The Second Time Around Read Online Free PDF

slow down?” he asked as he rolled his pants up just below his knees.
    â€œWhy should I?” she called after him.
    â€œBecause I’m supposed to be walking you home!”
    Brenna didn’t turn around, but she did slow down so that he would have an opportunity to catch up. As she neared a couple of kids frolicking around in the water, Jabarie fell into step beside her. The wind caught her curls, tossing them hopelessly as she strolled down the shore in silence.
    Brenna knew he was watching her because the hairs on the back of her neck tingled, but she didn’t dare look his way. Walking along the shoreline, she stared out at the rising ocean tide instead. Seagulls screeched overhead. Tourists were sailing and fishing along the pier, others were visiting the numerous shops.
    â€œYou’re still attracted to me.”
    â€œWhat?” She halted and planted her hand on her hips.
    Jabarie pinned her with a hard look then tossed his head back, his rich laughter rolling over the ocean waves. “That’s why you won’t go out to dinner with me. And that’s why you’re angry, because everyone in town has noticed that we’re still attracted to each other.”
    Brenna stood with her legs braced apart and her sandals clutched tightly in her left hand. “Don’t flatter yourself. I got over you a long time ago.” With a roll of her eyes she turned on her heels and headed down the beach again. She could see her aunt’s backyard and right now it wasn’t nearly close enough.
    Jabarie quickly moved up beside her. “Quit lying to yourself, Bren. I know I have. We still have some unfinished business to attend to.”
    Not bothering to stop, she glanced to her right and rolled her eyes. “You’re a bigger fool than I thought,” she stated boldly. Did he really think she’d admit to holding a torch for him after all these years?
    Brenna picked up her step and hurried along the shore toward the house. Anger brewed inside. The sooner she got away from Jabarie the better.
    â€œHey, slow down,” he suddenly said and grabbed her elbow.
    As she turned around she felt the imprint of his fingers branding her with his heat. It took a second or two for her to pull her brain cells together so she could reply.
    â€œListen,” she began between breaths. “I didn’t come back to town for this.” He didn’t let go and for some insane reason she wasn’t in any rush to move.
    â€œCan we at least talk about it?”
    Talk about what? she wanted to scream. How much I miss lying in your arms? “I’d rather not,” she retorted then blew hair out of her face. “Now if you’d let my arm go, I would like to go home and take a long hot bath and relax for the rest of the evening.”
    He released her and she started towards the house again, only slower this time. Jabarie moved beside her with a wing tip shoe tucked underneath each arm and his hands buried deep inside his pockets. “Brenna, I would really like to talk about what happened.”
    â€œJabarie…” she warned. She was seconds away from weakening if she didn’t put a stop to this line of questioning right now. “I don’t want to talk about what could have been. We were both young and stupid back then. I’ve moved on, started a new life, a better life, and I don’t want to go back and revisit that time…it’s over.”
    He was quiet for the duration of the walk although she could tell he was deep in thought. Brenna didn’t look his way because she didn’t trust herself if she did. Instead she stared ahead and allowed the wind to whip around her. By the time they reached Aunt Nellie’s gate, the cool wet sand beneath her toes had calmed some of the fire that raged inside her.
    Brenna reached down to open the gate, then paused and glanced up at Jabarie standing beside her. He tilted his head, studying her face in