Читать книгу Home-Grown Husband - Sharon Swan - Страница 11

Border Patrol. The words repeated in Tess’s mind. It was a long way from ordinary, even quite possibly dangerous work. She didn’t know any more than the average person, she supposed, about what was actually involved. But she knew that much.

No wonder, she told herself. No wonder he seemed a bit larger than life, as though he’d just stepped from the pages of an action novel. He’d probably seen plenty of action.

And now he had apparently chosen to give it up, let it all go, for reasons she certainly had no business asking him about. Still she couldn’t hold back one question. “How did you wind up in Harmony?”

He bent to lift the sack, then met her eyes again. “I saw an article in a travel magazine at a dentist’s office a while back. It was on bed-and-breakfasts in this area, and one of the pictures was an aerial photo of this place, with the sun shining down on it.” He paused for a beat. “I’ve got to admit it seemed a little like heaven to me.”

It must have, after the sights he’d no doubt seen hundreds of miles to the south. She could understand that, even though Tess knew the city she’d lived in for most of her life wasn’t heaven. She’d learned that the hard way when—

“So I figured I’d come and check it out,” Jordan added, breaking into memories she was far from reluctant to let go. “It didn’t take me long to decide I wanted to spend some time here.” With that, he turned away and placed the sack where she’d indicated. “What about the shovel?”

She reached down and retrieved the rake from the floor. “It goes in the storage box at the back.”

The tools were scarcely put away when thunder rumbled in the distance. “Guess I won’t have to water the new plants,” Tess said as they left the garage. The coming rain was hardly a surprise. Late-day, wind-whipped storms rolled in regularly during the summer months in Harmony, sometimes disappearing almost as quickly as they blew in.

The thick dark hair at the nape of his neck barely brushed his shirt collar as Jordan gazed up at a sky that was quickly turning murky. “I’d better be going. I should probably let the dog out to do his duty before it starts coming down. I’ll keep him on a leash until I make sure he can’t get through the fence again and create another crisis.”

Tess’s lips quirked in a small smile. “I doubt he’ll be giving Roxy any more trouble.”

“If he’s smart, he won’t.”

“Is he smart?”

“I don’t know, but I expect I’ll find out.” Jordan brushed his palms on his Levi’s. “We just met today. I adopted him at the pound this morning.”

And he didn’t look all that certain he’d done the wise thing, she had no trouble noting. It only made her smile widen. “What’s his name?”

With a slight shake of his head, Jordan said, “Beats me. The people at the pound thought he was abandoned because someone couldn’t, or didn’t want to, take care of him anymore.”

“Then you’ll have to rename him.”

He frowned, aiming a thoughtful glance at the house he’d rented, where his new pet awaited his return. “I’ve never named a dog before. What, ah, do you think I should call him?”

It was her turn to slowly shake her head. “It doesn’t matter what I think, not really. He’s yours now, Jordan. You should name him.”

Once again, his gaze met hers. “Do you suppose he could come over and visit sometime—if he behaves himself?”

Her heart picked up a heavy beat, right along with her pulse, because she knew by the abruptly probing glint in his eye what he was really asking. She didn’t even consider saying no. “You can both come over,” she said, and managed to keep her tone light.

He grinned then—an all-out grin, not just a smile—and she couldn’t stop her breath from catching at the sight, couldn’t help but wonder if he had any idea how knockout sexy it was. “We just might take you up on that invitation,” he told her, his gaze still steady on hers.

She barely held on to her composure until he looked away and started toward the fence separating their yards. “You can go around the front, you know,” she called after him.

“This is just as easy,” he threw back over his shoulder. And it was, for him. Within seconds, he effortlessly landed on the other side and turned to wave goodbye. The grin—that devilishly sexy grin—was still in place.

TESS WATCHED through a side window of her kitchen as man and dog made their way around the yard, one holding a long black leash, the other sniffing a path over bright green grass. Without a doubt, the dog needed his owner, she thought, needed to be cared for as any pet would. For some reason, though, she was beginning to believe that this particular owner just might need what the dog could provide every bit as much. It should have seemed a little ridiculous that someone who appeared so confidently self-sufficient could genuinely benefit from some unconditional canine devotion.

