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He’d have to be careful; his plans seemed to include a lot of time with his new neighbor. Almost without thinking, he drove past Moonlight Ventures and had to resist stopping to say hello. He mustn’t forget they were simply friends and this was a new job for Chelsea.
He frowned, recalling the uncertainty he often glimpsed in her. There were serious cracks in her confidence that he found hard to understand. Chelsea was a gentle, beautiful woman who was intelligent and competent, yet also unsure of herself. Perhaps it wouldn’t be as striking if her siblings weren’t the opposite. Terri and Jordan exuded so much self-assurance that it seemed to emphasize their sister’s lack of it.
Perhaps it was due to the bad breakup with her boyfriend, but he suspected there was more to the story. Maybe she would eventually tell him if he proved a good enough friend.
Yet Barton made a face, knowing he felt more attraction to Chelsea than he should for a strictly platonic relationship.
Was it possible they could be more someday?
No, he shouldn’t be speculating in that direction. If nothing else, he didn’t want to be a rebound guy for her. The sanest approach was to enjoy her company without anticipating romance. Otherwise, he could be inviting another emotional crash.
Perhaps he should stop thinking so much and go to the store and pick up the supplies needed for tomorrow’s hike. After all, he wanted to show Chelsea how terrific it was to live in the Pacific Northwest.
As a friend.
* * *
NICOLE WORKED FURIOUSLY hard the rest of the day. Even what she called a break—sitting with Chelsea and having coffee together—was about seeing how things were going with the office manager.
Chelsea had already mentioned a recent end to a relationship, and, during their talk in the afternoon, referred to it again.
“Uh, my ex-boyfriend has called here a few times,” she said apologetically. “I don’t answer when I see Ron’s number on the caller ID, so please don’t think I’m ignoring the phone.”
“I don’t know if it’s possible to block his incoming calls on a business line, but contact the phone company to see what’s available. In the meantime, if anyone questions you, just say it’s a private matter and you’ve been authorized to deal with the situation at your own discretion.”
“Thanks.”
On her way home from the office Nicole decided how to prepare for Jordan’s visit.
Dining inside the house at the breakfast bar was an option, but the table and chairs she’d gotten for the deck were more comfortable. Besides, enjoying the wholesome evening sunlight was better than them being alone in the house with the bedroom upstairs.
Because they’d be on the deck, she securely close the louvered doors around the hot tub, latching them so they couldn’t be accessed from outside. It was a feature she’d insisted upon so she could feel safe using the hot tub alone in the evening. It hadn’t occurred to her that it could also provide protection against impulse.
Honesty compelled her to admit that she wanted to spend another night with Jordan. But while one slip in her resolve was all right, another might send her in a direction that could only lead to heartache.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
JORDAN DIDN’T BELIEVE the evening would end with pleasure, but people sometimes changed their minds. It was improbable, to say the least, considering what Nicole had said, and he would be wise to resist temptation regardless. One option that could help was not restocking his wallet with condoms. Would having no protection available help him resist?
He pictured Nicole in the hot tub, her skin flushed and eyes filled with allure.
Maybe not.
He’d never been reckless and was always prepared, no matter what. There were several things he was genuinely old-fashioned about—especially that a man didn’t make a baby without taking responsibility for it. So if he wanted to maintain his carefree bachelor life, protection was the route.
Yet a voice inside Jordan’s head had begun teasing him, asking if the single life was as great as he believed. And what if one of the reasons he’d rejected fatherhood was because he was sure he’d be rotten at it? Maybe he wouldn’t be. And was the reason he wanted to be honest with Nicole about the past because he couldn’t see them building a trusting relationship if he kept that kind of secret?
