Chapter 2
JENNA
Wow. I've never been so chatty around a man before. It feels like a great sign.
Fortunately, I can use taking photos as an icebreaker while we drive. Kellan is a great sport, posing for shots while he's driving, even pulling over and popping the hood for some photos of his hands over the engine holding a wrench.
After I've gotten plenty of new content, we resume driving to Cedarvale.
I explain more about my job as a stock photographer for Flick Pics Photos, and he tells me all about Wolfe Security – the tech company he runs with his four brothers.
I know nothing about algorithms and encryption but using natural input from the forest in the form of bird calls and wind meters is pretty intriguing.
After we pass a sign for Cedarvale, I ask him "So…this gift for your mother. Is there anything in particular she needs?”
"No." He chuckles, and I sneak another look. Kellan is gorgeous. It goes way beyond tall, dark, and handsome. He’s got a striking male beauty that belongs in movies.
But he wouldn't play a pretty leading man in a heartfelt romance.
He'd be an action star. I can totally imagine him driving a tank or flying an airplane.
I adore his capable, confident energy. I’m getting a real mountain man vibe. And the way he looks at me… My stomach keeps doing a series of slow backflips. I've never sparked with anyone before. It feels like something special.
Then again, I could be overthinking and putting the cart before the horse. It's just lunch.
"Mom has everything she could possibly need and then some," Kellan laughs. "I need to get her something consumable, like fancy tea or chocolates. Or something one of a kind would work, too."
"Hmm. Is it safe to assume that at least one of your brothers will be getting her chocolates and stuff?"
"Yup."
I pull out my phone. "Shall I start looking for gift stores in Cedarvale to save us driving around?"
He chuckles, darting his hand out to tap my knee. It sends prickles of warmth straight to my heart. "Cedarvale’s not much bigger than Old Hemlock Valley. We can walk through the whole downtown in a few minutes."
When we arrive, I see what he means. It doesn't take us long to stroll through the town, looking in the window of each store.
Kellan checks his watch, and I can't help but notice it looks expensive.
Designer. I've also noticed that his charcoal button-down shirt looks to be custom fit, and the fabric is top quality. Also, this huge, sporty truck is barely a year old, unlike most of the other vehicles I’ve seen around here, which look like they've been run ragged by these rough mountain roads.
I guess the computer security business is doing well.
I peer intently in the shop windows, looking for ideas. I suspect this trip is just an excuse for us to hang out, but I want to uphold my end of the bargain.
Finally, I spot something that could work, and inhale sharply.
"See something?" Kellan asks.
"Look!" I point. "Beach glass necklaces! Some of them have stones and gems in them. They’re really nice, and obviously handmade. Definitely one of a kind."
He steps toward the door of the shop, holding it open. "Shall we take a closer look?"
I brush past him, feeling a sudden rush.
Stepping so close to Kellan makes me want to stop in my tracks to see if there's any chance he would wrap those huge arms around me.
I've never been snuggled by a man who looks like he belongs on the cover of Lumberjack Quarterly, and had no idea that idea appealed to me.
But for five heart-stopping seconds I pause in front of his hulking frame, trying not to inhale his faint fresh pine scent too obviously, wanting to place my hand on his chest to feel how solid it is.
This wave of adrenaline is brand new. It feels like more than just physical attraction. But my gut says to stamp it down and keep it under control until I get any clues that Kellan feels the same way. One-sided emotions would be a serious issue.
I feel flushed as I enter the store, then I blink. "It's…a tattoo shop?"
A man at the counter with jet-black hair and ink winding up and down his arms looks up from his sketchbook. "Hey, Kellan. How's it going?" From their warm hug, they clearly know each other well.
"Can we please look at those necklaces in the window?" Kellan asks. "Mom's birthday is next week. Jenna is helping me shop." He turns and grins at me. "Crow here did the tattoo on my back."
My knees shake from how badly I want to strip off his shirt right now so I can take a look. It’s an extremely inappropriate reaction, but it also makes me want to giggle.
We examine the necklaces, and I point to one with small green and gray stones and a large oval piece of beach glass wrapped in spirals of silver wire. "That one. It's fun and would go with lots of different colors."
Kellan picks it up carefully. "Yeah. But there's a scratch or a crack or something in the middle of the glass."
“Oh, that’s an inclusion. It’s deliberate. Doesn't it kind of look like a wave?”
