God help me,Jayson thought, watching as Lex pulled his Yukon to a stop and hopped out. He already had a shit-eatinggrin on his face and a swagger in his step as he strolled up the walkway. Opening the door, Jayson pierced him with a warning look that hopefully conveyed he wasn’t in the mood for any fuckery.
“Behave,” Jayson growled in a low voice, making no attempt to hide the threat and promise in that one word.
Smirking, Lex drew an “X” over his heart as he ambled past Jayson, who suddenly began to wonder if he should’ve told Lex he wasn’t home.
“So, after flying fighter jets, I decided to spend some time at home instead of accepting the instructor position at Top Gun,” Lex finished, sitting back in the chair across from her and resting his ankle on his opposite knee, a smug grin on his face. When he reached for another cookie, Sabrina noticed Jayson’s eyes narrow.
He’d been talking about himself for a few minutes too long, and Sabrina had started to tune him out. Sure, the man was good-looking, with blue eyes that sparkled like the Caribbean and dirty blond hair styled in that perfectly-mussed do. He knew it, too, his confidence taking up a good amount of space in the room. And the happy-go-lucky bachelor had heartbreaker written all over him.No thanks. Been there, done that.
Sabrina forced a smile, but she wasn’t overly impressed with all the hot air coming out of Lex Battle’s pretty mouth. Thank God she’d decided to focus on Jayson instead. Lex and his highopinion of himself drained her. He reminded her too much of Ian, and that wasn’t a good thing.
Beside her, Jayson seemed tenser than before. Compared to Lex’s easygoing slouch, Jayson sat ramrod straight. “So, you’re from here?” she asked Lex, not overly caring, but trying to keep the conversation going. She didn’t like uncomfortable silences, but even more so, she hoped Mr. Blabbermouth would spill something useful to her investigation.
“Not originally,” Lex replied evasively. “But it’s a cool little town. Has Jay taken you to Old Glory yet?”
“We just met, so no.” She glanced over at Jayson. “That’s the bar at the other end of town, right?”
He nodded. “Our buddy Brandon owns it, so our friends hang out there.”
“Sounds fun.” She knew it was probably too early for an invite and she didn’t want to come off as pushy.
Lex looked back and forth between them. “I’m sure Jay will bring you around. And even though Brand complains, he lets us drink for free. Most of the time, anyway.” The smile he sent her way should’ve been in a toothpaste commercial. The man had the charisma and looks of a movie star.
And she had a feeling Jayson felt somehow…second best, standing in the glow that was Alexander Battle. But he shouldn’t. Jayson was just as attractive, if not more so in her eyes, and he possessed a genuine sweetness and sincerity that the flirty pilot was missing. She was fairly certain Lex would flirt with any woman who had a pulse.
An awkward silence fell over the room. Jayson had gone strangely quiet, and Lex cleared his throat and stood up.
“Okay then. I should get going. Sabrina, it was an absolute pleasure.” He sent her a charming smile, grabbed another cookie and looked at Jayson. “Walk me out, old man.”
A muscle flexed in Jayson’s cheek as he stood up. “Be right back,” he grumbled, seemingly reverting to the grump he’d been last night.
She watched them walk over to the front door and exchange a few words. Lex threw his head back and laughed then slapped Jayson on the back before slipping out the front door. When Jayson returned, he sent her an apologetic look. “Sorry. He can be…”
“Exhausting?” she supplied.
His lips twitched. “Don’t get me wrong. I love him like a brother, but sometimes the stuff that comes out of his mouth… Well, as predictable as it is, he also enjoys embarrassing the hell out of his friends.”
“He seemed nice.” Jayson’s face fell.Oops.“But not my type,” she quickly added.
When his shoulders slumped in relief, she couldn’t help but smile. Had he seriously doubted himself? Aww, he was freaking adorable. Like no one else she’d ever met.
“And what is your type?” he asked, sitting back down beside her. Relaxing once again, she noticed.
“Hmmm.” She pretended to think for a moment. “I like a man who’s humble and doesn’t brag about his achievements to the whole world.” She pulled her lower lip between her teeth, chewing it thoughtfully. His attention zeroed in on the movement, and she made a small show of licking her bottom lip before continuing. “A man who is quietly confident. Kind and thoughtful.” She blinked, slow and sexy, tilting her head and softening her voice as she added, “A man who isn’t scared to make the first move.”
Her invite didn’t go unnoticed, and Jayson didn’t hesitate. He closed the distance between them, his mouth capturing hers in a kiss. A kiss she wouldn’t soon forget. It was firm, yet tender, and his lips felt soft, yet commanding as they moved against hers.His scent surrounded her, clean and fresh like a bar of newly-unwrapped soap. With a soft moan, she opened her mouth, welcoming the slide of his tongue against hers, and his large hand cupped her face.
It was all too good. Lusty emotion pummeled through her, stronger than she’d expected, as he molded his mouth to hers, drinking deeply. Oh, God, it had been forever since a man had kissed her like this. With so much passion, she felt like she was melting. Utterly boneless.
Need spiked within her, arrowing straight down and making her clit buzz. Jayson Knight knew how to kiss a girl senseless, and she happily let him.
Until guilt rose up, sharp and loud, pointing its finger at her. Reminding her why she was there and how she planned on finding evidence to bring him down. To take him away from his friends, from his daughter.
Sabrina yanked her mouth away, breathing hard. She really liked Jayson, and in another lifetime she could see him being much more than her neighbor. But she had a job to do. And he wasn’t just some random man she’d moved in next door to and could possibly pursue.
The visit, the cookies, the slow, sexy, come-hither looks were all subterfuge. A way to grease her way in, so to speak.
God, she felt like the world’s biggest asshole for deceiving him.
