Love Like You've Never Been Hurt (27 page)

Jack grabbed her hand and pulled her back into his lap. “Talking
business,” he said. “I have a pretty big problem I need
to work on and Pete is helping me figure it out.”

She smiled at him and planted a kiss on his lips. “I’m
sure you’ll work it out, you’re a very talented man, and
really, if you and Pete are both on the case I can’t imagine
there is any problem that could ever be too much for the two of you
to solve.”

Jack caught Pete’s eye as he smiled at her, “I hope
you’re right, Baby. I really hope you’re right.”

The late afternoon sun danced on the lake as Emma and Jack sat out
on the beach.

“It was a good weekend.”

“It was,” Jack agreed.

They’d had brunch at
the grill with everyone this morning then Jack and Dan had gone off
together, which Emma had been pleased to see. Now everyone was
returning to their lives ready for another work week. She was glad
that for her that would mean sitting out on the deck, tapping out the
story in her head that was now impatient to be told. Jack put an arm
around her shoulders, sending a thrill through her as it always did.
She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed, content.

“Can I ask you something, Mouse?”

She nodded. “Last night, when you heard your friend was
getting married, you didn’t seem too pleased for her.”

Emma snorted. “Why would I be? The poor girl doesn’t
know what she’s letting herself in for!”

“And what’s that?”

“Misery! Jack, the whole thing is horrible!”

“Is it really, Em?” He turned her to face him.
“Wouldn’t you say you’re biased?”

She frowned. “Of course I am. I’ve been married
remember?”

“How could I forget?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“What does that mean?” She was getting a little
agitated now, sitting up.

He drew her back down to his shoulder, trying to soothe her.
“Baby, it makes me sad that you dismiss marriage as a whole
because of what that man did to you.”

“That’s the one thing I’m grateful to that man
for! He opened my eyes to it all. We women tend to have an
unrealistic view of the whole marriage deal and that view doesn’t
match what men want from it at all. Take Nessa last night. There she
is, showing off her ring. To her it’s a symbol of love, but to
the great bumbling idiot sitting next to her it’s a symbol to
tell other men to keep their hands off – this one is taken
guys. It’s also a status symbol; women think the bigger the
diamond, the more he loves her. Men think the bigger the diamond, the
more people will think of him as successful, that he can afford it.
And do you know what else pisses me off?” she continued,
gathering steam now. “He’s not wearing an engagement ring
to let the world know, to mark him as hers. I bet he won’t even
wear a wedding ring. Most men don’t you know. You see, marriage
means the woman is off the market, but not the man. Still, we women
do check for a ring, because we respect it when it’s there. I’m
sure that’s why men don’t wear them. Even when I first
met you, I surprised myself because, before we had even gotten up off
the floor, I had checked your left hand for a wedding band! And that
woman? Last night? In the bar with you? She checked your left hand
before she came to talk to you – I SAW her!” She finally
ran out of steam and sat staring at him.

“Finished?”

“Yes, sorry.”

“No need to be. I wanted to know what you thought. You sure
told me.”

“Well, marriage is not a good thing.”

“Baby, can you maybe see that marriage is only as good or
bad as two people make it? You were with a bad man, so that marriage
could never have been anything but bad.” He waited, but she
said nothing. “But when you have two good people together, who
both want it and are both prepared to work at it, marriage could be
the best thing to happen to a person.” He turned her to face
him again and looked into her eyes. “Emma, I’m a good
man.”

Her eyes darted around his face, a tiny line creasing between her
brows. “What... what are you saying, Jack?”

“I’m saying I love you, Emma.”

Tears welled in her eyes and he held her close, hoping he hadn’t
done the wrong thing.

She lifted her head, “Jack... I...”

“It’s OK. You don’t need to say anything, Baby.
I just need you to know.”

