Riding the Storm (12 page)

Read Riding the Storm Online

Authors: Brenda Jackson

Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #Contemporary, #Arts&Photography

something
I
definitely
don’t
need
after
having
Adam
Cole
for
a
father.
I
didn’t
start
dating
until
I
was
seventeen,
and
I
wasn’t
allowed
to
do
sleepovers
at
my
friends’
homes.”

Storm
frowned.
“There
was
nothing
wrong
with
your
father
wanting
to
protect
you,
Jayla.
I’m
sure
it
wasn’t
easy
for
a
single
man
to
raise
a
daughter,
especially
one
as
spirited
and
defiant
as
I’d
heard
you
could
be
at
times.”

Jayla
shrugged.
“Well,
whatever.
You
wanted
to
know
the

reasons
I’d
given
up
on
men
and
I’ve
just
told
you
why
I

don’t
date
anymore.
I
figured
what
the
hell,
why
bother.
Men
are
too
much
trouble.”

The
eyes
that
were
gazing
up
at
him
were
big,
round,
sexy
and
serious.
He
shook
his
head.
To
tell
the
truth,
he’d
often
thought
women
were
too
much
trouble,
too,
but
at
no
time
had
he
considered
giving
them
up.
“I
don’t
think
you
should
write
men
off
completely.”

The
jazz
band
that
had
taken
a
break
earlier
started
back
up
again
and
conversation
between
him
and
Jayla
ended.
While
she
became
absorbed
in
the
musicians,
he
sat
back
and
studied
her
for
a
long
time.
Being
concerned
about
his
late
mentor’s
bratty
daughter
meant
he
was
a
good
friend
and
not
a
jealous
suitor
as
she’d
claimed.
He
never
cared
enough
about
a
woman
to
become
jealous
and
Jayla
Cole
was
no
exception…or
was
she?

Jayla
sipped
her
drink
and
half
listened
to
the
musicians
who
were
performing
a
very
jazzy
tune.
Of
course
she
had
recognized
Storm’s
concern
as
a
protective
gesture
but
still,
she
couldn’t
resist
ribbing
him
about
being
jealous.

He
was
so
easy
to
tease.
Charming,
gorgeous
and
sexy
as
sin.
But
what
she’d
told
him
had
been
the
truth.
She
had

basically
written
men
off.
That’s
why
she
had
decided
to

use
the
fertility
clinic
instead
of
a
live
donor.

She
had
made
up
in
her
mind
that
marriage
wasn’t
for
her.
She
enjoyed
her
independence
too
much
to
have
to
answer
to
anyone,
and
men
had
a
way
looking
at
their
wives
as

possessions
instead
of
partners,
a
lover
for
life,
his
other

half
and
his
soul
mate.
Her
time
and
concentration
would

be
focused
on
having
her
baby
and
raising
it.
Then
later,
if
she
did
meet
someone
who
met
her
qualifications,
he

would
have
to
take
the
total
package—her
and
her
child.

She
glanced
over
at
Storm
and
saw
his
full
attention
was
focused
on
the
musicians.
There
was
a
dark
scowl
on
his
face
and
she
wondered
if
he
was
still
thinking
about
her
and
the
Internet
man.

Running
into
him
in
New
Orleans
was
definitely
an

unexpected
treat.
She
decided
to
enjoy
the
opportunity

while
it
lasted.
So
far,
their
day
together
had
been
so
much

fun…at
least
for
half
the
time.
The
other
half
of
their
time
together
she’d
been
too
busy
fighting
her
attraction
to
him
to
really
enjoy
herself.
He
was
no
different
from
the
other
men
she
had
dated—possibly
even
worse—but
that
didn’t
stop
that
slow
sizzle
from
moving
through
her
body

whenever
he
looked
at
her.

A
part
of
her
couldn’t
help
but
wonder
if
all
the
things
she’d
heard
about
him
were
fact
or
myth.

“The
riverboat
has
returned
to
dock,
Jayla.”

His
words,
spoken
low
and
in
a
husky
tone,
intruded
into
her
thoughts.
She
glanced
around
and
saw
that
the

riverboat
had
returned
to
the
Toulouse
Street
Wharf.
“We
returned
sooner
than
I
thought
we
would,”
she
said,
forcing
down
the
lump
of
disappointment
that
suddenly
appeared
in
her
throat.

“We’ve
been
cruising
the
Mississippi
for
over
three
hours,”
he
said,
returning
the
irrepressible
smile
that
had
recently
vanished
from
his
lips.
“Don’t
you
think
it’s
time
we
got

back?”

She
shrugged,
wondering
if
he’d
gotten
bored
with
her
already.
Without
saying
a
word,
she
stood
and
began
gathering
up
the
debris
from
their
meal.
He
reached
out
and
stopped
her.
She
looked
up
and
met
his
gaze.

“I’m
not
one
of
those
men
who
expects
a
woman
to
clean

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