"Hmm." He turns it and finally nods. "Okay, sure, I could see that."
We select some earrings that complement the necklace, then my eye is briefly caught by a delicate necklace on the shelf below. This one features a round piece of deep bottle blue glass and several smaller pieces of green along the sides.
Kellan follows my gaze, then picks it up. "This one instead, you think?"
My head shakes. "No, I think the other one is better. I mean, I’ve never met your mother, but you said she wears a lot of green and gray. It's a quieter design, too."
I lift my chin to meet his eyes, and time stops. Gravity isn't quite as reliable as I've come to assume. I'm floating while standing in front of him, lost in his deep brown gaze as my body leans incrementally closer to his.
"Not for Mom." His deep voice is scratchier when he speaks, sending another cascade of shivers down my spine. "For you. I saw your eyes light up."
I don't think he realizes how seductive his smile is as he takes the necklace from my hands. Then I melt as he pushes my hair aside with his finger to check that my ears are pierced. “And how about some earrings to match?"
He's already picking out two different pairs as I sputter in disbelief – one silver spirals, the other plain blue glass. He takes everything to the counter, and Crow rings him up. Kellan doesn't even ask the total, just taps his card on the reader.
We leave with two gift boxes, one of them tied with a red bow. "Thank you," I finally whisper.
"Hey, don't be so shocked," Kellan says with a grin as we stroll down the street and into Betty's Bistro. "Crow is a great guy. I'm always trying to support small businesses around here. Plus, you wanted it, so you should have it. Simple."
We're seated on the patio by a woman with a fifties pinup hairdo and bright pink leopard print hot pants.
Since we're right in the corner, our chairs are tight together.
It gives me another panty-melting opportunity to revel in the incredible sensation of being so close to him.
His masculine scent. The sexy curve of his lips.
The way his eyes are locked on mine, listening to every detail when I speak.
"I guess I should tell you," I murmur. “I’ve never…really gone on a date or anything before. So I'm not used to gifts and sudden lunches at the drop of a hat."
Kellan nods, smiling warmly as he holds out his hand palm up on his solid thigh. I take it, instantly feeling more grounded and wildly excited at the same time.
"How old are you, Jenna?"
“Twenty-one. You?"
"Thirty. But according to my four older brothers, I might as well be several years younger since they treat me like a baby whenever it's amusing."
I laugh for a moment. "I guess it's good I don't really have siblings. Less teasing that way."
He leans closer, and the intensity of his gaze sends lightning bolts through me. "Look, I'm normally a patient person. But in this case…" His eyes close for a moment as he takes a deep breath.
Then he looks at me again with that smile that I’m quickly becoming addicted to. "Let's just do this lightning-round style, okay?"
I have no idea what he means. I nod anyway.
He quirks up an eyebrow. "Are you single?"
"Yes."
"Do you think our age difference is a problem?"
"No. I think I like a guy who's capable."
"Good. Do you understand that once in a while I'll have to take off in the middle of a date if there's a company emergency and my brothers aren’t available to deal with it?"
"Of course."
"Last question. May I kiss you now?"
My heart is thumping so loudly in my chest he must surely be able to hear the vibrations. All I can do is nod, my lips falling open.
This is crazy. It cannot be happening.
It is.
This gorgeous mountain man leans in to brush my mouth with his, sending electrical pulses sparking through my veins.
Just as I start to feel like I'm falling, his strong arm encircles me, pulling us together.
I reach out, caressing the center of his firm chest, slipping my hands into the back of his thick, dark hair.
One of his hands is already caressing my hip, the other pressing against the middle of my shoulders.
In a flash, I imagine what it would feel like if we were alone, in bed, with him possessing me so naturally. Our kiss deepens, his hot mouth exploring mine—
"Ahem."
We jump apart as the server sets two glasses of water down on our table.
"Sorry, Betty," Kellan mutters sheepishly.
She laughs. "Let's try to keep it PG here, shall we, kids? I'll give you another minute with the menus, but I'm keeping my eye on you." She squints significantly at Kellan, then flashes me a wink before turning on her heel and sashaying away.
I’m relieved that she’s not actually angry. "Let's try not to get kicked out, yeah?" I whisper.
His arm slides around me, pulling me close again, his lips brushing the top of my hair.
"No promises there, gorgeous."