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  “It’s on me,” he said holding my gaze before looking away.

  I gulped, his hand felt good and his take charge tone had me wanting and lusting for him to really take charge.

  “Thank you.”

  Jack paid and guided me to the alcove by the door to wait for Liam and Mia. I looked at him, but he was too busy gazing outside so I carried on looking at him. He was a hot guy and for once I was glad that Callie wasn’t with me, otherwise she’d be flirting, and I think I’d have to cause her bodily harm. I had no right feeling the way I did and the fact that I did pissed me off.

  Shit. While I’d been acting all jealous, Jack had turned his attention to me. I met his eyes and wished I hadn’t, when I saw the heat in them.

  “Okay, you ready for the lake?” Liam asked, putting his arm around me.

  “Yeah, I guess.” I was unsure about the trip on the lake. It looked pretty from land with the sun beating down on it, and would make for some good photographs, but out on the water, I just wasn’t sure.

  “Jack, will you walk me to the car?” Mia asked. She walked past Jack to the door and stood there waiting for him to open it.

  Instead, Liam moved away from me and dashed to the door, opened it, then followed Mia through. I followed more slowly, wondering what happened to Liam’s manners, and why would he leave me behind to go dashing off with Mia.

  As I started to walk past Jack, I avoided looking at him, but he quickly put his arm around my waist from behind, pulling me tight against him. “Be careful on the lake,” he whispered in my ear before releasing me as quickly as he’d taken hold of me. He dashed off towards Mia.

  Both of them left me standing at the door of the restaurant, wondering what the hell had just happened as goose bumps rose across my skin. I wasn’t turned on. No I wasn’t. Keep telling yourself that. God, I needed to talk to Callie.

  Chapter 15

  Jack

  “Jack, slow down. My legs aren’t as long as yours are,” Mia whined. “What the hell’s gotten into you?”

  I pulled up short and turned to look at her. Shaking myself mentally, I took a deep breath. It wasn’t Mia’s fault. It was mine. I was pissed at myself for being so damn hot for Thalia.

  When Thalia had brushed up against my arm, my dick had twitched, and then the minute we’d touched, thigh to thigh, it had wanted to come out and play. I’d tortured myself by keeping my thigh against hers. It had been too damn long since I’d felt a longing for someone, and in truth never like it was with Thalia. We’d only just met, so I had no idea what the hell was going on.

  “Jack?”

  “Sorry Mia. I was miles away.”

  “You’re getting just like Daddy. Whenever we go out anywhere he’s always thinking about work,” She said coming to a stop beside her car.

  She wouldn’t be so calm if she knew what, or rather who, I’d been thinking about.

  She opened her car door so I moved into her space, and waited until she was seated, before I asked, “Do you want to do something tonight?”

  Mia looked as shocked as I felt. I hadn’t meant to ask her that, because spending more time than I had to with her wasn’t what I wanted to do. Still, I did need a distraction from the thoughts running through my mind.

  “Maybe another night.” She patted me on the hand. “You know I don’t like going out midweek.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you later.”

  Stepping away from the car, I watched her drive out of the lot. Running my hands through my hair, I turned and walked towards the boat rentals.

  My brother was a fucking idiot for taking Thalia out on the lake when she couldn’t swim. I knew a life preserve stopped you from drowning, but not being able to swim and stuck in deep water would scare the shit out of anyone. Hopefully that wouldn’t happen, but I planned to make sure it didn’t, regardless of how much it pissed Liam off.

  Just about to walk around the corner to the boating house, I bumped into my brother. “Where are you going?”

  “What are you doing here? I thought you were going off with Mia and what about work?” Liam did his usual act of avoiding a question by asking his own.

  “You finished?” He gave me the look. “First I’ve come to make sure you don’t do this half assed, seeing as how your girlfriend can’t swim. Second, Mia is getting her hair done and some other girly shit and thirdly, I’m not in the office for a few days. Does that answer your questions?”

