Hot in Here (24 page)

His hands were cupping her ass, and she brushed them away, not wanting to feel his touch. “The

bathroom.”

“Want some company?” he said with a sexy smile.

Asshole.

She made a beeline for the bathroom and practically lunged for the door when she saw a woman

unbuckling her belt. She made it just in time and locked the door before she sat down on the metal toilet

and hung her head between her hands.

Great.Now her mascara would be running and she’d have raccoon eyes. Oh, who gave a shit, anyway?

It wasn’t like Bryce would care. He only had to pretend to desire her for another couple of weeks.

How long she sat there and cried, she didn’t know. She heard the knocks, the muffled sighs, the groans

of frustrations, but she couldn’t move. Couldn’t make herself stop crying over Bryce’s betrayal.

“Jenna?” Another light rap on the door. “Sweetheart, are you in there? It’s been nearly half an hour.”

She saw red when she heard him call her sweetheart. Yeah, right. What a rotten liar he was. “Leave me

alone.”

“Let me in,” he said, sounding concerned.

“Go to hell.”

“Pardon?”

“Oh, don’t act surprised,” she hissed as she unlocked the door and threw it open. Thank God, she had

already wiped her black mascara streaks from her cheeks.

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“Why are you crying?”

“Haven’t you figured it out yet?” She snapped. Pulling the ring from her finger she shoved it into his chest.

He barely caught it before it dropped to the floor. He looked at it in his hand and frowned. “What’s

going on, Jenna?”

“The name’s Jane. Plain Jane. You know, when I agreed to help you get your rep back, it wasn’t by

surrendering every shred of dignity I have.”

His face went white as he finally met her gaze.

“How could you?” she said. “I never thought you could be this cruel.”

“Jenna, wait,” he pleaded, reaching for her elbow. “Let me explain.”

“Excuse me,” the stewardess said behind Bryce. “But you both need to take your seats and put on your

seat belts. We’ve started our descent.”

Jenna brushed past Bryce and returned to her seat. He tried to reach for her hand but she pulled away.

She wouldn’t look at him either, and finally he just gave up.

Well, that was easy. He barely put up a fight.

As the wheels skidded on the asphalt, Bryce leaned into her.

“This isnot over, Jenna.”

Fourteen

“ ’mtelling you, Jen, he wasn’t using you.”

“Sarah, I’m not listening.”

“Ugh!” Sarah groaned as she followed Jenna out of the kitchen. “Why won’t you listen?”

“Because I don’t care, that’s why.”

“How many times do I have to tell you, Trey only sent that e-mail as a way to give Bryce a nudge in your

direction.”

“Yeah, well there’re other plain Janes out there.”

“Argh!” Sarah growled. “Trey doesn’t think you’re plain, and neither does Bryce. He was just goading

Bryce tosee you.”

“Well, he saw me all right. As a way to fix his rep.”

“Morning, girls,” their mother called from her bedroom. “Did someone put the coffee on?”

“Yes, Mom. Sarah did.”

“Jenna,” her dad yelled from the kitchen, “phone for you.”

“Tell whoever it is I’m not in.”

“Too late. Already told them you were here.”

Jenna rolled her eyes and made her way to the hallway, where an old rotary phone sat on a table. She

knew who it would be, and she needed a measure of privacy to tell him off.

“Hello?”

“Hey.”

Her heart started a mad dance as she heard his voice.Stop it, she told herself. It was ridiculous how she

was acting.

“So, you ready to talk yet?” Bryce asked.

“Yep, I am. So here goes. You used me and made me feel like a total moron. I think you’re a creep and

I never want to see you again. Ciao.”

Slamming the phone down, Jenna took a deep breath and smiled with sheer malice. She felt better

already. Coming to Lucan had been the right idea. So what if she was licking her wounds? She had every

right to.

Padding down the hallway, she stopped at the front door to open it and let in the early-morning sun and

the warm spring breeze through the screen door. She stifled a scream when she saw someone leaning up

against the jamb, looking down at her through the screen.

