already. That was all she had, but Jennifer was so very grateful for a safe place to lay her head that she couldn’t wish for anymore. It was warm and clean, and she was safe for now, thanks to the Davis.
Once she’d stripped out of her dress and hung it up, Jennifer collapsed onto her borrowed bed. The sheets smelled pleasantly of lavender fabric softener. She reached up and shut off the lamp. In the darkness, she was left alone with her thoughts.
The pleasant ache between her legs and down her thighs was a reminder of Rourke. It had been a long time since she’d been with a man. She rolled over and pulled the blanket over her head. She wouldn’t think about him anymore. She couldn’t if she wanted to remain sane. She didn’t want to remember, but she couldn’t block out the image of his devilish grin as he told her stories about his teammates.
Jennifer let the tears come. She cried for all she’d lost. She cried because she missed her parents, her brothers, and the rest of her family. She cried because her hopes for the career she’d walked away from that family for were in tatters. She cried because Even MacGraff was still out there looking for her. But mostly she cried for what might have been if only she’d met Rourke just a little sooner.
Jennifer told herself again to forget Rourke. She’d gotten what she expected, and she’d known the whole time nothing more would come of it. If he hadn’t chased after her, it would be so easy for Jennifer to believe she’d only been a fuck in a closet for the big, sexy SEAL. But he had followed her, and she’d seen the loss in his eyes. She’d heard his frustrated shout of defeat. So Jennifer cried because she was sure she’d lost the one man who could have made her sad life worth living. She was forced to walk away from the man who could have been the love of her life. And that was worth shedding more than a few tears over.
FOUR
Jennifer tossed and turned in bed. She was reliving her nightmare again. It was the same every night, and no matter how hard Jennifer tried, she couldn’t wake from the reoccurring dream that wasn’t a dream at all, but a vivid memory that haunted her every night. It always started the same way.
They were walking back to Evan’s car after being ejected from the club full of naked people, and she was so confused. Jennifer was frantically trying to find a way to let Evan down politely but firmly. After the way he’d been trying to change her for their so-called date he’d taken her on that night, Jennifer was done. She didn’t even want to get in his car again, but she needed a ride home. Her instincts were screaming at her to run because something was very wrong here, but Jennifer ignored the warning.
Jennifer would ask Evan to take her home and end it before she got out of the car. She just wasn’t interested in a relationship with him. He was handsome, and he had money, but those things meant nothing to Jennifer. Of course, she had to be attracted to a man to give dating a try, so being handsome helped, but there just wasn’t any chemistry there for Jennifer. She’d rather have an average looking man she could be herself with than a gorgeous man who made her feel as if she should be grateful for his attention.
She always felt like Evan was evasive. It was impossible to get a straight answer from Evan about anything. She couldn’t tell you where he came from or where he lived now, other than that he had a condo in downtown Vegas and house in the suburbs. He didn’t like to talk about his work either. But he wanted to know every little detail about Jennifer.
That evening’s events were the clincher for Jennifer. First, he didn’t like her clothes. He took her to an illegal gambling club turned brothel on a date. Then, he started a fight and pulled a gun. Afterward, he had the nerve to blame her when they got kicked out. There was no way this could go on. Evan MacGraff was not the gentleman he pretended to be.
Once she’d stripped out of her dress and hung it up, Jennifer collapsed onto her borrowed bed. The sheets smelled pleasantly of lavender fabric softener. She reached up and shut off the lamp. In the darkness, she was left alone with her thoughts.
The pleasant ache between her legs and down her thighs was a reminder of Rourke. It had been a long time since she’d been with a man. She rolled over and pulled the blanket over her head. She wouldn’t think about him anymore. She couldn’t if she wanted to remain sane. She didn’t want to remember, but she couldn’t block out the image of his devilish grin as he told her stories about his teammates.
Jennifer let the tears come. She cried for all she’d lost. She cried because she missed her parents, her brothers, and the rest of her family. She cried because her hopes for the career she’d walked away from that family for were in tatters. She cried because Even MacGraff was still out there looking for her. But mostly she cried for what might have been if only she’d met Rourke just a little sooner.
Jennifer told herself again to forget Rourke. She’d gotten what she expected, and she’d known the whole time nothing more would come of it. If he hadn’t chased after her, it would be so easy for Jennifer to believe she’d only been a fuck in a closet for the big, sexy SEAL. But he had followed her, and she’d seen the loss in his eyes. She’d heard his frustrated shout of defeat. So Jennifer cried because she was sure she’d lost the one man who could have made her sad life worth living. She was forced to walk away from the man who could have been the love of her life. And that was worth shedding more than a few tears over.
FOUR
Jennifer tossed and turned in bed. She was reliving her nightmare again. It was the same every night, and no matter how hard Jennifer tried, she couldn’t wake from the reoccurring dream that wasn’t a dream at all, but a vivid memory that haunted her every night. It always started the same way.
They were walking back to Evan’s car after being ejected from the club full of naked people, and she was so confused. Jennifer was frantically trying to find a way to let Evan down politely but firmly. After the way he’d been trying to change her for their so-called date he’d taken her on that night, Jennifer was done. She didn’t even want to get in his car again, but she needed a ride home. Her instincts were screaming at her to run because something was very wrong here, but Jennifer ignored the warning.
Jennifer would ask Evan to take her home and end it before she got out of the car. She just wasn’t interested in a relationship with him. He was handsome, and he had money, but those things meant nothing to Jennifer. Of course, she had to be attracted to a man to give dating a try, so being handsome helped, but there just wasn’t any chemistry there for Jennifer. She’d rather have an average looking man she could be herself with than a gorgeous man who made her feel as if she should be grateful for his attention.
She always felt like Evan was evasive. It was impossible to get a straight answer from Evan about anything. She couldn’t tell you where he came from or where he lived now, other than that he had a condo in downtown Vegas and house in the suburbs. He didn’t like to talk about his work either. But he wanted to know every little detail about Jennifer.
That evening’s events were the clincher for Jennifer. First, he didn’t like her clothes. He took her to an illegal gambling club turned brothel on a date. Then, he started a fight and pulled a gun. Afterward, he had the nerve to blame her when they got kicked out. There was no way this could go on. Evan MacGraff was not the gentleman he pretended to be.
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