Jarod's Heart (King Brothers Stories #2) (19 page)

The men started work on the mini corn maze and put out the welcome signs, while the women worked on the smaller décor and treats. Julie was in charge of preparing the yummy sweets that would be put around on tables for their guests. Jessica, never one to pass up a sugary snack, had stationed herself in the kitchen with Charlie, who was teaching her the fine art of finagling a freshly battered spoon out of the chef’s hands.

As much as Jarod enjoyed witnessing his daughter’s antics, his attention was constantly drawn to Lauren. He was nervous over what he was about to propose, waiting for the right moment to clue her in on what he was thinking. He had to present his plan perfectly, or she would never agree.

“If you hurt her, you and I are going to have serious problems, big brother.”

Startled, Jarod spun around to find Josh standing next to him, his gaze directed toward Lauren.

“I don’t plan on hurting anyone,” he answered disgustedly.

Jarod shoulder-checked his little brother on his way back to the barn for more supplies, but Josh was hot on his heels.

“Then what is your plan? To hire her as a nanny, one with
benefits
?” he sneered. “She needs more from you than that, Jarod.”

He spun around, putting his nose in Josh’s face. “It’s none of your damn business! Now back off,
little
brother.”

But Josh stood his ground. “Lauren has been one of my best friends since we were kids. She puts on a tough bravado, Jarod, but she’s fragile. And we all know how gentle you are with women.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? I’ve never hurt a woman in my life, and you know it!” he practically yelled. A red haze was beginning to blur his vision.

Josh took a steadying breath. “Ever since Miranda left, you’ve treated women like they were Kleenex. You use them up and then dispose of them when you’re done.”

“You think you’re any better?” Jarod asked, incredulously.

“Lauren is not one of your throwaways, Jarod.”

“Who said I think of her that way, huh?”

“You’re on the make,” Josh accused.

“I’m not on the make, Josh. Far from it. I want to marry her.”

They both stared at each other in surprise—Jarod because he’d said it out loud before he’d had a chance to talk to Lauren, and Josh out of pure astonishment.

In the next moment, Jarod found himself on the ground with a bloody nose.

“I won’t let you use her like that!”

He’d never seen his brother so worked up…not to mention that he had never let Josh get the jump on him before, either.

Astonishment kept him slow, so Josh got another punch in before Jarod regained his senses and turned the tables on him. He pinned Josh to the ground, not wanting to hurt his brother.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he yelled.

“I won’t let you crush her, Jarod!”

“For God’s sake, how would proposing marriage crush her?” He couldn’t believe this.

“She’s been in love with you since the first time she met you. Don’t try to tell me that you don’t know that. So, now that you have a daughter… What? You’re going to use Lauren’s emotions against her just so you can provide a mother for your daughter?”

He looked around. Jason and his father were making their way over to them in a hurry. The women were still inside, thank God. Jarod just shook his head. He got up and stormed off to the barn to clean up his face. He wasn’t using Lauren.

He wasn’t.

He turned the water on in the three-piece bathroom located next to the small living space, which was used in case one of the animals got sick and needed around-the-clock care. He washed the blood from his nose and looked in the mirror. His left eye was beginning to swell.

That little shit really got him good.

Disgusted, Jarod threw his bloody washcloth in the hamper and slammed his fists on the bathroom counter.

Lauren was too good of a person to be used, by him or anyone else. He was fully aware of what her childhood had been like, and not because she’d been forthcoming. This was Timbisha, and secrets were impossible to keep. That’s why she was perfect for Jessica. They understood each other, and he trusted that Lauren would know how to handle whatever emotional problems that might come later in Jessica’s life.

He’d planned on giving Lauren what she needed. If she loved him, he couldn’t help that; he wasn’t capable of love anymore. But he was definitely attracted to her physically, and was more than willing and able to make her feel the way a woman should: wanted.

But because he respected her so much, he would have to be honest with her. His need for her was getting to the point of urgency, and she had to know it. She flirted with him every chance she got.

He assessed his injuries in the mirror. His nose was red and his eye was swollen. He looked like he’d been in a fight.

Just great.

He needed to blow off some steam before he faced the rest of his family, so he threw a couple bales of hay in the bucket of the compact tractor, climbed onto the driver’s seat, and hauled the bales to the front yard. He stopped near the maze and hopped off. He angrily tossed the bales to the ground, got back into the seat, and headed back to the barn for more hay. He’d made five more trips before he’d gained his control.

He put the tractor away and headed into the house for lunch. Jason had fired up the barbecue; the smell of grilled meat was heavy in the air, making Jarod’s mouth water. He passed through the mud room, into the kitchen, and was met with a mini body slam below the knees.

“Jar’d! Where’ve ya been?” She held tightly to his legs, her chin pressed against his knees as she looked up at him.

He bent down and scooped her up. “I’ve been out front, Darlin’. What have you been up to?”

She grabbed his cheeks and looked carefully at his face.

“Didja fall down?” she asked, concern etched into her heart-shaped face.

Her concern nearly shattered his control.

“Mommy liked a wet washcloth when she fell down.”

