But Jackson just kept looking me over before he finally let out a huff through his nose, leaning forward and angling his head to press another kiss to my lips. This one was slow, gentle, and full of so much reassurance it made my eyes sting. When he pulled away, the hand on my back moved to cup at my jaw, his thumb caressing over my beard.
“Will the guys be good about this or do you think they’ll give us hell?”
I sucked in a short breath. “Granger might tease a little, but he won’t be a dick about it. Lane and Elliot are always idiots. Everyone else will be fine though. Are you worried about how they’ll treat you now?”
He shook his head. “I may be easygoing, but I’m not a pushover. If someone says something out of line, I’ll shut it down quick.”
I pressed my head against his hand, feeling more comfort by his continued affection than anything else.
“I don’t want you feeling like you need to rush things between us now that other people know, too. This is still all at your pace, Tucker. Regardless of what anyone else thinks, you drive this boat, okay?” he murmured low, and my heart swelled inside my chest for how well this man already seemed to know me.
I nodded, pushing back against the emotions rising high in my throat, but that seemed to be enough for Jackson because he just gave me a soft smile and began to sift his fingers through my beard absently. “I’ve been meaning to ask you. When did you decide on the beard?”
I scrunched my brows together in confusion.
“You were mostly clean-shaven in your wedding photo,” he clarified.
I grunted a little and shrugged one shoulder. “Raleigh always told me I’d look good with a beard, but I didn’t want the upkeep since my facial hair grows so fast. After he passed, I couldn’t muster the energy to do much of anything, let alone shave, so it just kind of… happened. Then I kept it. For him.”
Jackson nodded slowly, still running his fingers through the coarse hairs with that gentle smile still on his lips.
“I thought you liked it?” I questioned, suddenly unsure.
He hummed his agreement. “I do, but I can’t deny I think you’d look sexy with a Robert Redford look.”
“Robert Redford? The actor?” I let out a huff of amusement. “Are we talking Jeremiah Johnson mountain man or Sundance Kid?”
Jackson let out a quick burst of laughter. “Sundance Kid. I love a good mustached man. I forgot he was Jeremiah Johnson.”
“I’m surprised you know who he is at all.”
“Old westerns were all that played on the TV when we got back from cattle drives growing up. It’s all the men wanted to watch. I’m partial to a lot of old movies now because of it.”
“My dad liked them, too. I remember sitting around watching quite a few of them with him.”
Jackson gave me a wide grin before standing back up with a grunt and offering me a hand. There was a steady thump against my ribcage as I took it, our fingers sliding together as I rose. Despite it all, his hand in mine felt right.
“Want to see if we can convince Tallie to feed us even though we missed dinner?” he asked, already starting toward my truck.
“If she doesn’t, I’ll cook for us. I’d already kind of planned on doing that since I knew we’d be out late,” I admitted sheepishly.
Jackson shot me a look, a teasing smirk taking over his normally soft smile. “Seducing me with food, Tucker? They do say a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. You’re just not allowed near the bacon.”
I let out a soft chuckle as I settled into the driver's seat. “You just don’t know good bacon.”
On the drive back to the main house, Jackson started peppering me on my preference for Western actors, even the old black and white ones.
“Gary Cooper or Randolph Scott?”
“Oh, Randolph Scott,” I quipped. “Even if he wasn’t an amazing actor, I’d pick him solely for the representation. I was kind of obsessed with him and Cary Grant for a while.”
Jackson let out a burst of laughter that filled my chest to the brim. It was infectious, and I couldn’t help but join in. As we continued chatting on the drive over to the main house, it struck me how light I felt being around Jackson, and how I hadn’t laughed this much since before Raleigh passed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
TUCKER
Aweek after the trip to the river, I stood before the mirror in my bathroom with an electric razor in hand. I’d finally drummed up the nerve for what I wanted while I’d been showering, but instead of acting right away, I’d taken my time to get out and get dressed. Just to see if the feeling passed.
