and looked hungrily at him, but when he met her gaze, his eyes flickered, and he looked away.
26
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Her heart sank. He couldn’t have broadcasted his regret more if he’d yelled it out loud.
She firmed her lips and tilted her chin upwards. No way he’d come around after one illicit encounter. She knew it and refused to feel disappointment over something she’d expected.
Without giving him opportunity to speak, react or shove the entire incident under the table, she swung her legs over the side of the lounger and pushed herself up.
Her bathing suit lay in a crumpled heap a few feet away, and she gathered it up, pulling the bottoms on before arranging the top around her breasts.
When she looked up, she saw J.T. staring at her, his mouth working to say something. She smiled and closed the distance between them.
She rose up on tiptoe and brushed her lips across his mouth. She pressed in closer, knowing he’d retreat. He stumbled back a few steps, and then she shoved at his chest.
Already off balance, he tumbled backward into the pool, an expression of shock on his face.
He came up sputtering, a murderous gleam in his eye. Well, it sure beat regret and pity. She’d take his temper over rejection any day of the week.
“Have a nice swim,” she said sweetly. “I’ll see you around.”
She turned and strode to the patio doors, his furious shouts echoing in her ears. A tiny grin worked at the corners of her mouth. Off balance. He was best kept off balance and unsuspecting.
She just had to keep him that way.
www.samhainpublishing.com 27
Maya Banks
Chapter Four
Two days. It had been two days since he’d seen Nikki. J.T. had steeled himself, sure that because of his temporary loss of sanity, she’d be even more determined.
Instead, he spent every moment in anticipation of her popping out of nowhere. Only to be utterly disappointed. He snorted. Disappointed? More like relieved.
He was edgy and ill-tempered, and his friends avoided him like a good case of crotch rot.
He missed her. It wasn’t something he wanted to admit, but she consumed his thoughts. She made him feel… He stopped his train of thoughts before they bordered on the ridiculous.
When Nikki had moved back, he could have listed a dozen reasons why getting involved with her was a bad idea. But at the moment, he was struggling to remember even one.
Then he remembered. She’d never settle here. Lucas was right about her being a free spirit. Why would she stay in a town that had done its best to crush that spirit? No, she wasn’t about home and hearth and commitment. Things at his age that he was seriously starting to consider. She was young and on the cusp of unfurling her wings. She’d fly and be beautiful doing it.
He wanted to touch her, her magic, wrap himself around her and lose himself in her vibrancy. He wanted her for himself. Selfishly, he wanted her to shine for him and only him.
J.T. leaned back in his chair and stared up at the stained ceiling. Rain. The air smelled of it. The slightly metallic smell of rain hitting hot pavement lingered in his nostrils. Wishful thinking. Not a drop had fallen. Yet.
And then he heard it. Big fat drops hitting the tin roof of the building. One, two, faster and heavier. It started light but quickly gained momentum. Hallelujah. He wanted 28
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Reckless
to run outside and play like a kid. Thinking of Nikki did that to him. Made him feel young and silly with a bucketful of smiles.
He got up and walked over to the window. He pulled down the slats of the blinds with one finger and peered out. A short distance away, the sun still shone, a stark contrast to the dark, sullen clouds hanging just overhead. It would be a quick cloudburst, unfortunately, but it should cool things off by a few degrees even if it made the humidity more oppressive.
When he turned back toward his desk, his door burst open, and Nikki hurried in, dripping water all
26
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Reckless
Her heart sank. He couldn’t have broadcasted his regret more if he’d yelled it out loud.
She firmed her lips and tilted her chin upwards. No way he’d come around after one illicit encounter. She knew it and refused to feel disappointment over something she’d expected.
Without giving him opportunity to speak, react or shove the entire incident under the table, she swung her legs over the side of the lounger and pushed herself up.
Her bathing suit lay in a crumpled heap a few feet away, and she gathered it up, pulling the bottoms on before arranging the top around her breasts.
When she looked up, she saw J.T. staring at her, his mouth working to say something. She smiled and closed the distance between them.
She rose up on tiptoe and brushed her lips across his mouth. She pressed in closer, knowing he’d retreat. He stumbled back a few steps, and then she shoved at his chest.
Already off balance, he tumbled backward into the pool, an expression of shock on his face.
He came up sputtering, a murderous gleam in his eye. Well, it sure beat regret and pity. She’d take his temper over rejection any day of the week.
“Have a nice swim,” she said sweetly. “I’ll see you around.”
She turned and strode to the patio doors, his furious shouts echoing in her ears. A tiny grin worked at the corners of her mouth. Off balance. He was best kept off balance and unsuspecting.
She just had to keep him that way.
www.samhainpublishing.com 27
Maya Banks
Chapter Four
Two days. It had been two days since he’d seen Nikki. J.T. had steeled himself, sure that because of his temporary loss of sanity, she’d be even more determined.
Instead, he spent every moment in anticipation of her popping out of nowhere. Only to be utterly disappointed. He snorted. Disappointed? More like relieved.
He was edgy and ill-tempered, and his friends avoided him like a good case of crotch rot.
He missed her. It wasn’t something he wanted to admit, but she consumed his thoughts. She made him feel… He stopped his train of thoughts before they bordered on the ridiculous.
When Nikki had moved back, he could have listed a dozen reasons why getting involved with her was a bad idea. But at the moment, he was struggling to remember even one.
Then he remembered. She’d never settle here. Lucas was right about her being a free spirit. Why would she stay in a town that had done its best to crush that spirit? No, she wasn’t about home and hearth and commitment. Things at his age that he was seriously starting to consider. She was young and on the cusp of unfurling her wings. She’d fly and be beautiful doing it.
He wanted to touch her, her magic, wrap himself around her and lose himself in her vibrancy. He wanted her for himself. Selfishly, he wanted her to shine for him and only him.
J.T. leaned back in his chair and stared up at the stained ceiling. Rain. The air smelled of it. The slightly metallic smell of rain hitting hot pavement lingered in his nostrils. Wishful thinking. Not a drop had fallen. Yet.
And then he heard it. Big fat drops hitting the tin roof of the building. One, two, faster and heavier. It started light but quickly gained momentum. Hallelujah. He wanted 28
www.samhainpublishing.com
Reckless
to run outside and play like a kid. Thinking of Nikki did that to him. Made him feel young and silly with a bucketful of smiles.
He got up and walked over to the window. He pulled down the slats of the blinds with one finger and peered out. A short distance away, the sun still shone, a stark contrast to the dark, sullen clouds hanging just overhead. It would be a quick cloudburst, unfortunately, but it should cool things off by a few degrees even if it made the humidity more oppressive.
When he turned back toward his desk, his door burst open, and Nikki hurried in, dripping water all
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