Seaside Embrace(34)

Jana’s mind reeled back to the other sexy things Hunter had used as incentive when he’d shown her the kitchen. She couldn’t stop a dreamy sigh from escaping her lips.

Sweet deal doesn’t even scratch the surface.


***

IT WAS BILLY’S bedtime when Jana arrived at Clark and Nina’s, but the moment Billy saw her, he wanted nothing to do with bed—or Hunter, which was surprising, since Billy hadn’t met Jana before. But as Hunter watched Jana sitting on the floor in Billy’s playroom playing with wooden blocks with the cute little guy, Hunter had only two thoughts. Billy was a smart kid, and Jana had never looked more beautiful than she did right then. She picked up a square block and pretended to try to shove it into a round hole, earning the cutest belly laugh from Billy.

Jana swooped him into her lap and gave him Eskimo kisses. She hugged Billy cheek to cheek, and a look of peacefulness washed over her, drawing Hunter in even deeper.

Billy yawned, and Jana’s lower lip plumped out in a cute pout.

“Aw, the little guy is tired.” She rose with Billy in her arms, looking natural and happy and more at ease than he’d ever seen her. “We should put him to bed.”

It took Hunter a moment to get his brain to work. “Uh, yeah. Okay.”

They went into Billy’s bedroom and he reached for Billy. “I’ll change him.”

She wrinkled her brow. “No way am I giving up this little guy for a second. We’ll do it together. Do you have his jammies?”

He laughed. “Jammies?”

She changed his diaper while Hunter pulled pajamas out of the dresser.

“Yes, he’s a baby. They’re not called pajamas until he’s at least…three.”

“Three?”

She shrugged. “Seems right to me. Here.” She handed him the dirty diaper and he tossed it in the Diaper Genie. “You didn’t even cringe.”

“Why would I?” He helped her put Billy’s jammies on.

“Most guys wouldn’t go near dirty diapers.” She lifted Billy into her arms and sat in the rocking chair beside his crib.

“Most guys wouldn’t do a lot of stuff.” He crouched beside the rocker. “Want me to rock him?”

“No. If you don’t mind, I’d really like to.”

He shut off the light, leaving only the glow of the night-light, picked up the baby monitor, and left the room, pulling the door partially closed behind him. Jana began singing quietly. He stopped to listen and was surprised that she wasn’t singing a lullaby, but Beyoncé’s “If I Were a Boy,” barely above a whisper. He leaned against the doorframe, listening as she poured her emotions into every word. She sang about having a group of guys to stick up for her and taking people for granted without being held responsible. When she sang about guys who didn’t understand what it felt like to lose the one they wanted, he wondered why it sounded so personal coming from her lips. And when a tear tumbled down her cheek, it nearly tore his heart out.

Her voice faded to a thoughtful hum, and he tried to turn away, but he was riveted in place. He pushed the door open, basking her face in light from the hall as she placed Billy in his crib. Their eyes met, and he swore time stood still.

He reached for her as she neared, and when she laid her hand in his, electricity sparked up his arm. He pressed a kiss to her temple, feeling as though he’d just heard her bare her soul to the darkness of the room, and he wanted to understand where all that hurt came from. He wanted to climb inside her and remove the anguish he’d heard, keep it from stealing any more of her, and protect her from ever feeling hurt again.





Chapter Twenty-Three


HUNTER TOSSED AND turned all night, worrying about what he’d heard in Jana’s voice last night. Coupled with the swelling of his emotions over seeing her with Billy and the thoughts that image had brought to mind, his brain was a tangled mess. He had spent so much of his life avoiding relationships. They were complicated and took time and energy that he hadn’t ever wanted to give. Jana was the epitome of complicated, but spending nights with her, seeing how much of herself she poured into everything she did, and seeing her last night with Billy, he didn’t know how anyone could be around Jana Garner and not fall desperately in love with her.