She wriggled her feet to be let down. She ran into the kitchen and yanked the nearest hand towel off the rack, then ran to the bathroom. The water turned on, and then she was back with the wet cloth. She grabbed his hand and brought him to the table, where she climbed in his lap and placed the sopping wet towel on his face.

“All better?” she asked sweetly.

“So much better, Darlin’.” He squeezed her tightly and she kissed his cheek.

LAUREN LOVED SPENDING
the holidays with the Kings, and Halloween was their kick-off to the season. It gave her a taste of what a normal family life would have been like, if she’d had a normal family to grow up with.

Every year, Camille and James opened their home to anyone willing to venture out to the countryside on All Hallows Eve. It was all very Norman Rockwell.

So it was quite a shock to find Jarod in the kitchen with a black eye and swollen nose.

Surely, he and Jason didn’t decided to spar, did they?

“Are you all right?”

“He’s fine,” Josh sounded disgusted.

Jarod was shooting sapphire daggers at Josh but couldn’t do much else because Jessica was sitting in his lap, holding a dripping towel to his face.

Lauren looked from one brother to the other.

Josh shot her a look of warning before he stomped out of the room.

Jason wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “They were fighting over you, Sassy Pants.”

“What?”

“Shut the hell up, Jason.”

“Don’t swear in front the princess, Jarod,” Jason warned.

“Someone please tell me what’s going on.”

“Sorry, Sassy, I think you and my big brother have some talking to do.”

He winked at her, then scooped Jessica from Jarod’s lap. “Come on, princess. Let’s go see what Jujyfruit and Nana are up to in the Room of Doom.”

Lauren put her hands on her hips. “Well?”

Jarod got up and stomped into the kitchen. He threw the wet towel in the sink and glared at her, before stomping back into the dining room. He grabbed her upper arm and dragged her out of the kitchen.

He wasn’t hurting her, but she felt a little intimidated. She couldn’t remember whether she had ticked him off, unless he was upset about this morning, but that was just their normal back and forth banter, so she didn’t know how to react to his latest display of dominance.

He pushed her into a small sitting room off the front of the house. Camille normally used it when meeting new clients, preferring a more homey and comfortable atmosphere in order to put potential customers at ease.

He let go of Lauren’s arm and turned to close the door. When she heard the lock click, a tiny chill went down her spine.

Fearing that he was going to tell her to leave and never come back, she cleared her throat and said, “I’ll get my things and go, Jarod. I’m not sure what I did, but…”

“What? No, Lauren, the last thing I want you to do is leave.”

“Then what’s all this about?” she asked, fully exasperated.

His behavior was so out of character, she didn’t know what to think. He was normally cold and calculating when he was on duty, always in complete control, but he wasn’t on duty now.

But when he reached up and pushed a stray hair out of her face, she realized she’d misinterpreted where this display of dominance was coming from.

“Jarod, I can’t have an affair with you. It would kill me,” she quietly implored, embarrassed by the tears that began to well up in her eyes.

“I don’t want an affair either,” he softly answered.

Leaning down, he gently brushed his lips across hers. “I want you,” he nibbled, stinging her with the blue fire in his eyes.

When she didn’t answer, he swooped in with a kiss that curled her toes. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held on tight, relishing the taste of him, the heat of him, until she thought she might pass out. It went on and on until she was dizzy.

He gently pulled free. His breath was billowing from his massive chest and fanning out across her cheeks.

“But right now we really do need to talk,” he chuckled.

It took all of her willpower to kick-start her brain again. She closed her eyes to concentrate on getting her heart rate down.

Finally, she lifted her chin. “After
that
kiss, I certainly agree.”

Still shaking, she sat down on the comfy Georgian sofa. It was burgundy and gold chenille with throw pillows to match. Contrary to what she’d just said, she hoped he would sit down with her so they could continue where they’d left off, but, to her disappointment, he began to pace across the Persian rug that matched the furniture.

“I never thought I’d want, or need, another woman in my life again, but I want and need you.”

Jarod wanted her. Jarod needed her. She couldn’t believe he had just blurted it out like that. But did he love her? Did it matter?

“Aren’t you going to say something?”

How was she supposed to respond? Shaking her head, she asked, “Why now?” But before he could answer, she realized that she already knew the reason. “Jessica.”

He sat down next to her and reached for her hand. “Listen to me, Lauren. Please.”

She shook her hand from his grasp and took his place pacing the rug. She wasn’t angry, just disappointed and, okay, maybe even a little hurt. He didn’t love her, of course, that was just crazy thinking and she knew it. Jarod King was incapable of loving a woman because
she
had ruined him for anyone else.

If Lauren could bring Miranda back to life, she would kill her for what she’d done to Jarod and Jessica.

She loved them both so much that sometimes she thought she’d go mad. The voice in her head that told her she wasn’t worthy of love was quiet now, waiting for her to make a decision. She was tired of being alone. She wanted a family, and Jarod was tempting her with the possibility of having one.

And then it hit her: Jarod wanted it too.

She turned wide eyes to him and commanded, “Ask me.”