Page 87 of Close to Heaven

Twenty-Five

Jax opened the door and pulled her into his arms. Then he kissed her like he hadn’t seen her in weeks instead of yesterday. He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her, and she laughed against his lips as he carried her to the couch.

“God, I missed you,” he said as he sat down with her on his lap.

“I missed you too.”

Smoky looked at them from his dog bed and whined.

“And you too,” she said sweetly.

Jax hadn’t been joking when he’d told her he couldn’t get her off his mind. He’d known she was busy, first with Dakota and then Carl. What he hadn’t told her was that he’d driven by her cabin periodically throughout the day, hoping to find her home. Finally, he’d taken the chance and called her, and he’d been immensely relieved when she’d answered the phone.

Now here she was, sitting on his lap and gazing at him with a sparkle in her beautiful brown eyes. He couldn’t wait to carry her upstairs and tumble into bed with her, but first things first. “How was your dad?”

She smiled and then relayed the details of her visits with Carl and Carolyn. When she told him the part about their upcoming dinner date, he thought he detected a catch in her voice.

“Does it bother you that your dad’s dating?”

“No. I’m glad he found someone who cares about him.”

Something about her answer triggered a response in him that he hadn’t planned. “Would you like to go on a date too?”

Her brows raised to the ceiling. “With you?”

“Well, not with Cody, that’s for sure.”

She wriggled her hips against him. “I’m not interested in dating Cody.”

“Thank God for that.”

She laughed, but then her expression turned serious. “If we went on a date, it’s possible somebody we know might see us.”

This woman had him so completely turned around that he hadn’t thought it all through. He only knew that he wanted her to be happy, and if going on a date would make her happy, he was all for it.

“I guess it’s a risk we’ll have to take.”

She broke into a wide smile. “You don’t have to do this for me.”

“What if I want to?”

“Jax…”

“Where would you like to go on our date?”

“Hawaii.”

He laughed. “I was thinking of somewhere a little closer to home.”

“Oh.” She thought for a minute. “What about a picnic at Clingman’s Dome?”

“Now?”

“No! It’s getting dark outside. Tomorrow afternoon?”

She sounded so uncertain that he sought to erase any doubt. “I would love to have a picnic at Clingman’s Dome with you.”

“It’s a date!” she said happily.