Page 34 of Relentless Pursuit

Less awkward for who?

“Since we invited you, we thought it would be a good balance.”

For me to have dinner with the man who... Oh my God! The things he did to me less than twenty-four hours ago.

“I hope that’s okay with you. I thought Jack would have mentioned it. Leave it to my scatterbrained husband.”

“It’s fine.”

Kayla followed Caroline into the foyer when they heard Julian’s voice. Her heart sped up as they got closer to him. The giddiness took over when she realized he was just a few feet from her. It was as if she were a teenager again. Although she never would have had the night she had with him if she were still sixteen. Some of those things he did should be illegal, even at her age. Her body ached in all the right places, and she still felt his presence in one particular spot. His spot.

“Hey, stranger.” Caroline hugged Julian. “I’m so glad you could come on such short notice.”

“I wouldn’t have missed it.” He handed her a bouquet of the most exquisite flowers Kayla had ever seen. “Congratulations. You’ve made my friend the luckiest man—” He stopped when his eyes connected with Kayla’s. “What a pleasant surprise.”

“Oh, yeah,” Jack said. “My sister will be joining us. I forgot to tell you.”

“Hi.” She shifted from side to side, trying to look casual, but all she wanted to do was kiss him. “How are you?”

“I’m well.” Julian stepped forward, placed his hand on her back, and kissed her cheek. He smiled at her for a moment before pulling away, but not before the scent of his familiar body wash swirled between them. Visions of the shower they had shared this morning flashed before her eyes. “It’s good to see you again.”

She stood there, gawking at him like that silly kid, but now her fantasies were much more adult-like.

“I’m firing up the grill,” Jack said. “Let me grab you a beer and we can sit on the patio.”

“I’m going to get a vase for these flowers.” Caroline admired the bouquet. “They’re gorgeous.” She and Jack walked ahead of Kayla and Julian, quickly making their way toward the kitchen and out of earshot.

“If I had known you were going to be here, I would have brought you flowers too.”

“You said you didn’t have time for that sort of thing.” She followed her brother and sister-in-law down the hall. “You know, matters of the heart,” she teased.

“Are you okay?” he asked as they moved into the family room. “You look injured.”

“I’m fine.” She tried to fight off the images of the evening before. “I pulled my hamstring while I was, um, jogging,” she said as Jack and Caroline came into the room. “I may have overexerted myself this morning.”And last night, and yesterday afternoon.It was a miracle she could walk at all after the workout he’d given her.

“Jogging?” Julian’s lips twitched into the most adorable smirk. “I’ll give you the name of a fantastic yoga instructor.”

“That would be helpful.”

“I’m sure you’ll need it.” He laughed. “If you’re going to continue to...jog.”

“I plan to keep it up. I’m getting really good at it.”

Kayla caught the suspicious glance Caroline shot Jack, so she decided to remove herself from this awkward situation.

“Caroline, can I help you with anything else?” she asked, but knew her perfectionist sister-in-law had everything in order.

“Yes,” Caroline answered, to Kayla’s surprise. “Will you help me in the kitchen?”

“I’d love to.” She smiled at the men as she went with Caroline into the kitchen. “What do you need me to do?”

“Nothing,” Caroline said. “I just needed to get you out of there so you could tell me what’s going on between you and Julian.”

“What are you talking about?” Kayla watched as the guys made their way out to the patio. It was a brisk fall afternoon, but Jack had turned on the gas fire pit to keep them warm while they hung out by the grill.

“I saw the way he looked at you, and you him.” Caroline poured Kayla a glass of iced tea, garnishing the glass with a lemon wedge. “Spill.”

“There’s nothing to spill.” Kayla couldn’t manage to take her focus off Julian through the large windows that surrounded the back of the house. She swallowed hard when he placed his lips on his beer bottle and took a long pull. “He’s an old family friend.”

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