Betrayed by Love (2 page)

“I’m sure you do. I’m so sorry I missed their birthday.”

“Me too, but I’m just glad you’re finally here.”

 
I glanced around.
 
“I’m surprised you didn’t bring them with you.”

She grimaced.
―
I would have, but they‘re spendin
g three weeks in Florida with Jarrod‘s daughter, Mollie. She has a seven–year old daughter, Lillie, who loves to play big sister to the twins. They‘ve only been gone two days and I already miss them,” she said as we went to collect my luggage.

Okay, call me old–fashioned, but I thought forty–five was a little young to have a seven–year–old granddaughter.

Jen glanced at me, saw the look on my face, and laughed.
 
“Jarrod’s granddaughter Lillie is adopted.”

“Oh. And how old is his daughter, Mollie? You did say Jarrod’s forty–five. Didn’t you?”

She laughed again. “Yes. He’s the sexiest, sweetest, and most–considerate forty five year–old ever.”

I smiled, while privately thinking that she had it really bad. Jarrod was average at best. It still amazed me that Jen had given up an opportunity to meet and marry Mr. Tall, Dark, and Ebony to marry him so soon after meeting him.

“As you must have guessed, he was twenty when Mollie was born. And Lillie is actually the niece of Mollie’s hubby, who is ten years older than she is. When Lillie’s parents died, Mollie and her husband, Tim adopted her.”

I widened my smile, hoping my eyes weren’t glazing over.

Jen grinned. “Too much information?”

I gave her a wide–eyed look. “I didn’t say that.”

Jen laughed. “You didn’t have to.”

“There’s my luggage,” I said, heading toward the luggage carousel.

Jen grimaced when she lifted one of my suitcases. “What’s in here? All your wealth?”

I shrugged. “Sue me, I come bearing gifts for the twins, you, and Jarrod.”

She grinned. “I knew there was a reason I was so fond of you.”

I laughed.

We spent the hour–long drive to her house catching up on each other’s latest news.

“What do you think?” she asked as she parked her car in the driveway of a large two–story single family home in a quiet, tree–lined cul–de–sac.

“It looks perfect. You know I like big houses,” I reminded her.

She glanced at the empty parking space adjoining hers and frowned. “Jarrod must have had to make a quick run. Let’s go in.”

We carried my bags inside. The foyer was large with a lovely gilded mirror above an antique table. I glanced around. “Lovely.”

Jen smiled. “Thanks. Do you want to change?”

I’d traveled in a pair of comfortable sweats and preferred a long soak later to a quick shower now. I shook my head. “Not at the moment.”

“Great. We’ll leave the bags here in the foyer and Jarrod will take them up to your room when he gets home.”

I glanced around again and linked my arm through hers. “Tour?”

“I thought you’ never ask.”

Forty minutes after the tour of the house, we were both seated on the reclining leather sofa in the family room relaxing when we heard a vehicle in the driveway.

Jen caught her breath and shot to her feet, her eyes shining. “Jarrod’s back. Excuse me.”

I watched in surprise as she ran from the room with all the eagerness of a new bride who’d been separated from her husband for months instead of a few hours. Several minutes later, she appeared in the doorway. A few strands of hair trailed around her face and she had the happy look of a woman who had been thoroughly kissed.

Behind her stood a tall, broad shouldered man with short brown hair, liberally sprinkled with gray at the temples. As he followed Jen into the room, I noted that he had a friendly smile and seemed very fit.

Okay. He had an interesting face and a very nice pair of shoulders. Clearly he was capable of generating a second look, but I couldn’t see anything about him that would account for Jen saying she’d fallen in love with him at first sight. If I were going to fall for a white man, he’d be a hard–bodied hunk who reeked of sex appeal and was at least fifteen years younger than this Jarrod, and had dark hair and eyes and a very distinct tan. And, he sure as hell would not be a divorced grandfather.

Jen turned to slip her arm around his waist, smiling briefly up at him before she tore her gaze away from his long enough to introduce us. “Lin, this is Jarrod. Jarrod, this is Linea Hills. You’ve heard me talk about her.”

He nodded. “Yes. I have. It’s nice to finally meet you.” He stepped around Jen and extended his hand.

I smiled, stood up, looked up into the warmest, smiling brown eyes I’d ever seen, and fell instantly in love. At least, I decided later that’s what had happened to me. At the time, I was just aware of my heart hammering, trying to swallow a sudden lump in my throat, and struggling to keep my knees from knocking. In that instance, I completely understood how Jen had fallen so hard for him so quickly. He had an undeniable magnetism that seemed to reach out and wrap itself around my pounding heart.

