Against the Wall by Rebecca Zanetti Page A

towered over her, and maybe frightened her, but something in him didn’t give a shit. How dare she put herself in such danger?
    She shifted so her back rested against the hard metal of the vehicle and shrugged. “They wanted to meet. I didn’t know they were nuts.”
    “They’re nuts,” Jake confirmed. God, he had no right to be so angry with her—she wasn’t his. Yet tension still squeezed up his throat. “ The Rockefellers changed their name three years ago. They used to be the Johnsons .”
    “No,” Sophie laughed out.
    Jake nodded, forcing his shoulders to relax. He had no right to yell at her. Yet.
    Sophie grabbed his suit lapels with both hands. “I wasn’t in any real danger, was I?”
    Lust clawed through Jake’s gut. If this was her way of appeasing him, it was definitely working. “Probably not. But they’re a bit off.”
    “Yeah, I got that.” She lifted smiling eyes to his. “So I guess I owe you a thank-you, huh?”
    Oh yeah. A thank you sounded nice. “I guess you do.”
    She tugged. He complied by dipping his head. Sophie stretched to her tiptoes and pressed her lips gently against his. “Thank you.” Her voice was husky as she dropped back to her feet.
    “You’re welcome,” Jake murmured. If she thought that was the end of it, then she’d misjudged him. He lowered his head and kissed her, going deep. The woman tasted like strawberries, and he wanted to feast for days. Maybe weeks. His hands encircled her waist to pull her against him. Finally, he let her go. “You make up your mind?”
    Sophie smoothed out the wrinkles she’d caused. She kept her eyes chest level. “Still mulling it over.”
    Jake stepped back and released her waist before placing one knuckle under her chin and lifting it until her eyes met his. “Take your time, Soph.”
    He’d learned patience as a lawyer, and knew when to back off—which is why he always won. Sophie’s acquiescence was much more important than any case he’d ever taken, and finesse was necessary. “I need to get to court. I’ll call you later.”
    He jumped into his truck, not looking back. If he looked back, no way would he leave. The woman had to make up her own mind to come to him. When she did—then he’d take over.

    Saturday night arrived, and again, she’d agreed to dinner with Jake. It was as if she wanted to get her heart smashed.
    She’d spent Friday alternating between designing the garden, playing in her sketchbook, and pondering Jake’s proposal. The time would soon come for her to make a decision. She wanted him, without question. But the last thing she needed was a broken heart.
    Sophie wore a light pink skirt with deep blue blouse for dinner, and she waited for him on the porch swing. Her new boots finished the outfit perfectly. Tall, broad, yet somehow graceful, he approached from his truck, a sexy predator in civilized clothing.
    She smiled from her perch on the swing. “I have something for you.”
    “What’s that?” His boots made dull thud s as he crossed the painted wood.
    Sophie handed him the charcoal of Leila with her pretty hair in ribboned braids, her eyes sparking with spirit and intelligence as she won a new foal from her uncle. Softly rounded cheeks and delicate features hinted at the lovely woman who would one day emerge from the impish body.
    The scents of natural pine and wild berries lifted the air around them as Jake accepted her gift.
    “Sophie,” Jake breathed, holding the thick paper at arm’s length. “It’s beautiful. She’s beautiful. Thank you.” His eyes warmed her.
    He really liked her work. Delight flashed through her as she accepted his hand and walked to the truck. They drove for a while, both lost in their own thoughts, and Sophie stilled in surprise when he pulled into his long driveway.
    “I’m cooking you dinner.” Intimacy and something deeper wove through his words. Sophie took a deep breath. “I won’t push you. Just dinner.” He enfolded her hand with his larger