Page 40 of Playing With Temptation

White, innocence and love.

Red, admiration and love.

Love.

At first, I’d thought the white and red carnations were Julian’s way of expressing his love for Zoe.

Then the dinner invitations started.

Then he started showing up in random places.

Now Julian was taunting me.

I will not be afraid of some creepy jerk.

On my way to toss the flowers in the trash, another knock came. With the vase in hand, I clenched my teeth to stop myself from shouting as I turned around and retraced my steps.

This time I checked the peephole.

Jase.

Jase standing on my front porch looking healthy and amazing. Though his perfect kissable lips were downturned as he watched the delivery van pull away from the curb.

Two more knocks came, followed by, “Rae, I know you’re home. Open the door, honey.”

Honey.

No.

Hell no.

He didn’t get to act like a total jerk then two days later use his sweet, cajoling voice on me.

I opened the door and let it rip. “Oh, no, you don’t, Jason Turner. I don’t know why you’re here and I don’t care. Turn your ass around and get back in your car and go home.”

His gaze had dropped to the bouquet of flowers I hadn’t realized I was waving at him.

“I don’t drive a car,” he told me.

“Huh?”

“I drive an SUV.” He smiled.

He thought this was funny.

“You think this is funny?” I accused.

His eyes that had come up to meet mine, dipped back down to the flowers.

“Who are those from?”

At Jase’s question, my stomach cramped at Julian’s creepiness. But more, my stomach twisted at the reason he could be creepy—Zoe was gone.

“Why do you want to know?” I asked to buy myself time to think up a lie.

“Because if they’re from someone special you might wanna stop swinging them around. You’re losing blooms.”

I glanced down at bricks that made up my porch and sure enough, some pink and white carnation heads had landed near Jase’s boots.