Jaded by Tijan Page A

on.
    Tijan
    Jaded
    67
    It pissed me off because I wasn’t relaxed, laughing, or being satisfied.
    I was anxious, pissy, and tense. All three emotions that I hated.
    When the doorbell rang at 10:32 that night, I shot off the couch and raced
    upstairs.
    Instead of seeing Corrigan or Bryce, I opened the door in surprise to find Denton Steele. He grinned at me and skimmed his eyes up and down my body. I had changed to a skimpy tank-top with no bra and pajama bottoms that rested low on my hips. Coral toenails peeked from underneath. I brushed my hair behind my ears. The slight movement teased my shoulders and I felt goose bumps break out over my arms.
    “Steele,” I greeted, confused. “What are you doing here?”
    “You look good, Sheldon.” He nodded. “I like your hair like that, when you let it loose.”
    I touched my hair. It wasn’t anything special, but it was straight, shiny, and the guys seemed to like how dark it was.
    Denton added, “Can I come in?”
    “No.” But I held the door open and waited as he passed by.
    He glanced around the place and whistled, “It looks just like I remembered.” He flashed a grin that girls nationwide swooned over. With his brown locks that were styled to frame his face and those hazel eyes, I remembered why I’d made a play for him before and grinned at the memory of my orgasm.
    He’d been creative.
    “Remember my garage?” he teased. His thoughts must’ve paralleled mine.
    Tijan
    Jaded
    68
    “I remember the feel of the couch in your garage,” I replied, dryly. I actually remembered the echo of my orgasm around the building.
    Denton chuckled and moved into the kitchen.
    “So what brings you to my doorstep at 10:32 at night?” I asked.
    “Aren’t you going to ask if I want anything to eat or drink?” He frowned. “I think that’s what you offered my sister.”
    “Is that why you’re here? Are you here because of Mena?”
    The flirtatious glint was wiped clean when he replied, coolly, “Look. I don’t want my sister hanging around you.”
    My eyebrows arched at that one.
    “How come?” I asked, curious.
    “No offense,” he said quickly and I shrugged. He added, “I just—you’re not the type of girl I want around Mena right now. She’s,” he frowned. “She’s vulnerable right now.”
    “Because of your mother’s divorce?”
    “Mena told you about that.” A scowl flashed over his face before it was replaced with concern. “Yeah, but it’s more than that. She’s going through some stuff and she’s not adjusting well to being back home with our dad. I’m staying at the house for awhile to help her out, but…I can’t stay forever.”
    Actors, especially movie actors, traveled a lot.
    “Can you just…can you say something to her?”
    “Like what?” I laughed. “Should I have a pre-break-up talk with her before we’re friends? How do you even talk about that stuff? Does she know how you feel?”
    Tijan
    Jaded
    69
    “She does. I’ve told her my concerns.”
    “What are your concerns?” I’d heard most of them anyway.
    “Just that…,” he frowned and halted as he considered me. My face was void of defensiveness. I really was just curious. “I told her that you’re just more experienced in the guy department than she is. She talks big. I know she does, but she’s only dated one guy.”
    “Are you sure it’s just one guy that you know?” I teased.
    “No,” he answered, seriously. “It’s just one guy. She dated him for a year and they never had sex.”
    “How do you know that?” And I couldn’t believe I was having this conversation.
    “I just do,” Denton shrugged. “She’s not ready for the world that you live in, Sheldon.”
    “And how do you know what world I live in?”
    He gave me a knowing look and replied, ruefully, “I learned some tricks from you that time. You didn’t learn anything from me and I’m a guy who’s a famous actor. That says something.”
    “Maybe she could learn to toughen up,” I