Love Required (8 page)

Jason opened the back door, and one of his nephews hopped out before he reached in and lifted Lexi’s seat out. His basic familiarity with moving the car seat around reminded her of the baby she had seen him with last night. Clearly this man had experience being around children.

“Here you go,” he said as he held the seat up in a position where she could belt Lexi in.

“Thanks,” Tori said as she shifted Lexi into the seat and began to buckle her in. “You could’ve put the seat on the ground. I hate making you do more than necessary.”

Lexi was staring up at the hulk of a man holding her car seat. She didn’t appear bothered in the least. It was obvious that his attractiveness was acknowledged by all ages. Taking ahold of her daughter’s hand, she lifted it to her mouth and kissed it, but Lexi was still looking at Jason.

“Of course I
could
have, but then you’d have had to get down on the ground to load her in. This way is easier for you,” he said and then looked down at Lexi. When her daughter and Jason made eye contact, Tori watched as a big, mostly toothless, drool-dripping smile spread across her face. When Tori followed Lexi’s gaze, she saw Jason had puffed out his cheeks and crossed his eyes to make a funny face. Then he let out a big breath and made a raspberry sound which had Lexi giggling immediately.

Hiding behind her sunglasses, Tori watched as Jason made silly faces and noises to entertain Lexi. A deep sense of longing began to swell in her chest as she let Jason move the car seat into the car, where he efficiently snapped it into the base. He definitely knew his way around baby equipment.

When Jason motioned for his nephew to get back in the car, he closed the back door before opening the front door for her. Smiling again, she stepped up to get in and said, “You sure are good at that.”

“It’s really not that hard to make a baby laugh.”

“No. I mean, you’re right it’s not. But I was talking about how you know your way around a car seat.” She stumbled through her words as she dropped into the passenger seat. Looking back up at him, he gave her a half smile and one-shouldered shrug.

“I have eight nieces and nephews of varying ages. Not to mention a brother who insisted I knew how to load an infant seat before he allowed his daughter to ride in my car.”

So no children of his own
, she thought as he closed her door and walked around the front of the vehicle, allowing her to view his confident stride. She marveled at how he moved so smoothly for being such a tall, broad man. He moved with agility and purpose. Turning her head toward the driver’s door, she was graced with a front seat view of his tight backend as he folded himself into his seat. Tori had never been much for men’s butts, but now she saw what all the fuss was about.

Her cheeks warmed below her sunglasses, and she found herself once again needing to redirect her thoughts. This was Darlene’s fault for bringing up the differences between a gentleman and a man who was seeking a way to spend time a woman.

To take her mind off Jason’s tight ass, she asked, “Only nieces and nephews? No kids of your own?”

He started the car before giving her a sideways glance. Maybe it was more of a cocky smirk, as he said, “Only nieces and nephews so far. Haven’t found the woman meant to have my children yet.”

He winked at her, turned his attention to driving, and pulled the car away from the curb. He didn’t even notice the fire he just lit in the seat next to him.

CHAPTER SIX

JASON parked the car opposite the large open garage doors of the tire shop, glad he’d called his buddy ahead of time to make sure he was working. Looking toward Tori, he said, “I’ll just bring the tire in and see how long it’ll be.”

“Oh. Is it something that takes a long time to do?” Tori asked. “I really hate keeping you from whatever your plans were for today.”

“No worries, Tori. I rather like how the day has turned out.” Opening his door, he stood to see his friend, Garrett, stroll from the garage. Moving to the trunk, he popped it and hoisted the flat tire out and to the ground. When Garrett reached him, he looked up and said, “Good to see you, man.”

Jason grabbed his friend’s outstretched hand before giving a one-armed guy hug. “Yeah, you too. Thanks for taking my call earlier. You got these in stock?”

“Yeah, you said you needed two. Where’s the other rim?” Garrett asked.

“It’s still on the car, so I’ll bring that one back later,” Jason told him. “This is the spare, and it was flat, too.”

“Okay, but since when do you drive late model imports that sport these kind of wheels?”

