She shocked him even more by sliding her hand in the front pocket of her jeans and pulling out a twenty dollar bill. Placing it on the table as she stood, she refused to look at him, and the damnedest thing happened—he couldn’t speak. He watched, hearing her words but not willing them to register. Not completely…something about covering the tab and tip and something, something website and to send her a bill. Then she stormed off.
Shit!
In the past couple of days his track record for pissing off the opposite sex had checked in at one hundred percent. What a weekend.
Chapter 3
On Friday afternoon Jennica flipped the door sign to Closed. The week had been one of the slowest she’d had since opening the business. She thought about paying someone to man the shop on Saturday while she was out of town, but didn’t count on the citizens of Pineville being desperate for flowers. Not enough to justify hiring someone anyway. Besides, for the first time in months, she was headed home to Hays for the weekend and didn’t want to worry about an inexperienced person running her store.
Jingling a set of keys, she went over a mental checklist. Her packed bag was in the car. The lights at home were all off and the doors locked, she’d made sure before she left this morning. Her cell was in her pocket, and she would click the deadbolt to the shop on her way out. She was good to go.
Passing the Pineville Come Back Soon sign, she sighed. The two hour drive would be a long one. Maybe if she were in a good mood the trip wouldn’t be so bad, but her nerves had been off all week. On top of sales being near nonexistent, she’d tossed aside the idea of bondage bouquets, packing all the toys and restraints away the minute she walked back in her shop after leaving Scott at the diner. She hated that he’d seen what she’d created. How much more obvious could it be? Of course he wanted to help set up the website. Sex. Bondage. Whips. He probably thought it the best way to experiment, do a little research. Or maybe he thought of her as a one-night-stand type of person. Well, she wasn’t. Never had been, and never would be.
God, her mom… Virginia Moss and her hopes of Jennica finding someone stable in the new town. She’d never come right out and said it per se but every time they spoke on the phone, Virginia hinted at the possibility. And all thanks to Troy Reins.
The lying bastard.
Virginia had never showed much interest in her daughter’s love life. Not until Jennica met Troy. Hell, her mother had fallen for him harder than she had. She always said “Troy this” and “Troy that” and the cringe worthy “You two will make beautiful babies.” Jennica gagged a little at Virginia’s favorite saying.
She didn’t blame her mom for being enamored with the man, he was charming as hell. One of those men who had the gift of mesmerizing any woman by the sound of his voice—low and melodic, his words poured over his lips like warmed caramel. Not to mention his looks. At the time, he’d been the most gorgeous man Jennica had ever seen—deep set, striking blue eyes, sandy blond hair, tall, broad shoulders—he’d looked like he’d stepped right out of an underwear advertisement. Now though, the picture of him Jennica had in her thoughts made her nauseous.
The first few months they were together, she never quite understood why someone like him would be with someone like her. She wasn’t unattractive, she was pretty in her own right and she knew it, but that guy, his looks were surreal. That, along with his charm was all he had going for him. Intimately, the connection had been nonexistent. Their touch lacked some serious spark and the sex was mediocre at best. He’d never even brought her to orgasm.
During the last half of their eight month relationship, Jennica found herself wondering why she was with him. Oh, yeah…her mom. Virginia’s insistence Troy was “the one” for her sole child had swayed Jennica to stay with him much longer than she should have.
Looking back, it had been a godsend when he came clean about being married with two kids. Of course the news hurt, but there had been more relief than anything. And she felt bad for his family. Virginia, though, had been devastated, and now the woman was consumed with finding someone fitting for her daughter.
Blinking hard, Jennica gave her head a quick shake. In the midst of reverie, her internal auto-pilot kicked in, time had passed by faster than she expected and she didn’t remember most of the trip. But there she was, driving through the historic district of downtown Hays, Mississippi and straight to the driveway of her parents’ home.
