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"Do you give everyone who asks you out such a tough time? I promise my mother doesn't still dress me, I hate the accordion, I don't play baseball, and I already told you I don't drool. I know those things are on your strike list. What else is there?"
"Men who go out of their way to ditch or embarrass me."
There was a short pause, then I heard him sigh. "I'm sorry for both of those things. But you held your own. I admire that."
"Great! Then you'll love my ability to say 'no' to you."
He chuckled. "You should know I thrive on challenges."
I sighed. Why was I giving him an opportunity to explain himself? He’d screwed up twice already. "Why now, Jax? You had a chance to get to know me once before, and you ran at the first available opportunity once you found out who my dad is. Then you were demeaning when you could have apologized."
Silence filled the phone lines between us, then a sigh sounded. "You made me laugh – twice. Maybe I want to know if you can do it again."
Okay. That wasn't what I was expecting. Was that unusual for him? He seemed like he had such a great sense of humor.
He cleared his throat. "It was a fucking terrible idea, wasn't it? Or, can I not use that word with you? I don't know the rules with someone like you."
"What does that mean, 'someone like me?'"
"It means I've never known someone like you, and before you go off on me, it has nothing to do with who your dad is. You're different, in a good way, I think. I'm not sure how to be around you. But I think I'd like to find out."
Wow. I wasn't sure how that made me feel. I didn't want to be someone's shiny new plaything to have for a while and then get tossed aside when the novelty wore off. Still, his words softened my attitude toward him.
"I'm not asking you to be anyone different than you are, Jax," I responded. "Despite who my father is, I'm not a nun or a prude. I’m also not someone who will be manipulated or insulted."
"Noted. Nor should you be."
I snorted. "I shouldn't be what, manipulated or a nun?"
He chuckled. "Both. You're a beautiful woman. It would be a shame to hide your body beneath a bunch of ugly black robes. And I’m trying to make amends. Let me get to know you better."
"I don't know, Jax. I'm still the same person. Nothing has changed."
"I don't want you to change, Grace. If you did, I wouldn't be interested. I was an asshole. I shouldn't have run out on you at the reception. But if you knew the thoughts I was having of you, and then your dad was glaring at me as if he knew. I was out of line earlier this week, and I really would like to take you to dinner. Consider it an apology and an opportunity to tell me more about your charity work."
He's not emotionally available. Maggie's words repeated in my head. Why would I set myself up to be around a man I'd never truly have?
Crap! For the hundredth time, I wished I could be more like Jade and not give a flip what was right or wrong or what the consequences could be.
Thinking I should win some kind of award for restraint, I cleared my throat. "I don't think so, Jax. I'm very busy right now. I think we might be looking for different things. Please, put another check in the mail. I'm sure your secretary can track down the address."
I pushed the button that disconnected the call before he could come back with an answer that would make me reconsider. I powered down my phone, so I wouldn't be tempted to pick up if he called back.
Because Jaxson Carter was the definition of temptation, and I couldn't afford to make a mistake again.
“So, what did he say?”
When I went back inside, Faith and Angie were seated on the floor in front of my coffee table, Laurel’s head between them on the computer screen. It was a tad on the creepy side.
“He apologized and then asked me out to dinner.”
“And you said…” Laurel prompted.
“I said ‘no.’”
“Why?” Angie cried. “He’s handsome, he apologized, and trust me, not many guys do that, and you said yourself he’s a good kisser. Sounds like a promising beginning to me.”
“He’s not relationship material. You guys know me. I’m not a fling type of girl.”
