Jared’s gaze locked with hers, and just for moment, there was nobody in the world but the two of them, their connection profound and unbreakable. Damned if he didn’t want to take her hard against the brick wall, her legs wrapped around his waist, and pound into her until they were both sated.
I have to fuck her or I’ll never get over this insane need. Somehow, he had to get her in his bed and have her until he got bored. Generally, that was directly after the first sexual encounter. His desire usually faded immediately after he bedded a woman, his interest gone.
Mara flushed bright pink as she stared up at him, shaking her head slowly. “You don’t have to charm me,” she informed him as she inched her way down the wall and away from his body.
“I’m not trying to be charming,” he rasped irritably, damning his reputation to hell right at the moment. He might like women, but he was never, ever charming. He laid out the score before he ever fucked a woman, the deal struck before their bodies hit the bed. Women always wanted something from him, and it was never him or his body. It was always monetary in some way, although he’d never had a woman leave a session of hot sex unsatisfied. He made damn sure he got them off before he fucked them.
“I think you are charming when you want to be,” Mara mused as she moved to the edge of the awning, looking like she was contemplating whether or not she wanted to sprint across the street to her shop. “Beatrice and Elsie told me you were a very sweet boy. That’s definitely a compliment coming from those two, and a testament to how charismatic you can be. I have a feeling it comes naturally to you.”
“Then you don’t know me,” Jared grumbled, not happy that the two elderly women, the town gossip and the matchmaker, had referred to him as a damn boy. He liked Elsie and Beatrice, enjoyed listening to their stories and banter. But that didn’t prove that he was the least bit amiable. Truthfully, he was usually an asshole. But he couldn’t be that way with two aged women like Elsie and Beatrice. The pair of old ladies amused him, and even he wasn’t that big of a dick.
Mara turned back to him. “You’re right. I don’t know you. And I have no right to make any assumptions. I’m just trying to tell you that I’ve enjoyed our few conversations and I already like you. You don’t need to throw me false compliments. I appreciate your concern about my home. I really do. I guess I’m just not used to it.” She hesitated before adding, “Not from a guy, anyway.”
Holy hell. Did she think he was trying to blow smoke up her ass when he told her that he found her attractive?
“Get used to it. I’m going to help you whether you want my help or not. You need it.” He clenched his fists to keep from reaching out to snatch her up and hold her damp body against his until flames of desire dried them and set them both on fire.
Every instinct he had was clawing at him to comfort her or fuck her, but his brain knew that she’d run like hell if he tried to do either one of those things. Besides, what the hell did he know about comforting anybody? His experiences with women were like business arrangements. He’d learned a long time ago that it was better that way.
“Why do you even want to help me?” Mara looked up at him, wide-eyed and curious. “We aren’t exactly friends. You hardly know me.”
“I plan on getting to know you extremely well,” he informed her calmly, even though he was picturing her naked beneath him, screaming his name as she climaxed. Hell yeah, he wanted to know her . . . intimately. His fixation with her wasn’t going to go away until he did.
“I doubt we’ll ever get to know each other well at all. You’re only visiting here.”
True, his home on the Amesport Peninsula wasn’t his primary residence. But really, he didn’t actually have a home. He had houses all over the world, some he spent more time in than others, but they were just real estate. He’d initially come here to see his injured brother, Dante, but he’d lingered long after his police detective brother had recovered from his gunshot wounds. Dante was getting married to a local physician and taking a position with the police department here. “I’ll be here. I’m staying until after Dante’s wedding.”
“Just a few more weeks,” she reminded him, her brows narrowing in concentration, as though she was trying to figure out his motives.
She might as well give up trying to figure me out. I can’t even reason out my own idiotic behavior right now.
“I’ll be here,” he repeated ominously.
Mara blinked rapidly, her eyes growing moist. “I appreciate the offer, Mr. Sinclair, but my problems are my own to solve.”
Jared nearly growled when he saw the stubborn tilt of her chin and thought about her taking on the dismal situation all by herself. “Jared.”
She nodded. “Jared. Thank you for the offer, but this is something I have to deal with on my own. My entire life is going to have to change, and so am I.” She turned around without another word and sprinted across the street. Scurrying up the few steps to her door, she pushed against the wood and disappeared inside the house, never looking back.
I don’t want her to change. She’s perfect just the way she is now.
The sound of his name in her husky come-do-me voice had nearly tipped Jared over the edge, and he had to force himself not to follow her, grasping the wooden post that was supporting the overhang of Shamrock’s to make his feet stay planted.
Christ. I am becoming a damn stalker.
Shaking his head in irritation as he stared at her door long after she had disappeared, he slowly made his way to his black Mercedes SUV, a vehicle that usually just sat in the garage of his Amesport home, his gut still gnawing at him to go after her.