Jonquils for Jax (Blueberry Lane 3 - The Rousseaus #1) - Katy Regnery Page 0,40

he was going to fall hard.

Unless he left Le Chateau right this minute and never looked back.

***

As soon as the hallway door closed behind her, Jax placed her palm over her heart and took a deep breath.

She’d suspected, of course, that something was wrong—he squinted all the time and had those scars around his eyes. Though she didn’t know how he’d lost his sight, it made sense to her that he had, like puzzle pieces fitting correctly into place. He’d been blinded. No doubt on the job…which was why he wasn’t a cop anymore.

She scrunched her eyes shut in pity for him, then opened them, lifted her chin, and quickly scurried down the stairs. She hadn’t known Gard Thibodeaux long, but he was a proud man, and she was certain her pity would be unwelcome. Which is why she was so profoundly grateful she’d been able to temper her reaction and act with common sense when he’d told her.

Thank God for law school, she thought…and for living in the public eye for a short period of time. Hell, thank God for J.C.’s card-playing lessons the time they went to Monte Carlo for spring break. All had helped her achieve a pretty decent poker face, and it had certainly come in handy today. The look in his eyes when she’d said I hope I see you again was filled with such anguish, such longing, it made her chest clench.

Maybe she’d been wrong about that kiss after all. Maybe he had wanted it as much as she. Maybe the regret she’d picked up on had more to do with his situation than his feelings for her. Her heart leapt with stupid hope, and she told it to be still.

Turning at the bottom of the stairs, she walked briskly to the gym, beelined for the bathroom, and splashed some cold water on her face. She stared at her face in the mirror, willing him, with every cell in her body, to be waiting for her when she walked out. Over the past two days, while she’d been distracted by Philadelphia Vice, she’d missed him. It was ridiculous, sure, but she couldn’t help it. Her infatuation with him wasn’t going away. She could either try to ignore it or lean into it, and her stomach filled with butterflies as she realized he was about to make the decision for her. Please let him be waiting outside when I open this door. She’d be very sorry if today marked the end of their fledgling friendship and their deliciously hot flirtation. Jax wanted more from him—more time, more kisses—and damn it, but she’d just figured out a way to augment and extend their time together.

Please be waiting. Please.

Stepping out of the bathroom, she found him standing just inside the gym door, and she beamed with happiness, now knowing that he wouldn’t be able to make out her expression from that distance. He hadn’t left. She leaned in.

He squinted at her from across the room. “Jax?”

Toning down her megawatt smile, she crossed the room to stand before him. “Ready to get started?”

Looking into her eyes, he grinned—a different grin than she’d seen before. There was a warmth to it, an openness, a vulnerability that she hadn’t seen yet, but she felt it everywhere. Everywhere. And her toes curled on the rubber floor.

He nodded slowly, checking her out from head to curled toes and making goose bumps spring up on her skin as he intoned in his low, dirty, Cajun-accented French, “Oui, Duchesse. Laissez les bons temps rouler.”

***

Let the good times roll.

Her eyes flared with heat and her breath caught for a moment as she stood before him, and damn if he didn’t feel all his blood rush south. He took a deep breath, but it was ragged and shallow in his ears, because he breathed her in—her warmth and her intoxicating scent. Concentrate, Gard. Concentrate. He had missed her, he was wildly attracted to her, and his feelings for her were growing by the second…but he had something important to say to her before they could actually get started with her next training session.

She licked her parted lips, her eyes dropping briefly to his mouth before sliding up again to meet his gaze.

Merde. She was going to kill him if she kept looking at him like that.

He held up the envelope between them. “I don’t want this.”

“It’s what I owe you,” she said. “It’s fair.”

“I’ll train you, Jax,” he said evenly, “but I’ll train you for…six-packs of