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Authors: Rachel Harris
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Jason took the
umbrella from her hands and held it outside the open door, shaking off the water.
“Stay for a few minutes while it dies down out there.”
Cool air-conditioning kissed her wet skin and she shivered. But the response had as
much to do with the man standing beside her as it did the temperature. With his feet
bare and damp, coal black hair curling around his ears, it was obvious Jason had just
stepped out of the shower. The clean scent of soap wafted off his skin. His MSFD T-shirt
stretched over his broad shoulders and his jeans hung low on his hips. The desire
to lick a trail from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head was so strong,
her knees wobbled. She glanced at Emma, and as hoped, the effect was like an immediate
cold shower. Get your hormones in line, girl.
Swiping away the moisture on her face, Colby pinched the fabric of her own T-shirt
and unstuck it from her body. Even without the aid of a mirror, she was confident
she looked like a drowned rat. “Guess umbrellas are pointless when the rain comes
down sideways, huh?”
Jason laughed. After setting the umbrella in the holder on the covered porch, he closed
the door and said, “The storm should pass over soon. Why don’t you stay for dinner?
I just finished getting it ready, and while I might not own a big time restaurant
or anything, you happen to be looking at an award-winning chef.”
“Oh, is that right?” Colby shot Emma a sly grin and said, “You should know, I heard
through the grapevine that the judge from the other day has horrible taste. I wouldn’t
put much stock in her opinion if I were you.”
Emma’s eyes darted between them, an excited smile on her face. “But you’ll stay, though,
right?” she asked enthusiastically, the same way she did pretty much everything. “You
can tell Dad about all the celebrities who’ve come into your restaurant!”
Feeling cornered, Colby said, “Well, maybe…” She snuck a quick breath and inhaled
the distinct aroma of oregano and basil. Italian. She was in luck. With an exaggerated sigh, she relented. “I guess you two wore me
down.”
Jason held his palm up, and Emma slapped it. “No one can deny a Landry,” he told his
daughter.
And that’s what worries me. Grown-up Jason had a playful side, one that Colby liked a lot. Maybe too much. “Do
you two mind if I freshen up first?”
“Not at all,” he said, inclining his head for her to follow. She kicked off her shoes
and padded across the soft carpet through the open living room. A black leather sectional
sofa dominated the space, along with a wall-mounted television and a coffee table
littered with what appeared to be a strange mix of various martial art and teen magazines.
Frames on the walls displayed the passing years of Emma’s life, and in the middle
of the focal wall, a family photograph showed a gap-toothed girl surrounded by her
adoring parents.
Colby wanted to stop and study the picture, but she kept on moving. She didn’t want
to upset Emma. And she didn’t want to ruin the light-hearted mood that had fallen
over the room. Stealing a final glance at the cozy family unit, she followed Jason
into his rather large kitchen, outfitted with stainless steel appliances. She could
imagine father and daughter working together in the roomy space, laughing, cooking
together, creating…much like she used to do with her dad.
Nope, not gonna happen. Colby shut down the thought before it could go any further. Thoughts of her past
weren’t going to ruin the night, either.
Jason stopped in front of the gas stove. “Emma, why don’t you show Colby the way to
the bathroom? Maybe change out of those wet clothes while you’re at it.”
“On it.” She took Colby’s hand and led her through a rounded door into another hallway
lined with frames.
“Someone is certainly photogenic,” Colby said, smiling at an eight-by-ten school photo
of Emma,
umbrella from her hands and held it outside the open door, shaking off the water.
“Stay for a few minutes while it dies down out there.”
Cool air-conditioning kissed her wet skin and she shivered. But the response had as
much to do with the man standing beside her as it did the temperature. With his feet
bare and damp, coal black hair curling around his ears, it was obvious Jason had just
stepped out of the shower. The clean scent of soap wafted off his skin. His MSFD T-shirt
stretched over his broad shoulders and his jeans hung low on his hips. The desire
to lick a trail from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head was so strong,
her knees wobbled. She glanced at Emma, and as hoped, the effect was like an immediate
cold shower. Get your hormones in line, girl.
Swiping away the moisture on her face, Colby pinched the fabric of her own T-shirt
and unstuck it from her body. Even without the aid of a mirror, she was confident
she looked like a drowned rat. “Guess umbrellas are pointless when the rain comes
down sideways, huh?”
Jason laughed. After setting the umbrella in the holder on the covered porch, he closed
the door and said, “The storm should pass over soon. Why don’t you stay for dinner?
I just finished getting it ready, and while I might not own a big time restaurant
or anything, you happen to be looking at an award-winning chef.”
“Oh, is that right?” Colby shot Emma a sly grin and said, “You should know, I heard
through the grapevine that the judge from the other day has horrible taste. I wouldn’t
put much stock in her opinion if I were you.”
Emma’s eyes darted between them, an excited smile on her face. “But you’ll stay, though,
right?” she asked enthusiastically, the same way she did pretty much everything. “You
can tell Dad about all the celebrities who’ve come into your restaurant!”
Feeling cornered, Colby said, “Well, maybe…” She snuck a quick breath and inhaled
the distinct aroma of oregano and basil. Italian. She was in luck. With an exaggerated sigh, she relented. “I guess you two wore me
down.”
Jason held his palm up, and Emma slapped it. “No one can deny a Landry,” he told his
daughter.
And that’s what worries me. Grown-up Jason had a playful side, one that Colby liked a lot. Maybe too much. “Do
you two mind if I freshen up first?”
“Not at all,” he said, inclining his head for her to follow. She kicked off her shoes
and padded across the soft carpet through the open living room. A black leather sectional
sofa dominated the space, along with a wall-mounted television and a coffee table
littered with what appeared to be a strange mix of various martial art and teen magazines.
Frames on the walls displayed the passing years of Emma’s life, and in the middle
of the focal wall, a family photograph showed a gap-toothed girl surrounded by her
adoring parents.
Colby wanted to stop and study the picture, but she kept on moving. She didn’t want
to upset Emma. And she didn’t want to ruin the light-hearted mood that had fallen
over the room. Stealing a final glance at the cozy family unit, she followed Jason
into his rather large kitchen, outfitted with stainless steel appliances. She could
imagine father and daughter working together in the roomy space, laughing, cooking
together, creating…much like she used to do with her dad.
Nope, not gonna happen. Colby shut down the thought before it could go any further. Thoughts of her past
weren’t going to ruin the night, either.
Jason stopped in front of the gas stove. “Emma, why don’t you show Colby the way to
the bathroom? Maybe change out of those wet clothes while you’re at it.”
“On it.” She took Colby’s hand and led her through a rounded door into another hallway
lined with frames.
“Someone is certainly photogenic,” Colby said, smiling at an eight-by-ten school photo
of Emma,
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