Chapter 12
12
"I think it’s dry now."
Jo glanced over at Hank leaning against the dryer. The floor had been fine five minutes ago, but she’d needed more time to, well, keep from having the discussion he and her son wanted them to have.
"Okay…" She took her time meandering over to the table she used to fold laundry and hopped onto it, letting her legs dangle.
"Is that table pretty sturdy?"
"We are not having sex." Although it probably would hold them.
"Did I say anything about sex?" he asked, grinning at her. "I was just going to sit beside you on it." He walked over and stood in front of her and stared down into her eyes. "If that’s okay."
"Oh, um, sure." He didn’t even have to do anything but stand there and she wanted him. How crazy was that? And how not happening. "Sorry."
"Nothing to be sorry about," he said, grinning, then sitting about a foot away from her. Okay, he was serious about talking. "Can I ask you a question?"
"That’s why we’re here," she groused, her eyes taking in the basement and stairs, before focusing back on Hank.
"Since Collin obviously approves of us being together, the only other obstacle I see is our ages." Her heart sank at that. He thought she was too old too. "At least for you." And then it started beating normally again—maybe even a little fast. "So, is it my age that’s the problem or yours?"
"Both."
"Why?" He honestly looked perplexed.
"I’m eleven years older than you."
"So."
So was not a response. At least not a helpful one.
"So…" What is an argument she could make that’d make him get it? "Well, there’s your family."
"What about my family?"
"Wouldn’t they want you to marry, um…" Why had she mentioned marriage. They’d not talked about marriage. Now that it was out there…
I’m in so much hot water.
"Wouldn’t they want you to be with someone who is at least close to your age?"
"All my family wants is for me to be happy." And there was that smile she couldn’t resist. "And it’s nice to know marriage has been on your mind."
Of course, he would have to glom onto that one word.
"It hasn’t been. I just…" This was harder than she’d thought.
"Just what?" He did not have to look so pleased with himself that she had nothing to say.
"Okay, what about children?" That was a good one. "You want children of your own one day, right?"
"That would be nice. Do you not want more children?"
She had. She’d wanted several. And having Hank’s baby would be… Nice. But not happening either.
"I think Collin would be a great big brother," he said.
Marriage. Babies. How did they get to those?
"Why are we talking forever like this?" Especially when forever sounded pretty damned good.
"Because, Jo Webster…" If she hadn’t been holding his gray gaze, she wouldn’t have seen how their depths went a shade darker. "Forever is something that stays on your mind when you’re half in love with someone."
What was she supposed to say to that? She certainly couldn’t tell him she was half in love with him too. Hell, at this point, she might be all the way in love with him. But she couldn’t make herself believe that. Not yet.
"Nothing to say?"
"Too much." And nothing she was ready to admit. "We just met a week ago?—"
"That’s an interesting way of putting it." He grinned, but the emotion in his eyes hadn’t changed. If anything, it became more.
"You know what I mean." And she wasn’t spelling it out for him. "How can you possibly feel that way? You think I’m a pain in the ass, remember?
"True, jwebster is a pain in my ass." Why did he have to keep looking at her like that. "But you, Jo Webster, cause a pain someplace else."
"Your dick?" She had to get this conversation on a different track.
"What else would you say?" He shook his head and smiled. But it was almost sad. "There, yes. But someplace else too." He took her nerveless hand and placed it over his heart. "Here. I have a pain, here." He pressed her hand tight against his chest, where his heart pounded out a hard rhythm under her palm, while her fingers clutched at his shirt. "And right now, that pain is telling me that only you can soothe it."
"I don’t know what to say."
"And I can’t tell you what to say. I can tell you what I wish you would say." His eyes dropped from her eyes to her chest, then back. "I wish you would say there’s something there in your heart as well. Something telling you there’s more to this than just the physical."
She’d thought the same thing too. This was so much more than physical. But she still couldn’t make herself take that final step.
"It’s just too soon. I was pregnant with Collin and rushed?—
"I’m not trying to rush you, but I don’t want you to just disregard this because you’re afraid." He squeezed her hand. "Honestly, I’m a little afraid myself."
"Then why?"
"Because when you’re in my arms, nothing scares me. And everything about you makes me feel…" He brought her hand up to his mouth and kissed her palm. "It just makes me feel."
"You make me feel too," she said, brushing her fingers over his lips.
"Then let’s see where this is going," he said, still holding her hand, but taking it back to his chest where his heart had sped up. "And maybe we could start with moving a little closer together."
"We can’t have?—"
"We’re not." The little touch of heat filling his gaze told her it was on his mind, though. "But can I at least hold you? Maybe kiss you?"
"That always leads to something else with us," she said, giving him her best frown. All he did was smile.
"I’m willing to risk it if you are."
"Okay," she muttered, already scooting toward him, while he did the same. Then his arm was around her and her head landed on his chest—his cheek pressed against the top of her head. A deep breath filled both of them, that they each slowly let out. Almost like their bodies were relieved to finally be touching each other.
"See, this is nice, isn’t it?"
"Yes, it is." And it was. Maybe they could just stay like this until Collin came back. She’d be okay with that.
"Go out with me tonight."