She also knew that Cyndi would be calling later to demand an explanation as to why Jonah had been here when they arrived. Amanda had seen the look of speculation in her friend’s eyes, as Cyndi had looked first at Jonah and then back toward her.
“You okay?” She swiveled in her chair to face the doorway. Jonah leaned against the doorframe, his arms folded across his chest.
He’d asked her the same question several times this morning. “I’m fine. Really.”
“Good.” He watched her as if assessing her physical state for himself. “I replaced the glass in the window that I smashed out last night.”
She hadn’t even known that he’d broken out a window last night to gain access to the house. There was a vague memory of glass tinkling, but with everything else that had happened, she hadn’t made the connection. She had heard him puttering around the house this morning, but it was more background noise than anything. She hadn’t thought anything of it. All her focus was on finding out if any of her books were missing. “Thank you.” She was thanking him for more than just fixing the window and they both knew it.
“No problem. They delivered the glass and it didn’t take long for me to put it in.
How about you?” He motioned to the books on the floor.
“There’s not as much damage as I thought. I guess I interrupted him before he had much of a chance to go through things.”
Jonah’s gaze narrowed as his eyes tracked around the room. “You have a lot of valuable books?”
“Some.” She pushed out of her chair and went to four large cedar-lined trunks that sat in the corner. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a set of keys and proceeded to unlock all four trunks and lift the lids.
Jonah straightened away from the doorframe and strode over to stand beside her. He whistled under his breath. “Some of those look really old.”
Amanda reached into a nearby box and plucked out a pair of gloves, slipping them on. “Some of them are.” She pulled out a small leather-bound book with gold leafing and embossing. “This is a private doctor’s journal from the seventeen hundreds. It’s a book on the latest medical techniques. It’s part superstition and folk medicine mixed in with the primitive methods they used to treat patients. This author suggests that physicians wash their hands before examining patients. Quite revolutionary for the times.”
“People buy this stuff?” Amanda couldn’t help but laugh at Jonah’s obvious shock.
He shook his head. “I mean I know it’s historic, but is it valuable?”
“Oh yes.” She carefully replaced the small volume. “Doctors and historians alike would be interested in it. Then there are those people who like to collect private journals no matter what they are.” That made her remember the small volume upstairs. “Speaking of journals…” she began.
The phone rang, distracting her.
“I’ll get it.” Jonah strode down the hall to the kitchen.
Amanda hurried after him, making a mental note that she needed to buy a new cordless phone. The one she kept beside her bed had been smashed when she dropped it last night during the attack.
“Hello.” Jonah listened for a moment and then turned to her. “I’ll check.” He pulled the receiver away from his mouth. “It’s the sheriff. He wants to know if you’ve found anything missing yet.”
“Not yet, but I’m still going through the books that were dumped on the floor.” She swallowed, wishing she hadn’t left her tea behind. Talking was getting easier, but it was still a strain.
“She’s still checking. Uh-huh.” Jonah nodded once. “Okay, we’ll see you then. No, I’m not going anywhere.” He hung up the phone. “Patrick will be here within the hour.”
“That’s fine. I should be able to go through most of the books on the floor by then and check them against each box they were in and tell if anything is missing.” She tugged at the hem of her sweater. “You don’t have to stay, you know. You’ve been here all night. Don’t you want to go home and change or something?”
He came toward her, not stopping until he was right in front of her. She had to tilt her neck back slightly to look at him.
“I’m not leaving you alone.”
Amanda sighed. “Jonah, I appreciate you being here, but I’m not your responsibility.” His lips tightened and his body tensed. “No,” she continued. “I’m not.
We’ve just met, for heaven’s sake.”
His arm snaked around her back, pulling her snug against him. “There’s more between us than that.”
She felt the hard bulge in the front of his jeans press against her stomach. “Well, there is the sexual attraction. But you said yourself it was just sex. You’re not looking for a relationship or anything serious. Just sex,” she repeated.
It was hard to stare him in the face and say those things, but it was the truth. She’d be a fool to make his staying with her last night and this morning into anything more than his innate sense of responsibility and the fact that he wanted her. Not that she thought he was staying solely because he wanted to get her into bed, but that was a part of it.
“You’re damn right there’s sexual attraction.” He ground his hips against her and she had to bite back a moan. The man had turned her life upside down until she didn’t know herself any more. She’d never reacted to a man like this in her life. He had only to touch her and she wanted him.
Amanda stared up at him, trying to follow the conversation. It wasn’t easy with Jonah looking so sexy and serious at the same time. “I’m not denying it.” There really was no point. Her nipples were digging into his chest. The man would have to be blind or stupid not to notice. Jonah was neither.
“But there’s more.” He brushed a stray curl over her shoulder and his fingers skimmed her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. “Much more.”
Amanda leaned back so she could see him better and rested her hands on his chest. “I know you feel a sense of responsibility because you’re a decent guy, but it’s okay. I know you’ve got a life of your own that will still be there long after our affair is over.”
Jonah stilled, his hands resting lightly on her waist. “That means there will be an affair.”
She nodded. She’d come to her decision and wasn’t about to back away now. A man like Jonah only came along once in a woman’s lifetime—if she was lucky.
“But I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Damn it, Amanda. Someone tried to kill you last night.”
“But it’s not night now and there is a deputy parked right out front. I’m safe for the time being. Maybe it was just a random theft. Some guy who figured I’d have some valuable books just lying around.”
“You don’t believe that.” His hands slid up her back to cup her shoulders.
She sighed. “Not really, but it’s not your problem, Jonah. It’s mine.” She glanced at her watch. “I have to get back to work, and you have to get to work. But first you need to go home.”
He raked his hand through his hair. “I need to check on Elizabeth and Susie.”
“Susie?”
“My niece. She and Elizabeth have moved back into the old family home with me since the divorce.”
Amanda hadn’t realized he’d taken on the responsibility for his sister and niece, but she wasn’t surprised. Jonah was just that kind of man. She didn’t want to be one more obligation for him.
“I’ll take off when Patrick arrives. I need to run home and pick up my tools so I can start work on your place. I’d planned to begin today anyway, so it’s not exactly a change in my schedule.”
“You sure you can start work here today? Don’t you have any other work lined up?”
She wanted the work done, wanted Jonah here with her, but not at the expense of his livelihood.
“I’m sure. I finished up a job two days ago and don’t have another one lined up for two weeks. Your lucky break.” Leaning down, he rested his forehead against hers.