Page 86 of Seasoned
He rubbed his hands together and walked over to one of the racks. He flipped through the hangers, stopping every few seconds to examine one of the lacy garments more closely. Jackie stood nearby, arms crossed over her chest.
“What size is your friend?”
He turned to look at her, and his gaze devoured her in an indecently slow slide down her body. Her skin awoke with a blistering heat. She couldn’t believe the effect this man still had on her. A crazy week in Atlanta should not be enough to make her weak-kneed ten years later.
“About your size. Your shape. Maybe you could try on one of these so I could get a better idea.”
She glared at him.
“What?” he asked innocently.
“Why are you really here? I’m dating your son.”
He flinched, as if the words wounded him. “Weredating my son.”
“Let me guess, you think because you’re back in my life, I should drop everything and everyone to be with you. Do I have that correct?”
“You did that before.”
Her cheeks burned with the truth of his words. She had cleared her schedule to spend every free moment with him. “Your arrogance is unbelievable.”
“That week we spent together was unbelievable.”
“For who?”
“Both of us. I’m speaking facts and you know it.”
“On the contrary, I came back to San Diego and continued with my life. Don’t get me wrong, I had a great time, but it was one week, and quite frankly, I barely remember it.” She lifted her right shoulder in a careless shrug.
“Huh. That’s strange, because as soon as I saw you, those days and nights we spent together all came rushing back. I remembered that little black number you wore—the sheer one that showed off your breasts.”
He groaned and held up his hands as if holding her breasts, reliving the experience and forcing her to relive it, too. Her nipples tightened, and she grabbed onto one of the sales racks instead of giving in to her body’s unauthorized sway toward him.
“My favorite outfit of the weekend, as you can tell. I’m not too proud to admit you turned me out, and I regret not following up with you afterward.”
“You had my name, you had my number,” Jackie said in the same frigid voice.
“And you had mine.”
She sent a tight smile in his direction. “You said you were sowing your wild oats, remember? Oats that you hadn’t had the opportunity to sow because you married young and had kids. If anyone should have called, it should have been you.”
“True. And again, I regret that I didn’t.”
Jackie examined her fingernails. “It’s too late now. I’m seeing someone.” She brought her gaze back to his and looked him steadily in the eyes.
“Yeah, about that. I’m gonna have to pull rank.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m going to have a talk with Kendrick, and I figure in a few days he’ll call and let you know the relationship is over.”
“You’re kidding me, right?”
“You and I both know your relationship won’t work long-distance anyway.”
“If both people want—”
“Both people don’t want it. He’ll be busy with his modeling and acting career, and you’ll be busy with me.”
