Page 24 of Saving Jared

Jared’s room.

Would that dating life include the man she couldn’t shake from her thoughts?

She clutched at her stomach as a growl loud enough to wake the whole house sounded. Thoughts of Jared would have to wait.

She carefully stepped out of her room, then quietly shut her door before tiptoeing toward the stairs. They sat on the other side of Jared’s room, and she couldn’t help but pause and contemplate the door. A piece of wood and probably twenty feet separated her from his bed.

How did he sleep? He’d been shirtless when he’d come to her room.

God, what if slept in the nude? Jared naked and sprawled out on his bed would be something to see.

A shiver ran through her as she considered the oil-rubbed bronze doorknob and moved closer to it. Could she take a peek?

No, she couldn’t.

But even while she inwardly berated herself for even thinking about it, she found herself giving into the temptation and reached out. Her fingers wrapped around the cold metal, then held tight while all the reasons she shouldn’t turn it ran through her head. Then the decision was taken out of her hand—literally—when the knob turned in her grip and the door quickly swung inward, pulling her stumbling into the room.

And straight into Jared with a slight oomph. His arms encircled her—arms tightening and pulling her against his scruffy, naked chest.

"Willa?" Jared’s gruff whisper brushed over the top of her head, thrumming through her body, before he grasped her bare upper biceps. He held her away from him, but just far enough his broad chest filled her vision. "Is something wrong?"

It was impossible to form words with his calloused hands rubbing up and down over her arms while her eyes remained fixed on the strong column of his throat. He swallowed hard.

All she could do was shake her head as she hesitantly raised her gaze to his. Even in the dim light of the lamp outside his door, his silvery eyes held all the molten heat she could have wished for.

So, this was what I missed the other night.

"Are you okay? Do you need something?"

Did she need something? She needed everything from this man staring down at her in a way she had never been looked at before—by anyone.

Banked desire, so much restraint, and a longing strong enough her pulse quickened in response. But, again, she was lost for words, so she just nodded.

His gaze searched hers for several of her rapid heartbeats while color slashed his cheeks and his hands stilled.

"Tell me what you need, and it’s yours."

Never had such quietly-spoken words been uttered to her with so much intensity and want. He seemed to hold his breath, like her answer held an importance to him she could only guess at. And while her mind told her she should walk away, her heart wouldn’t let her as she finally found her voice.

"You."

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