Page 2 of Hidden Desires

What the hell was she thinking? The sting of tears gathered in her eyes and she forbid them to fall. She refused to humiliate herself anymore than she already had. It was a stupid move coming here. A stupid move to assume some kind of connection was made. She wouldn’t give him ammunition to mock her and laugh at her stupid naïve ways. As much as she hated to admit it, her brother was right.

“I’m sorry I misunderstood. Please forgive me for barging in on you and your”—she waved her hand indicating the blonde—“companion.”

Jackson blew out a harsh breath. “You’re just a girl, sweetheart. A little high school girl who lets her emotions overrule her clear judgment. Why the hell would you think a man like me would be interested in anything but your sweet untouched pussy? I don’t want marriage. I hate kids, and I sure as hell can’t picture myself with one pussy for the rest of my life. Even as great as yours was, I can’t see myself making that kind of commitment. Sorry.”

A sob caught in her throat. After several years of living with a family full of soldiers, she considered herself tough. Emotionally, physically, mentally—everything in between. There was nothing she hadn’t won in her brother’s stupid competitions at least once, and some of them had been pretty damn hard. Yet, this man crumbled all her defenses with a simple speech.

“You’re a bastard.”

“You’re not the only one who thinks so.” He shrugged. “Nothing new to me, sweetheart. Go back home and play with your dolls. Get your head out of clouds and back down to reality. You don’t belong here.”

Autumn turned away as the first drop of wetness hit her cheek. She didn’t look back. Her dignity wouldn’t allow it. Jackson Cooper was an ass, and now she saw the neon sign proclaiming it shining before her bright and florescent. What had she been thinking coming here to him after so long? She left her life, the only life she knew, willing to risk everything on him and the ludicrous idea of a possible relationship. Or, God forbid, love.

Fuck love.

She climbed into the driver’s seat and finally stole a glance toward the door. The blonde was back, in his arms and obviously checking his tonsils with her tongue. Rage coursed through her veins hotter than the pits of hell. She turned the key in the ignition, put the car in gear and took off down the street. She had no choice but to go back home. Even with the humiliation of them knowing why she left, and returning with a broken heart. She’d get her damn veterinarian degree. She’d open her small clinic. Anything and everything she could do to get as far away from Jackson Cooper as she possibly could.

Turning the radio on, Tina Turner belted out the lyrics, “What’s love got to do with it?” And Autumn couldn’t agree more. She had sex for the first time with an asshole who simply used her for that and only that. She was foolish to think love resorted from the dick she had inside her. Jackson was right. Love had nothing to do with them fucking. Or better yet, why the hell did she think love had to do with anything?

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