Saved by the Rancher (13 page)

Jenna’s hair (well, the longest part, anyway) went down to just past the middle of her back. Summer pulled out several strands on each side, testing the lengths, assessing the damage.

“Okay. Any requests? Is there a style you want?”

“I like to keep it long. No bangs. Basically, just make it look nice. I trust you.”

“Thanks. I’ll do my best. You’ll love it.”

Summer worked quietly for half an hour. She ended up cutting it to just below her shoulders. Which, actually, better suited Jenna’s thick, heavy hair. She parted it off center, toward Jenna’s right, and added some long layers. She blew it dry and with the soft waves and fiery color, it suited Jenna perfectly. Summer sprayed it to hold the hair in place and off Jenna’s face. She stepped back and took an assessing look at the finished product.

“You’re beautiful. I hate you now.”

Silent tears slid down Jenna’s face. Summer panicked. “I’m sorry, you don’t like it. Oh, God. Now, you hate me.”

“I love it. You’re right. It’s beautiful. Perfect. Thank you.”

“It’s not too short. I cut off a lot, but I really think it suits you.”

“I love it. I don’t mind that it’s shorter. Makes it easier to dry.”

Summer sighed with relief. “Well, okay then. You like it. I’m so glad. You had me worried there for a second.”

Jenna dried her eyes. “Now the question is, do I have any clothes?”

“Let me see if Jack brought them up.”

Jack came in with Jenna’s suitcase, secretly wishing the thing had disappeared. He couldn’t keep her in a sheet forever, but a few more days would be fun. Fun: when was the last time he thought about pulling pranks and joking around . . . with a woman, or anyone?

The suitcase dropped out of his hands when Jenna came out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. Her breasts swelled over the top. Her hair framed her pretty face and fell to her shoulders. Jack’s mouth went dry, he couldn’t breathe. He stared, thunderstruck.

“Summer, leave us alone.” Jack never took his eyes off Jenna.

Summer’s gaze went from him to Jenna and back again before she pivoted on her toes and headed for the door without a word. Jenna stopped near the bathroom door and he drank in the sight of her, unable to move or speak.

“You don’t like the haircut?”

“God, you’re beautiful.” Jack closed the distance between them, some invisible force pulling him across the room. She didn’t back away, but stood looking up at him, nerves and wariness in those big green eyes.

“Jack?”

He didn’t bother answering. Instead he cupped her face, turned it up to his, lowered his head, and touched his lips to hers. She didn’t respond at first, except for a slight jolt. He brushed his lips to hers, rubbed his thumbs along her jaw, and settled into her. She stiffened and flinched with surprise. He expected her timid response. He brushed his lips over her cheek, her temple, her forehead, letting her know she was safe and cherished, not overpowered. Soft little touches. When his mouth found hers again, she kissed him back. He deepened the kiss, using his tongue to trace her lips. She opened on a surprised sigh, inviting him in, closer, and he smoothed his tongue over hers. Sinking fast, and in more ways than one. The feel of her, the taste, her smell, everything drew him in, filled him up, made him feel . . . good, right.

How long had he been living feeling indifferent and apathetic? Stuck in a rut for far too long. Time to try something new with someone who stirred up all kinds of interesting things inside him.

She responded by grabbing his shirt and pulling him closer. She held on to his biceps and matched his kiss with her own. His hands slid down her neck, and he trailed his fingertips along the swell of her breasts. She moaned into his mouth, and he stroked across her breasts again, just above the towel. Lost in her, she tasted so sweet and smelled so fresh. Flowers, sweet and heady.

His hands made a journey up her throat and into her hair. He held her head and tilted it, deepened the kiss. Her nails dug into his arms.

She moved them up his shoulders and linked them behind his neck, pulling him closer. Closer to where he wanted to be. His hard shaft pressed to her belly. She pushed closer and a soft rumble came from his throat. He put his arms around her, about to lift her off her feet and carry her to the bed. She yelped out in pain.

He immediately released her and took two steps back. She almost fell toward him, he’d released her so quickly. With his hands outstretched, he steadied her by the arms.

“I’m sorry. I lost my head. Did I hurt you? Are you okay? Stupid, I shouldn’t have touched your back.” He raked his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath to try to calm his overheated, unruly body.

