long. I was lonely. It was just a physiological need that had to be met.
That explained the physical reaction to her. But not the emotional side of things. I had no idea what was going on with that. Today when she’d started hyperventilating, I finally understood those fairytales when the knight in shining armor would slay dragons to save the princess. I used to think that the whole thing was ridiculous, but today it made total sense. I would’ve done anything to rescue her.
My mind was still processing what the hell was happening with me when I pushed the door open and saw Josie talking to Jimmy and a group of people. Before I could even set down the equipment, she was making introductions. “Jackson Briggs, this is Hank and Billy Comfort.” I shook both men’s hands. “And this is their little sister Cheyenne. Billy’s fiancée Reagan, and Jimmy’s fiancée Isabella.”
Apparently, the brothers did not believe that the curse was real. Or they were just throwing caution to the wind. It had actually surprised me how many people we interviewed believed in it. I wondered what it would be like growing up in a town of people who believed that you were cursed.
After meeting everyone, I set up the shot while Josie recapped the pre-interview that Mia had conducted with them. During the conversation, I overheard Billy mentioning that Hank, the eldest brother, was single. Normally, I wouldn’t have clocked that information. It would’ve been like white noise. But my ears perked up at that tidbit.
The Comfort brothers were all tall, in shape, good-looking guys who could give the Hemsworths a run for their money. It might’ve just been in my imagination, but it seemed like after that nugget of trivia was dropped Josie was paying extra attention to Hank. The single one.
He hadn’t said much, or anything, before that. But now, the two seemed to be hitting it off. I did everything I could to ignore the irritation that the two of them talking stirred in me, but I was failing miserably.
Every minute that passed, I was more and more bothered by it. Was she interested in him? I didn’t doubt for a second that he was interested in her. Any man who wasn’t blind would be interested in her.
I knew that I had no business getting worked up over her talking to a man that she was about to interview. This was seriously getting out of hand. I needed to get a fucking grip.
After I got everything setup, I realized that I’d forgotten the backup battery in the car.
“I have to go grab a battery.” I was glad for the excuse to step away from the Hank and Josie flirt-fest.
As I pushed open the door to the parking lot, I told myself I was being an idiot. I’d never been jealous before. Not when I was dating someone, and certainly not when I wasn’t dating someone. It was just one more example that this thing with Josie was out of hand.
Whatever it took, I had to figure out how to get my shit together. I had to get my mind right. This was a job. Nothing more. This time next week, I’d be on a plane to New Zealand for my next job. Until then, I just needed to distance myself emotionally, since I couldn’t physically.
As I thought about my life after this job, I could practically hear the walls around me going up. This was just a speed bump in my life. I simply needed to stay on the road of my life where the destination was always unknown. What I felt for her wasn’t real, how could it be? I’d only known her a few days. I started to feel myself detach from any emotional or physical connection I’d formed with Josie.
I was so lost in thought that I didn’t notice the footsteps in the gravel behind me. When I popped the trunk and heard Josie’s voice, it scared the shit out of me.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
I spun around and found a genuine look of concern on her face. There was palpable worry in her large almond eyes. She gently rested her hand on my forearm and my resolve to keep my distance evaporated like dry ice in a sauna.
Her brows furrowed as she gently squeezed my arm. “You seem a little…off.”
It was an innocent, harmless gesture but my entire body responded to it. Fireworks exploded in my southern region. She may have been touching