Page 33 of Inked Persuasion

“Yes. Damn. It’s silly, and it shouldn’t happen, but I don’t know… I don’t know if I ever want anything serious. I love my job, and I’m good at it, and I’m focusing most of my attention on that right now. And my family.” I paused. “And I’ll be honest, I’m not very good at the whole relationship thing anyway.”

“Well, as evidenced by my divorce, neither am I,” he said dryly. He looked at me then, and I didn’t know what else to say. “So, are we saying that we’re going to walk away from this and continue being neighbors who try to be friends? Or what?”

“Or what maybe,” I paused. “I don’t know what I want, Jacob. But I had fun,” I teased.

His eyes lightened. Thankfully. “So did I.” A pause. “Maybe we can try this thing out. You and me. Nothing serious, only friends, finding fun. And perhaps a little peace.”

My heart lightened at that because Ididhave fun. And I hadn’t been lying to him. I didn’t want anything serious. But the idea of maybe having someone to talk to, someone to be with where it wasn’t just me alone in my bedroom all the time sounded nice.

“Would we ever go out on a date?” I asked, not knowing why I needed to broach the subject.

He frowned, and I winced.

“Okay, no dating.”

He shook his head. “No, but I don’t know the rules for this. I dated a lot in high school and college, but then I found Susan, and we got married. I haven’t dated as an adult with a job and a house. I don’t know how it works.”

That made me laugh. “I don’t know either. I’m pretty much a hermit. The only times I ever go out are with my family and the girls when they get time off. And you’ve seen my brothers, they scare away any potential suitors.”

“They didn’t scare me away.”

I swallowed hard. “No, I think we scared ourselves enough for that.”

That made him laugh. “You’re right. As for dating? I could see us going out to eat, doing something like that. Maybe going to the bar and annoying your brothers.”

I snorted. “Oh, please, you could not handle all of the Montgomerys.”

That made him scowl. “I’m sure I can.”

“Famous last words. However, maybe one night. Who knows? We’ll just keep it breezy.” I laughed. “Or something less clichéd.”

“That we can do.”

He stepped forward, slid his thumb over my lips again, and then leaned down to capture my mouth. I moaned, my hands going to his waist, fingers slipping through his belt loops.

“I should go,” he whispered. “Even though it’s my house, I need to go take a cold shower or something. If I don’t, I’m not going to get any more work done today.”

I stepped away on shaky legs and grinned. “Then I’m going to leave to getmywork done. Maybe I’ll see you around.”

“Maybe I’ll see you,” he said. I turned and left, wondering what the hell I was doing. I was not good at this, but I didn’t know if I was terrible at it yet either. It was new, something I’d never done before.

I pulled out my phone as I walked to my house, taking my tools with me.

Me:Girls, I need help—orange alert.

A red alert would mean that I needed them over. Orange alert meant that I needed to talk to them.

Eliza:Are you okay? What happened?

Brenna:Does it have to do with that hottie from the bar?

That made me laugh as I walked into the house, putting everything away.

Me:I had sex with Jacob Queen in his kitchen, and now we’ve decided to do a friends-with-benefits thing.

Eliza:!!!.

Brenna:How was it?

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