Page 38 of Reckless (Adventures in Love 3)
“Hey, pretty girl.” I pet the top of her head, hearing her purr, then hold her when she climbs into my lap.
“Cockblocked by my cat,” he mutters, sounding not annoyed or frustrated but like he’s joking, which is a surprise given that I can still feel how hard he is.
“Sorry,” I say, letting Caz go, and she hops off the couch. “Where were we?” I lean in to kiss him, and he pulls back just an inch.
“As much as I want that, I know you gotta drive home, and the snow is getting heavier,” he tells me softly, sliding his hand into the hair at the side of my head, and I look out the window and notice big white flakes falling steadily from the sky. “When is your next day off?”
“Saturday.”
“Let’s plan for you to stay over on Saturday then.”
“You want me to stay the night?”
“Yeah,” he says easily, and I wonder what planet he’s from; most men are all about getting some and then having their space back.
“Cybil will probably wonder where I am,” I point out quietly, and he shrugs.
“Tell her that you’re staying the night with me.”
“I thought we were keeping this between us for now.”
“Right.” He removes his hand from my hair, and his sudden change in demeanor makes my brows drag together. The twitch of his jaw and the way his body under mine has gotten tight.
“Are you mad?”
“No,” he says, but I’d bet money that he is, which is something I just do not understand. I wasn’t the only one who agreed to our deal. “It’s getting late, and I want you to get home safe before the roads are bad.”
“Sure.” I get off his lap, and he stands.
“Are you going to be okay to drive?”
“I’ll be fine.” I go with him to the kitchen and start to pick up my plate so I can take it to the sink, but he stops me with a shake of his head.
“Leave it. I’ll clean up after I walk you out.”
“Are you sure?” I ask, trying to understand what is happening here.
“Yeah, just get your shoes,” he tells me, heading for the front door, and I watch him go, shaking my head. After I get my bag and put on my shoes, he opens the front door for me and walks with me to my car, the energy vibrating off him, making it clear that he’s not a happy camper. “Thank you again for dinner.” I stop and look up at him as snowflakes dance around us. Not knowing what to do but understanding that he wants me gone, I open my door and start to get in behind the wheel but stop when he spins me around. His mouth lands on mine in a kiss that is hard and over before it even really begins.
“Call me as soon as you get home so I know you made it safe,” he demands after ripping his mouth from mine, and I nod while my chest heaves. Then I allow him to help me into my seat.
As soon as I have my seat belt on, he slams my door shut, then steps back, crossing his arms over his chest, and he stays that way as I back out and pull away from his house.
While his house disappears from my rearview mirror, I’m still at a loss to understand what just transpired, but I’m not dumb enough to think that it won’t happen again, especially with him refusing to explain to me what was going on in his head.
And as I drive home with the snow falling steadily, I get more and more annoyed with him for acting just like every other guy who has messed with my head. I do not need one more man who agrees with me on something big, then turns around and changes his mind because it no longer fits his prerogative. Screw that.
Chapter 12
JADE
Standing behind the counter at the Bear, I scroll through a list of new-release books and write down the ones I think might sell well in the store. With a list that is already a mile long, I wish I had an endless supply of money and space, because if it were possible, every book available for purchase would have a home on one of my shelves.
Hearing my cell phone beep on the counter, I pick it up and bite my lip when I find a text from Maverick. Last night when I got home, I called like he’d asked me to and let him know that I was safe, then quickly got off the phone. Not that he seemed to mind. Whatever had been bothering him when I’d been at his place was still obviously bothering him then. So seeing his name on my phone is a surprise, since I didn’t think I’d hear from him again. I figured that he was done with me for whatever reason and I would just have to accept that things hadn’t worked out. Which would probably be better for all parties involved, because when he’s not acting like a jerk, I do really like him way more than I probably should at this point.
