“Yeah, that,” she replied.
He put out his hand and stopped her from climbing the steps. “You,” he said quietly, “are incredible. I hope you know that.”
“Rick,” she said, and his heart constricted at the wistful tone of her voice. For the first time they were going somewhere as a couple. Thanksgiving had been different. It had been less of a statement. More of a test run.
Tonight was one couple having dinner with another couple. It was another first for them. “I’m not in any rush. We take things one day at a time, right? Just like we always have. I just wanted to say it. You’re a special woman, Jess. Don’t ever let anyone take that away from you.”
He squeezed her arm and they climbed the steps to the landing. He thought about his words, knowing he’d unconsciously added “even me” to the end of that last sentence. Jess was wonderful, and he’d started to understand that he trusted her but he still didn’t quite trust himself. He’d made progress, he knew that. But the rough times weren’t necessarily over and not everything was coming up daisies.
They knocked, using the big brass door knocker and stood back. Jess smiled over at him. “Do you know the first time I was inside this house after Tom renovated it, I was here for a sleepover?”
He grinned. “Really? At your age?”
“It was after the picnic at Sarah’s. We brought out pizza and wine and ended up crashing here. I walked through the halls gawking at everything.”
The door opened and Abby stood there, smiling at them. “Hello you two! Gosh, it’s good to see you. Come on in.”
She led them through to the parlor, a pretty room done in warm yellow with antique furniture and draperies the color of rich merlot. A fire burned cheerily in the fireplace. Unlike the modern additions to the library, this room was like stepping back in time.
“Do you ever feel like you’re living in a time warp?” Jess asked, perching on the edge of a silk settee.
Abby laughed. “Yes. I don’t know what’s going to happen when Tom and I have kids. The rug in here is original. Can you imagine spilling grape juice on it?”
Rick looked at the light in her eyes and knew the idea didn’t really faze her a bit. “You’re not … already, are you?”
Her eyes twinkled at them. “Not yet. Not that we know of,” she amended.
His buddy Tom a dad? The image seemed to fit for some reason. Tom was ready, Rick realized, but he wasn’t sure if he’d ever be ready for kids.
The front door slammed and Tom’s voice rang out. “Hello! Anyone home?”
Rick watched as Abby’s whole face lit up at the sound of her husband’s voice. The two of them were so in love it was sickening.
Tom stuck his head inside the room. “Hey, sweetheart.” His first smile was for his wife. Then he looked at Rick and Jess, sitting side by side on the settee. “And hey to you, too,” he added, shrugging out of his heavy jacket. “Glad you could make it.”
“Now that we’re all here, Jess, why don’t you give me a hand in the kitchen and Tom can show off his new shop to Rick.”
The women disappeared in a flurry of conversation and Rick found himself out in the old carriage building, admiring Tom’s woodworking shop, while Jess and Abby talked about God knows what. Their first dinner date as a real couple. The idea should have scared him more than it did.
He was falling in love with Jess Collins and had no idea what to do about it or where to go from here. All he knew was that he didn’t want it to end. Problem was, he was very aware that good things never lasted forever. Especially for him.
CHAPTER 19
Jess paused at the door, wondering if she should ask Rick in. She wanted to. The evening had been wonderful, the two of them visiting with Abby and Tom, and she couldn’t remember when she’d laughed so much. It had felt like a normal relationship. At least, it had once she’d had a moment to speak to Abby. There was no news on the necklace yet, so she’d relaxed and let herself enjoy the visit.
And now Rick had walked her to the door. Her stomach flipped from nerves, but the good kind. They were embarking on something here, something important. And both of them were so afraid to talk about it and jinx anything.
She turned and found him standing remarkably close to her, close enough she had to tilt her chin up to look into his dark eyes. “Are you coming in, Rick?”
She heard the breathless tone of her voice and her nerves jacked up another level. “Yeah, I’d like to come in,” he answered, voice low and husky.
The back door opened into the workroom, and Jess left the lights off while Rick locked the door behind him. In the inky darkness Jess took his hand and led him to the loft steps leading to her living space. Once inside, she reached for the lamp but he stopped her with three little words that made her heart thump with anticipation.
“Leave it off.”
She dropped her purse and turned around to face him. It only took a step for him to be inches away. Jess half expected him to gather her up in his arms and whisk her away with a steamy kiss, but instead he lifted his hand and framed her cheek with a tenderness that stole her breath.
She leaned in to the cup of his hand, her eyes sliding closed. She had never imagined he could be so tender. It was a revelation that made him doubly dangerous and drew her in like a moth to a flame.