Page 41 of Hunting Justice
She inhaled. “There was this one guy, Travis, that I spent a lot of time with during track practice. I had just turned seventeen when he asked me out. Of course, I said yes. We had a great time.” The memory of her first and only date warmed her heart. “He took me to dinner and then to the movies. We had a lot in common, so we had no problem coming up with things to talk about. At the end of the night, he gave me my first kiss.”
“Sounds like a nice memory.” He squeezed her fingers.
“It was.” And then her carefree life had ended. “A couple weeks later, I was abducted.” She stared at their hands, wondering how her life would have turned out if she’d listened to her gut on that fateful night.
“What about afterward? Please tell me the guys you dated treated you well.”
“Didn’t you hear me? I don’t date.”
“Yeah, but…” His eyes widened. “As in…”
She nodded. “I’ve had one date in my entire life.”
“And the kiss?”
“One.” Thirty-two years old, and she’d kissed one man—make that boy—in her life.
“So when I kissed you, you hadn’t kissed anyone else but that Travis kid?”
She dropped her gaze to the table and shook her head.
“I had no idea.” He cupped her chin and lifted, forcing her to look at him. “I’m honored to be your second kiss. And make no mistake, it was extremely enjoyable.”
Heat traveled from her neck to her cheeks. “But you’re experienced in relationships and…things. And I’m not.” Great. Now she sounded like an idiot.
“All you need is a little confidence in the relationship department, but I have a feeling it’s the and things you’re most worried about.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “Am I right?”
She tugged her bottom lip between her teeth and nodded.
He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Then I think it’s time to do something about that.”
“Wait. What?” Had she heard him correctly?
“I said I think—” His jaw dropped. “No. That’s not what I meant.” He covered his face with his hands. “I’m really botching this. What I was trying to say is that I’d like to show you what a relationship is like. And since I jumped to the kiss first, I’d like to take you on a date.”
Her heart rate settled a bit, then sped up. The rollercoaster of emotions exhausted her. “I don’t know, Jonah. When you realize you can’t deal with my scars and walk away, you’ll destroy me.”
“All the more reason I want to show you what a real relationship is like. Nothing—not even scars—will scare me.” He clasped her hands. “I have no idea what the future will bring between us. But I do know that I’d like you to have a positive memory—with me.”
Could she take the chance? She’d opened up to him more than anyone else in her life. Uncertain yet unwilling to let the opportunity pass, she made up her mind. “I think I’d like that.”
He smiled. “Me too.” He squeezed her hands one more time, then grabbed another envelope. “Unfortunately, until we solve this mystery that Ken handed us, we might have to get creative in the date department.”
Glad the intensity of the conversation had ended, Noelle took a deep breath. “Explain.”
Jonah slid his finger under the flap and popped it open. “I’m thinking dinner and a movie, but here at your house.”
“Basically, what we’ve been doing for the past year?”
“Yes and no. This time my focus will be on you as a woman, not just as a friend.”
And there went the flutter in her belly again. The idea of his full attention on her made her palms sweat.
She’d moved beyond being a scared young woman, and excelled in a male-dominated law enforcement career. But the concept of going on a date with Jonah terrified her.
* * *
What had he done? Jonah wiped a hand down his face. His comment about dating Noelle played on repeat in his head. He had no business considering a relationship with anyone—especially Noelle. He’d failed his wife Cara, but he refused to fail Noelle. And that’s what would happen if he allowed himself to look beyond friendship.