Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57201 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
“I don’t know. Should I even be feeling any of this? I mean, I was set to marry Jeff and now…”
“Now?”
“Now, I’m having fantasies about the one man I swore I would never let hurt me again.”
“What if things have changed for him, now? What if hurting you isn’t even in his thoughts. He cares about you, Katie. It’d take a fool not to see that and honey, Jeff’s not here and maybe that’s a good thing.”
“Callie—”
“Hear me out. You’re worrying over so much that you’re forgetting the truth.”
“What truth?”
“That you’ve always had doubts. Don’t get me wrong. I love Jeff and I know he adores you, but how many times did you tell me that you were worried you would end up hurting Jeff because you couldn’t love him like he wanted—that you couldn’t love him like you loved Jake?”
“Callie, I’m not sure I want to talk about this right now. I’m worn out,” I admit, clutching the towel to my body.
“Then, how about we get you dressed and let you sleep? Which do you want?” she asks, holding up a white T-shirt and an old Longhorn’s jersey that I bought years ago at my first Longhorn game.
“We should go with the Longhorn one. The white one is Jeff’s shirt, and I don’t think Jake would appreciate it if he found out. Jake threatened to rip it off me if I tried to wear his brother’s shirt the first night he was here.”
“Ohhh, interesting,” Callie croons. “Maybe we should put the white one on you and see what happens.”
“How about you don’t do that,” Jake barks, opening the door.
Shock slams into me and I clutch my towel even tighter.
“Are you eavesdropping outside my door?” I gasp.
“I was actually coming in to see if you needed help and to tell Callie that Reed was ready to leave.”
“Then—”
“But I heard my name and my mother always taught me to wait to enter a room where you’re the topic of discussion,” he says, coming deeper inside the room, hands crossed at his chest. I can’t tell if he’s upset or not, but there’s a glint in his eyes that scares me.
And makes me tingle.
Shit, I should not be tingling when it comes to anything involving Jake Ryan.
“Jake, get out of here. Seriously, I have to get dressed,” I respond, trying not to screech because he’s scaring me. I need time to get my defenses back up against him.
“I’ve seen it all before, sweetheart.”
Callie giggles and if I didn’t need it to cover my body, I’d throw my towel at her.
“I think this is my cue to leave,” Callie says when she gets her giggles under control.
“Traitor,” I mutter when she walks over and drops both shirts in my lap.
“Don’t be stupid,” she whispers as she leans down and kisses my cheek.
I sigh. I’m trying not to be stupid. Life just isn’t cooperating. “Bye, Jake,” she says much louder as she walks by him.
“Bye, Callie.”
“Oh, and, Jake?”
“Yeah?”
“If you hurt Katie again, I’ll cut out your balls with a rusty spoon and feed them to one of those bulls you like to ride.”
My eyes go wide with shock. Callie doesn’t say things like that. Mostly she’s shy around all men except Reed. I wait to see what Jake is going to do. The old Jake would yell at her and tell her to mind her business. If he hurts her, I’ll be the one to de-ball him. Instead, he smiles at me and lets out a small laugh.
“Message delivered, honey.”
“Good.” She turns to look at me, and she’s definitely full of unicorns and pixie dust. I see it even if she doesn’t. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Katie.”
“Tomorrow,” I whisper.
She goes out and closes the door leaving me alone with the one man I should probably never be alone in my bedroom with.
CHAPTER 31
Jake
“If you’re not going to leave, the least you can do is turn around so I can put something on,” Katie gripes, making me shake my head.
She shifts the white shirt on top of the other one and my control snaps. I’ve held back for as long as I am physically able. I stride over to the bed where she’s sitting and yank the shirt from her hands.
“No way,” I mumble.
“Jake, stop this. Give that back to me right now.”
In response, I hold the shirt up where she can see it and rip it down the middle. She inhales a deep breath in surprise.
“There,” I huff.
“I can’t believe you did that.”
“I warned you what would happen if you tried to wear his shirt, Katie. I don’t want another man’s shirt covering your body.”
Her head goes back, and her eyes widen when I reach down to bunch my own shirt up in my hands—peeling it off my body.
“What are you doing?” she squeaks.