Unwritten Rules (15 page)

“What the hel made you think that?”

“B-but you said...”

“I said
dating
, El e. Dating is not sex. But just to make it clear, you were not my first.”

“So you weren’t dating five years ago?” I shot at him. His brows drew together in confusion, so I elaborated.

“You said no one had been this close to you in five years.”

“Ah. No, I wasn’t dating,” he responded, his eyes fil ing with sadness. “That was when I learned to keep everything to myself. Spil ing your past sins to someone you don’t know is never a good idea.”

“Is that why you’re keeping me at arms-length

now?”

Jonah didn’t answer me. He shook his head and

stepped around me, stalking to my apartment and muttering about taking me home. I raced after him, my slippers sliding on the floor. When I caught up he was leaning back against the wal , arms folded across his chest, staring down at his boots.

“Is that it then? I’m left out in the cold again?” I jutted my chin out, trying to make him see just how annoyed I was, but he was transfixed by his boots. I prodded his chest with my finger, “Jonah, talk to me.”

“You say that to me far too often,” he growled.

“I wouldn’t need to if you stopped being so

evasive. There’s so much that I’m wil ing to wait for, but the further you push me away the more I wonder why I’m hanging around.”

“I warned you that I hurt people,” he pointed out as condescending as possible.

“Cut the bul shit,” I snapped. “This is supposed to be the fun bit, you know, the beginning of a relationship when everything is pink and fluffy. Our do-over. Right?”

“Pink like your slippers?”

“This isn’t funny.”

I couldn’t see his face, but I had a feeling he was sniggering. I had to bite the side of my mouth to stop myself from laughing. He didn’t need to know he could win me over with one sil y comment.

“I know,” he grumbled, nodding at my front door.

“You going to let me in?”

“Depends on how forthcoming you’re intending to be.”

Jonah pushed off the wal and came to stand in front of me. He skimmed his finger along the top of my dress, right across my breasts. I wanted to hum my approval, but clenched my teeth. I wasn’t letting him divert my attention.

“Okay, from the moment I left home I was alone. I never let anybody get too close, because I didn’t want to be hurt again. I didn’t want to hurt anyone else. Five years ago I found someone I liked. I real y thought my luck had changed. But like the idiot I am, I did hurt her.”

“How?” I asked, my voice little more than a

whisper.

“I was too much for her. The meds, the anxiety, and the truth; it was more than she could cope with.”

He was trying so hard to warn me off, but he was having the opposite effect. The sadness rol ed off him in waves. It was becoming difficult for me to ignore. He needed me, and as much as I tried, I couldn’t make myself walk away. I gripped the bottom of his shirt and moved closer.

“I guess it would al seem a bit much for some people.”

“Why are you stil here then? Why aren’t you

running away screaming?”

“I have no idea,” I replied, shaking my head.

“You’re far too secretive, and rather moody. In fact, your only endearing quality is that you’re rather pretty to look at.”

The side of his mouth lifted in a cute smirk.

“Pretty, huh?”

“Yes, when you’re not pouting like a petulant child, that is.”

I wasn’t finished, but we both jumped, startled at the sound of Mrs. Kindle’s front door opening. She popped her head around the frame, her hair tucked into a net and her robe pul ed right up to her neck.

“Oh, it’s you, El e. I thought I heard a bit of a commotion. Is everything alright?”

“It’s fine. Jonah just took me to see a movie.”

Jonah shuffled next to me, placing his arm around my waist and smiling at Mrs. Kindle.

“Do you think I was born yesterday, young lady?

Since when do you walk into a theater in your slippers?”

I stammered, trying to work out a reasonable

explanation. I didn’t want to tel her about the roof; it was better kept as our secret.

Jonah snickered, as he leaned down to kiss my

cheek. “See you tomorrow, Red. Thanks for tonight. I had fun.”

And with that he left me to deal with my neighbor. I gaped at his back as he entered the elevator. We hadn’t finished that conversation, and he knew it.

“You have some explaining to do. I love a good gossip. It seems like you have plenty,” Mrs. Kindle smiled. I feigned a yawn, pretending I was too exhausted to talk. Even though she was disappointed, she agreed to postpone the conversation until tomorrow.

I would have to think of another excuse.

The next morning was so busy I didn’t have a

chance to talk to anyone. I was adding the finishing touches to a new website, hoping my client would like what I’d produced for him. I hadn’t even gone for my morning run. I now felt lethargic and in need of some energizing. So after sending my client a quick email, I stretched and walked over to my window.

I wondered if it was too busy to go for a run, but then when wasn’t Central Park busy? I real y needed to clear my head, so I decided to change my clothes. As I walked toward the bedroom, there was a knock at the door. I muttered a curse as I opened it, only to find Jonah leaning against the frame clad in shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt. Al thoughts vacated my head, just like they always did when this man was anywhere near me.

“Busy?” He asked, smiling slightly, but never quite meeting my gaze.

He grew more confident the more time we spent

together but was always cautious. He acted as though I might change my mind at any moment and tel him to leave me alone.

“Not real y, though I was just about to go for a run. Have you come to finish the conversation we started last night?”

“And that would be?” He drawled, feigning

nonchalance.

I growled at him, turning my back and stalking away, leaving the door open. “You know what I’m talking about,” I spat, making a big show of folding the throw I kept on the couch.

“I came to see you. I needed a break from my

work and wondered if you wanted to join me in the park?”

I spun around, glaring at him. “Have you been

watching me?”

