Chapter 9 - Sonya
It’s too quiet, and that never means anything good. I peek around the corner into the living room, half-expecting to see Jack caught up in some new disaster of his own making, but the sight that greets me makes me stop in my tracks. Jack is slumped in the chair by the window with Fiona cradled against his chest, and both of them are sound asleep. The soft rise and fall of their breathing fills the room, and for a moment, I’m struck by how peaceful they look together. It’s a rare sight—Jack, the man who can’t sit still for five minutes, finally still.
My first instinct is to back away and leave them be, but something about the scene tugs at me. Jack’s face is softer in sleep, the usual tension gone, and Fiona looks like she’s found her perfect spot in the world. I move quietly, not wanting to wake them, and carefully lift Fiona from Jack’s arms. She stirs but settles easily in her crib, and her tiny fists curl around the edge of her blanket.
I turn back to Jack, who is still sound asleep, and notice his features are softened in a way I’ve never seen before. There’s a vulnerability there that makes my breath catch, and before I can talk myself out of it, I grab the throw blanket from inside the closet, intending to drape it over him. It’s the least I can do. He’s trying so hard, and I know how much he cares about getting this right.
But as I lean in, Jack’s eyes fly open, wild and unfocused. His hand shoots out, catching my wrist in a tight grip, and before I know it, he spins me around and walks me back until my back is pressed against the wall, him pinning me in place. My heart leaps into my throat, and for a second, I can’t breathe. His brown eyes are locked on mine, fierce and disoriented, like he’s still half-caught in whatever dream he was having.
“Jack,” I whisper, trying to keep my voice steady and low to avoid waking Fiona. “It’s just me. You’re okay.”
His grip loosens, and the fog of sleep clears from his eyes. He blinks, recognition dawning as he realizes what’s happened. We’re frozen like this, so close I can feel the warmth of his breath on my skin. My pulse is pounding in my ears, and I can’t look away from his eyes, dark and intense, searching mine. There’s a charged silence, the kind that makes every nerve in my body stand on end, and for a moment, I swear he’s about to kiss me.
His gaze drops to my lips, and my tongue darts out to wet them on instinct. My heart is racing, and there’s a part of me that wants to close the distance, to see what would happen if I leaned in just a little more. But then, just as quickly as the moment comes, it’s gone. Jack blinks, and his expression flickers with something I can’t quite read before he pulls back like he’s been burned.
“Sorry,” he mutters, stepping away and running a hand through his hair. He looks shaken, like he’s just snapped out of a trance. “I—I thought you were… I didn’t mean to—”
“It’s fine,” I cut in, but my voice is higher than usual, not to mention a little breathless. I take a step to the side, needing the space to clear my head. My skin is buzzing, and I can still feel the ghost of his touch on my wrist. “You were just… dreaming, I guess.”
He nods, but he looks rattled, like he’s not sure what just happened, either. I can’t tell if it’s disappointment or relief that flashes across his face as he turns away, breaking the tension. My mind is spinning, and I’m left standing there, trying to convince myself that I didn’t just imagine the heat in his eyes, the way he looked at me like I was the only thing in the room.
“Sorry,” Jack says again, his voice quieter now. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You didn’t,” I lie. I wrap my arms around myself, trying to shake off the adrenaline still coursing through me. “It’s fine, really. I just wanted to put a blanket over you.”
“Right,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. He still seems dazed, like he’s not entirely sure how to recover from whatever that was. “Thanks. And, uh, sorry. Again.”
I give him a small smile, hoping it comes off more casual than I feel. “No worries. Just… try not to manhandle your nanny next time, okay?”
He chuckles, but it’s strained, and I can tell he’s as thrown off by this as I am. “Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind.”
I retreat to my room, but my mind is still racing with the what-ifs and the almosts. I close the door behind me and lean against it, letting out a slow breath I didn’t realize I was holding. My heart is still hammering in my chest, and I press a hand to my lips, half-expecting to feel the burn of his kiss there.
It was nothing. A fluke. An accident. But the way my skin tingles and my thoughts keep circling back to the way he looked at me say otherwise. I sink onto the bed, staring at the ceiling as I try to quiet the thoughts spinning in my head. Jack isn’t the kind of guy I should be thinking about like this, especially not when I’m living in his house, working for him, taking care of his daughter. He has a reputation even those closest to him acknowledge, and the last thing I need is to get mixed up with a guy who couldn’t be more off-limits.
But dammit, that moment… it felt real, like a spark that could set everything ablaze if we weren’t careful. I can’t afford to go there, not with Jack, not with anyone. I’ve got my own mess to figure out, my own reasons for staying in Green Lake, and getting tangled up with Jack Thomas is not part of the plan.
Still, the way his eyes lingered on mine, the way his grip softened just before he let go—it’s enough to make my pulse quicken all over again. I roll over, burying my face in the pillow as if I can smother the thoughts that won’t stop running through my head. It’s ridiculous, really, how much one almost-kiss can mess with my mind.
I close my eyes, willing myself to sleep, but every time I drift off, I’m back in that moment, pinned between Jack and the wall, his breath warm against my cheek. I tell myself it’s just the shock of it, the adrenaline, that’s making it hard to shake off. But deep down, I know it’s more than that.
I want him. And that’s a problem I’m not ready to deal with.
Eventually, I manage to fall into a restless sleep, and when I do, that’s when I see him there, in the shower again, with water streaming over his muscled chest and the planes of his stomach. This time, I don’t run away. This time, I step forward, closer and closer, until it’s just the glass of the shower door between us. He’s watching me, his eyes dark with desire, and the water has plastered his hair against his forehead.
He’s saying something, but I can’t make out the words. All I know is that I want him, and when I look down, I’m naked, too, and aching for him. I reach for the shower door, ready to step inside, and just as my hand closes around the handle, his lips are on mine, his hands sliding down my back to cup my ass, pulling me against him. I gasp at the feel of him, hot and hard, pressing against me, and his fingers dig into my skin. He’s everywhere, all around me, and all I want is more.
I wake with a start, my heart racing and my body aching with unfulfilled need. It takes me a moment to orient myself, to remember where I am and why. Then, all at once, it hits me. Jack. The moment. The tension that’s been building between us.
I groan and bury my face in the pillow again. How am I supposed to face him now, knowing that just the thought of him is enough to drive me wild? He’s everything I shouldn’t want, and yet my body doesn’t seem to care. I’m drawn to him in a way that’s impossible to ignore, and I’m not sure how much longer I can keep pretending otherwise.