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Laughing, he traced the tops of those boobs, peeking from the neck of her dress, then kissed her nose. “I may have noticed that.”
“Like I noticed your muscles.” She trailed a fingertip along his arm then patted his chest. “And I’d love to keep noticing them, but I need to focus on Grandpa tonight.”
“Of course. We have time, Isabel.” He shifted her off his lap so she wouldn’t feel how much his dick disagreed with that statement. “Listen, I’m not making any plans to race out of Vermont. I’ve got the woods to investigate and I truly want to help you and Eugene here at the cottages. We’ll figure us out in the process, okay?”
“I’d like that.” She kissed him again, but this time with more heat and urgency. She let out a groan when she ended the kiss. “I’d also like to get you naked again.”
He ran his finger along her jaw. “That’s definitely happening, but right now, you’re going to get off my couch and take your sexy ass and your mutt next door while you can still escape. If you sit here any longer, I will drag you into that bedroom and have my way with you.”
Isabel hesitated and Jackson was so tempted to throw her over his shoulder. He’d just promised to help with why she was here, however. He needed to keep to that promise so he wouldn’t lose her.
Slowly, she stood. “So I’ll see you tomorrow then? I’m making a list of what needs to be done to prepare for the weekend’s guests.”
He walked her and Blaze to the door. “I will be ready to tackle that list with you.”
She eyed his laptop still on the coffee table. “But you have stuff to do too.”
“Those artifacts have been under the ground for centuries,” he said. “I think they can wait a bit longer.” He’d never uttered such words in his career, but he wasn’t the same guy he’d been while away on digs. Coming back here to Maplehaven had unearthed more than stone daggers. It’d brought the Jackson Henley who had grown up here back. It’d revived the guy who had love in his life. Love from his family. Love from a beautiful woman.
Isabel reached up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Thank you, Jackson.”
“I would do anything for you, Isabel. Anything.”
He should have been surprised by that declaration, but it felt truer than anything he’d ever said.
****
Isabel awoke in her bed with Blaze sprawled over her. Not exactly the male form she was hoping for, but she gave the dog a good rubbing anyway. Scooching up, she rested her back against the headboard and peeked out the bedroom window to Jackson’s cottage next door. The floodlight hadn’t been on last light because it hadn’t been windy, but she added trim branch to her already long list of things to do today to get ready for the weekend’s guests. She’d compiled the list with Grandpa last night so they’d be ready to tackle it this morning.
“Do you always do all this stuff by yourself?” she’d asked him after getting him settled on the couch, post-hospital visit.
“Well, yeah. This is my business and I like to have a hand in everything,” Grandpa had said.
“I understand that, but having a hand in everything is different than doing everything.” She’d gone in the kitchen to brew him some tea.
“I know, but business has been slow. People are taking their families to the big theme parks. They don’t want a quiet, peaceful vacation in the woods anymore. They want to be over-stimulated, over-pampered, and over-charged apparently.” He’d shrugged when she’d joined him on the couch.
“I don’t think that’s true, Grandpa. Plenty of people are looking to escape their over-worked lives. Unplugging is what they want and Pine River Cottages and Maplehaven are the perfect place for that. What have you been doing for marketing?”
“Marketing?” Grandpa scratched his jaw. “Not much. We’ve got our brochures available at tourist companies all over New England and the rest stops along the major interstates.”
“That old black-and-white brochure I made back in college for you?” She’d made it for a class project, but Grandpa had liked it so much, he’d insisted she let him actually use it. It wasn’t a bad brochure, but it looked like the work of a college student still trying to fumble through the learning process.
“Yeah.”
“Well, step one is going to be giving that baby a makeover,” she’d said. “I’m taking a look at your website too.” She knew he used it to schedule rentals, but it probably could be doing so much more for the business.
She’d also scribbled down notes to contact Maplehaven High School to see if they’d be interested in a volunteer/extra credit program where she exchanged real life experience running the cottages for labor. If she could get a rotating schedule of responsible teens in here, that would help a great deal.
Rubbing Blaze’s furry head now, she said, “What do you say, Blaze? Time to tackle this day and our to-do list?”
The dog rolled to his back, did a little wiggle as if he were trying to reach an itch he couldn’t quite get to, then jumped off the bed, his claws making a tap-scratch sound on the wood floor. He trotted to the open window and rested his nose on the sill, his tail flicking back and forth at something he saw out there.
“What did you spot, baby? A squirrel that needs chasing?” Isabel rose from the bed and joined her dog at the window. Instead of a squirrel, she was treated to the delicious sight of Jackson in camouflage cargo shorts and a gray T-shirt. The bonus was that he had his arms up, his hands resting on the top of the little overhang over his front door as he stretched that glorious body. His arm muscles strained as he leaned forward, getting what Isabel imagined was a nice shoulder and upper back stretch. How she longed to touch those muscles, caress them, knead them, kiss them, take a damn bite out of them.
Isabel let out a soft groan, surprised how turned on she could get simply by looking at Jackson from an entire cottage distance away. She clamped her hand over her mouth, afraid he’d heard her, but he gave himself an extra stretch then went back into his cottage. Now that she’d seen him though, she wanted to be in his presence and he had agreed to help her today. She’d be able to complete the tasks on her list and watch Jackson look damn hot as he assisted. Pretty sweet deal.
She went to her closet and selected her own pair of cargo shorts in an army green color and a gray tank top. How long would it take Jackson to notice she’d dressed to match him? That would be a fun little game. Knowing this version of Jackson Henley, however, she’d bet he’d notice right away. He appeared to be tuned into her. He’d always been an observant boyfriend when they were teens, but if you got him going on something academic—especially something historical—you could set yourself on fire in front of him and he’d keep on talking about the topic instead. Adult Jackson appeared to be able to push his obsessions aside better. He kept choosing to spend time with her instead of digging in the woods behind the cottages and discovering what was back there. In any event, she’d note how long it took him to say something about their outfits matching.
