TamingTara

Chapter Twenty-Three

“That’s perfect,” Sasha said approvingly, watching the little girl tie a shiny ribbon around the bracelet she’d just finished. “Is that going to be for you to wear or is it for someone else?”

“It’s for my sister,” Sarah said. “She just broke up with her boyfriend and she’s been kind of sad, so I made this to help her feel better.”

“That is so sweet,” Sasha said with a smile. “You are such a good sister. I know she’ll love it.”

Her first week on the job and she was back at the center, only this time she belonged. She hadn’t seen Nick yet, but that didn’t matter. She wasn’t there to see him, she was there to work with the kids, and a deep contentment filled her as she helped Sarah trim the edges of the ribbon attractively.

“What is going on here?” The deep voice coming from behind her vibrated with disbelief.

She turned on her child-size chair and looked up—way, way up—into Nick’s eyes.

“Hi, Nick,” she said, very neutrally. “How are you?”

“I’m…uh…fine.” A frown edged at his brow and his mouth thinned. “What are you doing here, Sasha?”

She smiled faintly. “Don’t worry. I’m not stalking you.”

“I wasn’t…”

She waved a hand. “That’s okay. I’m working.”

His brows lifted and she nodded, smiled at Sarah.

“A couple of hours a week I’ll be here working with the kids on art projects,” she told him.

He gazed at her in astonishment. “Huh?” Then he noticed the kids listening with interest. “Why don’t you come see me in my office when you’re done here?”

“Sure.” Sasha turned back to the table where they were working and smiled inwardly. She helped the kids clean up and put things away and then she picked up her purse and briefcase and went downstairs. She knocked softly on Nick’s door.

He looked up, but she could tell he’d just been staring into space, not really doing anything. “Come in.”

She walked in, took a chair and crossed her legs. She adjusted the casual flowered cotton skirt she wore over her knees.

“You can’t just walk in here off the street and start doing stuff with the kids,” he began, his voice stern.

She grinned and rolled her eyes at him and he stopped talking.

“What?”

“Don’t worry, Nick, I’m here in a totally official, sanctioned position. I actually have a new job.” She told him about the position she’d obtained. “They set everything up with Brody, they did the screening process, it’s all good.”

“Oh.” He looked a little dumbfounded.

“Brody was happy to have someone come and do art projects with the kids. I have lots of great ideas.” She couldn’t help but smile, unable to completely rein in the enthusiasm for the plans she had, much as she wanted to appear professional and competent to Nick. “That’s why I quit the committee. Because of my new job.”

“Why on earth would you get a job?”

Heat swept up over her face. She knew exactly what he meant. She looked down at her hands, then back up at him. “I haven’t been happy for a long time,” she said honestly. “When I was here, working with the kids, I felt like I was contributing.”

“And I took that away from you.” His voice went very low.

“You were just doing your job,” she replied. “I understand that. But I wanted to do something…meaningful. Something that made a difference. This job seemed perfect.”

She met his gaze head-on, hoping he understood.

“Oh,” he said again. He was staring at her.

“I…uh…” Crap. Uncertainly flooded through her. What if he still didn’t want her working with the kids? “I hope that’s okay with you. If it’s a problem, I’ll just take the center off the list of groups that we work with.”

“No!” He swiped a hand over his eyes. “No, don’t do that. Of course it’s okay.”

Their eyes connected again.

It was still there. Good or bad, she didn’t know, but that spark, the heat between them that was growing, warming her, was still there and she was going to find out where this could go. She parted her lips slightly and with satisfaction watched Nick’s gaze move to her mouth. Unfortunately that alone caused a flood of desire to pool low in her belly and momentarily she lost control of the situation.

Her breath caught in her throat and her heart started to thud painfully. She was amazed Nick couldn’t hear it. She wrapped the fingers of one hand around the other to hide the fact that suddenly she was trembling.

“We missed you here,” he said, amazingly.

“Oh. Wow. That’s nice.” She looked at him with wide eyes.

He nodded. “Especially the kids. I heard about the gift Isaiah and Caleb made for their mother. She actually came in to thank whoever was responsible, she was so touched. Especially since those two boys were on the verge of becoming car thieves about a year ago.”

Speech momentarily deserted her. “I-I don’t know what to say. I know you weren’t happy I did that, but…”

Nick waved a hand. “Don’t think I don’t appreciate the things you did for the kids.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re back. And you got a job.”

She grimaced. His amazement at the fact she had obtained employment stung a little. “I know you think I’m a useless society princess. But I promise I’ll do my best for the kids while I’m here. As with the other organizations I’ll be working with.”

