The second Jackson started to move, either toward the window or the kitchen, Gunner gave him a warning growl. There would be no snooping through Ryn’s things on Gunner’s watch.

“Better?” Ryn smiled as she came down the stairs wearing a long black and gray striped skirt with a red sleeveless top.

“Clearly you don’t understand what draws me to you, but I can see you feel more confident in that.”

She frowned.

The guy who never slept with the same person twice wasn’t good at the emotional side of relationships. For years it had been his opinion that women’s clothes were nothing more than expensive wrapping paper.

New guy.

New opinions. What opinions? He wasn’t sure yet, but something told him women like Ryn didn’t have sex in alleys, and they needed constant reinforcement in the form of compliments—compliments beyond “I want to stick my dick in you.” So he reached into his magic hat and pulled out something that had nothing to do with sex.

“I’ll start with your lips. Even now when you tried to frown, one side stayed curled into a smile. It’s like your body rejects sadness.”

She stopped at the bottom step, paralyzed by his words.

“Then there are your freckles that give your face this rare innocence. And I would stare at them all day if your eyes weren’t so greedy. They demand my attention all the time.”

Ryn rubbed her lips together. “My eyes are greedy?”

“Yes, you should really be ashamed of them. Total attention hogs. But my point is really that I don’t care what you’re wearing. It doesn’t change what I’m looking at.”

“Oh …” she released a long breath “…wow, that’s … we should go for drinks. I think I need some liquid courage to respond to your comments that really leave me … speechless.”

“So speechless is good?”

Taking the last step with a bit of blush pinking her skin, chin down, she grinned. “Yeah, speechless is good.”

“You have a favorite bar?”

“I do.” Ryn grabbed her purse.

“After you.” He held the door open.

Chapter Ten

The almost forty-year-old who had to pinch herself at least a dozen times in the car, received the ten minute summary of the sexiest and quirkiest guy alive. New York, parents died, and a string of temporary jobs was not what she imagined, but her history didn’t fit her either. At least she hoped it didn’t.

“What are you drinking tonight?” Jackson asked as she slid into a small dimly lit booth in the corner.

“Bloody Mary. That’s why I come here.” She pulled out her wallet.

“Don’t even.” He shook his head, walking to the bar.

After a few minutes of staring at his backside, she smiled to herself. He was right, her eyes were greedy. They wanted to be on him all the time. She looked away from him long enough to notice how many other sets of greedy eyes clung to his body. Then, as if her observation brought it on, several younger women moved in as though they were trapping him in their circle. One of them teased her finger over the cross tattooed on his arm. The twenty-something looked about Maddie’s age.

After breaking from the pack, the most sought after man in the bar found his way back to the booth.

“How great is it being you?”

He set her Bloody Mary down next to his beer then looked behind him at the predatory eyes still glued to him.

“Apparently not as great as being you.”

Ryn scooted over as he slid in next to her. Never before had a guy sat next to her in a booth when it was just the two of them. She glanced over at his growing fan club. They were all young, thin, and scantily dressed, which made Ryn feel every inch of her long, conservative skirt.

“I don’t think they’re jealous … I think they want to claw my eyes out, or maybe yours for being so blind.”

“Does my future wife need reminding that she’s the sexiest person in this place?”

An unavoidable laugh escaped. “Now you’re just being ridiculous. I’m not a self-professed wallflower, but come on … I’m not them.”

“Thank God for that.” He slid his hand through her hair and brought her mouth to his.

Another all-in kiss. The demanding stroke of his warm tongue temporarily dissolved all thoughts of the women watching them. The way he held her mouth to his, not giving a damn what anyone else thought, told all those wanton eyes that he was not available … at least not that night.

The hand that wasn’t holding her head rested high on her leg then eased up until just his thumb brushed her bare skin where her skirt met her shirt. Ryn’s hands stayed clenched at her sides. They yearned to touch him, grab him, possibly attack him. Therefore, she deduced it best to hold still and let him lead the way.

Jackson released her lips, leaving her waiting for the next breath. An eternity later it reappeared, and she went straight for her drink, guzzling it down to the very last drop. A stalk of celery, a straw, and a spear through an olive and baby pickle mingled with the ice in the bottom.

He stared at her with a shit-eating grin. “So you like the Bloody Mary here, huh?”

Taking a bite of the celery, she nodded. “Uh huh, it’s an in-house mix, the best tomato juice, fresh lemon, and a dash of bitters. And I’m going to need another pretty quick before we can talk about that kiss.”

He nodded to the waitress a few tables down. Her unapologetic gawking made it easy to get her attention. Miss Flirty Smile winked as he pointed to Ryn’s empty glass.

“I like kissing you. I think it’s fair to say it’s the highlight of my day.”

The pinch-me moments crashed into the shore again and again. Ryn could see them coming, but each time they knocked her down, pulling her under. “I’m not sure what that says about either one of us.” She took another bite of celery, wishing the bartender would hurry up with her drink. “Maybe we should talk about something else.”

He angled his body toward hers, resting his arm behind her while taking a long pull of his beer. “Okay then … tell me about your daughter.”

Maddie was a tricky subject, however, unavoidable.

“She’s studying law at Creighton. I can’t even begin to tell you how smart she is, too smart really, but our relationship has been strained over the past few years.”

“How so?”

The waitress brought Ryn’s Bloody Mary. It was a miracle that she didn’t spill it, with her eyes on Jackson and his tatted arms. “Anything else I can get you?”

He kept his gaze on Ryn. “No, thank you.”

Shaking her head she chuckled. “Our waitress is quite attractive.”

“Is she?” He still didn’t turn.

“I’ve never been with a guy that wouldn’t have checked out that waitress at least once. I don’t mind, you’re—”

“Well you should. Any guy that takes his eyes off you is a fucking idiot. Excuse my language.”

Her drink called to her again. This time she stopped gulping at half the glass. It was progress.

“Okay, I’m ready to talk,” her buzz declared as she licked her lips. “Let’s start with your vow of celibacy. If not a priest then why? And if it’s because some love of your life died, then just nod once and don’t say anything. I’m not in my right mind and even then I’m not sure what I would say back to you.”

Jackson studied her through slightly squinted eyes. “First, it really wasn’t a ‘vow of celibacy.’ Jillian takes too many liberties with things I say. Moving felt like a fresh start, a chance to be someone different. So I decided to seize the opportunity.”

“So if being celibate is different, then …” Even with that warm buzz, Ryn managed to add everything together. “You must not have been celibate in New York.”

Jackson frowned. “I was the opposite of celibate, as in very much not celibate. Like every day I practiced not being celibate.”

“So you had a girlfriend.”

“No … no girlfriends.”