ThreeReasonsWhy (5 page)

Seth shook his head. “Naw. I hate blind dates. Prefer to
meet women in a more natural environment.”

“Natural environment? I’m afraid to ask.”

Seth nodded. “You know, like a bar or the race track or a
strip club.”

Jill laughed. “God, Seth. You never change. Of course, if
you’re going to find your Miss Right, it’s definitely going to have to be in
one of those places.”

It was becoming clear from their joking conversation that
Jill and Seth were nothing more than friends. Wes suddenly felt like a fool. He
reached up and lightly brushed her cheek with his fingers.

She turned and looked at him.

Wes gave her a rueful grin. “Sorry.”

“You want something to eat?” she asked.

He nodded and walked around the counter as Seth stood to
leave.

“Thanks for lunch, Jill. It was good to see you again.”

“You too, Seth,” she replied.

“Wes.” Seth stuck out his hand.

Wes accepted the proffered handshake and the truce it
implied. “Take it easy, man.” He watched Seth leave, saw the brief, pained
glance he flashed toward Jill as she headed for the kitchen. While Jill’s
feelings didn’t extend past friendship, Wes wasn’t sure the same could be said
for Seth.

Jill returned with a huge bowl of beef stew and a large
slice of homemade bread and butter. All thoughts of Seth flew from his mind the
second she put the food in front of him.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes appreciatively.
“Damn, that smells good.”

She poured him a glass of lemonade. “You earned that. Thanks
for everything you’ve done today, Wes. We wouldn’t have been able to open if
you hadn’t gotten the bathroom functioning.”

“Yeah, well. You might want to put up a sign that mentions
flushing only toilet paper.”

Jill looked annoyed. “Wish I could get my hands on the asshole
who thought it would be fun to flush a bunch of rags.”

Wes took a sip of his lemonade. “You and me both. Can’t say
that was the most pleasant job I’ve ever done. Smell was terrible.”

She leaned over the counter and blessed him with the same
view she’d given Seth. Unlike Seth, Wes didn’t find it as easy to look away.
The tops of her creamy white breasts peeked through the buttons of her blouse
and suddenly his mouth wasn’t watering for beef stew anymore.

“Do you need anything else?” Her voice was low, seductive.

Wes’ gaze rose to her face. He had an entire list of things
he needed from her, but now wasn’t the time or the place. He shook his head and
she smiled as she walked away.

As he ate, he conversed with a few of the diners, his gaze
never traveling far from Jill as she moved around the room, comfortable in her
domain. She gossiped with a few elderly ladies as she topped up their coffee
cups. She wiped tables and showed a couple to a corner booth. She sliced pie,
mopped up spilled tea, and managed to do it all with a friendly smile and a
kind word to everyone in the place.

Once he finished his meal, he rose, ready to tackle the
problems in the kitchen. When Jill walked by, he reached out and grabbed her.
His impetuous movement surprised her, and her eyes widened when he wrapped his
arms securely around her waist and pulled her close. When she opened her mouth
to lambaste him, he swooped down and kissed her, long and hard.

He’d intended a quick brush of the lips. He couldn’t resist
her for one more moment. Watching her, being so close to her all day, was
wreaking havoc on his libido. At this point, he wasn’t above begging.

Jill fought him for only a moment before her body went soft
against his, and her tongue swiped across his lips.

So she wasn’t immune to a little public display of affection
herself. He groaned softly, and the sound brought them both to their senses as
they broke away.

They stared at each other, and he wondered what in the hell
had possessed him to come on so strongly. The patrons in the diner erupted into
applause, several of the men hooting, the elderly ladies giggling.

He grinned, offering her an apology. “Sorry, pixie. Lost my
head.”

She returned his smile with one of her own. “Little late for
that now, isn’t it? I’ll never live this down.”

He shrugged. “Hey, I live in this town too.”

“You’re impossible.”

“I’m wearing you down, aren’t I?”

She shook her head slowly, averting her eyes, and he
glimpsed true sadness in her gaze. He started to question her but she wiggled
out of his grip, shook off his hold. Within seconds, the indomitable Jill
reappeared. “No. You’re aren’t. You can’t.”