Before Jason could answer, Tori stepped out of the car. It didn’t take Garrett but a few seconds to figure out why Jason was bringing him a wheel that belonged to a car he would never drive.

Garrett nodded to Tori. “Morning. We’ll get this tire patched up for you as quickly as possible, ma’am.”

Tori smiled and made her way toward them. Jason caught the not-so-subtle perusal his friend made of Tori when she came into view. “Great, thanks so much. Do I take care of paying now or when you’re done?”

“When we finish is fine.”

“How long do you think it’ll take?” she asked.

Garrett made eye contact with him, giving him a considering look before turning back to Tori. For whatever reason, Jason wasn’t too pleased with his friend’s wandering eyes. He was proud of his ability to resist throwing something at Garrett’s head. Although that probably had more to do with the fact that he had nothing to throw, but he’d gladly accept credit for his restraint.

“Not too long. About an hour or two. It should be enough time for you all to grab a bite to eat.” Garrett then looked back at him, flashing a cocky smile—like he thought Jason now owed him one. “I can just text Jason when we’re all done.”

Yep. He was going to owe him one all right.
Jason held back his urge to smirk. An hour or two of time where Tori couldn’t escape him was just fine. Something told him this woman was strong-willed and didn’t usually make herself completely dependent on another person. Especially a man. A momentary flash of guilt for feeling like he manipulated the situation in his favor came and went. He wasn’t doing anything harmful, and if she wanted to go, she could. He would just make sure he was accommodating enough so she wouldn’t want to.

When Tori looked at him, he gave her his best can’t-say-no-to-this-face kind of smile and said, “Are you hungry? ‘Cause I know a place not too far from here that has great burgers.”

There was a pause as she once again considered what he was saying. Jason only hoped she was contemplating saying yes to food and not how to grab her daughter and make a quick break for it. After a few seconds she said, “Are you
sure
this isn’t completely ruining your plans for the day?”

“Are you kidding?” Jason said, making his way toward her. As he opened the passenger door and gestured for her to get in, he continued, “My day is turning out better than expected.”

TORI dropped into the front seat, shaking her head and smiling as Jason closed the door. She had seen the look that passed between the two men. That
knowing
look telling her she had been set up, or at least she played right along with whatever plans were orchestrated. The funny thing was she kinda liked that she did. It made her think Jason had an interest in her beyond the whole ‘helping a lady in distress’ thing. Looking in the rearview mirror, she could see Jason talking with his friend before they shook hands, and he made his way to the driver’s seat.

When he went to get in, Tori made sure to pay attention. She watched as he bent and tucked his large frame through the open door and dropped into his seat. Her gaze followed the motion of his thick arms as he easily turned the key and started the engine. Why hadn’t anyone told her starting a car was so sexy to watch? When she brought her gaze back up to his face, they locked eyes.

He graced her with one of the sexiest, most confident smiles she had ever seen, and all the girlie parts of her body perked up and paid attention. He seemed to be very pleased with himself. She huffed a little laugh and decided that she was also pleased with the way her day was turning out. That dangerous feeling of hope began to form, and she relished in the sensation of it.

Answering his smile with what she hoped was a sexy one of her own, she said, “Burgers, huh? What if I was a vegetarian?”

She smiled bigger and laughed a little at how his eyes widened and a slight look of panic crossed his face. “Uh, I’m sorry. Are you? Because I’m pretty sure they have salads, too. I know I’ve seen Allie and Gillian eating something green.” He pulled out his phone and started scrolling through as he continued to back pedal. “Madison, too. She only eats salads, and she eats there. Let me call and see if they do.”

She let out a full laugh this time and placed her hand on his arm. “Sorry, I couldn’t help but tease you. You’ll see I’m a bit of a smartass. And don’t worry, Jason, I totally eat meat. Find me a great burger, and we’ll be friends forever.”