  He frowned. “Go and help Thalia into her life preserve, while I go and get something.”

  He left me heading towards his car. What an ass. His girlfriend needed help and he left her to her own devices.

  I stayed where he left me wondering what the hell to do. Thalia turned me on to distraction so being close to her wasn’t the wisest idea, but I knew I wouldn’t be able to settle unless I checked her preserve out first. Damn, who was I kidding? I wouldn’t be able to settle until she was back on dry land.

  Praying for strength, I turned the corner to see Thalia struggling with the straps on the preserve, looking nervous. Walking over to her, I moved her hands away gently. Her eyes filled with a combination of relief and surprise when she saw me.

  “You don’t need to do this,” I whispered.

  She met my eyes and shook her head slightly.

  “Tell Liam you’ve changed your mind.”

  She nervously licked her lips with my eyes following the movement.

  “I can’t. I’ll be okay. Please don’t worry about me, Jack.”

  Ignoring the worry comment, I told her, “My brother is an idiot.” I tightened the straps and made sure the one she’d managed to do herself was fastened correctly. “I’m going to hang around while you’re out there, okay?”

  We stood practically chest-to-chest. I reached up with my hand and took hold of one of her dark curls, which wrapped around my finger before I moved it behind her ear.

  “Thalia….”

  “Okay, you ready?” Liam said, reappearing out of the blue.

  I pulled my arm away and stepped back. “She’s all fastened in.” I moved my eyes away from Thalia to glare at my brother. “You better take it easy out there. Just remember your passenger can’t swim.”

  “Fuck, what the hell is wrong with you? I’m not stupid. She’ll be okay with me. We’re just going on a gentle sail on the SMOOTH LAKE, nothing rocky. Stop worrying ‘mom’.”

  Fucking hell, he was going to be meeting my fist before long.

  “Thalia, come on. Ignore Jack, everyone else does.”

  All I wanted to do was strangle my brother, but instead I shoved my hands into the back pocket of my jeans.

  “That’s not nice, he’s done nothing but help me, which is more than I can say for you. You know I’m frightened of going out there,” Thalia told Liam, after hitting him in the chest.

  How the hell I didn’t burst out laughing, I’d never know. I glanced over to her and noticed her pissed expression, which was directed at my brother.

  She then turned to me. “Thank you, Jack.”

  She’s the first person that I could remember to ever get pissed on my behalf. I needed to get out of there.

  “I’ll leave you two alone,” I said and caught the look on Thalia’s face. Panic.

  Keep walking. Keep walking.

  Without glancing back, I walked to my car and climbed in, but couldn’t bring myself to put the key into the ignition. I’d promised Thalia that I would stay around. Fuck. I climbed back out of the car and went up into the café so I could keep watch without Liam or Thalia noticing.

  Chapter 16

  Thalia

  As Liam led me towards the boat all I wanted was for it to be Jack. Why was Jack more worried about my safety than my so called ‘boyfriend’? Since we’d eaten breakfast, Liam had been in a snit about something. What it was, I had no idea. He was annoying the hell out of me, and knew good and well that I was nervous about going out on the water, but he’d still disappeared to the car to retrieve his cell phone. His respo
nse had been that if something happened out there, we’d be stuck without a cell. I’d pointed out that I had mine with me, but oh no, he still had to leave me alone and go fetch his.

  If Jack hadn’t appeared when he did, I’d have thrown my preserve off and gone into the café to wait for Liam. Yeah, it would have looked like I was acting like a five year old, but inside I was freaking out. There was a lot of water in the lake.

  Jack had realized how freaked I was, but not Liam. As I climbed into the boat I looked around for Jack, he’d said he would hang around and for some reason that gave me the extra boost of confidence that I needed. I couldn’t see him, but his car was still in the lot.

  “Thalia, who you looking for?”

  “No one.”

  He grinned. “I’m not blind, or contrary to what my brother thinks, an idiot.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Could I have been any more obvious? Ugh!