He moved toward me; his walk as slow and

precise as a panther. His eyes held the same predatory gleam, sending a shiver racing down my spine. As he neared, his hand reached out, his fingers touching my jaw and tilting it up slightly. When he spoke his words were so husky that I felt them down to my very core.

“I
always
watch you. You consume my every thought.”

I swal owed and licked my lips. I’d hoped he would take it as an invitation, but he didn’t. Instead, he dropped his hand and took a step backward. I tried to catch my breath as he spoke to me.

“I’m going blading. I thought you’d like to come.”

“Blading? Like skates?” I questioned, grinning but shaking my head. “No way. I don’t do skates, Jonah.”

“Sure you do.”

“Nope, I don’t. I run. Anyway, what were you saying about
work
? What is it that you do exactly?”

“Come with me, and I’l tel you.”

I pushed at his chest, moving around him.

“Blackmail?”

“I never said I played fair, Red,” he exhaled lightly.

“I want to spend time with you. I’ve finished for the day. I wondered if you’d like to come with me. I’m not used to this kind of thing...”

“And what kind of
thing
would this be?” I pushed for more. I knew it could bite me on the ass, but he had to give me something because I wasn’t wil ing to let him take the lead.

He was staring at the floor, his back to me again, but I heard his words. “I just want to try. I want to see where this leads.”

That was al I needed for the moment, so I

conceded. “I don’t have any skates.”

Jonah gave a low snort, before moving forward to tickle his fingers against mine. “You can rent them. Come on, it’l be fun. Come out and play, little red.”

I griped but knew as soon as he grinned at me

that I would give in. The idea of spending a few hours in the sun with him was too much to say no to.

He waited in my living room while I changed my clothes, dressing in the smal est shorts I owned. If I was going to make a fool of myself, I might as wel look good doing it. I slipped on an athletic top that was tight and bared my midriff, and pul ed my hair up into a high ponytail. I received a gentle whistle when I exited the bedroom, relieving some of the anxiety I had about being on skates in front of Jonah.

I stil wasn’t sure that I wanted to do this, but walked out of the apartment with him anyway. His skates were on the floor next to my front door. He picked them up with one hand and he took hold of mine with the other.

“Are you going to keep to your side of the

bargain?” I questioned as we rounded the block. He squeezed my hand, leaning down to place a

kiss on top of my head before tugging me across the busy road. He negotiated the bustling people with confidence, swerving and weaving, but never letting go of my hand or his blades. I fol owed, enjoying the show of assertiveness. We ended up outside a sporting goods store.

When he asked my shoe size, I bumbled before blurting out size nine. His eyes went wide, those cute little dimples appearing on his cheeks.

“Damn! You have big feet for a girl. No wonder you wear those huge slippers,” he teased.

I didn’t get a chance to respond, before he made a swift exit and walked into the store to rent my blades. I backed myself up against the wal , wanting to make sure I could see everyone as they passed me. I didn’t want to be caught unaware; not like when I was attacked. Only once Jonah returned was I able to breathe a sigh of relief.

“Are you ready to have some fun, skater girl?”

I rol ed my eyes at him, staying at his side until we entered the park. I glared at him as we took a seat on a bench, and he began to undo his tennis shoes.

“I have no idea why I agreed to this,” I grumbled, shaking my head.

“Sure you do.”

“Okay then, tel me. What do you do for a living?

What pays the bil s, Jonah Quinn?”

His hair flopped into his eyes, obscuring them from view. Before he answered, he knelt down on the floor before me. I gulped, my heart skipping a beat in excitement. He lifted my right foot, holding my ankle as he slipped off my shoe.

“I’m an artist. I draw.”

I touched his hair, stroking it across his forehead.

“Does that pay the rent?”

Jonah nodded, making sure the skate was

fastened on my foot before moving to the next. “I do al right from it. Now, stand up.”

“I don’t think...”

“That’s right, don’t think. Just stand up and

concentrate on your balance. I’m here to stop you from fal ing.”

“What if I’ve already fal en?” I whispered, realizing I’d spoken the words out loud.

Jonah frowned but didn’t comment. He held out

his hand and waited for me. I wobbled, eventual y standing, but clung to Jonah as if his was a lifeline. Children were giggling as they rode by on their bikes. Dogs yapped at each other while babies gurgled away in their strol ers. I refused to fal on my ass in front of al of these people. I had to stay upright.

I let go of him, shaking, but managed to stand. Jonah clapped and kissed my nose, then skated in circles around me.

“Don’t do that!” I shouted. “You’re making me

dizzy!”

He stopped but was too far for me to reach out and grab him. He crooked a finger at me, beckoning me forward. “Come on,” he encouraged. “You can do it, Red. Just one smal push and you’l be able to touch me.”

“Is this where I trust you again?”

“No. You trust yourself. Trust your own instincts, because I doubt they’re wrong. Sometimes it just takes longer than usual to show that you were right.”

I caught the double meaning to his words. I let them sink it before I replied. “I hope you’re right. I’d real y hate to get hurt, Jonah.”

“Take the leap,” he stated so quietly I could barely hear him over the passersby.

I inhaled sharply, and pushed on the blades, my eyes firmly closed. When I opened them I was in Jonah’s arms. He grinned down at me, happiness lighting up his face.

“You did it!”

“I did,” I sobered. “You could too, you know. You just need to trust and take that leap.”

“I think I wil ...thanks to you.”

His mouth lowered to mine as his arms tightened around me. I relaxed into his arms, praying he meant it.