here … to get away.”
Jace grinned. “So this was Lyle’s secret hideaway?”
Lori frowned. “Please, I don’t want that picture in my mind.”
Jace looked around at the structure. “Well, whatever he used it for, it’s well built. And it seems to have all the modern conveniences.”
He went on a search, and found two bedrooms, then a utility room off the kitchen. There was a large generator and tankless water system. “Bingo,” he called to Lori. “All the conveniences of home. In fact, it’s better than back home.” He nodded to the fire. “Propane gas for the kitchen stove and most importantly there’s heat.”
Lori looked at him. “You really think my father used this place for his own personal use?”
Jace shrugged. “Or he let clients use it. Come on, Lori, did you think your father lived like a monk?”
She shrugged. “Truthfully, I hadn’t thought much about my father’s personal business in a long time. So what if he came here.” She walked to the kitchen. “Maybe we should look for something to eat.” Opening the cabinets, she found some canned goods, soup, beans and tuna.
Jace opened the refrigerator. Empty, but the freezer was filled with different cuts of meat, steaks, chicken. “I’ll say one thing about Lyle. He believed in being prepared.” He pulled out two steaks. “Hungry?”
She arched an eyebrow. “Are you cooking?”
“Hey, I can cook.” He took the meat from the package, put it on a plate and into the microwave to defrost. “I’ve been on my own for a long time.”
Lori had wondered about his childhood since he’d mentioned that he’d been in foster care. “How old were you?”
“At eighteen they release you. So you’re on your own,” he told her as he found a can of green beans in another cabinet. “I got a job working construction and signed up for college classes.”
Jace didn’t have it much better than she did, Lori thought. “That had to be hard for you.”
“Not too bad,” Jace said. “I found out later, I had a small inheritance from my parents. It was in trust until I turned twenty-five.” He turned on the broiler in the oven then washed his hands. “I used it to start my company. Yeager Construction.”
Lori found she liked listening to Jace talk. He was a confident man, in his words and movements. Okay, so she more than liked him.
The microwave dinged and he took out the meat. “How about a little seasoning for your steak?” He held up a small jar.
“Sure.”
He added the rub to the meat. She watched as he worked efficiently to prepare the meal. She couldn’t help but wonder about how those broad hands and tapered fingers would feel against her skin.
She suddenly heard her name and looked at him. “What?”
He gave her an odd look. “How do you like your steak?”
“Any way you fix it is fine,” she said, not really caring at all. Then he smiled and she couldn’t find enough air to draw into her lungs.
He winked. “Medium rare it is,” he said and slid the tray into the broiler.
Pull it together, girl, she told herself then went to the cupboard. She got out two plates and some flatware from the drawer, then set the table by the fire. No need for candles. She glanced around the room. It looked so intimate.
She went and found a can of pineapple and opened it, then heated the green beans just as the steaks came off the broiler.
Jace added another log to the fire, then they sat down to dinner. “Man, this looks good. Too bad we can’t do a salad and some garlic bread.”
“I find it amazing that there’s so much food here.”
“Your father struck me as well prepared. Hold on a minute.” He got up, went into the utility room and came out with a bottle of wine. “In every way.”
He opened the bottle and poured two glasses. He took them to the table, sat in his chair and began to cut his steak. “If he used this place, he wanted all the comforts money could buy,” Jace said, nodding to the wine.
“I’m wondering who he shared all this with.”
Jace took a drink. “You might never know. One thing for sure, Lyle had good taste.”
She took a sip from her glass, too, and had to agree. Then she began to eat, discovering she was hungry. “I guess I’m still the daughter who wonders why he was such a loner, not even finding time for his only child.”
“We can spend hours on that subject.” Jace continued to eat. “Some people aren’t cut out for the job of parenting.”
She hated that her father’s rejection still bothered her after all these years. She wanted to think she’d moved on. Maybe not.
She turned her attention back to the conversation. “Shelly hated anything to do with being a mother,” Jace said. “That’s why I can’t let her have Cassie.”
“Does Cassie want to live with her mother?”
“Cassie wants to be loved by her mother, but my ex is too selfish. She’s been jealous of her daughter since her birth. And I’ll do anything to prevent Cassie from taking a backseat to that. I know how it feels.”
“Cassie’s lucky she has you.”
He smiled. “It’s easy to love that little girl. I know I spoil her, but she’s been so happy since she moved here. I have to make it permanent.”
Lori put on a smile. “You’re a good father, Jace Yeager.” She placed her hand on his arm. “I’ll help you in any way I can.”
He stopped eating. “What do you mean? Help. I can afford to handle this custody battle on my own.”
She shook her head. “I know that. I only meant that I know what it’s like to not have a father in my life. I was offering moral support, nothing else. But don’t be too bullheaded to take any and everything you can to keep your daughter. She needs you in her life, more than you know.” Lori stood and carried her plate to the sink. Her appetite was gone.
He came to her. “I’m sorry, Lori.”
She could feel his heat behind her. Good Lord, the man made his presence known. She wanted desperately to lean back into him. “For years Lyle Hutchinson never even acknowledged that I existed. I can’t tell you how much that hurt.”
She hated feeling needy. When Jace turned her around and touched her cheek, she couldn’t deny she wanted his comfort.
“I can’t imagine doing that to my child. I don’t want to think about Cassie not being in my life. I know from experience that adults do dumb things, and in the end it’s the kids that get hurt the most.”
Lori felt a tear drop and he wiped it away. “It’s not fair.”
Jace leaned forward. “I wish I could change it.” He brushed his mouth across hers. “I wish I could make you feel better.”
She released a shaky breath. “What you’re doing is nice.”
His blue-eyed gaze searched her face. “Damn, Lori. What I’m thinking about doing with you isn’t nice.” Then he pulled her close and captured her mouth. Desire burst within her, if possible more intense than ever before, pooling deep in her center. She could feel his heat even through their clothes as she arched into his body. She whimpered her need as his tongue danced against hers.
“You make me want so many things,” he breathed as his tongue tormented her skin. He found his way to her collarbone. “I want you, Lorelei Hutchinson.” His mouth closed over hers once again, giving her a hint of the