Page 21 of Her Unflinching Warrior (Omega Sky)
Stupid.
Stupid.
Stupid.
How in the hell could she have let Gideon just kiss her goodnight at the door and not dragged his delicious ass into her room?
She dropped her head into her hands and blew out a big breath. Dammit. She had missed her shot, and he lived in Virginia and she lived in Manhattan; there wasn’t a chance in hell they’d have another night like last night. Not with Gideon. And he was freakin’ special! She’d never lit up with a man like she had with Gideon, and she’d missed out on a taste.
What had she been thinking?
And it was more than just sex, but that would have been awesome, she was sure of it. He was aman. Not one of those college boys and computer geeks she’d dated in the past. Granted, some of them had been built along the lines of Gideon because she didn’t date small men, but she’d never been so turned on. And definitely never on so many levels. He rangallof her bells, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Jada jerked up in bed.
“Whoa there! Are you kidding me?”
She threw back the covers and jumped out of the bed, making a beeline for the bathroom.What in the hell am I thinking?She barely knew the man, and she was getting this tangled up?
She yanked open the shower door and turned on the faucets to hot, then jerked off her nightie and walked her naked booty into the shower. She needed to clear her head and fast. She was supposed to have brunch with Gideon today, and she sure as hell didn’t need to be mooning over the man and thinking about china patterns. Not that she ever intended to have china, what twenty-four-year-old woman wanted china patterns? Those were for her mother’s generation!
“Harlow, get a fucking grip!” she yelled up into the shower spray. She slathered vanilla-scented body wash all over herself then used her honey-scented shampoo that helped to tame her curls.
When she was done, she bounced out of the shower. She wanted extra time to get ready. She’d brought a warm red sweater, black skinny jeans, and brown suede boots that zipped past her knees to wear for the next morning when she planned to spend time with Gianna’s granny and great aunt.
“Shit!”
She needed to call them and let them know that she wouldn’t be there at the brunch. Not that they’d notice, they had friends come in from far and wide. Those two had been in their element yesterday.
Jada slathered her hair with product, then used her own blow-dryer with its handy-dandy diffuser and styled her hair. When she was done, she unplugged it and put it back into her small carryall along with all of the product she’d used thus far. She went back into the bedroom and grabbed her cell phone to call the Boone Bed, Breakfast and Tavern so she could talk to Granny. It took a minute to be connected to her room.
“Jada? Are you about ready to head on downstairs?” Granny asked.
“I’m not at the Boone. I’m actually in Lexington at the moment.”
“Now why aren’t you here? Hold on a minute.”
Jada heard the hotel phone clatter onto the nightstand. “I just took a peak outta the curtains. Why is your car here, if you’re not?”
Busted.
“I decided to get a room here in Lexington. My own room,” she stressed. “I wanted a chance to get to know Gideon a bit better.”
“Hmmm.”
Jada waited to see what kind of wisdom Gianna’s Granny would have to impart. The old lady had taken Jada under her wing ever since she and Gianna had started rooming together their freshman year at NYU. Gianna had insisted that Jada come to Berea, Kentucky for the Fall Festival, whatever in the hell that was, to drink pumpkin cider and look at arts and crafts.
Then Jada had returned the favor and had Gianna come to Queens and celebrate Three Kings Day with Jada’s family on January sixth. Of course, Gianna had to come two days early, and Jada’s Mama had tried to teach Gianna how to make tamales and roasted pork, but Gianna was a bust in the kitchen. However, on the day of the celebration, Gianna shined. Uncle Ricky had her on the dancefloor doing the salsa like she was born to it. Her Mama was all disappointed that all of her sons were married, after taking note of Gianna’s birthing hips.
“Gideon is one mighty handsome man,” Granny said carefully. “I’ve seen pictures of your Daddy, he has the same strong look as him.”
“Yes,” Jada said carefully in return. She knew that Granny had a lot more to say, and she braced.
“He’s a might bit older than you.”
“Yes,” Jada agreed. “I kind of like that about him. He keeps up.”
Granny cackled. “You’re smart as a whip, always have been. No grass grows under your feet, Girly. You’d need a sharp ’un to match you. Gianna’s told me you dated some college boys who was book smart, but not smart-smart, I reckon you get my meaning. But, Girly, is it wise for you to be bedding some man twice your age just because he’s all that?”
