A Perfect Storm
Page 97

Alani, bless her beautiful heart, grinned hugely. “That’s the best part, Arizona.”
“The best part of what?”
“You’ll have more room. All the room you need.”
Seeing that she didn’t understand, Jackson added, “I don’t want you to live out of your trunk. Not anymore.”
Her gaze sought Spencer’s—why, Jackson didn’t know. Was she seeking additional support? Or was that look more about what she kept in her trunk?
He glanced at Spencer, but that sly dog kept all expression hidden.
Deciding that he’d check out her trunk at the first opportunity, Jackson withdrew the keys. “You know how Chris has a house here with Dare?”
Shock filled her features as Arizona took a step back. “No.”
It was an act of denial. She knew all about Chris’s house; in some ways, she was no different from him. Within minutes of her first trip to Dare’s, she’d taken in everything, including the property. She’d explored the boathouse, the dock, the shed, the garage…and Chris’s place.
Eyeing the keys in his hand, she shook her head. “No, you didn’t… You wouldn’t…”
Disbelief had her stammering.
Too bad. Eventually she’d get used to being loved.
At least, Jackson hoped that was true.
He pulled Alani into his side. “We did.”
Chris shrugged as if it were no big deal. “I have my own place for privacy, but I’m here, nearby, so I can keep up with everything Dare needs done.”
“He’s only a shout away,” Molly said. “It works out great.”
Arizona shook her head again, harder this time.
“I want you to continue working for me.” Ignoring her disbelief, her stricken expression, Jackson forged on. “You’re thorough. You catch on quick to the computer programs we use. And you get it.”
“It?” she asked.
“The whole biz. What to look for, what to consider. You put the pieces together.”
“You know what trafficking looks like,” Trace pointed out. “You recognize the signs.”
“Right.” Jackson jumped on that as a way to convince her. “I need you working with me.”
“You mean for you.” She couldn’t hide her sneer. “Like a secretary.”
Yeah…regardless of what Chris said, he wasn’t ready to toss her into the middle of it all; she’d spent too much time there already.
He looked to Spencer for help but got none. In fact, the poor dude looked pained. Jackson got it; Spencer might not want to admit it, but he’d been caught in Arizona’s web. Her special brand of vulnerability and bravado, the way she fought the world, just reeled a guy in.
Of course, Spencer looked at her in a way Jackson never had. At times, it made him uncomfortable and gave him just a hint of what Trace must’ve felt when he was hot and heavy on Alani’s tail.
Spencer wanted to do what was best for Arizona, which meant he had to fight his instincts—the gut-driven urge to protect her, even from herself.
Jackson could tell him that it’d be easier to give in, to redirect all that energy into loving Arizona instead. But he had a feeling Spencer needed to figure that one out on his own.
And if he didn’t…well, then, he didn’t deserve Arizona.
“I’d say as an assistant, actually, not a secretary—which you make sound like a dirty word.”
“I do assist,” Arizona said warily. “I’m not behind on anything, right? I went through all the files you sent my way.”
Alani hugged up to his arm. “You’ve been wonderful. Jackson told me so.”
Jackson nodded.
“But we’d also love to have you close.”
Arizona shifted her feet, took one stance, then another. “Yeah, well…” Again she glanced at Spencer. “I appreciate that. The thing is—”
Unable to take all her waffling, Jackson dropped the keys onto the table. “Those go to a lock. For a front door. That’ll go into the house we’re having built for you on our property—and don’t you give me that look.” He pointed at her. “You can’t keep running around the streets.”
Arizona’s eyes narrowed. “No.” She looked from him to Alani. “But thank you.”
Jackson ignored that. “I have more than enough land, damn it. Like Chris said, you’d have your own privacy—”
“No.” She swallowed hard, breathed fast. “You’re too generous and too…” At a loss, she shook her head. “Appreciate the gesture. Really. But I can’t. Thanks anyway.”
It wasn’t a damn gesture, but when he started to speak, Alani squeezed his arm. “Please think about it, Arizona, okay? The keys are symbolic. We haven’t broken ground yet on the new structure.”
“We wanted you in on that,” Jackson explained. “Alani wanted you to help design the house.”
“Oh, God.” She rubbed her forehead.
Alani left him to approach her. “Don’t make a decision right now. Take a little time to think about it, that’s all I’m asking. Could you do that, please?”
Jackson knew Arizona wanted to refuse, but Alani had a hand on her shoulder, her tone was soft and sincere, and Arizona wasn’t immune to her.
Who could be? His fiancée was one special lady.
Damn, he was lucky.
Smiling, he came up to put an arm around each of them. “Great idea. Take a little time to get used to the idea before you decide.”