Page 22 of Nashville Cowboy
“It’s different,” Eve said now. “Why can’t you just believe me on this?”
“That’s rich. Because you’re so trustworthy?”
“Please.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “You have to let this go. We need to get along.”
She was right, but he’d been home two days and every time he laid eyes on Eve he didn’t like all the feelings she stirred up in him. She was impossible for him to ignore.
“I’m still so damn mad at you.”
“Don’t you think I know that? But anger is auselessemotion. Trust me, it won’t get you anywhere. It will simply eat you up alive. Anyway, you certainly recovered quickly enough. And now, you’ve got curbside service drop-off from none other than Jolette Marie. I know how longshe’swaited to get your attention.”
He felt the right side of his mouth tip and yeah, he just might be smiling. “Careful. You sound kind of jealous.”
“Not at all. It’s just that Jolette Marie is such an obvious choice.”
“Because she’s tall, blond and beautiful? Yeah, all menhatethat.”
“Jolette Marie just likesmen. All of them.”
He laughed. “You’re right, that’s too obvious.”
Eve went palms up like she surrendered and turned to give him her back. She took two steps away from him before he grabbed her wrist.
“Don’t you walk away from me. We’re not done here.”
He hadn’t exactly wanted, nor expected, to enjoy touching her. It took him a minute to realize that he hadn’t let go of her wrist even though she was no longer moving away from him.
“I don’t know what you want from me,” she whispered.
She probably couldn’t give him what he wanted. He needed to stop feeling anything at all for her. He wanted her to stop walking around, being Eve, making him look and yearn and want. It shouldn’t be happening. He should feel nothing, or at least next to nothing. Should be able to simply appreciate that she was a beautiful woman, the same way he appreciated Jolette Marie. Detached. As when he admired a beautiful sunset from a distance. And to feelnothingmore.
“I want you,” he said, knowing that there was more truth in those three words than he cared to admit, “to make sure that Sadie shows up to the church. Because if she doesn’t, it’s you I’m coming after.Youthat will have hell to pay.”
“She’ll be there.”
When Eve walked backinto the kitchen she was still shaking. The most unsettling part of the shaking was its reason. Because this didn’t feel like fear. Instead, she recognized the pulse and thrill of intense desire. Lust. Animal magnetism. Chemistry. She hadn’t felt any of those sensations in such a long time it was a wonder she didn’t confuse them with actual terror. But the connection with Jackson was still alive and crackling with sexual tension, making him difficult to ignore.
“He’s still so angry. What did you do to him now?”
“Nothing! I’m just here.” She held her arms out. “That’s bad enough.”
“That was…incredible.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She reconsidered and held up a finger. “Except to say that I’m sorry he said those things to you. He shouldn’t have.”
“I thought he was going to swipe every jar off the table and, like,doyou, right here.” She pointed to the kitchen table.
“Sadie!” Eve found herself laughing at the brutal honesty.
“Why onearthdoes he think I won’t show up to my own wedding?”
Eve deadpanned. “I believe he thinks you and I are far more alike than we actually are.”
“That’s just crazy. Lincoln and I took years to get to this point. How could I ever walk away?”
“The same way I did,hethinks. Don’t worry, I handled him.”
Sadie batted her eyelashes. “And how exactly did you handle him?”
