AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Good. I will, however, get in touch if anything relevant turns up regarding this matter.” He handed her his business card. “Please feel free to call me if you think of anything else, or if you have any further problems.”
“Thanks, Sheriff.”
Garrett gave him a dirty look and said, “Yeah, thanks, Sheriff.”
“We missed you last night at the afterhours party, Garrett,” Duke said with a smile that hadn’t dimmed since he’d come out of the room.
“Sorry. I can’t say the same thing, Duke.”
Duke’s gaze strayed to Jessica. “Oh now. I don’t believe for a second that you’re really sorry. But that’s okay. I understand.”
Garrett might have said more, but a truck from the sheriff’s forensic team pulled into the lot distracting Duke. He walked in their direction.
“Are you jealous?” she asked when Duke was out of earshot.
“Yes.”
“That’s so interesting.”
He turned to her. “Is it?”
“You don’t have anything to worry about, you know.”
“Why’s that? Duke’s single, he’s reasonably attractive according to the local female population at least, and he seems to like you way too much for my comfort.”
She gifted him with a beautiful smile. “He’s not interested in me, he was trying to get a rise out of you.”
“Oh yeah? Well, it worked.”
“Why would he do that?”
Garrett smiled. “He’s a guy. He’s my friend. He’s not used to seeing me with any women. And pretty much, that is what guys do to each other to entertain themselves in a small town.”
“Do you have a reputation as the town’s permanent bachelor or something?”
He turned to her and with complete sincerity said, “I’m afraid so.”
She sobered instantly. Her expression wobbled when she asked, “Are you going to ditch me and break my heart?”
Garrett hoped she was willing to give him another chance. “No. I’m not nearly finished with you yet.”
“Yet. Meaning someday you will be done with me, is that accurate at least?”
Fuck. Garrett did not like the direction this conversation was taking. But he should have expected it.
Fucking bad luck. If it hadn’t been for the break-in at her room, he fully expected they would have been in the midst of her freshly made king bed having riotously amazing sex right this very second. “Honestly, I can’t picture that day.”
“But eventually, you’ll stop wanting me, right? Because you’re the town’s permanent bachelor. How long will that take? I need to prepare myself.”
He honestly couldn’t picture not wanting her. He desired her so desperately right now, it was difficult to keep his cock down. “I can’t answer that. Certainly not any time soon.”
“Then when? I need to know. It’s important. I just got a good job here in this town. Next week or the week after or ‘soon’ when you’re tired of fucking me, will the waitress be pouring me continuous cups of coffee with pity etched in her expression as I weep endless tears into my comfort food? Because it’s not exactly the way I wanted to start my life over.”
“Do you want a specific date? Because I don’t have one. What are you truly asking me, Jessica?” His ex Gina and her sneeringly superior expression of satisfaction at having broken him all those years ago filled his brain with fear. Loving you was an act from the start. I never loved you, but I did adore your money! Gina’s hurtful words echoed in his mind. He refused to go through that again.
Jessica shook her head as if trying to clear her thoughts. He did the same thing, trying to keep level and not fuck this up any further than it already was.
“Last night was amazing, Jessica. I’m not looking to end this with you anytime soon.” He did not want to lose her. “I don’t know what to say to you to make you believe that.”
She opened and closed her luscious mouth a couple times without saying anything. Finally, she said, “The thing is…I seem to have this unsettled lust for both you and Seth, even though we’ve only spent the one amazing night together. I’m not ready to end things with you two. But given the short time span of our acquaintance, I also don’t want to keep seeing you, if I’m only headed for ultimate and devastating heartbreak.”
