Riding the Storm (53 page)

Read Riding the Storm Online

Authors: Brenda Jackson

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

“Because
you,
Jayla
Cole,
were
off
the
charts.”
He
watched
her
smile
widen,
evidently
pleased
with
herself.
Then
he

added,
“And
it
had
nothing
to
do
with
you
being
a
virgin,
but
had
everything
to
do
with
the
fact
that
you
are
a
very

passionate
woman.”

He
tilted
his
head
and
said,
“It
also
had
a
lot
to
do
with
the
fact
that
the
two
of
us
are
good
together.
We
click.
When

we
make
love,
I
feel
a
connection
with
you
that
I’ve
never
felt
with
another
woman.”
What
he
didn’t
add
was
that
when
he
made
love
to
her,
he
felt
as
if
they
were
made
for
each

other.

“Wow,
that’s
deep,
Storm,”
she
said
regarding
him
seriously.

He
sighed
as
he
nodded.
“Yeah,
it
is
deep
and
that’s
why
I’d
like
for
us
to
continue
to
see
each
other.”

Jayla
inhaled.
She
would
like
to
continue
to
see
him,
too,
but
she
knew
that
wouldn’t
be
a
wise
thing
to
do.
In
less

than
a
month,
she
would
be
getting
inseminated
and

hopefully
soon
after
that,
she
would
become
pregnant.
The
last
thing
she
needed
was
to
get
involved
with
anyone,

especially
Storm,
no
matter
how
tempting
the
thought
was.

“Jayla?”

She
met
his
gaze.
“I
don’t
think
that
would
be
a
good
idea,
Storm.
This
new
project
will
take
up
a
lot
of
my
time,
and
I

won’t
have
time
for
a
relationship.”

He
considered
her
words.
He
was
still
curious
as
to
what
kind
of
project
she
would
be
working
on.
He
had
asked
her
about
it
in
New
Orleans
and
she
had
danced
around
an

answer.
The
only
thing
he
could
come
up
with
was
that
it

involved
her
job,
perhaps
a
confidential,
top-secret

assignment.
“And
there’s
no
way
we
can
work
around
this
project?”

“No.”

Her
response
had
been
quick.
Definite.
“When
will
you
start?”

She
shrugged.
She
would
have
her
physical
next
Friday
and
then
hopefully
within
three
weeks
after
that,
she
would
go
in
to
have
the
procedure
done.
“Possibly
within
a

month.”

He
met
her
gaze
levelly.
“Is
there
any
reason
we
can’t

continue
to
see
each
other
until
then?”
Slowly,
he
raised
her
hand
to
his
lips
and
kissed
it.

Jayla
swallowed
and
knew
what
she
should
say.
She

should
tell
him
yes,
there
were
plenty
of
reasons
why
they
couldn’t
continue
to
see
each
other
for
the
next
month,
but
for
some
reason
she
couldn’t
get
the
words
out.
What

Storm
had
said
earlier
was
true.
They
were
good
together.
They
clicked
and
they
connected.
And
deep
down,
a
part
of

her
felt
she
needed
this
time
with
him.
Afterwards,
at
least
she
would
have
her
memories
of
their
time
together.

“No,
there’s
no
reason,”
she
finally
said.
“But
you
will
have
to
promise
me
something,
Storm.”

He
kissed
her
hand
again
before
asking.
“What?”

“When
I
say
it’s
over,
then
it’s
over.
You
won’t
drop
by
and
you
won’t
call.”

He
shook
his
head.
“I
can’t
agree
to
that,
Jayla.
I
promised
your
father
that
I
would
periodically
check
on
you
and—”

“I’m
not
talking
about
that,
Storm.
I’m
taking
about
you
dropping
by
or
calling
with
the
intention
of
us
becoming
involved
again.
You
have
to
promise
me
when
I
say
it’s
over,
that
it
will
be
over.
No
questions
asked.”

Storm
stared
at
her
for
a
long
moment
as
emotions

tumbled
inside
of
him.
They
were
feelings
he
didn’t

understand,
but
he
knew
that
no
matter
what,
things
would
never
be
over
between
them,
project
or
no
project.
He

would
see
to
it.

“All
right,”
he
agreed.
“You’ll
be
calling
the
shots
and
I’ll
abide
by
your
wishes.”

“Hey,
Storm,
are
you
in
this
game
or
not?”

Storm
glanced
over
at
Thorn
and
frowned.
“Yes,
I’m
in.”

“Well,
keep
your
mind
on
the
game.
You’re
daydreaming
again.”

Storm’s
frown
deepened.
“Yeah,
whatever.”
He
glanced
across
the
table
at
his
four
brothers
who
had
smirks
on
their
faces.
“What’s
so
funny?”

It
was
the
oldest
brother,
Dare,
who
answered.
“Word’s
out
on
the
streets
that
some
woman
has
finally
caught
the
eye
of
the
Storm.
I
pulled
old
man
Johnson
over
the
other
day

for
running
a
Stop
sign,
and
he
said
that
he’d
heard
you

were
so
besotted
with
some
gal
that
you
can’t
pee
straight.”

When
Storm
narrowed
his
eyes,
Dare
held
up
his
hand.
“Hey,
those
were
Mr.
Johnson’s
words,
not
mine.”

Chase
chuckled.
“And
I’ve
heard
that
you’re
sending
so

many
flowers
to
this
woman
that
the
money
Coleman
Florist
is
making
off
you
is
the
reason
Mrs.
Luanne
has
that
new

swing
on
her
front
porch.”

“And
I
heard,”
Stone
piped
in,
as
a
huge
smile
touched
his
lips,
“that
you’ve
been
seen
all
over
Atlanta
with
her
and
that
she’s
a
beauty.
Funny
that
we
haven’t
met
her
yet.”

Thorn
added,
“Hey,
Storm,
what
happened
to
your
‘love

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