of accompanying Jordan to a Christmas tree lot. A family outing would be good for him and Tyler.
She headed for her place and a shower, then remembered the silver chest. She briefly wondered again what it held inside, then shrugged and tucked it safely in the box with the Christmas lights and ornaments, carrying it to the guesthouse for safekeeping.
***
“You climbed into the attic by yourself?”
Jordan had come home early, surprising Isabella by arriving before Tyler and Emily. She’d gone back to the kitchen for a diet soda and hadn’t showered yet. She was self-conscious standing there in her old jeans with the frayed hems and ripped knees, and avoided Jordan’s stare. “I wanted to decorate for the holidays. I thought it would be good for Tyler.”
“You should have waited for me.” Jordan eyed the ladder still leaning against the wall in the hallway behind her. “You could’ve fallen.” His green eyes slid over her, first checking for injuries, then becoming darker as he noted her worn-out, casual clothes.
Isabella’s heart beat wildly against her ribs. “I’m capable of climbing a ladder, Jordan.” She checked the slight tremor in her voice, wondering if it was nerves or his attractive appearance, slightly disheveled after a day’s work, yet sexy in his white shirt and casual faded jeans. The hint of his aftershave in the air reminded her of being scooped into his arms twice…
And when he’d almost kissed her.
“I have to change,” she said quickly, exiting the house and his vicinity – hoping a warm shower would clear her straying thoughts. But, even as she stepped into her robe twenty minutes later, the memory of their romantic close calls still lingered on her mind. She sat on the edge of the bed and towel dried her hair, resisting the urge to pound the mattress in frustration.
A light tap on the door startled her. She stood quickly and pulled the tie on her robe tight.
“Yes?”
“Isabella,” came Jordan’s deep voice from outside. “I’d like to talk to you.”
She hesitated a moment, then walked the short distance and opened the door a bit, peeking out. “I’m not dressed. What do you want?”
A spark lit his eyes and her treacherous body responded, despite the warning bells blaring in her head. When he stared at her like that, every fiber in her came alive, hummed. Phillip had left her cold – it was a shock to her system. Just a simple look from Jordan could set her on fire, and make her feel beautiful again. Ignoring the reminder she’d given herself this morning, she opened the door wider for him to enter.
“I want to apologize,” Jordan started, hesitating as his gaze moved up her bare legs, to the fuzzy robe tightly cinched at her waist, accentuating the swell of her breasts. He cleared his throat and looked away. “The decorations look great, Isabella. It was thoughtful of you to do it – thank you.” He raked his hands through his hair, stepping back toward the door, about to exit. “I’d better go.”
Despite the apology, and his approval of her decorating efforts, Isabella suddenly needed – wanted – more from him. “Jordan.” The urgency in her voice made him stop. His eyes settled on her face, away from her current state of dress. “You’re welcome,” she said, softly now.
She moved toward him, throwing caution to the wind. She wanted to know he was attracted to her, not just seeking an escape from his past. His expression went from surprised to smoldering as Isabella loosened the tie on her robe. She heard his quick breath and her heart fluttered in response. Lifting his hand, she placed it inside the soft fabric covering her chest. She sighed, bending her head back slightly as he slowly rubbed his thumb across the soft skin of her breast.
“Dear God…” The hesitation in his eyes was momentary, then he was pulling her to him, crushing her mouth with his, forcing her lips apart. Isabella wound her arms around his neck as they moved toward the bed behind them. His hands caressed her, spreading electricity everywhere he touched. He moved his mouth to her neck, trailed hot kisses along her sensitive skin. When he reclaimed her lips, his tongue mingled with hers, stirring a fire deep in her core.
Oh my…
Isabella’s knees went weak, and she slowly pulled him down with her to the bed. She held her breath, waiting, anticipating. Wanting him to make love to her. She saw the raw hunger in his eyes – the hesitation warring with desire. He started to move in again – then stopped. His heated expression was replaced by an unreadable mask as he pulled away. His words were cold water, dousing their fire. “I can’t do this – Emily and Tyler will be back soon.”
But she knew it was more than the threat of Emily and Tyler’s return that stopped him. She recognized the flash of pain in his eyes – she’d seen it when he told her about Kim. He couldn’t do this. Not as long as Kim still haunted him.
Isabella closed her eyes and nodded, pulling her robe shut. She heard him close the door and mustered the strength to get dressed and comb her hair. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment over her blatant behavior. What had come over her? She’d never acted like this before. But no one, not even Phillip, had ever affected her this way. Thank goodness Jordan had the sense to put a stop to things before they’d gone any farther.
Oh yes, she wanted him – badly. But her reaction to him today was proof that Jordan could wipe away whatever footing she’d gained in her emotional salvage, since Phillip.
And she might never fully recover if she put her heart in Jordan’s line of fire.
“Miss Stevens!” Tyler’s excited squeal cut through the heavy snow that had begun to fall.
Isabella rushed to keep up with him as he ran through the Christmas tree lot. “Tyler, wait for me! I don’t want to lose sight of you.”
Jordan trailed behind, telling them to go ahead, and he’d load the tree as soon as they picked one out. Isabella didn’t argue, and he assumed she was just as uncomfortable as he was over their encounter a few hours earlier. Emily and Tyler had returned while Isabella was getting dressed from her shower, and thanks to her efforts at decorating, Tyler’s uncharacteristic excitement pushed their steamy kiss to the back burner. However, they had yet to look each other in the eyes since then.
Jordan took his time catching up to them. He wanted to think about what had happened between him and Isabella. The refreshing winter air helped to clear his head, without feeling as if the walls were closing in on him. Ever since Isabella had moved next door, he’d tried to be on his best behavior, both in spending time with Tyler, and in reining in his attraction to her. But he couldn’t fight the fact that he was completely uneasy – with all of it.
He’d put all his survival instincts on the shelf and was doing exactly what he knew he shouldn’t – looking forward to seeing them every morning, and every night when he came home from work. He couldn’t help but worry that he was coming dangerously close to forming some sort of attachment to them. And that couldn’t possibly end well for him. But he asked Isabella to move in, and he trusted her advice where Tyler was concerned. He had to put his nephew’s happiness ahead of his own. And as excruciating as it had been, he’d done that today.
It had taken all of his willpower to leave the ravishing Isabella lying there on her bed, all soft and willing, after
