So he had to sort this out with Kelsi now.
Kelsi didnât trust him. He didnât blame her for that either. But while she barely knew him, she thought she knew enough to judge himâand that he did have a problem with. Because her judgement was all bad. Sheâd probably looked him up on Googleâdidnât she know not to believe everything that was put up there? The injustice of it burned deep. He meant it when he said heâd support her. He already had a good idea about how to begin.
As for that lust? Yeah, it was still there. The rock solid hard-on he got every time he so much as thought of her pretty much proved it. But she thought he was some slutâthat he had no standards and would sleep with anyone who offered. OK, so he had some fun but he wasnât completely indiscriminate. More to the point, he liked his loversâhe valued friendship. He didnât use people like thatâhe liked to give as much as take. Sure he didnâtâ couldnât âoffer commitment, but he did do respect. And it wasnât as if she hadnât had a good time with himâhe very clearly remembered her screaming for him.
Truth now was he hadnât had any for weeks. Four weeks to be exactâsince that hot day in the sun. The irony of it all was that she had no idea how badly sheâd screwed up his ability to have fun. She wasnât going to know either. He wasnât about to tell her how deeply she affected himânot while she had such a sucksville opinion of him. Heâd get over this bone-aching want for her all on his own. But while he cursed the weakness that had brought him backto her, he was grateful for it, too. Now he was here to make sure she would be OK.
He was just going to have to forget the want. Thing was, he was sure she still wanted him, too. For a few, too-short moments, sheâd answered the kiss that he never should have taken.
Yeah, it was too bad for both of them.
She was right about not complicating their situation even more but, added to that, her physical well-being was paramountâas much as he wanted her, he didnât want to do anything that might hurt her or the baby. And while he knew sex was OK in pregnancy, he wasnât going to risk it. No complicationsâphysical or emotional.
But he did want her to get to know him better and realise sheâd misjudged him. He wasnât going to let her get away with thinking she was the only one who could sort this situation out. He had more to contribute than a couple of chromosomes. Jack never walked away from a challengeâand her trying to deny him had made this so much more of a challenge. And he was damn well going to keep his humour, tooâhe was all for keeping it fun. That was the whole point of life, wasnât it?
He talked to his lawyer for a whileâapplying the wax to speed up the ride. It was amazing how money could lubricate deals. They got into the building before lunchtime. The other three apartments were untenanted. As soon as he saw that he knew he needed to move immediately. Kelsi was vulnerable. He wasnât having her stay alone in this big barn in the middle of the city for another night. It wasnât safe.
She wasnât like the other women heâd known: the ones who could throw 920s in the air and laugh about crashingoutâstrong, survivor types. Kelsi was petite and fragile. And she was carrying his child.
Shudders thudded down his spine every time he thought of that. Heâa man for whom a dare was a delight. For whom nothing was worth doing if there wasnât some risk involved. For whom the extreme was the pleasure. He was terrified of her being hurt by something supposedly more natural than any of the tricks he pulled. But then he had good reason to worry, and it was reason in itself to keep his mouth shut. She didnât need anything to freak her out more. Not yet. So long as she saw the best doctor. Team of doctors. Bells,
Kelsi didnât trust him. He didnât blame her for that either. But while she barely knew him, she thought she knew enough to judge himâand that he did have a problem with. Because her judgement was all bad. Sheâd probably looked him up on Googleâdidnât she know not to believe everything that was put up there? The injustice of it burned deep. He meant it when he said heâd support her. He already had a good idea about how to begin.
As for that lust? Yeah, it was still there. The rock solid hard-on he got every time he so much as thought of her pretty much proved it. But she thought he was some slutâthat he had no standards and would sleep with anyone who offered. OK, so he had some fun but he wasnât completely indiscriminate. More to the point, he liked his loversâhe valued friendship. He didnât use people like thatâhe liked to give as much as take. Sure he didnâtâ couldnât âoffer commitment, but he did do respect. And it wasnât as if she hadnât had a good time with himâhe very clearly remembered her screaming for him.
Truth now was he hadnât had any for weeks. Four weeks to be exactâsince that hot day in the sun. The irony of it all was that she had no idea how badly sheâd screwed up his ability to have fun. She wasnât going to know either. He wasnât about to tell her how deeply she affected himânot while she had such a sucksville opinion of him. Heâd get over this bone-aching want for her all on his own. But while he cursed the weakness that had brought him backto her, he was grateful for it, too. Now he was here to make sure she would be OK.
He was just going to have to forget the want. Thing was, he was sure she still wanted him, too. For a few, too-short moments, sheâd answered the kiss that he never should have taken.
Yeah, it was too bad for both of them.
She was right about not complicating their situation even more but, added to that, her physical well-being was paramountâas much as he wanted her, he didnât want to do anything that might hurt her or the baby. And while he knew sex was OK in pregnancy, he wasnât going to risk it. No complicationsâphysical or emotional.
But he did want her to get to know him better and realise sheâd misjudged him. He wasnât going to let her get away with thinking she was the only one who could sort this situation out. He had more to contribute than a couple of chromosomes. Jack never walked away from a challengeâand her trying to deny him had made this so much more of a challenge. And he was damn well going to keep his humour, tooâhe was all for keeping it fun. That was the whole point of life, wasnât it?
He talked to his lawyer for a whileâapplying the wax to speed up the ride. It was amazing how money could lubricate deals. They got into the building before lunchtime. The other three apartments were untenanted. As soon as he saw that he knew he needed to move immediately. Kelsi was vulnerable. He wasnât having her stay alone in this big barn in the middle of the city for another night. It wasnât safe.
She wasnât like the other women heâd known: the ones who could throw 920s in the air and laugh about crashingoutâstrong, survivor types. Kelsi was petite and fragile. And she was carrying his child.
Shudders thudded down his spine every time he thought of that. Heâa man for whom a dare was a delight. For whom nothing was worth doing if there wasnât some risk involved. For whom the extreme was the pleasure. He was terrified of her being hurt by something supposedly more natural than any of the tricks he pulled. But then he had good reason to worry, and it was reason in itself to keep his mouth shut. She didnât need anything to freak her out more. Not yet. So long as she saw the best doctor. Team of doctors. Bells,
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