“That’s all any of us can do,” Jackson said, not breaking eye contact. He wouldn’t show her father weakness, or he’d surely never be allowed to step foot in their house again.
“Alyssa needs to rest.” Donald didn’t say anything more and Jackson recognized the polite dismissal. He nodded his head and departed. He didn’t want to; he wanted to take a stand and refuse to go, but that wasn’t the kind of first impression he wanted to give Alyssa’s parents.
Jackson was more confused than ever as he walked from their house and made his way to his truck. And as he drove away, he grew even more confused—there was no fear inside him, no regrets for what he’d offered. All he felt was fear that she wouldn’t accept. He really wanted her to take him up on his offer.
Hell, maybe he should leave her completely alone until he could figure out what he was thinking. But as he parked in his driveway, he leaned his head against the steering wheel and groaned. He wasn’t going anywhere—maybe not ever.
“Good morning, Alyssa.”
Her parents were traitors! Alyssa stared at Jackson as he came through her door holding a box of chocolates and a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers. Why hadn’t they given her a warning or asked her if she was okay with receiving visitors? Probably because the man could talk a saint into sinning. He was smooth. Too smooth for her to outwit.
She’d made no decision on what to say to him, or what not to say to him, and it was too early in the morning for her to try to keep her thoughts straight, let alone her words. He’d easily be able to talk her into anything if she wasn’t careful.
She went for distant politeness. “Morning, Jackson. You didn’t need to come back here. I’m fine.” Show strength and he wouldn’t ask any more questions, right?
“We never finished our discussion, so you must have known I’d be back.” He stepped forward to hand her the chocolates and then set the flowers on her dresser.
“I should refuse to take these, but I have a weakness for chocolate, especially lately,” she said as she opened the box and took one out, biting into the soft treat. “Thanks.”
“Are you feeling better today?”
“Wow. We’re both being so polite. It’s almost like someone has died,” she said, too tired to keep up this game.
“If you’d rather I get right to it, then why don’t you answer a simple question,” he said, sitting far too close to her.
“What?” she asked when he was silent for too long.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”
That stopped her for a heartbeat. Then her brow furrowed as she looked at him. “I don’t see why I should have. It’s none of your business.”
“I have been trying to get you into my bed for the past couple of weeks. Your being pregnant definitely is a factor,” he said.
“I have been more than clear that I don’t want to get back into your bed, Jackson.”
“And I have been more than clear that I think you’re lying to me. And until I feel otherwise, I’m not backing away.”
“So it’s all about you and your feelings? I have no say in any of this? You’ll just camp out in my parents’ house because you’re not satisfied with what I’m telling you? If Martin weren’t your father, I’d say you had a lousy upbringing.”
He flinched. “Let’s leave my upbringing out of this.”
“Fine. Let’s leave my pregnancy out of this.”
“All your fancy footwork isn’t going to change my mind, Alyssa. I want you to be honest with me. I want you, period.”
The guy confused the heck out of her. “Even now? That makes no sense, Jackson. I’m pregnant.”
“Yes, you’re pregnant. It doesn’t change how I feel, and why should it? I still want you.”
“It must be very difficult for you to walk around all day,” she told him sweetly.
Now he was the confused one. He looked at her and waited, and when she said nothing else, he finally spoke. “I probably don’t want to hear this, but why would it be difficult for me to walk around?”
“Because you are so arrogant that all that weight from your huge ego has got to be quite a burden to carry around,” she said with a big smile.
“Ah, baby, don’t you worry one little bit about my ego or my feelings. I have a feeling I’ll sleep just fine tonight,” he said as he leaned over her, getting entirely too close for her comfort.
“Back off, Jackson,” she said, leaning back as far as her headboard would allow.
“Why, Alyssa? Are you afraid of me?” he asked, coming just a little bit closer.
“No,” she snapped, putting her hand against his chest to try to keep him away.
“I don’t think you’re afraid of me at all. However, I do think you’re afraid of yourself and the way that I make you feel.”
Bingo! He’d definitely gotten that one right. Not that she would ever, even under oath, admit that to him. How was she expected to keep him at bay when he muddled her thoughts so badly?
“Have you thought about my offer?”
“There’s not a chance I want you taking care of me, Jackson. And I don’t need you to. And it’s not just that I have my parents to do a far better job than you ever could. There’s more. When I first arrived her in Sterling, I was lost, I’ll admit, and I didn’t have a clue what I was going to do. But I’ve had time to grow stronger, to make plans. I am just fine on my own,” she said with no little pride.
“What are your plans, Alyssa?”
She breathed a little easier when he backed away, though it wasn’t far enough.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business, either, Jackson.”
“Aren’t we friends?”
“We don’t know each other,” she snapped. “How could we be friends? And for that matter, why would you even want to take care of me, whatever that even means?”
“I disagree. I think we’re friends. We’ve spent a lot of time together in the past two weeks. To top that off, we have incredible chemistry, and we can be good to each other.” He sat down and made himself comfortable, as if for a long stay. Then he continued. “And as far as taking care of you,” he told her before pausing and lifting his lips in a brilliant smile, “it means that we live together. I watch over you, make sure you stay healthy and have everything you need. You quit working at the Country Saloon. It’s dangerous. And in turn . . . well, you take care of me, too.”