Finding Love: Incident at the Candy Apple (At the Candy Apple Series Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

my boyfriend. I used you. Sorry.”
    Jake gazed at her. She’d twisted the rolled up napkin into a pretzel knot. Her face was even paler than when she’d stepped into the streetlight. He felt sorry for her.
    “Hey, I wish you hadn’t done it, but you did. I’m sorry about what happened to you with that boyfriend. What’s the asshole’s name?”
    She pulled little pieces off the paper napkin knot and crushed them into scrunches. She sighed and put down the napkin. “Tyler, Tyler Collins, does it matter?”
    Jake smiled to reassure her. “No not really. I guess I asked because I’m shocked a guy could do that to you, to any woman.” He reached for her hands and held them gently, wanting to connect with her, he continued, “I have stuff in my past that made what you did confronting, but weirdly freeing, too. I was bullied. I wanted to be loved. I guess that’s why I hang out in Candy Apple to be appreciated somehow.” He gave a self-conscious laugh. “Maybe, that makes me a prick. Maybe I’ve been acting out, too. Offering to give a woman what they needed kinda backfired with you. It’s complex, huh?”
    The server showed up with their order. Jake let go of her hands so that his coffee could be placed before him on the table.
    Ellie transferred her nervous energy to her cup and began moving it in circles on the saucer.
    Jake watched for a moment. “Charlie, Candy Apple ’s owner, considered banning you from the club. I asked her not to. She thinks you’ll do it to others. Will you?”
    Ellie sighed and gazed forlornly into his eyes. “No, I’m sorry I did it to you. I just snapped somehow.”
    A wave of tenderness went over Jake. He thought about how it must have been for her with the abusive boyfriend. “You don’t deserve to be punished in any way, you do know that? Now I know what happened to you I don’t feel angry with you. I loved being with you. The sex was intense. I don’t know if you felt it, too, but I thought we had chemistry there. I just want you to know that. Hey, after I got over the shock of you leaving me tied up in the room, and I was in the corridor trying to get my pants on, I couldn’t stop laughing. Thanks for leaving them, by the way, or did you drop them? You made me laugh at a situation similar to a hazing incident I went through that’s haunted me. I can’t feel anything bad about you right now. You’re so pretty and so sexy your boyfriend has to be a sadistic idiot to treat you like that.”
    “I left your pants purposely. I handed in your stuff. I didn’t mean you any real harm.” Ellie looked down into her coffee cup.
    Jake took a deep breath. He still liked her a lot. He remembered waiting to approach her because she appealed to him so much and he didn’t want to be rejected immediately the way he’d seen her do to other guys. He reached out and gently slid his hand around her face to bring her head up and look into her eyes. Tears slipped out of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. One met his fingers. He brushed it away. His fingers slid on her cheek and her skin felt like satin.
    “Let me take you home, Ellie. It’s very late. You’re upset. I’ve only sipped at a couple of drinks all night. I’ll drive you and I won’t expect anything from you. I just want to know that you’re safe home.”
    More tears wound down her cheeks. Her mascara smudged.
    Jake held himself back from lifting her into his arms and kissing her. Hell, I still want her bad. I’d like to comfort her and take care of her…
    “I’d like that.” She finally answered.
    Jake paid for the coffee and steered Ellie out of the café with a gentle hand on her waist. He took her hand to walk to the lot where his car was parked.
    She held on tight.
    Jake let the enjoyment from her touch flow over him. At his car, he unlocked the passenger door and helped her in. Letting go of her hand was a wrench. He looked across at her as he sat in the drivers’ seat. “Where to?”
    She told him her