The turn-of-the-century house…er, mansion was huge. Even with the flower shop taking up half of the first floor, the three-story brick home boasted more than enough space for her parents. Growing up, the entire third floor—three bedroom suites with fireplaces and private baths—had been hers. Even in her mid-twenties, she took comfort in knowing there would always be a place for her.
Jennica’s dad, Sid, bought the house soon after marrying Virginia. He was from “old money” and had inherited millions. Her mother wanted to dabble in her own business and wanted a house big enough to raise a bunch of kids. They decided the house was perfect for both. The business took off, growing like crazy. The family…not so much.
The older relatives still balked about Sid Moss living in the same structure as his wife’s business, but it didn’t bother him. Virginia, however, had asked for a new home several times. It was the only thing Sid had never given in to.
Jennica parked the black BMW her parents bought her a few years back for her twenty-first birthday in its usual spot under the attached carport. As she turned off the car, a twinge of guilt gnawed at her gut. Her parents had helped her open the shop less than two months ago and there she sat seeking refuge because she’d had a bad week.
She leaned over, resting her forehead against the steering wheel, and took long, controlled breaths. Oh, how she needed this break. The long hours. The constant smiling at customers. The pressure to prove to her parents she could run a successful business. And the way her heart stopped every time she heard the chime of the door signaling a customer. She wanted it to be him and she didn’t understand the uncontrollable response of her insides.
The day Scott walked in the shop, she’d felt it—the insane draw, a pull, a magnetic feeling to be near him. She fought the reaction as best she could. Nothing in her life had ever been so bizarre and, well, it freaked her out. Not to mention he had a girlfriend and she’d been down the “taken man” road before.
At the diner she’d let her guard down and found herself emulating his action, leaning toward the center of the table, tilting toward him—a momentary lapse of sanity.
Leaving the restaurant without him may have appeared mundane to anyone watching, but to her, it took every ounce of strength to do so.
Everything had felt off since.
Jennica inhaled deep, exhaling as she sat up and reached across the seat for her bag. If her parents had seen her pull up they would wonder why it was taking her so long to come inside. She climbed out of the car, slung her bag over her shoulder, and made her way to the house. Standing at the kitchen entrance, she put on her best fake smile and turned the knob.
* * * *
It was Sharon’s idea. They had met and stopped their vehicles on the gravel road. Scott had been leaving the ranch and she was headed there. “Come to my apartment later, I’m cooking dinner. Kyle’s coming over too,” she added as she grinned at her brother.
At the time, it seemed harmless and a great alternative to sitting at home alone. He’d been out to the club several weekends in a row and he’d already grown tired of it. Enough of his time had been spent in bars when he lived in Seattle. Now though, he sat on Sharon’s couch trying to mask how pissed he’d become with his sister. He felt tricked.
Halfway through his plate of meatloaf and mashed potatoes, Melissa Dale walked in and Scott almost choked on his food. He didn’t want to be an ass, but other than work, he saw her everywhere. A complete one-eighty compared to how she’d been over a week ago. She planted her butt on the far side of the dining room table, staring at him every few seconds.
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When he finished his beer, trying not to acknowledge how uncomfortable Missy’s constant watch made him, Scott went to the kitchen, tossing the bottle in the recycle bin. Sharon stood at the sink loading the dishwasher.
“Are you staying for the movie?” she asked as if it were an option. He planned to get the hell out as soon as possible…in minutes. “Kyle brought Goodfellas. I’ve never seen it.”
“I think I’ll pass.” He spoke through his teeth and knew it came out sounding like a growl when Sharon cut her eyes at him.
She spoke low, almost a whisper. “What is your problem, Scott? You’ve been sulking for the last half hour.”
“Are you kidding me?” he asked, maybe a little too loud for Sharon’s satisfaction. She grabbed him by the wrist and led him down the hallway to her bedroom, shutting the door behind them.
“Spill,” she demanded, eyeing him hard.
“Do you not already know?” He glowered back, noticing her shrink at the intensity. When she didn’t answer, he continued. “A week ago you were warning me about her. I know you remember.”
