Jared (The Protectors #2)(29)

“Give me that.” She hissed practically laying across the table to make a grab scattering bills and papers everywhere, but he held it just out of reach shaking his head as he flipped through the pages as his grin grew wider.

Struggling off the table she rushed around grabbing for the copy, but he managed to stay on the damn phone and still keep her from grabbing the book. Straddling his legs when he lifted it over and behind his head she finally got hold of it and was surprised when he let go easily. Glancing down she realized why. Her breasts were right smack in his face. Pushing off him she stumbled backwards and would have fallen flat on her ass if not for his fast reflexes.

“Sid I’m going to have to get back to ya.” He clicked his phone closed on the last word with a snap.

Tessa held the book close to her chest. “It’s research.” She jiggled the book like he didn’t know what she was talking about.

One sexy eyebrow shot up, his eyes darkening as they ran down her body before roaming back to her eyes. “Research…huh?”

“Yeah.” Tessa nodded totally lying. She was a big reader and loved the paranormal genre. She’d bet her last dollar those authors were pretty freakin shocked at how dead on some of their books were when vampires actually came out of the woodwork. Yeah, would have definitely liked to have been a fly on their wall.

“Well honey, you can research me anytime you damn well please.” He smiled that sexy smile of his showing a dimple in his left cheek she never noticed before. She was a sucker for a dimple….dammit.

“Not that kind of research.” She replied looking away as her mind screamed liar.

Those weren’t exactly the words he wanted to hear, but he didn’t let his disappointment show. “Why don’t you tell me what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours.”

“What do you mean?” Tessa frowned.

“Why the sudden change of….” Jared paused with a cocked eyebrow. “mood.”

Tessa’s face flamed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” When he cocked his eyebrow she came clean. She knew exactly what he was talking about. “It was just a kiss.” Tessa huffed the lie. If it was just a kiss why in the hell was her body still burning for him?

His smile disappeared as he stood quickly stalking toward her. “Just a kiss?” His voice was low with warning as he slowly backed her into the wall. “Sweetheart, if you could have crawled inside me you would have and I would have opened wide for you. That was not just a kiss.”

“Then what was it?” Tessa’s head met the wall stopping her instantly.

“It’s was a hot, sexy preview of what’s to come.” Jared placed both hands on each side of her head as he leaned the side of his face next to her ear deeply breathing her scent. “I will taste those sweet lips again and I will see every inch of that lush body as I’m making love to it with my tongue.”

Tessa trembled at the husky timber of his voice so close to her ear. “Uh….” Tessa swallowed hard not really having a comeback for that.

Jared chuckled nipping her earlobe. “Tell me you don’t want me Tessa.”

Tilting her head so he could have easier access a low moan escaped her lips. “It’s not that.” Her reply was whispered, eyes closed in pure bliss as his lips skimmed down her neck.

“Then what is it?” His lips left her and he grinned when she moaned again, this time in disappointment.

Her eyes opened slowly to find him staring intently as if wanting to really hear what she had to say. No man had ever showed her this much attention, it was quite unnerving, in a good way.  “I just know what kind of women you’ve been with and I don’t want to be compared.”

Her honesty surprised him, he respected her for it, but it also pissed him off. “Not to sound too much like a son of a bitch, but you have no idea what kind of women I’ve been with. I don’t compare women against each other because each woman is different in so many ways. All women are beautiful no matter their age, hair color, beliefs…..” He glanced down her body. “or package. That’s what makes a woman special.”

“But men always….” Tessa started, but he stopped her with a finger against her lips.

“You don’t want to be compared to other women so you will understand that I don’t want to be compared to other men.” Jared replied, his eyebrows slanted low. “Not that it really matters, because I plan on making you forget every man you’ve ever known.”

If a human being could actually melt Tessa would be a puddle of goo at his feet. She was usually turned off by cockiness, but it was more confidence that he could and would do exactly what he said and didn’t that just make her toes curl. God, she was in big trouble. “I really don’t think I can do this Jared.”

“I don’t play games with women.” Jared tilted her face to his.

Tessa looked deep into his beautiful eyes hoping to find truth behind them. “I refuse to be used by any man.”

Jared stopped her turning her around. “He hurt you deeply.” It wasn’t a question, but an observation.

“Pretty much ripped my heart out.” She replied honestly pulling away. She turned to leave.

“I wouldn’t do that to you.” Jared replied meaning every word, never been more serious in his long life.