“Hi,” she answered softly.
Only a few inches separated them, yet they seemed miles apart. In the dark, they’d been completely in sync, turning to each other in the night, languid and slow, no words needed. Going up and over together, then slipping back to sleep. “How are you?”
“Good.”
“Are you sure? Because you were already tired and I’m afraid I added to that.” He cupped her cheek, brushed his thumb under her eyes, falling even deeper when she leaned into his hand.
“I’m sure. I’m fine. Except…” She stared at his shirt before meeting his eyes again. “I’m sorry I left the way I did. You didn’t deserve that and…I don’t regret it, I’m just…overwhelmed.” Her teeth pressed hard into her bottom lip and she avoided his eyes.
“Paige.” He curled his fingers around the back of her neck. “I don’t want to make your life harder.”
“You’re not. It’s not you. It’s me.” She laid her hands on his chest and blew out a long breath. “You make me feel all shaken up inside.”
He slid his arms around her back. “In a good way?”
She stared up at him, her head tilted back. “Is there a good way to be shaken up?”
He could almost see her practical mind spinning, trying to right itself. “Definitely.” Remembering the panic in her eyes when she’d left his house, he tightened his hold. “I don’t want you to be overwhelmed.”
He took another second, then figured this was as good a time as any. Fingers crossed it wouldn’t sound like he was asking for more than she was ready to give. “Don’t say no to what I’m about to ask you. I talked to my brother, and my sister-in-law, the one who runs Freedom Farm, and it’s all worked out. She wants you and Casey to come.”
Paige stared up at him. Blinked. “She wants us to?”
“Yes. It’s all arranged.”
Her eyes slid away from his. “You know I’d love to go, but I can’t afford it.”
“Let me take care of that.”
“What? No, I—”
“Please. Casey and I are friends. And so are we, remember? Let me do this. Hannah said you’re welcome whenever you want, but she had some cancellations for the weekend so she’ll have more time.”
“When? This weekend?”
“Next weekend.”
Her lips were still parted in shock. “Jake, I can’t just go out of town. That would be…I have…stuff I should do.”
“Like what?”
“Like…I need to do laundry and study, and I was going to take Casey to get a library card and…”
He smiled, watching her try to think of more reasons she shouldn’t go. This woman did not do spontaneous.
“You already said you’re off next weekend. Come on.” He leaned down so his eyes were more level with hers. “You’ll love it there. It’s just for two nights, and Hannah will take care of everything. You’ll stay right there on the farm, she has people to pick you up at the airport. She’s got this down to a science.” The more he’d thought about it, the more excited he’d gotten, picturing Casey riding horses and Paige relaxing.
“Wait. You’re not going?”
“No.” It was a gut reaction. His instinct to avoid his past. And then there were the legitimate reasons. “I’ve got this project at work, Lynn’s about to give birth, and…I’m not trying to crowd you. This is for you and Casey.”
She opened her mouth and he laid a finger over her lips before she could protest. “No. Don’t say no. Go. Have fun. Do it for Casey,” he added.
“That’s low.”
“Maybe, but if I said do it for yourself, would you go? Just think about it.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
That was half a battle won, but there was a more important one that had to do with them. “Paige, being with you was…” He caressed the back of her neck and waited, almost afraid to say what he thought it was until he heard something from her. He wouldn’t push her, but he also wouldn’t let her run from whatever was building between them because she was scared.
She bit her lip, her blue-green eyes drawing him down and in. “It was unbelievable and I don’t regret it. I’m just confused and…” With a small, embarrassed laugh, her gaze slid away from his again. “I’m sorry. I’m probably making too much of this, people do this—that—all the time, but…I don’t have casual sex.”
She didn’t have sex at all except with him, and the possessive male in him stood a little taller.