Page 48 of Enticed
Slinging my duffle over my shoulder, I made my way to the truck, assuming she’d be there waiting for me, but the cab was empty when I tossed my bag inside. Glancing around, I searched for her among the sea of horse trailers. My stomach clenched with worry when I didn’t see her anywhere. I made my way back toward the arena where the other rodeo events were still in full swing.
I caught sight of her waiting at the concession stand. A man in chaps and a cowboy hat approached, halting in his tracks about ten feet away. He eyed her up and down as she leaned on the window, her shapely legs on full display in her cut-off jean shorts. I didn’t like the way he looked at her, so I picked up my pace. He stepped forward and as she turned, a brilliant smile lit her face like she recognized him.
They struck up a conversation, and a heavy weight settled in my stomach. This was the type of guy Jasmine should’ve been pursuing. He was younger than me by at least a decade and clearly wasn’t afraid to cozy up to her. Still, jealousy burned in my gut, and when he reached forward to tuck a rogue strand of hair behind her ear, it was like throwing gasoline on a bonfire.
I marched forward, ready to put this young buck in his place when her gaze shifted to me. The smile fell from her lips, and she gave a subtle shake of her head. I drew up short, confusion and hurt battling for dominance inside my chest. They talked for a moment longer, and then he pulled her into a hug, holding onto her far longer than necessary before letting her go. I seethed, my nostrils flaring as I attempted to draw in enough air to calm my temper.
Jasmine approached with a white and red checkered food boat full of fries. She casually popped one into her mouth and chewed, brushing past me without even stopping. I turned to follow, falling in stride with her.
“Who was that?”
“A friend,” she replied flatly, and I balled my hands into fists. I’d once claimed she was a friend, and that had been total bullshit. Was that the case here? I needed to get a hold of myself and tamp down my jealousy.
“Why did you run off?” I said instead of asking her what her history was with him.
“You said you needed a minute,” she replied with a shrug, popping another fry into her mouth and chewing. “Besides, my blood sugar was trending down, and I needed a snack.”
“Wait,” I said, reaching out to gently grip her arm and tug her to a stop. “Your sugar was low and you just took off? Without even telling me?” I asked incredulously. How low had it been? Was she at risk of passing out?
“I was giving you the space you asked for,” she explained. Her tone was laced with irritation, but hurt flashed in her eyes.
“But something bad could've happened. I’ve seen you when your sugar crashes. You could’ve gone down, and I wouldn’t have known where you were.”
“It wasn’tthatlow,” she explained, rolling her eyes and shaking out of my hold. “I was fine. I don’t need you to babysit me,” she threw over her shoulder as she continued toward the truck.
“Jasmine, wait. We need to talk about this,” I said, jogging after her. I didn’t want to leave things unsettled between us. This was something we needed to address before we set off for home.
“We don’t,” she countered, refusing to look at me. She continued to stare straight ahead, relief washing over her face when the trailer came into view. Maybe she thought that once we got on the road, she could play her music loud enough to avoid any conversation.
“We do,” I pleaded.
“Look, I get it. You felt guilty about what happened and wanted to get as far away from me as you could.”
“That’s not it.” At least, not entirely. Sure, I felt guilty, but I certainly didn’t want what she claimed. A little time and a little space to breathe were all I needed, just a moment to gather my wits so I didn’t act on impulse and throw her onto the bed.
She scoffed like she didn’t believe me. “Right,” she mumbled as she continued to march toward the truck. We were almost there when she spoke again. “I needed some space too,” she confessed, her voice cracking and chin quivering. She tried to hide it, but I could see the tears welling in her eyes.
“Jasmine,” I said softly, willing her to look at me, but she shook her head. “I’m sorry.”
She halted, mere feet from the passenger side door.
“I’m not trying to hurt you.”
She whirled on me, and the tears welling in her eyes were nearly my undoing. My chest squeezed, and my throat grew tight.
“Well, you are,” she shot back, her voice trembling. “I put myself out there, stripped myself bare for you,” she declared as a tear slipped down her cheek. “Only to have you turn me away after showing you the most intimate parts of myself. I gave you my vulnerability, and you tossed it back in my face.” Her chin quivered and her voice quaked. Regret washed over me and twisted my stomach into knots.
“That’s not it,” I proclaimed, stepping into her space and reaching up to cup her face in my hand. She softened and melted into my touch. “I was on the brink of losing control. I wanted to let you touch me, but it wouldn’t have stopped there.” Slipping my hand around to cup the back of her head, I pulled her in closer, desperate for her to understand. “I would have taken you in every way a man can take a woman, and neither of us is ready for that,” I admitted, pressing my forehead to hers.
“I am," she whispered against my lips. I pinched my eyes closed, silently cursing fate for making me want the one woman I couldn’t have.
“Jasmine, your dad is my boss and my best friend. You’re asking me to take a huge risk, one I can’t afford.”
She pulled out of my grasp, and her eyes hardened. Tilting her chin up in defiance, she crossed her arms over her middle and stared straight into my eyes.
“If you’re not willing to take it, then you’re a coward, and you don’t deserve me anyway,” she declared.
I couldn’t exactly argue with that, because she was right.
