Page 32 of Timid (Lark Cove 2)

A shiver took a slow roll down my spine. “M-me?”

“Yeah. You.” He ran his hand back up to my shoulder, sending a tingle of electric sparks to my fingers.

The sensation made me sway on my bare feet.

Was I dreaming? This had to be a dream. Or was it a prank? My heart dropped to my stomach as I realized this could be some twisted joke. Like the time in ninth grade when Oliver Banks had asked me to the homecoming dance only because his friends had dared him to ask Mr. Doon’s daughter. He’d danced with me once, then admitted he had a crush on Hannah and left to dance with her instead.

Maybe someone had put Jackson up to this just to get a laugh. Was he making fun of me because of my crush?

“Is this a joke?” I whispered.

“What?” He gaped at me. “Why would you think this is a joke?”

“Forget it.” His astonishment made me feel slightly better. “I have a long day tomorrow so . . .” I shuffled back a few inches.

“Wait.” He reached out and cupped my elbow. “Why the hell would you think this was a joke?”

“Just because,” I said, fighting back tears.

I was exhausted and my wits were threadbare, so when I opened my mouth, the words in my head came out in a rush. “I’ve known you for years, Jackson, and you’ve hardly spoken to me at all. Then out of the blue, you ki—”

I stopped before I blurted out that he’d kissed me before. There was no need to relive that level of humiliation. Since he’d forgotten about our night in the playground, I was going to forget it too.

“I, what?” He nudged my elbow to keep talking. “What?”

“You come here,” I said, recovering. “You come to my work. You tell me that something about us feels special, but then you check out another woman in the bar. Is that all you want? An easy score? Because I hate to break it to you, but I’m as far from easy as you can get.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” He held up his hands. “I did not check that chick out last night.”

“I was there. You looked right down her shirt and then at her butt as she left.”

“That was not because I was interested in her. Trust me.”

I frowned, sending him a silent yeah, right.

“It wasn’t! You know what it’s like when you drive by a dead deer on the side of the road? You don’t want to look at the blood and guts, but you can’t help it. That’s how it was with that woman. And I only watched her leave because I was worried she’d twist her ankle with the way she was strutting around and then sue me.”

“That’s . . . gross.” Although the roadkill analogy made sense.

“I’m not here as a joke, Willa. And I’m not here because I think you’re an easy score.” He paused, then chuckled. “I’ve put more work into trying to get you on a date than I have with any other woman in years.”

My jaw dropped. Had he just said that? Right when I’d stopped wanting to slam the door in his face, he’d ruined everything with that last comment. My hands fisted at my sides, my spine straightening into a steel rod.

“Putting in some effort is funny to you? I know women normally just fall at your feet, but you’ll have to excuse me for not stripping off my clothes and falling naked into your bed. Really, I’m so sorry to disappoint you.”

For once, my sarcastic comeback came at the right moment. Yes! I mentally high-fived myself.

Jackson’s smile dropped. “That’s not what I meant. You took that the wrong way.”

I didn’t care to know what the right way was. “Good night, Jackson.”

“Dinner. Just one dinner and I’ll leave you alone.” He took my elbow again, stopping me. “Look, we don’t know each other all that well, but I’d like to change that. Start as friends. Go from there. Haven’t you ever seen someone before and just felt this need to know them?”

Yes, I had.

Nine years ago in a gas station.

But timing had never been on my side. Back then—heck, three weeks ago—I would have agreed to dinner without question. Now, I wasn’t sure if having Jackson in my life was a good idea.