Page 68 of When Glitter Meets Gold

Before he can finish, water is spraying from the nozzle while Jack stands motionless, accepting the blasts that shoot into his face and douse his charcoal suit until he’s soaked through and dripping.

I squeal, closing the nozzle that I somehow opened. “Shit, shit, shit! I’m sorry!” Water continues to spurt, some getting in my hair, causing me to make more squealing noises.

Jack steps forward, takes the hose from me as I shake out my hands. “Alright, I’m confiscating this from you.” He ruffles his hair as water drips from the ends.

“Oops...” My hands come up to my face and I can’t help but giggle behind my fingers. Until the giggles turn into full bursts of laughter and my cheeks hurt from grinning so wide.

“Oops?” He grins, not taking his eyes from me. “You’re gonna have to give me more than‘oops’if you want to get off this roof dry.” He points the hose at me.

My hands fly up to stop him. “Don’t you dare!” I’m still laughing. “Not the shoes!”

And then, I feel something on my sleeve, and when I look down, I see a straybeecrawling up my arm.

Suddenly, the laughter is gone, and I don’t give a crap about the hose because I’m waving my arms and screaming like a damn banshee, like the highest note on a violin.

Jack drops the hose, soaking himself again as he moves toward me.

He scoops the creature from my sleeve and sets it somewhere else.

“I got it!” he exclaims proudly. “He’s back with his buddies.”

My chest is heaving. Jack was right, I did not need to come out here.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry.” I look around to see how close we are to other roof terraces, to see if anyone heard me.

Then panic is setting in as Mark’s voice throttles through the air, his angry tone ringing in my ears,excuse my date…it’s not a party until all eyes are on her.

“It’s just water.” Jack’s voice comes from a faraway place.

“I know, it’s just…I didn’t mean to scream like that. It’s not for attention, I promise,” I say as the roof comes back into focus. Jack is standing in front of me, and I can’t explain why I’m getting choked up.

“Attention?” Jack says, confusion blaring in his features. “We’re just messing around. What’s going on?” His hands brush the sides of my arms, his fingers lightly massaging into my skin.

“Nothing.” I force a smile. “I’m fine. I think I just freaked out, you know I hate bugs and stuff.” I breathe out a laugh. “That was embarrassing.”

He studies me for a moment, his expression telling me he’s not entirely satisfied. He squeezes me once before releasing me. “Sara,” he says, prompting me to turn to inspect his soaked appearance. The drips of water leaking onto the decking from his sleeves are a comedic bonus. “We are on very equal ground at this moment.”

My shoulders bunch to my ears when I can’t help but laugh at how utterly drenched he is.

“Fair enough.” I shrug, tossing my hair a couple of times and picking my shirt from my arms. “God Jack, you got me wet.”

He rolls his eyes as he opens the door. “Get in.” He gestures with little amusement, even though the dimple begins to pucker. I grin up at him. He towers above me. “Hurry, before I decide to leave you out here to fend for yourself.”

29

SARA

On the fourth floor of the townhouse, there are two bedrooms and a snug area with a desk and yet another bookcase, not to mention more images of Jack in the wilderness which line the sage-green, sconce lit walls.

Jack is in the bathroom, showering after the hose assault while I snoop around.

I pull a couple of bands from my wrist, and section my hair in loose pigtails so my shirt can dry off. I look ridiculous but it’s the only hairstyle where I won’t be left with tie marks while still preserving my style.

Then, I decide to take a closer look at his reading material. Unsurprisingly, most are non-fiction. Surprisingly, they’re notBusiness 101andThe Experts Guide to Hostile Takeovers, but instead appear to be geared toward hiking, climbing, camping, and wildlife. Glimpses of the man I met back in Maine, rather than this suave, polished version I’ve come to know.

I move across the corridor to another bookcase at the same moment a floorboard creaks, and heavy footstepsapproach from behind. I twist to see Jack wearing a navy towel wrapped around the lower part of his hips where a definedVarrows toward an area I should definitely not be staring at right now. Especially not after my no kissing rule.

Suddenly, he’s not the nerdy beekeeper anymore.

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