Read Online Rules of Protection (Tangled in Texas) (Volume 1) by Alison Bliss - Free Book Online

chair with his laptop, notebook, and a pen. He didn’t look up. I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep, hoping he wouldn’t talk to me.
    “I know you’re awake.”
    Crap.
    Jake clicked his pen, and I heard him set it down. “We need to talk.”
    I opened my eyes to see him moving toward the bed with a masculine saunter. “Talk about what?”
    “You know what.”
    I avoided making eye contact, but knew he watched me. His laser-sharp stare sliced into me with surgical precision. It was nerve-racking, though I craved his attention. The problem with Jake was that he was addictive. I don’t know why I felt so strongly for a guy I barely knew, but I desperately wanted to quit him cold turkey. I needed a distraction until he left. Then, problem solved.
    I shook my head and played stupid. “You have to be more specific.”
    “We need to talk about you kissing me this morning.”
    “No, we don’t,” I said, though I meant I’d rather gouge out my eyes with a dull pencil.
    He sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck. “You’re impulsive…and stubborn…and you don’t think things through…and I—”
    “I don’t need you to point out anything. I’m not oblivious to my flaws.”
    “You’re actually admitting you have some?”
    “Jerk.”
    He grinned. “If I’m such a jerk, then why throw yourself at me?”
    We both went silent. My eyes fastened to his, and I realized we were sizing each other up. I began to sweat. “Don’t worry,” I said, my voice growing more hostile. “I’ve regretted that decision ever since. It won’t happen again.”
    He shook his head and sat next to me. “You know what your problem is? You’re mad because you kissed me, and I didn’t fall over with my dick hard.”
    My nostrils flared, and I saw red. “Funny, I don’t recall your dick having any problems getting hard the other times.”
    “You know what? I was wrong. You don’t need sex. You need a fucking Valium.”
    “Who said anything about sex? You’re quite presumptuous. It was just a kiss, nothing more. No offer of anything else.”
    Jake grinned. “Oh, you made an offer all right, whether you admit it or not. Now you’re mad because I didn’t take you up on it.”
    My head spun, and my heart pounded. What he said was true, but I wasn’t going to tell him that. “Better hope no one comes for me and accidentally shoots you between the eyes. It might puncture your ego and let all of the swelling out of your head.”
    “Excuse me for being a gentleman. I’m not a guy who takes advantage of someone in an emotionally vulnerable state.”
    “Laaaame.”
    “What’s lame?”
    “You are. And stupid. That’s your idiotic attempt at shifting the responsibility onto me. Gentleman, my ass. You weren’t such a gentleman in the club, either. So don’t think for one second I’m buying it.” Jake sat there stewing in his own juices. I had pushed his buttons, rendering him speechless. “Do you know what bothered you about that kiss?” I asked, not waiting for him to answer. “You obviously wanted it to lead to something more.”
    “Jesus Christ, woman! We don’t have to have sex. There’s enough damn friction between us to last a lifetime.”
    “What’s wrong? Afraid you might enjoy it?”
    “It’s sex. Of course, I’d enjoy it. That’s why it can’t happen.” Jake held my gaze. I recognized a battle of wills when I saw one. Not only that, but he was losing. That’s why his feathers were ruffled. “Sex is intimate and has a psychological element to it,” he added.
    “Take the intimacy out of the equation.”
    “I can’t,” he said, giving me a contemplative look. “You know I’m leaving tomorrow. That leaves a moral and ethical dilemma to consider.”
    “You said it yourself, Jake…I know what this is. It’s been clearly stated. There aren’t going to be any issues to air out later. No strings attached. Just keep it casual.”
    Jeez. Either I was twisted, or my brain had taken a leave