Page 3 of Wrong Number, Right Lumberjack
Me: Who talks like that lol?
Jace: Look up.
I do. My eyes scan the tables of men seated. Then I move to the ones standing by the bar. But when I get to the back door, there he is staring back at me. It feels too good to be true until he gives me a wink, and my heart all but stops.
CHAPTER 3
MISSY
Jace strolls toward me with an easy, unhurried confidence. It is literally impossible to look anywhere else. His dark hair is slightly tousled. He's wearing a button-down that hugs his chest just right. But who am I kidding? The man could make a paper bag look sexy.
Cocktail hour is officially here. I’ve made a commitment to never drink on the job, but the closer he gets, the more flutes of champagne I reach for.
The fact that this is him seems unreal. This is the man who sends me goofy good morning texts and hilarious memes. This man is so much more attractive than anything I could have dreamt up. It’s surreal.
I down four flutes in the time it takes him to get halfway across the room. I hardly ever drink at all. Let alone at work. Thank God my sister has Ethan for the night, because by the time Jace is standing in front of me, I can’t feel my nose.
“Lumberjack, I’m glad you made it,” I say, slipping my phone back into my clutch.
"Well, if it isn’t the best damn recruiter for the Southern Knights.” He grins. “I'm here just for one season. Then it's straight back to Lumberjack Lagoon."
"Well," I say, lifting my drink to my lips, "you'll just have to make the most of it."
His eyes dip to my mouth as I take a sip. “Yes, we will.”
The air between us sparks.
We make our way through the cocktail hour. It’s all I can do to keep myself from literally hanging on his every word. Somewhere between the second glass of champagne and a laugh that escapes before I can swallow it, I realize Jace is dangerously charming. Not in the smooth-talking, say-anything kind of way… but in the quiet, observant, pay-attention-to-every-word-you-say kind of way.
He listens. He watches, and my skin smolders under his gaze. It’s like he wants to rip this outfit off me one piece of clothing at a time. He leans in like he already knows every inch of me and wants to learn more.
And the more he talks, the more I feel myself slipping. Because everything in me wants to kiss him. Right here. Right now. At work. But I don't. I won't… I think.
Instead, I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear and laugh. I let the sound of his words wrap around me like something warm and thoughtful. I cross my legs. I sip my drink. To my own horror, I ignore every single person in the room. Then I focus on pretending like I don't feel the pulse between my thighs begging me to close the distance.
Because this can’t happen.
Not with a player. Not at work. Not at all because I've got more than my own heart on the line. It’s been years since I’ve been on a date… Eight to be exact. So I don’t know if thisqualifies. But it’s damn sure the closest I’ve come, and I’m dangerously close to slipping completely under his spell.
I make a point to step away. I talk to my assistant. I restock the football shaped cookies. I force myself into conversations with other new recruits and find each one more dull and lifeless than the last. I mentally count down the moments until I get to talk to Jace again. Oh… And I keep drinking too.
For his part, Jace doesn’t skip a beat. He winks. He gives me a smile that curls on one half of his mouth. And he sends me text messages all night long. The man absolutely melts me, and it doesn’t even seem like he’s trying.
Another hour in and the moods shifted again. The owner is gone and most of the staff is too. All that’s left are drinks and congratulations all around. I don’t know if it’s the liquid courage or the magnetic pull between Jace and I, but something changes in me.
The careful distance I've maintained starts to crumble. I replay every message exchanged between us. This is the same man who wanted to stay to watch over his brother. The one who remembered I mentioned loving thunderstorms. The one who's looking at me like he wants to memorize every detail.
By the time I sit at a table in the dimly lit back corner of the room, I've made up my mind. Just this once, I'm going to choose me.
I’m going to enjoy Jace for what he is… An honest, sexy as hell lumberjack turned football star who is one foot out of the door. I’m letting go of my responsibilities. There won’t be any labels. No explanations or expectations. Not even the truth about Ethan.
Jace doesn't need to see those parts of me. Tonight, I don't want to be the single mom, the event planner, or the one who always thinks three steps ahead. I just want to be a woman who wants to feel wanted.
He comes to sit beside me, and without a word, he slides my chair towards his. His breath is hot on my ear. “There you are. I’ve been waiting for you all night.”
“I can’t believe you’re here. In person. It feels surreal. Your brother is okay on his own then?” Hearing Jace talk about his brother makes me feel like I know him already. I’m more invested in his well-being than I should be.
Jace waves a hand, brushing off my concern. “He’s going to be all right. He’s got some of the guys from the yard looking out for him, and I’m going to head back during our break in a few weeks and help him with a big job. Besides, I’m the one who needs help.”
