Sizzle (Bad Boy Rockers) (Volume 1)(29)

“Yeah.” I felt all choked up. Coughing and sitting further up in the chair I unsettled Thalia. She pulled away, sitting upright, avoiding eye contact with me. Was she embarrassed after being cuddled up next to me?

Reaching out, I took hold of her chin, bringing her face back around to mine. “Don’t be shy with me, not me.”

Smoothing my thumb around her chin and lower lip she inhaled and stuck her tongue out, licking the tip of my thumb.

I couldn’t do this to her. Yes, I wanted her more than anyone or anything I’d ever wanted, but I couldn’t carry on like I was with her while I still had a fiancée and wedding hanging over my head, it wouldn’t be fair. Shit, I was also forgetting that she was supposed to be Liam’s girl.

Her eyes fell when I moved away. “I can’t cross this line with you while I still have everything going on in my life, plus you’re my brother’s girl. Goddamn, I shouldn’t have even been holding you out here. I forgot all about Liam.”

“So did I,” she whispered.

“I’m not going to be around much. I need to keep my distance from you, because if I don’t, we’re both going to get hurt.”

Fuck, she looked upset.

“You’re right, Jack. I better go inside and get dressed.”

We both stood so I took her hand back into mine and squeezed, not wanting to let go. I didn’t release her hand until she disappeared inside.

Sitting down abruptly, I buried my face in my hands wanting to go after her. I wanted to keep her for myself.

I’d never been jealous of Liam before, even when I was taking everything that Mom and Dad threw at me to save him, I’d never been jealous of him...until now.

Yeah, Thalia had made me want something I never thought I’d have, but no matter what happened with her, I needed to talk to Mia to try and put a stop to everything. I should have done this a long time ago before everything started to get out of hand. I sure as hell wasn’t looking forward to it though. Mia could be rather dramatic when the occasion called for it, but, the fact was, I didn’t think the marriage was what Mia really wanted either.

Until everything was sorted, and maybe after for a short while, I would bunk with Donovan, because there was no way I could be so close to Thalia without searching her out.





Chapter 22


Thalia


––––––––

“Will you stop,” Liam practically shouted beside me sounding frustrated.

“Stop what?”

“You know damn well what. For the past two weeks since Jack moved in with Donovan, we can’t go anywhere without you looking around for him. We’ve been out to dinner a few times and you looked for him. Whenever we’ve been shopping, you looked for him. Thalia, it has to stop. Jack is marrying Mia in about four week’s time. Hell!”

He stomped off into the coffee shop while I perched on the window ledge outside, not having a clue how to reply to his outburst. What he said was true though. I wished that I could deny what he’d said, but I couldn’t. I’d missed Jack these past couple of weeks, since our early morning together on the porch.

I knew he was staying away from me because of his engagement and because he thought I was Liam’s girl. Part of me wished that I’d corrected him, but that wouldn’t have solved the engagement issue. It made me so jealous, thinking about Jack with Mia and what they were getting up to.

Liam had kept me busy by showing me the tourist things and the different towns we’d driven through had been great and helped to pass the time. He’d been good company and had stopped being a jerk after the first couple of days, much to my relief.

“Here.” Liam thrust my vanilla latte at me, apparently still in a huff.

“Look, I’m sorry okay. I didn’t know what I was doing until you pointed it out. I’ll stop doing it, if you’ll stop sulking.” I looked at him and watched a smile appear.

“I’ve stopped sulking, but I don’t think it will be as easy for you to stop looking for my brother.”

I frowned. Realistically I didn’t either.

“Thalia, I’m only thinking about you. You know that right? Yeah, I got pissed because when you’re with me, a guy, you can’t stop looking for him.”

“Liam...”

“I know there’s nothing happening between us like that, but it’s still hard on the male ego you know.”

He was so serious that I burst out laughing and, thank God, so did Liam.

He walked over sitting down beside me, nudging me with his shoulder. “I know he moved out because of you.”

I quickly met his eyes.

“He didn’t say anything. In fact, it was in passing. He just said he needed space before he did something he shouldn’t and I got the feeling he was referring to you.”

“I can’t explain my attraction to him. It’s more than lust.” I let out a sigh.

He choked. “I’d rather not know any details.”

“I feel drawn to him – a connection. Oh God, I sound like an idiot, right?”

“No. No you don’t. Just be careful, okay,” he answered.

“I will. Thank you for caring.”

“Come on, let’s walk to the lake, it’s not far from here.”