The Billionaire's Matchmaker(74)

“You’re limping,” Jenny said.

“It’s nothing.”

No, it was very much something. She hadn’t forgotten that when she called him, Nick mentioned having let Charlie out for a walk. He told her he only did that when he was in pain. That he would then turn around and go hiking in the woods to help her look for a lost dog… Her awareness shifted, changing from something intensely female into a fullness lodged in her heart.

“I didn’t mean to make you walk all this distance. If you want to turn around—”

He cut her off. “I wanted to.”

He did?

“Afraid you’ll have paid all those vet bills in vain?” The sharp comment was unfair, but she said it anyway, needing something to combat the shift in her feelings, not to mention drown out that damn voice.

“Because I know how important Lulu is to you.”

Oh dear Lord, how was she supposed to resist statements like that? She turned away before her expression could betray her thoughts.

She heard the sound of leaves crunching beneath Nick’s feet, and suddenly he was behind her, his hands settling on her shoulders. The proximity, after days apart, felt too good. “I’ve missed you,” he murmured.

Yeah, right. “Then why didn’t you—?” She caught herself, but the damage was done.

“You made it abundantly clear you didn’t want me to contact you. And, truth be told,” the back of his hand skimmed her cheek so tenderly she had to close her eyes to the sensation, “I couldn’t help but think your decision made sense. That is, once you realized…”

Realized what? Jenny didn’t find out because at that moment, her cell phone rang cutting him off. It was Gabby. “I should take this. I called her earlier about Lulu.” With her eyes, she tried to convey her regret.

“You need to get down to the studio right away,” Gabby said when she answered.

“Is something wrong?” It wasn’t like Gabby to issue blunt commands. “I’m still looking for Lulu.”

“I know. She’s here.”

“She is? Where did you find her? Is she all right?”

“I really think you need to come to the studio,” Gabby repeated.

Any relief she might have felt faded at Gabby’s cryptic response. “All right, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

She could feel Nick watching her as she hung up the phone. “Everything all right?” he asked.

“I don’t know. She said she had Lulu and I needed to come down to the studio. Do you think it’s bad news?” Gabby’s studio was near a busy intersection. Chances were very real that an early morning driver might not see a small dog darting into traffic. Charlie had always made it down there safely, but her dog wasn’t used to escape the way Nick’s independent terrier was. The thought of her little Lulu…

Jenny started to feel sick. Eyes watering, she looked to Nick for an answer.

“Wouldn’t she have told you if something was wrong?”

“Not necessarily. Not if it were really bad.”

“I’m sorry.” Nick’s hand settled on her shoulder. Jenny leaned into the touch.

Just being close to Nick made her feel better. What would she do when she had to tear herself away from him?

For the moment, however, she burrowed a little closer, sighing when Nick’s other arm wrapped her close. “Thank you,” she whispered against his jacket.

“For what?”

He truly didn’t know, which made the moment that much…more. To be held by a man without expectations. There were no words.

“You know there’s a chance you’re overreacting, right?” he offered.

Her face buried in his jacket, Jenny couldn’t help but smile. “I definitely seem to get emotional around you, don’t I?”

“Yeah, you do,” he replied in a faraway voice. He pulled her closer and they stood there, quiet. For a brief moment, it felt like they were the only two people in the world, the only noise being the sound of Charlie stalking chipmunks in the leaves.

…

Nick breathed in her scent. He’d spent the last six days telling himself that he wasn’t right for a woman like Jenny—that he wasn’t right for any woman, for that matter—and that his decision to let her drive off was a good thing. Holding her close, however, sent all those arguments flying out the window. Hell, they flew out the window soon as she telephoned him and he heard her voice. So what if they’d only known each other a few days? Instinct told him there was something between them. Call it a connection, a bond, whatever, but it was real, and this moment proved it. Holding Jenny close, he felt complete for the first time in days. Years really, if he was truly honest with himself. Only a fool would let such an opportunity go. And since when was he a fool?

The time had come for him to make a choice. He could let this wonderful opportunity slip through his fingers or he could step out of the shadows he’d been hiding in and for the first time since the accident, act like a man who’d been given a second chance.

“Come on,” he said breaking their embrace. The matching reluctance in her eyes sealed his resolve. “Standing in the middle of the woods worrying isn’t helping anything. Only way we’re going to know what’s going on is if we go to Gabby’s.”