But it didn’t seem at all ridiculous. Not to her. Not after the time spent with her new neighbor.

Jordan Trask had come to Harmony seeking something. Of that, she was sure. Less clear, was exactly what he sought. Sheer peace, maybe. Some quiet time to decide what he’d do next after leaving a job that would have been anything but peaceful.

It might well be the case, she reflected, recalling their conversation. He’d seen a postcard-perfect photo in a magazine, and the image had come to mind at a time when he’d needed to get away. Yes, that could very well be it.

Not that it was any of her business, Tess reminded herself as the phone on a nearby wall jangled. She stepped back from the window and picked up the cream-toned receiver on the second ring. Her daughter’s voice greeted her.

“How’s it going, Mom?”

Breaking into a smile, Tess leaned against the kitchen counter. “Just fine, pumpkin. What have you been up to?”

“Lots. Grandma took me to the beach today. We had a good time, even though Grandpa didn’t go. He wanted to stay home and watch a baseball game instead. Tomorrow Gram and I are going to the zoo. She asked Grandpa to go, too, but he says there’s another game on TV.” Ali issued a dramatic sigh. “I think Grandpa’s turning into a couch potato.”

“Sounds like it,” Tess agreed, remembering a time when her father had loved being outdoors as much as she did now.

“Just between us—” Ali’s voice dropped to a confidential pitch “—Grandma told him when she probably thought I wasn’t listening that if he keeps on acting like his butt is glued to the recliner, she’s gonna get fed up one of these days and do something drastic.”

Tess’s smile grew, because she had no trouble imagining her mother delivering those words in a familiar no-nonsense tone. Glenda Fitzgerald was a woman who could tell it like it was, and didn’t hesitate to do so if she felt the occasion demanded it.

“What do you suppose Gram meant by something drastic, Mom?”

“Who knows?” Tess pursed her lips. “Maybe cutting the cord on the TV. Or fixing fish for dinner every night.”

“Aha,” Ali said wisely. “Gram and I like fish, but Grandpa doesn’t.”

Chuckling, Tess replied, “Exactly, pumpkin. Your grandfather would be making his own dinner, which probably falls in the drastic category, at least as far as he’s concerned. He’d be mumbling and grumbling all over the place.”

Ali giggled. The sound was music to Tess’s ears. Her daughter had gone through some dark days after Roger died, but the shadows had long since faded, thank heavens. “Tell me what else you’ve been up to,” she urged, and, as expected, Ali launched into an eager explanation.

With a promise to call during the week, Tess hung up the phone minutes later and returned to the window. The first big drops of warm rain hit with soft pings and slid their way down the glass as she looked out at the now empty yard next door.

He was gone. But not forgotten. Even a lively conversation with her much-loved child hadn’t pushed her neighbor completely from her mind. No, he was still there. Those dark-lashed eyes, that chiseled mouth, the knockout grin.

And the powerful body. She couldn’t deny that she remembered every impressive inch of it, and she couldn’t say that she’d object to seeing more. Because she wouldn’t.

As a lover, Jordan Trask would be ideal.

Even as that thought bloomed, she was struck by exactly how right it seemed. Not for just any woman, but for her. In every way she could imagine, this man fit the part to a tee.

Physically, she was attracted to him. Just kneeling beside him in a flower bed was the most exciting thing she’d done in years, at least as far as everything female inside her was concerned. Her pulse still hadn’t returned to normal. Not quite. Not yet. She wondered how long it would take.

Emotionally, he attracted her, as well. Watching him warily bond with his new pet had tugged at her heartstrings, she couldn’t deny. And the fact that the dog clearly wasn’t wary spoke volumes. Deep down, he was a good man—one she could come to respect, given the chance. Every instinct she had said so.

And, added to all of the above, one more thing about him held great appeal. Right now, at this point in her life and circumstances being what they were, it was the icing on the cake.

Jordan Trask would be a temporary lover.

Temporary, because she didn’t for one minute believe that he would settle down in Harmony. He’d come here to find something, probably a solid strategy for what to do next, and having found it, he would move on. Men well acquainted with the thrill of danger didn’t prop their boots up on a porch railing in peaceful surroundings and contentedly watch the world go by. Not for any real length of time.