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“I told you before, you ever decide to run from me, you’ll only find me right behind you.”

Bryce.

She reached for the door latch, but he beat her to it and pulled the door open so she couldn’t lock it. She

grabbed the handle, then fell into him as he pulled the door open wide. He caught her and held her tight.

“I knew it was only a matter of time before I could get you out here for a little chitchat.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Yeah, you are, and you’ll come nicely, or I’ll haul you up and put you over my shoulder and carry you

to my car.”

He would do it, too. And no doubt her family would be watching from the living room window.

Giving in, she let the door close behind her. “Go ahead.”

“Come to my car. I want privacy and I’m sure your two sisters are hiding out, listening to every word.”

“I don’t keep secrets from my sisters. They both know you’re a son of a bitch.”

He didn’t flinch when she called him names, she noticed. He only looked more determined, and that

ticked her off. She wasn’t good at being nasty to people. It wasn’t in her nature. But damn him, she

didn’t want to be nice to him or let him off gently.

He started walking to the car and she followed him. When they were inside, he turned to her, looking

tired and pale.

“I want to explain.”

She held her hand up. “No need.”

“Yeah, there is a need. It’s not what you think.”

She snorted and looked out the window.

“Jenna, how can you not give me a chance?”

“Like you deserve one.”

He ran his hands through his hair and rested his head back against the seat. “When I got that e-mail from

Trey, I was at your house. Remember that night I cooked the steaks for us. I . . . I wasn’t in my right

mind. I wanted you, and it was all new and confusing, and you hadn’t answered my calls. . .”

He was rambling, and Jenna glanced over at him, watching the frustration pour out of him.

“I did not start this with you in order to get my reputation back. I swear it.”

“Why did you start it, then?”

“Ever since I saw you sitting across from me at my restaurant, I couldn’t stop looking at you, or thinking

of you in my bed. I’ve always thought you were pretty, Jenna, but that night . . . I don’t know. You made

me sit up and take notice, and my eyes, and thoughts, have never left you since.”

“What about the e-mail, Bryce?”

“That fucking e-mail,” he growled. “Look, it means nothing. I don’t know what Trey was smoking. I

knew he was way off about you, but it made me realize how much I wanted to be with you. All I could

think of was you, having more of you, wanting you. When I said he was a genius, that’s all I meant. I

wasn’t agreeing to his ‘plan,’ ” he scoffed. “I never even thought about it. I sure as hell haven’t

implemented it. Oh, God, Jenna, give me one more chance. Please.”

“Why should I?”

He reached for her hand and held it steady in his. “Because I love you.”

Slowly she turned to look at him. Surely he wouldn’t stoop so low as to say he loved her just to get

himself out of this.

He touched her face, caressed her lips with his fingers. “I knew I loved you when I went chasing after

you to Italy. I knew I’d always love you that morning when we shared our omelet. Jenna, I’ve never told

any woman this, but I’m telling you now. And I mean it. Christ, I mean it,” he whispered, forcing her to

look him in the eye. “How can you not believe me when you can see how much damn pain I’m in right

now? I can’t sleep. Can’t eat. Every time I close my eyes I see you, and I only love you more.”

“I . . . want so badly to believe you,” she whispered through trembling lips.

“You can, Jenna. I swear it.”

She bit her lip and glanced down, giving a little shake of her head.

“I’ll teach you to trust me again. If you’ll let me.”

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“I don’t know, Bryce.”

“What about now, here in Lucan? This is the best place for us to start.”

Here? In the sleepy little town where she and Bryce had grown up? That same sleepy town that had

nothing better to do than gossip?

Oh, hell, no!

Her parents, not to mention her sisters, would make too much out of it. And Bryce’s parents? The whole

town would be thinking wedding bells and babies.

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Jenna, are you trying to tell me that you don’t want to be seen with me?”

