wealth.
“You’re home, Howard,” Jenny said softly.
Howard sat up, groggily peering around him. “Thank you, Jennifer.” He waved at Jake, wearing a somewhat befuddled expression.
Jenny, who hadn’t spoken one word to Jake since they left the restaurant turned in her seat “It’s a short walk home for you from here.”
Amused, he hid it “You wouldn’t make your newest client walk home, now would you? What would How ard think?”
She had the grace to look abashed at that making him almost ashamed for teasing her. Then, blowing out her breath in a huff, she put the Honda in gear.
Five minutes. He had five minutes, max, before she would pull up in front of Malvoran House and drop him off. Though he’d been telling himself that he enjoyed the solitude, that it was welcome after so much time spent with the four other members of his DEA team, he realized that he’d been missing something. Suddenly, the night seemed to loom before him, empty and lonely. He didn’t want Jenny to go, yet how to keep her with him? She’d made it plain that she wanted only a business relationship, after all.
More than anything, he wanted to show her the fine old Victorian house they’d wanted to buy to gether and which he now owned alone. Though it could never again be the way they’d once planned it, he was proud of the work he’d done on the place, knowing the loving care he’d lavished showed in the detailed woodwork. He wanted Jenny to be the first to see it when it was finished. He wanted Jenny to have input on the restoration process, to help choose the colors, the wallpaper, the furniture. He wanted Jenny to help him hammer, to help him paint, to laugh and splatter paint on his shirt and. ...
He wanted Jenny.
Stunned, Jake faced the truth. In two years he hadn’t been able to bury his feelings. Two years of living with filth and scum and pretending to be one of them in order to make the arrest had changed him, true. The illness had changed him even more.
But during those two years he’d never been able to forget about her, not entirely. That had been why he’d come back to Ater, after all. Knowing that he couldn’t have her, had no right to have her, didn’t make it any easier.
If in two years he hadn’t been able to change his feelings, why had he thought they would change now, with her so close?
Still, he would have to settle for being friends. He had no right to want anything more.
The car coasted to a stop. Jenny put it in park and turned to look at him, leaving the engine running.
Jake blinked. Malvoran House. Throat tight, he thought desperately of a way to get her to stay.
“Good-bye, Jake,” she said.
Her low-pitched voice sounded incredibly sensual, something that he’d always told her drove him wild. No doubt she tried to stifle even that now, in her new lifestyle.
Jake didn’t budge. “You hate me, don’t you?” He hadn’t meant to say that, but it had been what came out when he opened his mouth. Now, having said it, he felt glad. They needed to clear the air between them, and getting her to admit her hostility would be a giant first step towards them becoming Mends.
Her gaze faltered. “Hate is a pretty strong word,” she said quietly.
When he didn’t respond, she swallowed. She seemed to be searching for a better response, any response other than the truth.
“Come on, Jen. Admit it You hate me.”
With an odd little grimace, she winced. Her lovely eyes smoldered, reminding him of the way they had looked when he kissed her, when they made love. He waited for her to erupt in anger, waited with an anticipation that was nearly sexual in its intensity.
Instead, she shook her head and fiddled with the radio station. “I don’t hate you, Jake.”
“Then what—”
Her chin came up, caramel eyes flashing.
For an instant he thought he’d succeeded in doing it, in bringing back the vibrant, passionate Jenny that he’d loved.
“I don’t feel anything for you.” Her tone was
“You’re home, Howard,” Jenny said softly.
Howard sat up, groggily peering around him. “Thank you, Jennifer.” He waved at Jake, wearing a somewhat befuddled expression.
Jenny, who hadn’t spoken one word to Jake since they left the restaurant turned in her seat “It’s a short walk home for you from here.”
Amused, he hid it “You wouldn’t make your newest client walk home, now would you? What would How ard think?”
She had the grace to look abashed at that making him almost ashamed for teasing her. Then, blowing out her breath in a huff, she put the Honda in gear.
Five minutes. He had five minutes, max, before she would pull up in front of Malvoran House and drop him off. Though he’d been telling himself that he enjoyed the solitude, that it was welcome after so much time spent with the four other members of his DEA team, he realized that he’d been missing something. Suddenly, the night seemed to loom before him, empty and lonely. He didn’t want Jenny to go, yet how to keep her with him? She’d made it plain that she wanted only a business relationship, after all.
More than anything, he wanted to show her the fine old Victorian house they’d wanted to buy to gether and which he now owned alone. Though it could never again be the way they’d once planned it, he was proud of the work he’d done on the place, knowing the loving care he’d lavished showed in the detailed woodwork. He wanted Jenny to be the first to see it when it was finished. He wanted Jenny to have input on the restoration process, to help choose the colors, the wallpaper, the furniture. He wanted Jenny to help him hammer, to help him paint, to laugh and splatter paint on his shirt and. ...
He wanted Jenny.
Stunned, Jake faced the truth. In two years he hadn’t been able to bury his feelings. Two years of living with filth and scum and pretending to be one of them in order to make the arrest had changed him, true. The illness had changed him even more.
But during those two years he’d never been able to forget about her, not entirely. That had been why he’d come back to Ater, after all. Knowing that he couldn’t have her, had no right to have her, didn’t make it any easier.
If in two years he hadn’t been able to change his feelings, why had he thought they would change now, with her so close?
Still, he would have to settle for being friends. He had no right to want anything more.
The car coasted to a stop. Jenny put it in park and turned to look at him, leaving the engine running.
Jake blinked. Malvoran House. Throat tight, he thought desperately of a way to get her to stay.
“Good-bye, Jake,” she said.
Her low-pitched voice sounded incredibly sensual, something that he’d always told her drove him wild. No doubt she tried to stifle even that now, in her new lifestyle.
Jake didn’t budge. “You hate me, don’t you?” He hadn’t meant to say that, but it had been what came out when he opened his mouth. Now, having said it, he felt glad. They needed to clear the air between them, and getting her to admit her hostility would be a giant first step towards them becoming Mends.
Her gaze faltered. “Hate is a pretty strong word,” she said quietly.
When he didn’t respond, she swallowed. She seemed to be searching for a better response, any response other than the truth.
“Come on, Jen. Admit it You hate me.”
With an odd little grimace, she winced. Her lovely eyes smoldered, reminding him of the way they had looked when he kissed her, when they made love. He waited for her to erupt in anger, waited with an anticipation that was nearly sexual in its intensity.
Instead, she shook her head and fiddled with the radio station. “I don’t hate you, Jake.”
“Then what—”
Her chin came up, caramel eyes flashing.
For an instant he thought he’d succeeded in doing it, in bringing back the vibrant, passionate Jenny that he’d loved.
“I don’t feel anything for you.” Her tone was
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