  “Yeah right.” He pushed us off from the small pier and started to row.

  “Do you want me to help?” I honestly didn’t fancy moving, but I felt a bit mean just sitting and letting him do all the work.

  “No, I’m fine. He’s in the café making sure I don’t drown you.” Liam looked worried. “Thalia, um, you haven’t forgotten Jack’s getting married, right? Nothing or no one will change that.”

  “Liam...”

  “Don’t say anything. I know we aren’t going anywhere. I like you Thalia, but there’s no spark between us… Do you mind carrying on pretending to be my girlfriend; it kind of saves me from my mom?”

  I watched him closely trying to work out his body language. Something wasn’t right. Liam was handsome, which was what first attracted me. As I got to know him, I liked him more, but didn’t want to take it further. There were plenty of girls out there who would like nothing more than to have him as a boyfriend.

  “Liam…why? I mean you’re a hot guy, I don’t understand why you’d want me to pretend to be dating you when you could have anyone.”

  He looked to be sulking. “I can’t have anyone.”

  This whole conversation was weird. “Okay, but don’t get fresh with me.”

  He roared with laughter, which made the boat rock. I clung to the side as though my life depended on it. “Liam, please stop,” I whispered, feeling sick to my stomach. The boat carried on rocking.

  “Thalia, stop being a wimp. You have a life preserve on for one, but the boat is not going to tip with a slight rocking.” He carried on laughing at me.

  We weren’t too far out from the shore, but too far out for me to get out and walk. I looked around frantically and caught Jack, running down the steps of the café.

  “Oh, look, lover boy coming to the rescue.” He sneered.

  “What the hell is wrong with you? One minute you’re asking me to be your ‘pretend’ girlfriend, and the next you’re acting like a first class jerk. At least someone’s bothered as to whether I end up in the water or not.” If I hadn’t been so scared of falling in, I’d walk up to his end and hit him over the head with one of the oars.

  As we got closer to the dock, I chanced a look behind me to see Jack standing, waiting for us with his hands on his hips, looking furious. As the boat nudged the side, Jack leaned in wrapping an arm around me and lifting me from the boat.

  He didn’t speak, just quickly unstrapped me from the life preserve, and then threw it at his brother. I didn’t stay to hear what was said. I was too shaky and needed a minute on my own. The last thing I wanted was to show them both my tears. I ran behind the boating shed, resting my forehead against the wall and finally gave in to them.

  Not long afterwards I felt a hand on my shoulder.

  “Thalia, are you all right?” Jack asked.

  Without thinking, I turned and wrapped my arms around his neck. He paused briefly then wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me in tight against him. I knew straightaway that it was a bad idea, but I couldn’t stop. I’d been terrified and wanted to be held.

  He felt good against me, letting me cry while he stroked his hand down my back in a soothing motion. As my tears started to dry up, I started to notice other things. Like how Jack’s hand on my back shook, or how fast his heart was beating against my chest. My body started to feel hot and tight. My nipples pebbled.

  Pulling back slightly, I met his gaze. He put his forehead against mine while he held my gaze. “Nothing can come of this...between us, but damn it, you feel good. All I want is...”

  “What Jack? What is it you want?”

  For a minute I thought he was going to answer me, but he took a deep breath and, pulling completely away, walked off in the opposite direction. It was at that instant that I heard Liam come up behind me, mumbling.

  Chapter 17

  Jack

  I needed to leave, and I needed to leave fast. Thalia had felt amazing in my arms and it had been the first time in a long time that I’d been held. She’d held on to me so damn tight, I hadn’t been sure I’d have the strength to let her go. I’d felt her pebbled nipples against me, which had me hard as hell.

  When I’d looked into her eyes, I’d nearly told her that all I wanted was her arms wrapped around me. Then I’d heard Liam approach so left her alone to face him. I sure as hell hadn’t wanted him to see my reaction to her.