“You know Lucan. People will talk.”

“So?”

“So?” she asked, her eyes narrowing. “You can’t tell me you want the entire town talking about what

we’re doing.”

“What, having a relationship? Last I heard, it wasn’t a sin.”

“Well, it will be in Lucan when nothing comes of it. Oh, come on, Bryce,” she said when he frowned.

“You know small towns. If we appear together everyone is going to think something is going on between

us—”

“Isn’t there?” he asked. “I just told you that I love you, Jenna. I think that’s a lot going on between us.”

“Bryce—”

“I’m just asking for a chance, that’s all.”

“Lucan isn’t the place to do it.”

“Why not?”

“Because when it doesn’t work out, everyone will talk. God, Bryce, don’t you see that?”

“Then that’s all the more reason to see that it does work out, isn’t it?”

“God,” she groaned, reaching for the door handle.

“Jenna, I’m not going to go away.”

“One more chance,” she snapped, “and there had better not be any more lies.”

She started to open the door when he asked, “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

“You know everyone is going to be gossiping.”

He skimmed his fingers down her cheek. “I want you back, Jenna. No amount of gossiping will stop me

from having you.” He pulled her toward him so that she was leaning over the gearshift and her top was

gaping open at the neck. “I miss you. I miss your touch and your smile. I want to make love like we did

in Tuscany.”

Her body officially forgave him despite the warnings from her brain. She was still leery, and probably

foolish for believing him so easily. But she missed him, too, no matter how hard she tried to deny it. And

she wanted to make love, too.

“You know my parents. They’re pretty conservative. I . . . don’t know what you expect from staying

here.”

He smiled and caressed her bottom lip with his thumb. “I know your parents. But I can be pretty quiet

when I want to be. Can you?”

She smiled suddenly, the first time in the two days since she’d been home in Lucan. “I don’t know. You

do tend to make me scream.”

“And I love hearing those screams.”

“I think we better not plan to be sneaking around. My mother can hear for miles, and my dad has a nose

like a bloodhound. They’d only find out what we’re doing and it’d just be awkward, you know.”

“I know,” he said, brushing her hair back over her shoulder. “Trust me, I can think of other places to

seduce you than under their roof.”

“I’m sure you could.”

He laughed. “I’m thinking my car might be a good start.”

“Oh, Bryce, not now. Sarah and Emily are watching from the window, and I need a shower.”

“Any chance they’ll be out of the house so we can shower together?”

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“I doubt it. Mom will be busy getting lunch ready for Dad and Ashton.”

“Surely she couldn’t hear us over the spray of the water?”

Jenna gave him a doubting look. “You want to bet on that?”

Bryce laughed and drew her to him, and Jenna allowed herself to sink into his bone-melting kiss.

“Thank you for giving me another chance, Jenna. You’re not going to regret it.”

As they got out of the car, Bryce gave a huge sigh of relief. With a glance up at the sky, he gave silent

thanks. He hadn’t been sure if Jenna would give him another chance, but he knew he had to try. He

loved her, and even though she hadn’t said it back, he was certain she felt the same way. She was just

hurting right now and couldn’t risk her heart by telling him. He knew he had a lot to prove before Jenna

told him the words he longed to hear.

As he went around to the trunk to unload his suitcase, he heard Jenna’s breath catch and looked up.

Four men in black suits were coming around the corner of the house.

Their gazes caught and she shrugged, trying to pretend she wasn’t upset. “Guys from the bank, I guess.”

Bryce looked again. An older man, graying and wrinkled, led the pack. Bryce felt his stomach fall to his

feet.

It was David Cullen; he worked for Bryce’s father.

A sickening thought filtered through his mind and he glanced at Jenna. “Do you know who’s interested in

buying the farm?”

Jenna shook her head. “I just know the bank is going to foreclose and whoever wants the land is willing

to pay for it.”

Bryce thought back to his appointment with Greenwood. Was the fifty-acre parcel of land that was