Page 24 of I'll Carry You

True. She only knew about his behavior because she’d walked into his bathroom. And then pried. And pried some more. Before she could apologize, he went on, “It’s a look you exchange, you know?”

She almost choked on her wine. “No, I don’t know.” Had anyone ever given her that look? Her thighs tightened.

Jason leaned closer, his lips only inches from her ear, his breath warm on her cheek. “Okay, it’s a feeling. Like the two of you are all alone in the room, but you’re ready to find a place to tear each other’s clothes off.”

Oh...

Yes, she knew that feeling. She was having it right now.

She turned her face toward his, her chest growing tighter, her pulse faster. Her eyes dipped to his lips. “And then...”

A smile curved his full lips. “And then you go fuck.”

Her breath caught. Red-hot tingles shot up her spine, a warm flush spreading to her core.

He lifted his beer to his lips and took another drink.

She tore her gaze from him.Enough already.

They stood in silence, facing the bar together. Then she felt his fingertips brush against hers, his hand at his side, like hers.

His touch was like electricity, shooting goose bumps up her skin. But if he was touching her hand, she wasn’t imagining the chemistry between them either, was she? He had to be feeling it, too.

Or maybe it was because she’d practically demanded they talk about sex.

She shifted her hand away and turned her head to look over her shoulder at him. “You make it sound like it’s super easy. If I tried that, I don’t think I’d have a single taker.”

His eyes drifted over the crowded bar. “You mean to tell me that if you make it clear to one of these small-town guys that you want them to take you home tonight, they’d be foolish enough to say no? I call bullshit.”

She raised a defeated hand. “I’m serious. I don’t think they would.”

He guffawed. “No single straight man is going to tell you no. Hell, I bet even most of the married men would go for it. Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?” He leaned closer, his lips so close to her ear that they practically grazed the sensitive skin there. She suppressed a shiver, her breath catching. “In fact, I’m willing to bet good money you could get a guy faster than I can find a woman to take home.”

When she turned her face toward his, he was tantalizingly close. She shifted her gaze from his lips. “How much?”

“How much am I willing to bet?” He grinned. “It wouldn’t work. All you’d have to do to win is not try, which is what you want anyway.” He paused, looking over her shoulder. “How about we do first person to find someone to take home wins twenty dollars instead?”

She held back a laugh. “You call that good money?” This was ridiculous to consider, wasn’t it? Except he made her feel daring.Alive.

“I call that not wanting to lose too much of my money on a bet I know I’m going to lose. You’re sexier than you seem to think, Jen. And it’s not that hard to talk a man into sex.”

The way he said it made her legs feel wobbly. But he might have a point. After all, it had beenherrules that had kept her from jumping into bed with someone casually. “All right.” She raised her chin daringly. “But I have an advantage. These people know me on some level. Small town, remember? How do you know I’m not going to go find a friend and tell them about our bet so I can win your money?”

He threw his head back and laughed. “First, because that’s not the game we’re playing. Second, because you’re honest enough that you felt the need to admit that to me. Anyway, I don’t think you’ve convinced me you’re up for this anyway.”

Before she could answer, the band struck up loudly once again, making conversation more difficult. She didn’t know if she welcomed the interruption or not. Tapping her foot to the beat, she avoided looking at him. Was he right about her? Was she incapable of letting loose and having a fun, if forgettable, night?

Couples were making their way out to the dance floor, and she let her gaze wander over them.Who am I kidding?

Even if she was pretty, that still didn’t solve the problem of her undatable reputation in town because of Dan. Anyone considering taking her home for the night would have to be crazy.Unless they aren’t from around here.

She stepped away from Jason, more conscious than ever of his presence. She didn’t have to look back at him to feel his eyes trailing her as she circled the dance floor, pretending to examine potential partners.

But to her surprise, when she glanced up at him, Jason had one elbow against the bar, already in conversation with a pretty brunette who worked at the yoga studio.

“Goddamn him,” she muttered, pursing her lips. So much for him being attracted to her.

She tossed her long hair over her shoulder, looking at the men at the bar more earnestly, hoping to catch someone’s eye. Isn’t that how Jason said it was done? She paused by a row of high-top tables, feeling lost. This wouldn’t do anything to help her self-confidence.

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