Hector groaned. “Has no one told you?”
“Why don’t you tell me what I’m supposed to be looking for, and I’ll tell you if that’s what I’ve seen or not.” Jaxson didn’t have a clue what was going on with everyone today. Why were people suddenly interested in his home?
Hector ran his fingers through his hair. “Okay, can I ask you something?”
“If it’s an explanation as to why you’re stalking a young woman who lives next door to me, then yeah.”
“There it is. That spark.” Hector looked so excited. “I can’t wait to tell Elizabeth and my wife, but she doesn’t think I should meddle.”
Jaxson rubbed at his temple. “What … spark?”
“You’re feeling it, right? For the daughter?”
He clenched his jaw.
“You don’t have to say anything. But I get it, so get it, and there are guys before you, and women before … the woman, you’ve got to follow that shit, okay. You’ve got to follow your heart. It’s all true. The houses and stuff. You will find your true love there. Your soul mate. Your reason for fucking breathing. This is all real. Trust me, as a guy who has been through it, and heard all the stories from a woman who has seen it all. I mean, there have been hitmen, bikers, deputies, I think there has even been a band, but I don’t know. There has been a lot of good that has come from these houses, and I just needed to check that everything is going according to plan.”
Jaxson had never seen such excitement in a man’s eyes before. He looked back at his home and then at Hector. “What?”
“Look, trust me. Did you feel a draw to this house? To this place, even though every single fiber of your being was asking you what the hell you were doing?”
He didn’t answer that. He didn’t need to.
Excited Hector was already there.
“Then that woman, the daughter, she’s your true love. The woman you are meant to love for the rest of your life. I know it can be scary. I’m guessing she is a student or whatever. Do you find yourself thinking about her all the damn time? That you don’t think you could live without seeing her at least once beforeyou get on with your day and knowing at night that she is safe?”
Jaxson wanted to hurt this man. Was he being stalked?
Hector sighed. “I can see you don’t believe, but trust me. When the time comes that you have to leave or she has to leave, it will feel like your entire world has been stripped apart and that you can’t even breathe.”
Chapter Eight
Teal glanced at the clock for what felt like the hundredth time. Jaxson hadn’t called her.
Her parents hadn’t called her.
Jaxson told her that he’d meet her at home. She didn’t want to be seen hanging outside of his home, so she came here. As the time ticked on by, she couldn’t help but feel nervous. Where was he?
She checked her cell phone again only to find there were no missed calls. No text messages, nothing.
All she could do was wait. Nibbling on her lip, she waited.
Teal ran her fingers through her hair and just when she was about to head up to her room, there was a sudden knock at the door.
Her heart started to race. She rushed to the door and flung it open.
There was Jaxson. She stared at him, and he looked at her.
Neither of them spoke as she stepped back, and he moved over the threshold. She waited, tilted her head back. The door closed.
Jaxson reached out, cupping her cheek and tilting her head back, and then, his lips smashed down on hers. A moan escaped her. He moved her back, and she followed him as he continued to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close, not wanting to let him go.
“I need you,” he said.
His voice sounded gruff, hard, and deep. She took hold of his hand and walked up to her bedroom. She had never done this before, not ever. No guy had stepped foot in her bedroom.
Once inside, she turned toward him. She was ready. Nervous. But ready.