Chapter Twenty-Nine
HUNTER FLEW OUT the door and caught up to Jana. “Where the heck are you going?”
“Nowhere.” She paced, hands clenched tight.
“Jana, what’s going on? Why are you angry?”
“Because,” she spat. “Why do you have to act like a Neanderthal? I can handle myself.”
“Seriously?” He closed the distance between them. “Did you want that jerk to touch you? Because if you did, then forget me, Jana. I thought you were mine.” And then it hit him like a brick in the face, and he stopped cold. His entire body turned to ice as his words hung in the air between them.
First the key, now this? What is going on?
“Hunter…” She reached for him, but he took a step away.
“Jana…?”
“I don’t need you to go all caveman crazy. I’m allowed to dance. I’m allowed to move my body to the music, and yes, guys are going to look. They might even approach me, but come on, Hunter, don’t you trust me to handle myself?”
“Do you want me, Jana?” As soon as he said it, her lips curved up in that crazy sweet smile that turned him inside out, and he realized he’d asked for the three words she was never going to give him.
She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.
He laughed, despite the anger that was coursing through him. “You’re a pain in the butt.”
“So are you,” she pointed out. “I’m not a delicate flower, Hunter. I can tell a guy to back off if I need to.”
She was so incredibly sexy when she was ornery, and he loved her so much, he couldn’t hold on to his anger any longer. “No kidding. You’ve done it to me.” He stepped in closer, wrapping his arms around her waist.
“I never told you to back off. I told you to learn how to be romantic.” She flashed a sassy smirk.
“Fine…” He slanted his mouth over hers, taking her in a deliciously warm kiss. “You’re mine, Jana, and no woman of mine is going to dance like that and turn on other guys.”
She pushed away from him. “You’re infuriating sometimes. It’s not the 1950s.”
“You’re right, it’s not. But you make me want to beat the heck out of any guy who looks at you.”
She stood with her hands on her hips, looking impossibly stern and sexy at once. “You always tell me to trust you. Well, what about you, Hunter? Don’t you have to trust me, too?” Before he could respond, she said, “I’m going back in to party with everyone. It’s a celebration, remember? Sky and Sawyer deserve a happy night. They don’t need us fighting about keys and jerks.”
As she disappeared through the pub door, Hunter groaned, hoping to heaven that was the second step back and that the next one would be a step forward. He knew Jana too well to hope for the leap.
Two hours later, after a tense celebration, they pulled up in front of Jana’s house. Hunter cut the engine and they sat in silence.
“I’m sorry we argued,” he said into the dark.
“Me too.”
His phone rang, and he pulled it out and groaned. “It’s Clark. I’ve got to take it.” He stepped from the truck as he answered.
“Hunter, Nina and I had a big fight. Can I crash at your place?” Clark sounded horrible, defeated. His voice was scratchy and rough, as if he’d been yelling.
He ran his hand through his hair. Going home was the last thing he wanted to do. He and Jana didn’t argue, not like this. Their arguments weren’t arguments at all. They were mating dances. But tonight felt different—and it had all started with the stupid key. But he couldn’t blow off his buddy because of their rotten night. “Of course. I’m at Jana’s. Give me twenty minutes to get there.”
After ending the call he helped Jana out of the truck and told her he had to go let Clark in.
“That’s okay. We’re both tired. A little space will do us good.” Her eyes were filled with sadness, and it made him want to stay right there and figure their relationship out, but it was after midnight and he knew from experience a little space would probably do them more good than staying up all night, especially with the competition tomorrow.
“I’m sorry, Jana. He sounded awful, and I don’t know what’s going on, but I’d imagine we’ll be up for a while talking about whatever he’s going through.”
She shrugged. “It’s fine. He needs you.”
Part of him wished she’d ask what about me? and say she needed him, too. Or beg him to come over after he was done talking with Clark. But that wasn’t Jana.
Jana was the woman who freaked out about a key.
“My competition is tomorrow afternoon. You’re still planning to come?”
She hooked her finger in his belt loop, and that simple, familiar touch eased his worries.
“Of course.” She went up on her toes and pressed her lips to his.
His phone vibrated again, cutting their kiss short. After one more chaste kiss, they gazed into each other’s eyes. A world of questions passed between them, falling into the crevice that had formed between them.
JANA STOOD IN the foyer of her house listening to the sound of Hunter’s truck fade into the night. The silence of the room closed in on her. How long had it been since she’d been home alone at night?
She walked down the hall to her bedroom, feeling exhausted. Depleted. Ready to drop. She’d gone through so many emotions lately that maybe a night alone would be a good thing. She’d never needed company before. Why should she now? And besides, she could use the rest. They both could.
She took off her jewelry and stripped off her clothes. She needed a shower, but she was too tired to make it happen. Instead, she brushed her teeth and washed her face. Hunter’s scent lingered on the towel. She glanced around the bathroom at his toiletries mingling with hers. We’re practically living together.
Jana turned off the light and padded into the bedroom, taking a T-shirt from Hunter’s drawer and pulling it over her head. Then she slipped beneath the covers and closed her eyes.
She’d never been one for opening acts, but she’d take the opening act instead of standing on an empty stage.