Breathe Again by Joelle Charming Read Free Book Online

wanted to. I still want to. It’s taking everything I have not to keep
touching you. But I shouldn’t. It isn’t good for you.”
    “Um, I have to disagree?” I said, remembering the feel of his
lips on mine and the electricity that seemed to run directly from him into me.
    “Me,” he said, holding me away so he could look into my eyes.
“It’s me. That’s what’s not good for you.”
    I sighed, realizing what he was trying to say. This time I
was able to get my hands between us, and pushed him away before I hopped off
the counter and stepped into my shoes.
    “I get it, Jackson. And I have to agree with you on that one.
But this isn’t fair. You come in, all sexy, with your tight jeans and muscles
and blue eyes, and you seduce me into assaulting you in my kitchen. That’s not
fair. If you don’t want it, then fine. Just leave me alone.”
    I was angry. I couldn’t help it. For the past five days I’d
been daydreaming of him, never actually imagining that anything would happen
between us. I let myself daydream because I knew there wouldn’t be anything
between us. But then he came and invaded my safe space, after a shitty day at that,
and now he wanted to take it all back. Because he didn’t think he was good for
me.
    I was about to call bullshit when he laughed. He actually
laughed at me, and I just glared back at him. He kept laughing, and started
walking toward where I now stood on the other side of the kitchen. I watched
him through narrowed eyes, glancing at the back door, actually wondering if I
could get away from him fast enough.
    I knew it would never work, so I just stood there with my
arms crossed and huffed out a breath. He didn’t take his eyes off me, and he
brushed a piece of my hair off my face when he got to where I stood.
    “What?” I said, trying to insert as much venom into my voice
as I could.
    “You think I’m sexy,” he said, smirking again.
    I just gaped at him. “No shit, you jerk. I didn’t ask for you
to come find me, you know. But you did, and now here we are, and you’ve kind of
fucked up the little bubble I live in and I’m not really sure what to do about
it.” I heard him groan, which surprised me. “What?” I said again, still
annoyed.
    “I have a thing for women that swear. It’s really hot.”
    Okay, now I was really annoyed. “Well, here you go. Get the
fuck out of my kitchen. And don’t come back.”
    He didn’t do as I said. He just pushed me up against the
fridge and shoved his tongue back into my mouth. And I most definitely didn’t
stop him.
    After what seemed like an eternity, we slowed. Our arms were
wrapped around each other, and he nuzzled me with his face in my hair.
    “Now,” he said, in between kisses behind my ears and on my
neck, “about that date . . .”

CHAPTER 6
    I had no idea what the hell I was
thinking. I knew it was a terrible, terrible idea, but there I was, putting on
my makeup and glaring at the dress on my bed like it was a bomb that was about
to explode and destroy my perfectly boring life.
    I bought a new dress for the occasion. I couldn’t help
myself, knowing that I could be seen in public with Jackson. He warned me about
that multiple times, even tried to get me to say no once. But when I finally
did say no, annoyed that he was playing mind games with me, he refused to let
me out of his arms until I agreed.
    There was a knock at my door and I glanced at the clock. It
was only a quarter after six, and Jackson wasn’t supposed to be picking me up
until seven. I knotted the belt of my robe around my waist and headed to the
door.
    “Who is it?” I called out, though I knew it could only be a
handful of people. The stairs up to my door were in the back of the kitchen,
and we always kept the back door to the café locked.
    “It’s Josephine. Let me in,” she called back through the
door. I twisted the knob and let my cousin into the loft.
    “Hey, lady. What’s up,” I said, making my way back to my
vanity so I