Triple Diamonds (Mystic Nights #2)(26)

Both boys murmured their replies. Joseph couldn’t help smiling. From their expressions, he could tell this was a familiar lecture.

Glancing at the clock, Joseph realized he’d been there almost an hour. The family looked hunkered down for the night, and since they’d had coffee here, he didn’t think she’d be willing to leave the boys and continue their conversation privately. But tomorrow they would be away, on the very convenient senior trip. It gave him an idea. “Well, I’m glad I came. I wanted to get to know you better and I have. But, looks like you still have some work to do here,” he pushed back from the table, then added, “I’d best let you get to that.”

“Well, yes, thanks for coming,” Jewel offered, standing up with him. He handed her his cup. Both boys stood to shake his hand, and both grips were firm and strong as they continued to give him yet another once over. He was glad to see them protective of her, though she was seven or eight years older than them by his assumption. But, they seemed liked good kids.

When he was at the door, Jewel was right behind him, and her brothers politely hung back. “Will you walk me out, Jewels?” He used their affectionate name for her. He saw her blush.

Over her shoulder, he saw her brothers grinning like idiots. They both laughed when she didn’t reply right away, but they let her fend for herself having already approved of Joseph in their own way. Lesley headed to the living room leaving Jewel on her own to handle this.

“I’ll be back in a few,” she stated lamely. Her brothers laughed at her awkwardness.

“Take your time,” Wesley spit out choking on his coffee in his humor.

“Yeah, take your sweet time,” Lesley added and both were in hysterics. Joseph joined in their laughter. It reminded him of his sisters and how they had teased their brothers about girlfriends. It was a different dynamic, he assumed having an older sister. But some things were the same when it came to having siblings. He had never laughed when his sisters brought home boys though. It had been the exact opposite. He or Jonathan had usually stared the young men down until they were so uncomfortable they left abruptly. Then came the laughter, while the girls stomped away in anger after complaining to their mother. His sisters never had brought many boys home after that happened a couple of times too many for their liking.

Jewel slipped into her moccasins by the front door and followed him out. The sooner she found out why he’d made this surprise visit the better. He went down the stairs first, and then turned to make sure she made it down safely. The stoop definitely needed the landlord’s attention.

When she was beside him, he reached for her hand shocking her yet again this evening. Her first instinct had been to pull out of it, but he would not let go. She quickly turned and saw the curtains to the living room were swaying, but neither one of her brothers were visible now. They had probably seen Joseph grab her hand and we’re now rolling on the floor in laughter. It was going to be a long evening. Of explaining. And she had no clue what to say to her brothers about what was going on between her and Joseph. When she’d left his suite this morning, she’d thought that was it. She’d known the man’s reputation going into this. She had no further expectations. It had been one night.

Yes, she would have a lot of explaining to do later. But first she needed to find out exactly why Joseph had shown up at her house. And how he even knew where she lived.

He was at his vehicle and turned towards her. Before she could get even one of her questions out, he began to explain. “I’m really sorry for the surprise visit. I just couldn’t get you out of my head. I looked up your employee file, and saw where you lived.”

“Then you would have seen my phone number,” she replied quickly searching his face for an answer to her other question. He not being able to get her out of his head didn’t quite cut it for her.

“And I wanted to see you. About last night . . .,” he started.

This time she interrupted him. “I know. I’ve heard about your reputation. It meant nothing. It was one night. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine with that.” She pulled her hand out of his then figuring she’d beaten him to the punch. He was probably worried that she might have expected more. The sooner she put his mind at ease, the sooner she could go back inside and figure out a way to explain her new friend situation to her brothers.

The words surprisingly cut Joseph. And that shocked him a bit. It had meant something and that’s how he started. “If it meant nothing, I wouldn’t be here.” He didn’t know where those words came from. But being here tonight, he knew he wanted to get to know her a better. He didn’t want whatever was between them to be over. Not yet. She was a strong woman, and family was important to her. He liked that about her. He’d learned a lot about her tonight, and he wanted to learn more. He rushed forward before she could think too deeply or try to deny there was something between them. “Last night was great. It was what we both wanted at the time. But now, I want to take you out. On a date. A real one. You have to admit we have good chemistry, and there is something else there too. I’ve not wanted to get to know someone better in a very long time.” Her eyes were round. He had clearly surprised her. But he didn’t want to push too hard. It had to be her choice. “So, how about it? And as much as I enjoyed your brothers company and swapping old high school stories, I’d like to learn more about you.”