Page 19 of Jessica's Hero
Samantha’s face goes from tan to the shade of lobster in a blink. She grabs two menus and takes a few stuttering steps away from the hostess stand before motioning for us to follow. “Of course. Right this way, please.”
All the way to our table, I keep my arm around Jess’s waist. Not just because I like touching her, which I do, but because of this intense need to protect her from any kind of threat—whether it’s from a would-be attacker or an unpleasant hostess who was rude to her.
Jess keeps glancing up at me with an indecipherable expression in her eyes. It doesn’t look angry, like she’s upset about me interfering. But it doesn’t look happy, either.
Again, I wonder if I screwed something up.
My mom always complains that I’m too overbearing.“I know you mean well, Kane. But don’t assume women always want your help. Ask first. She might actually want to do it herself.”
But that hostess was being rude to Jess. Upsetting her. And Jess wasn’t sticking up for herself. What was I supposed to do, just stand there and do nothing?
Still. I can’t help worrying that my mom might be right, and I’ve messed up the date before it’s even gotten started.
Once we’re seated at the table—which is actually just where I’d hoped it would be when I made the reservation, tucked into the corner beside one of the fireplaces—Itouch Jess’s hand again and ask, “Was that okay? What I said before? I didn’t mean to upset you.”
Surprise flickers in her eyes. “Upset me?You?”
“Yeah.” I take a sip of the ice water already waiting at the table. “For what I said to the hostess. I probably should have let you handle it. But she pissed me off. I didn’t like hearing her talk to you that way.”
Jess regards me for a moment. Tiny lines form between her brows.
Just as I’m thinking she really is mad at me, her face blossoms into a smile. And not the tight, fake one she gave Samantha, but a real one. Pink touches her cheeks as she says, “Maybe this doesn’t sound like the politically correct thing to say. But… I liked it.”
“What I said to her?”
Her small fingers lace between mine. “That you defended me. I’m not very good at standing up for myself. I should be by my age, but I’m not. So it was nice. Knowing that you had my back.”
As I look into Jess’s wide hazel eyes, I can see the truth in her words. And the trust she’s giving me by opening up about something she considers a weakness.
My heart lurches drunkenly in my chest.
I always want to have her back.
It’s irrational, feeling this way already. We’re barely half an hour into our first official date. Far too soon to be thinking about a future with Jess.
Then she smiles at me again, and I’m not so sure.
“So.” She unfolds her napkin and drapes it over her lap. “You mentioned rock climbing the other day. Is that something you do a lot?”
Right. Normal date conversation.
“Not a lot,” I reply. “But I’ve always liked activities like that. Hiking. Kayaking. Skiing.”
“And winter hiking, right?” Jess leans forward, her features lit with interest. “I remember you mentioning that before. Isn’t it dangerous, though? Hiking through all the ice and snow? And if you get stuck up there…”
“I’m really careful.” Pulling up my sleeve, I show her my Garmin smartwatch. “I have GPS tracking on my watch, plus I have a satellite locator that I carry in my backpack. So if I do get stuck, I can call for help.”
Jess brushes a finger across my watch, and the instant she touches my wrist, another zip of heat hits me. “That’s cool. But what about if you’re stuck on the top of the mountain, waiting for help?”
“I have an emergency blanket. And a tent. Plus a waterproof lighter so I can start a fire if I need to. But usually, I go up with someone else. My buddy, Dave. Finn, from Blade and Arrow. Or if Oliver’s not busy with Shea, he might come.”
“Oh. Okay.” She lets out a little sigh of relief. “Maybe it’s silly. But I just want to make sure you’re safe.”
As her words sink in, it’s like a boot slamming into my chest.
She wants to make sure I’m safe.
Aside from my mom, I can’t remember any woman saying that to me. And it feels a heck of a lot different coming from Jess.