“I do, Scott. And I also remember you telling me you were through with her. I didn’t know she was coming over when I invited you. Is that what you think this is? Some kind of set-up? She texted me right after you got here telling me her and her boyfriend of a thousand fucking years had broken up, and she didn’t want to be alone.”
“Well, that explains a lot.” All the signs she’d been in a relationship with someone else were there from the first night they’d hooked up, and he should have recognized them straight away. Good thing they had never really connected.
Sharon gave his right forearm a light squeeze. “I would’ve gone to meet her if I’d known being around her would affect you so severely.”
Scott’s face fell as he realized Sharon was right. Melissa’s presence affected him, and he didn’t want it to. He panicked, afraid that if she came at him he wouldn’t be able to resist the impulse. There had been nothing between them but sex. He’d had enough unattached romps in his past to know what he had with Melissa was merely physical.
His mind jolted to Jennica. The connection between them was unabashed. Something he’d never felt with anyone else. Then again, the last time he’d seen her she’d stormed away pissed, and he didn’t know if he had a chance in hell to get to know her, but he did know screwing around with someone else decreased the probability.
“There’s a bunch of shit I need to sort out, okay?” He met his sister’s eyes as sincere as possible. “I have to go. Thanks for supper.”
Keeping his head down, he darted through the house. When he reached the front door, he threw his hand up and mumbled a quick goodbye.
Ten minutes later he made it home and plopped down on his sofa. He picked up the television remote and flicked it on, hitting the guide button to channel surf. Nothing was on of course. Pay ninety dollars a month for access to five hundred channels and have nothing to watch. Typical.
He settled on a documentary featuring the Seattle music scene. The live music was the one thing he missed most about his old city. For a moment, the ambiance of the program had him considering going back, but he swiped away the thought. The place had never been home. Still, the walls surrounding him didn’t quite feel like home either, and since his mother died six years ago, he’d wondered if any place ever would.
As if on cue, the second the show went to commercial, his front door opened. He turned to see Melissa, propping her back against it as it closed. She smiled. “I must say, you are the most eccentric looking cowboy I’ve ever seen. Piercings, tattoos, fucking wild-ass copper eyes.”
“I’m not a cowboy.” He took a deep breath and turned back to the television, pretending to be engrossed in a toilet paper commercial, noting to lock the door from there on out. What will it take to make her understand?
“I found out tonight you manage Kyle’s ranch…I think that qualifies you.” She giggled, and although he didn’t look at her, he could tell by the sound of her movements she started shedding clothes.
He didn’t know much about women, but he didn’t think her actions seemed very heartbroken over her recent break-up. Until his sister told him, he didn’t know she had a boyfriend.
He heard her padding across the room and looked up to see her within arm’s reach—completely naked.
“Scott.” The sultriness of her voice seemed to amplify and echo in his ears. She went to her knees beside him on the couch. “I’ve been wet for you all night.”
A desperate moan left her lips, and he swallowed hard. God, crazy as she was, she was fucking hard to resist. His instinct won out over his will and he fixed his gaze on her. A wicked smile plastered her lips, and she took his hand, placing it on her neck. Gripping his wrist, she guided his hand down her body. Her smooth skin felt soft under his fingers. She slipped his hand between her thighs, so tempting. His cock jerked, nudging against the zipper of his jeans.
Missy leaned in to kiss him, and Scott pulled away though she kept a hold on his wrist. “Melissa, don’t.”
She giggled, sounding a little erratic, and rubbed her hand over the mound in his pants, leaning in again for his mouth. He jumped up, surprising himself at his willpower. Not wanting to yell at her, he closed his eyes tight and counted to three, taking in a deep breath as he did. Exhaling, he lifted his lids to find Melissa curled up in the corner of the couch with her knees drawn to her chest, rocking back and forth. Tears streamed over her cheeks. He’d never seen someone so vulnerable and dealing with something to this extent was way beyond him.
