Page 100 of Tempted Hearts
“Great. I’m gonna head and finish this workout.”
“Talk to you later. Oh, Jules?”
“Yeah?”
“Please be careful. I don’t wanna see you get hurt.”
I reassured her, for what it was worth. Since I’d looked at my phone a measurable number of times so far today for a text, it felt a little bit too late.
But I wasn’t going to let it get me down. I wasn’t going to dwell on it or text him first.
I might get my heart broken, but I’d learned a few lessons along the way. Most importantly, it would get put back together.
I headed down to the locker room and grabbed my stuff. Like everything else in Cedar Falls, the gym was only a few blocks from the main square and my house.
As I walked up the street, an unfamiliar… yet familiar… pickup truck came into view in front of my place.
Heart hammering, I walked faster.
With every step, my excitement at Cole’s unexpected appearance grew.
As did my resolve not to go over the deep end for a guy who point-blank told me he didn’t do relationships.
But he also didn’t do second and third dates.
Even so, I was not going to get worked up over a guy.
Or so I told myself until I finally caught sight of him sitting casually on my porch, reading what looked like a newspaper.
Who actually read newspapers these days? It was so very cool.
I stopped at the bottom of the stairs, pretty sure he’d notice me coming.
Dressed more casually than usual—in jeans and a T-shirt, no glasses—he lowered the paper.
Light blue looked good on him.
“Afternoon, Jules.”
38
JULES
“Do you make it a habit of sitting on people’s porches when they’re not home?”
He folded the paper as I climbed the stairs, but I didn’t dare get too close. We were far from a couple, so I could greet him any way I wanted.
“I ran into Delaney in town, and she told me you were at the gym. Since I was already up this way, I figured I’d come over and wait for you to get back.”
I pulled my phone from my leggings and waved it at him. “Ever hear of one of these? It’s an absolutely amazing little contraption. You can?—”
He reached toward me, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me into him.
“Come here,monella.”
He tipped up my chin and kissed me, and I felt as if my heart worked for the first time. It was a slow, lingering kiss… one that would have the neighbors talking if they were watching.
When we finally broke apart, I had no words.
