Read Online Reckless by Maya Banks - Free Book Online

you still don’t want anything to do with me then I’ll leave.”
    She stared suspiciously at him. “Promise?”
    He held up two fingers. “Swear.”
    She let out a little sigh. “All right. You can take me home. Let me just say goodbye to the others.”
    “I’ll wait out in the truck,” he said.
    After saying goodbye to Zane, Jasmine, Carmen and Seth, Nikki slid into J.T.’s truck and braced herself for the inevitable lecture. To her surprise, they drove back to town in 50
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    Reckless
    silence. He didn’t even look her way. He kept his hand curled tight around the steering wheel, tension radiating from him in waves.
    It reminded her of the way he’d driven her to his house that night her mother had flown the coop. He’d been so incredibly gentle with her but so angry at her mother. Rage had simmered from his big body, and he’d driven home much like he was doing now.
    Face etched in stone, hands drawn so tight his knuckles were white.
    Even with the tension so thick she could barely breathe, a smile softened her mouth.
    That was the night she’d fallen in love with J.T.
    Oh, it had started as nothing more than a girlish form of hero worship, but over time her feelings had grown. This time…this time she’d vowed to do something about the current of attraction that flowed between them.
    And it had been a complete and utter disaster.
    She sighed glumly and wondered how long it would take for J.T. to say his piece so she could nod and say whatever just so she could leave to lick her wounds in solitude.
    They pulled into her drive, and he cut the engine. Not looking her way, he got out and came around to her side. She stepped from the truck, but he didn’t touch her as they walked to her front door.
    Why was she dreading this so much? Maybe because saying goodbye to the only man she’d ever loved was tearing her heart right out of her chest?
    Love sucked. No two ways about it. Maybe her mother had it right. Never give yourself to one man. Much too messy and painful. Play the field. Have it all. Protect yourself at all costs.
    She walked into her living room and sank down on the couch. Whatever J.T. had to say, she hoped he’d make it quick. She was already steeling herself for the apology. The regret he’d show over what happened between them. And then the whole You’re young, you have your whole life ahead of you, you’ll find someone else speech.
    Gee, she could hardly wait.
    “Nikki, look at me,” he said softly.

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    Maya Banks
    He knelt in front of her and touched her cheek. That loving gesture was her undoing.
    Despite her vow not to cry in front of him, not to let him know how much he’d hurt her, tears slipped down her cheeks.
    He cupped her face in his big hands and kissed the tears away from both sides of her face. She flinched and yanked away from him. Was he just trying to kill her? Twist the knife a little deeper?
    “What do you want, J.T.?”
    “We need to talk about us,” he said. “I need to know why you waited, why you chose me. I need to know how you feel about me.”
    She reared back and glared at him. Either he had to be the dumbest man on earth, or he was being unnecessarily cruel. Right now she was thinking it was the former.
    “Oh no,” she said with a shake of her head. “I’ve laid it out, put myself on the line too much already. No way I’m giving you that kind of ammo. You have to be the stupidest man I’ve ever met if you have to ask such a dumb question anyway.”
    He laughed. The bastard actually laughed. Here she sat dying on the inside, and all he could do was laugh? She shoved angrily at him, but he refused to budge.
    “Okay, I can take a hint. You’ve made all the moves, and yes, I’m a complete dumbass, Nikki. You knocked me for a loop. I honest to God didn’t know if I was coming or going when you were around.”
    “That’s easy. You were going. Running,” she muttered.
    His expression sobered.