Conquer Your Love by J. C. Reed Page B

was an old thing that took five minutes to boot with an
extremely slow connection, but Sylvie had the patience of a saint when it came
to maintaining her virtual social life. Closing the door behind me, I gave her
the privacy she needed and retreated to my room with Alessandro’s envelope. A
few minutes into flicking through family photos my phone rang, and my heart
started to race as Jett’s name appeared on the display.
    “Found anything?” Jett said the moment I picked up.
    “Well, hello to you, too.” I scowled and tucked my legs beneath me on
the bed, suddenly aware of how deliciously coarse the sheet felt beneath my
skin. “I didn’t have a chance yet. How did you know I’d be looking?”
    “I know you.” There was a small pause and some shuffling. In the
background I could hear people talking. And then the noise was gone, as though
he had left for somewhere quiet. I didn’t like the idea of him frequenting a
bar without me. Women would throw themselves at him and that set my skin on fire
and my pulse racing. I cringed as my mood plummeted to a new low.
    Boy, was I getting angry and he hadn’t even done anything. “Why are
you— ”
    He cut me off. “Any plans for tomorrow? I’ll pick you up at ten.” His
voice sounded so sexy, smooth like strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, and
yet so rough, grating my nerve endings.
    “For what?”
    A part of me—probably the one covered by my panties—hoped to
see him again, while the part that accommodated my brain wanted to yell at him
to stop being an arrogant ass and to hang up.
    “You owe me a date, Brooke.”
    “I’m not going on a date with you.”
    “Why not?”
    I detected a hint of amusement in his tone and took a deep breath.
“Because it’s not going to happen. I need hard evidence first.”
    “I get it, you’re angry and it’s over and you have no intention of
rekindling things.”
    Gee, he didn’t get it. “I’m not angry because you withheld the truth.
You did what you were supposed to do for your company.” I took a sharp breath
as I considered my words. “I’m angry because I don’t know if I can trust you.”
    “Brooke, what happened is done. I’m not after the estate. I’m also not
forcing you to do something you don’t want to do. I’m not going to rip off your
underwear and fuck you on the spot even though…I gotta admit, that’s exactly what I’ve had in mind, numerous times ever since you
walked out on me.”
    I choked on my breath as heat pooled between my legs and sent a
delicious tingle through my sensitive clit. Instinctively, my hand wandered
south, two fingers pressing against the sensitive bud to stop the growing ache.
His bluntness both shocked and aroused me. Deep down I had been
waiting—counting on him to do just that.
    I bit my lip hard and held my breath so he wouldn’t hear my labored
breathing through the line.
    “We still have a contract,” Jett said slowly. His voice was hoarse,
betraying his arousal at the thought. “You never quit on me and you know why.”
    “We ended it,” I whispered.
    “No, baby. Not in writing we didn’t.”
    We were back to square one. Sex again, pure, good sex. I wasn’t stupid
enough to think I could deal with it. I wasn’t making that mistake twice.
Thinking of the way he touched me, the way he looked at me, I knew I couldn’t
handle the feelings he aroused in me.
    “That’s not a good idea, Jett.”
    Fuck, even his name sounded like sin.
    “Are you alone?” His voice was sexy. It caressed my body, pushed through
my pretense and touched that hidden spot that could send both pleasure and pain
through me.
    I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. “Yes,” I whispered.
    “What are you wearing?” His tone was demanding, leaving me no choice but
to answer.
    Oh, god.
    I wasn’t so naïve as not to know where this was heading.
    “A top and jeans.” I tried to keep my tone casual.
    “Take them off together with your underwear.”
    “Why?” My