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can go and take this quiz if you’re looking for Mr. or Miss Right. Well, after a few dates with losers—men who lacked confidence but had plenty of arrogance and who also acted as if it was a foregone conclusion that our date would end in my bed—I decided to take the quiz and my results indicated that my Mr. Right didn’t exist.”
Storm frowned down at her. Would he ever understand women? “You’ve been avoiding a serious relationship because of some quiz?”
“Pretty much…yes. I discovered like oil and water, me and relationships don’t mix because I have a low tolerance when it comes to men who expect too much too soon.”
It took Storm a minute to analyze everything she’d said. “What about those guys you dated off the Internet?”
Jayla released a single, self-deprecating chuckle. “That was my way of trying to prove the quiz wrong. From then on, I never wasted my time going on a guy hunt.”
“But…but didn’t you date in college?” Storm sputtered. Why hadn’t her going off to college assured her returning to town with her hymen no longer intact?
She smiled again, a bit sadly this time. “Yes, but unfortunately, not long after I got there I met a guy name Tyrone Pembroke.”
“What happened? He broke your heart?”
She chuckled derisively. “On the contrary. Actually he did me a favor by showing me just what jerks some guys were. He opened my eyes to the games they played, games I wasn’t interested in. After Ty, I made it a point not to get serious about any one guy and since I wasn’t into casual sex, I never felt pressured into sleeping with anyone.”
Storm nodded. “So why now and why with me?
To Jayla’s way of thinking, that was an easy question. “Because of timing. I know you and I like you. I also know your position on relationships. I’m not looking for anything beyond what we shared tonight and neither are you, right?”
Storm held her gaze. “Right.” The last thing he needed was a clingy woman who wanted to occupy his time. Still, although he didn’t want to feel it, he felt a special connection to Jayla since he had been her first. He couldn’t recall ever taking a woman’s virginity before.
“Now that I’ve answered your question, do you think I can get some sleep? I’m exhausted.” Jayla asked softly.
Storm glanced down at her. Was she dismissing him? “Do you want me to leave?”
She smiled. “Actually…” she began, as she snuggled closer to him. “I was hoping you’d want to stay all night.”
A grin spread across Storm’s lips. Hell, yeah, he wanted to stay all night. “I think that can be arranged,” he told her as he leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips. “Excuse me for a second while I go into the bathroom to take care of something. I’ll be right back.”
“All right.”
There was just enough light in the darkened room to let Jayla admire Storm’s nude form as he crossed the room to the bathroom. She inhaled deeply as heated sensations shot through her. He’d been the perfect lover. He was confident, secure in who he was, but not arrogant. She felt tired and yet exhilarated at the same time. Slightly sore, but still smoldering from his lovemaking. Funny how things worked out. Storm was the man she’d been trying to get to notice her since the time she had started noticing boys. She was beginning to believe the cliché that good things came to those who wait. Now timing had not only finally worked for them, it was working against them as well. At any other time, she would have loved to take what she’d shared with Storm tonight to a whole other level, but not now. What she had needed was him out of her system so she could focus on the baby.
Her baby.
“I’m back.”
Her nipples peaked in instant response to his words. She watched as he made a casual stroll over to the bed, totally at ease with his naked state. Seeing him that way stirred up desires within her again and she no longer felt as tired as she had earlier.
“Do you want me to prepare you some bath water to soak in for a while before you go off to sleep?” he asked coming to sit on the side of the bed next to where she lay. “If you don’t, you might wake up feeling a lot sorer than you probably do now.”
Jayla leaned back against her pillow, seriously doubting that most men were as considerate as Storm was being. She pressed her lips together, liking his suggestion. “You’re right, a soak in the tub sounds wonderful.”
He smiled as he stood up. “I’ll be back when your bath is ready.”
“All right.”
Again she watched him cross the room, finding it hard to tear her gaze from the sight of him, especially his tight behind. She smiled, feeling downright giddy at the thought that he’d agreed to spend the night with her. She might as well stretch this out for as far as she could because when they returned to Atlanta, things would be different. She would go her way and he would go his. They would both resume a life that had nothing to do with each other. He would go back to being a hero by fighting his fires and saving lives and she would eagerly prepare for the most lifealtering experience she’d ever encountered—pregnancy.
“Ready?”
Hearing the sound of his voice, she glanced across the room. A thick surge of desire shot through her veins at the sight of him leaning in the doorway, naked and aroused. If she wasn’t ready, he certainly was.
“Yes, I’m ready,” she said, barely able to voice the words. She moved to get out of bed and then he was there, sweeping her up into his arms. The heat of his skin seeped through the heat of hers and the feeling was electrifying. She immediately knew the meaning of the words raging hormones. Hers were totally out of control. She quickly decided that she needed to get back in control of things.
“I can walk, Storm.”
“Yes, but I want to carry you. That’s the least I can do.”
She clamped her lips tight, deciding not to tell him that he had done quite a lot. He had turned their night into more than a one-night stand. It had become a romantic interlude, one she would remember for the rest of her life.
As he carried her into the bathroom, her breasts tingled from the contact with his skin. And when he leaned down, shifting her in his arms to place her into the bubbly water, sliding her body down his, the sensations that rocketed through her almost took her breath away.
“The water might be a little warmer than what you’re used to, but it will be good for your muscles,” he said, in a voice that let her know he, too, had been affected by the contact of their bare skin touching.
She nodded as he placed her in the water. He was right. The water was warm, but it immediately felt good to her body. She glanced up at him as he stood beside the tub looking down at her. She tried to keep her attention on the top part of his body and not the lower part. “You seem to be good at this, Westmoreland. Is this how you treat all your virgins?”
He chuckled and his gaze captured hers. “Believe it or not, I’ve never done a virgin before.”
She lifted a brow. “Never?”
His smile widened. “No. never. You’re my first, just like I was your first.”
Jayla watched as his features shifted into a serious expression as if he had to really think about what he’d just said for a moment. “Do you need my help?” he asked her.
She shook her head. “No, I can manage. Thanks.”
He nodded. “Call me when you’re ready to get out.”
She smiled. “Storm, really, I can manage things.”
“Yeah, I know you can but I want you to call me anyway.” Then he left, closing the door behind him.
Storm poured himself a glass of ice water and tipped it to his