and phone. There was something wickedly sensual about that simple movement which sent another wave of heat through him. That was rich—a heat wave in Alaska in October.
It seemed as if all his brain cells wanted to focus on—or seemed capable of focusing on—was the remembered feel of her pressed against him, of wondering what it would be like to have her run that fingernail over his bare chest, down his belly, circle his… He slammed on the mental brakes. Blood pooled hot and heavy below his belt. Madness lay in that direction, if not sure embarrassment.
“I’ve got one more appointment,” she said, pursing her lips. He really wished she wouldn’t do that, even though it was obviously contemplative rather than an invitation. “Wait, no, Nancy cancelled and I forgot to mark it off. She and Leo own the dry goods store two doors down, but you probably know that, don’t you?” He did so he nodded. “They got in an early shipment. You wouldn’t think it, but trust me, that will wreck Nancy’s cuticles. There wasn’t any point in a mani until she finished unpacking boxes and stocking shelves.”
Logan found himself smiling, unwillingly charmed by her…ingenuity. “I do trust you on that point. I have no idea what would or wouldn’t wreck a cuticle. That’s your expertise.”
“Then come on. I need to check on the interior construction for my spa.” Her smile seemed to brighten the room by about sixty-watts. “Well, I don’t really need to check but I’d like to check.” She eyed his jacket. “It’s on the other end of town and it’s pretty cold out there. Are you up for the walk?”
First, there was no way he was about to admit he might be cold. Never let them see you sweat, never second guess yourself and never admit a weakness was the motto instilled in a Jeffries from birth. Second, he seriously doubted being cold was a remote possibility, regardless of the weather conditions, if he was with her. There was something about Jenna that notched his internal thermostat up several degrees. “I’m definitely up for it.”
The second the words left his mouth, he realized how they sounded…and she did as well. Jenna blushed, a whoosh of color that touched from her neck to her hairline. “The walk,” he said, which really only made it worse because then she glanced down to the front of his jeans. “I’m up for the walk.”
“Right,” she said. “Of course.” She pulled a fuzzy pink and white scarf off of a peg hanger on the wall. “It doesn’t exactly match your outfit but if you’d like to borrow it, it’s yours.” She held it out to him.
It was sweet of her to offer, but he wasn’t wearing that scarf, at least not in this lifetime. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine.”
She wrapped the scarf around her neck and grabbed a soft matching cap. “I’m guessing you’ll pass on the hat as well.”
He laughed. “Yeah.”
Jenna grinned, putting it on her head and pulling it down past her ears. She looked like mouthwatering cotton candy. The light, spun confection that melted against his tongue had always been his favorite part of the fair. It was one of his secret weaknesses. It looked like Jenna was turning out to be another.
“There are two ways to look at it,” she said, pulling on gloves. “I suppose you could think of it as an insult to your manhood. Personally, I think it’d take a man who was very sure and confident in his own masculinity to walk down the street wearing pink, not caring what anyone thought.”
Logan nodded. “Excellent point. However, since I’m here on business, I do care what people think.”
“Oh, yeah.” She shook her head as if suddenly recalling a salient fact. “That buying the town bit. Sure.” He automatically took a step forward and held her coat for her as she put it on. She glanced over her shoulder at him, no small hint of surprise and appreciation in her eyes. “Why, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Good manners had been taught right
It seemed as if all his brain cells wanted to focus on—or seemed capable of focusing on—was the remembered feel of her pressed against him, of wondering what it would be like to have her run that fingernail over his bare chest, down his belly, circle his… He slammed on the mental brakes. Blood pooled hot and heavy below his belt. Madness lay in that direction, if not sure embarrassment.
“I’ve got one more appointment,” she said, pursing her lips. He really wished she wouldn’t do that, even though it was obviously contemplative rather than an invitation. “Wait, no, Nancy cancelled and I forgot to mark it off. She and Leo own the dry goods store two doors down, but you probably know that, don’t you?” He did so he nodded. “They got in an early shipment. You wouldn’t think it, but trust me, that will wreck Nancy’s cuticles. There wasn’t any point in a mani until she finished unpacking boxes and stocking shelves.”
Logan found himself smiling, unwillingly charmed by her…ingenuity. “I do trust you on that point. I have no idea what would or wouldn’t wreck a cuticle. That’s your expertise.”
“Then come on. I need to check on the interior construction for my spa.” Her smile seemed to brighten the room by about sixty-watts. “Well, I don’t really need to check but I’d like to check.” She eyed his jacket. “It’s on the other end of town and it’s pretty cold out there. Are you up for the walk?”
First, there was no way he was about to admit he might be cold. Never let them see you sweat, never second guess yourself and never admit a weakness was the motto instilled in a Jeffries from birth. Second, he seriously doubted being cold was a remote possibility, regardless of the weather conditions, if he was with her. There was something about Jenna that notched his internal thermostat up several degrees. “I’m definitely up for it.”
The second the words left his mouth, he realized how they sounded…and she did as well. Jenna blushed, a whoosh of color that touched from her neck to her hairline. “The walk,” he said, which really only made it worse because then she glanced down to the front of his jeans. “I’m up for the walk.”
“Right,” she said. “Of course.” She pulled a fuzzy pink and white scarf off of a peg hanger on the wall. “It doesn’t exactly match your outfit but if you’d like to borrow it, it’s yours.” She held it out to him.
It was sweet of her to offer, but he wasn’t wearing that scarf, at least not in this lifetime. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine.”
She wrapped the scarf around her neck and grabbed a soft matching cap. “I’m guessing you’ll pass on the hat as well.”
He laughed. “Yeah.”
Jenna grinned, putting it on her head and pulling it down past her ears. She looked like mouthwatering cotton candy. The light, spun confection that melted against his tongue had always been his favorite part of the fair. It was one of his secret weaknesses. It looked like Jenna was turning out to be another.
“There are two ways to look at it,” she said, pulling on gloves. “I suppose you could think of it as an insult to your manhood. Personally, I think it’d take a man who was very sure and confident in his own masculinity to walk down the street wearing pink, not caring what anyone thought.”
Logan nodded. “Excellent point. However, since I’m here on business, I do care what people think.”
“Oh, yeah.” She shook her head as if suddenly recalling a salient fact. “That buying the town bit. Sure.” He automatically took a step forward and held her coat for her as she put it on. She glanced over her shoulder at him, no small hint of surprise and appreciation in her eyes. “Why, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Good manners had been taught right
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