Page 31 of Second Go-Round

“Jarod is the kind of guy who would hold my attention for quite a while if I gave him a chance.” My eyelids popped open against the image of the two of us together again flitting through my mind—before being abruptly cut off by the flames licking around us, the shadow of doom and the promise of heartache.

It was time to get shit back in order inside my head and pick back up the Christine persona I would only allow men to see. “I would grow bored eventually though and end up breaking his heart like all the rest.”

“Maybe not,” Jessie suggested, but I couldn’t begin to go along with her thoughts.

The desire that had stirred up inside me the night before while Jarod had slowly and thoroughly made love to me…

Not love.

I shook my head, refusing the word. He’d simply given me what I’d asked for. “He’s one hell of an escort and a scary son of a bitch,” I murmured.

“So when are you seeing him again?” My friend asked, bringing to mind to the “next time” Jarod had suggested when I’d told him about my exhibition fantasy.

“He’s too expensive to book on a regular schedule.” Damn dangerous as well.

“So other than the sex, how was your night?”

“We hardly spoke at all in the beginning, but I found out the two most important things. He loves beer and sports.”

Jessie laughed. “You should start saving your pennies or find a way to get him in your bed without exchanging money because from what I know about Jarod from you and Reid, the two of you are a match made in heaven.”

I considered the twinge in my chest and gripped my coffee mug tighter while heading to the living room. “I’m not fool enough to even consider that fantasy.” I also had a strong sense of self-preservation thanks to the tragic event I’d for some reason told Jarod about. He had been so empathetic, figuring out the truth about my mom without my having to spell shit out clearly in black and white.

“Do you think he likes you back?” she asked.

The memory of the emotion in his dark eyes as he came after the slow torture flitted through my brain and filled me with the same wariness as it had the night before. I didn’t care how good of an actor Jarod had to be to work for Elite. He’d felt it. He’d also shut that shit down as quickly and as firmly as I had. “Yeah. I do,” I finally admitted out loud.

“So what’s the problem?”

“I don’t do relationships, Jessie,” I firmly reminded her while sitting on my couch and tucking my legs beneath me.

“Maybe you ought to give it a try.”

“And break another heart?” I scoffed rather than speaking the truth that even she didn’t know about my mom and how I feared such deep sorrow. So why the hell had I opened up like that with a paid escort I’d only just met? I grabbed the clicker and turned on the TV, needing distraction and a sense of normalcy I’d lost overnight. “I’ll keep to the casual fuck when I need some action and my single, quiet life, thank you very much.”

The flippant statement didn’t soothe or lessen the heaviness in my chest. I’d expected moving on from the fuck of a lifetime would be difficult, but damn. Hopefully, every passing day would lessen the rich memories of Jarod’s touch, the taste of his tongue, and the feel of him sliding deep inside me as though seeking out a place to make his own.

A shudder wracked my body, and I barely managed to keep from spilling my coffee on my lap.

“Are you going to watch the Pats this afternoon?” Jessie asked, knowing my stubbornness all too well and taking me at my feigned declaration.

I chuckled, glad for the change of conversation. “Season tickets thanks to Uncle Bradley. Dad and I plan on being at every game this year, same as always.”

“You’re lucky to have a dad—and to have so much in common with him.” Jessie’s sighed words hit me hard but for dual reasons.

Compassion over the lack of a father figure in her life but also an almost…premonition?

I had always protected myself to never be dealt the blow Dad had experienced at Mom’s death.

And I sure as hell did not want to go through the same because I wasn’t nearly as strong as my father. Falling for Jarod and giving in to the lust, the yearning for that next time would bring about a heartache I wouldn’t be able to survive.

Chapter 14

Jarod

I didn’t sleep worth a shit. All I could think about was Christine—her sweet curves, green, smiling eyes, and her love of the things I enjoyed the most. Her scent had remained in my nose for hours after I’d crawled into bed, denying my ability to mentally shut down and rest my body. She was like the purest drug and had hit my blood with a rush beyond anything I’d ever felt before, keeping me awake long into the early morning hours.

At least I had other shit to keep me busy after I’d dragged my weary ass out of bed. As with every Sunday, Micah, his brother Sean, and Cooney, Elite’s newest hire, would hang out at my condo for the day’s football games. Blake and Reid used to come over too, but I couldn’t be mad at the women who’d stolen their hearts. Had I fallen as hard as they had, I probably would be caught up in the same way, my friends taking a back seat to more important things in life.

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