with
them but kept on as though determined to accomplish the task.
Jake was staring. He couldn't seem to stop
himself. It was kinda odd, him staring at her so, but not many
women really caught his attention these days. There was just
something about Samantha.
Aggravated with himself for even thinking
along those lines, he busied himself again with the lights.
Determined not to allow himself a good look, he strung them as far
as he could, and then climbed down to move the ladder. Samantha
didn't seem to pay him much attention and that rankled him. He was
all geared for flirting a little.
But, for all he knew she was engaged or
something.
"It's Laurie Beth I should be worrying
about," he muttered, not realizing that Samantha was right beneath
him, and heard every word.
"Sounds like you should have brought her…"
She snickered.
"I don't think so."
"Sounds like she's pretty important…"
Samantha went on.
How did she get away with asking questions,
when it was he that needed answers?
"No, she's just a friend," he snapped.
Samantha's smile faded and she retreated
again to the floor. He bit his lip. Why had he spoken aloud? And
he'd snapped Samantha's head off to boot. Not that he wanted her
attention, but….heck…he did. He had heated up the moment he saw her
and it was useless not to admit. He never got that way around
Laurie Beth. So what was the difference? They were both just women,
weren't they? Still, Laurie Beth kept reminding him to take the bar
exam and start working for Williams and Dun law firm in Peaceful,
like she was. Laurie Beth was an intellectual, and he enjoyed her
company, but she lacked any real sex appeal. Perhaps that was the
difference. Not only that but the law firm in Sweetwater had
already written Jake and offered a beginning partnership. Laurie
Beth and Jake talked about law all the time, probably why he didn't
feel a commitment coming on. That was one way to turn him off
fast.
He finished stringing the lights Samantha had
handed him and went down again to move the ladder.
This time it was she who approached him, "So
why isn't Laurie Beth with you, tonight? I mean it isn't against
the rules to bring a guest."
He frowned.
"She's not from around here. And she'd rather
talk politics than dance, anyway."
"Oh, that's too bad. I guess she lives too
far away?" Samantha asked.
"A little, and I didn't ask her either," he
said, determined to ask the next question himself.
Samantha quieted.
"So…why isn't someone with you?" He asked
trying to best her.
Samantha's glance fell. She turned away and
muttered something under her breath.
"What?" he demanded, as though he had every
right.
"I said I'm not involved with anyone right
now. I haven't been here long enough to start dating anyone. I
haven't been divorced that long."
"From where?" Jake asked, ignoring the fact
that his niece was now staring at the two of them in wonder.
"Just a little north of the Double Bow
Ranch," she quipped, not looking at him as she continued her
task.
"Ah, so you live close to Rusty and
Hannah."
"Yes, I know Rusty, but I've known Hannah
even longer. I only went two years of high school here, we moved
west and went to school with Hannah my junior and senior year."
"Small world, isn't it."
"Yes," she replied casting him a quick
smirk.
When they both turned to Sammie Jo and
stared, she acted nervous, "Well, I guess I'll run over to Jackie's
house and see if she's about ready, it's just a few blocks away. Is
that okay, I mean, you don't really need me, now that Ms. Courtland
is here to help."
Jake meant to stall her plans, but Samantha
nodded, "Sure, run along honey, we'll be fine."
"Be back here by six," Jake instructed.
"I will, see ya," she waved and smiled as she
turned to leave.
A silence filled the air, and with it a new
tension. Jake felt uncomfortable. He was being turned on by a woman
he knew wasn't for him, and for no other reason than she was here
and he could look at her, talk to her and be with
them but kept on as though determined to accomplish the task.
Jake was staring. He couldn't seem to stop
himself. It was kinda odd, him staring at her so, but not many
women really caught his attention these days. There was just
something about Samantha.
Aggravated with himself for even thinking
along those lines, he busied himself again with the lights.
Determined not to allow himself a good look, he strung them as far
as he could, and then climbed down to move the ladder. Samantha
didn't seem to pay him much attention and that rankled him. He was
all geared for flirting a little.
But, for all he knew she was engaged or
something.
"It's Laurie Beth I should be worrying
about," he muttered, not realizing that Samantha was right beneath
him, and heard every word.
"Sounds like you should have brought her…"
She snickered.
"I don't think so."
"Sounds like she's pretty important…"
Samantha went on.
How did she get away with asking questions,
when it was he that needed answers?
"No, she's just a friend," he snapped.
Samantha's smile faded and she retreated
again to the floor. He bit his lip. Why had he spoken aloud? And
he'd snapped Samantha's head off to boot. Not that he wanted her
attention, but….heck…he did. He had heated up the moment he saw her
and it was useless not to admit. He never got that way around
Laurie Beth. So what was the difference? They were both just women,
weren't they? Still, Laurie Beth kept reminding him to take the bar
exam and start working for Williams and Dun law firm in Peaceful,
like she was. Laurie Beth was an intellectual, and he enjoyed her
company, but she lacked any real sex appeal. Perhaps that was the
difference. Not only that but the law firm in Sweetwater had
already written Jake and offered a beginning partnership. Laurie
Beth and Jake talked about law all the time, probably why he didn't
feel a commitment coming on. That was one way to turn him off
fast.
He finished stringing the lights Samantha had
handed him and went down again to move the ladder.
This time it was she who approached him, "So
why isn't Laurie Beth with you, tonight? I mean it isn't against
the rules to bring a guest."
He frowned.
"She's not from around here. And she'd rather
talk politics than dance, anyway."
"Oh, that's too bad. I guess she lives too
far away?" Samantha asked.
"A little, and I didn't ask her either," he
said, determined to ask the next question himself.
Samantha quieted.
"So…why isn't someone with you?" He asked
trying to best her.
Samantha's glance fell. She turned away and
muttered something under her breath.
"What?" he demanded, as though he had every
right.
"I said I'm not involved with anyone right
now. I haven't been here long enough to start dating anyone. I
haven't been divorced that long."
"From where?" Jake asked, ignoring the fact
that his niece was now staring at the two of them in wonder.
"Just a little north of the Double Bow
Ranch," she quipped, not looking at him as she continued her
task.
"Ah, so you live close to Rusty and
Hannah."
"Yes, I know Rusty, but I've known Hannah
even longer. I only went two years of high school here, we moved
west and went to school with Hannah my junior and senior year."
"Small world, isn't it."
"Yes," she replied casting him a quick
smirk.
When they both turned to Sammie Jo and
stared, she acted nervous, "Well, I guess I'll run over to Jackie's
house and see if she's about ready, it's just a few blocks away. Is
that okay, I mean, you don't really need me, now that Ms. Courtland
is here to help."
Jake meant to stall her plans, but Samantha
nodded, "Sure, run along honey, we'll be fine."
"Be back here by six," Jake instructed.
"I will, see ya," she waved and smiled as she
turned to leave.
A silence filled the air, and with it a new
tension. Jake felt uncomfortable. He was being turned on by a woman
he knew wasn't for him, and for no other reason than she was here
and he could look at her, talk to her and be with
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