A Reclusive Heart (Hollywood Hearts #2)(27)

She really didn’t want him. She wanted a stranger and that was not the reason why he surged to his feet and suddenly found himself glaring down at her. It wasn’t. He was concerned for her because she was doing something stupid. That was all.

“Are you out of your f**king mind?” he snapped, grabbing her by her arms and giving her a rough shake. “Do you have any idea what could happen to you by going around and letting some guy f**k you?”

She winced, from his crude words or the tiny shakes he was giving her he didn’t know or care. Didn’t she realize she could catch something? Get pregnant? Or worse, go home with some ass**le that got his thrills by beating the shit out of women? Didn’t she realize how stupid this was?

“T-that’s why I was doing research, you jerk!” she snapped back, surprising them both by the expression on her face. “I don’t know anything about sex and have no one I can ask!” she said, getting good and mad as she pulled her arms back only to give him a good shove.

“I’m sick of not knowing! I want to have sex! I want to know what it feels like to be with a man and if I want to have sex with a thousand men then that’s my business, buddy!” she said, giving him a good shove. “And if you don’t like it then……then……then that’s too darn bad!” she said, giving him a final shove that knocked him back onto his ass on the edge of the bed.

She turned to grab her computer and storm off when he found himself saying something he knew he’d regret. “I’ll teach you.”

Chapter 11

Was it possible to die from mortification? Jamie was pretty sure she was about to find out. Did he just offer her sympathy sex? Admittedly she didn’t know much about sex, but she didn’t think she wanted some guy ha**ng s*x with her because he felt bad for her.

She wanted what the heroines in her books got from their men, blinding passion and desire. She wanted a man who couldn’t keep his hands off of her, not a man who was willing to take one for the team.

“Um,” she cleared her throat uncomfortably, “no thanks. I’ll just stick to videos and books.”

His eyes narrowed on her as he got to his feet. “I meant,” he bit out tightly, “that I’d help you, not that I would sleep with you, Jamie.”

“Oh………,” she said, thinking it over before asking, “Why?”

“Why what?” he snapped, looking agitated as he walked over to her computer to check something.

“Why do you care?”

“I need you healthy and whole to do this tour, Jamie,” he explained, keeping it short and sweet, but she got the point. He was only offering to help her for his job, not because he cared. It was foolish, but she couldn’t help but feel a little hurt and disappointed that he didn’t care.

Maybe that was for the best, she decided. If they kept a professional distance she’d feel more comfortable about asking him questions. If they were friends she’d feel a little awkward and embarrassed with some of the questions that she was dying to ask.

“Okay, where do we start,” she asked brightly, ignoring his scowl as he gestured for her to sit on the couch.

Trying to hide her nerves, she quickly sat down, at the far corner of the small sofa. Nick sent her a questioning look, but said nothing as he turned the television on and went to the pay-per-view menu. When he scrolled down a list of titles that could only belong to adult movies she gasped and lunged for the remote.

“What the heck are you doing?” she demanded as she did her best to steal the remote away from him before he could do something that would embarrass them both.

“I’m helping you go through your list,” he said, holding the remote just out of reach as he selected a movie.

“Oh my god!” she gasped. “They’ll know!”

“Who?” he asked, frowning.

“Everyone!”

“That I watched a skin flick?” he asked, frowning.

“Yes!” she hissed as she shot a nervous look at the door, half expecting someone to break down the door to yell at them.

“No one’s going to care as long as I pay for it and besides, no one will know you watched it, Jamie. This isn’t your room,” he pointed out.

“Oh,” she mumbled, thinking it over and realizing that he was right. As long as no one said anything no one would have to know that she’d watched this with him. Maybe it would be for the best to have him help her with this, just the learning and asking questions part. For the rest she’d find a willing man who wanted her, which she hoped wouldn’t be too difficult because she was really ready to have sex soon.

Well, if they were going to do this then they needed to do it right, she thought as she rushed out of the room.

“Where are you going?”

“To get my notebook!” she yelled over her shoulder as she opened the door and ran out.

“You’re kidding, right?”

******

Nick shot a look over at his little recluse as she scribbled something else down on her notebook and couldn’t help but sigh. She hadn’t been kidding after all.

Fifteen minutes into the movie and the woman hadn’t stopped writing for more than a second.

“Doesn’t that hurt?” she suddenly asked.

He followed her gaze to the television and nearly groaned when he realized what she was asking. “No, it doesn’t,” he said tightly, shifting on the couch, again, which sadly had nothing to do with the brunette giving head in the movie and everything to do with the little recluse sitting by his side taking notes.