Page 48 of Jack

"It's nothing."

"Hell it isn't!" His frustrationwas ripe, fingers digging into her skin. "Have dinner with me.Tonight."

"I can't-"

"Please. There is this apartmentbuilding we're refurbishing-" He closed his eyes briefly. "It'sso far unoccupied. We could have dinner and talk."

"About?"

"This. What we're going to do. I wantyou." He added abruptly, the words appeared to be wrenched fromhis mouth. "Even after having you just now, I want you still."His fingers dug into her arm. "I cannot understand what the hellis happening." He hauled her up against him and took her mouthsavagely-ruthlessly.

She clung and felt her body melting intohis. She ached for him. Not just the physical, but the emotional. Shewanted him like she had never wanted another human being before. Therealization that she had fallen helplessly and hopelessly in lovewith him did not surprise her. She wanted to erase the hurt and painof his past.

Wrenching his mouth from hers, he stumbledback, gray eyes darkened, a harsh expression on his face. He wantedto touch her, but knew if he did, he would be dragging her to his bedand insisting on her staying the night.

It frightened him. This was new and he hadno idea how to deal. He was out of his depth and pissed that this oneslender woman had upended his life.

Pacing away from the door, he brooded.Spinning back to her, he studied the passionate face. He had strippedher lips of artifice and plundered until it was swollen.

"I will text you the address," hesaid abruptly, keeping his hands in his pockets.

"Am I to be your dirty little secret?"she asked sweetly. She would not dream of saying no to meeting himlater, but she did not want to appear too eager. She knewinstinctively that Jack Hadley had the power to cause immense pain.And even if she had not discovered that she had fallen in love withhim, she had seen the way that blonde gazed at him hopefully. He hadeither not noticed or cared.

She was not going to fall into the categoryof being one of his many conquests.

His eyes glowered at that.

If she had expected him to be diplomatic,she was in for a big surprise. "For now, yes. Is that aproblem?"

Hiding the ache spreading inside her, sheturned away and reached for the door handle. His hand clamped on herarm again and spun her around. Zuri felt the thud of fear when shesaw the banked fury in his eyes.

"What the hell do you want me to say?"he demanded. "That this is a relationship?"

Lifting her chin, she managed a cold,haughty look, her own eyes flashing.

"I don't think you're capable of anysuch thing." She tried to wrench her arm free, but he evaded hereffort with humiliating ease.

"Let go of me."

"Will I see you later?"

She was about to tell him to go to hellwhen she noticed the whiteness of strain around his lips. It occurredto her that he was having a hard time navigating this situation theyfound themselves in. The passion was clearly there. Each time theywere around each other, it was as if someone had lit a match to anactive fuse.

"Yes."

He struggled to keep his expressionneutral, even while the relief flooding his entire system. He toldhimself that he would have respected her wishes if she said no, buthe knew that was not the case. The urge to be with her was sointense, it was making him weak. He had no idea what was happeningbetween them but was wise enough to know that this was huge. And hewas afraid.

Letting go of her, even though he wanted tokiss her again, he stepped back and spoke briskly. "Good, seeyou tomorrow."

"Tell Jason, I will call him."

He nodded and stood there as she walked outof the room.

He did not move for a few minutes. His bodywas primed and tensed, his mind swirling with thoughts of her. Shehad left her perfume behind, but even if that was not the case, hewas filled with her. He could still feel her wrapped around him.

Swearing softly, he slammed the door shutand made his way to the bathroom. A shower might help.

As the water cascaded over his body, heclosed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. But the sensation of hertouch, the intensity of their encounter, seemed to cling to him likethe droplets on his skin. He was consumed by thoughts of her, unableto shake the feeling that had taken root deep within him.

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