Ride With The Devil(32)

From the looks of it, business was booming.

"I live on the top floor. There's a couple of empty floors up there too. It's not much but-"

"Are you kidding? It's awesome."

He looked relieved. She was coming to realize that he did care what she thought. Very much so. She smiled and got out of the car.

"Jack!"

A couple of guys were in the shop working. They raised their hands in greeting, looking at Janet curiously. Jack scowled and grabbed her stuff. All of it.

She looked at his hand gripping her luggage. He could carry a lot with those huge hands.

That wasn't the only huge thing he had… she blushed, remembering making love with him that third and fourth time on the deck in the open air. He'd laid a blanket down on the hard wood and then he'd taken her twice.

Fast the first time and then slow the second. That was four times they'd done it in one night. She was a little bit sore to tell the truth. But she didn't care.

Not one bit.

She followed him through a large metal door to an industrial elevator. He pulled the gate down behind them and threw the lever, watching carefully as they rose three stories. There were a lot of empty floors.

"Who owns this place?"

He glanced over his shoulder at her.

"I do."

She raised her eyebrows and looked around.

"This elevator has a lot of possibilities."

He turned sharply and threw the lever. His mouth opened as he gathered her meaning. He took a deep breath and shook his head to clear it.

Was he blushing?

He started the elevator again.

"I'm going to remember that you said that."

She felt a funny little dip in her stomach at his words. They sounded like a promise.

The elevator stopped at the third floor and he raised the gate. Janet looked around in wonder. It was an enormous loft. The kind you saw in magazines about wealthy New York Artists.

It was clean and spartan, with very little furniture. There were a few things here and there, a table and chairs under a long bank of windows. Bookshelves.

Jack read books?

And there against the back wall was an enormous bed. It looked like a California King. Of course it was. A big man like him needed a big bed. It rested on some sort of platform built out of wood.

“We can get more stuff if you want. You can pick it out. Whatever you want.”

She looked at him curiously. He'd set her bags down and was watching her carefully. She ran her fingers over the back of a heavy wooden chair.

"It's beautiful Jack. I love the furniture. Where did you get all of this?"

"I made it."

She stared at him, momentarily dumbstruck. Then she smiled at him. He looked so serious and she wanted to make him smile again. His smile made him light up.

"Is there anything you can't do?"

He smiled. An adorably lop sided grin that softened his face. For a split second she saw the little boy toiling in the kitchen. Unloved and uncared for. Her heart broke a little bit.

And then he said something so sweet it made her heart melt.

"I can't dance."

She laughed. She couldn't help it. Then she saw the metal staircase leading upwards.

"What's that?"

He took her hand and led her towards it.

"Come on. I want to show you something."





Chapter Forty-Three





Jack





Jack pushed open the door to the roof. He'd only just begun building the deck up here in his spare time. But it was going to be spectacular when he finished. He stole a look at Janet to see what she thought.

“It’s incredible!”

She was smiling and spinning in a circle.

"You can see the mountains from here!"

He walked over to a tarp and lifted it to reveal his tools.

"It's not done yet."

She was giving him an odd look suddenly. She looked… suspicious.

"How many girls have you brought up here, Jack?"

"None. Not ever. Listen, Red…”

She looked up at him.

“There hasn’t been anyone in a long time. And before that it was just- once in a while.”

“Really? But they must have offered…”

“No comment.”

She giggled and hugged her chest with her arms. He stared at her long, beautiful legs. She was still wearing his t-shirt. He hoped she'd make a habit of wearing his shirts around the house. He took a deep breath and exhaled.

Here goes nothing.

Here goes everything.

"I want you."

She tossed her head in that familiar proud way. He grinned.

"You've already had me, remember? Four times."

She arched her eyebrow at him, daring him to answer that.

"No, Red. I mean I want you. Permanently."

Her eyes opened wide.

"You do?"

He nodded and smiled at her uncertainly, just a little bit worried about what she might say. That was a lie. He was a lot worried.