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bewildered but incredibly sexy in her killer heels, short skirt and low-cut blouse. Breathtakingly beautiful with her luminous brown eyes, red pouty lips and curly black hair all bundled up in a fancy do. Damn, he wanted her in his arms and his bed.
    But first he had to win back her trust.
    “Jake?”
    He reached out to her but she took a step back. It hit him like a fist to the gut, but he deserved it. He raked his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. “I’ve been keeping tabs on you since the night I left.”
    She shook her head and he could easily read the confusion in her eyes. “Why? You were very blunt the night you left. So why do you care who I see or what I do?”
    How to explain so she wouldn’t kick his butt to the door? “Can we sit down?”
    She skirted by him and turned on another lamp before perching on the edge of one of the chairs, making sure there was no way he could sit next to her. He crouched in front of her instead, needing to be as close as she would allow him. He took her hands in his. She resisted slightly, but eventually relented. A rush of pleasure filled him when she acquiesced to his touch.
    Her hands were so small next to his, but he knew how skilled, how creative they were. He’d seen the intricate earrings, necklaces and bracelets she created in her studio. The woman was incredibly talented.
    “I hurt you and I never meant to,” he began.
    She tugged at her hands until he was forced to hurt her or release her. He let go of her hands and she folded them demurely in her lap. He immediately missed the feel of her skin against his. “You did, but the past is the past.”
    Her eyes were steady and calm and a sick feeling filled his stomach. Maybe she truly had moved on. Maybe he’d blown his only chance with her.
    “But that doesn’t tell me why you were following me.” She sat up straighter and a flush of anger tinged her cheeks pink. “How many of my dates have you been on?”
    “All of them.” He wouldn’t lie to her, not ever again. Not that he’d lied to her that night. He’d honestly believed he was doing what was right for her by leaving.
    No, the person he’d been lying to that fateful night was himself.
    “All of them.” She seemed totally bewildered by his confession. “This is crazy.” She rubbed her hand over her face, appearing extremely tired and confused.
    Jake took heart from the fact she wasn’t screaming at him or calling his brother to come get his sorry ass out of her home.
    He hurried on, hoping to make his case before she decided to evict him. “You changed after that night. You moved out of the apartment you shared with your sister.” He’d felt better knowing she had Topaz close, but that hadn’t lasted long after he’d left her.
    She shrugged. “She moved in with John, and Emerald lives with her husband in Maine now. Didn’t seem right to keep such a large place just for me. Besides, I wanted a fresh start.”
    The unspoken words were that she wanted a new start because of him. He eased from his crouch and sat on the corner of the coffee table, praying it would hold his weight. Wouldn’t exactly be suave if he broke it and ended up sprawled across her floor.
    “You changed your wardrobe too?” he pointed out.
    She stood and walked away, not stopping until she was standing by the window in the dining area. The heels she wore made it seem as though her legs went on forever. His balls drew up tight to his body and he forced himself to look away from Sapphire and study their surroundings instead. The tiny dining space held a table big enough for four, if they didn’t mind being overly friendly. The apartment was much smaller than the one she’d shared with her sisters, but it was all hers. The quiet colors and comfortable furniture reflected her personality.
    “I decided I didn’t like being boring or unsophisticated.”
    Pain ripped through his guts. He was responsible for that. “Babe,” he began, only to have her hold up