Page 7 of Saving Jared

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“And don’t call me Wilhelmina.”

Jared knew perfectly well she didn’t like being called by her whole first name—a name Rick and Sarah Taggert had latched onto for some unknown reason. Thank goodness a four-year-old Eric had found it a mouthful when she’d been brought home, only managing to say, Willa. The nickname had stuck.

She let out a quiet sigh. Who was she kidding? With Jared, she was tempted to overlook it. It had to be the way he said it in that deep, even timbre…

Wilhelmina.

She held in a snort when Jared’s startled gaze lifted toward hers, before it narrowed as he straightened in his saddle. Her humor quickly faded as his eyes did a slow perusal up her body. Nothing in those silvery depths filling with heat struck her as funny.

Not one…damn…thing.

“Okay, Willa." Another shiver hit her. Definitely the voice. And the man. Oh, hell, everything. He was just too damned dangerous to her libido. Then the whole save a horse, ride a cowboy thing sprung to mind as he leaned onto his saddle horn and tipped back his hat. "Let me get this straight. You thought the best way to get them to realize you were an adult was to pose half-naked for a calendar?”

Kinsley had said she’d shown him the calendar. Her friend had laughed, saying, "I think my brother nearly swallowed his tongue. He was speechless." The way Willa had seen it, speechless was good.

“She wasn’t half naked," Kinsley protested with her hands on her hips. “You’re as bad as her brothers."

"Her brothers have her best interests at heart, and her—"

"Her is right here." Willa dropped her duffle and squinted up at him. Hopefully he wouldn’t see how he affected her as she shielded her eyes. “You’ve seen me in less.”

"That’s true," Kinsley agreed. "You have." A statement that earned Kinsley a scowl from her brother as he sat up. Her friend’s smiled broadened.

“And if I recall, wasn’t it you who picked me up when I twisted my ankle by your pool a couple of years ago? While I was in a bikini?" His hands visibly tightened on his reins. "So, you’ve certainly touched more of me.”

"Yes, you have," Kinsley dug at her brother.

Wasn’t that an interesting shade of red creeping up into the oh so stoic Jared McComb’s cheeks? He righted his hat and threw an exasperated glare at Kinsley, who shrugged.

It wasn’t a particularly fond memory for Willa. Not that having a shirtless Jared carrying her hadn’t been memorable. But afterward he’d gone back to his fiancé at the time. Willa had been left feeling gauche, clumsy, and totally inadequate when compared to the stunning redhead.

“I wish Jared would see Macy for who she is,” Kinsley had muttered as she’d plopped down beside her. Then her friend had glared at the couple as they’d kissed. “I just hope he does before it’s too late.”

Willa had hoped so too. And he had, but not until several months later when he’d caught Macy in a lie—one leading him to discover she’d been cheating on him.

Jared hadn’t been serious with another woman since, with most of his relationships—if you could call them that—only lasting a week or two.

"You’re not funny, Kinsley,” Jared groused. "And that’s not the same thing."

“Kinsley,” Willa said, holding up her hand to stave off a snarky comeback. Willa enjoyed Kinsley ribbing her brother, but she didn’t want to cause trouble between the two. She’d been the center of enough conflict for one day. “I’ll just stay at the firehouse. If Jared doesn’t want me—“

“I didn’t say I don’t want you…" Slashes of red covered his cheeks again. "Here, that is.” Jared’s low, gruff words and deep scowl could scare small children. But not her. All she could imagine was having that gruff voice saying her name and that scowling intensity focused on her while he was deep inside her body.

“It was implied,” Willa managed to get out, though it was hard with all the moisture in her mouth heading south.

Then he did it. He gave her that look again—the one she was setting her hopes on—but it was quickly gone.

“Fine. You’re welcome to stay as long as you need to.”

"Thanks," she said with a grin. It wasn’t the most gracious of invitations, but she’d take it.

Willa followed his gaze toward the visitor’s center before he set it back on her and Kinsley with a grimace.

“Now, if I don’t get over there with Jude in the next few seconds, I’ll be looking for someplace else to stay.” And with that, he galloped off, leaving her staring after him.

“See,” Kinsley said with a shoulder nudge. “I told you it’d be fine."

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