grazed her bottom and her body burned from his
touch. Lord, she could really get into a guy like him.
“By the way, just so we’re clear here, the tattoo is a major turn-on, but the thought of some man this
close to your delectable ass sets my blood to boiling.”
Was that jealousy in his tone? That had to mean he cared, at least a little. Haley wanted to say
something, anything. She wanted confirmation, but he was issuing another order and she lost her nerve.
“Now you’d better go before I break my promise and take you right here on this couch.”
“Yes, Jay,” she conceded. She moved away from him, confused, disoriented and excited to have met a
man who could make her feel so alive.
She went into the kitchen, saw her dress wrinkled into a ball and shrugged. Who cared? Haley picked it
up and slipped it down over her shoulders, smoothing out some of the wrinkles as best she could. She
felt Jay’s presence in the room at once. Turning, she found him leaning against the doorway, arms
crossed over his chest, his body still gloriously nude, watching her.
“Two hours, no more,” he growled.
Page 45
“Two hours, I promise,” Haley agreed, then her gaze slipped to his groin and his erection. Lordy. She
knew he was heavily muscled—he probably had to stay in shape for his job—but he was just so big all
over. It was a wonder they fit together at all. But they had fit, and very well, too, she thought with delight.
Haley tore herself away from the magnificent sight, bent to put her shoes on, then walked toward him.
She went on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek, then left him standing in the kitchen, scowling.
Chapter Nine
Jeremy was lost. He felt the way he had back in his rookie days, unsure and terrified. A bad
combination for any man, but especially bad for a man always in control of his life, always in control of
his emotions. He felt like a weak puppy and that infuriated him.
Letting her leave was the most difficult thing Jeremy had ever done. Every cell in his body cried out to
keep her near. He had a sick feeling in his gut already, as if by letting her go he’d made a horrible
mistake. But she’d wanted some time. Short of kidnapping her, he couldn’t keep her in the cabin if she
wanted to leave.
It scared him to think how close he’d come to kidnapping her.
Half an hour had gone by and he had yet to leave the damn kitchen. He felt like a fool. Sitting naked,
waiting on a woman. How had he been reduced to a pining, love-sick fool? And so pitifully quick! Then
he remembered Brad. He’d told him he’d call him back later. It was later. He might as well fill some time
talking to his brother. Maybe he’d even stop thinking of how sweet Haley’s ass had looked, pink from
his swats.
Yeah, right.
He left the chair, grabbed the phone and dialed Brad’s number. His brother picked up on the third ring
and Jeremy grumbled, “ This is your fault, dickhead.”
“And hello to you, too, Jay,” Brad said, unperturbed by Jeremy’s rude accusation.
“Don’t pretend you don’t know what I mean either, dammit.”
“What’s my fault…this time?”
Jeremy ignored Brad’s sarcastic tone. “Haley Thorne is your fault.”
Brad was quiet a minute, then he chuckled. “You must have finally let her up for air if you’re talking to
me.”
“She wanted a few hours alone,” Jeremy groused. He raked his fingers through his hair and checked the
clock…again.
“So, you two getting along well, then?”
“Christ, Brad. It’s as if she were made for me. I swear I’ve never felt like this before. Damn you!”
“If you could stop cursing me for a minute, maybe you can explain why this is all a bad thing.”
Page 46
Jeremy went to the refrigerator and snagged a pitcher of iced tea off the top shelf. “She makes me
laugh,” Jeremy griped, scowling. “And I’ve never known a woman who could be so in control and
independent, yet so willing and agreeable, too.” He
touch. Lord, she could really get into a guy like him.
“By the way, just so we’re clear here, the tattoo is a major turn-on, but the thought of some man this
close to your delectable ass sets my blood to boiling.”
Was that jealousy in his tone? That had to mean he cared, at least a little. Haley wanted to say
something, anything. She wanted confirmation, but he was issuing another order and she lost her nerve.
“Now you’d better go before I break my promise and take you right here on this couch.”
“Yes, Jay,” she conceded. She moved away from him, confused, disoriented and excited to have met a
man who could make her feel so alive.
She went into the kitchen, saw her dress wrinkled into a ball and shrugged. Who cared? Haley picked it
up and slipped it down over her shoulders, smoothing out some of the wrinkles as best she could. She
felt Jay’s presence in the room at once. Turning, she found him leaning against the doorway, arms
crossed over his chest, his body still gloriously nude, watching her.
“Two hours, no more,” he growled.
Page 45
“Two hours, I promise,” Haley agreed, then her gaze slipped to his groin and his erection. Lordy. She
knew he was heavily muscled—he probably had to stay in shape for his job—but he was just so big all
over. It was a wonder they fit together at all. But they had fit, and very well, too, she thought with delight.
Haley tore herself away from the magnificent sight, bent to put her shoes on, then walked toward him.
She went on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek, then left him standing in the kitchen, scowling.
Chapter Nine
Jeremy was lost. He felt the way he had back in his rookie days, unsure and terrified. A bad
combination for any man, but especially bad for a man always in control of his life, always in control of
his emotions. He felt like a weak puppy and that infuriated him.
Letting her leave was the most difficult thing Jeremy had ever done. Every cell in his body cried out to
keep her near. He had a sick feeling in his gut already, as if by letting her go he’d made a horrible
mistake. But she’d wanted some time. Short of kidnapping her, he couldn’t keep her in the cabin if she
wanted to leave.
It scared him to think how close he’d come to kidnapping her.
Half an hour had gone by and he had yet to leave the damn kitchen. He felt like a fool. Sitting naked,
waiting on a woman. How had he been reduced to a pining, love-sick fool? And so pitifully quick! Then
he remembered Brad. He’d told him he’d call him back later. It was later. He might as well fill some time
talking to his brother. Maybe he’d even stop thinking of how sweet Haley’s ass had looked, pink from
his swats.
Yeah, right.
He left the chair, grabbed the phone and dialed Brad’s number. His brother picked up on the third ring
and Jeremy grumbled, “ This is your fault, dickhead.”
“And hello to you, too, Jay,” Brad said, unperturbed by Jeremy’s rude accusation.
“Don’t pretend you don’t know what I mean either, dammit.”
“What’s my fault…this time?”
Jeremy ignored Brad’s sarcastic tone. “Haley Thorne is your fault.”
Brad was quiet a minute, then he chuckled. “You must have finally let her up for air if you’re talking to
me.”
“She wanted a few hours alone,” Jeremy groused. He raked his fingers through his hair and checked the
clock…again.
“So, you two getting along well, then?”
“Christ, Brad. It’s as if she were made for me. I swear I’ve never felt like this before. Damn you!”
“If you could stop cursing me for a minute, maybe you can explain why this is all a bad thing.”
Page 46
Jeremy went to the refrigerator and snagged a pitcher of iced tea off the top shelf. “She makes me
laugh,” Jeremy griped, scowling. “And I’ve never known a woman who could be so in control and
independent, yet so willing and agreeable, too.” He
Similar Books
