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“That I’m being my usual pain in the arse who has to have it now. Like everything.”
More likely, she was worried about disappointing him. He didn’t always realize he was doing it but Jack’s expectations of balls-out passion from everyone tended to set him up for discontent. Jules had lived most of her life afraid of not measuring up in Jack’s eyes. It had taken an unplanned pregnancy and a transatlantic flit to Chicago before she confessed to him that she had literacy issues.
Telling Jack was the hardest thing she had ever done, even harder than telling him she was pregnant or walking away from Simon that day two years ago. But Jack had been perfect. He had gathered her in his arms and told her he loved her more than anything. He took her into his home with Lili, stayed up to help her feed Evan, let her sleep when she needed it. He was also the most overprotective, stifling, pain-in-the-arse brother any girl could want.
“Go jump the bones of your lovely wife. ’Night, Jack.”
“’Night, baby girl.”
She headed into the bathroom, slipping her robe to the tiled floor as she went, and turned on the tap to fill the bathtub. Cara had given her a set of essential bath oils because she was lately allergic to everything and now, Jules examined them, looking for answers. One claimed to be for stress relief. Another promised purification of body and mind.
No, thanks.Her dirty fantasies were about the only indulgence she had.
Her phone vibrated again, a low buzz that sliced through the steamy whorls and rush of water.
Speaking of dirty fantasies…Tad’s sickeningly handsome face popped up on the screen. The temptation to ignore it pinged her briefly but they had left things in a weird spot at Lili’s studio and maybe he wanted to clear the air.
Before she answered, she took a deep breath. “Erotic Circus Clown School. Squeeze more than red noses.”
“Very tempting.” She heard the hitch in his breath. “I’m downstairs. Can I come up?”
Hell to the no. It was far too late for a casual visit. She waited a moment, unsure how to play it.
“I’ve got salted caramel gelato,” he said into the steamy silence.
She didn’t want gelato…said no one ever. This guy was the devil who knew all her weaknesses.
“Okay, but you can’t stay long. I just put Evan down,” she answered, more for her own peace of mind. Oh, no, she would never use her child as a human shield.
She turned off the bath tap. Deliberately, she covered her warm, damp skin with the silk robe and stared in the mirror. Hair in a frizz, a lover’s flush on her cheeks, nipples standing in a stiff salute as if they knew the general was here for inspection.
It’s late and you’re alone,Bad Girl Jules cheered.
Child in the next room,Good Girl Jules replied primly.
Her hands flew to her hair in a smoothing motion as she shuffled to the door.
Immediately, she pushed them back down to her sides. She didn’t need to make herself pretty for her friend.
His heavy tread up the stair had her heart beating a mile a minute. God, she was acting like a complete Muppet. So this was the first time he had visited her at her new place. He had come by plenty of times when she lived at Jack and Lili’s, so why should this be any different?
Because you’re in your own gal-pad now. Where anything could happen.
Where nothing would happen because he was not interested.
His dark head rose into view and she felt her pulse rise with it. Damn, she did not want to feel hostage to her hormones.
Apparently he was on board with that idea. The flick he gave over her robe-clad body was dismissive, adding further to her feelings of frumpery. A true friend would have lingered a touch on her breasts. What a waste of pouty nipples.
“What’s up?” she asked sharply, irritation over her body’s reaction and his clear lack of one provoking her surliness.
“I just wanted to stop by and see how you were.”
When she lived with Jack and Lili, he had done that a lot. Jack and Lili would be working late, leaving Jules alone with Evan who used to sleep more than he did now. Tad would call and ask her if she wanted him to stop by. Sometimes, she claimed busyness, not because she didn’t need the company but just to prove that she could say no. More often she said yes, because the one percent refusal made the acceptance more palatable.
And then one night, she jumped him like a lioness cutting down a baby antelope.
The t-shirt he wore tonight was a plain gray that would have looked, well, plain on any other guy. But not on Tad. Nothing looked plain on his sinfully sexy body. Thin cotton stretched over his well-defined chest muscles and fought a losing battle to cover his biceps. He’d always filled out a pair of jeans nicely, but for some reason, she was so much more aware of him tonight. Putting herself in “dating” mode had forged new neural pathways or something. Or she was just feeling randy after so long without a guy.