Jason paused his rapid search on his phone and moved his gaze to her hand on his arm. For a split second she thought maybe she had overstepped her bounds with an unwanted touch. But when he lifted his eyes to hers, unleashing that mesmerizing smile on her again, she knew there had been no overstepping. In fact, the look was so inviting she considered climbing across the center console of his car, straddling his lap, tunneling her hands in his hair, and finding out what that sexy beard would feel like against her skin.

His words momentarily brought her out of her fantasy. “Just when I didn’t think you could get more attractive, I find out you’re a teasing smartass. This day just keeps getting better and better.”

The visual in her head shifted and now had him pulling her across the center console, tunneling his hands into her hair, and feasting on her lips. It was a stunningly erotic image that she could almost feel as if it were happening. Her heart rate picked up, and she took a slow, somewhat steady breath as he watched her reaction. When his hand slipped over hers, which was still resting on his arm for no apparent reason, she shivered. A warm tingling sensation slowly spread through her hand, which he now had trapped against his skin. The desire to move was strong. Not move it away, but move it around and absorb more of his touch.

Tori let a few beats pass, enjoying the sensation of touching a man after so long. Taking in a measured breath, she gave Jason a sultry smile. “It looks like I’m not the only one around here who likes to tease.”

She winked and then slowly slid her hand out from beneath his, placing it in her lap.

JASON had never been a love-at-first-sight kind of guy, and he still didn’t think he was. Lust-at-first-sight was something he could certainly understand. But whatever was going on with Tori was off-the-charts intoxicating. The pull he felt to touch her bordered on inappropriate, because he’d always made sure to act respectful around women, with the exception of a few years in his early twenties where youth and stupidity dominated his environment. But what was running through his head now was anything but respectable.

Knowing he needed to focus on driving instead of openly lusting at the woman sitting beside him, he put the car in gear and pulled out of the parking lot. It was a short drive to Brody’s Burgers, so it didn’t take long to get there. Jason couldn’t help but take notice of how comfortable he felt having her in his car. When they pulled into a parking space, she was engaged in a conversation with the boys, instigated by Dylan, about which superhero was coolest.

He was intent on opening her door for her, but settled for helping lift the baby out of the backseat once he saw she was already getting out on her side. He couldn’t help but smile when he saw the look of surprise on her face at him helping with the baby seat. “I’ll carry the seat if you get the diaper bag. While I have no problem sporting the whole brown and pink polka-dot print, it does nothing for my complexion.”

Tori laughed as she slung the bag over her shoulder. “You’re probably right. I’d have you pegged as more of blues and greens kind of guy.”

“Blues and greens are good, but I’m told that blacks and grays really bring out my eyes.” He finished with a wink before turning toward the door. Holding it open, he watched as she motioned for Dylan and Ryan to head in before her, and he followed. Glancing down, he couldn’t help but smile at the beautiful baby girl he was carrying. When she saw him look at her, a big smile appeared, and her little body began to squirm as she reached up for him.

Yep, he was a goner for baby girls,
he thought as he lifted her seat up higher in his arms. Looking toward the bar, he held up his hand to show how many were in their group. The young man motioned toward a table in the corner and they migrated that way.

“Where would you like me to put the baby?” Jason asked. Tori moved to grab the carrier from his grip, but he held tight, saying, “I got it. Just tell me where you want her.”

“Oh, on the bench is a good spot for it. I’m going to take her out of it anyway,” Tori said as she sat down next to where he had just placed the seat.

Jason took the seat across from Tori as he watched her lift Lexi out of the carrier. Lexi’s hands went directly to Tori’s hair as she grabbed onto her and cuddled into her neck. When Tori hugged her back and leaned down to kiss her head, Jason felt a twinge of jealousy. He wasn’t sure who he was more jealous of—Tori cuddling Lexi … or Lexi snuggling Tori? Probably both if he were being honest with himself.

Him not being a father yet had come up plenty of times in the past, more so as he got older. But it was always something he brushed off as nobody’s business but his own—though he was more considerate with his parents because they
were
his parents. 

Up until recently, he was content with his current situation, even though he wanted more. But he was patient. Now, though, he could feel his patience slipping away as longing set up camp in his chest while he watched this woman he didn’t know mothering her child.