“Fuck, Haley,” he growled as lust slammed into his stomach so violently he considered taking her right there against the wall.
She didn’t even have the courtesy to look sorry. Instead, she laughed.
Taking a step back, she grabbed his hand. “Come on, let’s go in here. I’m sure once you start trying on clothes you’ll lose your erection.”
Now it was his turn to look shocked.
She looked across her shoulder and grinned. “Maybe I’ll help you out and put some pink on you. I’m sure you’ll lose your hard-on then.
#
“Are you sure you don’t want me to carry anything?” Haley cut her eyes at Jayden as they walked out of the mall and into the parking lot. The slight breeze drifted across her, chilling her skin.
“No, I got it.” Jayden shook his head as he carried three bags in each hand with ease.
“Are you still pouting?”
“I don’t pout,” he groused.
“Okay.” Haley nodded her head, not believing him for a second. “So are you still upset about me dressing you up?”
Jayden shot her a glare. She couldn’t help but laugh.
“That shirt looked really good on you. I don’t see what the big deal is.” When he’d walked out of the dressing room, all she wanted to do was lick him from head to toe.
“I told you I don’t wear pink.”
“It’s not pink, it’s coral.” And he looked hot in it.
“It looks a hell of lot like pink to me. Can you imagine what the other Guardians would say if they see that on me?” He grimaced.
“Then don’t wear it around them. “ She shrugged. She’d been around the Guardians enough in Arkansas to know they wore jeans and leather and rode Harleys. To humans, they looked a like a biker gang.
“I don’t go anywhere but to work, Haley.” He shrugged. “It’s not like I’ll have a place to wear it or any of this other stuff.”
She pasted a smile on and forced the next words out. “Then wear it when you go on a date.”
His gaze hardened before he glanced away. The mood between them shifted.
“It’s been a while since I had a date.”
She frowned.
That’s not what she had heard. In fact, Dana was constantly talking about how many women Jayden had gone through. From his reputation, he was insatiable in bed.
“I don’t think a week constitutes a long time.” She elbowed him, trying to lighten his mood.
Jayden stopped and faced her, his expression grim. “The last time I took a woman out on a date was over six months ago.”
Haley’s smile slipped. Her mind quickly calculated the date and she realized that would have been around the time she had been abducted.
“Besides, I don’t date, Haley. I hook up with women.” His eyes narrowed, driving the point home.
“Okay.” She knew this about him already. She didn’t expect him to be celibate, for heaven’s sake.
He shook his head and looked away, frustration creasing his brow. “I shouldn’t have bought this. It’s just a waste of money
Haley’s chest ached as self-doubt crept through her heart. She dropped her head. She didn’t want to push Jayden to do something he didn’t want to do. Heaviness settled across her shoulders like a shroud of guilt.
She dug out her cell phone and pulled up her inspiration app. It had been her go-to since she’d moved to Arkansas and felt abandoned by everyone that had ever mattered. She knew she was going to have to find a life on her own now and she was determined to have the life she wanted. This time she was doing it on her terms.
“Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times”—Aeschylus.
She wasn’t sure who the hell Aeschylus was, but he hit the nail on the head.
Sucking in a deep breath, she slipped her phone back in her purse and looked at Jayden. “If you really think it’s a waste then take it back.” She grabbed his keys out of his jean pocket. “I’ll wait in the car.”
#
He was a dickhead.
He’d seen the hurt in her eyes.
“Haley, wait.” He quickened his steps to catch up to Haley as she stomped away. He hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings.
“Haley, wait.” He jogged around in front of her blocking her path. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. You put a lot of effort into making me look good. I didn’t mean to dismiss that.”
She crossed her arms and glared at him, as her foot tapped against the asphalt.
“Would it make you feel better if you told me to fuck off?”
“Maybe.” Tap, tap, tap. She held his gaze.
“What I said came out wrong.” He was able to talk a female out of her panties, but trying to apologize was more painful than listening to his Granny talk about sex toys.
“How’s that?” She continued the incessant tapping of her foot against the ground.
“I actually like the clothes. I think you really did a good job picking stuff out.” He swallowed. Why the hell was this so hard?
She stood there in silence.