“Jack, calm down. I’m all right.” Shy and hesitant, she stepped close, put her hands on his cheeks, and pulled him down for a soft lingering kiss. He pushed his fingers through her soft, thick hair and held her head, too.

“I’m sorry,” he said against her lips.

She settled back onto her heels and bit her bottom lip. Her tongue swept across her kiss-swollen lip. Tasting him, her eyes met his. Though he appreciated the passion, it was the trace of wariness that held him back from diving in again.

“I’m all right. Are those my clothes?” Jenna needed a minute to settle her insides. The man could kiss. He made everything inside her mind turn off and her body turn on. The only thing she could think and feel was Jack. Intense and scary and wonderful all at the same time, she took another deep breath and smelled him, soap, leather, hay, and horse. A nice combination.

“You’re always trying to get your clothes on. Right now, I just want to get my clothes off.”

A deep laugh bubbled up her gut and burst out. “Down, boy.”

“He doesn’t want to go down. He wants to come out and play.” Absolutely serious, but aware she needed the levity and time. She appreciated his attempt, despite the tightness in his face and body, telling her he was as aroused as her.

“Funny. How about I let you wrap my thigh before I get dressed?”

“Do I get to kiss it and make it better?”

She smiled. “Be good,” she ordered.

“Oh, honey, I am,” he teased back.

She turned the opening of the towel to her back and stood in front of him. His ragged sigh made her laugh again.

“You’re killing me, you know.”

“Somehow, I think you’ll survive.”

Resigned, Jack grabbed the bandages and knelt on the floor to tend her wound. He checked the stitches and made sure the cut wasn’t still damp from her shower. He covered the gash with ointment and taped a bandage in place.

He trailed kisses along the side of the cut from the bottom up to the top of her thigh. Every touch of his open mouth shot sparks of heat through her system. His big hands rubbed up the front of her legs from her ankles to her hips. Everywhere his hands roamed, her body heated and pulsed. She sighed, felt her heart jump when his fingers closed on her hips, his fingertips inches from the heat pooling low in her belly.

He wound gauze around the bandage and her thigh. Her entire back displayed to him, he bandaged two of the bad welts and cuts. The rest he put ointment on.

The whole time his hands made soft caresses up and down her back as he worked, sending shivers of heat racing over her skin. He kissed all the bruises. When he stood to kiss the bruises on her shoulders, she shook with anticipation as his breath caressed her skin a moment before his mouth tasted.

She closed her eyes and enjoyed the lazy travel of Jack’s mouth and hands over her body. He moved her hair to the side and kissed along her neck and shoulders, nearly sending her to her knees.

“Better than a lollipop?”

She smiled. “Oh, yeah.”

“Good. I’d much rather kiss you than give you a shot.”

His hands traveled over her shoulders and arms. She nearly dropped the towel. Long forgotten need awakened with his every touch. Any second, she’d collapse against him. A warning sounded in her head to be careful, cautious. Instead of leaning back into him, she stood her ground, but couldn’t bring herself to step away.

“Not that I want you to, but get dressed and come downstairs and eat.”

Grateful he understood her signal, she turned, reached up, and caressed her hand over his strong jaw and cheek. He leaned into her palm and turned and kissed her wrist. Her heart slammed into her ribs at the sweet gesture. “I’ll be down in a minute.”

Strange, she’d never been affectionate with her ex-husband, not even when they first started dating. Not like she wanted to be with Jack. With him, she felt free to be herself. She’d tried to live up to her ex-husband’s high standards of class and decorum, since the first moment she’d met him. Well-educated and extremely smart, but he never made her feel like Jack made her feel. Jack wore his masculinity so easily, and because of that, she felt more like a woman when she was with him than she ever had in her life. It was a powerful feeling to know he wanted her. She wanted him just as much. She feared she needed him. Dangerous, because needing him made it that much harder to run to save herself. To save him, she’d do anything. Even leave the best thing that had ever happened to her, leave the one man she might actually love the rest of her life.

Chapter Twenty

J
ENNA SORTED THROUGH
her emergency suitcase for something to wear that wouldn’t rub on her back or thigh. Not much to choose from, she only kept three outfits and a pair of shoes in the case. At least she’d get to buy some new clothes, one of the small pleasures she had in her life. She decided on the black jogging suit with white stripes down the side. A bra would hurt, so she put on the tank top and zipped the sweatshirt to just below her breasts.

