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Roni opened her mouth to deny Jeanette’s words but stopped when she noticed Lydia biting her lower lip, her brows scrunched in concern. Had she kept men at a distance? Roni tried to think of the last time she’d had a relationship. Something beyond a few nights spent between the sheets. Nothing came to mind. How pathetic was that?
“May I offer a suggestion?”
Roni tossed the soggy tissue in the trash can next to her desk and pushed a hand through her hair. “I’m all ears here, Lydia. Hell, I’m up for about anything at this point.”
“Go to him,” Lydia urged. “Tell him how you feel. Better yet, show him.”
Roni mulled over her friend’s words. Did she dare go to Jake? Would he tell her to kiss off? Probably. What other choice did she really have? Wallowing in self-pity wasn’t her way. Besides, he’d promised she’d get a chance to be in control and she intended to hold him to it.
Roni stood. “You’re right. I’m going to go to him and he’s going to listen to me or I’ll tie him down and gag him until he does.”
Jeanette laughed. “Now that’s the Roni we know and love.”
Roni went to the phone and dialed the local police department. “First, I have a horny teenager to deal with.”
Jake sat in his car at the back of the dark parking lot, watching as a police car arrived along with an old beat-up sedan. A tall, thin man and what appeared to be a scrawny high school kid got out of the car and went into Roni’s office, followed by the officer. Jake frowned. She must have caught her perv. Thank God for that at least.
It was a good hour before the police finally came out of the building, the kid in handcuffs, followed by what appeared to be the boy’s angry father. Once they were gone, Jake watched as Roni and her friends emerged from the building. He noticed the way the two friends seemed to be surrounding Roni, as if for moral support. When Roni turned, the security light illuminated her face. She’d been crying. His stomach knotted.
He should hate her. Drive off and never look back. Save himself from more pain. But the tears did him in. He had to grip the steering wheel to keep from going to her. He could take her in his arms and hold her tight. They could make love until the sun came up. Yeah, right. That’d be like painting the word pushover on his forehead. She’d put him in his place tonight and what did he do? He sat and watched like some lovesick fool.
Damn it, he needed to make certain she was okay, didn’t he? The idea that the perv using her computer might escalate and try something much worse had been on his mind all day. The asshole had been willing to risk a hell of a lot to watch porn videos; what else would he be capable of?
When Jake had seen her number on his cell and realized she’d tried to get hold of him, he’d started thinking the worst. Nothing could’ve prepared him for the conversation he’d overheard. Roni explaining away their time together, as if it’d meant nothing to her. As if he’d been another in a long line of fucks. He clutched the steering wheel tighter. He wanted to shake her. A bet? She’d wanted to win some damn bet. That’s all it’d been to her?
Deep down, Jake knew Roni wasn’t so callous. Afraid of intimacy, yes, but coldhearted? Not fucking hardly. Sex was one thing, but when the heart started to get involved the rules changed and the game became a whole lot more intense. Why the fear? You’re deluding yourself, asshole. Their evening together had been fantastic, but it was over. She didn’t give a damn about him.
Jake pushed the key in the ignition and turned. The Mustang came alive with a low rumble. Why had he let himself get close to a woman again? Love led to hurt. Hadn’t he already learned that lesson with Sarah?
Some guys never fucking learned.
10
Three days and nothing but voicemail. Roni clutched her stomach as pain tore through her. She stared at the cell phone in her hand, willing it to ring. She’d tried over and over to call Jake. The walls of her apartment seemed to close in around her. She needed air. With no real destination in mind, Roni grabbed her purse and keys off the kitchen table and left the stifling surroundings behind.
She took the elevator to the lobby and kept walking until she was outside. Her car was in the garage, but she didn’t feel like driving. Damn it, her chest ached each time she thought of the hurt in Jake’s voice. A real shame. I was really looking forward to kneeling for you, princess. His words reverberated inside her head over and over. How could she be so cruel after everything they’d shared? He’d been so sweet, so loving. And she’d thrown it in his face.
Fear traveled up her spin as she realized the truth. She loved him. It had been so fast though, and so completely right. It’d scared her. Shit, she was nothing but a coward.
Roni let out a small sound of distress and wrapped both her hands around her abdomen as a sense of dread filled her. What if she never saw him again? Never heard his sexy laugh, never saw his ornery grin. His sweet touches had been more powerful than anything she’d ever experienced at Kinks. God, when she thought of all the time she’d spent at that club. So many nights. She’d thought all she really needed was some good hard sex. A nice way to take the edge off. Well, she wouldn’t be going back. She needed more than a willing body now. She needed Jake.
Why had she cheapened their time together? To save face in front of Lydia and Jeanette? Hardly. It’d been out of self-preservation. As she strode down the dark quiet street, she admitted the truth. Jake had stolen her heart and the knowledge had pushed her to protect herself.
Roni reached a little street café and went inside. Even though it was summer, a chill swept through her. She sat at a table, shivering, when a waitress hustled ove
r to her. Roni ordered a cup of coffee, but the only thing she really wanted was to be left alone. After the bouncy blond brought it to her and took herself off to handle the other customers, Roni pulled her cell phone out and tried Jake once more. She slumped when it went to voicemail.
Go to him, a little voice inside her insisted. As she stared at her phone, a plan began to form. She couldn’t go back and undo that moment in time where everything had come crashing down around her. What was done, was done. But maybe she could go about repairing at least some of the damage her careless words had caused.
Finding out where Jake lived had been a simple matter of wheedling it out of his niece, Lisa. Roni had called his shop on the pretense of returning the webcam. Lisa had insisted Roni keep it, but she’d pretended to let slip that she was interested in Jake. Lisa had been only too happy to play matchmaker.
It was Friday and she wasn’t waiting another second to have it out with him. Roni shored up her nerve, opened the car door and stepped out. As she smoothed her hand over her hair and walked up the sidewalk to the front door, she wondered for the hundredth time what Jake would think of the clothes she’d chosen.
He’d seen her in a conservative skirt and blouse and he’d seen her in nothing at all. He’d never seen her as Mistress Roni. She looked down at herself and bit her lip. The skin-tight, shiny black PVC pants and high heels weren’t overly wild, but the matching scooped-neck vest with the sexy little zippers over each breast definitely screamed come and get me! She was intensely grateful it was dark out. Waiting until eight at night had definitely been the right decision.
Taking a deep breath, Roni pushed the doorbell and waited. When no one answered, she started to ring again. Suddenly the door opened and Jake stood on the other side of the glass storm door. The loose-fitting, low-slung jeans and bare chest sent a lick of fire over the inside of Roni’s thighs. Damn, the man was tasty. Hunger for a heaping helping of Jake’s delicious body nearly overrode her fear of rejection.
Nearly.