He kissed her slowly, owning her with his mouth, relieved to feel
her respond. He stood silently and offered her his hand. When she
took it he led her up to the house, up to the bedroom. Still without
a word he lifted her onto the bed and undressed her, slowly, gently.
Once they were both naked he positioned himself above her, kissing
her until she writhed underneath him, panting and thrusting her hips
up, needing him to be inside her. He lifted his head and, holding her
eyes with his own, entered her with one deep thrust. She gasped as he
filled her and he held himself back as she came, loving the way he
could take her there so easily. When she opened her eyes he held her
gaze and thrust deep again, setting up an insistent rhythm, all the
while looking deep into her eyes, trying to convey to her with his
mind and his body all that those three little words were too small to
say. As she began to tighten around him he told her again, “I
love you, Emma,” then he let her carry him away as they came
together, soaring to place he’d never been, a place where only
she could take him on a tide of pure ecstasy. When they came back to
their senses he gathered her in his arms and held on, hoping that he
was holding on to the rest of his life.

Emma couldn’t keep her mind on her writing. Jack had gone to
meet with the crew who would soon be starting work on the
construction of Pete’s house. They’d made love all night
long, drifting off to sleep then finding each other again, coming
together in a union like nothing she’d ever experienced. He’d
shown her the truth of his words, of his heart, with his body. She’d
clung to him as he’d taken her over and over again, uttering
his love, giving her his love and asking for nothing. She’d
tried to speak, still not knowing what to say, but needing to say
something to this wonderful man as he gave her his heart. She sighed
as she remembered his eyes full of love as he’d placed a finger
to her lips and then kissed away the words that wouldn’t come.

He loved her? He loved her! One part of her wanted to dance and
sing and tell the world. Another part sat back, watching cynically.
“Rob said he loved you too. You believed him, look how that
worked out.” But this was Jack and Jack was a good man. Funny,
protective, so charismatic and so darned sexy! She sighed again at
all the things that made so many women want him. But he only wanted
her, he’d told her that. Did she love him? Her heart pounded at
the question. What was the point in even asking it? What would it
mean if she did? In her experience love only led to pain and loss.
She didn’t think she could stand to go through that again.
Staring out at the lake she admitted to herself that, despite all of
that, despite all the reasons that she couldn’t, yes she did
love him. She didn’t have to let that mean she would put
herself in a position to get hurt, but no matter how hard she tried
to avoid it, she had fallen in love with the man.

They’d eaten a quiet dinner on the deck. Jack seemed to be
trying to keep everything light and upbeat tonight.

“Want to go pebble hunting?” he asked.

Emma smiled, “Why not.”

She loved to walk the shoreline looking for pretty stones and she
found it so endearing that Jack shared this simple pleasure. They
walked in the fading light, each with quite a collection of stones.

“Do you think we’ve got enough?” she asked.

He grinned at her, “Let’s find one more special one
each, then we can sit on the deck and go through our treasure.”

She laughed, “You really are a big kid sometimes, you know.”

“I know, but little treasures can be the most important
things in life.”

She laughed again, touched by his sentimentality but a little
afraid to show how much. “Whatever you say, Mr. Benson.”

They continued their walk, scanning the shoreline. A few minutes
later she spotted a beautiful rose quartz glistening at the water’s
edge. Jack had spotted it in the same moment and their hands met as
they both reached for it, laughing. He let her take it and she held
it up in the last glow of the sunset.

“Isn’t it beautiful, Jack?”

“It’s perfect. Told you we’d find one last
special one and that’s the one we were looking for.”

“Come on then, let’s go back up. You light the torches
and I’ll get the wine.”

Once they were settled on the deck they went through their haul.
Emma laid out her finds on one side of the table and Jack placed his
on the other. She placed the last one in the middle. They had some
larger stones that Emma placed on the rail around the deck.

“Here,” she said, “we can decorate with them.”

“What about these?” Jack held out a handful of smaller
pebbles.

“Ooh, I know.” She went inside and returned with a
couple of round, goldfish bowl vases. “We can collect and
decorate.” She scooped most of the pebbles into the vases.

Jack spread out a few of the smaller stones on the table. “Which
do you like best?””

