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Authors: Stacy Connelly
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over her head, Javy said, “You know, there’s no hurry. I’m sure your parents—”
“My parents would gladly let me stay at home, where I can be the little girl they’ll do anything to protect.” A hint of bitterness underscored her words, telling Javy she wasn’t as ambivalent about her parents’ inference as she’d like to believe. “I want to do this. I need to.”
“Okay, but you don’t have to do it all by yourself. I have a cousin…” Catching sight of the look on her face, he laughed.“Yeah, I’ve got a lot of cousins. Anyway, Anna’s a real estate agent. I’ll introduce you, and she can show you a listing of houses for sale.”
“Thank you,” she said, her sigh of relief revealing her doubts about doing this all on her own.
And she wouldn’t be alone. He’d be on hand to help. Despite the fact that he’d be working like a madman in a few days to get the restaurant back in running shape, he’d be there for Emily.
You’ve never stuck with anything in your whole life .
The echo of his father’s long-ago accusation rang through his mind, and Javy locked his jaw against the memories. If he had to slow down time, he’d figure out a way. The Wilsons’ payoff had helped his family but had ultimately hurt Emily. He owed it to her to do what he could do to make things right. And they owed it to themselves to see where the undeniable chemistry led.
It didn’t matter if he couldn’t make things stick .
Emily had just escaped from one serious tangle and was looking for even more freedom. No way would she be interested in getting tied up in a long-term relationship again.
Relaxing with the thought, he said, “Hey, you’re welcome. But I haven’t even done anything yet.”
“That’s not true. You’re the first person to ask me what I want and what would make me happy. You’ve given me a lot to think about, and finding my own place is definitely one of the things I want.”
After giving him her number so he could call when his cousin was available to meet them, Emily climbed into her car. She pulled out of the parking lot, but not before glancing back. Their gazes met, and Javy would have sworn the sweat beading at his temples and the heat shimmering across the twenty feet of asphalt between them had nothing to do with the hundred-plus temperature and everything to do with the spark and sizzle of that momentary connection.
In the end, it was Emily who looked away first. She turned onto the street and drove off, but as he’d suspected, out of sight did not equal out of mind, and her last lingering look left Javy wondering about all the other things Emily Wilson might want.
Emily made it a little more than a mile before she pulled off into a grocery store parking lot. Her hands were clenched on the steering wheel as Javy’s words echoed through her thoughts.
Your family paid Connor to stop seeing you all those years ago. That’s why he left town .
Humiliation burned her cheeks. Nearly ten years removed from her family’s manipulation, the betrayal shouldn’t have stung so badly. Except Emily wasn’t sure anything had changed. If she fell for the wrong man now, how would her parents react? Would they trust her to make the right decision, or would they go behind her back and stack the odds for a favorable outcome?
I’ve taken all the money from your family that I’m going to in this lifetime .
She wished Javy’s words didn’t mean so much to her. After all, he wasn’t saying he cared about her more than her family’s money, only that he wouldn’t accept financial help. Not exactly the same thing. His words were a declaration of pride, not an outpouring of emotion.
When her cell phone rang, Emily reached for her purse, grateful for the distraction until she saw her sister’s number on the screen. She was surprised Aileen had waited this long to call. “Hello, Aileen.”
“Emily! We missed you this morning.”
Her family had made plans to have breakfast before
“My parents would gladly let me stay at home, where I can be the little girl they’ll do anything to protect.” A hint of bitterness underscored her words, telling Javy she wasn’t as ambivalent about her parents’ inference as she’d like to believe. “I want to do this. I need to.”
“Okay, but you don’t have to do it all by yourself. I have a cousin…” Catching sight of the look on her face, he laughed.“Yeah, I’ve got a lot of cousins. Anyway, Anna’s a real estate agent. I’ll introduce you, and she can show you a listing of houses for sale.”
“Thank you,” she said, her sigh of relief revealing her doubts about doing this all on her own.
And she wouldn’t be alone. He’d be on hand to help. Despite the fact that he’d be working like a madman in a few days to get the restaurant back in running shape, he’d be there for Emily.
You’ve never stuck with anything in your whole life .
The echo of his father’s long-ago accusation rang through his mind, and Javy locked his jaw against the memories. If he had to slow down time, he’d figure out a way. The Wilsons’ payoff had helped his family but had ultimately hurt Emily. He owed it to her to do what he could do to make things right. And they owed it to themselves to see where the undeniable chemistry led.
It didn’t matter if he couldn’t make things stick .
Emily had just escaped from one serious tangle and was looking for even more freedom. No way would she be interested in getting tied up in a long-term relationship again.
Relaxing with the thought, he said, “Hey, you’re welcome. But I haven’t even done anything yet.”
“That’s not true. You’re the first person to ask me what I want and what would make me happy. You’ve given me a lot to think about, and finding my own place is definitely one of the things I want.”
After giving him her number so he could call when his cousin was available to meet them, Emily climbed into her car. She pulled out of the parking lot, but not before glancing back. Their gazes met, and Javy would have sworn the sweat beading at his temples and the heat shimmering across the twenty feet of asphalt between them had nothing to do with the hundred-plus temperature and everything to do with the spark and sizzle of that momentary connection.
In the end, it was Emily who looked away first. She turned onto the street and drove off, but as he’d suspected, out of sight did not equal out of mind, and her last lingering look left Javy wondering about all the other things Emily Wilson might want.
Emily made it a little more than a mile before she pulled off into a grocery store parking lot. Her hands were clenched on the steering wheel as Javy’s words echoed through her thoughts.
Your family paid Connor to stop seeing you all those years ago. That’s why he left town .
Humiliation burned her cheeks. Nearly ten years removed from her family’s manipulation, the betrayal shouldn’t have stung so badly. Except Emily wasn’t sure anything had changed. If she fell for the wrong man now, how would her parents react? Would they trust her to make the right decision, or would they go behind her back and stack the odds for a favorable outcome?
I’ve taken all the money from your family that I’m going to in this lifetime .
She wished Javy’s words didn’t mean so much to her. After all, he wasn’t saying he cared about her more than her family’s money, only that he wouldn’t accept financial help. Not exactly the same thing. His words were a declaration of pride, not an outpouring of emotion.
When her cell phone rang, Emily reached for her purse, grateful for the distraction until she saw her sister’s number on the screen. She was surprised Aileen had waited this long to call. “Hello, Aileen.”
“Emily! We missed you this morning.”
Her family had made plans to have breakfast before
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