He looked around her kitchen, seeing his keys beside hers, his designs rolled up on the edge of the table. He turned and saw two pairs of his shoes by the front door, his hoodie lying across the back of the couch. How, in the space of a few short months, had everything changed so much? Had he changed so much? Jana still wasn’t willing to let everyone know they were dating, and he wondered why he was willing to put up with feeling locked out of that part of her life just to be with her.

Jana came out of the bedroom wearing his T-shirt from last night and looking completely adorable. He opened his arms and she walked right in, snuggling against him.

“Why are you up? It’s only five.” She yawned against his shoulder, pressed her warm lips to his skin.

“Couldn’t sleep. I have a lot to get done for the competition. It’s just under three weeks away.” He kissed the top of her head. “Why don’t you go back to sleep. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

She shook her head, causing her tousled hair to fall in front of her eyes.

“You’ve ruined me. I can’t sleep when you’re not with me.”

He tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her softly. “What was that? Are you admitting that you want me?”

She wiggled between his legs and wound her arms around his neck. “I never got to thank you for the flowers.”

“You’re avoiding the question.” He pressed his lips to hers again, loving the sweet look in her eyes, even as she rolled them at his remark.

“You’re avoiding the compliment.”

He lifted her easily onto his lap. “I’m glad you liked the flowers. I was careful not to write anything that would out your secret lover.” The truth stung. He’d had a hard time holding back his feelings when he’d written the card, but he and Jana had come so far, and he didn’t want to make her uncomfortable around her friends. He had faith that she’d eventually come around and let him be her man the way he wanted to.

“Thank you for that. Although Sky looked at me like she knew something was up.”

“I still don’t understand why you feel like you need to keep our relationship from everyone. Sky would love knowing that we’re a couple.” He had no doubt that his sister would be ecstatic to know they were together.

“I just need a little more time. One thing at a time.”

“I’m trying to give you time, but it’s not easy, Jana. You’re asking me to hold in all these emotions I’ve never felt for anyone else. It’s pure torture.” His tone made light of the ache he really felt. In an effort to distract himself before that ache could turn to frustration, he asked, “How did the space work out for the class?”

“It was pretty incredible, actually. How did you get it cleaned so fast?”

“With a little help from my friends.” He hadn’t been able to hire anyone to clean the space on such short notice, so he, Grayson, and Clark had done it. And the little white lie about where he was yesterday morning was worth hearing that the space was pretty incredible.

Her eyes widened, now fully awake. “You cleaned it? Hunter, you didn’t have to do that. I could have cleaned it myself.”

“Don’t be silly. Let my girl work her pretty little fingers to the bone?” He kissed her fingertips. “The space is perfect for your studio, right?” He shifted his eyes upward. “I can see it now, a big sign that says ‘Jana’s Dance Studio.’”

Her smile reached her eyes and just as quickly fell flat. “Oh! I forgot to tell you. I spoke to Marco yesterday. He’s engaged. Engaged.” The word was laden with disdain. “He’s never coming back. He’s marrying his head instructor. Head instructor. I’m only an instructor. How did she become a head instructor?”

They talked for a long while about Marco and what she had planned for the day, and it wasn’t until much later, after they had thoroughly ravaged each other, showered and dressed for work, and finally kissed goodbye, that Hunter realized she’d never answered him about accepting the space.





Chapter Twenty-Four


JANA’S LIFE CONTINUED to feel like it was on fast-forward, despite backing out of the exhibition match. Hunter was putting in extra hours on his sculpture, and Colton had asked Jana to fill in for the past three nights, which was great for her bank account, but it meant that she and Hunter were rarely together before midnight, and they usually ended up tangled in the sheets, with very little time to talk. She knew he was stressed about getting his sculpture done, and she made a point of trying to keep their conversations light when they did find time to talk.

Jana was meeting the girls for breakfast at Seaside, and Hunter was going into the shop early.

“Have fun telling the girls about us.” He said it with a smirk. All week he’d been dropping not-so-subtle hints that he was tiring of waiting for her to publicly claim their relationship.

She smiled up at him. “It’s not like I’m going to announce that we’re seeing each other.”