messages popped onto the screen, one right after the other. The first ones were silly ones, asking that Jane double-check the sprinklers went off at the right time and reminding Jane that Gigi’s man-candy pool guy would be there on Tuesday.
The last one, though, threatened to ruin her night with Chance. Jane re-read Gigi’s text message.
Gigi: Lark can’t stay in the main house tonight. We REALLY need to give the appearance that we’re at home. Please spend the weekend in the main house.
She understood Gigi’s concern. For whatever reason, the Thanes were trying to keep their super-secret trip as on the down low. Jane hated to stay in their massive house when she was all alone, although… She glanced at Chance. She wasn’t alone.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
Before she could reply to Chance, another text came through.
Gigi: Hello? Are you there? I’m not sure why you’re ignoring me.
“Oh, good grief.” Jane rolled her eyes and held up her phone for Chance to see. “Ignoring her? It’s been less than a minute.”
Another text pinged through. Jane glanced at the screen. Gigi sent a row of praying hands and heart emoticons followed by:
Gigi: Please. We’re sorry if you already had plans elsewhere. Just turn some lights on and off. Pretend you’re playing house. Just keep the paparazzi off our tails.
Another text pinged.
Gigi: Jane, stop ignoring me!!!
Jane snorted, and Chance read over her shoulder.
He let out a slow whistle. “She can be a little manic?”
“Yeah.” But that wasn’t what bugged her. She still didn’t understand why the attention-hungry Thanes wanted to lie low. That could be a mystery for another day. Before Gigi could send another text, Jane responded.
Jane: That’s not a problem. Enjoy your vacation.
They started toward the Thanes’ again. Jane’s thoughts raced.
Would they care if Chance stayed with her in the main house?
They wouldn’t know if he spent the night in her pool house—her stomach flipped.
Spending the night was insanely presumptuous.
Except between the interruptions in the kitchen and his truck, Jane had made assumptions.
Tonight, they could be together and alone.
It didn’t matter when he would leave, or whether they spent the night together in her cottage or the main house.
Once they were behind closed doors, Chance would touch her again.
Her heart skipped a beat. She would touch him too.
They’d kiss. They’d undress. His body would press against hers.
Into hers. Despite the warm summer night, a chill rolled down her spine, and heat spiraled up Jane’s neck.
They’d be intimate. That’s what she wanted, wasn’t it?
It better be. That’s what she told Chance she wanted in his truck.
Jane fidgeted but then turned. Where was Chance supposed to be staying anyway?
Their trek finished, and they stood at the bottom of the Thanes’ large cobblestone driveway. She bit her bottom lip and twisted to face Chance. “Did they tell you where you were staying? Security doesn’t usually stay on the grounds.”
Security rarely ran twenty-four-hour shifts, per Gigi’s requests for privacy, and they rarely stayed on the grounds.
But their property could house guests and staff.
Two guest houses faced the opposite side from Jane’s poolside cottage.
There was an apartment over the garage, or maybe they planned for Chance to use one of the guest rooms.
He shrugged. “Lark said she’d get back to me, but I haven’t heard from her.”
“Hmm. Lark was supposed to stay in the main house, but now she can’t.”
“Did I mention how Lark seems like such a nice person?” Chance muttered.
Jane laughed, though her nerves still jittered. She felt like a schoolgirl asking her crush on a date. Where had her bravery gone? Jane shuffled her foot. “Since I have to stay in the main house, if you want, you could stay there with me.”
Chance offered a closed-lip grin.
She couldn’t read his silent answer. Was that hesitation? “Or don’t. There are guest rooms and guest houses like mine.” She grimaced. “Actually, forget I even mentioned it. We’ll hang out and then—”
“Jane.” He took her hand and led the way toward the front door. They stopped on the porch, and before she could let them in, he spun her to face him. “Do you always think the worst?”
When it came to someone spending time with her… “Maybe?”
“Why?”
Her parents were the easiest answer. They’d taught her to distrust everyone before she had known how to walk. “You gave me a weird look a minute ago.”
Chance grinned. “I forgot my bag in the truck.” He chuckled. “You left, I followed. We walked all the way up here, and I didn’t bring a thing.”
“Oh…” She laughed, covering her warm cheeks with her hands. “So, you want to stay with me?”
“Tell me one single reason why I wouldn’t stay with you.”
In that calm demand, Chance seemed so intent and true, set on reminding Jane of every kind and sentimental word he’d shared. “I don’t know.”
He wrapped her to him and rested his chin on the top of her head. Silent laughter rumbled in his chest. “I won’t even complain if you force me to sleep on nice sheets.”
A calm grin curled on her lips. “Oh, I will.”
With renewed conviction, she pressed the security code on the keypad next to the front door. The locks clicked, and she threw open the doors. “Welcome back to crazy town.”