Read Online Cherish her: Laws of Seduction, Book 4 by Ava Hayworth - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ava Hayworth
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you sometime.”
“Trying to give me ideas to butter him up?”
“Not at all. I know he will come to love you. He just needs time to get to know you.”
“Speaking of which: I have left my mother and Jett on their own for far too long. You are not making a good impression with your disappearing acts this weekend.”
James winces. “Touché. I guess my plans to get my hands on you will just have to wait.” He holds his arm out towards the door. “Lead the way.””
I am about to pass by him when I stop short. “I almost forgot. The reason I left the party in the first place was to call Mark.” At the look of confusion on James’s face, I pull out my phone and show him the picture and text that Mark had sent me.
James hands the phone back to me. “Call him now.” His grim tone brings the urgency of the situation rushing back.
I pull up Mark’s number on the phone, and once again it goes straight to voicemail. I leave a second message before ending the call. I smooth my hand down the hard line of James’s jaw. “I’ll try again later.” James gives a tense nod. Taking my hand that is resting against his cheek, he pulls me from the room and back out to the party.
We look around for my mother and Jett, but they seem to have disappeared into thin air. “Tell me something.” James quirks his eyebrows awaiting my question. “Why does Andries Van Cleef seem so intent on antagonizing you?”
James sighs heavily. “Most likely it’s because I was the world’s biggest prick in our prep school days.”
“That is an awfully long time ago.”
“Yea, well, if there is one thing I know about guys, it’s that losing a girl to another guy is something they never forget.”
“Oh, so this is about another girl?”
“Probably.”
“So he is flirting with me to get back at you?”
“Possibly.”
“Well, that’s a blow to my ego. I thought it was my devastating charm.”
We had been making our way slowly through the crowd, but James stops suddenly, causing me to run into him. He grabs me around the waist and pulls me up hard against him. I know that the people around us have stopped to stare, but I can’t tear myself away from the intense look in James’s eyes. “It would be smarter for me to let you go on believing that, but you have to know he does want you. I see it in his eyes. Every man that sees you wants you. How can they help it?”
Is that really the way he sees me, as some kind of irresistible siren? Speechless, I stare back up at him, and don’t resist as his mouth swoops down and covers mine in a kiss that is far too intimate for a public setting. I feel my feet leave the floor, and I grab onto James’s shoulders to keep from losing my balance. I become utterly lost in the heady essence of James’s kiss. When he draws back, I am breathless. As he gently eases me to the floor, I become aware of the silence around us. I am positive you could hear a pin drop. My eyes pass over several faces before landing on Jett’s, which can only be described as irate. My gaze shifts to his right and lands on my mother’s face, which is covered with shocked awe. Having my mother as a witness is like a bucket of cold water over my head. I straighten and send James a speaking look before once again looking in my mother’s direction. He seems to get the message, because he walks over to my mother and starts talking with her. I turn my attention to Jett. “How long were you standing there?”
“Long enough. You know passion like that doesn’t last, and once it’s gone you’ll be left with nothing.”
A sharp retort rushes to my lips, but I repress it. In the most reasonable tone I can muster, I ask, “How long was your longest relationship?” I raise my brow as my question is met by silence. Although I have made my point, I spell it out. ““I don’t think you are qualified to be dispensing relationship advice.”
“Maybe not,” he admits, “but I do know James McAllister well enough to
“Trying to give me ideas to butter him up?”
“Not at all. I know he will come to love you. He just needs time to get to know you.”
“Speaking of which: I have left my mother and Jett on their own for far too long. You are not making a good impression with your disappearing acts this weekend.”
James winces. “Touché. I guess my plans to get my hands on you will just have to wait.” He holds his arm out towards the door. “Lead the way.””
I am about to pass by him when I stop short. “I almost forgot. The reason I left the party in the first place was to call Mark.” At the look of confusion on James’s face, I pull out my phone and show him the picture and text that Mark had sent me.
James hands the phone back to me. “Call him now.” His grim tone brings the urgency of the situation rushing back.
I pull up Mark’s number on the phone, and once again it goes straight to voicemail. I leave a second message before ending the call. I smooth my hand down the hard line of James’s jaw. “I’ll try again later.” James gives a tense nod. Taking my hand that is resting against his cheek, he pulls me from the room and back out to the party.
We look around for my mother and Jett, but they seem to have disappeared into thin air. “Tell me something.” James quirks his eyebrows awaiting my question. “Why does Andries Van Cleef seem so intent on antagonizing you?”
James sighs heavily. “Most likely it’s because I was the world’s biggest prick in our prep school days.”
“That is an awfully long time ago.”
“Yea, well, if there is one thing I know about guys, it’s that losing a girl to another guy is something they never forget.”
“Oh, so this is about another girl?”
“Probably.”
“So he is flirting with me to get back at you?”
“Possibly.”
“Well, that’s a blow to my ego. I thought it was my devastating charm.”
We had been making our way slowly through the crowd, but James stops suddenly, causing me to run into him. He grabs me around the waist and pulls me up hard against him. I know that the people around us have stopped to stare, but I can’t tear myself away from the intense look in James’s eyes. “It would be smarter for me to let you go on believing that, but you have to know he does want you. I see it in his eyes. Every man that sees you wants you. How can they help it?”
Is that really the way he sees me, as some kind of irresistible siren? Speechless, I stare back up at him, and don’t resist as his mouth swoops down and covers mine in a kiss that is far too intimate for a public setting. I feel my feet leave the floor, and I grab onto James’s shoulders to keep from losing my balance. I become utterly lost in the heady essence of James’s kiss. When he draws back, I am breathless. As he gently eases me to the floor, I become aware of the silence around us. I am positive you could hear a pin drop. My eyes pass over several faces before landing on Jett’s, which can only be described as irate. My gaze shifts to his right and lands on my mother’s face, which is covered with shocked awe. Having my mother as a witness is like a bucket of cold water over my head. I straighten and send James a speaking look before once again looking in my mother’s direction. He seems to get the message, because he walks over to my mother and starts talking with her. I turn my attention to Jett. “How long were you standing there?”
“Long enough. You know passion like that doesn’t last, and once it’s gone you’ll be left with nothing.”
A sharp retort rushes to my lips, but I repress it. In the most reasonable tone I can muster, I ask, “How long was your longest relationship?” I raise my brow as my question is met by silence. Although I have made my point, I spell it out. ““I don’t think you are qualified to be dispensing relationship advice.”
“Maybe not,” he admits, “but I do know James McAllister well enough to
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