Chapter Eight
From her position atop the post on her lifeguard tower, Janie watched as the sun sank into the ocean the following evening. Everything today had been peaceful, thankfully. Nothing more interesting had happened than helping an elderly lady into the shade when she became overheated. A perfect day.
If she could have stopped thinking about Archer for more than five minutes at a time, it would have been better. The man was stuck in her brain now. She wanted to trust him so badly that it surprised her. It was exactly how she’d felt with Larissa, and she couldn’t understand.
Maybe her dad calling and asking to see her had thrown her off her game. Archer was so sweet and understanding, letting her talk without pressuring her, that it had her confused. That had to be what was happening. She couldn’t really trust him or find herself honestly attracted to him.
While beautiful colors played across the sky and ocean, Janie collected her belongings. Swimming after sunset was ‘swim at your own risk,’ and the lifeguards were no longer on duty until the following morning. It was time to find something to distract herself. If she went back to Larissa’s right away, she’d find herself talking to Archer again. That could be dangerous. She had nothing to gain from getting close to him and so much to lose! Her father’s phone call should be a reminder of that fact—not something that drove her to Archer’s arms, however temporarily she allowed herself to need him.
If she was honest with herself, it had been awfully nice being surrounded by Archer’s masculinity and care without him expecting anything from her physically. Nice or not, she knew that sort of thing wouldn’t last. Men were all the same, and that suited her just fine because it helped her life make sense. She never expected a man to look at her as more than a bed buddy to use and then toss away. She used them the same way, so never had to be hurt. No expectations meant no disappointment down the road.
Not that her bestie would ever understand that. Larissa had been sly this morning, saying when she returned home last night she’d heard Janie talking with Archer so had gone to bed without disrupting them. She’d seemed so happy and sure that something was developing. Janie hadn’t had the heart to tell Larissa she’d turned to Archer because her father called. It would only spoil her friend’s hopeful mood and stress Larissa out, knowing she hadn’t been there when Janie really needed her.
Actually, it was a good thing she’d talked to Archer. Larissa would have become distressed, which would have made Janie worse. Archer’s comforting understanding had calmed Janie. In fact, after leaving his room she’d slept like a baby. His voice, his arms, his warm body was all so nice, a perfect fit for her.
No! I’m not thinking of him anymore, dammit!
“Hey, Janie!”
As she stepped off her lifeguard tower, she nearly ran into one of her former playmates. “Oh, Chance. How’s it going?”
“Great! I’ve been looking for you.” Chance indicated the man standing next to him. “This is my friend from Arizona, Jaden. He came here to work this season. I told him all about you and how much fun you can be, and he’s ready to party! Have any plans tonight?”
Archer’s handsome face flashed through her mind, but Janie shook her head. “Nothing yet, but I’m always open to suggestions.”
Jaden stepped forward, a smile on his lips. He took her hand in his and pulled it up to his generous mouth, kissing it. “How about dancing at the new club they opened this season? I hear it’s great.”
Pulling her hand away, Janie batted her eyelashes and tossed her hair playfully. It was obviously a setup for a booty call, but maybe that was what she needed to regain the balance Archer had somehow been destroying in her life. “Chance told you I don’t do relationships?”
“Sure.” Jaden winked. “I don’t either. I’m searching for simple, mindless fun tonight.”
“In that case, I’d love to join you. Give me a half hour to get changed. I can hardly go dancing in a swimsuit.”
“I don’t know,” Jaden shrugged, running his hand down her bare arm. “This would definitely be easy to take off afterward.”
While she normally enjoyed flirting like this and the buildup that led to sleeping with her date of the night, for some reason, Janie’s stomach churned, and she felt slightly nauseated. The memory of Archer’s warm arms surrounding her while he simply held her and listened to her story wouldn’t go away. There was nothing sexual about it, and she’d never felt more protected in her life.
Stop! Enough about him. Get a grip, girl, or you’re going to end up on your own tonight!
She put on a sexy pout that she knew drove men nuts. “Half the fun is in the undressing. If you don’t know that, Jaden, I’m not sure you’re the right man for what I need.”
“Don’t worry, babe,” he responded. “I know how to make all your dreams come true.”
“Ha! Big talker,” she teased. “They say how a man dances tells a lot about how he makes love. We’ll see if you’re good enough to show me any of your dream-granting skills or if I’m headed home alone tonight.”
“Oh, trust me. Go put on your party dress, babe. I’ll show you everything you need to see.”
***
Archer stopped at the bottom of the stairs, holding onto the railing and breathing heavily. “Maybe this was a bad idea, Larissa.”
Larissa shook her head. “Doc said to get you walking more. He said stairs would be okay today as long as we took them slow. You made it fine. Why don’t we sit you down on the couch a minute and rest?”
He held onto her small shoulders while making his way into a comfortable-looking living room. She helped him sit, and Archer let out a soft groan of pain. He knew he had to get moving, but he really wished it was Janie helping him. Larissa was so petite and seemed weak. He worried if she’d even be able to help him get back upstairs to his room.
“When’s Janie due home?” he asked, struggling to keep his voice casual. He didn’t want Larissa to pick up on how anxious he was to see his angel.
Not that it seemed to fool her. A small grin played across Larissa’s mouth. “Missing her, are you?”
Probably no sense denying it. Besides, lying to Larissa with her charming innocence seemed impossible. “Maybe.”
Suddenly, a noise came through the baby monitor sitting on the coffee table.
“Oops, Lilly’s awake.” Larissa stood. “Keep resting here for a few minutes. She doesn’t wake up once I put her down very often. Probably just needs her diaper changed and then she’ll go right back to sleep. Be right back.”
