Page 14 of Deadly Conflicts

Vince’s expression was unreadable as he shifted his eyes to Ally. “I can’t wait for that to happen to me.”

JAKE GROANEDas he lowered himself onto the couch in the living room mere minutes after walking through the front door with a sugared-up Ally. “What a long freaking day.”

“The night is still young,” Ally countered, buzzing about. “What do you want to do next?”

Jake shifted his weary eyes to his girlfriend and the lingerie bags clutched in her hand. He was exhausted. A day of painting and then a full work shift caught him off guard. Still, if she wanted to grant a few wishes before sleep, who was he to argue? “What’s in the bag, angel?”

Ally offered Jake a pretty smile as she clutched the mysterious shopping bags to her chest. “That’s for me to know and you to find out later … when you haven’t been bad.”

Jake blew out an annoyed sigh. He knew this was coming. Ally lulled him into a false sense of security by avoiding the topic once she rejoined him by the carousel. He should’ve realized she was only delaying the fight for a time when they didn’t have an audience. “Oh, angel, do we have to do this tonight?”

“Yes.”

“Fine.” Jake leaned back on the couch and locked gazes with his brunette beauty. “Let me have it.”

“Vince and I dated for two months and it was over before things ever got a chance to be serious,” Ally replied, taking Jake by surprise. He was expecting her to yell at him, not explain her history – which he pretty much figured out on his own. “I was young and stupid. I had a broken heart for like two weeks. Then I moved on.”

“Ally, you don’t have to tell me this,” Jake said, lowering his voice. “I … it’s none of my business.”

“I thought we were in a relationship,” Ally challenged.

“We are.”

“Then shouldn’t an ex-boyfriend showing up out of the blue be your business?”

Jake wasn’t sure what answer she wanted to hear. “Angel, I love you,” he said simply. “I don’t need a list of everyone you’ve been with. I figured if someone important showed up, you would tell me and we’d talk about it then. I wasn’t upset because I thought you still had feelings for Vince, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Then why did you treat me like property when you sensed he was interested in me?”

Jake scowled. She was good. He had to give her that. She’d set a trap and walked him straight into it. “He bugged me.”

“He bugged you?”

“Oh, Ally, I’m sorry,” Jake said, dragging a restless hand through his hair. “I knew it was wrong the second I did it. He made that carny crack, though. I know I wasn’t exactly dressed for the prom or anything, but I hate it when people assume things.”

Ally pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. “The prom?”

“You know what I mean,” Jake said. “He was all suave looking and apparently I resembled a carny.”

Ally took pity on him as she sat on the couch and rested her hand on his leg. “You don’t resemble a carny,” she said, laughing. “You resemble the man I love. In case you haven’t noticed, by the way, I happen to think you’re pretty hot.”

“Oh, yeah?”

Ally nodded. “I’m still not a piece of property.”

“I know that, Ally,” Jake said, pressing his thumb to her cheek. “I wasn’t trying to own you. I was trying to make sure he stayed away from … .”

“Your property?”

“My heart,” Jake corrected. “You have no idea how much I love you. I don’t like it when other people look at you the way I do. I like to think we have something special.”

“We do have something special,” Ally said. “That something special comes from mutual trust and love, though. It doesn’t come from you puffing your chest out and thumping it.”

“I did not do that,” Jake said, laughing. “I am not your brother.”

“No, you’re not,” Ally agreed, leaning closer so her lips were a mere fraction of an inch from Jake’s mouth. “I’m very glad you’re not my brother. That makes what we’re about to do a heck of a lot less icky.”

Jake’s eyes were heavy-lidded as he regarded her. “What are we going to do?”