Betrayed by Love (2 page)

“It looks perfect. You know I like big houses,” I reminded her.

She glanced at the empty parking space adjoining hers and frowned. “Jarrod must have had to make a quick run. Let’s go in.”

We carried my bags inside. The foyer was large with a lovely gilded mirror above an antique table. I glanced around. “Lovely.”

Jen smiled. “Thanks. Do you want to change?”

I’d traveled in a pair of comfortable sweats and preferred a long soak later to a quick shower now. I shook my head. “Not at the moment.”

“Great. We’ll leave the bags here in the foyer and Jarrod will take them up to your room when he gets home.”

I glanced around again and linked my arm through hers. “Tour?”

“I thought you’ never ask.”

Forty minutes after the tour of the house, we were both seated on the reclining leather sofa in the family room relaxing when we heard a vehicle in the driveway.

Jen caught her breath and shot to her feet, her eyes shining. “Jarrod’s back. Excuse me.”

I watched in surprise as she ran from the room with all the eagerness of a new bride who’d been separated from her husband for months instead of a few hours. Several minutes later, she appeared in the doorway. A few strands of hair trailed around her face and she had the happy look of a woman who had been thoroughly kissed.

Behind her stood a tall, broad shouldered man with short brown hair, liberally sprinkled with gray at the temples. As he followed Jen into the room, I noted that he had a friendly smile and seemed very fit.

Okay. He had an interesting face and a very nice pair of shoulders. Clearly he was capable of generating a second look, but I couldn’t see anything about him that would account for Jen saying she’d fallen in love with him at first sight. If I were going to fall for a white man, he’d be a hard–bodied hunk who reeked of sex appeal and was at least fifteen years younger than this Jarrod, and had dark hair and eyes and a very distinct tan. And, he sure as hell would not be a divorced grandfather.

Jen turned to slip her arm around his waist, smiling briefly up at him before she tore her gaze away from his long enough to introduce us. “Lin, this is Jarrod. Jarrod, this is Linea Hills. You’ve heard me talk about her.”

He nodded. “Yes. I have. It’s nice to finally meet you.” He stepped around Jen and extended his hand.

I smiled, stood up, looked up into the warmest, smiling brown eyes I’d ever seen, and fell instantly in love. At least, I decided later that’s what had happened to me. At the time, I was just aware of my heart hammering, trying to swallow a sudden lump in my throat, and struggling to keep my knees from knocking. In that instance, I completely understood how Jen had fallen so hard for him so quickly. He had an undeniable magnetism that seemed to reach out and wrap itself around my pounding heart.

When I placed my hand in his, I felt this incredible electric jolt sizzle all through me—from the top of my head, which felt as if it were about to explode, down to the tips of my toes. I felt warm all over—even as a chill danced down my spine.

I’d never felt anything like that before. For a moment, after he’d released my hand, I saw his lips moving, but I couldn’t hear because of the roaring in my ears. Then I gave myself a mental shake and forced myself to concentrate on what he was saying.

“…delighted you’re here at last.”

I blinked. What had I missed? I cast a quick, guilty look at Jen, pasted a smile on my own face, and turned back to look at Jarrod. “Well…it’s great to finally be here…” And meet you. I think.

Jen leaned against him. “We left Lin’s bags in the hall, hon.”

The slow, intimate smile he turned on her, sent a jealous wave washing over me. “I’m on it.” He nodded at me and left the room.

It was all I could do not to turn and stare after him. I sank back onto the sofa, the muscles in my stomach knotting up.

Jen sat beside me. “So?”

“So?” I blinked. “So what?”

She nudged me. “Oh, come on. So what do you think of my Jarrod?”

How could I answer that? Even though I hadn’t quite figured out at that point that I’d fallen for my best friend’s hubby, I knew I had the hots for him—big time. And that was a no–no. I could hardly lament to her the fact that my biggest problem with him was that he was her Jarrod.

“Lin? What’s wrong? Why are you looking like that? Did you suddenly remember you left your range on or something?”

I forced a smile to my face while struggling to come up with something innocent to say. I couldn’t very well admit that I felt as if a bolt of lightning had hit me the moment Jarrod engulfed my hand in his. The thought of him touching other, more sensitive parts of me…No! Stop, it, Jen. Do not go there! “I…I…”

She nodded, grinning. “He does kind of take your breath away. Doesn’t he?”

I stared at her, my cheeks burning.

She went on. “The first time Jarrod and I met, I felt as if I’d been struck by lightning.” Her grin turned into a satisfied smile. “He said he felt the same way. We both knew right away we were in love. We ended up in bed on our first date.”

I thought it better not to point out that such impulsive behavior had probably contributed to her past hurts.

She sighed. “Making love with him was the most incredible experience of my life. It was only topped by having the twins.”  

Still unnerved by my reaction to Jarrod, I spoke without thinking. “He…he seems very…”

 “What?”

 “Ah…exciting…” I admitted.

Her smile wavered and her eyes widened. “You agree with me?”

Oh, hell! What now? I moistened my lips and decided to be semi–truthful. “Now that I’ve finally met him, I can see where the twins get the other half of their good looks.”

Her shoulders relaxed. Her smile returned. “Our babies are gorgeous. Aren’t they?”

I nodded. “Yes, they are.”

Of course she viewed that admission as an invitation to whip out a photo album. We spent the next half hour talking about the twins. I didn’t mind because she really loved talking about them and it gave me time to regroup. By the time Jarrod returned to the living room, I felt better able to pretend that just the sight of him didn’t rock my world on its axis.