She walked away, leaving him in the wake of her last words.

You can’t.

Chapter Three

Jill wiped the kitchen counter after lunch rush the next
day, keeping one eye on the back door. Wes hadn’t shown up this morning to
work. They hadn’t discussed work hours for him and she wasn’t sure why his
absence annoyed her so much. Seth had never put in more than a couple of hours
a week and even that was whenever he wanted.

So why was she pissed as hell that Wes wasn’t here? She
tried to fight back her frustration. She was actually missing him. Missing him!
Damn it, the infuriating man left her so confused, she didn’t know if she was
coming or going. He’d worked most of the day yesterday, finally getting her
second bathroom functioning. After his very public proclamation at lunch, he’d
kept his hands to himself, much to her relief…and chagrin.

Regardless of her opinion that the two of them would be
better off in different states—hell, on different continents—she couldn’t deny
the desires that sizzled throughout her body whenever he was nearby. She was
irresistibly drawn to him and it scared the hell out of her. She’d known long
before Christmas that she was fighting a losing battle where Wes Robson was
concerned, but she couldn’t give in. There was too much at stake. Too much she
couldn’t tell him. She had to figure out a way to keep her hands to herself.
She’d fight her need for the man with every breath in her body, which sadly
wasn’t saying much, considering her new handyman left her absolutely
breathless.

“Morning, pixie.” His voice rang out from the back door.

She turned slowly, scowling. “You’re late.”

He grinned and produced a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers
from behind his back. “I didn’t know I had strict work hours. That may cause a
bit of a problem for me.”

She took the flowers, fighting to hide her delight at his
thoughtful gesture. Her mind raced as she tried to remember whether any man had
ever given her flowers before. She couldn’t recall a single instance in her
life.

“Thanks.”

His eyebrows rose. “Thanks? That’s it?”

She narrowed her eyes. “What were you expecting? That I
would fall down on my knees and kiss your feet? Whose yard did you steal these
from anyway?”

He laughed, and she struggled not to grin.

“There it is,” he said. “I knew there had to be some sort of
smartass remark buried somewhere in that
thank you
. Damn, for a minute
there I thought you were losing your touch.”

She rolled her eyes as she turned and bent down to rummage
in the cabinet for a vase. “So about your work hours, I think—”

“I’ve applied for another job, so my work hours here are
going to have to be scheduled around that.”

“What other job?” She was surprised by his comment. He had
been recuperating from the injuries he’d sustained in his last DEA mission, and
while Rick had made inroads toward starting his new business, Wes hadn’t
mentioned his plans for the future.

“I don’t want to say anything until I know for sure I’ve got
it. Might jinx myself.”

“Since when did you become superstitious?”

He wrapped his arm around her waist from behind as she
turned to fill the vase with water. He pulled her braid aside with one hand,
planting soft kisses on the back of her neck. Shit, how could he turn her to
mush with just a few light touches?

“Wes.” Her voice betrayed her, sounding more like an
invitation than a chastisement.

“Hmm,” he murmured as his hands drifted beneath her blouse
to cup her breasts. His fingers toyed with her nipples as he pressed his firm
erection into her ass.

“Damn it,” she murmured.

“What happened to your car?” he asked, shocking her with his
abrupt change of subject.

“My car?”

“I noticed on the way in that there were some scratches in
the door.”

She nodded. “Oh yeah. Happened a few days ago. Looks like
some shithead keyed the driver’s side door when I was at the grocery store.”

Wes frowned, but she dismissed it. “It’s an old car, Wes.
I’m not too worried about it.” She put the flowers in the vase and started to
arrange them.

“So how about I take you out to dinner tonight?” He leaned
against the counter and snatched a handful of pretzels from a bowl.

“I have to work tonight.”

“You work every night,” he said. “You’re the boss. Give
yourself tonight off.”

“I can’t leave Cheryl shorthanded on such late notice.
Besides, Tuesdays are Lottie’s night off, so I’m cooking while Cheryl serves.”

He frowned. “You need to hire more help. You work too hard.”

