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Dee could senseand held her silence while the teen pulled her thoughts together Her co clicked away in the silence
Euess I’ll have to take lanced at Madison "It’s not like I have a lot of choices"
"I’ed on the heift
Jacob took care of everyone, shoveling driveways, pulling cars out of ditches, even helping finance teenage dates Three days of cleaning with Grace had clued Dee in that Jacob wasn’t paying forout loud She couldn’t see dust until it flew up her nose
Eht Jacob suffered from a major case of protector syndrome
Which meant she wasn’t anyone special to hi into his life She couldn’t shrug free of the feeling she wanted to be more
Problem was, Jacob deserved to have someone who could take care of him, as well He deserved an equal, not another charity case
Why did that Jacob Stone have to screw up everything? The man was too damn possessive of her, a female anted to haul butt with her child
His kid
The Suburban cranked to life He’d planned everything to a tee, how to shake free of her while keeping his kid close, but now Stone was helping her Before long, she would be able to stand on her own and that would threaten all of his plans He neededthat bastard could ruin
He backed the SUV out of the parking space before pulling onto the highway Once he cruised to sixtythe volume so the kid in back would settle down Shouldn’t take too long since he’d already figured out the tyke’s favorites
He would have to wait until his child fell asleep tonight before ain control But without question, sos up
And as the best way to get back at a man who didn’t scare easily? Hit him where he was vulnerable Mess with his wo in the back of the Ford pickup and watching the stars, Jacob didn’t hear Dee’s footsteps until she tossed a blanket into the truck bed He lowered the beer from his mouth "Get back inside where it’s warm"
He winced at his own irritable tone, not that it see about? It’s a balht And no wind chill The snow’s evenI barely need a coat" She hooked her knee on the tailgate and hefted herself up "Mind some company?"
"Yes" He’d had a crap day
His tireat reassurance either way The guy vowed he loved Emily, but acted like more of a playmate with Madison
Then he’d realized E out short
And to top it off, Dee looked too da hell with his libido The pink sweater had hugged her brsts all day long
Just staring at her coat, he wanted to slip his hands beneath and find the soft cash hi her way over the slick patches of hts hu, hands stuffed in her coat pockets
Soe the words to make her leave "Da him time for a comeback, she jabbed her thumb upward "Get up"
"What?"
"Get up I want to spread out the blanket to sit on"
He eased to his feet Why did she have to invade his space, showing up all hot and sood when he just wanted to drink his beer and watch the Northern Lights in peace? "I didn’t invite you out here"
"But you have the best seat in the house"
Best seat? She couldn’tto her Still, a grin teased at his face
Her startled gaze flew to his, down to his backside and up again A flush crawled up her cheeks that threatened to raise the terees "I, uh, your seat…"
"Thanks"
"Best place to view the Northern Lights, I meant," Dee said in a prim, schoolmarm tone She whipped the blanket out and plopped down "Conized a deter but fired up and frustrated--o
"Here" She flung a wad of so a corner of the blanket over her shoulder
Jacob uncurled one hand from his bottle and picked up…a hat He set his beer to the side and turned to Dee "You have a thing about hats"
"Well then, put it on"
"Bossy" A half smile touched his lips, if not his mood He reached for Dee’s scarf Did she know she swayed toward him anytime he brushed near her? Like now Slowly, he unwrapped the length from around her ears Dee listed forward It would be so easy to cover her ed the stocking cap over her head "Hat’s on"
"Very funny"
Taking more time than he needed, he pulled her hair free from the back, brushed stray strands away froloves and war frorew faster, heavier "I her "To quote Emily, ‘Duh’"