Riding the Storm (9 page)

Jayla
sighed
deeply
and
struggled
with
good
judgment
as
to
whether
to
ask
her
next
question.
Although
she
may
have
struggled
with
it,
curiosity
got
the
best
of
her.
She
couldn’t
help
but
ask,
“So,
did
I
make
the
cut?”

For
a
moment,
she
thought
he
would
not
answer.
Then
he
leaned
forward,
pulled
off
her
sunglasses
and
met
her

gaze.
“With
flying
colors,
Jayla
Cole.
I’m
a
hot-blooded
man
and
would
be
telling
a
lie
if
I
said
I
didn’t
find
you
attractive.
But
then,
on
the
other
hand,
I
have
to
respect
who
you’ll

always
be
to
me.”

“Adam’s
daughter?”

“Yes.”

Jayla
had
to
resist
grinding
her
teeth
in
frustration.
She

doubted
he
realized
that
he’d
hit
a
sore
spot
with
her.
Not
because
she
was
Adam
Cole’s
daughter,
but
because

being
her
father’s
daughter
had
been
the
reason
Storm
had
always
kept
his
distance
from
her.
A
part
of
her
had
gotten
over
his
rejection
years
ago,
but
still,
it
downright
infuriated
her
that
he
had
labeled
her
as
“hands
off”
because
of
his

relationship
with
her
father.

She
watched
as
he
pointedly
checked
his
watch,
as
if
to

signal
their
topic
of
conversation
was
now
over.
“You
never
did
say
whether
or
not
you
had
plans
for
later.”

Jayla
almost
reached
out
to
snatch
her
sunglasses
from
his
hand
again,
then
changed
her
mind.
Instead,
she
decided
to
have
a
little
fun
with
him.
She
stepped
close
to
him,

reached
out
and
took
hold
of
the
front
of
his
shirt.
“Why,

Storm?
What
do
you
have
in
mind
for
later?”
she
asked,
in
a
very
suggestive
tone
of
voice.

She
watched
as
he
studied
her
features
with
a
well-
practiced
eye
before
he
said,
“Dinner.”

She
pressed
a
little
closer
to
him.
“Dinner?
That’s
it?”

He
glanced
around.
There
were
only
a
handful
of
people
about.
Most
had
gone
up
on
deck
to
listen
to
the
live
jazz
band
that
was
performing.
His
gaze
returned
to
hers.
“Yes,
that’s
it.
Unless…”

She
lifted
a
brow.
“Unless
what?”
she
asked,
then
watched
as
his
mouth
curved
into
a
smile.
A
very
sexy
smile.

“Unless
you
want
me
to
toss
you
into
the
river
to
cool
off.”

Jayla
blinked.
His
smile
was
gone
and
the
dark
eyes

staring
at
her
were
serious.
She
stared
back,
willing
him
to
get
the
message
she
was
sending
with
her
eyes.
His
words
had
ticked
her
off.
“Do
you
think
I
need
to
cool
off,
Storm?”

The
smile
that
returned
to
his
lips
came
slow,
but
it
came
nonetheless.
“I
think
you
need
to
behave,
brat,”
he
said,
playfully
tweaking
her
nose.

She
frowned.
Those
were
the
same
words
he
had
spoken
to
her
ten
years
earlier
when
she
had
made
that
pass
at

him.
She
knew
he’d
been
as
right
then
as
he
was
now,
but,
dammit,
it
really
annoyed
her
that
he
was
still
using
her

father
as
an
excuse
to
keep
her
at
arm’s
length.
A
part
of
her
knew
it
was
ludicrous
for
her
to
be
upset,
especially

when
she
should
probably
be
grateful,
considering
his

“wham,
bam,
thank
you,
ma’am”
reputation.

His
Don
Juan
exploits
were
legendary.
Even
so,
a
part
of
her
hated
his
refusal
to
acknowledge
she
was
not
a
child
any
longer.
She
was
a
full-grown
woman
and
it
was
up
to
her
to
decide
whom
she
was
interested
in
and
whom
she
wanted
a
relationship
with.
After
all,
pretty
soon
she
would
be
a
woman
with
the
responsibility
of
raising
a
child
alone.

“So,
what
about
dinner,
Jayla?”

Time
seemed
to
stop
as
Jayla
considered
her
options.
On
the
one
hand,
having
dinner
with
him
was
a
really
bad
idea.
She
sure
didn’t
need
someone
like
Storm
in
her
life,

especially
with
her
plans
with
the
fertility
clinic
and
her
future
as
a
single
mom
a
definite
go.
That’s
what
the
rational
part
of
her
brain
was
trying
to
get
through
to
her.
On
the
other

hand,
there
was
that
irrational
part,
the
one
that
resented

him
for
being
all
knowing
and
too
damn
caring.
That
part
of
her
head
said
that
one
little
dinner
would
do
no
harm.
She
knew
she
should
leave
well
enough
alone,
but
part
of
her