Riding the Storm (22 page)

Read Riding the Storm Online

Authors: Brenda Jackson

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

his
dark
eyes.
She
also
saw
the
impressive
shape
of
his

lips
and
his
well-toned,
broad
chest
that
was
sprinkled
with
dark
curly
hair.
And
it
wasn’t
helping
matters
that
they
were
both
naked
in
bed,
with
him
leaning
on
his
elbow
and

looming
over
her.
She
closed
her
eyes
and
shook
her

head.
The
man
was
too
handsome
for
his
own
good…or
for
hers.

“Tell
me,”
he
whispered,
then
leaned
down
and
placed
a

soft
kiss
on
her
bare
shoulder.
“Tell
me
why,
in
this
day
and
age,
a
twenty-six
year
old
woman
would
still
be
a
virgin.”

She
met
his
gaze.
“Because
women
in
this
day
and
age

have
choices,”
she
said
slowly,
then
asked.
“Have
you
ever
taken
a
love
compatibility
quiz?”

Storm
arched
his
brow.
“A
what?”

She
smiled
at
the
confused
look
on
his
face.
“A
love

compatibility
quiz.
There’s
a
site
on
the
Internet
where
you
can
go
and
take
this
quiz
if
you’re
looking
for
Mr.
or
Miss

Right.
Well,
after
a
few
dates
with
losers—men
who
lacked
confidence
but
had
plenty
of
arrogance
and
who
also
acted
as
if
it
was
a
foregone
conclusion
that
our
date
would
end
in
my
bed—I
decided
to
take
the
quiz
and
my
results

indicated
that
my
Mr.
Right
didn’t
exist.”

Storm
frowned
down
at
her.
Would
he
ever
understand
women?
“You’ve
been
avoiding
a
serious
relationship

because
of
some
quiz?”

“Pretty
much…yes.
I
discovered
like
oil
and
water,
me
and
relationships
don’t
mix
because
I
have
a
low
tolerance

when
it
comes
to
men
who
expect
too
much
too
soon.”

It
took
Storm
a
minute
to
analyze
everything
she’d
said.
“What
about
those
guys
you
dated
off
the
Internet?”

Jayla
released
a
single,
self-deprecating
chuckle.
“That

was
my
way
of
trying
to
prove
the
quiz
wrong.
From
then
on,
I
never
wasted
my
time
going
on
a
guy
hunt.”

“But…but
didn’t
you
date
in
college?”
Storm
sputtered.
Why
hadn’t
her
going
off
to
college
assured
her
returning
to
town
with
her
hymen
no
longer
intact?

She
smiled
again,
a
bit
sadly
this
time.
“Yes,
but

unfortunately,
not
long
after
I
got
there
I
met
a
guy
name
Tyrone
Pembroke.”

“What
happened?
He
broke
your
heart?”

She
chuckled
derisively.
“On
the
contrary.
Actually
he
did
me
a
favor
by
showing
me
just
what
jerks
some
guys
were.
He
opened
my
eyes
to
the
games
they
played,
games
I

wasn’t
interested
in.
After
Ty,
I
made
it
a
point
not
to
get

serious
about
any
one
guy
and
since
I
wasn’t
into
casual

sex,
I
never
felt
pressured
into
sleeping
with
anyone.”

Storm
nodded.
“So
why
now
and
why
with
me?

To
Jayla’s
way
of
thinking,
that
was
an
easy
question.

“Because
of
timing.
I
know
you
and
I
like
you.
I
also
know
your
position
on
relationships.
I’m
not
looking
for
anything
beyond
what
we
shared
tonight
and
neither
are
you,
right?”

Storm
held
her
gaze.
“Right.”
The
last
thing
he
needed
was
a
clingy
woman
who
wanted
to
occupy
his
time.
Still,

although
he
didn’t
want
to
feel
it,
he
felt
a
special

connection
to
Jayla
since
he
had
been
her
first.
He
couldn’t
recall
ever
taking
a
woman’s
virginity
before.

“Now
that
I’ve
answered
your
question,
do
you
think
I
can
get
some
sleep?
I’m
exhausted.”
Jayla
asked
softly.

Storm
glanced
down
at
her.
Was
she
dismissing
him?
“Do
you
want
me
to
leave?”

She
smiled.
“Actually…”
she
began,
as
she
snuggled
closer
to
him.
“I
was
hoping
you’d
want
to
stay
all
night.”

A
grin
spread
across
Storm’s
lips.
Hell,
yeah,
he
wanted
to
stay
all
night.
“I
think
that
can
be
arranged,”
he
told
her
as
he
leaned
down
and
placed
a
kiss
on
her
lips.
“Excuse
me
for
a
second
while
I
go
into
the
bathroom
to
take
care
of

something.
I’ll
be
right
back.”

“All
right.”

There
was
just
enough
light
in
the
darkened
room
to
let

Jayla
admire
Storm’s
nude
form
as
he
crossed
the
room
to
the
bathroom.
She
inhaled
deeply
as
heated
sensations

shot
through
her.
He’d
been
the
perfect
lover.
He
was

confident,
secure
in
who
he
was,
but
not
arrogant.
She
felt
tired
and
yet
exhilarated
at
the
same
time.
Slightly
sore,
but
still
smoldering
from
his
lovemaking.
Funny
how
things

worked
out.
Storm
was
the
man
she’d
been
trying
to
get
to
notice
her
since
the
time
she
had
started
noticing
boys.

She
was
beginning
to
believe
the
cliché
that
good
things

came
to
those
who
wait.
Now
timing
had
not
only
finally

worked
for
them,
it
was
working
against
them
as
well.
At

any
other
time,
she
would
have
loved
to
take
what
she’d

shared
with
Storm
tonight
to
a
whole
other
level,
but
not

now.
What
she
had
needed
was
him
out
of
her
system
so
she
could
focus
on
the
baby.

Her
baby.

“I’m
back.”

Her
nipples
peaked
in
instant
response
to
his
words.
She
watched
as
he
made
a
casual
stroll
over
to
the
bed,
totally
at
ease
with
his
naked
state.
Seeing
him
that
way
stirred
up
desires
within
her
again
and
she
no
longer
felt
as
tired
as
she
had
earlier.

“Do
you
want
me
to
prepare
you
some
bath
water
to
soak
in
for
a
while
before
you
go
off
to
sleep?”
he
asked
coming

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