AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What?” She staggered as if surprised to have her feet beneath her again, her expression wrapped in startled confusion for a second before his words seemed to sink in. “No, I’m not, I’m…oh. Ow.”
Jackson blanched at the crimson smear trailing down her right arm, and he swallowed hard before capturing her wrist with a gentle turn to get a better look. Carly twisted to stare at the angry four-inch scratch on the back of her upper arm and the blood trickling from it, blinking a few times before she swiped at it with her other hand and winced. “I guess I scratched it against the shed.”
Icy tendrils spread out in Jackson’s chest. Had he seriously pinned her against the shed that hard? What the hell had he been thinking?
Well, the answer to that one was a no-brainer. He hadn’t been thinking at all. He’d hurt her. She wasbleeding, for Chrissake. All because he’d lost control of himself.
“That’s more than a scratch. We need to get it cleaned up.” Jackson’s voice was pure gravel in his throat, and he forced himself to take a step back from her. It wasn’t lost on him that even in the summer air, he felt noticeably cooler without her near, but he couldn’t risk being close enough to catch the heady scent of flowers in her hair, or worse yet, touching her again.
“It’s nothing. It doesn’t even really hurt,” Carly protested, the crease between her brows set in a deepv.
“Still. It could get infected.”Damnit. “I shouldn’t have…” Jackson stopped and raked a hand over his crew cut, mashing down on the sensation threatening to rise from his gut and take over. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
In the decade and a half since Jackson had left puberty in the rearview mirror, he’d never once lost control, especially not with a woman. In fact, he’d made it a point to stay detached for this very reason. It was dangerous, and he couldn’t put himself—or anybody else, for that matter—in the position to be hurt.
Jackson pressed his lips together hard enough to make them sting. Even with the best of intentions, he’d managed to blow right past the too-far line with Carly.
And it wasn’t the first time he’d ignored reason with her, either.
“That’s twice now that you’ve kissed me and called it a mistake.” Carly’s expression was blank, her smoldering heat dimmed down to nothing in the span of a breath.
He started. “What?”
“Last week, you apologized for kissing me, and now again you’re saying you shouldn’t have done it. What else am I supposed to think, other than you’re sorry you did it?”
Jackson stared at her. “I didn’t mean that kissing you was a mistake. I just shouldn’t have let it get, you know. Out of hand.”
“Oh.” The reply came so softly that he almost missed it. Carly digested his words, and her lashes cast dusky shadows over her cheeks when she looked up at him a minute later. “Itwaspretty out of hand, wasn’t it?” The smallest hint of movement flitted over her lips, lifting the corners of her lush mouth.
Wait a second…
“Are you teasing me?” he asked, incredulous. Didn’t she realize what he’d done?
“You have to admit, you kind of set the precedent there.” Carly shrugged, but there was no mistaking the gleam in her eyes. “Plus, you look like somebody kicked your puppy. Honestly, Jackson. You didn’t hurt me on purpose.”
“No,” Jackson replied slowly. “I didn’t.” At least that much was true.
But it didn’t change the fact that it had happened anyway. He’d hurt her without meaning to, all because he couldn’t control himself.
“You’re being an awfully good sport about it,” Jackson said, finally feeling his pulse drum down a notch. It reallyhadbeen an accident, albeit an unacceptable one. Now he just needed to get her cleaned up. It would put more distance between them, at least.
“You sound disappointed. Truth be told, I’m not really the kind of girl who freaks out at a little bit of blood.”
He guided her briskly around the side of the shed, back toward the path. “Not even your own?”
“Obviously not.” They walked in silence for a few steps before she tacked on, “Seriously, though, my arm is fine.”
“You’ll just have to humor me on this one. I insist.” Jackson primed himself for an argument. He’d only known her for a week and a half, but it was plain that she was tough as gutter spikes.
“Okay. If it makes you feel better, then by all means, patch me up. But after that, I’m getting what I came for.”
His eyes widened, and he stumbled in the thick grass. “You are?” Oh, hell. He’d barely been able to resist her the first time.
Carly slowed next to him. “Yeah. Food experience, remember? I’m starved.”
Smooth. Real smooth. Of course she meant the food. “Right, right, absolutely.”
Jackson led the way back through the crepe myrtles. As they passed by the food-laden tables under the tent, it was impossible not to catch the sheer longing on Carly’s face, and the urge to feed her returned. Well, maybe they could stop and grab the world’s quickest slice of apple pie. After all, it was the Fourth of July. Plus, if he got her something to eat, maybe his inner voice would shut up and he could figure out a graceful—and quick—way to take her home before she got hurt again.
