An Irresistible Bachelor(55)

And what if she really fell for Gray, then what? The guy had quite a way with the ladies. His string of successes was almost as legendary as Jack's own. And so were the man's infidelities.

Christ, maybe he should have set her up with someone else. like Charlie Feldman, his tax attorney, who was practically a eunuch.

"Just be careful," Jack said, thinking he'd kill Gray if he hurt her.

Callie cocked her head to one side and narrowed her eyes. "You're insane, you know that? You set me up with one of your friends and then tell me to watch myself? If he's that notorious, why did you introduce him to me?"

"I just don't want you to get hurt. Gray can be a heartbreak."

"Something you know all about," she muttered and started walking again.

Jack cursed, wishing he had a leg to stand on, and quickly closed the distance between them. "Does that make you feel good? Getting that little dig in?"

"Not really. I hate the reminder of what you are as much as you obviously do. And at this moment, I wish you hadn't introduced me to Gray at all."

Funny, he felt exactly the same way.

Jack gritted his teeth. "What's so offensive about me trying to set you up? "

Aside from the fact that he might have to watch romance bloom between a woman he wanted badly and his best friend. Oh, joy.

"What you did is not the problem. It's how you're acting now."



"You think offering you some sound advice is wrong?"

She stopped again and confronted him. "I think you're being possessive, not helpful."

Which was, of course, precisely what he was doing.

"And it makes me wonder," she continued, "where your head is at. You have someone in your life. Why do you care what I do or do not do with Gray Bennett?"

Because he was clearly out of his goddamn mind, Jack thought.

"This isn't about me," he said.

"That's where you're wrong. "She jabbed her finger at him. "This is very much about you. You've got a serious problem with that engagement of yours if you're acting jealous toward someone else."

She marched over to the house and wrenched open the back door. He was tight on her heels going into the kitchen.

"Will you slow down for a minute?" he demanded.

"I'm going to bed. Thanks for a really weird evening, Jack."

"Callie, for Christ's sake—”

She swung around, eyes flashing with anger while she interrupted him. "That's enough. I can't take anymore right now. Tomorrow, who knows? Maybe you can scare up someone else to try and pair me off with and then we can go through this stupid dance again. At least we'll both have practiced the steps once."

"Tomorrow I'm going to New York."

She fell silent.

"To see Blair?"

He nodded slowly.



She lifted her chin.

"Well, have a great time. I'm sure the two of you have a lot to catch up on, although I have to wonder whether any of it will have to do with me." She laughed harshly. "Christ, I can't believe this is happening. I'm someone's dirty little secret again."

Jack frowned. Again?

Her hand sliced through the air as she cut him off. "Never mind. It's none of my business. Just like whatever happens between Gray and me is none of yours."

She left the kitchen, her mane of hair swinging from side to side as she rushed away.





Chapter 13





Feeling positively foul, Jack went into his study, poured himself a bourbon, and sat down.

Well, that went well. Callie was pissed off and he was drinking alone.

If he continued to run his his this smoothly, he'd have no business making doughnuts, much less being governor of a state.

He turned his chair to face the windows, kicked his legs out in front of him, and watched the moonlight filtering through the trees. The branches waving in a soft wind cast milling shadows on the lawn, but the peacefulness of the scene did nothing to lighten his mood.

She was right. He was jealous when he had no right to be.

Worse, though, was that regardless of his relationship with Blair, and in spite of his harebrained attempt to put an arbitrary barrier in his own way, he was chasing after Callie. And he didn't think he was going to stop until he had her.

"Holy hell," he muttered, resting the bourbon on his thigh and letting his head fall back. He stared at the ornate, painted ceiling above him until the cherubim and the clouds blurred.