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Authors: Brenda Jackson
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ceasedand no one questioned his announcement. “Ready to go?” he asked Bella softly.
“Yes.”
She thanked everyone and openly gave his cousins and brothers hugs. It wasn’t hard to tell that they all liked her and had enjoyed her visit. After telling everyone good-night he followed her out the door.
B ELLA GLANCED OUT HER rearview mirror and saw Jason was following her at a safe distance. She laughed, thinking when it came to Jason there wasn’t a safe zone. Just knowing he was anywhere within her area was enough to rattle her. Even sitting beside him at dinner had been a challenge for her, but thanks to the rest of his family who kept lively conversation going on, she was able to endure his presence and the sexual tension she’d felt. Each time he talked to her and she looked into his face and focused on his mouth, she would remember that same mouth mating with hers.
A sigh of relief escaped her lips when they pulled into her yard. Figuring it would be dark when she returned she had left lights burning outside and her yard was practically glowing. She parked her car and was opening the door to get out when she saw Jason already standing there beside it. Her breathing quickened and panic set in. “You don’t need to walk me to the door, Jason,” she said quickly.
“I want to,” he said simply.
Annoyance flashed in her eyes when she recalled how he’d gone out of his way most of the evening to avoid her. “Why would you?”
He gave her a look. “Why wouldn’t I?” Instead ofwaiting for her to respond he took her hand in his and headed toward her front door.
Fine! she thought, fuming inside and dismissing the temptation to pull her hand away from his. Because her foreman lived on the ranch, she knew the last thing she needed to do was make a scene with Jason outside under the bright lights. He stood back while she unlocked the door and she had a feeling he intended to make sure she was safely inside before leaving. She was right when he followed her inside.
When he closed the door behind them she placed her hands on her hips and opened her mouth to say what was on her mind, but he beat her to the punch. “Was I out of line when I kissed you that day, Bella?”
The softly spoken question gave her pause and she dropped her hands to her sides. No, he hadn’t been out of line mainly because she’d wanted the kiss. She had wanted to feel his mouth on hers, his tongue tangling with her own. And if she was downright truthful about it, she would admit to wanting his hands on her, all over her, touching her in ways no man had touched her before.
He was waiting for her response.
“No, you weren’t out of line.”
“Then why the coldness today?”
She tilted her chin. “I can be asking you the same thing, Jason. You weren’t Mr. Congeniality yourself tonight.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment but she could tell her comment had hit a mark with him. “No, I wasn’t,” he admitted.
Although she had made the accusation she was stunned by the admission. It had caught her off guard.“Why?” She knew the reason for her distance but was curious to know the reason for his.
“Ladies first.”
“Fine,” she said, placing her purse on the table. “We might as well get this little talk over with. Would you like something to drink?”
“Yes,” he said, rubbing his hand down his face in frustration. “A cup of tea would be nice.”
She glanced up at him, surprised by his choice. There was no need to mention since that first day when he’d shown up she had picked up a couple bottles of beer and wine at the store to give him more of a choice. Since tea was also her choice she said, “All right, I’ll be back in a moment.” She then swept from the room.
J ASON WATCHED HER LEAVE and felt more frustrated than ever. She was right, they needed to talk. He shook his head. When had things between them gotten so complicated? Had it all started with that kiss? A kiss that was destined to
“Yes.”
She thanked everyone and openly gave his cousins and brothers hugs. It wasn’t hard to tell that they all liked her and had enjoyed her visit. After telling everyone good-night he followed her out the door.
B ELLA GLANCED OUT HER rearview mirror and saw Jason was following her at a safe distance. She laughed, thinking when it came to Jason there wasn’t a safe zone. Just knowing he was anywhere within her area was enough to rattle her. Even sitting beside him at dinner had been a challenge for her, but thanks to the rest of his family who kept lively conversation going on, she was able to endure his presence and the sexual tension she’d felt. Each time he talked to her and she looked into his face and focused on his mouth, she would remember that same mouth mating with hers.
A sigh of relief escaped her lips when they pulled into her yard. Figuring it would be dark when she returned she had left lights burning outside and her yard was practically glowing. She parked her car and was opening the door to get out when she saw Jason already standing there beside it. Her breathing quickened and panic set in. “You don’t need to walk me to the door, Jason,” she said quickly.
“I want to,” he said simply.
Annoyance flashed in her eyes when she recalled how he’d gone out of his way most of the evening to avoid her. “Why would you?”
He gave her a look. “Why wouldn’t I?” Instead ofwaiting for her to respond he took her hand in his and headed toward her front door.
Fine! she thought, fuming inside and dismissing the temptation to pull her hand away from his. Because her foreman lived on the ranch, she knew the last thing she needed to do was make a scene with Jason outside under the bright lights. He stood back while she unlocked the door and she had a feeling he intended to make sure she was safely inside before leaving. She was right when he followed her inside.
When he closed the door behind them she placed her hands on her hips and opened her mouth to say what was on her mind, but he beat her to the punch. “Was I out of line when I kissed you that day, Bella?”
The softly spoken question gave her pause and she dropped her hands to her sides. No, he hadn’t been out of line mainly because she’d wanted the kiss. She had wanted to feel his mouth on hers, his tongue tangling with her own. And if she was downright truthful about it, she would admit to wanting his hands on her, all over her, touching her in ways no man had touched her before.
He was waiting for her response.
“No, you weren’t out of line.”
“Then why the coldness today?”
She tilted her chin. “I can be asking you the same thing, Jason. You weren’t Mr. Congeniality yourself tonight.”
He didn’t say anything for a moment but she could tell her comment had hit a mark with him. “No, I wasn’t,” he admitted.
Although she had made the accusation she was stunned by the admission. It had caught her off guard.“Why?” She knew the reason for her distance but was curious to know the reason for his.
“Ladies first.”
“Fine,” she said, placing her purse on the table. “We might as well get this little talk over with. Would you like something to drink?”
“Yes,” he said, rubbing his hand down his face in frustration. “A cup of tea would be nice.”
She glanced up at him, surprised by his choice. There was no need to mention since that first day when he’d shown up she had picked up a couple bottles of beer and wine at the store to give him more of a choice. Since tea was also her choice she said, “All right, I’ll be back in a moment.” She then swept from the room.
J ASON WATCHED HER LEAVE and felt more frustrated than ever. She was right, they needed to talk. He shook his head. When had things between them gotten so complicated? Had it all started with that kiss? A kiss that was destined to
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