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Authors: Mandy Harbin
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wanted, but the thought of letting her go—
“But I think you need to talk to her first,” Ariel said. “If she still wants to stay away, then let her, but don’t just let her walk out. Not without at least thanking her for watching your back.”
Lillian had stood up for him? To Krista? Jack was shocked past words. He couldn’t remember anyone ever doing something like that for him before. Not that he’d deserved it where Ariel was concerned, but the fact that his Lilly had done so for him, well, it warmed something deep within his chest.
And he still wanted to spank her ass for running out.
“Yeah, I should go talk to her. Thanks.” He turned to leave, not looking at anybody else.
Once he got outside, he jumped on his wheeler and headed straight for Lillian’s house. When he reached the gate that separated their old property lines, he smiled as he stopped. Unless she went down his driveway, hit the main road, and then drove to her estate on the shoulder of the highway, the little minx must’ve swiped some keys since the gate was locked. And thinking she could keep him away, she’d locked it back. He killed the engine and grabbed his keys. He unlocked it, drove through, and locked it back before proceeding to her father’s house. She’d need to do more than a locked gate to keep him away.
Jack slowed as he neared his destination. Lillian’s four-wheeler was parked out front, and there were lights on in the house. At least she wasn’t trying to pretend she wasn’t home. He parked his wheeler next to hers and walked to the door. He was still irritated that she’d run from him, but after learning that she’d also stood up for him, it made him feel other things he didn’t even want to try to identify.
He knocked on the door, but didn’t have to wait long. It flew open on the second knock.
“No animals allowed.”
God, she was beautiful. Even with her hair all tied up in some crazy-looking knot, rubber gloves, and a ratty T-shirt on, and smelling like lemon-scented cleaner, she still took his breath away.
“Then what are you doing in there, foxy mama?”
She snorted, her hands dropping from the doorjamb. “Good one”—she glanced at his shoes—
“Puss in Boots.”
He chuckled because he just couldn’t help it. Her smile was contagious. “You know you really will run out of cat insults eventually.”
She winked at him. “I’ve got a ton of them.” Then she stepped back and motioned for him to come in. “You’re letting all the heat out.”
Jack walked in and turned to face her. “I think you know why I’m here.”
Lillian sighed as she walked to the couch. The cabin was much bigger than it looked on the outside.
“Because I left.”
Jack came over and sat next to her. At least she didn’t jump up and away from him. “Why?”
She looked at him, really looked at him, and he felt naked. “Because I don’t belong with you.”
Her words were a sucker punch, but he schooled his expression, wanting her to continue.
“And you only want me because of the weird mating thing,” she said quickly as she looked away.
Interesting. She almost looked hurt by what she’d said.
“What makes you think that, Lilly?”
She glared at him. “Because when I said I didn’t understand why I was drawn to you, you quickly blamed the lion mating thing. It was as if you didn’t care anything about me specifically.”
Ah, hell. “I didn’t know you.”
“You still don’t know me, Jack. Hell, I don’t know you either. The one time I tried to talk to you, you shut me out. You just want me for sex and nothing more. The sex is good, but I need more than that from a man. Not that I expect you to be that man.”
“When have I ever shut you out?” Hell, she was in his every waking thought.
She growled at him. “That morning you were looking at some photo. I could tell you were bothered by something, but when I tried to ask, you swatted me away like some pestering fly. I’m good enough
“But I think you need to talk to her first,” Ariel said. “If she still wants to stay away, then let her, but don’t just let her walk out. Not without at least thanking her for watching your back.”
Lillian had stood up for him? To Krista? Jack was shocked past words. He couldn’t remember anyone ever doing something like that for him before. Not that he’d deserved it where Ariel was concerned, but the fact that his Lilly had done so for him, well, it warmed something deep within his chest.
And he still wanted to spank her ass for running out.
“Yeah, I should go talk to her. Thanks.” He turned to leave, not looking at anybody else.
Once he got outside, he jumped on his wheeler and headed straight for Lillian’s house. When he reached the gate that separated their old property lines, he smiled as he stopped. Unless she went down his driveway, hit the main road, and then drove to her estate on the shoulder of the highway, the little minx must’ve swiped some keys since the gate was locked. And thinking she could keep him away, she’d locked it back. He killed the engine and grabbed his keys. He unlocked it, drove through, and locked it back before proceeding to her father’s house. She’d need to do more than a locked gate to keep him away.
Jack slowed as he neared his destination. Lillian’s four-wheeler was parked out front, and there were lights on in the house. At least she wasn’t trying to pretend she wasn’t home. He parked his wheeler next to hers and walked to the door. He was still irritated that she’d run from him, but after learning that she’d also stood up for him, it made him feel other things he didn’t even want to try to identify.
He knocked on the door, but didn’t have to wait long. It flew open on the second knock.
“No animals allowed.”
God, she was beautiful. Even with her hair all tied up in some crazy-looking knot, rubber gloves, and a ratty T-shirt on, and smelling like lemon-scented cleaner, she still took his breath away.
“Then what are you doing in there, foxy mama?”
She snorted, her hands dropping from the doorjamb. “Good one”—she glanced at his shoes—
“Puss in Boots.”
He chuckled because he just couldn’t help it. Her smile was contagious. “You know you really will run out of cat insults eventually.”
She winked at him. “I’ve got a ton of them.” Then she stepped back and motioned for him to come in. “You’re letting all the heat out.”
Jack walked in and turned to face her. “I think you know why I’m here.”
Lillian sighed as she walked to the couch. The cabin was much bigger than it looked on the outside.
“Because I left.”
Jack came over and sat next to her. At least she didn’t jump up and away from him. “Why?”
She looked at him, really looked at him, and he felt naked. “Because I don’t belong with you.”
Her words were a sucker punch, but he schooled his expression, wanting her to continue.
“And you only want me because of the weird mating thing,” she said quickly as she looked away.
Interesting. She almost looked hurt by what she’d said.
“What makes you think that, Lilly?”
She glared at him. “Because when I said I didn’t understand why I was drawn to you, you quickly blamed the lion mating thing. It was as if you didn’t care anything about me specifically.”
Ah, hell. “I didn’t know you.”
“You still don’t know me, Jack. Hell, I don’t know you either. The one time I tried to talk to you, you shut me out. You just want me for sex and nothing more. The sex is good, but I need more than that from a man. Not that I expect you to be that man.”
“When have I ever shut you out?” Hell, she was in his every waking thought.
She growled at him. “That morning you were looking at some photo. I could tell you were bothered by something, but when I tried to ask, you swatted me away like some pestering fly. I’m good enough
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