Free Blackjack and Moonlight: A Contemporary Romance by Magdalen Braden Page B

worse. At least with his career, he had some experience. This was the first time he intended to court a woman with marriage as his goal.
    The bronze turtle statues were cute. An adult and two babies. Babies. The issue of children had been lurking at the back of his mind for days. He’d waited so long to fall in love, he really couldn’t expect it to happen again anytime soon. Therefore, Elise Carroll would be the mother of any children he had. If she said no, he’d never marry—or he’d marry so late that children would no longer be an option. Who wanted to be the geriatric dad at the playground?
    He leaned back on the bench. Never marry? That was just sad. He’d always assumed he’d marry. Someday. He simply hadn’t met the right woman, or even a woman close enough to right to consider the option of marriage. Now he’d met her—the one woman in his future—and she was indifferent to him. In theory he’d survive Elise’s rejection and maybe have better luck the next time. Realistically? Without her, a solitary future stretched out like an abandoned road to a distant horizon. Jack would end up the bachelor on the bench, a lesser version of Justice Souter. Well, there were far worse role models.
    He took a deep breath and looked over at Elise’s house, its windows glowing in the twilight. He wanted to share that warmth with her. He wanted to protect her, enchant her as she enchanted him. For tonight, he’d have to settle for pleasing her in bed.
     

     
    Coughing uncontrollably, Elise yanked open the front door. What an idiot. Everything had been perfect until she’d gotten the brilliant idea of making a fire, then couldn’t remember which way the flue worked. Now she had a living room full of smoke and maybe ten minutes before that man arrived. He’d laugh at her, or worse. She hated him, she really did. Their whole agreement was a huge mistake. If it weren’t that she was extremely horny and oh, yeah, that she didn’t know his cell phone number, she’d call and cancel. With her hacking cough, she’d have no trouble convincing him that she really was sick.
    Her spasms subsided gradually. Time to go back in and figure out how to clear the smoke. A movement across the street caught her eye.
    Shit. He was at the edge of the park, looking right at her. Elise squelched the impulse to dash back into the house. Keep your head up, show no fear. She walked over to meet him.
    “Everything okay?” he asked.
    “Of course not.” She managed to laugh before coughing again. “Overreaching—that’s my fatal flaw. I thought it would be nice to have a fire, but my enthusiasm got ahead of my common sense. One stuck flue later and voilà,” she said, turning to gesture at the smoky front hall.
    “Did you get the flue open?”
    “Yes, eventually. And the smoke alarm turned off. I even managed to make the fire burn properly. But the house is filled with smoke. So unsexy.”
    He surprised her by putting his arm around her shoulder and hugging her swiftly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I love a damsel in distress. Let me help.”
    “Boy Scout,” she muttered, relieved by his matter-of-fact approach. She let him lead her back to the house. She’d opened the French doors to her tiny garden, and the cross-ventilation did a lot of good, although it now seemed as chilly inside as out. She closed the French doors and the window in the kitchen while he poked at the fire. By the time she got back to the living room, he’d managed some lively flames. She could even feel heat.
    “Thanks. Would you like some wine?” she offered.
    He put his hand on his heart. “You got wine just for me?” he teased. “I’m honored. Red, if you’ve got it.”
    Elise looked at him. Blackjack McIntyre was in her house. Her distinctly smoky and chilly house. She’d thought several times that he wouldn’t show up. But he was here. And lord he looked good. Suede jacket over a sweater over a button-down shirt, dress slacks