Archer concentrated on his breathing while Larissa dashed off. He could hear her speaking to Lilly through the monitor and couldn’t help but smile. If only he’d had a mom like her, his life would have been different. Lilly didn’t know how good she had things.
Thinking of mothers inevitably lead Archer to thoughts of Janie’s mom. The woman had certainly loved her daughter. It sounded like she fought hard to spend more time on earth with her, but unfortunately cancer was a bitch and willpower alone couldn’t overcome it. He hoped Janie was okay today after sharing all that with him. She’d hardly said anything while helping him out during the day, and as soon as Larissa returned home, Janie couldn’t leave the house fast enough.
She probably felt embarrassed by all she’d told him, considering she wasn’t the sharing type, but he hoped she got over that soon.
Larissa returned to the living room, passing Archer a glass of water and sitting next to him. “So, tell me about last night. Janie wouldn’t say much but I could hear you guys talking. Sounded like things were going good.”
Obviously, Larissa and her hopes for a storybook romance for her friend had already paired Archer and Janie together.
“We just talked,” he said. “Her dad called, and it upset her. She ended up telling me about her childhood.”
“Wait!” Larissa held up a hand, plunking her glass of water onto the coffee table and turning to face him fully. “Her dad called? Why? How? What did he want?”
“Janie didn’t tell me that, but she did mutter something about him wanting to see her now after thirteen years.”
“Oh, goodness.” Larissa’s hand flew to her mouth and her eyes went wide. “And here I went on all morning rambling about her being alone with you and teasing her. I thought that was the reason she seemed off, but her dad... I can’t imagine how upset she must have been.”
“Yeah. It seemed rough on her, but I helped as best I could.”
“And she told you about her past?”
“About her childhood and the way she was treated for being half black and half white. Plus, she said her dad had cheated on her mom and then left them.”
Larissa’s eyes went even wider. “She didn’t tell me all those things until I’d known her more than a year. I can’t believe she opened up to you like that.”
“Do you think it’s a good sign? Maybe we can be friends.”
“Is a friendship all you want with her?” Larissa raised an eyebrow. “She’s already charmed you, hasn’t she? I know the way she is with men freaked you out, but obviously you got over that and tried to help her. Can I hope you’re a good guy who might show Janie a different type of man than what she’s known?”
Damn! Did Larissa have high expectations for him or what?
“I’ve only known her a few days, Larissa. It’s a little early to plan our wedding.” Not to mention, it hadn’t been too terribly long since he canceled wedding plans with his bitch of an ex.
“But it could happen,” Larissa insisted. “You’re attracted to her, right?”
Archer sighed, trying not to show the entirety of his exasperation. “Larissa, only a blind man wouldn’t be attracted to her. You need to slow down. She’s attractive. I like her. She saved my life. I want to get to know her better and become friends, but I’m not looking for a girlfriend, even if Janie were the type of woman to want to be one.”
Larissa’s happy face fell, and she slumped back into the couch. “Fine. I guess I got carried away. It’s just that I love Janie so much, and I know she pretends to be happy, but I see the pain she carries around. These one-night stands aren’t making her happy, no matter what she tells herself. She’s convinced herself that every man out there is like her father, so she just satisfies her needs without getting attached. I’m afraid that lifestyle will eventually destroy her beautiful spirit and make her miserable.”
Archer couldn’t argue with that reasoning. While he now understood why Janie did what she did, sleeping with one person after another still had to suck her soul out in a way. Maybe she wouldn’t be hurt by a man leaving or betraying her, but wasn’t she hurting herself?
When he first met her and was repulsed by her attitude, he would have guessed that her lifestyle didn’t bother her at all. She was a promiscuous sex addict who just wanted to get her rocks off. That’s what he’d thought. After talking more with her, seeing her sensitive side and understanding what led her to the life she had chosen, Archer feared Larissa was right.
“What can we do to help her?” he asked. “She’s a grown woman, and barely considering trusting me as it is. There’s not much I can say to stop her from doing what she wants, and she’s obviously ignoring your advice too.”
Larissa nodded, curling her legs up on the couch beneath her and looking down at her knees. “She’s planning on going out tonight. I didn’t want to tell you, but that’s the reason she’s not home. I don’t expect her back until morning. I know she’ll find someone to...”
The sudden knifing pain in Archer’s chest had nothing to do with his injured ribs. Somehow, when she’d opened up to him last night, he’d subconsciously hoped that meant he was special to her. He didn’t know why but hearing she was out cruising and trying to get laid hurt deeply.
“Why don’t we get this walk over with?” he asked. “I’m ready for bed.”
Larissa nodded, her blue eyes gazing at him mournfully. “Please don’t give up on her, Archer. I think you’re the only person who can really help her.”
“I’m just a guy she saved from drowning.” His voice betrayed the bitterness he suddenly felt.
“No.” She reached over and squeezed his arm. “I can feel the tension between you guys. There’s something there. I’ve never seen her so worked up over a man before as she’s been about you. Whether she’s scared, happy, or mad, you’re affecting her in ways I never expected to see.” Larissa helped pull him to his feet. “Promise me you won’t give up. I know you like her.”
He gave a small nod. “Fine. You’re right. I can’t get her out of my mind and keep thinking I want something more than a friendship. I’ll keep trying.”
“She’ll make you work for it,” Larissa said, “but I promise she’s worth it.”
Archer hoped his brain and heart could agree on his best course of action sometime soon. He wanted to be with her, wanted to get to know her more, but hearing that she’d gone out tonight to find meaningless sex was almost too much to handle. Sure, she’d been hurt by her past, but at some point, she had to take responsibilities for her own actions. Could he really ever trust a woman with Janie’s past? Could he forgive her for screwing some random guy while he was at home waiting for her?