Page 11

JEN

MY EYES NARROWEDas Tyler pulled out the chair opposite me and sat down. “Have a seat,” I said curtly.

He responded by crossing his arms as he leaned back and twisted sideways in his chair, allowing his long legs to stretch out. His eyes studied me for a minute, making me feel like I was an equation he was trying to solve. Given the pluses and minuses I’d thrown at him, I supposed I was.

“I guess all those necessary errands you mentioned in your note could wait?” Tyler finally spoke.

“I didn’t want to get caught in the bad weather,” I answered, avoiding his eyes by taking a long sip of my coffee.

“Convenient, especially considering this is Sunday morning, and most stores are closed.” Tyler kept his eyes on me until I was finally forced to put my cup down.

I shrugged. By now I recognized when he was trying to needle me.

“Aaannd . . . your coffee maker was broken, and that’s why you’re here instead of waiting out the weather back at your apartment?” he asked with more drawl than usual. I started to carve random shapes into my coffee cup with my fingernail. I felt like the proverbial deer in the headlights, and I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to avoid the impending impact. I hated that my body reacted to him at all, much less with the brand new knowledge of how satisfied he could make it feel. “I mean, I’m assuming your silence is because you’re one of those types of people who can’t talk unless they’ve had a cup of coffee first?”

My unsuspecting muffin became the next victim of my destructive fingers. I hated how flustered he made me; it was so uncharacteristic. My training as a respiratory therapist had conditioned me to remain calm when a crisis developed because someone’s life could be in jeopardy. I was the source my friends turned to when they needed a level head. I rarely was at a loss for a clever comeback, yet without saying a word, Tyler Cranston was able to unnerve me. I felt entirely too vulnerable around him this morning. Not just because he saw me without clothes last night, but because I swear he understood me in ways no one else did.

Only two people knew my secret; one was sworn to secrecy, and the other would never admit to anything. It would come as a huge surprise to all of my friends to learn that I wasn’t as strong and in control in my personal life as I led them to believe. Last night was an unusual circumstance that I couldn’t afford to repeat. Not just the sex, but the loss of control I had allowed.

He leaned forward. “I call bullshit,” he whispered.

Startled, I raised my eyes to meet his gaze head-on. The challenge in his eyes was enough to raise my hackles. ‘Full of piss and vinegar,’ my daddy used to tease me when I would get fired up about something. Taking a breath for fortification, I sat up straight in my chair and squared my shoulders. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.” I casually popped a crumb of muffin in my mouth.

His mouth quirked up. “Okay, Jen, if that’s the way you want to play it, I’ll go along,” he answered. “For now.” He watched me for a minute. “How’s your ankle anyway?”

I flushed. If it hadn’t been for hurting my ankle, we wouldn’t be here this morning. “It’s fine, thank you, and I’m not playing a game, Tyler.”

“Sure about that? No regrets about last night?”

Of course, I do!I subconsciously crossed my legs. “No. None at all.”

Tyler glanced at my crossed legs and smiled knowingly. “Good. I have the entire weekend free. How about I accompany you on all those errands you rushed out to do this morning?” He pointed to my coffee. “That is, once you finish your breakfast that couldn’t wait.”

I crossed my arms to match his. I might as well get this conversation over with. “Why are you doing this, Tyler?”

“What? Making conversation? Offering to help you?”

“You know what I mean,” I hissed.

“Not really, but I’m trying.” He took a big bite of his muffin.

I didn’t see how he could sit there and eat like we always shared our mornings together. I sighed. “I was hoping to avoid the whole awkward waking up and leaving thing.”

“I see,” he replied, leaning forward in his chair. “Becausethisis so much easier?” he scoffed.

I closed my eyes and admitted, “I’ve never had a one-night stand before. This . . .” I searched my brain for what I was trying to say, “ . . . this whole ‘morning after’ routine is new to me. I didn’t want you to feel obligated to hang around when I’m sure you just wanted to get the hell out of there without the need to come up with excuses and platitudes.” He started to say something, but I didn’t give him a chance. “I’m a big girl, Tyler. Don’t worry; I don’t expect anything from you.”

“Apparently.” The flare in his eyes matched his angry tone. “But that’s a shame because I expect something more of you.”

My eyes snapped to his.

“What do you want, Tyler?” I asked. I put down my muffin and slid my hands onto my lap under the table. It was all I could do to keep my voice neutral; I didn’t want him to see the slight shakiness in my hands.

“Spend the day with me.”

“Wh . . . what?” I croaked. Of all the things he could have said, that was the last thing I had expected. ‘Forget last night ever happened.’ ‘Don’t call me, I’ll call you.’ ‘Thanks for a great night. We should do lunch sometime.’ ‘Kind of funny living out the cliché of the best man and maid of honor hooking up, huh?’ But not, ‘Spend the day with me.’ That was contrary to everything I’d ever heard about Tyler and his dates.

“I know you took the whole weekend off, so you don’t have to go to work. I want us to spend the day together.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “Why do you look so surprised?”