She touched the one in the middle of the table, the one they had
found together. “This one, it’s beautiful.”

He smiled at her. “It is and it’s ours; not in my
pile, not in your pile.”

“Yes, it’s ours, it’s special.” She was
still surprised that he would be so sentimental over a pebble.

“Would you mind very much if I hang on to it?” he
asked.

“Of course not.” She watched amused as he pulled his
wallet from his back pocket and carefully stored the little stone
inside a zippered section, his big hands surprisingly delicate.

He met her eyes and laughed with a shrug. “You already told
me I’m a big kid, and that’s precious treasure.”

“Whatever you say.”

He grinned. “Then I say come here and kiss me, woman.”
He stood and held his arms out to her and Emma happily did as he
said.

“I can take everything to Gramps’ house Saturday
morning,” said Ben.

Emma had come into town to pick up a few groceries and was having
a quick coffee with Ben before she headed home.

“That would be great, if you don’t mind. I’m
really hoping to get back on Friday night, but if I do have to stay
over it will be a rush on Saturday to drive back and get everything
sorted in time.”

“Don’t sweat it, Mouse. I can cover it.”

“Thanks. You know, I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Me too. Be nice to see the old guys having fun and I’ve
laid on extra cover at the resort for the day, so I shouldn’t
have to run back here.”

They were planning an afternoon and evening cookout at Gramps’
place. The two men had lived around the lake all of their long lives.
Both were well known and liked within the community.

“
I reckon we’ll
have a really good turnout,” said Ben, “And the band are
really looking forward to it, it’s something a bit different
for them.”

“I’ll bet it is. Are you keeping them for the season
in the end?”

“Yeah, they’re a good fit at the resort and they’re
good guys too, I think you’ll like them.”

“Well, maybe we should have them up to North Cove one night
for dinner with everyone, introduce them around.”

“That’d be great, let me know when works.”

“Let’s get Saturday taken care of then we’ll
see. For now though, I’d better get going. I’ve got an
early start tomorrow.”

“OK, Mouse. Call me and let me know when you’re coming
back so we can sort the details.”

“Will do.” She hugged Ben and headed back to her car.

At home she found a note from Jack taped to the screen door.

Dinner at my place tonight?

She smiled. He was determined to cook for her in that motor coach.
She called his cell.

“Hey Baby.”

“Hey you.”

“So, will you have dinner over here with me?”

“If you really want me to. You know I have to leave early in
the morning.”

“I know. I thought maybe you could stay here tonight. Pack
your bag before you come?”

“I could,” she said, a little surprised. She’d
grown used to Jack staying at the house with her.

“Go on. Live a little. Come and camp out with me.”

She laughed, thinking of the luxury coach. “OK then, I
suppose I can rough it with you for one night.”

“Excellent! See you in a little while then.”

“Bye.”

When she arrived at the RV, Jack was sitting on the step talking
on his cell phone. He smiled up at her.

“Yes, like I told you. No, the second one,” he
listened a moment then looked up at her again. She tried not to think
that his eyes looked wary, but they certainly seemed to. Then,

“I can’t.

No, I can’t right now,” this time a little more
forcefully.

“No.

Yes.” Now he seemed agitated, quite unlike him.

“Look, we’ll discuss this tomorrow.

I told you, I can’t right now.”

Emma started to feel a little uncomfortable. She started to walk
down toward the beach, not wanting to intrude on what appeared to be
a private conversation.

“Look, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you in the
morning, bye.”

He came after her. “Sorry about that.” He bent to kiss
her.

She gave him a quick peck then stepped away, feeling a little
tense. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”

“Oh, that? That was nothing.” He ran his fingers
through his hair, a gesture she’d come to recognize when he was
uncomfortable.

“Is everything OK?”

“Everything’s fine.” He didn’t meet her
eye. “Come on in and see what I’m making us.” He
reached for her hand and she decided it best to leave it at that. She
was no doubt being silly again, right?