If We Dare - J.H. Croix Page 0,38
on staff meals whenever I wanted. While guests dined on amazing fare, Dani made sure the staff also had food for lunch and dinner. Lunch was more casual, but dinner was usually a step up.
I pushed through the back door into the staff kitchen, relieved at the sound of voices reaching my ears. Not because I was the most social or chatty kind of guy, but rather because the distraction of company would perhaps kick Jade out of my thoughts.
Just as I walked from the back hallway into the staff area, a dish towel landed on my shoulder, coming from the center of the room where there was a large table. Lifting the towel off my shoulder, I held it up. “Anyone need this?”
Evie grinned as she waved in my direction. “Nope. Just my bad aim. If you don’t mind leaving it in the laundry right there, I’d sure appreciate it, Walker.”
“You got it,” I replied as I tossed it into the laundry bin by the door.
Jackson glanced over from across the room where he stood by the counter pouring himself a cup of coffee. “Coffee?” he called.
“Sure thing.”
Crossing the room to him, I felt a prickle at the back of my neck. Without even looking, I knew Jade was here. She wasn’t here that often. In fact, the last time I recalled her being here was when her car broke down on that winter night. The very first time I met her.
She’d seared herself into my memory that night, but now it was worse, much, much worse. I knew what she looked like flying apart. I knew the feel of her lips moving under mine and the sounds she made when she tumbled over the edge into her release. I also knew exactly how her lips felt wrapped around my cock as she teased me to madness with her tongue.
I couldn’t have stopped myself from looking over my shoulder if I tried. I didn’t even bother to try. Because I wanted to see her. I craved seeing her.
My eyes found her immediately. She stood beside the picnic style table at the back of the kitchen. She wore jeans and those cowboy boots with a loose white blouse.
She was talking to Lucas. Her brother’s presence did nothing to tamp my body’s response at simply seeing her. A jolt of electricity spun through me. As if sensing my eyes on her, our gazes collided. It felt as if a thin flame rose in the air between us, a streak of fire licking its way across the room.
“Walker.” Jackson’s voice nudged me out of that temporary heated moment.
I tore my eyes away from Jade with a sharp nod in greeting before looking back at Jackson.
“Got your coffee,” he said as I began moving again. I hadn’t even noticed I’d come to a complete stop when I caught sight of Jade. That was not good, not good at all.
When I reached Jackson, I took the mug of coffee he offered. “Thanks.” As I took a sip, I felt his assessing eyes on me. I didn’t look away, but damn if I didn’t sense he knew exactly how much I wanted Jade.
If I was wondering about it, he clarified immediately. “Be careful. Jade doesn’t date, and Lucas will be plenty pissed if he thinks you’re after Jade for just a little fun.”
“I’m not after anyone for just a little fun.” My words came out sharp, and I knew I sounded defensive.
Jackson leaned his hips against the counter as he took a slow sip of his coffee. “Okay then. I guess you might wanna be careful how you look at Jade then,” he replied with a chuckle.
“What the hell does that mean?” I countered.
“It means you look at her like you’d like her for dinner. And before you go thinking I’m policing your sex life or love life, or what-the-hell ever, I’m not. I’m just giving you a little background.”
“While we’re on the subject, what’s the story behind Jade not dating?”
Jackson chuckled again. “For someone who’s not curious, you sure are curious.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake, I am curious,” I admitted, surprising myself. I trusted Jackson and knew he wasn’t one to talk, so I figured I might as well ask.
Jackson eyed me for a long beat, but then shrugged. “Some shit went down when she was in college. I don’t have all the details, but I do know a good friend of hers, a guy, spiked her drink with one of those date rape drugs.”
Anger