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as he brushed a stray strand of hair out of my face. His touch sent a shiver through me, making me all
too aware of just how close we were standing. My heartbeat started to drum in my ears. I had
experienced this feeling before at the office back in New York the day I broke up with him, thinking
I had lost him forever. Right before he told me that he loved me.
His lips moved just a little bit closer to mine, hovering inches away. Not too close but enough
to make me aware of his manly scent and the sudden tension in the air. Aware that even though he had
explained his reasons, it was still over.
 You really are amazing, Brooke, he repeated.
 Why are you telling me this? I almost choked on my words.
 Because I should have told you before, when you would ve still believed me. And I should
have told you as often as I could so you d never forget.
Damn him and his ability to say the right things at the right time. I didn t want to fall for him any
deeper than I had already. He was gaining the upper hand again, turning the table on me.
 Jett please, just stop. I blinked back the telltale moisture gathering in the corners of my eyes.
 Why?
Because you broke my heart once, and there s no guarantee you won t do it again.
 I don t believe you, Jett. Everything you said I just can t believe you anymore. Not until you
give me proof. It was the truth. Even if I wanted to, I couldn t trust him.  I should never have come
here. Sylvie was right when she warned me about you.
 Not everyone s hell bent on screwing you over, Brooke. Some people genuinely care about
you. I turned away but he grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to face him.  If you want to know the
truth, don t ask a friend who ll tell you only what you want to hear. Check the facts and you ll see
that, yes, I made a mistake, but I m telling you the truth when I say I only tried to protect you.
I yanked my hand away from him. Awkward silence ensued. I knew I had hit a soft spot. I could
see it in his face, in his eyes, the way he moistened his lips, pondering his next move. Eventually, he
let out a frustrated groan.
 I lied to you one time when I didn t know you. Before we decided to have a relationship. I
know I did many things wrong, but I never stopped caring about you.
A liar is known to tell many lies but the one who speaks the truth will always stick to the same
story. It was a universal knowledge I had embraced many years ago. In this case, however, the truth
scared me. What if he cared about me but not enough to avoid hurting me again?
 I need to go, Jett. I checked the time on my cellphone again, silently praying he d let me go. I
was no match for him if he didn t. He stepped back but his gaze never left me.
I made my way across the terrace and down the stairs, minding my steps as Jett followed
behind. I reached the waiting taxi in a few long strides. His strong grip on my upper arm told me our
conversation wasn t over and, as usual, he was about to fight for the last word.
 Brooke. We never had a real date. His eyes were two glowing pits of smoldering heat. I had
never seen so much determination in anyone. Then again, I had probably never seen the real Jett.  In
spite of everything that happened and what I explained to you today, would you go on a date with me?
I m not asking you to trust me. I know that takes time. I m asking you to give me a chance to earn that
trust and make things right again.
My heart hammered in my chest. The attraction was still here, coursing back and forth between
us like an intangible current.  I would. Just prove your claims are true.
 They are. Even if you don t understand things now, sooner or later you ll find out I never
meant to hurt you.
 I still need evidence, I said coolly, holding on to my determination for dear life.
 And then you ll give me a chance to redeem myself?
 Yes. It sounded fair enough. With proof I could understand his motives.  I really have to go
now. Sylvie s waiting for me.
His smile returned with full force and brought with it the most gorgeous dimples. I held my
breath as his mouth came closer. But instead of kissing me, he whispered in my ear,  I m still thinking
of you. Even though everything s messed up, I still want you by my side. I still want to be with you,
within you, inside you, hearing you panting my name.
Chapter 8
I HAD NEVER been one to deal with emotions easily. My heart was racing, my mind was
spinning, and my body was floating in a vacuum as Jett drove me back to the spa. After our
conversation and the few unexpected turns it took, I didn t know what to believe or think and, most
importantly, I didn t know what to say to him when letting my guard down wasn t an option.
 Thanks for lunch. My hand hovered on the door handle but something kept me from pulling it
open.
 My pleasure, Jett said softly. His gaze was focused on me, like always, but there was
something in his eyes that made me instantly aware of the confined space we were in. He dominated
everything: my thoughts, my space, even the air I breathed. My breath hitched. He was too close for
comfort and I couldn t get away fast enough.
 I m sorry, I have to leave. Without so much as a glance back I sprinted out of the car, heading
for the safety of the spa s salon.
As I pushed the heavy glass doors open, I could feel his stare burning a hole in my back. Only
once I was inside the reception area did I dare stop and take a deep breath, searching for him across
the street, but the car had already sped off. I didn t know whether to feel relieved or disappointed.
Either way, I had to conceal it because Sylvie had the keen eye of a hawk. The second she got
suspicious, she d commence her interrogation.
Luckily for me, Sylvie s treatment wasn t finished for another ten minutes. I left a message with
the receptionist in case I wouldn t be back on time and took off down the busy main street, through the
gathered crowds of midday shoppers and tourists. Even though my eyes could see them, my brain
continued to be occupied. Jett s statements about the club bothered me. I was ready to take his
warnings seriously and investigate his claims. My thoughts circled back to Jett and the fact that the
spark was still there.
What did you expect, Stewart?
I rolled my eyes at my own stupidity. The kind of attraction we shared wasn t likely to go away
on its own within a few days. Deep down I had known this all along, and yet I still agreed to have
lunch with him.
If you really wanted to move on, you could have done so with someone else find a rebound,
just like Sylvie. But you didn t. You reserved a place in your heart for Jett, and you don t want to
fill it with someone else. You want him and you need to see if you can take things slowly. You re [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]