He raked his hands through his hair, latching his fingers behind his neck. “This isn’t gonna work. I’m sorry.”
“I left him for you,” she murmured, her eyes glassy. She stared at the floor for a count. Without warning, she jumped up and darted to the pile of clothes she’d left by the door. Picking them up, she screamed, “You!” Her eyes went dark, crazed. “You will know pain! So help me, you’ll get yours!” Then she disappeared into the night with her clothes tucked under her arm.
Scott raced to the door and bolted the deadlock. “Shit!”
He picked up the phone to call Sharon, and noticed his hands were shaking. The entire ordeal had him rattled. He didn’t want Melissa to get the wrong idea so going after her naked ass in the middle of the night wasn’t an option. His sister—her friend—was the only alternative.
On the second ring, she picked up. He didn’t let her finish the greeting before he cut her off. “Sharon, Melissa’s gone insane!”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m serious. She showed up over here and after I told her we weren’t gonna work out, she freaked and ran out the door stark fucking naked. Who does that? No one normal! I’m afraid she might do something stupid. Like kill herself…or me! You should’ve seen how wild her eyes were.”
She snorted. “You need to breathe, Scott.”
He gripped his free hand to a fist and released it. “This isn’t funny, damn it! She’s your friend.”
“All right, all right. I’ll go. How long ago did she leave?”
“I don’t know. A few minutes. Wait.” Scott walked to the window and looked out. The lone vehicle in the drive was his truck. “There’s no car here so maybe she drove off. Then again, I didn’t hear a vehicle pull up either, so…”
“Well, I know she put her car in the shop yesterday. She came and left by cab.”
“Huh.” As far as he knew, she’d gone and curled on the front porch.
“What?”
“Just get your ass over here and look for her.” Scott clicked his phone off and made a quick run through of all the windows and doors in the house, making sure they were locked, then settled back on the sofa with the remote. He felt a little silly being worried such a small woman could cause physical harm, but he didn’t know her well enough to determine her capabilities and figured being cautious was better than being dead. And by the look in her eyes, she’d gone insane enough
to try anything.
Twenty minutes later, he received a text from Sharon telling him she’d found Melissa clothed and walking into Night.
Good. Maybe she’d find someone else to occupy her time.
After a shower, Scott crawled into bed, satisfied the ordeal was over. He never imagined Melissa would freak out to the extreme. Yeah, they’d screwed around a few times but conversation had been rare. Hell, he didn’t even know her last name until his sister told him a week ago. Melissa was the one who refused to acknowledge him in public, and she always chose to leave right after sex. Well, except the last time when she claimed it was an accident. So yeah, the total shock of her reaction was beyond him. He couldn’t help that he wanted something more. Something he couldn’t get from her.
* * * *
Walking through the door to her childhood home sent comfort and warmth radiating through Jennica’s body. The smell of fresh coffee filled the kitchen, making her crave a cup. Opening the cabinet door for a mug, she heard the faint sound of music coming from the second floor living room. She tilted her head for a better listen. Bill Withers…maybe.
She poured the coffee and took a sip, then set the cup on the counter to give it a chance to cool while she dropped her bag off in her room. She headed up the stairs, and the lyrics to Ain’t No Sunshine became more comprehensive the closer she got. Jennica adjusted the strap to her luggage and called out for her parents as she turned the corner into the living room.
She stilled at the sight in front of her. The bag hanging from her shoulder fell to the floor with a thud. Her jaw locked tight.
“Hello, dear,” her mother chirped. She sat on the tan, leather sofa with her back to Jennica and craned her neck to make eye contact…like everything in the room happened to be normal.
Sid, her dad, looked comfortable kicked back in his reading chair in the corner. He peered at her over the top of his glasses. “Welcome home, darling.” He beamed a comforting smile, setting his book down, and began to stand but Jennica held her hand up for him to stop. He furrowed his brow, but softened his expression to more of an apology.
Give in to Me Page 3
