Entice - By Ella Frank Page 0,87
what her reasons for that had been again.
He was dressed casually tonight in a white button-up shirt and jeans, and he looked sexier than she ever thought he had. He didn’t look away and didn’t hide the absolute raw emotion that filled his eyes as he ran them down over her.
As Shelly felt her body respond, she pointedly looked away from him to his date, the lovely Jenny. This time when she looked back, he had moved over to chat with Mason.
Turning back to Lena, Shelly told her, “No, that doesn’t help, and I need a very stiff drink.”
Lena nodded and moved away to get it.
***
So, Jenny was nice, which made Shelly even more miserable.
She was an elementary school teacher and was so sweet.
Shelly was feeling ill. What is the matter with me?
She was the one who had ended things with him after his ex had turned up that morning months ago. She had panicked and sent him away.
Shelly knew it had been for the best because she had been and still was way too raw over the whole mess with her parents to even think about getting into a relationship.
However, whenever she looked at him or heard him talk or laugh, her heart clenched, and her body throbbed.
She had never been a believer in an instant connection, but that weekend, whether it was because she had been raw with emotions or just because it was the right man at the right time, she really thought she had fallen for him.
Maybe she had for a day, before reality had come back to slap her across the face. But now, she had to stand here with this kind, sweet woman and watch her as she discovered that he was in fact very possibly the perfect man.
***
Several hours later, after all the fireworks had gone off, they walked back through the park to catch a cab home.
Lena and Mason were at the front of the group, holding hands and laughing together, and Josh found himself beside Jenny, wondering about the woman a couple of paces in front of them.
He was listening to what Jenny was telling him and answering in response correctly, but his eyes and mind were on the naked back of the woman walking ahead of him.
She had been so subdued tonight, not the usual man-eater he was accustomed to or the sweet Georgia for that matter. She was just quiet.
Almost sad.
He knew she had to still be dealing with her parents’ revelations, and he figured that him showing up with Jenny tonight probably hadn’t helped either. It pained him to see her that way because she was usually full of life. Tonight, though, she just looked so tired.
When they all reached the road, Mason hailed a cab, and Jenny was the first one in because she lived across town. She leaned up and kissed Josh gently on the lips as he wished her a good night. She really was a good girl, but he was pretty certain she knew that they weren’t a forever match.
As the cab pulled away, Mason chose that moment to clear his throat.
“I’ll let you get Shelly a cab. We’re going to call it a night.”
Josh saw Shelly roll her eyes and shake her head as their friends went to cross the street.
From the other side, Lena yelled, “I’ll call you tomorrow with the time for the dress fittings, okay?”
He saw Shelly nod as Lena then turned, taking Mason’s hand as they walked into the lobby.
Josh had to envy them. They had found each other and loved one another so much that it made him smile just to look at them.
Turning, he saw that Shelly had taken a seat on a bench that edged the park.
Josh put his hands in his pockets and moved over to stand in front of her.
“Jenny seems nice,” she told him, finally looking up at him.
He nodded. “She is nice.”
He watched Shelly look down at her lap and pick at her skirt. “What’s going on, Shel?”
This was not the woman he had met a few months back. He moved and took a seat beside her. “Talk to me. Is it your parents?”
She turned her head, and her blonde hair spilled over her shoulder. He reached out and pushed it behind her ear. She sucked in a breath and bit her lip.
“Why do you think I’m such an idiot?” she asked.
Josh felt the side of his mouth quirk up. “Idiot? You? Now, that’s not something I would ever accuse you of