Page 23 of Guarded Secrets
“Nothing. I took care of it.”
“If you took care of it, then he didn’t want nothing.”
“It’s none of your business.” She stared up at the ceiling for a second then back at him. He had the feeling she was weighing how much to tell him. “At least it wasn’t your business until he said something stupid, and I said something stupid back. I shouldn’t have said it but I did and now I’m regretting it.”
“Sounds interesting.”
She gave him a withering glare.
“What’d you say that’s got you upset?”
This time she looked down, tugging on the hem of her polo shirt, then let out a noisy breath.
“Spit it out.”
“This is dumb, especially after I was mad you let Lou think the same thing.” She fidgeted and began tapping her fingers on her thigh. “Okay, here it is. Jaxon wants to get back together. I don’t know why because, like I said, we weren’t together that long, and it wasn’t great. But he’s unhappy I broke up with him and says he misses me and he wants to get back together.”
“Asshole doesn’t deserve you, but I’m not seeing where I come in.” He had an inkling, but wanted to hear her say it.
She put her hands over her face and spoke through her fingers. “I’m sorry, but I told him we’re together.”
Satisfaction rolled over the flash of panic. Fake was fine. It was the real deal that he didn’t do. “Good. He’ll leave you alone then.”
She peeked through her fingers. “You’re not angry?”
“Hell no. If it makes you feel safer, tell whoever you want we’re together.”
She dropped her hands. “No, I won’t do that. I actually want a real boyfriend. Obviously, not him. But thanks. Jaxon has trouble understanding ‘no’ and it seemed simplest to say I was with someone else.”
Owen wasn’t boyfriend material, he was out of the running for that, but her comment made him want to punch his fist through the wall. She should be able to tell the guy no without having to bring in backup.
“Why do you need to find a real boyfriend?”
He must’ve telegraphed his irritation because she suddenly righted the chair. “Break’s over,” she said in an overly bright voice.
She rose to her feet, but she’d miscalculated because the space was so tight the only place for her to stand was between his legs. He stood too. They were so close her scent filled his head. Sunshine and blossoms.
They glared at each other. It felt like all the oxygen had been sucked from the room. Pink tinged her cheeks and her breathing quickened.
All he could think about was how he wanted to take her mouth. How he’d hitch her up onto the desk, step between her parted thighs, and slide his fingers into that silky fall of honey-brown hair. Then he’d dive in for a taste of that mouth, a taste he wanted more than his next breath.
But he couldn’t do that. Couldn’t let her know he wanted her with a yearning that made him insane. Because if he had her, theirs would never be a casual hookup.
He’d want more, she’d want more, then they’d be in a relationship. And that’s precisely when he’d screw it up and end up hurting her.
Been there, done that, had the scars and ruined lives to prove it.
Whatever it was that had him thinking he couldn’t live another day without the taste of her had to be caged in a corner of his brain with a chain and a padlock, never to be set free.
She stepped back. “This isn’t a good idea.”
She’d gotten that right, because even with the self-imposed restraints, he was afraid he wasn’t strong enough to continue his resistance.
Basic truth?
He wanted Keeley Montaigne.
He wasn’t good for her.
