pulled a glass from the cupboard. “And she’s so
damned adorable. I swear, it doesn’t matter what we’re doing, she’s always little Miss Manners. Every
friggin’ please and thank you she utters gets me all horny. It’s the damnedest thing.” He poured his tea
and forged on. “But she’s not said a single thing about wanting me. Well, beyond sex, that is.”
“Do you want her? Beyond the sex?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve never wanted to share your life.” Brad was using his calm doctor voice on him, which only
made Jeremy want to strangle him. “You like being your own man, coming and going as you please.”
He understood what Brad was doing, but he also knew the Jeremy who’d left his cluttered apartment on
Friday wasn’t the same man who stood in the kitchen now, watching the clock. “I could give a shit about
independence, Brad. The truth is, if I don’t have Haley in my life when we leave here tomorrow, nothing
is going to matter much,” he said miserably. “It’s that simple and this is your fault. My life was fine before
I came here. Now I’m a fucking mess.”
Brad sighed heavily. “Haley’s been through a lot. Her ex was pretty shitty to her.”
“I know, she told me. What’s your point?” Jeremy hated the reminder of Eric and he was beginning to
see where Brad was going with his big brother lecture.
“You’re the first man who’s been kind to her since the break. It’s bound to make her head swim a little.”
“So she’s infatuated with me? Is that what you’re saying? That she couldn’t possibly be in love with me
because it’s all happening too quickly?” He hated to think it. The truth was, he’d considered the
possibility himself. While Jeremy knew what he felt was the real deal, Haley wouldn’t know the real thing
if it bit her in the ass because she’d nothing but a lousy marriage to compare it to.
His life went from bad to shitty in a matter of seconds.
“Just finish the weekend and come home,” Brad said. “Give her some time to think things through. If
she’s in love with you, a few days apart won’t matter in the least.”
Jeremy took a long swig of his tea and set the glass down hard on the counter as he continued to watch
the clock. “Yeah, you’re right I guess. Still, I don’t think she’s going to understand.” He sighed. “I suck
at relationships. Hell, why do you think I’ve avoided them my whole life?”
“Just be gentle with her, Jay. Tell her how you feel, but don’t put words in her mouth. Allow her to tell
you how she feels in her own time.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Jeremy muttered, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. His every instinct
roared at him to shout his love to Haley. He wanted to make love to her until she cried uncle and
reciprocated. Something occurred to him and he managed a small smile.
“You know, Brad, when a woman knocks you on your calm, doctor’s ass, I’m going to love watching
that easygoing demeanor of yours vanish into thin air.”
Page 47
Brad laughed and shot right back, “Never happen, bro, never happen.”
Jeremy had once thought the same thing. “Famous last words.”
They hung up and Jeremy realized he was still naked. He cursed and left the kitchen. After throwing on a
pair of jean shorts and a tank top, he filled the next hour cleaning. He washed the previous night’s dinner
dishes, stripped the sheets off the bed and tossed them into the washer. Once that was done, he went out
to the hot tub and made sure it was clean before putting the cover back on it. Once inside, he felt his
stomach rumble and realized he hadn’t had breakfast. It was almost lunchtime. He was about to make
himself something to eat when he heard Haley’s shy knock on the front door. He practically ran to let her
in. It was sick how much he’d missed her already. How was he supposed to give her a few days?
“Relationships suck,” Jeremy muttered to himself.
As he reached the
damned adorable. I swear, it doesn’t matter what we’re doing, she’s always little Miss Manners. Every
friggin’ please and thank you she utters gets me all horny. It’s the damnedest thing.” He poured his tea
and forged on. “But she’s not said a single thing about wanting me. Well, beyond sex, that is.”
“Do you want her? Beyond the sex?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve never wanted to share your life.” Brad was using his calm doctor voice on him, which only
made Jeremy want to strangle him. “You like being your own man, coming and going as you please.”
He understood what Brad was doing, but he also knew the Jeremy who’d left his cluttered apartment on
Friday wasn’t the same man who stood in the kitchen now, watching the clock. “I could give a shit about
independence, Brad. The truth is, if I don’t have Haley in my life when we leave here tomorrow, nothing
is going to matter much,” he said miserably. “It’s that simple and this is your fault. My life was fine before
I came here. Now I’m a fucking mess.”
Brad sighed heavily. “Haley’s been through a lot. Her ex was pretty shitty to her.”
“I know, she told me. What’s your point?” Jeremy hated the reminder of Eric and he was beginning to
see where Brad was going with his big brother lecture.
“You’re the first man who’s been kind to her since the break. It’s bound to make her head swim a little.”
“So she’s infatuated with me? Is that what you’re saying? That she couldn’t possibly be in love with me
because it’s all happening too quickly?” He hated to think it. The truth was, he’d considered the
possibility himself. While Jeremy knew what he felt was the real deal, Haley wouldn’t know the real thing
if it bit her in the ass because she’d nothing but a lousy marriage to compare it to.
His life went from bad to shitty in a matter of seconds.
“Just finish the weekend and come home,” Brad said. “Give her some time to think things through. If
she’s in love with you, a few days apart won’t matter in the least.”
Jeremy took a long swig of his tea and set the glass down hard on the counter as he continued to watch
the clock. “Yeah, you’re right I guess. Still, I don’t think she’s going to understand.” He sighed. “I suck
at relationships. Hell, why do you think I’ve avoided them my whole life?”
“Just be gentle with her, Jay. Tell her how you feel, but don’t put words in her mouth. Allow her to tell
you how she feels in her own time.”
“Yeah, whatever,” Jeremy muttered, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do. His every instinct
roared at him to shout his love to Haley. He wanted to make love to her until she cried uncle and
reciprocated. Something occurred to him and he managed a small smile.
“You know, Brad, when a woman knocks you on your calm, doctor’s ass, I’m going to love watching
that easygoing demeanor of yours vanish into thin air.”
Page 47
Brad laughed and shot right back, “Never happen, bro, never happen.”
Jeremy had once thought the same thing. “Famous last words.”
They hung up and Jeremy realized he was still naked. He cursed and left the kitchen. After throwing on a
pair of jean shorts and a tank top, he filled the next hour cleaning. He washed the previous night’s dinner
dishes, stripped the sheets off the bed and tossed them into the washer. Once that was done, he went out
to the hot tub and made sure it was clean before putting the cover back on it. Once inside, he felt his
stomach rumble and realized he hadn’t had breakfast. It was almost lunchtime. He was about to make
himself something to eat when he heard Haley’s shy knock on the front door. He practically ran to let her
in. It was sick how much he’d missed her already. How was he supposed to give her a few days?
“Relationships suck,” Jeremy muttered to himself.
As he reached the
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