  He’d been a bastard to her out on the lake. When I’d questioned him about it, he’d told me to go back to my fiancée and to leave ‘his’ girl alone. The only thing that had stopped me from connecting my fist with his face was the fact Thalia had gone off crying and I’d had a deep need to comfort her. I’d turned and left him to deal with the boat himself, while I ran after his girl. Although she probably wouldn’t be for much longer at the rate he was going. If she reacted like that with me, she couldn’t be all that into him.

  Unfortunately, whatever that was, couldn’t happen again. I was getting married. I had to get married, or I’d have to leave college. I’d worked damn hard these past few years, I sure as hell wasn’t prepared to throw it all away, even if it did mean marrying someone I didn’t like all that much. There was divorce once I’d gotten my degree; at least that’s what I’d planned. All I wanted to do was pack a bag, leave and never look back. No one would miss me. In fact it would probably be weeks before anyone would know I’d left. Thalia. She’d know; I’d bet my left nut she’d know within hours of my departure.

  Fuck. I took a deep breath and climbed into my car, not having a clue in which direction to head; I turned the car south, away from town. Mia was there, so no go. Home would end with a run-in with my mom.

  With a bit of maneuvering, I managed to yank my cell out from my back pocket and pressed speed dial four – Reece.

  “You home?”

  “Yeah, some fucker woke me up.”

  Grinning at his choice of words, I just hoped he didn’t have a sleepover there. “You up for company?”

  “That’s fine.” He laughed. “Slept alone last night.”

  I hung up the cell after telling him I’d be there in twenty.

  Reece was my closest friend along with Donovan. We’d become thick as thieves in high school and no matter how much my folks tried to keep us apart, they never succeeded. Mia hated them. Having grown up in the same town, she knew what good friends we were. She’d told me that they wouldn’t be welcome in our home after we married. I think I’d shocked the life out of her because for the first time since we’d become engaged, I disagreed with her. Basically she got told that although they’d probably opt not to, they could visit anytime they wanted. To say she’d been pissed was an understatement. She hadn’t spoken to me for two weeks after that. Two weeks of heaven!

  Reece spent about as much times as I did outside and at the gym. He loved nothing more than to go without his t-shirt or shirt so that the ladies got to see his toned abs. What they didn’t know was that he was a pussy. He’d gotten a new tattoo a couple of days ago and did nothing but complain via text message to myself and Donovan about
the pain. So, yeah, he was a pussy. I was surprised though when he said he’d slept alone. I thought he’d have left Kix last night with one of the women he’d been talking to when I left.

  My car bumped along the road leading up to his cabin, which was hidden back from the road by hundreds of trees. I brought the car to a stop and spotted him sitting on the steps leading up to his cabin.

  “Hey, more awake now?” I asked, climbing from the car.

  He seemed happy if the grunt was anything to go by.

  Although I didn’t have anything to grin about, I grinned and kept it in place as I walked passed him straight into his cabin where I poured myself a much needed coffee, then I went back outside, sitting on the opposite side of the steps to him.

  Peace, something I rarely got when I was home. Over these past few years I’d hated coming home during vacation time, more so the past twelve months. I know that sounded selfish, considering I’d grown up in a large house, which sat on thousands of acres of land.

  Yeah, I’d been offered every opportunity there was while growing up, but all I wanted was to have a life of my own with a woman who would love me for who I was. Not for who my family was, and who wouldn’t turn her nose up at my friends. I wanted a woman, who would look at me as though her world started and ended with me. Who would be my whole world, someone I could love just as much. Who wanted to grow old with me. Thalia popped into my head.

  “Fuck.”

  Reece paused mid-drink. “Something on your mind?”

  “No.” I stood and started to pace in front of the porch. “Yes.” I continued to pace. “Liam’s home.”

  “I know you two can be a bit hit and miss, but he doesn’t usually get you so worked up. What’s going on? And stop walking in circles; you’re making me dizzy.”

  Staring at him, I came to a stop with my hands on my hips. “He brought his girlfriend home.”