To Protect the Heart of a Brazen Woman [Brazen Sisters 6] (Siren Publishing Classic) (2 page)

A minute or two later, Jake came out. Without a word, she grabbed a fistful of his T-shirt and yanked him down the hall and shoved him into the closet. She stepped in and closed the door behind her. He didn’t fight her, but she had no idea if that was a good or bad thing. Jake crossed his arms over his broad chest and leaned back against one of the shelves.

Being this close to him after not seeing him for so long, Bobbie almost forgot why she had him there. “You want to tell me what’s going on?”

“How should I know? You’re the one who dragged me in here.” Bobbie was familiar with edge in his tone and the stiff shrug of his shoulders.

Jake was spoiling for a fight, and if that was what he wanted she’d be happy to give it to him. “My sisters are taking turns staring daggers at you. I want to know what’s going on with you and them.”

“Did you ask them?” His cocky smirk told her he knew something she didn’t.

“We both know where that would get me. So I came to you.”

“Unlike before you left town. Thanks for stopping in to say good-bye, or even letting me know you were leaving.” She heard the anger in his voice, but there was pain there, too.

He had no reason to be irritated with her. Okay, maybe he did. She should have at least said good
-
bye, but in her defense
,
at the time she’d been afraid she’d change her mind if she did.

“What difference would it have made?” Please tell me you would have put up some kind of fight to keep me here
,
she thought.

He swallowed a few times
,
and she thought he might finally confess the way he felt, but instead he looked away and said, “None
,
I guess.”

Her sigh filled the air, but he still didn’t look at her. “Right
,
so back to the problem at hand. What did you do to piss them off?”

He shook his head and pushed off the wall. “There is nothing going on between me and any of your sisters. I think you just wanted to be alone with me.”

Oh, he was really pushing her, and he knew she would push back. Bobbie closed the small distance until her breasts were touching his arms. He dropped them to his sides. She smiled up at him as she put her hands on his chest. His heart beat a steady pace under her palms, but is seemed to pick up speed.

“I always want to be alone with you. You’re the one who does everything he can to make sure we’re never alone. We both know why.” She slowly slid her hands up to his shoulders, bringing her body flush against every hard inch of him, and he was hard.

He groaned, but his hands landed on her hips. “Bobbie, please.”

“Please what? Sorry, but you’re going to have to tell me what you want, because I can’t read your mind. Though, if I could I bet we’d be thinking the same thing.” She pushed up onto her toes and brushed her lips across his.

Jake groaned and his fingers tightened on her hips.

“Do you want me to stop?” She pressed her lips to his again a little harder and lingered longer. “Or is there something else you’d like me to do?”

He started to open his mouth to answer, and Bobbie covered it with hers. She wasn’t letting him off the hook this time. She’d gone long enough without feeling his touch. He tilted his head and took control of the kiss. She felt his tongue slide along her bottom lip and parted them wider to let him in. Their tongues touched and teased. He tasted so good.

His hands slid to her ass and pulled her harder against the ridge his cock made behind his zipper. She rocked, squirmed, wanting to get closer yet unable. Her body was on fire with need, and he was the only thing that could satisfy her craving.

Suddenly, Jake pulled away and put as much space between them as possible. She was so lost in the moment that it took her a few moments to get her bearings. They were both breathing hard, and Jake stood there with his eyes closed.

“You should get back to the party before someone realizes you’re missing.” The rough timbre of his voice didn’t help cool her down any.

“Are you ever going to do more than kiss me?” She knew he wanted to. Hell, he’d come damn close a time or two.

“This isn’t the time or place to discuss it. If you don’t leave I will.”

“Right, get away from the temptation before you do something you’ll regret. So go.” She waved her hand at the door and he fled.

Bobbie couldn’t hold back the tears. She was just glad no one was there to see them. Crying may have felt good, but she figured her face must be a mess. She’d have to straighten up before returning to the party. A quick peek out the door told her the hall was clear. She dashed from the closet to the ladies’ room, hoping for a few minutes alone in front of the mirror.

The room was empty, which was lucky for her. She leaned over the sink and splashed cold water onto her puffy eyes. After dabbing her face with a couple of paper towels, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. With her red-rimmed, slightly puffy eyes there would be no denying that she’d been crying. The signs were all there. She heard the door open behind her and ducked her head.

“I found her,” her sister, Georgie, called out.

One by one, all five of her sisters filed into the room. Bobbie knew she was screwed. She knew they weren’t going to let her out of the room without an explanation. They were already angry with Jake, so learning he’d made her cry would just make it worse. And if she told them why she’d been crying they were going to go ballistic.

“Have you been in here the whole time we were looking for you?” Jessie asked as the door closed.

Bobbie shrugged her shoulders, to which Joey said, “Everyone’s been asking where you got off to.”

“Well, here I am.” There was the tiniest tremor in her voice and she hoped they missed it.

“What’s wrong?” Frankie crushed her hopes.

She lifted her head and looked at her in the mirror. “Nothing.”

“You’ve been crying.” Sam laid her hand on her shoulder gently and turned her around.

Bobbie didn’t miss the worried looks her sisters gave each other. She needed to come up with a reason for crying other than Jake and damn fast. She hated that she was ruining the party they’d gone through a lot of trouble to pull off. Of course, it would have been harder if she had been home.

“Jake?” Jessie asked.

Now or never, Bobbie thought, but she didn’t get to say a word, because Frankie said, “Of course it was Jake.”

“Baby, are you okay?” Sam leaned in and wrapped her arm around Bobbie’s back.

“Where is he?” Frankie asked.

Bobbie shrugged. She was glad she didn’t know, but if he followed his normal pattern, he was as far from her as he could get without actually leaving town. In fact, it would be at least three days before she saw any sign of him.