When I placed my hand in his, I felt this incredible electric jolt sizzle all through me—from the top of my head, which felt as if it were about to explode, down to the tips of my toes. I felt warm all over—even as a chill danced down my spine.

I’d never felt anything like that before. For a moment, after he’d released my hand, I saw his lips moving, but I couldn’t hear because of the roaring in my ears. Then I gave myself a mental shake and forced myself to concentrate on what he was saying.

“…delighted you’re here at last.”

I blinked. What had I missed? I cast a quick, guilty look at Jen, pasted a smile on my own face, and turned back to look at Jarrod. “Well…it’s great to finally be here…” And meet you. I think.

Jen leaned against him. “We left Lin’s bags in the hall, hon.”

The slow, intimate smile he turned on her, sent a jealous wave washing over me. “I’m on it.” He nodded at me and left the room.

It was all I could do not to turn and stare after him. I sank back onto the sofa, the muscles in my stomach knotting up.

Jen sat beside me. “So?”

“So?” I blinked. “So what?”

She nudged me. “Oh, come on. So what do you think of my Jarrod?”

How could I answer that? Even though I hadn’t quite figured out at that point that I’d fallen for my best friend’s hubby, I knew I had the hots for him—big time. And that was a no–no. I could hardly lament to her the fact that my biggest problem with him was that he was her Jarrod.

“Lin? What’s wrong? Why are you looking like that? Did you suddenly remember you left your range on or something?”

I forced a smile to my face while struggling to come up with something innocent to say. I couldn’t very well admit that I felt as if a bolt of lightning had hit me the moment Jarrod engulfed my hand in his. The thought of him touching other, more sensitive parts of me…No! Stop, it, Jen. Do not go there! “I…I…”

She nodded, grinning. “He does kind of take your breath away. Doesn’t he?”

I stared at her, my cheeks burning.

She went on. “The first time Jarrod and I met, I felt as if I’d been struck by lightning.” Her grin turned into a satisfied smile. “He said he felt the same way. We both knew right away we were in love. We ended up in bed on our first date.”

I thought it better not to point out that such impulsive behavior had probably contributed to her past hurts.

She sighed. “Making love with him was the most incredible experience of my life. It was only topped by having the twins.”
  

Still unnerved by my reaction to Jarrod, I spoke without thinking. “He…he seems very…”

 
“What?”

 
“Ah…exciting…” I admitted.

Her smile wavered and her eyes widened. “You agree with me?”

Oh, hell! What now? I moistened my lips and decided to be semi–truthful. “Now that I’ve finally met him, I can see where the twins get the other half of their good looks.”

Her shoulders relaxed. Her smile returned. “Our babies are gorgeous. Aren’t they?”

I nodded. “Yes, they are.”

Of course she viewed that admission as an invitation to whip out a photo album. We spent the next half hour talking about the twins. I didn’t mind because she really loved talking about them and it gave me time to regroup. By the time Jarrod returned to the living room, I felt better able to pretend that just the sight of him didn’t rock my world on its axis.

I was painfully aware of everything about him from the sound of his warm voice to the sexy way he walked. His slow smile aroused me, as did the way his thigh muscles rippled when he walked. But even under the lust eating me up, I couldn’t help appreciating the adoring look in his eyes whenever he looked at Jen. Damn but she was one lucky woman.

While I was happy for her, I knew it was going to be a very long two weeks. I sighed. I had to come up with a valid excuse to leave early.

Lying in bed later that night, each time I closed my eyes I imagined Jarrod making love to Jen and wished it was me. I bolted up in the dark bedroom, shaking. I sat on the side of the bed, hugging myself as if that would chase away the desire for Jen’s man. Jen’s man. She’d finally met a decent man who made her happy. As one of her oldest friends, her best friend, I needed to be happy for her—not jealous of her.

After all her past hurts, she deserved to be happy. I would be happy for her. I turned on the light and got up. Moving across the room to the vanity, I stared at my reflection.

A pair of dark eyes, full of lustful need and defiance stared back at me. I think that’s when I knew I wasn’t nearly as nice as I’d always given myself credit for being. There was a nasty, jealous streak in me that I’d never known I possessed. I didn’t like or trust that part of myself to do the right thing. I needed to get back to L.A. ASAP before I did something I’d regret for which Jen could never forgive me.