Justifying Jack (The Wounded Warriors Book 2) Read Online Free PDF

me.”
    She turned up the corners of her mouth, amused by his flagrant use of profanity in the church, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She turned to regard the gray, drizzly day outside the window. “I can understand that,” her soft voice was like music to his ears, sweet and inviting. “It's certainly 'warm blanket and old movie' weather.”
    He raised one eyebrow. “You do that too?” She turned, regarding him with surprise as he asked, “What's your favorite classic?”
    She met his eyes and this time the sparkle had returned to their hazel depths. “
The Wizard of Oz
. You?”
    “I like comedies.
Father Goose
is a good one.”
    She gleamed at his response. “That is a good one.”
    “Wow,” Jack felt even more drawn to the woman before him, recognizing her kindred spirit. “I thought I was the only one.”
    “Me too,” she laughed. “It's really a tragedy that poor working folks, such as us, have to be out and about, away from vintage movies and warm blankets.”
    And away from lovely ladies with sad eyes.
Shaking off the potent lure of her beauty, he forced himself to return to the casual, but words escaped him. Instead, he found himself staring into her face as though the answers to all the questions that had plagued him lately could be found there.
Jack, she's the widow of one of your closest friends, man. Come on, what are you thinking?
    She looked back, her expression unreadable, but her eyes seemed to be asking for something, begging for it. At last, she spoke, “I'll make sure your father gets this, Mr. Nelson.”
    “Jack, Marithé. Remember? Call me Jack, please. I can't call you Mrs. Dominguez. It just seems so… wrong.”
    She flashed a grin, seeming pleased. “Jack, then. I'm sure you know the drill. They'll call you, and so on.” She bobbed her head from side to side, emphasizing the repetition of her statement.
    “Yeah, I know the drill,” he chuckled. “It was, ah… nice… to see you again, Marithé.”
    She acknowledged his words with a silent nod, watching him as he made his way out of the office, his cane clicking rhythmically against the floor. The sound made Jack cringe. He hated how his unsteady gait made him look like what he was… weak.
Broken.
    * * *
    Marithé hadn't realized she was holding it, but letting out her unsteady breath, she felt a little overwhelmed.
Jack Nelson is too much for his own good. Too sexy, too handsome, and too damned nice.
She could easily recall, even though he was no longer visible, the chiseled lines of his face, the light cocoa of his skin, the brilliant flash of his perfect white teeth.
He looks amazing. Too good to be true.
    “And not for you,” she sourly reminded herself. “How disloyal can you get? Your husband is barely cold in his grave and you're ogling one of his best friends!”
    She swallowed hard, pressing the fingers of her hand against her forehead, closing her eyes in dismay. She knew the nagging voice of her conscience was right. She had no business drooling over Jack Nelson. No business even looking at a man, let alone secretly wishing he'd pressed his question about dating just a little harder.
    “Marithé?” A voice shattered her reverie.
    “Yes?” She glanced up to see the gentle, probing eyes of Shonda Nelson, scrutinizing her with blatant curiosity.
    “Did you get the bulletins printed yet?”
    Crap! Your job, mujer!
“Not yet. I almost have the cover design ready.”
    “I need those ready before tomorrow,” she reminded her, trying to suppress her smile.
Crap! How goofy-looking was my expression when she came in right after her son left?
    “I know, I know.”
Oh come on, Mari. Get with it.
“Sorry, I just…”
    “Have other… things on your mind?” Shonda teased with an unspoken question in her gaze
    “Uh, yeah,” Marithé could feel her face warming.
Oh, dear Lord, does she suspect I'm so frazzled and slow because I was daydreaming about her son? Ugh! How do I defuse this
?
    Thankfully, the kind