The Tycoon's Defiant Southern Belle Page 0,37

of condoms. She counted five different kinds, all with the extra-large size.

“What…?”

“Don’t worry. We’ll definitely be prepared now for any eventuality.”

Jade’s mind was quickly zeroing in on the problem but it was slow since it was taking so long to process the fact that Angelo had put birth control onto the counter. Birth control? Birth control!

And he handed the cashier his own credit card, not even allowing her to pay for her own items.

Jade watched as Bob’s face broke into his own blush, then she glanced behind at the other patrons waiting to check out. Mr. Levinsworth was right behind her, winking hugely at her with an approving grin on his face. There was also Ms. Johnson who lived next door to Dave and Jade couldn’t believe it when the woman started shaking her head in disapproval.

“I’m not…” she started to say, but by that point, Angelo had already paid for everything, it was all in a bag and he took it, placing a hand on the small of her back as he nudged her outside. “We are,” he stated firmly for whoever wanted to hear.

When they were once again out in the sunshine, she pulled her arm away from his light grip and turned to face him, unconcerned about the others on the street as they walked around them. She actually wanted them to hear her!

“You did that on purpose!” she accused, glaring at him.

He shrugged and looked down into her furious eyes. “I won’t deny it,” he said gruffly. “I don’t want anyone to think that you’re still pining for that ass.”

“His name is Dave and he’s a very nice person.”

Angelo shook his head. “Jade, you’re so used to defending the man, you don’t even remember that he cheated on you at the party last week. In the woods,” he emphasized.

She started to argue with him again, but the realization of what she was saying struck her. She pointed her finger, inhaled as if she were going to say something else, then stopped, inhaled again with another thought, then stopped again. In the end, her shoulders slumped because there really was nothing she could say. She couldn’t defend Dave any longer. It was ridiculous to do so. He’d betrayed not only her, but also the other women that he’d been seeing behind her back, lying to them all. The more she heard, the more the women were coming out of the woodwork claiming that he’d treated them the say way. All the way back to their high school days, Dave had used women like tissues, using them carelessly and then throwing them away without any concern. She refused to use the same water bottle analogy on Dave as she’d used on Angelo. They were too different in all aspects.

“I have to go,” she said and turned away, forcing her feet to move one in front of the other. “Why are you even here?”

“I’m only in town for an hour or so.” He stopped her by grabbing her arm and pulling her flush against him. “I have to travel to San Francisco over the next week. Will you miss me?” he asked softly, his hands moving over her back, feeling her tremble. He even liked the way her hands moved up his arms unconsciously.

“I won’t,” she told him, unaware that her body was pressing closer to him.

He smiled slightly and shook his head. “Maybe I’ll stay away longer then,” he challenged.

Jade bit her lower lip, trying not to show how sad the idea of his departure made her feel. “I probably won’t even notice,” she came back.

Angelo laughed, wondering why she continued to deny what they felt for each other. “Then maybe I’ll have to give you a reminder of what we will have together when I get back.”

Jade knew exactly what he was about to do and she thought about pushing away from him. She thought about telling him no. And the whole time she was trying to figure out the best way to reject his kiss, she was lifting her head up in trembling anticipation, desperate for that spark of instant fire that always made her knees weak.

By the time he lifted his head and stepped back, she was ready to demand that he come back and finish what he’d just started. Only self-preservation and a deeply held belief that it would be wrong kept her from begging him to keep going.

She watched with genuine sadness as he drove away, watching his car for as long as