Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
“I’m sure I can handle her,” Jay said with amusement. He was fully back to being his old self. Erin didn’t know where to take the conversation from there, but luckily she was saved by the arrival of a tiny glass of what the waiter explained was clear tomato consommé.
As lots of small plates with tiny, very pretty things topped with foam were brought to the table in a seemingly never-ending relay, Erin found that, while she was enjoying the food, she couldn’t quite relax. The restaurant was more about style than substance and, just as when she found this quality in people, it put her on edge. Still, it was nice of Jay to bring her to such an expensive place, so she told herself to just chill out and enjoy the evening as their conversation finally turned to books and LA and how much he liked his new home.
“It’s such a beautiful house and you’ve done a great job making it into a home. I really enjoyed staying there.”
Jay gave her a funny look and leaned in closer. “When I walked in on the three of you sleeping in my bed the other night—” He paused and held her gaze, and the intense expression in his gray eyes had her heart pumping a little harder. “I was very tempted to climb in as well.”
She let out a long, trembling breath. She couldn’t even speak. The deep emotions she’d been pushing down inside welled up and she couldn’t deny her feelings for another second. Jay’s gaze was still trained on hers and she had a feeling they both knew what was going to happen next.
She could barely taste the fancy little dessert they brought out, and both of them turned down coffee. Before she knew it, they were back outside looking at the water swirling and crashing against the rocks below them. Her heart pounded with a similar rhythm.
Jay turned toward her and she was positive he was going to kiss her. She was feeling a little wild—maybe it was the wine, maybe it was the setting, maybe it was because it had been so long since she’d been with a man, or because Jay was such a sweetheart with both Nelson and Buzzy. Whatever it was, she made the crazy decision that she was ready, not only to kiss him, but to go home and sleep with him too. In fact, she was so turned on by the prospect that she tingled all over and could hardly stand still.
She couldn’t wait for him to make the move and was about to lean in herself, when Jay tilted up her chin with a finger. “Has anyone ever told you that you have the most beautiful eyes? No, don’t look away, it would be a crime.”
Her heart plummeted like a rock through water.
She pulled back and said, “Stop!” before he got out the rest of his awful line and embarrassed them both even more. She stared at him, horrified, all of her desire snuffed out like a candle in a cold draft. “This is what you always do, isn’t it? This is your signature move to—” She made air quotes. “—seal the deal and get some unsuspecting woman into bed. News flash—I’m not an underwear model.” She emphasized the word just to let him know she could say it to his face.
Instead of backing off and apologizing the way she expected, he almost leered at her. “I did see you in your bathing suit. You could model.”
Erin shook her head, outraged. This wasn’t the Jay she liked. This was the hustler. The big shot. And now she was on the receiving end, being hustled.
What had gone wrong? On some level, she wondered if he was nervous, and trying too hard, but she was too angry to think it through.
She took another step back. “Does talking to women like that ever work?”
He still had that cocky look on his face. “Sure. Like you said, I always seal the deal.”
Erin’s revulsion had to be written all over her face, because at last it dawned in Jay’s eyes that he’d blown it.
“Deal?” she all but shouted. Her brothers had taught her how to hit a man without hurting her hand, so she could get in a surprise shot if she wanted to. But she stopped herself. She was better than that. More calmly, and very clearly, she said, “I am not a deal. Nor am I another notch in your bedpost.”
Jay looked stricken. All the color had drained from his face and the cocky smile was long gone. He threw up his hands and said, “No. That’s not what I meant.”
“I can’t believe I was almost ready to go home with you.” She paused and let it sink in just how much he’d screwed up. “And now you’ll never see me naked.” With that, she stepped away, pulled her phone out of her bag, and called a cab.