She blinked, hoping to break the spell, and allowed her eyes to wander over his features. Dark hair rested across his forehead, nearly touching the slightly arching corner of an equally dark brow. Her fingers wanted to reach up to brush it back, to experience it's softness. Her gaze then trailed along a lean, clean shaven jaw and got stuck in the general vicinity of his mouth. That brought on a whole new round of sensations so surprising that she was unable to suppress a soft gasp.

Jake for his part remained utterly still throughout her examination. Though something changed in his eyes, signifying that he'd noted her reaction, he otherwise pretended not to.

Jo, suddenly feeling very vulnerable, turned away and fumbled for the door handle. "We'd better get inside." She muttered, struggling to find her focus. She hated being unfocused. She especially hated feeling vulnerable. No, this situation would never do.

Moving quickly from the vehicle, she set a determined pace toward the shopping center, ignoring the fact that Jake had to jog to catch up to her. Perversely, she quickened the pace, practically running along the isle of parked vehicles.

"Hold on a second," Jake said, slowing.

Jo wasn't sure how to explain what had come over her, but couldn't seem to bring herself to comply. Her feet simply wanted to run away from this very compelling man as fast as they could.

"Jo!" Jake called again as he began to fall behind. Frustration was evident in his voice.

She turned and looked over her shoulder, never slowing her forward momentum. Her long hair, down about her shoulders, blew across her face at the motion. She roughly brushed it back, wondering if he was growing angry with her? There was no doubt that she probably had that coming. Maybe that was what she secretly wanted: for him to be so angry that he'd give up on a relationship between the two of them. But when she pulled the dark strands from her face, she found that he wasn't even looking at her. His gaze was focused somewhere off to the right.

That brought on Jo's anger. She was behaving irrationally, the least he could do was pay attention! In a huff, she returned forward, tossing her dark mane as she did so. The wind still blew it into her face. Now she remembered why she always kept it pulled back or braided. And to think she'd worn it this way because she thought he'd like it.

"Jo! Stop!" Jake yelled, this time much closer.

She tossed her head, again turning in his direction. And then suddenly there was the sound of a honking horn and squealing brakes. Almost in the same moment, Jake's arms were about her, pulling her roughly toward him.

The change in momentum completely derailed Jo's balance, and if Jake weren't holding on to her, she would have fallen. Her mind latched on to the meaning of what had nearly occurred just as the driver of the vehicle that Jake had saved her from yelled several rude comments in their general direction. Jake yelled a couple back, remarking that this was a parking lot, not Lowe's Motor Speedway.

That was about when Jo's adrenaline kicked in, making her feel weak. She couldn't believe that she'd done something so stupid as to practically run out in front of a moving vehicle.

Jake squeezed her close for a half a second, then abruptly let her go. "What in the world did you think you were doing?" he demanded, moving back a pace. His cheeks flushed red with fury.

Jo was on an adrenaline high and couldn't get her thoughts, much less her vocal cords, together. "J-Jake, I --"

"Were you trying to get yourself killed?" Jake continued, cutting off her stuttered attempt at a response.

Jo looked hesitantly up at him. Alongside the anger were equal parts fear. She noted that when he ran an agitated hand through his hair, it trembled. Reaction. He was reacting. Suddenly, she felt calmer. Moving slowly toward him, she stepped into his personal space and wrapped her arms about his waist and buried her face in his shoulder.

"Thank you for saving me," she whispered softly. There was a moment before his arms came up around her shoulders. She could feel the pounding of his heart, and the ragged sound of his breathing. She tightened her embrace.

"You scared me," Jake said in her hair. "I thought that lunatic was going to mow you down right in front of me."

Jo pulled back slightly and offered a small smile. "If it's any consolation, I scared me, too." She looked up into his face, knowing that his emotions were still running high, knowing that in all likelihood if she kept looking at him like that he was going to kiss her right there in the parking lot. Oddly, instead of wanting to flee, she welcomed it. His head was half tilted toward her when a familiar voice sounded, breaking the spell.

"Who the heck are ya? And what have you done to the real Jo?"