Page 53 of Jack

"You're going to meet him," heglanced at the tote and the way she was dressed.

"Stay out of my business," shewarned angrily as she tugged on her jacket. "Just the way I amstaying out of yours."

"I am seeing Jazmine."

That gave her pause and had her staring athim in shock. "What?"

He slid his hands into the pockets of hisjeans and hunched his shoulders. He had spent last night and thismorning making love to the woman he wanted to spend the rest of hislife with and after that had thought about his sister. They had beenangry at each other for too long. It was time to heal the breach. Hedid not like the fact that she was stepping out with someone likeJack Hadley, but he had to give her the respect she deserved.

"Jazmine and I are involved. We're inlove."

She fell back a step as she stared at him.

"You kept it from me? She kept it fromme?"

"I wanted to tell you from the damnget go, but she did not know how you'd react." He lifted hisshoulders restlessly. "I want your blessings."

"Really?" For some reason, shewas angry and felt betrayed. Here he was telling her he was in lovewith her best friend, and they were sleeping together and for thelast few days he had been giving her grief. "Why would you needit?"

"Zoo-"

"Just don't." She held up a hand."I don't have time for this now. I'm already running late."

"Late to a sleep over?" he triedto smile, but did not quite manage it. "Is that a thing?"

Her eyes flashed. "You dumped this onme when you know I am heading out. Just-" She shook her head. "Ihave to go."

"Zoo-"

"I'll see you in the morning."She swept past him, leaving him standing there in the lingering scentof her perfume.

*****

"It's a nice neighborhood."Suddenly she was feeling shy. On the way over, she had vacillatedfrom anger to frustration and then despair. And betrayal had been abig part of it. She and Zach had always been close and over the lastfew weeks had been keeping secrets from each other. She did not likeit one bit.

"It's not bad." Jack took herjacket and hung it on the coat tree just inside the foyer. He hadbeen waiting for her and felt the flutter inside his stomach when hesaw her pull into the parking lot. Other than texting her the addressof the apartment building, he had not been in touch with her. Andright now, the pep talk he had given himself, last night and a fewminutes before she came, went straight out the window. Her perfumewas making him heady and all he wanted to do was tear the clothesfrom her and plunge into her until he was completely lost.

The fact that he was already losing controlhad him stepping way back.

"The food is here."

Zuri had not expected him to kiss her, butthe greeting, the formality and the way he was behaving had herfeeling as if she should not have come.

"Oh." She followed him into theliving room where a small table had been set. The place was sparselyfurnished, and she wondered if he had gone to the trouble of puttingin furnishings just for tonight.

The tablecloth was snowy white and so werethe napkins. A bucket was in the middle with a bottle of champagnenestled in ice. He surprised her by pulling out the chair and waitinguntil she was seated before going around to sit down.

"I had the chef prepare filet mignon.I hope it's to your liking." He sent her a brief glance beforeuncovering his plate.

Her heart skittered inside her chest as shestared at him surreptitiously as he worked the cork out of thebottle. He had gone for all black. A thin black silk sweater overcomfortable looking denims and boots. His hair was brushed severelyback from his forehead and there was a predatory look about him thatsent awareness trembling through her.

He looked up as he handed her the glass,and she realized that she had not responded to his comment.

"Who doesn't like filet mignon?"she asked airily and took a sip of icy expensive bubbly.

He made no comment to that. Taking up hisutensils, he started eating. His hands were masculine, fingers longand she already knew how they felt on her skin. Sucking in a breath,she took another sip of wine to steady her nerves.

"How was your day?" Before thequestion was out of her mouth, she knew she had made a mistake.

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