She sits in silence. Her eyes staring me down. She's reading me, studying me intently. So, I do the only thing I can. I stare back. I'm still as a statue. She isn't going to see whatever it is she's looking for.
After a few long seconds of quiet, I calmly shrug a shoulder. “You can always hold up for the night at the rest area up near the highway. I'm sure it'll be cozy enough in the backseat of that sports car you're driving. The bears and psychos out there won't bother you at all.” Grabbing the mug of coffee, I take a long sip.
Jenna isn't good at hiding her emotions. She never has been. I know exactly what she's thinking right now. She's running scenarios through her head. Weighing her options.
Her eyes jitter in their sockets as she nibbles anxiously on her bottom lip. It's sexy watching her think like this. There's a vulnerability to her. And I like it.
“I accept.”
Is she really saying yes to this?
“What now?”
“I accept your offer. It's not like I'll be here long. I'm going to have you signing the paperwork in no time.”
“I think you're underestimating me, Jenna.”
She gently lifts the coffee to her lips and smirks. “And I think you might be overestimating yourself.”
Smirking back, I stand up. “Okay, it's settled. Let me show you your room.”
“What about your sister? Won't Melody be upset to find me here?” she asks, following me up the stairs.
“She's hardly here anymore. The girl is seventeen and spends a lot of time working at the motel. Most nights she just crashes there because it's easier. And when she is home, she's studying.”
I can visibly see the relief as it lifts off her shoulders. My sister isn't easy to deal with. She's head strong, and she isn't afraid to tell you exactly how she feels. I don't blame Jenna for being intimidated by her.
I'm sure it's weird to be challenged by a girl who was seven the last time you saw her. And if the last decade of your life people were bending over backwards to appease you, a mouthy teenager who doesn't take shit is a shock.
“Do you have a suitcase in the car? I'll go grab it for you.”
“No, I just have this.” Holding up a small tote, she tips her toe into the floor and looks down.
“Well, you have your own bathroom. There are clean towels and anything else you might need. My sister is pretty good about making sure our rooms are stocked like the motel,” I say, laughing out loud.
“That's not a bad thing.” Jenna has a warm smile as she giggles.
Fuck. I missed that laugh.
It didn't hit me until right then how much I missed about this girl. Her laugh. Her smile. The way her nose crinkles up when she's thinking. How she arches a single brow when she's cracking a joke. All the little things that no one else used to appreciate but me. She used to have such a bold and fun personality. I find myself wondering if that girl's still in there somewhere.
I'm staring at her and she notices, causing her eyes to lower curiously. Glancing away quickly, I shake the thoughts away. “If you get hungry, help yourself to whatever you can find.”
She nods, rocking her bag back and forth across her waist. There are million things running through my head. Questions I have. Words that I want to scream in her face. I hold it in, letting the silence between us become awkward.
“Well, it's getting late,” Jenna finally says.
“Yeah. I still have a few things I need to take care of too. There's no down time in a farmer's world. I'll leave my number on the fridge in case you need me for anything.”
I start to shut the door, when she suddenly says, “Thanks for this, Ryder. I do appreciate it.”
“This isn't a favor; this is a trade for work. But you're welcome anyway.” Winking, I take a step back into the hall. “We have an early day tomorrow, so get some rest.”
Closing the door behind me, I leave her with a smile on my face. There's something about this that excites me. She's here. She's so close. Jenna Snyder has walked back into my life, even if it's only for a little while.
My excitement is a mix of lust and torture. The opportunity for revenge is in the palm of my hand. And in the same dark breath, having her under my roof opens the door for a different kind of trouble.
A trouble that's forged in my blood. The lust burns in my gut like one hundred proof alcohol. I'm hot all over. My dick pulses in my pants. Sweat is beading up on the back of my neck as I think of all the things I could do to her.
I'm not the boy she left behind. I'm a greedy man with no remorse.
And I'm willing to watch her sweat a little to get what I want.
This is going to be fun.
5
Ryder
As soon as I think Jenna's settled, I hop in my truck and head to town. Shoving the door open at the motel, my sister perks up and smiles the second she sees me.
“Hey, what are you doing here?” she asks, setting her book down on the counter.
Shaking my head, my jaw crooks to one side. “What the hell were you thinking?”
Her brows furrow instantly as she cocks her head into her shoulder. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“You know what I'm talking about.”
Holding out her hands, she drops her eyes. “Look, it was only one drink. I swear I didn't drive either. I spent the night, and—”
“What?” I cut in. Melody's gaze shoots back up, and there's confusion all over her face. “I'm not talking about whatever it is you did. I'm talking about Jenna. But we are going to talk about your little confession later.”
“Jenna?” As if a light pops on in her head, she laughs. “She told you? What did she do? Run right to you to rat on me? Wow, what a little cry baby. The girl doesn't get her way and she thinks telling you will change something. What a joke.”
“This is serious, Melody. You shouldn't have done that.”
“And why not?” Stiffening her shoulders, she lifts her chin in protest. “I saw what she did to you. I might have been young, but I wasn't stupid. You were hurting, and it was all her fault. And now she's here trying to take the farm from us?” Her voice is getting louder and louder as she speaks. “I'm not going to let someone like that around me or you or anyone else. She's an outsider, and she needs to just go back home. We don't need her here.”
Stroking my jaw, I take in a slow breath, choosing my words carefully. “Look, I appreciate you looking out for me and for the farm, but let me handle this. This isn't your battle, it's mine. And doing childish things like refusing her a room, it doesn't solve anything.”
“Maybe not, but it sure did make me feel good.”
“Well, maybe this will make you feel even better. Because of your little trick, she's staying at the farm.”
“What? You're kidding me?” Her jaw hangs open wide, eyes bulging from her head. “Please tell me you're joking.”
“I'm not, she's there right now. I told her she could stay.”
“For how long?”
“Until it's time for her to leave.”