All-in-all, he hadn’t found one negative thing about Jodelle since he’d met her. And that both irritated and intrigued him. No one was as saintly as she seemed to be. No way.
Even being as attracted to her as he was, he’d still been determined to stay away. She was too good for him, that was crystal clear. But after witnessing how happy Mustang and Elodie were, how happy all of his SEAL friends were with their women, not to mention the love in Pid’s eyes when he looked at his new baby daughter…Baker’s mindset had begun to change.
He tended to keep people at arm’s length, men and women. But after an old SEAL teammate of his had come to Hawaii with a serious grudge—and used Monica Collins, the woman of one of his acquaintances, as bait—Baker did some serious soul-searching.
He came to the realization that he didn’t want to be an old man with no friends. Too much of a stubborn asshole to let anyone in. After so many years, the thought of being alone no longer appealed.
And when he thought about his future, about who he might want to hang out with when he was old and gray, the only person who came to mind was Jodelle. It was crazy, they didn’t know each other, not really, but Baker couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Then Ashlyn Taylor, the girlfriend of another SEAL friend, was shot several months ago, and Baker envisioned Jodelle being in her place.
He panicked. It wasn’t logical. Wasn’t something he’d ever dwelled on in the past, his friends being hurt. But the last couple of years had proven danger comes when you least expect it, especially in regard to his SEAL friends and their women. Now he couldn’t shake the image of Jodelle lying in a hospital bed, suffering from a gunshot wound. He didn’t ever want to see that happen.
And the best way to keep her safe…was to keep her by his side.
The thought didn’t freak him out. For the first time since Tabitha, Baker wanted to be in a relationship. Wanted to go to sleep with a woman at his side and wake up the same way. He wanted her to text and let him know how her day was going, and he wanted to share what was going on in his own life right back.
Jodelle wasn’t Tabitha. She’d never even think about stealing from him. And plotting to kill him? No way would that happen. Baker knew that as clearly as he knew his own name.
Earlier today, when he’d wrapped his arm around her chest to keep her from interfering with the medic’s evaluation of the teenager she was so worried about, Baker knew instantly that he was a goner. She fit against him absolutely perfectly. He’d never been one to go for petite women, but Jodelle changed his thoughts on that. Aside from her curves, he loved her long dark brown hair that never seemed to want to stay confined in whatever hairdo she put it in, and her golden-brown eyes that hinted at a pain he wanted to soothe. She was also the most expressive woman he’d ever met. He knew exactly what she was thinking without her having to say a word.
But it was that agony deep in her eyes that called to him most. The woman was broken inside. She was merely going through the motions of life. Every smile was subdued, every chuckle tinged with grief. Baker wanted to hold her close and tell her that she didn’t have to hide from him, that he’d put her back together piece by piece—but he had to earn the right.
And he was more determined than ever to do just that.
Baker knew she’d had a son, and that he’d died. But he didn’t know any of the details. Her son’s death had to be what had broken her, and while Baker couldn’t know exactly what she was feeling, he’d experienced loss himself.
As he’d held her back from going to Ben, Baker had made a decision. He’d been a coward for too long. Afraid to let anyone in. But no longer. He’d seen the looks Jodelle had sent his way. She was interested, but had absolutely no intention of doing anything about it, which made her different from other women. Baker knew if he didn’t at least attempt to explore the connection they had, he’d regret it for the rest of his life.
So today was the first step toward healing them both. Maybe things would work out, maybe they wouldn’t, but he’d be damned if he didn’t at least try.
“It’s nice,” Jodelle said as she looked around his place.
Baker shrugged. He hadn’t thought much about decor in the past. The house was functional, and that was all he needed. Tile on the floor, small kitchen and living areas. Decent-size master bedroom with a bathroom attached. An extra bedroom where he usually stored his surfboard and other miscellaneous crap he’d accumulated over the years. He had the requisite large-screen TV and a comfortable couch and oversized easy chair.
But looking around, he didn’t see anything that screamed “home.” No pictures on the walls. No knickknacks. It was kind of cold…which was a feat, since he lived in Hawaii.
“It’s a place to sleep, that’s it,” he told Jodelle with a shrug. He knew she was merely being polite. The thing of it was, he had no idea how to warm the house up, how to make it a place she might want to hang out.
“Come on,” he said a little more gruffly than he’d intended. “Let’s get you settled so I can feed you.”
“I’m fine,” Jodelle said as he put his hand on the small of her back and led her over to the small table next to the kitchen. Baker couldn’t remember when he’d last sat there. He usually ate standing up or on the couch while watching TV.
Ignoring her protest, Baker opened one of the cabinets in the kitchen and scanned its contents. “I can make some killer spaghetti. The pasta would probably be good for you, since it’s been a while since you’ve eaten.” He then went to the fridge and looked inside. “Or I’ve got some steaks I can grill.” Leaning over, Baker spied a package of chicken in the back. He grabbed it and stood, looking for the expiration date.
“Baker,” Jodelle said from her spot at the table.
“I was gonna say I had some chicken, but I can’t read the expiration date and I don’t remember when I bought this. Not gonna risk you pukin’ your guts out later.” He walked over to his trash can and threw away the package of chicken thighs, making a mental note to take the trash out later so it didn’t stink up the house.
“Baker,” Jodelle said again, a little more forcefully.
He turned his head to look at her.
“You don’t need to make me anything. I’m still unsure about why I’m actually here. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy to give you a ride, but you’ve probably got things to do. I should go.”
Baker strode over to where she was sitting and put one hand on the table and the other on the back of her chair. She’d turned so she was sitting sideways, and she was now effectively blocked in by him. He leaned down and couldn’t help but be pleased by the way her cheeks flushed and she stared at him with wide eyes.
“The only thing I’ve got to do right now is make sure you don’t pass out from lack of sustenance. We’ll talk after we eat. You want spaghetti or steak? Unfortunately, those are the best options I’ve got right now. If you pick my killer spaghetti, the sauce really should simmer for at least six hours to get the full effect, but we’ll make do.”
“Um…spaghetti.”
Baker studied Jodelle for a moment. “You eat meat?” he asked.
“Yes. I mean, not a lot. I don’t have anything against it, but it’s so easy to get fresh fruit and veggies here. The farmers market in Waialua is awesome, and I go there a lot, so I usually fill up on salads and pineapple. Besides, it’s not like I need the extra calories from heavy, meaty dishes.”