fitting against his naturally. “I’m like you. I don’t want a relationship. I don’t have time.”
“But you think I’m due for one. A little case of the pot calling the kettle black?”
“No. You seemed so lonely. I could see it in your eyes.”
Jace pushed her away. The pity was back in her gaze, and it pissed him off to no end. “Did you ever think that’s what I saw in yours, Kensington? Did you ever for one second think that maybe I saw the same emotions reflected back at me when I looked at you? That’s why I pursued you. You had the same lonely, hungry look to you, the same look I see in the mirror every damned morning. Yes, I’m lonely. And I want you to help me stop feeling like this.”
*
Kenzie stared at Jace through the deepening gloom as night fell around them. A chill slipped over her from the crisp autumn air, wind whipping through her hair, getting it in her eyes. She tugged at a few strands, looking away, looking at anything, to help her mind digest what he’d just said to her without having to face him. Her heart tugged at his words. She wanted to allow her feelings to develop, but she wasn’t ready for a commitment.
“I’m not in a place in my life right now where I’d make a good girlfriend.”
“Is anyone ever truly ready for—this —whatever this is—when it gets dumped in their laps? I think there is something here, something we deserve to test out and see where it leads.”
Kenzie heard a woman cough behind her and spun around. Heat flamed her face as she saw Ana standing there.
“I think I’m going to go home now, Kenzie. It was a … pleasure … meeting you, Jace.”
“Ana, I’m sorry. I’ll call you tomorrow.” Kenzie felt horrible that she’d brought her friend into this situation, never expecting it to blow up as it had. Jace had been quite adamant he wasn’t going to pursue her anymore. After their ruined night and day together, why would she assume there was anything there to fix?
Ana walked away, a wave behind her as she trotted off to her car.
“Why did you bring her, Kensington? Really?”
Kenzie turned back to face Jace. “Like I said, I wanted to make it up to you, let you know that you can be the relationship type if you want to be.”
“Your own advice doesn’t work on you?”
Even angry, he was so handsome. She wanted him so much, but it couldn’t work. Plans, she had plans. “I’m not looking for a relationship.”
“Neither was I. But I found you.”
“I have so much going on with my life right now. It really isn’t the best time.” She had been working around the clock. Once the promotion she’d been working on was hers, perhaps life would ease up. For now, she couldn’t make any commitments. It would be unfair to them both, no matter how much she desired him.
“But you’ve already said you owe me. I want a woman. I want you, not some other female.”
“Oh, so you’re going to blackmail me into spending more time with you?”
“Blackmail? Nope. I only want you there if you want to be, and I think you want to be. If you’d just own up and admit it.”
“No. Jace, I’m sorry, but I can’t.” She stepped backward, her eyes caught in his gaze. Her chest ached at the look of pain that swept over his face. She ran to her car and jumped inside before he potentially chased after her and talked her into doing exactly what she wanted to do—stay in his arms forever.
Chapter 5
Saturday morning dawned bright and early. Sunshine poured into the room from the surrounding glass windows, the few remaining birds at this time of the year chirping and welcoming the day. Kenzie peered out from below her sleeping mask and cursed them both. She wanted to tunnel under her comforter and sleep the day away, especially since she’d had no sleep the night before.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Jace’s face, and she couldn’t stop thinking of him and his words. Now, twice she’d hurt him. She was positive walking away had
“But you think I’m due for one. A little case of the pot calling the kettle black?”
“No. You seemed so lonely. I could see it in your eyes.”
Jace pushed her away. The pity was back in her gaze, and it pissed him off to no end. “Did you ever think that’s what I saw in yours, Kensington? Did you ever for one second think that maybe I saw the same emotions reflected back at me when I looked at you? That’s why I pursued you. You had the same lonely, hungry look to you, the same look I see in the mirror every damned morning. Yes, I’m lonely. And I want you to help me stop feeling like this.”
*
Kenzie stared at Jace through the deepening gloom as night fell around them. A chill slipped over her from the crisp autumn air, wind whipping through her hair, getting it in her eyes. She tugged at a few strands, looking away, looking at anything, to help her mind digest what he’d just said to her without having to face him. Her heart tugged at his words. She wanted to allow her feelings to develop, but she wasn’t ready for a commitment.
“I’m not in a place in my life right now where I’d make a good girlfriend.”
“Is anyone ever truly ready for—this —whatever this is—when it gets dumped in their laps? I think there is something here, something we deserve to test out and see where it leads.”
Kenzie heard a woman cough behind her and spun around. Heat flamed her face as she saw Ana standing there.
“I think I’m going to go home now, Kenzie. It was a … pleasure … meeting you, Jace.”
“Ana, I’m sorry. I’ll call you tomorrow.” Kenzie felt horrible that she’d brought her friend into this situation, never expecting it to blow up as it had. Jace had been quite adamant he wasn’t going to pursue her anymore. After their ruined night and day together, why would she assume there was anything there to fix?
Ana walked away, a wave behind her as she trotted off to her car.
“Why did you bring her, Kensington? Really?”
Kenzie turned back to face Jace. “Like I said, I wanted to make it up to you, let you know that you can be the relationship type if you want to be.”
“Your own advice doesn’t work on you?”
Even angry, he was so handsome. She wanted him so much, but it couldn’t work. Plans, she had plans. “I’m not looking for a relationship.”
“Neither was I. But I found you.”
“I have so much going on with my life right now. It really isn’t the best time.” She had been working around the clock. Once the promotion she’d been working on was hers, perhaps life would ease up. For now, she couldn’t make any commitments. It would be unfair to them both, no matter how much she desired him.
“But you’ve already said you owe me. I want a woman. I want you, not some other female.”
“Oh, so you’re going to blackmail me into spending more time with you?”
“Blackmail? Nope. I only want you there if you want to be, and I think you want to be. If you’d just own up and admit it.”
“No. Jace, I’m sorry, but I can’t.” She stepped backward, her eyes caught in his gaze. Her chest ached at the look of pain that swept over his face. She ran to her car and jumped inside before he potentially chased after her and talked her into doing exactly what she wanted to do—stay in his arms forever.
Chapter 5
Saturday morning dawned bright and early. Sunshine poured into the room from the surrounding glass windows, the few remaining birds at this time of the year chirping and welcoming the day. Kenzie peered out from below her sleeping mask and cursed them both. She wanted to tunnel under her comforter and sleep the day away, especially since she’d had no sleep the night before.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw Jace’s face, and she couldn’t stop thinking of him and his words. Now, twice she’d hurt him. She was positive walking away had
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