|
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
getting there, and while he had told them he was nursing a broken heart, he hadn t told them why. Is he the guy who broke your heart? she asked out of the blue, and Jayden nodded, an idea taking root. There was no point in lying; he wasn t very good at it, and he would only end up caught anyway. But it wasn t really lying if he simply omitted some bits here and there, right? Yes, he admitted, lowering his eyes for a moment before he continued, I was the other man for a while& . When Carrie s expression turned furious, he quickly added, I didn t know at the time. Her expression softened a bit. Turns out he broke up with his boyfriend and he wants to take me on a holiday so we can get to know each other better. Carrie s eyes narrowed and her spine straightened. Can t he just take you on a date? she asked in an incredulous voice, and Jayden had to admit that if he hadn t known Matt never did anything halfway, then yes, he would have probably been wondering the very same thing. Love for Hire | Anna Marie May 123 I would like to give it a try, he said softly. Money isn t an issue for him, and he offered to help you out while I m gone. Carrie pursed her lips; her eyes narrowed even further, to the point that Jayden wondered if she was still able to see him. I don t need his money, she spat out, and it was then that Jayden realized it was a matter of pride for Carrie. Maybe rejecting the money was not a smart thing to do, but he could totally relate to it. Still, he wasn t going to be able to go away if he didn t know Carrie was covered. What if he paid someone to fill in for me while I m gone? Carrie opened her mouth to object, but Jayden didn t let her get a word in; he continued in a hurry, Please. He wasn t above pleading with her if it meant she was going to be taken care of, leaving him with a clear conscience at the same time. I would feel better if I didn t have to worry about you alone here while I am gone. Carrie deflated a bit, and while it was clear she still didn t like it, in the end she nodded in defeat. All right. I don t like it, but I ll do it for you. Thank you, Jayden said, quickly planting a soft kiss on her cheek. When he pulled away, he caught her looking at him fondly, which made him smile some more. I ll go pack a few things, then, he said, smiling at her while he ran out of the room. On the way back downstairs, he ran into Mike, who had to wrap him up in a hug to keep them both from toppling down the stairs. Or maybe Mike would ve hugged him anyway, because the guy seemed to like being all over Love for Hire | Anna Marie May 124 everyone. There wasn t anything sexual about it; he simply seemed to thrive on body contact like some sort of hug vampire. Such a stupid thought had him almost laughing out loud, but by the time he had untangled himself from Mike, the urge had passed. Mike wasn t smiling; his usual cheery nature was notably absent. His dark eyes held unspoken questions. The uncharacteristically serious expression on his friend s face threw Jayden for a loop. Is the guy you re running away with the same guy who hurt you before? Mike asked. I don t know what you re talking about, Jayden deflected, but Mike shook his head, serious brown eyes holding him in place. You ve got a scar right there, Mike said, pointing toward where Jayden had gotten stabbed, and I ve seen you jump at loud noises. And then there are you nightmares& . How do you know? Mike smiled ruefully at him. I might come off as flighty, but I ve got eyes in my head. You don t want to talk about it, he continued. I can respect that, but I want you to know I m here for you should you ever need my help. Jayden blinked, unsure what to do with such a heartfelt speech, even though it warmed him to know Mike really cared about him. Thanks, he settled on saying, smiling sweetly at the man. And if he hurts you again& , Mike threatened, letting his voice trail off at the end, leaving Jayden to fill in the blanks. Love for Hire | Anna Marie May 125 He had heard the speech often enough in movies where the good friend threatened the new boyfriend, but he never thought he would ever have someone in his life who would look out for him that way. It meant a lot, even though he couldn t really put his feelings into words. So he reached out and patted Mike on the shoulder to convey the sentiment. The man must have understood, because he finally stepped aside. Have fun! he shouted, and when Jayden took a quick look back over his shoulder, he caught Mike wiggling his eyebrows suggestively at him. That was more like the Mike he had come to know, so he grinned, flipping him off before hurrying outside to his waiting lover. Love for Hire | Anna Marie May 126 Chapter Eight TAKE care. We ll miss you. Carrie s words were echoing in Jayden s mind as he bounced outside toward the limo and his boyfriend. He smiled weakly at Matt as he slid into the seat next to him, and he had barely sat down when the engine started. Obviously, Matt wasn t going to take any chances on him maybe changing his mind, but Jayden wasn t the type of person who didn t honor his commitments. This didn t mean that he wasn t afraid. The blood was pumping in his veins so quickly he could practically hear an ocean roaring inside his ears, but being slightly intimidated wasn t going to make him throw in the towel. He had come this far; he was going to see it through. Common sense was urging him to be cautious, to tread lightly here, but if he had never dared to put himself out there, then he would still be living at home with his abusive father. No, some risks, despite his fear, were worth being taken. A penny for your thoughts. Matt leaned in, surprising Jayden by kissing him sweetly on the nose. His nose twitched from the unexpected gesture, and he couldn t resist raising a finger, gently touching the spot where Matt s lips had been moments before. Just wondering where we re going, is all, he said lazily, but something in Matt s blue eyes told him the man wasn t fooled. Love for Hire | Anna Marie May 127 I ve got a beach house not too far from here, Matt answered. Just sit back and relax. We should be there in under two hours. The beach? Jayden said faintly, barely contained excitement flickering over his face. He had never been to the beach and had always wanted to go there and to see the sea, and, well, to say he was happy and excited now that it was really going to happen would have been an understatement. You ll like it, Matt went on. It s in a quiet and secluded space, so we re going to have all the privacy we want. Sounds great, Jayden said enthusiastically, a bright smile on his handsome face. He sent Matt a quick glance when the man reached out for his hand, entwining their fingers, and his only response was to shift closer, pressing his body against him. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
Odnośniki
|