“What did he say?” Jessie wanted to know.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to talk about it right now if you’re not up to it.” Everyone gaped in Sam’s direction and she said, “She’ll talk when she’s ready. We don’t need to push her.”

Bobbie was already starting to think she was missing something when Joey said, “We should have given him more time.”

Given him more time for what? What the hell were they up to? Whatever it was, Bobbie didn’t like it for two reasons. First, she was out of the loop, and second, instead of being the one trying to pull strings, she was the one being manipulated. Or Jake was, and she was just being used as an integral part of their plan. She should demand to know what their goal was and that they stop immediately, but maybe—more like probably—Jake deserved whatever he was going to get.

“Did he at least explain? He refused to tell us anything other than what we already knew until he talked to you.” Frankie pressed a couple of cold, wet paper towels on Bobbie’s eyes.

It felt so good she sighed. Sam and Jessie must have taken her lack of an answer as a no, because they both started talking at the same time.

“Well, as far as we know it was just the one date,” Sam volunteered, and Bobbie’s breath caught in her throat.

“Kerri hasn’t been talking, either,” Jessie said.

Kerri? So it wasn’t just a rumor. Jake was dating someone. Not just someone, but Kerri, who Bobbie knew was only twenty-three. So much for the age difference excuse he’d been using for years. She wondered what he’d have to say in his own defense, but she knew it wouldn’t matter.

If all that wasn’t bad enough, he’d just kissed her senseless. Bobbie could lay that at her own feet since she’d been the one to kiss him first, but he could have stopped her at any time and they both knew it. Whether or not he was serious or exclusive with Kerri didn’t matter because she wasn’t about to share a man. Not now, not ever, and definitely not Jake. Even if it was the only way she could have him.

She took the towels off her eyes, no longer caring that her sisters could see her tears. Bobbie tossed the paper towels into the trash.

“You all knew and no one thought to tell me before I made a fool of myself by kissing him?” She heard the anger and hurt in her voice and knew her sisters did, too.

“He didn’t tell you,” Jessie and Frankie said in unison.

“We didn’t want to ruin your trip, and we decided it would be best for Jake to tell you himself when you got home.” Joey’s explanation made sense, but it still sucked.

“Well, he didn’t.” Not that she thought it would have hurt any more or less coming from him. “I’m leaving. Georgie, will you let everyone know I had to go?”

“What do you want me to tell them?”

She could tell them whatever she wanted. “The truth. I’m feeling…betrayed, or not well. Whatever you think is best.”

“Bobbie, let one of us drive you home.” Joey’s gaze locked with hers and she could see the concern in her eyes.

“No. I think it would be best if you all stayed here.” And away from her until she didn’t feel like hitting something, but even if she told them that they wouldn’t stay away for long.

She brushed past them and yanked the door open. Not meeting anyone’s eyes, she crossed the building and walked out the door. Her sisters were right behind her. She just couldn’t deal with them right now. Honestly, for the first time in her life, she wanted to run away not just from her family, but from her whole life.

* * * *

Jake couldn’t believe he’d found the willpower to walk away from her again. Fuck, he practically ran, but it was a close thing. He almost took her in a fucking supply closet. Even though she was the worst form of torture, he was glad she was back. Jake knew she was happy to be back, too, but come tomorrow morning, when she pressed her sisters for why they were angry with him, that would probably change. And it was his fault. Not that he’d done anything wrong.

He was a single man and could date—not that what he and Kerri had gone on had been a real date—but he could date whoever he wanted. It didn’t matter if the brat had his heart and body wrapped around her little finger. He knew better than to take it any further than they already had.

Jake was halfway to his truck when his brother and Tyler appeared out of nowhere. “What the fuck do you two want?”

“You’re leaving?” Tyler managed to make the question sound like an accusation.

“Yes.” Jake took another step, but Beau stepped in front of him.

“Did you tell her?” Beau asked, and Jake glared at the pushy bastard.

“No! This is none of your business. Either of you,” he tossed in Tyler’s direction.

“Are you willing to tell that to her sisters?” Tyler countered. “They gave you a chance to break it to her. If you don’t do it tonight they will by morning.”

“It didn’t fucking mean anything. You’re all making too much out of this. I went out with a friend to a function. We didn’t have sex. Hell, I didn’t even kiss her goodnight. I’m single with the right to do whatever I want.”

“Really? Then why do you look like shit?”

Well, at least he looked like he felt. “You’re my brother. Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?”

“Not when you’ve acted like a jackass.”

“Jake.” Tyler laid his hand on his shoulder, but with a look from Jake he removed it damn quick.

He knew the guy had a good thirty pounds and four inches on him. Under normal circumstances, Tyler could probably take him, but Jake had built-up rage on his side. Beau wouldn’t even spar with him, and the last time he’d managed to kick Jake’s ass. If Bobbie hadn’t left none of this would have happened.

Without Bobbie at the Chamber of Commerce dinner he would have felt awkward sitting with the rest of the Brazens like he normally did. He’d planned to skip it all together, which would have pissed off the mayor. So when Kerri asked if he wanted to go with her since her boyfriend hadn’t been able to make it to town, he said sure. It had been one of the biggest mistakes of his life.

“Are you listening to me?” Tyler asked.

“Yeah. I’m listening.”

“Good. The issue isn’t you dating. It’s that Kerri is only two years older than Bobbie.”

“I didn’t know that.” Jake hadn’t found that out until it was too late.

“Did you care? I didn’t believe Frankie when she said you were trying to get back at Bobbie for not saying good-bye, but now I’m not so sure.” Tyler shook his head like he was letting the idea rattle around, and Jake wanted to clock him and see if it helped.