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“You’re right. They’ve probably run out of animals to pet.”
But they were interrupted before they’d gone far.
A tall and fit gentleman with dark blond hair jogged up behind Jess and playfully tapped her on the shoulder. When she turned to him, he gave her a bright smile. But the look he glanced in Jordan’s direction appeared less than cordial.
“Travis. Hi.”
The man didn’t tear his gaze off him even as he responded to the greeting. Whoever this Travis was, he wasn’t terribly thrilled at seeing Jess here with him. A spear of jealousy shot through his chest.
“Have you been here long?” Jess asked in a clear attempt to simply make conversation as things appeared to swiftly be turning to the awkward.
“Just got here,” Travis answered. “I’m really glad I ran into you.”
Jess indicated Jordan with a head nod in his direction. “This is Jordan Paydan. He just moved to the island recently.”
The handshake that ensued held absolutely zero friendliness or pleasantness of any degree.
“Are you showing him around or something?” Travis wanted to know.
Jordan resisted the strong urge to ask him why he thought it was any of his business.
Except maybe it was.
A disquieting thought occurred to him. He knew so little of Jess. Despite an almost surreal and inexplicable attraction, she was barely more than a stranger. He’d speculated earlier that she might be in a relationship with a man. But now that one stood before them, given the way he was looking at her with nothing short of possession in his eyes, the notion disturbed Jordan more than he cared to admit. Much more. His hands clenched into tight fists at his sides.
He was jealous.
Of all the foolish... If he’d ever felt the emotion before, he couldn’t recall the time. Not when it came to a female, in any case. What in the world was wrong with him? He wasn’t even himself when it came to this woman.
He didn’t give Jess a chance to answer Travis’s question. He spoke before she could. “Yes, Jess has been nice enough to introduce us to one of the town’s biggest attractions.” He turned to her before continuing. “I’m going to go find the others now. I’ll meet you there. Unless you think you may have found another ride back home.”
There. He’d given her the out if she wanted to take it. Though he hated the thought that she actually might take it.
Her whiskey-gold eyes narrowed on him, hardened. “Travis was just saying hello. Weren’t you?”
Travis merely nodded. He seemed utterly at a loss for what to say. Welcome to the club, pal.
“First of all, my car is parked in your driveway.”
She had a point there.
She continued, “Secondly, I’ll leave with the person I came here with.”
A small, churlish hint of satisfaction hit him as they said their goodbyes and started walking away. Then he reminded himself how he didn’t need any of this. He didn’t need to feel strange emotions over a woman he’d just met. He didn’t need to feel jealous simply because she’d been approached by another man. He had enough on his plate. And he couldn’t afford to mess any of it up. Particularly when it came to the well-being of his sister. No, he didn’t have the time or the inclination. Look at how his father’s life had been shattered. First, when he’d lost the woman he’d loved for over three decades. Then again when he’d been selfishly used by another. Look at all the lives that had been affected in turn. His. Sonya’s.
Serious relationships weren’t for him. Certainly not now. Probably not ever. And Jess certainly wasn’t the type of woman he’d entertain indulging in a meaningless fling with. She deserved more than that.
It was better to cease all this now before Sonya grew more attached. For he had no doubt things were heading in that direction for his little sister.
Inviting Jess over for dinner was a mistake. He should have known better.
“A friend of yours?” he asked when the silence between them had gone awkwardly long during their walk back.
“Yes. As a matter of fact.” She answered with a clear bite in her tone.
“Appeared to be a very good friend, in fact.”
“My old roommate’s brother. I’ve known him for years.” She was clearly speaking through gritted teeth. He’d made her angry. Well, so be it. Not like he was exactly feeling pleasant. Was she trying to say the friendship was purely platonic? If so, he had no doubt it was one-sided. She was blind to the other man’s obvious feelings for her. Just meeting the man for a few brief moments and Jordan had been able to see it as clear as the setting sun in the horizon.