Fully dressed, feeling much better, and her hair looking great, Jenna made her way downstairs. Careful as she descended, it took her a little longer, since she favored her injured leg. Sally stayed at her side the entire time. Comforting, she liked having the dog with her.

She never got a chance to see any of Jack’s house, except for the guest room. Lovely, much like the cabin. Wood everywhere. At the end of the stairs facing the front door, a Great Room lay off to the right. A huge fireplace dominated one wall, cozy furniture in soft muted tans and browns mixed with touches of blue. Jack must like blue. Of course, a big-screen TV completed the room.

The windows in the Great Room looked out to majestic green mountains and the valley. Through the front windows, she saw a large porch. No one in the Great Room, she headed left. She went through another sitting area, past several closed doors, and passed through the dining room and found everyone in the huge kitchen. They all turned from the big island to stare at her.

She stopped in the doorway and placed her hands on her fluttering stomach. “Is something wrong?”

Summer came off her stool toward Jenna, grabbing her arm, she led her to the island.

“Nothing at all. We’re just surprised to see you wearing clothes and standing up. You’ve been in that bed for so long, it’s a surprise to see you looking human again. I’m so jealous. You could be a model with that exceptional figure.”

“Oh. Well, thanks. But I have nothing on you. Your blond hair, blue eyes, and stop-a-man’s-heart figure are nothing to sneeze at. I hope I look as good as you after having kids.” She also remembered Summer was four months pregnant. True, pregnant women glowed. Summer sure did.

Caleb winked at his wife before saying, “That’s my wife, she stops my heart every time I see her.”

Summer smiled and blew her husband a kiss. “Charmer. Jack made you lunch. Come eat.”

Jenna walked over to the plate on the counter next to Jack, who held Lily on his lap. She laughed when she saw what Jack made her. Next to her turkey sandwich sat a huge pile of chocolate covered peanut butter cups and a cup of coffee.

She smiled at Jack and Lily. “Now that’s my kind of lunch. I’ll say it again, eavesdropping is not nice, but it can be productive.”

Jack smiled. “One candy for every shot. I didn’t find any lollipops in Lily’s stash, but you said you liked those, too.”

“You are a kind man, Jack.”

“You make it easy to be kind.”

“Not everyone is.” Silence settled over the group for a moment, thick as gravy. Everyone thought of the reason she’d been in bed for days. Kindness shared nothing in common with the rage that put her there.

She stood next to Jack and ate her sandwich, sharing her candy with Lily, who was excited to be with everyone in the kitchen. Everyone talked and enjoyed their meals. Jenna didn’t like intruding on this close-knit family, but she cherished the fact they made her feel welcome and part of things.

“Why don’t you sit down?” Lily asked.

Jenna didn’t want to tell the little girl why she couldn’t sit on the wood stool. Instead, she kissed the little girl in Jack’s lap on the forehead. “I’ve been in bed for a long time. I need to stand for a while. I also have an owie on my leg and the stool will make it hurt.”

Jack moved his thigh, resting it against her hip. Waves of warmth spread through Jenna at the contact of his body to hers. She wished she could feel that warmth every second the rest of her life, and so she didn’t move away, but settled into him.

Caleb and Summer gave each other a look and a knowing smile. Some kind of silent conversation and agreement between them. Jenna understood the undertone. Sparks flew and the air crackled any time she and Jack were close. She’d never felt this kind of attraction before, but she didn’t want to lose it. After everything she’d endured, most of all the loneliness, she desperately wanted to hold on to the feelings Jack stirred in her.

“Today’s Friday, right?”

Everyone agreed.

“Summer, do you work tomorrow?”

“No. Why?”

“Would you like to go shopping with me? I don’t have anything, and I need to buy some new clothes. It’ll be a whirlwind shopping spree, lots of fun. Wanna go?”

“Are you kidding? I’d love to.”

“Great, I’ll make all the arrangements.”

“Arrangements?” Summer asked, confused.

“Trust me. It’ll be great.”

“Okay. I have to take Lily home for her nap. Come on, Sunshine.”