So he would go. And if they did become lovers, when it was over there would be no uncomfortable aftermath. That was one of the difficulties of living in a smaller city, Tess knew. If she set her sights on someone local, they’d be running into each other long after the affair had run its course—whether they wanted to or not.

Far better, she believed, to choose someone who was exciting on one level, admirable on another, and…temporary.

Oh, yes. It would be ideal.

He was here for the summer. Her daughter was happily occupied elsewhere. Perfect.

And what made her think he would even consider it?

Tess shook her head as that thought hit home, and soon chided herself for pure foolishness. Here she was, she reflected with a rueful twist of her lips, flirting with the idea of an intimate relationship with her new neighbor, when he hadn’t so much as flirted with her, not really. Time for a reality check, she concluded, turning away from the window.

The man in question had done nothing to launch her mind down the particular path it had taken. Nothing but grin at her and waggle an invitation to possibly come over again—which was hardly enough to mean anything. After all, Tess told herself as she started for the laundry room, larger-than-life men hardly made a habit of getting involved with down-to-earth women.

Did they?

THE FLOWERS INVADED Jordan’s dreams that night. Rainbow-colored and brightly scented, they marched straight into his imagination, a brilliant parade of blooms in endless shapes and sizes. Roses. Snapdragons. Marigolds. And a legion more he still couldn’t put a name to.

In his mind, he walked in a huge garden at the height of a sultry summer day, gazing around him as he made his way down a narrow cobblestone path carved into a sea of lush green grass. The goal foremost in his thoughts was to reach a certain place, to find a certain…something. The knowledge of exactly what, eluded him keeping a quick, enticing step ahead to remain just beyond his grasp.

But he was dead sure he had to find it.

So he kept on going, while birds chirped softly in the background and warm wind rustled a thousand leaves.

And then he came to a sharp twist in the winding path and saw a woman seated on a plain wooden bench in a small clearing. Everything inside him clenched at the sight, because she wore nothing but a yellow rosebud tucked behind one ear. He knew that for a certainty, despite the fact that only her face was completely clear to him, as if a filmy veil cloaked the rest of her body from his gaze.

She made no attempt to cover herself, showed no surprise at his appearance. Rather, her eyes welcomed him, blue as the sunlit sky above, as he approached. And all at once he realized he’d found what he’d been looking for.

Swiftly on the heels of that knowledge came a surge of want. He wanted many things, wanted them badly and wanted them soon. But most of all at that moment, he wanted to kiss the woman who awaited him.

As if well aware of his thoughts, she rose in one smooth motion, spread her arms and slid them around his neck without hesitation when he finally stood beside her. Then she pressed her lips to one side of his jaw and feathered her tongue over his cheek. He longed for her mouth under his, craved a deep, hard taste. Yet he found himself willing to wait, because what she was doing felt so good. So warm. So…moist.

So arousing.

Or it would have been, if something hadn’t prompted him to slit an eye open. He quickly discovered that Tess Cameron was nowhere in sight. But he was indeed being licked.

By a dog.

“What the hell!” Jordan shot straight up in the brass double bed, sending the white sheet tumbling to his waist. He wore nothing beneath it, preferring bare skin to bunched pajamas when it came to nightwear. And as far as morning wake-up kisses were concerned, he’d take sweet, human female over damp canine any day.

“Don’t ever do that again,” he grumbled, frowning down at his new pet. A pet still lacking a name, he reminded himself. Not that he hadn’t given it his best shot. He had. But nothing seemed to fit.

The dog, looking totally unrepentant, calmly returned his master’s gaze, wet tongue lolling to one side and black eyes gleaming in the dim early sunlight slanting through the sheer blue bedroom curtains.

“It might be easier to get my point across if I had a clue what to call you.” Jordan punched up a pillow and leaned back against it. “Maybe I should leave the whole thing up to you.”

A soft pant began at that statement, appearing to agree.

He shrugged. “Okay, let’s give it a try. How does Spot strike you?”

No reaction at all, not this time.

“No dice, huh? How about Rover? Lad? Sparky?”

Nothing.

“Buster? Rex? Fang?”

Zip.

He lifted a hand and ran it through his sleep-mussed hair. “You’d better not be too picky, pal. I may reach the end of my rope, and you’ll wind up with a name as plain as Smith or Jones.”

