She laughed and Jackson closed his eyes as the lilting sound made him shiver with desire. He leaned his back against the wall, content to wait and to watch her. She made a mighty fine picture talking to her sister. At least he assumed it was her sister. With a name like Sapphire, he didn’t think that was that big a stretch to make. Now he just wanted to know who this Derek guy was and where exactly he fit into her life.
“No, the place isn’t in too bad shape. It just needs a bit of elbow grease is all. Typical man.” Jackson arched his eyebrow as she continued to talk. “I’ve really got to go, Sapphire. I’ll call again in a few days. If anyone asks, you haven’t heard from me and don’t know where I am. Look worried and concerned.” Emerald sighed as she turned around. She gasped when she saw him and almost dropped the phone. Her face paled but she recovered quickly. “Bye.” She cut the call and stared at him, the phone clenched tight in her hand.
He pinned her with his gaze and spoke softly. “You want to tell me what that was all about?”
Emerald swallowed, her fingers digging into the phone. Jackson was leaning against the wall, looking totally relaxed, but she wasn’t fooled for one moment. He was like a cobra ready to strike at any moment. His blue eyes were like lasers as they studied her. Tension swirled around him so thick she could almost see it.
“I had to make a call. I reversed the charges, so you don’t need to worry about the bill.” She’d forgotten to charge her cell phone the night before and hadn’t wanted to wait to talk to her sisters. Besides which, after yesterday’s call from her stalker, she wasn’t sure she should use her phone. The stalker seemed to have no problem accessing her credit card charges—how hard would it be for him to trace her cell phone records?
How long had Jackson been standing there? What had he heard? She glanced at her watch. He was earlier than she’d expected. Damn her luck. She decided that the only thing to do was brazen it out. “Supper will be ready in about thirty minutes. You’ve got time for a shower.” Acting nonchalant, she hung up the phone and went to the stove, turning on the oven. It wouldn’t take long to heat the lasagna she’d already put in there or to bake the frozen rolls she’d found in the freezer.
He pushed away from the wall and she took a step back. In the space of a few hours, she’d forgotten just how large and potently male the man was. His shoulders looked incredibly wide as he propped his hands on his hips and stared at her.
Waiting.
She had the feeling he would stand there and wait until she spilled all her secrets to him. Too bad. She wasn’t involving a complete stranger in her problems. Only trouble was Jackson didn’t seem like a stranger.
“Emerald?” The way he said her name made her nipples pucker. The low rumble had goose bumps rising on her arms.
“What?” She wasn’t volunteering anything.
One corner of his mouth kicked up in a smile and she could see the respect in his eyes. “Why do you need a safe place to hide? Why have you hired an investigator? And why don’t you want your parents to know what’s going on?”
Emerald wrapped her arms around herself. He’d heard pretty much everything. How was she going to get out of this without telling him what was going on? She could always pack her belongings and leave, she supposed. Yet she stayed where she was. She wanted to stop running and looking over her shoulder. She wanted to stay here. With Jackson. For the first time in weeks, she felt safe.
She shook her head as he came toward her. His big hands clasped her shoulders. “Look at me.”
She tilted her head back, mesmerized by the mixture of emotions in his eyes. The lust was easily identified. Mostly because she felt it too. But there was concern and worry there as well. “It’s nothing.”
He shook his head and she had the distinct feeling she’d disappointed and hurt him with her words. “Why do you care?” she blurted out before she could stop herself.
“I’m not really sure.” He stopped and thought, choosing his words carefully. “But I do. You’re in some kind of trouble, aren’t you?”
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
He gave a bark of laughter. “Independent and stubborn.”
She felt her hackles rising. “You think I can’t handle a difficult situation as well as you could just because you’re male and I’m female?”
Jackson held up his hands in front of him in mock surrender. “I never said that.”
She harrumphed. “You implied it.”
He cupped her face with his hand and smoothed his thumb over her cheek. In spite of her resolve to stay strong, she found herself leaning into his gentle caress. “I didn’t say that you couldn’t handle it, just that there’s no need to handle it alone.” His thumb continued to glide over her skin. “Let me help you.”
Emerald felt a lump of emotion clogging her throat. Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them away. She forced herself to step away from him. His hand dropped back to his side. “I…I need to apologize for what I said at lunch. I know that you would never use this…” She waved her hand at him and then back at herself. “This thing between us to drive me away. I’m sorry that I even implied such a thing.”
Jackson didn’t speak for almost a full minute. She struggled not to fidget beneath his regard. She could almost see him processing everything. She knew the moment that he decided to back off. But she also knew it was only a temporary reprieve. He wouldn’t let this drop.
“I’m going to get a shower. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” He strode to the kitchen door, but paused. “You’ll still be here when I get back?”
She nodded, unable to speak.
He gave her a curt nod and then bounded up the stairs two at a time. Emerald slumped back against the counter. Most people wouldn’t even have bothered to ask what was wrong. A lot more would have asked her to leave and take her problems with her. But not Jackson. He was the type of guy who would get involved. He was such a take-charge kind of man that, if a woman wasn’t careful, she might find her entire life being managed by him.
Water began to run through the pipes, reminding her that she didn’t have time to waste. Pushing away from the counter, she smoothed her damp palms over the thighs of her jeans. She opened the cupboard door and quickly grabbed plates and set them on the table. Cutlery and glasses followed.
When the table was set, she slid the rolls into the oven. They only needed fifteen minutes according to the package. Emerald was glad she’d found enough ingredients to make lasagna. It was a specialty of hers. She only hoped that he liked it. She’d have Erin’s list tomorrow, so she’d have a better idea of what kind of meals Jackson enjoyed.
The coffeepot was already filled, so she flicked the switch to start it brewing. There hadn’t been much for her to work with to make a dessert, but she’d found a can of peaches in the pantry. That would do for tonight, but someone had to go grocery shopping tomorrow. She already had a long list of staples that were needed. Plucking it off the counter, she scanned it one more time before placing it next to Jackson’s plate. She’d have him approve it over supper. The mail was still stacked in three neat piles at the far end of the table, waiting for him as well. If she kept him busy, perhaps he wouldn’t ask her about the phone call again.
“Keep on dreaming,” she muttered under her breath as the water shut off upstairs.
It was all too easy to imagine Jackson naked and wet as he stepped out of the shower. His dark hair would be plastered to his skull, emphasizing the harsh planes of his face. His tanned skin made his blue eyes seem even bluer. His lips would be moist. Emerald licked her lips as she imagined tasting his mouth like she had early today. It would be hot and wet and overwhelmingly male.