Jackson: The Sons of Dusty Walker Read Online Free PDF

business, and she
didn’t want her business to suffer because of gossip.
    Shoving a pie-shaped stack of three pancakes into his mouth,
Jackson groaned.
    Her stomach rumbled, and she scooped a big spoon of her
sorry breakfast into her mouth. Maybe if she jogged more? Bought a treadmill?
Did yoga?
    “Is that all you’re having?” Jackson gestured with his
coffee cup toward her bowl.
    “I usually skip breakfast.” She poked at a strawberry hiding
in yogurt.
    “Most important meal of the day?” He went back to cutting
his pancakes. “Why’s that?”
    She shrugged. “Most days, I don’t get out of bed until
later.”
    He smiled. “I like hearing that.”
    A wave of desire roared through her. “It’s because I stay up
until near dawn working.”
    “Ah, a night owl.”
    “Whoo, me?” She batted her eyes at him.
    He laughed, a slow, low rumble that tingled into her ears
and made her ridiculously happy.
    Sherry came back with her coffee pot. “Your food okay?”
    “Great.” Jackson’s gaze never left Rori. “Thanks.” He
crunched into a piece of bacon.
    The waitress hummed for a second, then moved on.
    Rori stuck her spoon into the unappealing breakfast and
shoved the bowl to the side. “Should we talk about the contract while we have a
few minutes between admirers?”
    “Sure, you start.”
    “First…” She took a second to gather her points. “The
contract is with the company, not Dusty personally.”
    “Makes sense.” He cut a sausage in half and put it in his
mouth, chewing slowly as he watched her.
    “Then, there’s the fact that I’m still needed. The company
is going to continue its work.” For at least another year, if what Dusty’s
attorney told her was true.
    “Good enough for me. I see no reason to make any changes.”
He poured more syrup on the cakes then reached across the table and picked up
her fork. “If Dad negotiated it for the company, even though he’s gone now…” He
stuck her fork in the short stack, cut a wedge of pancake, and held the
dripping mess out for her to take. “I’d bet my best boots it’s a valid
contract.”
    The smell of real maple syrup mixing with the carb scent of
the pancakes weakened her beyond redemption. Grabbing the fork from him, she
shoved the whole pile into her mouth and chewed. Bliss floated inside her mouth
and mellowed all the way down to her soul.
    He pushed the plate of cakes closer to her and spread more
of the whipped butter on the top layer.
    Rori should talk to Jackson about her expansion ideas now
that he was all…buttered up, but it could wait until they weren’t in such a
public place. Giving up all pretenses of interest in her own breakfast, she dug
into the pancakes, eggs, and breakfast meats. Damn him for making her run five
extra miles today.
    Her phone beeped and she pulled it from her pocket. “Sorry,
my customer is at the shop early.” She reached into her back pocket, but he
held up a hand. “My treat.”
    “Thanks.” She stood and he wrapped his big, calloused hand
around her wrist.
    “Sorry about the…photo thing earlier.” His blue eyes
softened. “I didn’t mean any offense.”
    Rori nodded, letting the warmth of his touch slide along her
bloodstream like a river of lava. “I understand. And sorry for…” She glanced
around, seeing every eye in the place on them. “My overreaction.” Whispering
the words, she slid her arm out of his grasp.
    “Not a problem.” His hand went right to his coffee cup. “So
I’ll see you this afternoon?”
    “What?” How was she so easily distracted by this cowboy’s
touch?
    “Computering lessons?” His lips curved up into a delicious
smile. “You are free this afternoon, correct?”
    It shouldn’t be a problem, the two of them in the office
with the other employees present. “Sure. I’ll call before—”
    “No need.” He leaned closer to her as he pulled his wallet
out of his back pocket. “I’ll be there reading through files. But…” His brows
drew