Until We Touch (Fool's Gold #15)(3)

Her interview had been with Taryn. It had lasted two hours and had ended with words that Larissa had never forgotten.

“Jack is a good-looking guy with beautiful eyes and a great ass. But make no mistake. He’s not interested in more than a couple of nights with any given woman. If you fall for him, you’re an idiot. Still interested?”

Larissa had been intrigued. Then she’d met Jack and she’d been forced to admit Taryn hadn’t been lying about Jack’s appeal. She’d taken one look at his studly manliness and had felt the shivers clear down to her toes. But instead of flirting with her, the former quarterback had rubbed his shoulder and sworn.

She’d recognized the pain and reacted instinctively. She’d dug her fingers into the scarred and tense muscles, all the while explaining that she was only a few weeks away from graduating from massage school. She’d gotten a job offer thirty seconds later.

In the past four years Larissa had become a part of the Score family. By the end of the second week, she’d ceased to see Jack as anything but her boss. Six months later, they were a good team and close friends. She regularly chided him about his choices in women, made sure he used ice and anti-inflammatories when his shoulder acted up and offered a daily massage to any of “the boys” and Taryn. She loved her job and she loved that they’d moved to Fool’s Gold. She had a new kitty waiting at home. Life was very, very good.

She returned her attention to Jack and waited. Because that was the kind of silence in the room. The one that said he had something to tell her.

“You seeing anyone?”

The question surprised her. “You mean like a man?”

He shrugged. “You never said you dated women, but sure. Either sex will do.”

“I’m not dating right now. I haven’t met anyone in town and besides, I’m too busy.”

“But it would be a guy?”

Amusement danced in his dark eyes.

Jack was one of those men blessed by the gods. Tall, handsome, athletic, charming. He pretty much had it all. What very few people knew was that there were demons he carried around with him. He blamed himself for something that wasn’t his fault. A trait Larissa could relate to, because she did it to herself all the time.

“Yes, it would be a guy.”

“Good to know.” He continued to study her. “Your mother is worried about you.”

Larissa slumped back in her seat. “Tell me she didn’t talk to you. Tell me!”

“She talked to me.”

“Crap. I knew it. She stopped by, didn’t she? I knew there was something going on.” Her mother was nothing if not determined. “Let me guess. She wanted to know if I was seeing anyone. I hope you told her you didn’t know. Or did you tell her I was? Because that would seriously help.”

“She didn’t ask me if you were seeing anyone.”

“Oh.” She straightened. “What did she ask?”

“She wants me to fire you so you’ll move back to Los Angeles, fall in love, get married and give her grandchildren.”

Larissa felt heat flare on her cheeks. Humiliation made it hard to think, let alone come up with something reasonably intelligent to say.

“She already has two married daughters,” she muttered. “Why can’t she leave me alone?”

“She loves you.”

“She has a funny way of showing it. Are you going to fire me?”

Jack raised both brows this time.

She drew in a breath. “I’ll take that as a no. I’m sorry. I’ll do my best to keep her away from here. The good news is Muriel is due in three months and the new baby will be a distraction.” In the meantime Larissa would figure out a way to convince her mother that she’d moved to Borneo.

“Anything else?” she asked.

“Yeah, there is. Your mother said you’re never going to settle down and get married because you’re secretly in love with me.”

* * *

JACK HADN’T KNOWN how Larissa was going to react, but he’d guessed it would be a show. She didn’t disappoint. Her face went from red to white and back to red. Her mouth opened and closed. With her jaw tightly clenched, she muttered something like “I’m going to kill her,” but he couldn’t be sure.

Nancy Owens’s words had hit him like a linebacker. Larissa in love with him? Impossible. For one thing, she knew him better than anyone except Taryn and to know him was to understand he was all flash and no substance. For another, he needed her. Love meant a relationship and having a relationship meant she would eventually leave. No. There was no way Larissa could be in love with him.

But he’d been unable to shake the words and had realized he had to get the truth from the only person who actually knew.

Larissa drew in a breath. “I don’t love you. We’re friends. I like working for you, and the charity work is terrific, and I know you have my back, but I’m not in love with you.”

Relief eased the tension in Jack’s always aching right shoulder. He kept his expression neutral.

“You sure?” he asked.

“Yes. Positive.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know. I’m pretty hot. I could understand you having a thing for me. You’ve seen me naked. Now that I think about it, your reaction is inevitable.” He sighed. “You love me. Admit it.”