A sudden lively bark split the early-morning quiet and sent Jordan’s brows climbing. “Are you telling me you want to be called something like Jones?”

A second bark and some fast tail wagging gave him his answer. “All right, who am I to argue the point? If Jones works for you—it’s Jones.” Jordan flicked the sheet aside, rose and headed for the bathroom off the upstairs hallway.

At the sound of yet another eager bark, he tossed a glance over his shoulder and found the dog now eyeing the warm spot on the bed he’d just left. “Don’t even think about it, Jones.”

Sighing, Jones dropped his chin to the sea-toned carpet and placed his head on his paws.

Jordan’s mouth curved in a satisfied smile. “I see we now understand each other.”

But what he didn’t understand, he had to admit as he stood under the shower’s pulsing spray and soaped himself down, was why he’d had that dream. Sex had something to do with it, of course. Without the dog getting into the act, who knew where that fantasy would have ended. Maybe with two naked bodies stretched out on the grass in the middle of that garden.

Yeah, his libido was involved, all right. But he doubted it was only his libido. Other aspects of the dream had been too strong. What he’d wanted went beyond a willing woman, an anonymous face with a soft-skinned body.

No, he’d wanted one woman in particular.

And he’d best stay away from her until he decided where to go from here. If, that was, he decided to do anything beyond aiming a friendly wave over the fence for the rest of the summer. Logic told him he should do exactly that and concentrate on the gaping hole in his future. Too bad certain parts of him weren’t feeling especially logical.

Then again, the woman in question might choose to toss no more than an occasional wave his way. Jordan frowned as it occurred to him that his neighbor might already have a man in her life, given the fact that she’d been a widow for a few years. For some reason, that thought didn’t sit well, but there it was. It would be foolish to go off half-cocked before he got a better handle on the whole thing.

So, taking everything into account, he was a lot better off staying away from Tess Cameron, at least for the time being. With that conclusion, Jordan stepped from the shower and reached for a fluffy blue towel. He tried not to dwell on the fact that it all but matched the shade of the eyes belonging to the vision in his dream, tried not to imagine how her touch might feel as he rubbed his body dry.

Tried…and failed.

“SO THEN WHAT HAPPENED?”

“He jumped back over the fence. And maybe straight out of my life.”

Sally, once again seated at the breakfast table in her friend’s kitchen, lifted a brow right along with her coffee mug. “Does that mean you haven’t laid eyes on him since?”

“Not exactly. I saw him on Sunday morning nailing up some plywood boards where his dog managed to get through.” Tess leaned back in her chair. “He, ah, didn’t have a shirt on.”

“Oh, my.” Sally blew out a breath and began to fan herself with one hand. “Judging by what you’ve already told me, that must have been quite a sight.”

With the vivid memory of a hair-darkened chest still firmly etched in her mind, Tess could hardly disagree. “It was.” She took a hefty sip of coffee. “Then, that afternoon, he mowed the lawn—still minus a shirt and this time wearing denim cutoffs instead of jeans.”

Fanning faster, Sally said, “And the lower half was as impressive as the upper, right?”

“Right.” So impressive, Tess thought, that she’d been hard-pressed not to pant at the whole picture as she watched Jordan Trask through the kitchen window. His obvious effort to master the mysteries of the old-fashioned gas mower hadn’t dimmed the impact one watt, even before he’d solved the puzzle and proceeded to get the job done.

Sally stopped fanning. “And you didn’t find something—anything—to do outside so you could talk to him again?”

“No.”

“Why?”

A good question, Tess had to concede. It would have been nice to have a clear answer. As it was, she shrugged. “Maybe I just wasn’t ready for another chat.” Or maybe, after getting an eye-widening look at that body, I felt even more foolish for so much as considering the possibility of an affair with a man who’d draw drop-dead-gorgeous women like a magnet.

Sally’s sudden smile was sly. “Do I detect the patter of cold feet?”

“No, you do not,” Tess replied briskly. “If I’d wanted to strike up a conversation with Jordan Trask last Sunday, I would have damn well done it.”

“And how about the rest of the week?”

Tess smiled her own smug smile. “I only caught glimpses of him coming and going in his car, so there was no chance to talk to him.”

