Closer To You (Tales of the Sweet Magnolia Book 1) by Amanda McIntyre Page A

of her eyes. She couldn’t do this.
    He took a deep breath and exhaled. “What are you looking for, Lil?”
    What the hell? Why not lay her cards on the table? “Well, it seems I have this problem, Sheriff. You see, I don’t want just any man.”
    His gaze narrowed. He knew what she was about to say.
    “I want you .”
    She noted the slight bob of his Adam’s apple. “I never said I wasn’t attracted to you.” His calloused palm moved over her bare shoulder and slid without hurry up the curve of her neck to rest finally on her cheek.
    She looked at his rugged, handsome face—a face she’d decided that she could get used to seeing every morning. But perhaps he wasn’t the one fate had in mind for her. “I understand, I do. Nevertheless, it’s only temporary. I know how you feel. I’m not the kind of woman you’d think of settling down with—raising a family, going to Sunday church.” She was challenging him, but better he accept how he really felt about her than to deceive himself or her with untrue feelings. “That’s not true,” he whispered and curled his hand around her neck drawing her forward to place a kiss on her forehead.
    “You said as much to me not less than ten minutes ago.”
    He rested his lips against her temple. “You make me crazy. I wasn’t expecting this.”
    Heat radiated from his body, blocking the airflow between them. She could barely breathe for wanting him. “You make me crazy, too.”
    “What did you mean with all that talk about being a librarian and wearing cardigans—what is all that gibberish?” Jake slid his hands to her elbows drawing her to the chair. He sat down and pulled her to his lap, looking up at her with an earnestness that made her hopeful that she might be able to explain to him her theory about the necklace. Maybe if he understood that being a Madam was only a fantasy in another life, not really who she was, he might feel differently about her.
    “Okay, but promise me that you’ll hear me out with an open mind.”
    He regarded her with his serious expression. “I’ll do my best.”
    She took a deep breath as she smoothed her hand over his shoulder. “What if I told you that I really am a librarian from the future?”
    He reacted far better to the news than she expected, or he was sidetracked with the heated kisses he was pressing to her neck.
    “Right now you got my head in such a spin, I think I’d believe anything you told me.” He crooked two fingers over the edge of the towel covering her breasts and gently tugged it down, letting it fall around her lap. “Doc says I’m all healed.” “I’m serious, Jake.”
    He stared at her and this time it was obvious he understood she wasn’t kidding around. “Listen I don’t know where all this came from, but I’ve always known you as—as, well, the madam of this, uh…the Sweet Magnolia.”
    “I’m not making this up. I’m telling you the truth.” She searched his face, hoping that something would click and he would see with clarity why she was there—that destiny, fate—whatever it was called, had brought them together— that they were meant to be together.
    Jake eased her from his lap and stood. A frown marred his brow and his lips
    were drawn on a thin line. She’d seen that closed-down, stubborn look before. He didn’t believe her.
    “Listen, I have some things in town that require my attention.” Or you’re avoiding the issue , she thought.
    He bent down, plucked up her towel, and wrapped it awkwardly around her. She clamped her arms down, clutching it, confused by his strange behavior. “You might say something,” She insisted. 
    He cleared his throat and stared down at his feet. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”
    “That you believe me would be a good start.” She grabbed her robe, feeling far too vulnerable in the towel and slipped it on, cinching it at the waist.
    He blew out a breath. “I’ve heard some pretty far-fetched stories in my life, but this one