Read Online Brave the Heat by Sara Humphreys - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Sara Humphreys
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about. Please, Jordan.” The sound of her name on his lips was painfully sweet. Gavin inched closer while cradling her cheek. “Say yes,” he whispered. “Give us a do-over. I want to get to know you again. I’ve missed you. I miss my friend.”
She almost whimpered in agreement. God, how she’d missed him. She lay awake some nights with her eyes squeezed shut, trying to recall the feel of his hands on her, the deep lovely sound of his voice that surrounded her like a blanket, and the warm weight of his body against hers. Each year that passed made it harder to remember, but now here he stood, bringing all of those delicious memories to the surface.
He ran his thumb over her lower lip as his gaze skittered over her face. Jordan’s belly tightened in anticipation. He was going to kiss her. After all this time and all these years, it was really going to happen.
And she was going to let it.
Never mind that they were practically standing in a refrigerator or that they had about a hundred unspoken and unresolved issues between them. Gavin McGuire was going to kiss her, and the consequences could be damned.
Gavin leaned in and Jordan’s eyes fluttered closed as she waited for her fantasy to become reality.
“Hey, Jordan?” Cookie’s voice shot through the store and brought Jordan’s current reality screaming into focus. “Do you know what time the delivery is coming tomorrow morning? I think it’s usually at—”
Gavin swore and dropped his hand but didn’t take his eyes off Jordan’s.
“Oh man.” Cookie giggled from the doorway of the back room. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine, Cookie.” Jordan smiled at her and then turned back to the fridge, avoiding Gavin’s heated stare. “We were looking for some yellow roses.”
“Yeah, well, you know all those flowers are gonna die if you keep that door open while you’re looking . The way you’re fogging up that glass it looks like we should be keeping hothouse flowers in there.”
“Did you need Jordan for something, Cookie?” Gavin asked with thinly veiled impatience. Hands back in his pockets, he took a step away from Jordan. “Or do you merely excel at crappy timing?”
“Sorry, Chief.” Cookie’s short purple-and-blue hair stuck out in a hundred different directions, and she winked when she peeked out from behind the swinging door. She reminded Jordan of a fairy from the stories she read to her daughters. Her tiny delicate frame, fair skin, and mischievous grin added to the girl’s fae-like appearance. “It’s a gift.”
“That’s not what I would call it,” he grumbled.
“The delivery should be here by seven or so.” Jordan shot Gavin a warning glance before grabbing the bucket with the yellow roses and heading over to the counter. Space , she thought. We need a little space to keep things clear. “Maddy’s been here to meet the deliveries most mornings, but I told her I can be here for the one on Sunday. The woman hasn’t had a minute to rest with all the summer renters coming into town this week. The girls don’t have camp on Sunday, but they can come to the store with me.”
“Cool.” Cookie smirked and looked from Jordan to Gavin. “Way cool.”
“Bye, Cookie.” Gavin waved. “See ya later.”
“Right.” The girl stepped behind the door so Gavin wouldn’t see her and gave Jordan two thumbs up before it swung shut.
Jordan’s face heated with embarrassment. Gavin strolled casually around the store while she made quick work of wrapping up a dozen roses. A smile played at her lips; she did remember that they were Mrs. McGuire’s favorite flower. Gavin’s mom always had them around the house in the summertime. She used to tell Jordan that sunny blooms could pretty up even the darkest places. Not that the McGuire house needed any of that. It was the happiest, brightest, and most loving home Jordan had ever been in and one she wanted to emulate with her own daughters.
Even if she wasn’t a McGuire.
Gavin stared out
She almost whimpered in agreement. God, how she’d missed him. She lay awake some nights with her eyes squeezed shut, trying to recall the feel of his hands on her, the deep lovely sound of his voice that surrounded her like a blanket, and the warm weight of his body against hers. Each year that passed made it harder to remember, but now here he stood, bringing all of those delicious memories to the surface.
He ran his thumb over her lower lip as his gaze skittered over her face. Jordan’s belly tightened in anticipation. He was going to kiss her. After all this time and all these years, it was really going to happen.
And she was going to let it.
Never mind that they were practically standing in a refrigerator or that they had about a hundred unspoken and unresolved issues between them. Gavin McGuire was going to kiss her, and the consequences could be damned.
Gavin leaned in and Jordan’s eyes fluttered closed as she waited for her fantasy to become reality.
“Hey, Jordan?” Cookie’s voice shot through the store and brought Jordan’s current reality screaming into focus. “Do you know what time the delivery is coming tomorrow morning? I think it’s usually at—”
Gavin swore and dropped his hand but didn’t take his eyes off Jordan’s.
“Oh man.” Cookie giggled from the doorway of the back room. “Sorry.”
“It’s fine, Cookie.” Jordan smiled at her and then turned back to the fridge, avoiding Gavin’s heated stare. “We were looking for some yellow roses.”
“Yeah, well, you know all those flowers are gonna die if you keep that door open while you’re looking . The way you’re fogging up that glass it looks like we should be keeping hothouse flowers in there.”
“Did you need Jordan for something, Cookie?” Gavin asked with thinly veiled impatience. Hands back in his pockets, he took a step away from Jordan. “Or do you merely excel at crappy timing?”
“Sorry, Chief.” Cookie’s short purple-and-blue hair stuck out in a hundred different directions, and she winked when she peeked out from behind the swinging door. She reminded Jordan of a fairy from the stories she read to her daughters. Her tiny delicate frame, fair skin, and mischievous grin added to the girl’s fae-like appearance. “It’s a gift.”
“That’s not what I would call it,” he grumbled.
“The delivery should be here by seven or so.” Jordan shot Gavin a warning glance before grabbing the bucket with the yellow roses and heading over to the counter. Space , she thought. We need a little space to keep things clear. “Maddy’s been here to meet the deliveries most mornings, but I told her I can be here for the one on Sunday. The woman hasn’t had a minute to rest with all the summer renters coming into town this week. The girls don’t have camp on Sunday, but they can come to the store with me.”
“Cool.” Cookie smirked and looked from Jordan to Gavin. “Way cool.”
“Bye, Cookie.” Gavin waved. “See ya later.”
“Right.” The girl stepped behind the door so Gavin wouldn’t see her and gave Jordan two thumbs up before it swung shut.
Jordan’s face heated with embarrassment. Gavin strolled casually around the store while she made quick work of wrapping up a dozen roses. A smile played at her lips; she did remember that they were Mrs. McGuire’s favorite flower. Gavin’s mom always had them around the house in the summertime. She used to tell Jordan that sunny blooms could pretty up even the darkest places. Not that the McGuire house needed any of that. It was the happiest, brightest, and most loving home Jordan had ever been in and one she wanted to emulate with her own daughters.
Even if she wasn’t a McGuire.
Gavin stared out
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