I was painfully aware of everything about him from the sound of his warm voice to the sexy way he walked. His slow smile aroused me, as did the way his thigh muscles rippled when he walked. But even under the lust eating me up, I couldn’t help appreciating the adoring look in his eyes whenever he looked at Jen. Damn but she was one lucky woman.

While I was happy for her, I knew it was going to be a very long two weeks. I sighed. I had to come up with a valid excuse to leave early.

Lying in bed later that night, each time I closed my eyes I imagined Jarrod making love to Jen and wished it was me. I bolted up in the dark bedroom, shaking. I sat on the side of the bed, hugging myself as if that would chase away the desire for Jen’s man. Jen’s man. She’d finally met a decent man who made her happy. As one of her oldest friends, her best friend, I needed to be happy for her—not jealous of her.

After all her past hurts, she deserved to be happy. I would be happy for her. I turned on the light and got up. Moving across the room to the vanity, I stared at my reflection.

A pair of dark eyes, full of lustful need and defiance stared back at me. I think that’s when I knew I wasn’t nearly as nice as I’d always given myself credit for being. There was a nasty, jealous streak in me that I’d never known I possessed. I didn’t like or trust that part of myself to do the right thing. I needed to get back to L.A. ASAP before I did something I’d regret for which Jen could never forgive me.

“Get rid of that nasty jealousy and don’t even think about trying to turn his handsome head.”

I grimaced. Dream on, girl. As if you have a hope in hell of attracting him when he clearly only has eyes for Jen. Go back to bed and in a few days you’ll have to find an excuse to take your selfish, greedy ass back to L.A.

I woke tired and frustrated the next morning. After a long, warm shower, I was tempted to dress in one of the silk pantsuits that clung to my ample curves and highlighted all my assets—as I did when I was on the hunt.

But you’re not on the hunt, I reminded my rebellious reflection. And you’re not going to be on the hunt while you’re here.

I turned away from the vanity and chose my outfit for the day—with friendship in mind. I dressed in a pair of baggy pink and black sweats and a pair of pink running shoes.

Then, drawn by the heavenly aroma filling the air, I made my way down to the kitchen. Jen had taken after her mother who’d had the rep of the best cook in our entire neighborhood.

My stomach growled in appreciation as I neared the kitchen.

“Girl, whatever you’re cooking is making my mouth water.” I stepped into the kitchen and froze.

Jarrod, wearing only a pair of hip–hugging jeans and with his incredible shoulders bare and on display, stood at the range. The only physical flaw I noted was his rather flat ass. His other attributes were more than sufficient to carry the day.

I clenched my hands at my sides as I imagined unbuttoning his jeans. It would be heavenly to slide down his zipper and then slowly push the pants down over his taut ass and lean hips. Then I’d kneel before him and greedily take his dangling cock between my lips and suck it until he erupted in my mouth.

Then I’d rise, swirl him around, grab his hips and as he fondled my breasts and told me how he’d known he had to fuck me the moment he saw me, I’d impale myself on his hard cock. I’d do it slowly so that by the time he was balls deep in me, my juices would coat every inch of him.

Then, while we fucked like sex–starved rabbits, we’d fill the air with lustful moans of pleasure. Once he’d made me come, he’d wrestle me down to the floor and fuck my flooded tunnel like a man savoring the best pussy he’d ever had.

When his orgasm came, he’d clutch me tight, call out my name, and pump jets of cum directly into my unprotected pussy. Only after we’d fucked like that a few times and I’d allowed him to plunder my ass as well, would he understand the true meaning of the term brown sugar.

I was brought out of my reverie when he turned from the range. “Lin! Ah…good morning.”

I felt my face burning with embarrassment. As a chill of shame engulfed me, I forced myself to look in his eyes instead of allowing my gaze to feast on his bare chest with the sprinkling of hair that must tickle Jen’s nose when they…I bit my lip and gave him what I hoped was a casual smile that concealed my forbidden interest. “Good morning, Jarrod. Sorry. I thought Jen was cooking.”

“It’s all right. She was tired so I told her to stay in bed while I prepared breakfast.” He glanced over his shoulder at the range. “We’re watching our weight and cholesterol so it’s an egg whites only omelet with turkey bacon bits, green and red peppers, and crushed garlic bread. Does that sound appealing? If not, I can whip up something else for you.”

I stared at him in silence, imagining his mouth descending onto my lips whipping up my desire. And then of course satisfying it.

“Lin? Do you fancy something else? Jen and the kids love my pancakes and I make some mean home fries, if I do say so myself.”

I’d never been less interested in food in my life. “What you’re cooking smells delicious.”

“Good.” He flashed me a warm smile and gestured toward the island behind him. “Come in and have a seat.”

Even though I knew it wasn’t a good idea, I sat at one of the stools pulled up to the island.

He turned back to the range.

I stared at his shoulders. I thought I saw a hint of nail marks trailing down his back and disappearing into the waistband of his jeans. I had a sudden, erotic image of him lying naked on top of a nude Jen, fucking her as she moaned in passion and raked her nails down his back to his ass. Lucky Jen to have him lying between her legs with his cock buried to the hilt in her pussy. My pussy ached in jealous protest.

Stop it, Lin. Stop it now! Frightened by the depths of my licentious thoughts, I forced myself to look away. Realizing that wasn’t enough, I rose, my heart racing. I had to get away from him immediately.

He turned to look at me. “Is something wrong, Lin?”