Page 39 of Saving Jared

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Jared priedhis eyes open and reached over the side of the bed to hit the snooze on his alarm—something he rarely, if ever, did—then rolled back onto his pillow. He’d had a restless night after a shitty day and he honestly didn’t want to get up. So, he laid there in the darkness with his eyes fixed on the ceiling while his hand ran over the empty space beside him.

Willa should be lying here with him. He clutched the cold sheet in his fist. Better yet, curled into his side with his arms around her as she snuggled against him. But that Willa—the one he’d fallen in love with—didn’t exist.

How could he have been so stupidly blind a second time? Had he learned nothing from his relationship and failed engagement to Macy?

He groaned. Obviously not.

But this time it was worse. Because what he’d felt for Macy paled in comparison to how Willa had taken over his heart.

And Willa would be in his home through tomorrow. He had no doubt about that. Kinsley had asked her to stay, and Willa had said she would. Willa might have been able to effortlessly lie to him, but he couldn’t see her letting Kinsley down. She’d promised his sister she would support her until this deal with the Fremonts was over, and if anything, she would be here for that. But after the Fremonts left he hoped Willa would return home.

But it was going to be hard seeing her today and tomorrow—having her so close without touching her. Wanting her. And, yes, dammit, he still wanted her even though he couldn’t trust her. He couldn’t help it.

He supposed that made him a pathetic fool.

His alarm sounded, again, and he reached out and shut it off completely before sitting on the edge of the bed. He could do this. He just had to steer clear of her.

A couple of hours later Jared bounded up the front steps of the house and onto the empty veranda. His day had been spent finalizing extra staff for the evening, dealing with a sick filly, and haggling over a stallion he’d had his eye on. So, he’d not been in the same vicinity as Willa, and had counted himself lucky.

He opened one of the front, wooden double doors leading into the grand foyer, his boots on the hardwoods echoing through the space. He had to admit, he could see how this entrance to the main house made a huge first impression on their guests—the ceiling soaring up two stories with a gleaming wooden grand staircase and balcony right in front of them. All of that was offset by pale sage green walls lined with long, heavy wooden tables on both sides, each topped with fresh flowers, candles, and photos of some of their championship Morgans. He thought the massive colorful paintings of various parts of their ranch done by important local artists hanging on the walls above had added the right touch to finish off the look.

This, along with the grandeur of the rest of the 30,000 square foot house perpetuated the rich rancher image their guests expected. He shook his head. They’d probably be shocked if they saw the family wing—the one no guests were allowed entry. It had been updated during the last renovation, but not to anything near as grand as the rest of the house.

He tensed at the sound of feminine voices growing closer as he shut the door—both easily recognizable. It looked like his luck was about the change. A laughing Kinsley and Willa appeared out of the formal living room.

"Where’ve you been all day?" Kinsley asked with a smile, while beside her Willa remained silent as she stuck her hands in her jeans pocket. Had Willa not said anything to his sister about how he’d rebuffed her the previous night? From Kinsley’s lack of interrogation of him and open expression, he had to believe she hadn’t.

It didn’t make sense. They shared everything. At least he thought they did.

"Just busy. We’ve had to hire some security folks for tonight and so…" He made the mistake of letting his gaze go to Willa’s and had to harden his heart at the confusion swimming in her eyes. "Anyhow," he said shaking away any residual feelings he might have toward her to focus back on Kinsley. His sister’s frowning glance slowly moved between the two of them. "It’s caused a lot of extra work."

"Uh-huh." Kinsley looked geared up to say more, but Willa interrupted her with a smile that didn’t come close to reaching her eyes, saying, "Come on, we’ve got to start getting you ready for your date."

Willa’s light laughter and teasing tone might distract Kinsley, but it didn’t fool him. But that wasn’t his problem.

And you need to drill that into your head, Jared.

"Ugh, don’t remind me."

"I was just heading up to do the same thing." He gave his sister a genuine smile. "Look at it like this, tomorrow—

Kinsley’s phone rang, and she pulled it from her back pocket, her face flushing red when she checked the number. "Um, hold that thought."

"Hey, Paul," she said on a breathy note as she walked away from them into the dining room.

"You don’t have to stay on my account," Willa said after several silent seconds of them standing there. She met his gaze. "I don’t find it necessary for you to keep me company," she said, turning her back on him and taking a seat in one of the leather wingback chairs flanking the living room entrance.

Ah, perhaps a little dig from what he’d said to her the previous night. "You don’t think Kinsley will find it strange I’m not taking a chance to be alone with you?" He moved closer, letting his eyes trace over her top leg shaking where she’d crossed them, up over her chest, to her face. He leaned in grabbing the chairs’s arms and caging her in. "She’ll expect it." He ran his nose up her neck before whispering in her ear, "Seeing how we’re lovers."

He took a perverse pleasure in Willa’s shiver and the way her breasts pebbled against her t-shirt. His intention to torment her was backfiring. Because all he could think of was taking her mouth and punishing her with everything he’d found out about her.

Punish her for making him want her in spite of it all.

Willa let out a derisive snort, leaned away from him, and cut her eyes up at him. "Why are you doing this, Jared? I don’t know what’s happened with you." Her features hardened. "Or is it that now that you’ve gotten whatever satisfaction from me you wanted, you’ve decided to move on. Whatever it is, it would have been nice if you would have at least given me a heads up." She turned her head away from him. "I thought better of you. I guess I was wrong."

"That’s rich coming from you." He couldn’t help the sneer in his voice or the way his traitorous body burned with need just being with her. He crowded close to her chair and glared down at her tense, profile.

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