Wild Man Creek (Virgin River #14)(29)

Luke raised his own brew in a toast and burning there in Luke’s eyes were the questions—how many? How long? Should we talk about this? Are we in a crisis? But to his credit, Luke said nothing. Colin knew that took a lot of willpower. When Luke stood to leave Colin waved him over, threw him a bone for the sake of peace. “I’m only having one beer and I’m staying for dinner, but tell Shelby we talked and we’re good.”

“I’ll do that.”

The day after dawned bright; the sun was coming up earlier as spring marched across the land. Colin went out looking for wildlife and late in the morning he drove to the Victorian house the old way, past the farms and vineyards, up the side of the mountain, until he got to that back pasture he’d discovered a couple of weeks ago. But it had changed—the road, nothing more than graded dirt was now covered in fine gravel. Passing through the trees Colin saw there was a small greenhouse erected, with the frame up for a second. The Plexiglas panels were lying on the ground beside it.

Jillian was amazing, all that she dared to do on a whim. He didn’t see her anywhere, but he was curious about what she might have inside that greenhouse. The door was standing open and he looked inside. She was laying there, on the ground, flat on her back, looking up. Her hands were crossed over her stomach and her eyes were open.

He went in and stood over her. “Do you feel as ridiculous as you look?” he asked her.

She didn’t even glance at him. “I want to see and feel what the seedlings will see and feel. My nana used to taste the soil.”

“But you wouldn’t go that far,” he said.

She sat up and smiled at him, teasing him. “It tastes just fine,” she said.

He crouched to get eye level with her. “You didn’t really put dirt in your mouth. You’re just leading me on.”

“Think what you like,” she said. “Why are you here? Looking for deer?”

“I wanted to see what you’d accomplished. You’ve been a busy little girl.” He stood up and looked down at her. “Why is the other greenhouse only framed?”

She put out a hand for a lift up off the ground. “Denny, my associate, had a job interview and we couldn’t get it finished yet. Those were our terms, remember—he’s hunting for more permanent work and I knew that going in.” She brushed off the butt of her jeans with her hands. “I hope he doesn’t take it—he’s working out real well for me. On the other hand, if he stays on much longer I’m going to have to make adjustments, pay social security, provide some benefits, maybe bribe him with better pay and then find things for him to do.”

“I’m pretty impressed by the way you’re just going for it. You got this idea, and that’s all it was. I saw it happen— I was there. When Dan told you how to find your special seeds and how they grow pot around here, I saw your eyes light up and next thing I know, the property is full of equipment and you are just taking off! That’s incredible. Brave and impressive. You’re a gutsy little broad. I admire that in a woman.”

She felt her whole body get warm; she looked at him in a whole new way. Jillian was a sucker for a man who admired her. She already found him attractive, but that was easy since he truly was. Suddenly he was also desirable. After having so many people, including the sister she admired so much, think she was out of her mind to go this far, Colin said he was impressed. She saw him through new eyes. She wanted to run her fingers through his neatly trimmed beard and the curly hair pulled into a short ponytail. She noted some subtle scarring on the right side of his neck that disappeared into his shirt collar, but it didn’t strike her as unsightly. His brown eyes were kind of sultry and sexy; his arms looked so strong and capable, his hands so big. And, he either had a sock in his drawers or possessed an admirable package. She jerked her eyes back to his face only to find him grinning.

“Why, thank you,” he said, acknowledging that he’d caught her. “But why don’t you let me take you out to lunch first.”

She ran a hand through her hair. “First?” Best to just play dumb.

“Before a lot of dirty, mindless sex.”

“All right, I’m just going to have to ask you to leave now.”

“Aw, get over it. How about I take you somewhere for food, no obligation. I’m hungry and it’s lunchtime.”

She sighed. “I’m a mess. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Jill, even when you’re a mess, you’re just pretty as hell.”

“Hmm. Pretty as hell,” she mimicked. “I bet the women just faint when you say that.”

He laughed at her and she noticed the most beautiful white, straight teeth.

“I thawed some stuff for lunch,” she said. “If you can behave yourself, you can have Denny’s half since he’s a no-show.”

“And then—”

“Don’t push it.” She started walking, headed for the new road that would lead her to the house.

“Let’s ride,” he said. He couldn’t help laughing at her. “Then I can park the Jeep by the back porch.”

She stopped walking and shot him a damning look. “I’m crazy to even let you near my back porch,” she told him.

He went around to the driver’s side. “I figured you for a better sense of humor. Come on, lighten up. Get in.”