enough.
He pulled back and his dark eyes met mine. So serious. So intense. “Don’t go.”
I wanted to say I’ll stay. I wanted to, but I couldn’t. Being with Brandon and getting the lead role—they were the only ways I could ever be my own person. They’d give me the power I needed to break free of my father’s tyranny and to make my own way in the world. Sure, my father would still be my boss, but I’d have a power of my own. Something not even he could take from me.
Though I hadn’t said a word, Jack seemed to see what I was thinking. Confusion darkened his eyes even more. Confusion and frustration. “Don’t try to tell me you’re that desperate to become an actress.” He shook his head. “I’ve never even heard you mention an interest in acting.”
A rueful smile tugged at my lips, amusement warring with sadness. “You haven’t heard me talk about a lot of things,” I reminded him. “You’ve only known me for a couple of weeks, and it’s not like our little chats in the hallway are insightful, meaningful discussions.”
His lips quirked up a bit too because he knew I was right. But that didn’t mean he’d been wrong. Not entirely. It wasn’t some desperate passion to become an actress that spurred me on to do things that made me nauseous. It was the benefits that came with it. The money. The fame. When combined, those two factors equaled power.
I looked up into his eyes and wondered if he could understand that. Probably not. The guy had grown up loved and supported. He had a home here.
A home he wants to share with you.
I pushed away the oddly tempting thought. It wasn’t Pinedale that was tempting so much as the idea of a home.
A home with Jack.
Oh hell, what was wrong with me? I barely knew the guy, and I had a life back in Los Angeles. Didn’t I?
He moved one of his hands up and cupped my face, his thumb idly stroking my jaw and cheek as he studied me closely. “You’ve never mentioned your home or your school or how much you miss your friends,” he continued.
I opened my mouth to protest but realized he was right. My friends had seemingly given me up for dead. Out of sight, out of mind seemed to be their motto. There was no one at home who was waiting anxiously to see me, and the feeling was mutual. I didn’t want to admit that, though. It sounded too pathetic for words. Almost as pathetic as the desire to move to a Godforsaken hillbilly town where nobody liked me for a guy I barely knew.
Sure, we talked every day, but those conversations were filled with bickering and teasing, nothing of significance. But the funny thing was, those stolen moments throughout the day had become the highlights of my life. The thought of seeing him at school made going to school something to look forward to, it made this town bearable. Even now, the memory of our conversations made me smile.
I arched a brow. “How would any of that have come up when our daily chats usually center around you lecturing me on my bad behavior?”
His eyes flashed with wicked humor as his lips curved up in a lopsided grin that made my breath catch in my throat. “I do love fighting with you.”
I let out a breathless laugh because yeah… I loved it too.
Too much.
He leaned down, and his breath whispered over my lips. “Besides, someone needs to call you out on your bratty behavior.”
I was torn between laughter and a moan as my lips parted, eager for another kiss. I settled for feigning indignation. “I’m not bratty, you’re just overbearing.”
He moved in closer, his eyes locked on mine. “You love it.”
He crushed me to him as his lips moved over mine, insistent and demanding. When he pulled back his hands stayed tangled in my hair, and his eyes were filled with heat. “You don’t want Brandon.”
My lips parted as I gasped for air. His certainty wiped away any ideas I might’ve had to deny it. What was the use?
“You don’t want him,” he growled. “Say it.”
I licked my lips and watched as his eyes followed the movement. I couldn’t deny it. Not when my body and my kisses spoke so clearly on my behalf. Still… I didn’t have to confirm it either. “How do you know?”
His eyes flashed with amusement. He knew exactly what I