“But if he takes you up on that invitation and stops by this weekend,” Sally countered, “there’ll be no reason not to chat up a storm.”

Tess set down her empty mug and aimed for a breezy tone. “Sure, if he shows up on my doorstep, I’ll be my usual friendly, neighborly self.”

But it wouldn’t surprise her if the man in question never showed up. And if he chose not to, she would be content with that decision, Tess told herself.

Except maybe in the middle of the night, an inner voice tacked on, and she knew it had a point.

At midnight, when she’d already found her mind wandering to the moonlit house next door, contentment might be hard to come by. Hard, but not impossible.

“As intriguing as this subject is,” Sally said with a soft sigh, “I’d better head home soon. Ben’s probably close to done with the yard work by now and then we have to start setting up tables for the barbecue tonight.”

Tess brightened at the reminder that for the coming evening at least, she’d have plenty to occupy her mind. The annual party held in the sprawling backyard of the Mendoza home had become a summer tradition in Harmony. It was also good customer relations on their part. With Ben being a C.P.A. and Sally serving as his assistant, tax time had clients from all over town visiting the business they ran from their house.

“I can almost taste those Texas-style beef ribs now, Sal. Should I be there around seven?”

“Uh-huh. As usual, things start when the sun goes down.” Again a sly smile broke through. “You’re welcome to bring a date, you know. There’ll be plenty of food—even for a big man with a major appetite.”

Tess shook her head, well aware of Sally’s choice for the role. “I believe I’ll take a pass.” She pushed away from the table and got to her feet. “On the other hand, if you don’t pass on another cup of coffee, Ben and the kids may have the tables set up by the time you get there.”

“Excellent thinking,” Sally decided. “I can show up in time to supervise the decorations, which, by the way, will not include crepe paper.” She shuddered. “I learned my lesson last year after that thunderstorm blew through and left sopping mounds of it behind. This year, I’m sticking with strictly waterproof material.”

“Good plan.” Tess started for the coffeepot on the counter, then halted in midstride when the front doorbell rang. “I wonder who that can be.”

Sally arched a skillfully shaped brow. “Maybe it’s him.”

Him.

Tess’s pulse picked up a beat even as she calmly shoved the bottom edge of her striped camp shirt more firmly into the waistband of her jeans. “Not likely. It’s probably somebody selling something. Saturday mornings are great for that kind of thing.”

“Why don’t you find out?” Sally suggested, rising. “Meanwhile, I’ll pour us both another cup of coffee.”

“Okay.” Tess turned on the heel of one canvas sneaker, left the kitchen and walked down the hall, telling herself that it was ridiculous to feel this nervous about doing something so everyday normal as answering the door. It could well be a neighborhood kid selling candy to finance a school project, or an elderly resident seeking volunteers at the senior center. It could be anyone, she thought as she opened the door.

But it wasn’t anyone, she learned after one look at the person dressed in faded denim standing on the doorstep.

It was him.

“Hello, Tess,” he said in the low, rough voice she remembered all too well. “We decided to take you up on that invitation.”

We? It took her another moment and a second, more thorough look to notice that his newly adopted pet stood beside him, long ears brushing the white slats of a narrow porch floor being eagerly sniffed.

“Hello…Jordan.” She had to say more than that, she knew. She just didn’t know what. Finally she settled on action and gestured a welcome. “Come on in.”

He stepped forward with a slight tug on the dog’s leash, and spoke again as Tess closed the door behind them. “Is this a good time? I don’t want to disturb you if you’re busy.”

“It’s a great time.” A soft voice drifted down the hall from the spot where Sally leaned in the kitchen doorway, mug in one hand and a wide smile curving red-shaded lips that all but matched her figure-hugging jumpsuit. “We gals were just having some coffee.”

“Why don’t you join us?” Tess suggested, her brain kicking in at last.

His crooked smile appeared. She remembered that, too. Not to mention the thick dark hair, the keen hazel eyes and the rest of the whole potent package. She doubted she’d ever totally forget it.

“That’s fine with me,” he said, and the basset hound seemed to second the statement with a quiet woof. “Sounds like Jones agrees.”

“Jones.” Tess’s brows made a rapid climb. “You named him Jones?”

Jordan held up one hand, palm out. “Hey, don’t look at me. He picked it himself.”

