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skin tingled where he touched her and her pussy throbbed with need.
    “A lot about you seems new since we last saw one another.” His voice was low and seductive, but she wasn’t allowing herself to fall under his spell again, not after the way he’d hurt her.
    His hand caressed the hem of her skirt before dipping beneath it to caress her thigh, and she forced herself to take a step back. “I decided there were a few things I needed to change in my life.”
    And that was an understatement. After he’d demolished her confidence, she’d taken a long, hard look at her life and decided she needed to break out of the boring rut she’d allowed her life to become. Moving into her own place, buying new clothes and dating were supposed to change that. Problem was, she was still the same woman inside, and that woman was content to stay home in her comfortable jeans and work on her jewelry designs.
    She’d changed the outside packaging, but inside nothing had changed. It had been silly to think a man like Jake would be interested in her for long. He lived life on the edge and she’d always sensed a smoldering darkness simmering within him. The most dangerous thing she’d ever done was move out on her own. Even when she and her sisters had started their business together, they’d had one another to depend on.
    And she was acting pathetic, something she most definitely wasn’t. She might not be enough of a woman for Jake, but she’d come to the conclusion tonight over dinner that she was good enough for herself. No more trying to change who she was for any man.
    He was staring at her, his eyes hot and smoldering. She had to get him out of here. “You said there was something about the wedding we needed to discuss?” Which didn’t make any sense. Topaz would have called her if there was some major change.
    One corner of his mouth kicked up, making him appear impossibly handsome. Her heart skipped a beat before it took off at a full gallop. “I just said that to get rid of your date.”
    Her shoulders started to throb at the reminder and she rubbed her hands up and down her arms to comfort herself. No, her dating days were over for the foreseeable future. “Good thing you just happened by.”
    Jake didn’t say a word and his silence spoke volumes. Her brows drew together and she frowned. “You weren’t just passing by, were you?”
    He shook his head. “I was following you.”
    His stark honesty took her aback for a brief moment, but anger quickly ensued. “What do you mean you were following me?” She stepped up to him and drilled her forefinger against his chest for emphasis. She suddenly remembered the feeling of being watched back at the restaurant. “Were you there when we were eating?”
    He inclined his head. “Guilty.”
    His blunt sincerity left her almost speechless. “Why? I don’t understand.” The guy had dumped her. Why was he following her? Her family had already dealt with one stalker, and she certainly didn’t need one of her own. But it didn’t feel that way. For one thing, she trusted Jake with her life, if not her heart.
    Jake wanted to wrap Sapphire in his arms and assure her that he’d never let anything harm her, but he’d given up the right to do so. He clenched his back molars together, wanting to kick himself for how much he’d hurt her. His intentions had been honorable, at least partially so.
    He wanted to protect her from the dark side of his personality, but he’d come to realize over the past few lonely weeks that he’d been protecting himself as well, maybe even more so. He hadn’t wanted to expose all of himself to her for fear she would reject him. So he’d rejected her first.
    He was a fucking idiot.
    From the moment he’d left Sapphire all soft and warm in her bed, all he’d wanted was to be back there with her. He wasn’t sleeping, was barely working. It felt as though a vital part of him was missing.
    “I know you don’t understand, babe.” She looked totally