Page 11 of Securing Jane

“Like Shawshank Redemption?” Storm asked.

“Yes,” Jane said quietly. With a start, she realized that they’d arrived at her apartment complex.

Storm pulled up at the entrance and turned to look at her. “Are you going in to work tomorrow?” he asked.

Jane nodded. “Yeah. Things are going to be insane. I doubt the mail room will be cleared yet, but the mail doesn’t stop. We’ll need to sort everything by hand. Not to mention deal with upset customers whose stuff is stuck in limbo in the mail room. I have to be there.”

“I figured that’s what you’d say.”

Jane mentally gave him brownie points for not insisting she stay home and rest.

“I know we usually get to work around the same time in the morning. I’ve seen you pull into the parking lot more than once. Since your car is still on base, I’d be happy to swing by here and pick you up tomorrow…if you haven’t made other arrangements.”

Jane’s first inclination was to decline. To say that it was an imposition for him to pick her up. That she could call a taxi.

Then she reconsidered. She’d been half in love with this man for months. She’d be an idiot not to take him up on his offer. He might turn out to be a jerk, but at least she’d know and could get rid of her stupid crush.

But what if he wasn’t? What if he was as amazing as he seemed to be?

“I’d appreciate that,” she told him finally.

He smiled. “Good. For a second, I thought you might refuse me. Then I’d have to go home and lick my wounds and figure out another way to spend some time with you.”

“Well, you did ask me out to dinner tomorrow,” Jane blurted, then immediately regretted it. Shit, maybe he’d forgotten about that, or even changed his mind.

“I did. But you haven’t answered yet.”

“I don’t like seafood,” she said. “I mean, I know we live near the coast, but I’ve never acquired a taste for it.”

“Noted,” Storm said easily. “I’ll be sure to pick a place that has a variety of things to choose from. I’m not into fancy restaurants,” he said. “Especially not on first dates.”

“That’s fine with me. I’m more of an Olive Garden kind of girl than a Ruth’s Chris.”

“So it’s a date?” he asked.

Jane nodded.

His gaze bored into her own. “You won’t regret it. I won’t let you down, Jane,” he said seriously.

“I hope not,” she replied. “Although I should warn you, I’ve had a crush on you forever, so you’ve got a lot to live up to.”

She couldn’t believe she’d admitted that, though she also couldn’t deny something about Storm made her feel completely at ease.

Jane loved the glimpse of the small dimple in his cheek when he smiled. “I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations.” Then he lifted a hand and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. His skin was warm, and she wanted nothing more than to tilt her head into his hand, but she refrained.

“Thank you for helping me today,” she told him. “I don’t know what I would’ve done if you hadn’t shown up.”

“I have no doubt whatsoever you would’ve made your way to the decon station and gotten yourself straightened out,” he said.

Jane wasn’t so sure about that, but it felt good that he had confidence in her. “I hope seeing me almost naked didn’t scar you for life.” She had no idea why she’d said such a thing. She’d decided earlier to pretend the nakedness had never happened. That Storm North hadn’t stripped her and held her close under the shower spray. But her mouth had an alarming habit of running away from her around this man.

His thumb brushed against the apple of her cheek as he said, “In the moment, I wasn’t thinking about anything other than washing that shit off of you so you could breathe again. I was in SEAL mode. But afterward, when I knew you were going to be all right, I couldn’t help but stare at you standing in front of me, soaking wet, wearing nothing but your underwear…and I have to say, I can’t remember anyone who’s turned me on more.”

Reminding herself that she was a mature woman, and not a blushing teenager, Jane said, “I’m not exactly young…and have the body to prove it.”

“Neither am I,” he countered. “And trust me…you’ve got a body made for lovin’. Your curves go on for days, and I’d consider myself a lucky man if you decided to share yourself with me in the future.”

She liked how he put that. “You aren’t too shabby yourself,” Jane felt compelled to say. “And you totally didn’t have to strip down, but…I appreciated it.”