“Did you come to any conclusions?” She barely dared to breathe; his presence was so overwhelming.
“I did. But it’s going to take some painful honesty on my part to share them with you.”
She was intrigued, in spite of her angst. “Can you handle it?”
“I can if you can.”
“Go ahead then.”
“I didn’t want to feel this way about you. I fought it hard, even used my own suspicions to put an emotional distance between us. It’s true I was watching out for Maylene, but I think I was also watching out for my heart. I’ve seen what a bad match can do, Jade. My own parents are a prime example.”
She sighed, certain she knew where this was going. He would tell her they could have an affair, enjoy the fires of passion, but nothing more. “What about Jean Pierre and Maylene? You told me they had a wonderful marriage. And they had a big influence on you.”
“They did. And I thought of that.”
“I don’t see what any of this has to do with you and me.”
“Bear with me. I’m trying to explain some of my actions.” He cleared his throat, as if uncomfortable. “I was, at times, jealous of Ty. I thought you were getting too close to him.”
“Oh, lord,” she burst out. “Ty? Let me tell you something about him. As you know, he not only put the moves on me, he attacked me. But what you don’t know is that he wanted us to combine forces. Marry, for the sake of holding onto all the Dubois money. Can you believe that?”
“Nothing that man could do would surprise me.”
“Maybe it would surprise you to know I can’t stand him. He apologized for his behavior, and I tried to forgive him, but it doesn’t change his basic character. He’s got a long way to go and a lot to learn before he’ll be a decent human being.” She took a deep breath. It was time for some honesty of her own, as long as they were clearing the air between them. “I admit I led you to think I cared about Ty. I’m sorry for those few times I tried to make you jealous. It was childish and I regret it now. But you were just so maddening.”
“Guilty as charged.” His hand moved forward and toyed idly with a lock of her hair. The move rocked her as if he’d wrapped her in an embrace. She felt her breath catch in her throat and she turned to find his eyes boring in to hers. “Jade, you forbade me to talk about the night we spent together, but it’s the reason I’m here.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t get it out of my mind. And do you know why?”
“No.” Her voice was a whisper. Here it comes, she thought, the offer of a casual fling.
“Because I love you.” He lowered his sensuous lips to hers.
She was shocked by his admission. After only a second’s hesitation, she yielded to the kiss. It was filled with passion, fire, and yearning, but also something else. Tenderness. Tenderness that left her open and vulnerable. She couldn’t stop the swell of emotion inside her.
When they broke, he held her close. She rested her face against his wide shoulder, listened to the sound of his heartbeat in her ear. She was tormented by the conflicting forces of desire and dread. “We have a problem, don’t we?”
He pulled back and put a hand beneath her chin, lifting her face so she had to look at him. “I don’t see it as a problem.”
“But you don’t trust me.”
“We’ll learn to trust each other.”
“We can’t get along. We’d fight.”
“So? When we do, we’ll make up.”
“You aggravate me.”
“But I make up for it with my boyish charm.”
“I don’t even like you, for god’s sake.”
“Yes, you do.”
“Alright, I do. But there’s the money…and Maylene…” She felt a sort of panic rise in her. “The suspicions, the…the…”
“Jade, calm down,” he said sternly. “I have more to get off my chest. I’m so sorry I was such a jerk over Maylene’s money. But, even though you passed the original background check, I still couldn’t believe you weren’t trying to get into Maylene’s good graces just for her money.”
“Whoa! You had me checked out before I even arrived?”
“Of course we did.” Gage held up a hand, stopping Jade’s tirade before it began. “Do you have the slightest idea how much Maylene is worth?”
Jade burst out, “No! And I don’t care…”
Gage interrupted her with a number.
“What?” Jade’s hand went to her neck.
“That’s how much Maylene is worth. Well, that’s her worth today. Tomorrow it will be more. Now do you understand my concerns? But the fact of the matter is, I should have trusted you from the beginning. All you ever wanted was to get to know your aunt. You didn’t care about her money. Hell, you didn’t even know about it.”
Jade sat back and took a deep breath. “That’s a lot to take in.”
“Yes it is. But it’s not an issue any longer. I have a new perspective on it. Why shouldn’t you have an inheritance? If that’s what Maylene chooses to do with her money, it’s her decision. You are her rightful heir, her family.”
