Swallowing tightly, she stared up at him. His nearness made her senses spin. Her pulse fluttered wildly and the air around her seemed electrified. A small shiver ran up her spine.
Her own feelings for him had nothing to do with reason and everything to do with lust and need. After wetting her lips, she asked, “What if I told you I regret stopping you last night? That after you left I’d had a change of heart?”
He came a step closer, took a strand of her hair between his fingers and lowered his voice. “I’d say that the next time you let me kiss you, you’d better be damn sure about what it is you want. Because I’m not so sure that I’ll be able to stop the next time.”
Dropping his hand from her hair, he pressed the cold ice bag into her palm and backed away from her. “As a matter of fact, I think I’ll be on my way before I get any stupid ideas about kissing you again.” With that, he headed for the front door. Stopping in front of it, he turned, giving her a long lingering look.
“Will I see you tomorrow night at Gertie’s?” she asked, breaking the silence. Then, seeing the look on his face, she regretted asking.
“That’ll be a cold day in hell! If you think I’m going to be part of some stupid kissing contest, you’re crazier than I thought you were. And I’m not about to stand around watching all those other guys trying to grope you and stick their tongues down your throat either.”
“So, come and act as my protector then.” She searched his face, looking for a sign that he was actually considering her suggestion.
“I don’t think so, Janie. In fact, I think it would be a good idea if I stayed away from you altogether.”
Her heart sank with the news, but it sank even more when he opened the door and closed it behind him. “Oh, God. What have I done now?” she mumbled.
CHAPTER SIX
Fourteen men and only one woman, was all Gabe could think about as he filled his plate with Gertie’s fried chicken and homemade potato salad. And all those men, including him, wanted nothing more than to get into Janie’s pants.
It was disgusting, and yet, here he was. He told himself he’d only come to the picnic because he didn’t want to disappoint Gertie, but the real reason was, he couldn’t have stayed away if he’d tried. He sure as hell wasn’t about to let some horny bastard put the moves on Janie and then take advantage of her. Even if that’s exactly what Janie wanted. Or at least, that’s what she thought she wanted.
Of course, Gabe knew better. She wasn’t the one-night-stand type. No matter how many times she’d tried to convince him otherwise. He wondered why having an orgasm was so damn important to her. What could it possibly change? Then again, he’d hate to be in her shoes. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how she must feel. Frustrated? Curious? Humiliated? Insecure?
But dammit, none of those things was reason enough for her to hop into bed with some bozo she barely knew. And if Gabe had his say, she wasn’t about to. Not tonight. Not ever.
Standing in Gertie’s backyard, he watched the parade of men fighting for Janie’s attention, and it was all he could do not to go to her side and play the protector. Although, that was exactly what Janie wanted him to do. But he was nobody’s fool.
So, he’d let the guys flirt with her. It was no big deal. But none of them was going to take her home that was for sure. Because they’d have to get past him first.
Gertie had invited every man she could think of, from her butcher to her auto mechanic. Right now, the woman’s orthodontist was explaining to Janie why she should consider braces. There wasn’t a damn thing wrong with her teeth, at least not as far as Gabe could see. So what if one of her eye teeth was slightly crooked? Gabe liked it. It added to her charm. And the man obviously didn’t recognize perfection when he saw it. “Idiot,” he mumbled around a mouthful of chicken.
There were only two men that
Her own feelings for him had nothing to do with reason and everything to do with lust and need. After wetting her lips, she asked, “What if I told you I regret stopping you last night? That after you left I’d had a change of heart?”
He came a step closer, took a strand of her hair between his fingers and lowered his voice. “I’d say that the next time you let me kiss you, you’d better be damn sure about what it is you want. Because I’m not so sure that I’ll be able to stop the next time.”
Dropping his hand from her hair, he pressed the cold ice bag into her palm and backed away from her. “As a matter of fact, I think I’ll be on my way before I get any stupid ideas about kissing you again.” With that, he headed for the front door. Stopping in front of it, he turned, giving her a long lingering look.
“Will I see you tomorrow night at Gertie’s?” she asked, breaking the silence. Then, seeing the look on his face, she regretted asking.
“That’ll be a cold day in hell! If you think I’m going to be part of some stupid kissing contest, you’re crazier than I thought you were. And I’m not about to stand around watching all those other guys trying to grope you and stick their tongues down your throat either.”
“So, come and act as my protector then.” She searched his face, looking for a sign that he was actually considering her suggestion.
“I don’t think so, Janie. In fact, I think it would be a good idea if I stayed away from you altogether.”
Her heart sank with the news, but it sank even more when he opened the door and closed it behind him. “Oh, God. What have I done now?” she mumbled.
CHAPTER SIX
Fourteen men and only one woman, was all Gabe could think about as he filled his plate with Gertie’s fried chicken and homemade potato salad. And all those men, including him, wanted nothing more than to get into Janie’s pants.
It was disgusting, and yet, here he was. He told himself he’d only come to the picnic because he didn’t want to disappoint Gertie, but the real reason was, he couldn’t have stayed away if he’d tried. He sure as hell wasn’t about to let some horny bastard put the moves on Janie and then take advantage of her. Even if that’s exactly what Janie wanted. Or at least, that’s what she thought she wanted.
Of course, Gabe knew better. She wasn’t the one-night-stand type. No matter how many times she’d tried to convince him otherwise. He wondered why having an orgasm was so damn important to her. What could it possibly change? Then again, he’d hate to be in her shoes. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how she must feel. Frustrated? Curious? Humiliated? Insecure?
But dammit, none of those things was reason enough for her to hop into bed with some bozo she barely knew. And if Gabe had his say, she wasn’t about to. Not tonight. Not ever.
Standing in Gertie’s backyard, he watched the parade of men fighting for Janie’s attention, and it was all he could do not to go to her side and play the protector. Although, that was exactly what Janie wanted him to do. But he was nobody’s fool.
So, he’d let the guys flirt with her. It was no big deal. But none of them was going to take her home that was for sure. Because they’d have to get past him first.
Gertie had invited every man she could think of, from her butcher to her auto mechanic. Right now, the woman’s orthodontist was explaining to Janie why she should consider braces. There wasn’t a damn thing wrong with her teeth, at least not as far as Gabe could see. So what if one of her eye teeth was slightly crooked? Gabe liked it. It added to her charm. And the man obviously didn’t recognize perfection when he saw it. “Idiot,” he mumbled around a mouthful of chicken.
There were only two men that
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