“It’s right across the hall,” he whispered in her ear, his breath warm against her nape.“I’ll be here when you’re done.”
Jillian wasn’t sure how she managed to walk, but she did, paused by the door, and glanced back at Lex.He watched her with hooded eyes, hands thrust in his pockets, his arousal evident even from where she stood.She looked up from studying it and caught his naughty grin.He was shameless.She rolled her eyes and yanked open the door.
The hallway was empty, thank goodness, or someone would have seen her mad dash into the bathroom.Jillian closed the door and leaned against it.Only then did she exhale.
What had she gotten herself into?
Her reflection in the wide bathroom mirror had no answers for her.Instead, she saw evidence of a woman who’d been thrown off her game.Her lips were puffy, and her eyes were wild with confusion.Worse, he had her on the run.Next time, she would have him eating from the palm of her hand She’d…
Jillian cursed.“No, there won’t be a next time, missy.”
Why did he have to be so unpredictable?Why couldn’t he be like the guys she’d dated?Beautiful to look at, but lacking in so many areas.She would have used him during their year together and walked away without a backward glance.
But no, he had to pull all kinds of crap on her.Every move designed to screw with a woman’s head.The chemistry between them was strong, but the feelings he evoked in her were so raw she doubted she’d ever survive sleeping with him.Not that what they’d do could ever be called sleeping.He would expose her deepest desires, rip her heart apart, and leave it bleeding before the year was over.Then where would she be afterward?Nursing a broken heart?
Jillian cursed some more.
He needed a temporary wife, and that was what he would get.She’d tell him there would be no more kissing or the contract was null and void.Public shows of affection for appearances were expected, but she would curb her enthusiasm.Yes, she was taking some of the blame.Hearing him ask her to curse had gone straight to her head.Kissing her like he couldn’t get enough of her had sent her spiraling to unchartered sensual territories.After getting weird reactions from her ex-boyfriends whenever she’d dropped the F-bomb, it had been exhilarating to find a kindred spirit.She imagined letting herself go in bed, yelling her needs, fantasies…
She cursed out loud again.Get your act together, Jillian.
No more kissing him unless there was an audience, or no more doing it in places where things could get out of control.She’d look him in the eye and tell him in a calm and firm voice.
Smiling, Jillian repaired her makeup, checked her neck, and sighed.She could see red patches already forming.It wasn’t going to be long before the marks darkened.Oh well.That should set the tongues wagging.
She opened the door and almost bumped into Lex.The raw emotions shimmering in the depth of his eyes chased away whatever speech she’d prepared.He looked worried.
“Are you okay?”he asked, frowning.
Jillian nodded.“Yeah.Are you?”
“No,” he ground out.“I heard yells and curses.I knocked, but you didn’t answer.”
Jillian felt her cheeks grow warm.“Oh.”
“If something is wrong, talk to me.Did you receive a call?Text?If anyone is bothering you, I’ll deal with them.”
Jillian smiled.How ironic he’d want to take away her problems when they all pointed at him.No, that wasn’t true.They pointed at her.Shewas the problem.Shewas the one running scared because of a kiss.Running was not her thing.She faced her problems head on.Always.
“No, I’m fine.Just got sidetracked, but I’m good.”Now was the time to tell him about no more kissing, yet all she saw was the concern in his eyes.She fought against its pull and stiffened her spine.“Uh, Lex, I wanted to…” Her voice trailed off when he reached down, took her hand, and gently interlaced their fingers.
“Yes?”he asked, voice even gentler.
Right there was her undoing.Tenderness.If he continued acting like he was her hero hell bent on mowing down her enemies, she could have disregarded him.She’d grown up with men like that.Her brothers had threatened mayhem to any man who’d shown interest in her, and it used to piss her off.As for displays of affection, a playful slap on the back of the head or a fake punch on the arm or chin was it.This kind of gentleness whipped the rug out from under her feet and made her insides mushy.
She couldn’t just blurt out “Don’t ever kiss me like that again.”She had to be subtle.Find out what made him tick, and then discourage him from thinking the two of them could ever work.They were too different culturally, even though they were kindred spirits.
“Jillian,” Lex said, peering at her with an encouraging smile.Then a frown transformed his face.
Now what?
“What happened?”He lifted her arm, and she realized her attempt to cover the bruises from this morning hadn’t gone as planned.Her attempt to master the switchback handstand hadn’t gone as planned either.
“It’s nothing.”Where the hell had she dropped her shawl?
Lex frowned.“I don’t consider this nothing, Jillian.The bruises look serious.”
“I fell while trying a move.I had it checked, and the doctor said it would go away in a few days.”She hadn’t seen the doctor.“It doesn’t really hurt.”It did, but she’d taken meds for the pain.She was never trying that move again.There was a thin line between suicidal and fun daredevil acts, and she wasn’t crossing it again.
