how you just kissed me, babe, I don’t believe a word
of the BS you’re spouting right now.” As if to show her who was boss, he moved
deep into her space, his breath hot against her neck, his scent so strong she
tasted his male spice on her tongue.
She stood her ground and reclaimed control. “I don’t do
relationships, Jared.” Her arms hugged around her chest to form a shield
between him and her heart. Was she trying to keep him away or her feelings from
spilling out ?
“Too busy working?” His eyes narrowed in what looked like
wariness but they remained fastened on hers, pure focus, demanding she accept
him.
“Don’t filter my choices through your past, Jared. You know
nothing of my life here.” Her arms tightened as if to strengthen her shields.
“I want to learn. Stop denying the attraction between us. ”
His gaze lasered into her, willing her to agree.
“I won’t deny we had great sex. You’re a hell of a fuck,
Jared, but that’s it. There’s no more, stop trying to pretend there is.” She
knew she was lying but she didn’t want this, couldn’t accept it. “We played a
game that night. This is real life, my life. Nothing about me or it is easy.”
“I’ve never been one for easy.” He brushed his finger along
her lower lip. “Play with me.”
The man could wear down a saint. She chomped down on the
skin of her cheek to suppress a grin from forming, not at all ready for this
door to open. “You don’t give up, do you?”
“No. I don’t. Have dinner with me next week. That’s a simple
enough place to start.” His smile sent her into seizures.
Her body screamed yes, her mind voted no, and her heart
toyed with maybe. “We both need to process this. Seeing each other’s been a
shock. It’d be foolish to rush into something. This town revolves around
business and sports so we’ll be tripping over each other. I need some time.”
“Okay, but I don’t give up and I know what I want.”
“I need to get back to the party.” Unable to process any
more, Jocelyn led him to the main reception area. Debbie swooped down on Jared
and dragged him off. Jocelyn stormed over to the bar but Brenda caught her
first. “There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you. It’s your dad. I put
him in the entrance waiting room.”
“Is he…”
Brenda nodded.
Jocelyn rushed to her father. His high blood pressure
created periodic bouts of confusion, which could spiral into full-blown panic
attacks.
Alan Wade sat on the bench in the building reception area,
his hand propping up his head, elbows resting on his thighs. She sat beside
him, putting a hand on his knee, the other on his shoulder. “Dad, it’s me,
Jocelyn. Take a few deep breaths. It’s going to be okay. You probably just
forgot to take your meds this morning.”
After she got her dad calmed down, the meds into him from
the extra bottle she always carried, she talked one of his friends into taking
him home. Jocelyn’s body collapsed, drained of all its energy. A relationship
with Jared Wyatt? Out of the question. She couldn’t handle more emotional
demands in her life and had to end his pursuit here and now.
Chapter Five
Don Corcoran finished his speech with an invitation. “Jared
Wyatt, there you are. Why don’t you say a few words before we end the evening
with Jocelyn’s remarks?”
Surprised by the invitation, but never one to turn down an
opportunity, Jared glided onto the stage and made the podium his own. The hunt
to capture Jocelyn Wade started here. As this was her terrain, he needed to
hang back and learn the lay of the land before the real games began. “Thank you
for the trust you’ve all placed in me and I intend to see the Lions victorious
in the national championship. I also have additional plans you’ll hear about
once I settle in.” His sight zoomed onto his prey and he locked his gaze to
hers. “I’m looking forward to getting to know you better and now cede the stage
to our host, Chamber of
of the BS you’re spouting right now.” As if to show her who was boss, he moved
deep into her space, his breath hot against her neck, his scent so strong she
tasted his male spice on her tongue.
She stood her ground and reclaimed control. “I don’t do
relationships, Jared.” Her arms hugged around her chest to form a shield
between him and her heart. Was she trying to keep him away or her feelings from
spilling out ?
“Too busy working?” His eyes narrowed in what looked like
wariness but they remained fastened on hers, pure focus, demanding she accept
him.
“Don’t filter my choices through your past, Jared. You know
nothing of my life here.” Her arms tightened as if to strengthen her shields.
“I want to learn. Stop denying the attraction between us. ”
His gaze lasered into her, willing her to agree.
“I won’t deny we had great sex. You’re a hell of a fuck,
Jared, but that’s it. There’s no more, stop trying to pretend there is.” She
knew she was lying but she didn’t want this, couldn’t accept it. “We played a
game that night. This is real life, my life. Nothing about me or it is easy.”
“I’ve never been one for easy.” He brushed his finger along
her lower lip. “Play with me.”
The man could wear down a saint. She chomped down on the
skin of her cheek to suppress a grin from forming, not at all ready for this
door to open. “You don’t give up, do you?”
“No. I don’t. Have dinner with me next week. That’s a simple
enough place to start.” His smile sent her into seizures.
Her body screamed yes, her mind voted no, and her heart
toyed with maybe. “We both need to process this. Seeing each other’s been a
shock. It’d be foolish to rush into something. This town revolves around
business and sports so we’ll be tripping over each other. I need some time.”
“Okay, but I don’t give up and I know what I want.”
“I need to get back to the party.” Unable to process any
more, Jocelyn led him to the main reception area. Debbie swooped down on Jared
and dragged him off. Jocelyn stormed over to the bar but Brenda caught her
first. “There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you. It’s your dad. I put
him in the entrance waiting room.”
“Is he…”
Brenda nodded.
Jocelyn rushed to her father. His high blood pressure
created periodic bouts of confusion, which could spiral into full-blown panic
attacks.
Alan Wade sat on the bench in the building reception area,
his hand propping up his head, elbows resting on his thighs. She sat beside
him, putting a hand on his knee, the other on his shoulder. “Dad, it’s me,
Jocelyn. Take a few deep breaths. It’s going to be okay. You probably just
forgot to take your meds this morning.”
After she got her dad calmed down, the meds into him from
the extra bottle she always carried, she talked one of his friends into taking
him home. Jocelyn’s body collapsed, drained of all its energy. A relationship
with Jared Wyatt? Out of the question. She couldn’t handle more emotional
demands in her life and had to end his pursuit here and now.
Chapter Five
Don Corcoran finished his speech with an invitation. “Jared
Wyatt, there you are. Why don’t you say a few words before we end the evening
with Jocelyn’s remarks?”
Surprised by the invitation, but never one to turn down an
opportunity, Jared glided onto the stage and made the podium his own. The hunt
to capture Jocelyn Wade started here. As this was her terrain, he needed to
hang back and learn the lay of the land before the real games began. “Thank you
for the trust you’ve all placed in me and I intend to see the Lions victorious
in the national championship. I also have additional plans you’ll hear about
once I settle in.” His sight zoomed onto his prey and he locked his gaze to
hers. “I’m looking forward to getting to know you better and now cede the stage
to our host, Chamber of
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