“But I don’t want it.”
He shook his head. “Then that will be your decision. But this, tonight, right now, is about you and me. Not Maylene. Or Ty. Or money. Or anything other than what we feel for each other. And Jade, my feelings for you are so powerful they’re difficult to put into words. We have something special; you can’t deny that. I can’t be the only one who feels it.”
Thoughts whirled in her mind. The calm, serene life she’d always pictured for herself was floating away, out of her grasp. Oh, she knew the fire of his lovemaking and her body ached for it, even now. But she could also imagine the difficulties they’d have, the misunderstandings that would flare into arguments. The constant friction between them. Even the sweetest lovemaking couldn’t make up for that, could it? She reluctantly pushed away from him and stood. “If it’s real, it will stand the test of time. We both need some space to reflect on this.”
“Space apart from you is the last thing I need right now. You’ve been gone for two weeks and it’s felt like two years.” His eyes were earnest as they probed hers. “There’s something rare and amazing between us. We can’t let it slip through our fingers because if we do, we might not ever find it again.”
“Go back to New Orleans, Gage.” She eased toward the front door and took her keys from her purse. “If you still feel this way after you’ve had a chance to think about it, let me know.”
He pushed to his feet, a bemused expression on his face. “How did we get to this point? I came here to propose to you and now I’m being sent away before I’ve even had the chance to fall to one knee and impress you with the ring I selected.” In a few long strides he was in front of her, his big muscular body pressing her against the door. The heat of his magnetism hit her like a heady brew and she could feel her resolve weakening. If he took her in his arms again, she’d fall under his spell and forget logic altogether. But he didn’t pull her into an embrace; he just stood there, close, so close, and looked down at her.
“I’ll respect your wishes, Jade, even if I don’t agree with them.” Abruptly, he backed away and walked to his car.
Fumbling with her keys, she finally got the door open and ducked inside, slamming it behind her. Turning, she pressed a tear-streaked face to the small window and watched him drive away, unprepared for the stab of sorrow at the sight of his taillights disappearing down the block.
Jade threw her purse on the end table, slipped out of her shoes, and pressed her fingers against her eyes. It didn’t take a genius to know she would bitterly regret what she’d just done. She already wished she could have a do-over. After he traveled back home and gave each of her points serious consideration, his affection for her would evaporate like morning mist in the hot sun.
A knock interrupted her musing and her head shot up. When she opened the door, there he stood.
“What are you doing here?”
“I did like you wanted,” he said cheerfully. “I thought hard about it all the way to the corner and realized that’s all the time I need for soul searching. I know exactly what I want, what I need.”
She gazed at him in giddy surprise, ridiculously happy he’d come back. “And?”
He took a step closer. “It’s you and it has been from the moment we met.” His grin fell away and his eyes grew solemn as he reached out to caress her cheek. His voice broke. “I love you, Jade. I can’t imagine life without you. We need to be together.”
His raw emotion pierced her heart, and what little remained of her resistance crumbled and fell away. Tears misted her eyes and in that moment she let go of her doubts, gave in to the yearning, and it was a glorious feeling. “I love you too, Gage. I love you so much it hurts.”
Their mouths met in a kiss of total abandon and the agony turned to bliss.
Note to Readers,
Untrusting Hearts is Madison’s first novel and Evan’s first co-written work. We appreciate that you spent some of your reading time with us. We hope you enjoyed the tale of passionate, conflicted love between Jade and Gage.
~Madison & Evan
Book cover design by: Ramona Lockwood
Also by Evan Asher:
The Profiteer - A contemporary romance. Luke Hudson is a big man with serious swagger. No wonder Kelly has trouble resisting him, even as she fears his business plans will change her beloved community forever. Before he leaves, he will turn her safe predictable world, and her heart, upside-down.
Sweeter for the Pain - A contemporary romance. Nicole is helping her cousin repair a forest retreat he has purchased, and prepare it to open for business. From her gossiping coworkers to the unfriendly neighbor, Finn Erickson, nothing is what it seems. Finn’s disfigured face and aloof attitude can’t quell her attraction to him, but sinister rumors abound. Who or what pursues Nichole on the wooded trail? Has she given her heart to a killer?
Untrusting Hearts: A Contemporary New Orleans Romance Page 24
