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“Honestly, I’m impressed you were painting at all. Figured you would try to hire that out.”

With a swat across his chest, Livie let out a slight laugh. “I’m offended. Just because I appreciate nice things and I prefer to wear heels instead of tennis shoes doesn’t mean I don’t know how to do manual labor. I’m still Paul Daniels’s daughter.”

Which was both a curse and a blessing at the moment. If she were anyone else, he may not have had that initial physical reaction to her. But, if she were anyone else, she wouldn’t be here.

Paul Daniels’s daughter. The woman who had sparked his interest since he was too young to even know what to do with a woman. But he knew now. He knew exactly what to do with Livie and she knew exactly what to do with him to drive him out of his ever-loving mind.

He couldn’t start down that path or he’d make use of this empty office and clear that desk with one swipe of his arm.

“Let’s get this over with.” Jax turned and opened the office door, gesturing for her to go on ahead. “I have a guy coming in this afternoon to set up some flights for work. He has several over the next couple of months, so I hope we are still up and running during renovations . . . if that even happens.”

“Oh, it will happen,” she stated as she marched by him. Those little shorts did nothing to keep his mind in the professional territory and had him seriously reconsidering cleaning off that desk. “We’re a step closer every day and Melanie is determined. She’s one sharp attorney and between her and Jade, they won’t let us down.”

“Is there an us?”

Damn it. Did that question seriously just pop out of his mouth? What was he thinking? He didn’t need her to affirm or deny anything. Unfortunately, the words were out and from Livie’s rigid stance, she was just as shocked at his question.

“Jax—”

“Forget it.” He cut her off. Why make this even more uncomfortable than he’d already made it? “We’ll get this metal roofing back in place and then you can be on your way.”

Livie glanced over her shoulder, her eyes swirling with both desire and pain. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

Jax shrugged. “I’m not going to get hurt, Livie. Besides, I’ve been through quite a bit before you came to town. I can handle being roughed up.”

She turned fully to face him. “Which is why I don’t want to lead you on or pretend this is some happily-ever-after we’re going to have. I’m not staying. I’m here for the airport and I’m here to get the house sold. I mean, I’ll come back every now and then since this is my investment, too, but it won’t be often.”

“Are you telling yourself that or are you trying to convince me? Because, baby, that wasn’t very convincing.”

Her eyes narrowed. Obviously, he’d hit a nerve. Good. She’d hit all of his for some time now.

“I’m well aware of my goals,” she countered. “You just need to remember what we’re doing. We’re going to renovate Dad’s airport so you can keep it running. But on a personal level, we should probably keep things light from here on out to avoid a messy ending.”

Jax stared at her for a half second before he closed the gap between them and curled his fingers around her shoulders. “You are delusional if you think this ending won’t be messy. You can lie to me, you can even sidetrack me for a bit, but don’t fool yourself.”

She attempted to step back, but he tightened his hold. “You cannot brush me off that quick. Last night clearly scared you to death, but don’t think for one second that it didn’t affect me. I’ve never let anyone in my life since my wife left me. But you’re here and Piper is over the moon about you.”

No need to state his own feelings. They were too complex, especially compared to that of a toddler.

“So if you don’t want a messy ending, then you sure as hell better go back to Atlanta now and leave this up to me,” he warned. “Because I’m not done with you and I’m not letting you just casually throw out that little speech about being the end of the road.”

Jax released her and he

aded to the storage area with his tools and ladders. He wasn’t going to say any more on the subject. He’d said enough. At this point, Livie could decide what to do, what to say, and how to approach their personal relationship.

Legally, they were bound, so she couldn’t run too far, but he wanted more. Damn it all. He wanted her and having her spend the night and play shadow puppets with his daughter to get through the storm had been the final piece linking his heart to hers.

Frustrated with himself for allowing these feelings to creep up again, Jax jerked on the storage room door, sending it clanging back against the wall. There was no one to be angry with other than himself. But the relationship he’d had with his wife was nothing like this.

Jax knew Livie. He knew her well, even though time and an age gap stood between them. He still got her, something he never truly had with his ex.

Perhaps that was the crux of the whole situation. This was new territory and he didn’t like it. He didn’t know how to handle it and he didn’t have a game plan.

“Do you want me to go?”

As he stood in the doorway staring at the various tools, Livie’s soft, questioning tone came from right behind him.

That he could answer with one hundred percent certainty. “I don’t want you to go.”

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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