Tess took a stab at making sense of that statement as she reached down and offered a hand for inspection. “Hello…Jones.” The dog sniffed her fingers but shared no clues. Giving up, she gave the dog a hearty pat, then led her guests down the hall and introduced them to Sally.

“Glad to meet you and Jones, Jordan.” Sally’s smile grew to a grin as they shook hands. “It’s so nice to know one’s neighbors. My husband, Ben, and I live a couple of blocks down the street with our two boys.”

“I recently moved in next door.”

Looking up a considerable way at the man standing in front of her, Sally’s brown eyes positively twinkled. “I know.”

“Well, let’s get you that cup of coffee,” Tess said hastily, deciding it was time to break in. The last thing she wanted was for Jordan Trask to even suspect they’d been discussing him. Which they had, of course. At length.

While she retrieved another mug from a bleached-oak cabinet, her company seated themselves across from each other at the round glass table. The dog stretched out on the misty green tile near his master’s feet.

Tess picked up the pot. “How do you like your coffee?”

“Just black.” Jordan settled back in his chair and propped one booted foot on his knee.

“And how do you like Harmony?” Sally asked as a steaming mug was placed in front of him.

It was Jordan’s turn to grin, and Tess’s turn to fan herself. She felt the urge, at any rate. What the man could accomplish with a grin should be illegal, she thought, gazing down at him. It was positively deadly to the female half of the population.

“Harmony’s terrific,” he didn’t hesitate to reply. “Strangers actually introduce themselves to you on the street, even in the busier downtown areas. It took a few times for me to expect it. Then again, one elderly, silver-haired lady didn’t say a word when she picked out a cantaloupe for me at the grocery. She just walked up, shook a few, handed her choice over and left with a brisk nod.”

“Probably Hester Goodbody,” Sally concluded. “She tends to take charge, although in the nicest way. I think it’s become second nature to her. Miss Hester taught a whole lot of us how to glue shiny stars on paper in the first grade. I think it was really a lesson in sitting still.”

Jordan chuckled. “Well, whatever the case, she certainly was friendly.”

“We’re a friendly bunch, by and large. There are some confirmed grouches around, but not too many to ignore, if we chose to.”

Abandoning her coffee, Sally leaned forward and propped her elbows on the table. She flicked a glance at Tess, now seated beside her, then returned her gaze to Jordan. “And speaking of friendliness,” she said in an offhand tone, “I know we’ve only just met, but Ben and I are a having a backyard barbecue tonight if you’d like to stop by for some ribs and a beer. Most of the neighborhood will be there.”

Tess froze with her mug halfway to her mouth, well aware that something was up. Not that she should be surprised, she told herself in the next breath, recalling the earlier twinkle in a pair of brown eyes. Sally wanted to get to know this man better—and she most especially wanted Tess to get to know him better. That was as clear as a neon sign in Las Vegas. At least it was to her. She could only hope it wasn’t as blatantly plain to Jordan.

“Tess is coming,” Sally added, oh-so-casually, placing her chin in the palm of one hand. If she caught the abruptly stern warning aimed from under her friend’s lashes, she wasted no time in dismissing it and fluttering her own. “Maybe you two could come together.”

And maybe I could strangle you, Tess thought, tightening her fingers around the mug handle.

The muscles in Jordan’s throat worked as he took a long swallow of his coffee. Then he turned his head and looked directly at Tess.

“Maybe we could,” he said. “I’d like to go. Would you go with me?”

“Oh, I’m sure she’d love to,” Sally tossed in, as though the whole thing were happily settled.

And now it was past time to choke her, Tess reflected grimly. No jury made up of single women with well-meaning friends would convict her. They’d probably give her a medal. Before she could go about earning one, though, Sally pushed back her chair and all but leaped to her feet.

“My, how the time does fly! I have to get a move on. There’s a mountain of potato salad to make and all sorts of things to do. See you tonight, Jordan. Don’t bother walking me out, Tess.” With that, she made a beeline for the doorway to the hall, sandal heels tapping the way, and turned to wave a merry goodbye.

Tess launched a steely, sidelong stare that silently said, I’ll get you for this.

To which yet another lively twinkle in Sally’s eye replied, No, with any luck at all, you’ll thank me.