The moment stretched out, tension humming between them. Then Sasha stood. “Well, I should go,” she said. “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you.”

“Sasha. Wait.”

She turned to him, smiled inquiringly.

“Do you…would you…”

She watched him as he struggled, amusement tickling inside her. He was just as nervous as she was. This was good. This was very, very good. But she waited. Once before she’d extended an invitation to him he’d refused, and this time it was going to have to be up to him.

“Would you like to go get a drink somewhere? Maybe dinner?” He rubbed a hand over his short-cropped hair. “I’d like to hear more about your new job.”

She smiled slowly, warmth blossoming inside her and spreading from her middle outward. She drew a deep breath, let it out slowly. “Sure,” she agreed. “That sounds nice.”

“Grandpa, we need to talk to you.”

He looked up from the papers on his desk. Tara and Joe stood side by side just inside the door of his office. He lifted a brow. “Okay.”

Joe closed the door and they sat in the chairs. Tara faced her grandfather across the desk, remembering the day she’d sat in that same chair while he told her he’d hired Joe. She smiled and glanced at Joe.

“What’s this about? I haven’t finished going over your proposal yet…”

“It’s not about that,” Joe said, voice deep and sexy. “I need to tell you about why I left my last job.”

Grandpa sat back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. “Okay.”

Joe told him the story and Tara had to resist the strong need to reach out and clasp his hand in hers. It still hurt her so much that he’d been treated like that. That he’d been so helpless to prove his innocence. Her stomach tightened as she watched her grandfather’s face.

Tyrone said sat silently for long moments, apparently processing what he’d just heard. Then he asked, narrowed eyes looking at Joe, “Why didn’t you tell me this?”

“The obvious reasons,” Joe said. “I needed a job. This was pretty much my last hope. I didn’t want to lose it.”

Tyrone’s gazed shifted to Tara. “You knew this?”

“Yes.”

“Since when?”

“About a week ago.”

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me sooner?” he barked.

She straightened her spine. “Because it didn’t matter. I know Joe is innocent. He would never steal from anyone, including us.”

And at that moment warmth enclosed her fingers in a strong clasp. She glanced down at Joe’s hand on hers on the arm of the chair, then back up to her grandfather—who’d also noticed.

He frowned.

“What’s going on between you two?” he demanded, sitting forward.

“I’m in love with Tara,” Joe said in a strong, confident voice.

“And I love him too,” she added. They shared a glance and their fingers tightened on each other’s.

“Jesus Christ.” Tyrone stared back at them. “Tara, you were ready to kill him a few weeks ago.”

Tara smiled. “Yeah. I still might if he pisses me off.” She slanted a mischievous glance at Joe.

He smiled. “I don’t think so, sweetheart,” he drawled.

The authority in his voice made her melt. Damn, she was not going to be a doormat for any man, was not going to let him walk all over her, but it was so damn hard to resist him. And yet she knew he wasn’t her keeper, her commander, her master…but rather, her protector. Partner. Lover.

Grandpa rubbed his forehead. “Jesus. What the hell is happening here? Sasha goes out and gets a job. And you tell me you’re in love with Joe. There must be a damn full moon or something.” He shook his head. “Or I’m just getting old.” Then his amber gaze sharpened. “On the other hand…”

Tara sent Joe a sideways, dubious glance. “What, Grandpa?”

He barked out a laugh.

They stared at him.

“This is perfect!” he said. “Joe can run the company and you can stay home and have babies.”

Tara gritted her teeth. Joe’s thumb moved over her hand in a soothing gesture. She relaxed a little. “No, Grandpa. We never said anything about getting married.” They’d talked about it, at the ranch, over the weekend, but it was too soon to let him know that. “Or babies. That will be up to us. In the meantime, I’m not going anywhere.”

Joe leaned forward. “Tyrone. You know damn well if Tara left, this company would be devastated. We need her drive, her passion, her vision—and her knowledge.”

Tyrone stared back at Joe. He leaned back in his chair, picked up a pen and shifted it between his fingers.

“Yes,” he said. “You’re right.”

Tara swallowed a gasp and turned wide eyes to Joe. He smiled.

“Thank you,” she whispered, not sure who she was directing it to more—Grandpa or Joe.

“Tara and I are a team,” Joe said.

Her heart expanded in her chest and she took a big breath. She felt accepted, cared for, as if she could totally be herself and it was fine. In giving herself, she’d gotten so much. Respect. Love. She’d found herself, her true strength.

Now she had what she really wanted.