She recognized the truth behind his words. Lately, she was
tired, overworked, and she longed for some real time away. Taking a shift off
here and there simply wasn’t cutting it anymore. She wanted a break from the
place, a real vacation.

“Hiring more people costs money.” The excuse was a weak one.
The diner did well enough that she could hire on at least two more full-time
people without any problem.

“Sell that to someone who’s buying it, Jill. I’ve seen the
business you do around here and I know this building is bought and paid for.
Money isn’t the issue and you know it.”

“Maybe not, but you said yourself the place needs some major
repairs. That’s going to cost me plenty of money and maybe even some downtime,
while the repairs are being made. Now’s not a good time to consider increasing
staff.”

He fell silent and she knew she’d convinced him with her
argument. Now if only she could convince herself. She’d love to be able to go
out on a moment’s notice for a night of fun.

“You know what they say?”

“What’s that?” she prompted.

“All work and no fun…”

“Makes Jill a dull girl.”

He gave her a sexy grin. “You couldn’t be boring if you
tried. So save a night this weekend for me.”

She started to protest but he placed his fingers against her
lips. “I’m giving you plenty of advance warning. Besides, there’s the issue of
my payment. I did work quite a few hours yesterday.”

She grimaced as his statement hit home. He’d worked close to
an eight-hour day, and she wondered how in the hell she’d manage that many
hours alone with him without falling into his arms or better yet, his bed.

Aw shit. Better yet?

Yep, she was screwed. Hopefully, literally as well as
figuratively. She groaned at the waywardness of her cursed thoughts.

Wes tugged at her braid. “Don’t look so worried. I aim to
make sure you enjoy paying up. Every single second of it.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.”

He glanced at his watch and shook his head. “Listen, pixie,
as much as I’d love to spend the day with you, I’ve got a job interview. I’ll
catch up with you later.”

He gave her a quick, friendly kiss on the lips before
vanishing out the back door again.

She sighed. Even his platonic kisses managed to fire up her
libido. She looked at the clock on the wall and wondered if she had time to
visit her vibrator before getting ready for the supper crowd.

Nope, of course she didn’t. Damn, it was going to be a long
night.

* * * * *

Jill bade the last of the diners goodnight and locked the
front door. She turned the sign that hung there to the
closed
side and
pulled the blinds down.

“Dishes are done, Jill,” Cheryl called from the kitchen.
“You need help with anything else?”

“No.” Jill blew out a tired breath.

It had been a long day, physically and emotionally. The
diner had been quite busy for a weeknight. Unfortunately, she had Wes on the
brain and it had made it hard for her to concentrate. She’d screwed up more
orders than she’d gotten right.

Cheryl walked into the dining room. “So let’s have it,” she
said as she sat on a stool at the bar, her body language indicating she wasn’t
budging until Jill gave her the answer she was looking for.

“Have what?”

“Where’s your head been tonight? It’s not like you to foul
up so many things.”

Jill rubbed her eyes wearily and claimed the stool next to
her friend. “Three guesses, and the first two don’t count.”

“Wes.”

Jill put her head down on her arms on the counter, the action
reminding her of a naughty school girl being punished. “I’m so fucked up.”

“No, you’re not. You’re falling in love. And if I’m not
mistaken, it’s the first time in a long time you’ve let yourself do that.”

Jill didn’t raise her head. “I can’t fall in love with him.”

“Why not?”

Jill kept her eyes closed. Avoided direct eye contact with
her best friend. Not even Cheryl knew the secret she was carrying. She wasn’t
sure why she hadn’t told Cheryl or why she hadn’t confided in her sister Kate.
At first, she’d hoped the doctor was wrong. Now it was simply too painful to
think about. As long as she was single, unattached, she could pretend it didn’t
exist. Being with Wes, wanting more with him, had driven it right back to the
forefront, and she needed help.

Raising her head, she started to say the words but they
lodged in her throat. She shrugged instead. “Because he’s a pain in the ass.”

Cheryl smiled but Jill could see she hadn’t fooled her
friend. “No, he’s not.”

They fell silent, and Jill knew Cheryl was giving her a
chance to come clean.