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He took her hand in his as he walked her to the door. The touch of her skin against his just felt right. Like he had finally met the person he was supposed to be with.
But it was clear she wasn’t ready to hear that.
“We probably should say goodnight here. I don’t want to wake anyone.”
His heart fell. Sure, she’d already introduced him to her father and there was a chance he was asleep, but he couldn’t help but feel the rejection as her words. And as much as he wanted to prolong his time with Erin, how she took care of her family was one of the things he appreciated about her and wasn’t about to object.
But, if she were uncertain about how he felt about her, even after such a short time, he was more than happy to demonstrate. He shifted her so she faced him and then slid her arms up and around his neck. His hands gravitated to her waist. As he lowered his head, she licked her lips. It was all the invitation he needed. As he closed the distance between them, her eyes fluttered closed and then he pressed his lips to hers.
He poured a lifetime of feelings into the kiss and he felt the moment she relaxed in his arms and let go of any doubts she may have had. When he broke the kiss a moment later and lifted his head, she raised her eyes and a dreamy look filled her gaze.
“Good night, Erin.”
She stood on the porch, her fingers brushing over her lips, as he climbed into his truck and pulled out of her driveway.
* * *
Jake pulled up to the job site the next morning just as the sun peeked over the trees. The gentle blues and yellows of the sunrise flooded the area in light and warmth. He unlocked the door and walked in, pleased to find the drywall finished and the appliances in place. It wouldn’t be long before he could start adding his custom touches. Ryan’s partnership had made it possible for the business to continue a rigorous schedule yet he could still commit time to his real passion.
He made his way toward the back of the house, running his hand along the smooth lines of the foyer. He stopped in front of the floor to ceiling windows in the great room, the deep blue Pacific Ocean undulating on the sand below. The gentle rise and fall of the waves with the sun glistening on the water soothed him. After all the years living near the tumultuous Oregon coast, the peacefulness of southern California beaches never ceased to amaze him.
“Jake, you in here?” Ryan’s voice echoed through the house and bounced off the unfinished floors and unpainted walls.
“Back here.”
Ryan walked up beside him and shoved his hands in his pockets. They both stood, staring out the window, for a long time. Ryan knew Jake’s routine and he appreciated that his buddy gave him these few quiet minutes.
Ryan finally spoke. “What’s going on?”
That was the question he’d been asking himself for most of his restless night. He had sensed that Erin wanted to talk about something. Maybe she was worried about his relationship with Lindsay. Their conversation had been interrupted when Ryan arrived. Regardless, it had only taken one kiss for Jake to know that he wanted more out of this relationship. More with Erin. He wanted everything he’d dreamed of. And that had him tied up in knots. “I don’t know.”
“Is this about Erin? Megan really liked her. And you know Megan doesn’t like many people.”
He sighed. “It’s kinda about her.”
Ryan leaned his back against the window so he could look Jake in the eye. “What happened after you left last night?”
Jake wasn’t one to kiss and tell, and the one kiss he shared with Erin had been something private between the two of them. But that hadn’t erased his lingering concerns. “I’m not sure. Everything was fine, and then all of a sudden, she pulled back.”
“What did you say? Did you ask her what was going on?”
“I tried but she clammed up.”
Ryan quirked his eyebrow at Jake. “Maybe you need to court her a little. You’re pretty out of practice on the whole dating scene.”
There could be something to Ryan’s point. Their relationship had been moving forward at Mach ten since the day they met, and his feelings for her were already strong, even after such a short period of time. But they hadn’t spent much time getting to know each other, truly talking about their hopes and dreams. And that was a concern. Lindsay had turned down his proposal because she didn’t want what he did out of life. “Hmm, maybe.”
They stood in silence for a few minutes longer before Ryan placed his hand on Jake’s shoulder. “Just let me know if you need anything. The crew was pulling in right behind me, so we’re gonna get started.”
“Thanks, Ryan.”
Jake stood at the window a bit longer as the crew moved in around him, setting up tools and workbenches. Something had definitely happened to Erin last night. She’d gotten spooked. By what, he didn’t know. Conflict now lingered in her gaze. He didn’t know what put it there, and he would do anything to remove it.
He finally stepped away from the window, ready to start his day and determined to woo Erin like she’d never been wooed before.
Chapter Eleven
“HEY, ERIN,” AUSTIN yelled down the hall at her. Again. She should just give up on convincing him to use the intercom. She grabbed her notebook and hurried down the hall. When she stepped into his office, he lowered himself into his desk chair.
