Secret Storm Read Free Page B

"Ask me again sometime. Soon."
    He maintained a cool smile, but his heart
hammered underneath. "I will."
    She waved to him, fluttering her fingers as
the window slid closed.
    ***
    Why the hell did I say no? Hell yes I wanted
a ride!
    She'd said no because she did have to unpack.
Classes started early tomorrow and she still had a reading
assignment to finish. Most importantly, she had no desire to get
into another relationship when she'd just ended a bad one. So why
had she told him to ask her again? The time had never been right
for them, but maybe someday it would be.
    Jack wasn't just another relationship, or
even a fling. He was a good friend who'd helped her get over her
past with Austin so she could be happy for Jane. She sometimes
caught herself looking at this achingly attractive man for no other
reason than to admire his chiseled face and his well-built body.
Sometimes she caught him staring back at her.
    His hand had felt warm and gentle on her
shoulder. She hadn't meant to jump when he touched her; the car had
been occupying her full attention. She could've moved away from
him, but she liked the way his hard body felt touching hers.
    Tonight, Jack's desire had felt more urgent
than their usual flirting. Was she imagining things again?
    She didn't need a relationship and she didn't
want a fling, but it sure would be nice to be flung. She hadn't
slept with her ex since catching him with that red-headed slut. Not a slut ... that word's too good for her.
    The problem with their long-distance
relationship was that she hadn't been getting laid. For how long?
She'd started seeing David at Christmas... no... Thanksgiving
break, and now graduation was almost here. Maybe that's why Jack
looked so appealing to her tonight. She needed to get some, and
damn if he didn't seem like the perfect choice.
    An image popped into her mind—white sheets,
naked skin, hot sweat, Jack's black-coffee hair caressing her cheek
as he leaned down to kiss her. Mating mouths, tangled bodies, cars
honking—
    What? Oh! The light had turned green.
She stepped on the gas and decided to explore that fantasy further
when she got home.
    No, she couldn't take Jack to bed and be done
with him. Could she? She wanted more from him than sex, but she
didn't have the time or the energy for much else.
    She stopped at a red light, beating her head
against the steering wheel. What could she do about Jack? Why
couldn't she make up her mind? When would they— hoooonk ! The
guy behind her laid on his horn. What the...? Another green
light, idiot.
    She stomped on the accelerator and sped
through the intersection, unanswered questions still spinning
through her brain.

Chapter 2
     
    "So what happened last night?" The nasty grin
on Austin's face told Jack exactly what his roommate expected to
hear.
    "Nothing." He cracked an egg into the frying
pan and stirred, hoping it would scramble before it fried.
    "Nothing? Are you kidding me? You haven't
seen Sara for two weeks and she comes back single... and you didn't
give her a nice welcome home?" Austin poured a cup of coffee and
sat down at the kitchen table.
    Jack scraped the fried egg into the sink and
tried again. "She drove me home after you ditched me, and checked
out the Mustang, so I asked her if she wanted to go for a ride, but
she said no."
    "Aw, man."
    "But she did tell me to ask her again."
    "So what are you waiting for?"
    "I'll ask her when I see her in class." He
picked up the whisk. Maybe this'll work.
    Austin shook his head. "Jack, we've been best
friends since the third grade. Haven't I taught you anything?"
    "Yeah." Jack chuckled. "You taught me the top
ten ways to piss off a woman. Number one – never remember her name.
Number two—"
    "Whatever. You cannot let this opportunity
pass you by."
    "I haven't—"
    "Seriously? You've been in love with this
girl since freshman year and you've never asked her to do anything
but study."
    "Will you let me finish? I haven't had the
opportunity for anything else